cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES DURING PREGNANCY IN THE RAT, AND THE EFFECTS OF SEX HORMONES AND PLACENTAL EXTRACTS ON INFLAMMATORY POTENTIAL1

Meier et al. (1950) and Shipley and Meyer (1955) demonstrated that glucocorticoids inhibit the formation of granulation tissue in and around subcutaneously implanted cotton pellets. Meyer, Stucki and Aulsebrook (1953) demonstrated that in the rat pregnancy also decreased granulation tissue formation and reduced the injurious effects of formaldehyde on the knee joint synovialis. These results were interpreted as indicative of an increase in the glucocorticoid moiety of the complex of steroids peculiar to pregnancy. Since the first observations of Hench et al. (1949) that cortisone duplicated the effect of pregnancy in alleviating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and the observations that glucocorticoid levels are increased in pregnancy (Venning, 1946; Gemzell, 1953) various organs and organ systems have been suggested as the source of the pregnancy glucocorticoids. There can be little doubt that the adrenal cortex is the main source of the anti-inflammatory agents produced by such stressors as pyrogens,
Molecular mechanics studies of coenzyme B12 complexes with constrained CoN(axial-base) bond lengths: introduction of the universal force field (UFF) to coenzyme B12 chemistry and its use to probe the plausibility of an axial-base-induced, ground-state corrin butterfly conformational steric effect

Abstract The universal force field (UFF) is used to minimize a series of cobalamins to (i) test the applicability of UFF to model unstrained cobalamin structures in comparison with the literature force field MM2′, a force field parameterized using a set of 19 cobalamin X-ray crystal structures, and (ii) to probe the steric-based, ground-state corrin butterfly effect, a literature hypothesis aimed at explaining the observed 10 12 enzymic acceleration of adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) CoC bond homolysis. The results obtained show that UFF is at least as good as MM2′ in modeling the five cobalamins which were originally used to test the accuracy of MM2′. Next, by using UFF to constrain the CoN(bzm) bond length in adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) to bond lengths ranging from 4.5 to 1.44 A, the putative axial-base-induced corrin butterfly conformation effect was modeled. The results show that while a short CoN(bzm) bond length does lengthen the CoC bond and increase the CoCC bond angle, the maximum magnitude of the predicted distortions appears, at least when considering steric effects alone, to be at most ∼1/3 that needed to accomplish the observed CoC bond homolysis acceleration. Equivalent results were obtained in analogous studies of base-free adenosylcobinamide (AdoCbi + ) in the presence of an exogenous N -methylimidazole base, [AdoCbi·N-MeIm] + . Overall, literature precedent, and now UFF molecular mechanics, all provide evidence against a solely axial-base-driven, sterically-induced corrin butterfly conformation effect as the dominant mechanism in the enzymic acceleration of AdoCbl CoC bond homolysis. Serious consideration must now be given to a combination of effects: an enzyme-induced rack mechanism (which can contain an enzyme -induced corrin butterfly conformational effect), and a coupling of Co⋯C cleavage, substrate or cysteine S⋯H bond cleavage, and Ado⋯H bond formation steps.
Specifying tissue optical properties using axial dependence of confocal reflectance images: confocal scanning laser microscopy and optical coherence tomography

The optical properties of a tissue can be specified by the depth dependence of a reflectance-mode confocal measurement, as the focus is scanned down into a tissue. Reflectance-mode confocal scanning laser microscopy (rCSLM) and optical coherence tomography in focus tracking mode (OCT) are two examples of such confocal measurements. The measurement of reflected signal as a function of the depth of focus, R(z), is expressed as ρe -μz , where ρ [dimensionless] is the local reflectivity from the focus within a tissue and μ [cm -1 ] is the attenuation of signal as a function of z. The reflectivity of a mirror defines ρ = 1. This paper describes how the experimental ρ and μ map into the optical properties of scattering coefficient, μs [cm -1 ], and anisotropy of scattering, g [dimensionless]. Preliminary results on tissue for the rCSLM and OCT systems are reported.
1160 THE RELATION OF CHOLESTEROL ESTER & CHOLESTEROL SYNTHESES TO THE INITIATION OF MYELINATION

Top of pageAbstract Cholesterol esters are relatively abundant during early brain development and essentially disappear after myelination. However little is known about the role of cholesterol esters and the regulation of their synthesis. In this study regulation of cholesterol ester and cholesterol syntheses by desmosterol was studied in C-6 glial cells, a model of the glial cell found just prior to myelination. Cholesterol ester synthesis (from [14C]oleate) was stimulated as much as 12-fold after just 5 hours' exposure to desmosterol. Cholesterol synthesis (from [14C]acetate) was inhibited in a simultaneous and quantitatively similar manner. Observation of similar effects on the syntheses of cholesterol ester and cholesterol from 3H2O indicated that alterations in pool sizes of intermediates did not contribute to the observed responses. Experiments utilizing prelabeled intracellular cholesterol suggested that desmosterol produced its effect by stimulating esterification of primarily endogenous cholesterol. Thus, regulation of cholesterol ester synthesis is active and tightly linked to regulation of cholesterol synthesis in this model of the premyelinating glial cell. The data suggest that prior to myelination desmosterol stimulates cholesterol ester synthesis and inhibits cholesterol synthesis. When the demand for glial cholesterol becomes great, i.e. with rapid myelination, desmosterol is converted to cholesterol, cholesterol ester synthesis is inhibited, and cholesterol synthesis is disinhibited.
Charles G. Dawes: The conscience of normalcy

