cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibiton of protein synthesis in mammalian cells by actinobolin.

Actinobolin, an antibiotic with a broad spectrum of biological activity, has been studied with respect to its metabolic effects in mammalian cells. In mouse Adenocarcinoma 755 cells, both in vivo and in cell culture, actinobolin inhibited the synthesis of protein and DNA, but exerted a much smaller effect on the synthesis of RNA and had no effect on the synthesis of soluble purine derivatives. The rate and extent of uptake of [ 3 H]actinobolin in cell cultures suggested passive diffusion across the cell membrane, with no subsequent covalent bonding to cellular constituents. In a cell-free system, containing washed ribosomes and 100,000 x g -pH 5 fractions from mouse Adenocarcinoma 755 cells grown in culture, actinobolin inhibited the incorporation of labeled amino acids in the presence of endogenous messenger or of polyuridylate. At higher concentrations actinobolin inhibited the incorporation of thymidylate into DNA in a crude DNA synthetase system. These results suggest that the primary metabolic effect of actinobolin in mammalian cells is on protein synthesis. In the cell-free system actinobolin ( a ) did not inhibit the formation of aminoacyl-tRNAs, ( b ) did not cause the release of peptides from previously charged ribosomes or prevent such release by puromycin, and ( c ) inhibited the binding of [ 14 C]phenylalanyl-tRNA to the poly U-ribosome complex, but not the binding of poly U to ribosomes. These results show that actinobolin acts at a late stage of protein synthesis, perhaps by competing with aminoacyl-tRNAs. Such an action would be compatible with the fact that actinobolin contains an L-alanine moiety.
Cell fate patterning during C. elegans vulval development

Precursor cells of the vulva of the C. elegans hermaphrodite choose between two vulval cell fates (1 degree and 2 degrees) and a non-vulval epidermal fate (3 degrees) in response to three intercellular signals. An inductive signal produced by the anchor cell induces the vulval precursors to assume the 1 degree and 2 degree vulval fates. This inductive signal is an EGF-like growth factor encoded by the gene lin-3. An inhibitory signal mediated by lin-15, and which may originate from the surrounding epidermis, prevents the vulval precursors from assuming vulval fates in the absence of the inductive signal. A short range lateral signal, which acts through the gene lin-12, regulates the pattern of 1 degree and 2 degree fates assumed by the induced vulval precursors. The combined action of the three signals precisely directs the six vulval precursors to adopt a 3 degree 3 degree 2 degree 1 degree 2 degree 3 degree pattern of fates. The amount of inductive signal produced by the anchor cell appears to determine the number of vulval precursors that assume vulval fates. The three induced vulval precursors most proximal to the anchor cell are proposed to adopt the 2 degree 1 degree 2 degree pattern of fates in response to a gradient of the inductive signal and also in response to lateral signalling that inhibits adjacent vulval precursor cells from both assuming the 1 degree fate.
A Sociohistorical Analysis of Children's Gravestones

This article explores the sociohistorical changes in children's gravestones in fourteen cemeteries in Southern Illinois and Western Michigan. Using photographs of the gravestones, the author focuse...
Treaty Conclusion & Incorporation into Greek Law: A Brief Discussion of the Constitutional Requirements

Greek constitutional law on the conclusion of treaties and their incorporation into domestic law has triggered heated debates among scholars and politicians. Since the 1975 major constitutional revision, it has seemed that only the last few years has the state mechanism achieved an acceptable level of consistency in applying the process. Nevertheless, the relevant constitutional provisions continue to be far from clear, on more than one point. Systematizing the process through the inclusion of unambiguous verbiage will help resolve unnecessary discrepancies between theory and practice, caused by inconsistent, interchangeable and ultimately unqualified use of jargon. This article discusses the main provisions of the Greek constitution on this topic, as they currently stand. These are articles 28.1, 36.1 and 36.2 of the 1975 constitution. An English translation of these articles is included at the end of this publication.
Potential Implication of the Freezing Point Depression by Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Lactose in Milk1

The. potential problem of detecting added water in lactose-hydrolyzed milk by cryoscopic examination was investigated. The extent to which hydrolysis of lactose corresponded with a given freezing point was calculated and tested experimentally. Cryoscopic measurements were related to the percent of lactose hydrolyzed in milk. Hydrolyzed milks readjusted to normal freezing points with added water were examined by lactometer and sensory evaluations. Although such milk adulterated with up to 25% added water could escape detection by either cryoscopic or sensory evaluations, the Quevenne lactometer could detect 10% added water.
Not all patients meet the 1 day per percent burn rule: A simple method for predicting hospital length of stay in patients with burn

