cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification and Characterization of Kava‐derived Compounds Mediating TNF‐α Suppression

There is a substantial unmet need for new classes of drugs that block TNF-α-mediated inflammation, and particularly for small molecule agents that can be taken orally. We have screened a library of natural products against an assay measuring TNF-α secretion in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 cells, seeking compounds capable of interfering with the TNF-α-inducing transcription factor lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor. Among the active compounds were several produced by the kava plant (Piper mysticum), extracts of which have previously been linked to a range of therapeutic effects. When tested in vivo, a representative of these compounds, kavain, was found to render mice immune to lethal doses of lipopolysaccharide. Kavain displays promising pharmaceutical properties, including good solubility and high cell permeability, but pharmacokinetic experiments in mice showed relatively rapid clearance. A small set of kavain analogs was synthesized, resulting in compounds of similar or greater potency in vitro compared with kavain. Interestingly, a ring-opened analog of kavain inhibited TNF-α secretion in the cell-based assay and suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor expression in the same cells, whereas the other compounds inhibited TNF-α secretion without affecting lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor levels, indicating a potential divergence in mechanism of action.
Selecting sites for new settlements in arid lands: Negev case study☆

Abstract Arid Land stressful conditions require careful selection of the urban site. The MRRC (method of rating regional cells) uses a systematic and consistent procedure to determine the preferable areas for a site. After defining goals and objectives, determining the type of settlement to be sited, delineating regional borders, and eliminating obviously unsuitable areas, the remainder is divided into equal, square cells. Primary criteria to be mapped would include climatic comfort, physiographic, hydrologic, environmental quality, and accessibility and proximity to supplies. Values are assigned to each criterion in relation to the values assigned to all other criteria. A series of maps equal in number to the number of primary criteria is compiled by assigning numerical values to each cell, for each criterion in turn. By overlayment of maps, a professional interdisciplinary team can determine the highly rated cells from which the most suitable areas for the new settlement may be chosen. Consideration of an endless number of criteria is possible, and MRRC may be adapted for computerization.
Recursive filtering in the presence of biases with irreducible uncertanty

A simplification of the "separate-bias" algorithm described in [1] is afforded by the assumption that the covariance matrix of the bias cannot be reduced by the operation of the filter. The calculations are illustrated for a biased sensor governed by a first-order differential equation.
Protein synthesis by kinetosomes isolated from the protozoan Tetrahymena.

Abstract An increase in biuret-positive material occurs when kinetosomes isolated from the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis are incubated in a mixture containing amino acids, inorganic phosphorus, uridylic acid, cytidylic acid, guanylic acid, thymine, inosine, MgSO 4 , KF, hexose-diphosphate, ATP, pteroylglutamic acid, riboflavin, vitamin B 12 , biotin, pyridoxamine, and pantothenic acid. The requirement for vitamin B 12 can be replaced by the Incorporation Factor described by Gale and Folkes but not by cobamide coenzyme, or glycerol. Incorporation of [ 14 C]glutamic acid parallels the rate of increase of biuret-positive material, and thus may be taken as an index of synthesis. In addition to glutamate, arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, and valine are incorporated into trichloracetic acid-insoluble material. Incorporation is strongly inhibited by DNAase and RNAase but is only slightly inhibited by high concentrations of chloramphenicol.
Phase transitions in solids of diperiodic symmetry.

All isotropy subgroups (and thus all quasicontinuous symmetry changes) corresponding to k\ensuremath{\rightarrow} points of symmetry have been obtained for the 80 diperiodic space groups. The detailed information for such phase transitions is given here for the diperiodic space group P(4/m) (2/m) (2/m). Only two distinct images (sets of representation matrices) occur for this example yielding Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson (LGW) Hamiltonians corresponding to the Ising and XY models, respectively. Minimization of the LGW Hamiltonians yields those transitions which are continuous in the mean-field description.
Specialized Delivery Room Planning for Fetuses With Critical Congenital Heart Disease

Improvements in fetal echocardiography have increased recognition of fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD) that require specialized delivery room (DR) care. In this study, care protocols for these low-volume and high-risk deliveries were created. Elements included (1) diagnosis-specific DR care plans and algorithms, (2) a multidisciplinary team with expertise, (3) simulation, (4) checklists, and (5) debriefing. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of fetal echocardiography to predict the need for specialized DR care and determine the effectiveness of the care protocols for the treatment of patients with critical CHD. Fetal and postnatal medical records and echocardiograms of fetuses with CHD assigned to an advanced level of care were reviewed. Safety and outcome variables were analyzed to determine care plan and algorithm efficacy. Thirty-four fetuses were identified: 12 delivered at Children's National Medical Center and 22 at the adult hospital. Diagnoses included hypoplastic left heart syndrome, aortic stenosis, d-transposition of the great arteries, tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve, complex pulmonary atresia, arrhythmias, ectopia cordis, and conjoined twins. Delivery at Children's National Medical Center was associated with a shorter time to specialty care or intervention. Measures of physiologic stability and survival were similar. Need for specialized care was predicted in 84% of deliveries. For hypoplastic left heart syndrome, intervention was predicted in 10 of 11 deliveries and for d-transposition of the great arteries in 10 of 12 deliveries. Care algorithms addressed most DR events. Of the unanticipated events, none were unrecoverable. DR survival was 100%, and survival to discharge was 83%. In conclusion, fetal echocardiography predicted the need for specialized DR care in fetuses with critical CHD. Algorithm-driven protocols enable planning such that maternal and infant risk is minimized and outcomes are good.
DO IMMEDIATE MEMORY DEFICITS IN STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN READING REFLECT A DEVELOPMENTAL LAG OR DEFICIT?: A SELECTIVE META-ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE

