cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Enlightenment Project in Analytic Social Science

The concept of ‘social science’ is the most salient feature of the Enlightenment Project. If there could be social science then we could derive from it the social technology that is the ultimate practical objective of the Enlightenment Project. In this chapter we show how the Enlightenment Project survives and functions within analytic social science. Specifically, we argue (1) that the unity of science thesis exemplifies the Project; (2) that during its eliminative phase analytic social science adheres not only to a covering law model of explanation but to a methodological individualism that makes social science derivative from psychology; (3) that during its subsequent exploratory stage, methodological individualism gives way to a social theory of meaning; and (4) that exploration achieves its Hegelian moment within the Enlightenment Project by leading to Marxism. Finally, we indicate what social thought as explication would be as an alternative to the Enlightenment Project in social science. The analytic understanding of human beings as outlined in the previous chapter and this one, and its reflection of the Enlightenment Project of a social technology, will be crucial for the analytic understanding of ethical and political philosophy in the subsequent chapters.
Quick Shift and Kernel Methods for Mode Seeking

We show that the complexity of the recently introduced medoid-shift algorithm in clustering N points is O(N 2), with a small constant, if the underlying distance is Euclidean. This makes medoid shift considerably faster than mean shift, contrarily to what previously believed. We then exploit kernel methods to extend both mean shift and the improved medoid shift to a large family of distances, with complexity bounded by the effective rank of the resulting kernel matrix, and with explicit regularization constraints. Finally, we show that, under certain conditions, medoid shift fails to cluster data points belonging to the same mode, resulting in over-fragmentation. We propose remedies for this problem, by introducing a novel, simple and extremely efficient clustering algorithm, called quick shift, that explicitly trades off under- and over-fragmentation. Like medoid shift, quick shift operates in non-Euclidean spaces in a straightforward manner. We also show that the accelerated medoid shift can be used to initialize mean shift for increased efficiency. We illustrate our algorithms to clustering data on manifolds, image segmentation, and the automatic discovery of visual categories.
The linear heat equation with highly oscillating potential

In this paper we consider the following initial value problem: {∂u/∂t = -Hu + V(x)u in R N × (0,T), u(x,0) = u 0 (x) ≥ 0 on R N × {t = 0}, where H = -Δ - β/|x| 2 sin (1/|x| α ) and 0 ≤ V ∈ L 1 loc (R N ). Nonexistence of positive solutions is analyzed.
Campaign Tone, Political Affect, and Communicative Engagement

Research suggests that, overall, campaign advertising encourages citizen political communication. Extending this line of inquiry, this study aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of ad effects by distinguishing campaign ads based on advertising tone, the candidate on whose behalf the ads work, and voters' candidate preference. Analyses of a national survey merged with ad tracking data for the 2000 presidential campaign demonstrate that different types of political advertising elicit a range of emotions about the candidates and that some of these emotions impact the likelihood and nature of political discussion. Formal testing of indirect effects reveals that attack advertising encourages homogeneous political discussion by eliciting feelings of anxiety about the opposing candidate. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Professorial collaborations via CMC: Interactional dialectics

We conducted twenty semi-structured interviews with university professors from eight states in the US about their collaborations via computer mediated communication. Our thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts uncovered four dialectical tensions (an interplay of opposing and contradictory forces typically resolved through communication) in such interactions: relational connection and personal autonomy, creativity and the mundane, task and socio-emotional goals, as well as novelty and efficacy.
Pricing of point-to-point bandwidth contracts

In this paper we consider the pricing of point-to-point bandwidth leasing contracts and options. The underlying asset of these contracts is a point-to-point telecommunications connection. Due to the network structure the network capacity prices depend nonlinearly on each other. A leasing contract on a point-to-point connection can be seen as an option because the seller of the connection selects the cheapest path between the points. There- fore, a bandwidth option is a compound option.
A fast 3D reconstruction algorithm for inverse-geometry CT based on an exact PET rebinning algorithm

Inverse-geometry CT (IGCT) employs a large area x-ray source array opposite a small area detector array. The system is expected to provide sub-second volumetric imaging with isotropic resolution and no cone-beam effects. Due to the large amount of data, it is desirable to have an exact 3D reconstruction algorithm that is fast. Currently known IGCT algorithms are either slow, due to 3D backprojection, and/or require a reprojection step, or are inexact. Defrise et al. developed an exact Fourier rebinning algorithm (FORE-J) for 3D PET. This algorithm first rebins the 3D PET data into in-plane sinograms and then reconstructs the series of axial slices using any 2D method. FORE-J is fast, exact, and efficiently uses all of the acquired PET data. We modified this algorithm to adapt it to the IGCT geometry. Experiments were performed using a numerical "Defrise" phantom consisting of high-intensity discs spaced in z to assess the accuracy of the modified algorithm as well as highlight any cone-beam effects. A noise simulation was performed to analyze the noise properties of FORE-J and the modified algorithm. The modified algorithm is very fast and slightly more accurate than the original algorithm with a very small noise penalty in the central axial slices.
Network Partitioning and Ordering for MOS VLSI Circuits

