cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical stress reduces podocyte proliferation in vitro.

Mechanical stress reduces podocyte proliferation in vitro. Background Mechanical stretch, a consequence of capillary glomerular hypertension, is thought to be the common final pathway for glomerulosclerosis in systemic hypertension, diabetes, reduced nephron number and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. However, the effects of stretch on podocyte growth and the mechanisms that underlie this have not been elucidated. Methods Mouse podocyte growth ( 3 H-thymidine, MTT-assay, FACS) was measured following the application of mechanical stretch created by vacuum. The expression of specific cell cycle regulatory proteins was examined by RNAse protection assay and Western blot analysis. Control cells were grown under similar conditions, but were not exposed to stretch. Results Mechanical stretch decreased DNA-synthesis ( 3 H-thymidine incorporation) and cell number (MTT-assay) in podocytes at 24, 48 and 72 hours ( P Cip/Kip/Waf (p21) and p27 Kip1 (p27) within the first 24 hours, and increased the mRNA levels of p57 Kip2 (p57) at 72 hours. To examine the role of p21 in inhibiting proliferation induced by stretch, we studied p21-/- podocytes in culture. Stretch did not reduce proliferation in p21-/- podocytes ( P > 0.05 vs. non-stretched podocytes; P Conclusions In contrast to mesangial cells, mechanical stretch decreases the growth of podocytes. This effect is mediated through the regulation of specific cell cycle regulatory proteins. These events may explain the apparent lack of podocyte proliferation in diseases correlated with capillary glomerular hypertension.
In quest of realism and interactivity for virtual environments

The realism of a computer simulated system for virtual environments often depends heavily on three main components: graphics, behavior, and sound. Thanks to four decades of research in modeling, rendering, and advances in VLSI technologies for graphics hardware, today's game systems are able to render near photorealistic images at interactive rates. To further increase the player's experience and immersion, the recent trend has been on introduction of physics-based simulation and behaviors. However, many computational challenges remain due to the simultaneous quest for sensory realism and performance requirements of these systems. Some of the key research issues include interactive motion synthesis of physically-plausible behavior of soft and articulated bodies, fast simulation of large-scale heterogeneous crowds, and real-time multi-sensory interaction. In this talk, I will present a few highlights of our recent efforts on addressing these problems. I will also demonstrate the results on several interactive applications, including cloth simulation for feature animation, sound rendering for computer games, 3D virtual painting for training and education, catheterization procedure for liver chemoembolization, and crowd simulation for virtual cityscapes. I will conclude by suggesting some research opportunities and applications.
The shallow solar pond energy conversion system

Abstract The concept of a shallow solar pond energy conversion system is presented as an effective way to produce large-scale electric power from solar energy. Water is used both for heat collection and heat storage. Inexpensive layers of weatherable transparent plastic over the water suppress heat loss to the environment. The hot water is stored in an insulated reservoir at night. The stored hot water heats a thermodynamic fluid, probably Freon 11, which drives a turbine and an electric generator. A shallow solar pond system can be built using materials, fabrication techniques and geometries that are presently used on a large scale in U.S. insustry. A 10 MWe plant built in the Southwest would require a total area of about 2 km2 and could provide power for a community or a manufacturing process. The estimated busbar cost of electricity (1975 dollars) for a shallow solar pond system, which could come on line in as short a time as 5–7 yr, is 56 mills/kWh. This cost could be reduced with the development of improved and cheaper plastics and more efficient turbines. Another potentially important use of shallow solar ponds is to provide process hot water, up to the boiling point, for industrial and commercial purposes. Also, a shallow solar pond could provide hot water for the space heating, air conditioning and hot water needs of a community of homes or apartments.
Characterization of saturation effects on digital beam forming radars

This paper studies the effect of saturation on Analog-to-Digital Converters (A/Ds) in Digital Beam Forming (DBF) radars. It proposes two models to evaluate saturation effects. The first is a simplified model for quick calculations and the second a more complete model. Results from both models are presented and compared. Conclusions based on these results show that saturation in DBF radars can cause serious degradation in performance.
Effects of common buffer systems on drug activity: the case of clerocidin.

