cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetics of serum concentration of IL-6 and TNFα in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis: a candidate gene analysis

Elevated concentrations of inflammatory mediators are characteristic of autoimmune disease accompanied by chronic or recurrent inflammation. We examined the hypothesis that mediators of inflammation known to be elevated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated with genetic polymorphism previously identified in studies of inflammatory disease. Serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) concentrations in patients with SLE (n = 117) or RA (n = 164) and in inflammatory disease-free control subjects (n = 172) were measured by multiplex ELISA. Candidate genes were chosen from studies of autoimmune and inflammatory disease. Genotypes were determined for 345 SNP markers in 75 genes. Association between serum analytes and single alleles was tested by linear regression. Polymorphisms in several genes were associated with IL-6 levels (including IL10, TYK2, and CD40L in SLE and DRB1, NOD2, and CSF1 in RA) or with TNFα levels (including TNFSF4 and CSF2 in SLE and PTPN2, DRB1, and NOD2 in RA). Some associations were shared between disease and control groups or between IL-6 and TNFα within a group. In conclusion, variation in genes implicated in disease pathology is associated with serum IL-6 or TNFα concentration. Some genetic associations are more apparent in healthy controls than in SLE or RA, suggesting dysregulation of the principal mediators of chronic inflammation in disease. Susceptibility genes may affect inflammatory response with variable effect on disease etiology.
Segmentation and image navigation in digitized spine x rays

The National Library of Medicine has archived a collection of 17,000 digitized x-rays of the cervical and lumbar spines. Extensive health information has been collected on the subjects of these x-rays, but no information has been derived from the image contents themselves. We are researching algorithms to segment anatomy in these images and to derive from the segmented data measurements useful for indexing this image set for characteristics important to researchers in rheumatology, bone morphometry, and related areas. Active Shape Modeling is currently being investigated for use in location and boundary definition for the vertebrae in these images.
Components of reflexive visual orienting to moving objects.

Posner and Cohen (1984) and Maylor (1985) initially observed that a luminance change produces both facilitatory and inhibitory effects on subsequent detection. While Posner and Cohen claimed that the facilitatory effect was mapped in retinotopic coordinates, they showed that inhibition of return (IOR) was mapped in “environmental coordinates.” Tipper and colleagues (Tipper, Driver, & Weaver, 1991; Tipper et al., 1997; Tipper, Weaver, Jerreat, & Burak, 1994) and Abrams and Dobkin (1994b) have recently reported that IOR can be object based, but contradictory results have also been reported (Muller & von Muhlenen, 1996). Here we report six experiments showing that an uninformative peripheral cue can generate either facilitatory or inhibitory object-based effects that can tag moving objects and that can persist for several hundred milliseconds. Although the boundary conditions determining which effect will be manifest remain to be defined, the present results suggest that facilitation and inhibition are generated independently, rather than being components of the same biphasic process.
Subjective and Electromyographic Assessment of Isometric Muscle Contractions

Forty male subjects were asked to pull either 25 per cent or 50 per cent of their maximal voluntary contraction on an isometric dynamometer handle. During the pull they were asked to rate the pain experienced in the muscles on a five-point scale. During the task the active muscle was continuously monitored by recording the EMG. The results indicated that individuals are able to predict their maximal endurance when concentrating on a dominant stimulus of pressure and/or pain in a physical task. The EMG analyses indicated that a differentiation can be made between physiological and psychological aspects of fatigue. The point in time when the EMG significantly increased in amplitude is interpreted to be the time when, due to motor unit impairment, the active muscle is fatigued. Additional contraction time was proposed to result from increased cortical recruitment, the length of which was determined by motivational elements.
Voltage-activated and stretch-activated Ba2+ conducting channels in an osteoblast-like cell line (UMR 106)

Calcium entry may mediate osteoblast activation by calciotropic hormones or changes in electrical fields or mechanical stress in bone. Using cell-attached patch clamping techniques, we have seen two Ba2+ conducting channels in UMR-106 osteoblast-like cells: (i) a voltage-dependent, dihydropyridine-sensitive channel resembling L-type Ca2+ channels in other cells, and (ii) a stretch-activated non-selective channel resembling those involved in mechanoreception and triggering of volume regulation in other cells.
Overexpression of CRM1: A Characteristic Feature in a Transformed Phenotype of Lung Carcinogenesis and a Molecular Target for Lung Cancer Adjuvant Therapy