Political leaders can often correlate their success with their ability to reflect in their public speeches the accepted value systems of their times. Charles G. Dawes, a leading and respected political figure in the 1920's, the decade •of normalcy, presents an interesting exception to this observation. While supporting the popular belief of the period that the ideal setting for the nation's life had evolved and that this Tiappy state should be preserved, he also strongly urged in regard to important policy matters that his listeners be alert to the dangers of complacency, question practices generally unquestioned, and formulate new premises for thought and action. No stranger in the house of normalcy, Dawes was nevertheless something of a unique resident.
Formulation of medium for tick cell culture.

We examined the effectiveness of bovine cholesterol concentrate in reducing the high level (10-20%) of fetal bovine serum (FBS) necessary to promote tick cell growth in vitro. Tick cell lines isolated from embryos of Anocentor nitens (ANE 58), Boophilus microplus (BME 26), and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (RAE 25) were used. They were incubated in L-15 (BME 26) or L-15B (ANE 58 and RAE 25) supplemented with 10% tryptose phosphate broth (TPB), 5% (ANE 58 and BME 26) or 3% FBS, 10-90 microns/ml cholesterol. A concentration of 10 micrograms/ml cholesterol stimulated the growth rate of all three lines but more than 30 micrograms/ml depressed growth in ANE 58 and RAE 25 cells, while multiplication of BME 26 cells was enhanced by all cholesterol concentrations tested. All three lines could be continuously grown in 5% FBS, provided that 10 micrograms/ml cholesterol was included. Nutrients added to L-15 in the formulation of L-15B were tested singly or in combination for their ability to support tick cell growth in medium supplemented only with 5% FBS and 10 microns/ml cholesterol. In L-15 alone, RAE 25 cells did not multiply. Adding glucose (Glc), glutamic acid (Glu), or alpha-ketoglutaric acid (alpha K) had little or no effect, and the same was true for combinations of Glc plus alpha K, aspartic acid (Asp) plus proline (Pro) and glutamine (Gln), and minerals plus vitamins (MV). When Asp, Gln, Pro, and alpha K were combined with Glc and/or MV and added to L-15, there was appreciable growth stimulation, but best results were obtained when Glu was also included. In this medium, i.e., L-15B with 5% FBS and 10 mu/ml cholesterol, lines BME 26 and RAE 25 could be continuously subcultured.
Proofs (Not) from The Book

We all know about The Book in which, according to Erdős, God keeps the most elegant proof of each mathematical result. It is interesting to speculate whether every theorem has a “Book proof” (say what about the Four Color Theorem or the Collatz 3n+1 Conjecture?) or whether a “Book proof” of a theorem is unique. I believe many mathematicians have their own private collections of proofs from The Book. In fact, such a collection, and a highly successful one, was published by M. Aigner and G. M. Ziegler [1] (see [2] for a complement). This article contains several proofs, not included in [1], that, in my opinion, are serious contenders for inclusion in The Book. Needless to say, the selection reflects my taste and mathematical interests. Most of the theorems discussed here are 100–150 years old, but these proofs are considerably newer. This is another issue to mull over: how long does it take for a Book proof of a theorem to emerge?
Nurses: trusted patient advocates.

ATIENTS AND FAMILIES place themselves n the hands of nurses every day. Expectaions of nurses are multidimensional and requently complex, but the paramount exectation is that nurses will care for and eep a loved one safe. The nursing profesion consistently earns an extraordinary ote of confidence from the public through nnual Gallup poll results. Nursing receives he top ranking for ‘the most honest and thical profession,’ and has achieved this tatus for seven of the past eight years. The rust people place in us is humbling, but lso inspiring. I would add to that quality of rust the quality of advocacy. The many nteractions I have experienced with nurses re as powerful and significant as the trust I lace in them when I, or a family member, eed care. The power one person can have nd the impact of patient advocacy are valuble and meaningful.
Multi-round real-time divisible load scheduling for clusters

Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning for divisible loads incluster computing has attracted more attention recently. To enhance QoSand provide performance guarantees in cluster computing environmentsfor divisible loads, in this paper, we integrate a Simplified Multi-Round (SMR) strategy into the design of real-time scheduling algorithms for divisibleload applications. Four contributions are made in this paper. First,we present algorithm SMR and extend it to compute a closed form formulafor minimum number of processors required to meet an applicationdeadline. Second, we derived a closed form solution for execution timeof the optimized SMR. Third, we formally prove that optimized SMRresults in better completion time than the single round strategy. Finally,we integrate SMR with our algorithm framework and propose two setsof efficient algorithms.
Amiloride reduces stroke and renal injury in stroke-prone hypertensive rats

