cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of PCSK9 in Lipid Metabolism: Clinical Relevance to Treating Cardiac Disease

The treatment of atherosclerosis includes changing lifestyle (e.g. changing diet and exercise regimens, loosing weight, stop smoking, managing stress), performing medical procedures (e.g. bypass surgery) and medical interventions involving primarily statins. Despite excellent safety profiles, the major limitation of statins is their muscle and liver toxicity that occurs in some patients. Since non-statin therapies only modestly reduce LDL cholesterol, alternatives are needed for patients not tolerating statins or in clinical cases of familial hypercholesterolemia where even statins are ineffective. Over the past 12 years, an amazing series of studies have identified proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 (PCSK9) as a new target to treat high cholesterol that is the underlying cause of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The liver-derived PCSK9, a gene found on the short arm of chromosome 1 that encodes a 692 amino acid protein, was initially discovered as neural apoptosis-regulated convertase 1 (NARC-1) in cancer cell lines and implicated in the differentiation of cortical neurons in 2003 1 . Subsequently, neutralizing PCSK9 antibodies were developed and proven clinically effective in pre-clinical studies. Since then, Phase I, II, and most recently Phase III human trials have tested applied anti-PCSK9 antibodies to patients intolerant of statins and familial hypercholesterolemia. In this review, we discuss the role of PCSK9 in regulating cholesterol and summarize the promising findings of blocking PCSK9 with antibodies in human clinical trials. While the efficacy of blocking PCSK9 using antibodies to treat high cholesterol is still forthcoming in at least 12 ongoing Phase III clinical studies, anti-PCSK9 antibodies appear effective with minimal safety or tolerance issues identified to date. Blocking PCSK9 may offer a viable complement to statin therapies, which are not universally tolerated or effective with all patient populations.
Effects of particle exhaust on neutral compression ratios in DIII-D

Abstract In this paper, neutral particles in DIII-D are studied via their compression in the plenum and via particle exhaust. The compression of gas in the plena is examined in terms of the magnetic field configuration and wall conditions. DIII-D compression ratios are observed in the range from 1 to ⩾1000. Particle control ultimately depends on the exhaust of neutrals via plenum or wall pumping. Wall pumping or outgassing is calculated by means of a detailed particle balance throughout individual discharges, and its effect on particle control is discussed. It is demonstrated that particle control through wall conditioning leads to lower normalized densities. A two-region model shows that the gas compression ratio ( C div =divertor plenum neutral pressure/torus neutral pressure) can be interpreted in relation to gas flows in the torus and divertor including the pumping speed of the plenum cryopumps, plasma pumping, and the pumping or outgassing of the walls.
The connectedness model and optimal development: Is ecopsychology the answer to emotional well‐being?

Abstract To help mitigate the impact of multi‐environmental degradation, I have constructed, implemented, and researched a program for emotionally at‐risk children using nature in a therapeutic format. Based on the Piers‐Harris self‐concept scale and person drawings, the children demonstrated a post‐program increase in self‐esteem (p < .001), happiness, educational status, and emotional development (p < .001). They also demonstrated enhanced perceptual skills, self‐efficacy, empathy and a significant reduction in aggression. Basically, they were able to develop their emotional health (or intellect). This research sets out a conceptual definition of ecopsychology and supports a new theory of development challenging the ideation of the isolated self and affirms that a child's psyche is part of a vast synergistic model of connections.
AIDS, APL integrated-circuit design system

AIDS is a programming-based language for denoting integrated-circuit mask art-work. In this language, drawings are denoted using supplied APL functions that return graphical objects or collections of them. Although these functions can be invoked interactively, the recommended procedure is to denote an overall drawing as a defined APL function with calls to the AIDS functions. Then executing the function produces the numerical data that represents the drawing, listing the function documents the design, and editing the function changes the design. Of course the function can call other user-defined functions, and the hierarchy of a design can be so expressed, using the normal APL function conventions.
Effect of proton irradiation followed by hindlimb unloading on bone in mature mice: A model of long-duration spaceflight

Bone loss associated with microgravity unloading is well documented; however, the effects of spaceflight-relevant types and doses of radiation on the skeletal system are not well defined. In addition, the combined effect of unloading and radiation has not received much attention. In the present study, we investigated the effect of proton irradiation followed by mechanical unloading via hindlimb suspension (HLS) in mice. Sixteen-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were either exposed to 1 Gy of protons or a sham irradiation procedure (n=30/group). One day later, half of the mice in each group were subjected to four weeks of HLS or normal loading conditions. Radiation treatment alone (IRR) resulted in approximately 20% loss of trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV) in the tibia and femur, with no effect in the cortical bone compartment. Conversely, unloading induced substantially greater loss of both trabecular bone (60-70% loss of BV/TV) and cortical bone (approximately 20% loss of cortical bone volume) in both the tibia and femur, with corresponding decreases in cortical bone strength. Histological analyses and serum chemistry data demonstrated increased levels of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption in unloaded mice, but not IRR. HLS+IRR mice generally experienced greater loss of trabecular bone volume fraction, connectivity density, and trabecular number than either unloading or irradiation alone. Although the duration of unloading may have masked certain effects, the skeletal response to irradiation and unloading appears to be additive for certain parameters. Appropriate modeling of the environmental challenges of long duration spaceflight will allow for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms mediating spaceflight-associated bone loss and for the development of effective countermeasures.
Economics of the Kyoto Protocol for Russia

