cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of thrombin inhibitors on thrombin-induced platelet release and aggregation

Thrombin-induced platelet activation was interrupted with hirudin or Dansylarginine N-(3-ethyl-1-5-pentanediyl) amide (DAPA) to study the time requirement for receptor occupancy by thrombin in promoting platelet responses at low (0.25 U/ml), intermediate (0.5 U/ml) and high (1 U/ml) thrombin concentrations. Each of these thrombin inhibitors suppressed adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release and aggregation by thrombin when added either before or simultaneously with thrombin or within seconds of the initiation of these responses by thrombin. If the inhibitors were added later, yet before aggregation or release was complete, no effect was present. The period of time for which active thrombin was required in order to promote these reactions had the following characteristics: (i) it is thrombin concentration dependent for a given response; (ii) it is longer for aggregation than for ATP secretion at each thrombin concentration; (iii) it is increased in platelets modified by chymotrypsin or platelets partially inhibited by antimycin A and 2-deoxy-D-glucose, which have prolonged aggregation and ATP release responses. In direct comparison studies, the inhibitory effects of hirudin and DAPA were identical on aggregation and ATP release. Thrombin binding, under similar experimental conditions identical to those used to measure platelet activation, was prevented by hirudin, but not by DAPA. Therefore, the effect of DAPA on thrombin must be at the proteolytic site region and not at the hirudin-inhibitable platelet binding region. It is concluded from these studies that the tight coupling requirements for thrombin to induce platelet dense granule release and aggregation are directly dependent upon both the thrombin concentration and the rate of the individual platelet responses. Catalytic site integrity is required for the duration of this period of receptor occupancy.
Oxygen reactivity of a nickel(II)-polyoximate complex.

The ligand tris(2-hydroxyiminopropyl)amine (Ox3H3) binds to nickel(II) in multiple protonation states. In the neutral state, the X-ray crystal structure of the monomeric complex [Ni(Ox3H3)(NO3)(H2O)](NO3)·(H2O), 1, has six-coordinate pseudo-octahedral geometry, with binding of the amine and three oxime nitrogens, a nitrate, and a water. In the mono-deprotonated form, the X-ray crystal structure shows a dimer, [Ni(Ox3H2)(CH3CN)]2(ClO4)2, 2, which has bridging oximate groups and a Ni−Ni distance of 3.575 A. The fully deprotonated complex, 3, shows significantly low Ni(II) oxidation potentials at −390 and +165 mV (versus Fc+/Fc). Complex 3 shows reactivity when exposed to O2, consuming multiple O2 equivalents and turning from the purple 3 to a dark brown complex, 4. Complex 4 has an EPR spectrum consistent with Ni(III), but spin quantitation accounts for only about 10% of the total Ni, consistent with turnover of the Ni oxidation states. This Ni(II)/O2 system oxidizes triphenylphosphine to its oxide, with in...
Pipeline in clinical practice in 2011.

Henkes and his team present a “real world” series of over 100 aneurysms and intracranial dissections treated with the Pipeline embolization device (PED). These data provide
Ferritin Is a Developmentally Regulated Nuclear Protein of Avian Corneal Epithelial Cells

Previously, we generated monoclonal antibodies against chicken corneal cells (Zak, N. B., and Linsenmayer, T. F. (1983) Dev. Biol. 99, 373). We have now observed that one group of these antibodies reacts with a developmentally regulated component of corneal epithelial cell nuclei. This component is the heavy chain of ferritin, as determined by analyses of immunoisolated cDNA clones and immunoblotting of the protein. Immunoblotting also suggests that the nuclear ferritin may be in a supramolecular form that is similar to the iron-binding ferritin complex found in the cytoplasm of many cells. In vitro cultures and transfection studies show that the nuclear localization depends predominantly on cell type but can be altered by the in vitro environment. The appearance of nuclear ferritin is at least partially under translational regulation, as is known to be true for the cytoplasmic form of the molecule. The tissue and developmental distributions of the mRNA for the molecule are much more extensive than the protein itself, and the removal of iron from cultures of corneal epithelial cells with the iron chelator deferoxamine prevents the appearance of nuclear ferritin. At present the functional role(s) of nuclear ferritin remain unknown, but previous studies on cytoplasmic ferritin raise the possibility that it prevents damage due to free radical generation ("oxidative stress") by sequestering iron. Although it remains to be tested whether nuclear ferritin prevents oxidative damage, we find this an attractive possibility. Since the corneal epithelium is transparent and is constantly exposed to free radical-generating UV light, it is possible that the cells of this tissue have evolved a specialized mechanism to prevent oxidative damage to their nuclear components.
Hepatoid yolk sac tumor of the ovary (endodermal sinus tumor with hepatoid differentiation). A light microscopic, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of seven cases

