cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signaling, Financial Constraints, and Performance Sensitive Debt

This paper examines how good borrowers use the design of performance sensitive debt contracts to alleviate financial constraints. I show that borrowers use a convex pricing grid (i.e., a contract where the increase in the loan spread following a decline in performance exceeds the decrease in the spread following a performance improvement) to signal their unobservable creditworthiness and receive better bank loan terms. I find that constrained firms that use convex pricing grids receive loans that are 21-28% larger with a spread that is 31-37 basis points lower than observationally similar borrowers that use fixed spread loans. Consistent with the notion that a costly signal should positively correlate with future financial health, I find that constrained borrowers that use a loan with a convex pricing grid are one third less likely to experience financial distress during the term of their loans.
Combined photoemission/in vacuo transport study of the indium tin oxide/copper phthalocyanine/N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(l-naphthyl)-1,1′biphenyl-4,4″diamine molecular organic semiconductor system

Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) was used to study the indium tin oxide/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and CuPc/N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(l-naphthyl)-1,1′biphenyl-1-4,4″diamine interfaces, which are commonly used as an anode/hole injection layer/hole transport layer combination in organic light emitting devices. In order to assess the validity of the transport barriers measured using UPS, in vacuo I–V measurements have been performed on simple devices grown and measured in the same system as the samples studied using UPS. I–V characteristics were modeled using numerical simulations. The parameters used in the simulated curves which best fit the measured I–V characteristics agree quantitatively with the UPS measured barriers.
Empirical valence-force calculations of steroids—I

Abstract Quantitative valence-force calculations (energy minimization by the Westheimer-Allinger-Boyd method) have been carried out on side chain conformers of both 5α-pregnane-3β,20-diols. The calculations allowed full relaxation of all internal coordinates of these steroids (comprising 59 atoms), but the large number of non-bonded interactions had to be reduced by imposing an arbitrary limit of 5 A, bringing the total number of interactions (stretching, bending, torsion, non-bonded, 1,3, Coulomb) below the maximum load (1200) of the computer. Four rotamers of each diol, 20α and 20β, were examined differing with respect to the distribution of the groups about the bonds between C-17 and C-20 and between C-20 and oxygen. The results indicate that non-bonded strain between the side chain and the steroidal nucleus is largely accommodated by distortion of bond angles, but little by twisting of the groups about the C-17, C-20 bond. Two rotamers appear to predominate to a large extent in the conformational equilibrium of the 20β-epimer. Both forms have the hydrogen at C-20 anti to that at C-17 but differ in the OH orientation. In contrast the calculations for the 20α-epimer show that a substantial fraction occurs as an additional rotamer with a gauche distribution of the 17α- and 20-hydrogens. The published proton spin coupling constants agree well with the calculated results. A new interpretation, based on the existence of a conformational equilibrium is, therefore, offered to account for the published NMR data for the 20α-epimer. In addition “conformation instability contributions” of relevant side chain atoms have been calculated.
PET‐CT and the detection of the asymptomatic recurrence or second primary lesions in the treated head and neck cancer patient

Objectives/Hypothesis The role of follow-up and the detection of recurrent or new primary disease in cancer management remains to be defined. Specifically, the effectiveness and impact on survival of imaging studies that detects disease before it is symptomatic or noted on exam is unknown. Study Design Retrospective chart review. Methods A retrospective review was performed on a series of head and neck cancer patients (n = 123), at a single institution from February 18, 2004 to July 9, 2007, who had undergone nonstaging 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computing tomography (FDG PET-CT) scans as an integral part of the patient's follow-up after definitive treatment. Each scan (n = 308) was evaluated by a board-certified nuclear medicine physician, and final scan readings from each patient's medical record were reviewed for this study. Results Of the 123 patients in the study, 24 (20%) were noted to have asymptomatic lesions (either recurrent or new primaries) indicated on PET/CT (8% of surveillance scans) at an average interval of 35.7 weeks posttreatment. Asymptomatic lesions were detected most frequently at distant sites, with 50% being thoracic, but also included were primary (9%), regional (9%), and other distant (32%) sites. At last follow-up of the 24 patients in whom an asymptomatic lesion was detected, 14 patients have died of disease; 10 patients remain alive, four with disease; and one patient had a subsequent recurrence treated and is currently disease-free. Conclusion PET-CT scanning is an effective tool for detecting asymptomatic disease in patients previously treated for head and neck cancer. Unfortunately, even with early detection of recurrent disease, the mortality rate remains high. Level of Evidence 2B. Laryngoscope, 123:2161–2164, 2013
The Social & Mobile Learning Experiences of Students Using Mobile E-Books.

