cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anabolic Agents for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: How Do You Choose?

There are now three anabolic agents available for the treatment of postmenopausal women at high risk for fracture. The purpose of this review is to supply a rationale to aid in determining which agent should be used in which clinical settings. Studies over the last decade have shown that anabolic agents produce faster and larger effects against fracture than antiresorptive agents. Furthermore, trials evaluating anabolic antiresorptive treatment sequences have shown that anabolic first treatment strategies produce the greatest benefits to bone density, particularly in the hip region. However, there are no head-to-head evaluations of the three anabolic therapies with fracture outcomes or bone density, and these studies are not likely to occur. How to decide which agent to use at which time in a woman’s life is unknown. We review the most significant clinical trials of anabolic agents which have assessed fracture, areal or volumetric bone density, microarchitecture, and/or bone strength, as well as information gleaned from histomorphometry studies to provide a rationale for consideration of one agent vs another in various clinical settings. There is no definitive answer to this question; all three agents increase bone strength and reduce fracture risk rapidly. Since the postmenopausal lifespan could be as long as 40–50 years, it is likely that very high-risk women will utilize different anabolic agents at different points in their lives.
Balance and cognitive decline in older adults in the cardiovascular health study.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated an association between gait speed and cognitive function. However, the relationship between balance and cognition remains less well explored. This study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship of balance and cognitive decline in older adults. METHODS A cohort of 4,811 adults, aged ≥65 years, participating in the Cardiovascular Health Study was followed for 6 years. Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) were used to measure cognition. Tandem balance measures were used to evaluate balance. Regression models were adjusted for demographics, behavioural and disease factors. RESULTS Worse balance was independently associated with worse cognition in cross-sectional analysis. Longitudinally, participants aged ≥76 years with poorer balance had a faster rate of decline after adjustment for co-variates: -0.97 points faster decline in 3MSE per year (95% confidence interval (CI): -1.32, -0.63) compared to the participants with good balance. There was no association of balance and change in 3MSE among adults aged <76 years (P value for balance and age interaction < 0.0001). DSST scores reflected -0.21 (95% CI: -0.37, -0.05) points greater decline when adjusted for co-variates. In Cox proportional hazard models, participants with worse balance had a higher risk of being cognitively impaired over the 6 years of follow-up visits (adjusted HR:1.72, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.29). CONCLUSIONS Future studies should evaluate standing balance as a potential screening technique to identify individuals at risk of cognitive decline. Furthermore, a better understanding of the pathophysiological link between balance and cognition may inform strategies to prevent cognitive decline.
Multimedia in preoperative patient education for adults undergoing cancer surgery: A systematic review.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this systematic review was to determine whether adequate research evidence exists to support utilizing multimedia technology in the preoperative education of adult cancer patients. Methods A systematic search of Medline, CINAHL , Web of Science , and PsycINFO databases from 2010 through September 24, 2020, was performed. The review included quantitative studies that examined whether education delivered by multimedia impacted levels of anxiety, knowledge acquisition, satisfaction, and compliance. The research quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool specific to the study design. Results The database search identified 529 scientific articles, of these nine studies met the eligibility criteria (n = 5 randomized controlled trials; n = 4 quasi-experimental studies). The education interventions included a variety of researcher-developed, multimedia modalities, consisting of video (n = 7), a computer program (n = 1), and a tablet application (n = 1). The methodological rigor varied among these studies. Multimedia patient education resulted in decreased anxiety and improved knowledge acquisition within groups; however, there was no significant difference when compared to traditional methods. Patients were also similarly satisfied and compliant with both education methods. Conclusions In all studies, the healthcare provider played a prominent role in both multimedia and traditional interventions, revealing the strong influence of the interpersonal connection in the delivery of preoperative education. Future research is needed to investigate whether more interactive technology could improve patient outcomes.
Making Foreign, Comparative, and International (FCIL) Materials Accessible Through Collaborative Enterprise

Foreign and international law materials are increasingly, if not completely, available electronically. New law librarians interested in pursuing a specialization in foreign and international law re...
A Mutual Information Estimate for a Redox-based Molecular-Electrical Communication Channel

Redox-based molecular communication has been demonstrated to facilitate information flow between biology and electronics. In this paper, an estimate Mutual Information (MI) is provided using differential entropy and Doane's binning method for a molecular channel based on redox reactions. Though preliminary, the obtained MI will shed further light on the inherent potential of this novel communication technology.
Modeling Health Status Identification in a Gas Turbine System: Three-Class Classification Approaches

