cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Candidate gene association studies: Successes and failures

Epidemiologic studies of twins indicate that 20-40% of common tumors such as breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers are inherited. However, the effect of high penetrance tumor susceptibility genes such as APC, BRCA1, BRAC2, MSH1, MLH2 and MSH6 only accounts for a small fraction of these cancers. Low to moderate penetrance tumor susceptibility genes likely account for the large remaining proportion of familial cancer risk. Candidate tumor susceptibility genes have been identified based on the discovery of tumor-specific mutations, in vitro experiments, as well as animal models of cancer. Translational studies based on in vitro and in vivo discoveries have led to the identification of novel phenotypes and genotypes associated with cancer in humans. Case-control studies followed by validation studies and meta-analyses have unveiled several novel tumor susceptibility genes, several of which belong to genes encoding metabolizing enzymes and genes from the TGF-beta signaling pathway. Together with genome-wide association studies, candidate gene approaches are likely to fill a large gap in our knowledge of the genetic basis of cancer within the next decade.
The GO License: Only Part Of The Solution

The Generic Open (GO) License is a proposal to make patents more accessible for vaccines and drugs in low- and middle-income countries. However, for some health-related products, such as vaccines, intellectual property is frequently not the primary constraint. Technical know-how and assurance of a viable market built on reliable demand at prices that cover costs are the most critical factors for vaccine access. Together with innovative efforts to reduce product development risks and costs and to assure credible markets at profitable prices, the GO License may yet play a role in assuring access for drugs and vaccines for poor countries.
Partial dephasing in interacting many-particle systems and current echo

Current echos as a response to a sequence of two ultrashort voltage pulses and their delay dependence are studied for interacting particles. The echo amplitude is reduced compared to its noninteracting counterpart, and decays even without an external bath coupling. However, it ends up with a nonzero value in the large-delay limit. This partial dephasing can be traced back to correlated energy differences in the many-body system. It is expected for all echo phenomena in small isolated systems. The time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation fails to describe the current echo’s dephasing even qualitatively. @S0163-1829~98!02307-8#
Systematic position of Cnidoscolus and Jatropha

The species of Cnidoscolus and Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae) have generally been closely associated in systematic literature since Linnaeus (1753) included representatives of both in his comprehensive genus Jatropha. Adanson (1763) and Mueller (1866) followed the Linnaean concept, whereas Grisebach (1864), Pax and Hoffmann (1931) and MeVaugh (1944, 1945) have upheld Cnidoscolus as generically distinct. MeVaugh presented an impressive array of generic distinctions for Cnidoscolus, including its single (rather than double) floral envelope, repeatedly dichotomous styles, stinging hairs, petiolar glands, and chanmbered pith. The problem of generic definition in the Jatropha-complex, however, is complicated by the fact that a number of groups other than Cnidoscolus have been segregated from ;Jatropha. Britton and Wilson (1924), for instance, placed J. curcas in the genus Curcas and J. gossypifolia in Adenoropium. Small (1913) referred J. dioica to the segregate genus Mozinna. FuLrthermore, Leo6n (1941) has taken two remarkable West Indian species out of Cnidoscolts as a separate genus Victorinia. One of the muain areas of interest in the program of evolutionary studies on Euphorbiaceae at Purdue deals with the comparative morphology of the American genera of Crotonoideae related to Croton and Jatropha. A study by the senior author (1961) includes observations which have a bearing on the Cnidoscolus-Jatropha problem in particular. In some respects, such as stomatal type and venation, there appear to be no significant differences between the genera. The evidence which is especially interesting is that yielded by studies of petiolar anatomy, pollen morphology, and cytology. Petiolar anatomy proved to be significant in demonstrating relationships in Cnidoscolus and Jatropha at both the generic and intrageneric levels. Dehay (1935), in his survey of Euphorbiaceous petiolar anatomy, reported only on Jatropha curcas and did not mention Cnidoscolus, nor do any other workers appear to have done so. Our observations are based on the examination of freehand sections of the petioles of 9 taxa of Jatropha and 2 species of Cnidoscolus. Sections were made at three -levels (base, middle, and junction with blade), stained with phloroglucinol and hydrochloric acid, and mounted in Hoyer's medium (Beeks 1955).
High-temperature heat capacity of Co3O4 spinel: thermally induced spin unpairing transition

