cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utility of endomyocardial biopsy in the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis.

Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis can be demonstrated in about 25 percent of autopsied cases, but antemortem diagnosis is uncommon. To evaluate the usefulness of the endomyocardial biopsy in detėcing cardiac sarcoid disease, the medical records of ten patients with sarcoidosis who underwent endomyocardial biopsy for routine clinical indications were reviewed. The patients fell into two groups: patients with known sarcoidosis and presumed cardiac involvement (n = 8), and patients in whom the biopsy finding of sarcoid disease was unexpected (n = 2). Four patients in the first group had positive endomyocardial biopsy results (granulomas and/or marked mononuclear cell infiltrate) and were treated with glucocorticoid therapy with improvement in three; the fourth was disabled with lung disease. The diagnoses of three other patients were revised on the basis of the biopsy results; their therapy was tailored accordingly. The remaining patient may represent a false-negative biopsy result, based on clinical criteria. The two patients in the second group presented with symptomatic ventricular tachycardia and restrictive cardiomyopathy respectively, and in neither case was sarcoidosis considered prior to biopsy results. Overall, a change in treatment strategy based on biopsy results occurred in eight of ten cases. Thus, 1) endomyocardial biopsy is useful for the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis; 2) treatment strategies may be affected by biopsy findings; and 3) rarely, endomyocardial biopsy can provide the first clinical evidence of sarcoid disease that is otherwise occult.
Influence of Cellular and Plasma Procoagulant Activity on the Fibrin Network

At the nexus of cellular and plasma procoagulant activities lies fibrin, which is necessary to provide a clot's structural support. Abnormalities in fibrin network formation or function can result in either bleeding or thrombotic complications. Understanding relationships between procoagulant activity and normal fibrin formation, as well as pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to abnormal fibrin deposition, is essential for the continued development of hemostatic and antithrombotic therapies.
Kierkegaard and Euthyphro

In Plato's dialogue the Euthyphro, Socrates poses a question that has come to be known as the ‘Euthyphro dilemma’. Since the first formulation of this problem is surely the best, I will quote from Socrates himself:… For consider: is the holy loved by the gods because it is holy? Or is it holy because it is loved by the gods?
The Molecular Biology of Gastrointestinal Cancer: Implications for Diagnosis and Therapy

Cancers are caused by the sequential accumulation of alterations in genes that control the growth, differentiation, and other behaviors of cells. It has long been recognized that cancers are very heterogeneous pathologically, which is a reflection of the variable genetic lesions that give rise to the variety of lesions present in the gastrointestinal tract. Despite this complexity, certain types of genetic alterations are linked to specific pathologic lesions. This review summarizes the current understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of gastrointestinal neoplasia and provides explanations for some of the pathologic variability of lesions encountered by the endoscopist.
Hall effect studies in ytterbium through the f.c.c.-h.c.p. transformation

Abstract The Hall coefficient (RH) of polycrystalline Yb showing the f.c.c.-h.c.p. transformation has been determined at 20 koe in the range 1.8–420°K. Both the structural and the associated magnetic transformation would separately be expected to modify RH, but the evidence suggests that the observed behaviour through the transition arises primarily from the effects of the change in structure. A more detailed interpretation is presently not possible, however, because of the lack of knowledge of the band structure of h.c.p. Yb.
Effect of orbital quantization on the critical field of type-II superconductors

We discuss the effect of the discreteness of the Landau levels on the upper critical field of a type-II superconductor. At $T=0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K an ideal superconductor will remain superconducting in an arbitrarily large magnetic field. However, the high-field state is destroyed by a minute amount of impurity scattering or by a small misalignment of up- and down-spin Landau levels. The residual effects are (a) a small shift in the low-temperature critical field [$\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}{H}_{c2}}{{H}_{c2}}\ensuremath{\approx}{({k}_{F}{\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0})}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$] and (b) oscillatory structure in the transition temperature ${T}_{c2}(H)$ for temperatures $T\ensuremath{\lesssim}\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{c}}{2{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2}k}$.
Iron and HFE or TfR1 mutations as comorbid factors for development and progression of chronic hepatitis C

Abstract Background/Aims : Recent evidence implicates iron as a comorbid factor for development of non-hemochromatotic liver diseases. Mutations or polymorphisms in the HFE gene or the TfR1 gene may influence the accumulation of iron in the liver or other tissues or may influence chronic viral hepatitis apart from effects on iron homeostasis. The aim of this study was to assess the role of hepatic iron, HFE and TfR1 variations on development and progression of chronic hepatitis C infection. Methods : We studied 119 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C, correlating clinical, laboratory, histopathological, and genetic data. Frequencies of genetic variations were compared with local and national controls. Results : HFE mutations were more common in patients than controls (48% vs. 38%, P =0.04), and advanced degrees of fibrosis developed at younger ages in subjects with the C282Y mutation (38.6 vs. 46.5 years, P =0.03). Patients carrying C282Y had higher mean hepatic iron concentrations ( P =0.02), hepatic iron indices ( P =0.0001), and hepatic fibrosis scores ( P =0.01). Hepatic fibrosis was correlated with hepatic iron concentration ( P =0.03). TfR1 polymorphisms bore no detectable relation to disease severity or response to therapy. Conclusions : Hepatic iron and HFE mutations are comorbid factors that increase development and progression of chronic hepatitis C.
Surgical trauma, Candida infection, and serum proteolytic activity.

