cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PIK3IP1- A novel negative regulator of PI3K (IRM10P.743)

Phosphatidylinositide-3-Kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of lipid kinases that play important intracellular signaling roles in cellular functions such as cell proliferation, motility, growth, intracellular trafficking, differentiation and survival. PI3K produces PIP3 which further facilitates the activation of downstream effectors such as Akt and PDK1. These effectors facilitate the cellular processes associated with PI3K activity. Conversely, because of the nature of PI3Ks roles, dysregulation of PI3K is implicated in many cancers. PTEN, SHIP and INPP4B are negative regulators of PI3K activity that function downstream of PI3K and have been shown to act as tumor suppressors. Recently, PI3K Interacting Protein 1 (PIK3IP1), a novel negative regulator that functions upstream and proximal to PI3K, has been identified. PIK3IP1, is a transmembrane protein that down-regulates PI3K activity, leading to reduced Akt phosphorylation. Our lab recently showed that PIK3IP1 can inhibit TCR signaling and TCR activation. To better understand the role of PIK3IP1 in T cells, we have begun to carefully define its expression pattern in various T cell subsets. In addition, we have developed a PIK3IP1 ecto-domain Fc fusion protein, which we are using to define possible ligands for PIK3IP1. Finally, we have obtained knockout mice lacking expression of PIK3IP1, to better define the requirements for PIK3IP1 in primary T cells.
Local power series quotients of commutative Banach and Fréchet algebras

We consider the relationship between derivations and local power series quotients for a locally multiplicatively convex Frechet algebra. In 2 we derive necessary conditions for a commutative Frechet algebra to have a local power series quotient. Our main result here is Proposition 2.6, which shows that if the generating element has finite closed descent, the algebra cannot be simply a radical algebra with identity adjoined-it must have nontrivial representation theory; if the generating element does not have finite closed descent, then the algebra cannot be a Banach algebra, and the generating element must be locally nilpotent (but non-nilpotent) in an associated quotient algebra. In 3 we consider a fundamental situation which leads to local power series quotients. Let D be a derivation on a commutative radical Frechet algebra R# with identity adjoined. We show in Theorem 3.10 that if the discontinuity of D is not concentrated in the (Jacobson) radical, then R# has a local power series quotient. The question of whether such a derivation can have a separating ideal so large it actually contains the identity element has been recently settled in the affirmative by C. J. Read.
Variational Theory of Nuclear and Neutron Matter

In these lectures we will discuss attempts to solve the A = 3 to {infinity} nuclear many-body problems with the variational method. We choose the form of a variational wave function {Chi}{sub v}(1, 2{hor ellipsis}A) to describe the ground state. The {Chi}{sub v} and the ground-state energy E{sub v} are obtained by minimizing E{sub v} = {l angle}{Chi}{sub v}{vert bar}H{vert bar}{Chi}{sub v}{r angle}/{l angle}{Chi}{sub v}{vert bar}{Chi}{sub v}{r angle} with respect to variations in {Chi}{sub v}. If the form of the variational wave function is chosen properly we can expect {Chi}{sub v} {approx} {Chi}{sub 0} and E{sub v} {approx} E{sub 0} where {Chi}{sub 0} and E{sub 0} are the exact ground-state wave function and energy. In general E{sub v} {ge} E{sub 0} in variational calculations. 63 refs., 11 figs.
Chapter 27 Circadian rhythm sleep disorders

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses circadian rhythm sleep disorders. All living organisms from single cells to humans display circadian rhythms in their physiology and behavior. In mammals the circadian pacemaker is located in the specific brain region known as the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). The circadian pacemaker not only synchronizes biological processes to the external environment, but also maintains the temporal organization of these processes to each other. These self-sustaining endogenous circadian rhythms are genetically regulated and persist in the absence of external time cues with a period of approximately 24 hours. The cycle of wakefulness and sleep is one of the most obvious and prominent circadian rhythms in humans. Human sleep–wake behaviors are regulated by a complex interaction of endogenous circadian and homeostatic processes of sleep, as well as environmental factors. The essential feature of a circadian rhythm sleep disorder (CRSD) is a persistent or recurrent pattern of sleep disturbance due primarily to alterations of the circadian time-keeping system or a misalignment between the endogenous circadian rhythm and exogenous factors that affect the timing or duration of sleep.
Is Feminism Dead? Where Do We Go From Here

Written for the Feminist Workshops held at the 2008 annual Conference on College Composition and CommunicationA¢â¬â¢s in New Orleans, this article is an attempt to answer the question, is feminism dead? The author argues that feminism is not dead, but difficult to recognize because it has been naturalized. Framing feminism as becoming is Gerda LernerA¢â¬â¢s definition of feminist consciousness, which the author uses to demonstrate a historical pattern of feminisms as becoming. The author then turns to the contemporary scene to explore differing standards of feminisms for young women in order to demonstrate that the pattern of becoming continues in feminism today, vitalizing feminisms for the future.
General Microscopic Approach for Biofluid Transport