A strong anomaly was found in the heat capacity of Co3O4 between 1000 K and the decomposition temperature. This anomaly is not related to the decomposition of Co3O4 to CoO. The measured entropy of transition, ΔS=46±4 J mol-1 K-1 of Co3O4, supports the interpretation that this anomaly reflects a spin unpairing transition in octahedrally coordinated Co3+ cations. Experimental values of heat capacity, heat content and entropy of Co3O4 in the high temperature region are provided. The enthalpy of the spin unpairing transition is 53±4 kJ mol-1 of Co3O4.
Calcium transport, thiol status, and hepatotoxicity following N‐nitrosodimethylamine exposure in mice

The hepatotoxicant N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is presumed to exert toxicity through reactive metabolites. NDMA is similar in this respect to numerous other hepatotoxicants, for which hepatotoxicity is also associated with a rapid depletion of soluble and/or protein thiols, and an inhibition of calcium transport systems. We examined the hypothesis that hepatotoxicity for NDMA is preceded by thiol depletion and/or inhibition of calcium transport in isolated liver subcellular fractions. Centrizonal liver necrosis in mice was evident at 24 but not at 12 h subsequent to intraperitoneal administration of 40 mg NDMA/kg. Hepatotoxicity was not preceded by depletion of liver protein-free sulfhydryls, nor by protein sulfhydryl depletion in liver whole homogenate, microsomal, or plasma membrane fractions. NDMA-mediated toxicity was also not preceded by inhibition of calcium uptake capability by microsomal, mitochondrial, or plasma membrane fractions. In contrast, carbon tetrachloride produced the expected rapid decrease in microsomal calcium uptake capability, followed by a centrizonal necrosis that was maximal at about 24 h. These studies suggest that the mechanism of NDMA hepatotoxicity may differ from that of a number of other hepatotoxicants (e.g., carbon tetrachloride, acetaminophen, bromobenzene) for which toxicity is also mediated through reactive metabolites.
Social Security in an Overlapping Generations Economy with Land

Abstract We use balance sheet and National Income and Products Accounts data to calibrate factor shares in a model with three factors (land, labor, and capital) and three sectors (business, household, and government). These estimates are used in an overlapping generations model with land to study the long-run implications for social security. In this setup, dynamic inefficiency is theoretically ruled out due to the presence of land as a fixed factor of production. Our numerical experiments suggest that in this setup the partial insurance benefit provided by an unfunded social security system is outweighted by the reduction in aggregate long-run consumption that accompanies such a system. This negative finding for social security seems to be robust to different parameterizations of the model economy. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: E2, E6, D52, C68.
Digital stereomammography: observer performance study of the effects of magnification and zooming on depth perception

We have previously reported the effects of stereo angle and exposure on depth discrimination and the use of virtual cursors for absolute depth measurements in digital stereomammography. The current study further investigates the effects of magnification and zooming on depth perception. Stereoscopic image pairs of a phantom were acquired with a full-field digital mammography system. The modular phantom contained 25 crossing fibril pairs with depth separations between each pair ranging from 2 to 10 mm. Three phantom (fibril) configurations were imaged using techniques of 30 kVp, Rh/Rh, +/- 3 degrees stereo angle, , contact and 1.8X magnification geometry, and 4 to 63 mAs exposure range. The images were displayed on a Barco monitor driven by a Metheus stereo graphics board and viewed with LCD stereo glasses. Five observers participated in the study. Each observer visually judged if the vertical fibril was in front of or behind the horizontal fibril in each pair. It was found that the accuracy of depth discrimination increased with increasing fibril depth separation and x-ray exposure. Zooming the contact stereo images by 2X did not improve the accuracy. Under conditions of high noise (low mAs) and small depth separation between the fibrils, depth discriminations were significantly better in stereo images acquired with geometric magnification than in images acquired with a contact technique and displayed with or without zooming. This study indicates that stereoscopic imaging, especially with magnification, may be useful for visualizing the spatial distribution of microcalcifications in a cluster and differentiating overlapping tissues from masses on mammograms.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Chemical probes of DNA conformation: detection of Z-DNA at nucleotide resolution