The purpose of the present study was to synthesize research that directly compares children with and without learning disabilities in reading on immediate memory performance. Forty-one studies were included in the synthesis, which involved 161 effect sizes. The overall mean effect size estimate in favor of children without learning disabilities in reading was -.61 (SD=.87). Effect size esti- mates were submitted to a descriptive and a weighted least-square regression analy- sis. Results from the full regression model indicated that children with learning disabilities were distinctly disadvantaged compared to average readers when mem- ory manipulations required the naming of visual information and task conditions involved serial recall. Age, IQ, and reading scores were not significant predictors of effect size estimates. Most importantly, nonstrategic (type of task and materials) rather than strategic factors best predicted effect size estimates. The results also indicated that memory difficulties of readers with learning disabilities persisted across age, suggesting that a deficit model best captures the performance of chil- dren with learning disabilities. Results are discussed in relation to current devel- opmental models of learning disabilities.
Dissociating working memory from task difficulty in human prefrontal cortex

A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was conducted to determine whether prefrontal cortex (PFC) increases activity in working memory (WM) tasks as a specific result of the demands placed on WM, or to other processes affected by the greater difficulty of such tasks. Increased activity in dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) was observed during task conditions that placed demands on active maintenance (long retention interval) relative to control conditions matched for difficulty. Furthermore, the activity was sustained over the entire retention interval and did not increase when task difficulty was manipulated independently of WM requirements. This contrasted with the transient increases in activity observed in the anterior cingulate, and other regions of frontal cortex, in response to increased task difficulty but not WM demands. Thus, this study established a double-dissociation between regions responsive to WM versus task difficulty, indicating a specific involvement of DLPFC and related structures in WM function.
Computing Cournot equilibria in two settlement electricity markets with transmission constraint

We formulate a two-settlement equilibrium in competitive electricity markets as a subgame-perfect Nash equilibrium in which each generation firm solves a Mathematical Program with Equilibrium Constraints (MPEC), given other firms' forward and spot strategies. We implement two computational approaches, one of which is based on a penalty interior point algorithm and the other is based on a steepest descent approach. We apply the algorithm to a six node illustrative example.
Prehospital Use of the Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway in Patients with Severe Polytrauma: A Case Series

A case series of five patients is described demonstrating the utility of the intubating laryngeal mask airway in the prehospital setting, both as a primary airway rescue device and as a bridge to tracheal intubation. All patients were hypoxaemic, had sustained severe polytrauma and were trapped in their vehicles following road traffic collisions. A probability of survival study showed better-than-predicted outcomes for the group as a whole.
Serotonergic/glutamatergic interactions: the effects of mGlu2/3 receptor ligands in rats trained with LSD and PCP as discriminative stimuli

On the basis of electrophysiological evidence, it has been proposed that both antagonism of NMDA receptors by drugs such as PCP and stimulation of 5- HT2A receptors by drugs such as LSD result in the release of glutamate. Furthermore, it has been observed that antagonists and agonists at mGlu2/3 receptors increase and decrease, respectively, the release of glutamate. Taken together, these observations predict behaviorally significant interactions between ligands at mGlu2/3 receptors and hallucinogens such as LSD and PCP. The present study sought to test in rats the glutamate hypothesis of hallucinogenesis using drug-induced stimulus control as the dependent variable and selected glutamatergic and serotonergic receptor ligands as independent variables. Male F-344 rats were trained in a two-lever, fixed ratio 10, food-reinforced task with either phencyclidine (PCP; 3.0 mg/kg; IP; 30 min pretreatment) or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD; 0.1 mg/kg; IP; 15 min pretreatment) as discriminative stimuli. The interactions of PCP and the mGlu2/3 selective ligands, LY341495 and LY379268, with stimulus control by LSD were determined. The effects of these drugs were compared with those of serotonergic antagonists known to antagonize the stimulus effects of LSD, specifically, pirenperone and M100907. Stimulus control by LSD was potentiated by both PCP and the mGlu2/3 antagonist, LY341495. In tests of antagonism, stimulus control by LSD was significantly but incompletely diminished by the mGlu2/3 agonist, LY379268; this result was in contrast with the complete antagonism of LSD by both pirenperone and M100907. In PCP-trained rats, LY341495 was without effect on stimulus control by an intermediate dose of PCP. In contrast, the training dose of PCP was significantly but incompletely antagonized by LY379268. These data, obtained using a stimulus control model of the hallucinogenic effects of PCP and LSD, provide support for the hypothesis that glutamate release is a factor in hallucinogenesis by both 5-HT2 agonists and non-competitive NMDA antagonists.
Resistin serum levels in type 1 diabetes pre- and post-islet transplantation