In this work, the sensor data from a gas turbine system was analyzed with the objective of modeling the health status of the system. A variety of classification models of the system were developed in a three-class problem to differentiate healthy, deteriorated and failed system states to explore the ability of machine learning models to provide early warning of upcoming incidents. However, there are limited examples of failure incidents and the available examples do not cover the scope of possible failures. Therefore the challenge is to create a model that detects failures in new unseen incidents, while also successfully applying that model to different vehicles of the same type. Three approaches to selecting training data were used. The first followed a traditional method of randomly selecting data points from all data according to a target ratio between training and testing data for each data class. The second data selection strategy was to consider data related to failure incidents as a whole and select certain incidents to include in training, and the remaining ones to be unseen in testing. The third approach was a cross-validationinspired approach, separating data into folds but training and testing models based on failure incidents. In addition to investigating training and data selection strategies, the effect of hyperparameter optimization was explored as well as the effect of varying the time period of the deteriorated class. The classification methods included support vector machines, Gaussian Na¨ive Bayes, Random Forest, Adaboost, multilayer perceptron, k-nearest neighbor, and extreme gradient boosting. Ensemble models were also created to leverage all the individual classification models that were developed. This paper describes the comprehensive results that were obtained using the various approaches and combinations, highlighting the respective benefits and limitations.
Multidimensional Cardiac Imaging

There are many ways to obtain three-dimensional images with ultrasound scanners. Some investigators are developing two-dimensional arrays and associated beam formers to obtain ultrasonic data from a three-dimensional volume in real time. Other investigators are working on methods of acquiring data using gating so that only a small part of the heart is scanned at a time, but by moving the scanned plane, the entire heart can be imaged over several heart and respiratory cycles. It is the latter method that is described in this paper.
Sufficient stability condition for hybrid position/force control

A sufficient condition for the kinematic stability of a robot hybrid position/force control scheme is defined. The test for the sufficient condition is a technique that uses only the kinematic information to determine system stability or to identify situations where possible stability problems may occur. The sufficient condition test is applied to an example, using the original hybrid position/force control scheme of J.J. Craig and M.H. Raibert (1979) and the corrected hybrid position/force control scheme proposed by W.D. Fisher and M.S. Mujtaba (1992). A root locus analysis showed the original hybrid control approach to be unstable. It is shown that the sufficient condition is also violated for this situation. In the corrected hybrid control approach, the sufficient condition is never violated for any manipulator and the same example is shown to be always stable. A root locus plot for the hybrid control approaches is included to confirm the results of the sufficient stability condition. >
Deriving High Confidence Rules from Spatial Data Using Peano Count Trees

The traditional task of association rule mining is to find all rules with high support and high confidence. In some applications, such as mining spatial datasets for natural resource location, the task is to find high confidence rules even though the support may be low. In still other applications, such as the identification of agricultural pest infestations, the task is to find high confidence rules preferably while the support is still very low. The basic Apriori algorithm cannot be used to solve these problems efficiently since it relies on first identifying all high support itemsets. In this paper, we propose a new model to derive high confidence rules for spatial data regardless of their support level. A new data structure, the Peano Count Tree (P-tree), is used in our model to represent all the information we need. P-trees represent spatial data bit-by-bit in a recursive quadrant-by-quadrant arrangement. Based on the P-tree, we build a special data cube, the Tuple Count Cube (T-cube), to derive high confidence rules. Our algorithm for deriving confident rules is fast and efficient. In addition, we discuss some strategies for avoiding over-fitting (removing redundant and misleading rules).
The impact of mean arterial pressure in the middle trimester upon the outcome of pregnancy.

Abstract Data on the outcome of pregnancy are based upon a prospective study of 14,833 single births to women whose blood pressures during the fifth and sixth months of gestation were recorded. With each 5 mm. Hg rise in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) there is a progressive increase in the perinatal mortality rate. At each MAP level, the stillbirth rates and neonatal mortality rates are higher in blacks than in whites. When middle-trimester MAP is 90 mm. Hg or more, there is a significant increase in (1) the stillbirth rate, (2) the frequency of proteinuria, hypertension, and diagnosed pre-eclampsia in the third trimester, and (3) the frequency of intrauterine fetal growth retardation. We believe that all of these events are due to an impaired uteroplacental circulation, with which elevated blood pressures are associated. Women who have an average MAP of 90 or more during the fifth and sixth months should be considered in a high-risk category.
Natural language storage and retrieval of medical diagnostic information. Experience at the UCLA hospital and clinics over a 10-year period.

Abstract A natural language storage and retrieval system initially designed for pathology reports has been in operation for ten years at UCLA Hospital and Clinics. The original system has been improved to provide a thesaurus processor with added capabilities for expanding search request terms and a newly developed set of search programs with user options that make complex and more accurate retrievals possible. Summarized diagnostic statements or impressions from five specialties (Surgical Pathology, Bone Marrows, Autopsy, Nuclear Medicine, and Neuroradiology), are automatically encoded by referencing a master computer dictionary containing a unique numeric code for each English word. Input and retrievals are batch, off-line operations in free text, and are currently processed on the IBM 370/145. User acceptance is high, quality of retrievals improved, and cost is nominal. This paper describes an expanded natural language system which is now providing a viable form of information storage and retrieval for research, medical education, patient care, quality control, statistics and administrative purposes.
Separable Approximation for N-D Scattering

