cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Figure-ground organization in real and subjective contours: a new ambiguous figure, some novel measures of ambiguity, and apparent distance across regions of figure and ground.

This study was designed to assess the effects of organization, luminance contrast, sector angle, and orientation on a new, highly ambiguous Cs-keyhole figure. Organization and contrast were the most important factors, and sector angle also influenced figure-ground relationships. There was no significant effect of orientation, nor was there any significant interaction between any of the factors. Several new measures of figure-ground organization were developed, such as ambiguity ratios based on reaction times and on ratings of the strength of perceived organizations, providing new quantitative measures of figure-ground relationships. Distances measured across figural regions appeared smaller than equal distances across the ground in the new reversible figure, and also in Rubin’s classic vase-face figure presented in real and subjective contours. Inducing a perceptual set to see a particular organization in a reversible figure influenced the apparent distance across that organization. Several possible explanations of the observed effects are considered: (1) an instance of Emmert’s law, based on the difference in apparent depth of figure and ground; (2) an aspect of the Muller-Lyer illusion; (3) a feature-detector model of contour attraction; (4) a natural set or predisposition to see a figure as smaller; and (5) framing effects. The first two explanations appear the most promising.
The incompetent external nasal valve: pathophysiology and treatment in primary and secondary rhinoplasty

The size of any nasal airway depends not only on the width and contour of the septal partition and inferior turbinates but also on the position and stability of the lateral nasal wall under the pressure changes that occur during the dynamic process of ventilation. Thus any congenital or acquired weakness of the upper or lower lateral cartilages or their investing soft tissues may profoundly affect the ability to draw adequate volumes of air through the nose. Sixty-one surgical patients treated for incompetence of the external nasal valves (comprising the cutaneous and skeletal support of the mobile alar walls) are the subjects of this paper. Rhinomanometric data on 16 patients with "pure" external valvular incompetence showed a twofold increase in total mean nasal airflow following valvular reconstruction with septal cartilage or bone grafts or with composite conchal cartilage-skin grafts for patients with associated vestibular skin deficiencies. Seven patients with combined external valvular and septal pathology derived most of their postoperative airflow improvement from correction of the valvular defect. The external nasal valve may be a substantial cause of nasal airway obstruction in some patients; its pathophysiology and treatment are discussed in primary and secondary rhinoplasty.
Evidence for mantle heterogeneity from two large seismic arrays

OBSERVATIONS from two large seismic arrays suggest that lateral heterogeneity is present throughout the Earth's mantle. The differences between seismic event locations determined by the arrays and event locations determined by a global network of seismic stations indicate that seismic rays are deflected by velocity anomalies in the mantle.
The more, the better?: Number of decisions as a determinant of memorability

Three experiments tested alternative explanations to the Johnson-Laird, Gibbs, and deMowbray (1978) proposal that the number of decisions made about a word is a major determinant of its memorability. The alternatives considered were increased processing time, retrieval aids, and the number of positive decisions. In Experiment 1, subjects made a speeded classification about each word for a category defined by three properties. Though items with more target properties were processed longer and better remembered, within a property level processing time was not associated with better memory. In Experiment 2, subjects received three properties, but different groups responded “Yes” to words with all three properties, words with any of the three properties, or whether words had each of the properties. As predicted by the number-of-decisions hypothesis, but not by the other hypotheses, with an increasing number of target properties, recall generally increased in the ALL group, decreased in the ANY group, and remained constant in the EACH group. In Experiment 3, this recall pattern was replicated with a different set of two target properties. The number-of-decisions notion is contrasted to the elaboration principle, and a simple model is proposed. It is concluded that the number of decisions is a useful technique for investigating within-level encoding differences
Rectangular patch antennas on biaxial substrates

Rectangular patch antennas are modeled using arbitrarily oriented biaxially anisotropic substrates. The Method of Moments is used to compute induced currents and the results are used to calculate input impedance, resonant length, impedance bandwidth and radiation patterns. We show that the biaxial anisotropy and orientation of the medium affect performance metrics.
A Path for Chinese Civil Society: A Case Study on Industrial Associations in Wenzhou, China

In this volume, Jianxing Yu, Jun Zhou and Hua Jiang offer a comprehensive and persuasive analysis of the development of industrial associations in Wenzhou, China. The authors, two of whom are assoc...
Funding Disparities and the Inequitable Distribution of Teachers: Evaluating Sources and Solutions.