Seven cases of ovarian yolk sac tumor (endodermal sinus tumor) with patterns resembling those of hepatocellular carcinoma were encountered in patients 7-43 years of age. Two of the patients had gonadal dysgenesis with a 46XY karyotype. At operation three tumors were confined to the ovary and four were associated with intra-abdominal metastases. Two of the Stage I tumors recurred within one year. The hepatoid pattern was a prominent feature of all the tumors and was exclusive in four of them. In one specimen it merged almost imperceptibly with a polyvesicular vitelline pattern. The hepatoid component of the tumors was characterized by discrete masses, nests and/or broad bands of large polyhedral cells with central nuclei and prominent nucleoli; gland-like spaces, some of which contained mucin, were occasionally evident. Each tumor contained numerous PAS-positive, diastase-resistant intracytoplasmic and extracytoplasmic hyaline bodies. Alpha-fetoprotein and alpha-1-antitrypsin were identified by immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence techniques in four tumors and albumin in two. Immunoperoxidase stains for chorionic gonadotropin were negative in four cases. Ultrastructural analysis of two specimens disclosed features similar to those of hepatocellular carcinoma.
The superconducting energy gap in 2H-NbSe2 and its coupling to charge density waves

Abstract At 33 K 2H-NbSe 2 distorts into an incommensurate charge density wave (CDW) state. The Raman spectrum shows amplitude modes of A and E symmetry near 40 cm −1 induced by the CDW. At 7 K this material becomes superconducting, and at 2 K we observe additional Raman peaks near 20 cm −1 , one each of A and E symmetry. These are close in energy to the energy gap 2Δ, as measured by far infrared transmission. The Raman activity of the gap excitations is believed to be caused by coupling to the Raman active CDW phonon modes. Such coupling is shown directly by the changes in the Raman spectra at 2 K due to an applied magnetic field. The zero field results can be explained by a model in which the optical CDW phonon modes couple to superconducting electrons, and the resulting phonon self-energy is calculated using the BCS theory for the electrons.
Lipid turnover in the tundra wolf Canis lupus tundrarum

Abstract 1. 1. Tundra wolves were injected with labeled free fatty acids (FFA) to determine the rate of turnover of specific fatty acids in the blood. 2. 2. The greatest turnover rate was observed in palmitic acid (16:0) with a lower turnover rate for oleic (18:1) and linoleic (18:2). 3. 3. Our data indicates that saturated fatty acids may be removed from the blood plasma of the wolf very rapidly leaving a residue of unsaturated fatty acids for which the wolf is more tolerant.
A heuristic power optimization method for photovoltaic systems

California is striving to increase penetration of Distributed Generation (DG) to 33% by 2020. This effort is to promote energy independence of the state of California and to lead the country to be more environmentally conscious. However, integrating DG and increasing penetration to high levels will negatively impact the grid. One issue that has been discussed is that DG may supply more power than is demanded by the load. This may cause overvoltage issues at the buses where the DG is connected and also may cause power to flow from the distribution to the transmission system. Current legislation dictates DG to operate at unity power factor and prohibits DG to inject or absorb reactive power. This is to ensure that the Utilities can control system voltage and that the customers do not regulate voltage at the interconnection points. However, when considering system performance, this legislation is not ideal. The mission of this paper is to provide convincing data that will demonstrate the benefits of controlling reactive power for better system performance. Furthermore, it will provide a heuristic method that calculates near-optimum dispatch of DG in the distribution system in a fast approach which could potentially be implemented in practical, real-time applications.
Telomere fusion to chromosome breaks reduces oncogenic translocations and tumour formation

Telomeres protect chromosome ends from fusion, degradation and recombination. Loss of telomere function has opposite effects on tumorigenesis: apoptosis, which inhibits tumour growth, and genomic instability, which accelerates tumour formation. Here we describe a new mechanism by which short telomeres inhibit tumorigenesis through interference with oncogenic translocations. In mice that are null for both ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (Atm) and telomerase RNA (mTR), the first generation (G1) Atm−/− mTR−/− mice have a lower rate of tumour formation than Atm−/− mTR+/+ mice. These Atm−/− mTR−/− G1 tumours show no increase in either apoptosis or overall genomic instability. Strikingly, the tumours show a high fraction of translocations containing telomere signals at the translocation junctions. Translocations of the T-cell receptors on chromosome 14, which initiate tumorigenesis, were interrupted by fusion with telomeres. Telomere repeats were also detected at the translocation junctions in pre-malignant thymocytes. We propose that telomere fusion to DNA double-strand breaks competes with the generation of oncogenic translocations and thus reduces tumour formation.
Vapor Phase Ketonization of Acetic Acid on Ceria Based Metal Oxides

The activities of CeO2, Mn2O3–CeO2 and ZrO2–CeO2 were measured for acetic acid ketonization under reaction conditions relevant to pyrolysis vapor upgrading. We show that the catalyst ranking changed depending on the reaction conditions. Mn2O3–CeO2 was the most active catalyst at 350 °C, while ZrO2–CeO2 was the most active catalyst at 450 °C. Under high CO2 and steam concentration in the reactants, Mn2O3–CeO2 was the most active catalyst at 350 and 450 °C. The binding energies of steam and CO2 with the active phase were calculated to provide the insight into the tolerance of Mn2O3–CeO2 to steam and CO2.
Effect of chronic hypoxia and high sucrose diet on body weights and glycolytic enzyme activities in liver, heart, and gastrocnemius of Sprague-Dawley and wistar rats