Resistin is a recently described secretory protein produced in adipocytes that is thought to be involved in insulin resistance, diabetes, and inflammation. While resistin can be detected in mouse and human serum, very little is known about the regulation of serum resistin levels, especially in humans. To test whether resistin levels are affected by type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), we measured serum resistin levels in samples from 5 healthy volunteers and 6 patients with T1DM pre- and 3 months post-islet transplantation using a human resistin enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Interestingly, serum resistin levels were significantly higher in T1DM patients before transplantation compared to normal controls, but decreased to normal levels after islet transplantation. Thus, our results suggest that human resistin may be involved in the pathophysiology of T1DM and thereby reveal a heretofore unappreciated aspect of human resistin biology.
Maximum likelihood estimation of a class of non-Gaussian densities with application to I/sub p/ deconvolution

The properties of the maximum likelihood estimator of the generalized p-Gaussian (GPG) probability density function from N independent identically distributed samples is investigated, especially in the context of the deconvolution problem under GPG white noise. Specifically, the properties in the estimator are first described independently of the application. Then the solution of the above-mentioned deconvolution problem is obtained as the solution of a minimum norm problem in an l/sub p/ normed space. It is shown that such minimum norm solution is the maximum-likelihood estimate of the system function parameters and that such an estimate is unbiased, with the lower bound of the variance of the error equal to the Cramer-Rao lower bound, and the upper bound derived from the concept of a generalized inverse. The results are illustrated by computer simulations. >
Internal segregation and side chain ordering in hairy-rod polypeptide monolayers at the gas/water interface: An x-ray scattering study

We report studies of the structure and packing of Langmuirmonolayers (LMs) of polypeptide poly(γ-4-(n-hexadecyloxy)benzyl α,L-glutamate) (C16–O–PBLG) on the surface of water. The molecule is a “hairy rod” and consists of side attachments of hexadecyloxy chains (–O–C16) to the rigid rod-like core made up of α-helical poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) (PBLG). Measurements include surface pressure (Π) versus area/monomer (A) isotherms, x-ray specular reflectivity (XR), and grazing incidence diffraction(GID). In contrast to the LM of bare PBLG on water, which undergoes a monolayer/bilayer transition with increasing Π, monolayers of C16–O–PBLG remain stable up to the highest densities. On the basis of XR and GID results, the structure of the C16–O–PBLG monolayer is characterized by the following main features. First, hydrophobicity causes the –O–C16 chains to segregate towards the film/gas interface and away from water and the PBLG cores, which sit parallel to and near the water/film interface. Since the attachment position of some of the side chains is at the core/water interface, the segregation forces these chains into the space between neighboring core rods. Compression associated with increasing Π thickens the film but the internally segregated structure is maintained for all Π (i.e., >∼30 dyne/cm). Second, the C16–O–PBLG rods form domains in which the rods are aligned parallel to each other and to the interface. The correlation length for the interhelix positional order of the rods is short and typically comparable to or less than the length of the rods. With increasing Π the spacing d between nearest-neighbor rods decreases linearly with A at high Π, indicating a direct correspondence between the macroscopic compressibility and the microscopic interhelix compressibility. Third, as Π increases past ∼5 dyne/cm, the local packing of tethered –O–C16 chains displays the same herringbone (HB) order that is common for high-density bulk and monolayer phases of alkyl chains. Various features of the observed GID peaks also imply that the HB order of –O–C16 chains is oriented with respect to the helical axes of aligned PBLG cores. We propose that the HB order is established initially by one-dimensionally confined chains between aligned rods at low Π and grows laterally with compression.
Smoothing Gene Expression Using Biological Networks

Gene expression (micro array) data have been used widely in bioinformatics. The expression data of a large number of genes from small numbers of subjects are used to identify informative biomarkers that may predict or help in diagnosing some disorders. More recently, increasing amounts of information from underlying relationships of the expressed genes have become available, and workers have started to investigate algorithms which can use such a priori information to improve classification or regression based on gene expression. In this paper, we describe three novel machine learning algorithms for regularizing (smoothing) micro array expression values defined on gene sets with known prior network or metric structures, and which exploit this gene interaction information. These regularized expression values can be used with any machine classifier with the goal of better classification. In this paper, standard smoothing (denoising) techniques previously developed for functions on Euclidean spaces are extended to allow smoothing of micro array expression feature vectors using distance measures defined by biological networks. Such a priori smoothing (denoising) of the feature vectors using metrics on the index space (here the space of genes) yields better signal to noise ratios in the data. When tested on two breast cancer datasets, support vector machine classifiers trained on the smoothed expression values obtain better areas under ROC curves in two cancer datasets.
The Role of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha in Lipopolysaccharide/Ranitidine-Induced Inflammatory Liver Injury