Abstract Introduction Hospital length of stay (LOS) is utilized to estimate resource utilization and quality of care. In burns the LOS estimation is 1 day per percent total body surface area burn (1 day/%TBSA). Our purpose was to evaluate the 1 day/%TBSA burn rule and develop simple accurate formulas to predict LOS. Methods The American Burn Association National Burn Repository (NBR) from 2000 to 2013 was utilized to collate data on patients >18 years. We divided 106,543 records in half, utilizing one set to develop a model (training set) and the other to test the model (test set). We calculated the difference between observed and predicted LOS for all patients, and then examined the effect of inhalation injury and age using a linear regression model containing TBSA, age, inhalation injury and all two-way interactions. We compared predictive performance of the linear regression model to the 1 day/%TBSA rule. Finally, we developed and validated three simple formulas to more accurately predict LOS than the 1 day/% TBSA rule. Results LOS was significantly associated with patient age, TBSA, inhalation injury, and all two-way interactions. For patients Conclusions Traditional LOS estimates of 1 day/%TBSA burn rule is biased, underestimating LOS, particularly for patients >40 years with inhalation injury. The following formulas applied at admission can accurately estimate hospital LOS, improve prediction over 1 day/%TBSA, and provide results comparable to complicated models: I. Patients with inhalation injury: L O S = ( a g e 10 ) + ( 1.5 × T B S A ) . II. Patients without inhalation injury III. Patients without inhalation injury ≥40 years, LOS = ((age/10) − 2) + TBSA.
Associations between alcohol-use and depression symptoms in adolescence: Examining gender differences and pathways over time

Several studies examining alcohol use and depression in youth have focused on documenting prevalence of overlap, or temporal ordering in longitudinal samples. Fewer studies have examined pathways connecting alcohol use and depression over time. This study examined gender differences between depression and alcohol use across adolescence while examining peer and family pathways as possible mediators of effects. Data was collected longitudinally from 593 families from three urban public middle schools in the United States. Participants were recruited in 6th grade and followed through 9th grade. We examined gender differences using a nested model comparison approach. Results indicated the association between depression and alcohol use differs by gender. For males, depression and alcohol use were independent across adolescence, and no significant indirect pathways were observed. For females, bidirectional effects were found between alcohol use and depression, as well as an indirect effect from depression to alcohol use via peer deviance.
Conservation Triage Falls Short Because Conservation Is Not Like Emergency Medicine

Similar to what, I believe, is the style of some of the articles in this special feature - our manuscript has no abstract
Quantum Fluctuations in Linear Systems

The need to observe a system precludes it form being in perfect isolation. Typical physical systems also exist in equilibrium with some thermal environment. Here we provide a unified description of a system in contact with a thermal environment, and a measurement device.
GaN based transformer-less microinverter with coupled inductor interleaved boost and half bridge voltage swing inverter

Due to their plug and play feature, easy installation, and higher power yield under partial shading conditions, microinverters have gained popularity in the roof-top-PV market. This paper explores a converter system for the transfomer-less microinverter with coupled inductor based interleaved boost as the dc-dc stage and half bridge voltage swing (HBVS) inverter as the dc-ac stage. The dc-dc stage is capable of offering high gain with a flexible choice of turns ratio of the coupled inductor but simultaneously maintaining a reduced voltage stress on the main switch. The HBVS inverter has the advantages of reduced capacitor requirement for 120 Hz power decoupling and being half-bridge derived, minimized capacitive-coupled common-mode ground currents. A 300 W GaN based inverter prototype with 30 V nominal dc input and 120 V, 60 Hz nominal ac output and operating at switching frequency of 200/100 kHz has been developed to validate the converter's operation in hardware.
Gold Nano-Structures for Transduction of Biomolecular Interactions into Micrometer Scale Movements