Our previous study showed that chromosome region maintenance 1 (CRM1), a nuclear export receptor for various cancer-associated "cargo" proteins, was important in regulating lung carcinogenesis in response to a tobacco carcinogen, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The objectives of this study are to comprehensively evaluate the significance of CRM1 in lung cancer development and investigate the therapeutic potential of targeting CRM1 for lung cancer treatment using both in vitro and in vivo models. We showed that CRM1 was overexpressed not only in lung tumor tissues from both lung cancer patients and mice treated with NNK but also in NNK-transformed BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Furthermore, stable overexpression of CRM1 in BEAS-2B cells by plasmid vector transfection led to malignant cellular transformation. Moreover, a decreased CRM1 expression level in A549 cells by short hairpin siRNA transfection led to a decreased tumorigenic activity both in vitro and in nude mice, suggesting the potential to target CRM1 for lung cancer treatment. Indeed, we showed that the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin on A549 cells with CRM1 down-regulated by short hairpin siRNA were significantly increased, compared with A549 cells, and the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin became further enhanced when the drug was used in combination with leptomycin B, a CRM1 inhibitor, in both in vitro and in vivo models. Cancer target genes were significantly involved in these processes. These data suggest that CRM1 plays an important role in lung carcinogenesis and provides a novel target for lung cancer adjuvant therapy.
Excimer laser micromachining for passive fiber coupling to polymeric waveguide devices

The precise control and high-resolution ablation capability inherent in excimer laser machining make it ideally suited for creating slots for passive alignment of optical fibers to planar channel waveguides as well as for direct waveguide-to-waveguide coupling. This paper describes KrF excimer laser generation of passive alignment coupling slots and the results achieved using this technique with Polyguid polymeric integrated optic system single and multimode waveguide coupling.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Women's work: The case of Zelda Fitzgerald

(1989). Women's work: The case of Zelda Fitzgerald. Lit: Literature Interpretation Theory: Vol. 1, No. 1-2, pp. 69-83.
An in-vivo wrap-around permittivity sensor for deep biological tissue monitoring

A new in-vivo wearable band sensor is introduced for continuous monitoring of the permittivity of biological tissues deep into the body. This sensor allows for identification of tissue abnormalities by measuring the tissue's permittivity. For medical applications, the sensor can be used to monitor the permittivity of lungs and presence of lung water as a precursor to congestive heart failure. The physical layout of the sensor allows for monitoring the same tissue from different angles.
The NASA Phoenix 2007 Mars Lander thruster calibration estimator: design and validation

The NASA Phoenix 2007 Mars Lander mission, launched in August 2007 on its mission to land near the north pole of Mars in May 2008, had a driving need for entry-corridor delivery precision, which parlayed into stringent requirements on deep space navigation accuracy. This, in turn, necessitated in-cruise calibration of the three-axis thrust force vectors produced by each of the vehicle's four reactioncontrol system (RCS) thrusters during frequent daily low-catalyst-bed-temperature firings done to maintain the 3-axis attitude deadbands. A novel recursive sigmapoint consider-covariance filter was designed, validated and ultimately utilized extensively during flight operations, to estimate the RCS force vectors, per individual thruster. The estimate was achieved through ground-based processing of Deep Space Network (DSN) and telemetered gyroscope data from the spacecraft's inertial measurement unit (IMU), using a novel sigma-point consider filter (SPCF) formulation. During early-cruise active calibration, the spacecraft was flown in attitudes chosen, using this filter, to maximize observability of all thruster axes, to an extent constrained by vehicle thermal and communication considerations. The design of the Phoenix thruster calibration filter, and its validation through processing of archived Mars Odyssey thruster calibration radiometric data, and simulated sets of data, are discussed in this paper. The paper concludes with the formulation of the thruster calibration campaign and a summary of the thruster calibration campaign results. The SPCF algorithm is summarized in the Appendix.
Women in Politics: A Global Review

Abstract At the end of the 1970s, discrimination against women as political participants continues, but it is being challenged and, in some countries, steadily eroded. There are only eight countries in the world today in which national law excludes women from political processes that are open to men. While in most countries that have elections, women lag behind men in exercising the franchise; the tendency is for the difference in men's and women's voting rates to narrow over time in stable electoral systems. However, there is an enormous disparity between women's attainment of formal political equality and their real exercise of political power. The numbers of women in public office remains low in most countries; in very few do women fill even 10% of such positions. Yet there are scattered signs of improvement, with slowly rising numbers of women in elective and appointive offices. The real centers of political power are still overwhelmingly dominated by men, but the fact that women in most countries can enter the political contest on a routine basis is a sign that exclusion based on sex roles is diminishing.
Survival in biopsy-proven myocarditis: A long-term retrospective analysis of the histopathologic, clinical, and hemodynamic predictors

