cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Context-aware wrapping: synchronized data extraction

The deep Web presents a pressing need for integrating large numbers of dynamically evolving data sources. To be more automatic yet accurate in building an integration system, we observe two problems: First, across sequential tasks in integration, how can a wrapper (as an extraction task) consider the peer sources to facilitate the subsequent matching task? Second, across parallel sources, how can a wrapper leverage the peer wrappers or domain rules to enhance extraction accuracy? These issues, while seemingly unrelated, both boil down to the lack of "context awareness": Current automatic wrapper induction approaches generate a wrapper for one source at a time, in isolation, and thus inherently lack the awareness of the peer sources or domain knowledge in the context of integration. We propose the concept of context-aware wrappers that are amenable to matching and that can leverage peer wrappers or prior domain knowledge. Such context awareness inspires a synchronization framework to construct wrappers consistently and collaboratively across their mutual context. We draw the insight from turbo codes and develop the turbo syncer to interconnect extraction with matching, which together achieve context awareness in wrapping. Our experiments show that the turbo syncer can, on the one hand, enhance extraction consistency and thus increase matching accuracy (from 17--83% to 78--94% in F-measure) and, on the other hand, incorporate peer wrappers and domain knowledge seamlessly to reduce extraction errors (from 09--60% to 01--11%).
Investigation of SOI SCR triggering and current sustaining under DC and TLP conditions

We present DC and TLP data of four-terminal SCR devices and a diode-triggered SCR from an advanced SOI CMOS technology. Data analysis concludes that the triggering of an actively triggered SCR is related only to the current gain of each individual bipolar transistor, not the current gain product. Successful current sustaining of the SCR depends on the base resistance of its passively triggered bipolar transistor.
The Tiger Woods Effect: Is Video Evidence Inherently More Prejudicial than Probative?

This Note takes the position that filmic evidence is inherently more prejudicial than probative. It uses the current Tiger Woods debacle to explore the jurisprudence regarding demonstrative video evidence while urging members of the judiciary to carefully examine what probative value video evidence adds to the case over traditional mediums – particularly where appeals courts are reluctant to find anything other than harmless error in the admission of such filmic evidence.
The G0-G1 transition of WI38 cells. I. Laser flow microfluorimetric studies.

Abstract By utilizing a new, rapid method for laser flow microfluorimetry a frequency distribution of fluorescence intensities/cell can be obtained from suspensions of unfixed WI38 human diploid fibroblasts, directly stained with ethidium bromide (EB) in Mg-Ca-free Hanks balanced solution. By this technique, it is possible to show that confluent unstimulated WI38 cells have a given frequency distribution of fluorescence intensity/cell, and that this distribution shifts to a higher fluorescence intensity when the resting cells are stimulated to proliferate by serum. This shift occurs within 30 min after stimulation and precedes by several hours the onset of DNA synthesis. It is thus possible to separate cells which have the same amount of DNA but vary in their ability to stain with EB, such as confluent WI38 cells, either resting (G0) or stimulated to proliferate (G1). The transition G0-G1 seems to occur as a discrete quantum jump, suggesting the existence of two distinct physical-chemical states for resting (G0) and proliferation (G1) WI38 cells.
Social disparities in dental insurance and annual dental visits among medically insured patients with diabetes: the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE) Survey.

Introduction People with diabetes are at increased risk of periodontal disease and tooth loss. Healthy People 2010 set a goal that 71% or more of people with diabetes should have an annual dental exam.
Central, Provincial, and Municipal Regulations on Property: Demolition, Relocation, and Compensation (II)

This second issue on demolition, compensation, and relocation provides a translation of China's 2011 Regulation on the Expropriation of Buildings on State-Owned Land ("Expropriation Regulation"), which supersedes the 2001 demolition and compensation regulation translated in the previous issue. A selection is also included of province-level demolition regulations and issuances, all implemented under the authority of the 2001 demolition regulation. The province-level issuances, though generally bearing substantial similarity to the 2001 central government regulation, provide their own regional takes, with aspects of some having ultimately been incorporated into the Expropriation Regulation.
Calder: enabling grid access to data streams

This paper presents an experimental evaluation of a grid-based continuous query solution to access data streams. The results presented in this study are mixed, however. We are migrating to a netCDF-based streaming model to measure system behavior in a setting that more accurately reflects a real use scenario. We are also working on enabling approximate query processing support to Calder to deal with sudden drop offs and changes in stream rates.
Immunoassays for serum and urine myoglobin: myoglobin clearance assessed as a risk factor for acute renal failure.