Abstract In this article we propose a careful analysis of the economic consequences of the Kyoto Protocol for Russia, taking into account the most recently available data and the latest developments in the trends regarding Russian economic recovery. We present a review of different GHG forecasts for Russia and develop a new forecast for uncertain GDP growth and changing elasticity of GHG emission per GDP. Since the rate of growth remains uncertain, elasticity could change over time, as well as the fuel mix. We apply the Monte-Carlo method to simulate these uncertainties and to produce a reasonable interval for CO2 emissions in 2010. The probability of Russia exceeding its Kyoto emissions budget is essentially zero. Further, we discuss the benefits for Russia from the Kyoto Protocol, and more generally from implementation of GHG mitigation policy. Ancillary benefits from Kyoto Protocol implementation will bring essential reductions in risk to human health. On the other hand, potential negative changes in t...
Photoelectron spectroscopy under ambient pressure and temperature conditions

We describe the development and applications of novel instrumentation for photoemission spectroscopy of solid or liquid surfaces in the presence of gases under ambient conditions of pressure and temperature. The new instrument overcomes the strong scattering of electrons in gases by the use of an aperture close to the surface followed by a differentially-pumped electrostatic lens system. In addition to the scattering problem, experiments in the presence of condensed water or other liquids require the development of special sample holders to provide localized cooling. We discuss the first two generations of Ambient Pressure PhotoEmission Spectroscopy (APPES) instruments developed at synchrotron light sources (ALS in Berkeley and BESSY in Berlin), with special focus on the Berkeley instruments. Applications to environmental science and catalytic chemical research are illustrated in two examples.
The Mechanical and Thick Section Bending Behavior of Friction Stir Processed Aluminum Plate

Friction stir processing (FSP) 2519-T87 aluminum plate results in enhanced ductility, 25% strain at fracture. However, the yield strength in the FSP zone drops to 175 MPa from ∼400 MPa. Actively cooling the plate during FSP increases the yield strength to 185 MPa and decreases ductility to 20% strain at fracture. Thick bending of a plate of the alloy was demonstrated after the surface was subjected to FSP.
Mouse limb bud cells respond to retinoic acid in vitro with reduced growth.

Retinoic acid (RA) has dramatic effects on the pattern of developing and regenerating vertebrate limbs. These effects are considered to result from RA-induced changes in the positional identity of limb cells, and involve the formation of extra structures. Whether the growth required to form the supernumerary parts of the pattern is a primary effect of RA treatment or a secondary effect that follows after a change in positional identity is not at present known. In this paper we have investigated the effects of RA treatment on the growth of cells from anterior and posterior halves of mouse limb buds in vitro. We observed that under our culture conditions, limb bud cells treated with 1 nM to 1 μM RA (0.3 ng/ml to 300 ng/ml) continue to grow but do so at a significantly slower rate than control cultures. There is a maximum inhibition of growth (50% of controls) between 10 nM and 100 nM RA, which corresponds to the measured range of concentrations of RA in vivo. Our observation of a significant decrease in growth rate over a wide range of RA concentrations is consistent with comparable reports of growth inhibition for a large number of other cell types in vitro as well as with the observation that exogenous RA inhibits blastemal growth in amphibians during the period of exposure to RA. We propose that the effects of RA on growth, either enhancement in vivo or reduction in vitro, can be seen as consequences of the ability of RA to alter positional identity. Hence, when RA is administered to limb cells in vitro, it is likely that the non-posterior cells in both anterior and posterior cultures are converted to posterior identity. The resulting decrease in growth can be interpreted as a consequence of the increased uniformity of positional information in vitro. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Depressive symptoms and physical/mental functioning with interferon/ribavirin treatment of posttransplant recurrent hepatitis C.