This paper describes the algorithms used in a presimulation phase to partition an MOS digital network into various special subnetworks (or blocks) and to order these subnetworks for processing in a switch-level timing simulator such as MOSTIM [1]. A transistor-level SPICE2-type [3] description of the network is assumed to be provided. The key to the partitioning strategy is to divide the set of enhancement transistors into driver and pass transistors. The driver transistors are then grouped together in a de-connected sense to form multiple-input single-output combinatorial logic blocks, while the pass transistors are grouped together to form pass transistor blocks. A graph algorithm performs the partitioning step in computation time that is linear with the number of enhancement transistors. The partitioning step is an automatic process that is completely transparent to the user. The partitioned blocks are then ordered for simulation such that, whenever possible, a block is scheduled for processing only after all its input waveforms are known. A clear and precise notion of feedback among the various blocks in the partitioned network is introduced, and a distinction is made between feedback among different blocks and feedback internal to a block. It is shown that a good ordering for processing the blocks in a network is possible only in the absence of any form of feedback among the blocks. In case of a partitioned network with feedback, a linear time algorithm is presented that detects the strongly connected blocks, which are then flagged for simulation using special dynamic windowing techniques [4]. The strongly connected components are then topologically ordered for simulation.
Direct interactions between immunocytes and neurons after axotomy in Aplysia.

Axon growth during development and after injury has processes in common, but also differs in that regeneration requires the participation of cells of the immune system. To investigate how neuron-immunocyte interactions might influence regeneration, we developed an in vitro model whereby neurons and hemocytes from Aplysia californica were cocultured. The hemocytes, which behave like vertebrate macrophages, migrated randomly throughout the dish. When a neuron was encountered, some hemocytes exhibited an avoidance response, whereas others formed stable contacts. Hemocytes did not distinguish between neurons from different animals. Stable contacts occurred on neurites and growth cones, but not the cell soma, and were benign in that the hemocytes did not impede neurite growth. When hemocytes attached to the cell body, it presaged the destruction of the neuron. Destruction was a dynamic process that was initiated when groups of one to three hemocytes adhered to various regions of the cell soma. Each group was then joined by other hemocytes. They did not contact the neuron, but interconnected the initial groups, forming a network around the neuron. The network then contracted to dismember the cell. Once a neuron was destroyed, hemocytes removed the debris by phagocytosis. Both damaged neurons and those without apparent damage were targets for destruction. Severing neurites with a needle resulted in the destruction of only one of six cells. Our studies suggest that hemocytes, and by extrapolation, vertebrate macrophages, exhibit highly complex interactions with neurons that can exert a variety of influences on the course of nerve regeneration. Published 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 46: 89–96, 2001
Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Integrin β3 Regulates Kindlin-2 Binding and Integrin Activation

Kindlins are essential for integrin activation in cell systems and do so by working in a cooperative fashion with talin via their direct interaction with integrin β cytoplasmic tails (CTs). Kindlins interact with the membrane-distal NxxY motif, which is distinct from the talin-binding site within the membrane-proximal NxxY motif. The Tyr residues in both motifs can be phosphorylated, and it has been suggested that this modification of the membrane-proximal NxxY motif negatively regulates interaction with the talin head domain. However, the influence of Tyr phosphorylation of the membrane-distal NxxY motif on kindlin binding is unknown. Using mutational analyses and phosphorylated peptides, we show that phosphorylation of the membrane-distal NITY759 motif in the β3 CT disrupts kindlin-2 recognition. Phosphorylation of this membrane-distal Tyr also disables the ability of kindlin-2 to coactivate the integrin. In direct binding studies, peptides corresponding to the non-phosphorylated β3 CT interacted well with kindlin-2, whereas the Tyr759-phosphorylated peptide failed to bind kindlin-2 with measurable affinity. These observations indicate that transitions between the phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated states of the integrin β3 CT determine reactivity with kindlin-2 and govern the role of kindlin-2 in regulating integrin activation.
Bone Disease after Kidney Transplantation

Advances in immunosuppressive therapy have allowed for enhanced allograft survival in kidney transplantation. With this increasing success of transplantation, however, has come a greater appreciation of subsequent complications, such as bone and mineral disease. In patients with chronic kidney disease who are awaiting transplantation, disorders in mineral metabolism and renal osteodystrophy are an essentially universal finding, and several different pathophysiologic mechanisms are believed to contribute to the development of these disorders.
Effects of Fasting on Adipose Tissue Perfused in Situ in Young Dogs

