cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-term morbidity and mortality after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation with procedural complication: A report from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry

Background Long-term outcomes and predictors of mortality after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation related complication are unclear. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of mortality and hospitalization after complication during ICD implantation and identify predictors of adverse outcomes. Methods We performed a retrospective registry study of Medicare beneficiaries who were first-time ICD recipients enrolled in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry ICD Registry between January 2006 and March 2010. Mortality and hospitalization rates were examined using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Covariates associated with mortality 3 years after ICD implantation complication were investigated. Results The study cohort comprised 136,143 Medicare beneficiaries. Complications during the index hospitalization occurred in 7046 patients (5.18%), and complications within 90 days of device implantation occurred in 10,005 patients (7.34%). In adjusted analyses, complications within 90 days of implantation were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality at 1 year (hazard ratio [HR] 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–1.20; P = .006) and 3 years (HR 1.09; 95% CI 1.05–1.13; P Conclusion Among Medicare beneficiaries, the occurrence of complications within 90 days of ICD implantation was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and all-cause mortality or hospitalization at 1 and 3 years. Patient, procedure, and hospital characteristics associated with mortality at 3 years after implantation were similar regardless of whether acute procedural complication occurred.
Viscoelastic properties of breast masses: A frequency dispersion analysis using acoustic radiation force

Elasticity values reported by shear wave elastography techniques for Breast tissue/mass are a combination of elasticity and viscosity at the frequency with peak shear wave energy; thus, resulting in overestimation of tissue elasticity. To better estimate shear elasticity and to understand the role of shear viscosity in suspicious breast masses at different frequencies, the frequency dispersion of shear wave propagating inside suspicious breast masses is investigated.
Spatial population genomics of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) in New York City.

Human commensal species such as rodent pests are often widely distributed across cities and threaten both infrastructure and public health. Spatially explicit population genomic methods provide insights into movements for cryptic pests that drive evolutionary connectivity across multiple spatial scales. We examined spatial patterns of neutral genomewide variation in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) across Manhattan, New York City (NYC), using 262 samples and 61,401 SNPs to understand (i) relatedness among nearby individuals and the extent of spatial genetic structure in a discrete urban landscape; (ii) the geographic origin of NYC rats, using a large, previously published data set of global rat genotypes; and (iii) heterogeneity in gene flow across the city, particularly deviations from isolation by distance. We found that rats separated by ≤200 m exhibit strong spatial autocorrelation (r = .3, p = .001) and the effects of localized genetic drift extend to a range of 1,400 m. Across Manhattan, rats exhibited a homogeneous population origin from rats that likely invaded from Great Britain. While traditional approaches identified a single evolutionary cluster with clinal structure across Manhattan, recently developed methods (e.g., fineSTRUCTURE, sPCA, EEMS) provided evidence of reduced dispersal across the island's less residential Midtown region resulting in fine-scale genetic structuring (FST = 0.01) and two evolutionary clusters (Uptown and Downtown Manhattan). Thus, while some urban populations of human commensals may appear to be continuously distributed, landscape heterogeneity within cities can drive differences in habitat quality and dispersal, with implications for the spatial distribution of genomic variation, population management and the study of widely distributed pests.
Bringing Something New: Female Jazz Instrumentalists’ Use of Imitation and Masculinity

Creativity is often denied to women, and female jazz instrumentalists have been accused, openly or subtly, of lacking their own innovations. These critiques can reveal the manner in which jazz hist...
Homegrown: Investigating Design Potential of Bacterial Cellulose

Cellulose is one of the most popular natural fibers in the textile and apparel industries. The cultivation of cotton can have negative impacts on the environment. For example, over 20,000 liters of water is needed to produce enough cotton for a single pair of jeans and a T-Shirt (World Wildlife Fund, 2016). Bacterial cellulose is a promising material that has experienced limited application in textiles. The purpose of this piece was to explore different growing containers, drying methods and post growth treatments to improve the tactile properties of bacterial cellulose and explore the apparel potential of this material. The bodice components were air dried and dyed with a water, glycerin, vinegar and beet powder solution. This material feels like vegetable leather to the touch. The skirt and waistband pieces remained undyed and were freeze dried. These skirt pieces are softer to the touch than the vegetable leather.
Association genetics of carbon isotope discrimination and leaf morphology in a breeding population of Juglans regia L.