Objective We hypothesized that histopathology predicts survival without cardiac transplantation in patients with biopsy-proven myocarditis. Background The role of endomyocardial biopsy in diagnosing myocarditis remains controversial. Histopathology has been integrated with clinical and hemodynamic features to predict prognosis. However, the influence of histopathology on survival >5 years has not been explored. Methods We retrospectively identified 112 consecutive patients with histopathologic confirmation of myocarditis. We examined these patients' clinical presentation, hemodynamic assessment, hospital course, and treatment. We selected 14 variables that might influence survival without cardiac transplantation. Results A total of 62 (55%) of 112 patients had lymphocytic myocarditis; 88 (79%) and 63 (56%) were alive without cardiac transplantation at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Median follow-up was a mean 95.5 months and median 74.5 months. Among the 55 with complete data of the 14 candidate predictor variables, age, sex, and clinical presentation with congestive heart failure and ventricular (ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation) or atrial arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation or flutter) did not predict the study end point of death or need for transplantation. In univariate analysis, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ≥15 mm Hg significantly predicted the study end point. In multivariate analysis, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ≥15 mm Hg and histopathology of lymphocytic, granulomatous, or giant cell myocarditis each significantly predicted mortality or transplant ( P = .047, P = .013, and P = .054, respectively) on cumulative survival without cardiac transplantation. Conclusions Histopathology predicts long-term survival in patients with myocarditis. Clinical presentation, including presentation with congestive heart failure, ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation, or atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter, does not predict survival without transplantation. Endomyocardial biopsy can play a role in predicting transplant-free survival in patients with myocarditis.
Aortic dissection associated with blunt chest trauma diagnosed by elevated D-dimer.

Introduction Similar to spontaneous aortic dissection, traumatic aortic dissection is diagnosed with a careful history and physical exam, chest radiograph, and ultimately, dedicated aortic imaging. The diagnosis of spontaneous aortic dissection may be aided by using the serum D-dimer test. The use of D-dimer for diagnosing aortic injury in the setting of blunt trauma has not previously been reported.
Judged similarity in pitch of octave multiples

Subjects with musical training, who could identify musical intervals within octaves, were tested on their ability to identify musical intervals when the higher note was at several different octave multiples. Some subjects (but not all) showed very high scores on such cross-octave interval recognition tests. Two other groups of subjects were tested on ability to recognize pitch similarities for octave multiples. Only a few subjects showed evidence of perceiving pitch similarities. Our results do not support the hypothesis thatall subjects perceive a common pitchchroma at octave multiples.
A progress report on the Desperanto research project: software support for distributed processing

The Desperanto research project has been investigating topics in the area of distributed computing systems since the Fall of 1980. The project addresses problems that arise in the design and implementation of software support for general-purpose resource sharing in networks consisting of heterogeneous nodes. Thus it is most closely related to the prototype RSEXEC system [19], the National Software Works project [2], Rochester's Intelligent Gateway [8] and the Livermore Network Communications system [21]. It is influenced less directly by other contemporary systems which address distributed computing and operating system issues in different contexts such as special-purpose distributed applications, homogeneous architectures or shared memory environments [1] [3] [4] [6] [7] [16] [17] [18] [23].Some results have been published to date [9] [10] [11] [12], and other results are currently in the review process [13]. Although it is still premature to publish the details of the solutions to the design problems in journal (or archival) form, this report has been prepared to describe design issues and progress made to date. This is intended as an informal status report for a wide readership.
Bayesian analysis of within-field variability of corn yield using a spatial hierarchical model

Understanding relationships of soil and field topography to crop yield within a field is critical in site-specific management systems. Challenges for efficiently assessing these relationships include spatially correlated yield data and interrelated soil and topographic properties. The objective of this analysis was to apply a spatial Bayesian hierarchical model to examine the effects of soil, topographic and climate variables on corn yield. The model included a mean structure of spatial and temporal co-variates and an explicit random spatial effect. The spatial co-variates included elevation, slope and apparent soil electrical conductivity, temporal co-variates included mean maximum daily temperature, mean daily temperature range and cumulative precipitation in July and August. A conditional auto-regressive (CAR) model was used to model the spatial association in yield. Mapped corn yield data from 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003 for a 36-ha Missouri claypan soil field were used in the analysis. The model building and computation were performed using a free Bayesian modeling software package, WinBUGS. The relationships of co-variates to corn yield generally agreed with the literature. The CAR model successfully captured the spatial association in yield. Model standard deviation decreased about 50% with spatial effect accounted for. Further, the approach was able to assess the effects of temporal climate co-variates on corn yield with a small number of site-years. The spatial Bayesian model appeared to be a useful tool to gain insights into yield spatial and temporal variability related to soil, topography and growing season weather conditions.
The epigenetic reprogramming of poorly aggressive melanoma cells by a metastatic microenvironment

