cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ultrastructural organization of the mature spermatozoon of Luidia clathrata (Say) (Echinodermata: Asteroidea)

The sperm of Luidia clathrata are morphologically typical of asteroid sperm. The head is spherical and contains the nucleus and acrosomal complex. The nucleus has an anterior indentation in which rests the acrosomal complex. There is no evidence of a centriolar fossa along the posterior border of the nucleus. The acrosome is a cup-shaped structure containing a less electron dense central region. The periacrosomal material is homogeneous in nature, and the subacrosomal specialization of the periacrosomal materials appear as bands of varying electron density. The middle piece is an annular band of mitochondria which surrounds the proximal and distal centrioles. The centrioles exhibit the typical nine triplet arrangement. Both the centrioles and the axoneme project to one side of the middle piece region. Associated with the distal centriole is an elaborate pericentriolar process.
ClC-3 chloride channel is upregulated by hypertrophy and inflammation in rat and canine pulmonary artery.

1 Cl− channels have been implicated in essential cellular functions including volume regulation, progression of cell cycle, cell proliferation and contraction, but the physiological functions of the ClC-3 channel are controversial. We tested the hypothesis that the ClC-3 gene (ClCn-3) is upregulated in hypertensive pulmonary arteries of monocrotaline-treated rats, and upregulated ClC-3 channel aids viability of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). 2 Experimental pulmonary hypertension was induced in rats by a single subcutaneous administration of monocrotaline (60 mg kg−1). Injected animals developed characteristic features of pulmonary hypertension including medial hypertrophy of pulmonary arteries and right ventricular hypertrophy. 3 Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR), immunohistochemistry and Western immunoblot analysis indicated that histopathological alterations were associated with upregulation of the ClC-3 mRNA and protein expression in both smooth muscle cells of hypertensive pulmonary arteries and in cardiac myocytes. 4 RT–PCR analysis of mRNA, extracted from canine cultured PASMCs, indicated that incubation with the inflammatory mediators endothelin-1 (ET-1), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), but not transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), upregulated ClC-3 mRNA. 5 Adenovirus-mediated delivery and overexpression of ClC-3 in canine PASMCs improved cell viability against increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, range 50–250 μM). 6 In conclusion, upregulation of ClC-3 in rat hypertensive lung and heart is a novel observation. Our functional data suggest that upregulation of ClC-3 is an adaptive response of inflamed pulmonary artery, which enhances the viability of PASMCs against reactive oxygen species. British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 145, 5–14. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706135
Tabletop soft x-ray lasers by fast discharge excitation

We review the progress in the development of ultrashort- wavelength lasers based on discharge excitation. The observation of large soft x-ray amplification in Ne-like Ar at 46.9 nm in a capillary discharge created plasma [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 1476, (1996)] have opened a new path for the development of compact and practical soft x-ray lasers. These results have shattered the earlier perception that discharge- created plasmas are insufficiently stable and uniform for soft x-ray lasing. We report results of a detailed characterization of the capillary discharge Ne-like Ar laser, that include near-field and far-field images of the laser output and the measurement of its spatial coherence. The recent demonstration of lasing in Ne-like S at 60.8 nm in material ablated from a solid target by a discharge is also discussed.
Elastic-plastic behavior of particle reinforced composites influence of residual stresses

Abstract A three-phase self-consistent model is developed for particulate composites consisting of spherical inclusions in an elastic-plastic matrix. The effective properties are estimated for a three-phase geometry that consists of a composite sphere (a spherical inclusion in a spherical matrix shell) embedded in an infinite unknown effective material subjected to axisymmetric boundary conditions at infinity. The matrix material is described by a J 2 flow theory with power law hardening and both isotropic and kinematic hardening descriptions. The effective material is assumed to obey a J 2 flow theory with the hardening determined implicitly through the self-consistent approximation. A Rayleigh-Ritz approximation is used to solve the incremental boundary value problem. The model is used to investigate the effects of processing induced residual stresses on the composite elastic-plastic response. It is shown that residual stresses can lead to significant macroscopic composite hardening and a slight tension/compression asymmetry.
Sentinel node staging of early breast cancer using lymphoscintigraphy and the intraoperative gamma-detecting probe.