English walnut (Juglans regia L.) is an economically important crop with > 99% of US walnuts produced in California. Changes in climate and recent drought cycles have raised concerns regarding the future of nut production and responsible water use in California agriculture. Our study used an association genetics approach to characterize ecophysiological traits such as water use efficiency as estimated by carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C), and photosynthetic capacity through foliar nitrogen composition, in important individuals of the Walnut Improvement Program, located at the University of California, Davis. Stable isotope and leaf measurements of 241 mature trees, representing 60 scion genotypes in established orchards were sampled in 2015 and 2016, followed by genotyping with the Walnut Axiom 700 k SNP Array. A mean Δ13C of 21.7‰ (σ: 0.9‰) was calculated for all individuals, as well as a mean nitrogen/leaf area (N/area) of 3.0 gN/m2 (σ: 0.5 gN/m2). A Bayesian analysis utilizing genomic relationships revealed rankings of the most water use efficient accessions as Solano (95-011-16), 67-013 (unreleased cross), and Tulare (67-011). 126,554 SNPs were used in a two-step association genetics approach identifying four loci associated with Δ13C after correction for multiple testing. Investigation of identified loci revealed an annotation on the J. regia genome of protein FAR1-related sequence 5-like, related to abiotic stress response. For uncharacterized markers, homologs were identified in Arabidopsis for two loci, similarly related to drought stress.
Stretchable, skin-conformal microscale surface-emitting lasers with dynamically tunable spectral and directional selectivity

Coherent, monochromatic light sources that can intimately integrate with human body and yet offer state-of-the-art optoelectronic performance will create new opportunities in wearable and implantable electronics for a wide range of applications from personalized health monitoring, light therapy, to three-dimensional sensing and security. Here, we report stretchable, electrically driven surface-emitting microlasers capable of being conformally integrated on soft, curvilinear surfaces of biological tissues and providing wafer-level performance under mechanical and thermal environments relevant to skin physiology. GaAs-based microscale 850-nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers derived from epitaxially grown source materials are integrated on a thin, elastomeric membrane in stretchable and thermally robust configurations enabled by printing-based heterogeneous material assemblies. The resulting stretchable, electrically pumped microlasers offer a stable continuous-wave operation under both uniaxial and biaxial tensile strains up to ∼120% in air as well as on the human skin, where the synergistic choices of mechanical strain and underlying heat-transfer medium provide versatile routes to dynamically control the spectral and directional characteristics of lasing.Coherent, monochromatic light sources that can intimately integrate with human body and yet offer state-of-the-art optoelectronic performance will create new opportunities in wearable and implantable electronics for a wide range of applications from personalized health monitoring, light therapy, to three-dimensional sensing and security. Here, we report stretchable, electrically driven surface-emitting microlasers capable of being conformally integrated on soft, curvilinear surfaces of biological tissues and providing wafer-level performance under mechanical and thermal environments relevant to skin physiology. GaAs-based microscale 850-nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers derived from epitaxially grown source materials are integrated on a thin, elastomeric membrane in stretchable and thermally robust configurations enabled by printing-based heterogeneous material assemblies. The resulting stretchable, electrically pumped microlasers offer a stable continuous-wave operation under both uniaxial and b...
Supercomputing Facilities for the 1990s

Historically, the rate of change within computing technology has always been high relative to other technological areas and for the next five years, change within supercomputing technology will be particularly fast paced. For example, by the mid-’90s: We will see an increase in computational processing and memory capacity by an order of magnitude, Visualization will become an integral part of state-of-the-art supercomputer centers, The transition to UNIX and related developments will result in a common and rich software environment, and Very high-speed networks will be available.
Microscopic Investigation and Modeling of Topically Applied Nanoparticles for Quantitative Molecular Imaging

We present a mathematical model that simulates the behavior of targeted nanoparticles topically applied on tissue surfaces. This model is valuable for optimizing nanoparticle-based imaging methods and accurate quantification of biomarkers.
Beacon Supergroup; Special topics

The sedimentary rocks of the Beacon Supergroup contain a record of the geologic history of Gondwana from the Early Devonian to the Late Triassic. The preceding chapter contains a review of the stratigraphy, some comments about the petrography, and statements about the environment of the deposition of the Beacon rocks. We next consider certain special topics that deserve to be included in the presentation of the Beacon rocks of the Transantarctic Mountains.
Chapter 91 – Advanced Data Encryption

In this chapter we will explore advanced data encryption algorithms. Every engineered system has a flaw, and it is only a matter of time before someone compromises it, thus demanding new innovations by exploring applications from algebraic structures such as groups and rings, elliptic curves, hyperelliptic curves, lattice-based, and quantum physics. In the early 21st century, we witnessed the evolution of classical cryptography into quantum cryptography, a branch of quantum information theory. Quantum cryptography is based on the framework of quantum physics, and it is meant to solve the problem of key distribution, which is an essential component of cryptography that enables securing the data. The key allows the data to be so coded that to decode the data one would need to know the key that was used to code the data. This coding of the given data using the key is known as the encryption, and decoding of the encryption data, which is the reverse step-by-step process, is known as the decryption. Data encryption prevents data from being exposed to unauthorized access and makes it unusable.
Chapter 16 – Nonparametrics: Testing with Ordinal Data or Nonnormal Distributions