Pyruvate kinase and glucosephosphate isomerase activities were measured in liver, heart, and gastrocnemius of Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats subjected to chronic hypoxia. Animals were fed Purina chow or a high sucrose diet. In terms of changes in body weight, Sprague-Dawleys acclimated better on Purina chow whereas Wistars adjusted better on the high sucrose diet. These two groups had the lowest heart weight:body weight ratios. Only heart enzyme activities were above levels of pair-fed controls in both strains with hypoxia. Diet affected enzyme activities in hypoxic animals: for rats on high sucrose diet, pyruvate kinase activity was greater in all tissues of both strains except gastrocnemius of Sprague-Dawleys; glucosephosphate isomerase was higher in liver of both strains and only gastrocnemius of Wistars.
The Diffraction of Neutrons by Crystalline Powders

The powdered crystal technique, which has been shown for the case of x-rays to be best suited for accurate, integrated intensity measurements, has been applied to neutron diffraction. Neutrons from the Clinton pile are monochromatized by reflection from a single crystal and the diffraction patterns produced when these neutrons fall on specimens of crystalline powders have been studied. These studies have given (a) a check on some aspects of the diffraction theory, (b) the magnitude and sign of the scattering amplitudes from various nuclear species from which information is obtained on the spin dependence of the scattering, which has a bearing on the magnitude and range of nuclear forces, and (c) an improvement in the techniques and a better understanding of the problems involved so that results can be more readily obtained on the diffraction by other crystals, such as those containing hydrogen or deuterium.Diffraction measurements have been obtained on diamond, graphite, Al, Na, NaBr, NaCl, and NaF in which all intensity measurements were standardized against diamond to which a definite cross section was assigned on the basis of total cross-section measurements. The scattering of carbon, Al, and F was found to have no measurable spin dependence. The scattering by Na, however, shows a considerable spin dependence as evidenced by a Bragg scattering cross section of 1.51 barns as against a total scattering cross section of 3.7 barns. Measurements have been made on a number of other crystals with the purpose of determining the phase of scattering. A table showing the scattering phase for a number of elements is given.
Analysis of the potential for a heat island effect in large solar farms

Large-scale solar power plants are being built at a rapid rate, and are setting up to use hundreds of thousands of acres of land surface. The thermal energy flows to the environment related to the operation of such facilities have not, so far, been addressed comprehensively. We are developing rigorous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation capabilities for modeling the air velocity, turbulence, and energy flow fields induced by large solar PV farms to answer questions pertaining to potential impacts of solar farms on local microclimate. Using the CFD codes Ansys CFX and Fluent, we conducted detailed 3-D simulations of a 1 MW section of a solar farm in North America and compared the results with recorded wind and temperature field data from the whole solar farm. Both the field data and the simulations show that the annual average of air temperatures in the center of PV field can reach up to 1.9°C above the ambient temperature, and that this thermal energy completely dissipates to the environment at heights of 5 to 18 m The data also show a prompt dissipation of thermal energy with distance from the solar farm, with the air temperatures approaching (within 0.3°C) the ambient at about 300 m away of the perimeter of the solar farm. Analysis of 18 months of detailed data showed that in most days, the solar array was completely cooled at night, and, thus, it is unlikely that a heat island effect could occur. Work is in progress to approximate the flow fields in the solar farm with 2-D simulations and detail the temperature and wind profiles of the whole utility scale PV plant and the surrounding region. The results from these simulations can be extrapolated to assess potential local impacts from a number of solar farms reflecting various scenarios of large PV penetration into regional and global grids.
Ultralow-energy imaging for metrology

Ultra-low energy (ULV) scanning electron microscopy is performed in the range between 20 eV and 100 eV. By the use of a retarding field cathode lens assembly ULV imaging with a spatial resolution in the nanometer range has been achieved. This performance is close the predicted theoretical value but is limited by astigmatism and signal to noise considerations. The modes of signal formation at ULV are well suited for metrology and this type of operation may offer reduced beam damage and charging artifacts.
Threshold phenomena in random structures

