cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence and circular dichroism studies on human serum low density lipoprotein particles and lipid-depleted derivatives.

The low density liporpotein from human serum, and derivitives prepared free of neutral lipids and total lipids, have been studied by fluorescence and circular dichorism methods. Removal of the neutral lipids had little effect on the tryptophan fluorescence at neutral pH. However, by the criteria of circular dichroism, over the range of 200 nm to 250 nm, there was a reduction in secondary structure of over 75%. Removal of the remaining phospholipids resulted in a qualitatively different structure by both fluorescence and circular dichroism criteria. Neutral lipids were removed from LDL in a step-wise fashion in order to determine the exact amount of neutral lipid required for the native circular dichroism spectrum. The circular dichroism band intensity was constant until approximately 10% of the total cholesterol (as cholesterol ester) remained. The intensity then abruptly dropped as more cholesterol was removed. We concluded that the two spectroscopic methods report on two distinct aspects of LDL structure. The tryptophan fluorescence appears to be sensitive to the presence of phospholipids. The circular dichroism, however, appears to be sensitive to the binding of a small amount of neutral lipid. These findings suggest that a functional and geometric separation of binding sites may exist for these two classes of lipids. Such a distinction is predicted by the icosohedral model of the quaternary structure of LDL. In this model, the phospholipids are located on the surface of the particle, in the holes of an icosohedrally symmetric surface network of protein subunits; the neutral lipids are located in the particle core. Finally, we suggest that functional significance may be attached to our finding that relatively few cholesterol ester molecles are needed to maintain the native secondary structure of LDL. This provides a mechanism whereby the amount of bound neutral lipid could be raised or lowered (for transport and transfer to cells) without affecting the protein in any structurally significant manner.
Microsphere immunoassay for the detection of cytokines in domestic cat (Felis catus) plasma: elevated IL-12/23 in acute feline immunodeficiency virus infections.

We recently described the development and validation of a highly sensitive and specific microsphere immunoassay capable of simultaneously quantifying three domestic cat cytokines in tissue culture supernatant. Here we describe the modification of this assay to measure interferon gamma (IFNγ), interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12/IL-23 p40 (IL-12/23) in domestic cat plasma, report values obtained from plasma collected after feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) exposure, and compare plasma concentrations to blood cell mRNA expression. The validated quantitation limits of this assay are 31-1000 pg/ml for IFNγ, 63-2000 pg/ml for IL-10, and 20-625 pg/ml for IL-12/23. Plasma cytokine levels from domestic cats infected with pathogenic and/or apathogenic FIV were determined at 3-4 and 7-8 weeks post-infection. IL-12/23 was elevated (p<0.05) during acute infection with both FIV strains in two similar studies, conducted five years apart in different feline cohorts (n=44 total animals). IL-12/23 concentrations ranged from 377 to 1904 pg/ml in naive cats and 552 to 3460 pg/ml in infected cats. In contrast, the majority of plasma samples had IFNγ and IL-10 concentrations below the lowest standard tested. The inability to consistently detect levels of IFNγ and IL-10 in plasma, despite the fact that mRNA changes were detected, suggests that these cytokines may be secreted and/or cleared in a more highly regulated manner than IL-12/23, or perhaps exert local effects under tighter peripheral constraints and/or at a lower effective concentration.
Determination of fluorescence and non-radiative de-excitation rates of excited 3-pentanone at low pressures

3-Pentanone photophysics measurements and subsequent fluorescence quantum yield (FQY) model development are presented. A heated, flowing optical cell and laser excitation at 248, 266, 277, and 308 nm were utilized, allowing investigation of FQY and absorption cross-section values for 3-pentanone vapor from 298 to 690 K and 10 to 30 mbar. Measurements of FQY were also made for 20 mbar of 3-pentanone at 1.3 bar total pressure in nitrogen from 298 to 530 K and in air from 298 to 487 K. Absolute FQY was determined by calibration to Rayleigh scattering of nitrogen gas. Based on these FQY measurements and fluorescence lifetime data from previous work, the fluorescence rate kf was determined to be 3.70×105 s−1. The current work extends knowledge of the non-radiative rate knr to vibrational energies of 15000 cm−1, and the expression for knr was optimized to include a fit to these new data points. Finally, variation of FQY with 3-pentanone vapor pressure was used to optimize the vibrational relaxation cascade parameter α3p. The updated FQY model for 3-pentanone vapor shows agreement within 8% to the current FQY data across the investigated range of temperatures and pressures.
Thrombospondin-1-induced apoptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells can be mediated by TNF-R1