Nonparametric methods are statistical procedures for hypothesis testing that do not require a normal distribution (or any other particular shape of distribution) because they are based on counts or ranks (the smallest observation has rank 1, the next is 2, then 3, etc.) instead of the actual data values. These methods still require that you have a random sample from the population, to ensure that your data provide useful information. Because they are based on ranking and do not require computing sums of data values, many nonparametric methods work with ordinal data as well as with quantitative data. In this chapter, you will learn about the one-sample problem (testing the median), as well as the paired and unpaired two-sample problems (testing for a difference).
HPS Accelerated Spectral Solvers for Time Dependent Problems: Part I, Algorithms

A high-order convergent numerical method for solving linear and non-linear parabolic PDEs is presented. The time-stepping is done via an explicit, singly diagonally implicit Runge–Kutta (ESDIRK) method of order 4 or 5, and for the implicit solve, we use the recently developed “Hierarchial Poincare–Steklov (HPS)” method. The HPS method combines a multidomain spectral collocation discretization technique (a “patching method”) with a nested-dissection type direct solver. In the context under consideration, the elliptic solve required in each time-step involves the same coefficient matrix, which makes the use of a direct solver particularly effective. In this chapter is the first in a two part sequence; the first part describes the methodology, the second part presents numerical experiments.
Killer apps: war, media, machine

In Killer Apps, Jeremy Packer and Joshua Reeves analyze the rise of automated killing machines, and the media logics that these technologies involve. Generally speaking, this text coordinates sever...
Predicting Fill Time of a Gravel Extraction Site on a Reach of the Sagavanirktok River, Alaska, Using a Two-Dimensional Model

Abstract During summer 2017, two parallel trenches were excavated in the Sagavanirktok River (located in northern Alaska, United States) to acquire construction material for roadwork on the Dalton ...
Process Model of Public Policy Development of Urban Revitalization

At the present stage, it is not possible to ensure the sustainable development of the country without the application of innovative urban development policies. One of them is the policy of urban revitalization, which is aimed at overcoming the spatial, economic, social, cultural, environmental crisis of the functioning of degraded urban areas. The purpose of the article is to determine the essence of the public policy of urban revitalization and to develop its process model, which will help to understand the sequence of specific actions and principles of relevant activities. The study presents a process model of public policy of the urban revitalization. It reflects the sequence of measures to restore the degraded urban area, as well as the principles to be followed at each stage of the policy and in general. According to the model, the process of public policy of the urban revitalization includes four stages: – preparation for the degraded areas restoration, – development of the urban revitalization program, – implementation of the urban revitalization program, – evaluation of the public policy of urban revitalization. The public policy of urban revitalization is carried out on basic and specific principles. Basic and specific principles should be followed for the effective implementation of the public policy of urban revitalization. Among the basic principles should be noted: subsidiarity, inclusiveness, smart growth, sustainable development. The specific principles of the urban revitalization policy include: – territorially concentrated influence, – integration and spatial synergy, – participation and multilevel locally oriented partnership. Despite the lack of practice in the preparation of urban revitalization programs, the proposed model of public policy of urban revitalization can be implemented in Ukrainian conditions. To accelerate the restoration process of degraded urban areas, it is necessary to regulate the issue of urban revitalization in domestic legislation and create financial mechanisms to support revitalization programs.
Detecting nanoscale perturbations using new forms of optical microscopy

In this talk, I will discuss several new forms of optical microscopy that my group developed in recent years. Our goal was to recover tiny nanoscale features using a conventional microscope. This problem is challenging because of the low signal to noise ratio for such features. In the first method, we introduced the regularized pseudo-phase and used it to measure nanoscale defects, minute amounts of tilt in patterned samples, and severely noise-polluted nanostructure profiles in optical images. We also extended the method to study the dynamics of droplet condensation using environmental scanning electron microscopy. In the second method, we built upon electrodynamic principles (mechanical work and force) of the light-matter interaction and applied it to sense sub-10 nm wide perturbations. In the third method, we introduced the concepts of electromagnetic canyons and non-resonance amplification using nanowires and applied these concepts to directly view individual perturbations (25-nm radius = λ/31) in a nanoscale volume.
Short-term high fat diet alters genes associated with metabolic and vascular dysfunction during adolescence in rats: a pilot study.