Abstract Chemical probes sensitive to alterations in DNA conformation, especially Z-DNA, have been identified. These permit cleavage of DNA at sites of unusual structure, the results of which can be displayed on a sequencing gel. Using supercoiled plasmids containing Inserts of d(C-G) 16 and d(C-A) 31 ·d(T-G) 31 , it was found that hydroxylamine and osmium tetraoxide react preferentially with cytosines and thymines, respectively, near B-DNA-Z-DNA junctions; diethylpyrocarbonate reacts more strongly with purines within Z-DNA regions; and dimethylsulfate and diethylsulfate react more strongly with guanines in Z-DNA that are out of phase with the usual pattern of purine-pyrimidine alternation. Our results show that B-Z boundaries are mobile and that with increasing torsional strain, the Z-DNA regions can expand to include nonalternating nucleotide sequences.
Cell mediated immunity to pituitary extracts in hypopituitarism

To obtain evidence of autoimmunity in children with idiopathic hypopituitarism, lymphocyte reactivity to pituitary extract in 9 normal subjects and 3 children with idiopathic hypopituitarism was determined. Lymphocyte reactivity to thyroid extract was also studied. Standard lymphoblastic transformation testing by thymidine incorporation was performed with crude human pituitary extract at concentrations of 2.6 or 5.0 μg protein/ml & 26 or 50 μg/ml. For each set of replicate wells, the arithmetic mean of the square root counts per minute (Δ CPM) was calculated. Thymidine incorporation was recorded as the difference of the test counts from the control (Δ CPM). Δ CPM to 2.5/5.0 μg/ml in 9 normal subjects was -6.0(SD+ 6.9). The Δ CPM to 26/50 μg/ml extract was 0.66(SD+8.2). One child had Δ CPM=34 to the higher extract concentration which was >95% tolerance limits of normal subjects, 6 months later the Δ CPM=40 to the lower extract concentration (>95% confidence limits). This child had no significant Δ CPM to thyroid extract. He has alopecia dystrophic nails and T and B cell dysfunction. Δ CPM to pituitary extract to two other children were within normal limits. In conclusion we describe an invitro test to detect cellular hypersensitivity to pituitary extract for patients with hypopituitarism. We report 1 of 3 children tested with persistent lymphocyte reactivity which appears to be organ specific. Clinical and laboratory presentation suggests an autoimmune basis of his disease.
Ribosomes Regulate the Stability and Action of the Exoribonuclease RNase R

Ribonucleases play an important role in RNA metabolism. Yet, they are also potentially destructive enzymes whose activity must be controlled. Here we describe a novel regulatory mechanism affecting RNase R, a 3′ to 5′ exoribonuclease able to act on essentially all RNAs including those with extensive secondary structure. Most RNase R is sequestered on ribosomes in growing cells where it is stable and participates in trans-translation. In contrast, the free form of the enzyme, which is deleterious to cells, is extremely unstable, turning over with a half-life of 2 min. RNase R binding to ribosomes is dependent on transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA)-SmpB, nonstop mRNA, and the modified form of ribosomal protein S12. Degradation of the free form of RNase R also requires tmRNA-SmpB, but this process is independent of ribosomes, indicating two distinct roles for tmRNA-SmpB. Inhibition of RNase R binding to ribosomes leads to slower growth and a massive increase in RNA degradation. These studies indicate a previously unknown role for ribosomes in cellular homeostasis.
Orion Reentry Guidance with Extended Range Capability Using PredGuid

[Abstract] A reentry and precision landing algorithm using bank angle modulation control that enables precision landing for target locations between 2,400 km and 10,000 km downrange of Entry Interface (EI) was designed for the Orion spacecraft. The algorithm is general enough to be applicable to variations in Orion vehicle design. The algorithm was tested against various reentry scenarios including perturbations in initial entry conditions, vehicle mass, aerodynamic properties, and atmospheric density. The algorithm was shown to be robust to these uncertainties to allow a delivery error of less than 3.5 km for the entire 2,400 km – 10,000 km landing footprint. The guidance algorithm is based on the Apollo entry guidance algorithm and upgraded using PredGuid, a numeric predictor-corrector aerocapture algorithm developed by Draper Laboratory for the Aero-assist Flight Experiment in the late 1980’s. The upgrades were sufficient to allow precision landing of skip reentry trajectories for target ranges of up to 10,000 km. In addition, it was shown that skip trajectory shaping can be controlled by modulating the time at which the PredGuid guidance phase takes over.
Growth kinetics of decanethiol monolayers self-assembled on Au(111) by molecular beam deposition: An atomic beam diffraction study