Exposure to a nontoxic dose of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increases the hepatotoxicity of the histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonist, ranitidine (RAN). Because some of the pathophysiologic effects associated with LPS are mediated through the expression and release of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), this study was designed to gain insights into the role of TNF in LPS/RAN hepatotoxicity. To determine whether RAN affects LPS-induced TNF release at a time near the onset of liver injury, male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 2.5 x 10(6) endotoxin units (EU)/kg LPS or its saline vehicle (iv) and 2 h later with either 30 mg/kg RAN or sterile phosphate-buffered saline vehicle (iv). LPS administration caused an increase in circulating TNF concentration. RAN cotreatment enhanced the LPS-induced TNF increase before the onset of hepatocellular injury, an effect that was not produced by famotidine, a H2-receptor antagonist without idiosyncrasy liability. Similar effects were observed for serum interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and IL-10. To determine if TNF plays a causal role in LPS/RAN-induced hepatotoxicity, rats were given either pentoxifylline (PTX; 100 mg/kg, iv) to inhibit the synthesis of TNF or etanercept (Etan; 8 mg/kg, sc) to impede the ability of TNF to reach cellular receptors, and then they were treated with LPS and RAN. Hepatocellular injury, the release of inflammatory mediators, hepatic neutrophil (PMN) accumulation, and biomarkers of coagulation and fibrinolysis were assessed. Pretreatment with either PTX or Etan resulted in the attenuation of liver injury and diminished circulating concentrations of TNF, IL-1beta, IL-6, macrophage inflammatory protein-2, and coagulation/fibrinolysis biomarkers in LPS/RAN-cotreated animals. Neither PTX nor Etan pretreatments altered hepatic PMN accumulation. These results suggest that TNF contributes to LPS/RAN-induced liver injury by enhancing inflammatory cytokine production and hemostasis.
In vivo holography of vocal cords.

A new holographic technique is utilized to obtain in vivo three dimensional photographic records. The development of a holographic endoscopic camera (endoholoscope or holocamera) provides a unique method of diagnosis of internal organs and tissues. A hologram of the larynx of an anesthetized dog shows details which could not be observed by indirect laryngoscopy.
Sperm-egg recognition in the mouse : characterization of sp56, a sperm protein having specific affinity for ZP3

Recognition between mammalian gametes occurs when the plasma membrane of the sperm head binds to the zona pellucida (ZP), an extracellular coat surrounding eggs. ZP3, one of three glycoproteins in the ZP, is the egg protein recognized by sperm. A mouse sperm surface protein, sp56 (M(r) = 56,000), has been identified on the basis of its specific affinity for ZP3 (Bleil, J. D., and P. M. Wassarman. 1990. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 87:5563-5567). Studies presented here were designed to characterize mouse sperm sp56 and to further test whether or not this protein specifically recognizes ZP3. sp56 was purified by both ZP3 affinity chromatography and by ion exchange chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography. The purified native protein eluted from size-exclusion columns as a homomultimer (M(r) approximately 110,000). Each monomer of the protein contains intramolecular disulfide bonds, consistent with its extracellular location. Immunohistochemical and immunoblotting studies, using monoclonal antibodies, demonstrated that sp56 is a peripheral membrane protein located on the outer surface of the sperm head plasma membrane, precisely where sperm bind ZP3. Results of crosslinking experiments demonstrated that the ZP3 oligosaccharide recognized by sperm has specific affinity for sp56. Collectively, these results suggest that sp56 may be the sperm protein responsible for sperm-egg recognition in the mouse.
LAMARC 2.0: maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation of population parameters

Summary: We present a Markov chain Monte Carlo coalescent genealogy sampler, LAMARC 2.0, which estimates population genetic parameters from genetic data. LAMARC can co-estimate subpopulation Θ = 4Neμ, immigration rates, subpopulation exponential growth rates and overall recombination rate, or a user-specified subset of these parameters. It can perform either maximum-likelihood or Bayesian analysis, and accomodates nucleotide sequence, SNP, microsatellite or elecrophoretic data, with resolved or unresolved haplotypes. It is available as portable source code and executables for all three major platforms. Availability: LAMARC 2.0 is freely available at http://evolution.gs.washington.edu/lamarc Contact: lamarc@gs.washington.edu
Therapeutic short hairpin RNA expression in the liver: viral targets and vectors