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) treatment of dermal microvascular endothelial cells (MvEC) has been shown to upregulate Fas ligand (FasL) and to induce apoptosis by a mechanism that requires caspase-8 activity. We have examined the potential anti-angiogenic effects of TSP-1 on primary human brain MvEC. The addition of TSP-1 to primary human brain MvEC cultured as monolayers on type 1 collagen, induced cell death and apoptosis (evidenced by caspase-3 cleavage) in a dose- (5–30 nM) and time- (maximal at 17 h) dependent manner. TSP-1 treatment for 17 h induced caspase-3 cleavage that required caspase-8 activity and the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1). We did not find a requirement for Fas, or the tumor necrosis-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptors (TRAIL-R) 1 and 2. We confirmed the findings using caspase inhibitors, blocking antibodies and small interfering RNA (siRNA). Further analysis indicated that the TSP-1 induction of caspase-3 cleavage of primary human brain MvEC adherent to collagen required the synthesis of new message and protein, and that TSP-1 induced the expression of TNFα mRNA and protein. Consistent with these findings, when the primary human brain MvEC were propagated on collagen gels mAb anti-TNF-R1 reversed the inhibitory effect, in part, of TSP-1 on tube formation and branching. These data identify a novel mechanism whereby TSP-1 can inhibit angiogenesis-through induction of apoptosis in a process mediated by TNF-R1.
Fast Food and Animal Rights: An Examination and Assessment of the Industry's Response to Social Pressure

Fast food chains such as McDonald's, KFC, and Burger King are major players in the production, marketing, and consumption of animal-derived food throughout the world. Animal rights activists are quick to point out the link between the highly efficient factory farms that supply these chains and extreme animal cruelty and environmental degradation. Strategically, fast food is well positioned to leverage change in the methods by which animals are raised and processed for human consumption. Although progress has been made as the fast food industry has responded to pressure exerted by animal rights organizations, there is little indication of true collaborative efforts that would harness the power of the market to bring about substantive changes in the way the consuming public views the issue of animal welfare and food production.
Forgetfulness in elders: Strategies for protective caregiving

Nurses working with elders know from experience that an elder being viewed as forgetful negatively affects both the quality and the quantity of elders' social relationships. Avoiding stigmatization, in the presence of increased forgetting, presents a challenge for elders and their caregivers. Gerontologic nurses can assist forgetful elders with their personal impression management. They can protect these elders from being labeled by their social group. However, in order to assist elders in maintaining acceptable social impressions, nurses need to understand the impression management process and effective strategies for assisting forgetful elders in social situations.
The HIV protease inhibitor saquinavir induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells

Abstract Objective HIV patients taking antiretroviral protease inhibitors have a lower incidence of infection-associated malignancies, leading to the hypothesis that these drugs have antineoplastic activity. Given the need for novel treatment approaches in ovarian cancer, we sought to determine whether the protease inhibitor saquinavir has antineoplastic activity in ovarian cancer cell lines, and to elucidate the mechanism through which this occurs. Methods A panel of ovarian cancer cell lines was treated with saquinavir. The effect of saquinavir on cell growth, viability, apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death was determined. Stimulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) response was assessed by immunoblotting for ERS regulators GRP78 and ATF6. Induction of autophagy was assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and confocal microscopy was performed to demonstrate changes in green fluorescent protein-labeled LC3 expression patterns. Results Saquinavir induced cell death in chemosensitive and chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Saquinavir treatment resulted in caspase-dependent apoptosis and caspase-independent cell death characterized by induction of ERS and autophagy. Cellular morphology assessed by TEM revealed apoptotic, autophagic, and necrotic cell death. Conclusions Saquinavir is an FDA-approved agent for the treatment of HIV, and our data suggest that it may also have clinical application in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Saquinavir induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. Given the challenges of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer, saquinavir may have particular benefit in the treatment of chemoresistant tumors that may respond to the induction of caspase-independent cell death by mechanisms such as autophagy.
Some weighted polynomial inequalities

We shall use the following notation: x will always denote a variable defined on (-co, co), y will always denote a variable defined on (0, co), ]/f(x)]], will stand for the norm off in I,,(--co, co) and ]]f(y)]], for the norm of f in L,(O, co); for p > 0, W,(x) = (1 + x*)O’* exp(-x2/2) and V,(y) = (1 + y)“‘* exp(--y/2); n will denote a strictly positive integer, and q, an arbitrary polynomial of degree at most n; by c we shall denote positive numbers depending at most on /3, and by c(s) positive numbers depending at most on j3 and on the variables enclosed by the parentheses, but not necessarily the same positive number if they appear more than once in the same formula. This paper is a sequel to [ 11, and like it has been deeply influenced by the ideas of G. Freud. The first five theorems below present polynomial inequalities on (-co, co) involving the weight W,(x); the case p = 0 of these results was proved in [ 11. The remaining five theorems present polynomial inequalities on [0, co) involving the weight V,(y). The functions W,(x) were introduced by Freud in [2]. Note that if Qo(x) = ln[ WD(x)] and p > 16[exp(1/16) l] > 1.04, then Q0[(p/16)“‘] 1, W,(x) is neither very strongly regular nor superregular in the sense of Mhaskar [4. 51. Hence the theorems in this paper are not contained in, nor can be trivially inferred from, the results of these authors. We start with:
Molecular Control of the Drain Current in a Buried Channel MOSFET

