cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Counting Faces in Split Networks

SplitsTree is a popular program for inferring and visualizing various phylogenetic networks including split networks. Split networks are useful for realizing metrics that are linear combinations of split metrics. We show that the realization is not unique in some cases and design an algorithm for computing split networks with minimum number of faces. We also prove that the minimum number of faces in a split network is equal to the number of pairs of incompatible splits.
Protein phosphorylation controls translation rates.

Protein synthesis consumes a significant proportion of the available energy of eucaryotic cells. Rates of protein synthesis are regulated, thereby integrating the translation process with other metabolic pathways of the cell. For example, altered translation rates occur at fertilization, during mitosis, upon nutrient starvation or stress, and following treatment with hormones or growth factors. In many of these cases, transla- tion rates change within minutes of the inductive events and are readily reversed, suggesting that the regulatory mecha- nisms involve rapid changes in the specific activities
Treatments for chronic pain in persons with spinal cord injury: A survey study

Background/objective To determine the degree and duration of pain relief provided by specific pain treatments used by individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) who have chronic pain. Design Postal survey. Setting Community. Participants Participants were 117 individuals who had traumatic SCI, were 18 years of age or older, and reported a chronic pain problem. Main outcome measures Questions assessing current or past use of 26 different pain treatments, the amount of relief each treatment provided, and the length of time that any pain relief usually lasts. Results The medications tried most often were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (tried by 71%) and acetaminophen (tried by 70%); these medications were still being used by more than one half of the patients who had tried them. Opioids produced the greatest degree of pain relief on average (mean, 6.27 +/- 3.05 [SD] on a 0-10 scale, with 0 = no relief and 10 = complete relief) but were unlikely to be continued by those who tried them. Although 38% of respondents with pain had tried gabapentin, only 17% were still using it, and average pain relief was only moderate (mean, 3.32 +/- 3.03 on the 0-10 relief scale). Seventy-three percent of the respondents had tried at least 1 of 7 alternative pain treatments, and the most frequently tried were massage, marijuana, and acupuncture. The most relief was provided by massage (mean, 6.05 +/- 2.47] on the 0-10 relief scale) and marijuana (mean, 6.62 +/- 2.54 on the 0-10 relief scale). The relief from the various treatments, including most medications, tended to last only minutes or hours; however, pain relief from alternative treatments such as massage, acupuncture, and hypnosis was reported to last for days in 25% to 33% of those who tried these treatments. Conclusions Many patients are not finding adequate pain relief from commonly prescribed medications. Alternative therapies should be considered as additional treatment options in this population.
Purification and Kinetic Characteristics of Dogfish Liver Glutamate Dehydrogenase

A method for the purification of glutamate dehydrogenase from dogfish liver has been presented. The molecular weight of the enzyme has been determined and the sedimentation constant has been found to be invariant over a wide range of concentrations, in contrast to the bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. Upon electrophoresis the dogfish enzyme has been observed to migrate further than the beef or chicken enzymes under all conditions studied. The kinetic parameters of the enzymatic reaction with the triphosphopyridine nucleotides have been explored; they indicate a sequential order of substrate addition analogous to that found for other glutamate dehydrogenases. The maximum velocities obtained by extrapolation of reciprocal plots of specific activities against low concentrations of reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide have been found to be virtually identical for bovine, chicken, and dogfish liver glutamate dehydrogenases.
Hospital protocols for the inpatient care of older adults: results from a statewide survey.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of protocols or guidelines for selected domains of inpatient care for older adults; to explore associations between hospital characteristics and adoption of these guidelines or protocols. DESIGN: Telephone- and Web-based questionnaire. SETTING: General acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: Chief nursing officers, directors of nursing, other hospital executives. MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaire items assessed the presence of written protocols or guidelines for selected processes of inpatient care; written guidelines, protocols, or pathways for hip fracture care; and inpatient geriatric consultation. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 103 of 147 hospitals (70%) between June 21, 2009, and October 12, 2009. The prevalence of written protocols for general hospital practices (e.g., dosing of preoperative antibiotics, deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis) ranged from 84 of 98 (86%) to 90 of 97 (93%) respondents. Twenty of 95 (21%) and 16 of 94 (17%) respondents reported guidelines for the assessment of risk factors for delirium and for routine screening for delirium. Sixty-six of 92 respondents (72%) reported the presence of a written protocol, guideline, or pathway for hip fracture, and 61 of 100 respondents (39%) confirmed availability of inpatient geriatric consultation. No systematic differences were found in survey responses between facilities on the basis of geriatric consultation availability, hospital size, or teaching status. CONCLUSION: Hospitals vary in their adoption of protocols and guidelines for the care of older adults. Broad opportunities may exist to improve the quality of inpatient care for older adults through better dissemination and implementation of guidelines and protocols for selected geriatric conditions.
Structural characterization of the AgYBa2Cu3O7−x interface