A dynamic, complex relationship exists between tumor cells and their microenvironment, which plays a pivotal role in cancer progression, yet remains poorly understood. Particularly perplexing is the finding that aggressive melanoma cells express genes associated with multiple cellular phenotypes, in addition to their ability to form vasculogenic-like networks in three-dimensional matrix - called vasculogenic mimicry, which is illustrative of tumor cells plasticity. This study addressed the unique epigenetic effect of the microenvironment of aggressive melanoma cells on the behavior of poorly aggressive melanoma cells exposed to it. The data show significant changes in the global gene expression of the cells exposed to 3-D matrices preconditioned by aggressive melanoma cells, including the acquisition of a vasculogenic cell phenotype, upregulation of ECM remodeling genes, and increased invasive ability - indicative of an epigenetic, microenvironment-induced reprogramming of poorly aggressive melanoma cells. However, this epigenetic effect was completely abrogated when a highly cross-linked collagen matrix was used, which could not be remodeled by the aggressive melanoma cells. These findings offer an unique perspective of the inductive properties associated with an aggressive melanoma microenvironment that might provide new insights into the epigenetic regulation of tumor cell plasticity and differentiation, as well as mechanisms that could be targeted for novel therapeutic strategies.
Quality of experience

In a technical product's early stages, the typical IEEE MultiMedia reader would judge it by the strength and novelty of its technology. Early adopters in our community will accept a product more based on the technology it uses and the function it performs than its ease of use and their experience in using it. The situation changes when a product ships to mainstream users. Normal users don't care nearly as much about what technology goes into a product. They care more about the problem the product solves and their experience while using it. Given products with the same functionality, what will make the experience better? This critical consideration helps determine a product's success in the marketplace.
Minimal Bases of Matrix Pencils: Algebraic Toeplitz Structure and Geometric Properties

Abstract For a singular matrix pencil sF−G the structure of the right rational null space H r is studied and new algebraic and geometric properties and invariants are established. The results highlight the nature of the isomorphism between polynomial vectors of H r and real vectors in the right spaces { N k r , k ⩾0} , defined as null spaces of Toeplitz matrices of (F, G). The algebraic structure of L r is described by the properties of ordered minimal bases, as well as those of new invariants, the prime R[s]-modules { M i , i ∈ μ } The geometric structure of H r is defined by the properties of new invariant spaces, P i, P i, R i, associated with M i ,i μ m—the high, low, and prime spaces—as well as some additional invariant spaces defined through the Toeplitz representation of ordered minimal bases. These new invariant spaces and modules are shown to be naturally defined also on the right spaces N kr, and this provides an alternative geometric definition of them, which is independent of the original algebraic one. It is shown that the construction of an ordered minimal basis is equivalent to a standard linear algebra problem, the selection of a right system of generators for { N k r , k ⩾ 0} . Finally, certain parametrization issues for the polynomial vectors of H r are considered.
Anatomic features of the paramedian muscle-splitting approaches to the lumbar spine.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Intermuscular approaches can expose the lumbar spine and minimize muscular trauma and injury. The segmental anatomy of the posterior lumbar musculature allows surgical access through separation of muscle groups and fascicles and provides one to develop intermuscular working channels while preserving the integrity of the muscles and their function. In addition, preservation of the accompanying neurovascular bundles minimizes blood loss, tissue atrophy, and pain. With these approaches, a variety of procedures for decompression, discectomy, interbody fusion, or pedicle screw fixation can be achieved for single or multiple levels without subperiosteal stripping or muscle transection. OBJECTIVE: A detailed description of the relevant surgical anatomy for the muscle-sparing approach to the lumbar spine.
Recommendations for Post-Prostatectomy Radiation Therapy in the United States Before and After the Presentation of Randomized Trials

Purpose: The EORTC 22911 and the SWOG 8794 studies, presented in 2004 and 2005, showed that adjuvant radiation therapy after prostatectomy improved biochemical disease-free survival in men with adverse pathological features. In this study we evaluated the use of post-prostatectomy radiation therapy following the presentation of these results, and the impact of margin involvement, pathological tumor stage, Gleason score and sociodemographic factors on post-prostatectomy radiation therapy recommendations.Materials and Methods: The SEER cancer registry was used to identify 21,917 men who underwent radical prostatectomy for N0M0 prostate cancer with adverse pathological features (pT3 or margin positive pT2 disease) from 2000 through 2007.Results: After adjusting for age, diagnosis year, race, SEER region and county education level in a multivariable regression model, decreasing age, margin involvement and Gleason 8 to 10 cancer were associated with receiving post-prostatectomy radiation therapy (all p <0.001)...
NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase-cytochrome b5 interactions: crosslinking of the phospholipid vesicle-associated proteins by a water-soluble carbodiimide