Many problems in biofluid mechanics can be treated with the one-dimensional shell balance approach described in Chap. 6. However, the solution of multidimensional problems requires a more general approach. The result of this approach is a set of partial differential equations that can be applied to a variety of different problems, including many of the one-dimensional problems we have already solved in Chap. 6. It is not our intention to provide extensive methods for solving partial differential equations in this chapter. We will solve some multidimensional problems with relevant biofluids applications, but our main goals are to show how the general equations are derived, what restrictions are placed on them, how to simplify them by applying scaling concepts and reasonable assumptions, and how to specify auxiliary conditions, such as initial conditions and boundary conditions, that will provide us with a well-posed problem.
Specific heat of the two-dimensional Hubbard model

Quantum Monte Carlo results for the specific heat c of the two-dimensional Hubbard model are presented. At half filling it was observed that c\ensuremath{\sim}${\mathrm{T}}^{2}$ at very low-temperatures. Two distinct features were also identified: a low-temperature peak related to the spin degrees of freedom and a higher-temperature broad peak related to the charge degrees of freedom. Away from half filling the spin-induced feature slowly disappears as a function of hole doping while the charge feature moves to lower temperature. A comparison with experimental results for the high-temperature cuprates is discussed.
Developmental Stages of New Graduate Student Instructional Consultants: Implications for Professional Growth

Effective consulting is a key skill for educational developers. Although most educational developers are new to the field, there is limited research about how new practitioners develop consulting skills. The key research question this study explores is: How do new graduate teaching consultants develop as practitioners? This study empirically applies several “classic” models of consulting to better understand new consultants’ perceived development of expertise, preferred consulting approaches, and reflection about them. The findings are generally confirmatory of the ways that classic frameworks map onto the development of consultants. They also suggest greater attention to supporting new consultants beyond “getting started,” as well as to preparing new consultants for the differences between intra- and interdisciplinary consultations.
Monovalent salt enhances colloidal stability during the formation of chitosan/tripolyphosphate microgels.

Chitosan micro- and nanoparticles are routinely prepared through ionotropic gelation, where sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) is added as a cross-linker to dilute chitosan solutions. Despite the wide use of these gel-like particles, their preparation currently relies on trial and error. To address this, we used isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ζ-potential measurements to investigate how the formation, structure, and colloidal stability of chitosan microgels are linked to the molecular interactions that underlie their self-assembly. The strength of the chitosan/TPP interactions was systematically varied through the addition of monovalent salt (NaCl). Remarkably, and contrary to other colloidal systems, this revealed that moderate amounts of NaCl (e.g., 150 mM) enhance the colloidal stability of chitosan/TPP microgels during their formation. This stems from the weakened chitosan/TPP binding, which apparently inhibits the bridging...
The relationship of body fat weight, determined densitometrically, to relative weight and triceps skinfold in American youths, 12-17 years of age.

The relationship between fat weight, measured densitometrically, and the triceps skinfold and Quetelet's Index has been analyzed by means of linear regression analysis of 235 American youths, 12-17 years of age; 48 males and 41 females were from Minneapolis and 121 males and 25 females from the Greater Philadelphia area. Validation was accomplished by using the results of 10 separate regression analysis, each on 90% of the sample, the remaining 10% serving in each instance as the validation group; this is known as the Jackknife Method. When the Minneapolis and Philadelphia components were pooled, suitable regression models were derived with standard deviations of the errors of prediction of 3.330 kg in males and 2.056 in females. When the sample was subdivided by city the SD's remained essentially the same, but the mean errors were larger. It is concluded that the linear regression models can be used on closely similar populations to estimate fat weight for groups, but estimates for individuals may be expected to have an error of +/- 5-6 kg (i.e., 2 SD's) and are therefore not likely to be suitably accurate for use. The regression weights indicate a greater contribution of the triceps skinfold to fat weight than of Quetelet's Index in males. In females the reverse was found. This may affect sex differences in prevalence rates of obesity, if the diagnosis is based upon a single anthropometric indicator.
Women, Gender, and Economic Crisis Revisited

A gender perspective is brought to bear on the global financial crisis and economic recession that began in 2008, and on the social effects of the crisis. References also are made to earlier crises to highlight the role played by gender in economic relations. The article offers a critique of the economic model, forms of economic decision-making, and capitalist hyper-masculinities that generated the present crisis, and calls for new thinking and new policies predicated on welfare and caregiving.
U.S. GaAs Digital IC Technology

GaAs digital IC technology has emerged from the research laboratory and made available for the microwave system designer GaAs foundries for custom ICs and digital components. Successful insertion in future microwave systems requires an understanding of the potential performance and limitations of the technology. This paper presents an overview of the status of U.S. GaAs digital IC technology with attention to the technology available today to the microwave system designer.
Resource-Aware Application State Monitoring