Abstract Silver contacts to the high critical temperature ( T c ) superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x (YBCO) are characterized using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Observations of the interfacial regions reveal that Ag bonds to YBCO without any intermediate phase formation but with a preferred orientation relationship, in which the close packed planes and directions of the metal are parallel to those of the superconductor. The formation of (111) Ag interfaces and facets are also strongly favored during deposition. The as-deposited Ag film exhibits a granular morphology and a high twin density, especially when the surface of YBCO is corrugated and structurally unstable. Annealing of the AgYBCO interface results in measurable grain growth and a decrease in the density of structural defects within the deposited Ag. At regions where the surface of YBCO is not flat, however, there is precipitation of isolated Ag-bearing particles.
Holonic system architecture for scalable infrastructures

In a previous paper Gruver, Kotak, van Leeuwen and Norrie proposed a Holonic Systems Architecture for manufacturing co-ordination. In another project Daimler-Chrysler demonstrated that a holonic approach resulted in significant improvements in productivity and robustness of their engine assembly line design and the technique was found to be scalable and could be implemented in a stepwise fashion. Presently NRC is examining the ways of evolving a hydrogen infrastructure for fuelling hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles. Such an infrastructure will need to be scalable, reliable and cost competitive. Therefore we chose to use the holonic approach for modelling and simulation of such an infrastructure, which presently does not exist and will initially be sparse and highly distributed. This paper describes the original design features of the holonic system architecture, the hydrogen infrastructure requirements and the enhancements we made to the architecture in the process of implementing the test application. We used a 3-D simulation technology to create a virtual hydrogen infrastructure, created holons to proxy its elements (i.e., hydrogen generation, storage and dispensing stations, vehicles and highways with alternate routes) and the interface between the virtual and holonic worlds. We systematically introduce holons which proxy real physical devices, to demonstrate how this architecture could be phased in from a virtual model to the physical world without changing the holonic control.
Answering the demands of digital genomics

The continuing revolution in DNA sequencing and biological sensor technologies is driving a digital transformation to our approaches for observation, experimentation, and interpretation that form the foundation of modern biology and genomics. Whereas classical experiments were limited to thousands of hand-collected observations, today's improved sensors allow billions of digital observations and are improving at an exponential rate that exceeds Moore's law. These improvements have made it possible to monitor the dynamics of biological processes on an unprecedented scale, but have proportionally greater quantitative and computational requirements.
Effect of Fe4+ in the System SrFeO3‐SrTiO3

Perovskites of the system SrFeO/sub 3/--SrTiO/sub 3/ were prepared, and measurements were made of their magnetic and electrical behavior. Chemical analysis showed that the percentage of Fe/sup 4+/ varied from 72.5% for SrFeO/sub 2.86/ to about zero for Sr(Fe/sub 0.1/Ti/sub 0.9/)O/sub 2.95/; the remainder of the iron was in the Fe/sup 3+/ state and electrical balance was achieved by oxygen loss. Sr(Fe/sub 1-x/ Ti/sub x/)O/sub 3/ was antiferromagnetic between x = 0 and x =0.9, with a Neel temperature below 60 l K. A parasitic ferromagnetic component developed when the compounds were cooled in a magnetic field, the magnitude of the component being dependent on the cooling field. The conductivity of the perovskites ranged from 10/sup -8/ ohm/sup -1/ cm/sup -1/ for x= 1.0 to 10/sup -2/ for x = 0.0 and showed a marked change at x = 0.8. The break corresponded to a change in slope of the lattice parameter and the disappearance of Fe/sup 4+/. The Fe/sup 4+/ content depended on the heat treatment and atmosphere during formation. (auth)
Magnetic properties of the neutral MX chain systems

Abstract Both local density-functional (LDF) Stoner theory and spin-polarized LDF, each in conjunction with the scalar relativistic linear muffin-tin orbital technique, are used to study the magnetic properties of the neutral halogen-bridged transition-metal linear chains, denoted by MX (MNi or Pt, and XCl, Br, or I). Both approaches show the Ni-based compounds are antiferomagnetic, whereas the Pt-based compounds are paramagnetic. Besides these calculations, we have also studied the magnetism of the MX chain systems using the new density functional, which takes orbital polarization into account and uses a Hubbard interaction instead of the Stoner parameter. Despite the additional sophistication of this approach, very similar results are obtained.
WOLF HOWLING AND ITS ROLE IN TERRITORY MAINTENANCE