Over 500 million people worldwide are infected with one or more different and unrelated types of human hepatitis virus. Such individuals are at a high risk of developing acute or chronic hepatic disease, and ultimately dying from sequelae. Although a vaccine is available for hepatitis A and B virus, treatment options for chronically infected patients are limited, and particularly ineffective in case of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A promising new avenue currently being explored is to harness the power of RNA interference for development of an antiviral therapy. The timing to pursue this particular approach is excellent, with the first in vivo animal models for HCV infection becoming available, and the technology for liver-specific expression of short hairpin RNAs advancing at a rapid pace. Here, we critically review these important current developments, and discuss the next steps to bring this novel approach into the clinics.
Mechanical Ventilation and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome continues to be a high-mortality condition. The role of mechanical ventilation remains primarily a supportive modality. Recent research has elucidated the adverse impact of traditional ventilation strategies on development of the disease and, ultimately, mortality. The institution of low tidal volume ventilation has been the only intervention that has resulted in definitive improvement in survival. Animal and human investigations that culminated in the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network low tidal volume study are reviewed. Current controversies in the application of mechanical ventilation including the use of positive end-expiratory pressure, recruitment maneuvers, and high frequency oscillatory ventilation are also addressed.
Diurnal Habitat Use by Lower Keys Marsh Rabbits

Abstract We used radiotelemetry to locate daytime forms of endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbits (LKMRs; Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) throughout their range so we could determine habitat characteristics of diurnal cover. We typically found forms (n = 1,298) of 36 rabbits in brackish wetlands in patches of saltmarsh or buttonwoods. In freshwater wetlands, forms (n = 54) were located most often in patches of freshwater hardwoods embedded in or adjacent to freshwater marshes. Forms (n = 942) in brackish wetlands were characterized by thick groundcover (>75%), whereas those (n = 42) in freshwater wetlands had both thick groundcover and canopy vegetation. The mean minimum convex polygon around forms of 15 rabbits was 1.4 ha (SD = 1.7), with smaller ranges characterized by thick bunchgrasses or clump-forming sedges. To increase the amount of annual space usable by LKMRs, managers should provide more saltmarsh habitat interspersed with buttonwoods and enhance ground cover in existing habitat.
Spatio-temporal filter for structural health monitoring

This paper considers the use of combined spatial and temporal filtering to improve the quality of a structural health monitoring (SHM) damage estimate. Many SHM systems produce two-dimensional (2-D) array data that contains structure damage estimate, which is distorted by noise from sensor sources, changing environmental conditions, and other inspection factors. We describe a filtering architecture for processing a sequence of damage estimates generated by a SHM system. We show that the approach can reduce the noise variability and enhance the damage estimate. The filter is designed as an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter in time and space and is predicated on an understanding of the point spread function for the ultrasonic interrogation. We discuss the basis for using a spatially invariant blurring operator to represent this interrogation process as well as the design of the filter. The filtering is performed in space by rejecting component of the input signal outside of the spatial frequency pass band. The filtering is also performed in time by rejecting the components of the signal outside of the dynamical pass band.
Viable Cryopreserved Aortic Homograft for Aortic Valve Endocarditis and Annular Abscesses

Six consecutive patients with active aortic valve endocarditis, including 2 with extensive subannular aortic root abscess, were successfully treated with viable cryopreserved homograft aortic valve replacement. Two patients required extensive aortic root reconstruction with an appropriately trimmed aortic homograft to cover large abscess cavities. All patients showed resolution of infection with no perioperative mortality or clinically significant morbidity. Three patients had a minor degree of aortic insufficiency on postoperative echo-Doppler study. On follow-up at 6 to 48 months, all patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I. The resistance of the unstented homograft to infection makes it an attractive choice for patients requiring aortic valve replacement for active endocarditis. The results of surgical intervention in patients with extensive aortic root involvement may be further improved by the flexibility afforded by the homograft to be "custom-fit" to the abnormal aortic root and the ability to achieve secure valve fixation without use of prosthetic material.
Synthesis of (-)-astrogorgiadiol.

Astrogorgiadiol is a naturally occurring Vitamin D analogue that, in cell culture, downregulates the production of the cytokine osteopontin (OPN). OPN has been implicated in virulent asthma, and OPN knockout mice do not develop osteoporosis. As we have pursued whole animal studies with astrogorgiadiol, we have increased the scale of the synthesis. We report an improved preparation of the A-ring synthon and the scale-up of the diasteromerically pure D-ring/sidechain chiron.
The adipokinetic property of hypophyseal peptides and catecholamines: a problem in comparative endocrinology1

The sections in this article are: 1 Review of Experiments 1.1 A Quantitative In Vitro Assay Method 1.2 The Multiplicity of Natural Substances With Adipokinetic Activity; Species Variation in Their Adipokinetic Potency; Structure-Activity Considerations ((Rudman et al., 3085) 1.3 Similarities in the Dose-Response Relationships for the Action of the Natural Adipokinetic Substances 1.4 Inactivation of Adipokinetic Hypophyseal Peptides by Adipose Tissue Homogenates (Rudman et al., 3087) 2 Discussion 2.1 The Multiplicity of Naturally Occurring Adipokinetic Substances 2.2 Species Differences in the Responsiveness to Adipokinetic Substances
Sequential robust design methodology and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to analyze the grafting of hyaluronic acid to glass substrates.

