cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-dimensional representations of Niño 3.4 evolution and the spring persistence barrier

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the dominant mode of climate variability on interannual time scales, and its temporal evolution can be summarized using the Nino 3.4 index. Here we used EOF analysis to construct low-dimensional representations of the 12-month evolution of Nino 3.4 during different times of the year. The leading EOF explains more than 90% of the variance of the Nino 3.4 evolution from June to May, which means that the differences in evolution from one year to another are essentially differences in amplitude. Two EOFs explained 94% or more of the evolution variance for other 12-month periods of the year. The two-dimensional nature of the Nino 3.4 trajectories is a direct expression of the spring persistence barrier since the first EOF describes wintertime ENSO events, and the second EOF describes independent behavior during the antecedent spring. A periodic second-order autoregressive (AR2) model reproduced the observed properties, but a first-order model did not. Nino 3.4 EOFs in ocean-atmosphere coupled model forecasts matched observed EOFs with varying levels of fidelity depending on model and time of year. Forecast models with more accurate climatological covariance also have lower mean-squared error (MSE). Low-dimensional EOF-based statistical corrections reduced forecast MSE.
Fluorinated Chitosan Microgels to Overcome Internal Oxygen Transport Deficiencies in Microtissue Culture Systems

Poor oxygen transport is a major obstacle currently for 3D microtissue culture platforms, which at this time cannot be grown large enough to be truly physiologically relevant and replicate adult human organ functions. To overcome internal oxygen transport deficiencies, oxygenating microgels are formed utilizing perfluorocarbon (PFC) modified chitosan and a highly scalable water-in-oil miniemulsion method. Microgels that are on the order of a cell diameter (≈10 µm) are formed allowing them to directly associate with cells when included in 3D spheroid culture, while not being internalized. The presence of immobilized PFCs in these microgels allows for enhancement and tuning of oxygen transport when incorporated into cultured microtissues. As such, it is demonstrated that incorporating oxygenating microgels at ratios ranging from 50:1 to 400:1 (# of cells:# of microgels) into dense human fibroblast-based spheroids facilitated the growth of larger human cell-based spheroids, especially at the highest incorporation percentages (50:1), which lacked defined hypoxic cores. Quantification of total double-stranded (ds)-DNA, a measure of number of live cells, demonstrated similar results to hypoxia quantification, showing more ds-DNA due incorporation of oxygenating microgels. Finally, oxygen concentrations are measured at different depths within spheroids directly and confirmed higher oxygen partial pressures due to chitosan-PFC microspheres.
Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Attitudes and Acceptability in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Key to Patient-Centered Contraceptive Counseling

Abstract Purpose To examine the attitudes of adolescent and young adults (AYA) toward long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), and to assess how attitudes are associated with acceptability. Design Survey. Setting Children's Hospital Colorado Adolescent Family Planning Clinic in Aurora, Colorado. Participants, Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures Young persons 14-24 years of age presenting for any type of visit between March and August 2018. Results A total of 332 participants were enrolled; the majority (62.3%) had high LARC acceptability. We found 5 “attitude” factors: 77.7% of the sample endorsed “Effective” attitudes (eg, wants most effective method), 37.3% endorsed “Good attributes” (eg, discreet, convenient), 23.1% endorsed “Scary” (eg, fears device will move), 16.1% endorsed “Bad for health,” (eg, too many side effects), and 9% endorsed “Not for me” (eg, concerns about pain). Although participants who endorsed “Effective” (OR 6.60, 95% CI 3.01-14.49) and “Good attributes” (OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.51-6.66) were more likely to have high LARC acceptability than those who endorsed “Scary” (OR 0.28, 95% CI: (0.13-0.61)) and “Not for me” (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01-0.41) factors, approximately 10% of participants with high LARC acceptability endorsed “Scary” or “Bad for health” attitudes, whereas 54% of those with low LARC acceptability endorsed “Effective” attitudes. Conclusion Although most participants had high LARC acceptability and valued contraceptive effectiveness, the association between LARC attitudes and acceptability is nuanced. Providers should identify and discuss young people's contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, and acceptability.
Cardiac arrest: An interdisciplinary scoping review of the literature from 2019☆