An experimental study of the role of howling in wolf territory maintenance was conducted in the Superior National Forest, Minnesota. Vocal replies and behaviour of radio-collared wolves in response to human howls were analyzed for eight packs and 10 lone wolves during a 2-year period. Reply rate varied significantly throughout the year. A mid-winter increase was correlated with the breeding season, especially for groups containing breeding animals (alpha male or alpha female). A second, longer increase in reply rate started in midsummer, peaked about August, and declined to a low in early winter. The decline in autumn howling response occurred sooner in a pack whose pups developed faster. Through the year, the howling reply rate was significantly higher among all packs and lone wolves attending prey kills. The more food remaining at a kill, the higher the reply rate was. For wolves separated from their pack, the howling reply rate was dependent on their age and social role. Among adults, only alpha males ever replied alone, and their reply rate, and number of howls per session, exceeded those of other animals. Alpha males sometimes approached during howling sessions, whereas other adults usually retreated. Younger animals replied more often as pups than as yearlings, and then only during their first 7 months, after which they replied little more than most adults. Finally, larger packs replied more often than smaller packs. Specific behaviours noted during howling sessions, including movements away from the howler, indicated that howling was related to interpack agonism. In addition, three of the major factors influencing reply rate also significantly affect the level of agonism toward pack strangers : pack size, social role, and breeding season. The other two factors, kills and pups, are both important pack resources necessitating exclusive occupancy of a site. The high reply rates at sites containing kills or pups constitute strong circumstantial evidence that howling is important in territory maintenance. During howling sessions, wolves usually remained near their original site after replying, or retreated if they remained silent. This difference apparently was related to the problem of avoiding both accidental and deliberate encounters, and to cost/benefit considerations at the wolves' location. Howling was considered most effective in mediating avoidance in two situations : when two packs approached a common area of overlap, and when a pack returned to an area little used for weeks, in which scent posts would have lost effectiveness in deterring strangers. Both scent-marking and howling apparently are important in spacing. However, they differ in their roles and are complementary, with scent-marking being long-term and site-specific, and howling being immediate and long-range. Finally, lone wolves which do not possess territories, rarely replied, sharing the "low-profile" behaviour expected of surplus animals in a territorial population.
Effects of monoterpenoids on in vivo DMBA-DNA adduct formation and on phase I hepatic metabolizing enzymes

We have previously demonstrated the anticarcinogenic effects of monocyclic monoterpenes such as limonene when given during the initiation phase of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary cancer in Wistar-Furth (WF) rats. Here we investigated the possible mechanisms for this chemoprevention activity including limonene's effects on DMBA-DNA adduct formation and hepatic metabolism of DMBA. Twenty-four hours after carcinogen administration, there were approximately 50% of the total DMBA-DNA adducts found in control animals formed in the liver, spleen, kidney and lung of limonene-fed animals. While circulating levels of DMBA and/or its metabolites were not different in control and limonene-fed rats, there was a 2.3-fold increase in DMBA and/or DMBA-derived metabolites in the urine of the limonene-fed animals. Studies of the effects of limonene and sobrerol, a hydroxylated monocyclic monoterpenoid with increased chemoprevention activity, on phase I metabolizing enzymes revealed that these terpenoids modulated cytochrome P450 (CYP) and epoxide hydratase (EH) activity. The 5% limonene diet increased total CYP to the same extent as phenobarbital (PB) treatment when compared to control, while 1% sobrerol (isoeffective in chemoprevention to 5% limonene) did not. However, both 5% limonene and 1% sobrerol diets greatly increased the levels of microsomal EH protein and associated hydrating activities towards benzo[a]pyrene 4,5-oxide when compared to control and PB treatment. These changes also modified the rate and regioselectivity of in vitro microsomal DMBA metabolism when compared to PB treatment or control. Identification of the specific isoforms of CYP induced by these terpenoids was performed using antibodies to CYP isozymes in Western blot analysis and inhibition studies of microsomal DMBA metabolism. Five per cent limonene was more effective than 1% sobrerol at increasing the levels of members of the CYP2B and 2C families but was equally effective at increasing EH. Furthermore, both terpenoid diets caused increased formation of the proximate carcinogen, DMBA 3,4-dihydrodiol. While these terpene-induced changes in hepatic CYP and EH do not explain the anticarcinogenic mechanism of these chemopreventive agents, or the ability of limonene systemically to reduce DMBA-DNA binding, they do reveal novel and selective induction mechanisms of hepatic enzymes.
THE MICROSCOPIC APPEARANCE OF TWO TESTES NINE MONTHS FOLLOWING UNILATERAL VASECTOMY.

In 1915, while studying the effects of castration on the vasomotor responses to nicotine (1), two dogs were standardized to this drug and the right vas occluded and resected. The two animals, A and B, were in excellent condition and weighed 9.5 and 10 kilos respectively. The operations were done in February, and the animals permitted to survive until the following November, at which time their weight was A, 11.5, and 13 kilos. The vascular response was again determined and the results of the previous operations carefully examined. The blood pressure readings gave figures practically the same as those obtained nine months previously. In each dog the stump the resected vas was found bound down by masses of connective-tissue. Bulging of the vas was not present. However, upon opening the lumen of the stump connecting the testis a small amount of fluid material escaped.
Wyoming prime-focus near-infrared camera

the prime focus of the Wyoming Infrared Observatory (WIRO) 2.3-m telescope. The detector is a 64 x 64 element HgCdTe array. A microprocessor-based control board residing on the dewar clocks the CCD multiplexer, controls the double-correlated sampling, and digitizes the detector signal. All voltage levels and clocking sequences can be adjusted by software in real time. The data acquisition computer communicates with the control board over a modified RS-232 link at an adjustable rate (usually 50 kilobaud). This allows virtually any computer to be used for data acquisition with a minimum of difficulty. The optics are optimized for the study of extended sources of low surface brightness, with maximum optical throughput. The f/2 primary is followed by a liquid-nitrogen-cooled Wynne corrector and two cold-filter wheels with a capacity of 12 individual filters and a 90-degree CVF segment. The positions of the lens, the instrument, and the filter wheels are adjusted by stepper motors. The plate scale is 2.06 arcseconds per pixel.
The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of baricitinib, an oral JAK 1/2 inhibitor, in healthy volunteers