We present two improvements to Amado’s calculation1 of neutron-deuteron scattering by a spin-dependent central potential with Yamaguchi form factor. i) We use the unitary pole approxima-tion2 form factor (UPA) for a realistic potential with soft core. ii) We include tensor forces.
Caregiver coaching program effect: Reducing heart failure patient rehospitalizations and improving caregiver outcomes among African Americans

Abstract Objectives (1) Test whether FamHFcare intervention could reduce patients' heart failure (HF)-related rehospitalizations and improve family caregiver outcomes; (2) calculate effect size on caregiver outcomes; and (3) evaluate the FamHFcare. Background Few interventions target family caregivers for HF home care. Methods This study was a mixed method design with stratification and random assignment of 20 African American HF patient/caregiver dyads. Descriptive, univariate parametric/non-parametric, and post-hoc analyses were used. Results At 6 months, compared to standard care, the intervention group had significantly fewer HF rehospitalizations (M−W z = −1.8, p = 0.03), while caregiver confidence (M−W z = 2.8, p = 0.003) and social support scores (M−W z = 2.4, p = 0.01) were significantly higher, and caregiver depression (M−W z = −2.4, p = 0.01) were significantly lower. Caregivers rated the FamHFcare as helpful (M = 46.8 ± 4.1). Conclusions The FamHFcare intervention was associated with fewer HF patient rehospitalizations and improved caregiver outcomes.
Degradation of sucrose by whole cells and plaque of Actinomyces naeslundii.

Abstract Whole cells of Actinomyces naeslundii ATCC 12104, either in a dispersed form or in the form of plaque, enzymatically degraded sucrose to glucose and fructose. Washed whole cells expressed β-fructofuranosidase specificity and hydrolyzed sucrose to essentially equimolar quantities of glucose and fructose. The cells readily hydrolyzed sucrose, raffinose, and Actinomyces viscosus or Aerobacter levanicum levan, but did not degrade melezitose, maltose, α-methyl-d-glucoside, melibiose, glucose-1-phosphate, or dextran T-500. Sucrose degradation occurred at a temperature optimum of 37 to 45 C and at a pH optimum of 5.7 to 6.0. The Km for sucrose was 0.05 M. Sucrose or raffinose in the growth medium resulted in cells with a specific activity that was fivefold greater than that of cells grown in medium supplemented with either glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, or glucose and fructose, or grown in unsupplemented medium. Addition of sucrose to log-phase cells growing in glucose also increased the specific activity. Degradation of sucrose by whole cells in the form of plaque also occurred, but 6% less free fructose than free glucose was recovered. Sucrose-dependent synthesis of extracellular levan or glucan by whole cells or plaque could not be demonstrated. The ability of A. naeslundii to degrade sucrose and levan may be related to the pathogenic potential of this bacterium in plaque-associated oral diseases.
Maintenance requirement for valine and efficiency of its use above maintenance for accretion of whole body valine and protein in young chicks.

Experiments were conducted with chicks during the period 10-20 d posthatching to assess valine accretion and protein accretion as a function of incremental valine intakes between 5 and 95% of its ideal level (requirement for maximal growth). Chemically defined crystalline amino acid diets were fed, and amino acids other than valine were maintained at minimized excess levels as valine was increased. With dietary valine concentrations representing 5, 10, 40, 55, 70 and 95% of the ideal level, weight gain (r2 = 0.98), protein accretion (r2 = 0.98) and valine accretion (r2 = 0.99) increased linearly (P < 0.01) as a function of valine intake. Slope of the valine accretion curve was 0.73 +/- 0.02, and there was no indication of decreased valine utilization as valine intake increased to 95% of its required level for maximal growth. Using the linear regression equation, i.e., valine accretion (Y) regressed on valine intake (X), the maintenance valine requirement (X at Y zero) was 18.4 mg/d or 48.8 mg/d per kg body weight3/4. Whole body valine was 4.72 g/100 g whole body protein accreted and was constant at all levels of valine intake. At zero protein accretion, however, valine accretion was negative (-3.8 mg/d). Thus, the valine requirement for zero valine accretion (48.8 mg/d per kg(3/4) was higher than the valine requirement for zero protein accretion (32.4 mg/d per kg3/4). In a subsequent experiment, also involving whole body valine and protein accretion, valine doses of 40, 55 and 70% of ideal were compared using amino acid-balanced diets (amino acids other than valine at 55, 70 and 85% of ideal levels, respectively) or imbalanced diets (amino acids other than valine at a constant 100% of their ideal levels). Straight-line (P < 0.01) valine and protein accretion responses occurred, but slope of the response curves (accretion vs. valine intake) was lower in the imbalanced series than in the balanced series. The results of these studies suggest a constant utilization above maintenance of absorbed valine over a wide range of valine intake.
Optimized tapered resistivity profiles for wideband HF monopole antenna