Two widely used biological buffers [tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) and phosphate] covalently react with the topoisomerase II inhibitor clerocidin, affecting the drug's reactivity profile. Comprehensive analytical and structural analysis obtained by LC/MS, MS/MS, NMR, and IR techniques shows that these buffers form reversible and irreversible adducts through reactions with chemical groups, such as carbonyls, aldehydes, and epoxide. Analysis of the kinetic data on adducts formation suggests two parallel mechanisms for the inhibition of drug activity. The first involves modulation of the reactivity of the epoxide group obtained by elimination of the spiro system and relief of ring strain. This effect does not abolish epoxide reactivity and is more evident for the TRIS adduct, which can count on intramolecular stabilization of the form devoid of the spiro system. The second mechanism involves the slow nucleophilic attack to the epoxide ring, which results in permanent deactivation of the functional gr...
The Interstellar Light Echoes around SN 1987A

The observed light echoes around SN 1987A are modeled by dust in planar clouds roughly 120 and 330 pc in front of the supernova. The expected echo profiles depend on the observed light curve and on the cloud thicknesses. The surface brightness and colors of the echoes are modeled using a mix of silicate and graphite grains appropriate to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The model colors approximately agree with the observed ones. The observed surface brightness suggests that the dust column density in the echo clouds is comparable to the total dust column density in the LMC toward SN 1987A. The model predicts the presence of a narrow ultraviolet echo outside the visual echo; it should be detectable with future ultraviolet observatories and will give information on the supernova near the phase of shock breakout.
POTENTIAL-ENERGY SURFACES AND VIBRATIONAL-SPECTRA OF H5O2+ AND LARGER HYDRATED PROTON COMPLEXES

This article presents calculations of the structure, binding energetics, potential energy surfaces, and vibrational spectra of the H5O ion. The 15-dimensional potential energy surface for the seven nuclei in the ionic complex was computed by pointwise ab initio Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation (MP2) calculations, using the correlation-consistent pVTZ basis set augmented with diffuse basis functions on oxygen. The potential energy surface for the proton-transfer mechanism was investigated, and the effects of surrounding water molecules on the proton-transfer potential energy curve was studied. Density functional calculations for the proton-transfer potential surface are compared to the MP2 results. Geometry-optimized structures, binding energies, and harmonic vibrational spectra of H5O and H9O are presented. The energy-minimum structure of H5O using the augmented pVTZ basis set is of C2 symmetry, whereas for H9O, using the TZ2P basis set, it is of C3 symmetry. The H-bonded OH stretching harmonic frequency of H5O is very low, 913 cm−1, whereas for H9O it is 2927 cm−1. The subspace spanned by the hydrogen-bonded OH distance and the OO distance were used in one- and two-dimensional calculations of the anharmonic vibrational spectrum using collocation methods. The coupling of the OH stretch with the OO vibration causes a redshift and the anharmonicity a blueshift of the OH frequency: the resulting fundamental frequency of the H-bonded OH vibration is 1275 cm−1. Zero-point energies of the proton vibration and pathways for exchange of protons within H5O are discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
High‐frequency haplotypes in the X chromosome locus TLR8 are associated with both CD and UC in females

Background TNF-α and IL-1 have been associated with mucosal inflammation in both CD and UC. Innate immune defects have been associated with CD, specifically CARD15/NOD2. Recently Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) signaling has been shown to enhance generation of both cytokines. Interestingly, TLR8 is located on the X chromosome and IBD has been associated with abnormalities of the X chromosome.
CHELATING RESINS: SORPTION CHARACTERISTICS IN CHLORIDE MEDIA

The chelating resins Dowex A1 and its purified form, Chelex 100, contain the iminodiacetate functional group. The resins can exchange cations from solutions of high pH and anions from low pH solutions. Further, the iminodiacetate functional group provides chelating capability leading to special selectivity for multivalent ions such as Sb(V) and Hg(II). A systematic study of the sorption characteristics of Chelex 100 was initiated in our laboratory. Distribution coefficient values (Kd) were measured for Zn(II), Cd(II), Sn(IV), Sb(V) and Hg(II) as a function of HCl concentration and for Cu(II) and Pb(II) as a function of pH. The results obtained thus far indicate that Sb(V) and Hg(II) have high Kd values in acid chloride solutions. A radiochemical separation procedure was developed for the determination of Hg by neutron activation analysis using sorption onto Chelex 100.
Effect of alcohol consumption on obesity among nonsmokers

Purpose Obesity is recognized as a major public health problem in the U.S. However, the effect of alcohol consumption on obesity is not well understood. This study used data from NHANES III to explore association between overweight, obesity and alcohol consumption in the nonsmoking U.S. adult population. Methods We analyzed data on a total of 8,236 respondents who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Body mass index (weight-kg/height-m2) was derived from measured height and weight data and categorized into: normal weight (BMI 2 ) Overweight (BMI between 25 kg-m 2 and 30 kg-m 2 ), and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg-m 2 ). Alcohol consumption was measured using following measures: history of drinking, quantity of drinks/day, frequency of drinking, average volume of drinks/week, and binge drinking. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to assess relationship between the categorical BMI variable and alcohol consumption. Pregnant women and those with missing information on alcohol consumption were excluded from the analysis. The analysis was adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty income ratio, education, marital status, self-rated health, and leisure time physical activities. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were computed. STATA statistical software package version 8.2 was used to perform all the analyses. Results Mean BMI in this sample of nonsmokers was 26.4 (95% CI: 26.1, 26.7). Approximately 46% of respondents were classified as current drinkers. Current drinkers had lower odds of obesity (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.98) as compared to nondrinkers. Those who reported drinking one or two drinks per day had 0.47 (95% CI: 0.35, 0.64) and 0.60 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.88) times the odds of obesity, respectively. Similarly, the odds of obesity were significantly lower among those who reported drinking less than five drinks per week (AOR) = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.84) and not binge drinking (AOR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.40–0.77). The association between current drinking, average volume of drinking, binge drinking, and obesity were significant only in female respondents. Conclusion Consumption of moderate quantities of alcohol is associated with lower weight. This effect may only be limited to females.
Red Herrings: Looking Back at Apartheid through James McClure's Detective Novels