This research was designed to explore the learning experiences of state college students using mobile e-book readers. The purpose of the study was to build a rich description of how students used electronic textbooks delivered on mobile computing devices for college-level, introductory sociology courses at a Southeastern public state college in the United States. This research employed a multiple case study design that thoroughly investigated and documented student experiences with this instructional technology. The bounding frame was comprised of the literature on mobile technology, mobile learning theories, and e-books. Situated within the mobile learning framework was a theoretical lens of learning theories commonly found in the literature on mobile learning (constructivism, social cognitive theory, self-efficacy theory, expectancy x value theory, self-determination theory, and situated cognition). This lens was used to provide insight into the student’s learning experiences. Students were found to be competent with the e-books, confident, metacognitive, and desirous of more social learning opportunities within their e-books. Six major conclusions were reached. These were: (1) students expressed competence in their use of the mobile e-books, (2) students expressed feelings of high self-efficacy when using the mobile e-books, (3) students overall valued the use of the e-book for their learning, (4) students were individualized and metacognitive in their learning with the mobile e-books, (5) students enhanced their learning socially and within situated learning opportunities, and (6) the students and the instructor had divergent views on the value and utility of social, interactive textbooks.
Source identification for groundwater arsenic in the Verde Valley, Central Arizona, USA

Abstract The chemical composition of water samples collected from Montezuma Well and Verde Hot Springs in the Verde Valley of central Arizona, USA, is compared to the chemical composition of groundwater from the Verde Formation to identify the original As source for Verde Valley groundwater. Verde Hot Springs water (As = 719 μg/l, Li = 1040 mg/l, B = 9100 μg/l) is very different chemically from Montezuma Well water (As = 100 μg/l, Li = 180 mg/l, B = 760 μg/l) and Verde Formation groundwater (As = 30 μg/l, Li = 50 mg/l, B = 60 μg/l), being similar in composition to geothermally influenced groundwater. As expected, Verde Formation groundwater shows the chemical characteristics of low-temperature groundwater. Strontium isotope ratios (87/86Sr) were measured by ICP–MS spectrometry. 87/86Sr isotope ratios of 0.700 for Montezuma Well water indicate contact with Precambrian rocks, while Verde Formation groundwater has 87/86Sr ratios greater than 0.720, indicating that this water is from recent sediments. Lithium and boron concentrations were used to estimate the percentage of Montezuma Well water that can be attributed to geothermally influenced groundwater at 10.5%. This is the first evidence that the As in Montezuma Well water and Verde Formation groundwater may have originated in Precambrian rocks, 800–1000 m below the surface.
Systems Analysis and Design for a Successful Distance Education Program Implementation

Many traditional colleges and universities have been forced to embrace distance education as a result of the changing demographics of the student population. Part of the change is the student's access to efficient and relevant information. In turn, they are requiring educational institutions to apply efficient information access to academic programs and courses. The information technology exists for this application providing for computer-based instruction or asynchronous learning networks. These provisions are creating the "virtual campus". Many institutions have overlooked, or are not aware of, the dimensions of this new classroom. The asynchronous environment raises a number of concerns for institutions, the most essential aspect being the support of the distant student. This support raises new challenges in meeting the fundamental requirement of any higher education institution providing skills to students so that they can process information, address its relevance and acquire knowledge. It is essential for institutions to develop a system analysis and design so that distance education can be incorporated into its overall educational system. There have been a number of system models developed to support distance education, however, since each institution has a unique culture and special needs, a unique system designs must be developed that is tailored for the institution. This paper will offer a prototype of a general system model for application.
A study of electric power transmission lines for use on the lunar surface

Analytical models have been developed to study the operating characteristics of electrical transmission lines for use on the lunar surface. Important design considerations for a transmission line operating on the lunar surface are mass, temperature, and efficiency. Transmission line parameters which impact these considerations include voltage, power loss, and waveform. The electrical and thermal models developed are used to calculate transmission line mass, size, and temperature as a function of voltage, geometry, waveform, location, and efficiency. The analyses include AC and DC for above and below ground operation. Geometries studied include a vacuum‐insulated, two‐wire transmission line and a solid‐dielectric insulated, coaxial transmission line. A brief discussion of design considerations and the models developed is followed by results for parameter studies for both DC and AC transmission lines.
Safer Sex Communication and Unsafe Sexual Behavior Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men in California