Abstract Detergent-solubilized and purified rabbit liver microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome b5 were coreconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. When the proteoliposomes were incubated with a water-soluble carbodiimide, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC), a new higher-molecular-weight band was seen by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The band was purified by chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, 2′,5′-ADP-Sepharose 4B, and Sephadex G-100. The heme absorption spectrum and fluorophotometric assay of flavin of the purified material demonstrate that this product is a 1:1 crosslinked complex containing one molecule each of the flavoprotein and cytochrome. Proteolysis of the crosslinked form indicates that the hydrophilic catalytic domains participate in the covalent attachment, and that the hydrophobic membrane-attachment peptide is necessary for the protein interaction. The purified crosslinked derivative showed no activities for reduction of either cytochrome c or ferricyanide. About half of the enzyme-associated flavin was reduced rapidly by NADPH, as was 20–30% of the crosslinked cytochrome, indicating that, in at least some of the complexes, the flavin-mediated pathway for reduction of cytochrome by pyridine nucleotide was intact. These data suggest that the output- rather than the input-electron transfer site(s) in the flavoprotein was (were) blocked by the covalently attached cytochrome.
Psychological distress in women seeking genetic counseling for breast-ovarian cancer risk: the contributions of personality and appraisal.

The purpose of the present study was two-fold: (a) to characterize the psychological status of women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer who self-refer for genetic counseling and BRCA1 testing; and (b) to identify specific demographic, personality, and appraisal factors that contribute to cancer-specific distress and general distress in this group of women. Participants were 256 women ages 18 and older who had at least one first-degree relative (FDR) with breast and/or ovarian cancer. Participants were recruited through breast cancer clinics and obstetrics/gynecology departments at two medical centers by responding to program information described in a brochure. The results revealed moderate distress levels in this population. The results of a hierarchical regression of general distress indicated that women with higher levels of general distress were less likely to be married, less optimistic, and had heightened breast cancer risk perceptions accompanied by feelings of low perceptions of control over the development of breast cancer (R2=.44, p=.0001). Women with higher levels of cancer-specific distress tended to be younger and non-White and had low perceptions of control over developing breast cancer (R2=.15, p=.0002). These findings suggest that self-referred genetic counseling participants may be psychologically vulnerable and may benefit from interventions designed to decrease distress and the perceived absence of control over developing breast cancer.
Synthesis, Characterization and Biodegradability of Poly(Ethylene Glycol)-Bound Molecule Platinum Complexcontaining Ferrocenyl Moiety Using MALDI Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (MPEG) was bound to a ferroceny/ketimine and the resulting molecule complexed with platinum ion. The chief means of characterization of the intermediate and final compounds was Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The results indicated some degree of decomposition by the MALDI source for the intermediate compounds and the presence of platinum complex as a chelate. The biodegradability of the MPEG-bound molecule complex was also studied using papain at 37°C and pH 7.80 in ammonium phosphate buffer to avoid metal catonization during mass ionization. The mass spectra showed that the complex was 50% degraded within 20 min and then remained unchanged up to 48 hours.
Immunizing action of in vitro-attenuated Histomonas meleagridis in chickens and turkeys☆

Abstract Histomonas meleagridis was cultivated more than 6 years in Tissue Culture Medium 199, fortified with serum and antibiotic-killed bacteria of cecal origin. The histomonads first lost their ability to produce disease but retained some immunizing ability. During the sixth year of in vitro cultivation, representing serial passages 730–835, the immunizing ability declined. At the same time, these attenuated histomonads were also losing their ability to survive in the presence of freshly isolated, antibiotic-killed cecal bacteria. Meantime, freshly isolated histomonads were unable to live in the culture medium with only the limited flora that had survived the numerous in vitro passages. Apparently, long continued cultivation operated selectively on both the bacteria and Histomonas, leaving only histomonads with no ability to penetrate the host's tissues.
Geologic and geophysical evidence for the influence of deep crustal structures on Paleozoic tectonics and the alignment of world-class gold deposits, north-central Nevada, USA

Abstract Geologic data concur with geophysical and isotopic data that suggest the presence of deep crustal fault zones along the Battle Mountain-Eureka (BME) trend and elsewhere in Nevada. The fault zones may have originated during Proterozoic rifting of the continent and were likely substantially reactivated and modified during Paleozoic tectonism. Five distinct Paleozoic structural and stratigraphic domains are defined that demonstrate the complexity of Paleozoic tectonic events and also lead to hypotheses about ways in which the margin could have been modified. The current locations of these domains adjacent to the geophysically and isotopically defined indicators of the buried continent edge corroborate their interactions with the continental margin. During the Tertiary, preexisting crustal fault zones were intersected and reopened during episodes of extension and served as the conduits for deep-sourced, gold-rich fluids, which were disseminated into Paleozoic slope facies sedimentary rocks, forming sediment-hosted Carlin-type and other deposits. Multiple factors including the locations of these deep-seated structures, the original configuration of the lower Paleozoic continental margin of Nevada, and its subsequent reactivation during the Paleozoic all were fundamental controls on the location of younger mineral deposits. A clearer understanding of the original configuration of the margin and of the effects of subsequent Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonic events on the margin would provide insight into the locations of these and other prospective mineral belts.
Electroencephalogram and visual evoked potential generation in a mathematical model of coupled cortical columns

