cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
El significado de la pobreza: cuestiones de distribución y poder

Las concepciones estandar de la pobreza son enganosas y generan politicas economicas inadecuadas, porque no toman suficientemente en cuenta la distribucion del ingreso. El bienestar economico es, en gran medida, socialmente contingente, y la pobreza es un fenomeno de la desigualdad, asi como un fenomeno de la falta absoluta de ingresos. Las Metas de Desarrollo del Milenio (MDM), centradas sobre el ingreso absoluto, conducen a enfoques tecnicos de la politica que dejan sin examinar los origenes sociales basicos de la pobreza. En gran medida, los pobres son pobres porque carecen de poder, y no tienen poder porque son pobres. Cuando el poder se toma en cuenta, el foco de la politica economica cambia hacia cuestiones como la reforma agraria y el control efectivo de las acciones del Estado. Una consecuencia de este enfoque es que en lugar de hacer las cosas para los pobres, la politica debe crear las condiciones en que los pobres pueden obtener poder, y cambiar su propia situacion. Se critican desde esta perspectiva varios aspectos de la estrategia de las MDM
Lifestyle Factors, Cognitive Functioning, and Functional Capacity in Older Adults

Research suggests that clinical management of cognitive impairment can occur through interventions targeting lifestyle factors, such as physical exercise and sleep quality. The present study examined the associations among lifestyle factors (exercise and sleep quality), cognition, and functional capacity in older adults (ages 56-94) who completed an outpatient neuropsychological evaluation (N = 356). Exercise habits and sleep quality were accessed using a self-report questionnaire and a clinical interview. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2). Functional capacity was measured by the Texas Functional Living Scale (TFLS). Results indicated that physical exercise and sleep quality were positively associated with better cognitive functioning and functional capacity. Further research is needed to elucidate the relationship between lifestyle factors, cognition, and functional capacity in older adults.
Black and Indigenous Inequality in Mexico: Implications for Multiracialism and Intersectionality Research:

In recent decades, an increasing number of Latin American countries have included ethnoracial questions on their censuses, giving rise to unprecedented data on monoracial and multiracial forms of c...
Human Multisubunit E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Required for Heterotrimeric G-Protein β-Subunit Ubiquitination and Downstream Signaling.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) initiate intracellular signaling events through heterotrimeric G-protein α-subunits (Gα) and the βγ-subunit dimer (Gβγ). In this study, we utilized mass spectrometry to identify novel regulators of Gβγ signaling in human cells. This prompted our characterization of KCTD2 and KCTD5, two related potassium channel tetramerization domain (KCTD) proteins that specifically recognize Gβγ. We demonstrated that these KCTD proteins are substrate adaptors for a multisubunit CUL3-RING ubiquitin ligase, in which a KCTD2-KCTD5 hetero-oligomer associates with CUL3 through KCTD5 subunits and recruits Gβγ through both KCTD proteins in response to G-protein activation. These KCTD proteins promote monoubiquitination of lysine-23 within Gβ1/2 in vitro and in HEK-293 cells. Depletion of these adaptors from cancer cell lines sharply impairs downstream signaling. Together, our studies suggest that a KCTD2-KCTD5-CUL3-RING E3 ligase recruits Gβγ in response to signaling, monoubiquitinates lysine-23 within Gβ1/2, and regulates Gβγ effectors to modulate downstream signal transduction.
Micro but mighty—Micronutrients in the epigenetic regulation of adaptive immune responses*

Micronutrients are essential small molecules required by organisms in minute quantity for survival. For instance, vitamins and minerals, the two major categories of micronutrients, are central for biological processes such as metabolism, cell replication, differentiation, and immune response. Studies estimated that around two billion humans worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, also known as "hidden hunger," linked to weakened immune responses. While micronutrients affect the immune system at multiple levels, recent studies showed that micronutrients potentially impact the differentiation and function of immune cells as cofactors for epigenetic enzymes, including the 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (2OGDD) family involved in histone and DNA demethylation. Here, we will first provide an overview of the role of DNA methylation in T cells and B cells, followed by the micronutrients ascorbate (vitamin C) and iron, two critical cofactors for 2OGDD. We will discuss the emerging evidence of these micronutrients could regulate adaptive immune response by influencing epigenetic remodeling.
The Measurement of Systolic Function in the Mammalian Heart

The heart is a muscular pump that generates force in order to do work and pump volume. The major determinants of its ability to perform these functions are its size, mass, innate strength or contractility, preload and afterload. While all of these parameters should be kept in mind when assessing cardiac function, assessment of most pathologies and therapies rely on measuring contractility. Despite major advances in our understanding of cardiac function over the past 50 years, a simple, easily applied and accurate measure of contractility still eludes us. Easily applied measures lack sensitivity and accuracy while complex measures are cumbersome and difficult to apply. These principles must be kept in full view in order to avoid errors in assessing cardiac function.
MRI and Ultrasound Imaging of the Shoulder Using Positional Maneuvers