Received May 20, 2004; revised March 2, 2005; accepted June 10, 2005. From the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Univ. of California Davis Medical Center; Div. of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Dept. of Internal Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center; and the HIV Treatment Services, CA Medical Facility, CA Department of Corrections. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Bourgeois, Alan Stoudemire Professor of Psychosomatic Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis Medical Center, 2230 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817. e-mail: james.bourgeois@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu Copyright 2006 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine Psychiatric comorbidity is a common problem in both hepatitis C and its treatment with interferon/ribavirin. We completed a study of depressive symptoms and physical/mental functioning in 10 liver-transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C.
A Raman spectroscopic study of arsenite and thioarsenite species in aqueous solution at 25°C

The Raman spectra of thioarsenite and arsenite species in aqueous solution were obtained at room temperature. Solutions at constant ΣAs + ΣS of 0.1 and 0.5 mol kg-1 were prepared with various ΣS/ΣAs ratios (0.1–9.0) and pH values (~7–13.2). Our data suggest that the speciation of As under the conditions investigated is more complicated than previously thought. The Raman measurements offer evidence for at least six separate S-bearing As species whose principal bands are centered near 365, 385, 390, 400, 415 and 420 cm-1. The data suggest that at least two different species may give rise to bands at 385 cm-1, bringing the probable minimum number of species to seven. Several additional species are possible but could not be resolved definitively. In general, the relative proportions of these species are dependent on total As concentration, ΣS/ΣAs ratio and pH. At very low ΣS/ΣAs ratios we also observe Raman bands attributable to the dissociation products of H3AsO3(aq). Although we were unable to assign precise stoichiometries for the various thioarsenite species, we were able to map out general pH and ΣS/ΣAs conditions under which the various thioarsenite and arsenite species are predominant. This study provides a basis for more detailed Raman spectroscopic and other types of investigations of the nature of thioarsenite species.
Subverting Theoretical Dualisms: Discourse and Mentalism

This article interrogates dualistic theoretical polarization as an unproductive metatheoretical approach to knowledge production, addresses associated issues of cultural politics, and submits that theoretical tensions are, instead, productive grounds for transformative reformulations and for contingent, selective synthesis. In particular, the article takes issue with the polarization of discourse-theoretic and “cognitive” approaches to psychological phenomena, and it explores a reconstructed notion of the mental grounded in a discursive view of the subject that honors the inseparability of the psychological and the social. A reconceived “mental space” is posited, seen as continuous with the social yet consisting of a distinct functional space, as the anchor for (discursively produced) thought processes in a given moment. These ideas are briefly illustrated with respect to ongoing feminist research on reasoning and discussed with reference to a systemic model of the social that comprises macro-social, loca...
Competition among autoionization, predissociation, and ion-pair formation in molecular hydrogen

We have investigated autoionization, predissociation, and ion-pair formation from highly excited states of molecular hydrogen by using double-resonance excitation via the E, F 1(Sigma) g+, v equals 6 level. The energetic threshold for ion-pair formation occurs just below the H2+ X 2(Sigma) g+, v+ equals 9 ionization threshold. The spectrum in this region was studied by using conventional and constant-ionic-state photoelectron spectroscopy, by monitoring the H- production, and by detecting dissociation products by ionization with a third laser. The decay dynamics in this region are extremely rich, because the excited levels may decay by rotational and vibrational autoionization, by predissociation to neutral H + H* (n equals 2, 3, 4), by predissociation to the ion pair H+ + H-, and by fluorescence. In addition, the dissociative potential curve of the 2p(sigma) u3s(sigma) g1(Sigma) u+ doubly excited electronic state crosses the H2+ X 2(Sigma) g+ potential curve in the same energy region, and the electronic autoionization of this state is found to significantly influence these decay processes.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Oxidation state of copper in RE2CuO4 compounds determined via XANES and bond valence methods

Abstract The copper oxidation state was determined from bond valence sums and X-ray absorption near edge structure for the simple T' structure. There is a similarity in the overall dependence of copper valence with respect to the lattice constant, a , for both XANES as well as BVS. The XANES data confirm electron diffraction and pair distribution function measurements which show that the local structure is significantly distorted from the average T' structure.
Mathematical modelling of transient vibration and acoustic radiation from impacted systems

Abstract Vibration response and acoustic radiation resulting from impactive excitation of beam- and plate-like structures are modelled. Mechanical energy absorption of an object is obtained through Fourier synthesis for any force-time history. Both, structural damping and acoustic radiation loss are accounted for in the equations of motion. Acoustic radiation is modelled as energy dissipation proportional to vibration velocity of the object. General expressions are obtained for vibration amplitudes and radiated power and energy.
Examination of living and fixed gametes and early embryos stained with supravital fluorochromes (Hoechst 33342 and 3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide)