The increasing popularity of large-scale distributed applications in datacenters has led to the growing demand of distributed application state monitoring. These application state monitoring tasks often involve collecting values of various status attributes from a large number of nodes. One challenge in such large-scale application state monitoring is to organize nodes into a monitoring overlay that achieves monitoring scalability and cost effectiveness at the same time. In this paper, we present REMO, a REsource-aware application state MOnitoring system, to address the challenge of monitoring overlay construction. REMO distinguishes itself from existing works in several key aspects. First, it jointly considers intertask cost-sharing opportunities and node-level resource constraints. Furthermore, it explicitly models the per-message processing overhead which can be substantial but is often ignored by previous works. Second, REMO produces a forest of optimized monitoring trees through iterations of two phases. One phase explores cost-sharing opportunities between tasks, and the other refines the tree with resource-sensitive construction schemes. Finally, REMO also employs an adaptive algorithm that balances the benefits and costs of overlay adaptation. This is particularly useful for large systems with constantly changing monitoring tasks. Moreover, we enhance REMO in terms of both performance and applicability with a series of optimization and extension techniques. We perform extensive experiments including deploying REMO on a BlueGene/P rack running IBM's large-scale distributed streaming system - System S. Using REMO in the context of collecting over 200 monitoring tasks for an application deployed across 200 nodes results in a 35-45 percent decrease in the percentage error of collected attributes compared to existing schemes.
The New York City Draft Riots : Their Significance for American Society and Politics in the Age of the Civil War

For five days in July 1863, at the height of the Civil War, New York City was under siege. Angry rioters burned draft offices, closed factories, destroyed railroad tracks and telegraph lines, and hunted policemen and soldiers. Before long, the rioters turned their murderous wrath against the black community. In the end, at least 105 people were killed, making the draft riots the most violent insurrection in American history. In this vividly written book, Iver Bernstein tells the compelling story of the New York City draft riots. He details how what began as a demonstration against the first federal draft soon expanded into a sweeping assault against the local institutions and personnel of Abraham Lincoln's Republican Party as well as a grotesque race riot. Bernstein identifies participants, dynamics, causes and consequences, and demonstrates that the "winners" and "losers" of the July 1863 crisis were anything but clear, even after five regiments rushed north from Gettysburg restored order. In a tour de force of historical detection, Bernstein shows that to evaluate the significance of the riots we must enter the minds and experiences of a cast of characters--Irish and German immigrant workers, Wall Street businessmen who frantically debated whether to declare martial law, nervous politicians in Washington and at City Hall. Along the way, he offers new perspectives on a wide range of topics: Civil War society and politics, patterns of race, ethnic and class relations, the rise of organized labor, styles of leadership, philanthropy and reform, strains of individualism, and the rise of machine politics in Boss Tweed's Tammany regime. An in-depth study of one of the most troubling and least understood crises in American history, The New York City Draft Riots is the first book to reveal the broader political and historical context--the complex of social, cultural and political relations--that made the bloody events of July 1863 possible.
Optical coherence tomography: interpretation artifacts and new algorithm

Purpose: To study the frequency and severity of artifacts in optical Coherence tomography images and to develop a new algorithm for improved retinal thickness detection. Methods: We propose a new method to measure the retinal thickness in OCT scans. We compared our modified edge detection (MED) method to the Markov method and the conventional OCT algorithm (cOCT) in 226 OCT macular scans. Results: We defined errors as a difference in detected interface location of less than 100 µm offset for less than 10 A-scans, otherwise it was an artifact. The frequency of errors was reduced from 32% (cOCT) to less than 2% with the MED method, while the Markov method had a frequency of 5%. Artifacts were reduced from 9.3% (cOCT) to 0.9% (MED) while the Markov method had a frequency of 11.5%. Conclusion: The results show the MED method of detecting retinal thickness is superior to the other two methods, since the OCT method is prone to both errors and artifacts and the Markov method is robust only to healthy retina. Our MED method is robust for detection of normal retinas and effective even in eyes with pathological conditions. Use of improved retinal thickness detection algorithm should significantly improve clinical utility of the optical coherence tomograph.
Data collection system for autonomous landing guidance

We describe a sophisticated for the collection of numerous streams of image and aircraft state data from an airborne platform. The system collects and stores 7 different sources of analog video data; 3 separate sources of digital video data at aggregate rates of up 32 Megabytes per second, to a removable tape device of 100 Gigabytes or 50 minutes' capacity; low-bandwidth aircraft state information from inertial sources; and other ancillary data. Data from all sources are timestamped with a common time source for synchronization. The task of accurately timestamping multiple disparate data sources is a challenging one, and it is discussed in some detail. Although the technology that can be applied to this kind of effort advances and changes rapidly, certain design paradigms remain valid independent of the specific implementation hardware. General principles of design and operation, as well as system specifics, are described; it is hoped that this record will be a useful reference for future efforts of this kind.
The Sustainability of Evidence-Based Practices in Routine Mental Health Agencies