Abstract The physical theory of phase transition explains sudden changes of phase in materials that undergo gradual changes of some parameter like temperature. There are analogs of phase transition in the theory of random graphs, initiated by Erdos and Renyi. This paper gives a nontechnical but precise account, without proofs, of some of the beautiful discoveries of Erdos and Renyl about threshold phenomena in graphs, describes an application of their methods to interval graphs, and gives some examples of threshold phenomena under other definitions of randomness and in combinatorial structures other than graphs. The paper offers some speculations on possible applications of random combinatorial structures to telecommunications, neurobiology, and the origin of life. A rich man commissioned three experts, a veterinarian, an engineer, and a theoretical physicist, to find out what made the best race horses. After a few years they reported their results. The vet concluded from genetic studies that brown horses were the fastest. The engineer found that thin legs were optimal for racing. The theoretical physicist asked for more time to study the question because the case of the spherical horse was proving extremely interesting. Aharon Katchalsky No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the only misfortune is to do it solemnly. Montaigne
Spirituality: A Glowing and Useful Term in Search of a Meaning

The article examines the remarkable popularity of the term “spirituality” and its proliferating definitions. Multiple uses for term keep its exact meaning fuzzy. This term is the latest within long...
THz air photonics for standoff detection

By “seeing” the fluorescence or “hearing” the sound emitted by plasma, coherent detection of broadband THz waves by laser-induced plasma at standoff distance is feasible. We will report these recent developments in THz wave sensing with air-plasma photonics.
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1-deficient mice are protected against ischemic renal injury.

Studies in the rat have pointed to a role for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the pathogenesis of acute tubular necrosis. These studies used antibodies, which may have nonspecific effects. We report that renal ICAM-1 mRNA levels and systemic levels of the cytokines IL-1 and TNF-alpha increase 1 h after ischemia/ reperfusion in the mouse. We sought direct proof for a critical role for ICAM-1 in the pathophysiology of ischemic renal failure using mutant mice genetically deficient in ICAM-1. ICAM-1 is undetectable in mutant mice in contrast with normal mice, in which ICAM-1 is prominent in the endothelium of the vasa recta. Mutant mice are protected from acute renal ischemic injury as judged by serum creatinine, renal histology, and animal survival . Renal leukocyte infiltration, quantitated morphologically and by measuring tissue myeloperoxidase, was markedly less in ICAM-1-deficient than control mice. To evaluate whether prevention of neutrophil infiltration could be responsible for the protection observed in the mutant mice, we treated normal mice with antineutrophil serum to reduce absolute neutrophil counts to < 100 cells/mm3. These neutrophil-depleted animals were protected against ischemic renal failure. Anti-1CAm-1 antibody protected normal mice against renal ischemic injury but did not provide additional protection to neutrophil-depleted animals. Thus, ICAM-1 is a key mediator of ischemic acute renal failure likely acting via potentiation of neutrophilendothelial interactions.
Intermittent Hypoxemia and OSA: Implications for Comorbidities

OSA is a common chronic disorder that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality including cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurocognitive disease and increased cancer-related deaths. OSA is characterized by recurrent episodes of apneas and hypopneas associated with repetitive episodes of intermittent hypoxemia, intrathoracic pressure changes, and arousals. Intermittent hypoxemia (IH) is now being recognized as a potential major factor contributing to the pathogenesis of OSA-related comorbidities. OSA-related high-frequency IH is characterized by cycles of hypoxemia with reoxygenation that is distinctly different than sustained low-frequency hypoxia and contributes to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Data from both animal and human studies support mechanistic links between IH and its adverse impact at the tissue level. IH promotes oxidative stress by increased production of reactive oxygen species and angiogenesis, increased sympathetic activation with BP elevation, and systemic and vascular inflammation with endothelial dysfunction that contributes to diverse multiorgan chronic morbidity and mortality affecting cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, cognitive decline, and progression of cancer. Data from observational studies in large population groups also support the role for hypoxia in the pathogenesis of OSA comorbidity. Treatment with CPAP to reverse OSA-related symptoms and comorbidities has been shown to provide variable benefit in some but not all patient groups. Early treatment with CPAP makes intuitive sense to promote maximal functional recovery and minimize residual injury. More studies are needed to determine the interacting effects of IH and obesity, differential effects of both short-term and long-term hypoxemia, and the effect of CPAP treatment.
The impact of higher education on crime orientations

Abstract The formulation of crime policy is as complex as the phenomenon of crime itself. Numerous orientations to crime vie for consideration in the policy process, and the result is usually a confounding mixture of concepts and policies. It is the purpose of this study to analyze four prevalant orientations to crime and to assess the impact of a college education on student attitudes toward the different orientations. The findings suggest that criminal justice education and higher education, in general, have a significant impact on individuals' perceptions of the causes of crime and the functions of the criminal justice system. Given the increased emphasis on higher education within the justice system, the educational process is likely to play an important role in the evolution of criminal justice policies.
Serum lipid responses to a eucaloric high-complex carbohydrate diet in different obesity phenotypes