Our objective was to investigate sexualcommunication and risk-taking behaviors among young menwho have sex with men (MSM). MSM aged 17 to 25 yearswere recruited from four areas throughout California. The construct Safer Sex Communication, assessedthrough principal-components analysis, was defined asperceived efficacy or experience in minimizing the riskof sexual HIV infection through communication with partners. In the 6 months prior to thesurvey, 35.6% of the MSM had participated in unprotectedanal intercourse (UAI). Adjusted logistic regressionanalyses found low Safer Sex Communication to be predictive of UAI. In addition, negativeattitudes toward safe sex, high perceived risk of HIVinfection, 10 or more male sex partners during theprevious 6 months, and use of cocaine in the past 6months were also independently related to UAI. SaferSex Communication skills should be an outcome ofinterventions designed to prevent HIV transmission amongyoung MSM.
Left atrial inflow and outflow obstruction as a complication of retrograde approach for chronic total occlusion: report of a case and literature review of left atrial hematoma after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Retrograde recanalization of a chronic coronary total occlusion has become an increasingly utilized method to increase success from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Retrograde wire passage using a septal collateral is the preferred route as the consequences of vessel perforation are more benign than epicardial collateral perforation which may produce cardiac tamponade. Tamponade risk is thought to be lessened by previous coronary bypass surgery due to adhesions preventing free flow of blood throughout the pericardial space. We report the first case of the retrograde approach producing epicardial collateral perforation resulting in a localized epicardial hematoma, which in turn, produced left atrial (LA) inflow and outflow obstruction, with the former producing localized pulmonary edema and pleural effusion. We review reported cases of LA hematoma as a consequence of the antegrade PCI approach and describe a unified explanation for the development of this phenomenon. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
When External Leverage Fails

The failure of Western leverage to prevent the jailing of Ukraine's former prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, shows that the political costs of compliance make the EU's democratic bargaining ineffective in dealing with authoritarian states.
The Information Value of Observing Monetary Policy Deliberations

This paper considers the information value to private economic agents of immediate full disclosure of the monetary policy authority's deliberations. The analysis assesses the information value of several specific elements of the authority's decision making process under three different cases: explicit optimization under certainty, explicit optimization under uncertainty, and informal decision making. The main result is that, the less formal and structured is the authority's decision making process, the more aspects of its policy deliberations constitute potentially useful information for private economic agents.
The inhibition of both initiation and elongation of adenovirus DNA replication by actinomycin D.

Abstract The effect of actinomycin D on adenovirus DNA replication has been examined both in vivo and in a cell-free extract capable of replication on exogenously added template. In both cases we show that 5 μg/ml of drug cause an inhibition of DNA synthesis of at least 80%. The in vitro results further demonstrate that both DNA chain growth (elongation) and initiation — the addition of the first nucleotide of the DNA chain (dCMP) to the preterminal protein — are inhibited directly by the drug, by not by α-amanitin.
Loss of visual control of the forelimb after interruption of cortical pathways.

Abstract Section of the forebrain commissure in eight rhesus monkeys prevented the visual information in one hemisphere from accurately guiding the ipsilateral forelimb (i.e., the limb controlled by the other hemisphere) on four food retrieval tasks. Contrary to previous studies the visuomotor ataxia included both proximal and distal musculature. The deficit was not limited to a single surgical method of restricting vision to one hemisphere. A second experiment examined how the seeing hemisphere was eventually able to regain control over the ipsilateral limb. Additional surgery that disrupted occipital projections to the frontal and parietal lobes reinstated a long-term ipsilateral mis-reaching. In the absence of the forebrain commissures the visual and motor systems of one side of the brain can apparently regain control of the ipsilateral limb.
Incidence and Pathophysiologic Significance of Infected Carotid Artery Plaque

It is unknown whether an association exists between infectious microorganisms and atherosclerosis. Eighty consecutive patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were studied to detect for bacterial or virus infections in removed-carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Twenty-one patients (25%) were found to have positive cultures for bacteria of the carotid plaques. Three patients (4%) did not have bacterial contamination of controlled cultures of the skin. Of these three patients, two grew diptheroids and one grew staphylococcus. The control cultures of the skin demonstrated that 25 patients (31%) grew diphtheroids and 29 (36%) grew staphylococcus. Five patients grew both organisms. There was no evidence of colonization within the atheromatous plaque material in histologic studies of the three patients that had positive cultures of their plaque. All viral cultures were negative. The positive carotid cultures found were most likely due to contamination from the skin. This study demonstrates the unlikelihood of bacterial or virus infections as either an etiologic or a pathogenetic factor in carotid artery atherogenesis.
Oxidation resistance of pyrolytically grown carbon fibers

Abstract The oxidative behavior of carbon fibers grown by pyrolysis of natural gas (PYROGRAF fibers) has been measured by thermogravimetric analysis and found to be similar to that reported for Endo-Koyama fibers grown by pyrolysis of benzene-hydrogen mixtures. The oxidative test results suggest that PYROGRAF fibers have a greater degree of graphitic order than some polyacrylonitrile and rayon-based fibers.
NEIGHBORHOOD DISORDER, INDIVIDUAL RELIGIOSITY, AND ADOLESCENT USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS: A TEST OF MULTILEVEL HYPOTHESES*

We hypothesize about the relationships among perceived neighborhood disorder, individual religiosity, and adolescent use of illicit drugs, marijuana and hard drugs; and the age-varying effects of religiosity on illicit drug use. Applying hierarchical linear models to analyze the National Youth Survey data, we first find that neighborhood disorder and religiosity have hypothesized effects on illicit drug use independent of social bonding and social learning variables that partly mediate the effects. Second, religiosity buffers the effects of neighborhood disorder on illicit drug use. Third, the effects of religiosity on illicit drug use become stronger throughout adolescence. The implications of the findings are discussed.
In vitro deformation failure analysis of dental amalgams