The author reports on theoretical investigations conducted to optimize the resistivity taper for improving the efficiency of the wideband HF monopole antenna. Particular attention is given to making improvements at the lower frequencies, without seriously compromising the radiation pattern and impedance-matching requirements over the 5-30 MHz frequency band. Antenna characteristics such as the input impedance, efficiency radiation pattern, and current distribution for various resistivity taper profiles have been calculated using the NEC-3 method-of-moments code. The effects of the lossy earth and a finite-size radial-wire ground screen on the antenna performance have also been analyzed. Results indicate that large improvements in antenna efficiency across the entire 5-30 MHz band can be obtained by a suitable modification of the original Wu-King resistivity (1965) taper profile. >
Dynamic surface activity of films of lung surfactant phospholipids, hydrophobic proteins, and neutral lipids.

Surface pressure-area (*-A) isotherms during dy- namic cycling were measured for films of dipalmitoyl phos- phatidylcholine (DPPC) and column-separated fractions of calf lung surfactant extract (CLSE). Emphasis was on defining the relative importance of lung surfactant phospholipids (PPL), neutral lipids (N), and hydrophobic proteins (SP) in facilitating dynamic respreading and surface tension lowering within the in- terfacial film itself. Solvent-spread films in a Wilhelmy balance were studied at 23' and 37OC over a range of cycling rates for initial concentrations giving both monomolecular and surface- excess films, A striking finding was that PPL films containing the complete mix of surfactant phospholipids had greatly im- proved dynamic respreading compared to DPPC, particularly in surface excess films (30 and 15 AVmolecule). Hydrophobic SP gave an additional increase in dynamic respreading in SP&PL comgared to PPL films for initial concentrations of 60, 30, and 15 A Z/molecule. Neutral lipids also improved respreading slightly in N&PL versus PPL films, but maximum surface pres- sures in N&PL films at 37OC were consistently the lowest of any surf9ctant subfraction. Spread films of SP&PL at 60 and 30 AVmolecule had lower maximum pressures than PPL, but maximum pressures were :lightly larger for SP&PL films at high initial concentration (15 A*/moIecuIe). Supplementary oscillat- ing bubble studies involving both adsorption and film dynamics at rapid cycling rate (20 cycles/min) showed that dispersions of CLSE and SP&PL lowered surface tension to <1 mN/m, while PPL and N&PL had elevated minimums of 21 mN/m. These results show that secondary surfactant phospholipids in addition to DPPC are important in the film behavior of pulmo- nary surfactant, giving improved respreading and overall a-A isotherms very different from disaturated phospholipids. Hydrophobic SP also increase respreading in the interfacial film, in addition to their known action in increasing surfactant ad- sorption. SP may also improve film stability at high interfacial concentrations of phospholipid, although they were destabilizing in more dilute films. Neutral lipids contributed minor increases in surfactant respreading, but were consistently detrimental to surface tension lowering.-Wang, Z., S. B. Hall, and R. H. Notter. Dynamic surface activity of films of lung surfactant phospholipids, hydrophobic proteins, and neutral lipids. J. Lipid Res. 1995. 36 1283-1293.
Critical currents of cross-type superconducting-normal-superconducting junctions in perpendicular magnetic fields.

The maximum supercurrent that can be carried in an applied perpendicular magnetic field by a superconducting--normal-metal--superconducting (SNS) junction consisting of a square normal-metal layer sandwiched between two crossed perpendicular superconducting strips is investigated theoretically and experimentally. For weak applied fields the critical current is suppressed reversibly, as induced Meissner screening currents flow into the SNS sandwich and generate a spatially varying magnetic field largely parallel to the junction, thereby altering the local phase difference. For stronger applied fields the critical current is changed irreversibly as vortices enter and become pinned in the junction. When the pinned vortices in the two superconductors are misaligned, the local magnetic field, which flows mostly parallel to the junction in carrying magnetic flux ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}$=hc/2e from one vortex to the other, strongly alters the phase difference across the junction near the two vortices. The theory predicts complex patterns of the supercurrent density, which should be directly observable using laser or electron-beam scanning techniques.
RESPONSE INITIATION AND RESPONSE TERMINATION: ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT AND ESCAPE CONTINGENCIES