Microfabricated cantilevers, similar to those commonly used in scanning probe microscopies, have recently become increasingly popular as transducers in chemical and biological sensors. Surface stress changes that accompany intermolecular interactions on the cantilever surfaces offer an attractive means to develop new generations of microfabricated sensors and actuators that respond directly to chemical stimuli. In the present study, we demonstrate that interfacial molecular recognition events can be converted into mechanical responses much more efficiently when quasi 3-dimensional interfaces with nano-size features are used. Some of the particularly useful approaches to creating such interfaces are surface immobilization of gold nano-spheres and dealloying of co-evaporated Au:Ag films. Preliminary evaluation of these nanostructured surfaces was performed by measuring mechanical stresses generated by receptor modified nano-structures and smooth gold surfaces in response to gas-phase hydrocarbon compounds. The most efficient chemi-mechanical transduction was achieved when the cantilevers were modified with 50 to 75 nm thick dealloyed gold nanostrutures. Cantilevers of this type were selected for liquid phase experiments. These cantilevers were found to undergo several micron deflections upon adsorption of protein A and biotin-labeled albumin on nanostructured gold surfaces. Additional micrometer scale movements of the cantilevers were observed upon interaction of the surface bound bioreceptors with, respectively, immunoglobulin G and avidin from the aqueous phase.
Culturally appropriate breast health educational intervention program for African-American women.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to provide a culturally specific intervention program for African-American women to alter selected behavioral risk factors, psychosocial responses, and breast self-care variables. Two primary directional hypotheses were tested with an alpha set at 0.05. These hypotheses were: (1) a Culturally Appropriate Breast Educational Intervention Program (CABHEIP) will lower selected behavioral risk factors (high fat intake, inadequate amount of physical activity, inadequate fiber intake) and selected psychosocial responses (perceived stress, negative coping, low self-efficacy, perceived barriers to Breast Self Examination [BSE] and Clinical Breast Examination [CBE]) in African-American women, 20 to 40 years of age, who participate in the program as compared to whose who do not participate; and (2) a CABHEIP will raise compliance with BSE, proficiency of BSE, and perceived benefits of BSE and CBE in African-American women, 20 to 40 years of age, who participate in the program as compared to those who do not participate. A sample of 120 (N = 120) African-American women was randomly assigned to the control and treatment groups (60 women per group; (n = 60 intervention group; n = 60 attention control group). The sample was obtained from a population of African-American women from four southern and three central Mississippi counties. The intervention group, in clusters of 3 to 9 women, received education on breast cancer, breast self-exams, healthy eating, exercise, and stress management; and heard stories from breast cancer survivors. The attention control group, in clusters of 3 to 8 women, received education on poison control in the home environment. Data was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, and repeated measures of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for covariates. Significant differences between groups for BSE proficiency I (p < 0.0001), BSE proficiency II (p = 0.013), and benefit BSE (p = 0.053) were found. Compliance for BSE approached significance between groups (p = 0.053). Significance to nursing is that education can change outcomes in health promotion for breast cancer in African-American women. Further studies with similar interventions and larger sample sizes are needed to determine other avenues to decrease modifiable risk factors for breast cancer in African-American women.
What works and doesn't work with instructional video

Abstract In this commentary, we examine the papers in a special issue on “Developments and Trends in Learning with Instructional Video”. In particular, we focus on basic findings concerning which instructional features improve learning with instructional video (i.e., breaking the lesson into segments paced by the learner; recording from both first- and third-person perspectives) and which features or learner attributes do not (i.e., matching the instructor's gender to the learner's gender; having the instructor's face on the screen; adding practice without feedback; inserting pauses throughout the video; and spatial ability). In addition, we offer recommendations for future work on designing effective video lessons.
The Legal Status of Intersex Persons in the United States

United States citizens typically possess a number of government issued identity documents that contain a sex indicator. These documents may include a federally issued passport, a state issued drivers’ license, and a birth certificate that may be issued by the state, county, or city where the person was born. Each government entity issuing these documents operates independently and is governed by different statutes, rules, and regulations. Therefore, people who are transgender, intersex, or do not identify as either male (M) or female (F) may possess identity documents with inconsistent gender indicators. Although transgender people have challenged legal restrictions on their ability to change an M to an F or an F to an M on their identity documents for decades, people who do not identify as either M or F have only recently challenged the rules limiting the gender indicator to the binary classifications of only M and F. In the past few years, some individuals who identify as neither male nor female sought court orders allowing them to be legally recognized as a sex other than male or female. Many of the challenges have been successful, but court recognition of a non-binary sex marker has not led to abandonment of the binary system by state and federal agencies responsible for issuing and amending identity documents. The current patchwork quilt U.S. system, under which intersex people and people who do not identify within the binary sex classifications may have an M on one official document, an F on another, and an X/I on a third document, will likely remain intact until a court determines that denying someone the right to identify as something other than M or F is unconstitutional. This chapter discusses the legal challenges that people who identify as neither male nor female have brought and examines the legal limitations on the ability to use a court order affirming someone’s gender as non-binary to obtain amended identity documents. It then discusses the constitutional ramifications of denying someone the ability to identify as neither male nor female and concludes that government agencies that deny people the ability to self-identify as a sex other than male or female likely violate the United States Constitution’s equal protection and substantive due process guarantees.
Subpixel Catadioptric Modeling of High Resolution Corneal Reflections

We present a calibration procedure that achieves a sub-pixel accurate model of the catadioptric imaging system defined by two corneal spheres and a camera. First, the eyes’ limbus circles are used to estimate the positions of the corneal spheres. Then, corresponding features in the corneal reflections are detected and used to optimize the corneal spheres’ positions with a RANSAC framework customized to the corneal catadioptric model. The framework relies on a bundle adjustment optimization that minimizes the corneal reflection reprojection error of corresponding features. In our experiments, for images with a total resolution of 5,472 × 3,648, and a limbus resolution of 600 × 600, our calibration procedure achieves an average reprojection error smaller than one pixel, over hundreds of correspondences. We demonstrate the calibration of the catadioptric system in the context of sparse, feature-based, and dense, pixel-based reconstruction of several 3D scenes from corneal reflections.
Age Mosaicism across Multiple Scales in Adult Tissues