We compared four immunoassays for serum and urine myoglobin. Within-run CVs were 5-13%, with biases seen between assays. Myoglobin was stable for 1 month in serum and 12 days in urine when the pH was adjusted to between 8.0 and 9.5. Hemoglobin caused no interference. We assayed 91 pairs of serum and timed urine specimens from 41 patients admitted for acute trauma or rhabdomyolysis. Most were treated with mannitol and alkalinization. Upon initial presentations, 21 patients with either low serum myoglobin concentrations ( or = 4 mL/min) had normal creatinine clearances and no clinical evidence of renal disease. The remaining 20 had low myoglobin clearances. Seven were in rhabdomyolysis-induced acute renal failure, or subsequently developed this complication. We suggest that low myoglobin clearance may indicate a high risk for developing renal failure or may be an early marker for kidney dysfunction. Low myoglobin clearance may prove useful in indicating failure of prophylactic treatment to clear myoglobin.
Linear x-ray detector array made on bulk CdZnTe for 30

A CdZnTe detector grown by the high pressure Bridgman (HPB) growth technique was tested using high energy x-rays (30∼100 keV), and the performance was compared with a commercially available Nal scintillating detector of 5 cm thickness. The charge collection efficiency of a CdZnTe detector is as high as 90% at relatively low electric field, 600 V/cm. At high x-ray photon energies, the detection efficiency is reduced due to the thickness of the CdZnTe. A 32 channel linear array was fabricated on 1.2∼1.7 mm thick CdZnTe, of which the detector area was 175 × 800 µm2 and the pitch size 250 µm. The measured dark current for the 16 element detector was as low as 0.1 pA at 800 V/cm with an excellent uniformity. Energy spectra were measured using a Co57 radiation source. A small pixel effect and charge sharing were observed. The energy resolution was improved and compared with the large area detector. The array detector gave an average 5.8% full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) at 122 keV photopeak. The large area detector of the same material before fabrication exhibited a low energy tail at the photopeak, which limits the photopeak FWHM to 8%.
Response of neutral boundary layers to changes of roughness

When air blows across a change in surface roughness, an internal boundary layer (IBL) develops within which the wind adapts to the new surface. This process is well described for short fetches, > 1 km. However, few data exist for large fetches on how the IBL grows to become a new equilibrium boundary layer where again the drag laws can be used to estimate the surface wind.
Glycated albumin produced in diabetic hyperglycemia promotes monocyte secretion of inflammatory cytokines and bacterial adherence to epithelial cells

Background and Objective The prevalence and severity of periodontal disease increase in patients with insulin-deficient or insulin-resistant forms of diabetes. A common characteristic of diabetes is the presence of hyperglycemia. A critical consequence of hyperglycemia is the nonenzymatic glycation and oxidation of proteins and lipids, resulting in the irreversible formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). A central means by which AGEs are believed to impart their pathogenic effects is via interacting with specific cellular receptors; the best-characterized of these is receptor for AGE (RAGE). The major consequences of the AGE–RAGE interaction are the generation of enhanced cellular oxidant stress, hypersecretion of inflammatory mediators and altered subgingival flora. The aim of this study was to elucidate the influence of glycated albumin (G-alb), with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) isolated from periodontal pathogens, on the secretion of inflammatory cytokines by cultured monocytic cells and also to investigate the role of G-alb in adherence of bacteria to epithelial cells. Material and Methods Activated THP-1 cells (1 × 106 cells) were incubated for 24 h with G-alb or normal albumin (N-alb), with or without LPS isolated from two periodontal pathogens. Supernatant fluids were collected and assayed for the cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by ELISA. For bacterial adhesion assays, S-G epithelial cells were grown on cover slips and incubated with G-alb (10 μg/mL) or N-alb (control) for 30 min. The cover slips were rinsed and then incubated with bacteria for 2 h. The number of adherent bacteria was determined by counting 20 epithelial cells chosen randomly under a light microscope. Results The secretion of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 by THP-1 cells was greater in the presence of G-alb than in the presence of N-alb. The amounts of cytokines secreted were even greater when THP-1 cells were incubated with G-alb and LPS of periodontal pathogens. The effect of G-alb and LPS was reduced when RAGE was blocked by its antibody. Coating the cultured epithelial cells with G-alb resulted in increased bacterial adherence. Conclusion This study demonstrated the role of G-alb in stimulating cultured monocytic cells to secrete inflammatory cytokines. The stimulation was found to be greater when cells were incubated with LPS in addition to G-alb. The over-expression of inflammatory cytokines as a result of the combined effects of G-alb and bacterial LPS may contribute to the severity of periodontal disease in diabetic subjects.
Therapy duration and long-term outcomes in extra-pulmonary tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is classified as either pulmonary or extra-pulmonary (EPTB). While much focus has been paid to pulmonary tuberculosis, EPTB has received scant attention. Moreover, EPTB is viewed as one wastebasket diagnosis, as “the other” which is not pulmonary. This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients treated for EPTB in the state of Texas between January 2000 and December 2005, who had no pulmonary disease. Clinical and epidemiological factors were abstracted from electronic records of the Report of Verified Case of Tuberculosis. The long-term outcome, which is death by December 2011, was established using the Social Security Administration Death Master File database. Survival in EPTB patients was compared to those with latent tuberculosis, as well as between different types of EPTB, using Cox proportional hazard models. A hybrid of the machine learning method of classification and regression tree analyses and standard regression models was used to identify high-order interactions and clinical factors predictive of long-term all-cause mortality. Four hundred and thirty eight patients met study criteria; the median study follow-up period for the cohort was 7.8 (inter-quartile range 6.0-10.1) years. The overall all-cause mortality rate was 0.025 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.021-0.030) per 100 person-year of follow-up. The significant predictors of poor long-term outcome were age (hazard ratio [HR] for each year of age-at-diagnosis was 1.05 [CI: 1.04-1.06], treatment duration, type of EPTB and HIV-infection (HR = 2.16; CI: 1.22, 3.83). Mortality in genitourinary tuberculosis was no different from latent tuberculosis, while meningitis had the poorest long-term outcome of 46.2%. Compared to meningitis the HR for death was 0.50 (CI: 0.27-0.91) for lymphatic disease, 0.42 (CI: 0.21-0.81) for bone/joint disease, and 0.59 (CI: 0.27-1.31) for peritonitis. The relationship between mortality and therapy duration for each type of EPTB was a unique “V” shaped curve, with the lowest mortality observed at different therapy durations for each, beyond which mortality increased. EPTB is comprised of several different diseases with different outcomes and durations of therapy. The “V” shaped relationship between therapy duration and outcome leads to the hypothesis that longer duration of therapy may lead to higher patient mortality.
Narrative Content as Described by Individuals With Down Syndrome and Typically Developing Children