We have developed a hybrid molecular/MOSFET, which is sensitive to the presence of a molecular layer attached to its surface. The application of the molecular layer was investigated by observing changes in the drain current as a function of substrate voltage pre- and post molecular treatment. A significant shift in the threshold current of the device was observed after application of the molecules. The threshold shift can be attributed to an increase in the electron charge density in the MOSFET channel, resulting from an increase in the positive fixed charge at the native oxide surface. A numerical simulation supports this conclusion. It is speculated that the molecules protonate the surface of the SiO 2 due to the higher acidity of the molecular groups compared to that of the native oxide. To assess the validity of this hypothesis a series of molecules with similar structure but with different acidities (pKa values) were investigated, to correlate the shift in threshold voltage with the difference in pKa value between the applied chemical and the SiO 2 surface (pKa = 6.8). Preliminary results showing the systematic variation of ΔV th and pKa are presented.
Surveying Clients To Assess Police Performance Focusing on the Police-Citizen Encounter

Research indicates that the interpretability of typical survey research on police is severely limited by the generality of questions asked the respondents. This article argues that focusing survey ...
Testing a model of CO2, water and energy exchange in Great Plains tallgrass prairie and wheat ecosystems

A land surface model (a modified version of the Simple Biosphere Model, Version 2; SiB2) was parameterized and tested against two years of eddy covariance flux measurements made over un-grazed tallgrass prairie and a winter wheat field in Oklahoma, USA. The land surface model computed 30-min estimates of sensible and latent heat flux and carbon dioxide flux that agree well with the patterns observed in the field, simulating in particular the contrasting seasonal timing of fluxes in the wheat, where leaf area and physiological activity peak in the spring, and prairie, where leaf area and physiological activity peak in summer. However, systematic errors in flux estimates were also identified for particular times of day and season. These systematic errors are sometimes related to difficulty in correct definition of vegetation structure (LAI) and physiological activity. This was observed particularly in the wheat site towards the end of the growing season when senescence, which reduces both the amount and the physiological activity of leaves, is difficult to parameterize. Simulation errors are also attributed to problems in the mathematical description of water stress, soil respiration, and the leaf-to-canopy scaling methodology. SiB2 tends to predict too much photosynthetic activity at low solar angles, while developing soil moisture stress before it is seen in the field. Systematic errors in energy balance terms (heat and water fluxes) occur for bare soil and dormant vegetation, related to simulation of soil heat flux. Daytime errors in sensible and latent heat fluxes average 20 W m � 2 , and can be more than 100 W m � 2 at certain times. In regional and global climate models, the effect of land surface sub-model errors on atmospheric dynamics will depend in part on the magnitude of the systematic error, but also on the spatial extent and temporal duration over which the systematic error persists. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Frequency response characteristics of amorphous germanium thin films

Both the inphase UI and quadrature UQ components of the potential drop across amorphous Ge thin films prepared at room temperature and 10−5 Torr pressure, are measured at 295 and 80 K in the frequency range dc to 105 Hz. Precise frequency response characteristics of electrical resistivity, and consequently the conductivity, are obtained by completely eliminating the residual stray capacitance of the measuring instruments and the contact resistance of the connecting leads, which affect the results most notoriously. The investigation indicates that the conductivity data are not as sensitive to the frequency ω of the applied field up to 105 Hz, and that the contribution of the intrinsic hopping conductivity is very small even at 80 K, for example σ(ω)/σ(0) ≈ (1.04 ±± 0.02)%. It is suggested that ω−2- or ω−1-dependence of the resistivity in many experiments might originate from the common manifestation of the residual stray capacitance and contact resistance. Die Inphasen (UI)- und Quadrat(UQ)-Komponenten des Potentialsprungs uber amorphe Ge-Schichten, hergestellt bei Zimmertemperatur und bei Drucken von 10−5 Torr, werden bei 295 und 80 K im Frequenzbereich von 0 bis 105 Hz gemessen. Genaue Frequenzresponsecharakteristiken des elektrischen Widerstands, und selbstverstandlich der Leitfahigkeit, werden durch vollstandige Eliminierung der restlichen Streukapazitat des Mesinstruments und des Kontaktwiderstands der Verbindungsleitungen erreicht, die die Ergebnisse am meisten beeinflussen. Die Untersuchung zeigt, das die Leitfahigkeitswerte nicht sehr empfindlich gegenuber der Frequenz ω des angelegten Feldes bis zu 105 Hz sind und das der Beitrag der Intrinsic-Hopping-Leitfahigkeit auch bei 80 K sehr klein ist, z. B. σ(ω)/σ(0) ≈ (1,04 ± 0,02)%. Es wird angenommen, das die ω−2- oder ω−1-Abhangigkeit des Widerstands in vielen Experimenten von dem gemeinsamen Auftreten von Reststreukapazitat und Kontaktwiderstand heruhren konnte.
Getting the Message Out About Cognitive Health: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Older Adults' Media Awareness and Communication Needs on How to Maintain a Healthy Brain

