cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apoptosis in Human Atherosclerosis and Restenosis

Background Apoptosis has been recognized in normal, including rapidly proliferating, cell populations and is inferred to be potentially responsible for the maintenance of stable cell numbers in tissues with various degrees of proliferative activity. Previous studies performed in rats indicated that despite the persistence of a relatively high level of injury-induced proliferative activity, total arterial smooth muscle content at 12 weeks remained unchanged from that measured at 2 weeks, suggesting that accrual of vascular smooth muscle cells is mitigated by cell death. The extent to which apoptosis may be observed in human atherosclerosis and/or restenosis, however, has not been previously established. Methods and Results We performed immunohistochemical studies on 56 specimens retrieved from patients undergoing directional atherectomy for primary atherosclerotic lesions or recurrent arterial narrowing after percutaneous revascularization (restenosis). Immunohistochemical staining disclosed evidence of apoptosis in 35 (63%) of the 56 specimens studied. When present, immunohistochemical evidence of apoptosis was typically limited to <2% of cells in the specimen. The finding of apoptosis, however, was not distributed equally among four groups of specimens studied. Specimens retrieved from patients with restenosis were more frequently observed to contain foci of apoptosis than specimens retrieved from patients with primary atherosclerotic lesions. Among 14 peripheral arterial specimens from patients with restenosis, 13 (93%) contained foci of apoptosis; in contrast, apoptosis was observed in only 6 (43%) of 14 peripheral specimens from patients with primary lesions ( P =.0046). Among coronary arterial specimens, apoptosis was observed in 12 (86%) of 14 specimens from patients with restenosis versus 6 (29%) of 14 specimens from patients with primary obstructions ( P <.0075). Conclusions Apoptosis is a feature of human vascular pathology, including restenotic lesions and, to a lesser extent, primary atherosclerotic lesions. The findings of the present study suggest that apoptosis may modulate the cellularity of lesions that produce human vascular obstruction, particularly those with evidence of more extensive proliferative activity.
Optimal control of flexible structures

For a class of infinite dimensional systems in which the modes are uncoupled, we show how to construct a finite dimensional compensator which produces a non-zero stability margin for the closed-loop system. The closed-loop system approximates an optimal closed-loop system in which the compensator is infinite dimensional.
Moving frames and differential invariants in centro-affine geometry

Explicit formulas for the generating differential invariants and invariant differential operators for curves in two- and three-dimensional centro-equi-affine and centro-affine geometry and surfaces in three-dimensional centro-equi-affine geometry are constructed using the equivariant method of moving frames. In particular, the algebra of centro-equi-affine surface differential invariants is shown to be generated by a single second order invariant.
STATE MODELS FOR KNOT POLYNOMIALS AN INTRODUCTION

This paper is an unpublished version of a talk that the author gave in Brazil in 1987 at a meeting of the Brazilian Mathematical Society, while visiting Sostenes Lins in Recife, Brazil. The paper is an introduction to state models for link invariants, and it gives a surface-genus interpretation of the extreme terms in the bracket polynomial.
Transition Fault Simulation

Delay fault testing is becoming more important as VLSI chips become more complex. Components that are fragments of functions, such as those in gate-array designs, need a general model of a delay fault and a feasible method of generating test patterns and simulating the fault. The authors present such a model, called a transition fault, which when used with parallel-pattern, single-fault propagation, is an efficient way to simulate delay faults. The authors describe results from 10 benchmark designs and discuss add-ons to a stuck fault simulator to enable transition fault simulation. Their experiments show that delay fault simulation can be done of random patterns in less than 10% more time than needed for a stuck fault simulation.
Strength-Duration Characteristics of Estrogen Effects on Gonadotropin Response to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in Women. I. Effects of Varying Duration of Estradiol Administration

This study was designed to investigate the effects of increased serum concentrations of estradiol for varying durations upon the gonadotropin responses to synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH or LRF). Beginning at 8:00 PM on the first day of the menstrual cycle, subjects received im injections of estradiol benzoate (E2B), 5 μ/kg initially, followed by 2.5 μ/kg every 12 h for a total of 3,5,7,9, or 11 injections. Twelve h after the last E2B injection, or 36, 60, 84, 108, or 132 h after the first injection of E2B (2 subjects at each time interval), each subject received 100 μg GnRH, iv. In addition, each subject received 100 μg GnRH iv during one of the first seven days of the antecedent (control) menstrual cycle during which no exogenous estradiol was administered. When GnRH was infused 36 h after the initiation of E2B pretreatment, there was no significant LH or FSH increase. In contrast, LH and FSH responses were augmented and prolonged when compared with control cycles when GnRH was administer...
Consumer Responses to Generic Products