This study deals with neurophysiologically based models simulating electrical brain activity (i.e., the electroencephalogram or EEG, and evoked potentials or EPs). A previously developed lumped-parameter model of a single cortical column was implemented using a more accurate computational procedure. Anatomically acceptable values for the various model parameters were determined, and a multi-dimensional exploration of the model parameter-space was conducted. It was found that the model could produce a large variety of EEG-like waveforms and rhythms. Coupling two models, with delays in the interconnections to simulate the synaptic connections within and between cortical areas, made it possible to replicate the spatial distribution of alpha and beta activity. EPs were simulated by presenting pulses to the input of the coupled models. In general, the responses were more realistic than those produced using a single model. Our simulations also suggest that the scalp-recorded EP is at least partially due to a phase reordering of the ongoing activity.
Luminescence study of ZnTe:Cr epilayers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy

Incorporation of Cr into ZnTe epilayers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) is reported. Photoluminescence (PL) using both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed-excitation sources is used to characterize the radiative efficiency of doped layers in the infrared region. The Cr2+ ions produce a broad emission band peaking in the 2–3 µm range, which is of potential use in tunable-laser devices. The optimum Cr concentration for achieving bright, room-temperature infrared emission was found to be in the range from low- to mid-1018 cm−3. Temperature-dependent luminescence studies were performed to determine thermal-quenching activation energies. Using a pulsed-laser operating at 1.9 µm, an investigation of emission lifetimes was made. The emission-decay curves for the Cr2+ recombination in ZnTe:Cr films could be described by a single exponential and were nearly independent of temperature from 80 K to 300 K. A room-temperature lifetime of ∼2.5 µsec in a ZnTe:Cr layer with [Cr] ∼1.4 × 1018 cm−3 compares favorably with values reported for bulk ZnTe:Cr.
H2–M3-restricted T cell response to infection

Abstract H2–M3 is a major histocompatibility complex class Ib molecule that presents N-formylated peptides to specific CD8+T cells. Prokaryotic, but not eukaryotic, translation begins with the addition of N-formyl methionine, suggesting a role for these H2–M3-restricted T cells in response to bacterial infection. Indeed, these cells constitute a non-redundant “early” component of anti-microbial response.
Hard examples for the bounded depth Frege proof system

We prove exponential lower bounds on the size of a bounded depth Frege proof of a Tseitin graph-based contradiction, whenever the underlying graph is an expander. This is the first example of a contradiction, naturally formalized as a 3-CNF, that has no short bounded depth Frege proofs. Previously, lower bounds of this type were known only for the pigeonhole principle and for Tseitin contradictions based on complete graphs.Our proof is a novel reduction of a Tseitin formula of an expander graph to the pigeonhole principle, in a manner resembling that done by Fu and Urquhart for complete graphs.In the proof we introduce a general method for removing extension variables without significantly increasing the proof size, which may be interesting in its own right.
Challenging Gender Inequality: Grassroots organizing among women rural workers in Brazil and Chile

Two case studies of the organisations of women rural workers. The experiences of the women in the Seasonal Workers' Union in Santa Maria, Chile and in the Rural Women Workers' Movement in southern Brazil provide examples of how women can begin to challenge subordinate female gender roles - at home and in the organizations they participate in - through grassroots organizing.
Mapping human dimensions in marine spatial planning and management: An example from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Abstract The Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island is a complex mosaic of human activities and environmental features and while spatial distributions of physical, chemical, and biological elements are well documented in the Bay, there are limited data on spatial distributions of human activities. In this study, human uses of coastal waters in the upper Narragansett Bay are examined using an approach for characterizing and analyzing fine scale spatial and temporal data on human activities. Shipboard transect surveys of active water activities were conducted in the upper Bay on 50 days during the summer months of 2006–2007. The composition and configuration of different vessel types (recreational motor, recreational sail, row boat, commercial fishing, industrial, service, and official) were analyzed, and the impacts of proposed changes in land use policies and wastewater treatment technologies were investigated. Results indicated that recreational boaters comprised almost two-thirds of the upper Bay's users and used over one-half of the study area. Industrial activity was concentrated near Providence where RI's main port is located, and there was an active commercial fishery in the southern portion of the study area. Conditions like increasing cloud cover, weekend days, and the July 4th holiday were related to increased recreational use, while the closure of an upper Bay beach to swimming was associated with fewer commercial fishing vessels and more official boats, recreational motor boats, and service vessels. Findings indicated that upper Bay waters near land converted from industrial zones to zones where residential housing or marinas are encouraged are likely to see a change in composition of vessels, with fewer industrial and official boats and more recreational motor boats, row boats, and service vessels. Enhanced wastewater treatment technologies and the resulting improvements in water quality are likely to make more waters in the upper Bay available to shellfish harvesting, spreading out existing fishing grounds and potential pressures on the ecosystem and on other users. By characterizing the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of human uses in the marine environment and analyzing how these uses relate to the complex human and natural systems in which they are embedded, this study and others like it can positively contribute to marine spatial planning and management efforts designed to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives.
Sertoli cell cycle : a re-examination of the structural changes during the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium of the rat