Purpose: Evidence suggests that physical activity and healthy diets may help to maintain cognitive function, reducing risks of developing Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Using a cross-cultural focus, we describe older adults‘ awareness about cognitive health, and their ideas about how to inform and motivate others to engage in activities that may maintain brain health. Design and Methods: Nineteen focus groups were conducted in 3 states (California, North Carolina, South Carolina) with 177 adults aged 50 years and older. Six groups were with African Americans (AAs), 4 with Chinese, 3 with Vietnamese, 4 with non-Hispanic Whites, and 2 with American Indians (AIs). A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Many participants did not recall reading or hearing about brain health in the media. Participants recommended a multimedia approach to inform others about brain health. Both interpersonal and social/group motivational strategies were suggested. Word of mouth and testimonials were recommended most often by Chinese and Vietnamese. AAs and AIs suggested brain health education at church; AAs, Chinese, and Vietnamese said brain health slogans should be spiritual. Participants‘ perceived barriers to seeking brain health information included watching too much TV and confusing media information. Implications: Findings on communication strategies for reaching racial/ethnic groups with brain health information will help guide message and intervention development for diverse older adults.
Seasonal and interannual variability in 13C composition of ecosystem carbon fluxes in the U.S. Southern Great Plains

The δ 13 C value of terrestrial CO 2 fluxes (δ bio ) provides important information for inverse models of CO 2 sources and sinks as well as for studies of vegetation physiology, C 3 and C 4 vegetation fluxes, and ecosystem carbon residence times. From 2002–2009, we measured atmospheric CO 2 concentration and δ 13 C–CO 2 at four heights (2 to 60 m) in the U.S. Southern Great Plains (SGP) and computed δ bio weekly. This region has a fine-scale mix of crops (primarily C 3 winter wheat) and C 4 pasture grasses. δ bio had a large and consistent seasonal cycle of 6–8‰. Ensemble monthly mean δ bio ranged from −25.8 ± 0.4‰ (±SE) in March to −20.1 ± 0.4‰ in July. Thus, C 3 vegetation contributed about 80% of ecosystem fluxes in winter-spring and 50% in summer-fall. In contrast, prairie-soil δ 13 C values were about –15‰, indicating that historically the region was dominated by C 4 vegetation and had more positive δ bio values. Based on a land-surface model, isofluxes (δ bio × NEE) in this region have large seasonal amplitude because δ bio and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) covary. Interannual variability in isoflux was driven by variability in NEE. The large seasonal amplitude in δ bio and isoflux imply that carbon inverse analyses require accurate estimates of land cover and temporally resolved 13 CO 2 and CO 2 fluxes. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2010.00519.x
Dynamics of electromechanical flow structures.

Free‐surface gravity flows and capillary wicking provide examples of flow structures with fluid partially ducted at “free” surfaces by external forces. “Wall‐less” electromechanical flow structures are developed which have a similar nature, but with polarization forces providing the orientation at free surfaces. Like their mechanical counterparts, these have the ability to ingest liquid or expel vapor through their walls. The structures consist of electrodes running in the flow direction z with slowly varying cross sections in a plane transverse to the flow. A formulation is given of the long‐wave nonlinear (principal mode) dynamics, with use made of energy functions to represent a broad class of possible mechanical and electrical structure geometries. Based on the considerable analogy shown between electromechanical and gravity flows, conservative flow transitions and shock conditions are described. The role played by gravity waves in conventional free‐surface flows is taken by polarization waves. Three types of experiments illustrate the significance of the model: (i) standing and traveling wave resonances, (ii) critical flow transition, and (iii) fluid pendulum oscillations. Quantitative checks on the small‐amplitude wave dynamics, and on the nonlinear steady dynamics as well as qualitative observations on the behavior of an electrohydraulic jump, are reported.
VirtualLength: a new packet scheduling algorithm for proportional delay differentiation

One of the important issues in building differentiated services is how to support relative differentiated queueing delay services for packets from different classes. This paper presents a new packet scheduling algorithm, called virtual-length, to address this issue. It provides effective control over the relative average queueing delay ratio between two classes of traffic by monitoring their average arrival rates and cumulative queue lengths. The packets of different classes are forwarded according to their weighted queue lengths with respect to predefined proportional delay parameters. The simulation results show that virtualLength is capable of providing controllable and predictable services for classes with different load distributions under various load conditions. In particular, it can provide more accurate control over classes of traffic in short timescales than other packet scheduling algorithms, and comparable service in long timescales. The results also show that the performance of virtualLength is independent of the distributions of packet arrivals and sizes.
Dendritic cell function in lupus: Independent contributors or victims of aberrant immune regulation

Dendritic cells (DCs) represent an important component of the immune system connecting the innate and adaptive immune responses. They are able to trigger strong immunity as well as tolerance against certain antigens, and therefore it is obvious that they have a central role in the expression of immunological diseases. However, because DCs are sparse, heterogeneous and plastic, their exact role in complex autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains not well defined. In this review, we make an attempt to summarize critically recent knowledge on the role of conventional DCs in the expression of autoimmunity and pathology in SLE.
Invasive papillary cancer of the thyroid.