We have examined living and fixed gametes and early embryos of surf clams, sea urchins, and hamsters stained with the supravital dyes Hoechst 33342 for DNA and 3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide (DIOC6) for mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Hoechst staining (10 μM) was confined exclusively to egg and sperm chromatin and, in living marine specimens, did not interfere with sperm motility, fertilization, or nuclear activity during meiosis or early embryogenesis. Although Hoechst staining did not appear to affect the motility of hamster sperm, only zonae-free eggs inseminated. Because chromatin retained Hoechst 33342 stain during fertilization, the paternally and maternally derived chromosomes of living and fixed preparations fluoresced and their number, organization, and location within the zygote cytoplasm could be determined. Hence, polyspermy and other nuclear abnormalities were amenable to examination in these stained preparations. DIOC6 staining (8.7 μM) was restricted primarily to the mitochondria of spermatozoa. Eggs stained with DIOC6 (0.87 to 8.7 μM) were brightly fluorescent because of their size and the presence of large numbers of mitochondria and other DIOC6-positive organelles. Sea urchin and surf clam sperm stained with DIOC6 fertilized unstained eggs and the location of the incorporated sperm mitochondrion up to first cleavage was followed. Although hamster sperm stained with DIOC6 were less motile than unstained sperm, they were capable of inseminating only zonae-free eggs. These observations demonstrate that staining with supravital fluorochromes provides a rapid and useful method to analyze macromolecular and organelle changes in a variety of living and fixed gametes and embryos.
The lack of frequency dependence of thresholds for short tones in continuous broadband noise

The threshold for detecting a tonal signal in a continuous broadband noise increases with increasing signal frequency for long, but not for short signal durations. This is revealed by an analysis of previous studies, and confirmed with three subjects in the present experiment using signals covering a frequency range from 125 to 4000 Hz and a duration range from 2 to 1000 ms. The relationship between threshold and signal frequency for a wide range of signal durations is explained by an energy‐detector model in which the time window is assumed to match the signal duration and the predicted signal level is adjusted to compensate for the loss of signal energy due to spectral spread at short durations.
Discussion of “The Stabilization Value of Groundwater and Conjunctive Water Management under Uncertainty”

G emma and Tsur (this issue) describe and illustrate the method for computing the stabilization value of groundwater for the case of a risk-neutral farmer subject to an uncertain supply of surface water. By exploiting the concavity of a farmer's revenue function, the authors express the total value of groundwater as the sum of the additional revenue it would produce (if added to a certain amount of surface water) and the additional stabilization value associated with the farmer no longer having to suffer an unstable water supply. The authors show that stabilization value accounts for "more than 25%" of its total value for the Coimbatore Water District in Tamil Nadu, India. Using a second-order Taylor expansion, the authors show that approximate stabilization value increases with the variance of surface water and decreases
The Carlsbad Dolomite and the Pisolites of the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico: ABSTRACT

Analyses show that the Permian Carlsbad formation of New Mexico is dolomite. The stratigraphic relation of the Carlsbad to other contemporaneous and contiguous deposits suggests that all ions in sea water transgressing the reef area available to form calcium carbonate precipitated to make the Capitan and Carlsbad formations. The flat-lying Carlsbad deposits were converted before burial into dolomite through contact with strong magnesian brines from the back-reef. Most of the Capitan remained unaffected. The relative position of these limestones and dolomites to contemporaneous deposits indicates a chemical sequence of deposits caused by evaporation of sea water and that organisms flourished only in congenial environments. The pisolites are of physio-chemical origin with l ttle positive evidence for organic associations. The pisolites are compared with the Carlsbad Cavern cave marbles. End_of_Article - Last_Page 901------------
A mixed-path mechanism for mixed-mode echoes on vertical-incidence ionograms

Abstract A mechanism is described to account for mixed-mode echoes (MME) observed (rarely) on vertical-incidence ionograms. MME are manifest by discrete traces on the ionogram lying halfway in virtual height between normal 2-hop Fl F2 -layer ordinary and extraordinary wave traces, built1 3 and 2 3 between normal 3-hop traces, etc. They are caused by partial conversion of o-wave to x-wave, and vice versa, between hops. This paper shows that such conversion can be caused by a shift in the direction of propagation relative to the Earth's magnetic field between hops brought about by a concavity in the -layer reflecting surface.
Breakage and propagation of the stony coral Acropora cervicornis.

Abstract Populations of the staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, often form dense monotypic stands on shallow Caribbean reefs. This coral species has a fragile structure that results in large numbers of broken branches and toppled colonies, especially in high wave activity. Although more than 80% of the corals in the studied population were broken from their bases, most had become reanchored to regrow rapidly. There is little evidence of sexual reproduction, and it appears that this coral has come to dominate much of the Jamaican reef community by propagation through fragmentation.
Patterned Supported Lipid Bilayers and Monolayers on Poly(dimethylsiloxane)

A simple and practical method for patterning supported lipid bilayers on poly(dimethylsiloxane) is presented. By using electron microscopy grids to laterally control the extent of plasma oxidation, the substrate is partitioned into regions of different hydrophilicities. Addition of vesicles then results in the spontaneous formation of lipid bilayers and monolayers side-by-side on the surface, separated by regions that contain no lipid and/or a region with adhering vesicles. By using millimeter-sized plastic masks we are able to control the formation of these lipid structures on macroscopic patches by simply varying the plasma-cleaning time. For the first time, we are able to influence, in a controlled fashion, the chemical composition of a substrate in such a way that it supports fluid lipid monolayers, rejects lipid adhesion, adsorbs intact lipid vesicles, or supports fluid bilayers.
A Segment of Five Amino Acids in the Second Extracellular Loop of the Cholecystokinin-B Receptor Is Essential for Selectivity of the Peptide Agonist Gastrin

