cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro differentiation of rat liver derived stem cells results in sensitization to TNFα-mediated apoptosis

Hepatic stem cells are activated after liver damage and have a critical role in tissue homeostasis and repair. Characterization of molecular and cellular events accompanying the expansion and differentiation of liver stem cells is essential for understanding the basic biology of stem cells and for facilitating clinical application of the stem cells. We assessed whether in vitro differentiation of putative hepatic progenitor (rat liver epithelial [RLE]) cells toward hepatocytic lineage affects the response to TNFα-mediated cytotoxicity, a common determinant of liver injury. The data show that 50% of differentiated cells underwent apoptosis after 6 hours of TNFα treatment whereas control RLE cells were resistant. Both cell types displayed mitochondrial depolarization and release of cytochrome c but the TNFα treatment resulted in activation of caspases 9 and 3 and the execution of apoptosis only in differentiated RLE cells. Apoptotic death was associated with increased ROS production and depletion of glutathione. Antioxidants completely prevented both glutathione depletion and apoptosis induced by TNFα in differentiated RLE cells. Conversely, glutathione-depleting agents sensitized control RLE cells to TNFα induced apoptosis. In conclusion, efficient antioxidant defense system involving glutathione renders hepatic progenitor cells resistant to TNFα-mediated apoptosis and acquisition of sensitivity to death stimuli is an implicit feature of the differentiation process. Supplementary material for this article can be found on the HEPATOLOGY website (http://interscience.wiley.com/jpages/0270-9139/suppmat/index.html). (HEPATOLOGY 2004;40:590–599.)
Surface‐induced mineralization: A new method for producing calcium phosphate coatings

Calcium phosphate coatings were nucleated and grown from aqueous solution onto titanium metal substrates via surface-induced mineralization (SIM) processing techniques. This process is based on the observation that in nature organisms use biopolymers to produce ceramic composites, such as teeth, bones, and shells. The SIM process involves modification of a surface to introduce surface functionalization followed by immersion in aqueous supersaturated calcium phosphate solutions. This low-temperature process (< 100 degrees C) has advantages over conventional methods of calcium phosphate deposition in that uniform coatings are produced onto complex-shaped and/or microporous samples. Additionally, because it is a low-temperature process, control of the phase and crystallinity of the deposited material can be maintained.
Fractionation of the Epithelial Apical Junctional Complex: Reassessment of Protein Distributions in Different Substructures

The epithelial apical junctional complex (AJC) is an important regulator of cell structure and function. The AJC is compartmentalized into substructures comprising the tight and adherens junctions, and other membrane complexes containing the membrane proteins nectin, junctional adhesion molecule, and crumbs. In addition, many peripheral membrane proteins localize to the AJC. Studies of isolated proteins indicate a complex map of potential binding partners in which there is extensive overlap in the interactions between proteins in different AJC substructures. As an alternative to a direct search for specific protein-protein interactions, we sought to separate membrane substructures of the AJC in iodixanol density gradients and define their protein constituents. Results show that the AJC can be fractured into membrane substructures that contain specific membrane and peripheral membrane proteins. The composition of each substructure reveals a more limited overlap in common proteins than predicted from the inventory of potential interactions; some of the overlapping proteins may be involved in stepwise recruitment and assembly of AJC substructures.
Conversion of Thyroxine to Triiodothyronine by Cultured Human Cells

Human liver and kidney cells convert 6 to 10 percent of added thyroxine to triiodothyronine in vitro at 37 degrees C. This extent of conversion is ten times greater than that in control studies with killed cells. Conversion is evident within 10 minutes and appears to be maximal within 1 hour. Greater net triiodothyronine formation results if greater amounts of exogenous thyroxine are added to the system, with no plateau evident even at very high thyroxine concentrations. The addition of high concentrations of nonradioactive triiodothyronine resulted in no evident inhibition of the conversion.
A theoretical basis for self-electrophoresis

Abstract Electrical effects are known to have a profound influence on morphogenesis. Experiments on the egg of Fucus have pointed to the establishment of a transcellular electrical current, ‛self-electrophoresis,” as an important step in the intracellular localization processes which seem to control asymmetric differentiation of the egg. We treat the transformation to the self -electrophoretic state as an example of spontaneous pattern formation brought about by a symmetry breaking instability in the state of symmetrically distributed membrane potential. We show that these self-sustaining gradients can exist in systems without inherent asymmetry, and are proposed as an example of Turing's physico-chemical morphogenesis hypothesis. Starting from the continuity and Poisson's equations and using a multiple scaling technique we derive a set of differential equations for the description of macroscopic biological phenomena. These equations comprise a theory that provides the first self-consistent means of predicting a self-electrophoretic state. The differential equations are shown to possess solutions typical of non-linear systems; for example, asymmetric solutions in a simple symmetric model system. The existence of self -electrophoretic (asymmetric) states is demonstrated for physiologically reasonable transport coefficients, concentrations and cellular dimensions.
The effects of vasectomy and excercise on cholesterol levels in rat aortas

The effects of vasectomy and exercise upon esterified, unesterified and total cholesterol in rat aortic tissue was determined. A factorial design with two activity levels (aerobic exercise, sedentary) and three treatments (vasectomy, sham-vasectomy, control) was employed. Vasectomy significantly increased the amount of esterified and total cholesterol in aortic tissue. The vasectomy sedentary group had significantly higher unesterified cholesterol levels than the three exercise groups. Total cholesterol levels were significantly higher for the sedentary groups than the exercise groups. There was no significant difference between exercise and sedentary groups in esterified cholesterol.
Completed DNA sequences and organization of repressor-binding sites in the operators of phage lambda.