Abstract Objectives The Interdisciplinary Cardiac Arrest Research Review (ICARE) group was formed in 2018 to conduct a systematic annual search of peer-reviewed literature relevant to cardiac arrest. Now in its second year, the goals of the review are to illustrate best practices in research and help reduce compartmentalization of knowledge by disseminating clinically relevant advances in the field of cardiac arrest across disciplines. Methods An electronic search of PubMed using keywords related to cardiac arrest was conducted. Title and abstracts retrieved by these searches were screened for relevance, classified by article type (original research or review), and sorted into 7 categories. Screened manuscripts underwent standardized scoring of overall methodological quality and impact on the categorized fields of study by reviewer teams lead by a subject-matter expert editor. Articles scoring higher than 99 percentiles by category-type were selected for full critique. Systematic differences between editors’ and reviewers’ scores were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results A total of 3348 articles were identified on initial search; of these, 1364 were scored after screening for relevance and deduplication, and forty-five underwent full critique. Epidemiology & Public Health represented 24% of fully reviewed articles with Prehospital Resuscitation, Technology & Care, and In-Hospital Resuscitation & Post-Arrest Care Categories both representing 20% of fully reviewed articles. There were no significant differences between editor and reviewer scoring. Conclusions The sheer number of articles screened is a testament to the need for an accessible source calling attention to high-quality and impactful research and serving as a high-yield reference for clinicians and scientists seeking to follow the ever-growing body of cardiac arrest-related literature. This will promote further development of the unique and interdisciplinary field of cardiac arrest medicine.
There is more to flowering than those DAM genes: the biology behind bloom in rosaceous fruit trees

The regulation of bloom time in deciduous fruit trees is an area of increasing interest due to the negative impact of climate change on fruit production. Although flower development has been well-studied in model species, there are many knowledge gaps about this process in perennial fruit trees, whose floral development spans the four seasons and includes many temperature-driven transitions. To develop solutions for minimizing crop loss, a comprehensive research strategy is needed to understand flower development and bloom time in deciduous fruit trees. This approach must incorporate genetic, physiological, and phenological strategies which include morphological and molecular analyses. Here, we describe key floral development events for rosaceae family fruit trees, highlight recent molecular and genetic discoveries, and discuss future directions for this field.
Incidence and prognostic significance of pleural effusions in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

It has been suggested pleural effusions may develop in right heart failure in the absence of left heart disease. The incidence and prognostic significance of pleural effusions in pulmonary arterial...
Urban climate governance under the national government shadow: Evidence from Istanbul

Studies that focus on different urban governance structures, especially unitary states and semi-authoritarian regimes, are still lacking in the urban climate governance literature. This research ai...
Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background The effects of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs), such as eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, on cardiovascular outcomes are uncertain. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of omega-3 FAs on fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular outcomes and examine the potential variability in EPA vs. EPA+DHA treatment effects. Methods We searched EMBASE, PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane library databases through June 7, 2021. We performed a meta-analysis of 38 randomized controlled trials of omega-3 FAs, stratified by EPA monotherapy and EPA+DHA therapy. We estimated random-effects rate ratios (RRs) with (95% confidence intervals) and rated the certainty of evidence using GRADE. The key outcomes of interest were cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal cardiovascular outcomes, bleeding, and atrial fibrillation (AF). The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021227580). Findings In 149,051 participants, omega-3 FA was associated with reducing cardiovascular mortality (RR, 0.93 [0.88-0.98]; p = 0.01), non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) (RR, 0.87 [0.81–0.93]; p = 0.0001), coronary heart disease events (CHD) (RR, 0.91 [0.87–0.96]; p = 0.0002), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (RR, 0.95 [0.92–0.98]; p = 0.002), and revascularization (RR, 0.91 [0.87–0.95]; p = 0.0001). The meta-analysis showed higher RR reductions with EPA monotherapy (0.82 [0.68–0.99]) than with EPA + DHA (0.94 [0.89–0.99]) for cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal MI (EPA: 0.72 [0.62–0.84]; EPA+DHA: 0.92 [0.85–1.00]), CHD events (EPA: 0.73 [0.62–0.85]; EPA+DHA: 0.94 [0.89–0.99]), as well for MACE and revascularization. Omega-3 FA increased incident AF (RR, 1.26 [1.08–1.48]). EPA monotherapy vs. control was associated with a higher risk of total bleeding (RR: 1.49 [1.20–1.84]) and AF (RR, 1.35 [1.10–1.66]). Interpretation Omega-3 FAs reduced cardiovascular mortality and improved cardiovascular outcomes. The cardiovascular risk reduction was more prominent with EPA monotherapy than with EPA+DHA. Funding None.
Ritual and Music of North China: Shawm Bands in Shanxi

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Stephen Jones Year: 2008 Pages: 148 Publisher: Ashgate Publishing ISBN: 0-7546-6163-6 (hard cover). Prices: $54.95 USD(hard cover).
Characterization of mouse lymphohematopoietic stem cells lacking spleen colony-forming activity

