cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction of nitric oxide synthase activity in human astrocytes by interleukin-1β and interferon-γ

Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-lived, diffusible molecule that has a variety of biological activities including vasorelaxation, neurotransmission, and cytotoxicity. In the central nervous system, a constitutive form of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has been localized in a subset of neurons and in endothelial cells. In addition, both constitutive and LPS-inducible NOS has been demonstrated in rat astrocytes and microglia in vitro. In this report, we present evidence for the production of NO, as measured by the production of nitrite, in highly enriched human fetal astrocyte cultures stimulated with IL-1 beta. The production of nitrite paralleled the induction of NADPH diaphorase enzyme activity in the perikarya of the majority of stimulated astrocytes. The IL-1 beta-induced nitrite production by astrocytes was markedly enhanced when cells were co-stimulated with IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha (IFN-gamma > TNF-alpha); LPS had no effect used as a single agent or in combination with other cytokines. NGMMA and NG-nitro-arginine, competitive inhibitors of NOS, diminished the accumulation of nitrite, but calmodulin antagonists (trifluoperazine, W-5 and W-7) had little or no inhibitory effect. Human fetal microglia, in contrast to astrocytes, failed to secrete significant amounts of nitrite in response to various stimuli. The results demonstrate the presence of an inducible form of NOS in human fetal astrocytes; human microglia, in turn, may control astrocyte NO production by providing IL-1 beta as an activating signal.
Tensile retraction measurements. V. The effect of carbon black on the cross‐link density of cured rubber

Tensile retraction measurements have been made on the same SBR filled with 50 phr of 10 different carbon blacks. The slopes and intercepts determined from the plots against λmax were determined in three different elongation ranges. These carbon blacks were chosen to have a variety of different surface areas and structures such that the influence of these features on the slopes and intercepts could be measured. The tensile retraction parameters determined were also evaluated at elevated temperatures and Arrhenius plots were made. The activation energies calculated from these plots showed that the structure and surface area of the carbon blacks had no effect on the process being measured. A series of different molecular weight SBRs were also made by anionic techniques to have 0, 1, and 2 tributyltin end groups. The changes in the constants determined from tensile retraction measurement on these cured filled stocks were explained in terms of the number of loose end groups still present after reaction with the carbon black. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Optical Information and Practice in the Discrimination of 3-D Mirror-Reflected Objects

Two studies of the discrimination of three-dimensional mirror-reflected objects were concerned with the influence of practice and stimulus information for shape, specifically binocular information and perspective transformations. In the first study subjects made 'same-different' responses to successively presented pairs of real objects, under binocular and monocular viewing conditions. In the second study subjects viewed object pairs on a rotating turntable, in five different displays. Neither binocular information nor perspective transformations contributed to isomorph discrimination. In both studies mental rotation and other less well specified strategies were employed. After practice, in contrast to previous reports, five of the six subjects in these studies produced reaction times unrelated to the orientation difference between the objects. These practice effects may reflect either extremely rapid rotation rates, the detection of rotationally invariant features, or the use of multiple strategies.
Nonlinear and interactive effects in the sorption of hydrophobic organic chemicals by sediments

Long-term experiments were done in order to investigate nonlinear isotherms and interactive effects in the sorption of hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) by sediments. In the isotherm experiments, it was demonstrated that the isotherms for all HOCs tested were linear as long as the mass of the sorbed HOC was small by comparison with the mass of organic carbon in the sediments; for larger sorbed HOC concentrations, the isotherms were nonlinear. Sorption experiments also were done with hexachlorobenzene (HCB)-octanol, HCB-ethanol, octanol-ethanol, and HOC-methanol mixtures in water and sediments. Interactive effects were observed and can be described in terms of the partitioning of the primary HOC between the cosolvent, water, and sediments.
CFD simulations of circulating fluidized bed risers, part I: Grid study

Abstract In this work, a detailed grid refinement study was carried out for two well-documented circulating fluidized bed (CFB) systems with the focus on grid convergence of 2D numerical simulations. It is demonstrated that the grid convergence of numerical simulations depends on the flow field variable chosen for verification. For axial pressure gradient, this study shows that no general rule for grid size is available to guarantee the grid-independent results. In addition, the inlet and outlet configuration used in the 2D simulations shows a significant impact on the grid convergence. A 3D grid study is also presented with the intent to probe the differences between 2D and 3D numerical simulations with respect to the grid convergence. For the case considered in this study, the 3D simulation demonstrates better grid convergent behavior than the 2D simulation with comparable grid sizes.
Mucoepidermoid tumor of palate

Abstract A mucoepidermoid tumor of the palate has been described. This tumor, which is of a low grade of malignancy, will probably cause no difficulty if it has been completely removed. If not removed entirely, it may tend to recur locally. These tumors, because of their variable behavior pattern, should be considered as being of either a low or high grade of malignancy.
Reversible fine structural changes in the supraoptic nucleus of the rat following intraventricular administration of colchicine

