cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Sulfate Groups of Chondroitin Sulfate- and Heparan Sulfate-containing Proteoglycans in Neutrophil Plasma Membranes Are Novel Binding Sites for Human Leukocyte Elastase and Cathepsin G

Abstract Human leukocyte elastase (HLE) and cathepsin G (CG) are expressed at high levels on the surface of activated human neutrophils (PMN) in catalytically active but inhibitor-resistant forms having the potential to contribute to tissue injury. Herein we have investigated the mechanisms by which HLE and CG bind to PMN plasma membranes. 125I-Labeled HLE and CG bind to PMN at 0 °C in a saturable and reversible manner (KD = 5.38 and 4.36 × 10-7 m and 11.5 and 8.1 × 106 binding sites/cell, respectively). Incubation of PMN with radiolabeled HLE and CG in the presence of a 200-fold molar excess of unlabeled HLE, CG, myeloperoxidase, lactoferrin, proteinase 3, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF)-inactivated HLE, or PMSF-inactivated CG inhibited binding of radiolabeled ligands. This indicates that these PMN granule proteins share binding sites on PMN and that functional active sites of HLE and CG are not required for their binding to PMN. The sulfate groups of heparan sulfate- and chondroitin sulfate-containing proteoglycans are the PMN binding sites for HLE and CG since binding of HLE and CG to PMN was inhibited by incubating PMN with 1) trypsin, chondroitinase ABC, and heparitinases, but not other glycanases, and 2) purified chondroitin sulfates, heparan sulfate, and other sulfated molecules, but not with non-sulfated glycans. Thus, heparan sulfate- and chondroitin sulfate-containing proteoglycans are low affinity, high volume PMN surface binding sites for HLE and CG, which are well suited to bind high concentrations of active serine proteinases released from degranulating PMN.
Photo-cross-linked poly(thioether-co-carbonate) networks derived from the natural product quinic acid.

Polycarbonate networks derived from the natural product quinic acid that can potentially return to their natural building blocks upon hydrolytic degradation are described herein. Solvent-free thiol–ene chemistry was utilized in the copolymerization of tris(alloc)quinic acid and a variety of multifunctional thiol monomers to obtain poly(thioether-co-carbonate) networks with a wide range of achievable thermomechanical properties including glass transition temperatures from −18 to +65 °C and rubbery moduli from 3.8 to 20 MPa. The network containing 1,2-ethanedithiol expressed an average toughness at 25 and 63 °C of 1.08 and 2.35 MJ/m3, respectively, and an order-of-magnitude increase in the average toughness at 37 °C of 15.56 MJ/m3.
Sputtering and surface modification of TiC coatings by low energy deuterium bombardment

Abstract The sputter yield of Tie films subjected to low energy (0.4–10.0 keV) deuterium bombardment has been measured using a weight loss technique. Very good agreement is obtained with previous data. The 2.0 keV deuterium sputter yield of the TiC films was measured from 23C to 700C and no significant change was observed. Surface spectroscopic measurements made following high fluence (10 20 — 10 21 cm −2 ) deuterium bombardment at 2.0 keV show that there is no appreciable modification of the surface stoichiometry and thus no preferential sputtering.
Identifying predictive factors in melanoma progression

Identification of risk factors is a fundamental goal of melanoma studies. The current understanding of melanoma progression is based primarily on two-stage modeling. A multistate Markov chain process combined with Cox proportional hazard regression is used to model the melanoma progression. The model is applied to 3,434 patients initially diagnosed as AJCC stage I or stage II. Parameter estimates are obtained using Cox regression and supplemented by plots of survival probabilities. Age is associated with increased risk of progression from stage I, II to stage III and from stage III to stage IV. Males experienced an increased risk of stage I, II to stage III progression. Primary tumor located on extremities decreased the risk of all transitions. Clark's level of invasion >III and Breslow's depth >1 mm increased the risk of progression from stage I, II to stage III and stage IV. The following interactions among the prognostic factors were identified for the first time in this research: interaction of age and gender in progression from stage I, II to stage III; interactions of level and depth and site by gender were found in the progression from stage I, II to stage III; interaction of site and gender in progression from stage III to stage IV and stage IV to death. Also we identified primary site as a new prognostic factor for the progression from stage IV to death. The study employed a multistate model in order to identify prognostic factors relevant for disease progression. The unique feature is the modeling of interactions among the prognostic factors and their identification.
A Table of Random Numbers from Selective Service Numbers

(1942). A Table of Random Numbers from Selective Service Numbers. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 295-305.
Probabilistic localization with a blind robot

Researchers have addressed the localization problem for mobile robots using many different kinds of sensors, including rangefinders, cameras, and odometers. In this paper, we consider localization using a robot that is virtually "blind", having only a clock and contact sensor at its disposal. This represents a drastic reduction in sensing requirements, even in light of existing work that considers localization with limited sensing. We present probabilistic techniques that represent and update the robot's position uncertainty and algorithms to reduce this uncertainty. We demonstrate the experimental effectiveness of these methods using a Roomba autonomous vacuum cleaner robot in laboratory environments.
The chiral anomaly and goldstone-wilczek current in even dimensions

The form of the non-abelian anomaly is described in arbitrary even dimension when the gauge group contains explicit U(1) factors. An effective action is constructed which when varied under the group reproduces the anomaly. It constitutes a generalization of the Wess-Zumino action.
Divergence of fMRI and neural signals in V1 during perceptual suppression in the awake monkey.