Both surgical trauma and infection can disturb the proteinase to proteinase inhibitor balance in the circulation. We sought to assess the effect of Candida albicans infection (INFX) on postoperative mortality, to correlate mortality with total serum proteolytic activity (PA), and to assess the impact of exogenous proteinase inhibitors (PI) on this mortality. Mice underwent midline laparotomy (LAP) and immediate postoperative intravenous C. albicans infection. LAP + INFX shortened mean survival compared to INFX or LAP alone. Quantitative renal cultures confirmed that death in the LAP + INFX and INFX groups was due to Candida sepsis. PA was measured using an 125I-labeled protein assay, yielding micrograms of acid-soluble peptides/100 μl of serum. In control, sham-operated, and LAP groups, PA averaged 14.5 and mortality was high. To determine if high PA was related to high mortality, LAP + INFX mice were treated immediately preoperatively with a single dose of PI (1 mg α1-proteinase inhibitor, 1 mg antithrombin, and 1000 KIU aprotinin). Mean survival increased with PI treatment. In conclusion, the addition of Candida infection to surgical trauma hastened mean time to death. More rapid death correlated with elevated PA and may reflect systemic imbalance in the proteinase to proteinase inhibitor ratio in the circulation. PI improved survival, suggesting that proteinase inhibition may prove useful in the future in the treatment of fungal sepsis in surgical patients.
THE ARTISTRY AND ABILITY OF TRADITIONAL WOMEN HEALERS

In a phenomenological research study with a purposeful sample, 6 Ojibwa and Cree indigenous women healers from Canada and the United States shared their experience of being a traditional healer. Using stories obtained during open-ended, unstructured interviews, in this article I depict the lives, backgrounds, and traditional healing practices of women who, in the past, have not been afforded an opportunity to dialogue about their healing art and abilities. The methods of these women healers, their arts and their gifts, are different from those of Western conventional medicine because of dissimilar world views related to health and illness. An increased awareness of health care providers related to the ancient art of traditional healing currently practiced in communities by gifted women who provide culturally specific holistic healing and health care is essential.
A numerical world ocean general circulation model Part I. Basic design and barotropic experiment

Abstract A new six-layer world ocean general circulation model based on the primitive system of equations is described in detail and its performance in the case of a homogeneous ocean is described. These test integrations show that the model is capable of reproducing the observed mean barotropic or vertically-integrated transport, as well as the seasonal variability of the major ocean gyres. The surface currents, however, are dominated by the Ekman transport, and such non-linear features as the western boundary currents and the equatorial countercurrents are poorly represented. The abyssal boundary countercurrents are also absent due to the lack of thermohaline forcing. The most conspicuous effect of the bottom topography on a homogeneous ocean is seen in the Southern ocean where the calculated Antarctic circumpolar transport through the Drake passage ( ≈ 10 Sv, with bathymetry included) greatly underestimates the observed transport (≈ 100 Sv).
Influence of hydrogen on vibrational and optical properties of a - Si 1 − x H x alloys

The effect of hydrogen on the optical gap and network short-range order has been obtained in a-${\mathrm{Si}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{x}}$ alloys by optical-absorption and Raman-scattering measurements. Distinct differences are observed in the role of hydrogen for homogeneous chemical-vapor-deposited (HMCVD) and rf-diode-sputtered (RFS) films. A comparison of the correlation between the Raman TO peak width and the optical gap for films with and without H allows a separation of the roles of H-induced bond-angle ordering and alloy energy-band changes. While the primary effect of H in the HMCVD films is alloy band changes for xg0.05, RFS films indicate comparable structural ordering effects. The effect of hydrogen on the optical gap is found to be \ensuremath{\sim}3--4 times greater than that in a-${\mathrm{Ge}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{x}}$ alloys. In addition to the ordering of bond angles about Si atoms, the Raman spectra indicate changes in the TA-TO and LA-TO ratios due to hydrogen incorporation. These are interpreted in terms of the relative reductions in the number of bond-bending modes as the concentration of triads of Si atoms decreases with hydrogen.
Melting point elevation in compatible polymer blends

An expression is presented which relates the experimentally observed melting point depression in crystallizable, compatible polymer blends to changes in lamellar thickness and thermodynamic considerations.
Bilayer Membrane Bending Stiffness by Tether Formation From Mixed PC-PS Lipid Vesicles