Summary.-Response frequency and response duration were manipulated in opposite directions through appropriate arrangement of punishment and escape contingencies. The experiment demonstrated that the frequency of a non-reinforced operant response could be more effectively suppressed by punishment in one group of rats than in another, even though the former group continued to take a longer rime to terminate the response once it had been made. Bright light was the aversive stimulus, depression of a large platform was the response punished, and release of the platform was the escape response. In the punishment training paradigm a selected response is followed by an aversive stimulus and interest is centered on the subsequent decline in the freqi~ency of occurrence of t3is response. Frequently an escape concingency is present in the punishment training simation when the removal of the punishing stimulus is made contingent upon the occurrence of another response. For example, in the simplest instance pain created by placing a paw or hand on a hot radiator or on a barbed wire fence is diminished to some extent when an antagonistic withdrawal response is made. A more complex example of the presence of an escape contingency in the punishment training paradigm is represented in our society where removal of a punishing stimulus is made contingent upon a child's voicing an apology for committing the behavior judged to be inappropriate. Here the escape response is both temporally and topographically more dissimilar to the response which evoked the punishment. Of course, i: is often the case that the duration of punishment and the termination of pucishment is in no way contingent upon subseqi~enc behavior. The prison sentence, for example, may be fixed for a certain length without any parole possibllicies. The present srudy is the first in a series of experiments which attempt to assess the influence of the escape contingency on the effectiveness of punishment training. It is addressed to the following specific question: could the frequency of a response be more effectively suppressed by punishment in one group of rats than in another even though the latter group more quickly terminates this response once it has been made? Depression of a platform was the response 'Preparation of this manuscript was supported, in part, by a Public Health Service Predoctoral Fellowship (MH 23, 283-01) from the National Institutes of Health. The author would like to express his gratitude to James A. Dinsmoor for his careful reading of an earlier draft of this paper, anc his helpful criticisms. Special thanks are also due to Martin L. Richter for his help ia constructing the apparatus.
Clinicians and Diagnosis: Ethical Concerns and Clinician Competence

In this article the author discusses diagnosis. He addresses the need for and usefulness of diagnosis by clinicians in general, with an emphasis on related ethical concerns and clinicians' competence in diagnosis specifically.
A novel navigation paradigm for XML repositories

The advances in storage and communications enable users to store massive amounts of data, and to share it seamlessly with their peers. With the advent of XML, we expect a significant portion of this data to be in XML format. We describe here the architecture and implementation of an XML repository that promotes a novel navigation paradigm for XML documents based on content and context. Support for these capabilities is achieved by bringing to bear the organizational power of information retrieval to the domain of semistructured documents. File systems remain the preferred storage infrastructure for the home and business desktop environments. We have built a system, XMLFS, based on the ideas stated above. XMLFS presents a storage abstraction that manifests itself to the client as a familiar file system. However, it breaks the tight coupling between the directory hierarchical structure and the file system. XMLFS creates automatically a directory organization of any XML document collection based on content and context. Each user can navigate through the file system according to her/his domain of interest at that point in time. Our result is a first step towards a solution to the discovery and navigation problems presented by the collective repositories of XML documents in peer-to-peer environments.
Design and characterization of a piezoelectric sensor for monitoring scour hole evolution

Scour occurring near bridge piers and abutments jeopardizes the stability and safety of overwater bridges. In fact, bridge scour is responsible for a significant portion of overwater bridge failures in the United States and around the world. As a result, numerous methods have been developed for monitoring bridge scour by measuring scour depth at locations near bridge piers and foundations. Besides visual inspections conducted by trained divers, other technologies include sonar, float-out devices, magnetic sliding collars, tilt sensors, and fiber optics, to name a few. These systems each offer unique advantages, but most of them share fundamental limitations (e.g., high costs, low reliability, limited accuracy, low reliability, etc.) that have limited their implementation in practice. Thus, the goal of this study is to present a low-cost and simple scour depth sensor fabricated using piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer strips. Unlike current piezoelectric scour sensors that are based on mounting multiple and equidistantly spaced transducers on a rod, the proposed sensor is formed by coating one continuous PVDF film onto a substrate, followed by waterproofing the sensor. The PVDF-based sensor can then be buried in the streambed and at a location where scour depth measurements are desired. When scour occurs and exposes a portion of the PVDF sensor, water flow excites the sensor to cause the generation of a time-varying voltage signal. Since the dynamics of the voltage time history response is related to the exposed length of the sensor, scour depth can be determined. This work presents the design and fabrication of the sensor. Then, the sensor’s performance and accuracy is characterized through extensive laboratory testing.
Self-consistent microscopic theory of surface superconductivity.

The electronic structure of the superconducting surface sheath in a type-II superconductor in magnetic fields ${\mathit{H}}_{\mathit{c}2}$H${\mathit{H}}_{\mathit{c}3}$ is calculated self-consistently using the Bogoliubov--de Gennes equations. We find that the pair potential \ensuremath{\Delta}(x) exhibits pronounced Friedel oscillations near the surface, in marked contrast with the results of Ginzburg-Landau theory. The local density of states near the surface shows a significant depletion near the Fermi energy due to the development of local superconducting order. We suggest that this structure could be unveiled by scanning-tunneling-microscopy studies performed near the edge of a superconducting sample.
Factors affecting care of the patient: clients, government policy, role of the family and social attitudes.