A low-energy atom diffraction study of the self-assembly of decanethiol on Au(111) is presented that includes both the growth kinetics and the adsorption energetics for this model system of soft/hard interfaces. Initial dosing on bare gold very rapidly forms the known low-density, lying-down, striped monolayer with a sticking coefficient close to unity. Further dosing results in an intermediate state that lacks long-range order. After an initial ‘induction time’, the final, dense, standing-up c(4×2) phase grows from this intermediate state with a growth rate that is about 500 times slower than that of the striped phase. Our data are consistent with the X-ray results of Eberhardt et al. (A. Eberhardt, P. Fenter, P. Eisenberger, Surf. Sci., 397 (1998) L285) where the growth rate of the c(4×2) phase was studied and found to depend linearly on the pressure at low pressures and high temperatures, changing to a quadratic dependence at higher pressures and lower temperatures. At still higher pressures and lower crystal temperatures, we find that the growth rate pressure dependence weakens substantially, becoming less than linear. In order to understand this behavior, an investigation of the adsorption energetics of thiols on top of the monolayer surface at different points during the growth is made. These results show that in the low-T, high-P regime, the c(4×2) phase grows under a full cover of molecules physisorbed on top of the (decaying) striped phase. This explains the weakening in the pressure dependence mentioned above since, at the limit of growth under a thick overlayer, the growth rate is expected to become pressure-independent.
Estimating site productivity in irregular stand structures by indexing the basal area or volume increment of the dominant species

Estimating site productivity in irregular structures is complicated by variations in stand density, structure, composition in mixed stands, and suppression experienced by subordinate trees. Our obj...
Hand sign recognition from intensity image sequences with complex backgrounds

In this paper, we have presented a new approach to recognize hand signs. In our approach, motion understanding (the hand movement) is tightly coupled with spatial recognition (hand shape). The system uses the multiclass, multidimensional discriminant analysis to automatically select the most discriminating features for gesture classification. A recursive partition tree approximator is proposed to do classification. This approach combined with our previous work on the hand segmentation forms a new framework which addresses three key aspects of the hand sign interpretation, that is the hand shape, the location, and the movement. The framework has been tested to recognize 28 different hand signs. The experimental results show that the system can achieve a 93.1% recognition rate for test sequences that have not been used in the training phase.
Development of metastatic endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma while on progestin therapy for endometrial hyperplasia.

Abstract Background. Conservative treatment with progestins is a reasonable treatment option for endometrial complex atypical hyperplasia and, in the experimental setting, for some women with grade 1 endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma. The risk of progression to a high-stage endometrial cancer is quite low, with only two previously reported cases in the English literature. Case. A 40-year-old woman with endometrial complex atypical hyperplasia diagnosed by dilatation and curettage was managed conservatively with progestin therapy (initially, megesterol acetate; then, a combination oral contraceptive). More than 2 years after her original diagnosis, she developed endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma, FIGO grade 2, with lymph node metastasis. The tumor was microsatellite instability-high due to methylation of MLH1 and loss of MLH1 protein. Conclusion. Currently, there are no good criteria for predicting which patients with complex atypical hyperplasia/grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma will optimally respond to progestin therapy. There is some evidence that endometrial complex hyperplasia demonstrating loss of MLH1 protein by immunohistochemistry is strongly related to subsequent or concurrent endometrial cancer, especially tumors of higher grade and stage. In a woman with a biopsy diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia, evaluation of MLH1 protein status by immunohistochemistry may provide useful information when medical management is being considered.
Linkage analysis of von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis to DNA markers on chromosome 17

