cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sestamibi is a substrate for MDR1 and MDR2 P-glycoprotein genes

Technetium-99m sestamibi has attracted interest for assessment of the function of P-glycoproteins, which are well expressed in the liver and have roles in biliary transport and the removal of chemotherapeutic drugs. To further examine the cross-reactivity of (99m)Tc-sestamibi for P-glycoprotein family members, we conducted studies in animals. Hepatobiliary secretion of (99m)Tc-sestamibi was determined in normal FVB/N mice, mutant mice with specific P-glycoprotein deficiencies in the FVB/N background, normal Long-Evans Agouti (LEA) rats, and Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats with abnormal copper transport and liver disease but intact P-glycoprotein expression. After intrasplenic injection, (99m)Tc-sestamibi was rapidly incorporated in the mouse and rat liver, with maximal accumulation after 102+/-31 and 109+/-16 s, respectively ( P=NS). In normal mice and rats, 55%+/-11% and 55%+/-6%, respectively, of the maximal sestamibi activity was retained in the liver after 1 h ( P=NS). In double knockout mice lacking both mdr1a and mdr1b homologs of the human MDR1 ( ABCB1) gene, 88%+/-11% of maximal sestamibi activity was retained in the liver after 1 h ( P<0.001). In knockout mice deficient in either mdr1a gene or mdr2 ( ABCB4) gene, biliary sestamibi excretion was also impaired, although this impairment was relatively less pronounced in ABCB4-deficient mice than in double knockout mice lacking both ABCB1 gene homologs ( P<0.03). Hepatobiliary sestamibi excretion in LEC rats was not different from that in control normal rats, despite the presence of significant liver disease in the former. Hepatobiliary sestamibi excretion requires P-glycoproteins and is unperturbed in chronic liver disease. Sestamibi appears to be a substrate for both ABCB1 and ABCB4 genes, although the former utilizes it far more efficiently. Assessment of P-glycoprotein activity with sestamibi should consider how regulation of ABCB1 and related family members might modulate sestamibi incorporation.
The fishnet as anti-ferromagnetic phase of worldsheet Ising spins

Abstract We identify the strong coupling fishnet diagram with a certain Ising spin configuration in the lightcone worldsheet description of planar TrΦ3 field theory. Then, using a mean field formalism, we take the remaining planar diagrams into account in an average way. Since the fishnet spin configuration is regular but non-uniform, we introduce two mean fields φ,φ′ where the fishnet diagram is the case φ=1, φ′=0. For general values of these fields, the system is then approximated as a light-cone quantized string with a field dependent effective string tension Teff(φ,φ′). We also calculate the worldsheet energy density E (φ,φ′) , and find the field values that minimize it in the presence of a transverse space infra-red cutoff ϵ>0. The criterion for string formation is that the tension in this minimum energy state remains non-zero as ϵ→0. In the most simple-minded implementation of the mean field method, which neglects all short range correlations of the Ising spins, we find, in this limit, that the tension vanishes for weak and moderate coupling, but for very large coupling does indeed stay non-zero. However, a more elaborate treatment, taking temporal correlations into account (but still neglecting spatial correlations), removes this “phase transition” and the string tension of the minimum energy state vanishes for all values of the coupling when ϵ→0. Our mean field analysis thus suggests that the “fishnet phase” of TrΦ3 theory is unstable, and there is no string formation for any value of the coupling. This is probably a reasonable outcome given the instability of the underlying theory. It is encouraging for our method, that an approach designed for a string description can predict, where appropriate, the absence of string formation within an intuitive and simple approximation.
Responding to the Need for Better Global Temperature Data

Since the 1990s a number of national institutions have developed and maintained global data sets of land surface air temperature [Peterson and Vose, 1997; Hansen et al., 2010; Jones et al., 2012; Menne et al., 2012]. These efforts have led to great advances in understanding how Earth's temperatures have varied and changed. They also serve as essential sources of a fundamental climate variable, which is crucial for interpreting climate evolution in response to the interplay of radiative forcing, climate feedbacks, and ocean heating [e.g., Hansen et al., 2011]. However, more can be done to improve global surface temperature collections while enhancing data management, access, and public transparency with which data are collected, processed, and converted into climate information. To address these needs, the International Surface Temperature Initiative (ISTI), which began through a partnership of scientists from around the world [Thorne et al., 2011], released its first beta version of a global land surface databank in October 2012.
Database programming with data abstractions

This paper describes how a general purpose programming language supporting the notion of data abstraction can be used as a data definition and manipulation language for database management systems. The examples used here are based on a functional data model and on a database system called NDB. However, the approach is not limited to or biased towards any particular data model or architecture. The strong typing properties of the data abstraction language are carried over to the realm of database manipulation operations and provide useful consistency checking. The advantage of the approach is that the user deals with but one database programming language, thereby avoiding a separate query and host language.
Jumping nonlinearities and weighted Sobolev spaces