The role of primary visual cortex (V1) in determining the contents of perception is controversial. Human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of perceptual suppression have revealed a robust drop in V1 activity when a stimulus is subjectively invisible. In contrast, monkey single-unit recordings have failed to demonstrate such perception-locked changes in V1. To investigate the basis of this discrepancy, we measured both the blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) response and several electrophysiological signals in two behaving monkeys. We found that all signals were in good agreement during conventional stimulus presentation, showing strong visual modulation to presentation and removal of a stimulus. During perceptual suppression, however, only the BOLD response and the low-frequency local field potential (LFP) power showed decreases, whereas the spiking and high-frequency LFP power were unaffected. These results demonstrate that the coupling between the BOLD and electrophysiological signals in V1 is context dependent, with a marked dissociation occurring during perceptual suppression. Perceptual suppression provides an intriguing puzzle for sensory neuroscientists: how is an unperceived stimulus represented in the brain? Binocular rivalry and related phenomena, in which salient visual patterns are rendered temporarily invisible to the observer, have been frequently employed to dissociate sensation from perception while monitoring brain activity 1 . These studies have provided insight into the nature of visual suppression, but have nonetheless failed to answer
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair With and Without Robotic Technology in the Elderly

An increasing number of elderly persons require mitral valve surgery, primarily for mitral regurgitation. Minimally invasive mitral valve repair, including robotic surgery, has been shown to be feasible and safe in the general population. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery is especially beneficial in the elderly because it decreases trauma and speeds recovery. The authors conducted a retrospective review of 123 cases of minimally invasive mitral valve repair in elderly patients aged 70 years and older and five robotic mitral valve repairs using the da Vinci surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) in one octogenarian. The authors review their 9 years of experience with minimally invasive mitral valve repair in the elderly and compare and contrast other forms of surgery in the elderly, including robotic mitral valve repair.
Putative intestine-specific enhancers located in 5′ sequence of the CDX1 gene regulate CDX1 expression in the intestine

CDX1 is a homeobox transcription factor that plays a critical role in intestinal epithelial cell growth and differentiation. CDX1 gene expression is tightly regulated in a temporal and cell-type sp...
Further evidence for the cultural norm hypothesis: positive emotion in depressed and control European American and Asian American women.

How does culture shape the experience and expression of depression? Previously we observed that depression dampened negative emotional responses in European Americans, but increased negative emotional responses in Asian Americans (Chentsova-Dutton et al., 2007). We interpreted these findings as support for the cultural norm hypothesis, which predicts that depression reduces individuals’ abilities to react in culturally normative or ideal ways (i.e., disrupting European Americans’ abilities to express their emotions openly and Asian Americans’ abilities to moderate and control their emotions). In the present study, we examined the generalizability of the cultural norm hypothesis to positive emotion. We measured the emotional reactivity of 35 European Americans (17 depressed, 18 controls) and 31 Asian Americans (15 depressed, 16 controls) to an amusing film clip. Consistent with the cultural norm hypothesis, depressed European Americans showed dampened positive emotional reactivity (i.e., fewer enjoyment and non-enjoyment smiles, less intense reports of positive emotion, lower cardiac activation) compared to control European Americans, whereas depressed Asian Americans showed similar (i.e., smiles, reports of positive emotion), and even greater (i.e., higher cardiac activation) positive emotional reactivity compared to control Asian Americans. These findings suggest that the cultural norm hypothesis generalizes to the experience and expression of positive emotion.
Understanding verbal fluency in healthy aging, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

This is the author's accepted manuscript. This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.
Foscarnet-induced penile ulcer.

REFERENCES 1. Hersh CS, Shwayder TA. Unilateral progressivepigmentary purpura (Schamberg's disease) in a l5-year-old-boy. JAM ACAD DERMATOL 1991;24:651. 2. Draelos ZK, Hansen RC. Schamberg's purpura in children: case study and literature review. Clin Pediatr 1987;26:65961. 3. Braun-Falco 0, Plewig G, Wolf HR, et al. Dermatology. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1991. 4. Nishioka K, Sarashi C, Katayama 1. Chronic pigmented purpura induced by chemical substances. Clin Exp Dermatol 1980;5:213-8. 5. Greenwood K. Dermatitis with capillary fragility. Arch DermatolI960;81:947-52. 6. Ring J, Przybilla B, Gollhausen R. Progressive pigmentary purpura. Allergy Clin Immunol 1989;4:108-9.
A duality theory for abstract boundary control systems