The classical definition of lymphohematopoietic stem cells (LHSC), the most primitive progenitors of all blood cells, requires that they have the capacity for self-renewal and for the long-term production of all blood cell lineages. However, other characteristics of LHSC have been debated. Our previous data suggested that mouse LHSC are very slowly proliferating cells that generate delayed multilineage engraftment, while “radioprotection” (rapid engraftment that will prevent early death from radiation-induced marrow aplasia) results from more committed progenitors. Alternatively, some groups have reported that mouse LHSC are responsible for both radioprotection and long-term repopulation of all blood cell lineages. A possible explanation for this difference is that cells with the capacity for long-term production of all blood cell lineages are biologically heterogeneous. We now show that 10 LHSC can generate all blood cell lineages for the lifetime of the animal. However, these cells lacked radioprotection and spleen colony-forming activity. LHSC were identified and isolated by their small size, their lack of expression of antigens characteristic of mature blood cell lineages, and their high expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase. In addition, these cells were found to express undetectable or low levels of many antigens presumed to mark LHSC, including Thy-1, Ly-6A/E (Sca-1), c-kit, and CD34. There appears to be at least two classes of LHSC with the capacity for long-term production of all blood cell lineages: one that generates both radioprotection and long-term engraftment and one that produces delayed but durable engraftment. Our data suggest that this latter class may represent a very primitive class of LHSC.
Identification of the sigma source near 3C 273 - A new class of AGN?

The hard X-ray source detected with SIGMA at an offset of about 15 arcmin from 3C 273 may be identified with an uncataloged Einstein X-ray source detected in the deep Einstein HRI exposure of 3C 273 and in subsequent short IPC exposures. We have identified this source, within the SIGMA error circle, with a faint (mag 19-20) QSO at z = 0.57. Comparison of the SIGMA and Einstein fluxes with this optical object suggest it is highly self-absorbed, and possibly highly variable. The discovery of such a class of AGN would have important consequences for the cosmic X-ray background.
- OsG11A: G11A (Oryzae sativa)

The chapter focuses on G11A (Oryzae sativa); it is an incomplete cDNA isolated by homology cloning using degenerate primers corresponding to conserved catalytic domain sequences. The kinase domain resides in the C-terminal region and is highly related to PKC and PKA. The kinase domain is interrupted by a series of short repeats that are rich in cysteine and basic amino acids. The N-terminal domain is unrelated to proteins in the database. The function of this protein kinase is unknown. The catalytic domain of G11A is homologous to the catalytic domain of PvPKl. The N-terminal, noncatalytic regions are completely unrelated. A homologue is also present in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana), and this also contains a unique N-terminal region.
Diabetes mellitus increases the in vivo activity of cytochrome P450 2E1 in humans.

Aims Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) is thought to activate a number of protoxins, and has been implicated in the development of liver disease. Increased hepatic expression of CYP2E1 occurs in rat models of diabetes but it is unclear whether human diabetics display a similar up-regulation. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that human diabetics experience enhanced CYP2E1 expression. Methods The pharmacokinetics of a single dose of chlorzoxazone (500 mg), used as an index of hepatic CYP2E1 activity, was determined in healthy subjects (n = 10), volunteers with Type I (n = 13), and Type II (n = 8) diabetes mellitus. Chlorzoxazone and 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone in serum and urine were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The expression of CYP2E1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was quantified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Results The mean ± s.d. (90% confidence interval of the difference) chlorzoxazone area under the plasma concentration-time curve was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced in obese Type II diabetics (15.7 ± 11.3 µg h ml−1; 9, 22) compared with healthy subjects (43.5 ± 16.9 µg h ml−1; 16, 40) and Type I diabetics (32.8 ± 9.2 µg h ml−1; 9, 25). There was a significant two-fold increase in the oral clearance of chlorzoxazone in obese Type II diabetics compared with healthy volunteers and Type I diabetics. The protein binding of chlorzoxazone was not significantly different between the three groups. In contrast, Type 1 diabetics and healthy volunteers demonstrated no difference in the oral clearance of chlorzoxazone. The urinary recovery of 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone as a percentage of the administered dose was not different between healthy, Type I and obese Type II diabetics. The elimination half-life of chlorzoxazone did not differ between the three groups. CYP2E1 mRNA was significantly elevated in Type I and obese Type II diabetics compared with healthy volunteers. The oral clearance of chlorzoxazone, elimination half-life, Tmax, and Cmax were not significantly influenced by weight, body mass index, serum glucose, serum cholesterol, or glycosylated haemoglobin. Conclusions There was a marked increase in hepatic CYP2E1 activity in obese Type II diabetics as assessed by chlorzoxazone disposition. Increased expression of CYP2E1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was found in both types of diabetes mellitus. Adverse hepatic events associated with Type II diabetes may be in part a result of enhanced CYP2E1 expression and activity.
Recent Progress in Pharmacogenetics

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the hereditary factors causing clinically significant variations in human responsiveness to drugs and the substantial advances made in pharmacogenetics. Along with past much recent work that has been reviewed in the chapter is devoted to these genetically transmitted conditions, but only a few new examples have been described. In the chapter, the term pharmacogenetics is applied to clinically significant consequences of hereditary variations in the handling of drugs. The chapter deals mainly with an increasing body of data on the defects in human and only tangentially with the very large literature, concerning animal experiments. Search for hereditary variations, affecting the way the body handles drugs, has until recently turned up almost exclusively traits inherited as single factors— that is, traits produced by point mutations at a single genetic locus and transmitted, either as Mendelian dominants or recessives. Investigation of the responsiveness of the general population to a drug in terms of the amount of a drug required to produce a given effect may take the form of a continuous unimodal distribution curve or of a discontinuous polymodal curve. Until recently, studies of drug responses that yield a normal or continuous distribution curve have been almost entirely ignored in pharmacogenetic investigations. To construct unimodal, Gaussian distribution curves large populations are required. Furthermore, genotypes are hard to deduce from such curves. In contrast, discontinuous, bimodal, or trimodal curves of response obtained from disorders transmitted as Mendelian dominants or recessives are more easily analyzed because each discrete curve generally corresponds to a different genotype.
On a Rigid Body Subject to Point-Plane Constraints