The in vitro deformation failure behavior of the conventional and the recent high copper dental amalgams is studied under different strain rates. The conventional silver-tin amalgams exhibited significant slow compressive flow at low strain rates, but failed catastrophically at the higher loading rates. On the other hand, amalgams containing highest copper contents showed no compressive flow and failed catastrophically at all the loading rates. The slow compressive flow in the conventional dental amalgams indicate that dislocations may play an important role in the deformation process of the amalgams at the lower strain rates.
Inactivation of the Wwox Gene Accelerates Forestomach Tumor Progression In vivo

The WWOX gene encodes a tumor suppressor spanning the second most common human fragile site, FRA16D . Targeted deletion of the Wwox gene in mice led to an increased incidence of spontaneous and ethyl nitrosourea–induced tumors. In humans, loss of heterozygosity and reduced or loss of WWOX expression has been reported in esophageal squamous cell cancers (SCC). In the present study, we examined whether inactivation of the Wwox gene might lead to enhanced esophageal/forestomach tumorigenesis induced by N -nitrosomethylbenzylamine. Wwox +/− and Wwox +/+ mice were treated with six intragastric doses of N -nitrosomethylbenzylamine and observed for 15 subsequent weeks. Ninety-six percent (25 of 26) of Wwox +/− mice versus 29% (10 of 34) of Wwox +/+ mice developed forestomach tumors ( P = 1.3 × 10−7). The number of tumors per forestomach was significantly greater in Wwox +/− than in Wwox +/+ mice (3.2 ± 0.34 versus 0.47 ± 0.17; P < 0.0001). In addition, 27% of Wwox +/− mice had invasive SCC in the forestomach, as compared with 0% of wild-type controls ( P = 0.002). Intriguingly, forestomachs from Wwox +/− mice displayed moderately strong Wwox protein staining in the near-normal epithelium, but weak and diffuse staining in SCC in the same tissue section, a result suggesting that Wwox was haploinsufficient for the initiation of tumor development. Our findings provide the first in vivo evidence of the tumor suppressor function of WWOX in forestomach/esophageal carcinogenesis and suggest that inactivation of one allele of WWOX accelerates the predisposition of normal cells to malignant transformation. [Cancer Res 2007;67(12):5606– 10]
Using climate/weather data with the NLEAP model to manage soil nitrogen

Abstract Local climate/weather conditions can have profound effects on soil fertility management and leaching of nitrates. The application of simulation models together with appropriate climate and soil databases provides a mechanism to evaluate current and alternative management options and identify techniques that will minimize nitrate leaching. The Nitrate Leaching and Economic Analysis Package (NLEAP) model and databases were applied in the form of sensitivity analyses to rainfed climate conditions found in the midwest and to irrigated agriculture in the semiarid Great Plains. Model results supported with field validation data illustrate the importance of local climate/weather patterns on nitrogen management and nitrate leaching amounts and distributions. Site-specific management strategies appear to be necessary for optimal fertility management and control of nitrate leaching. Results obtained from short term transient and long term steady state runs with the NLEAP model illustrate how the model can be used in conjunction with appropriate climate databases as an aid to management decisions regarding control of nitrate nitrogen leaching.
Influence of male-related stimuli on female postejaculatory refractory period in rats

Female rats "pace" their sexual contacts with the male when tested in situations where they can escape from the male during copulation. The type and quality of vaginocervical stimulation that the females receive during copulation influences their pacing behavior. This study investigated the effect of several male-related stimuli on the female's postejaculatory refractory period (PER). Females were tested in a two-compartment test chamber from which they could escape the male through one of four openings along the bottom of the barrier separating the two compartments. Experiment 1 examined the influence of the seminal plug, the penile cup, and prostate secretions on the female's PER. Results showed that neither the seminal plug, the penile cup, nor prostate secretions contributed to the female's PER. Experiment 2 investigated the relation of pre-ejaculatory intromission frequency, ejaculation duration, and the number of pelvic thrusts during ejaculation to the female's PER. Results indicated that pre-ejaculatory intromission frequency and ejaculation duration but not the number of pelvic thrusts during ejaculation were significantly correlated with the female's PER. In addition, pre-ejaculatory intromission frequency was significantly correlated with ejaculation duration. Partial correlation analysis suggested that pre-ejaculatory intromission frequency affected ejaculation duration which, in turn, influenced the female's PER. This finding was further supported by the evidence that ejaculation duration and the female's PER were significantly shorter in tests in which the male ejaculated on the first or second intromission.
A Psychometric Re-Evaluation of the Design, Engineering and Technology (DET) Survey