Most neurons are not replaced during an animal's lifetime. This nondividing state is characterized by extreme longevity and age-dependent decline of key regulatory proteins. To study the lifespans of cells and proteins in adult tissues, we combined isotope labeling of mice with a hybrid imaging method (MIMS-EM). Using 15N mapping, we show that liver and pancreas are composed of cells with vastly different ages, many as old as the animal. Strikingly, we also found that a subset of fibroblasts and endothelial cells, both known for their replicative potential, are characterized by the absence of cell division during adulthood. In addition, we show that the primary cilia of beta cells and neurons contains different structural regions with vastly different lifespans. Based on these results, we propose that age mosaicism across multiple scales is a fundamental principle of adult tissue, cell, and protein complex organization.
Top-quark double-differential distributions at approximate N 3 LO

I present results for top-quark double-differential distributions in transverse momentum and rapidity. Second- and third-order soft-gluon corrections derived from next-to-next-to-leading-logarithm resummation are added to the complete next-to-leading-order result, and the combination is denoted as approximate ${\mathrm{N}}^{3}\mathrm{LO}$. The corrections are large and they reduce theoretical uncertainties. The theoretical results are in good agreement with recent data from the LHC.
Community development by public wealth accumulation

Abstract This paper presents a dynamic political economy model of community development. The model highlights the role of public wealth accumulation in development. A community’s wealth is the difference between the value of its publicly-owned assets and liabilities. Wealth accumulation arises when residents tax-finance investment in durable public goods or pay down public debt. It stimulates future development because of the fiscal externality created by the collective ownership of community wealth. Moreover, when this development occurs, future residents have an incentive to engage in further accumulation because the cost can be spread over a larger group. In this way, public wealth accumulation can fuel gradual community development.
Stimuli Responsive Shape Memory Microarchitectures

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) respond to heat by generating programmable movement in devices that require substantial deformation and operate at transient temperatures, including stents and embolization coils. To enable their use in small‐scale applications like retinal vasculature stenting, shape transformations must occur in SMPs with complex 3D geometries with nanoscale features. This work describes the synthesis and sculpting of a benzyl methacrylate‐based SMP into 3D structures with <800 nm characteristic critical dimensions via two photon lithography. Dynamic nanomechanical analysis of 8 µm‐diameter cylindrical pillars reveal the initiation of this SMP's glass transition at 60 °C. Shape memory programming of the characterized pillars as well as complex 3D architectures, including flowers with 500 nm thick petals and cubic lattices with 2.5 µm unit cells and overall dimensions of 4.5 µm × 4.5 µm × 10 µm, demonstrate an 86 +/− 4% characteristic shape recovery ratio. These results reveal a pathway toward SMP devices with nanoscale features and arbitrary 3D geometries changing shape in response to temperature.
Mass of the t-Quark

In many grand unified models as well as in many horizontal symmetry schemes fermion mass relations of the form mc/mt/mt,... = mµ/mτ/mL ... = ms/mb/mb, ... are expected. A gauge independent formulation for the effective quark mass based on the momentum substraction scheme is used to compute the naked t-threshold with the result: 2Mt = 51 ± 1 GeV. If the fourth charged lepton is at 30 GeV, the fourth generation quark masses are found to be Mb, ~ 73 ± 3 GeV, Mt, ~ 360 ± 10 GeV.
Accurate simulation of surfaces and interfaces of ten FCC metals and steel using Lennard-Jones potentials

The earlier integration of validated Lennard–Jones (LJ) potentials for 8 fcc metals into materials and biomolecular force fields has advanced multiple research fields, for example, metal–electrolyte interfaces, recognition of biomolecules, colloidal assembly of metal nanostructures, alloys, and catalysis. Here we introduce 12-6 and 9-6 LJ parameters for classical all-atom simulations of 10 further fcc metals (Ac, Ca (α), Ce (γ), Es (β), Fe (γ), Ir, Rh, Sr (α), Th (α), Yb (β)) and stainless steel. The parameters reproduce lattice constants, surface energies, water interfacial energies, and interactions with (bio)organic molecules in 0.1 to 5% agreement with experiment, as well as qualitative mechanical properties under standard conditions. Deviations are reduced up to a factor of one hundred in comparison to earlier Lennard–Jones parameters, embedded atom models, and density functional theory. We also explain a quantitative correlation between atomization energies from experiments and surface energies that supports parameter development. The models are computationally very efficient and applicable to an exponential space of alloys. Compatibility with a wide range of force fields such as the Interface force field (IFF), AMBER, CHARMM, COMPASS, CVFF, DREIDING, OPLS-AA, and PCFF enables reliable simulations of nanostructures up to millions of atoms and microsecond time scales. User-friendly model building and input generation are available in the CHARMM-GUI Nanomaterial Modeler. As a limitation, deviations in mechanical properties vary and are comparable to DFT methods. We discuss the incorporation of reactivity and features of the electronic structure to expand the range of applications and further increase the accuracy.
Pharmacokinetics of ketorolac in juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) after a single intramuscular injection