Sentinel node staging for breast cancer is increasingly used in place of axillary lymph node dissection but is not yet universally accepted. The problems of nonstandardized methodologies and lack of consensus on the optimum techniques to identify sentinel nodes are being addressed. Complementary use of radionuclide imaging before surgery, intraoperative probe detection, and blue dye have yielded the best reported sensitivities for finding a sentinel node (94%). The importance of imaging is summarized as identifying sentinel node(s), distinguishing sentinel from secondary nodes, guiding surgical incision planning, and facilitating lower doses. The learning curve phenomenon, which applies to the surgeon and the nuclear medicine physician, has been recognized; measures to minimize it are being implemented. Radiation exposure to operating room and pathology personnel is very low; estimates of exposure to the surgeon's hands are 0.2% of the annual whole body dose received by every human being from natural back-ground and cosmic sources.
Programming for Exascale Computers

Exascale systems will present programmers with many challenges. The authors review the parallel programming models that are appropriate for such systems and the challenges that implementations of those models face in an exascale system. They also discuss the feasibility of using existing programming systems, thus preserving the investment in legacy applications, as well as the benefits and likelihood of new programming models and systems.
Assessing the Validity of Clinical Trials

Clinical trials use scientific methods to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of treatments or other interventions. Trials should have both internal and external validity, and a well-conducted randomised controlled trial is considered to be the most powerful tool for evaluating interventions. Systematic error (bias) and random error could threaten the internal validity of trials, and all efforts should be made to minimise these in the design, conduct, and analysis of studies. Careful attention should be paid to issues such as randomisation, allocation concealment, blinding, and sample size. In an internally valid trial, external validity refers to the ability of the results to be generalised to the "real world" population. Issues to consider in determining the external validity of a study include the setting of the trial, the study population, the types of interventions used, duration of follow-up, and the types of outcome and how they were assessed.
Physiological studies of the precedence effect in the inferior colliculus of the kitten

The precedence effect (PE) is a perceptual phenomenon that reflects listeners’ ability to suppress echoes in reverberant environments. The PE is not present at birth and appears only several months postnatal. Recent physiological studies have demonstrated correlates of the PE in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC) of adult animals. The present study extended the same techniques to search for similar correlates in the ICC of kittens during the first postnatal month. Stimuli consisted of pairs of clicks or noise bursts presented from different locations in free field or with different inter-aural differences in time (ITD) under headphones, with an inter-stimulus-delay (ISD) between their onsets. Results suggest that a physiological correlate of the PE, i.e. suppression of responses to the second source, is present as early as 8 days postnatal, and occurs at similar ISDs to those recorded in adult cats. Suppression in kitten neurons varies with stimulus level, duration, and azimuthal position, in a similar manner to that in adult neurons. The age at which correlates of the PE in the kitten can be found precedes the age at which kittens can localize sound sources effectively, and presumably before the age at which they would demonstrate the PE behaviorally. Thus, the neural mechanisms that might be involved in the first stages of processing PE stimuli may be in place well before the behavioral correlate develops.
Appendiceal and peri-appendiceal air at CT: Prevalence, appearance and clinical significance

Abstract Aim: Appendiceal air has been reported as both a sign of appendicitis and of a normal appendix both at plain radiography and computed tomography (CT). It is the aim of this investigation to determine the prevalence, range of appearances, and significance of appendiceal and peri-appendiceal air at CT. Patients and Methods: Appendiceal CT scans of 100 patients with proven appendicitis and 100 patients with a normal appendix were reviewed for the presence of appendiceal and peri-appendiceal air. All cases were correlated with surgical and pathological findings or clinical follow-up. Results: In 100 CT cases of appendicitis, appendiceal and/or peri-appendiceal air was present in one or more forms in 31% of cases. When present, it appeared as intraluminal air bubbles (38.7%) or air-fluid levels (22.6%), appendolith air (41.9%), intramural air (16.1%), peri-appendiceal air bubbles (12.9%), or extraluminal air-fluid level(s) (29.0%). Intramural and extraluminal air correlated with perforation in 60% and 100%, respectively. In 100 CT cases of a normal appendix, air was present in 57%. It was always intraluminal and appeared as small bubbles of air (52.6%), a tubular-shaped air collection (43.9%), or as an air-fluid level (3.5%). The appendiceal lumen was either airless (43%), or minimally (32%), moderately (18%), or completely filled with air (7%). Conclusion: Air is a common finding at appendiceal CT in both the normal and inflamed appendix. Intraluminal air is seen in both appendicitis and normal appendices, and cannot be presumed to indicate a patent lumen and thus a normal appendix. Appendolith, intramural and peri-appendiceal air appear diagnostic of appendicitis.
Multiculturalism and the Willingness of Citizens to Defer to Law and to Legal Authorities

A key problem in trying to manage diverse societies is finding social policies that will be acceptable to all individuals and groups. Studies suggest that this problem may not be as intractable as is often believed, since people's acceptance of policies is shaped to an important degree by the fairness of the procedures used by authorities to make policy. When policies are fairly made, they gain widespread support, even among those who may feel that the consequences of the policy for them or their group are undesirable or even unfair. These findings support an optimistic view of the ability of authorities to manage diverse societies. On the other hand, research suggests that the ability of procedural justice to bridge differences among individuals and groups may not be equally strong under all conditions. People's willingness to accept policies is more influenced by procedural justice judgments when they identify with the society that the authorities represent and view them as representing a group of which they are members. They are less influenced by procedural justice judgments when they identify more strongly with subgroups than with society and/or view the authorities as representatives of a group to which they do not belong.
Outing the conflicted: et tu, NIH?

