cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Landscape as Driver to Build Regeneration Strategies in Inner Areas. A Critical Literature Review

In the scientific debate and political strategies, solving the gap between core and non-core areas is becoming pivotal for achieving a more balanced territorial development. The emerging issues in current scientific literature regard how to reverse marginalisation trend in inner areas by carrying out approaches able to enhance the territorial capital in an endogenous development perspective. For this purpose, strategies for these areas have to look carefully at their strengths, such as a low pollution rate, a more direct access to natural resources and a rooted local identity. In many of these contexts, landscape is a specific asset that should be enhanced as driver to trigger new development dynamics, to achieve local attractiveness and competitiveness starting from multidimensional values recognised to the landscape.
Considerations on Direct Balancing of Ultra-High Power Ac Arc Furnaces in Uneasy State

The paper presents some observations and opinions for a discussion on a possibility of balancing ultra-high power ac arc furnace directly at the furnace terminals, i.e., on the secondary side of the furnace transformer. The negative effects of the furnace unbalance reveal themselves, first of all, in the furnace transformer. Therefore, balancing the furnace directly on its terminals could be beneficial for the transformer performance and, first of all, for reduction of the energy loss. Some technical issues have to be solved and several theoretical questions need to be clarified for that. Some of them are discussed in this paper.
Persistence of circulating blasts after 1 week of multiagent chemotherapy confers a poor prognosis in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Early response to therapy, typically assessed by bone marrow status, is predictive of outcome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Less is known about the significance of early clearance of blast cells in peripheral blood. We reviewed medical records of all patients with ALL enrolled on St Jude Total Therapy Study XI (February 1984 to September 1988) to determine the presence of blast cells in peripheral blood at diagnosis and after 1 week of intensive induction therapy. Of the 358 patients, 59 lacked evidence of circulating blast cells at diagnosis, and data were unavailable for 2 patients. The prognostic significance of persistent circulating blast cells in the remaining 297 patients was assessed in a multivariate analysis that included known adverse prognostic factors. Persistent circulating leukemic blasts were present at day 8 in 41 patients (14%). Compared with the “blast- negative” group, these patients had a significantly higher frequency of several adverse clinical features (leukocyte count > 50 x 10(9)/L, mediastinal mass, central nervous system leukemia, T-cell phenotype, lack of CD10 expression, and L2 morphology) and a significantly poorer 5-year event-free survival (34% +/- 8% [SE] v 77% +/- 3%, P < .01). By multivariate analysis, blast cell persistence at week 1 was the most significant adverse feature in the overall cohort (relative risk, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.8 to 4.8) and in an analysis limited to B- lineage cases (relative risk, 3.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.9 to 7.1). Patients identified by this simple, noninvasive measure may benefit from early modification of therapy.
Can polyolefin coated nitrogen reduce nitrate leaching and fertilizer requirements for young citrus trees

Nitrogen nutrition of young citrus trees during the initial 2 years after planting was studied in the field on a Candler fine sand using ‘Pineapple’ orange trees on Swingle citrumelo rootstock. Dry soluble fertilizer (DSF) and polyolefin resin coated fertilizer (POCF) sources of N were used in a blend containing all macro- and micronutrients. Tree growth and N concentration in mature spring flush were not affected by reduced application of N. Residual soil N down to the 60cm depth was greater in POCF than in the DSF treatment. Nitrate analysis in the leachate sampled below the rootzone (1.5 m depth) showed elevated concentrations after each application of DSF. This study showed that the frequency and rate of application of N for young citrus trees can be reduced and NO3 leaching can be minimized by using POCF without adversely affecting tree growth.
Oscillating Cup Viscosity Measurements of Aluminum Alloys: A201, A319 and A356

An oscillating cup viscometer was developed to measure the absolute viscosities of molten metals. Previous experiments established the capability of the apparatus to characterize the viscosities of molten nickel-based superalloys. However, modifications to the instrument and its theoretical analysis were required for reliable measurements on molten aluminum alloys, presumably due to their lower densities and lower viscosities. The theoretical literature for the fluid flow inside an oscillating cup is reviewed, and a working equation without any correction factor is developed for the improved viscometer. Some design parameters of the viscometer that directly affect the accuracy of viscosity estimation by using the working equation are discussed. A special vertical furnace was adopted to uniformly heat a longer cylindrical sample (10 mm inner diameter and 120 mm length) with a temperature difference of less than 2°C over the sample length. The measuring procedure was also improved to get more accurate motion parameters. It is estimated that the working equation and improved instrument provide an uncertainty of less than 4%. In addition, applications and experimental data are presented for pure aluminum and three aluminum alloys: A201, A319, and A356.
Toxicology of Inorganic Carcinogens