Narratives of the wordless picture story, Frog, Where Are You?, by 33 individuals with Down syndrome and typically developing children (33 matched for mental age, 33 for syntax comprehension, 33 fo...
Relationship of the physico chemical environment to diatom and protozoan communities a multivariate approach

Summary This investigation compared several physico-chemical variables important to diatom and protozoan communities and examined the relationships between these variables and communities. Polyurethane foam (PF) substrates were placed at ~15 cm depth in five lentic habitats (three lakes, a bog, and a marsh) in northern Michigan during the summer of 1983. Three substrates were removed after 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 42 d of field exposure, and presence or absence of protozoan species was recorded from living material, while diatoms were enumerated from preserved samples. Concurrent with PF substrate removal, morning water samples were collected and analyzed for pH, temperature, alkalinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chloride, silica, ammonium, and ortho- and total phosphate. Physico-chemical variables examined singly and collectively revealed that the bog and marsh were quite different from each other and the lakes, while the three lakes were similar in physico-chemical composition. Factor analysis revealed three factors that collectively explained 84.89% of the environmental variability. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) performed on the biological presence-absence data revealed clusters of diatom samples for each of the lentic habitats. The DCA plots of protozoan communities suggested that bog and marsh samples were different; however, samples from the three lakes were similar. In addition, p H showed the strongest correlation between both community divisions. The DCA sample scores, when correlated with the environmental data, showed that diatom communities had the greatest number of significant correlations with environmental variables. This, coupled with the greater clustering of the diatom samples, implied a greater degree of relationship between diatom communities and the physico-chemical environment.
Increased apomorphine-induced hypothermia precedes development of hypertension in SHRs.

Abstract Apomorphine produced a greater hypothermic response in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) than in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs). Experiments were conducted in SHRs and WKYs of three age groups to determine whether the increased hypothermie responsiveness to apomorphine occurs prior to the development of hypertension. The mean systolic blood pressures (SBPs) of SHRs and WKYs were comparable at 4–6 weeks of age. The mean SBP of SHRs were significantly greater than that of WKYs at both 8–10 and 12–15 weeks of age. Yet SHRs responded to apomorphine with significantly greater hypothermia than WKYs at all three ages. These findings indicate that the hyperresponsiveness of SHRs to apomorphine-induced hypothermia precedes the development of hypertension. This sequence of events is consistent with the hypothesis that central DA systems play a role in development of hypertension in SHRs.
Interferon production and tumor cell killing by human lymphocytes stimulated in mixed-lymphocyte culture.

Abstract The in vitro synthesis of interferon (IFN) by human lymphocytes stimulated in mixed-lymphocyte culture (MLC) was examined. The production of IFN in MLC was restricted to T lymphocytes and maximum levels of IFN were detected in supernatants from cells incubated for 5 to 7 days. The IFN produced was identified as IFN-γ by antibody neutralization. To identify the T cell responsible for IFN production, purified T lymphocytes were separated into subpopulations after incubation in 5 m M theophylline. Theophylline-resistant (T-res) T cells retain the ability to form sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) rosettes and are depleted in IgG Fc receptor-positive T cells (Tγ cells). Theophylline-sensitive (T-sens) T cells fail to form rosettes after theophylline treatment and are enriched in Tγ cells. In addition, analyses using monoclonal antibodies showed that T-sens cells were enriched in OKM1-, HNK-1-, and 7.2-positive cells and T-res cells contained increased numbers of 9.6- and OKT4-positive cells. Following MLC stimulation, equivalent levels of IFN-γ were produced by T-res and T-sens cells and both subpopulations maintained natural killer (NK)-like cytotoxicity against K562 target cells. Addition of partially purified IFN-γ to unstimulated T-res and T-sens cells resulted in the maintenance of NK-like cytotoxicity in a manner analogous to that observed after MLC. Additional experiments indicated that peripheral blood lymphocytes depleted of 9.6- or OKM1-positive cells by complement-mediated lysis were devoid of cytotoxicity against K562 cells. Furthermore, MLC stimulation of 9.6- or OKM1-depleted cells failed to restore cytotoxic activity. In summary, these experiments demonstrate that the maintenance of NK-like cytotoxicity by MLC-stimulated T cells is associated with the synthesis of IFN-γ, that MLC stimulated T-res and T-sens T-cell subsets produce equivalent amounts of IFN, and that 9.6- or OKM1-positive cells are required for the maintenance of NK-like cytotoxicity in MLC.
Clearance of polonium-210-enriched cigarette smoke from the rat trachea and lung☆☆☆