We complete the determination of the DNA sequences of the bacteriophage λ operators by presenting two new sequences, one about 38 base-pairs long from the left operator (OL), and another about 42 base-pairs long from the right operator (OR). These were determined by direct DNA sequencing. The results of experiments in which each operator was digested with nuclease in the presence of highly purified λ repressor are also described. From the new sequence information, as well as other considerations, including the results of the nuclease digestion experiments, we conclude that each operator is smaller than previously reported and consists of three repressor-binding sites. The sequence near OR includes part of the repressor structural gene, cI.
Determinants of Effective Caregiver Communication After Adolescent Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Objective To characterize the effects of caregiver mental health and coping strategies on interactions with an injured adolescent acutely after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Multi-site, cross-sectional study. Setting Outpatient setting of 3 tertiary pediatric hospitals and 2 tertiary general medical centers. Participants Adolescents (N = 125) aged 12-17 years, 1-6 months after being hospitalized with complicated mild to severe TBI. Methods Data were collected as part of a multi-site clinical trial of family problem-solving therapy after TBI. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relationship of caregiver and environmental characteristics to the dimensions of effective communication, warmth, and negativity during caregiver-adolescent problem-solving discussions. Main Outcomes Measures Adolescent and caregiver interactions, as measured by the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scales. Results Caregivers who utilized problem-focused coping strategies were rated as having higher levels of effective communication ( P P P P P P Conclusions Problem-focused coping strategies are associated with higher levels of effective communication and lower levels of caregiver negativity during the initial months after adolescent TBI, suggesting that effective caregiver coping may facilitate better caregiver-adolescent interactions after TBI.
The application of biotechnical and epidemiologic tools for pig health

Health maximization is a farm essential because of its implications for animal well-being and for production. Health care in all livestock species is a dynamic, technologically-limited, and resource-constrained enterprise. As in any health endeavor, challenges abound. Fundamentally, the cornerstones of animal health are good husbandry and good housing. Effective health systems, however, incorporate other management aspects, including biotechnology and epidemiology. The degree to which each affects the incidence and severity of pig disease is not fully appreciated. Shortfalls in management, resource allocation, available tools, and/or understanding are not uncommon. This article reviews the dynamics of pig health emphasizing how technology and management marginally affect the course of disease. Further, management techniques that incorporate technology in disease control, elimination, and eradication are reviewed. Antimicrobials are a key biotechnical tool for maximizing pig health.
Lifetime‐citation rates: A mathematical model to compare scientists' work

Under reasonable assumptions a formula is derived to project the number of citations the usual type of scientific research paper will receive. This projection, the paper's life-time-citation rate, is based on the paper's past citations and the regularity of citation patterns. Hypothesis tests of equality of expected lifetime-citation rates per paper and multiple comparisons are also derived. With appropriate precautions comparisons may then be made of the work of scientists in similar fields who have been publishing for different lengths of time. The method is applied to the publications of members of a university department and validated in two ways.
Using activity theory to understand learning design requirements of patient self‐management environments

Learning designs aimed at supporting transformational change could significantly benefit from the adoption of socio‐historical and socio‐cultural analysis approaches. Such systemic perspectives are gaining more importance in education as they facilitate understanding of complex interactions between learning environments and human activity. The current study utilizes a framework based on activity theory to examine the system elements underlying patient self‐management practices. Specifically, Jonassen and Rohrer‐Murphy’s task analysis methodology was adapted and literature reviews, expert interviews, and patient survey data were collected to ground the descriptions of system components. Results from this research will be discussed in terms of their contribution to the identification of design requirements for the creation of patient self‐management and educational environments.
Colony-stimulating factor 1 potentiates lung cancer bone metastasis

Colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) is essential for osteoclastogenesis that mediates osteolysis in metastatic tumors. Patients with lung cancer have increased CSF1 in serum and high levels are associated with poor survival. Adenocarcinomas metastasize rapidly and many patients suffer from bone metastasis. Lung cancer stem-like cells sustain tumor growth and potentiate metastasis. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of CSF1 in lung cancer bone metastasis and whether inhibition of CSF1 ameliorates the disease. Human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were examined in vitro for CSF1/CSF1R. A549-luc cells were injected intracardiac in NOD/SCID mice and metastasis was assessed. To determine the effect of CSF1 knockdown (KD) in A549 cells on bone metastasis, cells were stably transfected with a retroviral vector containing short-hairpin CSF1 (KD) or empty vector (CT). Results showed that A549 cells express CSF1/CSF1R; CSF1 increased their proliferation and invasion, whereas soluble CSF1R inhibited invasion. Mice injected with A549-luc cells showed osteolytic bone lesions 3.5 weeks after injection and lesions increased over 5 weeks. Tumors recapitulated adenocarcinoma morphology and showed osteoclasts along the tumor/bone interface, trabecular, and cortical bone loss. Analyses of KD cells showed decreased CSF1 protein levels, reduced colony formation in soft agar assay, and decreased fraction of stem-like cells. In CSF1KD mice, the incidence of tumor metastasis was similar to controls, although fewer CSF1KD mice had metastasis in both hind limbs. KD tumors showed reduced CSF1 expression, Ki-67+ cells, and osteoclasts. Importantly, there was a low incidence of large tumors >0.1 mm2 in CSF1KD mice compared with control mice (10% vs 62.5%). This study established a lung osteolytic bone metastasis model that resembles human disease and suggests that CSF1 is a key determinant of cancer stem cell survival and tumor growth. Results may lead to novel strategies to inhibit CSF1 in lung cancer and improve management of bone metastasis.
Rock-Dominated Diagenesis of Lacustrine Magnesian Calcite Micrite

Textural and compositional attributes of dolomite and calcite within Lower Cretaceous Peterson Limestone micrite indicate that these phases coprecipitated during stabilization of precursor magnesian calcite in a largely closed diagenetic system. Uniform difference in the isotopic compositions of contained carbonate phases over a range of whole rock compositions reflect equilibrium partitioning of18O and13C between dolomite and calcite. Diagenetic dolomite is enriched in18O by 4.4 o/oo and in13C by 1.8 o/oo relative to co-existing calcite, values which are discemibly different from expected open system mixing trends, and which are in general agreement with high temperature fractionation data extrapolated to sedimentary temperatures as well as with calculated δ18O dolomite-calcite from Holocene dolomites.
LIPS: a lightweight permit system for packet source origin accountability

One of key security issues on the current Internet is unwanted traffic, the forerunner of unauthorized accesses, scans, and attacks. It is vitally important but extremely challenging to fight such unwanted traffic. We need a series of defensive mechanisms to identify unwanted packets, filter them out, and further defeat their associated attacks. In this paper, we propose a lightweight, scalable packet authentication mechanism, named Lightweight Internet Permit System (LIPS), as a first line of defense to effectively filter out the most common forms of unwanted traffic, spoofed and unsolicited packets, such that in-depth security schemes can take care of the remaining issues more efficiently. LIPS is a simple extension of IP, in which each packet carries an access permit issued by its destination host or gateway, and the destination verifies the access permit to determine to accept or drop the packet. LIPS provides preliminary traffic-origin accountability that supports two salient features to confine unwanted traffic: (1) filter out the most common forms of unwanted packets and defeat associated attacks; (2) help us identify compromised hosts/domains such that we are able to build active defense schemes to deal with various attacks through real-time inter-domain collaboration. In this paper, we first present the design and prototype implementation of LIPS on Linux 2.4 kernel, and then use analysis, simulations, and experiments to demonstrate the efficacy of LIPS in protecting critical resources with light overheads.
An observation on the Sommerfeld-integral representation of the electric dyadic Green's function for layered media

The authors discuss the electric dyadic Green's function for layered dielectrics. It is known that for the free-space electric dyadic Green's function, evaluation of the electric field at observation points within the source region requires specification of a principal volume along with the corresponding depolarizing dyad. Special considerations are invoked for layered background media which are appropriate for the electromagnetics of integrated electronics. It is shown that use of the Sommerfeld-integral representation of the electric dyadic Green's function leads to an innate choice for the depolarizing dyad. A corresponding principal volume is subsequently identified; it is demonstrated that there exists an alternative choice for this excluding region which leads to the same depolarizing dyad. >
Carcinoma of the esophagus: Sites of recurrence and palliative benefits after definitive radiotherapy

Abstract Seventy-two patients were studied who had carcinoma of the esophagus treated by radiation therapy. An analysis of sites of failure in both early and late stage patients revealed that control of local disease in Stage I was good; only 25% of patients developed local failure. Two other important sites of failure occurred, i.e. marginal recurrence in the esophagus outside the treatment field (25%) and distant metastases (25%). All local recurrences occurred at doses less than 105 time dose-factor (TDF). In patients with Stage II and III disease 64% of evaluable patients had local recurrences. Palliation of symptoms was achieved in a high proportion of patients. Sixty-three per cent of patients had complete disappearance of symptoms, while a further 21% had partial resolution. Complete resolution of symptoms was achieved in over 75% of patients with lesions
Financial systems, risk management, and entrepreneurship: historical perspectives

Abstract Economic historians find that the most successful economies of history tend to be ones that early in their modern histories developed sophisticated financial systems that subsequently sustained their development and growth. Financial economists are finding the same association of financial development and growth across a wider range of countries and levels of economic development in recent decades. This essay argues that more sophisticated financial systems not only mobilize more capital and allocate capital more efficiently than do less developed systems. By offering more sophisticated methods of managing and reducing risks than primitive financial systems, modern financial systems, perhaps paradoxically, also promote higher levels of risk taking and entrepreneurship.
63 Sex Linked Recessive Hereditary Thrombocytopenia with Immune Globulin Abnormalities. A Form of Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome?