Background : We previously reported that the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists spironolactone and eplerenone markedly reduce proteinuria and vascular injury in saline-drinking stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Presently, we examined whether amiloride, an epithelial sodium channel blocker, would also protect against pathology in these rats. Methods: In acute studies, saline-drinking SHRSP (n = 5) were instrumented with radiotelemetry blood pressure (BP) probes and housed in metabolic cages. Mean arterial pressure and electrolyte excretion were quantified over the 24-h period after oral administration of vehicle or amiloride at 1, 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg. In a survival study, 8.5-week-old SHRSP were either untreated (control, n = 7) or given amiloride ( 1 mg/kg/day, n = 8) in their 1% NaCI drinking solution. Systolic BP, proteinuria, body weight, and renal and brain histopathology were assessed. Results: Acute amiloride treatment did not alter urine output, urinary electrolyte excretion, and sodium-to-potassium ratio or body weight. The mean arterial pressure was unaffected except for a 16-mm Hg reduction at 30 mg/kg (P <.01). Six of eight SHRSP chronically treated with amiloride survived through 20 weeks of age, whereas all control SHRSP died by 16.4 weeks (P <.0001). Amiloride delayed proteinuria (119 ± 24 v 15 ± 2 mg/day, P < .002) with no significant effect on systolic BP (228 ± 6 v 217 ± 4 mm Hg) at 12 weeks of age. Conclusions: These findings suggest that interference with sodium channel function, perhaps at sites other than the kidney epithelium, may play a role in protecting against the evolution of cerebral and renal vascular injury in saline-drinking SHRSP.
Expression of Rab3D in dispersed chief cells from guinea pig stomach

Abstract Rab3 proteins are low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins that are expressed in neurons and other secretory cells. These proteins are localized to secretory vesicles and may play a role in regulated exocytosis. Presently, four highly homologous Rab3 isoforms (A, B, C, D) have been identified. We examined the expression of Rab3 isoforms in dispersed chief cells from guinea pig stomach. Immunoblotting with a specific monoclonal Rab3 antibody detected a 27-kDa protein in chief cell cytosolic and membrane fractions, but staining was more intense in membrane fractions. Using the Rab3 antibody, immunohistochemical staining was detected in chief cells but not in parietal or mucous cells. To determine which Rab3 isoform(s) is (are) expressed, chief cell cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription and subjected to PCR using degenerate primers that are specific for rab3 isoforms. The resulting PCR products were cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences obtained were 89% homologous to the nucleotide sequence of mouse rab3D. The deduced amino acid sequence was identical to that of mouse Rab3D (amino acids 16–83). Moreover, Rab3D was the only isoform detected in chief cells by these methods. To identify rab3 transcripts, the guinea pig rab3D fragment obtained by reverse transcription PCR cloning was used as a probe for Northern blotting. The 4.0 and 2.3-kb transcripts identified in chief cells with the rab3 probe were the same size as those detected by others in mouse adipocytes using a rab3D-specific probe. These results indicate that Rab3D is expressed in gastric chief cells.
Correlation of tumor metastasis with sterol carrier protein and plasma membrane sterol levels

Squalene and sterol carrier protein (SCP) levels and sterol/phospholipid molar ratios of whole cells and plasma membranes were measured in cultured primary tumor and metastatic cell lines. SCP is abundant in all cell lines. However, metastatic lines have significantly lower SCP levels and plasma membrane sterol/phospholipid ratios than do primary lines. The results indicate that extremely malignant, metastatic cells are unable to produce or maintain adequate levels of both SCP and plasma membrane sterols when grown in lipoprotein deficient media. This defect, in vivo, probably causes excess uptake of SCP and lipid.
Estimation of wheat canopy resistance using combined remotely sensed spectral reflectance and thermal observations

Abstract A procedure is developed for determining actual canopy resistance ( r c ) from the combined use of remotely sensed spectral reflectance and thermal observations. The procedure entails three basic steps, the first being to establish the resistance for unstressed canopy conditions. This minimum canopy resistance ( r cm ) is derived from a spectral vegetation index and is then used to calculate the minimum canopy temperature ( T sm ) or canopy temperature which would be associated with the prevailing meteorological conditions and an unstressed canopy. Actual canopy temperature ( T s ) is obtained from remotely sensed thermal emissions and is the temperature associated with actual canopy resistance ( r c ). From a known (simulated) relationship between the ratios r cm / r c and T sm / T s , r c may be derived as the only unknown variable. Attention is focused on establishing a relationship between the resistance and temperature ratios for a wheat canopy by using models to simulate canopy reflectance, r cm , T s , and T sm . The modeled relationship is found to be stable for a range of leaf area index values, meteorological conditions, and times of data acquisition and compares favorably with an empirical relationship developed using field data collected over wheat.
Using Artistic-Narrative to Stimulate Reflection on Physician Bias

Background: Physician bias toward patients directly impacts patient care and health outcomes. However, too little research has been done investigating avenues to bring about self-awareness in this area to eliminate commonly held stereotypes that fuel physician bias. Purposes: The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which 2nd-year medical students’ reflected on an artistic-narrative presentation given by a woman with sickle cell disease. Methods: A total of 320 2nd-year medical student essays were reviewed for content relevant to the artistic-narrative presentation. A total of 75 essays were identified and served as the data for this study. These 75 essays were analyzed using qualitative interpretive thematic content analysis to identify students’ perceptions and reflections on culture in the healthcare environment and the patient–provider relationship. Results: The analysis of the reflective essays revealed that this exercise helped students acknowledge physician bias in pain treatment, foste...
Technetium-99m-tetracycline: preparation, biological dynamics and uptake in damaged and normal skeletal muscle.