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review the normal anatomy and pathologic conditions of the shoulder on the basis of the appearance on MR and ultrasound images obtained during performan...
Integration of high energy laser weapons systems aboard all-electric ships

An all-electric ship construct for surface combatants will need to consider the impact of future, electric power based weapons systems. Shipboard environments, driven by war fighting, hoteling, and safety arguments, are already influencing the development of high impulse weapons systems away from chemical or nuclear derived charging mechanism. shipboard high energy laser (HEL) weapons system concepts, for example, are already under pressure to adopt environmentally integratable, all-electric, solutions to meet requirements. Because of these influences, HEL weapons systems that employ solid-state cavity technology are being favorably received. Alternative technologies that are more difficult to integrate, such as the free electron laser (FEL) and possibly the chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) systems, are still under consideration but will require different electric power resources. For HEL systems, there are several critical factors in electric power delivery. Depending on the HEL technology; source capacity, flow rate regulation, drop-out and other source stability aspects can significantly influence weapons availability or performance. The nominal solution to achieving these reserve capacity and regulation requirements is to incorporate specialized components within the weapons system. Given the infrequency of weapons use, these specialized components should not be relegated to specific tasks only when their functions could be generally beneficial to the overall power grid. Design approaches that cross-pollinate weapons systems power solutions with those being considered for the transmission, distribution and storage solutions in the power system would be more practical and cost efficient. Reserve power components designed to insure a consistent supply voltage and insulate against power failure can, for example, be used to enhance the performance of a nearby power grid node. With this approach, the all-electric ship power grid could undergo performance improvements with the addition of each new weapons system.
Are more models better?: the effect of the model transition matrix on the IMM filter

The purpose of this investigation was to determine what approach is best to deal with the question of how to choose the model transition matrix for the interactive multiple model filter. The desire is to determine an approach to choosing the model transition matrix that is "best" in some sense. In the study, many target tracking simulations were run using the interacting multiple models algorithm (IMM) with two models: constant velocity and constant acceleration. During these simulations, the transition matrix used and the target tracks used were varied to allow viewing of behavior of the IMM under different conditions. It is difficult to decide whether changing the probabilities gives better performance, since performance is not measured by one number, but by a balance of competing interests. Using a three-model IMM inputs were used in order to test which values should be on the diagonal and what effect changing the off-diagonal elements would have on the filter's behavior. The results obtained imply that having three models is not necessary except in exceptional cases. This leads one to pose the question: Are more models better?.
Estimation of Carboxyhemoglobin

Carbon monoxide can be lethal at concentrations of less than 0.1%. The kinetics and mechanism of its toxicology have been described elegantly by Coburn et al. (J. Clin. Invest. 1965, 44, 1899−1910): CO combines readily with blood hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). When a subject is exposed to potentially hazardous levels of CO, however, the achievement of the equilibrium level of COHb in the bloodstream requires a number of hours. The Coburn equation is complex, using a number of input variables. What is desired is a simple equation, requiring as input only two or three readily available parameters, that will provide a good estimate of COHb concentration with time. Previous efforts to develop such an equation are reviewed. This work provides and tests a new empirical equation to generate COHb concentration−time curves. With this equation and for a given concentration of ambient CO, one can estimate how much of a subject's hemoglobin has been tied up as COHb after a given period of exposure. We ...
Time resolved depolarization of multiple backscattered light from random media

Abstract The temporal intensity distributions for parallel and perpendicular polarization components of a 100 fs laser pulse backscattered from various random media were measured and analyzed. The temporal profiles for polarization components from media with finite particles sizes may be approximated by the theoretical formulation in the Rayleigh scattering limit. A substantial amount of polarization remains for media of low concentration and larger particle size.
An easily mass produced cannula system for chemical stimulation of the brain

This paper describes a cannula system for chemical stimulation of the brain which can be easily mass produced in a reliable and inexpensive manner.
The Osmotic Change during Auxin-Induced Water Uptake by Potato Tissue.

A cardinal feature of auxin-induced growth is the absorption of water. The increase in volume accompanying cell elongation is primarily the result of the uptake of water. For this reason, it is possible to analyze the mechanism of auxin action by studying its effect on the movement of water into the cell. The auxin-induced water uptake by disks of storage tissue, discovered by Reinders in 1938 (10), has been studied by a number of workers (2, 4, 5, 6, 9,11, 12) with a view to furthering our knowledge of how auxin acts.
Molecular cytogenetic quantitation of gains and losses of genetic material from human gliomas

The unregulated growth that is characteristic of human malignant gliomas is accompanied by, and may result from, losses and/or gains of genetic material. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie how particular genetic aberrations cause dysfunctional growth will help elucidate the pathogenesis of this disease. Two techniques are proving useful in evaluating the clinical relevance of specific genetic aberrations in malignant gliomas. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) permits direct visualization of gains and losses of genetic material in single cells and quantitation of cellular subpopulations that have particular genetic aberrations. Comparative genomic hybridization can identify regions of genetic gain and loss in tumor DNA.
DNA complementary to rabbit globin mRNA made by E. coli polymerase I.