Objective To determine whether the eucaloric substitution of complex carbohydrates for dietary fat (15% of daily energy intake) affects plasma lipid concentrations differently in upper-body obese, lower-body obese, and nonobese women. Design We studied 23 premenopausal women before and after dietary intervention. Material and Methods After the 23 subjects achieved weight maintenance on their usual high-fat diet (43% fat, 37% carbohydrates, and 20% protein), the 7 upper-body obese, 8 lower-body obese, and 8 nonobese women consumed a eucaloric, high-complex carbohydrate, low-fat diet (27% fat, 53% carbohydrates, and 20% protein) for 4 weeks in the Clinical Research Center. Before and after the high-carbohydrate diet, body composition and plasma lipids and apoproteins were measured. Results After the high-carbohydrate diet, fasting plasma triglyceride concentrations increased (from 1.50 ± 0.14 mmol/L to 2.00 ± 0.25 mmol/L; P = 0.04) in upper-body obese women but were not significantly changed in lower-body obese (1.37 ± 0.28 mmol/L and 0.96 ± 0.12 mmol/L) Or nonobese (0.70 ± 0.08 mmol/L and 0.73 ± 0.08 mmol/L) women. The hypertriglyceridemia was present before the evening meal and throughout the night in upper-body obese women. Plasma cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were not significantly affected by the change in diet. No changes in plasma apoprotein concentrations or body composition occurred that could account for the dietary-induced hypertriglyceridemia in the women with upper-body obesity. Conclusion The hypertriglyceridemic response to a high-complex carbohydrate, low-fat diet may be obesity phenotype specific. These findings suggest that further studies of this phenomenon should be focused on this obesity phenotype and further emphasize the importance of assessing body fat distribution when treatment outcomes are determined.
A multichannel recording oxygen electrode amplifier for biochemical studies

Abstract The stable, sensitive, and inexpensive oxygen electrode amplifier previously described has been modified to permit, in combination with a Brown multipoint recorder, the automatic reading and recording of oxygen consumption of from 1–6 cell or mitochondrial suspensions sequentially over any desired time interval.
The narrative paradigm: Another story

The narrative paradigm, recently proposed as a model for rhetorical criticism, is problematic because of internal contradictions and inconsistencies. In the paradigm, the status of traditional rationality and the extent to which it is to be applied are unclear. The conditions in which the universal audience, the particular audience, and the critic are to serve as the source for critical judgment are also unclear. When we have only the immanent facts of the text (its narrative) and the personal judgment of the critic to rely on, we lack independent sources for judging the adequacy of a critic's claims about the text.
Growth inhibition of human cervical cancer cells with the recombinant adenovirus p53 in vitro.

Abstract Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been identified in the majority of invasive cancers of the uterine cervix sampled and has been found to contribute in a significant way to the genesis of human cervical cancer. HPV has two transforming genes that encode the oncoproteins E6 and E7. E6 can form complexes with p53 and promote p53 degradation. We introduced wild-type p53 into a cervical cancer cell line via a recombinant adenoviral vector, Ad5CMV- p53. Human cervical cancer cell line HeLa, which has HPV type 18 and wild-type p53, was used in this study. Cells were grown in RPMI medium supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum. Ad5CMV- p53 was created by inserting the cytomegalovirus promoter, wild-type p53 cDNA, and SV40 polyadenylation signal in a minigene cassette into the E1-deleted region of the modified Ad5 adenovirus. The transduction efficiency was 100% when a dose ensuring a multiplicity of infection of 100 or greater was used. The p53 protein was detected in Ad5CMV- p53 -infected cells by immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses. The growth of the Ad5CMV- p53 -infected cells was greatly suppressed as detected by both cell count and [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation assay. These data suggest that transfection of HPV-positive cervical cancer cells with a wild-type p53 gene in a form such as Ad5CMV- p53 is a potential novel therapy for cervical cancer.
Dynamic interaction of seismic and volcanic activity of the Nazca plate edges

Abstract Cumulative seismic strain release, during the period from 1964 through 1972, along the East Pacific and Chile rise edges of the Nazca plate is related to cumulative strain release of shallow earthquakes along the South American sinking edge: periods of high strain release along the rises alternated systematically with periods of high strain release along the sink. Volcanic activity (number of volcanoes in eruption per year between 1900 and 1968) migrates from Central to South America at some 900 km/year. High volcanic activity in Central America usually precedes large-magnitude earthquakes in Chile by several years, and would appear to be dynamically interrelated with the alternating strain release along the Nazca plate edges.
Utilization of Distinct Signaling Pathways by Receptors for Vascular Endothelial Cell Growth Factor and Other Mitogens in the Induction of Endothelial Cell Proliferation

This study was initiated to identify signaling proteins used by the receptors for vascular endothelial cell growth factor KDR/Flk1, and Flt1. Two-hybrid cloning and immunoprecipitation from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) showed that KDR binds to and promotes the tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ). Neither placental growth factor, which activates Flt1, epidermal growth factor (EGF), or fibroblast growth factor (FGF) induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCγ, indicating that KDR is uniquely important to PLCγ activation in HUVEC. By signaling through KDR, VEGF promoted the tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, induced activation of Akt, protein kinase Ce (PKCe), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. VEGF activates PLCγ, PKCe, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase independently of one another. MEK, PLCγ, and to a lesser extent PKC, are in the pathway through which KDR activates MAPK. PLCγ or PKC inhibitors did not affect FGF- or EGF-mediated MAPK activation. MAPK/ERK kinase inhibition diminished VEGF-, FGF-, and EGF-promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. However, blockade of PKC diminished thymidine incorporation into DNA induced by VEGF but not FGF or EGF. Signaling through KDR/Flk1 activates signaling pathways not utilized by other mitogens to induce proliferation of HUVEC.
Prevalence of bothersome genitourinary symptoms and diagnoses in younger men on routine primary care visits