The inequitable distribution of well-qualified teachers to students in the United States is a longstanding issue. Despite federal mandates under the No Child Left Behind Act and the use of a range of incentives to attract teachers to high-need schools, the problem remains acute in many states. This study examines how and why teacher quality is inequitably distributed, by reviewing research and examining data on school funding, salaries, and teacher qualifications from California and New York—two large states that face similar demographic diversity and educational challenges. Using wage adjustments to control for cost of living differentials, we find that both overall school funding and teacher salary levels are highly inequitable both across and within states - generally exhibiting a ratio of 3 to 1 between high- and low-spending jurisdictions. Furthermore, low-salary districts serve students with higher needs, offer poorer working conditions, and hire teachers with significantly lower qualifications, who typically exhibit higher turnover. We find that districts serving the highest proportions of minority and low-income students have about twice as many uncredentialed and inexperienced teachers as do those serving the fewest. In an elasticity analysis, we find that increases in teacher salaries are associated with noticeable decreases in the proportions of teachers who are newly hired, uncredentialed, or less well educated. These teacher qualifications, in turn, are associated with student achievement, holding student characteristics constant. We review research on strategies that have been largely unsuccessful at addressing this problem, such as
Complementarity of dark matter detectors in light of the neutrino background

Neutrinos could be mistaken for dark matter by certain types of detectors, so researchers are outlining ways to differentiate the two signals.
Hebrew School in Nineteenth-Century Bombay: Protestant Missionaries, Cochin Jews, and the Hebraization of India's Bene Israel Community

This paper is a study of cultural interaction and diffusion in colonial Bombay. Focusing on Hebrew language instruction, it examines the encounter between India's little-known Bene Israel Jewish community and Protestant missionaries. Whilst eighteenth and nineteenth-century Cochin Jews were responsible for teaching the Bene Israel Jewish liturgy and forms of worship, the Bene Israel acquired Hebrew and Biblical knowledge primarily from nineteenth-century Protestant missionaries. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Bene Israel community was a Konkan jati with limited knowledge of Judaism. However, by the end of the century the community had become an Indian-Jewish community roughly analogous to other Jewish communities. This paper explores how this transformation occurred, detailing the content, motivation, and means by which British and American missionaries and, to a lesser extent, Cochin Jews instructed the Bene Israel in Jewish knowledge. Through a critical examination of neglected English and Marathi sources, it reconstructs the Bene Israel perspective in these encounters and their attitude towards the Christian missionaries who laboured amongst them. It demonstrates that the Bene Israel were active participants and selective consumers in their interaction with the missionaries, taking what they wanted most from the encounter: knowledge of the Old Testament and the Hebrew language. Ultimately, the instruction the Bene Israel received from Protestant missionaries did not convert them to Christianity but strengthened and transformed their Judaism.
Charge-Independence Breaking in the Two-Pion-Exchange Nucleon-Nucleon Force

Charge-independence breaking due to the pion-mass difference in the (chiral) two-pion-exchange nucleon-nucleon force is investigated. A general argument based on symmetries is presented that relates the charge-symmetric part of that force to the proton-proton case. The static potential linear in that mass difference is worked out as an explicit example by means of Feynman diagrams, and this confirms the general argument. [copyright] [ital 1999] [ital The American Physical Society]
Microtubule and motor-dependent endocytic vesicle sorting in vitro.

Endocytic vesicles undergo fission to sort ligand from receptor. Using quantitative immunofluorescence and video imaging, we provide the first in vitro reconstitution of receptor–ligand sorting in early endocytic vesicles derived from rat liver. We show that to undergo fission, presegregation vesicles must bind to microtubules (MTs) and move upon addition of ATP. Over 13% of motile vesicles elongate and are capable of fission. After fission, one vesicle continues to move, whereas the other remains stationary, resulting in their separation. On average, almost 90% receptor is found in one daughter vesicle, whereas ligand is enriched by ∼300% with respect to receptor in the other daughter vesicle. Although studies performed on polarity marked MTs showed approximately equal plus and minus end–directed motility, immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that kinesins, but not dynein, were associated with these vesicles. Motility and fission were prevented by addition of 1 mM 5′-adenylylimido-diphosphate (AMP-PNP, an inhibitor of kinesins) or incubation with kinesin antibodies, but were unaffected by addition of 5 μM vanadate (a dynein inhibitor) or dynein antibodies. These studies indicate an essential role of kinesin-based MT motility in endocytic vesicle sorting, providing a system in which factors required for endocytic vesicle processing can be identified and characterized.
Progress and challenge of microRNA research in immunity

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 19-24 nucleotide long non-coding RNA species that regulate the expression of multiple target genes at the post-transcriptional level. They are required for normal immune system development and function, and their expression is dynamically regulated in different immune cell subsets during lineage differentiation and immune response. Aberrant expression of miRNAs results in dysregulated innate and adaptive immunity. This in turn can lead to failure to fight against invading pathogens and the development of autoimmune diseases and hematopoietic malignancies. In this article, we review current progress in miRNA research in immunity in both physiological and pathological settings. We also discuss research limitations and challenges that researchers are just beginning to solve.
A simple and effective cross layer networking system for mobile ad hoc networks