Summary E. coli DNA polymerase I has been used to synthesize DNA complementary to rabbit globin mRNA. In addition to the heteropolymeric DNA, poly (dT) and poly (dA)·(dT) are also synthesized. The extent of synthesis of these three products decreases at different rates upon heat inactivation of the polymerase, suggesting that the sites of synthesis on the enzyme are either entirely or partially separate. The use of polymerase I for copying RNAs makes possible the ready availability of complementary DNAs.
The Presuppositions of Religious Pluralism and the Need for Natural Theology

In ‘The Presuppositions of Religious Pluralism and the Need for Natural Theology’ I argue that there are four important presuppositions behind John Hick’s form of religious pluralism that successfully support it against what I call fideistic exclusivism. These are i) the ought/can principle, ii) the universality of religious experience, iii) the universality of redemptive change, and iv) a view of how God (the Eternal) would do things. I then argue that if these are more fully developed they support a different kind of exclusivism, what I call rational exclusivism, and become defeaters for pluralism. In order to explain rational exclusivism and its dependence on these presuppositions I consider philosophers J.P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, and Alvin Plantinga, who offer arguments for their forms of exclusivism but I maintain that they continue to rely on fideism at important points. I then give an example of how knowledge of the Eternal can be achieved.
Vimentin regulates lung cancer cell adhesion through a VAV2-Rac1 pathway to control focal adhesion kinase activity

Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein whose expression correlates with increased metastatic disease, reduced patient survival and poor prognosis across multiple tumor types. Despite these well-characterized correlations, the molecular role of vimentin in cancer cell motility remains undefined. To approach this, we used an unbiased phosphoproteomics screen in lung cancer cell lines to discover cell motility proteins that show significant changes in phosphorylation upon vimentin depletion. We identified the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), VAV2, as having the greatest loss of phosphorylation owing to vimentin depletion. Since VAV2 serves as a GEF for the small Rho GTPase Rac1, a key player in cell motility and adhesion, we explored the vimentin-VAV2 pathway as a potential novel regulator of lung cancer cell motility. We show that VAV2 localizes to vimentin-positive focal adhesions (FAs) in lung cancer cells and complexes with vimentin and FA kinase (FAK). Vimentin loss impairs both pY142-VAV2 and downstream pY397-FAK activity showing that vimentin is critical for maintaining VAV2 and FAK activity. Importantly, vimentin depletion reduces the activity of the VAV2 target, Rac1, and a constitutively active Rac1 rescues defects in FAK and cell adhesion when vimentin or VAV2 is compromised. Based upon this data, we propose a model whereby vimentin promotes FAK stabilization through VAV2-mediated Rac1 activation. This model may explain why vimentin expressing metastatic lung cancer cells are more motile and invasive.
Comparison of fluorescence in situ hybridization with flow cytometry and static image analysis in ploidy analysis of paraffin-embedded prostate adenocarcinoma

Nuclear DNA ploidy has been shown to have an important prognostic association for patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Flow cytometry and static image analysis are ploidy methods that have been used in prostate carcinoma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using chromosome-specific probes can be used to evaluate the ploidy of interphase nuclei. In this study FISH was compared with flow cytometry and static image analysis in determining ploidy in paraffin-embedded tissue from 34 prostatic adenocarcinomas. Ploidy status using FISH was determined by enumerating centromeres of two chromosomes (8 and 12) by use of directly-labeled alpha-satellite DNA probes in isolated whole nuclei obtained by the Hedley technique. All three methods identified 11 of 34 cases as diploid and 17 of 34 cases as nondiploid (82% concordance). Six cases were discordant; two cases had discrepant results by each method. Ploidy classification as determined by FISH had an 88% concordance with ploidy classification by either flow cytometry or static image analysis. In conclusion, FISH was found to be a sensitive method of ploidy analysis in isolated paraffin-embedded nuclei from prostate adenocarcinomas. When the chromosomes commonly involved in aneuploidy have been identified in prostate adenocarcinoma, FISH has the potential to provide greater sensitivity for aneuploidy detection compared with currently available methods.
Use of EMDR in the treatment of water phobia at Navy boot camp: A case study.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has become one of the most scientifically researched mental health treatments in the world; yet little has been done specifically with active-duty service members. Initially used in the treatment of anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, it has since become popular in the treatment of addictions, relationship problems, eating disorders, panic attacks, phobias, and mood disorders. This article expands the current study of EMDR through the use of a case study approach. Specifically, it provides a detailed case study of the treatment of water phobia experienced by a U.S. Navy recruit. The unique stressors and time pressures of the recruit training environment are discussed. A detailed account of the therapist’s adherence to the eight phases of the EMDR protocol is woven in to the case study. Although the efficacy research of EMDR in the treatment of specific phobias is mixed, this article demonstrates how EMDR can be effectively utilized to treat traum...
Brain: the common site of relapse in patients with pancoast or superior sulcus tumors.