Seminiferous tubules in mammals are composed of cell associations that show a cyclic pattern of renewal and development. The cyclic nature of germ cell development suggests that the cells supporting the spermatogenic process, the Sertoli cells, might also differ structurally during the spermatogenic cycle in terms of the quantity of their constituents. In the present study, cyclic differences in volumes, and surface areas were determined using a sampling technique at the electron microscope level that proportionally samples the Sertoli cell within the seminiferous tubule. Among the many parameters studied, only the surface area of the cell, the volume of lipid, and the volume and surface area of the rough endoplasm reticulum were shown by statistical analysis to vary cyclically. Regarding rough endoplasm reticulum, the volume and surface area of this organelle peaked at mid-cycle and its low was recorded near the end of the cycle, exhibiting an approximate 15-fold difference between extremes. The rough endoplasm reticulum parameters generally correlated with known patterns of protein secretion within the tubule and with the secretion of specific proteins as well as the factors important in controlling protein secretion. Many Sertoli cell structural parameters suggested to be influenced cyclically in the rat in other studies could not be confirmed by the present study. Methodological differences in the present study and past studies are discussed as potential sources of error for these discrepancies. © 1993 Wiley-Liss Inc.
Differential Regulation of Two Arabidopsis Type III Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase Isoforms. A Regulatory Role for the Pleckstrin Homology Domain

Here, we compare the regulation and localization of the Arabidopsis type III phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 4-kinases, AtPI4Kalpha1 and AtPI4Kbeta1, in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells. We also explore the role of the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain in regulating AtPI4Kalpha1. Recombinant kinase activity was found to be differentially sensitive to PtdIns-4-phosphate (PtdIns4P), the product of the reaction. The specific activity of AtPI4Kalpha1 was inhibited 70% by 0.5 mm PtdIns4P. The effect of PtdIns4P was not simply due to charge because AtPI4Kalpha1 activity was stimulated approximately 50% by equal concentrations of the other negatively charged lipids, PtdIns3P, phosphatidic acid, and phosphatidyl-serine. Furthermore, inhibition of AtPI4Kalpha1 by PtdIns4P could be alleviated by adding recombinant AtPI4Kalpha1 PH domain, which selectively binds to PtdIns4P (Stevenson et al., 1998). In contrast, the specific activity of AtPI4Kbeta1, which does not have a PH domain, was stimulated 2-fold by PtdIns4P but not other negatively charged lipids. Visualization of green fluorescent protein fusion proteins in insect cells revealed that AtPI4Kalpha1 was associated primarily with membranes in the perinuclear region, whereas AtPI4Kbeta1 was in the cytosol and associated with small vesicles throughout the cytoplasm. Expression of AtPI4Kalpha1 without the PH domain in the insect cells compromised PtdIns 4-kinase activity and caused mislocalization of the kinase. The green fluorescent protein-PH domain alone was associated with intracellular membranes and the plasma membrane. In vitro, the PH domain appeared to be necessary for association of AtPI4Kalpha1 with fine actin filaments. These studies support the idea that the Arabidopsis type III PtdIns 4-kinases are responsible for distinct phosphoinositide pools.
The role of selected cations in the formation of pseudomicelles in aqueous humic acid

The fluorescence intensity enhancement of a pyrene probe in aqueous humic acid solutions was assessed in terms of added lanthanide and thorium cations. Among the trivalent ions it was found that size played a role, with the small Lu(3+) ion producing the greatest increase in pyrene emission. This was attributed to its superior ability to cause pseudomicellization in the humic acid polymer. Slow kinetic effects were observed, leading to substantial fluorescence enhancement over a period of 7 h. This was ascribed to a continuous aggregation process in aqueous humic acid, leading to ever more viscous microenvironments for the probe molecule.
Microwave-induced rapid chemical functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes

The microwave-induced chemical functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is reported. The major advantage of this high-energy procedure is that it reduced the reaction time to the order of minutes and the number of steps in the reaction procedure compared to that of conventional functionalization processes. Two successful model reactions, namely amidation and 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of SWNTs were carried out. The amidation was completed in two steps as compared to three in the conventional approach. The step involving acid chloride formation was eliminated here, and the yield remained the same. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of SWNTs was carried out in 15 min under microwave conditions, and the results were similar to what was achieved in 5 days using conventional methods. This finding opens the door to fast and inexpensive processing to produce functional SWNTs, which is extremely important for their use in real-world applications.
Subsurface drip irrigation of onions: Effects of drip tape emitter spacing on yield and quality