The object of this paper is to develop a duality theory for abstract boundary control systems and to clarify the relationship of these to semigroup control systems.
Phosphorus-Nitrogen Compounds I. Carboxy and Carbethoxy-Substituted Aryl Derivatives

Since certain aromatic compounds in which carboxy and carbethoxy groups are situated para to an amino group possess medicinal value, a number of similar organophosphorus derivatives were prepared. The compounds that were synthesized include three phosphorodiamidic acids, two phosphoramidates, a phosphorodiamidic chloride, and a phosphenimidic amide.
Weight Changes in Caregivers of Alzheimer's Care Recipients: Psychobehavioral Predictors

Relationships of changes in body mass index (BMI) were examined with changes in psychobehavioral variables in spouse caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (n = 81) and matched spouses of controls (n = 86). Men caregivers had significantly greater BMI and obesity than men controls at both times. Over 15-18 months, women caregivers gained significantly more weight than did women controls. A trend for greater obesity occurred in women caregivers than in women controls at follow-up. Although weight gain was not related to psychobehavioral variables in controls, in men caregivers decreased perceived control and increased fat intake explained significant variance in weight gain. In women caregivers, increased anger control and increased calories explained weight gain. Such caregivers may be at risk for health problems.
Management of Giant Hemangioma of the Liver: Resection versus Observation

Background Management of patients with giant hemangiomas of the liver encounters persistent controversy. Although recent case series suggest a low complication rate with nonoperative management, the classic paradigm of preventive operative resection remains. Study Design A retrospective cohort study was conducted of 492 patients with giant hepatic hemangioma (>4 cm in size) diagnosed between 1985 and 2005 at Mayo Clinic Rochester. Long-term outcomes were assessed by patient survey, with a follow-up of 11 ± 6.4 years. Results Of 492 patients, 289 responded to the survey. In the nonoperative group (n = 233), 20% had persistent or new onset of hemangioma-associated symptoms, including potentially life-threatening complications in 2%. In the operative group (n = 56), perioperative complications occurred in 14%, including potentially life-threatening complications in 7%. None of the operative patients had persistent or new onset of hemangioma-associated symptoms after resection of the dominant hemangioma. In group comparison, the rate of adverse events was similar (20% versus 14%; p=0.45) with an overall low risk for potentially life-threatening complications (2% versus 7%; p=0.07). Size of hemangiomas was not associated with adverse events in either group. Subjective health status and quality of life at follow-up were similar in both groups (p > 0.54). Conclusions Clinical observation of patients with giant hemangioma of the liver has a similar rate of complications compared with operative management, but might prevent the need for invasive interventions in some patients. Clinical observation is preferred in most patients and operative treatment should be reserved for patients with severe symptoms or disease-associated complications.
The geochemical signature of fluid-saturated magma determined from silicate melt inclusions in ascension island granite xenoliths

Abstract Silicate glasses in crystal-free to crystal-poor melt inclusions from two coarse-grained granite xenoliths in alkaline volcanic rocks of Ascension Island were analyzed for 29 major, minor, and trace elements. For most constituents, the glass compositions are similar to those of the volcanic whole rocks and the xenoliths; we interpret the glasses to be chemically representative of granite melt. The melt inclusions are silicic; alkaline; contain low S and P abundances; and are enriched in H 2 O, Cl, F, and Na relative to K. Inclusions from one xenolith contain 1.3 wt.% F, on average, whereas those from the other xenolith contain half that amount. The melt inclusion compositions allow investigation of the means and extent of granite magma evolution. The presence of magmatic fluid inclusions in close proximity to melt inclusions in the phenocrysts indicates that the granite melt was saturated in one or more volatile phases (Roedder and Coombs, 1967) . The Cl and H 2 O contents of the melt inclusions are consistent with the exsolution of volatile phase(s) at pressures of 3000 to 2000 bars. The glasses also show trends involving the (Cl/H 2 O) ratio and the incompatible trace elements in melt that are indicative of melt evolution via crystal fractionation of volatile phase-saturated melt. These trends should be useful for recognizing volatile phase saturation in other Cl-enriched melts.
A priority mechanism for the IEEE 802.3ah EPON

In first mile networks, traffic may belong to different priority classes, which have different levels of delivery urgency. In this paper we introduce a mechanism for network wide prioritized access in IEEE 802.3ah EPONs which use the MPCP protocol. The mechanism is simple, and is compatible with the standard MPCP protocol. The basic ONU protocol does not have to be changed, while the protocol used at the OLT side requires little, and simple changes. Several objectives of priority mechanisms are stated, and the developed mechanism is shown to satisfy the stated objectives through a simulation study. The proposed protocol can be used with any dynamic bandwidth algorithm for EPONs.
Slot array antennas fed by integrated wave guide on liquid crystal polymer for V-band wireless LAN application