The research presented here reports on sustainability of the practices within the National Implementing Evidence Based Practices Project for people with serious mental illness. Forty-nine sites completed the initial 2-year implementation phase and were the focus of our study. Our aims were to discern the number of sites that sustained practices 2 years after implementation, the reasons for sustaining or not sustaining, differences in characteristics between the two groups, and the extent and nature of practice adaptations. We used a mixed-methods approach, based on a telephone survey that gathered qualitative and quantitative data from site representatives and others familiar with the sites and practices during the follow-up period. We found that 80% of sites sustained their practices for 2 years post-implementation, that sustainers differed from non-sustainers in several domains: financing, training, fidelity and agency leadership, and that most sites adapted practices moderately to meet state and local needs.
Increased immunoreactivity of collagen types I, III and V, fibronectin and TGF-β in retinal vessels of rats with experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis

The immunoreactivity of types I, III and V collagen, fibronectin and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) was studied by an immunogold labeling method in retinal vessels of rats with experimental autoimmune uveoretinits (EAU) induced by retinal S-antigen. The basal lamina of retinal capillaries in normal rats showed low immunoreactivities for the extracellular matrix components and TGF-β. However, at the peak of inflammation (day 13-16 postimmunization), labeling of all three types of collagen and fibronectin increased considerably in the basal lamina of retinal vessels. TGF-β immunoreactivity was detected mainly in the vascular endothelium and the pericytes. The results suggest that TGF-β synthesized by the endothelial cells and pericytes may regulate the synthesis and composition of extracellular matrix components in the vascular basal lamina during the course of EAU development.
Frequency format diagram and probability chart for breast cancer risk communication: a prospective, randomized trial

Background Breast cancer risk education enables women make informed decisions regarding their options for screening and risk reduction. We aimed to determine whether patient education regarding breast cancer risk using a bar graph, with or without a frequency format diagram, improved the accuracy of risk perception.
Gangliosides are receptors for murine polyoma virus and SV40.

Polyoma virus (Py) and simian virus 40 (SV40) travel from the plasma membrane to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) from where they enter the cytosol and then the nucleus to initiate infection. Here we demonstrate that specific gangliosides can serve as plasma membrane receptors for these viruses, GD1a and GT1b for Py and GM1 for SV40. Binding and flotation assays were used to show that addition of these gangliosides to phospholipid vesicles allowed specific binding of the respective viruses. The crystal structure of polyoma VP1 with a sialic acid‐containing oligosaccharide was used to derive a model of how the two terminal sugars (sialic acid‐α2,3‐galactose) in one branch of GD1a and GT1b are recognized by the virus. A rat cell line deficient in ganglioside synthesis is poorly infectible by polyoma and SV40, but addition of the appropriate gangliosides greatly facilitates virus uptake, transport to the ER and infection. Lipid binding sites for polyoma are shown to be present in rough ER membranes, suggesting that the virus travel with the ganglioside(s) from the plasma membranes to the ER.
Passive immunization with monoclonal IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine reduces accelerated vein graft atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-null mice

Phosphorylcholine (PC) headgroup is one of the neoantigens exposed by LDL oxidation that can elicit an immune response. Active immunization with Streptococcus pneumoniae, which bears PC on its cell wall, reduced atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice and this effect was attributed to an immune response to PC. In this study we tested the hypothesis that passive immunization with a monoclonal anti-PC IgM antibody can be athero-protective in a murine model of native aortic and vein graft atherosclerosis. Inferior vena cava from 16-week-old donor male apoE-null mice was grafted into right carotid artery of age-matched male recipient apoE-null mice. Anti-PC IgM titers were evaluated before and 4 weeks after surgery. For the immunization protocol, a separate group of mice received weekly intraperitoneal injection of monoclonal anti-PC IgM (400 μg) for 4 weeks, starting the day of surgery. Controls received PBS or pooled polyclonal IgM. Anti-PC IgM titres significantly increased at 4 weeks following surgery. Passive immunization with anti-PC IgM reduced vein graft plaque size and neointimal thickness resulting in a larger luminal area; in addition immunization reduced the inflammatory cell content of the plaques. There was no significant effect on the established native aortic atherosclerotic lesions. Immunization did not affect circulating cholesterol levels. Taken together our data suggest that passive immunization with anti-PC IgM significantly reduces vein graft lesion size with less inflammatory phenotype without affecting cholesterol levels, indicating an athero-protective immune response to PC. Lack of effect on established native aortic lesions may have been due to short duration of therapy and/or reduced efficacy in established lesions as compared to evolving lesions of vein graft atherosclerosis.
TIDAL AREA DISPERSANT EXPERIMENT, SEARSPORT MAINE: AN OVERVIEW