A single low dose (3.5 micrograms or 7.0 micrograms) of colchicine injected intraventricularly into normally hydrated or dehydrated (7 or 4 days) and, subsequently, rehydrated (3 hours) rats caused a number of characteristic changes within the perikarya of the supraoptic nucleus. The temporary slow-down of axonal transport of neurosecretory granulated vesicles (NGVs) and their continued synthesis led to a perikaryal accumulation of NGVs, and changes in their electron-density are considered to be indicative of their continued maturation. In some neurons, the biosynthetic pathway appears to be interrupted or temporarily impaired as evidenced by the accumulation of material of varying electron-density and of granules within the cisternae of the rough ER. An increased number of varying types of lysosomes and phagolysosomes is indicative for the disposal of NGVs within the perikaryon. Most of them are, however, removed through resumption of axonal transport which leads to the reestablishment of pre-experimental fine structural characteristics within approximately 9 days. In the osmotically stressed groups, the fine structural changes are more pronounced but equally reversible.
Phytotoxicity of Atrazine, S-Metolachlor, and Permethrin to Typha latifolia (Linneaus) Germination and Seedling Growth

Phytotoxicity assessments were performed to compare responses of Typha latifolia (L.) seeds to atrazine (only) and atrazine + S-metolachlor exposure concentrations of 0.03, 0.3, 3, and 30 mg L−1, as well as permethrin exposure concentrations of 0.008, 0.08, 0.8, and 8 mg L−1. All atrazine + S-metolachlor exposures resulted in significantly reduced radicle development (p < 0.001). A stimulatory effect for coleoptile development was noted in the three highest atrazine (only) exposures (p = 0.0030, 0.0181, and 0.0016, respectively). This research provides data concerning the relative sensitivity of T. latifolia seeds to pesticides commonly encountered in agricultural settings, as well as critical understanding and development of using T. latifolia in phytoremediation efforts for pesticide exposures.
Location of trapped charge in aluminum-implanted SiO 2

The position of the centroid of electrons trapped on sites resulting from aluminum implantation into SiO2 is measured by using the photo I-V technique for energies from 15-40 keV, oxide thicknesses from 49-140 nm, and post-implant annealing temperatures from 600-1050°C in N2 for 30 min. The centroid of the trapped electrons is found to be identical to that of the implanted aluminum from SIMS measurements, regardless of annealing temperature from 600 to 1O5O°C, and located closer (by less than 9 nm) to the Al-SiO2 interface than predicted from the Lindhard-Scharff-Schott (LSS) calculations of Gibbons, Johnson, and Mylroie. Comparison of centroids determined from photo I-V and SIMS measurements as a function of SiO2 thickness also implies that the distributions of the ions and negative trapped charge are the same. The trapping behavior of these sites is discussed in the accompanying paper by Young et al.
Novel Anchorage of GluR2/3 to the Postsynaptic Density by the AMPA Receptor–Binding Protein ABP

We report the cloning of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor–binding protein (ABP), a postsynaptic density (PSD) protein related to glutamate receptor–interacting protein (GRIP) with two sets of three PDZ domains, which binds the GluR2/3 AMPA receptor subunits. ABP exhibits widespread CNS expression and is found at the postsynaptic membrane. We show that the protein interactions of the ABP/GRIP family differ from the PSD-95 family, which binds N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. ABP binds to the GluR2/3 C–terminal VKI-COOH motif via class II hydrophobic PDZ interactions, distinct from the class I PSD-95–NMDA receptor interaction. ABP and GRIP also form homo- and heteromultimers through PDZ–PDZ interactions but do not bind PSD-95. We suggest that the ABP/GRIP and PSD-95 families form distinct scaffolds that anchor, respectively, AMPA and NMDA receptors.
Pivotal role of PAI-1 in a murine model of hepatic vein thrombosis

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a common complication of high-dose chemotherapy associated with bone marrow transplantation. While the pathogenesis of VOD is uncertain, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) has emerged as a diagnostic marker and predictor of VOD in humans. In this study, we investigated the role of PAI-1 in a murine model of VOD produced by long-term nitric oxide synthase inhibition using L-NAME. After 6 weeks, wild-type (WT) mice developed extensive fibrinoid hepatic venous thrombi and biochemical evidence of hepatic injury and dysfunction. In contrast, PAI-1–deficient mice were largely protected from the development of hepatic vein thrombosis. Furthermore, WT mice that received tiplaxtinin, an antagonist of PAI-1, were effectively protected from L-NAME–induced thrombosis. Taken together, these data indicate that NO and PAI-1 play pivotal and antagonistic roles in hepatic vein thrombosis and that PAI-1 is a potential target in the prevention and treatment of VOD in humans.
Thermal Gelation Characteristics of Myosin Subfragments