In this paper, the two slot array antennas fed by integrated waveguide are proposed and designed on liquid crystal polymer to reduce the transmission loss of the feeding line and enable an easy integration. For 60 GHz wireless LAN applications, a high antenna gain is required to overcome the propagation loss. Also, we investigated fan beam antenna topology to maximize the azimuth coverage. Antenna gains about 10 dBi has been achieved using 5 and 7 slots array configuration. The numerical analysis shows the proposed antennas can be a good candidate for 60 GHz wireless LAN application.
The PowerPC 405 Memory Sentinel and Injection System

Traditional approaches to evaluating a system's vulnerability to Single Event Upsets (SEUs) require elaborate and costly radiation beam testing or time-consuming simulation. While beam testing represents definitive evidence of a processor's susceptibility to radiation-induced upsets, we believe that low-cost in-house bit error injection tests provide a valuable tool both in their own right and as an intermediate step towards approximating a processor or application's behavior in the presence of cosmic radiation, prior to beam testing. In this paper we describe a new hardware/software tool named the Memory Sentinel and Injection System (MSIS) that initially targets the two PowerPC 405s within the Xilinx Virtex-4 FX family of FPGAs. The MSIS leverages the configurable logic of an FPGA as well as a custom software interrupt to inject bit errors into the full set of a processor's registers and caches in a user-transparent fashion. By using the second PowerPC as a monitor, the MSIS is capable of performing rapid and unattended fault injection. Through 20,000 injections we demonstrate the impact of the MSIS on a sample sensor-like application and analyze its behavior in the presence of upsets.
William Dowdeswell and the American Crisis, 1763¿1775

William Dowdeswell personified the difficulty faced by British politicians in finding a solution to the American crisis. His own failed attempts to find that solution stand as proof that the Rockingham Whigs did not speak with a single voice while they were in power nor did they advocate a fundamentally different approach to imperial affairs than that taken by the politicians they criticized once they went into opposition. Dowdeswell was the quintessential English country gentleman who could not truly empathize with protesting Americans. He saw the Declaratory Act of 1766 as an artful dodge, a way of asserting parliamentary supremacy over the American colonies while at the same time avoiding the perplexing issue of taxation. But the Declaratory Act only added to the confusion over parliamentary authority and in its own way deepened the imperial crisis. Ironically, Dowdeswell's attempts at conciliation may have only compounded the problem they were intended to solve.
High levels of AGE-LDL, and of IgG antibodies reacting with MDA-lysine epitopes expressed by oxLDL and MDA-LDL in circulating immune complexes predict macroalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Background Circulating immune complexes (IC) containing modified forms of LDL (mLDL) are strongly pro-inflammatory and when present in high levels are associated with the development of diabetic complications. Objective We investigated whether levels of oxidized LDL (oxLDL), malondialdehyde-LDL (MDA-LDL) and advanced glycation end products-LDL (AGE-LDL) as well as IgG and IgM antibodies reacting with MDA-lysine epitopes expressed by oxLDL and MDA-LDL isolated from circulating IC were associated with progression to macroalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes (VADT cohort). Methods Levels of mLDL in IC were measured in 905 patients, a median of two years after entry into the study. Participants were followed for an average of 3.7 years for renal outcomes. Generalized logistic regression models were used to quantify the association of increased levels of biomarkers and development of abnormal albuminuria. Normal, persistent micro- (ACR ≥ 30), incident micro- (ACR ≥ 30) and incident macroalbuminuria (ACR ≥ 300) were the outcomes of interest. Results and conclusions Patients with macro (n = 78) or non-persistent microalbuminuria (n = 81) at baseline were excluded. Odds ratios for endpoints in relation to high versus low (defined using a median split) biomarker levels are found in Fig. 1 . Our study demonstrates that high levels of AGE-LDL as well as of IgG antibodies (but not IgM antibodies) reacting with MDA-LDL lysine epitopes in circulating IC predict the development of macroalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes. These data support the pathogenic role of modified LDL IgG antibodies but not the protective role of modified LDL IgM antibodies.
Counting on Recreation Use Data: A Call for Long-Term Monitoring

(2000). Counting on Recreation Use Data: A Call for Long-Term Monitoring. Journal of Leisure Research: Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 93-96.
An enzymatic glucose biofuel cell based on Au nano-electrode array

Herein a glucose biofuel cell capable of producing micro-watts power has been presented. The bioanode and the biocathode were fabricated using glucose oxidase and oxygen reducing laccase, respectively immobilized on a 4 × 4 Au nanotip pyramidal electrode array having a tip diameter of ∼62 nm with an electroactive surface area of 0.04 cm2. The power generating capability of the glucose biofuel cell was characterized in the presence of 5 mM, 10 mM and 20 mM glucose solution (pH 7) at 37° C to mimic the physiologic conditions. An open circuit voltage of 562.1 mV with a maximum power density of 112.21 μW cm−2 at a cell voltage of 270.4 mV was delivered by the glucose biofuel cell operating in 20 mM glucose. The use for the 4 × 4 Au nanotip pyramidal electrode array provides a novel approach to improve the electroactive surface area for enzyme immobilization, in addition to enabling the electrochemical energy generation via direct electron transfer. The as-fabricated glucose biofuel cell has a great potential to be employed in powering low-power implantable bioelectronic devices.
Geographic Variation in the Lesser Noctilio, Noctilio albiventris (Chiroptera)