Purpose We conducted a retrospective analysis to determine the occurrence of brain metastasis with superior sulcus tumors. Methods and Materials We reviewed 685 charts of patients treated for upper lobe lung cancer between 1997 and 2003. Twenty-nine out of 685 patients (4%) had a diagnosis of Pancoast or superior sulcus tumor. The histology includes 11 patients with adenocarcinoma, seven with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), six with squamous cell carcinoma, four with large cell carcinoma, and one with anaplastic carcinoma. Regarding stage at presentation: seven patients had stage IIB, two had stage IIIA, 16 had stage IIIB, and four had stage IV. Results The median follow-up is 14 months (range 6–70 months). The total occurrence of brain metastasis is seven out of 29 patients (24%). Two patients (stage IV) had brain metastasis at the time of presentation and five patients (stage IIB–III) developed brain metastasis at a median time of 10 months after the diagnosis. Stage associated with brain metastasis after diagnosis is two patients for stage IIB, two for stage IIIA, and one for stage IIIB. For the 25 patients with stage IIB to stage III disease, nine (36%) developed distant metastasis after definitive therapy. Out of these nine patients, five (55%) developed brain metastasis. It was the most common site of distant failure. Histology for seven patients with brain metastasis was four of seven with adenocarcinoma, two of seven with squamous cell carcinoma, and one of seven with NSCLC. Conclusion Brain metatasis may be relatively common at diagnosis. The brain is the frequent site of failure for superior sulcus tumors. We recommend careful surveillance for brain metastasis during and after the therapy. We also recommend obtaining brain imaging prior to surgery in patients receiving induction therapy for the primary tumor.
Ecophysiology of Zigadenus nuttallii, a toxic spring ephemeral in a warm season grassland: effect of defoliation and fire.

Zigadenus nuttallii, a highly toxic spring ephemeral in tallgrass prairie, was studied in 1985 to ascertain: 1) several ecophysiological characteristics of the species, 2) seasonal patterns of biomass accumulation, and 3) its response to defoliation and fire. The maximum photosynthetic rate of Z. nuttallii measured in unburned prairie was 13.2 μmoles CO2 m-2 s-1 which occurred at 24–28° C and an incident quantum flux of 0.8–1.0 mmoles m-2 s-1. Maximum stomatal conductance measured was 5.4 mm s-1. Early in the season, belowground storage organs (bulbs) decreased in mass and supplied much of the energy for growth of leaves, even though CO2 uptake was possible. Buld mass did not increase until about 6 weeks after shoot emergence implying that, at this time, leaves had become a source rather than a sink for carbohydrates. The result of a single, severe defoliation event was a decrease in biomass of bulbs, leaves and reproductive structures in Z. nuttallii. Intrinsic compensatory mechanisms were not detected. In contrast, fire, which also defoliated plants, did not result in any biomass decrease at the end of the season. Improved post-fire microclimate and increased nutrient supply (extrinsic factors) may have contributed to higher photosynthetic rates and led to biomass compensation in burned prairie. These data support arguments that intrinsic compensatory mechanisms have evolved in response to chronic herbivory.
Danger of Treatment Protocols

To the Editor: A recent AHA Scientific Statement on medication errors in acute cardiovascular care suggested that streamlined protocols and standardized order forms may be useful in reducing medical errors.1 We would like to draw attention to a potential danger of such measures, namely the erroneous application of tPA treatment protocols for acute myocardial infarction (MI) to patients with acute stroke. We report a case of such a misapplication that possibly contributed to development of an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). A 68-year-old man with a history of aortic valve replacement presented …
The Continuing Importance of Bile Acids in Liver and Intestinal Disease

Bile acids, the water-soluble, amphipathic end products of cholesterol metabolism, are involved in liver, biliary, and intestinal disease. Formed in the liver, bile acids are absorbed actively from the small intestine, with each molecule undergoing multiple enterohepatic circulations before being excreted. After their synthesis from cholesterol, bile acids are conjugated with glycine or taurine, a process that makes them impermeable to cell membranes and permits high concentrations to persist in bile and intestinal content. The relation between the chemical structure and the multiple physiological functions of bile acids is reviewed. Bile acids induce biliary lipid secretion and solubilize cholesterol in bile, promoting its elimination. In the small intestine, bile acids solubilize dietary lipids promoting their absorption. Bile acids are cytotoxic when present in abnormally high concentrations. This may occur intracellularly, as occurs in the hepatocyte in cholestasis, or extracellulary, as occurs in the colon in patients with bile acid malabsorption. Disturbances in bile acid metabolism can be caused by (1) defective biosynthesis from cholesterol or defective conjugation, (2) defective membrane transport in the hepatocyte or ileal enterocyte, (3) defective transport between organs or biliary diversion, and (4) increased bacterial degradation during enterohepatic cycling. Bile acid therapy involves bile acid replacement in deficiency states or bile acid displacement by ursodeoxycholic acid, a noncytotoxic bile acid. In cholestatic liver disease, administration of ursodeoxycholic acid decreases hepatocyte injury by retained bile acids, improving liver tests, and slowing disease progression. Bile acid malabsorption may lead to high concentrations of bile acids in the colon and impaired colonic mucosal function; bile acid sequestrants provide symptomatic benefit for diarrhea. A knowledge of bile acid physiology and the perturbations of bile acid metabolism in liver and digestive disease should be useful for the internist.
Continuum damage mechanics of constrained intergranular cavitation