McClure's Kramer and Zondi detective novels play on issues of race, gender, oppression, and resistance in apartheid-era South Africa while all the time the detectives try to solve the case. While McClure has a devoted readership, reception has been inconsistent. Are the books meant to be ironically critical of a racist cop upholding an illegitimate regime? Are they accurate and sympathetic portrayals of a pair of buddy cops doing their best against the odds? Or are they unreconstructed, violent, racist, and misogynistic indulgences? Part of what makes them intriguing is that they are far from simple fictions but, instead, feed into all of these readings. This is perhaps most clear in The Song Dog, the book McClure wrote last, as apartheid was ending, but set as the first in the series, when apartheid was peaking. This article probes the connections between the moment of.writing and the moment of the narrative and asks how the preauel reveals a range of anxieties about the end ofapartheid, from the clash between the personal and political, to tensions over imposing law and order, to the competition between magical prediction and rational detection. The article argues that the books display not a competen t pair of crime solvers, but detectives whose habitual practice is to misread the situation, the evidence, the body, and the crime as a result of the distortions of the apartheid system that render them unable to see clearly their own implication in the politics of everyday life and the failures of the system itself.
Multidisciplinary approaches in the management of advanced head and neck tumors: State of the art

Purpose of review Head and neck cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity worldwide, with approximately 400,000 new cases per year. Ongoing advances in multidisciplinary management of this complex and multivaried disease process are resulting in improved function, quality of life, and survival. This review presents selected advances in primary research in head and neck cancer during the year 2003. Recent findings Successful management of head and neck cancer now requires a cooperative approach among a broad group of medical disciplines that includes head and neck surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, medical imaging, clinical pathology and lab medicine, social work, nutrition, and others. Translation of continued advances in these fields by cooperative work will continue to yield incremental advances in diagnosis, staging, treatment, follow-up, supportive care, and quality of life. Accordingly, this review aims to include facets of each individual field. Diagnosis and staging continue to evolve with the inclusion of nuclear medicine and in vivo molecular imaging based on the technology of positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomographic scanning. Multimodality approaches remain the forefront of intervention for patients with advanced disease. Facets that continue to be defined and studied include the best treatment order of the three disciplines of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy; the refinement of radiation by altering fraction dose, sequence, and time course; radiosensitization by chemo- and biologic therapy; and the addition of novel, biologically targeted agents to these disciplines. Following from the side effects of these intensive treatments to a functionally critical part of the body are ongoing advances in supportive care and quality of life. Summary Head and neck cancer represents a collection of diseases that, although seemingly united by location and histology, on closer inspection represent a diverse collection of subcategories that often differ in pathogenesis, tumor biology, sublocation within the head and neck region, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and effect on quality of life. Given this complexity, it is not surprising that clinical management is also complicated and requires a cooperative effort among multiple subspecialties. This review of the current standard of care for patients with head and neck cancer aims to assist this diverse group of practitioners in caring for this complex group of patients.
The organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis regulates noradrenaline release in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus.

Abstract Changes in either plasma sodium concentration or arterial pressure can differentially affect hypothalamic neurons. For instance, increases in plasma NaCl concentration decrease noradrenaline release from nerve terminals in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus, while increases in arterial pressure unrelated to an elevation in plasma NaCl enhance noradrenaline release in anterior hypothalamic nucleus. The present study tests the hypothesis that in the rat the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (an osmosensitive area of the brain) detects rises in plasma NaCl concentration and conveys this information to anterior hypothalamic nucleus. The axons projecting from the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis to the hypothalamus were unilaterally cut immediately caudal to organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, and five days later, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenylglycol (the major metabolite of noradrenaline in brain) was continuously monitored in the ipsilateral or contralateral anterior hypothalamic nucleus in response to an intravenous infusion of hypertonic saline. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, the infusion decreased the 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenylglycol concentration by 24±2% in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus contralateral to the lesion, and in control spontaneously hypertensive rats. In contrast, in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus ipsilateral to the lesion, hypertonic saline infusion caused a 58±3% increase in 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenylglycol. These data support the hypothesis that the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis is part of the circuit that transmits information concerning plasma NaCl concentration to anterior hypothalamic nucleus.
Metrics for multivariate power spectra