Abstract Humans are exposed to inorganics (i.e., metals) every day. These exposures can have toxic effects on nearly every organ system and tissue and can play key roles in etiology of several diseases, including cancer. This chapter describes the toxic and carcinogenic effects of the metals or metalloids that are classified as known or probable human carcinogens. The chapter starts with a general introduction to metals and their basic properties. It then describes each metal or metalloid in detail, covering their specific properties, human exposure rates and routes, toxicokinetics (i.e., absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion properties), general toxicity, and their toxic and carcinogenic mechanisms and modes of action.
Static Analysis for Security Vetting of Android Apps

In recent years, Android has become the most popular operating system worldwide for mobile devies, including smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately, the huge success of Android also attracted hackers to develop malicious apps or to exploit vulnerable apps (developed by others) for fun and profit. To guard against malicious apps and vulnerable apps, app vetting is important. Static analysis is a promising vetting technique as it investigates the entire codebase of the app, and it is hard to evade.
Modelled composition of cryogenically produced subglacial brines, Antarctica

Polar subglacial hydrologic systems have garnered much interest since the recognition of Lake Vostok in 1996. In Antarctica, these environments are hydrologically diverse, including isolated lakes of different sizes, river–lake flow-through systems, “swamps” and groundwater (Siegert 2016). The refreezing of subglacial meltwater is also an important process beneath a large portion of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (Bell et al. 2011). As subglacial water refreezes it exsolves salts, potentially leaving behind saline and hypersaline brines. Brines thought to derive from this cryoconcentration process have been observed in the northern polar permafrost regions and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) region of Antarctica. Additionally, sediments in the Victoria Land Basin have diagenetic signatures produced by brine movement dating from 3–11 m.y.a, suggesting hypersaline brines have existed in the McMurdo region since at least this time (Staudigel et al. 2018).
Rank regularized estimation of approximate factor models

Abstract It is known that the common factors in a large panel of data can be consistently estimated by the method of principal components, and principal components can be constructed by iterative least squares regressions. Replacing least squares with ridge regressions turns out to have the effect of removing the contribution of factors associated with small singular values from the common component. The method has been used in the machine learning literature to recover low-rank matrices. We study the procedure from the perspective of estimating an approximate factor model. Under the rank-constraint, the common component is estimated by the space spanned by factors whose singular values exceed a threshold. The desire for minimum rank and parsimony lead to a data-dependent penalty for selecting the number of factors. The new criterion is more conservative than the existing deterministic penalties and is appropriate when the nominal number of factors is inflated by the presence of weak factors or large measurement noise. We provide asymptotic results that can be used to test economic hypotheses.
Logos and Visual Signifiers

I describe logos as visual signs used by corporations in advertising and marketing. I discuss Naomi Klein’s book No Logos and her thesis that corporations sell brands rather than products. This leads to an analysis of Starbuck’s logos and whether they have evolved over the years. I suggest that logos are like icebergs and their meanings are connected to the cultures and subcultures in which people live. This discussion parallels my use of the iceberg metaphor to deal with the human psyche. I use Peirce’s trichotomy of different forms of signs—icon, index, symbol—to discuss logos and consider a number of iconic logos, such as the Michelin Man, Viking Cruises, and the Mercedes Benz three-pointed star. I conclude with a discussion of the use of logos by apps on our smartphones.
Inter/Trans-Disciplinarity as a Platform for Seeking Universal Common Ground: From Speculation to Pragmatism Through Kristina Pulejkova's Wedding Route Art Project

This paper aims to present one specific case study of the inter/trans-disciplinarity and inter/trans-mediality in Macedonian contemporary art – a project of the young Macedonian artist Kristina Pulejkova. The project, titled Wedding Route, is an immersive installation that deals with the overlapping of knowledge gained from the natural sciences and arts, while also questioning politics, ecology, technology. Wedding Route deals with the life cycle and migration of the critically endangered European eel. No matter where they live, once sexually mature, they turn into a silvery color and make their final arduous journey back to Sargasso Sea, driven by their instinct. Lake Ohrid (the largest in Macedonia) is currently being artificially populated with eels, as this animal has been unable to migrate into the lake’s waters since 1962 when the first hydroelectric dam was built. Globally, the European eel population faces rapid declination, and its story is very much that of man-made borders, overfishing and death caused by habitat decline and climate change, hence preventing its millions of years old migration back to the Sargasso Sea. Through an inter and trans-disciplinary approach that combines art, science, and technology, working with moving pictures, sound, and installation, Pulejkova aims to build subjective narratives relying on scientific data and principles. The project and its outcome is a pure example of speculative pragmatism, since through theoretical exploration and artistic visual simulation of the location and the appearance of the act of eel spawning (since scientists have so far only speculated on the occurrence of this mysterious event) she offers a pragmatic discussion on ecology, migration, and politics in general. Article received: December 23, 2019; Article accepted: January 31, 2020; Published online: April 15, 2020; Original scholarly paper How to cite the article : Frangovska, Ana. " Inter/Trans-Disciplinarity as a Platform for Seeking Universal Common Ground: From Speculation to Pragmatism Through Kristina Pulejkova’s Wedding Route Art Project." AM Journal of Art and Media Studies 21 (2020): 147-158. doi: 10.25038/am.v0i21.366
Corporate Financialization and Executive Interlocks