A three-dimensional micromechanical model for polycrystalline materials undergoing constrained intergranular cavitation is proposed. The model combines advantages of phenomenological and micromechanical approaches, and can be calibrated from standard uniaxial creep data. When applied to creep analysis of two ferritic steels, the model accurately predicts the creep life under multiaxial stresses as well as the amount of creep damage.
Serum troponin levels are not increased in patients with ventricular arrhythmias during shock wave lithotripsy.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Ventricular arrhythmias are common during ungated shock wave lithotripsy. We determined whether lithotripsy induced arrhythmias are associated with myocardial damage.Materials and Methods: A total of 51 patients presenting for shock wave lithotripsy for right renal stones were prospectively evaluated for arrhythmias during lithotripsy. In patients with arrhythmias troponin levels were determined 24 hours after the procedure.Results: Ventricular arrhythmias developed in 21 patients. In this group all troponin levels were below the level of detection (less than 0.5 ng/ml).Conclusions: Lithotripsy associated arrhythmias do not appear to be associated with myocardial injury.
Diagnostics for Statistical Variable Selection Methods for Prediction of Peptic Ulcer Disease in Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Background: The development of accurate classification models depends upon the methods used to identify the most relevant variables. The aim of this article is to evaluate variable selection methods to identify important variables in predicting a binary response using nonlinear statistical models. Our goals in model selection include producing non-overfitting stable models that are interpretable, that generate accurate predictions and have minimum bias. This work was motivated by data on clinical and laboratory features of Helicobacter pylori infections obtained from 60 individuals enrolled in a prospective observational study. Results: We carried out a comprehensive performance comparison of several nonlinear classification models over the H. pylori data set. We compared variable selection results by Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), Logistic Regression with regularization, Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) and Bayesian Variable Selection in GAMs. We found that the MARS model approach has the highest predictive power because the nonlinearity assumptions of candidate predictors are strongly satisfied, a finding demonstrated via deviance chisquare testing procedures in GAMs. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the physiological free amino acids citrulline, histidine, lysine and arginine are the major features for predicting H. pylori peptic ulcer disease on the basis of amino acid profiling.
Corneal and conjunctival crystals in paraproteinemia.

Abstract A 64-year-old woman with bilateral corneal and conjunctival crystal deposition was evaluated. A biopsy of her conjunctiva showed intracytoplasmic inclusions of immunoglobulin crystals in fibrocytes, macrophages, and endothelial cells. Serum protein electrophoresis showed elevated κ and IgA light and heavy chains which corresponded with immunoperoxidase staining results of the conjunctival biopsy. Conjunctival and corneal crystal deposition may be indicative of paraproteinemia, and histopathologic examination of a conjunctival biopsy may be useful in diagnosing this condition.
Morphological studies on denervated brown adipose tissue.

Intact and denervated brown fat lobes of normal and cold-exposed mice were studied by light and electron microscopy. Following two weeks of denervation in normal and cold-exposed mice, denervated brown fat cells were hypertrophied because of lipid accumulation. In normal mice there was a transient increase in glycogen. In cold-exposed mice, the quantity of glycogen in intact and denervated brown fat was greater than in normal mice. Mitochondria increased in size, and the number of cristae was greater in intact fat of cold-exposed mice than in denervated brown fat. Carbon perfusion of blood vessels demonstrated a decreased capillary bed in denervated fat. Capillary constriction noted only in denervated brown fat is indicative of reduced blood flow.
The Generation of Superoxide Anions in Glycation Reactions with Sugars, Osones, and 3-Deoxyosones

Glycoxidation is a process whereby glycated proteins chemically generate oxygen free radicals. Superoxide anion formation was measured by the superoxide dismutase-dependent reduction of ferricytochrome C in glycation reactions at pH 7.0 in the absence of transition metal ions. Assays were linear over 1 h, and most activity was seen after a 2 d incubation of 5 mM L-threose and 10 mM alpha-N-acetyl-lysine (N-Ac-Lys) or 10 mg/mL RNase A. Trioses, tetroses and their corresponding osones and 3-deoxyosones had the highest activity (12-16 nmoles O.-2/hr/ml) with N-Ac-Lys. Osones and 3-deoxyosones alone generated considerable O.-2, whereas aldose sugars largely did not. Xylosone and 3-deoxyxylosone produced 6 and 10 nmoles O.-2/hr/ml respectively with N-Ac-Lys, however, xylose was inactive, as were glucose and fructose. Glycation assays with 3-deoxyglucosone and glyoxal showed no activity, however, methyl glyoxal generated 1.7 and 2.0 nmoles O.-2/hr/ml with N-Ac-Lys and N-Ac-Arg, respectively. Therefore, Amadori compounds composed of lysine and short chain sugars can rapidly generate superoxide anion in the absence of metal ions.
Studies on the mechanism of mineralocorticoid-induced hypertension: evidence for the presence of an In-Situ mechanism in the arterial wall for a direct action of mineralocorticoids*