Background Instrument development is an iterative process that requires continuous efforts to ensure the psychometric soundness of the assessment tools. Previous research has provided validity evidence for the design, engineering, and technology (DET) survey in assessing K-12 teachers' familiarity with and perceptions of engineering. Purpose (Hypothesis) The purpose of this study was to re-examine the psychometric soundness of the DET survey with a new data set collected from elementary teachers representing a national population. In addition, details regarding how to appropriately conduct confirmatory (CFA) and exploratory (EFA) factor analyses and item analysis were presented. Design/Mscethod The DET survey was administered to 405 elementary teachers (second through sixth grades) between 2006 and 2010. First, a CFA was conducted to test the factor structure based on a theoretical model. Second, an EFA was used to explore and refine the factor structure. Finally, item analysis was used to evaluate individual item performance and estimate internal reliability. Results While the CFA conducted using the new sample reported unsatisfactory fit indices to the previous DET model, the EFA proposed a refined four-factor solution explaining 74% of the total variance. The item analysis revealed problems with several items that possibly contributed to the CFA results. Conclusions The DET is a useful instrument with sufficient reliability and moderate validity evidence. However, we recommend revisions of its scale and several items. We also recommend future research with middle and high school teachers as well as with teachers in different cultural contexts and countries.
Two-dimensional electronic-speckle-pattern interferometry and concrete-fracture processes

Electronic-speckle-pattern interferometry (ESPI) is an optical nondestructive testing technique. A two-dimensional in-plane displacement sensitive interferometer was designed to observe progressive development of microcracking of carbon-fiber-reinforced concrete specimens subjected to tension. By using the two-dimensional ESPI system, the fracture processes, crack initiation and crack propagation of concrete specimens were monitored qualitatively and in real time. The displacement and strain fields were analyzed quantitatively by using digital image processing techniques.
Synergistic Response between Thymus and Lymph Node Cells in the Mixed Lymphocyte Culture

IN rodents the mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) reaction probably represents an in vitro model of the graft versus host (GvH) response1. Thymus-dependent lymphoid cells (T cells) are thought to be responsible for both reactions2,3. Cantor and Asofsky4,5 presented evidence for the synergistic interaction of two thymus-dependent lymphocyte populations in the GvH response. In their studies one cell type (amplifier cells or T2 cells) was obtained from the peripheral circulation, the other type (precursor cell or T1 cell) was found in greatest concentration in the thymus and spleen. A mixture of thymocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes produced a GvH reaction significantly greater than was expected from summation of the separate reactivities of the components of the mixture. This ‘synergy’ occurred only when both cell populations had been obtained from donors allogeneic to the host4.
Macro‐Micro Linkages and Structural Transformation: The Move from Full‐Time to Part‐Time Farming in a North Florida Agricultural Community

Recent research has focused on the effects of macro-level structural forces on local cultures and agricultural systems of production. While indigenous systems can be dramatically altered by these forces, local institutions can also try to adopt strategies for survival. In this article I focus on how the shade tobacco farmers of North Florida adapted to the market collapse of their major money crop. In order to remain in agriculture, farmers who were established in a full-time farming tradition had to consider strategies that included part-time farming and off-farm work. The part-time farmers are compared to those who have tried to remain full time to find how successful the adjustment process has been.
THE TIME COMPLEXITY OF SCHEDULING INTERVAL ORDERS WITH COMMUNICATION IS POLYNOMIAL

Papadimitrjou and Yannakakis showed that unit execution time tasks in interval orders can be scheduled in linear time on N processors when communication cost is ignored. The objective function was to minimize the schedule length. They have also shown that the generalization of this problem to arbitrary execution times is NP-complete. In this paper, we study the problem of scheduling task graphs with communication on N processors when the task graph is an interval order. We prove that this scheduling problem can be solved in polynomial time when the execution cost of the system tasks is identical and equal to the communication cost between any pair of processors. We introduce an algorithm of O(Ne) to minimize the schedule length, where e is the number of arcs in the interval order.
Labour and the Land: From Municipalization to the Land Commission, 1951–1971

This article examines the Labour Party's changing commitment to land reform in the 1950s and 1960s, a commitment that featured more prominently in the party's plans than historians have realized. In the 1950s Labour promised to ‘municipalize’ all rent-controlled dwellings, some six million houses and flats. After municipalization proved electorally unattractive in 1959 Labour turned to the idea of a Land Commission to purchase all commercially developable land at 30 per cent more than its ‘use value’. That land would then be leased to developers, thus realizing most of the ‘unearned increment’ for the state. Labour's promise to use the Land Commission to control land speculation and end rising prices in land contributed to Harold Wilson's victory in 1964, although in the event the Land Commission failed to realize its promise. In addition to adding a neglected dimension to the history of the Labour Party in these decades, this article argues that the issue of land reform shows the continued radicalism of the Labour Party, the continued strength of the ethical tradition in its socialism, and the continued hold on its members of a vision for social transformation.
NMR techniques for characterization of ligand binding: utility for lead generation and optimization in drug discovery.