What should be done when the bastion of public-minded scientific research in the United States is revealed to have hundreds of potential, if not actual, conflicts of interest? According to a series of articles in the Los Angeles Times , some NIH officials have received hundreds of thousands of
Field-like spin torque in magnetic tunnel junctions

We show that the exchange splitting asymmetry between the left and right ferromagnetic leads in non-collinear magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) tunes the bias behavior of the field-like spin torque, T⊥. These results can be understood by our recently derived general expression, which relates the non-collinear T⊥ to the algebraic sum of four independent non-equilibrium interlayer exchange couplings (IEC) solely in collinear configurations.
Control of HIV replication by a novel constitutively active ‘super-PRR’

Background Innate responses are key determinants of the outcome of HIV infection, influencing critical events in the earliest stages of infection. Innate antiviral immune defenses are triggered through the recognition of conserved pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP) motifs within viral products by intracellular pattern recognition receptor (PRR) proteins in infected cells. Type I interferons (IFN a and beta) are induced directly in response to viral infection, resulting in an antiviral state for the cell. Methods A ligand independent constitutively active form of PRR adaptor protein (‘super-PRR’) was constructed and tested for antiviral properties. NF-kb and IFN production by construct was tested by Luciferase reporter assays. The construct was transfected into RAW 264.7 cells, analyzed for surface markers and inflammatory cytokines. RT-PCR was performed to analyze the expression of cytokine/chemokine genes. TZM-bl cells were transfected with plasmid expressing ‘super-PRR’, infected with HIV-BaL virus and beta-galactosidase activity was measured. Results The constitutively active‘super-PRR’ generated 50-fold and 10-fold increase in NF-kb and IFN-beta production respectively as compared to vector alone. There was significant increased expression of CD80, CD86, CD40, CCR7, HLA-DR, secretion of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-a and expression of RANTES, MIP-1beta, IP-10 on transfected RAW cells. TZM-bl cells transfected with ‘super-PRR’ after infection with HIV-Bal virus showed significantly reduced replication of virus. In a transwell experiment, 293T cells transfected with the ‘super-PRR’ was sufficient to significantly reduce HIV-1 infection of TZM-bl cells, suggesting soluble factors are involved. Conclusion This constitutively active form of PRR adapter protein induced potent anti-viral innate immune response and prevented infection with HIV. The modulation of innate immunity has potential as a powerful strategy to complement traditional approaches to HIV therapy by protecting cells from viral infection. We are currently constructing lentiviral vector vaccines encoding this ‘super-PRR’ as a method to target this anti-viral response to the site of HIV-1 Infection.
Gas compressor design and operation

Oil and gas production requires compression of gases involving considerable range of initial inlet and final discharge pressures as well as widely varying volumes. Frequently the applications are further complicated by the gas containing H/sub 2/S or entrained liquids and equipment space/weight limitations imposed by offshore platform designs or semi-portability due to future relocation plans onshore. The manufacturers of compressors, engines and gas turbines have responded to these requirements with a broad selection of power and compressor machinery to make possible an optimum selection for any given installation. This paper facilitates the approach to choosing a proper compressor.
New Anisotropic Strain-rate Potential for Hexagonal Metals

Theoretical description of plastic anisotropy requires the definition of either stress potentials or plastic strain-rate potentials. In general, strain-rate potentials are more suitable for process design. Existing strain-rate potentials (phenomenological or texture-based) are applicable only to the description of the plastic behavior of materials with cubic crystal structure. Very recently, Cazacu et al. [5] have developed an orthotropic strain-rate potential for hexagonal metals. This strain-rate potential is the exact work-conjugate of the anisotropic stress potential CPB06 of Cazacu et al. [6]. In this paper, a fully implicit time integration algorithm for this potential is developed and applied to the description of the anisotropy and tension-compression asymmetry of high-purity α-titanium. The simulation results confirm the improved capabilities of the model over existing strain-rate potentials and the robustness and accuracy of the integration algorithm.
Measuring Material Hardship among the US Population of Women with Disabilities Using Latent Class Analysis

We use data from the 2002 wave of the National Survey of America’s Families to develop and validate discrete measures of material hardship that can be used to examine the difficulties that vulnerable populations such as people with disabilities have in making ends meet. Using latent class analysis, we estimate two measurement models: multidimensional and omnibus. The multidimensional model provides separate estimates for food, medical, and housing and utilities hardship. The omnibus model is a single model of 11 hardship indicators. Results show three distinct classes of food hardship, three classes of medical hardship, and two classes of housing/utilities hardship. The omnibus model reveals eight classes. Both the multidimensional and omnibus models are largely invariant between women with disabilities and women without disabilities, indicating that valid comparisons can be made between these populations using these classes of hardship. These classes can be utilized in further research on the hardship of women with disabilities to inform the development of policies targeted to alleviate the specific forms of hardship experienced by disabled women.
TiIV-mediated reactions between primary amines and secondary carboxamides: amidine formation versus transamidation.