ABSTRACT On August 19, 1981, two test spills of Murban crude oil were carried out in Long Cove, Searsport, Maine. One spill was chemically dispersed; the other was not. Measurements were made to make quantitative comparisons of the chemical fates and biological effects of the two spills. Hydrocarbon analyses were carried out on water samples, animal tissue samples, intertidal sediment samples, and subtidal sediment samples. Biological measurements were carried out at the community level, whole animal level, and biochemical level of organization. No significant biological effects attributable to the dispersed oil spill were observed. This lack of effects is, in part, a result of changes in the physical and chemical properties of dispersed oil which help limit its availability and toxicity. The chemical fate and biological effects of the undispersed oil spill were typical of those reported from actual oil spill sites. Oil was incorporated into sediments and animal tissue. On the community level of organizat...
Design and evaluation of oligonucleotide-microarray method for the detection of human intestinal bacteria in fecal samples

An oligonucleotide-microarray method was developed for the detection of intestinal bacteria in fecal samples collected from human subjects. The 16S rDNA sequences of 20 predominant human intestinal bacterial species were used to design oligonucleotide probes. Three 40-mer oligonucleotides specific for each bacterial species (total 60 probes) were synthesized and applied to glass slides. Cyanine5 (CY5)-labeled 16S rDNAs were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from human fecal samples or bacterial DNA using two universal primers and were hybridized to the oligo-microarray. The 20 intestinal bacterial species tested were Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Bacteroides vulgatus, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides distasonis, Clostridium clostridiiforme, Clostridium leptum, Fusobacterium prausnitzii, Peptostreptococcus productus, Ruminococcus obeum, Ruminococcus bromii, Ruminococcus callidus, Ruminococcus albus, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium infantis, Eubacterium biforme, Eubacterium aerofaciens, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecium. The two universal primers were able to amplify full size 16S rDNA from all of the 20 bacterial species tested. The hybridization results indicated that the oligo-microarray method developed in this study is a reliable method for the detection of predominant human intestinal bacteria in the fecal samples.
p53 and PUMA Independently Regulate Apoptosis of Intestinal Epithelial Cells in Patients and Mice With Colitis

Background & Aims Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with increased apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 appear during early stages of progression from colitis to cancer. We investigated the role of p53 and its target, p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), in inflammation-induced apoptosis of IECs. Methods Apoptosis was induced in mouse models of mucosal inflammation. Responses of IECs to acute, T-cell activation were assessed in wild-type, p53 −/− , Bid −/− , Bim −/− , Bax3 −/− , Bak −/− , PUMA −/− , and Noxa −/− mice. Responses of IECs to acute and chronic colitis were measured in mice following 1 or 3 cycles of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), respectively. Apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining and measuring activity of caspases 3 and 9; levels of p53 and PUMA were assessed in colon tissue from patients with and without ulcerative colitis. Results Apoptosis of IECs occurred in the lower crypts of colitic tissue from humans and mice. Colitis induction with anti-CD3 or 3 cycles of DSS increased apoptosis and protein levels of p53 and PUMA in colonic crypt IECs. In p53 −/− and PUMA −/− mice, apoptosis of IECs was significantly reduced but inflammation was not. Levels of p53 and PUMA were increased in inflamed mucosal tissues of mice with colitis and in patients with UC, compared with controls. Induction of PUMA in IECs of p53 −/− mice indicated that PUMA-mediated apoptosis was independent of p53. Conclusions In mice and humans, colon inflammation induces apoptosis of IECs via p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms; PUMA also activates an intrinsic apoptosis pathway associated with colitis.
Image Quality Evaluation For Aerial Lenses

The Photogrammetric Research Section of the National Research Council recently completed the development of an apparatus for the determination of optical transfer functions from line spread functions measured for aerial lenses. The paper provides background information relevant to image quality assessment at the National Research Council and reviews results obtained during the testing of the apparatus. It addresses various aspects of the determination of set-up parameters to be used for the measurement of line spread functions and presents results obtained in an effort to check the alignment of critical parts of the apparatus.
Loss of nitrogen during sprinkler irrigation of swine lagoon liquid

Abstract Irrigation experiments were conducted using center pivot and big gun equipment to determine losses of nitrogen that occur during sprinkler irrigation. Anaerobic lagoon liquid was irrigated onto bare ground and nitrogen losses were evaluated for different application rates. The pH of the applied lagoon liquid was found to increase during irrigation. TKN losses occurring during sprinkler irrigation using the center pivot were found to range from 14·9% to 43·4%. Of this amount 53·5–100% was accounted for in volumetric loss (evaporation and drift). Ammonia-N losses occurring during sprinkler irrigation (center pivot) were found to range from 13·9% to 37·3%. Volumetric loss of the liquid during sprinkler irrigation accounted for 62·2–100% of the ammonia-N loss. Due to the sampling technique used it was not possible to estimate volumetric losses for the big gun equipment. However, pH and concentration changes in the irrigated liquid were similar to those observed in the center pivot tests.
Acute effects of Surya Namaskar on the cardiovascular & metabolic system