63 Sex Linked Recessive Hereditary Thrombocytopenia with Immune Globulin Abnormalities. A Form of Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome?
Philipp Bozzini (1773–1809) and the Lichtleiter

The first man to invent an instrument intended to illuminate the inner cavities of the human body was Philipp Bozzini, who was born 200 years ago in Mainz on the Rhine on May 25, 1773; he died at the age of thirty-five years on April 4, 1809 (Fig. 1). Endoscopic examinations and operative procedures are an essential part of modern urology. The history of their development recalls the names of many urologists, dentists, and gynecologists from various counkies: Fisher, Desormeaux, Griinfeld, Kelly, Bruck, Segalas, Nitze, Bransford Lewis, Boisseau du Rocher, Leiter, and Albarran are only a few. The instruments, presently used by urologists, are refinements of the cystoscope-prototype of Maximilian Nitze, first demonstrated in 1877.1 The idea of looking into the cavities of the human body by means of a light-conducting instrument is in reality much older than this date. In his "Textbook of Urology," Nitze wrote: "The history of cystoscopy begins with Doctor Bozzini of Frankfort in 1807." 1 However , Bozzini wasno t always acknowledged as the ingenious }nventor he truly proved to be, New documents about Bozzini's endoscopic instrument, the Lichtleiter or "light conductor," as well as a "repositor" for the umbilical cord have been found during recent years. Bozzini is, of course, not a German name. His father, Nicolaus Maria Bozzini de Bozza, a member of a distinguished Italian family, had to leave Italy about 1760 after a fatal duel. 2 He went
Continuity of plurisubharmonic envelopes

Let D be a domain in C. The plurisubharmonic envelope of a function φ ∈ C(D) is the supremum of all plurisubharmonic functions which are not greater than φ on D. A bounded domain D is called c-regular if the envelope of every function φ ∈ C(D) is continuous on D and extends continuously to D. The purpose of this paper is to give a complete characterization of c-regular domains in terms of Jensen measures.
Normal Form Simulation for McCarthy's Amb

This paper presents co-inductive operational theories of program refinement and equivalence, called whnf similarity and whnf simulation equivalence, for the @l-calculus extended with McCarthy's ambiguous choice operator amb. The associated whnf simulation co-induction proof principle is useful for establishing non-trivial equivalences and refinement relationships between programs. Whnf similarity is a pre-congruence and whnf simulation equivalence is a congruence and a conservative extension of the Levy-Longo tree theory for the pure @l-calculus.
The synthesis of phospholipids in the nucleus and nuclear membrane of synchronized HeLa cells.

HeLa cells were synchronized by a double thymidine block and pulse labeled at different stages of the cell cycle with 3H-choline. The specific activity of phospholipids extracted from the cell, the nucleus and the nuclear membrane showed a progressive increase from S to G1; the incorporation of choline into phospholipids of asynchronous cells showed a specific activity intermediate between the values of S and G1 cells. Similar results were obtained when 32phosphorus was used as a precursor instead of choline. Thin layer chromatographic analysis of phospholipids extracted from cells in S and from cells in G1 failed to show any difference in the distribution of radioactivity among the various phospholipid classes. Choline uptake by HeLa cells in different phases of the cell cycle did not show significant variations. However, during the synchronization process, shortly after the addition of excess thymidine, an increased uptake of choline by cells and an increased incorporation of choline into phospholipids were found. The results indicate that some of the changes occurring in phospholipids synthesis may not be cell cycle dependent, but may be the effect of the synchronizing process.
A multibit sigma-delta ADC for multimode receivers

A 2.7-V sigma-delta modulator with a 6-bit quantizer is fabricated in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS process. The modulator makes use of noise-shaped dynamic element matching (DEM) and quantizer offset chopping to attain high linearity over a wide bandwidth. The DEM algorithm is implemented in such a way as to minimize additional delay within the feedback loop of the modulator, thereby enabling the use of the highest resolution quantizer yet reported in a multibit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter of this speed. The part achieves 95-dB peak spurious-free dynamic range and 77-dB signal-to-noise ratio over a 625-kHz bandwidth, and consumes 30 mW at a sampling frequency of 23 MHz. The part achieves 70-dB signal-to-noise ratio over a 1.92-MHz bandwidth and dissipates 50 mW when clocked at 46 MHz.
3-Methyladenine blocks Toxoplasma gondii division prior to centrosome replication

The apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii replicates by endodyogeny, in which replicated organelles assemble into nascent daughter buds within the maternal parasite. The mechanisms governing this complex sequence are not understood. We now report that the kinase inhibitor 3-methlyadenine (3-MA) efficiently blocks T. gondii replication. The inhibition could not be attributed to the effects of 3-MA on mammalian phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and host cell autophagy. Furthermore, we show that accumulation of host lysosomes around the parasitophorous vacuoles was unaffected. Most 3-MA-treated parasites failed to form daughter buds or replicate DNA, indicating arrest in G1 or early S-phase. Some 3-MA-treated parasites displayed abortive cell division, in which nuclear segregation to malformed daughter buds was incomplete or asymmetrical. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of residual body-like structures in many vacuoles, even in the absence of daughter buds. Most treated parasites had otherwise normal morphology and were able to resume replication upon drug removal. 3-MA-treated and control parasites were similar with respect to the extent of Golgi body division and apicoplast elongation; however, treated parasites rarely possessed replicated centrosomes or apicoplasts. These data are suggestive of a generalized blockade of T. gondii cell cycle progression at stages preceding centrosome replication, rather than arrest at a specific checkpoint. We hypothesize that 3-MA treatment triggers a cell cycle pause program that may serve to protect parasites during periods, such as subsequent to egress, when cell cycle progression might be deleterious. Elucidation of the mechanism of 3-MA inhibition may provide insight into the control of parasite growth.
Studies in prebiotic synthesis: VII. Solid-state synthesis of purine nucleosides.

The purine nucleosides (adenosine, guanosine, inosine, xanthosine) are formed when the corresponding purine bases and D-ribose are heated together in the presence of certain salts and minerals. The salts remaining after the evaporation of seawater are particularly effective in these syntheses. The relevance of these reactions for prebiological evolution is discussed.
Affordances as Probabilistic Functions: Implications for Development, Perception, and Decisions for Action

We propose a new way to describe affordances for action. Previous characterizations of affordances treat action possibilities as binary categories-either possible or impossible-separated by a critical point. Here, we show that affordances are probabilistic functions, thus accounting for variability in motor performance. By measuring an affordance function, researchers can describe the likelihood of success for every unit of the environment. We demonstrate how to fit an affordance function to performance data using established psychophysical procedures and illustrate how the threshold and variability parameters describe different possibilities for action. Finally, we discuss the implications of probabilistic affordances for development, perception, and decision-making.
A cell-free electrochemiluminescence assay for measuring β1-integrin-ligand interactions

We have developed a cell-free assay for binding of solubilized beta1 integrins to their physiologically relevant ligands using an electrochemiluminescent detection method. The method utilizes ruthenium-conjugated monoclonal antibodies for detection of either purified integrins or, more conveniently, integrin-expressing cell lysates, which are captured on beads coated with extracellular matrix or vascular ligand proteins. For the interaction of alpha1beta1 integrin with collagen IV, a signal of 10-fold over background was generated with samples containing only 10 ng (0.05 pmol) of integrin. This interaction is cation-dependent and can be inhibited by blocking antibodies to the alpha1 subunit. The method was extended to studies of ligand binding by integrins alpha2beta1, alpha4beta1, alpha5beta1, and alpha6beta1. For each integrin-ligand pair, the specificity of the interaction was verified with neutralizing antibodies against the specific integrin. The specific binding signal correlated with the activating ability of the labeled antibody used for detection, although the ability of divalent cations (Mn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+) to support integrin-ligand binding varied dramatically among the various integrin-ligand pairs. The assay provides a simple method for investigating integrin-ligand interactions without avidity and/or signaling effects which can complicate conventional cell-based assay methods.
3D CFD analysis of subcooled flow boiling heat transfer with hypervapotron configurations for ITER first wall designs

Abstract The need of a high performance CFD simulation to evaluate design accuracies involving subcooled boiling as a local high heat removal scheme makes the use of two-phase flow simulation challenging. This paper addresses the applicability of Bergles and Rosenow nucleate boiling model and Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) methods to ITER FW CFD/thermo-fluid design analysis, in which subcooled boiling in a hypervapotron is considered for the high heat flux removal. Initially, the subcooled flow boiling model adopted in the considered CFD code is evaluated by comparing the calculated wall temperatures with the estimated values that were derived from the empirical correlations. The geometry, volumetric flow rate, and the surface heat flux influence upon the heat transfer enhancement and the predicted wall temperature were then explored and discussed. In the subsequent thermo-fluid design analysis, a complete FW panel subjected to a local high heat flux of 5 MW/m 2 was analyzed.
Tonic accommodation, tonic vergence and surround propinquity