Data from clinical and experimental studies indicate that mechanism(s) for action of mineralocorticoids. other than renal. must be involved in the overall effect of mineralocorticoids on circulation — increased peripheral resistance and hypertension. We have postulated existence of such a mechanism in the arterial wall and have looked for the evidence of its presence. We have found high affinity, specific binders for mineralocorticoids, and glucocorticoids. with characteristics of steroid receptors, in rabbit and lamb arterial homogenate cytosol. Moreover, these binders were found to possess also other fundamental properties of cytoplasmic steroid receptors: they translocate to cell nuclei (as steroid-receptor complexes) and bind to relatively specific “acceptor-sites” on nuclear chromatin. The mineralocorticoid with the highest affinity for the arterial mineralocorticoid receptor is 11-desoxycorticosterone (DOC); however, the possibility of a parallel existence of a specific aldosterone receptor is not ruled out. Cytoplasmic mineralocorticoid receptors are not present in veins. The steroid with the highest affinity for the arterial glucocorticoid receptor is dexamethasone. similarly as in other target tissues to glucocorticoids. A highly specific transcortinlike cortisol binder was also found in aorta cytosol. In parallel with this binder a true cortisol-receptor (translocating to cell nuclei and binding to nuclear chromatin) was also found. This points to heterogeneity of cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors. Furthermore, we have studied the effect of chronic administration of DOC acetate (DOCA) on intracellular sodium concentration [Na i .] and on the rate of passive Na + -influx into the cells of aorta. Both were found to be significantly higher in DOCA-induced hypertensive rabbits than in normotensive control animals. This indicates that cell-membrane permeability to electrolytes is increased as a result of chronic elevation of circulating levels of DOC, and is in accord with the findings of other investigators in other animal species. We postulate that this effect of DOC is elicited through the receptor-mediated mechanism for action of mineralocorticoids in the arterial wall; and that increased [Na i ] in arterial and arteriolar smooth muscles leads to their increased contractility, hyperresponsiveness to vasoconstrictive stimuli, hypertrophy, increased peripheral resistance, and hypertension.
Long-term follow-up on hydroxylapatite-coated cylindrical dental implants: A comparison between developmental and recent periods

Purpose To compare success rates for dental implants placed from 1985 through 1988 and from 1989 through 1991, and to investigate the factors associated with success or failure. Patients and Methods All hydroxylapatite-coated cylindrical implants placed from 1985 through 1991 were followed yearly. Lifetable survival analyses compared implant success for a “developmental period” from 1985 through 1988 (4 to 8 years follow-up) and a “recent period” from 1989 through 1991 (1 to 4 years follow-up). Reasons for success or failure, time from implant placement to removal related to failure reason, outcome after implant removal, and a morbidity analysis are included. Results The 7 to 8-year cumulative success rate for all implants placed in the developmental period (maxilla and mandible combined) was 86.5%; it was 84.2% for all maxillary implants and 87.5% for all mandibular implants. The cumulative success rate for all implants placed in the recent period was 97.5%; it was 97.5% for all maxillary implants and 97.6% for all mandibular implants. The difference between the two periods was statistically significant only for the anterior maxilla. Regression analysis on the interval success rates indicates that interval failure did not follow a linear relationship with time. The most common reasons associated with failure were lack of keratinized gingiva, poor oral hygiene, mechanical overload, and malposition. Conclusion Comparison with previously reported cumulative success rates indicated learning curve experiences comparable with other implant systems. Improvements in hardware, surgical and prosthetic techniques, and patient selection have led to an improvement in success rates with the recent period implants.
Bearing Behavior of Joints in Pultruded Composites

Due to the increased use of pultruded composites for structural applications, understanding the bearing behavior of pultruded composites is important for effective structural designs. This paper re...
Trade-Off Between Sensitivity and Specificity in the Cabbage Looper Moth Response to Sex Pheromone