Several recent studies indicate that the von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis (NF1) gene is located near the centromere of chromosome 17 in some families. However, variable expressivity and a very high mutation rate suggest that defects at several different loci could result in phenotypes categorized as NF1. In order to assess this possibility and to map the NF1 gene more precisely, we have used two polymorphic DNA markers from chromosome 17 to screen several pedigrees for linkage to NF1. We ascertained a large Caucasian pedigree (33 individuals sampled, 17 NF1 affected) as well as eight smaller pedigrees and nuclear families (50 individuals sampled, 30 NF1 affected). Here, we report strong evidence of linkage of NF1 to the centromeric marker D17Z1 (maximum lod = 4.42) and a weaker suggestion of linkage to the ERBA1 oncogene (maximum lod = 0.57), both at a recombination fraction of zero. Since obligate cross-overs with NF1 were not observed for either marker in any of the informative families tested, the possibility of NF1 locus heterogeneity is not supported.
One Tribe, One Style? Paradigms in the Historiography of African Art

While the historiography of art as an academic discipline can hardly be construed as a science, it is nevertheless governed by certain dominant paradigms in both of the senses that Thomas Kuhn intended. First, at any point in time there is a constellation of beliefs, values, and techniques shared by the community of scholars who comprise the discipline known as art history. This can be further broken down, altered, and refined for the various sub-fields, but taken together, the separate facets constitute a “way of seeing” art history which differs substantially from the “way of seeing,” say, political history.Applying Kuhn's second and more rigorous sense, the historiography of art is dominated by certain paradigms which serve as exemplars or models of puzzle-solutions. While these change over time (it is no longer permissible to ascribe German expressionism to “national character,” for example), they are so powerful that they function as unquestioned assumptions when in force. Even more importantly, they are frequently invisible because they are rarely made explicit. In European art history, the dominant paradigms have coalesced into entities such as “The Baroque” or “Mannerism” which are largely ontological models used to simplify the otherwise intractable complexity of European art styles and movements.
Generation and confinement of hot ions and electrons in a reversed-field pinch plasma

By manipulating magnetic reconnection in Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) discharges, we have generated and confined for the first time a reversedfield pinch (RFP) plasma with an ion temperature >1keV and an electron temperature of 2keV. This is achieved at a toroidal plasma current of about 0.5MA, approaching MST’s present maximum. The manipulation begins with intensification of discrete magnetic reconnection events, causing the ion temperature to increase to several kiloelectronvolts. The reconnection is then quickly suppressed with inductive current profile control, leading to capture of a portion of the added ion heat with improved ion energy confinement. Electron energy confinement is simultaneously improved, leading to a rapid ohmically driven increase in the electron temperature. A steep electron temperature gradient emerges in the outer region of the plasma, with a local thermal diffusivity of about 2m 2 s −1 . The global energy confinement time reaches 12ms, the largest value yet achieved in the RFP and which is roughly comparable to the H-mode scaling prediction for a tokamak with the same plasma current, density, heating power, size and shape.
Digital noise coupling mechanisms in a 2.4 GHz LNA for heavily and lightly doped CMOS substrates

In this paper the noise injected into a 2.4 GHz low noise amplifier (LNA) from a digital buffer is examined for both heavily and lightly doped CMOS substrates. The noise coupling is modeled in SPICE with good correlation between measurements and simulations. Using these models and simulations the major noise coupling mechanisms are identified providing insight into suitable noise mitigation approaches.
Presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 1 and HIV-1-Specific Antibodies in Cervicovaginal Secretions of Infected Mothers and in the Gastric Aspirates of their Infants

The presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in cervicovaginal secretions (CVS) may be a risk factor for perinatal transmission. CVS of 25 women were evaluated for HIV and HIV mucosal antibodies ; 16 infants had gastric aspirates cultured. Maternal plasma HIV was measured by quantitative RNA polymerase chain reaction. Seven women (28%), 4 of 19 pregnant and 3 of 7 nonpregnant, had HIV in CVS. Two of 4 HIV-infected neonates had positive gastric aspirate cultures. The 4 pregnant women with HIV in CVS did not transmit infection. HIV-specific secretory IgA was present in CVS of 10 (42%) of 24 women (in 3 cases concurrent with virus). Plasma HIV RNA levels at delivery were higher among transmitters (mean, 68,921 copies/mL) than nontransmitters (mean, 9457 copies/mL). Intermittent HIV shedding in CVS occurred despite mucosal antibodies and did not necessarily correlate with maternal plasma HIV RNA copy number. The presence of HIV in newborn gastric aspirates may be a risk factor for perinatal infection.
Mitogen-activated and cyclin-dependent protein kinases selectively and differentially modulate transcriptional enhancement by the glucocorticoid receptor

Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylate the rat glucocorticoid receptor in vitro at distinct sites that together correspond to the major phosphorylated receptor residues observed in vivo; MAPK phosphorylates receptor residues threonine 171 and serine 246, whereas multiple CDK complexes modify serines 224 and 232. Mutations in these kinases have opposite effects on receptor transcriptional activity in vivo. Receptor-dependent transcriptional enhancement is reduced in yeast strains deficient in the catalytic (p34CDC28) or certain regulatory (cyclin) subunits of CDK complexes and is increased in a strain devoid of the mammalian MAPK homologs FUS3 and KSS1. These findings indicate that the glucocorticoid receptor is a target for multiple kinases in vivo, which either positively or negatively regulate receptor transcriptional enhancement. The control of receptor transcriptional activity via phosphorylation provides an increased array of regulatory inputs that, in addition to steroid hormones, can influence receptor function.
Intra-stratal flow and convolute folding

The property of liquefaction of certain confined, water-logged, unconsolidated sedimentary layers is considered to play an important part in the development of much of convolute folding. Lateral intrastratal laminar flow of liquefied beds, according to flow patterns mainly determined by the distribution of parts of the layers that have remained solid, appears to account satisfactorily for internal folding. Although intra-stratal flow, which can result from a number of causes, may considerably deform the stratification planes of a liquefied layer, there is neither lateral shortening nor a notable change in the thickness of the bed.
ULTRASTRUCTURAL LOCALIZATION OF ANTIBODY IN DIFFERENTIATING PLASMA CELLS

Antibody was localized by electron microscopy within differentiating and mature plasma cells of the spleens of hyperimmunized rabbits. Horseradish peroxidase was used as antigen. Intracellular antibody to peroxidase was revealed in glutaraldehyde-fixed tissue by coupling it with its antigen and then revealing the sites of peroxidase activity cytochemically. Antibody first appears in the perinuclear space of hemocytoblasts where it persists through differentiation into immature plasma cells, but it disappears from this site in mature plasma cells. Concomitant with the development of the ergastoplasm, antibody accumulates in many but not all of its cisternae. Antibody is present in the lamellar portion of the Golgi apparatus in all phases of plasmacytic differentiation. Mature plasma cells exhibit two types of antibody distribution, a concentration into large spherical intracisternal granules or an overflowing into all parts of the cytoplasm.
Transcriptional analysis of the endothelial response to diabetes reveals a role for galectin-3

To characterize the endothelial dysfunction associated with Type II diabetes, we surveyed transcriptional responses in the vascular endothelia of mice receiving a diabetogenic, high-fat diet. Tie2-GFP mice were fed a diet containing 60% fat calories (HFD); controls were littermates fed normal chow. Following 4, 6, and 8 wk, aortic and leg muscle tissues were enzymatically dispersed, and endothelial cells were obtained by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Relative mRNA abundance in HFD vs. control endothelia was measured with long-oligo microarrays; highly dysregulated genes were confirmed by real-time PCR and protein quantification. HFD mice were hyperglycemic by 2 wk and displayed vascular insulin resistance and decreased glucose tolerance by 5 and 6 wk, respectively. Endothelial transcripts upregulated by HFD included galectin-3 (Lgals3), 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein, and chemokine ligands 8 and 9. Increased LGALS3 protein was detected in muscle endothelium by immunohistology accompanied by elevated LGALS3 in the serum of HFD mice. Our comprehensive analysis of the endothelial transcriptional response in a model of Type II diabetes reveals novel regulation of transcripts with roles in inflammation, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress, and atherosclerosis. Increased endothelial expression and elevated humoral levels of LGALS3 supports a role for this molecule in the vascular response to diabetes, and its potential as a direct biomarker for the inflammatory state in diabetes.
Pre-proglucagon messenger ribonucleic acid: nucleotide and encoded amino acid sequences of the rat pancreatic complementary deoxyribonucleic acid.