Previous studies have typically assessed tonic accommodation (TA) and tonic vergence (TV) by placing subjects in total darkness. However, a recent investigation demonstrated that even under such apparently stimulus-free conditions, subjects' awareness of the proximity of the adjacent surroundings and overall room topography (i.e. surround propinquity) may still influence the accommodative response. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to measure TA and TV while subjects (n= 34) viewed an illuminated distant target (viewing distance = 6 m) to minimize this propinquity effect. TA was measured using an objective, opentield. infrared optometer under two conditions: first, while viewing the distant target monocularly through a 0.5 mm pinhole, and second in total darkness. Additionally, TV was assessed by determining the heterophoria subjectively while subjects viewed the distant target biocularly through 0.5 mm pinholes. The mean level of TA using the pinhole technique (mean = 0.28 D) was significantly lower than that observed in total darkness (mean = 0.60 D). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation (r= 0.86) was found when comparing the difference between the two TA measurements with the level obtained in total darkness. Those subjects having apparently high levels of TA in darkness exhibited the largest propinquity effect. Thus measurements of accommodation recorded in total darkness are likely to have overestimated both the magnitude and normal range of TA. The mean level of TV was 0.58 metre angle. No significant correlation was observed between TV and either of the two TA measurements. Therefore more accurate assessments of both TA and TV may be obtained by having subjects view distant targets while placing both the accommodation and vergence systems under open-loop conditions.
Toward a new definition of ‘refugee’: is the 1951 convention out of date?

Definitions, by necessity, may change or need to be changed to accommodate situations that arise. The United Nations recognized that the emergence of new refugee situations required changes in the Convention. These changes were codified in the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. The issue of what constitutes a ‘refugee’ has been changing over time. As new classifications of refugees develop, there needs to be changes in the definition of what is a refugee. There has been a growing consensus in the international arena to recognize those displaced by environmental causes. We need to take steps to develop an inclusive definition of refugee that includes those displaced by environmental causes.
3373 Acute middle gastrointestinal bleeding: diagnostic implications and cost analysis.

Separating traditional acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding into small bowel bleeding (middle gastrointestinal bleeding, MGIB) and colonic bleeding (CB) has helped delineate unique characteristics of bleeding from the two locations. In order to further characterize acute MGIB, clinical characteristics, in-patient work-up and hospital costs incurred were compared between consecutive patients diagnosed with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), MGIB and CB. Patients with MGIB were identified by nuclear medicine scans and angiography records, and corroborated with endoscopy and inpatient records over a 4-year period. Matching numbers of consecutive patients with UGIB and LGIB formed the comparison groups, identified from interrogation of the endoscopy database. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients with MGIB (15F/14M, mean age 68.6 ± 2.4 yr) were identified between 1995 and 1998. The comparison groups consisted of 29 patients with UGIB (13F/16M, mean age 58.3 ± 4.0 yr), and 29 patients with CB (13F/16M, mean age 70.3 ± 2.3 yr). Presentation of MGIB was indistinguishable from other bleeding sites, with stool color resembling bright- or dark-red blood in 41%, melena in 18%, and maroon stool in 41%. Patients with MGIB had a significantly higher in-hospital morbidity requiring longer hospital stays, and incurring significantly higher costs while in hospital, compared to CB or UGIB (p 3 diagnostic procedures, compared to 0% of patients with UGIB and 14% of CB (p 3 diagnostic procedures in the localization of an acute bleeding source should increase the index of suspicion for a small bowel bleeding source, 3) Since presentation can be identical to CB or UGIB, early identification of a potential small bowel bleeding source may help improve the diagnostic outcome while decreasing the cost of hospitalization.
Studying Muons and Atmospheric Neutrinos with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

High energy muons and neutrinos are produced by the interaction of primary cosmic rays in the Earth's upper atmosphere. These primary interactions produce mesons which decay into muons and neutrinos. SNO is in a unique position amongst world experiments located underground. At the depth of over 6 km water equivalent, it is the deepest underground laboratory currently in operation. SNO can make a number of important measurements using muons. First, SNO is sensitive to the downward muon rate coming from primary cosmic ray interactions. Second, SNO's depth allows for a measurement of atmospheric neutrinos (via the detection of neutrino-induced muons) at inclinations as large as cos ( θ zenith ) ≃ 0.4 . Although SNO is a modest-size Cherenkov detector, its unique niche allows it to make important model-independent checks of atmospheric neutrino oscillations as well as measurements for cosmic rays and muon spallation.
Vibration diagnosis and remediation design for an x-ray optics stitching interferometer system

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) x-ray optics Metrology Laboratory currently operates a small-aperture Wyko laser interferometer in a stitching configuration. While the stitching configuration allows for easier surface characterization of long x-ray substrates and mirrors, the addition of mechanical components for optic element translation can compromise the ultimate measurement performance of the interferometer. A program of experimental vibration measurements, quantifying the laboratory vibration environment and identifying interferometer support-system behavior, has been conducted. Insight gained from the ambient vibration assessment and modal analysis has guided the development of a remediation technique. Discussion of the problem diagnosis and possible solutions are presented in this paper.
Protein Kinase Cβ Modulates Ligand-induced Cell Surface Death Receptor Accumulation A MECHANISTIC BASIS FOR ENZASTAURIN-DEATH LIGAND SYNERGY