Abstract The distribution and clearance of α radioactivity in the lungs of rats were measured after inhalation of smoke from cigarettes highly enriched in 210Po. Female Fischer rats were exposed daily for 6 months to smoke from cigarettes with 500 times the normal content of 210Po. Control rats were exposed to standard cigarette smoke. Animals were serially withdrawn and killed. After necropsy the trachea, major bronchi, larynx, and nasopharynx were exmined for surface α activity by an etched track technique utilizing cellulose nitrate detectors. Areas of accumulated activity were seen on samples of larynx from rats exposed to the 210Po-enriched cigarettes. No other local accumulations were seen on the airways. The lower lungs were analyzed radiochemically for 210Po. Both radiochemical analysis and track measurements showed highly elevated activity concentrations in rats exposed to the 210Po-enriched cigarettes. Following withdrawal from smoking, both short- and long-term clearance components were seen. The parameters which fit the postexposure data for clearance of the lung burden cannot fit the buildup during the exposure period.
Characterizing the morphology of organic aerosols at ambient temperature and pressure.

The aerosol direct effect, which characterizes the interaction of radiation with aerosol particles, remains poorly understood. By determining aerosol composition, shape, and internal structure, we can predict aerosol optical properties. In this study, we performed a feasibility study to determine if tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) and Raman microscopy can be effectively used to obtain information on aerosol composition, shape, and structure. These techniques are advantageous because they operate under ambient pressure and temperature. We worked with model aerosol particles composed of organic components of varying solubility mixed with ammonium sulfate. In particular, we explored whether aerosols could be differentiated on the basis of the solubility of the organic component. We also characterized the aerosol internal structure and investigated how this structure changes as the solubility of the organic compound is varied. To obtain indirect chemical information from AFM, we imaged particles...
Normal and Abnormal Development of the Spine

Congenital malformations of the vertebrae are best understood in the context of our understanding of normal vertebral development. The author provides an in-depth discussion of normal vertebral development from gastrulation through vertebral ossification and provides multiple examples of how various disorders of vertebral development could lead to a variety of observed vertebral malformations.
Proposal for a common oligosaccharide intermediate in the synthesis of membrane glycoproteins.

Abstract Endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H (endo H) is an enzyme which acts on asparagine- and lipid-linked oligosaccharides containing five or more mannose residues. Complex oligosaccharides and glycopeptides are completely resistant to the action of the enzyme. We have carried out pulse-chase experiments with 35 S-methionine and 3 H-mannose in uninfected cells and in cells infected with Sindbis virus and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). In each case, the labeled materials were analyzed for sensitivity to endo H by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. We find that endo H releases all the labeled mannose from pulse-labeled proteins. Initially, the released material is nearly identical in size to the endo H cleavage product derived from lipid-linked oligosaccharides present in the same cells. During chase periods, 35 S-methionine and 3 H-mannose protein becomes increasingly resistant to the enzyme. Moreover, the 3 H-mannose-labeled material released from the protein during chase periods is smaller in size than the oligosaccharide from the lipid. On the basis of these results and results from other laboratories, we propose that during glycosylation of asparagine residues, a common oligosaccharide is transferred from the lipid carrier to protein and is subsequently processed to yield the so-called "high mannose" and "complex" oligosaccharides. Since, on the basis of present evidence, the lipid-linked oligosaccharide contains two N-acetylglucosamine, 8–12 mannose and 1–2 glucose molecules, it seems probable that the carbohydrate-processing systems remove half or more of the mannose and all of the glucose residues at sites destined to become complex glycopeptides. Removal of mannose and glucose residues may also occur at sites destined to become mature high mannose glycopeptides.
DynAGreen: hierarchical dynamic energy efficient task assignment for wireless healthcare systems

Wireless sensor-based healthcare systems consist of hierarchically organized components with varying energy and performance capabilities, such as sensors, local aggregators (e.g. cell phones) and servers. This paper proposes a distributed graph-based approach to partition tasks across these various components with the goal of optimizing the available energy. State of the art implementations assume that all the data is gathered and forwarded for computation to the servers. We show in this work that significant gains in energy efficiency can be obtained if some of the processing tasks are assigned to sensors and local data aggregators. Our DynAGreen algorithm takes the graph associated with the workload and successively partitions it between the server, cell phones and sensors such that the overall system energy utilization for computing and communication tasks is minimized. Our experiments show that the task assignment given by DynAGreen reduces the overall system energy by 30% with respect to an optimal static design time assignment when minor run time variations are considered.
Phosphomimetic sulfonamide and sulfonamidoxy analogues of (Lyso)phosphatidic acid

