cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Evidence on International Transferability of Human Capital

This article sheds new light on the portability of human capital. We estimate the returns to source country experiences, viz., general, occupation-specific, and task-specific experiences, using data from the New Immigrant Survey (NIS), conducted in 2003. While the 'returns to general experience' has been discussed in the literature, we are not aware of any previous attempt to estimate the returns to source country occupation-specific and task-specific experiences. Our estimates show that even though the returns to source country general experience is negligible, returns to source country occupation-specific experience is economically and statistically significant. We also find that returns to source country abstract (specifically analytical) task-specific experience is substantial and significant. Our results are robust to inclusion of source country wage, which may reflect unobservable characteristics that influence wages. We explore whether returns to work experience vary by income level in the source country or by an immigrant's skill level.
The California Missions: Public Attitudes Toward Perceived Authenticity, Sacredness, and Uses of Historic Religious Sites

Psychological research can be used to understand people’s perceptions and attitudes toward historic environments. Understanding the public’s attitudes toward historic sites can help to improve decisions about the preservation and management of these places. This paper reviews a series of studies examining three historic Catholic Missions in central California: Missions San Miguel, San Luis Obispo, and La Purisima. These missions have very different histories and uses. Mission San Miguel is one of the best preserved of the California Missions; however, its fragility limits use of the Mission by its parish. Mission San Luis Obispo has been substantially rebuilt over the years; it has an active parish and is a focal point for tourism in the city. Mission La Purisima was destroyed by an earthquake in the 1800s and rebuilt as a WPA project in the 1930s. It is currently a state historic park located in a rural setting. The research on these missions examined perceptions of authenticity and sacredness of the places. These perceptions were linked to attitudes about appropriate uses of the missions (for example, the appropriateness of tourism) and how the missions should be managed.
A brain-based universal measure of attention: predicting task-general and task-specific attention performance and their underlying neural mechanisms from task and resting state fMRI

Attention is central for many aspects of cognitive performance, but there is no singular measure of a person9s overall attentional functioning across tasks. To develop a universal measure that integrates multiple components of attention, we collected data from more than 90 participants performing three different attention-demanding tasks during fMRI. We constructed a suite of whole-brain models that can predict a profile of multiple attentional components - sustained attention, divided attention and tracking, and working memory capacity - from a single fMRI scan type within novel individuals. Multiple brain regions across the frontoparietal, salience, and subcortical networks drive accurate predictions, supporting a universal (general) attention factor across tasks, which can be distinguished from task-specific attention factors and their neural mechanisms. Furthermore, connectome-to-connectome transformation modeling enhanced predictions of an individual9s attention-task connectomes and behavioral performance from their rest connectomes. These models were integrated to produce a new universal attention measure that generalizes best across multiple, independent datasets, and which should have broad utility for both research and clinical applications.
High levels of truncated RHAMM cooperate with dysfunctional p53 to accelerate the progression of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate in all types of cancer. Pancreatic cancer patients are often diagnosed at advanced stages. A better therapeutic development for this devastating disease is urgently needed. Receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility (RHAMM), not expressed in adult pancreas, has been suggested as a prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET). In this study, we initially sought to determine whether genetic deletion of RHAMM would slow down pancreatic cancer progression using Rhamm-/- mice. However, we found that Rhamm-/- mice expressed a truncated HMMR{Delta}exon8-16 protein at higher abundance levels than wild-type RHAMM. While HMMR{Delta}exon8-16 did not enable malignant progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia in p48-Cre; LSL-KRASG12D mice, it accelerated the formation of invasive PDAC and shortened the survival of p48-Cre; LSL-KRASG12D mice with heterozygous p53 knockout. KrasG12D PDAC mice with homozygous p53 knockout mice died around 10 weeks, and the effect of HMMR{Delta}exon8-16 was not apparent in these mice with short-life span. In addition, HMMR{Delta}exon8-16 shortened the survival of PNET-bearing RIP-Tag mice, which had inactivated p53. In our analysis of TCGA dataset, pancreatic cancer patients with mutant TP53 or loss of one copy of TP53 had higher RHAMM expression, which, combined, predicted worse outcomes. Taken together, by collaborating with dysfunctional p53, high levels of HMMR{Delta}exon8- 16 that lacks the centrosome targeting domain and degrons for interaction with the Anaphase-Promoting Complex (APC) accelerated pancreatic cancer progression.
A patient-like swine model of gastrointestinal fibrotic strictures for advancing therapeutics