Titanium(IV)-mediated reactions between primary amines and secondary carboxamides exhibit different outcomes, amidine formation versus transamidation, depending on the identity of the TiIV complex used and the reaction conditions employed. The present study probes the origin of this divergent behavior. We find that stoichiometric TiIV, either Cp*TiIV complexes or Ti(NMe2)4, promotes formation of amidine and oxotitanium products. Under catalytic conditions, however, the outcome depends on the identity of the TiIV complex. Competitive amidine formation and transamidation are observed with Cp*TiIV complexes, generally favoring amidine formation. In contrast, the use of catalytic Ti(NMe2)4 (≤20 mol %) results in highly selective transamidation. The ability of TiIV to avoid irreversible formation of oxotitanium products under the latter conditions has important implications for the use of TiIV in catalytic reactions.
Coping with ambiguity and uncertainty in patient-physician relationships: III. Negotiation.

Since beliefs, interests, needs and values vary among individuals, potential for conflict or dispute exists in all areas of human endeavor, including a patient-physician relationship. Conflict- or dispute-resolution requires diligent and directed negotiation, which ideally is amicable, efficient, and sustainable, if the participants acknowledge the identity, individuality, and integrity of all parties involved. In this essay a concept ofprincipled negotiation is extrapolated to a patient-physician relationship and is exemplified by a case study. In addition, the validity of a concept oftract two diplomacy is discussed, relevant from the perspective of strained or fractured primary relationships.
Electron density-functional theory and x-ray structure factors.

For an electronic system, assume that a single-determinant wave function \ensuremath{\Psi} is to be formed from N space orbitals which, in turn, are constructed from M real one-electron basis orbitals ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{1}$,...,${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{M}$. It is shown that N(M-N) is the minimum number of x-ray diffraction data points that are necessary to fix both \ensuremath{\Psi} and the density n uniquely. Moreover, it is shown that N(M-N) is the minimum number of linearly independent products, ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{i}$${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{j}$, that are necessary to fix \ensuremath{\Psi} uniquely from an n. Density-functional theory is invoked to put forth a prescription and formulas for approximating the exact ground-state energy, including correlation effects, and for extracting a meaningful \ensuremath{\Psi} from a ground-state n, even when \ensuremath{\Psi} is not unique. In this context, emphasis is placed upon the Kohn-Sham \ensuremath{\Psi} and its kinetic energy ${T}_{s}$ and upon the universal correlation ${E}_{c}$ and exchange ${E}_{x}$ energy-density functionals. A finite-basis procedure for the approximation of ${T}_{s}$[n] is presented. It is then shown that only ${T}_{s}$[n] and ${E}_{c}$[n] are needed to obtain the exact total ground-state energy from a ground-state n. ${E}_{x}$[n] need not be employed at all. For instance, in Coulomb systems at equilibrium E=-${T}_{s}$[n]+${E}_{c}$[n]-Fdr ${v}_{c}$(r)\ensuremath{\nabla}\ensuremath{\cdot}rn(r), where ${v}_{c}$ is the correlation potential.
Uric acid in wood-eating termites

Abstract Uric acid (UA) was present in termites as assessed by paper and thin layer chromatography, by U.V. spectroscopy, by reactivity with uricase, and by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Specimens of six species (Reticulitermes flavipes, R. virginicus, Coptotermes formosanus, Marginitermes hubbardi, Paraneotermes simplicicornis, and Cryptotermes cavifrons) contained UA in amounts accounting for between 1 and 45% of the termites' dry weight and for between 4 and 69% of the termites' total nitrogen. Almost all of the UA in R. flavipes was associated with fat body tissue. Faeces contained less than 0.2% of its weight as UA. During 15 months of captivity, UA in R. flavipes workers increased from 1.7% to 45.4% of the insects' dry weight at a linear rate of 2.7% per month. Elemental analyses of termites during this period indicated that synthesis of UA occurred, in part, at the expense of some endogenous nitrogen and carbon. Compounds tentatively identified as inosine and kynurenic acid were also present in termite extracts. Results indicate that termites can store large quantities of UA internally, but they do not void the purine in significant amounts despite the lack of detectable uricase activity in termite tissues.
Heart- and muscle-derived signaling system dependent on MED13 and Wingless controls obesity in Drosophila