Abstract Objectives. To assess the prevalence of bothersome genitourinary (GU) symptoms in younger men on routine primary care physician visits. Methods. One hundred six men aged 18 to 50 years were approached to complete a brief, self-administered survey that included the American Urological Association Symptom Index, a benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) Impact Index, and additional questions about GU pain and sexual dysfunction and about a history of GU diseases. Men with GU symptoms had their outpatient records reviewed. Results. Of the 101 respondents (mean age 36 years), 50% reported GU symptoms. Of these men, 25% were bothered by their symptoms and 17% wanted to talk about them with their physicians; 22% were worried that their GU symptoms might be due to prostate cancer; 27% of all men reported a history of at least one GU disease and 17% had more than one; 16% of all men had been to a urologist. Chart review for the 51 men with symptoms revealed physician documentation of GU symptoms in only 24% of cases and an abnormal GU examination in 8%. One third of reviewed charts documented a GU problem that visit. A broad spectrum of GU diagnoses was documented; no one cause predominated. Ninety percent of all men reported that primary care physicians should routinely ask younger men GU questions as part of their general healthcare. Conclusions. The high prevalence of bothersome GU symptoms and diagnoses in younger men suggests that information about the clinical, functional, and quality of life implications of these symptoms needs to be collected in this population.
Civilian triage in the intensive care unit: the ritual of the last bed.

Objective To evaluate the numerous problems that exist when there is an acute shortage of trained critical care nurses, no triage officer is available or designated, there is no cooperation among intensive care units (ICUs) or alternative sites, or there is excessive political or financial pressure applied to maintain a referral practice or to fill all the beds, or limited ability to divert ambulances to other hospitals. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care organizations now mandates a written policy: "when patient load exceeds optimal operational capacity" (1992). Data sources/study selection Selected clinical, philosophical, and public policy literature on the subject of triage. DATA SYNTHESIS/DATA EXTRACTION: 1) An ICU medical director, designee, or supervisory nurse should be empowered as the gatekeeper/triage officer. 2) The basis for regulating admission, discharge, or triage from the special care unit should be medical suitability (from a utilitarian or egalitarian point of view). During high-level triage when all ICU patients are receiving active therapy, these decisions should override the individual primary physician-patient relationship. 3) The guidelines should follow the "congestive heart failure" treatment analogy: a) preload reduction: hold high-risk patients in the postanesthesia care unit or Emergency Room, postpone surgery, hold transfers in outlying ICUs; b) improve cardiac performance: increase efficiency and decrease workload per patient by performing fewer invasive procedures and transporting fewer patients for abdominal computed tomography scans; c) afterload reduction: keep unstable patients in the postanesthesia care unit, send sicker patients to intermediate care units, send "stable" ventilator-dependent patients to general medical/surgical units, and transfer or resolve issues regarding "hopeless" patients. Conclusions It is necessary to have public disclosure of the broader issues related to high-level triage. The first issue is recognition that there are periods of time when ICU capacity is exceeded or skilled critical care nurse availability is reduced. The next issue is the decision of who is best suited to make complex and dynamic triage decisions and what kind of oversight should be provided. Other issues relate to whether there should be patient or family consent, and what to do about patients receiving marginal benefit or who are considered hopeless or unsalvageable, yet the family or surrogate decision maker (or perhaps one of the consultants) wants to continue active care in the ICU. In the conflict between individual and community rights and benefits, there should be a nonlitigious approach when a patient is harmed during these periods of high census or limited capacity. In recognition of these complex issues (including potential conflicts among ICUs, hospital administration, individual physicians, and the various medical and surgical programs feeding patients into special care units), the Society of Critical Care Medicine has organized a Task Force on the legal and ethical justification for triage.
Memory and metacognition for piano melodies: Illusory advantages of fixed- over random-order practice

Some learning schedules can foster an illusion of competence, whereby the learner feels that the skill will be retained better than it actually will be. Consider fixed-order practice, in which a person practices a task repeatedly before switching to the next task (e.g., task order A, A, B, B); in contrast, in random-order practice, a person randomly alternates among two or more tasks (e.g., task order C, D, D, C). In the present experiment, participants (n = 25) who had formal training in piano practiced melodies under fixed- or random-order conditions (within-subjects), and then returned for a retention test 2 days later. Initially, the participants performed faster on melodies practiced in a fixed-order. However, on a retention test 2 days later, participants were faster with melodies from the random-order condition. Despite the within-subjects design, which facilitated the comparison of practice conditions, participants' metacognitive judgments indicated an illusion of competence, whereby they erroneously believed that fixed-order practice would result in faster retention performance. Our results suggest that even some trained musicians may use ease of acquisition as a heuristic for predicting future performance.
A comprehensive analysis of non-sequential alignments between all protein structures.