: There will be no lessening of the demand for long-term care facilities, despite the increase in home care and community services. The subject is discussed with regard to the statistics on admission to these facilities, government attitudes toward alternative modes of care, family relationships, and social attitudes. The quality of care in nursing homes will be enhanced by the continuing education of the staff and the public concerning the potentialities for enriching the lives of the aged residents.
Retinoids arrest breast cancer cell proliferation: retinoic acid selectively reduces the duration of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling

Retinoic acid (RA) induces cell cycle arrest of hormone-dependent human breast cancer (HBC) cells. Previously, we demonstrated that RA-induced growth arrest of T-47D HBC cells required the activity of the RA-induced protein kinase, protein kinase Cα (PKCα) [J. Cell Physiol. 172 (1997) 306]. Here, we demonstrate that RA treatment of T-47D cells interfered with growth factor signaling to downstream, cytoplasmic and nuclear targets. RA treatment did not inhibit epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor activation but resulted in rapid inactivation. The lack of sustained EGFR activation was associated with transient rather than sustained association of the EGFR with the Shc adaptor proteins and activation of Erk 1/2 and with compromised induction of expression of immediate early response genes. Inhibiting the activity of PKCα, a retinoic acid-induced target gene, prevented the effects of RA on cell proliferation and EGF signaling. Constitutive expression of PKCα, in the absence of RA, decreased cell proliferation and decreased EGF signaling. RA treatment increased steady-state levels of the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP-1C and all measured effects of RA on EGF receptor function were reversed by the tyrosine phosphate inhibitor orthovanadate. These results indicate that RA-induced target genes, particularly PKCα, prevent sustained growth factor signaling, uncoupling activated receptor tyrosine kinases and nuclear targets that are required for cell cycle progression.
Impaired placental trophoblast lineage differentiation in Alkbh1(-/-) mice.

E. coli AlkB has been intensively studied since 1983, but the in vivo roles of its mammalian homologue Alkbh1 are unknown. We, therefore, created null mice for Alkbh1. Alkbh1 mRNA is expressed at highest levels in the trophoblast lineages of the developing placenta. Alkbh1−/− placentas have decreased expression of differentiated trophoblast markers including Tpbp, Gcm1, and Pl-1, and increased expression of the trophoblast stem cell marker Eomes. Alkbh1 localizes to nuclear euchromatin, and interacts strongly with Mrj, an essential placental gene that mediates gene repression by recruitment of class II histone deacetylases (HDACs). Competition experiments show Alkbh1 and HDAC4 binding to Mrj are mutually exclusive, which causes decreased HDAC activity and increased target gene expression. Our study demonstrates Alkbh1 performs important functions in placental trophoblast lineage differentiation and participates in mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. Developmental Dynamics 237:316–327, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Variation in wing pattern and palatability in a female-limited polymorphic mimicry system

Checkerspot butterflies in the genera Euphydryas and Chlosyne exhibit phenotypic polymorphisms along a well-defined latitudinal and elevational gradient in California. The patterns of phenotypic variation in Euphydryas chalcedona, Chlosyne palla, and Chlosyne hoffmanni suggest a mimetic relationship; in addition, the specific patterns of variation in C. palla suggest a female-limited polymorphic mimicry system (FPM). However, the existence of polymorphic models runs counter to predictions of mimicry theory. Palatability trials were undertaken to assess whether or not the different color morphs of each species were distasteful or toxic to a generalized avian predator, the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Results indicate that the black morph of E. chalcedona is distasteful, but not toxic, to predators, while the red morph is palatable. C . hoffmanni and both color morphs of C. palla are palatable to predators. Predators that learn to reject black E. chalcedona also reject black C. palla, suggesting that the latter is a FPM of the former. C. hoffmanni does not appear to be involved in this mimetic relationship.
Cell cycle-dependent activation of Ras

Abstract Background Ras proteins play an essential role in the transduction of signals from a wide range of cell-surface receptors to the nucleus. These signals may promote cellular proliferation or differentiation, depending on the cell background. It is well established that Ras plays an important role in the transduction of mitogenic signals from activated growth-factor receptors, leading to cell-cycle entry. However, important questions remain as to whether Ras controls signalling events during cell-cycle progression and, if so, at which point in the cell-cycle it is activated. Results To address these questions we have developed a novel, functional assay for the detection of cellular activated Ras. Using this assay, we found that Ras was activated in HeLa cells, following release from mitosis, and in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, following serum-stimulated cell-cycle entry. In each case, peak Ras activation occurred in mid-G1 phase. Ras activation in HeLa cells at mid-G1 phase was dependent on RNA and protein synthesis and was not associated with tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc proteins and their binding to Grb2. Significantly, activation of Ras and the extracellular-signal regulated (ERK) subgroup of mitogen-activated protein kinases were not temporally correlated during G1-phase progression. Conclusions Activation of Ras during mid-G1 phase appears to differ in many respects from its rapid activation by growth factors, suggesting a novel mechanism of regulation that may be intrinsic to cell-cycle progression. Furthermore, the temporal dissociation between Ras and ERK activation suggests that Ras targets alternate effector pathways during G1-phase progression.
Disorganization and Reorganization