Although treatment with the protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) is known to protect a subset of cells from induction of apoptosis by death ligands such as Fas ligand and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, the mechanism of this protection is unknown. This study demonstrated that protection in short term apoptosis assays and long term proliferation assays was maximal when Jurkat or HL-60 human leukemia cells were treated with 2-5 nm PMA. Immunoblotting demonstrated that multiple PKC isoforms, including PKCalpha, PKCbeta, PKCepsilon, and PKC, translocated from the cytosol to a membrane-bound fraction at these PMA concentrations. When the ability of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) constructs that specifically down-regulated each of these isoforms was examined, PKCbeta shRNA uniquely reversed PMA-induced protection against cell death. The PKCbeta-selective small molecule inhibitor enzastaurin had a similar effect. Although mass spectrometry suggested that Fas is phosphorylated on a number of serines and threonines, mutation of these sites individually or collectively had no effect on Fas-mediated death signaling or PMA protection. Further experiments demonstrated that PMA diminished ligand-induced cell surface accumulation of Fas and DR5, and PKCbeta shRNA or enzastaurin reversed this effect. Moreover, enzastaurin sensitized a variety of human tumor cell lines and clinical acute myelogenous leukemia isolates, which express abundant PKCbeta, to tumor necrosis factor-alpha related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced death in the absence of PMA. Collectively, these results identify a specific PKC isoform that modulates death receptor-mediated cytotoxicity as well as a small molecule inhibitor that mitigates the inhibitory effects of PKC activation on ligand-induced death receptor trafficking and cell death.
Developmental changes in duodenal calcium transport in female rats related to ovarian hormone status and growth rate

Abstract Duodenal active calcium (Ca) transport is known to decrease with age in male rats. The present studies were undertaken to extend this observation to female rats, and to determine whether alterations in active Ca transport are related to sexual maturation in the female. Everted duodenal sacs from intact and ovariectomized (ovx) rats were used to measure duodenal active Ca transport. Female rats were raised from weaning, and Ca transport was measured at 2-week intervals until 12 weeks of age. Transport rates were found to be the highest from 4 to 6 weeks of age, and then to decline over the next 4–6 weeks. However, if females were ovx as weanlings, the age-related decline in Ca transport failed to occur. Ovariectomy of immature females also prevented the slowing of growth rate which normally accompanies sexual maturation in female rats. We therefore repeated the experiment, pair-feeding the ovx animal to intact controls to maintain normal growth rates. When growth was normalized in this manner, the Ca transport rate in ovx animals declined with age at the same rate as in intact animals. Since ovx of sexually mature rats has been reported to increase growth rate, we studied the relationship between duodenal Ca transport and growth rate in females ovx at 12 weeks of age and pair-fed to age-matched intact females. After 5 weeks, ovx was found to have resulted in an increase in both weight and duodenal active Ca transport relative to the intact animals. Ovariectomy did not alter circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. The results of these experiments suggest that sexual maturation may play an indirect role in modulating duodenal active Ca transport in the rat via regulation of growth. The factor related to growth which directly regulates intestinal active Ca transport remains to be determined.
‘‘I wish you a land'': Hawai'i Short Story Cycles and aloha ′ aina

The artistic appropriation of place ranks among the central concerns of Asian American writing. Place in literature, a simultaneous geography of space and imagination, has the potential to represent communal formation and preservation as it highlights the identity that binds its members in a shared sense of purpose and a common sense of belonging. For first-generation writers, the portrayal of the land of the past often blends with that of the present, offering a vivid depiction of how immigrants perceive the physical and emotional journey from the geographic and temporal past to the present, as they struggle to establish themselves in the new surroundings. For second-generation Asian Americans, place often acquires another meaning, that of a definition of self in the place of birth, as they shift between visions of their parents' past location and their own cultural differences. Third-generation writers engage a wide spectrum of negotiations with the land that was a protagonists of their growing up, and that of their increasingly complex personal and community history. Consequently, a sense of place becomes one of the most significant elements the Asian American writer can manipulate to condition self-representation and the portrayal of community.
Terpsichorean movements of pentaammineruthenium on pyrimidine and isocytosine ligands.