To elucidate the roles of the head and the tail portions of the molecule in the thermal gelation of myosin, the gelation characteristics of heavy meromyosin (HMM) and of light meromyosin (LMM) were investigated. The aggregation process of HMM corresponded to that of myosin alone in the temperature range above 50°C. Both the dynamic viscoelastic behavior and the aggregation process of LMM agreed fairly well with those of myosin alone in the temperature range up to 45 °C. Therefore, the first development of gel elasticity of myosin was attributable mainly to the tail portion of the molecule and the second was to its head portion.
Anomalous Rheological Behavior of Complex Fluids (Nanofluids)

The rheological behavior of various complex fluids was explored in this experimental study. Nanofluids were obtained by mixing nanoparticles with various solvents. The solvents consisted of metal salt eutectics that melt at high temperatures (exceeding 200 °C) depending on the composition of the metal salts in the eutectics. The rheological behaviors of these high temperature solvents were measured as a function of temperature before and after mixing with different types of nanoparticles (chemical composition, size, shape and concentration). These nanofluids exhibited non-Newtonian behavior (shear thinning behavior) while some of the other nanofluids were surprisingly found to have Newtonian behavior. It was observed that high aspect ratio nanoparticles (e.g., stick shaped carbon nanotubes) were more likely to cause shear thinning behavior of the resulting nanofluids.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
When Race Matters: Examining Race-Conscious Education Policy and Practice:

One of the most profound questions plaguing those of us involved in public education is how best to make public schooling successful for all students. Just as important is making school a place where students of color, the ones who most often experience less success in public schools, can not only be successful, but also feel like they belong. A number of scholars have explored effective pedagogical strategies, curricular options, and educational policies as a means of addressing these issues (see for example, Foster, 1991 a, 199 1b; Irvine, 1990; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Sol6rzano, 2001; Tate, 1995). With recent legislation that appears to place the achievement of students of color as a priority and an impending Supreme Court decision (as of the writing of this review) regarding affirmative action policies, it is increasingly more important for scholars to take a critical look at these issues in
Choosing an optimal return rate and a reverse logistics policy from the solution of a constrained LQG problem.

Abstract Demand for final products has grown significantly worldwide, particularly, due to the increase of emerging countries on the consumer market. The big problem is that consumer of energy and use of raw material increase in parallel. Consequently, an unsustainable environmental situation will be observed on the next future as arguing some researchers. In order to mitigate such a situation, the reuse of resources can be an interesting initial solution. However, reuse products or materials require a somewhat treatment or remanufacturing process that together with the collection process can be highly expensive. The paper tries to identify a return rate that leads to a minimum lower cost for running a reverse logistics. A chance-constrained LQG problem is used to provide both an optimal return rate and optimal production policy for returnable products. A fictitious company is used as an example of application.
Vibrational Spectroscopy of the Cl.(H2O)n Anionic Clusters, n = 1-5

The hydrogen-bonded and free OH stretch modes of Cl-(H2O)n (n = 1−5) have been observed by vibrational predissociation spectroscopy in the 2.6−3.2 μm region. Besides demonstrating that all clusters form strong ionic hydrogen bonds, the spectra provide clear evidence of water−water hydrogen-bonding networks in n = 4 and n = 5, with the broad spectrum of n = 5 resembling that of large neutral water clusters. No water−water hydrogen bonding is seen in n = 2 and n = 3, but these clusters appear to be solvated asymmetrically. While the data suggest that Cl- ion is solvated on the surface of water clusters, there are discrepancies between the observed spectra and ab initio predictions. This disagreement may stem from either zero-point motion or high cluster temperature, which tend to disrupt hydrogen bonding among the waters.
Data fusion of IR and marine radar data

Avian monitoring system is developed based on data fusion of thermal/Infrared camera (IR) and marine radar. First data were processed separately using video/image processing and radar signal processing techniques and features of the targets are obtained by each sensor. Data fusion of radar and IR then is implemented to achieve feature vectors of the target. IR camera provides the coordinate information of the targets as well as some features such as flight's straightness index, direction, and target's heat, while the radar provides altitude information (z-coordinates) which is not provided by IR. So the data fusion of the IR and radar provide more detail and reliable information possible of the avian targets and their activity. Data was collected near Lake Erie in Ohio during 2011 spring and fall migration periods. Data analysis was performed in accordance to needs of wildlife biologists.
Seasonal estimates of actual evapo-transpiration from Tamarix ramosissima stands using three-dimensional eddy covariance

Abstract This study addresses the pattern of evapo-transpiration (ET) throughout the growing season for Tamarix ramosissima between regularly flooded and unflooded sites. Spatial and temporal ET patterns along the Middle Rio Grande demonstrated considerable variability. ET at the unflooded site was 61% of ET at the flooded site, totaling 74 and 122 cm year −1 at the unflooded and flooded sites, respectively. The seasonal coefficient of variability was 37% and 38% at the flooded and unflooded sites, respectively. Spatial variability was 39%. Determining ET patterns with respect to the spatial, ecological and temporal setting improves riparian zone ET depletion predictions.
Effect of lithospheric geometry on rift valley relief