This paper investigates the location of a rigid body such that N specified points of the body lie on N given planes in space. Variants of this problem arise in kinematics, metrology, and computer vision, including some, such as the motion of a spherical four-bar, that are not at first glance point-plane contact problems. The case N=6, the minimum number to fully constrain the body, is of special interest: We give an eigenvalue method for finding all solutions, which may number up to eight. For N ≥ 7 there are, in general, no solutions, but if the constraints are compatible and not degenerate, we show how to find the unique solution by a linear least-squares method. For N ≤ 5, the body is under-constrained, having in general 6-N degrees of freedom; we determine the degree of the general motion for each case. We also examine the workspace of a particular three-degree-of-freedom parallel-link tripod mechanism.
Derivation of Langerhans cell granules from cytomembrane.

OKT6 monoclonal antibody has been shown to react selectively with Langerhans cell (LC) cytomembrane in human skin. Taking advantage of this property, we examined the stainability of LC granules with OKT6 using immunoperoxidase method at the ultrastructural level. It was found that the delimiting membranes of LC granules both attached to the cytomembrane and in the cytoplasm, were specifically stained in the epidermal sheet. These findings suggest that LC granules are derived from invagination of LC cytomembrane and retain T6 antigen. We employed two new methods: one is promotion of endocytosis by incubating the epidermal sheet in tissue culture medium with OKT6 at 4°C and further incubation without OKT6 at 37°C, and the other is the use of saponin to facilitate penetration of the secondary antibody through the cytomembrane of LC. In the LC cytoplasm only the delimiting membrane of the granule was stained; other membranous organelles, such as mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum, did not react.
Refractive Changes after Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty: A Simplified Mathematical Model

PURPOSE. To develop a mathematical model that can predict refractive changes after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). METHODS. A mathematical formula based on the Gullstrand eye model was generated to estimate the change in refractive power of the eye after DSEK. This model was applied to four DSEK cases retrospectively, to compare measured and predicted refractive changes after DSEK. RESULTS. The refractive change after DSEK is determined by calculating the difference in the power of the eye before and after DSEK surgery. The power of the eye post-DSEK surgery can be calculated with modified Gullstrand eye model equations that incorporate the change in the posterior radius of curvature and change in the distance between the principal planes of the cornea and lens after DSEK. Analysis of this model suggests that the ratio of central to peripheral graft thickness (CP ratio) and central thickness can have significant effect on refractive change where smaller CP ratios and larger graft thicknesses result in larger hyperopic shifts. This model was applied to four patients, and the average predicted hyperopic shift in the overall power of the eye was calculated to be 0.83 D. This change reflected in a mean of 93% (range, 75%‐110%) of patients’ measured refractive shifts. CONCLUSIONS. This simplified DSEK mathematical model can be used as a first step for estimating the hyperopic shift after DSEK. Further studies are necessary to refine the validity of this model. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52:1043‐1054) DOI:
Separating bedtime rest from activity using waist or wrist-worn accelerometers in youth.

Recent interest in sedentary behavior and technological advances expanded use of watch-size accelerometers for continuous monitoring of physical activity (PA) over extended periods (e.g., 24 h/day for 1 week) in studies conducted in natural living environment. This approach necessitates the development of new methods separating bedtime rest and activity periods from the accelerometer recordings. The goal of this study was to develop a decision tree with acceptable accuracy for separating bedtime rest from activity in youth using accelerometer placed on waist or wrist. Minute-by-minute accelerometry data were collected from 81 youth (10–18 years old, 47 females) during a monitored 24-h stay in a whole-room indirect calorimeter equipped with a force platform covering the floor to detect movement. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the accelerometer cut points for rest and activity. To examine the classification differences, the accelerometer bedtime rest and activity classified by the algorithm in the development group (n = 41) were compared with actual bedtime rest and activity classification obtained from the room calorimeter-measured metabolic rate and movement data. The selected optimal bedtime rest cut points were 20 and 250 counts/min for the waist- and the wrist-worn accelerometer, respectively. The selected optimal activity cut points were 500 and 3,000 counts/min for waist and wrist-worn accelerometers, respectively. Bedtime rest and activity were correctly classified by the algorithm in the validation group (n = 40) by both waist- (sensitivity: 0.983, specificity: 0.946, area under ROC curve: 0. 872) and wrist-worn (0.999, 0.980 and 0.943) accelerometers. The decision tree classified bedtime rest correctly with higher accuracy than commonly used automated algorithm for both waist- and wrist-warn accelerometer (all p<0.001). We concluded that cut points developed and validated for waist- and wrist-worn uniaxial accelerometer have a good power for accurate separation of time spent in bedtime rest from activity in youth.
Determination of crosslink density by end group analysis after partial degradation: 2. Experimental application to keratin