Based on the study of 537 specimens of the lesser noctilio, Noctilio alhiventris Desmarest, from throughout the geographic range of the species, four geographical areas of differentiation are here recognized. One comprises the region from Honduras southward to central Colombia and western Venezuela. There the bats are medium in size for the species and normally the brightest in color. For this taxon the appropriate name is Noctilio albiventris minor Osgood. The second area comprises the Upper Amazon Basin, the eastern versant of the Cordillera Oriental northward to the vicinity of Caracas, Venezuela, thence southward along the coast at least to Suriname. In this region the bats are the largest and darkest for the species. The valid name for this taxon appears to be Noctilio albiventris affinis D'Orbigny. The third area comprises the southern parts of Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname, the Lower Amazon Basin and the coastal areas of eastern Brazil as far as the Rio Sao Francisco. There the bats are the smallest of the species and usually dark in color, but in some individuals the venter is pale buff. For this taxon the earliest available name is Noctilio albiventris albiventris Desmarest. The fourth area comprises the drainage basin of the Rio Parana in southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. There the bats are again medium in size for the species and normally greyish brown above and buff to orange-buff below. This taxon appears to be without a name and herein is described as a new subspecies and named in honor of the late South American mammalogist Dr. Angel Cabrera LaTorre.
Studies on Bacterial NutritionThe Utilization of Nitrogenous Compounds of Definite Chemical Composition

The work of Bainbridge (1911) demonstrated that purified unaltered animal proteins, when supplied as the sole source of nitrogen, failed to furnish the necessary conditions for the development of certain aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria. This was substantiated by Sperry and Rettger (1915) who showed, in addition, that the putrefactive anaerobes were unable to attack native proteins and that pure vegetable proteins, as edestin, exhibited the same resistance to direct bacterial attack. They considered this resistance to be due to the complex construction of the protein molecule, which rendered it unfit for immediate utilization. Rettger, Berman, and Sturges (1916) found that coagulated albumin shows the same resistance to the direct action of bacteria as do the unchanged native proteins. They also demonstrated that proteose and peptones are not attacked, or at least very slowly, by the gelatin nonliquefying species. On the other hand, the organisms elaborating a proteolytic enzyme accomplished the destruction of these substances quite readily. Attention will be directed in this paper to the amino-acids and other simple nitrogenous compounds, for it is to these substances that one must turn to find sources of immediately available nitrogen. Several investigators have obtained striking results by employing proteinfree mediums composed of a mixture of the products of enzymatic protein cleavage. Dalimier and Lancereaux (1913) made use of a product known commercially as opsine. They succeeded in cultivating not only the commoner saprophytes but also many of the more exacting pathogens, as B. typhosus, B. diphtheriae, B. anthracis, B. tetani, B. tuberculosis (human, bovine and avian), the pneumococcus, meningococcus, and gonococcus. Robinson and Rettger (1918), in a more extensive study of opsine, were able to cultivate the obligate anaerobes, the Welch bacillus and many other exacting pathogens, in addition to the above-mentioned organisms. They also found that better results were obtained with the enzymatic digestion products of pro-
Non parametric confidence intervals for the extinction probability of a Galton–Watson branching process

AbstractIt is demonstrated that the confidence intervals for the probability of eventual extinction and other parameters of a Galton-Watson branching process based upon the maximum likelihood estimators can often have substantially lower coverage when compared to the desired nominal confidence coefficient, especially in small, more realistic sample sizes. The same conclusion holds for the traditional bootstrap confidence intervals. We propose several adjustments to these confidence intervals which greatly improves coverage in most cases. We also make a correction in an asymptotic variance formula given in Stigler (1971). The focus here is on implementation of the confidence intervals which have good coverage, in a wide variety of cases. We also consider expected confidence interval lengths. Some recommendations are made.
A Polarizable and Transferable PHAST N2 Potential for Use in Materials Simulation

A polarizable and transferable intermolecular potential energy function, potentials with high accuracy, speed, and transferability (PHAST), has been developed from first principles for molecular nitrogen to be used in the modeling of heterogeneous processes such as materials sorption and separations. A five-site (van der Waals and point charge) anisotropic model, that includes many-body polarization, is proposed. It is parametrized to reproduce high-level electronic structure calculations (CCSD(T) using Dunning-type basis sets extrapolated to the CBS limit) for a representative set of dimer potential energy curves. Thus it provides a relatively simple yet robust and broadly applicable representation of nitrogen. Two versions are developed, differing by the type of mixing rules applied to unlike Lennard-Jones potential sites. It is shown that the Waldman–Hagler mixing rules are more accurate than Lorentz–Berthelot. The resulting potentials are demonstrated to be effective in modeling neat nitrogen but are ...
Diversity in political science: why it matters and how to get it

This symposium responds to a stubborn reality: slow progress both in diversifying political science faculty at all ranks and in redressing bias in the discipline. Why do diversity and bias in polit...
A technique for the high-speed characterization of ultrasonic transducer insertion loss performance.