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and phosphatidic acid (PA) are potent bioactive lipid mediators of signal transduction and are inactivated by phosphatases. To obtain receptor-isoform selective ligands with neutral phosphomimetic head groups, we performed the stereoselective synthesis of LPA and PA analogues with trifluoromethanesulfonamide and trifluoromethanesulfonamidoxy moieties replacing the phosphomonoester.
HAROLD INNIS, CULTURAL POLICY, AND RESIDUAL MEDIA

Harold Innis resides as a defining figure for the disciplinary coherence of communication studies, economic history and cultural history in Canada. And yet, he remains largely unknown abroad. This paper reassesses his contributions to cultural policy studies through an examination of Innis’s historical argument about technology, knowledge and power. Whereas he has been understood typically as a rigid technological determinist, this paper argues that Innis charted social relations as products of multiple historical forces. He proposed a model for studying the layering of the new and the old in technological and cultural life. Moreover, his analysis accounted for uneven development, showing how certain technologies can become root elements in the construction of empires. In sum, Innis’s thought alerts us to the way the administration of cultural policy decisions creates the context for further initiatives.
[3H]Para-amino-clonidine: A novel ligand which binds with high affinity to α-adrenergic receptors

Para-amino-clonidine (PAC) is an α-adrenergic agonist with extraordinarily high potency in some peripheral tissues. We have demonstrated the labeling of α-adrenergic binding sites in central and peripheral tissues with [3H]PAC and compared properties of this binding to those of [3H]clonidine. [3H]PAC binds saturably with a dissociation constant (KD) of about 0.9 nM to rat cerebral cortex membranes. It has about 2–3 times the affinity of [3H]clonidine for α-receptor binding sites. The greater affinity is attributable mainly to a slower dissociation of [3H]PAC than [3H]clonidine from binding sites. The relative and absolute potencies of various adrenergic agonists and antagonists in competing for [3H]PAC and [3H]clonidine binding are essentially the same. [3H]PAC can also be utilized to label α-adrenergic binding sites in the kidney and spleen where the relative potencies of PAC and clonidine are the same as in the brain.
Approximating composition operator norms on the Dirichlet space

Abstract Let φ be any univalent self-map of the unit disk D whose image Ω ≡ φ ( D ) is compactly contained in D . We provide a method for approximating the norm of the composition operator C φ on the Dirichlet space to any desired degree of accuracy. The approximation uses a special basis which is orthogonal in both the Bergman space on the disk and the Bergman space on Ω.
Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy of Commercial Oil Samples

Three commercial oil samples were analyzed with the use of the selectivity of resonance CARS. No fractionation procedures were used; the oil samples were simply dissolved in an appropriate solvent and pumped from 365 nm to 480 nm. All three samples could be differentiated by characteristic Raman bands at various pump wavelengths. In addition, comparisons between the CARS spectra of the oil samples and the CARS spectra of pure PAHs at the same pump wavelength yielded tentative identifications of perylene and benzo(ghi)perylene in two of the samples.
Up-regulated expression of cartilage intermediate-layer protein and ANK in articular hyaline cartilage from patients with calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease

Objective Excess accumulation of extracellular inorganic pyrophosphate (ePPi) in aged human cartilage is crucial in calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal formation in cartilage matrix. Two sources of ePPi are ePPi-generating ectoenzymes (NTPPPH) and extracellular transport of intracellular PPi by ANK. This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of NTPPPH and ANK in ePPi elaboration, by investigating expression of NTPPPH enzymes (cartilage intermediate-layer protein [CILP] and plasma cell membrane glycoprotein 1 [PC-1]) and ANK in human chondrocytes from osteoarthritic (OA) articular cartilage containing CPPD crystals and without crystals. Methods Chondrocytes were harvested from knee cartilage at the time of arthroplasty (OA with CPPD crystals [CPPD], n = 8; OA without crystals [OA], n = 10). Normal adult human chondrocytes (n = 1) were used as a control. Chondrocytes were cultured with transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), which stimulates ePPi elaboration, and/or insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which inhibits ePPi elaboration. NTPPPH and ePPi were measured in the media at 48 hours. Media CILP, PC-1, and ANK were determined by dot-immunoblot analysis. Chondrocyte messenger RNA (mRNA) was extracted for reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction to study expression of mRNA for CILP, PC-1, and ANK. NTPPPH and ANK mRNA and protein were also studied in fresh frozen cartilage. Results Basal ePPi elaboration and NTPPPH activity in conditioned media from CPPD chondrocytes were elevated compared with normal chondrocytes, and tended to be higher compared with OA chondrocytes. Basal expression of mRNA for CILP (chondrocytes) and ANK (cartilage) was higher in both CPPD chondrocytes and CPPD cartilage extract than in OA or normal samples. PC-1 mRNA was less abundant in CPPD chondrocytes and cartilage extract than in OA chondrocytes and extract, although the difference was not significant. CILP, PC-1, and ANK protein levels were similar in CPPD, OA, and normal chondrocytes or cartilage extracts. Both CILP and ANK mRNA expression and ePPi elaboration were stimulated by TGFβ1 and inhibited by IGF-1 in chondrocytes from all sources. Conclusion CILP and ANK mRNA expression correlates with chondrocyte ePPi accumulation around CPPD and OA chondrocytes, and all respond similarly to growth factor stimulation. These findings suggest that up-regulated CILP and ANK expression contributes to higher ePPi accumulation from CPPD crystal–forming cartilage.
The Ultraviolet Transmission Coefficient of the Earth’s Atmosphere