SEVERAL pathologists—friends of ours, we hope—have noted the misleading title of this paper. They quite properly point out that papillary cancers of the thyroid are usually unencapsulated and that blood vessel invasion is common and may on occasion be demonstrated in lesions only a few millimeters in diameter. It is well known that many papillary cancers are small, are embedded within the gland substance, and fail to show gross evidence of either infiltration of neighboring structures or metastasis to the regional nodes. The clinical course of most of these tumors is so sluggish and prolonged as to give rise to misleading concepts concerning the clinical course of papillary cancers as a group. It should be stressed that such physical characteristics do not necessarily influence the ability of these tumors to metastasize to regional nodes or, for that matter, to distant sites. In fact such metastases are often the initial and only complaint of the patient for years prior to the discovery of the primary tum...
Ambrisentan for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Ambrisentan is an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) that was recently approved for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Endothelin (ET) is a potent vasoconstrictor with mitogenic, hypertrophic and pro-inflammatory properties that is upregulated in pulmonary hypertensive diseases. The biologic effects of ET are mediated by 2 cell surface receptors termed ETA and ETB. ETA mediates the vasoconstrictor effect of ET on vascular smooth muscle, whereas ETB is expressed primarily on vascular endothelial cells where it induces nitric oxide synthesis and acts to clear ET from the circulation. Ambrisentan is the first ETA selective ERA approved for use in the US. Recently published clinical trials in patients with PAH demonstrate improvement in functional capacity and pulmonary hemodynamics similar to other ETA selective and non-selective ERAs. Its once daily dosing and lower incidence of serum aminotransferase elevation offer potential advantages over other ERAs, but further experience with this agent is needed to fully understand its long-term efficacy and safety. This review discusses the endothelin family of proteins and receptors and their role in the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertensive diseases. It also examines the development process, safety profile and clinical trials that have resulted in ambrisentan being approved for treatment of PAH.
Expansion of Melanoma-specific Cytolytic CD8+ T Cell Precursors in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma Vaccinated with CD34+ Progenitor-derived Dendritic Cells

Cancer vaccines aim at inducing (a) tumor-specific effector T cells able to reduce/eliminate the tumor mass, and (b) long-lasting tumor-specific memory T cells able to control tumor relapse. We have shown earlier, in 18 human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201 patients with metastatic melanoma, that vaccination with peptide-loaded CD34–dendritic cells (DCs) leads to expansion of melanoma-specific interferon γ–producing CD8+ T cells in the blood. Here, we show in 9 out of 12 analyzed patients the expansion of cytolytic CD8+ T cell precursors specific for melanoma differentiation antigens. These precursors yield, upon single restimulation with melanoma peptide–pulsed DCs, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) able to kill melanoma cells. Melanoma-specific CTLs can be grown in vitro and can be detected in three assays: (a) melanoma tetramer binding, (b) killing of melanoma peptide–pulsed T2 cells, and (c) killing of HLA-A*0201 melanoma cells. The cytolytic activity of expanded CTLs correlates with the frequency of melanoma tetramer binding CD8+ T cells. Thus, CD34-DC vaccines can expand melanoma-specific CTL precursors that can kill melanoma antigen–expressing targets. These results justify the design of larger follow-up studies to assess the immunological and clinical response to peptide-pulsed CD34-DC vaccines.
Global Policy: Employment and Human Rights

It is advantageous to combine international regime and global policy approaches to employment. Sources of the relative ineffectiveness of regional and global employment policy are found primarily in conflicting missions of intergovernmental organizations, ideological conflicts and the inadequate resources and powers of such organizations. Employment suffers from the existence of higher economic and human rights priorities in virtually all international policy arenas. Although evolutionary progress can be expected in the present regime structure, fundamental change will require truly global policies in a more highly developed regime that integrates economic and human rights principles and goals. Given the severe social costs of unemployment and underemployment throughout much of the world, effective international responses might well have been expected long before the 1980s. Thus employment would seem a likely addition to such "global policy" problems as nuclear proliferation, economic development, human rights, ocean resources, pollution, and telecommunications which are currently being addressed by international institutions (Soroos, 1986). Yet the global response has, thus far, been surprisingly limited. The problem of wisespread unemployment meets virtually all the criteria that Soroos, in his introductory essay, suggests may trigger international treatment of a major problem and at least some of his criteria for considerations of the problem as "global" (Soroos, 1986: 64-72). Unemployment may involve relationships between two or more countries and the problem may spill over national boundaries. It is also manifest in the international community as a whole, at least of each principal state or region, and is a domestic problem that is "common to many, if not all, countries" (Soroos, 1986: 20). It is doubtful, however, whether unemployment and underemployment in foreign countries has been a "special interest" of the international community, as has been the case with such serious human rights violations as apartheid in South Africa. The strongest cases for such recognition can be made for the periods from about 1944-48, and for the second half of the 1970s. The "Declaration of Philadelphia," adopted by the 1944 International Labour Conference, was a strong call for "effective international and national action" on behalf of full employment in the context of the memory of the Great Depression and the strong sense of international solidarity resulting from military victory (International Labour Organization, 1944: 623). This era culminated in the inclusion of the right to work (employment) in the 1948
Segregating non-isthmus dependent atrial flutter from organized atrial fibrillation using spectral and spatial phase analysis of the electrocardiogram