Baricitinib (also known as LY3009104 or INCB028050), a novel and potent small molecule inhibitor of Janus kinase family of enzymes (JAKs) with selectivity for JAK1 and JAK2, is currently in clinical development for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory disorders. Two double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled studies were conducted to evaluate single ascending doses of 1–20 mg and multiple ascending doses of 2–20 mg QD and 5 mg BID for 10 or 28 days in healthy volunteers. Following oral administration, baricitinib plasma concentration typically attains its peak value within 1.5 hours postdose and subsequently declines in a bi-exponential fashion. Baricitinib demonstrates dose-linear and time-invariant pharmacokinetics, with low oral-dose clearance (17 L/h) and minimal systemic accumulation observed following repeat dosing. The mean renal clearance of baricitinib was determined to be ∼12 L/h. [Correction added after publication 12 November 2014: in the preceding sentence, “2 L/h” was changed to “12 L/h.”] The effect of a high-fat meal on baricitinib pharmacokinetics was insignificant. The pharmacodynamics of baricitinib, evaluated by the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation following cytokine stimulation in the whole blood ex vivo, was well correlated with baricitinib plasma concentrations. Baricitinib was generally safe and well tolerated, with no serious treatment-related adverse events (AEs) reported from either of the studies. An expected rapidly reversible, dose-related decline in absolute neutrophil count was seen with baricitinib.
Do Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) synchronize their estrous cycles

Estrous synchrony was tested using 10 pairs of sibling female rats (Rattus norvegicus). A Monte Carlo bootstrap simulation was used to construct random control groups to avoid previous statistical errors and to test for significance when there are irregular cycles. The 10 pairs of females did not exhibit estrous synchrony. The effect of cycle irregularity on the limits of synchrony was analyzed using an equation that the related degree of cycle regularity to the degree of synchrony. This equation significantly predicted the limits of synchrony: cycle irregularity limits both the maximum and minimum degree of synchrony that can occur between two females. Finally, simulations of the expected levels of synchrony in groups of five rats were compared to the original study on estrous synchrony. The simulations indicated that the results of the original study were consistent with chance levels of synchrony. It is concluded that there is no evidence that Norway rats synchronize their estrous cycles. Evolutionary implications are discussed.
Expression of the hemochromatosis gene modulates the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in breast cancer cells

The antineoplastic agent doxorubicin inhibits cell growth through mechanisms that include an interaction with iron, resulting in the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Prior studies have shown that the wild-type hemochromatosis gene (wt HFE) may downregulate iron uptake and alter iron homeostasis in cells. We therefore tested the hypothesis that expression of wt HFE would affect the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. Human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were transfected with an expression plasmid for a FLAG-tagged wt HFE gene [fwtHFE(+) cells], to examine the impact of wt HFE expression on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Our results show that, in MCF-7 cells, fwtHFE expression resulted in a reduction in cellular iron uptake and a decrease in the growth inhibitory effects of doxorubicin. Two micromolar doxorubicin inhibited the growth of fwtHFE(+) and fwtHFE(-) MCF-7 cells by 34% and 61%, respectively. In parallel, doxorubicin induced caspase-3-like activity in fwtHFE(-) cells, but not in fwtHFE(+) cells. On analysis with a DCF fluorescence assay, ROS could be detected in fwtHFE(-) cells but not in fwtHFE(+) cells exposed to doxorubicin. Western blot analysis of breast biopsy samples from patients revealed immunoreactive HFE and transferrin receptor proteins in both normal and malignant breast tissues. Our studies suggest that HFE expression and its consequent effect on cellular iron homeostasis may modulate doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether HFE expression in tumor cells impacts on the clinical efficacy of doxorubicin.
Oxidation of Ti-1Si and Ti-5Si alloys

Oxidation kinetics of Ti-1 wt. % Si and Ti-5 wt. % Si alloys in either pure oxygen or air under a pressure of 0.93 bar and in the temperature range of 1171–1473 K are reported. For the exposure period investigated (up to 12 h) both alloys oxidized slower than pure Ti. The amount of oxygen dissolved in the Ti-1 wt. % Si alloy has been calculated. X-ray diffraction analyses indicate that the oxide scale is mainly TiO2,except for the Ti-5 wt. % Si alloy oxidized at 1473 K where some evidence of SiO2was obtained. Hardness profiles were taken across the Ti-1 wt. % Si alloy matrix.
Dynamic nuclear polarization and molecular aggregation in asphaltene suspensions