This paper builds on earlier work in [1] on metrics for power spectral densities (PSD) of multivariable time-series. We present an approach to quantify dissimilarities aimed at optimal prediction and smoothing. Divergence measures are constructed based on the degradation of prediction-error and smoothing-error variances. These induce Riemannian metrics which generalize earlier results for scalar PSD's.
Coseismic deformation of the 2002 Denali fault earthquake: Contributions from synthetic aperture radar range offsets

[1] We investigate coseismic deformation from the 2002 Denali fault earthquake using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) range offsets. Through a cross-correlation technique, we form a range offset map from two radar amplitude images. A profile across the fault at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline shows right-lateral strike-slip and displacement values that agree with predictions from a GPS-based slip model to within the uncertainty of the range offset data. Using a fixed strike-slip/dip-slip ratio taken from geologic measurements, we derive a lateral slip estimate from the range offsets. This slip estimate shows that the largest geologic offset measurement in a region most accurately represents the full slip value. We then invert a combination of the range offsets, GPS data, and geologic surface offset data to solve for the slip distribution on a three-dimensional fault model in an elastic half-space. The combined model displays highly variable slip, with values generally increasing from west to east along the Denali fault, as well as four major patches of high slip on that fault. As expected, the combined model is nearly identical to the GPS-based model outside the SAR coverage area. Within the coverage area, however, the combined model has better constraints and predicts slip values much closer to the geologic measurements. The offset map displays asymmetrical displacements across the fault. We show that a combination of a bending fault, variable slip, and the SAR line-of-sight geometry can explain this asymmetry. We also discuss how fault geometry influences slip and moment release along the rupture.
Remote Sensing as a Tool for Achieving and Monitoring Progress Toward Sustainability

Airborne and satellite remote sensing have enormous potential for facilitating and monitoring the dynamics of intergenerational natural resource management and built environment sustainability. Based on reviews of (1) the development and current state of the science for deploying remote sensing, and (2) capabilities and limitations of the array of archival and real-time remotely sensed resources as tools for attaining and monitoring sustainability, we suggest several "best practices" for incorporating remote sensing within sustainability plans for selected rural and urban ecosystems. We present sustainability indices for case studies relating to sustainable forestry, agriculture, watersheds, and urbanizing areas, as well as a conceptual prototype for incorporating remotely sensed data within a general purpose decision support system that highlights the benefits of multi-temporal historical change detection in monitoring past and ongoing change, and in visualization of alternative future scenarios. Finally, we examine the sustainability of remote sensing technology, itself, with respect to economic pressures, public policy perturbations, systems resilience, biogenic factors and both inadvertent and deliberate anthropogenic impact.
Generalized Adler-Moser and Loutsenko polynomials for point vortex equilibria

Equilibrium configurations of point vortices with circulations of two discrete values are associated with the zeros of a sequence of polynomials having many continuous parameters: the Adler-Moser polynomials in the case of circulation ratio −1, and the Loutsenko polynomials in the case of ratio −2. In this paper a new set of polynomial sequences generalizing the vortex system to three values of circulations is constructed. These polynomials are extensions of the previously known polynomials in the sense that they are special cases of the latter when the third circulation is zero. The polynomials are naturally connected with rational functions that satisfy a second-order differential equation.
Shrub characterization using terrestrial laser scanning and implications for airborne LiDAR assessment

Sagebrush-steppe ecosystems across the United States Intermountain West are experiencing major structural and functional changes. Scientists and managers need effective technologies to understand such dynamic changes across broad spatial scales. We tested the capacity of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to automatically determine structural information of individual shrubs (principally Artemisia tridentata) and shrub canopies in eastern Washington, USA. Because current airborne LiDAR systems have technological constraints that may limit their utility in shrub-dominated ecosystems, we used the TLS data both in their basic form and to simulate high resolution discrete-return airborne LiDAR data with sample densities of 4 and 16 points m−2. Through spatial wavelet analysis we automatically detected the locations of up to 78% of all individual shrubs identified in the field and up to 88% of shrubs with a crown diameter > 1.5 m. Shrub height and canopy cover derived from TLS data were significantly correlated ...
Differential anesthetic-induced opening of calcium-dependent large conductance channels in isolated ventricular myocytes.