Gastrointestinal (GI) strictures are difficult to treat in a variety of disease processes. Currently, there are no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs for fibrosis in the GI tract. One of the limitations to developing anti-fibrotic drugs has been the lack of a reproducible, relatively inexpensive, large animal model of fibrosis-driven luminal stricture. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of creating a model of luminal GI tract strictures. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) was applied circumferentially in porcine esophagi in vivo. Follow-up endoscopy (EGD) was performed at day 14 after the APC procedure. We noted high grade, benign esophageal strictures (n = 8). All 8 strictures resembled luminal GI fibrotic strictures in humans. These strictures were characterized, and then successfully dilated. A repeat EGD was performed at day 28 after the APC procedure and found evidence of recurrent, high grade, fibrotic, strictures at all 8 locations in all pigs. Pigs were sacrificed and gross and histologic analyses performed. Histologic examination showed extensive fibrosis, with significant collagen deposition in the lamina propria and submucosa, as well as extensive inflammatory infiltrates within the strictures. In conclusion, we report a porcine model of luminal GI fibrotic stricture that has the potential to assist with developing novel anti-fibrotic therapies as well as endoscopic techniques to address recurring fibrotic strictures in humans.
Fauré: A Partial Approach to Network Analysis

Formal analysis has been intensively studied (e.g., deep customization and synergistic co-design) in the networking domain, but one assumption remains largely unexamined: there is a complete evaluation that expects definite knowledge of the task, and is expected to output a decisive result. This paper argues for a "partial" approach, a departure from the de facto, to network analysis in a practical environment with uncertain events and limited visibility. Specifically, we seek (1) loss-less modeling in which network uncertainty is explicitly handled without corrupting the querying capability; and (2) complete verification relative to the level of information available, which reaches an inconclusive result only when more information is needed. As a realization of this vision, we present faure, a preliminary design in which a datalog extension (called faure-log) for incomplete information is developed to enable loss-less modeling, and combined with static analysis of pure datalog to implement example relative-complete verifiers.
A note on the Jewish population of the USSR from the 1989 census data.

This note provides additional more detailed information on the composition and spatial distribution of the Jewish population of the USSR in 1989. It supplements the authors previous study on the nationality distribution in the USSR. (ANNOTATION)
Fulminant herpes simplex hepatitis in an adult: report of a case in renal transplant recipient.

A case of disseminated herpes simplex infection is reported in a 31-year-old renaltransplant recipient. The patient presented with a unique clinical syndrome: high fever, severe sore throat with buccal and pharyngeal ulcerations, fulminant hepatitis, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia. The patient died from hepatic failure, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The diagnosis was made by positive herpes simplex virus culture from the throat, and was confirmed at autopsy by typical Cowdry's type A intranuclear inclusions in hepatocytes with positive herpes simplex virus culture from the liver. Review of the literature reveals that other reported cases have had very similar clinical findings, making disseminated herpes simplex infection with fulminant hepatitis a recognizable syndrome.
Photoionization relevant extreme ultraviolet emission from developing low temperature plasmas in air

Using a self-matched transmission line pulse generator, high voltage pulses with magnitude 10–25 kV and ∼25 ns pulse width are produced to excite low temperature plasma (LTP) formation. In using a short pulse, plasma formation is initiated, but the external excitation is removed before spark formation is completed, thus enabling a study of the LTP during its developmental phase. Using imaging in the visible spectrum and electrical diagnostics, this has been confirmed.
Where has the Time Gone? Faculty Activities and Time Commitments in the Online Classroom

While research has examined the comparative time commitment required for online versus faceto-face teaching, little is known about the distribution of faculty time investment into the various aspects of online course facilitation. The purpose of this study is to examine the proportion of time faculty devote to each of the pedagogical components that are required to effectively teach an online course. A survey of fulltime online faculty reveals that online faculty, much like their face-to-face counterparts, spend the majority of their time grading, providing feedback, and communicating with students (including discussion threads and one-on-one interactions). Understanding the faculty time investment required to read and individually respond to student messages and written assignments may assist institutions in structuring online policies, course schedules and faculty development to ensure a balance between faculty workload and online course effectiveness.
Abstract T P301: Comprehensive Stroke Performance Measure Rates between Certified and Non-Certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers

Objective: To determine performance measure rates for the pilot-tested draft Comprehensive Stroke (CSTK) measures at Joint Commission (JC) certified CSCs compared to non-certified CSCs. Methods: Data from 66 pilot sites in 27 states that collected data on 7 potential CSC stroke measures were submitted to the JC. Of these 66 sites, 20 became JC certified CSCs, and 46 did not as of July2014. We compared performance measure rates between these 2 groups of facilities using Chi-square analysis. Results: Data from 9720 patients were analyzed. Aggregate measure rates ranged from 10.2% for CSTK-05 up to 71.6% for CSTK-01. Rates between CSC JC certified sites vs non-CSC sites showed the following results: CSTK-01, NIH Stroke Scale for ischemic stroke, 77.1% vs 69.2%, (p = 0.0001); CSTK-02, modified Rankin at 90 days, 37.2% vs 18.7%, (p = 0.0001); CSTK-03, ICH and SAH severity scales completed within 6 hours of hospital arrival or prior to surgery, 28.2% vs 14.8%, (p = 0.0001); CSTK-04, INR reversal agent administered for intracerebral hemorrhage and INR > 1.4 at hospital arrival , 52.9% vs 51.8%, (p = 0.87); CSTK-05, hemorrhagic complications after lytic or mechanical therapy for ischemic stroke, 10.6% vs 10.0%, (p = 0.88); CSTK-06, nimodipine treatment for aneurysmal SAH within 24 hours of arrival, 75.5% vs 68.1%, (p = 0.005); CSTK-07a, reperfusion rate recorded for endovascular therapy in ischemic stroke, 32.1% vs 33.4%, (p = 0.71). These pilot data do not reflect changes or improvements after the observation period. Conclusions: In this pilot study, JC certified CSCs performed somewhat better than other institutions on some CSC measures, especially in applying the utilization of various rating scales for stroke severity. Substantial room for improvements exist at most sites for most measures.
The Influence of Prey Availability and Vegetation Characteristics on Scent Station Visitation Rates of Coyotes, Canis latrans , in a Heterogeneous Environment