Abstract Recently, a 99 m Tc-tetracycline complex has been proposed as a kidney scanning agent with potential for use in myocardial infarct imaging. We have studied the chemistry of preparation of 99 m Tc-tetracycline and have measured the biological dynamics of this chelate in the rat. In addition, we have determined the differential uptakes of 99 m Tc-tetracycline in damaged and healthy rat skeletal muscle. The tetracycline complex of 99 m Tc is prepared by reduction of 99 m Tc-pertechnetate with a Sn(II)-tetracycline complex in the presence of excess tetracycline in a deoxygenated aqueous solution. Preparations containing 1 mg of SnCl 2 and 30 mg of tetracycline hydrochloride contain less than 10% free pertechnetate and virtually no free, reduced 99 m Tc. The labeled complex is stable for up to several hours at room temperature. The biological dynamics of 99 m Tc-tetracycline were studied by tissue sampling at 5, 15, 30 and 60 min post injection. The agent showed moderate liver uptake (≌10%) and substancial urinary clearance (up tp 30%) during the first hour. At 18 hr post injection, rat thigh muscle which had been damaged by repeated “pinching” with forceps showed uptakes of 99 m Tc-tetracycline which were 7 to 9 times greater than the contralateral, normal thigh muscle. If similar ratios of concentration occur in damaged vs normal myocardium, imaging of the abnormal regions may be possible.
Cloud computing & big data computing

The amount of data each organization deals with today has been rapidly growing. However, analyzing large datasets commonly referred to as "big data" has been a huge challenge due to lack of suitable tools and adequate computing resources. Why are organizations, both in public sector and private sector, so keen on unlocking business insights from all structured and unstructured data? What is the current state of big data solutions and service providers? How effective are some of the solutions that have been put into real world practices? What is the current state of cloud computing technologies? What impacts have cloud computing technologies available in public clouds and private clouds had on the way organizations addressing big data challenges? How to secure big data in the clouds? What are the future roadmaps for cloud-based big data solutions, especially for geospatial related applications?This panel discussion will include a short presentation or discussion related to big data and cloud computing by each panelist, followed by questions and questions from the audience and the panel.
Fastest known spreading on the Miocene Cocos-Pacific Plate Boundary

New magnetic anomaly identifications for the central part of the Cocos plate and the corresponding part of the Pacific plate indicate a pulse of extremely rapid seafloor spreading in the middle Miocene, about 11–18 Ma, possibly beginning as early as 25 Ma. The spacing of anomalies 5A–5D indicates a full spreading rate for the southern Cocos-Pacific boundary of 180–210 mm/yr, depending on the choice of time scale. Relative to the maximum 0–3 Ma spreading rate of 152 mm/yr, this result significantly expands the upper limit of well documented rates.
Maturational changes in the thermal nociceptive responses of developing rats.

Some find developmental differences in rodent thermal nociceptive responses and others do not. To address these inconsistencies, the escape latencies of immature (5- to 25-day-old) and adult (3- to 4-month-old) albino rats were recorded following tail exposure to different intensities of radiant heat (650-W halogen lamp placed from the tail) 10-30 mm or conductive heat water). Developmental differences in tail flick latencies were not (35-507C observed in immature rats when the lamp was closest to the tail (although adult latencies were longer than 5- and 15-day-old responses). When radiant heat intensity was reduced, 5-day-old rats had shorter escape latencies than 15-, 25-, and 90-day-old animals. Age differences per- sisted in the latencies of immature animals even when the test aperture was varied to compen- sate for maturational changes in tail width (whereas adult responses no longer differed from those of 5- and 15-day-old rats). Developmental differences were eliminated when the tail skin was blackened so as to normalize the absorption of radiant heat across age. Similar age- and intensity-dependent differences were observed in rats exposed to conductive heat: Five- and 10-day-old pups had shorter escape responses than older rats when tails were immersed in intermediate (40 or 457C) but not lower (357C) or higher (507C) temperature water. Blackening the tails did not change conductive heat escape latencies. No sex differences were found at any age or stimulus intensity with either type of heat. Higher intensities of thermal stimuli applied to the tail are required to elicit escape responses in older rats compared to younger ones, but the use of relatively intense thermal test stimuli can mask age-dependent differences in noci- ception. Some of the inconsistent results reported previously about maturational changes in thermal nociception may be due to intensity differences in the noxious test stimuli used. Ma- turational differences in the radiant absorption properties of the tail seem to account for most of the age-related changes in rodent responses to radiant heat, but the mechanism(s) which subserve developmental differences in conductive heat nociception need to be elucidated. q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Dev Psychobiol 33: 47- 60, 1998
The use of a boron addition to prevent intergranular embrittlement in Fe-12Mn