Recently, a new approach to measure the bending stiffness (curvature elastic modulus) of lipid bilayer membrane was developed (Biophys. J., Vol. 55; pp. 509-517, 1989). The method involves the formation of cylindrical membrane strands (tethers) from bilayer vesicles. The bending stiffness (B) can be calculated from measurements of the tether radius (Rt) as a function of the axial force (f) on the tether: B = f.Rt/2 pi. In the present report, we apply this method to determine the bending stiffness of bilayer membranes composed of mixtures of SOPC (1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidyl choline) and POPS (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidyl serine). Three different mixtures were tested: pure SOPC, SOPC plus 2 percent (mol/mol) POPS, and SOPC plus 16 percent POPS. The bending stiffness determined for these three different lipid mixtures were not significantly different (1.6-1.8 x 10(-12) ergs). Because POPS carries a net negative charge, these results indicate that changes in the density of the membrane surface charge have no effect on the intrinsic rigidity of the membrane. The values we obtain are consistent with published values for the bending stiffness of other membranes determined by different methods. Measurements of the aspiration pressure, tether radius and the tether force were used to verify a theoretical relationship among these quantities at equilibrium. The ratio of the theoretical force to the measured force was 1.12 +/- 0.17.
The Non-Linear Response of a Slender Beam Carrying a Lumped Mass to a Principal Parametric Excitation: Theory and Experiment

Abstract The non-linear response of a slender cantilever beam carrying a lumped mass to a principal parametric base excitation is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The Euler-Bernoulli theory for a slender beam is used to derive the governing non-linear partial differential equation for an arbitrary position of the lumped mass. The non-linear terms arising from inertia, curvature and axial displacement caused by large transverse deflections are retained up to third order. The linear eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are determined. The governing equation is discretized by Galerkin's method, and the coefficients of the temporal equation—comprised of integral representations of the eigenfunctions and their derivatives—are computed using the linear eigenfunctions. The method of multiple scales is used to determine an approximate solution of the temporal equation for the case of a single mode. Experiments were performed on metallic beams and later on composite beams because all of the metallic beams failed prematurely due to the very large response amplitudes. The results of the experiment show very good qualitative agreement with the theory.
Ultraviolet Photodissociation of Gas-Phase Alcohols, Amines, and Nitroalkanes

The 193-nm photochemistry of alcohols, amines, and nitroalkanes in the C3–C6 size range is presented. The photolysis products are photoionized with coherent vacuum ultraviolet radiation and analyzed by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. For alcohols and amines, C–C bond dissociation competes with dissociations involving the heteroatom (C–O, O–H, C–N, N–H). Dissociation of the α(C–C) bond is preferred over other locations. Dissociation of a C–C bond is suppressed when a methyl radical would be produced. This behavior is similar to that observed for other substituted alkanes. Nitroalkanes exhibit both C–N and N–O bond dissociation pathways. Their low bond energies cause a substantial amount of internal energy to be partitioned among the primary photodissociation products. Under collision-free conditions, the alkyl radicals produced from these molecules undergo extensive secondary fragmentation. If the photodissociation step is performed in a free jet expansion, collisional cooling stabilizes the primary products and allows large species, such as intact pentyl and hexyl radicals, to be detected.
Psychological factors associated with severe abuse of the hemodialysis diet

Abstract Thirty-one maintenance hemodialysis patients were observed for a six-month period. Seven of these patients (22.6%) were severe and persistent abusers of the hemodialysis diet. Because there are serious, even lethal, consequences of the sequelae of hemodialysis diet abuse such as fluid overload and/or hyperkalemia, this finding demands explanation. All seven severe abusers were men and, as a group, their current life situation was devoid of typical adult male gratifications. Their developmental histories indicated major difficulties with resolution of dependency/independency conflicts. Statistical analysis of demographic data and extensive psychiatric interviews support this. The author postulates that severe abuse of the hemodialysis diet results in part from the combination of unresolved dependency conflict, unfavorable current environmental circumstances, and a dependency-provoking treatment regimen. Severe abuse of the hemodialysis diet may serve an adaptive function by allowing at least some gratification in one area of the lives of these patients who suffer severe deprivation.
Bottom-up synthesis of PS–CNF nanocomposites

Abstract Polystyrene–carbon nanofiber (CNF) nanocomposites have been synthesized by a ‘bottom-up’ method through electrostatic assembly. First, a cationic polystyrene (PS) latex was synthesized by conventional emulsion polymerization. The latex was mixed with an aqueous suspension of oxidized CNF. PS–CNF nanocomposites were obtained by heterocoagulation due to the electrostatic interaction between cationic PS latex and anionic CNF. Thermal properties were characterized by DSC and TGA, while morphologies of the nanocomposites were studied by SEM. Electrical resistivity results showed that the percolation threshold in our PS–CNF nanocomposites was below 2 wt% (1 vol%). This low percolation threshold is related to the dispersion, and thus a superior network formation of CNF in PS matrix.
High mobility group nonhistone chromosomal proteins of the developing sea urchin embryo