[1] Continental and mid-oceanic rifts commonly show a rift valley bounded by normal faults and uplifted shoulders. In this paper we numerically model the evolution of rift valley relief in a notched brittle lithosphere. Results show that the rift valley has a maximum valley relief, which is controlled by the competition between isostasy and lithospheric geometry. If the axial lithosphere is much thinner than the flanking lithosphere, the isostatic force will break outward dipping faults on the axis and stop the deepening of the rift valley. We call this the axial failure mode. On the other hand, if the thickness of axial lithosphere is close to that of the flanks, flexural bending will break new faults on the flanks and stop the valley deepening. We call this the flanking failure mode. Triggering of either mode gives the maximum valley depth, and the selection is controlled by the interplay between isostasy and lithospheric geometry. On the basis of these mechanisms we propose a scaling equation that relates the maximum valley depth to the geometry (flanking thickness, axial thickness, and notch width) and strength (friction angle and cohesion) of the lithosphere. The model explains along-axis variation of valley relief at mid-oceanic ridges by changes of the axial lithosphere thickness.
Deposition and patterning of Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O superconducting thin films

High temperature superconducting Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-0 thin films were sputter deposited from a single composite powder target on SrTiO3 and LaAlO3 substrates, in an rf magnetron sputtering system. The as-deposited thin films were sintered and annealed in an excess Tl partial pressure to obtain superconductivity. The superconducting films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and resistance vs temperature (R vs T) measurements. Fine line features as small as 25 jim were obtained in as-deposited thin films using standard photolithography and wet chemical etching in a weak acid. From the XRD and SEM results, the annealed thin films were found to be highly c-axis oriented, with smooth platelets of 2-10 pm in size. The R vs T measurements showed zero resistance at temepratures as high as 107 K on SrTiO3 and 103 K on LaA1O3.
Increased serum creatine phosphokinase activity in experimental pulmonary embolism

Abstract Recent evidence suggests that serum levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) may rise in patients with pneumonia and pulmonary embolic disease. In the present investigation, experimental pulmonary embolism was produced in conscious dogs by injection of 2 to 5 ml/kg of body weight of whole blood or plasma clots directly into the left main pulmonary artery. Serum CPK was measured spectrophotometrically by Rosalki's method during the control period and serially after induction of pulmonary embolism. In addition, heart rate, pulmonary arterial and aortic pressure and arterial oxygen saturation were monitored. Hemodynamic changes were modest and evanescent. CPK activity increased consistently within 15 minutes of administration of embolic material and reached a maximum of 2 to 3 times control value within 2 to 3 hours. Serum CPK values returned to base line, usually within 24 hours. Production of pulmonary ischemia by occlusion of the left pulmonary artery with a pneumatic cuff resulted in a similar prompt rise in serum levels of CPK activity, whereas CPK measured in the filtrates of clots used was insufficient to account for a detectable elevation in the serum after dilution in the circulating blood volume. The results obtained demonstrate that interruption of pulmonary blood flow by plasma clots, whole blood clots, or mechanical occlusion of the pulmonary artery consistently leads to an elevation of serum levels of CPK during the ensuing 24 hours.
Antiarrhythmic activity of the beta-adrenergic blocking agent 1-isopropylamino-3-(3-tolyloxy)-2-propanol (ICI 45763).

Abstract The antiarrhythmic activity of 1-isopropylamino-3-(3-tolyloxy)-2-propanol (ICI 45763), a new beta-adrenergic blocking agent, was investigated against different types of cardiac arrhythmias in the dog. ICI 45763, in a 0.5 mg. per kilogram dose, effectively blocked the positive chronotropic action of epinephrine and protected the animals against the ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation produced by epinephrine. An average dose of 7.1 mg. per kilogram of ICI 45763 was needed to suppress ventricular tachycardia by toxic doses of ouabain, and this agent was ineffective against the ventricular arrhythmias resulting from two stage coronary artery ligation in doses up to 10 mg. per kilogram. ICI 45763 resembles other beta-adrenergic blocking agents which suppress both adrenergically induced and ouabain-induced arrhythmias and the mechanism of suppression of the two types of arrhythmias appears to be different.
A Thinning Blue Line? Police Independence and the Rule of Law

Shami Chakrabarti is Director of Liberty. Since 2001, she has been heavily involved in the organization's engagement with the ‘War on Terror’ and with the defence and promotion of human rights values in parliament, the courts and wider society. Shami is a barrister by background, a Governor of the London School of Economics, a Visiting Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford and a Master of the Bench of Middle Temple. She has written, spoken and broadcast widely on the importance of the post-war human rights framework as an essential component of democratic society. This article is a reproduction of the Police Foundation John Harris Memorial Lecture she delivered in July 2008. In the article, she examines the role of policing in a democracy, arguing that policing should serve the rule of law and not the interests of the executive.
Energy conservation & management — Role of women