We propose a novel cross layer design concept that could improve the network throughput significantly for mobile ad hoc networks. The channel reservation control packets employed at the MAC layer can be utilized at the physical layer for exchanging timely channel estimation information to enable an adaptive selection of a spectrally efficient transmission rate. In particular, the size of a digital constellation can be varied dynamically based on the channel condition estimated at the receiver which can be relayed to the transmitter via the control packets. In addition, this channel adaptive information gathered at the MAC layer can be communicated to the routing layer via different routing metrics for optimal route selection. We have examined the performance improvement at the network layer due to cross layer communications. For this, we present a simple cross layer design implemented with minor modifications on the IEEE 802.11 standard and the dynamic source routing (DSR) protocol. We demonstrate that the network throughput is significantly increased, as much as 50% to 100%, in low mobility scenarios simulated using ns-2.
Web-based platform for problem-centered learning in DSP

In this paper we present a web-based tutoring system designed to enhance a student's conceptual understanding by providing many concept-centered exercises. The system relies on a course textbook from an introductory Signal Processing course for knowledge representation, and also on a large database of relevant problems. We construct concept maps from the textbook to create meta-data for various textbook derived resources, as well as for tagging all the exercise questions. The system tracks each student's comprehension of the course material by evaluating the student's problem solving proficiency in terms of the concepts from the textbook.
Current Events: The Effects of Electricity Deregulation on State Economies*

. Panel regressions indicate that state electricity deregulation in the US is associated with higher housing prices, increased activity in the housing market, and lower wages, all of which are consistent with a model of compensating differentials wherein deregulation (which is shown to indeed lower electricity prices) increased the utility of state residents. On the other hand, there is no link between deregulation and job creation.
Characterization of spatially varying aberrations for wide field-of-view microscopy

We describe a simple and robust approach for characterizing the spatially varying pupil aberrations of microscopy systems. In our demonstration with a standard microscope, we derive the location-dependent pupil transfer functions by first capturing multiple intensity images at different defocus settings. Next, a generalized pattern search algorithm is applied to recover the complex pupil functions at ~350 different spatial locations over the entire field-of-view. Parameter fitting transforms these pupil functions into accurate 2D aberration maps. We further demonstrate how these aberration maps can be applied in a phase-retrieval based microscopy setup to compensate for spatially varying aberrations and to achieve diffraction-limited performance over the entire field-of-view. We believe that this easy-to-use spatially-varying pupil characterization method may facilitate new optical imaging strategies for a variety of wide field-of-view imaging platforms.
ASEdb: a database of alanine mutations and their effects on the free energy of binding in protein interactions

The Alanine Scanning Energetics database (ASEdb) is a searchable database of single alanine mutations in protein-protein, protein-nucleic acid, and protein-small molecule interactions for which binding affinities have been experimentally determined. In cases where structures are available, it contains surface areas of the mutated side chain and links to the PDB entries. It is useful for studying the contribution of single amino acids to the energetics of protein interactions, and can be updated by researchers as new data are generated.
Paranasal Sinus Mucocele

Paranasal sinus mucoceles are epithelium-lined cystic masses usually resulting from obstruction of sinus ostia. They most frequently occur in the frontal and ethmoid sinuses. While ophthalmologic symptoms are most common, patients also report rhinological or neurological complaints. The close proximity of paranasal sinus mucoceles to the orbit and skull base predisposes the patient to significant morbidity. Computed tomography displays a non-enhancing homogenous mass with expansion of bony walls. Magnetic resonance imaging reveals variable intensity of T1-weighted images and a hyperintense mass on T2-weighted images. Histopathologically mucoceles have features of respiratory mucosa with areas of reactive bone formation, hemorrhage, fibrosis, and granulation tissue. Surgical excision is the standard treatment with trends towards endoscopic techniques.
Necrotic but not apoptotic cell death releases heat shock proteins, which deliver a partial maturation signal to dendritic cells and activate the NF-κB pathway

Dendritic cells (DC) are key components of innate and adaptive immune responses. The identity of endogenous signals that activate DC is a crucial and unresolved question. We report here that heat shock proteins (HSP), the most abundant and conserved mammalian molecules, constitute such an internal signal. Necrotic but not apoptotic cell death leads to release of HSP gp96, calreticulin, hsp90 and hsp70. HSP stimulate macrophages to secrete cytokines, and induce expression of antigen-presenting and co-stimulatory molecules on the DC. The HSP gp96 and hsp70 act differentially, and each induces some but not all molecules. HSP interact with these antigen-presenting cells through the highly conserved NF-kappa B pathway. As HSP are intracellular, abundant and soluble, their presence in the extra-cellular milieu and the consequent activation of antigen-presenting cells (APC) constitutes an excellent mechanism for response to cell death. As HSP are conserved from bacteria to mammals, the ability of HSP to activate APC provides a unified mechanism for response to internal and external stimuli.
A poly‐region boundary element method for incompressible viscous fluid flows