Plain-label generic products consisting of food and household staples and cigarettes have made significant inroads into the market shares previously held by the national brands of manufacturers and the private brands of wholesalers and retailers. Although the small number of published research studies analyzing purchasers of generic products have described the user as a member of an upscale professional, college-educated household, the research reported in this paper analyzed both demographic and lifestyle characteristics of generic users, non-users, and aware nonusers. Purchase behavior, product evaluation variation, and purchase probabilities for the three segments are examined. Acceptance of generic products appears to adversely affect the sales of national brands more than private brands, since most generic product purchasers had previously purchased national brands.
The 5-HT1A antagonist WAY 100635 can block the low-dose locomotor stimulant effects of cocaine

Cocaine treatments of 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 15.0 mg/kg induced dose-dependent increases in locomotor behavior. This cocaine-induced increase in locomotion was blocked if the animals were administered the selective 5-HT1A antagonist, WAY 100635 (0.4 mg/kg) prior to the cocaine treatment. The 0.4-mg/kg dose of WAY 100635 did not affect locomotor behavior or alter cocaine availability in brain.
The Effect of Various Antifungal Agents on Aflatoxin Production and Growth Characteristics of Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus in Liquid Medium

Abstract Various antifungal agents were added to a medium of 2% yeast extract-4% sucrose. Spores of a toxigenic strain of Aspergillus parasiticus were inoculated into the medium and incubated at 26° C. for 1 0 days. Growth of the mold and aflatoxin formation were monitored every 48 hours during the experiment. Of the antifungal agents evaluated, propionic acid and crystal violet were the most effective compounds in retarding mold growth. Propionic acid was fungicidal at concentrations >3.0 μg./ml. whereas crystal violet exhibited a mold retarding activity at levels ≥2.0 μg./ml. Crystal violet retarded the growth rate of the mold during the initial stages of growth, however, this retardation was overcome after 10 days of incubation. Crystal violet also retarded aflatoxin production and sporulation of Aspergillus parasiticus; however, aflatoxin production was the most sensitive parameter. A survey involving 12 toxigenic isolates of A. parasiticus and A. flavus indicated that these species vary markedly in susceptibility to crystal violet.
Postmenopausal vaginal atrophy and atrophic vaginitis

Menopause is associated with a marked reduction in endogenous estrogen production. Lower levels of circulating blood estrogen have various deleterious effects, including those on the lower urinary tract. The vaginal epithelium becomes atrophied and dry, which can cause vaginal discomfort, itching, and dyspareunia. The epithelium may become inflamed and contribute to urinary symptoms, including frequency, urgency, dysuria, and incontinence. Diminished estrogen effects on periurethral tissues can contribute to pelvic laxity and stress incontinence. Changes in vaginal pH and normal flora may predispose older women to urinary tract infection. Although estrogen replacement therapy can result in maturation of the vaginal epithelium, the optimal form of administration and the dosage regimen for improving symptoms and quality of life of the geriatric female population have not been well studied.
Effects of JAK3 inhibition with CP-690,550 on immune cell populations and their functions in nonhuman primate recipients of kidney allografts

Background Janus Kinase (JAK) 3 is a tyrosine kinase essential for proper signal transduction downstream of selected cytokine receptors and for robust T-cell and natural killer cells activation and function. JAK3 inhibition with CP-690,550 prevents acute allograft rejection. To provide further insight into the mechanisms of efficacy, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of CP-690,550 in vitro and in vivo in nonhuman primates. Methods Pharmacodynamic assessments of lymphocyte activation, function, proliferation and phenotype were performed in three settings: in vitro in whole blood isolated from untransplanted cynomolgus monkeys (cynos), in vivo in blood from untransplanted cynos dosed with CP-690,550 for 8 days, and in vivo in blood from transplanted cynos immunosuppressed with CP-690,550. Cell surface activation markers expression, IL-2- enhanced IFN-gamma production, lymphocyte proliferation and immune cell phenotype analyzes were performed with multiparametric flow cytometry. Results In vitro exposure to CP-690,550 resulted in significant reduction of IL-2-enhanced IFN-gamma production by T-cells (maximum inhibition of 55-63%), T-cell surface expression of CD25 (50% inhibitory concentration (IC50); 0.18 microM) and CD71 (IC50; 1.6 microM), and T-cell proliferative capacities measured by proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression (IC50; 0.87 microM). Similar results were observed in animals dosed with CP-690,550. In addition, transplanted animals displayed significant reduction of NK cell (90% from baseline) and T-cell numbers whereas CD8 effector memory T-cell populations were unaffected. Conclusions Potent in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory effects of the JAK3 inhibitor CP-690,550 likely contribute to its efficacy in the prevention of organ allograft rejection.
Total synthesis of 26-hydroxy-epothilone B and related analogs via a macrolactonization based strategy

Abstract The chemical synthesis of a series of 26-substituted epothilones B is described. Fully protected 26-hydroxydesoxy-epothilone B ( 7 ), prepared via the macrolactonization strategy, served as a common precursor to the designed epothilones described. The synthesized compounds were members of a large epothilone library whose biological screening led to the identification of a number of highly potent antitumor agents.
A noncoding RNA regulates human protease-activated receptor-1 gene during embryogenesis.