Background Diet-induced metabolic dysfunction precedes multiple disease states including diabetes, heart disease, and vascular dysfunction. The critical role of the vasculature in disease progression is established, yet the details of how gene expression changes in early cardiovascular disease remain an enigma. The objective of the current pilot project was to evaluate whether a quantitative assessment of gene expression within the aorta of six-week old healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats compared to those exhibiting symptoms of metabolic dysfunction could reveal potential mediators of vascular dysfunction. Methods RNA was extracted from the aorta of eight rats from a larger experiment; four animals fed a high-fat diet (HFD) known to induce symptoms of metabolic dysfunction (hypertension, increased adiposity, fasting hyperglycemia) and four age-matched healthy animals fed a standard chow diet (CHOW). The bioinformatic workflow included Gene Ontology (GO) biological process enrichment and network analyses. Results The resulting network contained genes relevant to physiological processes including fat and protein metabolism, oxygen transport, hormone regulation, vascular regulation, thermoregulation, and circadian rhythm. The majority of differentially regulated genes were downregulated, including several associated with circadian clock function. In contrast, leptin and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (Hmgcs2) were notably upregulated. Leptin is involved in several major energy balance signaling pathways and Hmgcs2 is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the first reaction of ketogenesis. Conclusion Together, these data describe changes in gene expression within the aortic wall of HFD rats with early metabolic dysfunction and highlight potential pathways and signaling intermediates that may impact the development of early vascular dysfunction.
Mesoscale Infrastructures and Uneven Development: Bicycle Sharing Systems in the United States as “Already Splintered” Urbanism

Public–private transportation megaprojects such as toll roads and rail networks have received attention as expressions of neoliberal urban development processes, but what we call “mesoscale” mobili...
Numerical Wave Analysis for the Line Focus Acoustic Microscope: A Measurement Model

A combined numerical and analytical model for the voltage measured by a line focus acoustic microscope as it scans the surface of a specimen is described. Particular emphasis is placed upon integration of the various parts into the total measurement model. Specimens having surface-breaking and subsurface cracks are considered as are ones coated by a thin film. The scanning acoustic microscope holds out the promise of quantitative measurements of very localized near surface properties, and of surface and near surface defects whose lengths are of the the order of a few microns.
Distinction of deep versus superficial clinical and nonclinical isolates of Trichosporon beigelii by isoenzymes and restriction fragment length polymorphisms of rDNA generated by polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract Fifteen clinical and environmental strains of Trichosporon beigelii were analyzed for similarities by using morphological features, biochemical profiles based on carbon compound assimilation and uric acid utilization, isoenzyme electrophoresis, and restriction fragment length polymorphisms of a segment of genes coding for rRNA expanded with the polymerase chain reaction. The findings suggest that strains that cause invasive disease are distinct from the superficial and the nonclinical isolates and that isolates from the skin and mucosae represent a number of different organisms, including some environmental forms. The study shows that T. beigelii is a complex of genetically distinct organisms and that more than one type is found in clinical samples.
First Year Morphological Evolution of an Artificial Berm at Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Abstract : Maintenance dredging is a common practice in inlets and channels for navigation. As a part of regional sediment management, the dredged material is often used for nearby shore protection. One method is placing sand directly on the adjacent beach. The other is placement of a nearshore berm, i.e., to add sediment to the littoral system and/or act as a breakwater to dissipate wave energy and slow erosion (Allison and Pollock, 1993). Compared to beach fill, berm nourishment may have the advantage of being less costly with more lenient restrictions on the dredged material.
Self-Interest, Reciprocity, and Participation in Online Reputation Systems

Reputation systems are emerging as an increasingly important component of online communities, helping elicit good behavior and cooperation among loosely connected and geographically dispersed economic agents. A deeper understanding of the factors that drive voluntary online feedback contribution is crucial to the long-term viability of such systems and of the online communities that rely on them. This paper contributes in this direction by offering what we believe to be the first in-depth study of the motivations of trader participation in eBay's reputation system. To examine these questions, we analyze data from 51,452 eBay rare coin auctions. We find evidence suggesting that the high levels (50-70%) of voluntary online feedback contribution on eBay are not strongly driven by pure altruism. Rather, we analytically and empirically demonstrate that the expectation of reciprocal behavior from partners increases reputation system participation from self-interested eBay buyers and sellers. We develop a random effects probit model that sheds light on the drivers of feedback submission in individual transactions, and find that participation levels rise, then decline as users accumulate experience within the eBay community.
Genetic analysis of calving date in Miles City Line 1 Hereford cattle.

A model for genetic analysis of calving date was proposed and variance components, genetic trends, and fixed effects for calving date were estimated in the Miles City Line 1 Hereford cattle population. There were 951 pedigree records that predated 1935, when data collection began, and 4,692 subsequent recorded calving dates through 1989. The statistical model included fixed linear continuous effects for inbreeding of calf and inbreeding of dam, discrete fixed effects for year, sex of calf, and age and previous parity of dam, and random sources of variation for individual (calf) and maternal additive genetic effects, and environmental effects of dams, mating groups, and residuals. All effects were estimated simultaneously by derivative-free procedures for REML. Male calves were born 1.58 +/- .40 d later than female calves. Cows failing to wean a calf in the previous year calved 2.81 +/- .81 d earlier than cows that had weaned a calf. Other fixed effects were small. Variance components (d2) were 23.0 for individual additive genetic effects, 5.8 for maternal additive genetic effects, 9.2 for maternal permanent environmental effects, 11.8 for contemporary group effects, and 161.3 for residual effects. Environmental trend was +.17 d/yr and individual additive genetic trend was -.07 d/yr. No maternal additive genetic trend was detected. These results do not encourage the use of calving day as a selection criterion for improving fertility of beef cattle.
Basic corrections to predictions of solar cell performance required by nonlinearities