A boundary element method (BEM) for steady viscous fluid flow at high Reynolds numbers is presented. The new integral formulation with a poly-region approach involves the use of the convective kernel with slight compressibility that was previously employed by Grigoriev and Fafurin [1] for driven cavity flows with Reynolds numbers up to 1000. In order to avoid the overdeterminancy of the global set of equations when using eight-noded rectangular volume cells from that previous work, 12-noded hexagonal volume regions are introduced. As a result, the number of linearly independent integral equations for each node becomes equal to the degrees of freedom of the node. The numerical results for square-driven cavity flow having Reynolds numbers up to 5000 are compared to those obtained by Ghia et al. [2] and demonstrate a high level of accuracy even in resolving the secondary vortices at the corners of the cavity. Next, a comprehensive study is done for backward-facing step flows at Re=500 and 800 using the BEM, along with a standard Galerkin-based finite element methods (FEM). The numerical methods are in excellent agreement with the benchmark solution published by Gartling [3]. However, several additional aspects of the problem are also considered, including the effect of the inflow boundary location and the traction singularity at the step corner. Furthermore, a preliminary comparative study of the poly-region BEM versus the standard FEM indicates that the new method is more than competitive in terms of accuracy and efficiency. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Through the looking glass: U.S. aid to El Salvador and the politics of national identity

From 1980 to 1992, U.S. government aid funded extensive political and social reforms in El Salvador to undermine a revolutionary guerrilla insurgency and consolidate neoliberal governance. On the basis of ethnographic interviews of Salvadoran and U.S. aid managers, I examine the articulation of these U.S.-sponsored reforms with changing relations of domination in El Salvador. The interaction of notions of Salvadoran sovereignty and national identity with U.S.-promoted notions of modernity shaped the U.S. management and Salvadoran adoption of aid. This interaction favored a faction of the Salvadoran elite that defined itself as “progressive” yet not too beholden to the United States. As U.S. aid managers favored a Salvadoran elite compatible with U.S. governance schemes, this emerging local class engaged with development projects by relating them to its own evolving notions of national identity and sovereignty.
Profiling of protein interaction networks of protein complexes Using affinity purification and quantitative mass spectrometry

Protein-protein interactions are important for nearly all biological processes, and it is known that aberrant protein-protein interactions can lead to human disease and cancer. Recent evidence has suggested that protein interaction interfaces describe a new class of attractive targets for drug development. Full characterization of protein interaction networks of protein complexes and their dynamics in response to various cellular cues will provide essential information for us to understand how protein complexes work together in cells to maintain cell viability and normal homeostasis. Affinity purification coupled with quantitative mass spectrometry has become the primary method for studying in vivo protein interactions of protein complexes and whole organism proteomes. Recent developments in sample preparation and affinity purification strategies allow the capture, identification, and quantification of protein interactions of protein complexes that are stable, dynamic, transient, and/or weak. Current efforts have mainly focused on generating reliable, reproducible, and high confidence protein interaction data sets for functional characterization. The availability of increasing amounts of information on protein interactions in eukaryotic systems and new bioinformatics tools allow functional analysis of quantitative protein interaction data to unravel the biological significance of the identified protein interactions. Existing studies in this area have laid a solid foundation toward generating a complete map of in vivo protein interaction networks of protein complexes in cells or tissues.
A second look at the to-Poss in English

The construction seems to be particularly frequent with abstract nouns. Indeed, there is an example in print on the first page of the article following Chapman's: an extra component to the problem (69). These examples show that, contrary to Chapman's assertion (66), the to-Poss may be grammatical in affirmative and singular constructions, although qualification by adjectives may sometimes be essential. Two of his three unacceptable examples on page 66 become acceptable to me when an indefinite article or adjectival modifier is added: You'll want another corner to the table In sunburn, we find a definite redness to the skin *There's a size to the apple. *There's a certain size to the apple
Hypofractionated radiation therapy versus standard fractionated radiation therapy with concurrent temozolomide in elderly patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma

Abstract Purpose Adjuvant hypofractionated radiation therapy (HRT) for elderly patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) is a reasonable option compared with standard fractionation radiation therapy (SFRT). Outcomes in patients receiving HRT in the presence of temozolomide (TMZ) compared with SFRT with TMZ are unclear. We examined HRT for GBM with TMZ in comparison to SFRT with TMZ. Methods and materials We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients ≥60 years of age with newly diagnosed GBM who received SFRT or HRT from 1994 to 2014 in the postoperative setting. Inclusion criteria included SFRT (60 Gy/30 fractions or 59.4 Gy/33 fractions) versus HRT (40 Gy/15 fractions). Results In this cohort, 158 patients were treated with SFRT versus 26 with HRT. Median survival in patients receiving SFRT compared with HRT was 430 and 475 days (P = .550), respectively. Ninety-five percent of the SFRT patients received TMZ versus 100% of those treated with HRT. Patients receiving HRT were older (median, 72 vs 66 years). All HRT patients were treated with the intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) technique versus SFRT, in which 57% had IMRT. Multivariate Cox regression showed decreased overall survival (OS) associated with patient age >70 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.84), lower Karnofsky performance status (HR, 5.25), biopsy versus surgical resection (HR, 4.18), radiation therapy planning technique 3- or 2-dimensional planning versus IMRT (HR, 1.91; HR, 3.40, respectively). Analysis restricted to patients receiving IMRT-based planning showed no difference in OS between HRT and SFRT. For patients receiving TMZ, there was no survival difference between those treated with HRT and those treated with SFRT. Conclusions Elderly GBM patients receiving HRT and those receiving SFRT had similar OS. Subset analysis patients receiving concurrent TMZ showed no difference in OS between the HRT and SFRT groups.
CUA: a Flexible and Comprehensive Codon Usage Analyzer

Codon usage bias (CUB) is pervasive in genomes. Studying its patterns and causes is fundamental for understanding genome evolution. Rapidly emerging large-scale RNA and DNA sequences make studying CUB in many species feasible. Existing software however is limited in incorporating the new data resources. Therefore, I release the software CUA which can compute all popular CUB metrics, including CAI, tAI, Fop, ENC. More importantly, CUA allows users to incorporate user-specific data, such as tRNA abundance and highly expressed genes from considered tissues; this flexibility enables computing CUB metrics for any species with improved accuracy. In sum, CUA eases codon usage studies and establishes a platform for incorporating new metrics in future. CUA is available at http://search.cpan.org/dist/Bio-CUA/ with help documentation and tutorial.
Abstract 1956: Enhanced colony-forming ability, and motility and migratory properties of Cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells

Ovarian cancer causes the highest gynecologic neoplasm-related deaths in the United States. Although the majority of ovarian cancer patients respond to Cisplatin therapy, most develop recurrent and resistant disease, raising the need to understand the molecular mechanisms that support the resistant phenotype and to identify novel effective therapeutic and chemo-sensitizing modalities. In this study, we developed Cisplatin resistance in vitro to address the molecular and biological mechanisms that may be presented by the recurrent disease. The resistant lines, A2780S/CP3 and A2780S/CP5, which were derived from the Cisplatin-sensitive line, A2780S and are resistant to 3 and 5 μM Cisplatin, respectively, showed marked changes in morphology, compared to the parental cells. Notably, both resistant lines showed enhanced colony-forming ability and significantly enhanced cell motility and migratory properties. Molecular mechanistic analysis indicated the Cisplatin resistance was associated with hyperactive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk)1/2 MAPK and EGFR-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (Stat)3 pathways, the overexpression of Survivin and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGF), and F-actin and Cortactin, with F-actin localization that is predominantly at the cellular extensions. Treatment of the Cisplatin-resistant A2780S/CP5 line with the EGFR inhibitor, Iressa or the Stat3 inhibitor, S3I-201 inhibited the colony-forming ability of these cells, without suppressing their viability, suggesting EGFR-Erk1/2 and EGFR-Stat3 activation are required for the proliferation of the resistant cells. Furthermore, inhibition of EGFR or Stat3 activation significantly suppresses the migration of A2780S/CP3 cells, while the motility of both A2780S/CP3 and A2780S/CP5 lines are sensitive to EGFR inhibition. These results together suggest that Cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer is mediated in part through the activation of the EGF receptor-mediated Erk and Stat3 pathways that promote increased cell proliferation, motility and migration. These findings raise the possibility that EGFR or Stat3 inhibitors combined with Cisplatin may be an effective therapeutic approach for Cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1956. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1956
Specific cell-mediated immunity and the natural history of congenital infection with cytomegalovirus

Viral excretion, antibody response, and specific cell-mediated immunity were studied in 104 children with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection followed from birth. The study population demonstrated prolonged viral shedding and stable, moderate levels of serum antibody. The majority of patients ceased salivary shedding of CMV by two years of age but continued to have viruria through the fifth year. Patients who had symptomatic infection or CNS sequelae were similar to asymptomatic patients with regard to both viral excretion and antibody response. Although symptomatic patients had significantly weaker specific blastogenic responses from one to seven years of age, the majority of patients from both groups had no detectable response to CMV through their fifth year. The impairment was highly specific for CMV, as patients with congenital CMV infection who had antibody to herpes simplex virus did have a lymphocyte blastogenic response to the latter virus. Although specific lymphocyte blastogenesis did not correlate with outcome, the presence of a positive response was associated with cessation of viruria.
Abstract 4: Apolipoprotein A-IV Confers Protection Against Oxidant Stress and Adipose Tissue Inflammation in Mouse Models of Obesity