We investigated the effects of local prey fluctuations and habitat variables on the scent station visitation rates of the Coyote ( Canis latrans ) in northern Illinois within a heterogeneous environment. Availability of small mammalian prey was assessed by monthly mark-recapture sampling and visual counts conducted along three, 192-m transects in each of seven habitats that ranged from grassland to wooded sites. Habitat metrics, which included foliage density, ground cover, and canopy cover, were also collected for the same seven habitats. Visitation rates of Coyotes were determined from scent station lines parallel to the small mammal trapping transects. A multiple regression analysis indicated that Coyote visitation rates across the study site were influenced positively by vole ( Microtus spp.) abundance and negatively by canopy cover. When Coyote visitation rates were regressed on vole abundance for only the habitats in which voles occurred, the relationship was not significant. This may be attributed to the general avoidance of wooded areas by Coyotes. Coyotes did, however, respond to experimentallyinduced abundant patches of Peromyscus. These findings suggest Coyotes selectively use grassland habitats within a heterogeneous environment and may modify their use according to prey availability.
Representation and recognition of 3D curves

The space curves are highly descriptive features for 3-D objects. Invariant representations for space curves are discussed. The authors introduce a complex waveform representation for space curves. The waveform is parameterized by arc length. Also proposed is an invariant representation of space curves using the 3-D moment invariants of their breakpoints. Space-curve matching using invariant global features is discussed. An algorithm for matching partially occluded 3-D curves is also presented in which an association graph is constructed from local matchings. The mixture cliques of the graph will determine the longest portion of the model curves in the scene. >
Leveraging the Equivalence of Hysteresis Models From Different Fields for Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Jointed Structures

An important problem that spans across many types of systems (e.g. mechanical and biological) is how to model the dynamics of joints or interfaces in built-up structures in such a way that the complex dynamic and energy dissipative behavior that depends on micro-scale phenomena at the joint/interface is accurately captured, yet in a framework that is amenable to efficient computational analyses of the larger macro-scale system of which the joint or interface is a (spatially) small part. Simulating joint behavior in finite element analysis by meshing the joint regions finely enough to capture relevant micromechanics is impractical for large-scale structural systems due to the prohibitively small time steps required and/or resulting matrix ill-conditioning. A more practical approach is to devise constitutive models for the overall behavior of individual joints that accurately capture their nonlinear and energy-dissipative behavior and to incorporate the constitutive response locally into the otherwise often-linear structural model. Recent studies have successfully captured and simulated mechanical joint dynamics using computationally simple phenomenological models of combined elasticity and slip with associated friction and energy dissipation, known as Iwan models. In the present article, the author reviews the relationship, and in some cases exact equivalence, of one type of Iwan model to several other models of hysteretic behavior that have been used to simulate a wide range of physical phenomena. Specifically, it is shown that the “parallel-series” Iwan model has been referred to in other fields by different names, including “Maxwell Resistive-Capacitor” and “Ishlinskii”. Given this, the author establishes the relationship of this Iwan model to several other hysteresis models, most significantly the classical Preisach model. Having established these relationships, it is then possible to extend analytical tools developed for a specific hysteresis model to all of the models with which it is related. Such analytical tools include experimental identification, inversion and analysis of vibratory energy flow and dissipation. A numerical case study of a simple system that includes an Iwan-modeled joint illustrates these points.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Unravelling mechanisms of p53-mediated tumour suppression

p53 is a crucial tumour suppressor that responds to diverse stress signals by orchestrating specific cellular responses, including transient cell cycle arrest, cellular senescence and apoptosis, which are all processes associated with tumour suppression. However, recent studies have challenged the relative importance of these canonical cellular responses for p53-mediated tumour suppression and have highlighted roles for p53 in modulating other cellular processes, including metabolism, stem cell maintenance, invasion and metastasis, as well as communication within the tumour microenvironment. In this Opinion article, we discuss the roles of classical p53 functions, as well as emerging p53-regulated processes, in tumour suppression.
Independent regulation of serologically distinct idiotypes in F1 hybrid mice.