A characterization technique has been developed to address the problems associated with calibrating very-high frequency (i.e., > 50 MHz) ultrasound transducers. The technique is based on using a pc-controlled network analyzer to acquire the through-transmission voltage transfer function spectrum from a pair of ultrasound transducers which are closely spaced in water. This spectrum, which includes electrical feed-through noise and multiple reflection artifacts, is then corrected for the water's attenuation and the transfer response of the electronics system. An inverse Fourier transform is then performed, to produce the time domain response of the transducers. The portion of the response which corresponds to the first acoustic arrival is then gated out of this response, and a Fourier transform is performed to compute the transducers' true transfer function (insertion loss) spectrum. A pc-controlled automated calibration system based on this technique has been developed and numerous transducer pairs have been tested. Excellent agreement has been shown between this method and the conventional tone-burst technique for accurately characterizing insertion loss spectra. In this paper, a detailed description of the technique, actual transducer test results, and comparisons with the conventional tone-burst method are presented in detail.
Introduction: conflict and cooperation in international river basins

Well before the emergence of the nation-state, the arbitrary political division of a unitary river basin — the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries — led to problems regarding the interests of the states and/or communities located within the basin and the manner in which conflicting interests should be resolved. Geography suggests that, by virtue of its physical unity, a river basin should be developed as a single, indivisible whole, irrespective of political divisions. This is so, because moving water, flowing toward an outlet (or outlets), binds land areas together, and interference with the water and its movement at any point has repercussions elsewhere in the basin. Indeed, the river basin can be considered a common property resource by virtue of the fact that its exploitation by one beneficiary may diminish the benefits enjoyed by all others. From the point of view of economic efficiency, as well, the basin should be treated as a unit; in that way, “a careful inventory of soils, feasibility of irrigation and drainage, values of alternative crops, domestic and industrial water needs, could be factored into a basin-wide model that might…yield an ‘optimal’ pattern of water utilization.” To wit, the situation in international river basins exemplifies the pervasive collective action problem: the pursuit of interests defined in purely individualistic terms would lead to socially undesirable outcomes.
WWL70 attenuates PGE 2 production derived from 2-arachidonoylglycerol in microglia by ABHD6-independent mechanism

α/β-Hydrolase domain 6 (ABHD6) is one of the major enzymes for endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) hydrolysis in microglia cells. Our recent studies have shown that a selective ABHD6 inhibitor WWL70 has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in animal models of traumatic brain injury and multiple sclerosis. However, the role of ABHD6 in the neuroinflammatory response and the mechanisms by which WWL70 suppresses inflammation has not yet been elucidated in reactive microglia. The hydrolytic activity and the levels of 2-AG in BV2 cells were measured by radioactivity assay and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthases in microglia treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with/without WWL70 was determined by western blot and quantitative RT-PCR. The conversion of 2-AG to PGE2 or PGE2-glyceryl ester (PGE2-G) was assessed by enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) or LC-MS/MS. The involvement of ABHD6 in PGE2 production was assessed using pharmacological inhibitors and small interfering RNA (siRNA). The effect of WWL70 on PGE2 biosynthesis activity in the microsome fraction from BV2 cells and experimental autoimmune encephalopathy (EAE) mouse brain was also examined. We found that WWL70 suppressed PGE2 production in LPS-activated microglia via cannabinoid receptor-independent mechanisms, although intracellular levels of 2-AG were elevated by WWL70 treatment. This reduction was not attributable to WWL70 inhibition of ABHD6, given the fact that downregulation of ABHD6 by siRNA or use of KT182, an alternative ABHD6 inhibitor failed to suppress PGE2 production. WWL70 attenuated the expression of COX-2 and PGES-1/2 leading to the downregulation of the biosynthetic pathways of PGE2 and PGE2-G. Moreover, PGE2 production from arachidonic acid was reduced in the microsome fraction, indicating that WWL70 also targets PGE2 biosynthetic enzymes, which are likely to contribute to the therapeutic mechanisms of WWL70 in the EAE mouse model. WWL70 is an anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent capable of inhibiting PGE2 and PGE2-G production, primarily due to its reduction of COX-2 and microsomal PGES-1/2 expression and their PGE2 biosynthesis activity in microglia cells, as well as in the EAE mouse brain.
Response and injury of the human leg for axial impact durations applicable to automotive intrusion and underbody blast environments