The high mobility group or HMG proteins are nonhistone chromosomal proteins that have been found in relatively high amounts in nuclei of many tissues. A number of studies have shown that some of these proteins are preferentially associated with actively transcribed regions of the genome and may play a role in maintaining these regions in an active state. In this study, we undertook an investigation of the high mobility group proteins from the sea urchin, Stronglyocentrotus purpuratus. Initially the putative sea urchin HMGs were extracted from isolated nuclei of hatching blastula-stage embryos with 5% perchloric acid (PCA). The major proteins in this extract were characterized according to their electrophoretic mobility, amino acid composition, and association with isolated deoxyribonucleoprotein particles. The results indicate there is only one “major” sea urchin HMG protein, termed P2 in this paper. An estimate of the amount of P2 in relation to the inner histones, however, was low compared to what has been found for other HMG proteins. Of the other major 5% PCA-extractable proteins, one was identified as the cleavage stage H1. Another protein apparently resulted from H3 contamination in the 5% PCA extract, and the fourth major protein did not have all the characteristics of an HMG. In particular, it was not found associated with nucleosomal particles. The HMG proteins from other developmental stages were then examined. Five percent PCA extracts of nuclei from unfertilized eggs, 2-cell, 16-cell, hatching blastula, gastrula, and pluteus stages were analyzed on SDS- and acetic acid-urea gels. This analysis indicated that P2 exists in two different forms differing slightly in charge. The less basic form was found in the egg, 2-cell and 16-cell extracts. At the hatching blastula stage, both forms were present and by pluteus stage, the more basic form predominated. It appears that P2 is undergoing a developmental change from a less to more basic form. The presence of P2 in the 5% PCA extract of egg nuclei is proof that P2 does not initially appear sometime during embryogenesis but is already in the egg nucleus prior to fertilization.
Langmuir-Blodgett thin films of electrically conductive surface-active polypyrroles

Abstract Electrically conductive polypyrroles have been synthesized at the air-water interface of a Langmuir-Blodgett film balance by spreading mixtures of pyrrole monomer and a surface-active pyrrole derivative (3-octadecyl pyrrole or 3-octadecanoyl pyrrole) onto a subphase containing ferric chloride. The thickness and conductivity of the resultant polymers were found to depend strongly on the mole ratio of surface-active pyrrole to pyrrole monomer used in the dispersing solvent. By varying this mole ratio, it is possible to create films ranging from monolayer to multilayer thicknesses. The most highly conducting films were produced with mole ratios of pyrrole to substituted pyrrole approaching 5000:1. Multilayers of these films were fabricated successfully by both the horizontal and the vertical lifting methods. The electrical and optical properties of these new films are discussed.
THE DYNAMICS OF THE HOSTAGE TAKER: SOME MAJOR VARIANTS*

This paper represents a unique effort to elucidate the dynamics of two major types of politically motivated hostage takers. The data presented are derived from an ongoing research project that is gathering extensive interview and psychological test materials from prisoners convicted of politically motivated crimes, both within the U.S. and several foreign prison systems. Data indicate that: (1) the reluctant hostage taker, who inadvertently or regretfully possesses hostages, is concerned with the opinions, emotional state, and safety of his captives and is burdened by a sense of responsibility; (2) the deliberate hostage taker experiences his hostages as nonhuman objects whose safety and existence are predicated on the furtherance of his goals, is concerned with the issue of control, and projects responsibility for violence onto others. Only a small subset of each type can be considered grossly psychologically impaired and unable to separate intra- and extra-psychic reality. The actions of the majority of each group are mediated generally by ego functions and directed toward the service of external goals. Language: en
Smoking cessation in college-aged women: A qualitative analysis of factors important to this population

Tobacco use continues to be the leading, preventable cause of mortality among US adults. Research frequently cites weight maintenance and body image as influential in women's reasons for smoking.Objective: This present study sought information for informing effective smoking cessation interventions through the examination of young women's views on smoking.Participants: Forty-three 18–21-year-old women were recruited from November 2006 to April 2007.Methods: Participants signed up for focus groups and completed questionnaires assessing body image, weight concerns, smoking behavior, and physical activity.Results: Qualitative data revealed that reasons for smoking included psychosocial factors, body image and weight concerns, stress management, appetite suppression, procrastination, addiction, and relationship with drinking. Suggestions for successful cessation interventions included exercise components, group-based meetings, healthy, and affordable eating tips, reminders of drawbacks to smoking, and use of ...
Unsupervised Learning for Efficient Texture Estimation From Limited Discrete Orientation Data