The superposition principle is used to derive the approximation that the current-voltage characteristic of an illuminated solar cell is the dark current-voltage characteristic shifted by the short-circuit photocurrent. The derivation requires the linearity of the boundary value problems that underlie the electrical characteristics. The shifting approximation is invalid if considerable photocurrent and considerable dark current both occur within the junction space-charge region; it is invalid also if sizable series resistance is present or if high-injection concentrations of holes and electrons exist within the quasi-neutral regions.
Oxygen-dependent upstream activation sites of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytochrome c genes are related forms of the same sequence.

In Sacchariomyces cerevisiae, the two genes, CYC1 and CYC7, that encode the isoforms of cytochrome c are expressed at different levels. Oxygen regulation is indicated by the expression of the CYP1 gene, and the CYP1 protein interacts with both CYC1 upstream activation sequence 1 (UAS1) and CYC7 UAS/sub 0/. In this study, the homology between the CYP1-binding sites of both genes was investigated. The most noticeable difference between the CYC1 and CYC7 UASs is the presence of GC base pairs at the same positions in a repeated sequence in CYC7 compared with CG base pairs in CYC1. Directed mutagenesis changing these GC residues to CG residues in CYC7 led to CYC1-like expression of CYC7 both in a CYP1 wild-type strain and in a strain carrying the semidominant mutation CYP1-16 which reverses the oxygen-dependent expression of the two genes. The authors' results strongly support the hypothesis that the CYP1-binding sites in CYC1 and CYC7 are related forms of the same sequence and that the CYP1-16 protein has altered specificity for the variant forms of the concensus sequences in both genes.
Antiphospholipid antibodies and incidence of venous thrombosis in a cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and the incidence of venous thrombosis (VT) among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: The study population consisted of 678 patients with SLE enrolled in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort. Medical records were reviewed to identify the occurrence of VT prior to cohort entry. During cohort participation, VT was diagnosed by ultrasound or venography. Lupus anticoagulant [LAC, Russell viper venom time (RVVT) assay] and anticardiolipin (aCL, polyclonal assay) status of each subject was determined on a quarterly basis. The Kaplan-Meier approach was used to estimate probability of having a VT over time since SLE diagnosis. The association between the most recently measured values of LAC and aCL on the subsequent risk of VT was estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Counting only first occurrences, the rate of VT was 5.1 cases per 1000 person-years. Of those with a mean RVVT greater than 37 s during followup, an estimated 42% will develop a VT within 20 years of SLE diagnosis [95% confidence interval (CI) 21% to 63%, p < 0.0001 compared to those with lower RVVT]. The immediate risk (hazard) of deep venous thrombosis increased 34% with each 5 second prolongation of the RVVT test, based on the most recent assessment of RVVT, controlling for gender and cholesterol [p = 0.0022, 95% CI 11% to 61%]. Of those with a mean polyclonal aCL greater than 2.3 units, 34% developed a VT within 20 years of SLE diagnosis (95% CI 11% to 57%, p = 0.0097 compared to those with lower aCL). The immediate risk (hazard) of deep venous thrombosis was not significantly associated with the most recent assessment of aCL. CONCLUSION: This large prospective study indicates that patients with SLE are at substantial risk for VT over time. Both the presence of a LAC and of polyclonal aCL are associated with the risk of VT, but LAC is a better predictor of risk than is aCL.
Ca(2+)-independent isoforms of protein kinase C differentially translocate in smooth muscle

It is generally assumed that smooth muscle contraction is dependent on changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i); however, we have previously reported that alpha-agonist-induced contraction of aorta smooth muscle cells can occur in the absence of changes in [Ca2+]i [Collins, E. M., M. P. Walsh, and K. G. Morgan. Am. J. Physiol. 262 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 31): H754-H762, 1992]. The mechanism of this [Ca2+]i-independent contraction is controversial. We have now identified the Ca(2+)-independent protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms epsilon and zeta in ferret aorta and have used digital imaging microscopy to determine their subcellular distribution. At rest, epsilon-PKC is diffusely distributed in the cytosol, whereas zeta-PKC is concentrated in the perinuclear region; both isoforms are excluded from the nuclear space. Agonist stimulation causes a [Ca2+]i-independent translocation of epsilon-PKC to the surface membrane and of zeta-PKC to the intranuclear compartment. In comparison, ferret portal vein cells, which display a totally Ca(2+)-dependent agonist contraction, are lacking in epsilon-PKC but display perinuclear zeta-PKC, which translocates intranuclearly on activation. Thus the Ca(2+)-independent vascular contraction appears to be associated with plasmalemmal translocation of epsilon-PKC; in contrast, the intranuclear translocation of zeta-PKC may function in control of gene expression.
Structure and Function of Ameloblastin as an Extracellular Matrix Protein: Adhesion, Calcium Binding, and CD63-Interaction in Human and Mouse