Pentaammineruthenium moves on ambidentate nitrogen heterocycles by both rotation and linkage isomerization, which may affect the biological activity of potential ruthenium metallopharmaceuticals. The rapid rotation rates of [(NH3)5RuIII] coordinated to the exocyclic nitrogens of isocytosine (ICyt) and 6-methylisocytosine (6MeICyt) have been determined by 1H NMR. Since these rotamers can be stabilized by hydrogen bonding between the coordinated ammines and the N1 and N3 endocyclic nitrogens, rotamerization is under pH control. Spectrophotometrically (UV−vis) measured pKa values for the two endocyclic sites for the ICyt complex are 2.78 and 9.98, and for 6MeICyt are 3.06 and 10.21, which are probably weighted averages for ionization from N3 and N1, respectively. Activation parameters for the rotamerizations were determined by variable-temperature NMR at pKa1 < pH < pKa2 for the complexes with (ICyt-κN2)-, (6MeICytκN2)-, and 2AmPymκN2. For [(6MeICytκN2)-(NH3)5RuIII]2+, ΔH* = 1.6 kcal/mol, ΔS* = −37 cal/mol K...
Biomimetic and nanostructured hybrid bioactive glass

Abstract Inspired by nature's toughening mechanisms, we designed a new polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-derived hybrid glass (PHG) that has covalent interactions on the molecular scale between the inorganic POSS cage and organic phase. These features allow “elastic deformation” of the inorganic POSS cage in limited scale. The final product is a bulk hybrid material with toughness (3.56 ± 0.25 MPa·m1/2) similar to natural bone (2.4–5.3 MPa·m1/2). PHG exhibited excellent bioactivity by promoting the formation of plate-like hydroxyapatite on its surface in simulated body fluid and showed good cell adhesion. PHG also can be a platform to guide adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells differentiation and mineralization. The key structural features of this material can be used to guide the design of bio-inspired composites with unique toughness, which would be of great benefit to hard tissue engineering.
Children's Use and Knowledge of Display Rules for Anger following Hypothetical Vignettes versus following Live Peer Interaction.

Our primary goal was to examine the correspondence between children’s self-reported use and knowledge of display rules for anger following hypothetical vignettes versus following live peer interactions. Our secondary goal was to investigate whether children’s self-reported experience and self-reported expression of anger were related their observed anger expression, considered an observational measure of use of display rules for anger. Participants were 274 second-grade children. Children were first interviewed about their use and knowledge of display rules for anger in game-playing situations depicted through hypothetical vignettes. Several months later, children interacted with a confederate in standardized games designed to simulate the vignettes and answered the same questions about display rules. Children’s responses were moderately related across the two contexts. However, following the live interactions, compared to the hypothetical vignettes, children reported feeling less anger, expressing less anger, intending to hide their anger more, and dissembling their anger more. In addition, there were differences in the quality and quantity of strategies for hiding anger that children generated across the two contexts. Observations of anger expression were not related to self-reports of either the experience or expression of anger.
Context-sensitive regularities in English vowel spelling

The predictive value of rime spellings in English was compared directly to other types of regularities beyond the level of the single letter. A computer-assisted analysis of a list of twenty-four thousand written words, each paired with its corresponding pronunciation, reveals that only a small number of rime spellings are highly regular in their pronunciations. The conventional division of vowel letter pronunciations into short and long in closed and open written syllables is the most reliable key to English pronunciation. Our findings support the notion that English spelling is based at least in part on syllable structure. In addition, prefixes and suffixes provide very reliable clues to pronunciation, which suggests that their regularity should be exploited in the teaching of reading.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Patients with Single Brain Metastasis

The efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) was evaluated for patients with single brain metastasis from extracranial primary cancer and the outcome was compared with that of external whole brain irradiation (WBI) alone or with surgical resection. Between January 1976 and December 1996, 225 patients with single brain metastases were treated in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology—Radiation Oncology at the University of Minnesota Hospital. One hundred six patients (47%) were treated with WBI alone (Group 1), 71 patients (32%) underwent surgical resection prior to WBI (Group 2), and 48 patients (21%) underwent SRS ± WBI (Group 3). The most common site of primary cancer was the lung (40%), followed by breast (14%), unknown primary (11%), skin (malignant melanoma, 9%), gastrointestinal tract (8%), kidney (renal cell carcinoma, 8%), gynecological organs (3%), and other (6%). Median dose to the whole brain was 3750 cGy in 15 fractions (range, 2000–5000 cGy). Median radiosurgical dose of 1750 cGy (range, 1200–4000 cGy) was delivered to the 40 to 90% isodose line encompassing the target. Actuarial survival was calculated from the date of treatment using the Kaplan–Meier method and statistical significance was assessed with the log-rank test. Actuarial median survival was 3.8 months for Group 1 (range, 1–84 months), 10.5 months for Group 2 (range, 1–125 months), and 9.8 months for Group 3 (range, 1–51 months). Survival at 1 and 2 years was 20% and 8% for Group 1, 47% and 18% for Group 2, and 37% and 27% for Group 3, respectively. Group 2 (surgery + WBI) and Group 3 (SRS ± WBI) had a statistically significant survival advantage over Group 1 (WBI alone) (p < 0.0001, log-rank test). No survival advantage was found between Groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.69, log-rank test). Our retrospective data suggest that SRS (± WBI) improves survival when compared to WBI alone and is comparable to surgical resection and WBI. Given that SRS is minimally invasive, is able to treat lesions in surgically inaccessible locations, and is potentially more cost-effective than surgery, it is a reasonable and potentially more attractive alternative to surgery in the management of single brain metastasis.