Fe-12 Mn alloys undergo failure by catastrophic intergranular fracture when tested at low temperature in the as-austenitized condition, a consideration which prevents their use for structural applications at cryogenic temperatures. The present research was undertaken to identify modifications in alloy composition or heat treatment which would suppress this embrittlement. Chemical and microstructural analyses were made on the prior austenite grain boundaries within the alloy in its embrittled state. These studies failed to reveal a chemical or microstructural source for the brittleness, suggesting that intergranular brittleness is inherent to the alloy in the as-austenitized condition. The addition of 0.002 to 0.01 wt pct boron successfully prevented intergranular fracture, leading to a spectacular improvement in the low temperature impact toughness of the alloy. Autoradiographic studies suggest that boron segregates to the austenite grain boundaries during annealing at temperatures near 1000 °C. The cryogenic toughness of a Fe-12Mn-0.002B alloy could be further improved by suitable tempering treatments. However, the alloy embrittled if inappropriate tempering temperatures were used. This temper embrittlement was concom-itant with the dissolution of boron from the prior austenite grain boundaries, which reestablishes the intergranular fracture mode.
Anticonvulsant effects of uridine: comparative analysis of metrazol and penicillin induced foci

Abstract [5- 3 H]Uridine, commonly employed as a precursor for investigation of RNA synthesis, was examined for possible effects on focal seizure activity in the frog cortex. Techniques of histochemistry, autoradiography, and liquid scintillation counting were used to localize, qualitatively and quantitatively, changes occurring in [5- 3 H]-uridine incorporation into nuclear RNA of cells of the olfactory lobes, primary and secondary foci, and posterior forebrain of normal unoperated frogs and in frogs treated as follows: (1) with gelfoam and methylene blue; (2) gelfoam, methylene blue and Metrazol; (3) gelfoam, methylene blue and penicillin; (4) gelfoam, methylene blue, penicillin and Metrazol. Bipolar ECoG recordings were taken before and after injection of radioactive precursor to determine the effect of labeled uridine on normal and seizure activity. Injection of labeled uridine had no effect on the normal ECoG pattern. The most significant finding was that [5- 3 H]uridine induced anticonvulsant effects in animals injected either before or after treatment with the epileptogenic agents. The [5- 3 H]uridine incorporation into nuclear neuronal RNA was increased two-fold in both primary and mirror foci of animals treated with penicillin-Metrazol or penicillin alone. Animals treated with gelfoam, methylene blue and Metrazol as well as control and sham operated animals showed normal precursor incorporation into RNA ofall brain areas. Histochemical and histological studies with RNA specific dye (pyronin) and Nissl stain (acetic thionin) failed to demonstrate any increased cytoplasmic staining in neurons of normal or treated brain areas.
The cancer COMPASS: navigating the functions of MLL complexes in cancer.

The mixed-lineage leukemia family of histone methyltransferases ( MLL1–4 , or KMT2A–D ) were previously linked to cancer through the founding member, MLL1/KMT2A , which is often involved in translocation-associated gene fusion events in childhood leukemias. However, in recent years, a multitude of tumor exome sequencing studies have revealed that orthologues MLL3/KMT2C and MLL2/KMT2D are mutated in a significant percentage of a large variety of malignancies, particularly solid tumors. These unexpected findings necessitate a deeper inspection into the activities and functional differences between the MLL/KMT2 family members. This review provides an overview of this protein family and its relation to cancers, focusing on the recent links between MLL3/KMT2C and MLL2/4/KMT2D and their potential roles as tumor suppressors in an assortment of cell types.
Effect of Low-Density Lipoprotein Apheresis on Plasma Levels of Apolipoprotein E4

Apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) is a positively charged proinflammatory apolipoprotein bound to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and remnant lipoproteins. ApoE4 is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis, a therapy for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, removes apolipoprotein B and other positively charged plasma proteins but negatively charged proteins such as HDL cholesterol are generally spared. Despite their negative charge, LDL apheresis still removes 10% to 15% of HDL cholesterol, in particular, inflammatory HDL cholesterol. Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia have increased plasma levels of apoE4 and apoE4-bound HDL cholesterol. We tested the hypothesis that LDL apheresis would reduce the plasma levels of apoE4. We analyzed the plasma apoE4 levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay immediately before and after LDL apheresis in 10 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia who had tested positive for the apoE4 isoform. After one treatment, the mean plasma apoE4 levels had been reduced by 39%, LDL cholesterol by 75%, triglycerides by 38%, and HDL cholesterol by 18%. The change in HDL cholesterol was significantly related to the apoE4 baseline values (r = -0.83, p = 0.001) and apoE4 levels after apheresis (r = 0.816, p = 0.004). In conclusion, LDL apheresis acutely reduced the plasma levels of apoE4. The mechanism of apoE4 reduction by LDL apheresis might be related to the selective reduction of a particular HDL cholesterol.
Performance evaluation of hazard detection and avoidance algorithms for safe Lunar landings