Over the last ten years, nmr spectroscopy has evolved into an important discipline in drug discovery. Initially, nmr was most useful as a technique to provide structural information regarding protein drug targets and target-ligand interactions. More recently, it has been shown that nmr may be used as an alternative method for identification of small molecule ligands that bind to protein drug targets. High throughput implementation of these experiments to screen small molecule libraries may lead to identification of potent and novel lead compounds. In this review, we will use examples from our own research to illustrate how nmr experiments to characterize ligand binding may be used to both screen for novel compounds during the process of lead generation, as well as provide structural information useful for lead optimization during the latter stages of a discovery program.
Localization of β2-adrenoceptor messenger RNA in human and rat lung using in situ hybridization: correlation with receptor autoradiography

We have used in situ hybridization to study the localization of mRNA encoding the beta 2-adrenoceptor in tissue sections of the human and rat lung and compared this with the distribution of beta 2-receptor binding sites using receptor autoradiography. To localize beta 2-receptor mRNA, a [32P]labeled antisense RNA probe (riboprobe) was generated from human or rat beta 2-receptor cDNA. A similar distribution of beta 2-receptor mRNA was identified in both species. The highest intensity of beta 2-receptor mRNA was detected in smooth muscle of small airways, airway epithelium and pulmonary blood vessels. Lower intensity of beta 2-receptor mRNA was identified in smooth muscle of large airways, and alveolar epithelium (presumably type I and type II pneumocytes). No significant hybridization signal was detected in interstitial tissue. The specificity of the hybridization signal was confirmed with a sense probe (having identical sequence to the mRNA) and preincubation with RNase A, and by Northern blot analysis which revealed a single band of mRNA of 2.2 kb. There was a correspondence between mRNA localization and the distribution of beta 2-receptors visualized by [125I]iodocyanopindolol autoradiographically in the presence of CGP 20712 (a beta 1-selective antagonist). However, alveolar walls that showed a high beta 2-receptor density had relatively low levels of mRNA. This cellular heterogeneity may reflect differences in RNA stability or transcription rate in different lung cells. This approach opens up new options in the investigation of the regulation of pulmonary beta 2-receptor gene expression in health and disease.
New RNA polymerase from Bacillus subtilis infected with phage PBS2.

Bacillus subtilis infected with bacteriophage PBS2 contains a new rifampicin-resistant RNA polymerase that is apparently composed of four different polypeptides.
W weak multipole moments in electroweak mixing and composite models

The form of the WWZ vertex, i.e., the W weak multipole moments, is examined in composite-model versions of electroweak mixing models. The weak charge e/sub Z/ and weak-magnetic-moment parameter kappa/sub Z/ can vary by as much as 40% from their standard-model values. The differential cross section for ff-bar..-->..W/sup +/W/sup -/ is generalized to include the effects of arbitrary and independent W electromagnetic and weak moments.
Memory span: Effects of symbol orientation

Memory span for symbol strings was tested in a repeated measures design. Strings were nine symbols in length, with varying compositions (two to nine different symbols per string). Condition C had symbols in constant conventional orientation, Condition A, in constant altered orientation, and Condition V, variably in all 90-deg orientations. Memory span decreased as number of different symbols composing strings increased. Errors in recall showed that perceptual overlap of symbol features accounted for confusion. When symbols were rotated (V), confusions became within-symbol rather than between-symbol; if orientation was ignored in V and identity and position became the criteria for correctness, errors decreased even though symbols increased, and errors were due less systematically to perceptual mechanisms. Rotation disrupted between-symbol chunking.
Estrogen decreases atherosclerosis in part by reducing hepatic acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT2) in monkeys.

Objective— Estrogens decrease atherosclerosis progression, mediated in part through changes in plasma lipids and lipoproteins. This study aimed to determine estrogen-induced changes in hepatic cholesterol metabolism, plasma lipoproteins, and the relationship of these changes to atherosclerosis extent. Methods and Results— Ovariectomized monkeys (n=34) consumed atherogenic diets for 30 months which contained either no hormones (control, n=17) or conjugated equine estrogens (CEE, n=17) at a human dose equivalent of 0.625 mg/d. Hepatic cholesterol content, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase and acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity, and expression levels were determined. CEE treatment resulted in lower plasma concentrations of very-low- and intermediate- density lipoprotein cholesterol (V+IDLC; P =0.01), smaller LDL particles ( P =0.002), and 50% lower hepatic cholesterol content (total, free, and esterified; P P =0.01), explained primarily by reductions in the activity of ACAT2. Estrogen regulation of enzymatic activity was at the protein level as both ACAT1 and 2 protein, but not mRNA levels, were lower ( P =0.02 and Conclusions— Atheroprotective effects of estrogen therapy may be related to reduced hepatic secretion of ACAT2-derived cholesteryl esters in plasma lipoproteins.
An error-correction model for forecasting changes in foreign currency futures spreads