Abstract By a method of partial solubilization and end group analysis, the molar concentration of intermolecularly crosslinked amino acids was determined for a wool sample. The results can be interpreted in two ways. If the wool is assumed to behave homogeneously toward acid hydrolysis, then the crosslink theory indicates that the molar concentration of intermolecular linkages is 7.5%, or that out of a total crosslink concentration of 12.6%, about 40% of the crosslinks are intramolecular. Alternatively, the crosslinking could be entirely intermolecular in a two component model provided the rate of hydrolysis and solubilization of the lightly crosslinked (microfibrillar) component is much slower than that of the densely crosslinked matrix. Partial solubilization was effected with a mixture of hydrochloric and formic acids. The extent of solubilization was found by weighing, and the concentration of amine ends in the soluble fraction determined spectrophotometrically by the absorption, at 422 nm, of the complex formed between amines and trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS). The experimental curve of end group concentration versus solubility was used to estimate crosslink density by a previously derived theory for both single and two component models.
Brand preferences of underage drinkers who report alcohol-related fights and injuries.

Background: A significant body of research has demonstrated an association between adolescent alcohol consumption and subsequent fights and injuries. To date, however, no research has identified which brands are associated with alcohol-related fights and injuries among underage drinkers. Objectives: We aimed to: (1) report the prevalence of alcohol-related fights and injuries among a national sample of underage drinkers in the U.S. and (2) describe the relationship between specific alcohol brand consumption and these alcohol-related negative consequences. Methods: We recruited 1,031 self-reported drinkers (ages 13–20 years) via an internet panel maintained by Knowledge Networks to complete an online survey. Respondents reported their past-month overall and brand-specific alcohol consumption, risky drinking behavior, and past-year alcohol-related fights and injuries. Results: Over one-quarter of the respondents (26.7%, N = 232) reported at least one alcohol-related fight or injury in the past year. Heavy e...
The Risk of Having a Low Birth Weight or Preterm Infant among Cosmetologists in New York State

Objectives This study sought to determine if female licensed cosmetologists have a higher risk of low birth weight, small-for-gestational-age, and preterm delivery compared to two different comparison groups. Methods This retrospective cohort study matched 15,003 licensed cosmetologists and a comparison group of 4,246 licensed realtors to birth records in New York State from 1997 to 2003. A second comparison group from the general population of New York State (n = 12,171) was frequency matched to cosmetologists on child’s year of birth, mother’s ethnicity and mother’s education. Results A positive association was found for low birth weight when comparing cosmetologists to realtors (adjusted odds ratio 1.36 (95% confidence interval: 1.09, 1.70)). Associations were stronger in non-whites than in whites in each birth weight comparison. Associations observed for small-for-gestational-age or preterm births with either comparison group were close to the null or had wide confidence intervals that included the null. Conclusions We observed a slightly increased risk for having a child born low birth weight among cosmetologists compared to another group of licensed professionals. The risk was greater among non-white races in each comparison.
Mechanisms simultaneously regulate smooth muscle proliferation and differentiation

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) differentiation and proliferation are two important physiological processes during vascular development. The phenotypic alteration from differentiated to proliferative VSMC contributes to the development of several major cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis, hypertension, restenosis after angioplasty or bypass, diabetic vascular complications, and transplantation arteriopathy. Since the VSMC phenotype in these pathological conditions resembles that of developing VSMC during embryonic development, understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control VSMC differentiation will provide fundamental insights into the pathological processes of these cardiovascular diseases. Although VSMC differentiation is usually accompanied by an irreversible cell cycle exit, VSMC proliferation and differentiation occur concurrently during embryonic development. The molecular mechanisms simultaneously regulating these two processes, however, remain largely unknown. Our recent study demonstrates that cell division cycle 7, a key regulator of cell cycle, promotes both VSMC differentiation and proliferation through different mechanisms during the initial phase of VSMC differentiation. Conversely, Kruppel-like factor 4 appears to be a repressor for both VSMC differentiation and proliferation. This review attempts to highlight the novel role of cell division cycle 7 in TGF-β-induced VSMC differentiation and proliferation. The role of Kruppel-like factor 4 in suppressing these two processes will also be discussed.
Phase behavior of electrostatically complexed polyelectrolyte gels using an embedded fluctuation model