We have investigated the regulation of expression of two distinct intrastrain cross-reactive idiotypes, CRIA and CRIC, characteristic of anti-p-azophenylarsonate (anti-Ar) antibodies of the A/J and BALB/c strains, respectively, in (BALB/c x A/J)F1 (CAF1) mice. Such hybrid mice were found to synthesize antibodies with each idiotype when immunized against the Ar hapten group, although the expression of each was significantly reduced as compared with the parental strain. CAF1 mice were pretreated with idiotypic-specific antibody reagents and subsequently hyperimmunized against the Ar hapten. Analysis of the idiotypes present in immune sera showed that suppression of either CRI did not concomitantly suppress the expression of the other. Alteration of the expression of one idiotype was not, however, without influence on the other; the expression of CRIC was markedly enhanced in mice suppressed for CRIA.
A kinetic study of vinyl acetate synthesis over Pd-based catalysts: kinetics of vinyl acetate synthesis over Pd–Au/SiO2 and Pd/SiO2 catalysts

Abstract Kinetic studies of vinyl acetate (VA) synthesis were carried out for Pd (1.0 wt%)/SiO2 and Pd (1.0 wt%)–Au (0.5 wt%)/SiO2 catalysts, with highly dispersed metal particles (Pd and Pd–Au) characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDS). The kinetics of the related CO oxidation reaction were also explored. The kinetics of VA synthesis and CO oxidation reactions proceed via a Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. For Pd-only catalysts, dissociative adsorption of O2 is believed to be the rate-determining step. This step is suppressed by adsorbed CO/C2H4 and gives rise to a negative reaction order with respect to CO/C2H4 and a positive order with respect to O2. However, the reaction mechanism was significantly modified by the addition of Au to Pd, as indicated by the change in the reaction order with respect to CO/C2H4; in particular, the order with respect to C2H4 becomes positive. The modification of the mechanism for the Pd–Au catalyst correlates with the reduction in the concentration of Pd–Pd ensembles upon alloying with Au. By TEM-EDS, Au surface enrichment was detected for the Pd–Au alloy, and the interaction between Au and Pd leads to a formation of more active Pd ensembles, such as PdAu5 and PdAu6. The surface properties of Pd versus Pd–Au catalysts were explored by CO/C2D4-TPD on thick films of Pd and Pd–Au. These studies indicate that the adsorption sites on Pd are significantly modified by Au; concurrently, the bonding of CO and C2D4 to Pd in the Pd–Au alloy also varied. As a result, the coverage of CO and C2H4 on the Pd–Au surface decreased markedly. The enhanced capacity of the Pd–Au surface for oxygen and/or the enhanced mobility of adsorbed oxygen under the reaction conditions are likely responsible for the unusually high reactivity of Pd–Au alloy catalysts for VA synthesis.
A Relatively Unbiased Measure of Discrimination Ability in Product Design: An Addendum to Buchanan and Henderson 1992

In this addendum, we present a measure of discrimination ability that is free of the downwardly biasing assumptions of previous discrimination measures. We discuss the magnitude of the bias in the previous measures, the reliability of all of the measures, intercorrelations among them, and their appropriate uses.
Observations of the CO2 system properties in the tropical Atlantic Ocean

We measured three properties of the carbonate system in seawater during the world ocean circulation experiment (WOCE) cruise A15 in the tropical Atlantic Ocean between 7°30′N and 32°S along 19°W. In surface seawater of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, the observed partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2sea) values are close to those observed a decade ago during the program FOCAL. In the atmosphere pCO2 (pCO2air) increased by approximately 10 μatm. These observations suggest that the upper ocean of this area is becoming a weaker CO2 source to the atmosphere than it was a few years ago. At depth, each water mass is well characterized by different concentrations in total CO2 and total alkalinity. A simple calculation of anthropogenic CO2 in the North Atlantic deep water suggests that TCO2 in this water mass has increased by 38±8 μmol/kg.
The actions of peppermint oil and menthol on calcium channel dependent processes in intestinal, neuronal and cardiac preparations

The activities of menthol and peppermint oil were determined in guinea-pig ileal smooth muscle, in rat and guinea-pig atrial and papillary muscle, in rat brain synaptosomes and in chick retinal neurones by pharmacological 45Ca2+ uptake and radioligand binding assays. Menthol is a major constituent of peppermint oil and is approximately twice as potent as peppermint oil as an inhibitor of K+ depolarization-induced and electrically stimulated responses in ileum and electrically stimulated atrial and papillary muscles. IC50 values in the ileal preparation ranged from 7.7 to 28.1 micrograms ml-1 and in the cardiac preparations from 10.1 to 68.5 micrograms ml-1. Similar potencies were demonstrated against K+ depolarization-induced 45Ca2+ uptake in synaptosomes and against K+ depolarization and Bay K 8644-induced uptake in chick retinal neurons. IC50 values for menthol inhibition of K+ and Bay K 8644 responses in the retinal neurons were 1.1 x 10(-4) M (17.2 micrograms ml-1) and 1.75 x 10(-4) M (26.6 micrograms ml-1), respectively, and for peppermint oil were 20.3 and 41.7 micrograms ml-1 respectively. Both menthol and peppermint oil inhibited specific [3H]nitrendipine and [3H]PN 200-110 binding to smooth and cardiac muscle and neuronal preparations with potencies comparable to, but slightly lower than, those measured in the pharmacological and 45Ca2+ uptake experiments. Binding of menthol and peppermint oil, studied at 78 micrograms ml-1, was competitive against [3H]nitrendipine in both smooth muscle and synaptosome preparations. The data indicate that both menthol and peppermint oil exert Ca2+ channel blocking properties which may underlie their use in irritable bowel syndrome. Ca2+ channel antagonism may not be the only pharmacological effect of menthol and peppermint oil contributing to intestinal smooth muscle relaxation.
Project management for the 21st century: supporting collaborative design through risk analysis