Abstract Working in a weighted Sobolev space, a new result involving jumping nonlinearities for a semilinear elliptic boundary value problem in a bounded domain in R N is established. The nonlinear part of the equation is assumed to grow at most linearly and to be at resonance with the first eigenvalue of the linear part on the right. On the left, the nonlinearity crosses over (or jumps over) several higher eigenvalues. Existence is obtained through the use of infinite-dimensional critical point theory in the context of weighted Sobolev spaces and appears to be new even for the standard Dirichlet problem for the Laplacian.
A Statistical Intercomparison of Temperature and Precipitation Predicted by Four General Circulation Models with Historical Data

This study is a detailed intercomparison of the results produced by four general circulation models (GCMs) that have been used to estimate the climatic consequences of a doubling of the CO2 concentration. Two variables, surface air temperature and precipitation, annually and seasonally averaged, are compared for both the current climate and for the predicted equilibrium changes after a doubling of the atmospheric CO2 concentration. The major question considered here is: “How well do the predictions from different GCMs agree with each other and with historical climatology over different areal extents, from the global scale down to the range of only several gridpoints?” Although the models often agree well when estimating averages over large areas, substantial disagreements become apparent as the spatial scale is reduced. At scales below continental, the correlations observed between different model predictions are often very poor. The implications of this work for investigation of climatic impacts on a regional scale are profound. For these two important variables, at least, the poor agreement between model simulations of the current climate on the regional scale calls into question the ability of these models to quantitatively estimate future climatic change on anything approaching the scale of a few (< 10) gridpoints, which is essential if these results are to be used in meaningful resource-assessment studies. A stronger cooperative effort among the different modelling groups will be necessary to assure that we are getting better agreement for the right reasons, a prerequisite for improving confidence in model projections.
THE DETERMINATION OF THE BASE COMPOSITION OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACIDS BY BROMINATION.

On the basis of the Watson-Crick model of deoxyribonucleic acid, when the relative percentage of one of the four bases is known, the other three can be calculated. By means of the difference of the reactivity of adenine and the other bases toward bromine reagents, the relative percentage of adenine can be estimated. Thus, a simple spectroscopic method for the determination of the base composition of DNA by bromination was discovered and is presented.
Branching, Biomechanics and Bryozoan Evolution

Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary radiations in cheilostome bryozoans gained major impetus from the evolutionary development of rigidly erect, branching growth habits from ancestral encrusting forms. Consideration of the skeletal strength, branching morphology, and behaviour in water flow of living and fossil arborescent cheilostomes suggests that: (1) the earliest species of the Cretaceous depended on high-strength skeletal material to resist failure, but were limited in growth by weak designs resulting from inability to thicken branches and thus augment skeletal cross sections toward the colony base; (2) with increasing ability to enhance design through branch thickening, a growing number of Cainozoic species have become capable of avoiding failure in likely regimes, even though they commonly have skeletons of weaker material; and (3) concurrently with the waning importance of mechanical limitations, spatial constraints have become more significant, so that most species now have branches diverging at angles that minimize crowding as a colony reaches maximum size. Morphological data from a total of 70 species ranging from the Cenomanian to the present provide statistically significant support for these trends. Preliminary data on detailed changes through time suggest that the trends arose through selection among species of generally advantageous morphological differences that are species-specific and fluctuate randomly within species.
Age-Associated Differences in Fatigue Among Patients with Cancer

Context There has been some suggestion that the fatigue experienced by older cancer patients is more severe than that of younger cohorts; however, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim.
Interior Design in K‐12 Curricula: asking the Experts

The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess how interior design content areas (subject matter) could be introduced and integrated into elementary and secondary (K-12) grade levels in support of national academic education standards. Although the minimum standards have been developed for entry level interior designers (Council for Interior Design Accreditation [CIDA] Standards, adopted 2002) and beyond (National Council for Interior Design Qualification [NCIDQ]), a gap exists in the interior design education continuum from “kindergarten to career.” Between June 2001 to April 2002, in order to understand perceptions of experts in interior design and elementary and secondary education, focus group sessions and personal interviews were conducted with interior design educators and practitioners, K-12 teachers (elementary, junior high, and high school levels), national standards curriculum specialists (local and state levels), and school-to-career curriculum specialists. The goal of the study was to develop a framework that could guide the integration of interior design content into K-12 levels. This paper reports the findings from the focus groups and proposes a framework that could guide the national integration of interior design content into grades K-12, support national academic standards, and suggest possible channels of dissemination for developed interior design curriculum materials.
The motion of multiple height ledges and disconnections in phase transformations

For phase transformations with well-defined terrace planes, interface motion can occur by the motion of ledges or disconnections (ledges with added dislocation character). Symmetry imposes restrictions on the nature of these defects and may lead to the need for multiple height ledges. The structure of the ledge riser can also be variable. These possibilities impose constraints that can influence the motion of the defects and hence affect the rate of phase transformation. Examples of these phenomena are presented for interfaces with differing degrees of lattice matching.
The functional–pragmatic field of possibility in Russian: meaning and structure