The estimation of orientation distribution functions (ODFs) from discrete orientation data, as produced by electron backscatter diffraction or crystal plasticity micromechanical simulations, is typically achieved via techniques such as the Williams–Imhof–Matthies–Vinel (WIMV) algorithm or generalized spherical harmonic expansions, which were originally developed for computing an ODF from pole figures measured by X-ray or neutron diffraction. These techniques rely on ad-hoc methods for choosing parameters, such as smoothing half-width and bandwidth, and for enforcing positivity constraints and appropriate normalization. In general, such approaches provide little or no information-theoretic guarantees as to their optimality in describing the given dataset. In the current study, an unsupervised learning algorithm is proposed which uses a finite mixture of Bingham distributions for the estimation of ODFs from discrete orientation data. The Bingham distribution is an antipodally-symmetric, max-entropy distribution on the unit quaternion hypersphere. The proposed algorithm also introduces a minimum message length criterion, a common tool in information theory for balancing data likelihood with model complexity, to determine the number of components in the Bingham mixture. This criterion leads to ODFs which are less likely to overfit (or underfit) the data, eliminating the need for a priori parameter choices.
Proton magnetic resonance in Sr(NH3)6: Evidence for rapid ammonia diffusion☆

Abstract The proton magnetic resonance linewidth in Sr(NH3)6 has been measured in the range 40–300 K. Two line-narrowing transitions have been detected as the temperature is increased. Between 40 and 54 K the linewidth decreases from about 2 to 1.6 G, and in the range 97–140 K the line narrows from about 1.6 G to 15 mG. The results are interpreted in terms of proton tunneling at low temperatures, a transition from tunneling to classical rotation of ammonia molecules between 40 and 54 K, and an ammonia diffusional transition with an activation energy of about 3 kcal/mole in the range 97–140 K.
Robust inverse optimal control laws for nonlinear systems

This work proposes a robust inverse optimal controller design for a class of nonlinear systems with bounded, time-varying uncertain variables. The basic idea is that of re-shaping the scalar nonlinear gain of an LgV controller, based on Sontag's formula, so as to guarantee certain uncertainty attenuation properties in the closed-loop system. The proposed gain re-shaping is shown to yield a control law that enforces global boundedness of the closed-loop trajectories, robust asymptotic output tracking with an arbitrary degree of attenuation of the effect of uncertainty on the output, and inverse optimality with respect to a meaningful cost that penalizes the tracking error and the control action. The performance of the control law is illustrated through a simulation example and compared with other controller designs. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fanshen: A Documentary of Revolution in a Chinese Village

More than thirty years after its initial publication, William Hinton's Fanshen continues to be the essential volume for those fascinated with China's continuous process of rural reform and social change. A pioneering work, Fanshen is a revealing look into life in the Chinese countryside, where tradition and modernity have had both a complimentary and caustic relationship in the years since the Chinese Communist Party first came to power. Fanshen continues to offer profound insight into China as it prepares to enter the twenty-first century, and will appeal to anyone interested in understanding China's complex social processes or who wish to rediscover this classic volume.
Parental Involvement in Residential Care: Distance, Frequency of Contact, and Youth Outcomes

The relationship between physical distance to program, different types of family contact, and youth behavioral outcomes, discharge assessment, and 6-month follow-up was examined. Data came from clinical record information for 350 youth who had been admitted to a group home program between July 2009 and October 2011. Path analysis was used to examine the hypothesized pattern of interrelationships among the variables. Study results found that home visits of youth with their families were related to better outcomes, while program visits by family were unrelated to outcomes. Phone contacts during the week were also unrelated to youth outcomes, whereas weekend phone contacts were significantly related to less successful outcomes. Findings suggest that family contact is important for the health and wellbeing of youth in residential care, but that not all family/friend contacts are equally beneficial and that some can even undermine a youth’s progress. Specific recommendations are made for future research to inform practice on how to make the most of these opportunities. Ultimately, all family and friend contact should be a positive factor in the youth’s treatment and outcomes.
Ca2+‐dependent inactivation of large conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ (BK) channels in rat hippocampal neurones produced by pore block from an associated particle