Under conditions of low Ca buffering of the pipette intracellular dialyzing solution, the opening of Ca dependent large conductance (∼310 pS) channels (LCCs) was observed in isolated ventricular myocytes using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. With Na-Ca exchange current (INaCa) suppressed by elimination of intracellular and extracellular Na, sustained LCC activity, which is markedly enhanced by caffeine-stimulated Ca release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), was increased by application of the inhalational anesthetic halothane, but not isoflurane. Halothane (0.90 mM in solution) reversibly increased the frequency of LCC openings, fo, by a factor of ∼30 with a concurrent rise in the observed probability of opening, NPo, by a factor of ∼50. The effect of halothane on LCC activation was suppressed by either strong Ca buffering in the whole-cell pipette solution or pretreatment of the myocytes with ryanodine (10 μM) to decrease SR Ca release. In the presence of intracellular and extracellular Na, a transient inward current was evoked by application of caffeine (5 mM) or halothane (1.80 mM) suggesting that Ca release from the SR by either agent can activate INaCa. Our findings are consistent with the notion that halothane, in contrast to isoflurane, causes SR release of Ca. The eventual depletion of SR activator Ca may account, at least in part, for the differential effects of these anesthetics on myocardial tension development.
Trigonometric Approximation of SO(N ) Loops

This paper extends previous work on approximation of loops to the case of special orthogonal groups SO(N), N≥3. We prove that the best approximation of an SO(N) loop Q(t) belonging to a Holder class Lip α , α>1, by a polynomial SO(N) loop of degree ≤n is of order $\mathcal{O}(n^{-\alpha+\epsilon})$ for n≥k, where k=k(Q) is determined by topological properties of the loop and e>0 is arbitrarily small. The convergence rate is therefore e-close to the optimal achievable rate of approximation. The construction of polynomial loops involves higher-order splitting methods for the matrix exponential. A novelty in this work is the factorization technique for SO(N) loops which incorporates the loops’ topological aspects.
Effects of Myelotoxic Agents on Cytokine Production in Murine Long‐Term Bone Marrow Cultures

In long-term bone marrow cultures we studied the effect of the addition of the myelotoxic agents methotrexate (MTX) and ceftazidime (CEF) on the kinetics of cytokine production in the supernatant (SN) and on mRNA expression in the adherent stromal layer. In response to a medium change, a prompt and significant increase in colony-stimulating activity (CSA) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations in the SN occurred, peaking 12 h later. Two macrophage colony-stimulating factors (M-CSF) mRNA of 2.3 kb and 4 kb were identified. In response to the medium change, the 4.0-kb transcript increased significantly six h later. The 2.3-kb transcript expression was stronger than the 4-kb mRNA but did not cycle with medium change. At medium change, IL-6 mRNA was only minimally expressed; then a prompt increase occurred, which peaked six h later. The addition of 500 mg/ml (=915 μM) CEF to the culture caused a dose-dependent suppression of CSA and IL-6 supernatant concentrations and IL-6 and M-CSF mRNA expression. By contrast, 1 μM MTX had minimal effect on cytokine concentrations in the SN following medium change. mRNA expression was, however, suppressed. These results provide insights into the possible mechanisms whereby cytokines lead to increased myeloid cell proliferation following medium change. We also demonstrate that two myelotoxic agents have different effects on cytokine production. This information could be of value in developing rational approaches to the therapeutic use of cytokines in drug-induced neutropenia.
Intensity and task effects on evoked physiological responses to noise bursts.

To compare the sensitivity of a variety of psychophysiological variables to stimulus intensity and attention parameters, we simultaneously recorded EEG, eyeblink, skin conductance, and heart rate responses. Twelve subjects were presented with 50-ms, abrupt onset, white noise bursts of four intensities: 65, 80, 95 and 110 dB SPL. Nineteen stimuli of each intensity were given in random order with ISIs between 12 and 17 seconds. This paradigm was repeated under three randomly ordered task conditions: simple reaction time to the noise bursts, passive sitting, and visual tracking. Response components were evaluated by Principal Components Analysis and peak measurement. Several factors and peaks increased with intensity, including those representing P300 and the Slow Wave. Task also had marked effects on certain components. SCR amplitude decreased rapidly over time, while the amplitudes of P300 and other event-related potentials did not. The findings do not allow the late positive event-related potential components to be classified unambiguously as orienting, defense, or startle responses. Cognitive theories of these components have little predictive power for the observed intensity effects.
Are the laboratory results (phenotype) indicative of a true genotype abnormality