Unmanned planetary landers to date have landed “blind”; that is, without the benefit of onboard landing hazard detection and avoidance systems. This constrains landing site selection to very benign terrain, which in turn constrains the scientific agenda of missions. Systems for automatic surface reconstruction and for hazard detection, mapping, and assessment are becoming mature. Before they can be put to practical use, it is essential to be able to characterize their performance for the purposes of scientific evaluation and their utility to engineers planning and designing landed missions. It is also important to be able to predict performance for a variety of scenarios. The evaluation metrics need to be simple enough to be readily comprehensible but still to capture the important relevant performance parameters. In this paper we describe the process, metrics, results, and algorithm improvement recommendations from the evaluation of the performance of the hazard detection and avoidance (HDA) algorithms developed in the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Project by means of Monte Carlo simulation of thousands of Lunar landings.1 2
Cost, quality and enrollment demand at liberal arts colleges

Abstract This paper examines the effects of cost, quality and macroeconomic factors on the demand for higher education (represented by the share of admitted freshmen choosing to enroll) at a group of selective liberal arts colleges over the period from 1988 to 1998. Students are segregated by their financial-aid status with different demand equations estimated for each. Students who have no financial need or did not apply for aid are found to have a tuition elasticity close to unity, implying that a 1% increase in tuition will lead to about a 1% decrease in enrollment yield. The analysis of aid recipients suggests that both relative tuition and financial-aid levels play a significant role in determining the enrollment yield of a college. Tuition and room and board levels negatively affect the enrollment yield of this group of students, while grants and loans increase the likelihood of enrollment of admitted students. The evidence on the effects of school quality variables and macroeconomic factors is weak. There is some evidence that a higher ranking in the US News and World Report college guide increases yield, but specific quality measures such as SAT scores have little statistical significance.
Some properties of modified integrated squared error estimators for the stable laws

The estimation procedure of Paulson, Holcomb and Leitch (1975) for the parameters of the stable laws is shown to be similar in spirit to the modified X2minimum procedure. This observation suggests that a class of modified integrated squared error procedures may be developed for the stable laws as well as much more generally. For the stable case, some influence curves, asymptotic covariances, and efficiencies are given, and the robustness of maximum likelihood estimators is discussed.
Brown midrib corn silage and Tifton 85 bermudagrass in rations for early-lactation cows

Abstract Forty Holstein cows were used in an 8-wk randomized trial to evaluate the effects of feeding combinations of forages with improved fiber digestibility on performance during early lactation. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial to include silage from normal (NCS) or brown midrib (BMR) corn silage with or without 10% Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay (T85). In a simultaneous digestion trial, degradation and passage kinetics and ruminal fermentation parameters were evaluated in a 4 × 4 Latin square design trial using late-lactation Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulas. Dry matter intake (DMI) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake were greater with BMR than with NCS; however, milk yield and composition were similar among corn silage types. Inclusion of T85 reduced milk yield but supported higher milk fat percentage, resulting in similar yields of energy-corrected milk. Blood glucose concentrations were higher for BMR compared with NCS, and inclusion of T85 increased blood urea N concentrations. Treatments did not alter liquid or solid phase passage rates or rumen turnover. Corn silage type did not affect ruminal pH or volatile fatty acid concentrations, but inclusion of T85 increased pH and molar proportion of acetate but decreased butyrate. Molar proportions of propionate were greater for NCS and T85 compared with BMR and T85, resulting in an interaction. Results of this trial indicate that combinations of forages with improved fiber digestibility can be used to support intake and performance of cows during early lactation.
Divergent total syntheses of (-)-aspidospermine and (+)-spegazzinine.

Divergent total syntheses of (+)-spegazzinine (1) and (−)-aspidospermine (2) and their extensions to the synthesis of C19-epi-aspidospermine and C3-epi-spegazzinine are detailed, confirming the relative stereochemistry and establishing the absolute configuration of (+)-spegazzinine. A powerful intramolecular [4 + 2]/[3 + 2] cycloaddition cascade of a 1,3,4-oxadiazole provided the pentacyclic skeleton and all the requisite stereochemistry of the natural products in a single reaction that forms three rings, four C–C bonds, and five stereocenters.
Hillslope hydrology and stability

This book is, essentially, a textbook for a graduate-level course in slope stability analysis. It is a comprehensive reference to the physics of slope stability and groundwater flow, which will be ...
A Community's Perceptions of Pediatric Social Outcomes in a Downsized Urban Hospital System

This article describes parental perceptions of pediatric services at Los Angeles County King/Drew Hospital and Medical Center after the hospital and its community clinics were restructured in the 1990s. Qualitative and quantitative measures are used to capture parental perceptions of service utilization, service convenience, and quality of care. The results are compared to hospital institutional operational data from patient flow analysis reports, appointment delay reports, and improving organizational performance committee reports. A comparison of parental perceptions of pediatric care is also made with findings from other post-devolution studies on access and quality of care at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The implications of the findings for hospital quality assurance processes and health services outcomes research are discussed.
A Causal Perspective on School Segregation Among American States: A Research Note