Abstract In this paper, I undertake a revision of the Russian modality of possibility from the point of view of the functional and interlinguistic aspects of this category. I will ague that the most comprehensive way to represent its complex nature and its place in the language structure is a functional–pragmatic model , which would reveal the complex nature and the poly-functional character of this diverse category.
Analytical Electroacoustic Model of a Piezoelectric Composite Circular Plate

This paper presents an analytical two-port, lumped-element model of a piezoelectric composite circular plate. In particular, the individual components of a piezoelectric unimorph transducer are modeled as lumped elements of an equivalent electrical circuit using conjugate power variables. The transverse static deflection field as a function of pressure and voltage loading is determined to synthesize the two-port dynamic model. Classical laminated plate theory is used to derive the equations of equilibrium for clamped circular laminated plates containing one or more piezoelectric layers. A closed-form solution is obtained for a unimorph device in which the diameter of the piezoelectric layer is less than that of the shim. Methods to estimate the model parameters are discussed, and model verification via finite-element analyses and experiments is presented. The results indicate that the resulting lumped-element model provides a reasonable prediction (within 3%) of the measured response to voltage loading and the natural frequency, thus enabling design optimization of unimorph piezoelectric transducers.
ACE: Abstracting, characterizing and exploiting datacenter power demands

Peak power management of datacenters has tremendous cost implications. While numerous mechanisms have been proposed to cap power consumption, real datacenter power consumption data is scarce. Prior studies have either used a small set of applications and/or servers, or presented data that is at an aggregate scale from which it is difficult to design and evaluate new and existing optimizations. To address this gap, we collect power measurement data at multiple spatial and fine-grained temporal resolutions from several geo-distributed datacenters of Microsoft corporation over 6 months. We conduct aggregate analysis of this data to study its statistical properties. We find evidence of self-similarity in power demands, statistical multiplexing effects, and correlations with the cooling power that caters to the IT equipment. With workload characterization a key ingredient for systems design and evaluation, we note the importance of better abstractions for capturing power demands, in the form of peaks and valleys. We identify attributes for peaks and valleys, and important correlations across these attributes that can influence the choice and effectiveness of different power capping techniques. We characterize these attributes and their correlations, showing the burstiness of small duration peaks, and the importance of not ignoring the rare but more stringent or long peaks. The correlations between peaks and valleys suggest the need for techniques to aggregate and collectively handle them. With the wide scope of exploitability of such characteristics for power provisioning and optimizations, we illustrate its benefits with two specific case studies. The first shows how peaks can be differentially handled based on our peak and valley characterization using existing approaches, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. The second illustrates a simple capacity provisioning strategy for energy storage using the peak and valley characteristics.
Yin Yang 1 represses α-myosin heavy chain gene expression in pathologic cardiac hypertrophy

Abstract In the work presented here, we elucidate a mechanism for the repression of α-myosin heavy chain (MyHC) during pathological cardiac hypertrophy. We demonstrate that the transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) significantly decreases endogenous α-MyHC mRNA and protein expression in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Furthermore, mutation of the YY1 binding sites in the proximal rat α-MyHC promoter increases promoter activity and alleviates YY1-mediated repression of the promoter. Despite the presence of 5 sites that bind YY1, only one site, located at −94 bp of the rat α-MyHC promoter, is both necessary and sufficient for pathological repression of the promoter by phorbol esters, revealing a unique mechanism for the repression of α-MyHC expression during cardiac hypertrophy.
Mathematics in Early Childhood: Research-Based Rationale and Practical Strategies

Mathematics education is a critical part of the curriculum for students worldwide. The foundation for understanding mathematical concepts related to number sense begins early in life, and early childhood classrooms can provide the seeds for mathematical skills that will be needed later in life. In this article, the authors make a case for meaningful and developmentally appropriate mathematics experiences for young children in diverse early learning settings. Instructional and curricular methods inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach are described as effective ways to teach number concepts to young children from preschool through primary age. Strategies for teachers of young learners are presented in order to strengthen the mathematics curriculum in contemporary early learning settings. The authors’ analysis and recommendations are informed by their extensive experiences including studies in Reggio Emilia early childhood settings (infant toddler, preschool, and primary schools) and their work in early childhood teacher education at their respective universities.
Metyrapone interaction with Pseudomonas putida cytochrome P-450

The binding of metyrapone (2-methyl-1,2-di-3-pyridyl-1-propanone) by Pseudomonas putida cytochrome P-450 is described. The absolute absorption spectrum of the metyrapone-cytochrome P-450 complex in the ferric form has absorption maxima at 421 and 536 nm. In the ferrous form, this complex has absorption maxima at 442, 539, and 566 nm. The equilibrium constant for the binding of metyrapone by oxidized cytochrome P-450 is 2.3×108 m −1 and the binding is competitive with the substrate camphor. Metyrapone inhibits the uptake of oxygen by the coupled monooxygenase system probably by competing with camphor for the camphor-binding site on oxidized cytochrome P-450. The results presented indicate that the camphor-binding site is close to the oxygen-activating site on cytochrome P-450.
Predictors of Graft Longevity in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