Nanostructured, responsive hydrogels formed due to electrostatic interactions have promise for applications such as drug delivery and tissue mimics. These physically cross-linked hydrogels are composed of an aqueous solution of oppositely charged triblocks with charged end-blocks and neutral, hydrophilic mid-blocks. Due to their electrostatic interactions, the end-blocks microphase separate and form physical cross-links that are bridged by the mid-blocks. The structure of this system was determined using a new, efficient embedded fluctuation (EF) model in conjunction with self-consistent field theory. The calculations using the EF model were validated against unapproximated field-theoretic simulations with complex Langevin sampling and were found consistent with small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements on an experimental system. Using both the EF model and SAXS, phase diagrams were generated as a function of end-block fraction and polymer concentration. Several structures were observed including a body-centered cubic sphere phase, a hexagonally packed cylinder phase, and a lamellar phase. Finally, the EF model was used to explore how parameters that directly relate to polymer chemistry can be tuned to modify the resulting phase diagram, which is of practical interest for the development of new hydrogels.
A condition dependent link between testosterone and disease resistance in the house finch

Testosterone has recently been proposed as a link between male quality and health and the expression of sexual traits. We investigated the relationship between testosterone and measures of the individual condition and health of males in a natural population of house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus). We also conducted a captive experiment in order to test for the effects of testosterone on resistance to coccidia, which is a common parasite of house finches. Free-living males in better condition had higher testosterone levels and lower corticosterone levels than free-living males in poor condition. In our captive experiment, increased testosterone accelerated the rate of coccidial infection as compared with sham-implanted or gonadectomized males. Although the differences were not significant, free-living males infected with coccidia had lower levels of testosterone and higher levels of corticosterone than males that were not infected. Thus, experimentally elevating testosterone levels in captive males resulted in a higher percentage of infected males, while free-living males with coccidial infection had low testosterone levels. This apparent discrepancy between captive and free-living males in the association of testosterone and disease may be explained by the condition dependence of testosterone. These results suggest that the testosterone-dependent sexual traits reliably indicate male overall condition and health and, thus, females could benefit from assessing potential mates based on these traits.
Functional status, life-space mobility, and quality of life: a longitudinal mediation analysis.

Purpose Using the Wilson–Cleary model of patient outcomes as a conceptual framework, the impact of functional status on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older adults was examined, including tests of the mediation provided by life-space mobility.
Measurements of the Tip Clearance Flow for a High Reynolds Number Axial-Flow Rotor: Part 2 — Detailed Flow Measurements

A high Reynolds number pump (HIREP) facility has been used to acquire flow measurements in the rotor blade tip clearance region-with blade chord Reynolds numbers of 3,900,000 and 5,500,000. The initial experiment involved rotor blades with varying tip clearances, while a second experiment involved a more detailed investigation of a rotor blade row with a single tip clearance. This paper focuses on detailed flow measurements of the tip leakage vortex. These detailed measurements show the effects of tip clearance size and downstream distance on the structure of the rotor tip leakage vortex. The character of the velocity profile along the vortex core changes from a jet-like profile to a wake-like profile as the tip clearance becomes smaller. These vortex velocity profiles-as well as the levels of unsteadiness-dominate the rotor wake structure in the endwall region. Also, for small clearances, the presence and proximity of the casing endwall affects the roll-up, shape, dissipation, and unsteadiness of the tip leakage vortex. Measurements also show how much circulation is retained by the blade tip and how much is shed into the vortex-a vortex associated with high losses.Copyright © 1994 by ASME
Photosynthetic activity of spinach chloroplasts after isopycnic centrifugation in gradients of silica.

Chloroplast suspensions from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) were clearly resolved into intact and stripped chloroplasts by isopycnic centrifugation in density gradients of silica sol (“Ludox”) and polyethlene glycol. The intact chloroplasts fixed CO2 and evolved O2 more rapidly than the crude suspensions; the stripped chloroplasts were inactive. During the photosynthetic fixation of 14CO2 in the intact chloroplasts recovered from the gradient, the 14C label was observed to spread through the photosynthetic intermediate pools, as well as into starch, which indicates that the purified chloroplasts are metabolically competent. This appears to be the first report of the retention of photosynthetic activity following the purification of chloroplasts in density gradients.
Preclinical Models of Encephalopathy of Prematurity

Encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP) encompasses the central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities associated with injury from preterm birth. Although rapid progress is being made, limited understanding exists of how cellular and molecular CNS injury from early birth manifests as the myriad of neurological deficits in children who are born preterm. More importantly, this lack of direct insight into the pathogenesis of these deficits hinders both our ability to diagnose those infants who are at risk in real time and could potentially benefit from treatment and our ability to develop more effective interventions. Current barriers to clarifying the pathophysiology, developmental trajectory, injury timing, and evolution include preclinical animal models that only partially recapitulate the molecular, cellular, histological, and functional abnormalities observed in the mature CNS following EoP. Inflammation from hypoxic-ischemic and/or infectious injury induced in utero in lower mammals, or actual prenatal delivery of more phylogenetically advanced mammals, are likely to be the most clinically relevant EOP models, facilitating translation to benefit infants. Injury timing, type, severity, and pathophysiology need to be optimized to address the specific hypothesis being tested. Functional assays of the mature animal following perinatal injury to mimic EoP should ideally test for the array of neurological deficits commonly observed in preterm infants, including gait, seizure threshold and cognitive and behavioral abnormalities. Here, we review the merits of various preclinical models, identify gaps in knowledge that warrant further study and consider challenges that animal researchers may face in embarking on these studies. While no one model system is perfect, insights relevant to the clinical problem can be gained with interpretation of experimental results within the context of inherent limitations of the chosen model system. Collectively, optimal use of multiple models will address a major challenge facing the field today - to identify the type and severity of CNS injury these vulnerable infants suffer in a safe and timely manner, such that emerging neurointerventions can be tailored to specifically address individual reparative needs.
Metabolism: Targeting a fat-accumulation gene

An enzyme that links two metabolic hubs has been found to be upregulated in the fat cells of overweight mice. Inhibition of the gene encoding this enzyme protects mice from diet-induced obesity. See Letter p.258
Responses of arid and semiarid watersheds to increasing carbon dioxide and climate change as shown by simulation studies

The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is expected to double in the next century causing increased temperatures and decreasing precipitation in some regions of the U.S. The increase in CO2 will also directly affect stomatal conductance of plants. At the first-order watershed scale, changes in evaporative demand, transpiration, and runoff will also occur. Previous modeling studies of the effect of increased CO2 on the water budgets of watersheds have been single-factor exercises where a single parameter representing stomatal conductance was reduced and the results noted. After showing validation results of the hydrology module, we used a comprehensive ecosystem model to examine the consequences of changes in precipitation, temperature, and CO2-induced plant-function characteristics on small-basin runoff. As a result of the complex interactions and of the compensatory mechanisms simulated by the model, we conclude that for arid and semiarid watersheds of the western United States, there will be little change or an actual decrease in surface runoff because of increased CO2 and climate change. This is due to the decrease in precipitation imposed on the model simulations. Implementing stomatal closure in the model did not increase runoff from the watersheds when temperatures were increased and precipitation decreased.
Age Differences in Clustering: Implications for Word List Recall

Zivian and Darjes (3) found that, while there were no differences in the average Adjusted Ratio of Clustering done by groups of university students, middle-aged subjects in-school and out-of-school, and elderly persons, overall there was a small positive correlation between the amount of clustering and accuracy of recall. Collected in the context of a larger study of age differences on metamemory, the present study was done to replicate the predictiveness of adjusted ratios for young and older adults and to explore potential age differences in the extent of clustering. Forty-five female undergraduates (M age = 19.2) and 45 community-living older women (M age =68.4; M educ. = 14.2 yr.) were presented with a randomly ordered 30-word list (3) which employed 5 exemplarj from each of 6 categories of animals, food, tools, dothing, furniture, and transportation. Subjects were given 7 min. to study the list, followed immediately by a 3-min. recall period during which they wrote all the words they could remember in any order. Not unexpectedly, the younger women recalled more words (M = 24.1, SD = 4.7) than older women (M = 19.0, SD = 4.9; F,,,, = 25.08, p< .001). Adjusted Ratios of Clustering were positively correlated with the number of words recalled by both young and older subjects (r,, = .25, pe.05 and r,, = .55, pc.001, respectively). Mean ratios, however, were higher for the older group (M = 0.54, SD = .36) than for the young group (M = 0.34, SD = .45; F ,,,, = 5.59, p< ,051. Half of the younger subjects who had adjusted ratios of 0.0 (n = 8) still recalled 27 or more words, suggesting the effective use of rote memory of serial position or possibly ocher mnemonic strategies. Among older subjects with adjusted ratios of 0.0, 17 was the largest number of recalled words. Although clustering by category was associated with better recall by both age groups, the findings suggested that such clustering facilitated word recall more for the older subjects.
Beyond the ‘Communal’ 1920s: The Problem of Intention, Legislative Pragmatism, and the Making of Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code

Late nineteenth–early twentieth century Punjab has been commonly regarded as a space for ‘competitive communalism’ whereby each of the province’s major religious communities participated in activit...
Increased plasma protein binding and lower metabolic clearance rate of aldosterone in plasma of low cortisol concentration.