The effect of starvation on blood flow and uptake or release of oxygen, glucose, lactate, pyruvate, free fatty acids, glycerol, acetoacetate, and β-hydroxybutyrate was studied in isolated inguinal canine subcutaneous adipose tissue. In adipose tissue to which the sympathetic nerve was sectioned, blood flow in fed and in starved dogs did not differ significantly, when expressed per fat pad. Also, there was no difference in the effect of stimulation of the sectioned nerve's distal end or of theophylline infusion. Adipose tissue glucose and oxygen uptake was similar in fed and starved dogs, amounting to 4 and 10 μmols · min−1 · 100 g−1 respectively. In the starved dogs, as many carbon atoms were released in the form of lactate and pyruvate as were taken up in the form of glucose, whereas in the fed dogs the observed glucose uptake could more than account for the observed oxygen uptake, lactate release, and re-esterification. Compared to fed control dogs, lipolysis in starved dogs was increased fourfold (p < ...
1,1'-bis(6-chloroanthraquinonyl)amine as a reagent for trace amounts of boron

Abstract A new reagent, 1,1'-bis(6-chloroanthraquinonyl)amine, has been synthesized and applied to the determination of trace amounts of boron. A blue complex is formed on heating with orthoboric acid in 96% sulfuric acid medium.Oxidizing agents and some cations interfere with the method; separation of the boron either by distillation of the methyl ester or by ion exchange removes such interferences The method is very sensitive i.e. , 0.0005 μg B/cm 2 , and can be used for the analyses of vegetation.
The zooplankton-phytoplankton interface in lakes of contrasting trophic status: an experimental comparison

We report here the results of an experimental study designed to compare algal responses to short-term manipulations of zooplankton in three California lakes which encompass a broad range of productivity (ultra-oligotrophic Lake Tahoe, mesotrophic Castle Lake, and strongly eutrophic Clear Lake). To assess the potential strength of grazing in each lake, we evaluated algal responses to a 16-fold range of zooplankton biomass. To better compare algal responses among lakes, we determined algal responses to grazing by a common grazer (Daphnia sp.) over a range of Daphnia densities from 1 to 16 animals per liter. Effects of both ambient grazers and Daphnia were strong in Castle Lake. However, neither ambient zooplankton nor Daphnia had much impact on phytoplankton in Clear Lake. In Lake Tahoe, no grazing impacts could be demonstrated for the ambient zooplankton but Daphnia grazing had dramatic effects. These results indicate weak coupling between phytoplankton and zooplankton in Clear Lake and Lake Tahoe, two lakes which lie near opposite extremes of lake trophic status for most lakes. These observations, along with work reported by other researchers, suggest that linkages between zooplankton and phytoplankton may be weak in lakes with either extremely low or high productivity. Biomanipulation approaches to recover hypereutrophic lakes which aim only to alter zooplankton size structure may be less effective if algal communities are dominated by large, inedible phytoplankton taxa.
Reversal of muscle fatigue in intact rabbits by intravenous potassium chloride.

Purpose: Skeletal muscle fatigue has been associated with potassium efflux from the myocytes, resulting in endogenous increases in blood potassium concentration ([K+]). Conversely, exogenous increases in extracellular [K+] potentiates contraction in isolated muscle preparations. The mechanisms responsible for these contradictory effects of [K+] on skeletal muscle function are unknown. Moreover, little is known about the effect of exogenous increases in [K+] on force generation by intact animals, given potassium's deleterious effect on cardiac function. Methods: We compared the response to exogenous increases in blood [K+] in rabbits given an infusion of potassium chloride (KCl) intravenously (IV) (0.2 mol/L; KCl group; n = 7) to a group given 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) (control; n = 7). The rabbits underwent low-frequency, isometric twitch stimulation of the left hindlimb (square wave pulses 100 microseconds, 40V, 0.25 Hz) throughout the experiment. Both groups received 0.9% NaCl (25 mL/h) during the first hour of twitch stimulation and experienced similar decreases in hindlimb forces to 70% of initial force. A continuous infusion of KCl or of saline (60 mL/h) was started, and hindlimb stimulation continued for 2 hours. Results: There were no changes in [K+] in the control group, and twitch forces progressively declined during the next 2 hours (369 ± 47 g to 279 ± 34 g, P < .01). Arterial [K+] increased in the KCI group from 2.6 ± 0.1 to 10.1 ± 0.5 mmol/L (P <.01), and hindlimb twitch forces almost doubled (418 ± 49 g to 756 ± 55 g, P < .01). Force frequency curves showed improved contractility in the KCI group at stimulation frequencies below 30 Hz. Conclusions: Exogenous increases in blood [K+] potentiate skeletal muscle contraction in intact animals and reverse low-frequency twitch fatigue. A possible mechanism may be the maintenance of intracellular [K+] by hindering K+ efflux from skeletal muscle cells.
Optimal two-stage group-sequential designs

We derive optimal two-stage adaptive group-sequential designs for normally distributed data which achieve the minimum of a mixture of expected sample sizes at the range of plausible values of a normal mean. Unlike standard group-sequential tests, our method is adaptive in that it allows the group size at the second look to be a function of the observed test statistic at the first look. Using optimality criteria, we construct two-stage designs which we show have advantage over other popular adaptive methods. The employed computational method is a modification of the backward induction algorithm applied to a Bayesian decision problem.
Phosphorus removal by the Ceratophyllum/periphyton complex in a south Florida (USA) freshwater marsh