Given the volume of pediatric orthotopic heart transplants (OHTs) at several centers, it is now possible to generate pediatric-specific, single-center OHT survival data. The transplant experience for 152 pediatric OHT patients at our institution was reviewed. The following were noted for each patient: graft survival; immunosuppressant therapy; initial diagnosis; cause of graft failure; clinical status at time of transplant; donor and recipient blood type, sex, weight, and age; ischemic time; previous cardiac surgery; race; and immune status. A series of Kaplan–Meier survival curves were constructed. Univariate comparisons of survival curves were performed with the Breslow test to determine equality of each pair of curves. Only immunosuppression with tacrolimus and an initial diagnosis of noncongenital heart disease positively influenced survival in pediatric OHT patients (p ≤ 0.021 and p ≤ 0.03, respectively). The more recently transplanted patients, managed with tacrolimus, had less mortality early after OHT (acute rejection) and less mortality during the period 2 or 3 years after OHT. No other factors, including prior cardiothoracic surgery, sex matching, and race matching, significantly influenced survival. Recently transplanted patients managed with tacrolimus-based immunosuppression and patients with noncongenital cardiomyopathy have significantly superior graft survival.
Rhinocerebral mucormycosis and low folate level.

Malade non diabetique, alcoolique chronique - Hypodensites bilaterales du lobe frontal. Le deficit de folate est la seule anomalie biologique. Mort due a une hemorragie gastrointestinale. L'autopsie montre l'obliteration de l'artere cerebrale moyenne par la mycose et une fibrose hepatique
Intake of Energy-Dense Foods, Fast Foods, Sugary Drinks, and Breast Cancer Risk in African American and European American Women

Limiting energy-dense foods, fast foods, and sugary drinks that promote weight gain is a cancer prevention recommendation, but no studies have evaluated intake in relation to breast cancer risk in African American (AA) women. In a case-control study with 1692 AA women (803 cases and 889 controls) and 1456 European American (EA) women (755 cases and 701 controls), odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risk were computed, stratifying for menopausal and estrogen receptor (ER) status. Among postmenopausal EA women, breast cancer risk was associated with frequent consumption of energy-dense foods (OR = 2.95; 95% CI: 1.66-5.22), fast foods (OR = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.38-4.00), and sugary drinks (OR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.13-3.70). Elevated risk of ER+ tumors in EA women was associated with energy-dense (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.14-2.69) and fast foods (OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.22-2.77). Among AA women, frequent fast food consumption was related to premenopausal breast cancer risk (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.13-3.43), and with ER+ tumors. Energy adjustment attenuated risk estimates in AA women, while strengthening them among EA women. Frequent consumption of energy-dense and fast foods that have poor nutritive value appeared to increase breast cancer risk in AA and EA women, with differences by menopausal status and ER status.
Cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression in alcoholism.

Alcoholics with depressive symptoms score > or = 10 on the Beck Depression Inventory (A.T. Beck, C. H. Ward, M. Mendelson, J. Mock, & J. Erbaugh, 1961) received 8 individual sessions of cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression (CBT-D, n = 19) or a relaxation training control (RTC; n = 16) plus standard alcohol treatment. CBT-D patients had greater reductions in somatic depressive symptoms and depressed and anxious mood than RTC patients during treatment. Patients receiving CBT-D had a greater percentage of days abstinent but not greater overall abstinence or fewer drinks per day during the first 3-month follow-up. However, between the 3- and 6-month follow-ups, CBT-D patients had significantly better alcohol use outcomes on total abstinence (47% vs. 13%), percent days abstinent (90.5% vs. 68.3%), and drinks per day (0.46 vs. 5.71). Theoretical and clinical implications of using CBT-D in alcohol treatment are discussed.
Effect of PGF2α and neostigmine on induction of parturition, farrowing interval and litter survival in swine

Abstract An investigation of the effect of PGF2α induced parturition alone or in combination with neostigmine (NEO) on subsequent productivity was conducted in a total confinement swine production unit. Forty-five crossbred gilts and 106 sows were randomly assigned to one of six treatments: (1) 0 mg PGF 2 α 0 mg NEO , (2) 10 mg PGF 2 α 0 mg NEO , (3) 0 mg PGF 2 α 5 mg NEO , (4) 10 mg PGF 2 α 5 mg NEO , (5) 0 mg PGF 2 α 10 mg NEO , (6) 10 mg PGF 2 α 10 mg NEO . PGF2α injections (IM) were given 2 days prior to the mean expected farrowing day for this farm (day 112). NEO injections (IM) were given after the fourth pig born in gilt litters and after the fifth pig born in sow litters. Females injected with 0 or 10 mg PGF2α farrowed 71.7 ± 3.7 and 31.4 ± 3.4 hours after treatment, respectively (P 0.05).
Direct measurement of hydrogen peroxide release from rat alveolar macrophages: artifactual effect of horseradish peroxidase.