The evolution of male moth responses to pheromone blends may be constrained by a trade-off between two response traits: sensitivity and breadth of response. Population genetic simulations predict that if sensitivity and breadth of response are negatively correlated (i.e., a trade-off exists), then selection will favor males with narrow response phenotypes and high sensitivity. Although sensitivity–breadth of response trade-offs are generally assumed to exist and are implicit to the shape of male preference function, this study is the first to provide empirical support measuring behavior at the level of the individual. Previous studies with the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, have documented the existence of a mutant pheromone strain. While mutant females produce a pheromone blend significantly different from wild-type females, mutant males respond equally to the wild-type and mutant pheromone blends. This study used wind tunnel bioassays to document that relative to wild-type males, mutant males had broader response profiles but lower pheromone sensitivity. While wild-type male responses were highest to the wild-type pheromone blend, mutant males did not discriminate among pheromone blends. These results are consistent with a trade-off between breadth of response and sensitivity. Pure wild-type and mutant lines were crossed and hybrid males assayed. Both hybrid types (maternal wild-type and maternal mutant hybrids) responded similarly. Hybrid males had response profiles similar to wild-type males and the reduced sensitivity observed in mutant males. These results suggest a possible hybrid disadvantage and a putative mechanism for reinforcement of male pheromone response traits.
Economic Growth and Regional Disparities in the Slovak Republic

This paper finds that regional disparities have widened in Slovakia since 2000. Notwithstanding σ-divergence in the levels, there was conditional β-convergence in the growth rates of GDP per capita and labor productivity. Improvements in total factor productivity, mostly due to within-sector effects, were the main engine of growth of GDP in all regions. Sustaining growth and reducing disparities will require increasing labor utilization and improving the structural and policy determinants of productivity in the eastern regions. The main policy priorities are to improve transportation infrastructure, enhance cost competitiveness, and increase accumulation of human capital.
Subthreshold atrial pacing in patients with a left-sided accessory pathway: an effective new method for terminating reciprocating tachycardia.

Abstract This study investigated the possibility of terminating reciprocating atrioventricular (AV) tachycardia using subthreshold atrial pacing. Ten patients with a left-sided accessory pathway and sustained AV tachycardia underwent suhthreshold atrial pacing from the coronary sinus site closest to insertion of the accessory pathway. In seven of these patients, the tachycardia could be reliably terminated with subthreshold atrial overdrive pacing. When pacing at a cycle length of 80 ± 23% of the tachycardia cycle length, the minimal subthreshold current that was effective in tachycardia termination was 64 ± 14% of threshold current and the maximal ineffective current was 49 ± 17% of threshold (p It is concluded that subthreshold pacing is effective in selected patients with AV tachycardia due to an accessory pathway. Furthermore, because neither atrial fibrillation nor anterograde conduction over the accessory pathway is seen with subthreshold pacing, this modality may hold significant promise for permanent antitachycardia pacing in these patients.
Synthesis of new polyfunctional 2-pyrrolidinones from methyl 2-(carboethoxyhydroxymethyl)acrylate

The synthesis of new polyfunctional 2-pyrrolidinone derivatives from methyl 2-(carboethoxyhydroxymethyl)acrylate is described. These alkenes present an extremely high reactivity upon Michael addition with primary amines leading to a simple, mild, and efficient route to the preparation of new polyfunctional pyrrolidinones.
Identity degradation and mental disorder: an empirical assessment of the Conduct Impairment Scale.

Proponents of the medical models have held that mental disorder is best measured in terms of some inventory of symptoms indicative of an underlying disease. Alternatively, critics have argued that mental disorder is the result of a degraded ascribed role, a discrepancy between the person and his environment, or the degradation of identity. The issue goes beyond academic debate, with important implications for case-finding and program development in community mental health. Theodore Sarbin has developed a 58-item "Conduct Impairment Scale" to operationalize the concept of "Identity Degradation" and proposed it as a substitute for the medical model. Three dimensions are posited: status, value, and involvement. An appropriate level of reliability and clustering of scale items are reported by Sarbin. In order to subject the scale to a more rigorous test, it was administered to a random sample of 208 respondents in four neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as part of a larger epidemiological study. In an effort to assess the validity of the scale, factor analytic methods were employed. A principal components model with varimax rotation was performed. It was found that items purporting to tap the three theoretical dimensions explicated by Sarbin did not load in the expected pattern. Additionally, the first three extracted factors accounted for only a small proportion of the total variance. Efforts to assess the reliability of the scale were more fruitful. A corrected split-half of .82 and coefficient alpha of .86 were obtained. It was concluded that the validity of the scale was not adequately demonstrated, and its use as an alternative to the medical model open to serious reservation.
Self-mixing interference in a diode laser: experimental observations and theoretical analysis.

The experimental results of an investigation of self-mixing effects or backscatter modulation in diode lasers coupled with a simple theoretical analysis are presented. The laser is used to send light, either in free space or through an optical fiber, to a movable target from which the optical backscatter is detected and fed back into the laser. In the experiment three significant conclusions are drawn: (1) self-mixing interference is not dependent on the coherence length of the laser, (2) the interference is not dependent on the use of a single-mode or multimode laser as the source, and (3) the interference is independent of the type of fiber employed, i.e., whether it is single mode or multimode. A comparison of this kind of interference with that in a conventional interferometer shows that self-mixing interference has the same phase sensitivity as that of the conventional arrangement, the modulation depth of the interference is comparable with that of a conventional interferometer, and the direction of the phase movement can be obtained from the interference signal. The above factors have implications for the optical sensing of a wide range of physical parameters. Several applications of the method are discussed that highlight the significant advantages of simplicity, compactness, and robustness as well as the self-aligning and self-detecting abilities of fiber-based self-mixing interferometry when compared with the use of conventional interference methods.
Differential expression of GDNF, BDNF, and NT-3 in the aging nigrostriatal system following a neurotoxic lesion.