Summary With the recent rise in obesity awareness and the increased understanding of the importance of physical activity in promoting overall health, greater emphasis has been placed on improving physical fitness to enhance quality of life. Surya Namaskar, a component of Hatha Yoga, has been practiced by Asian Indians for hundreds of years and is often used in place of a typical fitness program. It consists of a series of postures (asanas) that are repeated 12 times per round. Only one published study has looked specifically at Surya Namaskar, measuring the energy cost of individual asanas ( Sinha et al., 2004 ). However, practitioners typically perform several rounds of the asanas during a session. Purpose To assess the cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses of four rounds of Surya Namaskar, a typical amount performed by practitioners, to determine its potential as a training and weight loss tool. Methods Six healthy Asian Indian men and women (18–22 years) who had trained in Surya Namaskar for over two years participated in the study. Testing was completed in a single session lasting about 30 min. To measure heart rate and oxygen consumption while performing the four rounds, participants were connected to a heart rate monitor and the Oxycon Mobile Metabolic System. Results Participants exercised at 80% of age-predicted maximal heart rate (HRmax) during Round 2, 84% during Round 3, and 90% during Round 4. Average intensity during the four rounds was 80% HRmax, sufficient to elicit a cardiorespiratory training effect. Oxygen consumption averaged 26 ml/kg/min during each round, resulting in an energy expenditure of 230 kcals during a 30 min session for a 60 kg individual. Conclusion Regular practice of Surya Namaskar may maintain or improve cardiorespiratory fitness, as well as promote weight management.
Plant lectins and bacterial toxins as tools for tracing neuronal connections

Abstract Certain plant lectins and bacterial toxins have proven to be useful axonally transported probes for studies of neuronal connectivity. The sensitivity and resolution provided by such compounds appears to be attributable to an efficient incorporation of tracers, which derives primarily from their capacity to bind specific sugar moieties of membrane-bound glycoproteins or glycolipids. Differential uptake, transport and cellular disposition of individual markers may now be exploited to advantage for retrograde and/or anterograde tracing studies, for transneuronal labeling, or to destroy the cells of origin of specific projections.
A curve of growth determination of the f-values for the fourth positive system of CO and the Lyman-Birge-Hopfield system of N2.

The curve of growth method has been employed to determine f-values for the fourth positive system of CO and the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole components of the Lyman-Birge-Hopfield system of N2. No significant dependence on r-centroid was found. The mean value of the ratio of the electric quadrupole to magnetic dipole f-values was 0.076.
A usual extreme case: Pause reports of informal spontaneous dialogue

Native speakers (N = 49) of American English (with and without advanced fluency in German), French, and German were asked to report pauses and estimate their duration in English and German texts of informal spontaneous dialogue. In previous research, stimulus materials for pause reports have consisted of very “orderly” discourse: monologic or dialogic, but of media quality and without the overlap, laughter, extraneous noise, rapid articulation, and slang typical of informal spontaneous dialogue. Addition of these characteristics makes the task quite difficult and diminishes both accuracy (hits/possible hits) and efficiency (hits/[hits + false alarms]) of pause reports. In both English and German texts, estimates of pause duration at actual pause positions were significantly longer than those at false alarm positions where there were no actual pauses in the text. Significant differences in accuracy across language groups were limited to the German corpus; fluency in the German was associated with greater accuracy.
Oxygen isotopic evidence for greater seasonality in Holocene shells of Donax variabilis from Florida

Abstract Donax variabilis, the variable coquina clam, has been a common inhabitant of exposed sandy beach intertidal and shallow subtidal zones in the southeastern United States throughout the Pleistocene and Holocene. It is ideally suited for paleotemperature studies because it is restricted to environments of well-mixed, normal-marine seawater with a fairly uniform isotopic composition. As a result, oxygen isotopic variability in D. variabilis shells is largely explained by temperature variation. Although D. variabilis is small and short-lived, its shell represents an important paleoclimate archive because of its unique habitat preference. High-resolution sampling of individual D. variabilis shells and comparison of oxygen isotopic temperature profiles with historical seawater temperatures from the northeastern Florida coast indicate rapid shell growth over a brief life span of three to five or six months. Analysis of two modern shells reveals a close correspondence between isotopically determined water temperatures and historical water temperatures during the spring–summer growing season. Paleotemperature profiles from four archaeological shells, however, suggest a longer growth interval spanning summer–autumn. Two Preceramic Archaic Period shells (ca. 4240 and 5570 14C yr BP) and two Orange Period Archaic shells (ca. 3600 and 3760 14C yr BP), from four different archaeological sites, yield paleotemperatures that average 3.5 °C higher than present summer–autumn water temperatures. These warm paleotemperatures highlight seasonality differences associated with the mid-Holocene Hypsithermal climatic interval in this region.
Testing for Market Integration Crude Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas

Prompted by the contemporaneous spike in coal, oil, and natural gas prices, this paper evaluates the degree of market integration both within and between crude oil, coal, and natural gas markets. Our approach yields parameters that can be readily tested against a priori conjectures. Using daily price data for five very different crude oils, we conclude that the world oil market is a single, highly integrated economic market. On the other hand, coal prices at five trading locations across the United States are cointegrated, but the degree of market integration is much weaker, particularly between Western and Eastern coals. Finally, we show that crude oil, coal, and natural gas markets are only very weakly integrated. Our results indicate that there is not a primary energy market. Despite current price peaks, it is not useful to think of a primary energy market, except in a very long run context.
Six-Meter Focal Length Ebert-Type Infrared Spectrograph Part II Precision of Measurements

A semi-empirical procedure for determining spectral positions to an accuracy of ±0.005 cm−1 in the near infrared region is discussed. The infrared spectra have been scanned by rotating the grating with the help of a precision screw. It is believed that the techniques discussed enable the measurement, with the above precision, of many infrared lines in one day.
Improved Design Parameters for a Liquid Desiccant Dehumidifier in Confined Spaces

Investigations of a desiccant dehumidifier system have been performed for humidity control application in confined spaces. A previous study revealed that the base dehumidifier system can reduce moisture condensation by 22% over a conventional exhaust ventilation system. The current study aims to develop improved design requirements for a desiccant dehumidifier. The energy consumption of an exhaust ventilation system and an improved dehumidifier system was compared. To investigate the improved desiccant dehumidification system, numerical simulations were conducted and an objective function was established. This paper presents simulated results for an existing desiccant dehumidification system and an improved system, in which improved parameters are used. Use of the improved design parameters can reduce moisture condensation by 26.6% over a base dehumidifier system and shorten the dehumidifier performance period by 14%. Energy consumption with the sole use of an exhaust system is compared with that of the improved dehumidifier system under the same conditions. The results show that energy consumption can be substantially reduced, by 63%, in the improved dehumidifier system with the same amount of moisture condensation on surfaces of the confined space.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Liminal Masculinity in Richard Selzer’s Knife Song Korea

The doctor in a foreign country is a recurring theme in physician writer Richard Selzer’s stories. In his 2009 novel, Knife Song Korea, Selzer returns to this theme, examining it in depth through the lens of gender. Selzer features the American military surgeon Sloane’s multiple border-crossings, namely, from America to Korea, from health to patienthood, and from sex-exploitation to love. Crossing those visible or invisible borders in the gender and race conscious contexts of medical profession and military in wartime Korea, Sloane finds himself liminally located among various masculine stereotypes. The mixed-race situation in the novel further pushes Sloane to realize the unbearability of the baggage of American manhood as represented in his profession. Selzer’s punishment of Sloane’s border-crossings seems to suggest that physicians, together with patients, are equally likely to be victimized by the macho norms in medicine.
Regulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-2 synthesis and degradation by platelet-derived growth factor and the IGFs is enhanced by serum deprivation in vascular smooth muscle cells

Growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) stimulated proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). IGF-I bioactivity is modulated by high-affinity binding proteins (IGFBP) which are important regulators of these processes. Porcine vascular SMC synthesize IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-4 in vitro. In the present study, levels of IGFBP-2 in conditioned media (CM) were increased approximately 1.6 to 2.2-fold when cells were exposed to PDGF (20 ng/ml) or insulin (5 micrograms/ml) for 24 hr following a 24 hr incubation in serum-free media, or following a 72 hr exposure to either growth factor. Similar increases in IGFBP-2 mRNA levels were observed. Exposure of cells to PDGF for 24 hr without prior serum deprivation resulted in smaller (47 +/- 11%) increases in IGFBP-2 protein levels but failed to alter mRNA levels. IGF-I, FGF, TGF-beta and EGF failed to increase IGFBP-2 using either experimental paradigm. In contrast, IGFBP-2 protein levels were consistently decreased (75 +/- 14%) after 72 hr of exposure to IGF-II without corresponding decreases in IGFBP-2 mRNA levels. Immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine-labeled IGFBP-2 indicated that this decrease was not due to a decrease in synthesis of IGFBP-2. Immunoblot analysis of CM from cells treated with IGF-II indicated that the decrease in intact protein corresponded with an increase in two non-IGF binding IGFBP-2 fragments of 22 and 14 kD. Increased abundance of these fragments was also observed following IGF-I exposure, although corresponding decreases in intact IGFBP-2 were not usually observed. The relative abundance of these fragments did not appear to be affected by treatment with PDGF or insulin. In contrast to IGFBP-2, regulation of the levels of IGFBP-4 in CM did not appear to be altered by serum deprivation. Insulin consistently increased IGFBP-4 mRNA and protein levels under all situations. PDGF tended to increase IGFBP-4 protein levels, although this effect was less consistent and not as great as the increase observed with insulin. Treatment with IGF-I or -II consistently decreased IGFBP-4 levels in CM but tended to increase their mRNA levels under all situations. These data indicate that insulin, PDGF, and the IGFs regulate both IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-4. While PDGF and insulin stimulate IGFBP-2 and 4 synthesis, the IGFs appear to activate protease(s) which regulate IGFBP-2 and -4 levels post-translationally.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The automobile: It's the super-driver of both technology and society