Distinguishing atrial flutter (AFL) from 'organized' atrial fibrillation (AF) from the ECG is important for optimal therapy, yet remains difficult. We hypothesized that analyzing the temporal and spatial regularity (phase) of ECG F-waves would separate AFL, even with F-wave variability, from AF. We studied ECGs in patients with isthmus (IDAFL; n = 19) and non-isthmus (NIDAFL; n = 11) dependent AFL, and AF (n=7). ECG atrial activity in AFL, represented as correlations of a template to successive ECG timepoints, showed a dominant spectral peak at a frequency corresponding to the measured atrial cycle length; no distinct spectral peak was seen in AF. F-wave spatial vector, measured as the relationship of atrial correlations between axes, was more consistent in IDAFL than NIDAFL, and inconsistent in AF. Temporal and spatial phase therefore separate NIDAFL with variable F-waves from AF, and from IDAFL. This technique may help to guide the approach to ablation.
Oral Glutamine for the Prevention of Oral Mucositis Associated with High-Dose Paclitaxel and Melphalan for Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation

OBJECTIVE:To determine the effect of glutamine suspension on mucositis associated with the administration of high-dose preparative regimens for bone marrow transplantation.METHODS:We performed a retrospective analysis of 21 consecutive patients receiving high-dose paclitaxel and melphalan as the preparative regimen for autologous peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation for metastatic breast cancer between January 1997 and December 1997. Glutamine suspension was given as swish-and-swallow administration every four hours around the clock starting day −7, for a total dose of 24 g/d.RESULTS:The group given oral glutamine suspension demonstrated significantly fewer days of mucositis and a lower maximum grade of mucositis. The treatment group also had fewer days of parenteral morphine for pain relief. The group that did not receive glutamine required an average of 5.22 days of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine; the glutamine group did not require PCA morphine. The total days of narcotic pain relief...
Aldose Reductase Inhibition and Glomerular Abnormalities in Diabetic Rats

We examined the effects of aldose reductase inhibition (ARI) on glomerular filtration rate (GFR), albuminuria, and kidney histology in partially insulin-treated streptozocin-induced diabetic (STZ-D) rats. After 1 mo of diabetes, GFR was elevated over control values in the STZ-D rats but was not affected by treatment with statil (an aldose reductase inhibitor). In another set of rats maintained for 7 mo, albuminuria was significantly increased in the diabetic rats from 2 mo on but was also not affected by statil treatment. Similarly, histological glomerular damage and diabetes-induced kidney hypertrophy were also greater in diabetic animals but were not altered by statil treatment. The frequency of diabetic cataracts was reduced by statil, and erythrocyte and kidney sorbitol levels were normalized, confirming the efficacy of ARI. Thus, inhibition of the aldose reductase pathway with statil does not ameliorate the hemodynamic, proteinuric, histological, or growth abnormalities in this model of diabetic nephropathy.
Micromachined Antenna Stents and Cuffs for Monitoring Intraluminal Pressure and Flow

This paper describes two stainless steel microstructures that are microelectrodischarge machined from 50-mum-thick planar foil for intraluminal measurements of pressure and flow (with potential for applications ranging from blood vessels to bile ducts). The first structure is an inductive antenna stent (stentenna) with 20-mm length and 3.5-mm expanded diameter. It is coupled with capacitive elements to form resonant LC tanks that can be telemetrically queried. The resulting LC tanks are deployed inside silicone mock arteries using standard angioplasty balloons and used in a passive telemetry scheme to sense changes in pressure and flow. Using water as the test fluid, the resonant peaks shift from about 215 to 208 MHz as the flow is increased from 0 to 370 mL/min. The second structure is a ring-shaped intraluminal cuff with two 400times750-mum2 electrodes that are used to provide a direct transduction of flow velocity in the presence of a magnetic field. It is fabricated in a manner similar to the stentenna, but with an insulating segment. The voltage has a linear dependence on flow rate, changing by 3.1-4.3 muV per cm/s of flow (of saline) over a 180 cm/s dynamic range, with a magnetic field of about 0.25 T
Micellization behavior in the presence of alcohols

Abstract The effect of the addition of alkanols on the micellization of various surfactant molecules has been investigated using a molecular thermodynamic approach. Solubilization of the longer chain alcohol molecules in the micelles brings about a reduction in the critical micelle concentration of these surfactants. Longer alcohols and larger amounts of a given alcohol increase the depression of the CMC. The calculated values of the CMC are in agreement with experimental values reported in the literature. Further, the average aggregation number for the surfactant as well as for the solubilized alcohol molecules are also found to be in satisfactory agreement with the available experimental data. The distribution coefficient, defined as the ratio of mole fractions of alcohol in the micellar and aqueous phases, is shown to be independent of the nature of the surfactant and to decrease with increasing alcohol concentrations. The present calculations suggest the occurrence of an “azeotrope” for some surfactant-alcohol systems.
Imaging Pulmonary Infection: Classic Signs and Patterns