The financialization of US corporations has been well studied over the past decade. These accounts describe the accumulation of financial assets as a ubiquitous trend that touched all corners of or...
Neural network-based blockchain decision scheme

Blockchain is a game-changer for many applications such as storage, consensus, authentication, and many others. Although blockchain’s contribution is undeniable, but it is not always the best solut...
Technology Intelligence Map: Space Tourism

Since the Apollo 11 launch to the moon in 1969, there have been numerous space missions. However, this space travel has always been conducted by NASA alone or NASA in collaboration with the US military and other country’s space agencies. Now, through research and development, private companies like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX are racing to fulfill the dreams of many, by proposing to take civilian customers on space excursions. But space tourism is in its infancy. This chapter looks at seven technologies that are necessary for space tourism to succeed; the vessel, fuel, navigation, health and safety technology, physics, communication systems, orbit control systems, and sensors, examining each through a literature review. Our seven key technologies are then examined using a technology forecasting technique – patent analysis – to reveal their growth curve. Our study shows that the last of the technology necessary to support safe space tourism will not reach maturity for another century.
Is there a problem with modular dual mobility acetabular components in revision total hip arthroplasty at mid-term follow-up?

Aims Modular dual mobility (MDM) acetabular components are often used with the aim of reducing the risk of dislocation in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). There is, however, little informatio...
On Time-Dependent Trip Distance Distribution with For-Hire Vehicle Trips in Chicago:

For transportation system analysis in a new space dimension with respect to individual trips’ remaining distances, vehicle trips demand has two main components: the departure time and the trip dist...
Models and Approximations for Instabilities in Standing-Wave Lasers

Under a variety of conditions, xenon lasers operating at 3.51µm wavelength are observed to produce their output in the form of an infinite train of periodic or chaotic pulses, and similar behavior is observed with other laser types. In the case of xenon lasers, the pulsations are understood to result from a fundamental instability in the semiclassical laser equations, and related effects may be important with other lasers as well. Most instability modeling has been done for unidirectional ring lasers, whereas most experiments in xenon lasers have been performed for standing-wave configurations.2,3Recently a more rigorous Maxwell-Schrodinger semiclassical model was developed for describing the behavior of standing-wave Doppler-broadened lasers.4 That model provides good agreement with experimental time and frequency domain pulsation data and with Lamb dip power curves.5
Miscellaneous Drugs, Materials, Medical Devices and Techniques

Abstract The following chapter reviews publications from July 2013 to December 2014 on clinical toxicity and side effects of miscellaneous drugs, drug formulations, excipients and medical procedures. The report presents a summary of key findings, case reports, epigenetic implications and future trends for these compounds and techniques. Specifically this edition covers aluminum, artificial sweeteners, benzyl alcohol, calcium, catheter, choline, codeine, collagen, clopidogrel, Cremaphor, Vitamin D supplement, disulfiram, fluoride, gelatin, glycine, glycols, hyaluronidase, hydroxyethyl starch, latex, liposomes, menthol, magnesium, Miltefosine, phenols and phthalates, parabens, sclerotherapy, Sevelamer, silicone oil and talc. Special reviews are provided for artificial sweeteners and propylene glycol use in electronic cigarettes. All compounds are presented in alphabetical order.
New candidates for promoting coronary revascularization: the elderly.

To the Editor: In comparing survival between medical therapy and coronary revascularization for elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), Graham et al1 overstated benefits of revascularization according to their own data, as well as to the published literature. In Table 2, several characteristics of the medical therapy group are consistent with higher risk compared with the coronary bypass group, including more women, past congestive heart failure, higher serum creatinine values, and lower ejection fraction (EF). Though differences did not reach statistical significance, probably because of small numbers, their potential confounding effect cannot be discounted. The authors did not explain why patients aged 70 to 79 years were excluded from Table 2. Notably, the survival curves C in Figures 1 and 2 diverge immediately in favor of the surgical group, in contrast to typical early higher mortality of surgical patients, raising the possibility that high-risk patients in the …
Distributed proving in access-control systems

We present a distributed algorithm for assembling a proof that a request satisfies an access-control policy expressed in a formal logic, in the tradition of Lampson et al. (1992). We show analytically that our distributed proof-generation algorithm succeeds in assembling a proof whenever a centralized prover utilizing remote certificate retrieval would do so. In addition, we show empirically that our algorithm outperforms centralized approaches in various measures of performance and usability notably the number of remote requests and the number of user interruptions. We show that when combined with additional optimizations including caching and automatic tactic generation, which we introduce here, our algorithm retains its advantage, while achieving practical performance. Finally, we briefly describe the utilization of these algorithms as the basis for an access-control framework being deployed for use at our institution.
The St. Jude Medical valve: Experience with 1000 cases