Thrombophilia is the imbalance between the procoagulant systems and the regulatory mechanisms leading to excessive fibrin production and resulting thrombus formation.1,2 These imbalances can be caused by genetic or acquired factors or by a combination of the two.1 However, the process leading to excessive fibrin formation is not as simple as a single factor being disproportionate to the other factors, but rather a multifactorial model, in which many factors interact, leading to the development of thrombosis.1 Therefore, to attempt to determine the correct cause, an assessment of established risk factors must be made.2 Currently, this is an incomplete process because we do not know all of the responsible factors. But we do know several of the major factors.2 One of the main factors analyzed in most assessments is protein S (PS).2 A deficiency of PS seems to be a major contributor to thrombophilia, yet its biochemistry, physiology, and pathobiology are complex.4,5 PS functions as an antithrombotic factor by an activated protein C (APC)-dependent mechanism and an APC-independent mechanism.2,4,6 Its ultimate antithrombotic role is to down-regulate thrombin formation. PS also seems to have a role in fibrinolysis, complement regulation, and other defense mechanisms.6 The importance of any of these mechanisms in vivo is unknown.6 PS is a nonenzymatic cofactor that binds in equilibrium to a large complement protein, C4b-binding protein.6 Only the unbound (or “free”) form of PS has APC cofactor activity on the phospholipid surface to inactivate factors Va and VIIIa.2,4 Thrombophilia is a defined as a “complex disease” in which multiple factors together have a major role in the disease process. Today we understand only the basics of causation of the disease process. There are many ways …
Abnormal expression of p27kip1 protein in levator ani muscle of aging women with pelvic floor disorders – a relationship to the cellular differentiation and degeneration

Pelvic floor disorders affect almost 50% of aging women. An important role in the pelvic floor support belongs to the levator ani muscle. The p27/kip1 (p27) protein, multifunctional cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, shows changing expression in differentiating skeletal muscle cells during development, and relatively high levels of p27 RNA were detected in the normal human skeletal muscles.
Toward good elimination orders for symbolic SAT solving

Fundamentally different from DPLL, a new approach to SAT has recently emerged that abandons search and enlists BDDs to symbolically represent clauses of the CNF. These BDDs are conjoined according to a schedule where some variables may be eliminated by quantification at each step to reduce the size of the intermediate BDDs. SAT solving then reduces to checking whether the final BDD is the zero constant. For this approach to be practical, finding a good quantification schedule is critical. We study the use of a variable elimination algorithm for this purpose, as well as two specific methods for the generation of good elimination orders based on CNF structure. While neither method appears to dominate, we show how one can heuristically select the better using the notion of width. We implement a symbolic SAT solver based on these techniques and evaluate its efficiency and robustness on a set of benchmarks against five other solvers, each having unique characteristics, including winners of the most recent SAT competition.
Tea processing in China, circa 1885: a photographic essay.

At the time these photographs originated in an unspecified location in late-nineteenth-century China, the Chinese had been cultivating tea ( Camellia sinensis ) and processing it for almost two millennia. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, after decades of false starts and ceaseless experimentation, British entrepreneurs in India and Ceylon and the Dutch in Java successfully initiated plantation cultivation, pioneered the mechanized processing of black tea, and launched vigorous advertising campaigns to foster corporate sales worldwide.
Cortical topography of human anterior intraparietal cortex active during visually guided grasping.

Dexterous manual prehension requires successfully transforming sensory representations of an object’s intrinsic spatial properties (e.g., shape) into motor plans for configuring the opposition space of the hand. In macaques, these sensorimotor transformations are accomplished in a circuit connecting the anterior intraparietal sulcus (area AIP) with inferior frontal cortex (area F5ab). Activation in the human anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS) during visually guided grasping suggests a homologue of macaque area AIP. If true, then despite individual variation in cortical topography, visually guided grasping should be consistently associated with focal activation at the junction of the IPS and postcentral sulcus. FMRI was used to test this hypothesis in 14 right-handed adults. Despite substantial variability in IPS topography, a contrast between pincer grasping vs. reaching to complex asymmetrical shapes revealed activation foci at the junction of the IPS and postcentral gyrus in all 14 individuals. This site is likely within the most superior, rostral aspect of Brodmann’s area 40, corresponding to area PF or PDE as defined by von Economo and Koskinas, and area 86 as defined by Vogt and colleagues. In both humans and macaques this region appears to play a key role in visually guided grasping. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Theme: Human motor control Topic: Visually guided grasping
Inmate Rehabilitation Revisited: Using Goffman and Perrow to Explain Constraints on Transformational Technologies in Prison

Informed by the work of sociologists Erving Goffman and Charles Perrow, the author focuses on the perspective that prison inmates are human material that get exposed to transformational technologies (educational and medical). Some constraints (environment and resources) on these technologies are discussed in relation to rehabilitation and recidivism. The emphasis here is on the internal limits of prisons’ ability to transform human behavior and attitude. This, however, is not intended to underestimate the external constraints which, in fact, get discussed throughout this paper. The author agrees with those who believe that the best rehabilitation design is structured around evidence-based programs that prepare inmates for reentry to, and full citizenship in, society.
Artifact-free matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectra of tert.-butyldimethylsilyl ether derivatives of cyclodextrins used for the synthesis of single-isomer, chiral resolving agents for capillary electrophoresis.