1Recordings of the activity of the large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel from over 90 % of inside-out patches excised from acutely dissociated hippocampal CA1 neurones revealed an inactivation process dependent upon the presence of at least 1 μM intracellular Ca2+. Inactivation was characterized by a sudden switch from sustained high open probability (Po) long open time behaviour to extremely low Po, short open time channel activity. The low Po state (mean Po, 0.001) consisted of very short openings (time constant (τ), ≈0.14 ms) and rare longer duration openings (τ, ≈3.0 ms). 2Channel inactivation occurred with a highly variable time course being observed either prior to or immediately upon patch excision, or after up to 2 min of inside-out recording. Inactivation persisted whilst recording conditions were constant. 3Inactivation was reversed by membrane hyperpolarization, the rate of recovery increasing with further hyperpolarization and higher extracellular K+. Inactivation was also reversed when the intracellular Ca2+ concentration was lowered to 100 nM and was permanently removed by application of trypsin to the inner patch surface. In addition, inactivation was perturbed by application of either tetraethylammonium ions or the Shaker (Sh)B peptide to the inner membrane face. 4During inactivation, channel Po was greater at hyperpolarized rather than depolarized potentials, which was partly the result of a greater number of longer duration openings. Depolarizing voltage steps (-40 to +40 mV) applied during longer duration openings produced only short duration events at the depolarized potential, yielding a transient ensemble average current with a rapid decay (τ, ≈3.8 ms). 5These data suggest that hippocampal BK channels exhibit a Ca2+-dependent inactivation that is proposed to result from block of the channel by an associated particle. The findings that inactivation was removed by trypsin and prolonged by decreasing extracellular potassium suggest that the blocking particle may act at the intracellular side of the channel.
Apoptosis and glutathione: beyond an antioxidant

Apoptosis is a conserved homeostatic process critical for organ and tissue morphogenesis, development, and senescence. This form of programmed cell death also participates in the etiology of several human diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune disorders. Although the signaling pathways leading to the progression of apoptosis have been extensively characterized, recent studies highlight the regulatory role of changes in the intracellular milieu (permissive apoptotic environment) in the efficient activation of the cell death machinery. In particular, glutathione (GSH) depletion is a common feature of apoptotic cell death triggered by a wide variety of stimuli including activation of death receptors, stress, environmental agents, and cytotoxic drugs. Although initial studies suggested that GSH depletion was only a byproduct of oxidative stress generated during cell death, recent discoveries suggest that GSH depletion and post-translational modifications of proteins through glutathionylation are critical regulators of apoptosis. Here, we reformulate these emerging paradigms into our current understanding of cell death mechanisms.
Automated segmentation of brain MR images

A simple, robust and efficient image segmentation algorithm for classifying brain tissues from dual echo Magnetic Resonance (MR) images is presented. The algorithm consists of a sequence of adaptive histogram analysis, morphological operations and knowledge based rules to accurately classify various regions such as the brain matter and the cerebrospinal fluid, and detect if there are any abnormal regions. It can be completely automated and has been tested on over hundred images from several patient studies. Experimental results are provided.
Inhibition of Parathyroid Hormone Responsiveness in Clonal Osteoblastic Cells Expressing a Mutant Form of 3′,5′-Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate-Dependent Protein Kinase

PTH activates multiple acute intracellular signals within responsive target cells, but the importance of cAMP vs. other second messenger signals in mediating different biological responses to PTH is not known. To address these questions, we developed a genetic approach to block activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PK-A) in PTH-responsive cell lines. Clonal rat osteosarcoma cells (UMR 106-01) were stably transfected with REV-I, a plasmid that directs synthesis of a mutant cAMP-resistant form of the type I regulatory subunit of PK-A. In the transfected bone cells, most of the catalytic subunits of PK-A were associated with the mutant regulatory subunit, and activation of PK-A by cAMP was correspondingly inhibited. We have characterized one such mutant (UMR 4-7) that expressed large amounts of mutant mRNA and exhibited inducible blockade of PK-A via the REV-1 metallothionein promoter. In the absence of metallothionein induction, these cells exhibited nearly normal PTH responsiveness, but after REV-1 induction by Zn2+, they were resistant to PTH-induced activation of PK-A and regulation of membrane phospholipid synthesis by both PTH and cAMP analogs. The mutant UMR 4-7 cell provides a model system in which the consequences of cAMP production by PTH or other agonists that activate adenylate cyclase in osteoblasts may be specifically inhibited by brief exposure to Zn2+. Such mutant cell lines will facilitate further investigation of the linkage between early signalling events and subsequent biological responses in the action of PTH and other agonists on target cells in bone.
The aging process: major risk factor for disease and death.

Aging is the accumulation of changes responsible for the sequential alterations that accompany advancing age and the associated progressive increases in the chance of disease and death. Average life expectancies at birth in the developed countries are now approaching plateau values as the aging changes associated with the environment and disease near irreducible levels. The inborn aging process is now the major risk factor for disease and death after around age 28 in the developed countries and limits average life expectancy at birth to approximately 85 years. Future significant increases in average life expectancy--a rough measure of the healthy, productive life-span, i.e., the functional life-span--in these countries will be achieved only by slowing the rate of production of aging changes by the aging process. Many theories have been advanced to account for the aging process. The free radical theory of aging is discussed briefly. The importance attached to increasing the functional life-span dictates that aging hypotheses be explored for practical means of achieving this goal while work continues toward a consensus on the cause(s) of the aging process. Efforts to further increase the functional life-span by conventional measures are now almost futile, whereas those directed toward slowing the aging process are just beginning. These new efforts show promise.
Unspoken Assumptions: Voice and Absolutism at the Court of Louis XIV