The two known receptors mediating the actions of cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin, CCK type A (CCKAR) and CCK type B (CCKBR) receptors, are G protein-coupled receptors having approximately 50% amino acid homology. Both the CCKAR and CCKBR have high affinity for sulfated CCK peptides, while only the CCKBR has high affinity for gastrin peptides. To determine the structural basis for the selectivity of the CCKBR for gastrin, we first constructed a series of CCKB/AR chimeras in which restriction endonuclease-defined segments of the CCKBR were replaced with the corresponding segments of the CCKAR. Chimeras transiently expressed in COS-1 cells were screened for the selective loss of gastrin affinity according to the displacement of 125I-labeled Bolton-Hunter-CCK-8 binding by gastrin-17-I and CCK-8. The sequence spanning from transmembrane domain III (TM III) to TM V was the only segment that resulted in the selective loss of gastrin affinity. This segment could account for 100 of the expected 300-fold lower affinity of gastrin-17-I observed for the control CCKAR compared to the control CCKBR. Using site-directed mutagenesis in this segment of the CCKBR, we identified a sequence of 5 amino acids in the second extracellular loop responsible for this 100-fold selective loss in gastrin affinity. 125I-labeled Bolton-Hunter-CCK-8 binding displacement by L365,260 (a CCKBR selective antagonist) was unaffected by the changes in these 5 amino acids. These results present for the first time the identification of the amino acid sequence of the CCKBR conferring the majority of the selectivity for gastrin.
Effect of pulsed and reversing electric fields on the orientation of linear and supercoiled DNA molecules in agarose gels.

When linear or supercoiled DNA molecules are imbedded in agarose gels and subjected to electric fields, they become oriented in the gel matrix and give rise to an electric birefringence signal. The sign of the birefringence is negative, indicating that the DNA molecules are oriented parallel to the electric field lines. If the DNA molecules are larger than about 1.5 kilobase pairs, a delay is observed before the birefringence signal appears. This time lag, which is roughly independent of DNA molecular weight, decreases with increasing electric field strength. The field-free decay of the birefringence is much slower for the DNA molecules imbedded in agarose gels than observed in free solution, indicating that orientation in the gel is accompanied by stretching. Both linear and supercoiled molecules become stretched, although the apparent change in conformation is much less pronounced for supercoiled molecules. When the electric field is rapidly reversed in polarity, very little change in the birefringence signal is observed for linear or supercoiled DNAs if the equilibrium orientation (i.e., birefringence) had been reached before field reversal. Apparently, completely stretched, oriented DNA molecules are able to reverse their direction of migration with little or no loss of orientation. If the steady-state birefringence had not been reached before the field reversal, complicated orientation patterns are observed after field reversal. Very large, partially stretched DNA molecules exhibit a rapid decrease in orientation at field reversal. The rate of decrease of the birefringence signal in the reversing field is faster than the field-free decay of the birefringence and is approximately equal to the rate of orientation in the field (after the lag period).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Gender and Mother-Child Interactions during Mathematics Homework: The Importance of Individual Differences

Do contemporary families promote gender-differentiated or egalitarian attitudes and behavior surrounding mathematics? The current study examined mother-child interactions during mathematics homework as a microcosm of contemporary gender socialization. Results revealed individual differences in mothers' treatment of their fifth-grade sons and daughters during mathematics homework interactions, with effects moderated by mothers' gender-role attitudes and mathematics education. Traditional mothers, especially those with greater mathematics education, showed more gender differentiation than egalitarian mothers. Similar individual differences were seen in mothers' and children's attitudes toward mathematics. These findings illustrate the subtlety of gender socialization by showing that mothers' gender-role attitudes, children's gender-role identities, and mothers' education all play important roles in the gender differentiation of children's mathematics attitudes and behavior.
Development of laser interferometer gravitational-wave detectors for LIGO

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), currently under construction, will observe cosmic-gravitational waves as small apparent displacements induced between suspended test masses. Laser interferometers with arm lengths of 4 kilometers, that are capable of resolving 10-18 meter changes in armlength, are being developed for the observatory. A test-bed interferometer with 40 meter long arms has been constructed and is being used to develop detection techniques. Sensitivity to displacements of order 10-17 meter and strains of order 10-19 have already been demonstrated with this interferometer. This talk will discuss the technical challenges involved in this effort and review progress toward observatory and detector development.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hyperthermic isolation-perfusion in vivo of the canine liver

1-43°.34-36 Other experiments on the effects of hyperthermia on liver tissue substrates suggested that the site of initial failure during progressive hyperthermia was not in the mammalian li~er.~'.~* Ear- lier findings from our laboratory demonstrated that he- patic functional integrity was maintained in the perfused rat liver from
Critical dimensions for strings, bags,...