Ketorolac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug administered as an analgesic in humans. It has analgesic effects comparable to opioids but without adverse effects such as respiratory depression or restrictions because of controlled drug status. We designed this study to examine the potential of ketorolac as an analgesic for sea turtle rehabilitative medicine. Our objective was to determine the pharmacokinetics of a single 0.25 mg/kg intramuscular dose of ketorolac in a population of 16 captive-raised juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). A sparse sampling protocol was utilized, and blood samples were collected for 12 hours after administration of ketorolac. Samples were analyzed with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), and a nonlinear mixed effects model (NLME) was used to determine parameters for the population. With these methods, we identified a long elimination half-life (βT1/2 = 11.867 hr) but a low maximum concentration (CMAX = 0.508 µg/mL) and concentrations were below the level proposed to be therapeutic in humans (EC50 = 0.1-0.3 μg/mL) for most of the collection period. We conclude that ketorolac may not be an appropriate long-term analgesic for use in loggerhead sea turtles at this dose; however, it may have some benefit as a short-term analgesic.
Letter to the Editor: 1H, 15N and 13C resonance assignments for the PTB domain of the signaling protein Shc

Protein-protein interaction via phosphotyrosine is anessential mechanism in cell signal transduction (Paw-son and Nash, 2000). One of the key players inorchestrating cell signaling via tyrosine phosphoryla-tion is the phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain ofthe signaling protein Shc (Kavanaugh and Williams,1994). The PTB domain of Shc binds in a highlyspeciﬁc manner to the cytoplasmic domain of acti-vatedtyrosine-phosphorylatedreceptorsand relaysthesignal to downstream proteins for cellular activitiessuch as cell growth, cell differentiation and apopto-sis. In order to understand the structural basis of theaction of the PTB domain, we have already solveda high resolution solution structure of the Shc PTBdomain complexed to a tyrosine-phosphorylated pep-tide (Zhou et al., 1995). However, the notion thatproteins lack intrinsic globular structure under phys-iological conditions and that the attainment of fullyfolded structure only occurs upon ligand binding israpidly gaining popularity (Dyson and Wright, 2002).It has been argued that such a behavior of proteinsaccounts for their diverse structural and functionalversatility. Giventhat the Shc PTB domainis function-ally promiscuous in its ability to recognize receptorsas diverse as growth factor, antigen, cytokine, andG-protein-coupled and hormone receptors, it is pos-sible that such a mechanism of protein structural andfunctional versatility may also be operative in this im-portant protein module. In an effort to understand theextent to which ligand binding controls the formationof the intrinsic globular fold in the case of the Shc
Chiral Bargmann-Wigner Equations for Spin-1 Massive Fields

The Bargman-Wigner equations are generalized to include chiral symmetry based on the irreps of the Poincare group, and the chirial Bargmann-Wigner equations are derived for spin-1 massive fields. By specifying the chiral basis, the chiral Bargmann-Wigner equations are reduced to the Proca-like equation, which is coupled by chirality to an auxiliary equation for spin-0 massive field. The coupling is a new phenomenon whose physical implications for the Higgs field and dark matter are discussed.
The PumaPaint Project

The PumaPaint Project is an online robot that allows World Wide Web users to create original artwork. This paper describes the PumaPaint Project at two locations: the original site at Wilkes University and the site at Roger Williams University. Each site allows control of a PUMA robot equipped with four paintbrushes, jars of red, green, blue and yellow paint and white paper attached to a vertical easel. A Java™ interface executing within a web browser allows interactive control of the robot. This interface contains two windows showing live camera views of the easel and various controls for connecting to the robot, viewing the task status and controlling the painting task. The original site operated from June 1998 to March 2000 with approximately 25,000 unique-addressed machines downloading the interface to produce about 500 canvases. The new site has been in operation since August 2002. This paper discusses the author's experiences in operating the original site, and the motivation for and the challenges of reviving the site in its current location.
Saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance of spin-labeled muscle fibers. Dependence of myosin head rotational motion on sarcomere length