Background: Increased lipid oxidation may initiate the chronic inflammatory state which characterizes adipose tissue in obesity. Apo A-IV is a potent in vitro antioxidant, and has been reported to confer protection against multiple inflammatory stimuli in vivo. Apo A-IV may be an especially effective antioxidant in peripheral tissues, as its labile affinity for lipoproteins results in relatively high concentrations in interstitial fluid. Hypothesis: Apo A-IV attenuates lipid peroxidation and adipose tissue inflammation in mouse models of obesity. Methods: Double heterozygote A4+/- x Ob+/- mice on a C57BL6 background were bred to generate wild type (WT), apo A-IV knockout (A4KO), Ob/Ob, and double knockout (DKO) mice. Groups of age-matched male littermates were fed pro-inflammatory high fat (HF, 42% fat, 0.2% cholesterol) or high fat/high cholesterol (HFHC, 38% fat, 1.25% cholesterol) diets; fasting plasma apo A-IV levels were measured by immunoblotting; plasma total F2 isoprostane levels (a biomarker of global lipid peroxidation) were measured by GC-MS; and expression of genes for pro-inflammatory mediators in adipose tissue was measured in WT and A4KO mice by RT-PCR. Results: Baseline plasma apo A-IV levels were higher in the Ob/Ob mice, but increased ~2-fold after 8 weeks on the HF diet. After 12 weeks on the HFHC diet, plasma total F2 isoprostane levels were elevated in Ob/Ob mice, but were highest in DKO mice, indicating that free radical lipid peroxidation in peripheral tissues was increased in the absence of intestinal apo A-IV synthesis. All mice gained weight, but DKO mice gained less than Ob/Ob mice. Adipose tissue expression of the genes for MCP1, IL6, and IL1b was elevated 2-3 fold in A4KO mice. Conclusions: These data indicate that plasma apo A-IV levels are chronically elevated by a high fat intake, and that apo A-IV expression attenuates the pro-oxidant/pro-inflammatory state in diet-induced and genetic obesity, which may thereby modulate energy balance. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Atomic and electronic structure of simple metal/graphene and complex metal/graphene/metal interfaces

Structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of simple interfaces (graphene on top of a metallic substrate) and complex interfaces (a single metallic adlayer on a simple graphene/metal system, either on top or between the graphene and metallic substrate) have been studied using density functional theory. Two types of simple interface with strong (Ni/graphene) and weak (Cu/graphene) bonding were considered. In addition to binding energies and interface distances, which are used to quantify the strength of graphene-substrate interactions, the bonding in simple and complex interfaces was analyzed using charge density distributions and bond orders. Substantial enhancement of the metallic substrate/graphene binding was observed in complex interfaces, consisting of a Ni monolayer on top of a simple {Ni or Cu}/graphene interface. The increase of substrate-graphene bonding in such complex interfaces is accompanied by weakening of in-plane C-C bonds in graphene, as quantified by the bond orders. A weak ferrimagnetism in graphene, i.e., unequal magnetic moments $\ensuremath{-}0.04{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ and $+0.06{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ on the C atoms, is induced by a ferromagnetic Ni substrate. The strength of graphene-substrate interactions is also reflected in simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images.
Effects of catalyst on combustion characteristics of fine HMX nitramine propellants under high and low pressure

Effects of different content of octylferrocene(T27),carbon black(C),lead chromate(Pr) and their combination on high and low pressure combustion characteristics of nitramine propellants containing fine HMX were studied on the basis of measuring the burning rates of propellant strands using underwater acoustic emission method.Pressure exponent in a certain pressure range was also calculated according to Veinni equation r=bpn.The results show that burning rate increases with the increase of T27 content.The use of T27 makes the pressure exponent decrease under high pressure,but increase under low pressure.C and Pr has no obvious effects on high pressure burning rate of the propellants.Pressure exponent under low pressure decrease with increase of C content,pressure exponent under high pressure increase first,then decrease markedly with increase of C content.The use of Pr makes pressure exponent decrease a little under low pressure,but makes pressure exponent increase under high pressure.Combination of T27,C and Pr has synergistic effects neither on high and low pressure burning rate,nor on decreasing of pressure exponent under low pressure,while it has synergistic effects on decreasing pressure exponent under high pressure.Pressure exponent under high pressure can be decreased to 0.359 9.
Modeling Self-Regulation as a Process Usinga Multiple Time-Scale Multiphase Latent Basis Growth Model