ABSTRACTSimilar lower extremity injuries occur in both military vehicle underbody blast and automotive intrusion events despite the drastic differences in acceleration, velocity, and load duration. Understanding human leg response to variations in load rate and boundary condition is imperative to assessment of injury using anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs). Two axial impact test series were performed using post-mortem human surrogate legs, varying load rates and using ‘fixed’ and translational proximal tibia boundaries. Corridors were developed for a 50th percentile male for five loading rates ranging from 0.3 to 12 kN/ms. Calculated leg stiffness ranged from 700 to 1600 N/mm, and foot and ankle compression at peak force accounted for greater than 75% of lower leg compression. Injuries included calcaneus, talus, pilon, and malleolar fractures. Results indicated a duration-dependence of fracture force, which has major implications for the validity of existing injury criteria and the future design of ATD ...
Nature vs. Nurture in Discrete Spin Dynamics

The problem of predictability, or “nature vs. nurture”, in both ordered and disordered Ising systems following a deep quench from infinite to zero temperature is reviewed. Two questions are addressed. The first deals with the nature of the final state: for an infinite system, does every spin flip infinitely often, or does every spin flip only finitely many times, or do some spins flip infinitely often and others finitely often? Once this question is determined, the evolution of the system from its initial state can be studied with attention to the issue of how much information contained in the final state depends on that contained in the initial state, and how much depends on the detailed history of the system. This problem has been addressed both analytically and numerically in several papers, and their main methods, results, and conclusions will be reviewed. The discussion closes with some open problems that remain to be addressed.
Evolutionary Biology of Aging: Future Directions

Publisher Summary This chapter explores five areas—genetic architecture of senescence, the relationship between physiological and demographic decline, the importance of parasites and the immune system, sex differences in behavior and aging, and studies of aging in the wild—that have excellent potential to the further understanding of the evolution of senescence. In standard evolutionary models, the currency that measures how likely a gene is to make it into subsequent generations is made up solely of age-specific survival and fecundity. Physiological senescence may be the functional intermediary between so-called longevity genes and demographic senescence. Alternatively, the same genes may regulate rates of senescence in both demography and certain physiological processes independently, such that the demographic decline may not be specifically caused by the physiological processes. As with evolutionary geneticists, molecular biologists working on aging have also focused on demographic traits. This has been motivated in large part by the search for genes that makes organisms live longer, no matter what the physiological state of the animal is.
The Effect of Nebulizer Position on Aerosolized Epoprostenol Delivery in an Adult Lung Model

BACKGROUND: Aerosolized epoprostenol is an alternative for inhaled nitric oxide in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension and possibly acute hypoxemia. Our objective was to determine differences in drug deposition based on different nebulizer positions in the ventilator circuit, using a vibrating mesh nebulizer. METHODS: An 8.0-mm inner diameter endotracheal tube (ETT) was connected to a training test lung, compliance of 30 mL/cm H2O, with a collecting filter placed at the ETT-test lung junction. A mechanical ventilator, heated wire circuit, and pass-over humidifier were utilized. A syringe pump continuously instilled a 15,000-ng/mL epoprostenol solution at 30, 50, and 70 ng/kg/min into the vibrating mesh nebulizer at all 4 positions. Tidal volumes (VT) were set at 4, 6, and 8 mL/kg for a 70-kg patient with breathing frequencies of 25, 16, and 12 breaths/min, respectively. Epoprostenol was eluted from the filters (no. = 180) and analyzed with ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry at 205 nm to estimate drug deposition. RESULTS: Epoprostenol deposition increased significantly (P = .02) as the dosage increased from 30 ng/kg/min (median 4,520.0 ng, interquartile range [IQR] 2,285.0–6,712.2 ng) to 50 ng/kg/min (median 6,065.0 ng, IQR 3,220.0–13,002.5 ng) and 70 ng/kg/min (median 9,890.0 ng, IQR 6,270.0–16,140.0 ng). No significant difference was found between variations in ventilator settings. No difference in deposition was found between the humidifier inlet and outlet, but these positions resulted in greater deposition compared with the inspiratory limb and between the ETT and Y-piece. CONCLUSIONS: The greatest amount of mean epoprostenol deposition resulted with the nebulizer placed at the humidifier inlet or outlet in a ventilator with bias flow.
Retinal Astrocytes and GABAergic Wide-Field Amacrine Cells Express PDGFRα: Connection to Retinal Ganglion Cell Neuroprotection by PDGF-AA.

Purpose Our previous experiments demonstrated that intravitreal injection of platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA) provides retinal ganglion cell (RGC) neuroprotection in a rodent model of glaucoma. Here we used PDGFRα-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mice to identify retinal cells that may be essential for RGC protection by PDGF-AA. Methods PDGFRα-EGFP mice expressing nuclear-targeted EGFP under the control of the PDGFRα promoter were used. Localization of PDGFRα in the neural retina was investigated by confocal imaging of EGFP fluorescence and immunofluorescent labeling with a panel of antibodies recognizing different retinal cell types. Primary cultures of mouse RGCs were produced by immunopanning. Neurobiotin injection of amacrine cells in a flat-mounted retina was used for the identification of EGFP-positive amacrine cells in the inner nuclear layer. Results In the mouse neural retina, PDGFRα was preferentially localized in the ganglion cell and inner nuclear layers. Immunostaining of the retina demonstrated that astrocytes in the ganglion cell layer and a subpopulation of amacrine cells in the inner nuclear layer express PDGFRα, whereas RGCs (in vivo or in vitro) did not. PDGFRα-positive amacrine cells are likely to be Type 45 gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) wide-field amacrine cells. Conclusions These data indicate that the neuroprotective effect of PDGF-AA in a rodent model of glaucoma could be mediated by astrocytes and/or a subpopulation of amacrine cells. We suggest that after intravitreal injection of PDGF-AA, these cells secrete factors protecting RGCs.
Pregabalin Does Not Decrease the Pain of Sciatica