Abstract Molecular aggregation and particulate motions in colloidal suspensions of natural asphaltenes have been examined by dynamic nuclear polarization. The technique relies on the magnetic interaction between nuclei on diffusing solvent molecules and the free electron present on a small portion of the asphaltenes. The observed results are interpreted on the basis of a model which defines two classes among solvent molecules interacting with the asphaltenes: one diffusing freely to and fro, and the other briefly bound to the colloidal particle. The latter, although few in number, dominate nuclear relaxation in low magnetic fields and reveal a maximum particle tumbling frequency of 40MHz in the most effective solvents. Freely diffusing solvent molecules are found to approach the asphaltene molecule very closely, separated by less than a molecular monolayer. The effective thickness of this partial layer is found to vary with solvent. Analysis of nuclear polarization parameters yields apparent particle volumes ranging from less than 40,000A 3 to more than 400,000A 3 , again depending on the solvent. Particle size is not closely correlated with the thickness of the surface layer.
Influence of electromagnetic field variations on the surface-effect mechanisms of photofield emission.

By a series of model calculations the effects of various theoretical ingredients on a simple theory of photofield emission yield are illustrated. Only surface-effect mechanisms are retained, but for reasonable parameter choices the predictions can be made to agree with experimental data. The influence of different possible spatial variations for both the potential-energy barrier and the photon field are treated.
The Art of Comfort Care

Nursing art is defined and a template is presented for practicing one type of nursing art called comfort care. Propositions for comfort care are derived from a theory of comfort. Benefits are listed for integrating comfort care into practice. Testimony from a student who learned and applied comfort care provides support for its effectiveness as a learning tool. Comfort care is a holistic, individualistic, creative, and efficient model.
Recombination between two TnA transposon sequences oriented as inverse repeats is found less frequently than between direct repeats.

Inverse repeats of the transposon Tn2660 in either a ColEl or an R6K replicon, with or without inversions of the parental DNA sequences between the repeats, show no detectable (<2%) evidence of recombination between the repeats after 60 generations of growth in either recA or recA+ hosts. In contrast, attempts made to construct plasmids which carry two direct repeats by in vitro cleavage and ligation in a recA host were unsuccessful, although homologous plasmids with inverse repeats could be constructed, and other plasmids were found consistent with products of recombination between the direct repeats of a transient intermediate structure. It is concluded that in recA or recA+ hosts recombination between direct repeats of a transposon is frequent, whereas recombination between inverse repeats of a homologous structure has not been observed. A model to explain this difference depends upon a mechanism that produces a nick in only one of the pair of strands at the internal resolution site (IRS) sequence of the transposon.
ASSAY OF ADRENAL CORTICAL EXTRACTS IN ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS EXPOSED TO COLD1

MOST of the methods for determining the potency of adrenal cortical extracts are based upon the correction of physiologic changes which occur in the animal organism following adrenalectomy. The observations that adrenalectomized animals exhibit profound changes in electrolyte metabolism and survive only for a short time after operation (Pfiffner, Swingle and Vars 1934), show a markedly impaired muscle efficiency (Ingle 1936) and hepatic glyconeogenesis (Reinecke and Kendall 1942) have been used as the bases for various methods of assay. The sensitivity of adrenalectomized animals to cold environments noted by Elliot (1914), Cannon and Querido (1924) and Wyman and turn Suden (1929) was shown by Hartman, Brownell and Crosby (1931) and by Widstrom (1935) to be decreased by the injection of adrenal cortical extracts. Selye and Schenker (1938) have made use of this phenomenon in the development of an assay method for the detection of minute quantities of adrenal cortical activity.
Particle simulation of bounded 1D Plasma Systems

Abstract The physical and numerical problems of kinetic simulation of a bounded electrostatic plasma system in one planar dimension are examined, and solutions to them are presented. These problems include particle absorption, reflection and emission at boundaries, the solution of Poisson's equation under non-periodic boundary conditions, and the treatment of an external circuit connecting the boundaries. The methods which are described here are immlemented in a code named PDW1, which is available from Professor C. K. Birdsall, Plasma Theory and Simulation Group, Cory Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720.
Soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 is associated with cardiovascular disease risk and mortality in older adults.

Summary. Background: Intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) regulates leukocyte-endothelial attachment, a process crucial to atherosclerosis. Circulating soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) may serve as a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD) progression. Objectives: We examined the association of sICAM-1 with measures of subclinical CVD and risk of incident CVD events and death in older men and women (age ≥65 years) from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Methods: Selected participants were free of clinical CVD at baseline. Non-exclusive incident case groups were angina (n = 534), myocardial infarction (n = 304), stroke (n = 327), and death (n = 842; CVD death = 310). A total 643 subjects were free of events during follow-up. Results: sICAM-1 was positively associated with C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and fibrinogen and measures of subclinical CVD in these older men and women. In Cox regression models adjusted for age, gender, and race, increasing levels of sICAM-1 were associated with increased risk of all cause mortality in men and women. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for a one standard deviation increase in sICAM-1 (89.7 ng mL−1) were 1.3 (1.1–1.4) in men and 1.2 (1.1–1.3) in women. sICAM-1 was associated with increased risk of CVD death in women (1.2; 1.0–1.5), but not men (1.1; 0.9–1.3). There were no associations of sICAM-1 with non-fatal CVD events. Conclusions: While sICAM-1 was associated with death in older men and women, there was a more marked association between sICAM-1 and CVD death in women.
Imatinib mesylate inhibits platelet-derived growth factor activity and increases chemosensitivity in feline vaccine-associated sarcoma