Measurement burst designs, wherein individuals are measured intensively during multiple periods (i.e., 'bursts'), have created new opportunities for studying change at multiple time-scales. This paper develops a model that may be useful in situations where the functional form of short-term change is unknown, may consist of multiple phases, and may change over the long-term. Specifically, we combine measurement of intraindividual entropy, a latent basis growth model, a multiphase growth model, and a growth model with covariates into a unified framework that may help accommodate the complexity of patterns that emerge in multiple time-scale categorical data streams. Empirical data from a longitudinal study of young children's behavior during laboratory tasks designed to induce frustration are used to illustrate the utility of the proposed model for simultaneously describing intratask (short-term) change in self-regulation and developmental (long-term) shifts in intratask change.
VASCULAR REACTIVITY IN EXPERIMENTAL DIABETES MELLITUS.

Vascular reactivity was examined in vessels of the perfused hindquarters of alloxan diabetic and control rats. A significant increase was noted in responsiveness of the diabetic animals to intra-arterial injection of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and synthetic angiotensin. No difference was observed in the vasoconstrictor effects of lumbar sympathetic nerve stimulation or intra-arterial administration of tyramine. Results obtained in diabetic animals were compared with those in animals treated with reserpine. It was found that the reserpinized animals exhibited increased vascular responsiveness only to the catecholamines, and not to angiotensin, vasopressin, tyramine, or barium chloride. Whereas the vascular smooth muscle of diabetic rats was sensitized to epinephrine and norepinephrine, isolated atria from these animals responded normally to the catecholamines. The 24-hour urinary excretion of the catecholamines was significantly elevated in diabetic animals. The data suggest that enhanced vascular reactivity seen in diabetic rats does not result from neuropathy of the sympathetic nervous system. The possible contributions of factors including alloxan per se and body weight to development of increased vascular reactivity in diabetes were considered, but the mechanism for the increase in vascular responsiveness remains unidentified.
Gaseous and Particulate Content of Laser Hair Removal Plume

Importance Potentially harmful chemicals are released when tissues are vaporized. Laser hair removal (LHR) causes heating and often vaporization of hairs, producing both a signature malodorous plume and visible particulates. Objective To characterize the chemical composition and quantify the ultrafine particle content of the plume generated during LHR. Design, Setting, and Participants In the laser center of a large academic hospital, discarded terminal hairs from the trunk and extremities were collected from 2 adult volunteers. The hair samples were sealed in glass gas chromatography chambers and treated with a laser. The laser plume was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). During LHR treatment, two 6-L negative pressure canisters were used to capture 30 seconds of laser plume, and a portable condensation particle counter was used to measure ultrafine particulates ( Main Outcomes and Measures The chemical content of the laser plume was analyzed with GC-MS and screened for aerosolized toxins using Environmental Protection Agency–certified methods. The ambient concentration of ultrafine particles during LHR was measured by condensation particle counters. Results Analysis with GC-MS identified 377 chemical compounds. Sixty-two of these compounds, of which 13 are known or suspected carcinogens and more than 20 are known environmental toxins, exhibited strong absorption peaks. During LHR, the portable condensation particle counters documented an 8-fold increase compared with the ambient room baseline level of ultrafine particle concentrations (ambient room baseline, 15 300 particles per cubic centimeter [ppc]; LHR with smoke evacuator, 129 376 ppc), even when a smoke evacuator was in close proximity (5.0 cm) to the procedure site. When the smoke evacuator was turned off for 30 seconds, there was a more than 26-fold increase in particulate count compared with ambient baseline levels (ambient baseline, 15 300 ppc; LHR without smoke evacuator for 30 seconds, 435 888 ppc). Conclusions and Relevance These findings establish the concern that the burning-hair plume often present during LHR should be considered a biohazard, warranting the use of smoke evacuators, good ventilation, and respiratory protection, especially for health care workers with prolonged exposure to LHR plume.
Feasibility study and preliminary design of a Channel Buoy Mounted Oil Sensor System