We analyzed the long-term results of valve replacement with the St. Jude Medical bileaflet valve (St. Jude Medical, Inc., St. Paul, Minn.) in our first 1000 implantations between 1978 and 1992. A total of 399 patients had mitral valve replacement, 471 aortic valve, and 130 double (mitral and aortic) valve replacement. The average patient age was 64 ± 15 years and the majority of patients (52 %) had concomitant coronary disease. With 4328 patient-years of follow-up, 83% of the mitral group, 76% of the aortic group, and 77% of the double valve group were free of thromboembolism at 10 years after operation, and 87% of the mitral group, 82% of the aortic group, and 85% of the double valve group were free of valve-related hemorrhage. At 10 years, 91 % of the mitral group, 84 % of the aortic group, and 84 % of the double valve group were free of valve-related death. However, overall survival at 10 years was only 42 % ± 4 % for the mitral group, 43 % ± 4 % for the aortic group, and 43% ± 6 % for the double valve group. For all three groups, age was a highly significant factor stratifying survival (p
Heterogeneous Data Querying in a Diagrammatic Information System

We show how Diagrammatic SQL, a query language that can be used to query information represented as diagrams, can be combined with SQL to permit queries on combinations of diagrammatic and symbolic data producing both diagrammatic and symbolic responses.
Effect of Iontophoretic Current and Application Time on Transdermal Delivery of Ketoprofen in Man

Ketoprofen was iontophoretically delivered to human subjects with a current of 2 mA applied for 80 min (160 mA min) and results were compared with a previous study which had used 4 mA applied for 40 min (160 mA min). Resulting serum levels (about 70 ng mL−1) were reduced tenfold in this study while the total ketoprofen and conjugates excreted in urine (about 400 μg) was reduced to one-half. The reasons for this difference could be attributed to changes in skin resistance and its recovery, local hyperaemia, or formation of a skin depot, as a function of the magnitude of current and its duration of application. In-vitro studies with human cadaver skin were also carried out but these-results were not significantly different from our previous study, when the same total (mA min) application was used. Thus, it appears that the use of total exposure (mA min) to represent drug dosage may be inaccurate, contrary to the common practice in physical therapy clinics.
Conscience's De Leeuw Van Vlaanderen (the Lion of Flanders) and Its Adaptation to Film by Claus

In his article "Conscience's De Leeuw van Vlaanderen (The Lion of Flanders) and Its Adaptation to Film by Claus" Gertjan Willems discusses Hugo Claus's 1984 filmic adaptation of Hendrik Conscience's 1838 historical novel, a landmark in the history of the Flemish Movement. Willems's analysis is executed by means of a textual film analysis and archival research. Willems pays special attention to the Flemish-Dutch coproduction's complex relations with the national question. Despite various difficulties concerning Flemish nationalist sensitivities of the project, the producers wanted the film to be as faithful as possible to Conscience's novel. This resulted in an overtly romantic and Flemish nationalist production despite some counterpoints introduced by the controversial and critical director Claus. Although De Leeuw van Vlaanderen was the most expensive production in Belgium's film history, it turned out to be an unprecedented critical and commercial failure.
Geometrically-Aware Interactive Object Manipulation

This paper describes formulation and management of constraints, and a nonlinear optimization algorithm that together enable interactive geometrically aware manipulation of articulated objects. Going beyond purely kinematic or dynamic approaches, our solution method directly employs geometric constraints to ensure non-interpenetration during object manipulation. We present the formulation of the inequality constraints used to ensure nonpenetration, describe how to manage the set of active inequality constraints as objects move, and show how these results are combined with a nonlinear optimization algorithm to achieve interactive geometrically aware object manipulation. Our optimization algorithm handles equality and inequality constraints and does not restrict object topology. It is an efficient iterative algorithm, quadratically convergent, with each iteration bounded by O(nnz(L)), where nnz(L) is the number of non-zeros in L, a Cholesky factor of a sparse matrix.
Radiation of partially ionized atomic hydrogen

A nonlinear collisional-radiative model for determination of production of electrons, positive and negative ions, excited atoms, and spectral and continuum line intensities in stationary partially ionized atomic hydrogen is presented. Transport of radiation is included by coupling the rate equations for production of the electrons, ions, and excited atoms with the radiation escape factors, which are not constant but depend on plasma conditions. It is found that the contribution of the negative ion emission to the total continuum emission can be important. Comparison of the calculated total continuum emission coefficient, including the negative ion emission, is in good agreement with experimental results.
Molecular Imaging of Vascular Inflammation with Nanoparticles