Abstract Removal of phosphorus (P) by Ceratophyllum demersum L. and associated epiphytic periphyton was quantified by measuring the disappearance of soluble reactive P (SRP) from microcosms during 1-h in situ incubations conducted over a 1-year period. Initial P concentrations in these incubations ranged from 30 to >10,000 μg P L−1. Phosphorus removal was proportional to initial P concentrations and was weakly correlated with solar irradiance and water temperature. Removal rates (0.6–32.8 mg P m−2 d−1) and kv coefficients (0.68–1.93 h−1) from experiments run at low initial P concentrations (up to 200 μg P L−1) were comparable to results reported for other macrophytes. Removal rates from experiments run at the highest (>10,000 μg P L−1) initial P concentrations (5300 and 11,100 mg P m−2 d−1) most likely represented luxury nutrient consumption and were not thought to be sustainable long term. We were unable to determine a Vmax for P removal, suggesting that the nutrient-storage capability of the C. demersum/periphyton complex was not saturated during our short-term incubations. Based on N:P molar ratios, the marsh was P limited, while the C. demersum/periphyton complex was either N limited or in balance for N and P throughout this study. However, despite its tissue stoichiometry, the C. demersum/periphyton complex always exhibited an affinity for P. It appeared that the biochemical mechanisms, which mediate P removal, at least on a short-term basis, were more influenced by increases in ambient P levels than by tissue nutrient stoichiometry.
The Changing Spectrum of Fungal Infections in Pulmonary and Critical Care Practice: Clinical Approach to Diagnosis

Fungal lung infections are being diagnosed with increasing frequency. This is related to the increased numbers of immune-compromised and other susceptible patient groups. This article will focus on the evolving epidemiology of fungal lung infections and clinical manifestations that should prompt the clinician to consider the possibility of fungal lung infection. In addition, current approaches for the diagnosis of these infection are also reviewed. Heightened awareness of fungal lung infection, and appropriate use of the available diagnostic modalities, will permit appropriate treatment of these important clinical infections in immune-compromised individuals.
Health-related quality of life in Parkinson's disease after pallidotomy and deep brain stimulation.

This study explored the multidimensional outcome of three neurosurgical interventions for Parkinson's disease (PD): pallidotomy (N = 23), pallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) (N = 9), and thalamic DBS (N = 7). All patients completed the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the Beck Depression Inventory. Pallidotomy patients also completed the Profile of Mood States, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and a disease-specific quality of life (QOL) measure, the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). Three months after surgery, all neurosurgical groups showed significant improvements in mood and function, including physical, psychosocial, and overall functioning. Pallidal DBS and pallidotomy patients who completed additional QOL measures reported decreased anxiety and tension, increased vigor, improved mobility and ability to perform activities of daily living, and decreased perceived stigma. Psychosocial dysfunction scores from the SIP were related to depressed mood both at baseline (r = .42) and at followup (r = .45), but the physical dysfunction subscale was not related to mood at either time point, suggesting that disruption of social relationships due to PD may have more impact on affective distress than physical symptoms alone. Results suggest that neurosurgical interventions for PD improve disabling PD motor symptoms and also improve several domains of quality of life.
Montmorillonite as a Caliper for the Size of Protein Molecules

IT is known that proteins may be adsorbed from solution by the clay montmorillonite, leading to an increase in d(00l) crystallographic spacings1. In order to compare these increases with the size of protein molecules one must be certain that a complete mono-molecular layer of protein has been adsorbed, and this can be calculated to require 1.3–2.0 gm. of protein per gm. of clay. As the clay becomes saturated the adsorption isotherm levels off, but the isotherms are initially steeper than curves of the Langmuir type2. Assuming that protein molecules are spherical, we have calculated the expected d(001) spacings and compared them with the experimental values found (Table 1). The agreement is moderately good for all but pepsin. Haemoglobin appears to be adsorbed as a monomer, whereas lactoglobulin enters the clay particles as a dimer.
N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 blocks non-opioid stress-induced analgesia. I. Comparison of opiate receptor-deficient and opiate receptor-rich strains of mice

Abstract The effects of the specific N -methyl- d -aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 (0.075 mg/kg), and the specific opiate receptor antagonist naloxone (10 mg/kg), on swim stress-induced analgesia (SSIA) were studied in opiate receptor-deficient (CXBK) and opiate receptor-rich (CXBH) mice. Animals were subjected to forced swimming, and analgesia was assessed using the hot-plate test. In CXBK mice SSIA was blocked by MK-801 but was completely insensitive to naloxone. In CXBH mice SSIA was partially attenuated both by naloxone and MK-801, and it was nearly abolished by a combination of these drugs. Morphine analgesia (10 mg/kg) was abolished by naloxone but completely unaffected by MK-801 in CXBH mice. These findings suggest that the NMDA receptor is critically involved in the non-opioid component of SSIA.
Multiscale Modeling and Simulation of a Microbead in an Optical Trapping Process