Abstract Artifact-free, high-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectra have been obtained for the labile, single-isomer, tert. -butyldimethylsilyl ether derivatives of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins by optimizing the MALDI sample preparation method. 2,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, a 3:1 mixture of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 1-hydroxyisoquinoline, and 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone were investigated as MALDI matrices with methanol and acetonitrile as matrix solvents. Partial-to-complete loss of the tert. -butyldimethylsilyl groups was observed when the commonly used 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid was the MALDI matrix and/or methanol was the solvent, both with and without trifluoroacetic acid as additive. Loss of the labile tert. -butyldimethylsilyl groups was avoided with 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone as MALDI matrix and acetonitrile as matrix solvent. Good ion intensities were achieved for the (M+Na) + and (M+K) + quasimolecular ions in the positive-ion mode. Minor byproducts were observed in some of the samples and the information was used to aid the optimization of the synthetic work.
Uniformitarianism as a guide to rocky-shore ecosystems in the geological record

Literature on Pleistocene and Neogene rocky shores is reviewed from a uniformitarian perspective to assess the fidelity of physical and biological information entrained in the geological record through present-day processes. Coverage by latitude spans tropical to subarctic shores. Variations in paleotopography are illustrated by unconformities between sedimentary accumulations and rocks of igneous or non-igneous origin. Former rocky shores occur across a range of geographic scales that include (i) spot localities, (ii) embayments with continuous transition from exposed outer to protected inner shores, and (iii) entire islands with windward and leeward shores. Differences in rate and mag- nitude of sea-level change affect rocky-shore physiography. Terrace deposits characterize the Pleistocene, but ramp de - posits typify older Neogene shores. On average, species with hard parts account for about 50% of the modern rocky intertidal fauna on a regional basis, regardless of latitude. Biodiversity is highest in mid-latitudes. Fixed organisms with encrusting, wedging, or boring habits (corals, barnacles, oysters, other bivalves, and vermetid gastropods) show high potential for fossilization in growth position. Mobile organisms that cling to rocks (gastropods, crabs, and echinoids) suffer post-mortem transport but may be immured within neptunian dikes or interstices among cobbles and boulders. At best, localized fossil deposits from the Pleistocene reflect <30% of the biodiversity of skeletonized organisms tabulated from modern rocky shores on a regional basis. Uniformitarianism provides little insight into the diversity of soft-bodied organisms (excluding stromatolites) that joined the ecosystem in Precambrian times and the extent to which soft-bodied organisms dominated shore life through later times.
The 3-part of class numbers of quadratic fields

It is proved that the 3-part of the class number of a quadratic field is in general and if has a divisor of size . These bounds follow as results of nontrivial estimates for the number of solutions to the congruence modulo in the ranges and , where are nonzero integers and is a square-free positive integer. Furthermore, it is shown that the number of elliptic curves over with conductor is in general and if has a divisor of size . These results are the first improvements to the trivial bound and the resulting bound for the 3-part and the number of elliptic curves, respectively.
Space Time Block Coding HARQ scheme for Highly Frequency Selective Channels

We proposed a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) packet transmission scheme for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system in a frequency selective fading channel. The scheme combines Alamouti space-time block coding with MIMO-HARQ and single-carrier frequency domain equalization (SC-FDE). It is shown that the technique works in a frequency flat fading channel as well.
THE CIRCUITRY OF V1 AND V2: Integration of Color, Form, and Motion

Primary and secondary visual cortex (V1 and V2) form the foundation of the cortical visual system. V1 transforms information received from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and distributes it to separate domains in V2 for transmission to higher visual areas. During the past 20 years, schemes for the functional organization of V1 and V2 have been based on a tripartite framework developed by Livingstone & Hubel (1988). Since then, new anatomical data have accumulated concerning V1's input, its internal circuitry, and its output to V2. These new data, along with physiological and imaging studies, now make it likely that the visual attributes of color, form, and motion are not neatly segregated by V1 into different stripe compartments in V2. Instead, there are just two main streams, originating from cytochrome oxidase patches and interpatches, that project to V2. Each stream is composed of a mixture of magno, parvo, and konio geniculate signals. Further studies are required to elucidate how the patches and...
Taking International Ethics Seriously

Ethics, American Foreign Policy, and the Third World. By David Louis Cingranelli. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1993. Pp. xii, 250. $45.00 paper.) Morality and American Foreign Policy: The Role of Ethics in International Affairs. By Robert W. McElroy. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992. Pp. xii, 198. $24.95 cloth.) Traditions of International Ethics. Edited by Terry Nardin and David R. Mapel. (Cambridge, New York, Port Chester, Melbourne, and Sidney: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Pp. xv, 326. $54.95 cloth.) The Place of Morality in Foreign Policy. By Felix E. Oppenheim. (Lexington, MA and Toronto: Lexington Books/ D. C. Heath, 1991. Pp. xi, 112. $14.95 paper.)
Comparative mapping of Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere - Three least squares models based on mutual event lightcurves