Abstract Activation of the human protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) by thrombin leads to myriad functions essential for maintaining vascular integrity. Upregulation of PAR-1 expression is considered important in atherosclerosis, angiogenesis and tumor metastasis. In vitro analysis of the human PAR-1 promoter function revealed a positive regulatory element between −4.2 and −3.2 kb of the transcription start site. This element was examined in transgenic mice containing either 4.1 or 2.9 kb of the 5′ flanking sequence driving a LacZ reporter gene. Only the 4.1 kb PAR-1 transgene was expressed in vivo and only during embryonic development. The transgene expression was observed only in developing arteries and not in veins. Further examination of this putative regulatory sequence identified a novel noncoding RNA (ncR-uPAR:noncoding RNA upstream of the PAR-1) gene at −3.4 kb. The ncR-uPAR upregulated PAR-1-core promoter-driven luciferase activity and mRNA expression in vitro in a Pol II-dependent manner. This noncoding RNA appears to act in trans, albeit locally at the adjacent PAR-1 promoter. These data suggest that an untranslated RNA plays a role in PAR-1 gene expression during embryonic growth.
Sustained Correction of Motoneuron Histopathology Following Intramuscular Delivery of AAV in Pompe Mice

Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the acid-α glucosidase (GAA) gene. Lingual dysfunction is prominent but does not respond to conventional enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Using Pompe (Gaa−/−) mice, we tested the hypothesis that intralingual delivery of viral vectors encoding GAA results in GAA expression and glycogen clearance in both tongue myofibers and hypoglossal (XII) motoneurons. An intralingual injection of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding GAA (serotypes 1 or 9; 1 × 1011 vector genomes, CMV promoter) was performed in 2-month-old Gaa−/− mice, and tissues were harvested 4 months later. Both serotypes robustly transduced tongue myofibers with histological confirmation of GAA expression (immunochemistry) and glycogen clearance (Period acid-Schiff stain). Both vectors also led to medullary transgene expression. GAA-positive motoneurons did not show the histopathologic features which are typical in Pompe disease and animal models. Intralingual injection with the AAV9 vector resulted in approximately threefold more GAA-positive XII motoneurons (P
A Comparison of Alemtuzumab with Basiliximab Induction in Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation

Alemtuzumab is a humanized, rat monoclonal antibody directed against the CD52 antigen. After binding, alemtuzumab causes profound and durable depletion and has been successfully used as immune induction therapy for organ transplantation. This was a single center, retrospective review of patients who underwent simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation at the University of Wisconsin using alemtuzumab induction therapy compared with historical controls that received induction with basiliximab. There were no differences in donor or recipient demographics, rates of patient survival, renal or pancreas allograft survival, renal allograft delayed graft function, EBV infection, BKV infection, PTLD or sepsis. There was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the alemtuzumab-treated group. Given the significantly higher incidence of CMV infections, we have since altered our induction protocol to consist of a single 30 mg dose of alemtuzumab instead of two doses. The long-term effects of this change remain to be seen. Due to the results seen in this study, the low initial cost of the drug and the absence of any severe, short-term side effects, alemtuzumab has been selected as the induction drug of choice at our center for patients undergoing SPK.
Space-time Multiscale Laminated Theory

Multiscale computational techniques in space and time are developed to study the impact response of thin, elastic, laminated composites. The displacement field is approximated using asymptotic expansion in space and time. Using the homogenization procedure in space and time, nonlocal membrane and bending equations of motion are derived. The nonlocal equations are stabilized to filter out the higher frequency content. The multiscale model is verified for membrane and bending problems.
Deficits in Elbow Position Sense in Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy

Abstract Background In neonatal brachial plexus palsy, sensory recovery is thought to exceed motor recovery with little attention paid to long-term assessment of proprioceptive ability. However, there is growing evidence that reduced somatosensory function frequently accompanies motor deficits as a result of activity-dependent changes in the central nervous system. Given the importance of proprioception in everyday motor activities, this study was designed to investigate position sense about the elbow joint in neonatal brachial plexus palsy. Methods A convenience sample of seven individuals with neonatal brachial plexus palsy aged 9-17 years and in seven control individuals aged 10-16 years were recruited for the study. An elbow position matching task was used in which passive displacement of the forearm (reference arm) was reproduced with the same or opposite arm. In both conditions, matching was performed in the absence of vision and required utilization of position-related proprioceptive feedback. Results Position-matching errors were significantly greater for the affected versus the unaffected arm when reproducing a reference position with the same arm. When matching was performed using the opposite arm, errors were dependent upon which arm served as the reference arm. When the unaffected arm served as the reference position, affected arm matching errors were not significantly different from control values. However, in the reverse situation, in which the unaffected arm relied on reference feedback from the affected arm, matching errors doubled compared with control values. Conclusions These results provide evidence that position sense is impaired in neonatal brachial plexus palsy and illustrate the importance of assessing proprioception in this population.
Development of a Breast MRI Service