This paper indicates how what Norbert Elias described as the disciplining of the aristocracy in 17th-century France, which he took to be essential to the ascendancy of Louis XIV and the growth of the modern state, was itself part of a broader pattern of voiceless politics. The French political bureaucracy and the monarch in this period were able to accumulate power by restraining public political speech, and using a combination of rituals of subjugation and material forms like fortresses to exemplify the power and social efficacy of this political regime. The result was a new form of power, importantly demonstrated in the land and its people: what we have come to call the territorial state.
Reduced-impact logging effects on commercial non-vascular pendant epiphyte biomass in a tropical montane forest in Costa Rica

Abstract Compatibility of different commercial uses of a montane tropical oak–bamboo forest in Costa Rica was assessed for selective logging and harvesting of non-vascular pendant epiphytes, a locally valuable non-timber forest product (NTFP). The non-vascular pendant epiphyte taxa examined were mosses ( Pilotrichella flexilis , Phyllogonium viscosum , Zelometeorium sp., Squamidium leucotrichum ); liverworts ( Frullania convoluta and Frullania spp.); and lichens ( Usnea spp.). All of these species have pendant life-forms, and apparently play key roles in water interception, thereby influencing the hydrological balance in tropical montane ecosystems. Since the growth of pendant non-vascular epiphytes conversely depends on fog and mist, these species could be used as indicators of health of the tropical montane forests where they abound. Nine years after careful selective logging, no negative impacts were detected on the biomass of these NTFPs at the heights at which they are commercially harvested (1–3 m). This result was established through comparisons of logged and non-logged plots on the basis of abundance (biomass) of the commercial bryophytes and related variables such as substrate length availability and substrate type (shade tolerant, pioneer species, or bamboo, and substrate diameter). Pendant epiphytes were most abundant on thin substrates (branches
HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir increases monolayer permeability of endothelial cells

Background. Clinical applications of HIV protease inhibitors for treatment of HIV infection have been associated with significant cardiovascular complications. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir (RTV) on endothelial permeability and expression of junctional proteins as well as the effects of several antioxidants as potential therapeutic agents. Methods. Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were cultured with RTV (0, 7.5, 15, and 30 μM) for different times. Monolayer permeability was studied by using a transwell system and a fluorescence-labeled dextran trancer. The mRNA levels of endothelial junctional proteins including zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, claudin-1, and VE-cadherin were quantitatively determined by real-time RT-PCR. Three antioxidants, curcumin (CUR), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and seleno-L-methionine (SLM) at concentrations of 5, 10, and 25 μM, were used for blocking the effects of RTV. Results. RTV treatment showed a significant increase of monolayer permeability and a decrease of mRNA levels of four junctional proteins in a dose- and time-dependent fashion (P < 0.03, n = 3). Three antioxidants showed a potent blocking effect on RVT (15 μM) in a dose-dependent fashion. Effects of RTV at 15 μM with or without one of antioxidants (25 μM) are shown in the table below. Conclusions. HIV protease inhibitor RTV significantly increases monolayer permeability and reduces expression of junctional proteins in HCAECs. Three antioxidants (CUR, EGCG, and SLM) can effectively block RTV-induced endothelial dysfunction and gene alterations. TABLE—ABSTRACT P47. Permeability ZO-1 Occludin Claudin-1 VE-cadherin Control 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% RTV 207% 76% 44% 15% 87% RTV + CUR 117% 71% 101% 43% 72% RTV + EGCG 139% 107% 101% 373% 107% RTV + SLM 138% 100% 101% 96% 100% Full-size table Table options View in workspace Download as CSV
Minority Politics and Group-Differentiated Curricula at Minority-Serving Colleges

This paper analyzes whether ethnocentric curricula, defined as courses that focus exclusively on particular racial/ethnic groups, are more prevalent at minority-serving colleges than at mainstream institutions. Using original curricular data for a sample of tribal, Black, Hispanic, and mainstream colleges, the author found that ethnocentric content tends to be more extensive at tribal and Puerto Rican institutions than at institutions catering to African Americans and mainland Hispanics. This finding can be attributed to the exceptional quasisovereign political status of Indian tribes and Puerto Rico and are confirmed with an analysis of female-centric curricula at women's colleges.
SKYRMIONS IN QUANTUM HALL FERROMAGNETS

Properties of skyrmions in quantum Hall systems are reviewed. It is shown that, using a Hartree-Fock technique, the size of skyrmions near filling factor ν=1 may be computed, yielding a result in close agreement with experiment. Finite densities of skyrmions are shown to lead to a crystal state with square symmetry due to the spin-dependent nature of their mutual interactions. The square lattice state has an unusual spin ordering which leads to a new gapless mode, analogous to spin waves in a two-dimensional XY antiferromagnet. The stability of the ordered spin state is assessed using a time-dependent Hartree-Fock approach, and a phase diagram is derived which shows the parameter range for which long-range spin ordering is destroyed by quantum fluctuations.
Bilateral Sertoli cell tumors of the testis—a likely new extracolonic manifestation of familial adenomatous polyposis