Abstract We have investigated the orientation and rotational mobility of spin-labeled myosin heads in muscle fibers as a function of the sarcomere length in the absence of ATP. An iodoacetamide spin label was used to label selectively two-thirds of the sulfhydryl-1 groups in glycerinated rabbit psoas muscle. Conventional electron paramagnetic resonance experiments were used to determine the orientation distribution of the probes relative to the fiber axis, and saturation transfer experiments were used to detect sub-millisecond rotational motion. When fibers are at sarcomere length 2.3 μm (full overlap), spin-labeled heads have a high degree of orientational order. The probes are in a single, narrow orientation distribution (full width 15 °), and they exhibit no detectable sub-millisecond rotational motion. When fibers are stretched (sarcomere length increased), either before or after labeling, disorder and microsecond mobility increase greatly, in proportion to the fraction of myosin heads that are no longer in the overlap zone between the thick and thin filaments. Saturation transfer difference spectra show that a fraction of myosin heads equal to the fraction outside the overlap zone have much more rotational mobility than those in fibers at full overlap, and almost as much as in synthetic myosin filaments. The most likely interpretation is that some of the probes, corresponding approximately to the fraction of heads in the overlap zone, remain oriented and immobile, while the rest are highly disordered (angular spread >90 °) and mobile (microsecond rotational motion). Thus, it appears that myosin heads are rigidly immobilized by actin, but they rotate through large angles on the microsecond time-scale when detached from actin, even in the absence of ATP.
Time scaling of cooperative multi-robot trajectories

An algorithm is developed to modify the trajectories of multiple robots in cooperative manipulation. If a given trajectory results in joint torques which exceed the admissible torque range for one or more joints, the trajectory speed is scaled so as to maintain all the torques within the admissible boundary. The trajectory scaling scheme described requires the use of linear programming techniques and is designed to accommodate the internal force constraints and payload distribution strategies. As the multirobot system is usually redundantly actuated, the actuator torques can be found from the quadratic minimization, which has the effect of lowering energy consumption for the trajectory. Several examples are given to show the effectiveness of the multirobot trajectory scaling scheme. >
Differences in exon expression and alternatively spliced genes in blood of multiple sclerosis compared to healthy control subjects

Abstract Using whole genome exon microarrays 120 exons were differentially expressed between medication-free multiple sclerosis (MS) subjects in remission and healthy control subjects (HS) (p |1.2|). These exons differentiated MS from HS using cluster analyses, principal components analyses (PCAs) and cross-validation. In addition, 340 genes (transcripts) were predicted to be alternatively spliced in MS compared to HS. These findings may provide insight into the pathophysiology of MS and potentially provide prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. However, given that multiple comparisons were performed on a very small sample, these preliminary findings require confirmation using a much larger independent cohort.
Comparison and Biomechanical Interpretations of the Vertebrae and Osteoderms of Cacops aspidephorus and Dissorophus multicinctus (Temnospondyli, Dissorophidae)

ABSTRACT New anatomical data are presented for the vertebrae and osteoderms of Dissorophus multicinctus Cope, 1895 and a previously unexamined specimen of Cacops aspidephorus Williston, 1910a from the Early Permian of Texas. The transverse axis of the zygapophyses of vertebrae in Cacops without osteoderms is closer to the horizontal plane than vertebrae with osteoderms. Ontogenetic fusion of internal osteoderms in Cacops to their respective neural spines begins with the anterior vertebrae and proceeds posteriorly. Midventral flanges appear on the external osteoderms after formation of the internal and external series, but prior to fusion of internal osteoderms to vertebrae. The midventral flange initially has a low round shape, but later assumes an adult blade-like morphology. Zygapophyses in Dissorophus are closer to the midline than in Cacops. Their transverse axis is at an angle of approximately 45° to the horizontal plane and the parasagittal axis is approximately 25° to the horizontal plane throughou...
Terrorism and Cultural Theory: The Singularity of 9/11

The essays in this collection seek to interpret the events of September 11, 2001 from the perspective of cultural theory?that is, from the perspective of the anthropological and social forces that motivate human beings and give meaning to their thoughts, actions, and feelings. Addressing the events that shape our world and our worldviews, particularly those possessing a symbolic dimension that cries out for interpretation, explanation, or reckoning, cultural theory brings us back to integrated modes of thought that have by and large been lost with the increased specialization and compartmentalization of the academy and of intellectual life in general. But to call cultural theory //interdisciplinary/, is already to ratify the divisions this concept presupposes, and that cultural theory itself calls into question. Though the contributors to this volume work within various disciplines, their approach is necessarily holistic?because of the very nature of the event, which resonates on many levels (anthropological, social, historical) and in diverse spheres of human activity (religion, politics, the media). In the immediate aftermath of the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, there was indeed, among the Western intelligentsia, a great effort to come to terms with what had happened. For the attacks appeared to have been aimed not just at the United States but at the Western world itself, with New York as its symbolic capital. Transatlantic intellectuals such as Jacques Derrida, Jiirgen Habermas, Noam Chomsky, and Rene Girard gave interviews;1 cultural critics such as Jean Baudrillard and Slavoj Zizek published short, polemical tracts;2 and the journalists and political scientists produced all manner of books on jihadism, Bin Laden, and Al Qaeda. This frenzy of intellectual activity coincided with an upsurge of interest in and fascination with the Arab Muslim world among the general public. Programs in Middle Eastern studies were created or expanded; enrollments in Arabic language courses
Functional characteristics and lysosomal integrity of the isolated perfused cat pancreas