Breast MRI has become a useful tool in the screening and early diagnosis of breast cancer. Nationally, breast MRI has been attempted in many institutions. Because of the timing of menses, surgical implications, oncology treatments, and insurance issues, many have not reached their potential in using this technological wonder. Controversy regarding technique, magnet size, and protocol is still occurring. Three years ago, a breast care program was started at Rutland Regional Medical Center (a nonteaching, 188-bed rural hospital). This program was developed by a team of multidisciplinary members led by a family nurse practitioner certified in breast health. The team included surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, gynecologists, nurses, technologists, primary care providers, and support staff. The breast care program provides comprehensive information and support resources for women with breast health issues. This specially trained healthcare team works directly with women and their care providers to answer questions regarding breast health screening, diagnosis, and treatment. The presenters reviewed strategies for development and implementation of a breast MRI service within diagnostic imaging. Resolutions to perceived and real barriers were discussed. Development of a coordinated team and financial implications were displayed. Criteria used and protocols established that have proved successful were outlined. Assuring good utilization and strong relationships with insurance carriers is one of the many reasons for the success of this program. Breast MRI is not for everyone. It is not suitable for routine screening and does not take the place of traditional mammography. There are clinical guidelines that are used to determine whether a patient will benefit from breast MRI. The diagnostic nurse screens each potential patient prior to scheduling a breast MRI to ensure that clinical guidelines are met and that the patient is receiving the right service. Patient education and assistance in MRI biopsies is another role for this nurse. We created a patient data database that ensures appropriate follow-up. This database also serves as a mechanism to participate in MRI research. (A team member has recently published a report in the International Archives of Surgery on the subject of breast MRI.) We are also participating with Blue Cross Blue Shield in a 3-year study allowing women who fit the criteria but who otherwise would have been denied to have their breast MRI covered by insurance. The presenters believe this new developing technology should be for every woman. Those at Rutland Regional Medical Center's Breast Care Program believe they are taking the steps to make this happen. The center has moved from a nonservice to a well-developed program, offering breast MRI throughout Vermont and the neighboring states of New Hampshire, New York, and Massachusetts.
Mapping contacts between unpurified human progesterone receptor and the hormone response element of mouse mammary tumor virus.

ABSTRACT Binding of steroid hormone receptors to specific recognition sites of hormone-inducible genes is one of the events required for hormonal regulation of gene transcription. We have employed an immunoprecipitation assay to map the interaction between unpurified human progesterone receptors from crude nuclear extracts of T47D cells and the hormone response element of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV). DNase I footprints and methylation interference patterns are similar to those reported with highly purified rabbit progesterone receptors, suggesting that both human and rabbit receptors recognize similar features in the hormone response element. More importantly, these patterns suggest that if other factors are associated with unpurified nuclear receptor, they do not alter the contacts made by receptor nor do they make contacts themselves with MMTV DNA in a manner detected by DNase I or methylation interference assays. The sites of interaction of receptors bound with the clinically important progest...
Enzymic hydrolysis of various lecithin monolayers employing surface pressure and potential technique

Abstract Enzymic hydrolysis of dipalmitoyl, egg, soybean, and dioleoyl lecithin monolayers was studied by measuring the changes in surface pressure (π) and surface potential (ΔV) upon injection of snake venom (Naja Naja) into the subsolution. The presence of Ca++, which could not be substituted by Mg++, Sr++, or Ba++, was essential for hydrolysis. Thin layer chromatography of monolayers removed after injection of venom into the subsolution showed that the snake venom indeed hydrolyzed lecithin monolayers into lysolecithin and free fatty acid. The rates of hydrolysis of different lecithins were in the order: dioleoyl lecithin > soybean lecithin > egg lecithin > dipalmitoyl lecithin, which is also the order of their molecular areas and hence their intermolecular spacings in monolayers. The solubility of lysolecithin molecules in the subsolution depends upon the chain length and unsaturation of the fatty acyl chains, which affects the changes in ΔV and π upon hydrolysis. The presence of citrate buffer or chelating agents with excess of Ca++ in the subsolution increased the rate of hydrolysis by decreasing the binding of Ca++ to lecithin monolayers. The hydrolysis of egg lecithin monolayers on different buffers was in the order, tris > veronal > collidine; which is the reverse of that found in the bulk reaction. Curves of π -area and ΔV - area of egg lecithin on these buffers indicated penetration of veronal and collidine ions into monolayers; this prevents the formation of the enzyme-substrate complex at the surface. In bulk reactions, these buffer ions act as lipid dispersants increasing the lipid/water interfacial area and consequently increase the rate of hydrolysis. Anionic, cationic, and neutral spacer molecules (15 mole %) were introduced in egg lecithin monolayers. The rate of hydrolysis increased in the presence of eicosanyl trimethylammonium, decreased in the presence of dicetyl phosphate or dipalmitin, and remained unchanged in the presence of cholesterol, indicating the importance of surface charge and state of the monolayer.
Evaluation of ovarian and testicular tissue cryopreservation in children undergoing gonadotoxic therapies.