Sequential Robust Design experiments and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) studies were performed to examine the immobilization of hyaluronic acid (HA) on glass substrates chemisorbed with N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (EDS). Numerous reaction conditions were investigated, including the concentrations of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC), N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (Sulfo-NHS), and HA, and the reaction buffer type, concentration, and pH. The elemental surface compositions of carbon and silicon (C/Si ratio) were used to assess the extent of HA immobilization, leading to the identification of critical HA-binding reaction conditions and the determination of an optimum surface chemistry. The optimum chemistry consisted of 200 mM EDC, 50 mM Sulfo-NHS, 10 mM N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N'-(2-ethanesulfonic acid) (HEPES) buffer at a pH of 7.0, and 3 mg/mL HA. This work emphasizes the advantages of using Robust Design methods over traditional statistical experimental design, particularly when large numbers of variables are examined and costly analytical techniques are employed.
Design process beyond ASICs

The author discusses the past, present and future of design methodologies. It is suggested that depending upon the attitude taken by the design community, the future looks both exciting and uninteresting at the same time. Recommendations are presented for an exciting future. >
Risk mitigation of design requirements using a probabilistic analysis

The definition of requirements for complex systems requires a balance between system over-design and associated risk. A severely over-designed system poses minimal risk of failing to meet the user's operational requirements, however the over-designed system poses increased risk of high costs, usability and reliability due to system complexity, and many other issues. The method proposed in this paper creates a more accurate representation of a complex system in order to determine requirements, and quantifies the risk associated with the defined requirements. The sizing of naval power transformers in electrical distribution systems requires an updated approach to quantify the risk inherent in the system requirements definition process. The proposed methodology uses a systems engineering approach, performing a probabilistic (Monte Carlo) analysis of the electrical loads powered by each, individual transformer. Transformer size can then be determined based on the electrical requirements and the amount of risk the program manager is willing to assume.
Environmental and Demographic Correlates of Spatial and Seasonal Genetic Structure in the Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Elucidation of the complex interactions of forces that affect genetic structure within and among populations is important in the assessment of short-term viability and evolution of natural populations. We examined spatial and temporal changes in genetic, demographic, and ecologic characteristics of the eastern cottontail (Sylvilagusfloridanus; n = 543) within two isolated populations inhabiting playa lake basins in the Texas Panhandle. Spatial autocorrelation and contiguous clustering analyses documented nonrandom dispersion of genotypes within both populations, during each of four consecutive seasons. Considerable seasonal variation in genotypic autocorrelative patterns and size, position, and genotypic composition of significant contiguous clusters also was observed. Genotypic structuring within playa basins was particularly evident during spring, summer, and autumn; greater randomization of genetic distributions occurred in the winter, prereproductive season. Presence of spatial associations of genotypes and changes in their position and composition over seasons were influenced by episodic exchange of individuals from genetically different populations, subsequent random mating and restoration of Hardy-Weinberg genotypic proportions in resulting offspring, and patchy distribution of habitat types within playa basins. Mantel matrix regressions, which were used to test relationships among demographic, habitat, and genotypic variables show that the relative importance of each factor changes seasonally. Differences in habitat use among individuals were significantly correlated with genotypic cluster affiliation during the prereproductive period, whereas age structure became increasingly important in explaining spatial arrangement of genotypes during later periods. Although populations from different playa basins differ in gene frequency, seasonal changes in genetic structure within each population were correlated.
PRESENTATION OF THE HARRELL L. STRIMPLE AWARD TO STEPHEN FELTON

In Cincinnati we are very fortunate to have the support of one of the nation's most active and well-informed groups of amateur paleontologists, the Dry Dredgers, founded in 1942 by Ken Caster. Steve Felton has been a member of the Dry Dredgers for 30 yr. During this time Steve has been unquestionably the most knowledgeable member of this enthusiastic group. He has also been the most helpful to professional paleontologists, students, and fellow amateurs among a group of amateurs who are generally very willing to help others in paleontological endeavors. Steve contributes to paleontology in a wide variety of ways, ranging from volunteer presentations at local schools to providing advice to researchers and graduate students to carrying out his own research program. In these activities he has been unflagging in his interest and involvement with research and graduate education at the University of Cincinnati over the 26 yr I have known him. I will briefly share with you some of the many ways Steve has earned our recognition through the Strimple Award. Steve Felton is first and foremost, an astute observer of the complexities and subtleties of Cincinnatian stratigraphy. Early on, I learned about Cincinnatian stratigraphy from Steve. As a newcomer to the region, I was bewildered with the great thickness of seemingly undifferentiated limestone and shale, and wondered how one could ever recognize key horizons. I well remember an early field trip with Steve, a “grand tour” of the Western Hills, on which he pointed out many key outcrops and horizons. It soon became clear to me that Steve had a keen eye for stratigraphic and paleontologic detail, and possessed a vast knowledge of …
The Changing Effects of Nonfarm Business Expansions on Farm Costs