Innovation in molecular imaging is poised to fundamentally advance the field of diagnostic medical imaging related to atherosclerosis. By detecting molecular signatures and cellular processes in vivo, advanced molecular imaging techniques offer a highly sensitive means to diagnose disease perhaps at preclinical stages. In conjunction with advances in imaging capability, materials science, and synthetic chemistry, nanoparticles have emerged as molecular imaging platforms possessing several salient advantages over traditional molecular imaging probes. Nanoparticle-based imaging platforms may be loaded with therapeutic agents, thereby not only improving detection of pathophysiologic changes in vivo but also limiting off-target toxicity associated with conventional medical therapies through targeted drug delivery. Accordingly, this review details the various advantages associated with nanoparticles in general, as well as highlights recent studies with a diverse collection of multimodal and nuclear nanoparticle imaging agents designed to detect atherosclerotic vascular inflammation in vivo.
Conformational effects on tryptophan fluorescence in cyclic hexapeptides

Abstract The peptide bond quenches tryptophan fluorescence by excited-state electron transfer, which probably accounts for most of the variation in fluorescence intensity of peptides and proteins. A series of seven peptides was designed with a single tryptophan, identical amino acid composition, and peptide bond as the only known quenching group. The solution structure and side-chain χ 1 rotamer populations of the peptides were determined by one-dimensional and two-dimensional 1 H-NMR. All peptides have a single backbone conformation. The ϕ -, ψ -angles and χ 1 rotamer populations of tryptophan vary with position in the sequence. The peptides have fluorescence emission maxima of 350–355nm, quantum yields of 0.04–0.24, and triple exponential fluorescence decays with lifetimes of 4.4–6.6, 1.4–3.2, and 0.2–1.0ns at 5°C. Lifetimes were correlated with ground-state conformers in six peptides by assigning the major lifetime component to the major NMR-determined χ 1 rotamer. In five peptides the χ 1 =−60° rotamer of tryptophan has lifetimes of 2.7–5.5ns, depending on local backbone conformation. In one peptide the χ 1 =180° rotamer has a 0.5-ns lifetime. This series of small peptides vividly demonstrates the dominant role of peptide bond quenching in tryptophan fluorescence.
Relation of melanoma homogenate and ascorbate solution electron paramagnetic resonance doublets.

Abstract The electron parameagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) doublet free radical signal observed in S-91 mouse melanoma cleared sucrose homogenates was compared with the doublet signal observed in ascorbate solutions. The two doublets have very similar g -values, hyperfine splitting constants, line widths, and behavior toward a number of chemical and physical agents. After centrifugation adequate to remove mitochondria and melanosomes the signal is observed in the supernatant fluid. The melanoma homogenate EPR doublet is tentatively identified as being due to ascorbyl free radical. Melanoma tissue contains 16–22 mg/100 gm ascorbic acid. Ascorbate does not selectively inhibit the growth of melanoma in vitro . The ascorbyl radical may have biomedical significance.
Response of the Strickland and Fly River confluence to postglacial sea level rise

[1] The sand bed portion of the Fly River system in Papua New Guinea was influenced significantly by postglacial sea level rise, but this response differed along the three main low-gradient branches of the system: the main stem lower Fly River and its two tributary reaches, the middle Fly River and the Strickland River. A numerical model for valley development over ∼1000 to ∼10,000 year timescales is presented that can account for the coupled morphodynamic evolution of the main stem and its two tributaries. It is shown that the underlying theory includes both advective and diffusive terms for morphodynamic evolution, in contrast to other purely diffusive models for valley development. The advective terms arise due to the inclusion of backwater in the theory. The model is applied to the Fly River system over the 20,000 years since glacial low stand of sea level. Results imply that the relatively low sediment supply to the middle Fly River compared with that to the Strickland probably prevented the middle Fly from keeping pace with aggradation along the downstream lower Fly River. The middle Fly may still be responding to this forcing. It appears unlikely that the middle Fly River was incised more than ∼10 m prior to the onset of base level rise. This implies that the low-stand lower Fly River passed through a zone characterized by channel slopes much steeper than the present slope somewhere between the junction with the Strickland River and the low-stand delta.
Phosphorylation of FADD at Serine 194 by CKIα Regulates Its Nonapoptotic Activities

FADD is essential for death receptor (DR)-induced apoptosis. However, it is also critical for cell cycle progression and proliferation, activities that are regulated by phosphorylation of its C-terminal Ser194, which has also been implicated in sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs and in regulating FADD's intracellular localization. We now demonstrate that casein kinase Ialpha (CKIalpha) phosphorylates FADD at Ser194 both in vitro and in vivo. FADD-CKIalpha association regulates the subcellular localization of FADD, and phosphorylated FADD was found to colocalize with CKIalpha on the spindle poles in metaphase. Inhibition of CKIalpha diminished FADD phosphorylation, prevented the ability of Taxol to arrest cells in mitosis, and blocked mitogen-induced proliferation of mouse splenocytes. In contrast, a low level of cycling splenocytes from mice expressing FADD with a mutated phosphorylation site was insensitive to CKI inhibition. These data suggest that phosphorylation of FADD by CKI is a crucial event during mitosis.
Localization of L-glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA in monkey and human retina by in situ hybridization