The foreign currency futures pricing model of Amin and Jarrow (1991) is used to develop a model that predicts the primary determinants of foreign currency futures spreads. Our data set consists of daily observations of futures prices, spot exchange rates, and Eurocurrency LIBOR for the British pound and Japanese yen from January 2, 1990 to December 31, 2004. Using a 5-year moving window methodology, we find repeated evidence of cointegration between the futures spread, spot exchange rates, and interest rates over ten different estimation periods. An errorcorrection model is used to develop a trading strategy that generates significant out-of-sample profits.
Troponin I levels in a hemolytic uremic syndrome patient with severe cardiac failure

Troponins are highly sensitive and specific biochemical markers of myocardial injury that are released into the circulation during myocardial ischemia. We describe changes in cardiac troponin I (cTnI) prior to and following clinical evidence of severe myocardial dysfunction in a child with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). A previously healthy, 22-month-old girl presented with typical HUS and stool cultures positive for Escherichia coli O157:H7. She required dialysis, blood and platelet transfusions, and insulin for HUS-related diabetes mellitus. On the 6th hospital day she had sudden circulatory collapse with a blood pressure of 70/40 mmHg and an oxygen saturation of 88%. She responded rapidly to emergency resuscitation but had diminished left ventricular function (ejection fraction 18%). Four days after the acute event an echocardiogram showed normal ventricular size and contractility. She underwent hemodialysis for 22 days, and renal function was normal after 33 days. cTnI levels were measured with a microparticle enzyme immunoassay. cTnI was normal (>0.4 μg/l) 32 h prior to cardiac collapse, mildly increased (2.1 μg/l) 8 h before the cardiac collapse, severely elevated shortly after the cardiac event (43.1 μg/l), and peaked (140.6 μg/l) at 24 h. It then fell gradually and was normal at discharge. These results suggest that measurement of cTnI may be a useful predictor of cardiac involvement in severely affected children with HUS.
Issues concerning the development of a mobile platform for health care applications

There are a number of problems that must yet be overcome before robotic technology can be applied in a hospital or a home care setting. The four basic problems are: cost, safety, finding appropriate applications and developing application specific solutions. Advanced robotics technology is now costly because of the complexity associated with autonomous systems. In any application, it is most important that the safety of the individuals using or exposed to the vehicle is ensured. Often in the health care field, innovative and useful new devices require an inordinate amount of time before they are accepted. The technical and ergonomic problems associated with any application must be solved so that cost containment, safety, ease of use, and quality of life are ensured. This paper discusses these issues in relation to our own development of an autonomous vehicle for health care applications. In this advancement, a commercially available platform is being equipped with an on-board, multiprocessor computer system and a variety of sensor systems. In order to develop pertinent solutions to the technical problems, there must be a framework wherein there is a focus upon the practical issues associated with the end application.
Filtering Reveals Form in Temporally Structured Displays

In their report, Lee and Blake ([1][1]) asked whether the visual system could use temporal microstructure to bind image regions into unified objects, as has been proposed in some neural models ([2][2]). Lee and Blake presented two regions of dynamic texture. The elements of the target region changed
Inhibition of Nuclear Factor-κB Ameliorates Bowel Injury and Prolongs Survival in a Neonatal Rat Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Inhibition of Nuclear Factor-κB Ameliorates Bowel Injury and Prolongs Survival in a Neonatal Rat Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Enhanced neointima formation following arterial injury in immune deficient Rag-1-/- mice is attenuated by adoptive transfer of CD8 T cells.

T cells modulate neointima formation after arterial injury but the specific T cell population that is activated in response to arterial injury remains unknown. The objective of the study was to identify the T cell populations that are activated and modulate neointimal thickening after arterial injury in mice. Arterial injury in wild type C57Bl6 mice resulted in T cell activation characterized by increased CD4+CD44hi and CD8+CD44hi T cells in the lymph nodes and spleens. Splenic CD8+CD25+ T cells and CD8+CD28+ T cells, but not CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD28+ T cells, were also significantly increased. Adoptive cell transfer of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells from donor CD8−/− or CD4−/− mice, respectively, to immune-deficient Rag-1−/− mice was performed to determine the T cell subtype that inhibits neointima formation after arterial injury. Rag-1−/− mice that received CD8+ T cells had significantly reduced neointima formation compared with Rag-1−/− mice without cell transfer. CD4+ T cell transfer did not reduce neointima formation. CD8+ T cells from CD4−/− mice had cytotoxic activity against syngeneic smooth muscle cells in vitro. The study shows that although both CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells are activated in response to arterial injury, adoptive cell transfer identifies CD8+ T cells as the specific and selective cell type involved in inhibiting neointima formation.
Weighted least-squares criteria for electrical impedance tomography