Investigators disagree on the amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) released by resting and stimulated alveolar macrophages. The method commonly used to measure H2O2 release involves horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed oxidation of scopoletin by H2O2. We describe an artifact in this method that may explain the seemingly inconsistent data reported by other investigators. Release of H2O2 and luminol-catalyzed chemiluminescence are stimulated in rat alveolar macrophages by type II HRP at concentrations normally used in the HRP–scopoletin method. The amount ofH2O2 released depends upon the length of time the cells are preincubated at 37.5oC and the time at which type II HRP is added. After stimulation with type II HRP, the cells do not release additional H2O2 upon exposure to zymosan particles. Myeloperoxidase, an alternative catalyst to type II HRP, does not stimulate H2O2 release and, therefore, can be used to measure H2O2 release from rat alveolar macrophages. Using myeloperoxidase, resting H2O2 release is...
The Columbia SuicideScreen: Validity and Reliability of a Screen for Youth Suicide and Depression

ABSTRACT Objective This study reports on the psychometric properties of a brief, self-administered screening questionnaire, the Columbia SuicideScreen® (CSS), intended to identify high school students at risk for suicide. Method Seventeen hundred twenty-nine 9th- to 12th-grade students completed the CSS and Beck Depression Inventory during school hours in 1991 to 1994. Three hundred fifty-six students who screened positively and 285, group matched on age, gender, and ethnicity, who screened negatively were examined on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC), version 2.3, to assess validity. The DISC-based suicide risk criterion was suicidal ideation or prior suicide attempt and a DSM-III-R diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia or substance use. Test–retest reliability was assessed in a subsample of 85. Results The most balanced algorithm had a sensitivity of 0.75, specificity 0.83, and positive predictive value 16%. Suicidal ideation and prior attempt item reliabilities (κ) were 0.48 and 0.58, respectively. Eight-day test–retest reliability for the most balanced scoring algorithm was 0.32. Conclusions The CSS demonstrated good sensitivity and reasonable specificity identifying students at risk for suicide. A second-stage evaluation would be needed to reduce the burden of low specificity.
Pterosaur flight: The role of actinofibrils in wing function

The wings of pterosaurs consisted of a narrow wing membrane or patagium primarily supported and controlled by the hyperelongate forelimb, but also attaching to the side of the body and the hindlimb. The patagium consisted of a thin sheet of extensible skin with slender structural fibers (=actinofibrils) arranged in a posterodistally radiating pattern. The function of the actinofibrils has been variously interpreted as 1) to prevent unwanted flapping of the patagium, 2) to camber the patagium, transferring aerodynamic loads anteriorly and proximally to the metacarpus and antebrachium, and 3) to spread the patagium chordwise. Only the last interpretation is consistent with the available data. The actinofibrils resisted longitudinal compression so as to spread the patagium chordwise, to redirect spanwise tension in the proximal patagium as chordwise tension in the distal patagium, and to permit compact folding.
The crystal structures of 10‐oxa‐1,4,7‐trithiacyclododecane, 7,10,13‐trioxa‐1,4‐dithiacyclopentadecane, 7,10,13,16‐tetraoxa‐1,4‐dithiacyclooctadecane and 4,7,13,16‐tetraoxa‐1,10‐dithiacyclooctadecane

The structures of four macrocyclic polyether sulfides have been determined by single crystal x-ray diffraction methods. The compounds studied were 1,4,7-trithia-12-crown-4, 1,4-dithia-15-crown-5, 1,4-dithia-18-crown-6 and 1,10-dithia-18-crown-6. In all four compounds the potential donor sulfur atoms point out of the ring. This causes the rings to be irregularly shaped.
Umwelt, food, and the limits of control

Abstract This paper draws on the work of the early 20th century ethologist Jakob von Uexkull to formulate a notion of food as a process of bodies becoming other bodies. I begin by situating my argument in relation to two strands of critical food research – feminist-inspired work on food and embodiment, and posthumanist approaches that focus on non-humans as mediators of food assemblages. I then discuss Uexkull's work, focusing on three key concepts: umwelt, “the island of the senses” that envelops each being; subjectivity as an intra- and intercorporeal phenomenon; and the variation among umwelten available to humans. These ideas, I contend, illustrate the inherently political nature of ‘food,’ which in turn calls for a realignment of food ethics and critical food scholarship. To illustrate this contention, I draw on my research with the Oklahoma Food Cooperative, considering this socio-ecological experiment as an effort to create a food system in better accord with the affective imperatives (or umwelten) of its constituent components. Throughout the paper, I develop the argument that food systems will always present limits to control by even those actors who seem to enjoy hegemonic positions. Uexkull's work helps us understand these limits in a way that allows critical analysis of dominant food systems and the alternatives proliferating in response to them, but does not prematurely foreclose the actual and virtual possibilities contained in the present heterogeneity of foodways.
Effect of three aromatic hydrocarbons on respiration and heart rates of the mussel, Mytilus californianus.