Abstract The isolated cat pancreas perfused with a physiological salt solution plus low molecular-weight dextran functions satisfactorally for at least 2 1 2 hours. Evidence for stability and functional integrity of the preparation included measurements of vascular resistance, arterial and venous pH, PO2, and PCO2, pancreatic juice volumes and trypsin concentrations, and studies of acinar cell ultrastructure. Total specific β-glucuronidase activity of the unstimulated perfused pancreas was comparable to that seen in the intact cat pancreas. However, pancreozymin and secretin decreased the total β-glucuronidase activity of the perfused pancreas. Pancreozymin also increased the release of β-glucuronidase from lysosomal suspensions of liver and pancreas. β-Glucuronidase activity rose in the pancreatic juice, duodenal secretion, perfusate, and the bathing medium of the hormonally stimulated perfused pancreas concomitant with a decreased number of zymogen granules and lysosomes in the acinar cells. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that pancreozymin increases the fragility of pancreatic lysosomes liberating β-glucuronidase into the pancreatic duct, extracellular space, and intravascular compartment. Lysosomal enzymes released into the duct may have an auxiliary digestive function in the duodenum, and the increased extracellular lysosomal enzyme activity may play a role in the pathophysiology of pancreatitis or other pancreatic disease states in which the pancreatic lysosomes become compromised.
In Vivo Dendritic Cell Tracking Using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging and Near-Infrared-Emissive Polymersomes

Noninvasive in vivo cell-tracking techniques are necessary to advance the field of cellular-based therapeutics as well as to elucidate mechanisms governing in vivo cell biology. Fluorescence is commonly used for in vitro and postmortem biomedical studies but has been limited by autofluorescence at the whole-animal level. In this report, we demonstrate the ability of in vivo fluorescent lifetime imaging to remove autofluorescence and thereby enable in vivo dendritic cell tracking in naive mice. Specifically, we track mature dendritic cells (DCs) labeled internally with near-infrared-emissive polymersomes (NIR-DCs). We establish the ability to detect labeled cells in vivo and image NIR-DC trafficking after both intravenous and subcutaneous delivery. In addition, we demonstrate the longitudinal capacity of this method by characterizing NIR-DC migration kinetics in the popliteal lymph node. This work provides a tool to evaluate dendritic-cell-based immunotherapy and generates novel opportunities for in vivo fluorescence imaging.
NIR-spectroscopic investigation of water sorption characteristics of dental resins and composites

A near infrared (NIR) method using the 5200 cm(-1) absorption of water has been employed to examine water absorbed in photopolymerized dental resins and composites in the form of 0.01-cm- to 0.15-cm-thick specimens. The concentration, c [mol L(-1)], of absorbed water in specimens of thickness t [cm] was calculated by means of Beer's law, A = e ct. A is the NIR absorbance and e is the absorptivity of absorbed water. e depends on the environment of the water molecule and it is necessary to estimate e for water in each material. Water sorption was determined gravimetrically and correlated to the absorbance in the NIR spectrum. Once the relationship between e and water content was known for a material, water sorption was determined rapidly on very thin specimens for faster equilibration. Where dissolution of the specimen occurred, the solubility behavior of the specimen was evaluated from a comparison of NIR and gravimetric measurements. The NIR absorptivity, e, of water absorbed in a polymeric medium was found to be inversely related to the degree of hydrophilicity and hydrogen bonding capability of the polymer. The presence of water clusters in a polyethylene oxide methacrylate polymer was inferred from convex-up curvature in the plot of e vs. water content.
Cortical activity differs during nicotine deprivation versus satiation in heavy smokers

Rationale Research suggests that nicotine deprivation among smokers is associated with lesser resting cortical activity (i.e., greater power density in theta and alpha-1 EEG bands and lesser power in beta bands). These changes in cortical activity may be indicative of withdrawal-related cognitive deficits, yet the markers of differences in cortical activity are not well-established.
Cyclosporine reduction causes decreasing of angiotensin II and transforming growth factor-beta expression in chronic allograft nephropathy

Summary Background High cyclosporine (CsA) levels might lead to nephrotoxicity due to increasing angiotensin II (AII) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) production. We hypothesized that a chronic reduction in CsA levels would decrease local renal AII and TGF-β expression and result in improvement of renal function and renal pathological changes in renal transplant recipients. Methods We determined the AII and TGF-β expression by immunohistochemical staining (IHCS) in sequential human renal biopsy specimens in patients with chronic allograft nephropathies (time between biopsies: 15.9 ± 0.8 months) after they had their CsA levels reduced by 50%. Pathological evaluation included percentage expression (%) of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (FIB), vascular sclerosis (VS), transplant glomerulopathy (TG), and vascular hyalinosis (VH). Serum creatinine (CR, mg/dl) and BUN (mg/dl) levels were also investigated. Results Renal pathological score significantly improved with chronic reduction in CsA blood levels (FIB: from 52 to 26%, p p p p p p Conclusion These data indicate that chronic reduction in CsA diminishes production of renal tissue AII and AT1 receptor expression, and results in decreased fibrosis and improvement of renal function in patients with chronic allograft nephropathy.
The Risk of Infection after Nasal Colonization with Staphylococcus Aureus