Obesity develops in response to an imbalance of energy homeostasis and whole-body metabolism. Muscle plays a central role in the control of energy homeostasis through consumption of energy and signaling to adipose tissue. We reported previously that MED13, a subunit of the Mediator complex, acts in the heart to control obesity in mice. To further explore the generality and mechanistic basis of this observation, we investigated the potential influence of MED13 expression in heart and muscle on the susceptibility of Drosophila to obesity. Here, we show that heart/muscle-specific knockdown of MED13 or MED12, another Mediator subunit, increases susceptibility to obesity in adult flies. To identify possible muscle-secreted obesity regulators, we performed an RNAi-based genetic screen of 150 genes that encode secreted proteins and found that Wingless inhibition also caused obesity. Consistent with these findings, muscle-specific inhibition of Armadillo, the downstream transcriptional effector of the Wingless pathway, also evoked an obese phenotype in flies. Epistasis experiments further demonstrated that Wingless functions downstream of MED13 within a muscle-regulatory pathway. Together, these findings reveal an intertissue signaling system in which Wingless acts as an effector of MED13 in heart and muscle and suggest that Wingless-mediated cross-talk between striated muscle and adipose tissue controls obesity in Drosophila. This signaling system appears to represent an ancestral mechanism for the control of systemic energy homeostasis.
Discounting, hierarchies, and the social aspects of biodiversity protection

Among biologists it is generally recognized that market activity is having a devastating effect on the biological world. The current worldwide loss of biodiversity may be of the same order of magnitude as the five mass extinctions which have decimated life on earth during the past 500 million years. One reason for the current crisis is that decisions about resource use are increasingly made from the narrow perspective of market exchange. Decisions made in this context necessarily place a lower value on preservation than those made in a broader social context. Although the phenomenon of discounting generally works against biodiversity conservation, policies may be devised to use discounting to implement land use policies which will take effect in the relatively distant future.
420 THE COURSE OF HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA IN THE VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT INFANT TREATED WITH PHENOBARBITAL

We examined the effect of early phenobarbital therapy on the course of jaundice in 58 infants below 1500g. The study group of 28 infants (BW 1149+/-251g, GA 29.5+7-2.7wks), was treated with a phenobarbital loading dose of 20mg/kg/day at 4.2+/7-3.6 hrs of age, followed by a maintenance dose of 5mg/kg/day for one week. Thirty infants served as controls. Seventeen study and 20 control infants suffered from intraventricular hemorrhage. The results of the comparison showed that treated infants had lower peak serum bilirubin concentrations (7.9+/-1.7 vs 8.6+/7-2.2mg/dl), reached peak SBC levels earlier (92.5+/-50.7 vs 138.0+7-101.1 hrs) and spent less time on phototherapy (5.5+7-2.9 vs 7.5+/-3.S days). In the study group, although peak SBC was similar to that of no IVH infants, the IVH subgroup reached peak SBC later (112.8+/-53.0 vs 61.2+7-25.6 hrs) and spent more time on phototherapy (6.9+7-2.3 vs 3.2+/-2.4 days). Control IVH infants showed similar results with an age at peak of 150.0+7-100.3 vs 114.1+/-101.4 hrs and a duration of phototherapy of 8.8+7-3.7 vs 4.8+7-2.5 days when compared to control infants without IVH. In this group of infants P was effective in reducing the severity of hyperbilirubinemia as indicated by the decreased need for therapy. In addition, the presence of IVH contributed to the hyperbilirubinemia in both treated and control infants.
Zebrafish as a Model System to Study Skin Biology and Pathology

INTRODUCTION Several animal models have been developed to recapitulate the features of specific skin diseases, and such model systems have provided valuable insight into the pathomechanistic details of these diseases. They have also provided useful systems for testing of treatment modalities for a number of conditions. The preferred platform for such model development has been the mouse, often through the development of “knockout” mice or by development of transgenic mice with expression of the mutant genes. Although the mouse models have often demonstrated remarkable similarity to human diseases, mice as a model system have considerable limitations, including relatively long lifespan and high cost of development. Also, the genetic background of the mouse strains can have a major influence on the development of the disease phenotype. In some cases, development of the mouse model is not feasible because of the absence of the corresponding gene in the mouse genome. These considerations, particularly in conjunction with cost-containment issues, have prompted the search for an alternative model system to study skin diseases. In fact, Vanchieri (2001) suggested, “Move over mouse: make way for the woodchucks, ferrets, and zebrafish,” and Lieschke and Currie (2007) said, “Animal models of human disease: zebrafish swim into view.”
Power system simulation software for use in cyberspace

Preliminary version of a power system simulation software package is described in this paper. The design of the software integrated a user-interface with a database and MATLAB routines. The input and output data are stored as EXCEL tables and can be retrieved by the user. The user-interface is developed using VISUAL BASIC and enables the user to select the simulation of interest. The interface presents a smooth transition between the various parts. A number of MATLAB routines including MATPOWER from Cornell University execute power flow and other simulation. The database consists of the standard IEEE test systems. The design is modular in form permitting addition of any other analysis routine developed by the user. The ultimate aim is to make the software available for use in the cyberspace.
Single-Loop System Reliability-Based Design Optimization Using Matrix-Based System Reliability Method: Theory and Applications