Since the mid-sixties, patterns of school segregation in this country have undergone extensive change, especially in the South. Most of this uprooting of intrenched institutional relationships did not just happen; old customs, buttressed by law, die hard. The impact of federal pressure over almost two decades finally created a situation where the costs were greater for continued resistance than for compliance. Until recently the national government made virtually no effort to desegregate northern schools; thus, change in this region has been quite limited. Regardless of region, federal pressure does not operate in a vacuum. Some states are more successful than others in blunting the impact of federal law in this socially explosive area. Presumably, influences aside from the federal government are operative as well. Using data on percentage of blacks attending minority schools for both 1968 and 1972, this study analyzes those forces affecting school segregation among the states.
Sialyl-Lewis x-Independent Infection of Human Myeloid Cells by Anaplasma phagocytophilum Strains HZ and HGE1

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, is an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects neutrophils and neutrophil precursors. Bacterial recognition of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) and the α2,3-sialylated- and α1,3-fucosylated-moiety sialyl-Lewis x (sLex), which modifies the PSGL-1 N terminus, is important for adhesion to and invasion of myeloid cells. We have previously demonstrated that A. phagocytophilum organisms of the NCH-1 strain that utilize an sLex-modified PSGL-1-independent means of entry can be enriched for by cultivation in undersialylated HL-60 cells that are unable to construct sLex. Because it was unknown whether other A. phagocytophilum isolates share this ability, we extended our studies to the geographically diverse strains HZ and HGE1. HL-60 A2 is a clonal cell line that is defective for sialylation and α1,3-fucosyltransferase. HL-60 A2 cell surfaces, therefore, not only lack sLex but also are virtually devoid of any other sialic acid- and/or α1,3-fucose-modified glycan. By cultivating HZ and HGE1 in HL-60 A2 cells, we enriched for bacterial subpopulations (termed HZA2 and HGE1A2) that bind and/or infect myeloid cells in the absence of sialic acid and α1,3-fucose and in the presence of antibody that blocks the N terminus of PSGL-1. Thus, multiple A. phagocytophilum isolates share the ability to use sLex-modified PSGL-1-dependent and -independent routes of entry into myeloid cells. HZA2 and HGE1A2 represent enriched bacterial populations that will aid dissection of the complexities of the interactions between A. phagocytophilum and host myeloid cells.
Spinal cord stimulation : A new method to produce an effective cough in patients with spinal cord injury

Patients with spinal cord injury have an increased risk of developing respiratory tract infections as the result of expiratory muscle paralysis and consequent inability to cough. We have developed a method by which the expiratory muscles can be activated via lower thoracic and upper lumbar spinal cord stimulation to produce an effective cough mechanism. In a tetraplegic patient who required frequent (8.57+/-2.3 times per week [mean+/-SEM]) caregiver assistance to facilitate airway clearance and expectoration of secretions, three epidural electrodes were applied in the T9, T11, and L1 spinal cord regions. During stimulation at the T9 and L1 levels, airway pressures were 90 and 82 cm H2O, respectively. Peak expiratory flow rates were 6.4 L/s and 5.0 L/s; respectively. During combined (T9+L1) stimulation, airway pressure and expiratory flow rate increased to 132 cm H2O and 7.4 L/s, respectively. Addition of the third lead did not result in further increases in pressure generation. These values are characteristic of those observed with a normal subject. Because the patient is able to trigger the device independently, he no longer requires caregiver support for airway management. If confirmed in additional patients, spinal cord stimulation may be a useful method to restore an effective cough mechanism in patients with spinal cord injury.
Community IT workshops as a strategy for community learning

A university-community partnership to develop strategies for sustainable IT learning in local non-profit organizations initiated the Central Pennsylvania Community Information Technology Workshop series in 2003. The original goal was narrow and modest: To plan a set of participatory action research projects in which Penn State faculty and students would work with members of Centre County (Pennsylvania) non-profit community groups to develop IT infrastructures and applications. Through four years the workshops grew into a broader strategy for facilitating a continuous and self-initiated learning process in the community.
The metabolism of methionine in higher plants.: Catabolism of the methyl group by seedlings of various species