Objective Ovarian and testicular tissue cryopreservation are the only fertility preservation options for sexually immature individuals. Because of their experimental nature, it is important to determine safety and possible bundling with other medicallyindicated procedures.
A Review Process and a Database for Waste-Package Documents

The work reported here is part of a program conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the efficacy of proposed plans for radionuclide containment for long-term storage of high-level nuclear waste (HLW). An important element of that program is the review and evaluation of available literature on components of a waste package. A review process and a database have been developed and tailored to provide information quickly to an individual who has a question about a particular material or component of a waste package. The database is uniquely suited to serve as a guide to indicate special areas where data and information needs exist on questions related to radionuclide containment. Additions to the database are made as information becomes available, and this source is as current as the published literature. A description of the review process and the database is given.
Suggestions as to metric in a non-conservative mechanics

The purpose of this note is to give tentative consideration to the dependence of space-time metric on the distribution of energy and momentum, in the case of a mechanics which abandons the principle of the conservation of energy. The question is a difficult one, and its final correct answer might necessitate some new conceptual apparatus. In the present note, however, we shall merely try to show the consequences of a direct and somewhat plausible method of attack, which can be made with familiar tools.
Gene × environment interactions for ADHD: synergistic effect of 5HTTLPR genotype and youth appraisals of inter-parental conflict

Serotonin genes have been hypothesized to play a role in the etiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); prior work suggests that serotonin may interact with psychosocial stressors in ADHD, perhaps via mechanisms involved in emotional dysregulation. Because the development of behavioral and emotional regulation depends heavily both on the child's experience within the family context and the child's construals of that experience, children's appraisals of inter-parental conflict are a compelling candidate potentiator of the effects of variation within the serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5HTTLPR) on liability for ADHD. 304 youth from the local community underwent a multi-informant diagnostic assessment procedure to identify ADHD cases and non-ADHD controls. Youth also completed the Children's Perception of Inter-Parental Conflict (CPIC) scale to assess appraisals of self-blame in relation to their parents' marital disputes. The trialleic configuration of 5HTTLPR (long/short polymorphism with A> G substitution) was genotyped and participants were assigned as having high (La/La N = 78), intermediate (La/Lg, La/short, N = 137), or low (Lg/Lg, Lg/short, short/short, N = 89) serotonin transporter activity genotypes. Teacher reported behavior problems were examined as the target outcome to avoid informant overlap for moderator and outcome measures. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated significant 5HTTLPR × self-blame interactions for ADHD symptoms. Examination of the interactions indicated positive relations between reports of self-blame and ADHD symptoms for those with the high and low serotonin activity genotypes. There was no relation between self-blame and ADHD for those with intermediate activity 5HTTLPR genotypes. Both high and low serotonergic activity may exert risk for ADHD when coupled with psychosocial distress such as children's self-blame in relation to inter-parental conflict. Results are discussed in relation to the role of serotonin in the etiology of the ADHD and related externalizing behaviors.
Controlling the Information Flow: Effects on Consumers' Decision Making and Preferences

One of the main objectives facing marketers is to present consumers with information on which to base their decisions. In doing so, marketers have to select the type of information system they want to utilize in order to deliver the most appropriate information to their consumers. One of the most interesting and distinguishing dimensions of such information systems is the level of control the consumer has over the information system. The current work presents and tests a general model for understanding the advantages and disadvantages of information control on consumers’ decision quality, memory, knowledge, and confidence. The results show that controlling the information flow can help consumers better match their preferences, have better memory and knowledge about the domain they are examining, and be more confident in their judgments. However, it is also shown that controlling the information flow creates demands on processing resources and therefore under some circumstances can have detrimental effects...
The liver and the moral organ

A close friend of mine just went through a harrowing experience: his brother, who was suffering from a rare form of liver cancer, was in the queue for a liver transplant. Livers, like many other organs, are in high demand these days, and those in the queue are desperate for what will most likely turn into a life-saving operation. The fortunate thing about liver transplants is that, assuming the damaged cells have been contained to the liver, the operation is like swapping out a hard drive from your computer: plug and play. Sadly, neither our brains in toto, nor their component parts, are similarly constituted and even if they were, there would be a fundamental asymmetry in the swapping. I would be happy to receive anyone’s liver assuming the donor’s was healthy and mine not. I would not be happy to receive anyone’s brain or brain parts, even if healthy. Though we can readily define regions of brain space, specify general functionality and describe wiring diagrams to other bits of neural territory—precisely the kind of descriptive information we provide for the liver, heart, eye and ear—the notion of ‘organ’ for the brain is more metaphorical than anatomical. But metaphors can be useful if we are careful.
Communicating Security Assertions over the GridFTP Control Channel