Consider extendedd-dimensional objects such as strings (d=1), membranes (d=2), ... It is argued that their quantum theories cannot be consistent in space-times of dimension exceeding the critical valueD=2+24/d (orD=2+8/d in the supersymmetric case). This rules out consistent theories for objects extended in more than 5 (3 in the supersymmetric case) space-like dimensions.
China's Transition to a More Credible Nuclear Deterrent: Implications and Challenges for the United States

This article examines the modernization of China's nuclear missile force and assesses the implications for the U.S.
Non-Imagine Solar Stationary Concentrators with Using Combination of Prisms and Reflective Surfaces

The paper presents two designs of combined prismatic-parabola-cylindrical stationary concentrators. They reach 8.4X and 10.4X concentration levels for nonsymmetrical and symmetrical concentrators correspondingly and can be used with solar cells for electricity and heat generation.
Domestic violence shelter residents' substance abuse treatment needs and options

Abstract The association between intimate partner aggression and alcohol and other substance use problems is well-established in the literature. However, the nature and scope of alcohol and other substance use problems in women who seek or are likely to seek domestic violence shelter services is difficult to ascertain. The first goal of the current review was to identify and synthesize the findings of studies in which alcohol and other substance use, problem use, or diagnoses in shelter residents was assessed. Despite methodological limitations, this body of studies provides compelling evidence that a substantial number of domestic violence shelter residents (22–72%) have current or past problems with alcohol or other substances and may benefit from treatment. The second goal of the current review was to provide an overview of the availability and limitations of options that are currently available to address domestic violence shelter residents' substance abuse treatment needs. Although substance abuse is a largely under-met need of women seeking domestic violence shelter, promising findings from model integrated treatment programs, as well as the knowledge gained through implementation of these programs provide useful future directions for addressing these co-occurring issues.
Surgery for ventricular septal defect in dextroversion through a left ventriculotomy

Abstract The pertinent diagnostic characteristics of dextroversion have been reviewed and discussed. The majority of cases of dextroversion are complicated by other cardiac defects, the most common of which are ventricular septal defects. The marked rightward displacement of the right ventricle and anomalous distribution of the coronary arteries may make surgical correction by means of a right ventriculotomy or transatrial exposure impossible. The diagnostic findings and the surgical correction by means of a left ventricular exposure in a 21 year old male patient with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension are described.
Real Men or Real Teachers? : Contradictions in the Lives of Men Elementary School Teachers

In this study, the author used ethnographic and focus group interviews to examine the lived experiences of men who teach in the primary grades. Several themes arose from the men's narratives. First, the men are under closer scrutiny than their women peers regarding contact with the children. Second, there is considerable ambiguity regarding the kind of “male role model” the men feel they are expected to portray. Third, there is a sexual division of labor that reinforces the image of men as having different teaching styles than women teachers. In response to the cumulative effects of these phenomena, the men must adopt compensatory behaviors causing them to unintentionally reproduce traditional forms of masculinity.
National identity from scratch: Defining Kyrgyzstan's role in world affairs

Since its inception in 1992, Kyrgyzstan has struggled to shape a national identity in an unusually unfavourable environment. The country’s ethnic diversity, its absence of a state tradition, its lack of material resources and its geopolitical location have complicated attempts to rally the population around a single national idea or national identity. The raw materials for creating such an identity combine with influences from the diplomatic and cultures worlds with which Kyrgyzstan is in contact. These include Russia, the United States and the West, China, Turkey and the Middle East, and other Central Asian states. The chief architect of Kyrgyzstan’s national identity, President Askar Akaev, has advanced a vision of the country that claims to unite Western and Central Asian values. In fact, it represents little more than slogans designed to appease diverse foreign constituencies.
Shape-from-X: psychophysics and computation

The Bayesian approach to vision provides a fruitful theoretical framework for integrating different depth modules. In this formulation depth can be represented by one or more surfaces. Prior probabilities, corresponding to natural constraints, can be defined on these surfaces to avoid the ill-posedness of vision. We advocate strong coupling between different depth cues, so that the different modules can interact during computation. This framework is rich enough to accommodate straightforwardly both consonant and contradictory cue integration, by the use of binary decision units. These units can be interpreted in terms of robust statistics. A number of existing psychophysical experiments can be understood within this framework.
CREB and phospho-CREB interact with RFX5 and CIITA to regulate MHC class II genes