Abstract l -Methionine- 14 CH 3 was rapidly metabolized after infiltration into pea, pumpkin, kohlrabi, and sesbania seedlings. In all cases the labeled carton atom was incorporated into the organic acid, neutral sugar, and amino acid fractions prepared from the seedlings after incubation with the radioactive methionine. Up to 4 per cent of the total activity fed was recovered as 14 CO 2 after 24 hr. At this time as much as 30 per cent of the label was found in the organic acid fraction. In sesbania the activity in this fraction was localized in one compound primarily, whereas the other plants appeared to have two predominant products formed. Among the labeled components of the amino acid fraction, methionine, methionine sulfoxide, serine, and methyl methionine sulfonium were identified and were found in every species tested. The formation of methionine sulfoxide appeared to be a physiological process and not an artifact of the isolation procedure. The presence of the methyl sulfonium salt of methionine in every case implies that this compound may have a significant metabolic role in higher plants.
When help becomes a hindrance: mental health referral systems as barriers to care for primary care physicians treating patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: To describe structural barriers to mental health specialists and consequences of these barriers to care for patients with dementia and neuropsychological symptoms and their primary care physicians (PCPs). Design: Cross-sectional qualitative interview study of PCPs. Setting: Physicians' offices, primarily managed care. Participants: Forty PCPs in Northern California. Measurements: Open-ended interviews lasted 30–60 minutes. The interview guide covered clinician background, practice setting, clinical care of a particular patient, and general approach to managing patients with Alzheimer disease or related dementias. Interviews were transcribed and themes reflecting referrals identified. Results: Ninety-three percentage of the PCPs described problematic access to and communication with mental health specialists (in particular psychiatrists and neuropsychologists) as impediments to effective care for dementia patients. Thematic analysis identified structural barriers to mental health referrals ranging from problems with managed care and reimbursement policies to lack of trained providers and poor geographic distribution of specialists. Structural barriers compromised care for patients with dementia because the barriers limited PCP treatment options, and resources, impacted office staff and time with other patients, impeded and delayed care, and fostered poor communication and lack of coordinated care. Negative consequences for PCPs included increased frustration, conflict, and burnout. Conclusion: PCPs viewed problems created by onerous referral systems, such as mental health carve outs, as particularly burdensome for elderly patients with comorbid dementia and neuropsychiatric problems. These problems were cited by PCPs across different types of practice settings. PCPs managed treatment of neurobehavioral symptoms as best they could despite lack of specialist support.
A Matheematical Model for Positron-Emission Tomography Systems Having Time-of-Flight Measurements

Improvements in high speed electronics and scintillation-crystal technology now permit usable differential time-of-flight measurements to be made in tomography systems that employ coincidence detection of the annihilation photons created with positron emitting radionuclides. A mathematical model for these new measurements is developed in this paper. Reconstruction algorithms and their signal-to-noise ratio performance are given.
Hydrodynamic forces and surface topography: Centimeter-scale spatial variation in wave forces

We measured the variability in hydrodynamic forces among locations separated by only centimeters along three horizontal transects on a steep rocky shore. Our results extend previous work showing that wave forces have the characteristics of 1/f-noise, in which variability in wave forces decreases exponentially with decreasing scales of measurement. Furthermore, our results suggest that protection from hydrodynamic forces is not a certain consequence of a rugose substratum, suggesting that investigators should directly test (rather than assume) small-scale topographic protection from hydrodynamic forces.
Understanding Financial Consolidation

Remarks delivered at the April 2001 conference "Financial Innovation and Monetary Transmission," sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The X chromosome is a hot spot for sexually antagonistic fitness variation

Sexually antagonistic alleles are selected discordantly between the sexes. Experimental evidence indicates that sexually antagonistic fitness variation is abundant in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. Theory predicts that the X chromosome will be enriched with this type of variation. To test this prediction in D. melanogaster, we sampled, and cytogenetically cloned, 20 X chromosomes and compared their fitness variation to genome-wide levels. At the juvenile stage, in which gender roles are most similar, the X chromosome made no detectable contribution to genome-wide fitness variation. At the adult stage, in which gender roles diverge, the X chromosome was estimated to harbour 45% of the genome-wide fitness variation and 97% of the genome-wide sexually antagonistic variation. This genomic structure has important implications for the process of sexual selection because X-linked sexually antagonistic variation contributes to negative intersexual heritability for fitness, i.e. high-fitness males (females) produce, on average, low-fitness daughters (sons).
Effects of Fiscal Policy and Monetary Policy on the Stock Market in Poland

The focus of this paper is to examine potential impacts of fiscal and monetary policies on stock market performance in Poland. Applying the GARCH model and based on a sample during 1999.Q2 to 2012.Q4, this paper finds that Poland's stock market index is not affected by the ratio of government deficits or debt to GDP and is negatively influenced by the money market rate. The stock index and the ratio of M3 to GDP show a quadratic relationship with a critical value of 46.03%, suggesting that they have a positive relationship if the M3/GDP ratio is less than 46.03% and a negative relationship if the M3/GDP ratio is greater than 46.03%. Furthermore, Poland's stock index is positively associated with industrial production and stock market performance in Germany and the U.S. and negatively affected by the nominal effective exchange rate and the inflation rate.
Engine control system experiment

Describes an engine control system experiment the intent of which was to develop experiments on the CE7 Steam Engine Apparatus for incorporation in mechanical engineering laboratory. This goal was achieved by first determining the engine characteristics. Secondly the engine was interfaced with IBM PC computer. The software allowed the authors to implement values to various variables in order to control the speed of the engine. They then performed an analysis in order to determine the operating characteristics of the engine and values or other control variables. The objective of the experiment was also to illustrate the principles of controls and to introduce the students to the control problems encountered in industry. >