Thermocouple measurements have been made at four different altitudes in the neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico, of the intensity of solar radiation transmitted by a silver filter. These have been used to determine values of the transmission coefficient defined by I=Iam where I and I0 are respectively the observed and incident energies, a the transmission coefficient and m the air mass traversed in units of the vertical air path directly overhead at sea level and normal pressure. The results, corrected by the use of Hann’s empirical equation for the effect of water in the path, gave for a at 3140 m, 0.47; at 2059 m, 0.47; at 1769 m, 0.46; and at 1556 m, 0.43. The last result, from observations on the New Mexico campus is low probably because of dust scattering; the others are in agreement within the errors. The theoretical value calculated from Rayleigh’s law of molecular scattering, and using a new value (λ3240) for the wave length of maximum solar energy transmitted by a silver film, is 0.479. The conclusion is, that at least above 1700 m altitude, and for clean dry air, the Rayleigh law for pure molecular scattering is adequate to account for the atmospheric depletion of solar radiation in the silver transmission band. The somewhat discordant results of earlier investigators are discussed.
Relation of the nine-minute self-powered treadmill test to maximal exercise capacity and skeletal muscle function in patients with congestive heart failure

The 9-minute self-powered treadmill test has been employed to evaluate submaximal exercise capacity in heart failure patients, but its relation to maximal exercise capacity and to indexes of skeletal muscle function has not been well defined. Two protocols were utilized. The first evaluated the relation of the peak oxygen uptake (VO2) achieved on the self-powered treadmill to that during a symptom-limited treadmill protocol, and examined the reproducibility of this test. Thirteen patients (aged 62 +/- 2 years, in New York Heart Association class I to III [2.3 +/- 0.1], ejection fraction 23 +/- 2% [means +/- SEM]) and 10 age-matched sedentary controls were studied. The second protocol, which involved 18 patients (aged 65 +/- 2 years, in New York Heart Association class I to IV [2.4 +/- 0.1], ejection fraction 23 +/- 2%) and 10 age-matched controls evaluated the relation of performance on the self-powered treadmill to maximal systemic exercise capacity on a cycle ergometer and to indexes of skeletal muscle function. In the first protocol, the test was found to be highly reproducible. The proportion of self-powered treadmill to maximal treadmill peak VO2 did not differ significantly between patients and controls (95 +/- 5% vs 87 +/- 6%). In the second protocol, patients achieved a lower peak VO2 (15.6 +/- 1.1 vs 25.6 +/- 0.9 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001), walked a shorter distance on the self-powered treadmill (367 +/- 32 vs 667 +/- 28 m, p < 0.001), and exhibited less knee extensor work capacity (1,075 +/- 116 vs 1,390 +/- 110 ft-lbs, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of oral antihyperglycemic agents on extracellular matrix synthesis by mesangial cells

Effects of oral antihyperglycemic agents on extracellular matrix synthesis by mesangial cells. Background Increased expression of the glucose transporter GLUT1 in mesangial cells (MCs) markedly stimulates glucose transport and the formation of extracellular matrix (ECM), even when ambient glucose concentrations are low. Certain antihyperglycemic agents cause GLUT1 overexpression and increase glucose transport in various tissues. However, their effects on the kidney are unknown. Because diabetic glomerulosclerosis is characterized by the accumulation of mesangial matrix, we studied the effects of antihyperglycemic agents on matrix metabolism in MCs cultured either in 8 or 20mm glucose. Methods Membrane-associated GLUT1 was measured by immunoblotting. The initial rate of glucose transport was determined according to the 2-deoxy-D[ 14 C(U)]glucose uptake. Collagen metabolism was studied by metabolic radiolabeling with [ 14 C]-proline. Fibronectin in the medium was measured by ELISA. GLUT1 mRNA was estimated by Northern analysis. Results The sulfonylurea tolazamide increased GLUT1 protein expression by 107 and 69% in 8 and 20mm glucose-grown cells, respectively. However, GLUT1 mRNA levels remained unchanged. Transporter-dependent deoxyglucose uptake was increased by tolazamide up to 184% in a dose-dependent fashion and was evident at both glucose concentrations after three or five days of exposure to the drug. Tolazamide significantly stimulated transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) secretion and the total synthesis of collagen and collagen and fibronectin accumulation in the medium of MCs maintained in high or low glucose concentrations. The biguanide metformin did not alter GLUT1 expression, glucose transport, fibronectin formation, or collagen metabolism, except at high concentrations. Conclusion Tolazamide markedly enhances ECM synthesis and accumulation in MCs probably by stimulating GLUT1 expression, glucose transport and TGF-β1 secretion, irrespective of the ambient glucose concentration. This effect was dose-dependent and minimally inducible by metformin.
Anthropology: Tribal warfare