During ACTH or cortisol infusion in ten recumbent normal men taking dexamethasone, the metabolic clearance rate of aldosterone increased by 50% as plasma cortisol was raised from low (2 μg/dl) to high concentration (50 μg/dl). Since splanchnic blood flow did not change, a greater efficiency of removal of aldosterone must have occurred, by means of displacement of aldosterone from high-affinity sites on plasma protein. At 37 C, equilibrium dialysis of low-cortisol plasma showed one-third of plasma aldosterone bound to albumin, and 24 to 28% bound to higher-affinity sites on other protein. As plasma cortisol increased, a progressively smaller fraction was tightly bound, approaching zero as transcortin was saturated with cortisol. The addition of large amounts of aldosterone to low-cortisol plasma displaced 14C-cortisol from transcortin binding sites. The results support earlier evidence that a significant fraction of plasma aldosterone is bound to transcortin, from which it is readily displaced by cortisol,...
Optimization tools for design and marketing of new/improved products using the house of quality

Abstract Quality function deployment (QFD) has helped many firms realize significant reduction in product design costs and development time. The QFD process includes ranking customer preferences, rating the competitors, and parts deployment for the new/improved product. Prior to this research, such activities have been performed based on expert opinion, or the “best-in-class” approach. We develop and solve optimization models for the identification of consensus rankings and ratings, that take into account the priorities and perceptions of all the customers in a target market. Then, based on the consensus rankings, we identify a parts mix for the new/improved product that satisfies a budget constraint and matches or exceeds the performance expectations of all customers surveyed in the target market. Finally, we show how the QFD charts can be used to identify competitors that are falsely perceived as superior, as well as areas where the firm's marketing strategies have had the desired effects. Such insights are useful in developing the future marketing strategy of the firm.
Redox recipes. X. A recipe with ferric versenate, sodium dithionite, and hydroperoxide as activating system (veroxathionite recipe)

A new initiating system, named the Veroxathionite system, for the copolymerization of butadiene (75)-styrene (25) is described. At 0°C., with the recipe: butadiene, 75 parts; styrene, 25 parts; water, 180 parts; potassium myristate, 5 parts; potassium pyrophosphate, 1 part; sulfole mercaptan, 0.3 part; 0.66 mmole of phenylcyclohexane hydroperoxide, 0.001 M ferric versenate, and 0.1 part of sodium dithionite, conversions of 45, 87, and 100% were reached in 1, 2, and 3 hours, respectively. The rate can be varied within wide limits by changing the concentration of iron. With only 10−4M ferric versenate and 0.06 part of dithionite, 71% conversion is attained in 12 hours. The amount of dithionite must be adjusted to the amount of hydroperoxide and, to a lesser extent, to the amount of iron. With much more than one mole of dithionite per mole of hydroperoxide, dead-stops occur at low conversion due to exhaustion of hydroperoxide. The rate is determined by the concentration of ferric versenate, and an excess of versene over ferric iron has no effect. The addition of potassium pyrophosphate yields a latex which is of normal fluidity and free of precoagulation up to 80% conversion. The effects of polymerization variables are described. With methanol as antifreeze, a recipe is described which yields 75% conversion in 8 hours at −20°C. The reaction mechanism is very involved. It is concluded that an induced reaction between hydroperoxide and dithionite is responsible for the low efficiency of the radicals produced in this recipe.
Empowerment versus backlash: gender quotas and critical mass theory

Karpowitz, Mendelberg, and Mattioli [Politics, Groups, and Identities 3 (1): 149–177. doi:10.1080/21565503.2014.999804] present an important new contribution to debates on critical mass theory, exploring the conditional effects of women's increased presence in organizations stemming from the use of different decision-making rules. Distinct from other work, they focus on the process of representation, theorizing gendered opportunities and constraints for women to exercise political influence. Like other critical mass scholars, however, they overlook the possibility of backlash and resistance in the face of women's growing numbers – dynamics which undercut women's ability to participate as equals and thus potentially undermine recent policy initiatives like gender quotas to elect more women and give women greater voice in policy-making processes.
Children of performing arts, the economic dilemma: The climbing costs of health care and education

It is thirty years since William Bowen and I (1966) first reported our analysis of what we called the "cost disease of the performing arts," with its profoundly disturbing presage of the future. Soon after, we realized in general terms that it applied to a variety of other services (we now call them "stagnant services" including health care, education, restaurant services, library and legal services, police protection, auto repair and a number of other services). The cost predictions that flowed from the analysis have been amply confirmed by subsequent developments. This is noted here not in order to gloat over the accuracy of our depiction of the future (though I cannot deny that it is a source of some uneasy satisfaction). Indeed, we even denied at the time that we were providing a forecast. Still, the course taken by the economy since then, as it had for so long a period before, has followed disturbingly closely the gloomier of the scenarios that our model suggests and undertakes to explain. Since then, while the analysis has continued to play a role in policy debates related to funding of the performing arts, the advent of political and economic pressures for governmental stringency, sometimes amounting to niggardliness,
Szegö's limit theorem: The higher-dimensional matrix case☆

Abstract The continuous version of Szego's theorem gives the first two terms of the asymptotics as α → ∞ of the determinants of certain convolution operators on L2(0, α) with scalar-valued kernels. Generalizations are known if the kernel is matrix valued or if the interval (0, α) is replaced by αΩ with Ω a bounded set in Rn with smooth boundary. This paper treats the higher-dimensional matrix case. The coefficient in the interesting (second) term is an integral over the contangent bundle of ∂Ω of the correponding coefficients of one-dimensional problems.