Background The majority of relations between proteins can be represented as a conventional sequential alignment. Nevertheless, unusual non-sequential alignments with different connectivity of the aligned fragments in compared proteins have been reported by many researchers. It is interesting to understand those non-sequential alignments; are they unique, sporadic cases or they occur frequently; do they belong to a few specific folds or spread among many different folds, as a common feature of protein structure. We present here a comprehensive large-scale study of non-sequential alignments between available protein structures in Protein Data Bank.
ECOSYSTEMS AND THE LAW: TOWARD AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

American law, with its emphasis on boundary lines and property rights, does not reflect an advanced understanding of ecology. Nonetheless, on the federal public domain, the concept of ecosystem management has now been endorsed by all of the federal land-management agencies. Despite few explicit references to ecosystems or biodiversity, laws like the Endangered Species Act of 1973, National Forest Management Act of 1976, and National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 can and are being interpreted to support recent ecosystem-management initiatives. It is less clear that ecosystem-management principles can be readily transferred to private property. This shortcoming means that the law has not fully absorbed the lessons of ecology. I examine how the law promotes and hinders the movement toward an ecological management and ownership regime. I also suggest that recent ecosystem-management initiatives should provide useful lessons about how ecological principles can be further incorporated into the law.
Erythrocyte sodium concentration and 86Rb uptake in weanling Dahl rats

Alterations in Na, K ATPase pump activity as well as erythrocyte (RBC) intracellular sodium concentration (Nai) have been demonstrated in humans and rats with established hypertension. The contribution of hypertension itself to these changes is unclear. Accordingly, we investigated RBC ion transport and plasma ouabain-like factor (OLF) in four- to five-week old normotensive Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) and salt-resistant (DR) rats on low salt diet. Although both strains were normotensive, systolic blood pressure (SBP) of DS (123 +/- 2 mm Hg) was higher than that of DR (116 +/- 1 mm Hg). No interstrain difference was evident in RBC pump activity measured as ouabain-sensitive 86rubidium (86Rb) uptake (DS = 0.277 +/- .030 and DR = 0.271 +/- .029 mumol/10(9)RBC/h) even though RBC Nai was greater in DS than DR (14.9 +/- 2.0 v 10.7 +/- 1.0 mEq/L; P less than 0.05). Plasma OLF was higher in DS than DR (28.9 +/- 4.7 v 16.5 +/- 2.3 pmol/mL; P less than 0.05), but did not correlate with RBC pump activity in either strain. RBC Nai was directly correlated with pump activity in DS (r = 0.84, P less than 0.01) and demonstrated a trend to correlate in DR (r = 0.71, P = 0.07). RBC Nai was also directly correlated with SBP in DR (r = 0.73, P less than 0.05) and DS (r = 0.70, P = 0.05). We conclude that RBC Nai is genetically determined in Dahl rats and is elevated in normotensive DS who are at risk for hypertension development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Stabilization of Satellite Motion Relative to a Coulomb Spacecraft Formation

Coulomb spacecraft are satellites that can actively control their electrostatic charge and thus exploit intervehicle electrostatic forces to control tight relative motion. The stabilization problem of a cluster of unequal Coulomb spacecraft is studied. Previous research has developed a nonlinear control law to stabilize the relative motion of one satellite relative to another. With only two spacecraft present, with equal mass and charging limits, Newton’s second law greatly simplified the control development. This control strategy is generalized here to stabilize the relative motion of a satellite relative to a larger cluster of Coulomb spacecraft with unequal satellite masses and individual charge saturation limits. The chief cluster motion can be either circular or elliptic. The nonlinear control methodology exploits an orbit element difference description of the satellite relative motion. Although the control is shown to stabilize the relative motion of a Coulomb satellite about any set of desired orbit element differences, convergence is shown thus far only when controlling exclusively the semimajor axis differences. Thus, this control is able to achieve bounded relative motion of the Coulomb satellite, even in the presence of saturation constraints. A simple structured control approach is numerically investigated to control the entire cluster. Numerical simulations illustrate the relative motion control behavior with the cluster chief or center of mass being on an elliptic high Earth orbit.
Transport properties of anisotropic porous media : effective medium theory