Managing software project teams is a complex task further complicated by a continued increase in the size and complexity of software-intensive systems and the distribution of project teams. Given limited project resources, distributed teams require appropriate team processes and adequate tool support to help them remain focused on the most critical design tasks, thereby structuring the design process and improving team coordination. However, existing project management tools typically fall short. Software project management as a discipline is not unlike human-computer interaction (HCI) in that both combine technical concerns with human psychological concerns. Both could benefit from a more systematic approach to applying theory to practice. One proposed approach to the science of design involves constructing a record of design rationale by leveraging design knowledge from previous projects. Extending the reuse paradigm from product-related knowledge to process-related knowledge could improve software project management by helping teams to externalize and maintain a physical record of their design process. A risk management model could help teams to prioritize design knowledge, allowing them to focus their effort on key design tasks.
Maximal inequalities for averages of i.i.d. and 2-exchangeable random variables

Abstract Let {X,X n : n⩾1} be a sequence of 2-exchangeable random variables, i.e., any two random variables in the sequence have the same joint probability distribution function as any other two. Any sequence of random variables in which the random variables are either i.i.d., or pairwise independent, identically distributed, or exchangeable is also 2-exchangeable. Let S n = ∑ i=1 n X i . We will obtain upper and lower bounds for the distribution function of max 1⩽i⩽n |S i /i| . For i.i.d. real valued random variables our result translates into, ∑ i=1 n P {|X|>10λi} 1+∑ i=1 n P {|X|>10λi} ⩽ P max 1⩽i⩽n S i i >5λ ⩽10∑ i=1 n P {|X|>λi}, for every positive integer n and λ>0.
DFRC Method for Lignin Analysis. 1. New Method for β-Aryl Ether Cleavage: Lignin Model Studies

A new method for selective and efficient cleavage of arylglycerol-β-aryl (β-O-4) ether linkages in lignins is described and applied to several lignin β-ether models. The term “DFRC” was coined for derivatization followed by reductive cleavage. Derivatization, accompanied by cell wall solubilization, is accomplished with acetyl bromide (AcBr); reductive cleavage of resulting β-bromo ethers utilizes zinc in acetic acid. Degradation monomers, 4-acetoxycinnamyl acetates, from β-ether cleavage by the DFRC method were identified by NMR, GC−MS, and comparison of GC retention times with authentic compounds. Under the conditions used in this study, the β-ether linkage of all models was cleaved in very high (>92%) yield. The DFRC method produces simpler mixtures of monomers with higher yields than alternative hydrolytic methods. Because of its relative simplicity, mild conditions, and exceptional selectivity, this method should become a powerful analytical method for lignin characterization. Keywords: Acetyl bromid...
Carbon monoxide inhalation protects rat intestinal grafts from ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Carbon monoxide (CO), a byproduct of heme catalysis by heme oxygenases, has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects. This study examines the cytoprotective efficacy of inhaled CO during intestinal cold ischemia/reperfusion injury associated with small intestinal transplantation. Orthotopic syngenic intestinal transplantation was performed in Lewis rats after 6 hours of cold preservation in University of Wisconsin solution. Three groups were examined: normal untreated controls, control intestinal transplant recipients kept in room air, and recipients exposed to CO (250 ppm) for 1 hour before and 24 hours after surgery. In air grafts, mRNA levels for interleukin-6, cyclooxygenase-2, intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), and inducible nitric oxide synthase rapidly increased after intestinal transplant. Histopathological analysis revealed severe mucosal erosion, villous congestion, and inflammatory infiltrates. CO effectively blocked an early up-regulation of these mediators, showed less severe histopathological changes, and resulted in significantly improved animal survival of 92% from 58% in air-treated controls. CO also significantly reduced mRNA for proapoptotic Bax, while it up-regulated anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. These changes in CO-treated grafts correlated with well-preserved CD31 + vascular endothelial cells, less frequent apoptosis/necrosis in intestinal epithelial and capillary endothelial cells, and improved graft tissue blood circulation. Protective effects of CO in this study were mediated via soluble guanylyl cyclase, because 1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazole (4,3-α) quinoxaline-1-one (soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor) completely reversed the beneficial effect conferred by CO. Perioperative CO inhalation at a low concentration resulted in protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury to intestinal grafts with prolonged cold preservation.
Why we need an “ecological ethics”