Abstract Purpose Nasal, axillary, or inguinal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus generally precedes invasive infection. Some studies have found that colonization with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) poses a greater risk of clinical infection than colonization with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA). However, the magnitude of risk is unclear. Methods We undertook a systematic review to provide an overall estimate of the risk of infection following colonization with MRSA compared with colonization by MSSA. Ten observational studies, with a total of 1170 patients, were identified that provided data on both MSSA and MRSA colonization and infection. A random-effects model was used to obtain pooled estimates of the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Results Overall, colonization by MRSA was associated with a 4-fold increase in the risk of infection (odds ratio 4.08, 95% confidence interval, 2.10-7.44). Studies differed in the choice of patient population, severity of illness, and frequency of sampling to detect colonization. Conclusion Further research is needed to identify effective methods for sustained eradication of MRSA carriage to reduce the high risk of subsequent infection.
Treatment Efficacy and Program Evaluation with Juvenile Sexual Abusers: A Critique with Directions for Service Delivery and Research

The actions of juveniles who sexually abuse other children and youth (JSAs) result in significant social and economic costs. Nevertheless, a brief empirical review of studies designed to evaluate the efficacy of treatment for JSAs reveals limited knowledge about this population. Similar conclusions are drawn from a review of effectiveness studies of service delivery in the community in which most of the treatment is conducted. Bringing together treatment-outcome and services research approaches, the authors discuss a number of issues warranting further discussion and investigation. Information is needed regarding the appropriate setting, components, and methods for evaluation of the treatment programs. We then describe a clinical research program initiated in Pittsburgh that will examine service delivery for JSAs and evaluate treatment outcome in a comparison study of treatment provided by the juvenile court with and without adjunct mental health, community-based services. Recommendations for practice, se...
Client-side backprojection of presentation slides into educational video

A significant part of many videos of lectures is presentation slides that occupy much of the field of view. Further, for a student studying the lecture, having the slides sharply displayed is especially important, compared with the speaker, background, and audience. However, even if the original capture supports it, the bandwidth required for real time viewing is substantive, especially in the context of mobile devices. Here we propose reconstructing the video on the client side by backprojecting high resolution slide images into the video stream with the slide area blacked out. The high resolution slide deck can be sent once, and inserted into the video on the client side based on the transformation (a homography) computed in advance. We further introduce the idea that needed homography transformations can be approximated using affine transformations, which allows it to be done using built-in capabilities of HTML 5. We find that it is possible to significantly reduce bandwidth by compressing the modified video, while improving the slide area quality, but leaving the non-slide area roughly the same.
Chronic administration of estradiol produces a triphasic effect on serum concentrations of gonadotropins and messenger ribonucleic acid for gonadotropin subunits, but not on pituitary content of gonadotropins, in ovariectomized ewes.

To determine the acute and chronic effects of estradiol on synthesis and secretion of LH and FSH, ovariectomized ewes were administered estradiol via silasticcapsules for 0 h, 12 h, 1 day, 2 days, 4 days, 8 days, 16 days, or 32 days (n = 5/group). Concentrations of GnRH in the median eminence began to decrease within 12 h and were lower (p < 0.05) than in control ewes from 1 to 4 days after estradiol administration was begun. Serum concentrations of LH were decreased relative to pretreatment control levels from 1 to 10 h, elevated during a preovulatory-like surge from 11 to 22 h, and then decreased and remained below 1 ng/ml for the duration of the experiment. Serum concentrations of FSH followed a pattern similar to those for LH except that the magnitude of change was smaller. Treatment with estradiol initially (12 h) reduced (p < 0.05) quantities of mRNA for a-, LH�-, and FSH(�-subunits, afterwhich the quantities of mRNA for the subunits returned to near or above control levels by Day 2. After 8 days of treatment the amounts of mRNAs for gonadotropin subunits were again less (p <0.05) than those of controls, and they remained suppressed through Day 32.Pituitaryconcentrations of LH and FSFIdecreased (� < 0.05) during the first day of treatment and remained suppressed for the duration of the experimeni Thus, estradiol had a triphasic effect on secretion of gonadotropins and steady-state levels of mENA for the gonadotropin subunits, but not on pituitary content of gonadotropins. That no increase in pituitary content of LH or FSH occurred after the increase in their subunit mRNA5 suggests that the continued high concentration of estradiol may cause a post.transcriptional defect preventing gonadotropin synthesis.