During the formation of mineralized tissues such as bones and teeth, extracellular matrix proteins exert profound control over biological processes such as cell attachment, growth, differentiation, and mineralization. Many extracellular matrix proteins have been traditionally thought of as structural building blocks serving as templates for mineralization (1) or adding strength to the interstitial tissue between cells (2). Only in recent decades has the functional pleiotropy of the ECM become increasingly obvious, including a multitude of roles other than mechanical support (3). Most prominent among these “other” roles is the involvement of the ECM in integrin signaling, affecting proliferation, differentiation, or cytoskeletal reorganization (4). In this model, crosstalk between integrins, Src-family kinases, and Rho-family GTPases affects a wide range of cellular processes, including adhesion, migration, and mechanotransduction (5, 6). In addition, the ability of the ECM in matrix-dependent signaling is facilitated by its ability to sequester, store and mediate the release of growth factors and cytokines (7, 8). In order to respond to these multiple tasks, singular ECM molecules are often involved in a multitude of functions, ranging from structural support to mineral binding, and from adhesion to signaling (3, 9, 10). Initially introduced as an enamel protein (11–13), ameloblastin (AMBN) is a typical extracellular matrix protein involved in the regulation of adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of ameloblasts (14). Following its initial discovery, ameloblastin expression has now been described to occur in and affect multiple other tissues such as bone osteoblasts (15–18) cementoblasts (17), and periodontal ligament cells (19, 20). A number of potential mechanisms by which AMBN functions as an extracellular matrix protein have been identified, including (i) regulation of Src kinase activity and osteoblast differentiation through CD63 binding to integrin β1 (18), (ii) adhesion to other cells or to the enamel matrix via heparin and fibronectin binding sites (21), and (iii) involvement in mineralization by means of calcium binding sites at the C-terminus of AMBN (22–26). The present study aims to understand the unique functions of AMBN as they relate to cell adhesion, osteoblast differentiation, and calcium binding from a protein structure perspective. To this end, calcium binding and cell adhesion of human (hAMBN) and mouse ameloblastin (mAMBN) were compared in vitro and a number of in silico experiments were conducted to characterize the structure and binding sites of calcium, heparin and CD63 between hAMBN and mAMBN using the ROSETTA software (27–31) and ZDOCK prediction algorithms (32, 33). Together, these studies provide novel insights into the 3D structure and binding domain organization of mammalian ameloblastins.
Acute copper and cupric ion toxicity in an estuarine microbial community.

Copper was acutely toxic to the estuarine microbial community of Middle Marshes, N.C. Under ambient water quality conditions, 10 μg of added total copper [Cu(II)] liter−1 reduced the CFU bacterial abundance by up to 60% and inhibited the amino acid turnover rate (AATR) by as much as 30%. Copper toxicity, however, was a quantitative function of free cupric ion (Cu2+) activity that was not directly related to Cu(II) or ligand-bound copper. By using a nitrilotriacetic acid-cupric ion buffer to control pCu (−log Cu2+ activity), it was found that an in situ pCu of 10.1 was bactericidal, reducing the CFU by 60%, but inhibited the AATR by only about 10%. A bacterial bioassay that was used to estimate the pCu in Cu(II)-treated Middle Marshes samples indicated that less than 0.5% of added Cu(II) was in the free cupric ion form. CFU was a more sensitive indicator of low-level copper stress than was AATR. When tested at different times, native microbial community responses to acute cupric ion stress were quantitatively quite similar even when there were large differences in bacterial abundances and in situ metabolic rates. Variations were observed in response to Cu(II) treatments at different times, but these were likely due to differences in water quality, which would quantitatively influence the distribution of copper complexes that were present. Asymptotic response curves suggest that some degree of copper resistance exists in this community. At a pCu of 8, more than 2 orders of magnitude above the minimum inhibitory level, the CFU was still 5 to 10% and the AATR was about 3% of the control values.
Normalization of Insulin Delivery to Diabetics by Pulsed Insulin Infusion