The GridFTP by Allcock, W. (2003) protocol defines a general- purpose mechanism for secure, reliable, high-performance data movement. GridFTP has been widely used for efficiently transferring large volumes of data. It is based on the Internet FTP protocol and thus involves two communication channels: a control channel and a data channel. The commands and responses flow over the control channel, and the data is transmitted over the data channel.
Using Assessment Results to Reinforce Campus Partnerships

In response to calls for accountability, academic libraries have increased their assessment efforts. Although the University Library at Colorado State University–Pueblo has been engaged in student learning outcome assessment for several years, it has recently expanded its system of evaluation to share the results of information literacy assessments with teaching faculty. This was done in an effort to demonstrate the value of library instruction to the faculty of a small, regional campus. Several benefits have been realized as a result of this move, including stronger partnerships with course instructors and other departments engaged in academic support.
Sphingosine kinase regulation and cardioprotection

Activation of sphingosine kinase/sphingosine-1-phosphate (SK/S1P)-mediated signalling has been recognized as critical for cardioprotection in response to acute ischaemia/reperfusion injury. Incubation of S1P with cultured cardiac myocytes subjected to hypoxia or treatment of isolated hearts either before ischaemia or at the onset of reperfusion (pharmacologic pre- or postconditioning) results in reduced myocyte injury. Synthetic agonists active at S1P receptors mimic these responses. Gene-targeted mice null for the SK1 isoform whose hearts are subjected to ischaemia/reperfusion injury exhibit increased infarct size and respond poorly either to ischaemic pre- or postconditioning. Measurements of cardiac SK activity and S1P parallel these observations. Ischaemic postconditioning combined with sphingosine and S1P rescues the heart from prolonged ischaemia. These observations may have considerable relevance for future therapeutic approaches to acute and chronic myocardial injury.
Transaction Consistency and the New Finance in Bankruptcy

Prior to the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act last summer, derivatives and repurchase agreements (“repos”) were largely unregulated outside of bankruptcy, and also were exempted from core bankruptcy provisions such as the automatic stay, which prevents creditors from seizing collateral or attempting to collect what they are owed. The Dodd-Frank Act now extensively regulates derivatives outside of bankruptcy, but it left their special treatment in bankruptcy completely untouched. There is a gap in the debate over this special treatment. To date, neither scholars nor the derivatives industry have fully analyzed the key counterfactual: what would happen if derivatives and repos were subject to the same treatment as other contracts? This Article tries to fill the gap, and to develop a more general theory about the importance of “transaction consistency” in the bankruptcy laws. Our findings are surprising. Contrary to the dire warnings of the repo industry, the effect of transaction consistency on repos would be limited, because repos would automatically be terminated as of the bankruptcy filing and thus could not be reinstated by the debtor. Derivatives have more at stake, but the nondebtor’s right of setoff would reduce many of the adverse effects. We do not argue that the special treatment should simply be removed, however. Given the distinctive attributes of these contracts, we argue that repo lenders should be able to immediately sell some kinds of collateral and that the automatic stay should be limited to three days for derivatives. We also explain how transaction consistency can be integrated with the Dodd-Frank Act. We believe that that the reforms we propose would strongly enhance bankruptcy’s efficacy, and make Dodd-Frank resolution unnecessary in all but the most extraordinary cases.
Effects of congestive heart failure on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antiarrhythmic agents

Changes in the pharmacokinetics of antiarrhythmic agents should be expected in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The direction of the changes, however, is not always predictable. The volume of distribution is often decreased by as much as 40%, and loading doses should, therefore, be appropriately reduced. Drug clearance may also be diminished due to decreased blood flow to the liver and kidneys, as well as decreased hepatic drug-metabolizing activity. Infusion rates should similarly be lowered to avoid toxicity. However, decreases in both volume of distribution and clearance may result in little, if any, change in elimination half-life, despite higher plasma concentrations. On the other hand, the elimination half-life of antiarrhythmic agents that have a large volume of distribution and are highly cleared by the liver may be twice as long in patients with CHF compared with normal subjects. Thus, the total daily dose of drug should also be lower in these patients. In addition, the time necessary to reach steady state is longer, so that premature dose escalation may lead to excessive drug accumulation. In terms of their pharmacodynamic effects, all antiarrhythmic agents have the potential to manifest a degree of negative inotropy, which must be anticipated as a possible side effect in patients with CHF. Some of the newer agents, such as tocainide and encainide, appear to cause only minimal myocardial depression. Other potential complications of all antiarrhythmic therapy include proarrhythmia and possible drug interactions with digitalis and diuretics.
Richardson Processes and Arms Transfers, 1971-1980: A Preliminary Analysis

Arms transfers to Asian countries seem to effect an increase in military expenditures of their neighbors. An examination of Australia, US and USSR military expenditure patterns for 1971-80 in an Asian con text indicates sensitivity to arms transfers and US 'containment policy' in Asian countries. Analyses of other Asian countries (from Afghanistan to Japan) lead to similar conclusions. Lewis Fry Richardson's theory is employed in a manner which allows alternative hypotheses to be tested, supplementing his ori ginal 'arms race' formulation. Burden sharing, cooperation, and compliance among allies, and asym metric responses to perceived threat, are among the alternatives studied. Economic burden does not ap pear to affect significantly many Asian countries' ability to increase military expenditures, at least in the manner Richardson proposed, but this result may be due to the relatively low burden currently placed on the economies of most countries studied. It is concluded that Richardson's theory and gener...
Effects of corticosterone administration on nitrogen excretion and nitrogen balance in adrenalectomized rats.