Immunocytochemical studies with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) antibodies and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies have shown that the primate retina contains GABAergic amacrine, interplexiform, and displaced amacrine cells. In addition, subpopulations of photoreceptors and horizontal cells have also been suggested to be GABAergic in this retina. In the present study, we have used in situ hybridization to localize GABAergic neurons in human and monkey retinas. In situ hybridizations were carried out with 35S-labeled DNA and RNA probes derived from human and cat glutamic acid decarboxylase cDNA clones. In the monkey retina, labeled cells were present in the inner nuclear and ganglion cells layers. The outer nuclear layer or the inner segment layer had only background levels of labeling. In the inner nuclear layer, all labeled somata were located in the vitread-half bordering the inner nuclear layer/inner plexiform layer boundary. These cells constituted approximately 83% of all labeled cells. Labeled cells were also seen in the ganglion cell layer. In the human retina, labeled somata were observed only in the inner nuclear and the ganglion cell layers. In the inner nuclear layer, the majority of labeled cells were located close to the inner nuclear layer/inner plexiform layer boundary although a minor population of labeled somata (approximately 20%) were found deeper in the inner nuclear layer. The distribution of glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA-containing cells we observed is in good agreement with the known location of GABAergic neurons. We, however, did not find glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA in either horizontal cells or photoreceptors in monkey and human retina.
NFAT2 IS AN ESSENTIAL MEDIATOR OF ORTHOPEDIC PARTICLE-INDUCED OSTEOCLASTOGENESIS

Particle-induced periprosthetic osteolysis is the major cause for orthopedic implant failure. This failure is mediated mainly by the action of osteoclasts, the principal cells responsible for bone resorption and osteolysis. Therapeutic interventions to alleviate osteolysis have been focused on understanding and targeting mechanisms of osteoclastogenesis. The nuclear transcription factor NFAT is an essential terminal differentiation factor of osteoclastogenesis. This transcription factor is known to cooperate with c-jun/AP-1 in mediating RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. We have previously determined that RANKL is an essential cytokine mediator of particle-induced osteoclastogenesis, and that PMMA particles activate JNK and c-jun/AP-1 in bone marrow macrophages (osteoclast precursors). In the current study, we investigated the effect of PMMA particles on the NFAT signaling pathway in osteoclast precursor cells. Our findings point out that PMMA particles stimulate nuclear translocation of NFAT2 in wild-type osteoclast precursors, which is associated with increased osteoclastogenesis. More importantly, induction of osteoclastogenesis was selectively blocked in a dose-dependent fashion by the calcineurin inhibitors, Cyclosporine-A and FK506. Further, this activation was also blocked in a time-dependent fashion by the NFAT inhibitor VIVIT. Finally, we provide novel evidence that PMMA particles induce binding of NFAT2 and AP-1 proteins. Thus, our findings demonstrate that activation of the NFAT pathway in conjunction with MAP kinases is essential for basal and PMMA-stimulated osteoclastogenesis.
A non-linear regression analysis program for describing electrophysiological data with multiple functions using Microsoft Excel

The objective of this present study was to demonstrate a method for fitting complex electrophysiological data with multiple functions using the SOLVER add-in of the ubiquitous spreadsheet Microsoft Excel. SOLVER minimizes the difference between the sum of the squares of the data to be fit and the function(s) describing the data using an iterative generalized reduced gradient method. While it is a straightforward procedure to fit data with linear functions, and we have previously demonstrated a method of non-linear regression analysis of experimental data based upon a single function, it is more complex to fit data with multiple functions, usually requiring specialized expensive computer software. In this paper we describe an easily understood program for fitting experimentally acquired data, in this case the stimulus-evoked compound action potential from the mouse optic nerve, with multiple Gaussian functions. The program is flexible and can be applied to describe data with a wide variety of user-input functions.
Variation in the Large-Scale Organization of Gene Expression Levels in the Hippocampus Relates to Stable Epigenetic Variability in Behavior