Abstract Mahatma Gandhi said about the Planet Earth that there was sufficient resource to meet everybody's need (in the planet), but not for anybody's greed - nothing could be more appropriate at present in the context of the Global Energy situation. Renewable Energy has now been recognised as the only solution to the problem of sustainable development. Among Asian countries, India would continue to remain one of the major consumers of fossil fuels, because of the fast growth in her economy, since the new economic policies were initiated around 1991. With demand far out-stripping supply, shortages of power in India are growing every year with more and more forest covers getting depleted and women everywhere are being affected, directly or indirectly. Experts have projected that unless the present level of carbon dioxide emissions coming from fossil fuels is reduced to 60% of the present level, there would be a major climatic shift by the middle of 2000 A.D. The Government of India has realised that such a reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions would not be possible unless there is a shift from the present fossil-fuel based economy to a Renewable Energy based economy. The contribution of carbon dioxide emissions from the use of renewable energy is the least compared with those from other fuels, and is of the order of 0.001% per kwh, as against 1.2% per k. wh for coal and 0.6% per k. wh for oil.
Vacuum ultraviolet photon emission stimulated by H2+, N2+, and CO+ collisions with surfaces

Abstract Intravalence and Rydberg-type electronic transitions from excited projectile atoms and ions have been observed in the spectral range 30-200 nm as a result of 3 keV H+2, N+2, and CO+ bombardment of magnesium and graphite surfaces. Population of both types of excited states is consistent with an electron promotion mechanism resulting from close atomic encounters.
Validation of a Short, 3-Item Version of the Subjective Numeracy Scale

Background and Objective. Efficiency in scale design reduces respondent burden. A brief but reliable measure of numeracy may provide a useful research tool eligible for integration into large epidemiological studies or clinical trials. Our goal was to validate a 3-item version of the Subjective Numeracy Scale (SNS-3). Design and Setting. We examined 7 separate cross-sectional data sets: patients in the emergency department (n = 208), clinic (n = 205), and hospital (n = 460; n = 2053) and patients with chronic kidney disease (n = 147), with diabetes (n = 318), and on hemodialysis (n = 143). Measurements: Internal reliability of the SNS-3 was assessed with Cronbach’s α. Criterion validity was determined by nonparametric correlations of the SNS-3 with SNS-8 and other measures of numeracy; construct validity was determined by correlations with measures of health literacy and education. Results: The SNS-3 had good internal reliability (median Cronbach’s α = 0.78) and correlated highly with the full SNS (median...
Subclavian artery dissection during diagnostic cardiac catheterization: the role of conservative management

Dissection of the subclavian artery during routine cardiac catheterization while obtaining cannulation to the left internal mammary artery is an unusual complication and to our knowledge has never been reported. Conservative management of this vascular injury can avoid the sequelae of high-risk surgical repairs made difficult by a complex operative exposure. We describe a case in which dissection of the left subclavian artery was treated conservatively with an excellent outcome.
Determining tangential contact force model parameters for viscoelastic materials (apples) using a rheometer

Abstract A computer model, based on discrete element method (DEM), can simulate damage to fruit during handling. A contact force model is one of the basic ingredients of a DEM model. A rheometer device was used to measure and validate a tangential contact force model for ‘Jonagold’ apples. The Mindlin and Deresiewicz model for torsion was used to simulate quasi-static torsion and extended to include a viscous term in order to simulate dynamic torsion. The measured parameters were the dynamic friction coefficient, the shear modulus and the viscosity of the apples. For model validation purposes, the angular deformation, the torque, the contact surface and the normal force were measured as well. The model describes, in a satisfactory way, the phenomenon of slip-stick at the contact surface of the apples. By adding the viscous term, the model was improved.
Preferential elimination of hydrogen fluoride from fluorohalo compounds

Examples of base-promoted eliminations of hydrogen fluoride in preference to other hydrogen halides from vicinal fluorohalo compounds are quoted, and an explanation of the fairly rare preferential elimination of poorer halogen leaving group is offered.
Computational Approaches to Understanding the Role of Fibroblast-Myocyte Interactions in Cardiac Arrhythmogenesis