Major histocompatibility class II (MHC-II) genes are coordinately regulated by conserved, upstream promoter elements that are bound cooperatively by cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB), regulatory factor X (RFX), and nuclear factor Y (NF-Y). These DNA-binding proteins serve as a scaffold for the transcriptional coactivator class II transactivator (CIITA). To determine how CREB interacts with RFX and CIITA, co-immunoprecipitations and reporter assays were performed using a variety of CREB mutants. These assays demonstrated that CREB interacted with CIITA and the RFX5 subunit of RFX through the C-terminal portion of CREB. This C-terminal portion of CREB was fully functional in MHC-II promoter reporter assays. Phosphorylation of CREB enhanced transcription from the reporter, but was not required for transcription. Phospho-CREB was found at the HLA-DRA promoter by chromatin immunoprecipitation, providing evidence for its role. Together, these data provide genetic and biochemical evidence of the specific associations between CREB and two elements of the MHC-II regulatory complex and of the role played by phosphorylated CREB at MHC-II promoters.
Effect of high-protein diet and urea administration on the blood pressure of normal dogs and of dogs with experimental renal hypertension

Abstract The administration of a high-protein diet (lean raw meat) to normal and hypertensive dogs for a long or short period of time failed to produce a consistent rise or fall in systolic or diastolic blood pressure. The administration of urea, intravenously or by stomach tube, to normal and hypertensive dogs likewise failed to produce any significant change in blood pressure. In one hypertensive dog there was a slight to moderate rise of systolic and diastolic blood pressure after each of the four experimental procedures.
Calculation of the Surface Segregation of Pd-Cu, Pd-Ag, and Pd-Au Alloys

The surface composition of the (111) surfaces of the binary alloys Pd-Cu, Pd-Ag, and Pd-Au have been computed by Monte Carlo computer simulation with the energetics determined by the Embedded Atom Method. Ag and Au are found to segregate to the first atomic layer of their alloys with Pd while for Pd-Cu alloys the degree of segregation is small but occurs mainly on the second atomic plane. The short-range order of the surfaces is addressed by studying the relative abundance of different compositions of nearest neighbor triangles on the (111) surfaces. The presence of triangles containing only atoms of one element is found to be suppressed by the short-range order. This result is shown to follow from the enhancement for these alloys of nearest neighbor pairs of atoms of different types.
Online Public Engagement in the Obama Administration: Building a Democracy Bubble?

Following the Bush administration, the Obama team enhanced access for citizens to participatory venues primarily through online mechanisms. Developing such channels gives citizens opportunity to develop their citizenship skills, potentially influence policy, and become more connected to community life. The administration can be applauded for participatory innovations, but needs to proceed strategically to ensure the innovations do not produce more harm than good and to ensure that the real change they are producing is sustainable into the next administration. This article develops the idea of a “democracy bubble” as the intersection of open access to participatory venues and inflated citizen expectations for what the participatory processes can deliver. It develops related ideas of a “democracy crater,” “democracy dropouts,” and “democracy demand.” Three fully online or online-mediated Obama administration participation initiatives are assessed for their potential to lead to a democracy bubble: the development of Open Government Plans, the Electronic Town Hall meeting, and co-produced community forums on health care and job creation. A primary finding is that the administration can do a better job establishing and managing expectations for what can be achieved through participation in its various initiatives.
p‐channel negative resistance field‐effect transistor

We experimentally demonstrate the first p‐channel negative resistance field‐effect transistor. Low‐temperature current‐voltage characteristics exhibit negative differential resistance in the drain circuit which is controlled by the substrate voltage. The negative differential resistance is attributed to the real‐space transfer of holes.
Chemical Modification of the Diamond Surface Using Benzoyl Peroxide and Dicarboxylic Acids

We report a new method for introducing carboxylic groups onto the diamond surface. Hydrogenated diamond surfaces were treated in a solvent containing benzoyl peroxide and dicarboxylic acid. Surface characterization was performed by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. After the reaction, a CO peak appeared, and the shape of the CH peak at 2780−2960 cm-1 depended on the kind of dicarboxylic acid. When deuterium-labeled diamond powders were treated in the same manner, aliphatic CH peaks were observed in the range 2780−2960 cm-1. The CH peaks were assigned to the (CH2)n groups of the dicarboxylic acids bonding to the diamond surface. When the modified diamond surfaces were treated with NaOH(aq), peaks assigned to the CO bond of the COONa groups appeared at 1578 cm-1, which indicated that carboxylic groups were present on the diamond surface. The presence of HOOC(CH2)nOCO groups on the diamond surface has been demonstrated.
Backbone and Side-Chain Contributions in Protein Denaturation by Urea