Research ecologists and biodiversity managers frequently have to contend with difficult ethical questions during the course of their work. Yet there is no established approach or field within professional or practical ethics devoted to helping researchers and managers identify and reason through these complex ethical and philosophical issues. Unlike biomedical scientists and clinicians, ecologists and biodiversity managers lack an explicit scholarly forum such as bioethics, that can help them to analyze the complicated ethical situations they encounter in the field, the laboratory, or the conservation facility. Here we present a series of real world cases to illustrate some of the current ethical challenges faced by research ecologists and managers. We call for a new integrated and interdisciplinary field of concrete ethical inquiry – “ecological ethics” – that will fill an important gap in the practical and professional ethics literature, as well as provide ecological researchers and managers with a crit...
FIELD/BOUNDARY ELEMENT APPROACH TO THE LARGE DEFLECTION OF THIN FLAT PLATES

Abstract The problem of large deflections of thin flat plates is rederived here using a novel integral equation approach. These plate deformations are governed by the von Karman plate theory. The numerical solution that is implemented combines both boundary and interior elements in the discretization of the continuum. The formulation also illustrates the adaptability of the boundary element technique to nonlinear problems. Included in the examples here are static, dynamic and buckling applications.
Assessment of Medical Students' Shared Decision-Making in Standardized Patient Encounters

BACKGROUND Shared decision-making, in which physicians and patients openly explore beliefs, exchange information, and reach explicit closure, may represent optimal physician–patient communication. There are currently no universally accepted methods to assess medical students’ competence in shared decision-making.
Curcumin Attenuation of Lipopolysaccharide Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy in Rodents

To study the ameliorating effects of curcumin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cardiac hypertrophy, mice were assigned to 4 groups (3 males and 3 females in each group): (A) control, (B) curcumin: 100 μg/kg of body weight by intraperitoneal route (IP), (C) LPS: 60 mg/kg (IP), and (D) LPS + curcumin: both at previously stated concentrations by IP route. All mice were sacrificed as 12 hr and 24 hrs groups accordingly after LPS injection. The hearts were collected, photographed for cardiomegaly, and weighed to compare heart weight/brain weight (HW/BW) in mg/mg. For immunohistochemistry, the tissue sections were exposed to histone H3, H4 and acetylated histone H3, H4 antibody. LPS induced a significant increase in histone acetylation as shown by intense staining. In curcumin + LPS treated mice nuclear staining was similar to the control group indicating that curcumin traversed the histone acetylation activity of the LPS. To further check the mechanism of action of curcumin, p300 protein acetylation levels were analyzed. This study suggests that the probable mechanism of action of curcumin is via the reduction of p300 HAT activity.
Treatments for nicotine addiction should be a top priority.

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of death in the USA. The practice has been linked to 440 000 preventable deaths per year, mainly due to lung cancer (123 836), coronary heart disease (86 801), and respiratory disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (90 582).1,2 These deaths are the outcome of nicotine addiction, which compels individuals to use tobacco despite the known adverse health consequences. Sadly, priorities for investment in clinical trials are directed at treatment of diseases caused by continued tobacco use, rather than addressing the root cause of the diseases: nicotine addiction (figure). Moreover, clinical trials for smoking cessation and treatment of nicotine addiction are not even within the top 25 therapeutic categories in development by the drug industry; anticancer treatments are the first priority.3 174 pharmacotherapy trials were done for smoking cessation (46 supported by industry) com pared with 1490 for lung cancer (544 supported by industry).
Molecular cloning of mouse erythrocyte protein 4.2: a membrane protein with strong homology with the transglutaminase supergene family.

We report the molecular cloning and characterization of mouse erythrocyte protein 4.2 (P4.2). Mouse erythrocyte P4.2 is a 691-amino-acid protein with a predicted MW of 77 kDa. Northern blot analysis detected a 2.2-kb transcript in mouse reticulocytes, compared with a 2.4- to 2.5-kb transcript in human reticulocytes, which is consistent with the absence of the 30-amino-acid splicing insert in mouse erythrocyte P4.2 that is found in the human protein (isoform I). Like the human erythrocyte P4.2, mouse erythrocyte P4.2 contains regions strikingly homologous with the transglutaminase (TGase) proteins although it too most likely lacks TGase crosslinking activity. Mouse P.4.2 is on average 73% identical with human erythrocyte P4.2, although regional variations exist, with greatest conservation in the regions of the molecule that contain the TGase active site, the TGase calcium-binding site, and a band 3 binding site. Hydropathy analysis reveals a protein containing a series of hydrophobic domains, similar to the situation for human P4.2 and consistent with its tight binding to the membrane, although the mouse P4.2 is missing both the strongly hydrophilic region and adjacent highly charged region that are present in the human protein, suggesting that the two proteins could differ in their physical characteristics, binding associations, or functional properties. The availability of the complete mouse erythrocyte P4.2 cDNA should help in the design of P4.2-deficient animal models (for example, ribozyme or homologous recombinant “knockout” models) that should accelerate the understanding of P4.2 function in both erythroid and non-erythroid cells.
Comparing competing risk outcomes within principal strata, with application to studies of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

In randomized trials to prevent breast milk transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from mother to infant, investigators are often interested in assessing the effect of a treatment or intervention on the cumulative risk of HIV infection by time (age) t in infants who are alive and uninfected at a certain time point τ0 τ0 within the principal stratum of infants who would be alive and uninfected by τ0 regardless of randomization assignment. Large sample non-parametric bounds and a semi-parametric sensitivity analysis model are developed for drawing inference about this causal effect. A simulation study is presented demonstrating that the proposed methods perform well in finite samples. The proposed methods are applied to a large, recent MTCT trial.
Spontaneous histamine secretion during isolation of rat cardiac mast cells.