This paper proposes a single-loop system reliability-based design optimization (SRBDO) approach using the recently developed matrix-based system reliability (MSR) method. A single-loop method was employed to eliminate the inner-loop of SRBDO that evaluates probabilistic constraints. The MSR method enables us to compute the system failure probability and its parameter sensitivities efficiently and accurately through convenient matrix calculations. The SRBDO/MSR approach proposed in this paper is applicable to general systems including series, parallel, cut-set, and link-set system events. After a brief overview on SRBDO algorithms and the MSR method, the SRBDO/MSR approach is introduced and demonstrated by three numerical examples. The first example deals with the optimal design of a combustion engine, in which the failure is described as a series system event. In the second example, the cross-sectional areas of the members of a statically indeterminate truss structure are determined for minimum total weight with a constraint on the probability of collapse. In the third example, the redistribution of the loads caused by member failures is considered for the truss system in the second example. The results based on different optimization approaches are compared for further investigation. Monte Carlo simulation is performed in each example to confirm the accuracy of the system failure probability computed by the MSR method.
Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway through p75NTR: a common mechanism for the neurotrophin family.

Neurotrophins interact with two distinct classes of cell-surface receptors, the Trk receptor tyrosine kinase family and the common neurotrophin receptor p75(NTR). For many years, the biological role of p75(NTR) remained obscure, being relegated to modulating Trk binding of neurotrophins. Recently, the importance of p75(NTR) as a signaling receptor in itself has become increasingly clear. The signals initiated by p75(NTR) are likely to be as complex as those for the Trk family and probably depend on the cell system in which such signaling is being studied. In this study, all members of the neurotrophin family were demonstrated to be capable of stimulating p75(NTR)-mediated activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family (ERK1,2). This activation is rapid and transient, peaking at 5-15 min, depending on the cell system. The classical MAPK cascade consists of the reaction series Ras-Raf-MEK-MAPK. The p75(NTR)-induced MAPK activation is MEK dependent but Raf independent. This result implies that neurotrophin activation of p75(NTR) results in some cascade (as yet unknown) that bypasses Raf and converges on MEK to result in activation of MAPK. This activated MAPK is then able to translocate to the nucleus. The effect of this MAPK activation on cell survival is dependent on cell type. These results support the concept that signaling from the p75(NTR) receptor is more diverse and extensive than previously believed.
Normality--toward a meaningful construct.

Abstract The term “normal” has become, if it has not already been, a liability to the special language of adult psychiatry. Despite the shaky foundation supporting the use of this term, it is frequently leaned upon as though it designated one of the pillars of psychiatric thought. This paper explores the need for and the neglect of the scientific underpinnings which the widespread employment of the term would seem to presume, and it reports research showing that mental health professionals use the term in a way which allows them to assess and label specific behaviors. This usage is unfortunate in that the term “normal” does not designate a valid construct, nor is there a relevant scientifically meaningful body of psychiatric knowledge from which to proceed in developing an empirically sound construct. It is suggested that much detour research is in order. The appropriate direction of that research is explored.
Heat shock stimulates the release of arachidonic acid and the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotriene B4 in mammalian cells

Heat shock has a profound influence on the metabolism and behavior of eukaryotic cells. We have examined the effects of heat shock on the release from cells of arachidonic acid and its bioactive eicosanoid metabolites, the prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Heat shock (42-45 degrees) increased the rate of arachidonic acid release from human, rat, murine, and hamster cells. Arachidonate accumulation appeared to be due, at least partially, to stimulation of a phospholipase A2 activity by heat shock and was accompanied by the accumulation of lysophosphatidyl-inositol and lysophosphatidylcholine in membranes. Induction of arachidonate release by heat did not appear to be mediated by an increase in cell Ca++. Stimulation of arachidonate release by heat shock in hamster fibroblasts was quantitatively similar to the receptor-mediated effects of alpha thrombin and bradykinin. The effects of heat shock and alpha thrombin on arachidonate release were inhibited by glucocorticoids. Increased arachidonate release in heat-shocked cells was accompanied by the accelerated accumulation of cyclooxygenase products prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2 alpha and by 5-lipoxygenase metabolite leukotriene B4. Elevated concentrations of arachidonic acid and metabolites may be involved in the cytotoxic effects of hyperthermia, in homeostatic responses to heat shock, and in vascular and inflammatory reactions to stress.
Equivalence Scales Based on Collective Household Models

Based on (2002), this paper summarizes how the use of collective models of household behavior can overcome the identification problems associated with the construction and estimation of adult equivalence scales.
Archaeology and the Social Study of Technological Innovation

Prehistoric archaeology, which in the American academic structure is part of anthropology, has always included and continues to include the study of social aspects of technology, particularly of technological innovation. Despite early calls for their inclusion in the field of science, technology, and society, however, archaeologists and their research have not, by and large, been integrated into this new discipline. This article is a renewed appeal for the use of archaeology in studying issues of technology and society. An example drawn from prehistoric Europe illustrates how archaeology can provide a fresh perspective on social aspects of technological innovation, as well as specific data for cross-cultural comparison.
Rate-distortion analysis of variable block size VQ-based motion compensated video codecs