Due to high vessel traffic and the presence of industry, oil pollution is often an overwhelming menace. Oil spills potentially may remain undetected for long periods of time, despite routine surveillance by the Coat Guard and other environmental agencies. A Channel Buoy Mounted Oil Sensor System capable of warning oil spill response units of the presence of oil immediately after a spill occurs would greatly increase the effectiveness of cleanup efforts. The Channel Buoy Mounted Oil Sensor System (CBMOSS) has been designed to detect oil spills and subsequently send an alarm via a VHF-FM transmitter. This alarm could be received by a centralized monitoring station. The CBMOSS consists of an infrared oil monitor, logic circuit, VHF transmitter, power unit, and an antenna. The system is designed to be mounted and powered by existing U.S. Coast Guard lighted buoys. The system is fairly low powered and capable of running off existing power sources aboard lighted buoys. Due to the utilization of off-the-shelf components and low cost electrical gear, this system is relatively inexpensive. Though the Channel Buoy Mounted Oil Sensor System is intended to be used on buoys throughout a body of water at locations where there is a high probability of an oil spill, the system has the potential for use as an oil spill sensing platform in other applications as well.
Liquid methanol sorption, diffusion and permeation in charged and uncharged polymers

Abstract There are few studies of the impact of membrane charge on ion and organic uncharged solute transport in polymers. This study was aimed at addressing the lack of such fundamental information in the literature. Liquid methanol sorption, diffusion and permeation in water swollen, cross-linked, uncharged poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (XLPEGDA) and in charged membranes were investigated. Membrane water content significantly influences methanol solubility, diffusivity and permeability, with more swollen membranes having faster methanol transport rates. The Mackie-Meares model was used to interpret and correlate diffusion data. The Flory-Rehner theory for ternary systems was used to interpret methanol sorption isotherms in XLPEGDA-based polymers. Methanol and sodium chloride transport patterns are similar in neutral hydrogels, while substantial differences are observed in ion exchange polymers. These differences are ascribed to sodium chloride transport in charged polymers being strongly influenced by Donnan exclusion, while methanol sorption and diffusion are not.
Unbalanced Expression of Bcl-2 Family Proteins in Follicular Lymphoma: Contribution of CD40 Signaling in Promoting Survival

Although highly responsive, advanced stage follicular lymphoma (FL) is not curable with conventional treatment. This relative resistance is thought to be due to the t(14;18) that results in the constitutive overexpression of the death-inhibiting protein bcl-2. However, the observation that FL cells are sensitive to treatment in vivo and prone to apoptosis on in vitro culture questions whether bcl-2 alone is responsible for the pathogenesis and clinical behavior of this disease. Therefore, multiple genes are likely to be involved in both the lymphomagenesis and the clinical course of FL. We examined whether expression of other bcl-2 family genes might also be operative. Here, we show that FL cells display a different pattern of expression of bcl-2 family proteins from normal germinal center (GC) B cells that are thought to be their normal counterpart. FL cells express the death-suppressor proteins bcl-2, bcl-xL, and mcl-1; whereas GC B cells express bcl-xL and mcl-1 but also the proapoptotic proteins bax-alpha and bad. Although maintaining constitutive levels of bcl-2 and mcl-1, FL cells are not protected from apoptosis when cultured in vitro. Their propensity to undergo apoptosis is temporally associated with downregulation of bcl-xL. More importantly, activation of FL cells via CD40 not only prevents downregulation but increases the level of bcl-xL expression and results in promotion of survival. These results support the hypothesis that the overexpression of bcl-2 is not the only antiapoptotic mechanism responsible for the pathogenesis of FL. Survival of FL cells is determined by a number of death-inhibiting proteins, among which bcl-xL appears to have the most critical role. Moreover, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that, although FL cells are malignant, they respond to microenvironmental signals such as CD40L that appear to contribute to their survival through the upregulation of death-inhibiting proteins.
CLOSTRIDIUM | Clostridium Botulinum

Botulism is a neuroparalytic disease in humans and animals resulting from the actions of neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum and rare strains of Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii . Botulinum-producing organisms are dispersed widely throughout the world in soils and sediments and the intestine of animals. Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most poisonous toxins known by the oral and intravenous routes. Foodborne botulism occurs following ingestion of BoNT preformed in foods, while infant botulism results from colonization of the intestine with toxin production and absorption into the circulation. Botulism is a serious concern of the food industry and regulatory agencies because of the resistance properties of spores of C . botulinum , and the organism's ability to grow and form toxin in many foods. The detection of BoNT in the affected human or in consumed foods provides a diagnosis of botulism.
Self Adjoint Operator Korovkin Type Quantitative Approximation Theory

Here we present self adjoint operator Korovkin type theorems, via self adjoint operator Shisha-Mond type inequalities. This is a quantitative treatment to determine the degree of self adjoint operator uniform approximation with rates, of sequences of self adjoint operator positive linear operators. We give several applications involving the self adjoint operator Bernstein polynomials. It follows [2].
Menopause and Diabetes? No Sweat!

For women, menopause is not an option. There is a finite end to our reproductive life, but modern women live as much as one third of their lives past menopause. Women with diabetes are no exception, but they do have their own special concerns. Armed with current up to date medical knowledge, women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) can make informed decisions about how they approach menopause, its symptoms, and body changes.