The adult heart is composed of a dense network of cardiomyocytes surrounded by nonmyocytes, the most abundant of which are cardiac fibroblasts. Several cardiac diseases, such as myocardial infarction or dilated cardiomyopathy, are associated with an increased density of fibroblasts, that is, fibrosis. Fibroblasts play a significant role in the development of electrical and mechanical dysfunction of the heart; however the underlying mechanisms are only partially understood. One widely studied mechanism suggests that fibroblasts produce excess extracellular matrix, resulting in collagenous septa. These collagenous septa slow propagation, cause zig-zag conduction paths, and decouple cardiomyocytes resulting in a substrate for arrhythmia. Another emerging mechanism suggests that fibroblasts promote arrhythmogenesis through direct electrical interactions with cardiomyocytes via gap junctions. Due to the challenges of investigating fibroblast-myocyte coupling in native cardiac tissue, computational modeling and in vitro experiments have facilitated the investigation into the mechanisms underlying fibroblast-mediated changes in cardiomyocyte action potential morphology, conduction velocity, spontaneous excitability, and vulnerability to reentry. In this paper, we summarize the major findings of the existing computational studies investigating the implications of fibroblast-myocyte interactions in the normal and diseased heart. We then present investigations from our group into the potential role of voltage-dependent gap junctions in fibroblast-myocyte interactions.
Innovative Use of FRP for the Precast Concrete Industry

This paper presents several advancements in the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) materials for the precast concrete industry. Precast concrete members are commonly selected for reasons such as the high level of quality control used in their production, the durability of the finished structure, reduced labor costs and shorter construction schedules, and the economics of scale achieved with mass-production of components. The environmental durability, high strength to weight ratio, and ease of installation of FRP reinforcements an attractive alternative material for the precast industry. This paper presents several advancements in the use of FRP grid as flange reinforcement for precast double-tee members, as a shear transfer mechanism for thermally efficient composite and partially-composite load bearing wall panels, as reinforcement for precast architectural cladding panels. Each of these applications highlights the advantages of using FRP materials to achieve significant enhancement of the structural,...
Prostaglandin Promotion of Osteocyte Gap Junction Function through Transcriptional Regulation of Connexin 43 by Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3/β-Catenin Signaling

Gap junction intercellular communication in osteocytes plays an important role in bone remodeling in response to mechanical loading; however, the responsible molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we show that phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling activated by fluid flow shear stress and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) had a stimulatory effect on both connexin 43 (Cx43) mRNA and protein expression. PGE(2) inactivated glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and promoted nuclear localization and accumulation of beta-catenin. Knockdown of beta-catenin expression resulted in a reduction in Cx43 protein. Furthermore, the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay demonstrated an association of beta-catenin with the Cx43 promoter, suggesting that beta-catenin could regulate Cx43 expression at the level of gene transcription. We have previously reported that PGE(2) activates cyclic AMP (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) signaling and increases Cx43 and gap junctions. Interestingly, the activation of PI3K/Akt appeared to be independent of the activation of PKA, whereas both PI3K/Akt and PKA signaling inactivated GSK-3 and increased beta-catenin translocation. Together, these results suggest that shear stress, through PGE(2) release, activates both PI3K/Akt and cAMP-PKA signaling, which converge through the inactivation of GSK-3, leading to the increase in nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin. beta-Catenin binds to the Cx43 promoter, stimulating Cx43 expression and functional gap junctions between osteocytes.
A 20-MS/s to 40-MS/s Reconfigurable Pipeline ADC Implemented With Parallel OTA Scaling

A reconfigurable 12-b pipeline analog-to-digital converter (ADC) implemented by enabling or disabling MDAC OTAs in parallel is presented. Power scaling is achieved without varying the dc bias conditions of critical analog nodes, reducing design complexity, and allowing an existing design to be rapidly reconfigured for new specifications. The ADC can be designed for optimal power consumption over the entire sampling rate range due to the linear power scaling provided by the parallel OTA approach. The proposed ADC operates over a sampling rate range of 20 MS/s to 40 MS/s with > 62 dB SNDR. The analog power varies linearly from 36 mW at 20 MS/s to 72 mW at 40 MS/s. The ADC was fabricated in 0.18-μm CMOS process and occupies a die area of 1.9 mm2.
The“Broken Heart Syndrome”: Understanding Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

"Broken heart syndrome," or takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a spontaneously reversible form of cardio-myopathy that is often induced by emotional or physical stress. Signs and symptoms include chest pain, dyspnea, electrocardiographic changes, and elevated levels of cardiac biomarkers. Patients often have signs and symptoms of fluid overload and can have acute pulmonary edema. Most patients are postmenopausal women, many with no risk factors for coronary artery disease. The left ventricular abnormality reverses spontaneously in days or weeks.
Relationship between methylome and transcriptome in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims Cirrhosis and liver cancer are potential outcomes of advanced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is not clear what factors determine whether patients will develop advanced or mild NAFLD, limiting noninvasive diagnosis and treatment before clinical sequelae emerge. We investigated whether DNA methylation profiles can distinguish patients with mild disease from those with advanced NAFLD, and how these patterns are functionally related to hepatic gene expression. Methods We collected frozen liver biopsies and clinical data from patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD (56 in the discovery cohort and 34 in the replication cohort). Samples were divided into groups based on histologic severity of fibrosis: F0−1 (mild) and F3−4 (advanced). DNA methylation profiles were determined and coupled with gene expression data from the same biopsies; differential methylation was validated in subsets of the discovery and replication cohorts. We then analyzed interactions between the methylome and transcriptome. Results Clinical features did not differ between patients known to have mild or advanced fibrosis based on biopsy analysis. There were 69,247 differentially methylated CpG sites (76% hypomethylated, 24% hypermethylated) in patients with advanced vs mild NAFLD ( P Conclusions Functionally relevant differences in methylation can distinguish patients with advanced vs mild NAFLD. Altered methylation of genes that regulate processes such as steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and carcinogenesis indicate the role of DNA methylation in progression of NAFLD.
Shorebird Use of Estero Santa Cruz, Sonora, México: Abundance, Diversity and Conservation Implications