IN 1945 Professor Schultz described the effects of nonfarm business fluctuations on farm prices, production, and income.' His analysis is now widely accepted by the profession. In brief, he found that industrial production and prices received by farmers were very sensitive to business fluctuations, while agricultural production and the prices paid by farmers were quite insensitive. During business cycle expansions, these conditions brought about improvement in farm income; during contractions, farm income declined. While it is true that agriculture still faces the problem of nonfarm business fluctuations, in recent years changes have occurred in the underlying relationships. This note presents the results of a study of the effects of nonfarm business expansions on farm input expenditures. It highlights one set of changes which have occurred and sketches their implications. Method of Study The basic rationale underlying the study is as follows. Since 1940 agriculture has used more and more inputs with prices that are mainly determined by the nonfarm sector of the economy. During expansions in the nonfarm sector of the economy, prices of these inputs have risen. Because the use of these inputs has greatly enlarged relative to the period prior to 1940, the price rises have had a much greater effect on farm input expenditures than in the earlier period. Both current operating expenses and farm capital expenditures were divided into three categories. Inputs which were produced or demanded by the nonfarm sector, were classified as nonfarm inputs. Such inputs are hired labor, and the purchase, operation and repair of motor vehicles and farm machinery. Inputs which were produced and demanded by the farm sector were classified as farm inputs. Livestock and seed were so classified. All inputs produced and demanded by both the farm and nonfarm sectors were classified as mixed inputs. Feed, fertilizer, buildings, and their repair were classified as mixed inputs. Changes in expenditures during expansion years were separated into
Structure and Process in Secret Societies

tion corresponds exactly to Professor Ogburn's promulgation that science will utilize the dull and unitnteresting persons; for science rests on a base of a great deal of long, careful, painstaking work. And many stupid persons can be careful, patient, methodical." But there are problems in which the corporals of research have their uses. Finally, I would repeat that the mnost valuable use of studies of content, not only of radio programs, but also of other media of communication, is in noting trends and changes in content. Systems of classification may be inadequate and unstandardized. Nevertheless, if a system is used consistently over a time period, valuable facts may appear.
Plant cell-wall cross-links by REDOR NMR spectroscopy.

We present a new method that integrates selective biosynthetic labeling and solid-state NMR detection to identify in situ important protein cross-links in plant cell walls. We have labeled soybean ...
MEASURE OF MAXIMAL LEFT VENTRICULAR WALL THICKNESS IN HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY DIFFERS WHEN COMPARING MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Left ventricular (LV) wall thickness is a prognostic marker in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Specifically, prior investigations have demonstrated that LV wall thickness ≥ 30 mm (massive hypertrophy) is independently associated with sudden cardiac death. The presence of massive hypertrophy is
Birth Order and Early Scientific Attainment

Being first born was not related to unusual attainment in a sample of 536 young scientists; evidence was found, however, for a more complex relation of family structure and early creative attainment.
Physical activity level and pattern among adult residents of Jiangxi province

Objective To analyze physical activity(PA) level and pattern among adult residents of Jiangxi Province. Methods The datas of 2010 Jiangxi Provincial Surveillance on Non-communicable Chronic Disease and its Risk Factors were used,3000 objects aged 18 years and older were involved. Results The percentages of low,moderate and high levels of PA were 20.77%,30.33% and 48.90% respectively. 62.57% work-related,28.48% transportation-related and 8.95% leisure exercise-related PA constituted the total amount of PA. Total resting time in a day was 12.73 which were constituted by sitting time(5.05 hours) adding up sleeping time(7.68 hours). Conclusion The PA levels of majority adult residents of Jiangxi Province are moderate and high. The work-related PA was the dominating source of total PA. We should advocate people be favored of leisure exercise than sitting leisure to adjust the structure of total PA.
Life Quality Assessment of People living with AIDS Who Received Antiretroviral Treatment(ART)

Objective To assess the quality of life(QOL) of people living with AIDS(PLWA) who were or antiretroviral treatment(ART).Method A questionnaire survey was conducted among Anhui ART assessment cohort and their neighbors.The questionnaire included basic demographic information and QOL SF-36 form to assess QOL.Results There were 110 PLWAs and their 114 neighbors in the study.The two subgroups were similar in terms of age,gender,family size,occupation,but PLWAs were inferior to their neighbors in terms of marital status,educational level,personal income and family income.The PLWAs had lower QOL scores in all 8 SF-36 fields than their neighbors.The PLWAs and their neighbors had the PSS scores of 47.1±18.5 and 75.9±22.1(t=-10.390,P0.001)and had the MSS scores of 51.3±21.7 and 80.7±19.2(t=-10.484,P0.001).multi-variate regression analysis revealed that group,gender and age were related to PSS,group,gender and family income were related to MSS.Among PLWAs,only viral load level was related to PSS and MSS respectively.Conclusion The study found that AIDS had affected PLWAs and their families,especially on economic status,AIDS had significantly reduced QOL of PLWAs and covered the risk of other factors.Further studies are needed to identify the risk factors of QOL of PLWAs in areas with many former plasma donors.
Explicit Associative Learning and Memory in Synesthetes and Nonsynesthetes.