Douglas William Hume assesses a first-hand account of controversial work with the Yanomami people.
Impact of specular reflection on bottom type retrieved from WorldView-2 images

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been developing the Coastal Water Spectral Toolkit (CWST) to estimate water depth, bottom type and water column constituents such as chlorophyll, suspended sediments and chromophoric dissolved organic matter from hyperspectral imagery. The CWST uses a look-up table approach, comparing remote sensing reflectance spectra observed in an image to a database of modeled spectra for pre-determined water column constituents, depth and bottom type. Recently the CWST was modified to process multi-spectral WorldView-2 imagery. Generally imagery processed through the CWST has been collected under optimal sun and viewing conditions so as to minimize surface effects such as specular reflection. As such, in our standard atmospheric correction process we do not include a specular reflection correction. In June 2010 a series of 7 WorldView-2 images was collected within 2 minutes over Moreton Bay, Australia. The images clearly contain varying amounts of surface specular reflection. Each of the 7 images was processed through the CWST using identical processing to evaluate the impact of ignoring specular reflection on coverage and consistency of bottom types retrieved.
Oxygen dependency of in vivo photophosphorylation.

THE mechanism by which ATP is formed when the intact green is illuminated is not yet fully understood. ATP formation in isolated chloroplasts has been shown to be dependent on illumination1and has been shown to proceed by either a cyclic or a non-cyclic process depending on the oxido-reduction catalysts used2. Chloroplasts are capable of photophosphorylation at low rates in the absence of catalysts. This endogenous activity has been demonstrated to be oxygen dependent3,4. Ion-exchange chromatographic studies of the ATP content of intact barley seedlings show that the steady-state level of ATP in light is several fold that in dark5. The level with illumination drops if the leaves are exposed to nitrogen or to carbon monoxide–oxygen mixtures. This was interpreted as evidence that formation of ATP in barley seedlings in light was an oxidative process, using molecular oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor.
Effects of Solvent Extracts of Rice Bran and Free-fatty Acids Upon Plaque and Acid Formation

Marked inhibition of S. mutans plaque and acid formation was observed when solvent extracts of rice bran or several fatty acids were added to the culture medium. It is proposed that the effects observed with bran extracts are due to their fatty acid content. It would appear that the growth of, and acid formation by, microorganisms frequently mentioned in relation to dental caries can be controlled by a mixture of two or more fatty acids.
Effect of pH on metals precipitation in denitrifying biofilms

The objective of this paper is to present evidence for the possibility of enhanced metal precipitation inside denitrifying biofilms. The pH environment surrounding microorganisms growing in biofilms is frequently different than the environment of the bulk liquid because products of metabolic reactions are limited in their ability to diffuse out of the biofilm. In the case of denitrifying biofilms, the interior pH will be higher than the pH in the bulk liquid, creating conditions that favor precipitation of heavy metals. A theoretical model was used to predict pH inside denitrifying biofilms. Copper and nickel solubities were calculated as a function of pH and alkalinity. Results provide evidence to support the theory that higher internal pH can result in greater metal removal by the biofilms.
Discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine in squirrel monkeys: Lack of antagonism by the dopamine D2 partial agonists terguride, SDZ 208-911, and SDZ 208-912

Abstract The effects of cocaine alone and after pretreatment with the dopamine D 2 partial agonists terguride, SDZ 208-911, and SDZ 202-912 were determined in squirrel monkeys trained to discriminate cocaine from saline using a two-lever drug discrimination procedure. When tested alone, cocaine engendered dose-related increases in the percentage of responses on the cocaineassociated lever, reaching virtually exclusive cocaine-appropriate responding after a dose of 1.0 mg/kg. Pretreatment with terguride (0.003–0.03 mg/kg), SDZ 208-911 (0.001–0.01), and SDZ 208-912 (0.003–0.018 mg/kg) did not consistently alter the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine. Although some doses of each D 2 partial agonist either increased (notably SDZ 208-911) or decreased (notably SDZ 208-912) the level of cocaine-appropriate responding engendered by low to intermediate doses of cocaine, none of the drugs reduced the percentage of cocaine-appropriate responses engendered by 1.0 mg/kg cocaine. The results do not support the view that terguride, SDZ 208-911, or SDZ 208-912 would serve as functional antagonists of the subjective effects of cocaine.
Influence of rocks on soil temperature, soil water potential, and rooting patterns for desert succulents.