Abstract. Ground-based censuses of shorebirds were conducted during the winters of 2000–2008 (even years only) and the springs of 2002–2004 and 2008 at Estero Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico, a 3,622 ha coastal wetland at the Gulf of California between the Colorado River Delta and Bahia Santa Maria and Ensenada Pabellones, Sinaloa. We documented 21 shorebird species using Estero Santa Cruz. Winter species richness averaged 13 (SD = 2, range 11–16 species, N = 8) while the spring species richness averaged eleven (SD = 2, range 8–16 species, N = 15). In all censuses, Calidris spp.—primarily Western Sandpiper (C. mauri)—was the most abundant species group, accounting for up to 92% of daily abundance—varying between 60–91% in winter and 34–92% in spring. The highest winter daily count of calidrids was 3,485 while the spring high count was 7,095. The two highest single day counts were the latest dates censused (10 April 2004, 9 April 2008) suggesting that the peak of spring migration comes later, and thus that peak...
School shootings in the USA: Popular culture as risk, teen marginality, and violence against peers

This article offers a critical appraisal of the widespread argument that violent media content is to blame for deadly school violence. The departing premise of this study is that, because of its reliance on sophisticated technologies, popular culture productions represent manufactured risks. The implications of this approach are three: the 'impact' of popular culture will depend on the social risk positions students occupy within the social mapping of the school; there will be risks associated to the observational shortcomings of popular culture as a self-referent system; and the risks implied in controlling deviance in schools, including policies destined to cope with popular culture's presumed adverse effect on students' behaviors, must be explored. The risk approach allows us to understand school shooting events as the end result of a series of interrelated social, cultural, and political processes. The point at which these factors intersect tends to produce the conditions under which school shooters may emerge. Language: en
Combining digital watermarks and collusion secure fingerprints for customer copy monitoring

Digital watermarking is the enabling technology to prove ownership on copyrighted material, detect originators of illegally made copies, monitor the usage of the copyrighted multimedia data and analyze the spread spectrum of the data over networks and servers. Embedding of unique customer identification as a watermark into data is called fingerprinting to identify illegal copies of documents. Basically, watermarks embedded into multimedia data for enforcing copyrights must uniquely identify the data and must be difficult to remove, even after various media transformation processes. Digital fingerprinting raises the additional problem that we produce different copies for each customer. Attackers can compare several fingerprinted copies to find and destroy the embedded identification string by altering the data in those places where a difference was detected. In our paper we present a technology for combining a collusion-secure fingerprinting scheme based on finite geometries and a watermarking mechanism with special marking points for digital images. The only marking positions the pirates can not detect are those positions which contain the same letter in all the compared documents, called intersection of different fingerprints. The proposed technology for a maximal number d of pirates, puts enough information in the intersection of up to d fingerprints to uniquely identify all the pirates.
Structural dynamics of free amino acids in diffraction.

The amino acid tryptophan exhibits complex structural changes both in the ground state, owing to multiple conformations, and upon excitation, because of the involvement of nonradiative pathways. The first report of structural dynamics using combined ultrafast electron diffraction and laser desorption methods is presented.
Acculturation and Academics: Effects of Acculturation on Reading Achievement Among Mexican-American Students

Numerous studies have been conducted on acculturation. These studies include defining, conceptualizing, operationalizing and measuring acculturation. The emphasis of this body of research, however, has been on the acculturation of adults. The process of acculturation occurs among children and adolescents also. In academic settings, students are expected to acculturate to the school and are expected to perform academically like other students. When students are confronted with literacy demands coupled with the multi-faceted, multi-layered process of acculturation, development of literacy skills will be influenced. It is important to determine whether cultural factors influence reading assessment and skills before evaluating other literacy dimensions. Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acculturation on reading achievement. Twenty-three 7th through 9th grade Latino students in a small rural midwestern town participated in the project. The Acculturation Quick Screen (Collier, 1988) and Franco's (1983) Children's Acculturation Scale were used to assess acculturation to the school environment (the former) and their own culture (the latter). Reading scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) were used as their reading achievement measure. Results of two correlations revealed no significant findings, suggesting that a limited relationship exists between acculturation and reading achievement. Qualitative findings indicated that students could maintain their first culture without significantly affecting reading achievement.
A new type of Bayesian nonparametric control charts for individual measurements