Feline vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS) is a biologically aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma that can develop at sites where inactivated feline vaccines have been administered. We showed that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and its receptor (PDGFR) play a role in the growth of VAS cells. The presence of PDGFR-β was confirmed in each of five VAS cell lines evaluated, one non-vaccine-associated feline fibrosarcoma (FSA) cell line and a feline fibroblast-derived cell line. The PDGF/PDGFR signaling pathway was inhibited in the VAS cell lines and the FSA cell line using the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (formerly called STI-571). Imatinib inhibited PDGF-BB-induced autophosphorylation of PDGFR in VAS cells and feline FSA cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Imatinib also significantly inhibited growth of feline VAS tumors in a murine xenograft model. Imatinib reversed the protective effect of PDGF-BB on growth inhibition by doxorubicin and carboplatin. PDGF-BB protected VAS cells from serum starvation and doxorubicin-induced apoptosis but not carboplatin-induced apoptosis, and imatinib eliminated this protection. These observations suggest that imatinib inhibits PDGFR tyrosine kinase activity in feline soft tissue sarcomas in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in a xenograft model.
Baryon masses in a loop expansion with a form factor

We show that the average multiplet masses in the baryon octet and decuplet can be fitted with an average error of only $0.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3\mathrm{MeV}$ in a meson loop expansion with chiral SU(6) couplings, with the hadrons treated as composite particles using a baryon-meson form factor. The form factor suppresses unphysical short distance effects and leads to a controllable expansion. We find, in contrast to the results of standard chiral perturbation theory, that pion loops are as important as kaon or eta loops as would be expected when only intermediate- and long-distance contributions are retained. We also find that the contributions of decuplet intermediate states are important in the calculation of the masses, and those states must be included explicitly in a consistent theory. These results agree with those of our recent loop-expansion analysis of the baryon magnetic moments. We show, finally, that the parts of the loop contributions that change the tree-level structure of the baryon masses are small, but largely account for the violations of the baryon mass sum rules which hold at the tree level.
Mutations in the conserved P loop perturb the conformation of two structural elements in the peptidyl transferase center of 23 S ribosomal RNA.

Evidence is presented for the participation of the P loop (nucleotides G2250-C2254) of 23 S rRNA in establishing the tertiary structure of the peptidyl transferase center. Single base substitutions were introduced into the P loop, which participates in peptide bond formation through direct interaction with the CCA end of P site-bound tRNA. These mutations altered the pattern of reactivity of RNA to chemical probes in a structural subdomain encompassing the P loop and extending roughly from G2238 to A2433. Most of the effects on chemical modification in the P loop subdomain occurred near sites of tertiary interactions inferred from comparative sequence analysis, indicating that these mutations perturb the tertiary structure of this region of RNA. Changes in chemical modification were also seen in a subdomain composed of the 2530 loop (nucleotides G2529-A2534) and the A loop (nucleotides U2552-C2556), the latter a site of interaction with the CCA end of A site-bound tRNA. Mutations in the P loop induced effects on chemical modification that were commensurate with the severity of their characterized functional defects in peptide bond formation, tRNA binding and translational fidelity. These results indicate that, in addition to its direct role in peptide bond formation, the P loop contributes to the tertiary structure of the peptidyl transferase center and influences the conformation of both the acceptor and peptidyl tRNA binding sites.
Water quality issues associated with agricultural drainage in semiarid regions

High incidences of mortality, birth defects, and reproductive failure in waterfowl using Kesterson Reservoir in the San Joaquin Valley, Calif., have occurred because of the bioaccumulation of selenium from irrigation drainage. These circumstances have prompted concern about the quality of agriculture drainage and its potential effects on human health, fish and wildlife, and beneficial uses of water. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California (Berkeley, Calif.) organized a 1-day session at the 1986 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif., to provide an interdisciplinary forum for hydrologists, geochemists, and aquatic chemists to discuss the processes controlling the distribution, mobilization, transport, and fate of trace elements in source rocks, soils, water, and biota in semiarid regions in which irrigated agriculture occurs. The focus of t h e session was the presentation of research results on the source, distribution, movement, and fate of selenium in agricultural drainage.
RGSZ1 interacts with protein kinase C interacting protein PKCI-1 and modulates mu opioid receptor signaling