Abstract The effective medium theory is extended to include anisotropic regular lattices regardless of their connectivity structure. Anisotropy is introduced by a lattice “decoration” process in which “conductances” of bonds aligned with different lattice directions are drawn from different probability density functions. Details of pore space and transport process are subsumed in the bond conductances. The key ingredient of the theory is a node-to-node resistance in the “anisotropic effective medium” from which the lattice effective bond conductance is determined. Node-to-node resistances of a number of two- and three-dimensional lattices are catalogued. The results accord with those of Bernasconi (1974) for square and simple cubic lattices. The relationship between effective bond conductance and macroscopic permeability (the hydraulic analog of d.c. conductivity) is discussed. Bond-percolation of the anisotropic effective medium permeability is compared with that according to Monte Carlo calculations on large two- and three-dimensional lattices. The effective medium theory is accurate to 5% except near the conduction threshold of three-dimensional lattices. The theory should prove useful for other anisotropic properties, such as capillary dispersivity, molecular diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and dynamic permeability (the hydraulic analog of a.c. conductivity).
The power of human rights tribunals: Compliance with the European Court of Human Rights and domestic policy change

When international human rights tribunals like the European Court of Human Rights find states responsible for human rights abuses, they ask governments to pay reparation to the victims, engage in symbolic measures, and enact the policy changes necessary to ensure that the violations do not recur. This article considers the conditions under which states comply with these rulings, especially when the tribunals are unable and often unwilling to provide strict enforcement. This article extends current theories about the domestic politics of compliance with international human rights law to the case of the European Court of Human Rights. This article analyzes a new, hand-coded data set on states’ compliance with over 1000 discrete obligations handed down by the European Court of Human Rights that ask states to change their human rights policies. The results of these analyses suggest that robust domestic institutions, particularly executive constraints, are the key to compliance with the European Court of Human...
Supporting communication between designers with artifact-centered evolving information spaces

The interaction of various design decisions and the communication of the rationale for decisions between designers are two problems that have not been solved by current systems supporting design. Through the observation of computer network designers we have developed a framework, system architecture, and prototype implementation for supporting this type of communication within an evolving information space centered around the artifact being designed. The importance of our approach is in the integration of the design of the artifact and the communication between the designers. XNETWORK, a knowledge-based design environment for computer network design, incorporates this artifact-centered communication as a method for the easy addition of network designers’ understanding about the design task.
Potential Substance Abuse: Detection Among Adolescent Patients Using the Drug and Alcohol Problem (DAP) Quick Screen, A 30-item Questionnaire

The authors administered an abbreviated revision of a previously field-tested, self-administered, brief screening test (the 30-item Drug and Alcohol Problem Quick Screen) to 355 consecutive middle-class adolescent patients seen at a five-pediatrician group practice setting. Ninety-six percent (341) of the subjects completed the 30-item screening questionnaire. Eighty-nine percent of the 341 responders wrote in their names in the space provided for that purpose. Fifty-two patients (approximately 15%) of the 341 responded "yes" to six or more items in the current study. Based on a previous study comparing scores from 200 adolescents from the same pediatric practice with answers from 100 identified adolescent drug abusers at a drug abuse treatment facility, those patients with a score of 6 or more were considered high risk for "red flag" behaviors, particularly drug or alcohol abuse. Forty (77%) of those patients who scored six or greater identified themselves by name.Four key items on the questionnaire acco...
RNA Sequencing Analysis Detection of a Novel Pathway of Endothelial Dysfunction in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Rationale: Pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by endothelial dysregulation, but global changes in gene expression have not been related to perturbations in function.Objectives: RNA sequencing was used to discriminate changes in transcriptomes of endothelial cells cultured from lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension versus control subjects and to assess the functional significance of major differentially expressed transcripts.Methods: The endothelial transcriptomes from the lungs of seven control subjects and six patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension were analyzed. Differentially expressed genes were related to bone morphogenetic protein type 2 receptor (BMPR2) signaling. Those down-regulated were assessed for function in cultured cells and in a transgenic mouse.Measurements and Main Results: Fold differences in 10 genes were significant (P < 0.05), four increased and six decreased in patients versus control subjects. No patient was mutant for BMP...
Haplotype-based linkage disequilibrium mapping via direct data mining

Motivation: With the availability of large-scale, high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism markers and information on haplotype structures and frequencies, a great challenge is how to take advantage of haplotype information in the association mapping of complex diseases in case--control studies. Results: We present a novel approach for association mapping based on directly mining haplotypes (i.e. phased genotype pairs) produced from case--control data or case--parent data via a density-based clustering algorithm, which can be applied to whole-genome screens as well as candidate-gene studies in small genomic regions. The method directly explores the sharing of haplotype segments in affected individuals that are rarely present in normal individuals. The measure of sharing between two haplotypes is defined by a new similarity metric that combines the length of the shared segments and the number of common alleles around any marker position of the haplotypes, which is robust against recent mutations/genotype errors and recombination events. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by using both simulated datasets and real datasets. The results show that the algorithm is accurate for different population models and for different disease models, even for genes with small effects, and it outperforms some recently developed methods. Availability: The software, HapMiner, and Supplementary materials are available on the authors' website at http://vorlon.case.edu/~jxl175/HapMiner.html Contact: jingli@eecs.case.edu