A single dose of oral dexamethasone is no more effective than placebo in resolving acute sore throat symptoms at 24 hours in adults who do not receive immediate antibiotic therapy. However, among a multitude of exploratory secondary outcomes, the authors found that, compared with placebo, dexamethasone increased the proportion of patients with symptom resolution at 48 hours.
Prenatal Maternal Stress in Context: Maternal Stress Physiology, Immunology, Neuroendocrinology, Nutrition and Infant Development

Just as maternal diet during pregnancy may program fetal development, so may prenatal stress. Stress (and related constructs such anxiety, trauma, depression, stressful life events, and pregnancy-related distress) can cause changes in the pregnant woman’s neuroendocrine and immune systems, which may alter fetal/child development. Rather than acting as a barrier, the placenta is semi-permeable to such alterations in maternal physiology, and fetal developmental trajectories may be shaped accordingly. A large literature has examined maternal stress in relation to infant outcomes ranging from growth and metabolism to stress reactivity to neurodevelopment. Animal models suggest that the effects of stress on the developing offspring are profound (and largely mediated through glucocorticoid pathways), but the translation from animal studies to human development is uncertain. Epidemiological studies offer further support for connections between prenatal stress and infant outcomes, but they are often confounded by factors including socioeconomic status, diet, and environmental exposures, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Future research is needed that adopts a more multidisciplinary approach to jointly consider the effects of prenatal stress and nutrition on child health and development.
Retrace and disciplining time constant effects on holdover clock drifts in chip-scale atomic clock

A GPS-disciplined oscillator (GPSDO) provides a cost-effective alternative to a primary clock such as a cesium-beam atomic clock. A rubidium (Rb) atomic oscillator is usually employed in a GPSDO as a holdover clock where maintaining the most accurate time is required during an extended absence of GPS signals. A commercially available Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) offers a comparable long-term stability and is an attractive candidate for a holdover clock in certain applications especially where reduced Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP) is desirable. In this paper, the retrace effects on the holdover clock errors of CSAC from a cold start are characterized. The disciplining behaviors with various durations of the disciplining time are also characterized with short and long disciplining time constants in order to seek an optimal time constant.
The Arabidopsis SPIRAL2 Protein Targets and Stabilizes Microtubule Minus Ends

Summary The contribution of microtubule tip dynamics to the assembly and function of plant microtubule arrays remains poorly understood. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis SPIRAL2 (SPR2) protein modulates the dynamics of the acentrosomal cortical microtubule plus and minus ends in an opposing manner. Live imaging of a functional SPR2-mRuby fusion protein revealed that SPR2 shows both microtubule plus- and minus-end tracking activity in addition to localization at microtubule intersections and along the lattice. Analysis of microtubule dynamics showed that cortical microtubule plus ends rarely undergo catastrophe in the spr2-2 knockout mutant compared to wild-type. In contrast, cortical microtubule minus ends in spr2-2 depolymerized at a much faster rate than in wild-type. Destabilization of the minus ends in spr2-2 caused a significant decrease in the lifetime of microtubule crossovers, which dramatically reduced the microtubule-severing frequency and inhibited light-induced microtubule array reorientation. Using in vitro reconstitution experiments combined with single-molecule imaging, we found that recombinant SPR2-GFP intrinsically localizes to microtubule minus ends, where it binds stably and inhibits their dynamics. Together, our data establish SPR2 as a new type of microtubule tip regulator that governs the length and lifetime of microtubules.
Cinema Fou : Surrealist Horror from Face of Another to Gozu

Brown analyzes a pair of Japanese surrealist horror films—Teshigahara Hiroshi’s Face of Another (Tanin no kao, 1966) and Miike Takashi’s Gozu (Gokudō kyōfu daigekijō: Gozu, 2003)—in relation to the transnational and intermedial flows of international surrealist artistic production. Rather than restricting the definition of surrealist cinema to the films made by members of the original Parisian Surrealist Group, Brown considers what connects directors of Japanese horror to earlier surrealist filmmakers along with the experimental filmmaking techniques and tropes that have been incorporated into J-horror films in often underappreciated ways.
Systematic review of anti-drug antibodies of IL-17 inhibitors for psoriasis.

Three main biologics target the IL-17 pathway; these include secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab, all of which are approved for treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. We performed a syst...