Testicular Sertoli cell tumors are rare and usually sporadic and unifocal. The large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor variant is known to be associated with Carney and Peutz–Jeghers syndromes and can be bilateral in these patient populations. There has been no documented association of Sertoli cell tumor with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) in the literature. The case presented is a bilateral Sertoli cell tumor occurring in a 34-year-old patient with FAP. The tumor had a conventional Sertoli cell tumor morphology, but with different morphology in the left and right sites. Beta-catenin immunostain showed strong nuclear reactivity in the tumor cells but not the nonneoplastic Sertoli cells. The presence of bilaterality as well as overexpression of beta-catenin by this tumor supports an association of the development of Sertoli cell tumor with the patient’s FAP syndrome and adenomatous polyposis coli inactivation.
Two-stage stochastic optimization for optimal power flow under renewable generation uncertainty

We propose a two-stage stochastic version of the classical economic dispatch problem with alternating-current power flow constraints, a nonconvex optimization formulation that is central to power transmission and distribution over an electricity grid. Certain generation decisions made in the first stage cannot further be changed in the second stage, where the uncertainty due to various factors such as renewable generation is realized. Any supply-demand mismatch in the second stage must be alleviated using high marginal cost power sources that can be tapped in short order. We solve a Sample-Average Approximation (SAA) of this formulation by capturing the uncertainty using a finite number of scenario samples. We propose two outer approximation algorithms to solve this nonconvex program to global optimality. We use recently discovered structural properties for the classical deterministic problem to show that when these properties hold the sequence of approximate solutions obtained under both alternatives has a limit point that is a globally optimal solution to the two-stage nonconvex SAA program. We also present an alternate local optimization approach to solving the SAA problem based on the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). Numerical experiments for a variety of parameter settings were carried out to demonstrate the efficiency and usability of our method over ADMM for large practical instances.
Use of controlled oxidation to increase the surface area of coal: Application to a bituminous and a semi-anthracite coal

Abstract This Paper supplements previous work on the use of controlled oxidation to increase the surface area of coal by examining the effects of different temperatures of treatment and different ranks of coal. The work on an hvA bituminous coal showed no increase in the area by nitrogen when the oxidation was carried out at 375 °C, but at least a 72-fold increase at 400 °C. The increase in surface area measured by nitrogen adsorption for two other coals (a semi-anthracite and an hvC bituminous coal) similarly oxidized, varied from 3 to 20-fold, depending on whether comparison is made with the values for the raw coal or with values obtained after heating to 400 °C in nitrogen. Measurements made on the stability of the increased surface as a function of time showed that the newly created surface disappeared at rates as high as 30% per month.
A human-machine collaborative approach to tracking human movement in multi-camera video

Although the availability of large video corpora are on the rise, the value of these datasets remain largely untapped due to the difficulty of analyzing their contents. Automatic video analyses produce low to medium accuracy for all but the simplest analysis tasks, while manual approaches are prohibitively expensive. In the tradeoff between accuracy and cost, human-machine collaborative systems that synergistically combine approaches may achieve far greater accuracy than automatic approaches at far less cost than manual. This paper presents TrackMarks, a system for annotating the location and identity of people and objects in large corpora of multi-camera video. TrackMarks incorporates a user interface that enables a human annotator to create, review, and edit video annotations, but also incorporates tracking agents that respond fluidly to the users actions, processing video automatically where possible, and making efficient use of available computing resources. In evaluation, TrackMarks is shown to improve the speed of a multi-object tracking task by an order of magnitude over manual annotation while retaining similarly high accuracy.
The Effect of Temperature on Oxidative Phosphorylation with Insect Flight Muscle Mitochondria

The effect of different temperatures on the biochemical activity and morphology of insect flight muscle mitochondria was examined. It was found that respiration and phosphorylation have the same thermal response at temperatures of 25°C. and below. The energy of activation for both systems is approximately 12,300 calories. Oxidation and phosphorylation can be uncoupled effectively by temperature, for at temperatures above 25°C. there is more rapid heat inactivation of phosphorylation. This is evident from reduced P/O values as well as from morphological deterioration in the mitochondrial population. The thermal response of both this sarcosomal enzyme system and the respiration in the living fly are quantitatively similar.
Intron gain and loss in segmentally duplicated genes in rice

Background Introns are under less selection pressure than exons, and consequently, intronic sequences have a higher rate of gain and loss than exons. In a number of plant species, a large portion of the genome has been segmentally duplicated, giving rise to a large set of duplicated genes. The recent completion of the rice genome in which segmental duplication has been documented has allowed us to investigate intron evolution within rice, a diploid monocotyledonous species.