The purpose of this work is to generate a theoretical model for the dynamics of a polystyrene microsphere under the influence of Gaussian beam optical tweezers (OTs) in the ray-optics regime. OTs use the radiation pressure from a focused laser beam to manipulate microscopic objects as small as atoms [1]. They have been used in the biological sciences to measure nanometer-range displacements, apply picoNewton-range forces, and determine the mechanical properties of DNA, cell membranes, whole cells, and microtubules. The proposed model takes into account the forces and moments imparted onto the microbead by the OTs beam, and uses a Newton-Euler Dynamics framework to generate the equations of motion. Although examination of dimensionless numbers and other indicators including, Reynolds number 10−9 ≤ Re ≤ 10−4, Knudsen number 0.0001875, and the disproportionality between the mass and the viscous drag co-efficients O(10−4), does not clearly indicate whether this is a multiscale problem or not; but, a numerical integration of the original model leads to a long simulation run-time, a few days. Moreover, investigation of the step size showed that the adaptive numerical integrator was proceeding with a picosecond step size in order to achieve the requested accuracy. This situation implies a multiscale feature involved in the dynamics of optical trapping process of the small bead. To address this issue, a multiscale model is developed that helps to significantly reduce the simulation run-time and reveals underdamped behavior of the bead. In order to verify the theoretical model, experiments were carried out on a microsphere bead with 1.6μm diameter. A comparison of experimental data and simulation data indicate that this approach closely models microparticle behavior to the accuracy of the experiment under Gaussian beam optical tweezers.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Hemodynamic responses of chronically instrumented piglets to bolus injections of group B streptococci.

ABSTRACT. Group B β-hemolytic Streptotocci cause pulmonary hypertension when injected into animals and may precipitate the persistent pulmonary hypertension syndrome in infected human neonates. We used chronically instrumented piglets to study the effects of repeated injections of heat-killed group B Streptococcus (GBS) type III. Daily exposure to GBS was associated with a 2-fold or greater potentiation of pulmonary and systemic hypertensive responses after 1 wk. Throughout experimentation, pulmonary pressure changes were more marked than systemic changes. After establishing a dose-response relationship, we chose a control dose that produced intermediate hypertensive responses. We then evaluated the effects of antibody and various drugs on the hypertensive responses. Preincubation of organisms with rabbit antiserum containing type-specific antibody enhanced the responses. Beta endorphin blockade with naloxone had little or no effect; leukotriene synthesis inhibition also did not affect responses. Both indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and dazmegrel, a specific thromboxane synthesis inhibitor, blocked the hypertensive responses to GBS. It appears that repeated doses of GBS potentiate the hypertensive responses, a process that we hypothesize may be mediated by development of type-specific antibody as type-specific antibody levels rose during potentiation. It is likely that thromboxane A2 is the effector of the pulmonary and systemic hypertensive responses to GBS injection, because thromboxane inhibition by dazmegrel was as effective as indomethacin in blocking these effects. Thromboxane synthesis blockade may prove useful in management of hemodynamic disturbances accompanying severe bacterial infections in humans.
A meta-analysis of the effects of dietary protein concentration and degradability on milk protein yield and milk N efficiency in dairy cows.

Data sets from North American (NA, 739 diets) and North European (NE, 998 diets) feeding trials with dairy cows were evaluated to investigate the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) intake and ruminal degradability on milk protein yield (MPY) and efficiency of N utilization for milk protein synthesis (MNE; milk N ÷ N intake) in dairy cows. The NA diets were based on corn silage, alfalfa silage and hay, corn and barley grains, and soybean meal. The NE diets were based on grass silage, barley and oats grains, and soybean and rapeseed meals. Diets were evaluated for rumen-degradable and undegradable protein (RDP and RUP, respectively) concentrations according to NRC (2001). A mixed model regression analysis with random study effect was used to evaluate relationships between dietary CP concentration and degradability and MPY and MNE. In both data sets, CP intake alone predicted MPY reasonably well. Addition of CP degradability to the models slightly improved prediction. Models based on metabolizable protein (MP) intake predicted MPY better than the CP or the CP-CP degradability models. The best prediction models were based on total digestible nutrients (TDN) and CP intakes. Similar to the MPY models, inclusion of CP degradability in the CP (intake or concentration) models only slightly improved prediction of MNE in both data sets. Concentration of dietary CP was a better predictor of MNE than CP intake. Compared with the CP models, prediction of MNE was improved by inclusion of TDN intake or concentration. Milk yield alone was a poor predictor of MNE. The models developed from one data set were validated using the other data set. The MNE models based on TDN and CP intake performed well as indicated by small mean and slope bias. This meta-analysis demonstrated that CP concentration is the most important dietary factor influencing MNE. Ruminal CP degradability as predicted by NRC (2001) does not appear to be a significant factor in predicting MPY or MNE. Data also indicated that increasing milk yield will increase MNE provided that dietary CP concentration is not increased, but the effect is considerably smaller than the effect of reducing CP intake.
Determination of surface tissue factor thresholds that trigger coagulation at venous and arterial shear rates: amplification of 100 fM circulating tissue factor requires flow