Adrenalectomized rats were implanted with pellets containing corticosterone in proportions varying from 0% to 100%, plus cholesterol. Stable concentrations of plasma corticosterone resulted, varying from subnormal (A) to physi- ologic (B) to supraphysiologic (C). When food was ingested ad libitum, weight gain was maximal in B at plasma corticosterone concentrations ofO. 14-0.20 �imol/L; weight loss occurred in C, despite higher food intake. Even when rats had constant limited food intake, weight gain and positive nitrogen balance were sig- nificantly reduced in A compared with B because fecal nitrogen rose significantly and the retention of absorbed nitrogen for growth decreased. In C, weight decreased despite constant intake, and nitrogen balance became negative because urinary nitrogen increased markedly. We conclude that glucocorticoid insuffi- ciency reduces nitrogen balance by impairing intestinal absorp- tion of dietary protein and the utilization of absorbed nitrogen, whereas glucocorticoid excess reduces nitrogen balance by augmenting urinary nitrogen despite constant nitrogen intake. Am J Clin Nutr 1992;55:695-700.
Primary Canine and Feline Nervous System Tumors: Intraoperative Diagnosis Using the Smear Technique:

The recent application of neuroimaging techniques in veterinary neurology has led to the accurate localization of many types of intracranial lesions but has also created a clinical need, particularly with brain tumors, for a specific intraoperative diagnosis. For human brain tumors, a smear technique has been used successfully for many years to provide an extremely rapid, highly accurate intraoperative diagnosis. In similar smear preparations of intracranial lesions, obtained either by computed tomography (CT)-guided stereobiopsy or from a craniotomy, we have described distinguishing cytologic features of some primary spontaneous nervous system tumors in 80 dogs and 13 cats. A final diagnosis was confirmed by evaluation of paraffin-embedded sections from the same sample and, when appropriate, by immunocytochemical staining. Preliminary findings indicate that, in dogs and cats, this procedure is useful for rapid, accurate intraoperative diagnosis of many primary nervous system tumors. The distinguishing features of the canine and feline tumors bear a remarkably close resemblance to their human counterparts.
Neurocardiogenic Syncope Coexisting with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome in Patients Suffering from Orthostatic Intolerance: A Combined form of Autonomic Dysfunction

Introduction: There is anecdotal evidence that one or more forms of orthostatic intolerance (OI) subgroups may coexist in the same patients. However, there is a paucity of published data on the clinical featuresandmanagementofpatientswhosufferfromcoexistingfeaturesofposturaltachycardiasyndrome (POTS) and neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS). We herein present our experience of 18 patients who we found displayed evidence of coexisting NCS and POTS. Methods: We reviewed charts of 300 POTS patients seen at the University of Toledo Syncope and Autonomic Disorders Center from 2003 to 2010 and found 18 patients eligible for inclusion in this study. Patients were included in this study if they reported clinical symptoms consistent with both POTS and NCS and then demonstrated a typical POTS pattern (a rise in heart rate without change in blood pressure [BP]) on head up tilt table (HUTT) within the first 10 minutes of upright posture followed by a neurocardiogenic pattern (a sudden fall in heart rate and/or fall in blood pressure) reproducing symptoms that were similar to the patients spontaneous episodes. Results: We found 18 patients, mean age (30 ± 12), with 15 (84%) women and three (16%) men, who met the inclusion criterion for this study. Each of these 18 patients demonstrated a typical POTS pattern within the first 10 minutes on initial physical exam and on a HUTT. Continued tilting beyond 10 minutes resulted in a sudden decline in heart rate (which in some patients manifested as an asystole that lasted anywhere between 10 and 32 seconds [mean of 18 seconds]) and/or a fall in BP in each of these patients demonstrating apatternconsistent withneurocardiogenic subtypeofOI.Themean timetotheNCSpattern of a fall in BP and heart was 15 minutes with a range of 13‐20 minutes. This group of patients was highly symptomatic and reported frequent clinical symptoms that were suggestive of OI. Recurrent presyncope, syncope, orthostatic palpitations, exercise intolerance, and fatigue were the principal symptoms reported. Conclusion: NCS may coexist with POTS in a subgroup of patients suffering from OI. (PACE 2010; 1‐6)
Trophic enteral nutrition increases hepatic glutathione and protects against peroxidative damage after exposure to endotoxin.