A world-wide revolution of organization, long under way, is now more widespread and profound than ever. In certain countries, called "Western" for some obscure reason, it has been called the industrial and urban revolution. In its earlier phases, as Paul Mantoux says in his Industrial Revolution in the Eighteenth Century, it consisted in the invention not merely of new machines, but of new institutions of production and exchange, of new ways of organizing men for work, exchange, and communication. It also consisted, in part, of the rise of new breeds of man, unscrupulous — according to Werner Sombart in Das Wirtschaflsleben im Zeitalter des Hochkapitalismus—in the strict sense of not feeling bound by the hampering scruples of the older mercantile families; hence, able to act in new ways and in new combinations. The revolution, in the earlier phase and now as well, consisted of massive internal and international migrations to the growing industrial regions and urban centers; and of a good deal of shift and...
The psychobiology of loss: Lessons from humans and nonhuman primates.

Although descriptions of the behavioral and medical consequences of bereavement are numerous, the biological links between grief and increased risk for medical illness are far from established. Our knowledge of some of the hormonal, physiological, and immunological consequences of stress has been advanced through the study of human populations and appropriate animal models. There is a growing consensus that there are measurable changes in a number of biological systems that have direct relevance to the increased risk for illness noted in the recently bereaved. However, studies of the process of bereavement in human populations are full of confounding design, measurement, and conceptual problems. A particularly relevant animal model with similarities to the grief process is available in young nonhuman primates, which have demonstrated a number of immunological, endocrine, and physiological responses to brief mother-infant separation experiences. Many of these changes occur in the absence of some of the confounding factors noted in the human research. This paper reviews the results of some of the studies of biological correlates, particularly relevant to the bereavement process, in both humans and nonhuman primates, and it discusses potential social intervention strategies that may have a significant impact on the biological system and modulate the risk for illness.
Divine love and human suffering

In the light of our experience and knowledge of the variety and scale of human and animal suffering in our world, the idea that none of this suffering could have been prevented by an omnipotent being without thereby losing a greater good or permitting an evil at least as bad seems an extraordinarily absurd idea, quite beyond our belief. ... it does seem that we have rational support for atheism, that it is reasonable for us to believe that the theistic God does not exist.1
The murine gene encoding the highly conserved Sm B protein contains a nonfunctional alternative 3' splice site.

Abstract The cDNA and partial genomic nucleotide (nt) sequences were derived for the mouse Sm B polypeptide and compared to the cDNA and genomic sequences encoding human Sm B. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequences from the mouse and human genes are identical with the exception of a single conserved aa substitution, accounting for the ability of anti-Sm antibodies to recognize the Sm polypeptides from a broad range of species. The genomic sequence of mouse B gene is similar to the human B genomic locus that extends from exon 6 to exon 7. These loci include conservation of both 3′ alternative splice sites and putative branch points required to process B and B′ mRNAs in human cells. However, the nt sequence downstream from the putative distal 3′ splice junction and single nt flanking the 3′ splice site consensus sequence, differ between mouse and human B. This results in a murine mRNA with a different predicted secondary structure around the distal 3′ splice site when compared to humans. Thus, secondary structural constraints in the mRNA or changes in the exon sequence mightprevent recognition of this alternative splice site to form B′ mRNA in murine tissues.
PRELIMINARY LIGHT AND SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE OBSERVATIONS OF MARINE FOSSIL EUNOTIA SPECIES WITH COMMENTS ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE GENUS EUNOTIA

Eunotia grovei Desikachary & Sreelatha and E. marina Schrader were first described from marine diatomaceous sediments of late Eocene to early Oligocene age, from Oamaru, New Zealand. Preliminary light and scanning electron microscope observations of E. grovei and E. marina show striae across the entire valve face, and distal raphe ends present at the apices, while the raphe branches are developed on the valve mantle. A helictoglossa is found at each apex of both valves. This study also confirms the presence of a rimoportula in these Oamaru species. Though these two species are distinct, they are morphologically similar to modern freshwater members of this genus. The marine sample environment and age indicates that E. grovei and E. marina are two of the earliest known eunotioid diatoms and that eunotioid diatoms are older than previously thought.
Polarized Emission From Twin Microdisk Photonic Molecules

We investigate the polarization of emission from pairs of coupled whispering-gallery-mode semiconductor microdisks. The finite-difference time-domain method is used to carry out an electromagnetic field profile analysis of four classes of bonding and antibonding modes. For coupled circular microdisks, our simulations predict distinct in-plane polarization directions for the bonding and antibonding modes, in agreement with experimental measurements. For pairs of elliptical microdisks coupled along either the major or the minor axes, our simulations do not predict any polarized emission. Experimental measurements of elliptical microdisks coupled along the minor axis appear to be consistent with these predictions, with no preferred polarization direction for the bonding and antibonding modes. However, elliptical microdisks coupled along the major axis often show a preferred polarization at 45deg to the major axis, inconsistent with both the simulations and with simple symmetry considerations. This suggests that the polarization characteristics of the emission in elliptical geometries may be very sensitive to extrinsic symmetry-breaking factors such as patterning imperfections.
The Architecture of Knowledge Systems Toward Policy-Relevant Science Impact Indicators