Protein microarrays presenting spots of collagen and lipidated tissue factor (TF) allowed a determination of the critical surface concentration of TF required to trigger coagulation under flow. Whole blood supplemented with corn trypsin inhibitor (to inhibit factor XIIa) was perfused over microarrays for 5 minutes. Immunofluorescence staining of platelet glycoprotein GPIbα and fibrin(ogen) revealed a critical TF concentration (EC50) of 3.6, 8.4, and 10.2 molecules-TF/μm2 at wall shear rates of 100, 500, and 1000 s−1, respectively. For collagen arrays where only the center lane of spots (in the direction of flow) contained TF, a downstream distance of 14 mm was required for the thrombus to widen enough to reach across a 300-micrometer gap to the adjacent TF-free lanes of collagen spots, in agreement with numerical simulation. To investigate the effect of low levels of circulating TF, whole blood (± 100 fM added TF) was tested under static and flow conditions. After 5 minutes, the addition of 100 fM TF to whole blood had negligible effect under static conditions, but caused a 2.5-fold increase in fibrin formation under flow. This report defines the threshold concentrations of surface TF required to trigger coagulation under flow.
Model selection in stochastic chemical reaction networks using flow cytometry data

The model selection problem, that is picking the model that best explains an experimental data set from a list of candidates, arises frequently when studying unknown biological processes. Here, we propose a new method for model selection in stochastic chemical reaction networks using measurements from flow cytometry. A distinctive feature of our approach is its ability to perform statistically significant selection using a very small number of Monte Carlo simulations of the candidate stochastic models. After a comprehensive review of the theory associated with our procedure, we describe the model selection algorithm and we demonstrate it on an example drawn from molecular biology.
Philadelphia Chromosome–Negative Myeloproliferative Disorders: Biology and Treatment

The Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) include essential thrombocythemia (ET), idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), and polycythemia vera (PV). All of these disorders are clonal hematologic malignancies originating at the level of the pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell. Recently, activating mutations of the intracellular cytokine-signaling molecule JAK2 have been identified in > 90% of patients with PV and in 50% of those with IMF and ET. In addition, a mutation of the thrombopoietin receptor, MPLW515L, has been documented in some patients with IMF. Both mutations activate JAK-STAT signaling pathways and likely play a role in disease progression. Both ET and PV are associated with prolonged clinical courses associated with frequent thrombotic and hemorrhagic events, and progression to myelofibrosis and acute leukemia. IMF has a much poorer prognosis and is associated with cytopenias, splenomegaly, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and bone marrow fibrosis. Stratification of risk for the development of complications from Ph-negative MPDs has guided the identification of appropriate therapies for this population. Intermediate/high-risk IMF or myelofibrosis after ET or PV is associated with a sufficiently poor prognosis to justify the use of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which is capable of curing such patients. Reduced-intensity conditioning in preparation for allogeneic stem cell transplantation has permitted older patients with IMF to undergo transplantation with increasing success.
Woolen Manufacture in Sixteenth-Century New Spain

Although the natives made a crude kind of coarse woolens prior to the time of the Conquest, the manufacturing of woolen goods did not begin in New Spain until the early fifteen forties. At that time the first viceroy, Antonio de Mendoza, laid the base of this industry in the new colony. Mendoza considered such an enterprise essential to lasting prosperity. He imported the merino, or fine wool, breed of sheep from Castile, and did everything possible to foster their growth. The viceroy had wide powers over local administration, and all matters pertaining to wool manufacturing were under his jurisdiction. Legislation regarding wool mills emanated from the crown; it was reissued by the viceroy; and its immediate execution was a cabildo function. Licenses to establish textile mills could be granted only by the King through the mediation of the viceroy and audiencia. “None shall be founded in any way, nor for any cause, nor in any place, without my express license, or that of the viceroys …”
Disparities education: what do students want?

BACKGROUND Educating medical students about health disparities may be one step in diminishing the disparities in health among different populations. According to adult learning theory, learners’ opinions are vital to the development of future curricula.
An alternative mathematical approach to the analysis of photosynthetic oxygen evolutiont

Abstract Whereas a linear four-step mechanism around a closed path has been used to interpret the kinetic behavior of oxygen evolution in higher plant photosynthesis, a straightforward successive difference analysis of published and original data shows that a more dynamical interpretation overcomes many of the inadequacies of simple kinetic models.
Isotopic Composition of Cosmic Rays: Results from the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer on the ACE Spacecraft

The Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer on the ACE spacecraft measures the isotopic composition of cosmic-ray elements from Li through Zn with an unprecedented combination of excellent mass resolution and high statistics. The results indicate a cosmic-ray source whose composition is remarkably similar to that of the solar system, but which is enriched in material that may have originated in Wolf-Rayet stars. The lack of ^(59)Ni is strong indication that the cosmic rays are accelerated at least 10^5 years after nucleosynthesis. We examine these results in the context of the superbubble model of cosmic-ray origin that has been described by Higdon and Lingenfelter.
Germanium Gate PhotoMOSFET Integrated to Silicon Photonics

This paper presents a novel germanium gated NMOS phototransistor integrated on a silicon photonics platform on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The phototransistor is fabricated with a modified NMOS process flow, with germanium which is recrystallized using rapid melt growth during the source/drain activation anneal step. The resulting device, with 1-μm channel length, and 8-μm channel width, demonstrates a responsivity of over 18 A/W at 1550 nm with 583 nW of incident light. By increasing the incident power to 912 μW, the device operates at 2.5 GHz. Miniaturization is expected to improve both responsivity and speed in future devices.
Adaptable recursive binary entropy coding technique

We present a novel data compression technique, called recursive interleaved entropy coding, that is based on recursive interleaving of variable-to-variable length binary source codes.
Effect of running speed and leg prostheses on mediolateral foot placement and its variability.

This study examined the effects of speed and leg prostheses on mediolateral (ML) foot placement and its variability in sprinters with and without transtibial amputations. We hypothesized that ML foot placement variability would: 1. increase with running speed up to maximum speed and 2. be symmetrical between the legs of non-amputee sprinters but asymmetrically greater for the affected leg of sprinters with a unilateral transtibial amputation. We measured the midline of the body (kinematic data) and center of pressure (kinetic data) in the ML direction while 12 non-amputee sprinters and 7 Paralympic sprinters with transtibial amputations (6 unilateral, 1 bilateral) ran across a range of speeds up to maximum speed on a high-speed force measuring treadmill. We quantified ML foot placement relative to the body’s midline and its variability. We interpret our results with respect to a hypothesized relation between ML foot placement variability and lateral balance. We infer that greater ML foot placement variability indicates greater challenges with maintaining lateral balance. In non-amputee sprinters, ML foot placement variability for each leg increased substantially and symmetrically across speed. In sprinters with a unilateral amputation, ML foot placement variability for the affected and unaffected leg also increased substantially, but was asymmetric across speeds. In general, ML foot placement variability for sprinters with a unilateral amputation was within the range observed in non-amputee sprinters. For the sprinter with bilateral amputations, both affected legs exhibited the greatest increase in ML foot placement variability with speed. Overall, we find that maintaining lateral balance becomes increasingly challenging at faster speeds up to maximum speed but was equally challenging for sprinters with and without a unilateral transtibial amputation. Finally, when compared to all other sprinters in our subject pool, maintaining lateral balance appears to be the most challenging for the Paralympic sprinter with bilateral transtibial amputations.
Frequency domain measurements in the P3 approximation

We have applied the P3 approximation to multi-distance frequency domain measurements in turbid media. Phase noise and amplitude-phase cross talk are critical parameters for these experiments. Good agreement with theory is obtained.
Molecular orbital studies of the energies and structure of polyatomic cations

Abstract Recent theoretical work on the structures of small organic cations is reviewed. For the small species AH n + where A is a non-hydrogen atom, most structures have been examined to a high level, including effects of correlation in some cases. Theory indicates that C 2v or C 3v ions of this type have larger valence angles than isoelectronic neutral species. An example is the hydronium ion, H 3 O + , which is predicted to be pyramidal with a bond angle close to 111°. CH 5 + is predicted to be a C 5 structure with a two-electron, three-center bond connecting a CH 3 + ion and a hydrogen molecule. The vinyl cation C 2 H 3 + is found to be classical with Hartree-Fock theory, but recent studies including correlation now favor a bridged structure for this ion. The ethyl cation C 2 H 5 + is also predicted to be bridged if correlation is taken into account. Structures of some of the possible isomers of the C 3 systems C 3 H + , C 3 H 3 + , C 3 H 5 + and C 3 H 7 + are also described. Finally, the relative stability of carbonium ions is discussed and it is shown that the theory gives a satisfactory account of differences between the hydride abstraction energies of various hydrocarbons.
LLNL/UC AMS facility and research program

Abstract The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the University of California (UC) now have in operation a large AMS spectrometer built as part of a new multiuser laboratory centered on an FN tandem. AMS measurements are expected to use half of the beam time of the accelerator. LLNL use of AMS is in research on consequences of energy usage. Examples include global warming, geophysical site characterization, radiation biology and dosimetry, and study of mutagenic and carcinogenic processes. UC research activities are in clinical applications, archaeology and anthropology, oceanography, and geophysical and geochemical research. Access is also possible for researchers outside the UC system. The technological focus of the laboratory is on achieving high rates of sample throughput, unattended operation, and advances in sample preparation methods. Because of the expected growth in the research programs and the other obligations of the present accelerator, we are designing a follow-on dedicated facility for only AMS and microprobe analysis that will contain at least two accelerators with multiple spectrometers.
Properties and significance of free and bound ribosomes from cultured tobacco cells