Objektive: To test the hypothesis that spontaneous release of histamine occurring during an isolation protocol may modify responses of rat cardiac mast cells (connective tissue-type mast cells) to secretagogues.
Somatic hybridization between Solanum ochranthum and Lycopersicon esculentum

Incorporation of genes from wild species has been a major contributor to tomato improvement in recent years. Solanum ochranthum, a woody vine-like tomato relative, is a potential source of resistance against tomato diseases and insect pests but is genetically isolated from tomato. Somatic hybridization methods were developed to facilitate the use of S. ochranthum for tomato germplasm improvement. Leaf mesophyll protoplasts of S. ochranthum and selected Lycopersicon esculentum genotypes were chemically fused with polyethylene glycol. The protoplasts were initially cultured in Shepard's CL, a Murashige and Skoog-based medium, containing 1 mg l-1 NAA, 0.5 mg l-1 N6-benzyladenine and 0.5 mg l-1 2,4-dichlorophenony-acetic acid. Tetraploid and hexaploid hybrid regenerants and regenerants of an L. esculentum parent were recovered; S. ochranthum did not regenerate. Hybridity was established by morphological characters, peroxidase isozyme and RAPD markers.
Structure of the two distinct types of minichromosomes that are assembled on DNA injected in Xenopus oocytes

Abstract DNA injected into germinal vesicles of Xenopus oocytes is assembled into two distinct types of minichromosomes. One type is soluble and behaves like conventional nucleosomal chromatin. The other type is insoluble, is sensitive to DNAase I and to micrococcal nuclease, lacks a canonical nucleosome repeat, and generates a half-nucleosome size limit digest with micrococcal nuclease. We suggest that these peculiar minichromosomes may be the ones that display the unconstrained, "dynamic" DNA supercoils in the living oocyte.
Structural dependence of thermodynamics of alkene binding to yttrium alkyl complexes and of kinetics of alkyl migration to coordinated alkenes.

Agostic interactions in yttrium alkyls are structure dependent. Primary alkyl yttrium complexes have β-CH2 agostic interactions at low temperature, but a shift toward α-agostic interactions occurs on warming. For the more crowded β-disubstituted yttrium alkyls, an α-CH2 agostic interaction is seen. The thermodynamics of alkene binding to the primary alkyl yttrium complex Cp*2YCH2CH2CH(CH3)2 (2) depend strongly on the structure of the alkene. A single allylic substituent on the alkene has a small effect on alkene binding, but a second allylic substituent has a large destabilizing effect. Propene binding to yttrium alkyls is largely independent of the nature of the alkyl ligand. Equilibrium constants for propene binding to n-, γ-substituted, β-substituted, and secondary alkyl yttrium complexes are similar. The rate of migration of an alkyl group to a coordinated alkene depends strongly on the structure of the alkyl group: n-alkyl ≈ γ-substituted ≫ β-substituted ≫ α-substituted. The ∼200-fold slower inserti...
DSM-III diagnoses of patients with myofascial pain syndrome (fibrositis)

Rheumatology centers report that chronic pain patients with myofascial pain (fibrositis) are prone to psychiatric pathology. However, the distribution of DSM-III diagnoses in this population is unknown. This distribution is reported for 238 chronic pain patients with fibrositis. Statistical comparisons of men and women were also made with regard to the prevalence of each diagnosis, and the results were compared to published DSM-III diagnoses prevalence data for mixed chronic pain patients and rheumatology fibrositis patients. In our sample, women with fibrositis were equally as likely as men with fibrositis to have current depression. Within the general chronic pain population, women are more likely to have current depression. The incidence of current major depression and current and past major depression was much lower in our fibrositis sample than that reported by rheumatology programs. These results indicate that there may be psychiatric differences between chronic pain patients with and without fibrositis. Fibrositis patients in rheumatology programs may also be psychiatrically different from chronic pain program patients with fibrositis.
WLAN-UMTS Integration: Architecture, Seamless Handoff, and Simulation Analysis

Providing Quality of Service (QoS) for sophisticated and QoS-constraining applications (e.g. video-based applications, multimedia services, and high speed data services) and ensuring continuous connectivity for universal mobile stations (UMS) in heterogeneous networks are important issues in the design of fourth generation (4G) networks. The latter will utilize multiple radio access technologies including cellular technologies (such as GSM, GPRS, and UMTS), satellite-based communications, and wireless local area networks, which are seamlessly integrated to form a heterogeneous wireless network. In the paper, first, an architecture for WLAN-UMTS integration is defined that makes the composing networks transparent to users and provides seamless services. Second, a novel protocol is proposed to reserve resources for handoff. Third, modeling and simulation is used to evaluate the QoS performance.
Rapid cross-disproportionation between superoxometal ions and acylperoxyl radicals.