At a site in the Sonoran Desert, subterranean rocks and exposed boulders affected soil water potential as well as root morphology and distribution. For Agave deserti, the number of lateral roots per unit length of main root was 11 times higher under rocks and six times higher alongside rocks than in rock-free regions. Total root length per unit soil volume for Echinocereus engelmannii averaged 3-fold higher within 1 cm of boulders than 5 cm away, where the soil was drier. The total length of lateral roots per unit length of main root for Ferocactus acanthodes was 4.2 m m−1 under rocks but only 0.8 m m−1 in rock-free regions. The number of lateral roots per unit length of main root for Opuntia acanthocarpa was 7-fold higher alongside rocks than in rock-free regions and even higher under rocks. For transplanted and watered A. deserti, the number of new main roots produced per 1–2 month interval averaged 13 for five plants on the north side of boulders, 8 on the south side, 11 for five plants with half of their roots under rocks, 2 for those with half of their roots over rocks, and 3 for the control plants without rocks. Laboratory experiments showed that the soil water potential under rocks for 10 and 30 mm waterings stayed above −0.5 MPa for 13 and 19 d longer, respectively, than for regions away from rocks. The shortwave absorptance of granitic rocks from the field site was 0.82, the thermal conductivity coefficient was 1.50 W m−1 °C−1, and the volumetric heat capacity was 1.75 MJ m−3 °C−1. Field measurements indicated that 5-cm-thick buried rocks decreased the diel variation in soil temperatures on their undersurface by only 0.4° C compared with soil. Thus, the primary influence of rocks at the field site on root proliferation and branching for the four species was apparently caused by influences on soil water content.
Is there an association between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer

ABSTRACT The fear of breast cancer has been suggested as a potential reason why only a relatively small percentage of postmenopausal women who would benefit from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are current users. The equivocal results from a large number of epidemiologic studies make it difficult to evaluate whether an association does indeed exist between the use of HRT and the incidence of breast cancer. The inability to provide conclusive evidence for or against this relationship may be attributed to methodologic problems in these studies, including small sample sizes, lack of information on specific hormonal preparations (e.g., dose and type), failure to control for the type of menopause, and surveillance bias. In an attempt to generalize results from different studies in a systematic manner, several meta-analyses have been conducted of the effects of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) or HRT on the risk of breast cancer. This article summarizes the data from these meta-analyses and incorporates dat...
33 Boron in diatoms

Lewin, J. C. (1965) showed that boron is required for the growth of Cylindrotheca fusiformis, and, presumably, other diatoms too. It may be involved in cellular metabolism, as in higher plants, or incorporated by accident or design into the siliceous skeletons (frustules), since B2O3 has been proven to replace SiO2 (e.g. in siliceous rocks). Thus the frustules may contain or bear at their surface a proportion of borosilica, which might reduce their solubility in water. (Incidentally, boron has also been implicated in human bone formation and stability (Newnham, 1994). Deyhle (2002), who determined the content of B in calcareous skeletons of marine foraminifera and compared the isotopic ratios of 11B/10B with that in the environmental sea water, found the B content to be generally less than 10 ppm We sought comparable values for diatom frustules, washed and bleached to remove salts and organic matter, if possible without leaching away any of the B that could be present. We studied fossil diatomite from Lompoc, California; diatomaceous ooze from Myvatn, Iceland; natural plankton diatoms harvested from the sea; and pure cultures of marine and freshwater diatoms grown in the laboratory. By contrast with foraminiferan calcite, our data indicated that diatom frustules contain up to 1,600 ppm of boron, with a more marked enrichment of the lighter isotope. Rough calculations indicate that the B2O3, even if concentrated at the frustule surface, might be enough to reduce the solubility of the frustules. Our B-isotope enrichment data range between +3.9 to −0.2‰, indicating that diatoms preferentially incorporate the light 10B. Such values can provide indications to physico-chemical conditions under which the skeletons were deposited (cf. Lewin, E. et al. 2000) Data will be presented.
Escherichia coli K-12 undergoes adaptive evolution to achieve in silico predicted optimal growth

Annotated genome sequences1,2 can be used to reconstruct whole-cell metabolic networks3,4,5,6. These metabolic networks can be modelled and analysed (computed) to study complex biological functions7,8,9,10,11. In particular, constraints-based in silico models12 have been used to calculate optimal growth rates on common carbon substrates, and the results were found to be consistent with experimental data under many but not all conditions13,14. Optimal biological functions are acquired through an evolutionary process. Thus, incorrect predictions of in silico models based on optimal performance criteria may be due to incomplete adaptive evolution under the conditions examined. Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 grows sub-optimally on glycerol as the sole carbon source. Here we show that when placed under growth selection pressure, the growth rate of E. coli on glycerol reproducibly evolved over 40 days, or about 700 generations, from a sub-optimal value to the optimal growth rate predicted from a whole-cell in silico model. These results open the possibility of using adaptive evolution of entire metabolic networks to realize metabolic states that have been determined a priori based on in silico analysis.
Letter by Reiffel regarding article, "Risk of bleeding with 2 doses of dabigatran compared with warfarin in older and younger patients with atrial fibrillation: an analysis of the Randomized Evaluation of Long-Term Anticoagulant Therapy (RE-LY) trial".

To the Editor: Much has been written recently concerning dabigatran, the newly approved anticoagulant for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, including 2 important articles in Circulation 1,2 and 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine 3. The first1 guided physicians as to dabigatran's placement in our therapeutic armamentarium; the second2 informed physicians that bleeding risks with dabigatran were both dose dependent (higher with 150 mg BID than with 110 mg BID) and age dependent (higher in patients ≥75 years of age), whereas the third3 informed physicians why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not approve the 110-mg BID dose in the United …