Abstract Background During total parenteral nutrition (TPN), hepatic concentration of the important intracellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) is decreased. This study sought to determine whether enteral trophic (small quantity) feeding of GSH precursors would increase hepatic GSH levels during TPN and result in decreased peroxidative injury after endotoxin exposure. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats received full TPN for 7 days with postpyloric infusions of either (1) amino acid GSH precursors (cysteine, 60 mg/d; glycine, 86 mg/d; glutamate, 31 mg/d; F1); (2) iso-nitrogenous alanine (132 mg/d; F2); or (3) normal saline (SA). Hepatic GSH concentration was measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. In a parallel study, animals were given TPN and either F1 or SA for 7 days, and endotoxin was administered intravenously before death. Hepatic lipid peroxidation and histology were assessed. Results Hepatic GSH concentration measured 11.7 ± 0.6 μmol/g in F1. This was significantly higher ( P P Conclusions Targeted trophic feeding of GSH amino acid precursors during parenteral nutrition markedly increased hepatic GSH concentration. This was associated with decreased lipid peroxidation and enhanced hepatocellular protection after endotoxin challenge. Thus, targeted trophic feedings may aid in the prevention of TPN-related liver disease.
Experience with linezolid for the treatment of nocardiosis in organ transplant recipients

Summary Objectives Combination therapy with amikacin is recommended for treatment of nocardiosis in severely ill solid organ transplant recipients (SOT), but its use is complicated by nephrotoxicity. Linezolid has shown promise as an alternative in the empiric therapy of nocardiosis, but little is known about its effectiveness and safety in this setting. We describe the experience with linezolid for nocardiosis in SOT. Methods Retrospective review of cases of nocardiosis in SOT at a large center from 2006 to 2012. Results Nineteen cases were identified, 15/19 in lung transplant recipients. Median creatinine clearance at diagnosis was 56 ml/min. Eighteen patients were treated: 17/18 (94%) received trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and 15/18 (83%) received linezolid. Median duration of linezolid treatment was 21 days and it was discontinued in 10/15 (67%) due to side effects. Thrombocytopenia and anemia occurred in 14/15 (93%) and 9/15 (60%) of patients on linezolid, respectively, and were not different from patients not on linezolid. Cure was observed in 16/19 (84%), 33% of deaths were related to nocardiosis. Conclusions Linezolid was acceptable as initial empiric therapy for nocardiosis. Myelosuppression was a limiting factor, but not exclusive to patients on linezolid and could have been aggravated by concomitant use of other myelosuppressive drugs.
Diffusion as an Explanation of Oil Nationalization: Or the Domino Effect Rides Again

Following Rogers, diffusion is defined as a process of social communication involving information flows under uncertainty. The international petroleum industry is a complex social system with considerable uncertainty about existing structural conditions, particularly from the point of view of a developing country. The “demonstration effect” of oil production nationalizations has been an important source of information about the balance of country-company power. The Mexican (1938) and Iranian (1951) nationalizations inhibited further takeovers by demonstrating that the companies had the power to discipline nationalizing countries by isolating them from international markets. The North African nationalizations of 1971 were disinhibiting as they demonstrated that underlying structural conditions had changed to the point where industry sanctions were no longer effective. The diffusion hypothesis is tested empirically and shown to be consistent with the data.
An extended localized algorithm for connected dominating set formation in ad hoc wireless networks

Efficient routing among a set of mobile hosts is one of the most important functions in ad hoc wireless networks. Routing based on a connected dominating set is a promising approach, where the search space for a route is reduced to the hosts in the set. A set is dominating if all the hosts in the system are either in the set or neighbors of hosts in the set. The efficiency of dominating-set-based routing mainly depends on the overhead introduced in the formation of the dominating set and the size of the dominating set. In this paper, we first review a localized formation of a connected dominating set called marking process and dominating-set-based routing. Then, we propose a dominant pruning rule to reduce the size of the dominating set. This dominant pruning rule (called Rule k) is a generalization of two existing rules (called Rule 1 and Rule 2, respectively). We prove that the vertex set derived by applying Rule k is still a connected dominating set. Rule k is more effective in reducing the dominating set derived from the marking process than the combination of Rules 1 and 2 and, surprisingly, in a restricted implementation with local neighborhood information, Rule k has the same communication complexity and less computation complexity. Simulation results confirm that Rule k outperforms Rules 1 and 2, especially in networks with relatively high vertex degree and high percentage of unidirectional links. We also prove that an upper bound exists on the average size of the dominating set derived from Rule k in its restricted implementation.
Detection of immune danger signals by NALP3

The innate immune system in animals has been forged to detect microbes, coordinate symbiotic responses, and mount immune defenses against pathogens. Recently, innate immunity was shown to detect signals released by damaged cells or tissues such as uric acid or ATP. These danger signals were proposed to be important in promoting and regulating inflammation upon trauma or pathogen insults. The physiological relevance of these signals in the immune response and their mechanisms of action are still unclear. Recent findings suggest that some danger signals activate the NALP3 inflammasome, an innate immune complex that controls inflammatory caspases and IL-1 activation.