The effects of petroleum derivatives on morality of marine invertebrates is now well established. Aromatics are considered to be the most toxic of all oil fractions. Recent studies of marine invertebrates have focused mainly upon respiration, locomotion, and growth. The filter feeding marine bivalves have received primary attention due to their proximity to coastal oil spills, importance in human food consumption and possible role in petroleum hydrocarbon bioconcentration. If these organisms are to be used as monitors in the future, then it is important to learn something of how quickly the bivalve responds metabolically to changes in ambient levels of petroleum hydrocarbons. Respiration and heart activity reveal a great deal of information concerning the physiological state of the bivalve. We report measrements of these two variables in the mussel, Mytilus californianus (Conrad), under conditions of exposure to, and recovery from, three aromatic hydrocarbons.
Integrin β3 regions controlling binding of murine mAb 7E3: Implications for the mechanism of integrin αIIbβ3 activation

Abciximab, a derivative of the murine mAb 7E3, protects against ischemic complications of percutaneous coronary interventions by inhibiting ligand binding to the αIIbβ3 receptor. In this study we identified regions on integrin β3 that control 7E3 binding. Murine/human amino acid substitutions were created in two regions of the βA domain that previous studies found to influence 7E3 binding: the C177–C184 loop and K125–N133. The T182N substitution and a K125Q mutation reduced 7E3 binding to human β3 in complex with αIIb. The introduction of both the human C177–C184 region and human W129 into murine β3 was necessary and sufficient to permit 7E3 binding to the human αIIb/murine β3 complex. Although we cannot exclude allosteric effects, we propose that 7E3 binds between C177–C184 and W129, which are within 15 A of each other in the crystal structure and close to the β3 metal ion-dependent adhesion site. We previously demonstrated that 7E3 binds more rapidly to activated than unactivated platelets. Because it has been proposed that αIIbβ3 changes from a bent to an extended conformation upon activation, we hypothesized that 7E3 binds less well to the bent than the extended conformation. In support of this hypothesis we found that 7E3 bound less well to an αIIbβ3 construct locked in a bent conformation, and unlocking the conformation restored 7E3 binding. Thus, our data are consistent with αIIbβ3 existing in variably bent conformations in equilibrium with each other on unactivated platelets, and activation resulting in αIIbβ3 adopting a more extended conformation.
Mexican Student Movements in Los Angeles and Mexico City, 1968

This essay offers an analysis of the Chicano/a Los Angeles high-school walkouts in 1968. The author uses the concept of utopia as the lens through which to understand the students' protest and their call for self-determination. Utopia allows the reader to understand the difference between the institutional imaginary, what is accepted as the norm, and an alternative imaginary that challenges and overturns accepted day-to-day practices. This transformation of the imaginary arises from community activism (ranging from student protest to parent participation in school board meetings) and provides an expression of participatory democracy. The author uses the student movement in Mexico City in 1968 to elaborate the concept of utopia. In the process, the essay provides a comparison between student movements in Los Angeles and Mexico City in 1968.
Weathering the Great Recession: Psychological and Behavioral Trajectories in the Transition from School to Work

Studies of career development highlight the importance of finding a good "fit" between individual values, needs, and abilities and the experiences and rewards to be found in particular occupations. Rapid economic change and labor market turbulence make career choice and development life-long processes. Still, early careers are particularly unstable, as young workers move from "survival jobs" to "career jobs" in their quest for a good person-job fit. Little is known, however, about the psychological orientations and behaviors in the postadolescent period that foster longer term success in the world of work. The maintenance of high aspirations, crystallization of career goals, and intensive job search may be particularly important. Using multilevel latent class analysis applied to longitudinal data obtained from 1,010 youth surveyed by the ongoing Youth Development Study (YDS), we examine the interrelations of psychological orientations and behaviors indicative of agentic striving from age 18 to 31 years. In addition, we assess how these trajectories influence adaptation to declining labor market conditions during the severe economic recession that began in 2007. We find that those who maintain high aspiration and certainty over career goals were better insulated against unemployment between 2007 and 2009 (ages 33-35), even when educational and self-identified career attainments, adolescent achievement orientations, and social background variables indicative of advantage are controlled. They also had higher hourly wages in 2009.
Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor is present in human amniotic fluid and breast milk.