Methods are developed for the design of electrical impedance tomographic reconstruction algorithms with specified properties. Assuming a starting model with constant conductivity or some other specified background distribution, an algorithm with the following properties is found. (1) The optimum constant for the starting model is determined automatically. (2) The weighted least-squares error between the predicted and measured power dissipation data is as small as possible. (3) The variance of the reconstructed conductivity from the starting model is minimized. (4) Potential distributions with the largest volume integral of gradient squared have the least influence on the reconstructed conductivity, and therefore distributions most likely to be corrupted by contact impedance effects are deemphasized. (5) Cells that dissipate the most power during the current injection tests tend to deviate least from the background value. For a starting model with nonconstant conductivity, the reconstruction algorithm has analogous properties. >
Regulation of Human Formyl Peptide Receptor 1 Synthesis: Role of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Transcription Factors, and Inflammatory Mediators

The gene encoding the human formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) is heterogeneous, containing numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Here, we examine the effect of these SNPs on gene transcription and protein translation. We also identify gene promoter sequences and putative FPR1 transcription factors. To test the effect of codon bias and codon pair bias on FPR1 expression, four FPR1 genetic variants were expressed in human myeloid U937 cells fused to a reporter gene encoding firefly luciferase. No significant differences in luciferase activity were detected, suggesting that the translational regulation and protein stability of FPR1 are modulated by factors other than the SNP codon bias and the variant amino acid properties. Deletion and mutagenesis analysis of the FPR1 promoter showed that a CCAAT box is not required for gene transcription. A −88/41 promoter construct resulted in the strongest transcriptional activity, whereas a −72/41 construct showed large reduction in activity. The region between −88 and −72 contains a consensus binding site for the transcription factor PU.1. Mutagenesis of this site caused significant reduction in reporter gene expression. The PU.1 binding was confirmed in vivo by chromatin immunoprecipitation, and the binding to nucleotides −84 to −76 (TTCCTATTT) was confirmed in vitro by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Thus, similar to many other myeloid genes, FPR1 promoter activity requires PU.1. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms at −56 and −54 did not significantly affect FPR1 gene expression, despite differences in binding of transcription factor IRF1 in vitro. Inflammatory mediators such as interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and lipopolysaccharide did not increase FPR1 promoter activity in myeloid cells, whereas differentiation induced by DMSO and retinoic acid enhanced the activity. This implies that the expression of FPR1 in myeloid cells is developmentally regulated, and that the differentiated cells are equipped for immediate response to microbial infections.
Yeast ARMs (DNA at-risk motifs) can reveal sources of genome instability

The genomes of all organisms contain an abundance of DNA repeats which are at-risk for causing genetic change. We have used the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate various repeat categories in order to understand their potential for causing genomic instability and the role of DNA metabolism factors. Several types of repeats can increase enormously the likelihood of genetic changes such as mutation or recombination when present either in wild type or mutants defective in replication or repair. Specifically, we have investigated inverted repeats, homonucleotide runs, and short distant repeats and the consequences of various DNA metabolism mutants. Because the at-risk motifs (ARMs) that we characterized are sensitive indicators, we have found that they are useful tools to reveal new genetic factors affecting genome stability as well as to distinguish subtle differences between alleles.
Scanning holography and its applications

Scanning holography is a brand new concept in holographic optics. We describe various techniques of making scanning holograms and elaborate on the basic principles, relevant mathematics, applications and limitations of scanning holography.
Our approach to non-ablative treatment of photoaging

Background and Objectives Many laser, light and energy emitting devices are utilized for skin rejuvenation. Study Design/Materials and Methods The clinical approach to multiple problems of photoaging are discussed and an algorithm for approach by problem is presented. Results Clinical use of various modalities such as LED photomodulation, intense pulsed light, pulsed dye laser, KTP laser, radiofrequency and fractional resurfacing are presented with successful parameters, developed over several years, utilized on a daily basis in a busy cosmetic dermatology clinic. Conclusions Significant improvement in the appearance of signs and symptoms of photoaging, including telangiectasias, mottled pigmentation, irregular surface texture, wrinkling and skin sagging can achieved by relatively non-invasive means. Lasers Surg. Med. 37:2–8, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Coalitions, Voters and Party System Transformation in Post‐authoritarian Chile

With The Inauguration Of The Socialist President, Ricardo Lagos, in March 2000 it would appear that the Chilean party system had come full circle since the 1973 coup that unseated the last Socialist President, Salvador Allende. Despite the Chilean military's efforts to eradicate the left during its almost seventeen years in power, a Socialist assumed the presidency only a dozen years after the electoral defeat of the military regime in 1988. In one sense, this success is a testament to the perseverance of the party of Allende, and the party system in general. Nonetheless, the Socialist Party, and indeed the Chilean party system, are quite distinct from the ethos of the Allende years of the early 1970s. At the same time, it is undeniable that there are striking continuities in terms of the number of political parties and patterns of partisan competition. Thus, how should one interpret the extent of transformation and continuity in the Chilean party system?