As a screening process, control chart has been widely used in many fields where a monitoring process is required for quality improvement. Most commonly used control charts with data measured on a continuous scale usually assume the underlying process follows a certain parametric distribution, such as normal. As such, the charts might lack in-control robustness and might not be sensitive to an out-of-control state if the underlying process is not as the assumed. To this point, a new type of Bayesian nonparametric control charts is derived upon a recently developed nonparametric prior named the transformed Bernstein polynomial prior (TBPP). This new chart automatically inherits the merits of TBPP and thus can efficiently adjust an initial guess on the underlying process to approach to the true one. Its robustness property makes it suitable to various types of monitoring processes.
Determination of Soil-Structure Interaction Effects for a Model Test Structure Using Parametric System Identification Procedures

Earthquake recordings from a model test structure located at Garner Valley California are used to evaluate inertial soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects. The test structure consists of steel columns and bracings 4.06 m in height supporting a 4 4 0.4 m m m ·· reinforced concrete roof slab. The structure rests on a 4 4 0.5 m m m ·· reinforced concrete foundation with no embedment. Surficial soil conditions consist of organic soil overlying silty sand alluvium with an average shear wave velocity in the upper 15 m of 200m/s. Seismic monitoring is performed with uni-axial (horizontal) accelerometers on the roof and foundation as well as vertical sensors at the corners of the foundation. Parametric system identification procedures are implemented to evaluate fundamental-mode vibration frequencies for a fixed- and flexible-base condition, from which SSI effects can be inferred. Data is available for the structure with and without bracing from two earthquakes. The lengthening of the fixed-base period due to SSI is a period lengthening of 12% and 74% for the braced and unbraced structure, respectively. The corresponding foundation damping levels for these two cases are about 1% and 5%. The different levels of period lengthening and foundation damping for the two structural configurations reflect the strong increase of inertial SSI effects with the ratio of structure-to-soil stiffness, which is naturally greater for the fixed- base configuration. The observed levels of SSI are reasonably well predicted by available theoretical models.
Strain Rate Dependent Behavior of Pure Aluminum and Copper Micro-Wires

In order to shed light on the role that grain boundaries and dislocations play in anelastic relaxation of thin films and small-scale structures, we measured the effective elastic moduli of 99.99% pure Al and Cu 10 m m diameter micro-wires in the as-received (drawn and slight tempered) and annealed states. Moduli were determined using microtensile tests at various strain rates (6.7x10-6s-1, 1.3x10-5s-1, 2.6x10-5s-1, 4.5x10-5s-1, 2.5x10-4s-1, 4.5x10-4s-1). Focused-ion beam scanning electron microscopy was used for imaging grain sizes. Results from the as-received wires are compared with the annealed wires to illustrate the effects of grain size and dislocation density on effective moduli, which closely relates to grain boundary sliding and dislocation motion, respectively. We conclude that microstructure is more significant than scale in inducing anelasticity in small-scale wires and, by extension, thin films.
Structural and dynamic characterization of polymerase κ's minor groove lesion processing reveals how adduct topology impacts fidelity.

DNA lesion bypass polymerases process different lesions with varying fidelities, but the structural, dynamic, and mechanistic origins of this phenomenon remain poorly understood. Human DNA polymerase κ (Polκ), a member of the Y family of lesion bypass polymerases, is specialized to bypass bulky DNA minor groove lesions in a predominantly error-free manner, by housing them in its unique gap. We have investigated the role of the unique Polκ gap and N-clasp structural features in the fidelity of minor groove lesion processing with extensive molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations to pinpoint their functioning in lesion bypass. Here we consider the N2-dG covalent adduct derived from the carcinogenic aromatic amine, 2-acetylaminofluorene (dG-N2-AAF), that is produced via the combustion of kerosene and diesel fuel. Our simulations reveal how the spacious gap directionally accommodates the lesion aromatic ring system as it transits through the stages of incorporation of the predominant correct part...
The Care and Feeding of Monolingual and Bilingual University Students in South Florida: Implications for Assessment and Training:

This paper focuses on predicting academic success among monolingual and bilingual psychology students graduating from an American university in South Florida. Monolingual students were found to be reliably better in receptive vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing fluency than their bilingual peers. Monolingual and bilingual students were equivalent, however, in grammar awareness, phonological awareness, expressive vocabulary, vocabulary density and writing quality. The best predictors of reading comprehension skill among monolingual students were grammar awareness, and both receptive and expressive vocabulary. No measures were reliable predictors of bilingual skill. This paper includes a discussion of the work-related behaviours likely to be influenced by these cognitive skills and promotes the use of multiple indicators of success needed to predict academic and career-related outcomes. Finally, implications for the training and preparation of bilingual, non-native speakers of English, as well as ...