Protein kinase C interacting protein (PKCI-1) was identified among the potential interactors from a yeast two hybrid screen of human brain library using N terminal of RGSZ1 as a bait. The cysteine string region, unique to the RZ subfamily, contributes to the observed interaction because PKCI-1 interacted with N-terminus of RGS17 and GAIP, but not with that of RGS2 or RGS7 where cysteine string motif is absent. The interaction between RGSZ1 and PKCI-1 was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. PKCI-1 and RGSZ1 could be detected by coimmunoprecipitation using 14-3-3 antibody in cells transfected with PKCI-1 or RGSZ1 respectively, but when transfected with PKCI-1 and RGSZ1 together, only RGSZ1 could be detected. Phosphorylation of Galphaz by protein kinase C (PKC) reduces the ability of the RGS to effectively function as GTPase accelerating protein for Galphaz, and interferes with ability of Galphaz to interact with betagamma complex. We investigated the roles of 14-3-3 and PKCI-1 in phosphorylation of Galphaz. Phosphorylation of Galphaz by PKC was inhibited by 14-3-3 and the presence of PKCI-1 did not provide any further inhibition. PKCI-1 interacts with mu opioid receptor and suppresses receptor desensitization and PKC related mu opioid receptor phosphorylation [W. Guang, H. Wang, T. Su, I.B. Weinstein, J.B. Wang, Mol. Pharmacol. 66 (2004) 1285.]. Previous studies have also shown that mu opioid receptor co-precipitates with RGSZ1 and influence mu receptor signaling by acting as effector antagonists [J. Garzon, M. Rodriguez-Munoz, P. Sanchez-Blazquez, Neuropharmacology 48 (2005) 853., J. Garzon, M. Rodriguez-Munoz, A. Lopez-Fando, P. Sanchez-Blazquez Neuropsychopharmacology 30 (2005) 1632.]. Inhibition of cAMP by mu opioid receptor was significantly reduced by RGSZ1 and this effect was enhanced in combination with PKCI-1. Our studies thus provide a link between the previous observations mentioned above and indicate that the major function of PKCI-1 is to modulate mu opioid receptor signaling pathway along with RGSZ1, rather than directly mediating the Galphaz RGSZ1 interaction.
Fatigue and Fatigability in Older Adults

Fatigue is believed to be a common complaint among older adults; however, multiple studies of self-reported fatigue across the lifespan have found this may not be the case. To explain this paradox, this article considers "fatigability"-a phenotype characterized by the relationship between an individual's perceived fatigue and the activity level with which the fatigue is associated. Fatigability may be measured by combining self-report measures of fatigue with performance of physical or cognitive activities, provided that the work of the activity is known or can be standardized. Doing so prevents self-pacing and allows meaningful comparisons across subjects and between studies. Increased fatigability with aging may arise from a variety of factors including age-related changes in energy production or utilization, and inflammatory mechanisms. A few published intervention studies have targeted fatigue in older adults, though none have examined fatigability specifically. Because fatigue may represent a physiologic warning system, future clinical studies may benefit from a focus on fatigability, where both symptoms and function are considered.
Post-Insult Hypothermia and Long-Term Learning and Memory Functions in a Rat Model of Perinatal Brain Injury

Post-Insult Hypothermia and Long-Term Learning and Memory Functions in a Rat Model of Perinatal Brain Injury
The use of schwann cell transplantation to foster central nervous system repair

Schwann cells (SCs) have been a key element in the demonstration of the ability of central nervous system (CNS) neurons to regenerate when provided with an appropriate environment. SCs transplanted into injured adult mammalian CNS (including the optic and septo-hippocampal systems, spinal cord and diencephalon) survive, promote axonal regeneration, and ensheathe or myelinate the regenerated axons. Methods to graft SCs into the lesioned CNS range from injection of a SC suspension to transplantation of more elaborate SC constructs using polymeric bridges. We discuss in detail the use of semipermeable guidance channels seeded with purified populations of SCs. These studies suggest that the ability of SCs to function in various injured CNS regions might lead to new avenues for the treatment of CNS injuries and demyelinating conditions in the human.
In-Season Optimization and Site-Specific Nitrogen Management for Soft Red Winter Wheat

Site-specific N management based on an in-season assessment of crop N status may offer producers increased grain yield, profitability, and spring N fertilizer use efficiency (SNUE). The goal of this study was to determine the distinct contributions of (i) in-season N rate optimization and (ii) site-specific N management. Our objective was to compare site-specific and field-specific N management with typical growers' practices to determine if site-specific N management (i) increased soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield, (ii) reduced N inputs, (iii) increased SNUE, and (iv) reduced within-field grain yield variability. Research was conducted at eight sites in 2000, 2001, and 2002. A randomized complete block design with two or five N management systems was used at two and six sites, respectively. Site-specific management did not improve grain yield compared with field-specific management when based on the same in-season estimation of optimum N rates. At sites where site-specific or field-specific systems were compared with typical growers' practices, grain yield benefits of in-season N optimization (up to 2267 kg ha -1 ) were apparent. For grain yield, in-season optimization of N rate was more important than site-specific management. A large reduction in N inputs (up to 48.6%) was also attributed to in-season N rate optimization. After incorporating in-season optimization, a further reduction in N inputs (up to 19.6%) was possible through site-specific application. Site-specific N application maximized SNUE compared with either field-specific or typical growers' practices at all sites and reduced within-field grain yield variance at four sites.
The Political Arithmetic of Poverty