Improved irrigation water use efficiency is an important component of sustainable agricultural production. Efficient water delivery systems such as subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) can contribute immensely towards improving crop water use efficiency and conserving water. However, critical management considerations such as choice of SDI tube, emitter spacing and installation depth are necessary to attain improved irrigation efficiencies and production benefits. In this study, we evaluated the effects of subsurface drip tape emitter spacing (15, 20 and 30 cm) on yield and quality of sweet onions grown at two locations in South Texas�Weslaco and Los Ebanos. Season-long cumulative crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was 513 mm in Weslaco and 407 mm at Los Ebanos. Total crop water input (rain + irrigation) at Weslaco was roughly equal to ETc (92% ETc) whereas at Los Ebanos, water inputs exceeded ETc by about 35%. Onion yields ranged from 58.5 to 70.3 t ha-1 but were not affected by drip tube emitter spacing. Onion pungency (pyruvic acid development) and soluble solids concentration were also not significantly influenced by treatments. Crop water use efficiency was slightly higher at Weslaco (13.7 kg/m3) than at Los Ebanos (11.7 kg/m3) partly because of differences in total water inputs resulting from differences in irrigation management. The absence of any significant effects of drip tape emitter spacing on onion yield may be due to the fact that irrigation was managed to provide roughly similar irrigation amounts and optimum soil moisture conditions in all treatments
Effect of LDL+VLDL oxidizability and hyperglycemia on blood cholesterol, phospholipid and triglyceride levels in type-I diabetic patients.

Abstract Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins has been implicated in impaired lipid metabolism and its deposition in the arterial wall, and atherosclerosis. This study was carried out to determine the relationship between the in vitro oxidizability of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and the cholesterol, phospholipid and triglyceride (TG) levels in the blood of Type-I diabetic patients. LDL+VLDL was isolated using a micro-affinity column from serum of diabetic patients ( n =34) and age-matched normal individuals ( n =22). The oxidative susceptibility of LDL+VLDL was determined by treatment with 25 μM CuCl 2 for 1.5 h. The levels of total-, LDL-, and HDL-cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides, as well as glycated hemoglobin (HbA t ), were measured in the blood using standard methods. The diabetics had significantly higher levels of triglycerides and phospholipids, but cholesterol levels were similar between Type-I diabetics and age-matched normals. However, among diabetics, there was a significant correlation between the in vitro oxidation of LDL+VLDL at 1.5 h and total cholesterol ( r =0.49, P r =0.54, P r =0.34, P 1 ) did not have any correlation with levels of LDL- or HDL-cholesterol or triglycerides, but was significantly correlated with phospholipid levels ( r =0.48, P
Age stratified, perioperative, and one-year mortality after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: a statewide experience.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the in-hospital, 30-day, and 365-day mortality for the open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), when stratified by age, in the general population. Age stratification could provide clinicians with information more applicable to an individual patient than overall mortality figures. Methods In a retrospective analysis, data were obtained from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) for the years 1995 to 1999. Out-of-hospital mortality was determined via linkage to the state death registry. All patients undergoing AAA repair as coded by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9) procedure code 38.44 and diagnosis codes 441.4 (intact) and 441.3/441.5 (ruptured) in California were identified. Patients Results We identified 12,406 patients (9,778 intact, 2,628 ruptured). Mean patient age was 72.4 ± 7.2 years (intact) and 73.9 ± 8.2 (ruptured). Men comprised 80.9% of patients, and 90.8% of patients were white. Overall, intact AAA patient mortality was 3.8% in-hospital, 4% at 30 days, and 8.5% at 365 days. There was a steep increase in mortality with increasing age, such that 365-day mortality increased from 2.9% for patients 51 to 60 years old to 15% for patients 81 to 90 years old. Mortality from day 31 to 365 was greater than both in-hospital and 30-day mortality for all but the youngest intact AAA patients. Perioperative (in-hospital and 30-day) mortality for ruptured cases was 45%, and mortality at 1 year was 54%. Conclusions There is continued mortality after the open repair of AAAs during postoperative days 31 to 365 that, for many patients, is greater than the perioperative death rate. This mortality increases dramatically with age for both intact and ruptured AAA repair.
DISCUSSION OF: Knowing Versus Telling Private Information About a Rival

ABSTRACT: Bagnoli and Watts (2013) show that a firm will always disclose its private information when this information solely affects its rival's product market decisions. This result is robust to different competitive scenarios (Cournot or Bertrand competition), features (product heterogeneity or private information quantity), and levels of commitment (ex ante or ex post). I highlight how this result fits in the accounting disclosure literature, describe the intuition behind the theory, and discuss its implications for future work.