Abstract Background/Purpose: Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a member of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family that has been implicated in the healing of various organ injuries. Endogenous HB-EGF production is upregulated in response to injury to the kidney, liver, brain, skin, and intestine. Exogenous administration of HB-EGF protects against intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis and necrosis and intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study examines the presence of endogenous HB-EGF in human amniotic fluid and breast milk, fluids that are in intimate contact with the developing and neonatal gastrointestinal tract. Methods: Breast milk samples were collected from lactating women and amniotic fluid was gathered from full-term uteri (cesarian sections) or preterm uteri (amniocentesis). Crude and partially purified breast milk and amniotic fluid samples were analyzed for HB-EGF levels using an HB-EGF–specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Analysis results showed detectable HB-EGF levels in human amniotic fluid and breast milk, ranging from 0.2 to 230 pg/mL. Breast milk and amniotic fluid subjected to heparin affinity or HB-EGF–affinity column chromatography showed bioactivity eluting at positions consistent with those known for native HB-EGF. Conclusions: This study represents the first report of detectable HB-EGF in human amniotic fluid and breast milk. The presence of HB-EGF in these fluids may serve a role in the development of the gastrointestinal tract in utero, and in protection against gut mucosal injury after birth. J Pediatr Surg 37:1-6. Copyright © 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company.
The Type A Structured Interview: A behavioral assessment in the rough

The Type A behavior pattern is the focus of considerable research in behavioral medicine because of its causal relevance to coronary heart disease. The primary assessment of Type A behavior is a global rating made from a structured interview. From the perspective of behavioral assessment, this Structured Interview (SI) is important for two reasons. First, it provides an example of the superiority of an observed behavioral measure compared to self-report questionnaires for the assessment of an overt behavior pattern. Second, it provides a unique opportunity for the application of behavioral assessment technology. However, while the SI has demonstrated its clinical and research utility as a diagnostic procedure, its usefulness could be further enhanced in the areas of treatment selection and evaluation. The historical relationship between behavior and coronary heart disease is described. The development of the SI and the strengths of this assessment relative to other measurement approaches are reviewed. The standard questions and administration procedures for the interview are presented, along with several variations and modifications. Following this overview, the SI is discussed from the perspective of behavioral assessment.
Integrating the maintenance and synchronization of data warehouses using a cooperative framework

Abstract Data warehouses (DW) are built by gathering information from several information sources and integrating it into one repository customized to users’ needs. Recently proposed view maintenance algorithms tackle the problem of (concurrent) data updates happening at different autonomous ISs, whereas the EVE system addresses the maintenance of a data warehouse after schema changes of ISs. The concurrency of schema changes and data updates performed by different ISs remains an unexplored problem however. This paper provides a solution to this problem that guarantees the concurrent view definition evolution and view extent maintenance of a DW defined over distributed ISs. To solve that problem, we introduce a framework called SDCC (Schema change and Data update Concurrency Control) system. SDCC integrates existing algorithms designed to address view maintenance subproblems, such as view extent maintenance after IS data updates, view definition evolution after IS schema changes, and view extent adaptation after view definition changes, into one system by providing protocols that enable them to correctly co-exist and collaborate. SDCC tracks any potential faulty updates of the DW caused by conflicting concurrent IS changes using a global message labeling scheme. An algorithm that is able to compensate for such conflicting updates by a local correction strategy, called local compensation (LC), is incorporated into SDCC. The correctness of LC is proven. The overhead of the SDCC solution beyond the costs of the known view maintenance algorithms it incorporates is shown to be negligible. Lastly, a refined hierarchy of consistency levels for the state of a data warehouse with respect to its underlying dynamic environment is presented, now incorporating both dynamicity of the data and the schema. The SDCC solution is shown to reach a semi-concurrency level of consistency, not reached by any prior DW system.
Adolescents' Food Preferences in China: Do Household Living Arrangements Matter?

Family circumstance has long been considered one important factor that shapes children's eating habits including preferences for particular foods. However, less scholarly efforts have been devoted to understanding children's food preferences in extended family households. Drawn on data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2006 (n = 662), this exploratory study compares food preferences of adolescents living in extended families with those residing in nuclear families. T-test results show that adolescents living in extended families (n = 202) had unhealthier food preferences compared with those living in nuclear families (n = 460). They showed more liking for fast food, salted snack food, and sugared drinks, and less liking for vegetables and fruits. Regression results present that controlling for other relevant variables, household structure was significantly associated with adolescents' food preferences (p < .01). These results, albeit exploratory, shed light on possible nutritional education and intervention in the cultural context of China.
Neutron Imaging of Water Accumulation in the Active Area and Channel-to-Manifold Transitions of a PEMFC