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this article are to describe common and uncommon imaging signs and patterns of pulmonary infections and to discuss their underlying anatomic and pathophysiologic basis. CONCLUSION. Imaging plays an integral role in the diagnosis and management of suspected pulmonary infections and may reveal useful signs on chest radiographs and CT scans. Detected early, these signs can often be used to predict the causative agent and pathophysiologic mechanism and possibly to optimize patient care.
Satellite Observations of Trochoidal Motion During Hurricane Belle 1976

Abstract A series of satellite pictures is composited to illustrate that small-scale trochoidal motion of a hurricane is detectable by satellite.
Prospects for an international economy

ONANE of the striking features of Gunnar Myrdal's newest workconsidering that he is Secretary-General of the Economic Commission for Europe and hence immersed in European problems-is that so much of it is directed toward problems of underdeveloped areas. The book is encyclopedic in scope, but it has a connecting theme: the disintegration of the world economy since I9I3 and the need to do something about it. Myrdal states frankly at the outset that his analysis rests on a value judgment: that economic integration is a "good thing," and that equality of opportunity is the keystone of economic integration. A second value judgment is "that the attainment and preservation of a democratic form of government is desirable" (p. i5). According to our standards, the countries in the Soviet orbit are far from democratic, Professor Myrdal adds, and for the most part his book is concerned only with countries outside this orbit. Myrdal recognizes that international integration must be based on national integration. In his view, traditional internationalism, seeking a short cut to international integration by abolishing national economic policy, is both reactionary and ineffective (p. 52). National integration has already been realized in large measure in advanced countries. Unfortunately, Myrdal argues, the form of nationalism has been such as to impede internationalism. The one major effort at international integration since the war-the program for West European cooperation-was essentially a failure. The system of international payments that prevailed before World War I has broken down, and neither labor nor capital now moves with the freedom that it did in the early twentieth century. The cold war has retarded internationalization of foreign aid, has destabilized international commodity markets by encouraging an erratic stockpiling policy, and has undermined the liberal foundations of Western culture. In this gloomy picture, the "drive for independence and development" of underdeveloped countries, and the efforts of the West to assist them, are a relatively bright spot. Even here, however, there are flaws in the canvas.
The Implications of a LIFO Liquidation for Future Gross Margins

This article demonstrates that the predictive use of LIFO liquidation data depends on the firm's presumed motivation for the liquidation. When the inventory reduction can reasonably be attributed to a change in the firm's business environment or to income smoothing (such as when sales or inventory prices are declining), the liquidation is not related to future margins. In this case, the entire current period gross margin, including the amount attributable to the LIFO liquidation, represents a level of gross margin that is likely to persist into the future. When the inventory reduction cannot easily be attributed to such changes, the liquidation is associated with future declines in margins and may be indicative of financial difficulty.
A New Approach to Synthesize Polyphenylene Dendrimers

A new type of dendritic molecules containing p-phenylene repeat units has been synthesized. Preliminary results on linear and nonlinear optical properties are discussed.
Vocal Versus Manual Response As a Determinant of Age Difference in Simple Reaction Time

The decrease in response speed usually found to occur with advancing age is felt by many investigators to be a phenomenon common to all speeded tasks, regardless of the exact nature of the sensory stimulus or motor response involved. In the present experiment, however, the type of response the subject made determined whether or not an age difference existed in simple reaction time to a visual stimulus. When subjects responded manually, by releasing a key, the usual age decrement in response latency was found. When the same subjects responded vocally, by saying a word, there was no significant age difference in reaction time. This result suggests that slowing of psychomotor latency with age is not a general phenomenon, but may be limited to certain neural systems.
Superoxide dismutases: exploration of apparent anomalies: a gene transfer and a functional replacement.