Urea is a commonly used protein denaturant, and it is of great interest to determine its interaction with various protein groups to elucidate the molecular basis of its effect on protein stability. Using the Trp-cage miniprotein as a model system, we report what we believe to be the first computation of changes in the preferential interaction coefficient of the protein upon urea denaturation from molecular-dynamics simulations and examine the contributions from the backbone and the side-chain groups. The preferential interaction is obtained from reversible folding/unfolding replica exchange molecular-dynamics simulations of Trp-cage in presence of urea, over a wide range of urea concentration. The increase in preferential interaction upon unfolding is dominated by the side-chain contribution, rather than the backbone. Similar trends are observed in simulations using two different force fields, Amber94 and Amber99sb, for the protein. The magnitudes of the side-chain and backbone contributions differ in the two force fields, despite containing identical protein-solvent interaction terms. The differences arise from the unfolded ensembles sampled, with Amber99sb favoring conformations with larger surface area and lower helical content. These results emphasize the importance of the side-chain interactions with urea in protein denaturation, and highlight the dependence of the computed driving forces on the unfolded ensemble sampled.
Contesting the optic of (under)development: Tire dié and the emergence of independent documentary cinema in Argentina, ca. 1958

This paper explores the relations between the film that ushered a new era of political documentary filmmaking in Argentina – Fernando Birri and the Santa Fe Documentary School's Tire die [Throw me a dime] (1960) – and development theories, which sought to produce ‘underdevelopment’ as an object of knowledge within the geopolitical context of the late 1950s. Tire die draws its title from a sequence showing dozens of shantytown children shouting this phrase while running alongside a train. Instead of situating the conditions for the making of Tire die strictly within the trajectory of Argentine cinema's political radicalization, this article links them to development theories originating in the US and in supranational institutions. Although focused on development, these theories also defined underdevelopment by elaborating a series of premises, equivalencies and symbols. When adopted and modified by Argentine political discourse, these theories came to constitute a new prism through which to examine and sho...
Population changes of urban land birds in the three years following the hurricane Katrina flood

There are few studies of wildlife population dynamics in the wake of natural disasters, and little is known about “normal” rates and trajectories of their recovery. I document the population trajectories of ten urban resident land bird species in New Orleans, USA, over a 30 km network of survey transects in the 3.4 years following the Hurricane Katrina flood of September 2005 and compare them to transects surveyed before the storm in 1994–2000. The avian community in January 2009 differed from that before the storm, chiefly in the increased dominance of European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and the near disappearance of the formerly common Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Common Grackle (Quiscalis quiscula), and Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus; at least through August 2007). In total, resident populations after 3.4 years were at less than half the levels recorded before the storm, having increased only weakly from their post-storm lows. Individual species varied widely in their population changes over the 3 years that followed their initial declines, some declining farther and others increasing by more than threefold. Starlings regained the highest proportion of their pre-storm numbers. The first and probably the second nesting seasons after the storm both saw resident bird populations increase substantially, but then decline again markedly by mid-winter.
Degradation of fluridone in submersed soils under controlled laboratory conditions

Abstract The experimental, aquatic herbicide fluridone (1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4(1 H )-pyridinone) was degraded in two submersed soils and in the water above those soils to one acidic metabolite (identified as 1,4-dihydro-1-methyl-4-oxo-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid by mass spectrometry). A sandy and a silt loam soil were treated with [ 14 C]fluridone, immersed in water, and analyzed after 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12 months. Seven to fifteen percent of the 14 C applied to the soils was recovered in the water on each of the various collection dates. The acidic metabolite accounted for 86 to 93% of the radioactivity in the water fraction 7 months after treatment. The metabolite was absorbed strongly by both soils and comprised about 60% of the total 14 C in each soil after 12 months. The remainder of the 14 C in the soils after 12 months was either the parent compound (∼30%) or an undefined insoluble residue (∼10%).
Evaluation of a cystic fibrosis transition program from pediatric to adult care.

Summary. Purpose: As the cystic fibrosis (CF) patient population median survival increase, the need for transitioning their care to adult care centers increase as well. We have a structured transition program since the early 1980s. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the experiences and opinions of patients in our adult CF center who went through a formal transition versus those who did not, in an attempt to evaluate the overall process and to identify means for improvement. Methods: A questionnaire was given to adult CF patients at the University of Michigan during a clinic visit or inpatient hospitalization, after consent was obtained. Inclusion criteria included diagnosis of CF in childhood, previous care in a pediatric center, and current participation in our adult CF clinic. Results: A total of 91 patients completed the questionnaire. 44 went through our structured transition program. On average, patients who participated in a formal transition process had higher satisfaction with both CF programs, perceived health status, and independence but no differences in their level of anxiety about transferring to the adult program. Patient opinions regarding when to transfer care were considered more often in patients who participated in a transition program (88% vs. 62% and P ¼ 0.02). Conclusion: Although structured transitions programs do not appear to decrease patient anxiety during this stressful period, it does appear to improve patient satisfaction, perceived health status, and independence. These findings suggest that establishing a transition program could be important in optimizing patient health, continuity of care and improving adherence. Pediatr