Low bit-rate video compression systems using motion compensation and vector quantization (VQ) have been widely studied. This coding scheme first reduce the temporal correlation through motion prediction then the motion compensated difference images are compressed using vector quantization (VQ). To improve the coding performance, variable block size VQ schemes have been developed. In this approach, the subimage blocks are segmented into homogeneous subregions and vector quantized independently. This form of VQ can be perceived as a component vector quantizer where a signal is decomposed into subsignal or component and individually compressed. The superior performance of this VQ scheme over fixed block VQ has been observed empirically. In this paper, rate-distortion analysis is carried out to provide some insights to the underlying coding gain achieved by this class of VQ for motion compensated video compression systems. >
Surgical treatment of localized gastrinoma within the liver: a prospective study.

Abstract Background: Studies demonstrate that liver metastases of gastrinoma significantly reduce survival. Methods: Since 1982 we have prospectively studied 213 patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. For this report the results of surgery for localized liver gastrinoma were analyzed. Results: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome was diagnosed biochemically in all patients and acid output was controlled with medications. Imaging studies demonstrated liver gastrinoma in 69 patients (32%). Fifty-two had diffuse unresectable disease, whereas 17 (10%) had localized disease. All patients with localized liver gastrinoma and 2 patients with diffuse disease who needed surgery are the subject of this report. Major hepatic lobectomy was performed in 10 patients and wedge resections in 9. Three patients had apparent liver primary gastrinomas and 16 had metastatic disease. Seventeen of 19 patients were able to have all identifiable gastrinoma resected. Extrahepatic tumor was also removed at the same procedure. Extirpation of liver gastrinoma required hepatic lobectomy in 10 patients and wedge resections in the others. Five-year survival was 85%. Five of 17 completely resected patients (29%) remained disease free. Conclusions: Resectable localized liver gastrinoma is rare. Primary liver gastrinomas can occur. Surgical resection of localized liver gastrinoma provides a cure rate similar to that of extrahepatic gastrinoma and an excellent long-term survival. (Surgery 1998;124:1145-52.)
The effects of reinvestment of conscious processing on switching focus of attention

The effects of switching focusing strategies on complex motor skill learning were investigated using a dart-throwing task. Participants were screened for reinvestment of conscious processing by completing the Reinvestment Scale (RS) of Masters, Polman, and Hammond (1993). After an initial baseline phase, two focusing strategies were described. Low and high reinvestors were then asked which of the strategies was used during baseline. Regardless of preference, they were requested to change focus. Novice dart-players used either a nonpreferred internal focus (EI), in which they were asked to concentrate on movements of their body, or a nonpreferred external focus (IE), in which they were asked to focus on the effects of their movements. This procedure produced two separate groups, EI and IE. Those scoring low and high on the RS were separated, thus producing four groups. Participants in the EI high group were the least successful. These results support the findings of earlier studies suggesting that switchin...
Analysis of Recently Identified Prostate Cancer Susceptibility Loci in a Population-based Study: Associations with Family History and Clinical Features

Purpose: Two recent genome-wide association studies have highlighted several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) purported to be associated with prostate cancer risk. We investigated the significance of these SNPs in a population-based study of Caucasian men, testing the effects of each SNP in relation to family history of prostate cancer and the clinicopathologic features of the disease. Experimental Design: We genotyped 13 SNPs in 1,308 prostate cancer patients and 1,267 unaffected controls frequency matched to cases by five-year age groups. The association of each SNP with disease risk stratified by family history of prostate cancer and clinicopathologic features of the disease was calculated with the use of logistic and polytomous regression. Results: These results confirm the importance of multiple, previously reported SNPs in relation to prostate cancer susceptibility; 11 of the 13 SNPs were significantly associated with risk of developing prostate cancer. However, none of the SNP associations were of comparable magnitude with that associated with having a first-degree family history of the disease. Risk estimates associated with SNPs rs4242382 and rs2735839 varied by family history, whereas risk estimates for rs10993994 and rs5945619 varied by Gleason score. Conclusions: Our results confirm that several recently identified SNPs are associated with prostate cancer risk; however, the variant alleles only confer a low to moderate relative risk of disease and are generally not associated with more aggressive disease features.
A technique for knowledge base verification

A technique for detecting inconsistencies in, and incompleteness of, a knowledge base is proposed. The technique is based on modeling a knowledge base using a predicate/transition (Pr/T) net representation. Inconsistency and incompleteness patterns in a knowledge base are then defined with respect to the Pr/T net model and are identified by using a syntactic pattern recognition method. This technique can be included as part of a knowledge acquisition process in any rule-based system. It can detect major types of inconsistencies and incompleteness. The use of the technique can be easily automated. An example of its use is presented. >
Spinal Flexibility and Balance Control Among Community-Dwelling Adults With and Without Parkinson's Disease