Background Despite sharing the same genes, identical twins demonstrate substantial variability in behavioral traits and in their risk for disease. Epigenetic factors–DNA and chromatin modifications that affect levels of gene expression without affecting the DNA sequence–are thought to be important in establishing this variability. Epigenetically-mediated differences in the levels of gene expression that are associated with individual variability traditionally are thought to occur only in a gene-specific manner. We challenge this idea by exploring the large-scale organizational patterns of gene expression in an epigenetic model of behavioral variability. Methodology/Findings To study the effects of epigenetic influences on behavioral variability, we examine gene expression in genetically identical mice. Using a novel approach to microarray analysis, we show that variability in the large-scale organization of gene expression levels, rather than differences in the expression levels of specific genes, is associated with individual differences in behavior. Specifically, increased activity in the open field is associated with increased variance of log-transformed measures of gene expression in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in open field activity. Early life experience that increases adult activity in the open field also similarly modifies the variance of gene expression levels. The same association of the variance of gene expression levels with behavioral variability is found with levels of gene expression in the hippocampus of genetically heterogeneous outbred populations of mice, suggesting that variation in the large-scale organization of gene expression levels may also be relevant to phenotypic differences in outbred populations such as humans. We find that the increased variance in gene expression levels is attributable to an increasing separation of several large, log-normally distributed families of gene expression levels. We also show that the presence of these multiple log-normal distributions of gene expression levels is a universal characteristic of gene expression in eurkaryotes. We use data from the MicroArray Quality Control Project (MAQC) to demonstrate that our method is robust and that it reliably detects biological differences in the large-scale organization of gene expression levels. Conclusions Our results contrast with the traditional belief that epigenetic effects on gene expression occur only at the level of specific genes and suggest instead that the large-scale organization of gene expression levels provides important insights into the relationship of gene expression with behavioral variability. Understanding the epigenetic, genetic, and environmental factors that regulate the large-scale organization of gene expression levels, and how changes in this large-scale organization influences brain development and behavior will be a major future challenge in the field of behavioral genomics.
The Owl of Minerva: Constitutional Discourse Before its Conclusion

The rational conception of popular sovereignty that we inherited from the bour geois revolutionary tradition introduces a mute principal. The people would neither speak nor act if it were not for a legal structure that allows for the adoption of general and individual legal acts. For its realisation, popular sovereignty, ration ally understood, presupposes such a legally structured form. It is called a constitu tion. The constitutions legal structure is the product of a constituent power, which can also only be exercised with the aid of legal constructs, such as conventions, constituent assemblies or referenda. It is with the aid of such devices that people have come to adopt constitutions.1 The constituent power is for human practice what the activity of the thinking subject is for experience. Therefore, any constitutional doctrine that aspires to take seriously the distinction between pouvoir constituant and pouvoir constitue formulates an equivalent of transcendental philosophy for the political realm. While the rele vant type of analysis, where knowledge is concerned, is about reconstructing a priori conditions under which something can be validly known,2 constitutional doctrine explores how it is possible that certain acts ?judgements or instances of coercion ? can validly claim to bear the imprint of the people. Nothing minor is at stake here. According to one of the most elementary pre cepts of political modernity, private autonomy is possible only if, and insofar as, it is mediated by public autonomy. Accordingly, one is free only if one can regard oneself as the author of the laws governing ones life. We happen to share our world with others. We need to concede, then, to every other inhabitant of this space the same inherent right of self-legislation. In other words, the realisation of private autonomy ? leading a free life ? presupposes collective self-determination. For its own realisation, such self-determination depends on drawing the line between the constituted and what constitutes. A people need to establish rules according to which they determine, by taking one step after another, what they want collectively. This is not a necessary truth. But it is reasonable to assume that, were it not for this distinction, collective autonomy would materialize only
Exchange transport between various amino acids and alanine in isolated intestinal epithelial cells.

Abstract The characteristics of exchange transport between various amino acids and alanine were investigated in epithelial cells isolated from rat intestine. Cells preloaded with alanine (average intracellular concentration 5.1 mM) showed a 6–36% increase in the uptake of 1 mM neutral amino acids and an 80–102% increase in the uptake of 1 mM basic amino acids as compared to control cells. The magnitude of these increases was at least as great when the studies were performed in a Na + -free medium. Extra-cellular lysine accelerated the movement of alanine out of alanine-preloaded cells but extracellular alanine had no effect on the movement of lysine out of lysine-preloaded cells. The presence of 1 mM alanine in the incubation media inhibited the uptake of 1 mM neutral amino acids by 20–30%, but increased the uptake of 1 mM basic amino acids by 47–81%. These results indicate the presence of two distinct alanine-amino acid exchange transport pathways: (1) a comparatively low level competitive exchange with neutral amino acids mediated by the neutral amino acid transport pathway; (2) a strongly accelerating hetero-exchange with basic amino acids mediated by at least two different transport pathways.
Axonal and transynaptic spread of prions.