Protein levels for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were measured in the striatum and ventral midbrain of young and aged Brown Norway/F344 F1 (F344BNF1) hybrid rats following a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway. At 2 weeks post-lesion, protein levels of BDNF and GDNF were higher in the denervated striatum when compared to the intact striatum for young (4–5 months old) but not old (31–33 months old) rats. Interestingly, in old rats BDNF protein in the denervated striatum was significantly lower than that measured in the intact striatum. At the same time point BDNF protein levels in the ventral midbrain were higher on the lesioned versus intact side for both young and old rats while no significant side differences were detected for GDNF protein in the ventral midbrain of young or old rats. No significant differences in NT-3 protein levels were detected between the lesioned and intact sides for striatal or ventral midbrain regions in either young or old brain. While no significant age effects were detected for BDNF or NT-3 protein, young rats showed higher GDNF protein levels in both the striatum (lesioned or intact) and ventral midbrain (lesioned or intact) than old rats. These data show that two endogenous neurotrophic factors, BDNF and GDNF, are differentially affected by a 6-OHDA lesion in the aging nigrostriatal system with young brain showing a significant compensatory increase of these two factors in the denervated striatum while no compensatory increase is observed in aged brain.
Microstructural and mechanical properties investigation of electrodeposited and annealed LIGA nickel structures

Lithographic, Galvanoformung, Abformung (LIGA) component fabrication is a process in which structural material is deposited into a patterned polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) mold realized through deep X-ray lithography. The process permits fabrication of metal microelectrome chanical systems (MEMS) components with representative dimensions that range from a few microns to several millimeters. This investigation characterizes the microstructure and mechanical properties of LIGA-fabricated nickel (LIGA Ni), electrodeposited using Watts bath and sulfamate bath chemistries. As a prelude to studying high-temperature joining processes in LIGA Ni components, an annealing investigation was conducted on samples fabricated from both bath chemistries. Mechanical properties and microstructural analyses on as-deposited and annealed samples were conducted using a mini servohydraulic load frame and the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) microtexture measurement technique. The deposits were found to have fine-grain, highly textured microstructures oriented with an acicular or columnar morphology relative to the plating direction. Previously uncharacterized, anomalous, local spatial variations in the crystallographic texture of the as-deposited microstructures were identified by EBSD analyses. Microstructural evolution during annealing seemed to follow a recovery, recrystallization, rapid grain-growth microstructural-evolution mechanism in LIGA Ni deposited from the Sulfamate bath chemistry and simply a recovery and grain-growth microstructural-evolution mechanism in LIGA Ni deposited from the Watts bath chemistry. The evolution of microstructure in the annealed samples corresponded with a dramatic drop in their strength and determined the limiting diffusion-bonding temperature for LIGA Ni components.
The utility of evolutionary psychology for generating novel, specific, and a priori hypotheses about psychopathology in a parsimonious fashion: reply to Hankin (2013).

The comment of Hankin (2013) elucidated several strengths of the target article (Martel, 2013), in which I reviewed extant literature on sex differences in common childhood-onset externalizing and adolescent-onset internalizing disorders. Hankin also raised important questions about the utility of evolutionary psychological principles, particularly those of sexual selection, to generate novel, specific, and a priori hypotheses about sex differences in common forms of psychopathology. I acknowledge these points, and I contend that a metatheory derived from evolutionary psychological principles is quite useful in 2 ways. First, it provides a parsimonious framework for understanding sex differences across multiple levels of analysis (e.g., hormones, gene by environment interactions, dispositional traits, behavioral and emotional symptoms). Second, it provides a framework for the generation of novel, specific, and a priori hypotheses such as those elucidated in my review. Existing disorder-specific theories cannot do as well in serving these functions. The pursuit of metatheories that both organize existing findings and generate novel cross-disorder hypotheses is crucial for ongoing progress in psychological science. Evolutionary psychology provides one such fruitful metatheory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)
WMAP - a portrait of the early universe

A host of astrophysical observations suggest that early Universe was incredibly hot, dense, and homogeneous. A powerful probe of this time is provided by the relic radiation which we refer to today as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Images produced from this light contain the earliest glimpse of the Universe after the ldquoBig Bangrdquo and the signature of the evolution of its contents. By exploiting these clues, constraints on the age, mass density, and geometry of the early Universe can be derived. A brief history of the evolution of the microwave radiometer systems and map making approaches used in advancing these aspects our understanding will be reviewed. In addition, an overview of the results from NASApsilas Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) will be presented.