Observations of Charon transits are used here to derive preliminary maps of Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere. Three models are used to describe the brightness of Pluto's surface as functions of latitude and longitude. Mapping results are presented using spherical harmonic functions, polynomial functions, and finite elements. A smoothing algorithm applied to the maps is described and the validity and resolution of the maps is tested by reconstruction from synthetic data. A preliminary finding from the maps is that the south polar region has the highest albedo of any location on the planet.
Informal Social Control and Crime Events

Informal social control at micro-level places such as addresses, collections of addresses, and streetblocks is a critical factor in understanding crime patterns. Historically, informal social control has been associated with community-level theories such as social disorganization, systemic theory, and collective efficacy. This article reviews several important streams of literature that address the role of informal social control in controlling crime at micro-level places. It begins with opportunity theories such as rational choice, routine activity, and crime pattern theories, which mention informal social control as playing a role in crime control. More detailed treatment of the role of informal social control is offered by theoretical work addressing “eyes on the street” and human territorial functioning. Together, these various theoretical perspectives provide the basis for the specification of mechanisms that reflect how informal social control can prevent crime events. The article explains each theo...
Emergency Neurologic Life Support: Spinal Cord Compression

Acute spinal cord compression (SCC) is the most serious of the diseases of the cord and should be accorded special attention in neurocritical care. Patients with SCC have a combination of motor and sensory dysfunction that has a distribution referable to one, or a few contiguous, spinal levels. Bowel and bladder dysfunction and neck or back pain are usually part of the clinical presentation but are not uniformly present. Because interventions are time-sensitive, the recognition and treatment of SCC was chosen as an ENLS protocol.
Clinical and genetic profile of children with periodic fever syndromes from a single medical center in South East Michigan.

To report a cohort of children with periodic fever syndromes (PFS) from Southeast Michigan. A retrospective review of medical records for patients referred for periodic fever over 5 years. Sixty-six patients including 21 FMF, 15 PFAPA, four TRAPS and one patient with combined HIDS and FMF were included. In addition, 25 patients were categorized as clinical PFS (cPFS) based on their clinical features however their genetic workup was either negative or inconclusive. Majority of the patients with FMF were from Middle Eastern background (88 %), but positive family history was noted in only 55 % of cases. Mean age at diagnosis was 40.8 months with a mean delay in diagnosis of 24 months. Most common MEFV mutations were p.M694V and p.M694I. Four patients with TRAPS were from mixed European descent and age at onset of symptoms was 6, 12, 12, and 84 months respectively. TNFRSF1A sequence variants in the TRAPS patients included p.R121Q (R92Q) and p.C99G (C70G); one patient had a rare occurrence of a concurrent p.V726A/-MEFV mutation. One patient with HIDS and FMF presented with atypical overlapping PFS clinical manifestations and genetic evaluation showed a unique combination of p.I268T/p.V377I MVK mutations and p.E230K/-MEFV variant. All patients with PFAPA group were from mixed European descent, symptoms started at a mean age of 34.6 months with a mean delay in diagnosis of 23.3 months. Symptoms started during infancy in six patients. All patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PFAPA. The mean age of onset of symptoms in cPFS group was 17.2 months. Empiric colchicine and glucocorticosteroids controlled flares in majority of patients with cPFS. No evidence of amyloidosis was found in this entire cohort of 66 patients after a mean of 29.2 months of follow-up. PFS can present with atypical manifestations and should not be excluded based on a negative family history. Concomitant mutations in different autoinflammatory disorders genes can be present and possibly explain atypical manifestations. Various therapies may be considered even if genetic testing is inconclusive or negative.
Inhibiting effects of spermidine derivatives on Trypanosoma cruzi trypanothione reductase.

AbstractTrypanothione reductase is a vital component of the antioxidant defenses of trypanosomes. This enzyme reduces trypanothione, a Ispermidine-glutathione conjugate. The inhibitory effects of several spermidine derivatives on the reduction of trypanothione by Trypanosoma cruzi trypanothione reductase were assessed. Spermidine derivatives containing hydrophobic aromatic substituents were found to be competitive inhibitors of trypanothione reductase. N4-acylated spermidine derivatives were less effective inhibitors than the corresponding N4-alkylated derivatives. The most effective compounds studied were N1, N8-bis(2-naphthylmethyl)spermidine and N4-−(2-naphthylmethyl)spermidine, with Ki values of 9.5 and 108 μ;M, respectively.