Superoxide dismutases function to catalytically scavenge 0,-. These enzymes have been isolated from many dozens of life forms, ranging from bacteria to the higher mammals. Imposition of conditions which increase intracellular production of 0,has been seen to augment the biosynthesis of these enzymes. This is an adaptive response and thwarting it causes cells to succumb to the stress of heightened 0,production. It thus appears that 0,constitutes a threat to cellular integrity and that the superoxide dismutases (SODS) provide a necessary defence. This can be stated even though we have yet to identify the critical target molecules in the cell and do not even know whether 0,itself or some secondarily derived radical is the ultimate effector. The data base which supports this position has been reviewed several times (Fridovich, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1978; Halliwell, 1978; Hassan & Fridovich, 1979). Any organism which produces 0,and which contains targets susceptible to attack by 02-, or by its reactive progeny, should need a mechanism for scavenging 0,-. Virtually all organisms thus far examined satisfy this expectation in that they contain one or more superoxide dismutases. There are a few exceptions, such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Lynch & Cole, 1980) and Lactobacillus plantarum (McCord et al., 197 1 ; Gregory & Fridovich, 1974). Archibald & Fridovich (198 la,b) have recently examined L . plantarum and related members of the Lactobacillaceae and found that they contain a functional replacement for SOD.
Treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: current approaches and future directions.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is reaching epidemic proportions in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients with NAFLD are at increased risk of more aggressive liver disease (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH]) and at a higher risk of death from cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and cardiovascular disease. Dysfunctional adipose tissue and insulin resistance play an important role in the pathogenesis of NASH, creating the conditions for hepatocyte lipotoxicity. Mitochondrial defects are at the core of the paradigm linking chronic excess substrate supply, insulin resistance and NASH. Recent work indicates that patients with NASH have more severe insulin resistance and lipotoxicity compared with matched obese controls with only isolated steatosis. This review focuses on available agents and future drugs under development for the treatment of NAFLD/NASH in type 2 diabetes. Reversal of lipotoxicity with pioglitazone is associated with significant histological improvement, which occurs within 6 months and persists with continued treatment (or for at least 3 years) in patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, holding potential to modify the natural history of the disease. These results also suggest that pioglitazone may become the standard of care for this population. Benefit has also been reported in non-diabetic patients. Recent promising results with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists have opened another new treatment avenue for NASH. Many agents in Phase 2-3 of development are being tested, aiming to restore glucose/lipid metabolism, ameliorate adipose tissue and liver inflammation, or to inhibit liver fibrosis. By targeting a diversity of relevant pathways, combination therapy in NASH will likely provide greater success in the future. In summary, increased clinical awareness and improved screening strategies (as currently done for diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy) are needed, to translate recent treatment progress into early treatment and improved quality of life for patients with type 2 diabetes and NASH. This review summarises a presentation given at the symposium 'The liver in focus' at the 2015 annual meeting of the EASD. It is accompanied by two other reviews on topics from this symposium (by John Jones, DOI: 10.1007/s00125-016-3940-5 , and by Hannele Yki-Jarvinen, DOI: 10.1007/s00125-016-3944-1 ) and a commentary by the Session Chair, Michael Roden (DOI: 10.1007/s00125-016-3911-x ).
Problem Analysis and Improvement Measures of Drum Water Level Measurement and Protection Systems

Drum water level is an important parameter for safe operation of boiler.Because of improper configuration,installation,operation and maintenance,the differences between the observed value and the actual value are often found in drum water level measurement systems.There are always large deviations between different meters and unreasonable protection signal sampling.Those become hidden trouble for safe and stable operation of units.This paper summarizes and analyzes the causes for the existing problems based on the on-site investigation of drum water level measurement,water level protection operation in themal power plants in Zhejiang province,and presents the technical improvement measures to eliminate the problems.
Abstract B43: The utilization of extracellular proteins as nutrients is suppressed by mTORC1

To engage in growth and proliferation, cells require a continuous supply of precursors for macromolecular synthesis. Despite being surrounded by diverse nutrients, mammalian cells preferentially metabolize glucose and free amino acids. However, it was recently shown that Ras-induced macropinocytosis of extracellular proteins could reduce a transformed cell9s dependence on extracellular amino acids. Here, we show that macropinocytosis and lysosomal catabolism of extracellular proteins can serve as a source of essential amino acids. Lysosomal degradation of internalized proteins can sustain cell survival and induce lysosomal recruitment and activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), but fails to elicit significant cell accumulation. Surprisingly, we discovered that unlike its growth-promoting activity under amino acid-replete conditions, mTORC1 activation suppresses proliferation when cells rely on extracellular proteins as an amino acid source. Inhibiting mTORC1 results in increased catabolism of endocytosed proteins and enhances cell proliferation during nutrient-depleted conditions in vitro and within vascularly compromised tumors in vivo. Thus, by preventing consumption of extracellular proteins as nutrients, mTORC1 couples growth to availability of free amino acids. These results may have important implications for the use of mTOR inhibitors as therapeutics. Citation Format: Wilhelm Palm, Youngkyu Park, Kevin Wright, Natalya N. Pavlova, David A. Tuveson, Craig B. Thompson. The utilization of extracellular proteins as nutrients is suppressed by mTORC1. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Metabolism and Cancer; Jun 7-10, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(1_Suppl):Abstract nr B43.
Sterol and triterpene diol contents of vegetable oils by high-resolution capillary gas chromatography

An in-laboratory validated method for identification and quantitation of sterols and triterpene diols was used to determine the relative composition of identifiable sterols and triterpene diols in 13 vegetable oils and quantitate these components in multiple samples of 6 vegetable oils: extra virgin olive, pomace olive, corn, cottonseed, canola, and evening primrose oils. Erythrodiol, a triterpene diol present in all olive oils, was also found in cottonseed oil.