A superoxochromium complex CraqOO2+ reacts with acetylperoxyl radicals, CH3C(O)OO•, with a rate constant of 1.49 × 108 M-1 s-1. The kinetics were determined by laser flash photolysis, using an organocobalt complex as a radical precursor and ABTS•- as a kinetic probe. The initial step is believed to involve radical coupling at the remote oxygen of CraqOO2+, followed by elimination of O2 and formation of CH3COOH and CrVaqO3+. The latter disproportionates and ultimately yields Craq3+ and HCrO4-.
Effect of dietary crude glycerol level on ruminal fermentation in continuous culture and growth performance of beef calves.

Continuous culture and in vivo experiments were conducted to measure changes in ruminal fermentation and animal performance when crude glycerol was added to diets. For the continuous culture experiment (n = 6), diets consisted of 4 levels of crude glycerol (0, 5, 10, and 20%) that replaced corn grain. Dry matter and OM digestibility decreased linearly (P 0.05) due to crude glycerol level. Microbial efficiency increased quadratically (P = 0.012) as crude glycerol increased, whereas microbial N flow did not differ (P = 0.36) among treatments. As crude glycerol increased in the diet, crude glycerol digestibility decreased (P 0.05) were measured in growth performance. For Exp. 3, one hundred heifer calves (270 ± 2.0 kg) were assigned to 4 treatments: 0, 5, 10, or 20% crude glycerol that replaced hay. No differences (P > 0.05) were measured in animal performance. We concluded that crude glycerol addition to a diet did not negatively affect ruminal fermentation, and addition of up to 20% in concentrate and hay-based diets should not affect performance or carcass characteristics.
Database management systems: design considerations and attribute facilities

Abstract Database management systems (DBMSs) form the foundation of most information systems. This study asked database developers and administrators to identify the features that are most important to them. The study finds that the features desired by respondents relate to query performance – particularly on complex queries. Respondents are also concerned about data integrity controls – particularly support for triggers, deadlock resolution, and control over data transaction logs. The study also provides insight into how respondents use the DBMS. Transaction processing and application development were primary factors. Distributed databases, administration, and general features were less important.
Selective accumulation of O6-methylguanine in DNA of rat bladder epithelium after intravesical administration of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea

Summary The amounts of 7-methylguanine, O 6 -methylguanine and 3-methyladenine in DNA of rat bladder epithelium after intravesical administration of N -methyl- N -nitrosourea (MNU) have been determined. After a single dose of 0.5 mg of MNU, O 6 -methylguanine was removed from DNA at slower rates than 3-methyladenine and 7-methylguanine. Furthermore, O 6 -methylguanine was found in increasing amounts in DNA after 4 weekly doses of 0.5 mg of MNU. In other studies, we have shown that 0.5 mg of MNU given once a week for 4 weeks yields a high incidence of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder in rats. These data suggest that the persistence of O 6 -methylguanine in DNA might be involved in the induction of bladder cancer by MNU.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Content of Cheddar-type Cheeses as Affected by Processing

: Samples were taken at 9 stages of processing, from raw milk to cheese aged for 6 mo. Fatty acid distributions, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), moisture, protein, lipid contents, and titratable acidity were determined. CLA contents were highest after 3 mo, with one type of Cheddar (3.76 mg/g lipid) higher than the other two (3.44 and 3.47 mg/g lipid). Multiple linear regression showed all composition parameters were directly related to CLA content (mg/100 g sample). The content of oleic acid isomer C18:1ω7 was also directly related to CLA content (mg/g lipid). Thus, content of CLA in Cheddar-type cheeses might be controlled by stage and conditions of processing. An understanding of the effects of processing on CLA formation in Cheddar-type cheeses will be beneficial in designing processing methods to enhance CLA contents.
Assessment of Hepatic Motion Secondary to Respiration for Computer Assisted Interventions

This article reviews the published efforts to characterize hepatic motion secondary to respiration, with the specific goal of defining the limitations and potential applications of image-guided systems in percutaneous liver interventions (computer assisted interventions). Hepatic motion and deformation due to respiration remain obstacles to applying stereotactic localization techniques to the liver. Respiratory-associated hepatic motion is complex. Nine studies using diagnostic imaging or modeling are reviewed, and their findings are tabulated herein. The significant variations in their findings are discussed, including cranio-caudal translation, anterior-posterior and lateral translation, movement secondary to tissue deformation, and motion with respect to surrounding tissue. Techniques for correcting for hepatic respiratory motion are then described, including gating techniques, modeling approaches, real-time liver tracking, and magnetic tracking technology.