Management of liquid water formed by the electrochemical fuel cell reaction is a key factor in PEMFC performance and durability. For practical stack applications, an important consideration is the transport of liquid water at the transition between the ends of the bipolar plate channels and the manifolds, where excess reactant flows from all the individual cells are combined and directed to the stack exhaust. In this region, gas-phase momentum can be very low, especially on the anode, where there is little driving force to remove liquid water that may accumulate as a result of geometrical or surface energy variations, or due to relatively low temperatures that exist outside of the fuel cell active area. This study seeks to characterize the water accumulated within the active area and at the channel-to-manifold transition regions at both the anode and cathode outlets, as a function of cell operating temperature and current density. The neutron imaging method was applied to directly measure the water volumes within the transition regions, and provide a comparison to simultaneously measured water volume within the cell active area. Transition-region water was found to be weakly dependent on current density, suggesting that once water forms in this area, little driving force exists to extract it entirely by means of gas momentum. Moreover, it was found that the active area water volume is strongly dependent on cell temperature, and temperature variation of as little as 0.5 °C can produce a significant change in water accumulation which is reflected in the cell voltage.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Identification of Inhibitors against Interaction between Pro-inflammatory sPLA2-IIA Protein and Integrin αvβ3

Increased concentrations of secreted phospholipase A2 type IIA (sPLA2-IIA), have been found in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It has been shown that sPLA2-IIA specifically binds to integrin αvβ3, and initiates a signaling pathway that leads to cell proliferation and inflammation. Therefore, the interaction between integrin and sPLA2-IIA could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of proliferation or inflammation-related diseases. Two one-bead-one-compound peptide libraries were constructed and screened, and seven target hits were identified. Herein we report the identification, synthesis, and biological testing of two pyrazolylthiazole-tethered peptide hits and their analogs. Biological assays showed that these compounds were able to suppress the sPLA2-IIA–integrin interaction and sPLA2-IIA-induced migration of monocytic cells and that the blockade of the sPLA2-IIA–integrin binding was specific to sPLA2-IIA and not to the integrin.
MMS: a modular robotic system and model-based control architecture

The Modular Manipulator System (MMS) is a general purpose user configurable modular robotic system that provides rapid and inexpensive implementation of standard or customized manipulator geometries of arbitrary complexity, tailored to the needs of individual researchers or application engineers. Structures are configured from self contained 1-DOF rotary or linear JOINT modules, which include an on-board control processor, power amplifier, DC servomotor, high precision position sensor and a fast, rigid connect / disconnect latch. The joints are connected together by ive rigid LINK tubes (straight or 90 degree elbow), that define the manipulator geometry. These components are all offered in 5, 7, 10, 14 and 20 cm diameters, with power density and positional accuracy competitive with other commercial manipulators. A Fuzzy Associative Memory (FAM) system is used to capture the arm solution equations for the user defined arm geometry with minimal user input. Task motion commands define trajectories for the end effector in 6-D cartesian wo coordinates, broadcast to all joints concurrently. The control processor in each joint solves for its component of the movement (a distributed real-time arm equation solution), which is input to a PID control loop that drives the joint servomotor. Central to the system is the Model Manager control program, a model based data-flow architecture, which integrates a dynamic workspace model, off-line application program development, real-time task execution or simulation. The program supports easy teaching of workspace locations, hierarchical programming of complex tasks, sophisticated tool trajectory control, integrated workspace I/O, manual manipulator operation and an int 1 uitive user control interface. Additional components under development support automated for subtasks, line-model based vision capability to guide workspace interaction and cooperative operation of multiple arms. Various technical and economic advantages of the modular approach are presented and a video of module assembly and arm operation is to be shown.
The symmetry of reduced density matrices. I. General algebraic approach and permutational symmetry

The symmetry properties of p-particle operators derived by contraction from N-particle operators which transform on the left and right as different permutational symmetries are investigated. Theorems identifying these symmetry properties are obtained in terms of conditions for N,α,β,-derivability. The relation of the p-particle operators to reduced density matrices and the implications of the theorems as regards N-representability are discussed.
Dedicated Vs. Add On: A Comparison Of Digital Systems

A performance comparison between two digital imaging systems was done using various phantoms to both simulate a clinical situation and provide insight into each system's imaging characteristics. One system analyzed was a complete Philips package including a DVI-II digital imaging system with the most recent software updates and a fourteen inch "C" arm mounted multi-mode image intensifier. As the room contains only one manufacturer's equipment, it represents the current approach to digital imaging. The second system was an ADAC DPS-4100 digital imaging system added on to CGR Septar components, including a nine inch dual mode image intensifier. The add-on approach has recently fallen on disfavor. The comparison was undertaken to determine the relative advantages and disadvantages for each approach. Image characteristic comparison was performed using a commercially available digital subtraction angiography phantom. Measurements of each system's high contrast spatial resolution, low contrast detectability and linearity, dynamic range and subtraction effectiveness were made. Clinical demands were simulated with a standard skull phantom. This enabled evaluation of each system's image acquisition requirements, post-processing capabilities and patient dose.
Tumorigenesis: Transcriptional elongation and cancer

Recent discoveries indicate that transcriptional elongation is an important regulatory step in gene expression, and that deregulation of elongation can lead to the development of certain malignancies.