The article continues the examination of the slippery concept of poverty and in particular the precise definition of “relative deprivation”. Townsend's attempts to bring up to date the measurement of poverty are subject to renewed critical analysis. Attempts to construct a deprivation index are regarded sceptically and the statistical measurement of poverty and of deprivation are shown to be unsatisfactory and unconvincing.
Automatic processing and interpretation of DNA distributions: comparison of several techniques

Abstract There exist a large number of apparently different methods for interpreting the distribution of DNA content in a population of cells as measured by an impulse cytophotometer (FMF). Equations are derived to provide a model of the observed numbers of cells with a given DNA content. Methods are described to compute the “ideal” distribution of cells necessary to find the number of cells in G1, S and G2 + M phase. A comparison is made of several standard methods for computing the cell age distribution. The methods are shown to be formally nearly equivalent and to give similar results when applied to an in vitro control study.
(Zn,Cd)Se/ZnSe quantum-well lasers: Excitonic gain in an inhomogeneously broadened quasi-two-dimensional system.

Optical properties of a strongly excitonic quasi-two-dimensional system in a wide-band-gap II-VI semiconductor heterostructure are investigated in terms of the relationship between absorption and stimulated emission. In particular, the optical gain in (Zn,Cd)Se/ZnSe quantum-well lasers is demonstrated to be of excitonic nature over a wide range of temperatures, and to occur at electron-hole pair densities below the exciton-electron hole plasma transition. Both steady-state and transient (picosecond and femtosecond) spectroscopic techniques have been applied to detail exciton kinetics within the n=1 heavy-hole exciton resonance. A phenomenological model of optical gain is proposed, originating from an inhomogeneously broadened exciton resonance and including the effects of exciton-phonon interaction.
Interfacial free energy of nucleation for iron oxyhydroxide on mixed self-assembled monolayers

The deposition kinetics of iron oxyhydroxide were studied on self-assembled monolayers with variable density of terminating sulfonate sites. The thin films of FeOOH were formed on the substrates by...
Contribution of southern authors in major marketing publications

Publication in a discipline’s major journal(s) is widely regarded as the pinnacle in academic success. In the present study, articles dating from 1960 in three prominent marketing journals were analyzed. Writers that had achieved five or more publications were identified as “prolific authors” and studied in more detail. Of specific interest was the proportion relative to all North American universities, of authors from southern institutions either as the institution of record (employing institution at the time of the most recent publication) or the PhD-granting school. Over the 27 years studied, 153 researchers were found to have written five or more articles. The results indicate that in recent years, southern schools are producing more prolific writers and that this group’s proportion of the total is approaching representativeness in the discipline of marketing.
Inherited complement C3 deficiency: reduced C3 mRNA and protein levels in a Laotian kindred.

Abstract To determine the molecular basis of complement C3 deficiency in a Laotian kindred, the homozygous C3-deficient male propositus was studied. By ELISA, this individual's serum was determined to contain approximately 4 μg/ml C3 (0.3% of normal). In accord with this result, anti-C3 immunoprecipitation of [ 35 S]methionine-labeled fibroblasts from this C3D individual revealed pro-C3 of normal size (180,000 M r ), but in significantly reduced amounts (∼1% of normal fibroblasts), that was processed and secreted with normal-size α- and β-chains. In addition, C3-specific mRNA of normal size (5.2 kb) but in reduced quantity (∼1% of normal) was detected in this individual's fibroblasts by Northern analysis. The nucleotide sequence of the transcriptional initiation site, the promoter, and the IL-1β/IL-6 cis -regulatory elements of the C3-deficient gene are normal in this C3-deficient individual, indicating that the low C3 mRNA and protein levels are not caused by reduced C3 transcription that is the result of a cis -mutation. Moreover, cDNA sequencing studies revealed no defect in the C3-deficient mRNA, including the areas mutated in four previously characterized C3-deficient patients. These data indicate that (1) C3 protein deficiency in this Laotian patient results from reduced levels of C3-specific mRNA, (2) the small amount of expressed C3 protein is processed and secreted normally from the deficient cells, and (3) the molecular genetic defect(s), although not yet delineated, is different from those described in other C3-deficient individuals, thereby providing additional evidence for numerous mutations that cause inherited C3 deficiency in humans.
Illustrative visualization: implications to interactive medical simulation and training

In this lecture, I will present how current NPR techniques and illustrative visualizations are being used in projects funded from a variety of sources, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Included in this presentation will be current efforts to obtain medical data using multimodal (i.e., CT, MR, optical) and multi-scale acquisitions (macro/micro/cellular) as repositories that support systematic studies of biomedical phenomenon.This discussion will also include how representational techniques can be used to facilitate the level of expertise of the user, and later used to provide a more comprehensive methodology for demonstrating expertise and understanding of complex biomedical phenomenon.