The objective was to continuously provide insulin to diabetic patients so as to mimic the time course of natural plasma insulin in response to meal ingestion in normal subjects. The normal curve of plasma insulin was well approximated as a double exponential, and this function was used as the output of a mathematical model of the body compartment plasma insulin-clearance system in order to derive an input expression. This input expression was thus the infusion time function needed to produce the desired plasma time function of insulin concentration in diabetics. The infusion function was implemented with a special purpose computer, designed with logic technics, that was then used to drive a servo infusion pump. The system delivered a 4-5-h pulse of insulin, the parameters of which were tailored for each patient's body weight and clearance rate, and with the different required profile for each of the three daily meals. These pulses rode on top of a constant basal infusion rate, the basal rate being delivered only throughout the night hours. The system was successfully tested on a simulated (hydraulic) patient, and then on one of us as a human volunteer., It has since been used with 10 diabetic patients in which the original objective was accomplished with satisfactory clinical results.
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antisperm antibodies in horse serum

Abstract An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed and evaluated to detect equine antisperm antibodies (ASA) in horse serum. Six maiden mares between 12 and 18 mo of age were immunized with stallion sperm cells (SC group, n=2), seminal plasma (SP group, n=2), or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a control (C group, n=2). Horses received a second injection of the same antigen 2 wk after the first. Blood was collected weekly for 10 wk after initial immunization and again at Week 15. Serum ASA levels (IgG and IgA) were measured by ELISA using two assay systems, one containing stallion SC as the plate antigen and another containing SP. In horses immunized with SC, peak IgG levels were detected by ELISA during Wk 2 and 3 after first injection using either plate antigen. The antibody levels persisted through Week 5 and then slowly declined until Week 15. Horses immunized with SP had IgG levels that did not differ from control horses using either ELISA plate antigen. The only significant elevation in serum IgA ASA occured during Week 5 after initial immunization and only in mares immunized with SC as detected by ELISA using SC as the plate antigen. Attachment of ASA to stallion spermatozoa was confirmed by an indirect immunofluorescence assay.
Effect of cell:cell competition and BAFF expression on peripheral B cell tolerance and B‐1 cell survival in transgenic mice expressing a low level of Igκ‐reactive macroself antigen

In mice carrying a synthetic Igκ-reactive superantigen (“κ macroself antigen”), low level expression induced split peripheral B cell tolerance in the sIgκ+ compartment, with striking reductions in follicular and marginal zone (MZ) B cells and the retention of significant numbers of sIgκ+ B-1a but not B-1b cells in the peritoneum. Here, we characterize the transgenic line pKκ with this split tolerance phenotype and assess the effects of B cell competition and the survival cytokine BAFF (B cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family) on peripheral tolerance. In pKκ mice the surviving peritoneal and splenic κ+ B cells were largely lost in mice carrying one copy of the human Cκ exon in place of the mouse version, a maneuver that generates additional antigen non-reactive competitor B cells in this model. Furthermore, overexpression of BAFF suppressed κ-macroself antigen-induced deletion and promoted production of both IgM,κ and IgA,κ antibodies in mice with normal Igκ alleles but not in mice carrying one copy of the human Cκ allele. These findings suggest that BAFF overexpression has minimal effects on the survival of autoreactive B cells in a polyclonal immune system and that B cell:B cell competition plays a potent role in suppressing the survival of B-1 and splenic B cells with excessive autoreactivity.
Identification of α1-adrenoceptor subtypes involved in the antinatriuretic response to intrarenal infusion of phenylephrine

Abstract It is reported that α1-adrenoceptors located in the renal vasculature and renal tubules play a major role in mediating antinatriuretic response to renal nerve stimulation as well as to the infusion of α1-adrenoceptor agonist. In the present study intrarenal infusion of α1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (0.25 μg/kg/min) to Inactin-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats produced approximately 50% reduction in urine output, Na+ excretion and glomerular filtration rate without causing significant alterations in mean blood pressure, heart rate and fractional Na+ excretion. These changes were completely abolished by prior intrarenal infusion of prazosin (0.5 μg/kg/min for 30 min). In separate groups of experiments, the animals received either a selective irreversible α1A-adrenoceptor antagonist, SZL-49 [1-(4-amino-6,7-dimethoxy-2-quinazolinyl)-4-(2-bicyclo[2,2,2]octa-2,5-diene-2-carbonyl)piperazine], or an α1B-adrenoceptor antagonist, chloroethylclonidine, intrarenally prior to phenylephrine infusion. Neither SZL-49 nor chloroethylclonidine alone significantly altered glomerular filtration rate and renal electrolyte excretion. However, SZL-49 (0.15 μg/kg/min), but not chloroethylclonidine (50 μg/kg/min), completely abolished phenylephrine-induced changes in urine output, Na+ excretion and glomerular filtration rate. These results demonstrate that phenylephrine decreases urine output and Na+ excretion, mainly due to a reduction in glomerular filtration rate resulting from activation of α1A-adrenoceptors, and that proximal tubular α1A- or α1B-adrenoceptors do not appear to contribute to this response.
A radioenzymatic method for the determination of tissue 10-formyltetrahydrofolate