Abstract 1. 1. Cultured tobacco cells are shown to contain two distinct kinds of ribosomes; those bound to the endoplasmic reticulum requiring deoxycholate for release (bound ribosomes), and those which are readily extracted with Tris buffer (free ribosomes). 2. Both types of ribosomes sediment in the 70–80 S range and have RNA: protein ratios of approx. 0.5. 3. The bound ribosomes incorporate precursors of both protein and RNA at a significantly more rapid rate in vivo than do the free ribosomes. 4. Sedimentation analyses of the deproteinized ribosomal RNA show that the bound ribosomes are composed of 25-, 16- and 8-5-S RNA, whereas the free ribosomes contain only 25-S RNA and a heterogeneous fraction sedimenting between 10 and 5 S. 5. Evidence is presented which indicates that free ribosomes are derived from the bound ribosomes of the cell and that they represent an early step in the degradation sequence which results ultimately in a lowering of the cellular concentration of both ribosomal fractions.
On the difference between tracer and geostrophic velocities obtained from C-SALT data

Abstract Data from the middle of the thermohaline staircase east of Barbados enable one to determine the three velocity components and the vertical diffusion coefficients for temperature and salinity by an inverse calculation based on T and S as tracers. The vertical diffusivities are calculated to be positive and the fluxes and the ratio of the diffusivities are qualitatively consistent with laboratory measurements of salt fingers. A second inverse calculation makes use of geostrophy and continuity to determine the velocity components. When the system is constrained by geostrophy, continuity and the tracer equations, the velocity field resembles the one form geostrophic balance and the vertical diffusion coefficients take on both positive and negative values. Thus, with the present data set, velocities that are normally considered acceptable come from the system that includes geostrophy, but diffusivities that are consistent with the known physics emerge only from the tracer equations without geostrophy. When the geostrophic constraint is used, it dominates the system and the role of diffusion is reduced to noise level.
Report of the state of the science in aging with developmental disabilities: charting lifespan trajectories and supportive environments for healthy community living symposium.

Abstract Background This paper is an introduction to four papers that present the findings of the 2007 “State of the Science in Aging with Developmental Disabilities: Charting Lifespan Trajectories and Supportive Environments for Healthy Community Living” symposium. The overall goal of this symposium was to increase our understanding and improve the health, psychosocial well-being, and community participation of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities over their life course. Methods The symposium consisted of four main tracks: (1) neurodevelopmental conditions; (2) health care services, health promotion needs, and health literacy; (3) family support and intergenerational caregiving; and (4) environmental barriers and supports to community living. Results/Conclusions Recommendations offer a research agenda that would increase our knowledge on the life span trajectory for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and on methods for developing and assessing effectiveness of practices and policies on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and their other service providers.
Conferral of transposable properties to a chromosomal gene in Escherichia coli.

Abstract A normally stable gene of Escherichia coli was converted into a transposable element. A bacterial strain was constructed in which the malK gene was flanked on each side by the transposable element Tn5. The resulting Tn5-malK+-Tn5 structure (Tn651) became a transposable element with properties very similar to those of Tn5 itself. Tn651 transposes into regions of both the E. coli chromosome and bacteriophage lambda and is able to induce mutations. Transposition of Tn651 does not require the product of recA. Based on a physical analysis of lambda Tn651 DNA it is shown that the two Tn5s flanking the malK gene are in inverted orientation. In these experiments a new derivative of bacteriophage lambda is used that can accept a 14 kilobase insertion in vivo and still yield a plaque-forming transducing particle.
The analysis of ultraviolet lesions in bacteriophage T4 by cross reactivation.

The cross-reactivation procedure is described. Applications in the analysis of ultra-violet induced lesions in bacteriophage T4 are discussed. From single burst experiments it is clear that UV makes lesions in the genome and that markers are knocked out in a correlated way or independently of each other, depending on the closeness of their genetic linkage. This suggests that the total UV target includes an appreciable fraction which suffers discrete genetic damages, and that markers are rescued by genetic recombination. A final conclusion is that UV-damaged genomes do not multiply, or multiply only to a very limited extent.
Endovascular infrainguinal revascularization: technical tips for atherectomy device selection and procedural success.

The superficial femoral artery (SFA) is the interventionalist’s most frequent adversary in infrainguinal revascularization, and we have yet to conquer it. Despite having numerous devices and techniques in our arsenal, we have, in large part, been unable to devise a treatment that yields not only excellent, safe, and reproducible acute outcomes, but also consistently good results at long-term follow-up. Angioplasty and stenting of the SFA has come under severe criticism due to numerous reports of stent fractures, unacceptable restenosis rates, and lack of US Food and Drug Administration−approved specific stents in this location. An alternative to displacement techniques is now being pursued. These include debulking the atheromatous plaque. We review these techniques and also offer helpful tips to achieve maximum success in infrainguinal revascularization.