Natural transmission of prion diseases depends upon the spread of prions from the nervous system to excretory or secretory tissues, but the mechanism of prion transport in axons and into peripheral tissue is unresolved. Here, we examined the temporal and spatial movement of prions from the brain stem along cranial nerves into skeletal muscle as a model of axonal transport and transynaptic spread. The disease-specific isoform of the prion protein, PrPSc, was observed in nerve fibers of the tongue approximately 2 weeks prior to PrPSc deposition in skeletal muscle. Initially, PrPSc deposits had a small punctate pattern on the edge of muscle cells that colocalized with synaptophysin, a marker for the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), in >50% of the cells. At later time points PrPSc was widely distributed in muscle cells, but <10% of prion-infected cells exhibited PrPSc deposition at the NMJ, suggesting additional prion replication and dissemination within muscle cells. In contrast to the NMJ, PrPSc was not associated with synaptophysin in nerve fibers but was found to colocalize with LAMP-1 and cathepsin D during early stages of axonal spread. We propose that PrPSc-bound endosomes can lead to membrane recycling in which PrPSc is directed to the synapse, where it either moves across the NMJ into the postsynaptic muscle cell or induces PrPSc formation on muscle cells across the NMJ. IMPORTANCE Prion diseases are transmissible and fatal neurodegenerative diseases in which prion dissemination to excretory or secretory tissues is necessary for natural disease transmission. Despite the importance of this pathway, the cellular mechanism of prion transport in axons and into peripheral tissue is unresolved. This study demonstrates anterograde spread of prions within nerve fibers prior to infection of peripheral synapses (i.e., neuromuscular junction) and infection of peripheral tissues (i.e., muscle cells). Within nerve fibers prions were associated with the endosomal-lysosomal pathway prior to entry into muscle cells. Since early prion spread is anterograde and endosome-lysosomal movement within axons is primarily retrograde, these findings suggest that endosome-bound prions may have an alternate fate that directs prions to the peripheral synapse.
Effects of Simulated Clinical Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Cardioplegia on Mass of the Canine Left Ventricle

Abstract Myocardial edema is a well-documented response to ischemia and reperfusion in dogs and can be detected as an increase in left ventricular (LV) mass measured echocardiographically. Investigation in human beings has failed to demonstrate similar increases in LV mass after routine cardiac operations. However, direct comparison of these observations is not possible, because dogs have not been studied under conditions of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and global ischemia that rigorously reproduce those of a clinical operation. Accordingly, clinical CPB and global ischemia were simulated in 8 adult dogs. Multisection two-dimensional echocardiograms and a computerized light pen were used to calculate LV volume and mass. The data were analyzed during four periods: before CPB; CPB before cross-clamping; CPB after cross-clamping, and after CPB. Echocardiographic LV mass increased significantly from 89.5 ± 7.4 gm (before CPB) to 94.6 ± 8.5 gm (CPB before cross-clamping) ( p p p p r = 0.79). Postmortem mass correlated well with late echocardiographic mass ( r = 0.95). Interobserver correlation of 98 separate mass determinations was high ( r = 0.84) with a coefficient of variation of 10.5%. We conclude that canine LV mass increases significantly with CPB and global ischemia maintained within clinical standards and that human beings and dogs may differ in extent of edema during CPB.
Modeling the History of the City

Historical atlases and gazetteers have long proved invaluable to scholars examining phenomena with a space-time dynamic. By leveraging geospatial technologies to link spatial features with archive and library collections, historical atlases can be transformed into digital databases and tools for scholars and the public. “Modeling the History of the City” discusses the concept, methods, intended outcomes, and challenges of an ongoing project at Emory University Libraries in remapping early twentieth-century Atlanta.
Implementation and management of a software lending library

Enrollment at Cornell consists of about 12,000 undergraduate students and 5,000 graduate and professional students. A wide range of disciplines is covered by instruction and research at Cornell and the University competes for students and faculty with the finest academic and research institutions in this country.
Slow photoelectron velocity-map imaging spectroscopy of the Fe3O– and Co3O– anions

We report high-resolution photoelectron spectra of the transition metal suboxide clusters Fe3O(-) and Co3O(-). The combination of slow electron velocity-map imaging and cryogenic cooling yields vibrationally well-resolved spectra, from which we obtain precise values of 1.4408(3) and 1.3951(4) eV for the electron affinities of Fe3O and Co3O. Several vibrational frequencies of the neutral ground state Fe3O and Co3O clusters are assigned for the first time, and a low-lying excited state of Fe3O is observed. The experimental results are compared with density functional electronic structure calculations and Franck-Condon spectral simulations, enabling identification of the structural isomer and electronic states. As has been found in photoelectron spectra of other trimetal oxo species, Fe3O(0/-) and Co3O(0/-) are assigned to a μ2-oxo isomer with planar C(2v) symmetry. We identify the ground states of Fe3O(-) and Co3O(-) as (12)A1 and (9)B2 states, respectively. From these states we observe photodetachment to the (11)B2 ground and (13)A1 excited states of Fe3O, as well as to the (8)A1 ground state of Co3O.
Influence of various additives on the sorption of cesium from strong nitric acid medium on potassium cupric ferrocyanide

The inhibitory action of hydrazinium or amidosulfate ion, whose presence prevented the oxidation of potassium cupric ferrocyanide with nitric acid and thereby kept the distribution coefficient of Cs on the sorbent at very high values in strong nitric acid medium, was eluciated to be due to the removal of nitrous acid present as an impurity. Based on this interpretation, a number of chemicals capable of reacting with nitrous acid were found to be effective as inhibitors besides hydrazinium and amidosulfate ions. A new process for Cs separation was proposed on the basis of the result obtained.