The task of designing social impact of science (SIS) indicators is an ill-structured or systemic problem involving competing design goals, indeterminate design states, unspecified design rules, and an unbounded design space. These features of the problem are not a result of imperfections of measurement alone; they are due primarily to properties of the knowledge system that make it resemble a tangled river delta (anastomotic reticulum) in which different functional patterns (serial, parallel, assembly, arborescent, segmented, cyclic) coexist. The stunning complexity of knowledge systems makes it difficult but nevertheless possible to develop SIS indicators that are policy relevant by virtue of their being at once relational, causal, and normative (see also Peters, this volume). Any attempt to improve the policy relevance of impact indicators will recognize that systemic problems require nonconventional solutions based on principles of externalization, formalization, and simplification. An initial attempt ...
Can biologic nanoparticles initiate nephrolithiasis

In the late 1990s, a series of papers described the isolation and propagation of calcified, nanometer-sized structures from calf serum and diseased tissues. These findings prompted researchers at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN to investigate the possibility that transmissible biologic nanoparticles could be responsible for pathologic calcification in the kidneys and blood vessels. Here, a member of the Mayo group summarizes the research to date in this exciting field.
Central serotonergic influences on renal electrolyte and water excretion

Abstract These studies examined the effects of altered activity or levels of serotonin (5-HT) in the central nervous system (CNS) on renal water and excretion of electrolytes and on arterial blood pressure. Rats were implanted with intracerebroventricular cannulae and then continuously hydrated with a hypotonie solution in order to induce a diuresis. In two separate experimental series, samples of urine were collected before and after intraventricular (i.v.t.) administrations of drug, and the effects on the excretion of sodium were determined. In the first experimental series, 5-HT in the CNS was manipulated by intraventricular administration of p -chloroamphetamine (PCA), an agent known to increase synaptic concentrations of 5-HT. Significant increases in urinary excretion of sodium (U n a V) and the Na/K ratio were observed after the administration of p -chloroamphetamine (200–600 μg i.v.t.). p -Chloroamphetamine in large doses also increased blood pressure and antidiuresis. The natriuresis, but not the pressor or antidiuretic responses, were attenuated by pretreatment with either p -chlorophenylalanine, an inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase, or fluoxetine, a drug which inhibits the release of 5-HT following the administration of p -chloroamphetamine. Thus, the natriuretic response appeared to be due to a p -chloroamphetamine produced increase of synaptic 5-HT. A further test of the role of 5-HT in the central control of sodium excretion was made in a second experimental series where hydrated rats received intraventricular injections of 5-HT. After direct application of 5-HT to the CNS, significant increases in U n a V and in the Na/K ratio were observed, concomitant with depressor effects. Therefore, the results of these experiments suggest that central serotonergic mechanisms are involved in the control of the excretion of sodium in the hydrated rat.
Ambiguities about English: Ideologies and Critical Practice in Vernacular-Medium College Classrooms in Gujarat, India.

Situated amid tertiary-level institutions in the city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat, India, this article explores how particular ideologies countering English inform pedagogic choices made by language teachers teaching in "vernacular-medium" (VM) college classrooms. The ideologies under discussion are two linked "thought structures." The first, the Gandhian ideology, is distinctly pro-vernacular and anti-English in its stance, embedded as it is in Gandhi's struggle for Indian independence (1925-1940s). The second, while markedly informed by Gandhi, yet a distinct ideology of its own, is the Remove English Lobby (Angrezi Hatao Aandolan) of the 1970s. My long-term, naturalistic endeavour regarding English and vernacular-medium education in Ahmedabad reveals that these linked-yet-separate ideologies impact choices VM teachers make in what and how they teach in simultaneously direct and indirect ways. Teachers seem to draw on different strains of these ideologies to enhance features of the vernaculars to counter E...
Pulsation in a fixed-bed reactor

Rates of reaction were measured for the liquid phase hydrogenation of α-methyl styrene in a pulsed, fixed bed reactor. Data at 80 psia and 55°C., using 0.5 wt. % palladium on ⅛″ Al2O3 spheres as a catalyst, indicated that the mass transfer of dissolved hydrogen to the catalyst surface controlled the rate of conversion of styrene to cumene. Hence the data were employed to calculate mass transfer coefficients as a function of pulse frequency and amplitude. Comparison with non-pulse data at the same Reynolds number showed that pulsation increased the mass transfer rate as much as 80%.