Automotive developments have played a major positive role in the civilization of the 20th century. Two important elements of a successful and expanding economy are transportation and industrialization. In this regard, the automobile has. on balance, provided man with infinitely more advantages than disadvantages. With the help of automotive technology, for example, a man can plow over 100 acres in an eight-hour day. With a team of oxen, that same man in the same amount of time could plow less than an acre.
Responses of black willow (Salix nigra) cuttings to simulated herbivory and flooding

Herbivory and flooding influence plant species composition and diversity in many wetland ecosystems. Black willow (Salix nigra) naturally occurs in floodplains and riparian zones of the southeastern United States. Cuttings from this species are used as a bioengineering tool for streambank stabilization and habitat rehabilitation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the photosynthetic and growth responses of black willow to simulated herbivory and flooding. Potted cuttings were subjected to three levels of single-event herbivory: no herbivory (control), light herbivory, and heavy herbivory; and three levels of flooding conditions: no flooding (control), continuous flooding, and periodic flooding. Results indicated that elevated stomatal conductance partially contributed to the increased net photosynthesis noted under both levels of herbivory on day 30. However, chlorophyll content was not responsible for the observed compensatory photosynthesis. Cuttings subjected to heavy herbivory accumulated the lowest biomass even though they had the highest height growth by the conclusion of the experiment. In addition, a reduction in root/shoot ratio was noted for plants subjected to continuous flooding with no herbivory. However, continuously flooded, lightly clipped plants allocated more resources to roots than shoots. This study provides evidence that it is feasible to use black willow for habitat rehabilitation along highly eroded streambanks where both flooding and herbivory are present.
Queue-based method for efficient simulation of biological self-assembly systems

Self-assembly systems are central to a broad range of critical biological processes. Developing methods for quantitative simulation of self-assembly dynamics on cellular scales is therefore an essential sub-step in the broader goal of building predictive models of cellular function. Yet several aspects of self-assembly systems challenge key assumptions of conventional methods for biochemical simulation. Innovations are thus required in the rapid, quantitative simulation of self-assembly on cellular scales. In this paper, we describe a novel discrete-event queuing strategy for time- and memory-efficient quantitative simulation of self-assembly systems in continuous time. The method will typically allow simulation of interactions of even large, complex assembly structures in space and amortized run time per time step linear in system size. It can therefore be expected to extend the applicability of quantitative discrete-event methods to biologically important systems and scales inaccessible to prior techniques. In addition to presenting the method, we provide empirical evidence for its efficiency on two model systems.
Protein Kinase A Phosphorylation of Spinophilin Modulates Its Interaction with the α2A-Adrenergic Receptor (AR) and Alters Temporal Properties of α2AAR Internalization

Spinophilin plays critical roles in regulating trafficking and signaling of the alpha(2)-adrenergic receptor (AR) both in vitro and in vivo (Wang, Q., Zhao, J., Brady, A. E., Feng, J., Allen, P. B., Lefkowitz, R. J., Greengard, P., and Limbird, L. E. (2004) Science 304, 1940-1944). In the present study, we demonstrate that protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of spinophilin modulates the spinophilin-alpha(2A)AR interaction to regulate alpha(2A)AR internalization. Activation of PKA by forskolin abolishes the agonist-enhanced interaction between spinophilin and the alpha(2A)AR, and this event can be blocked by Ser --> Ala mutations at the PKA phosphorylation sites of spinophilin. In addition, a Ser --> Asp mutation that mimics the phosphorylated state at the PKA phosphorylation site Ser-177, which is located within the alpha(2A)AR binding region of spinophilin, is sufficient to block the spinophilin-alpha(2A)AR interaction in intact cells. In cells expressing mutant spinophilin carrying the S177D mutation, agonist-induced internalization of the alpha(2A)AR is accelerated and enhanced, as revealed by both intact cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative immunofluorescent studies. Furthermore, activation of PKA by forskolin enhances agonist-induced internalization of the alpha(2A)AR in cells expressing wild type spinophilin, but not in cells lacking spinophilin or expressing the spinophilin mutant Sp177D. These results strongly support that PKA phosphorylation of spinophilin is functionally relevant in regulating alpha(2A)AR trafficking. Therefore, modulation of spinophilin-receptor interaction through phosphorylation of spinophilin may represent a novel mechanism whereby PKA regulates G protein-coupled receptor trafficking.
Power-generation potential of various IMPATT structures from a scaling approximation

The power potential of the double-drift and both complementary 1-sided silicon IMPATTS is estimated as a function of frequency, using a scaling approximation that accounts for the dependence of generation efficiency on bias-current density. The results show the n+–p junction IMPATT to be a superior choice for reliable power generation below 25 GHz, owing to its relatively low threshold-current density.