Background One area of research that requires further elaboration is the relationship between impairments and functional limitations. By identifying specific contributors to functional limitations, it may be possible to establish intervention strategies, including exercise approaches, that can delay or ameliorate decline in function. The association between impaired spinal flexibility and functional limitations has not been studied in depth. The purposes of this study were to determine (a) the associations between spinal flexibility and functional limitations; (b) the relative contribution of spinal flexibility to specific functional limitations; and (c) how disease state (Parkinson's disease [PD] vs no PD) modified these relationships. Methods Participants included 251 community-dwelling adults, 56 of whom were with diagnosed PD and 195 were without PD or other specific disorders. Measures included spinal flexibility (i.e., functional axial rotation [FAR]) and configuration (i.e., thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis), functional limitations (i.e., functional reach, supine-to-stand time, 10-m walk, and 360 degrees turn). Results Canonical correlation (Can R) demonstrated significant associations between spinal measures and functional limitations (Can R = .488, p = .0001). After controlling for age, gender, race, body mass index, comorbidity, confidence, and depression, a multivariate regression model demonstrated that spinal flexibility contributed significantly to functional reach (R2 = .334 for the overall model, p = .0001). Based on the parameter estimate of 0.026, the results prediet that FAR accounts for a 4.6-inch difference in reach distance between the least and most flexible of the participants. In addition, there were significant differences between almost all measurements for the PD compared with the non-PD participants. Conclusion Results clearly implicate spinal flexibility as a contributor to functional reach, a measure of functional limitation and an established measure of balance control. Further work is needed to determine the extent to which spinal flexibility can be improved and the effect of that improvement on balance.
Un)Healthy Immigrant Citizens Naturalization and Activity Limitations in Older Age

This research argues that immigrants’ political, social, and economic incorporation experiences, which are embedded in individual life course trajectories and heavily influenced by governmental pol...
The Relationship Between Substance Use and Sexual Health Among African-American Female Adolescents with a History of Seeking Mental Health Services

Abstract Background This study examined relationships between substance use patterns and problems and sexual health outcomes among low-income, urban, African-American female adolescents with a history of seeking mental health services. Methods Participants were recruited from outpatient mental health clinics serving urban, primarily low-income youth and families in Chicago, Illinois, as part of a 2-year, longitudinal investigation of HIV risk behavior during which they completed interviews every 6 months (five time points). Girls who completed at least one follow-up interview were invited to participate in a sixth wave of assessment to assess trauma exposure, substance use problems, and sexual risk. The current study ( n = 177) examined the association between sexual risk behavior and substance use problems reported at the most recent interview (ages 14–22) and substance use patterns and sexually transmitted infections (STI) reported at all six times points. Multiple regression examined the combined and unique effects of different patterns of substance use and substance use problems as correlates of sexual risk behavior and STIs. Findings Substance use problems were associated with increased sexual risk behavior and increased likelihood of experiencing STIs. Substance use patterns were associated with sexual risk behavior. Conclusions Results suggest that specific patterns of substance use and substance use problems are important to address in sexual health promotion among low-income, urban, African-American girls with a history of seeking mental health services. Understanding the nuances of these relationships is important in informing how to best serve this vulnerable group of adolescents who experience significant sexual risk and mental health care disparities.
The role of extracellular vesicles in phenotypic alteration of lung cells in pulmonary fibrosis

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease of altered fibroblast-epithelial interaction. In response to stress lung fibroblast shed Thy-1 in the form of extracellular vesicles (EV). Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles that can be released from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) as well. Supernatants from MSC, which contain EV have been shown to promote repair of neonatal lung injury. In this study we aimed to determine the role of EV in phenotypic modification of lung cells. METHODS: Exosomes were isolated from conditioned media of Thy-1(+) and Thy-1(-) rat lung fibroblasts (rfEV), respectively and human mesenchymal stem cells (hmEV) at baseline and after stimulation with Il-1-β and TNF-α. MSC were co-cultured with Thy-1(+) rfEV and Thy-1(-) rfEV. Rat lung fibroblasts (RLF) were cultured with hmEV. RNA was isolated from recipient cells. Species-specific primers were used to evaluate for the expression of myofibroblastic genes in hMSC and RLF. RESULTS: Cytokine-stimulated rfEV induced expression of α-smooth muscle actin, collagen 1, TGF-β and fibronectin-1 in hMSC. This process was independent of whether vesicles were Thy-1 (+) or (-). However, cytokine-stimulated hmEV suppressed expression of myofibroblastic genes by real time PCR in Thy-1(+) RLF. Nevertheless, in Thy-1(-) RLF cytokine-stimulated hmEV promoted myofibroblastic phenotype. Pretreatment of hmEV with RNase did not abolish in vitro effect of EV on target cell gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: RfEV promote acquisition of myofibroblastic genes in MSC in vitro. Effects of stimulated hmEV, released during inflammation can be either protective or detrimental, depending on Thy-1 characteristics of target lung fibroblast.