Most current theories regarding the development of synesthesia focus on cross-modal neural connections and genetic underpinnings, but recent evidence has revitalized the potential role of associative learning. In the present study, we compared synesthetes’ and controls’ ability to explicitly learn shape-color pairings. Using a continuous measure of accuracy and multiple testing blocks, we found that synesthetes learned these pairings faster than controls. In a delayed retest, synesthetes outperformed controls, demonstrating enhanced long-term memory for shape–color associations. Following this retest, participants learned shuffled associations, and we found little evidence for group differences in subsequent learning ability. Overall, our findings support the hypothesis that synesthetes have exceptional associative learning abilities and further specify that this advantage pertains to the initial learning rate and long-term retention of associations.
Detection of false data attacks in smart grid with supervised learning

The threat of false data injection (FDI) attacks have raised wide interest in the research and development of smart grid security. This paper presents a comparative study on the utilization of supervised learning classifiers to detect direct and stealth FDI attacks in the smart grid. A detailed formulation of the problem for detection with classifiers is first described with proper assumptions and justifications. Three widely used supervised learning (SL) based classifiers are chosen to design corresponding FDI detectors. The performance are tested against false measurement data (direct FDI attack) and false state data (stealth FDI attack) on both balanced and imbalanced cases, with consideration of the influence of FDI resources and magnitudes. Simulations on IEEE 30-bus system have shown that the SL based detectors can effectively detect both direct and stealth FDI attacks, especially for the more severe attacks with large amount or magnitude of compromised measurements.
The Original Understanding of 'Property' in the Constitution

Contemporary Supreme Court jurisprudence treats “property” as far less deserving of judicial protection than “life” or “liberty.” The Supreme Court, however, has misread American legal history. Anglo-American traditions, customs, and law held that property was an essential ingredient of the liberty that the Colonists had come to enjoy and must be protected against arbitrary governmental interference. The Framers’ generation believed that “property” and “liberty” were equally important institutions and that neither one could exist without the other. The Framers venerated property as a means of guaranteeing personal independence because (among other things) the concept of “property” embraced the legal rights to which everyone was entitled, such as the right to governance under “the rule of law.” Property was not immune from regulation, but that regulation had to be for the purpose of promoting “the general Welfare,” not the interests of specific groups or people. It is time for the Supreme Court to revisit Anglo-American legal history and to re-examine its precedents in light of what that history teaches.
Non-fucosylated CB CD34+ cells represent a good target for enforced fucosylation to improve engraftment following cord blood transplantation

Abstract Background aims Despite ethnic diversity and ready availability of cryopreserved, human leukocyte antigen–typed cord blood (CB), delayed engraftment remains a significant hurdle to successful CB transplantation. Suboptimal homing of CB hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) to the hematopoietic microenvironment (HM) is thought to be responsible and due to low levels of HSPC fucosylation. Fucosylation (decoration with sialyl-LewisX) may improve HSPC homing to HM by increasing the strength of HSPC/E-selectin interactions, where E-selectin is constitutively expressed by HM microvasculature. Enforced fucosylation of CB HSPCs using fucosyltransferases, increases the rate and magnitude of engraftment in xenogeneic transplant models. However, it is unclear whether endogenously fucosylated and non-fucosylated CB HSPC are qualitatively identical or whether endogenous fucosylation marks a qualitative difference between CB HSPC. If qualitatively identical, non-fucosylated CB HSPCs represent a good target for enforced fucosylation with improved engraftment conferred on an increased number of otherwise qualitatively identical HSPC. If qualitatively different, then conferring engraftment upon a majority, possibly lower “quality,” non-fucosylated HSPCs by enforced fucosylation might inadvertently compromise engraftment. Methods Functional (xenogeneic engraftment, colony-forming unit and selectin-binding assays) and phenotypic analyses of fluorescence-activated cell sorting–isolated, endogenously fucosylated and non-fucosylated CB CD34+ cells were performed. Results Endogenous fucosylation of CB HSPCs exists as a continuum. Endogenously fucosylated HSPCs engrafted more efficiently in a xenogeneic transplantation model than non-fucosylated HSPCs. Outside of the differences in endogenous fucosylation, no other qualitative (functional and/or phenotypic) differences were identified. Discussion The majority of endogenously non-fucosylated CB HSPCs represent a good target for enforced fucosylation with the goal of improving engraftment following CB transplantation.
Galactosialidosis: historic aspects and overview of investigated and emerging treatment options.

Introduction: Galactosialidosis is a glycoprotein storage disease caused by mutations in the CTSA gene, encoding lysosomal protective protein/cathepsin A (PPCA). The enzyme’s catalytic activity is ...