Abstract A radioenzymatic method for the detemination of tissue 10-formyltetrahydrofolate is described based on the stable ternary complex formed from methylenetetrahydrofolate, tritiated fluorodeoxyuridylate and thymidylate synthase. Tissue extract 10-formyltetrahydrofolate is deacylated with 10-formyltetrahydrofolate deacylase and the tetrahydrofolate formed is converted to methylenetetrahydrofolate using formaldehyde. Mouse tissue 10-formyltetrahydrofolate levels and their stability to extraction procedures are described.
A simple means of increasing muscle size after spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

This study tested that hypothesis that skeletal muscle within a year of spinal cord injury (SCI) would respond to intermittent high force loading by showing an increase in size. Three males about 46 weeks post clinically complete SCI underwent surface electrical stimulation of their left or right m. quadriceps femoris 2 days per week for 8 weeks to evoke 4 sets of ten isometric or dynamic actions each session. Conditioning increased average cross-sectional area of m. quadriceps femoris, assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, by 20 ± 1% (p = 0.0103). This reversed 48 weeks of atrophy such that m. quadriceps femoris 54 weeks after SCI was the same size as when the patients were first studied 6 weeks after injury. The results suggest that skeletal muscle is remarkably responsive to intermittent, high force loading after almost one year of little if any contractile activity.
Phase II study of ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

This study was to define the efficacy of ifosfamide, mesna, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). From September 1990 to October 1991, 33 patients were treated with ifosfamide/mesna 1.25 g/m2/day and etoposide 80 mg/m2/day intravenously from days 1 to 3, and carboplatin 300 mg/m2 on day 1 every 4 weeks. There were 20 male patients and 13 females. The median age was 65 (range: 38-79). Seventeen patients had a performance status (PS) of 0 or 1, and 16 had a PS of 2 or 3. All had measurable diseases. Nine had initial treatment for localized disease with concurrent radiation, 5-fluorouracil, and interferon-alpha 2b and four had radiation only. None had received chemotherapy for metastatic disease. There were nine partial responses (PR) (27.3%, 9/33) with a median response duration of 8 months (range: 2-16 months). Five patients had stable diseases (SD), which lasted for 3, 6+, 7+, 10+, or 13.4 months. The median survival was 8 months for PR and SD and 4 months for the entire group. Patients with PS of 2 or 3 were less likely to respond (18.8% vs 35.3%) and had a shorter median survival (2.7 months vs 6 months) than patients with better PS. Dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression. Seventeen (51.5%, 17/33) patients developed grade III-IV leukopenia with four septic episodes and three septic deaths. Grade III or IV thrombocytopenia was seen in five patients. Patients with prior radiation were significantly more prone to develop leukopenia (P < .005). Gastrointestinal toxicity was mostly mild. No neurologic or genitourinary toxicity was observed. In conclusion, ICE is active in patients with advanced NSCLC and good PS. Besides myelosuppression, it is well tolerated. Further study is indicated to evaluate if granulocyte-colony stimulating factor can reduce myelosuppression from ICE in good PS patients.
Eosinophil rhythm in splenectomized mice.

SummaryAt several post-operative time points, eosinophil counts were made on tail blood from splenectomized and from sham-operated male Bi mice, kept under standardized environmental conditions. The occurrence of post-splenectomy eosinophilia was noted. Furthermore, the mean eosinophil counts of all of the groups of mice studied were consistently higher by day than by night. In Bi mice and rats the presence of the spleen is not essential for the maintenance of eosinophil rhythm.
Evaluation of a Training to Reduce Provider Bias Toward Pregnant Patients With Substance Abuse

The objective of this article is not to present a scientific or systematic study, but to provide an initial framework for designing a training workshop to enhance health practitioners' (nurses, social workers, physicians, etc.) knowledge regarding substance abuse treatment and to decrease their bias toward substance-abusing women, particularly pregnant women in rural communities. We incorporated the 4 Transdisciplinary Foundations from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Competencies Model, with specific competencies targeted that related to provider bias. After the conference, 52 of the 70 participants completed a questionnaire to self-assess knowledge level and confidence in skill related to substance abuse management. Participant mean scores were statistically significantly higher following the conference than 1 week prior ( p < .001) in the area of "gender difference with substance abuse," moving from an average of 2.6 to 4.5 on a 5-point Likert scale. Our conference was successful in increasing attendees' knowledge about gender difference and substance abuse among pregnant patients.
SPIRONOLACTONE IMPROVES SUBENDOCARDIAL MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION, INCREASES MYOCARDIAL ENERGY SUPPLY, AND REVERSES LV REMODELING IN NONISCHEMIC DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Supply-demand energy imbalance resulting in myocardial “energy starvation” may contribute to the pathophysiology of heart failure in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM). Spironolactone is known to facilitate left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling and hence improvement in NIDCM. Cardiac
Stevens's God is Good. It is a Beautiful Night

(1996). Stevens's God is Good. It is a Beautiful Night. The Explicator: Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 32-34.