Glucagon, a pancreatic peptide hormone of 29 amino acids that regulates carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism, is one of a family of structurally similar regulatory peptides which include GH-releasing hormone, vasoactive intestinal peptide, secretin, and gastric inhibitory peptide. The synthesis of glucagon involves its specific proteolytic cleavage from preproglucagon, a large polyprotein precursor. To facilitate analyses of the cellular processing of pre-proglucagon and to begin studies of the regulation of glucagon gene expression in the rat, we have cloned and sequenced two cDNAs derived from rat neonatal pancreas. The cDNAs represent close to the entire transcriptional sequence of the glucagon gene and encode a pre-proglucagon of 180 amino acids. The coding region of the pre-proglucagon contains, in addition to the sequence of glucagon, the sequences of two peptide domains that are related in their structures to glucagon. Glucagon and the two glucagon-like peptides are flanked in the precursor by...
Modeling study of image formation with point sources

It is well known that a point source produces a small magnification of the mask pattern on the wafer due to divergence; the effect becomes especially noticeable at the corners and edges of the field. In this article we model the image formation due to a point source and compare the deviations of the aerial images and developed patterns, from those at the center of the field. We illustrate the behavior with several computational results.
Pupil light reflex in the Atlantic brief squid, Lolliguncula brevis.

SUMMARY Coleoid behavioral ecology is highly visual and requires an eye capable of forming images in a variety of photic conditions. A variable pupil aperture is one feature that contributes to this visual flexibility in most coleoids, although pupil responses have yet to be quantitatively documented for squid. The pupil light reflex (PLR) of the Atlantic brief squid, Lolliguncula brevis , was analyzed by directly exposing one eye of individual squid to light stimuli of varying irradiance and imaging the reflex, while simultaneously recording from the opposite, indirectly stimulated eye to determine whether the constriction was consensual between eyes. A PLR was measured in L. brevis , with an asymmetrical constriction observed under increasing irradiance levels that was not consensual between eyes, although a response of some level was observed in both eyes. Response thresholds ranged between 12.56 and 12.66 log photons cm –2 s –1 . The PLR was rapid and dependent upon the stimulus irradiance, achieving half-maximum constriction within 0.49–1.2 s. The spectral responsivity of the PLR was analyzed by measuring the magnitude of the reflex in the eye directly stimulated by light of equal quantal intensity at wavelengths from 410 to 632 nm. The responsivity curve showed a maximum at 500 nm, indicating the eye is especially well suited for vision at twilight. These results, when considered in the context of the ambient light characteristics, show that the PLR of L. brevis contributes to a dynamic visual system capable of adjusting to the highly variable composition of light in its estuarine habitat.
Argentine Ant Management in Conservation Areas: Results of a Pilot Study

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) have invaded many areas of conservation concern, including half of the California Channel Islands. On Santa Cruz Island, the species has invaded approximately 2% of the island, and the infestations are expanding. Argentine ants displace many other invertebrates, and their expansion throughout the island could lead to the extirpation of native invertebrate species and the disruption of key ecological processes (e.g., plant-pollinator interactions and seed dispersal). We describe a treatment protocol to manage or eliminate Argentine ants on Santa Cruz Island developed by The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service, in collaboration with academic and pest control specialists. We combined low-concentration toxicant baits with efficient dispersal methods to treat landscape-scale Argentine ant infestations in rugged terrain and dense vegetation with minimal impact to nontarget species. From May to October 2012, we applied our baiting protocol within 2 study sites, totaling 7.8 ha on Santa Cruz Island. In May 2013, one year post treatment, we observed >99% reduction in Argentine ant activity in treatment plots compared to untreated plots, using 2 different monitoring techniques. While further testing and monitoring is needed, these results suggest this protocol may be an effective tool to eliminate Argentine ant infestations from this type of habitat and terrain.
Stability and instability for periodic solutions of delay equations with "steplike" feedback

We consider the stability of periodic solutions of certain delay equations x 0 (t) = f(xt) for which the special structure of the equation allows us to define return maps that are semiconjugate to finite-dimensional maps. We present some general results on assessing stability with the aid of such a semiconjugacy. We then apply our general results to exhibit a stable periodic solution of an equation with two fixed delays and an unstable periodic solution of an equation with state-dependent delay.
Saints Christmas Trees Pricing Analysis

This teaching case and assignment pertains to various areas of pricing analysis that are essential for business managers. There are numerous pricing components integrated into this case that will enhance students’ understanding of various elements that influence pricing decisions. Students will need to analyze and calculate various pricing components that are linked to other economic and marketing concepts. This case is suited for an undergraduate introductory marketing or economics course. Provided at the end of the case are teaching notes for instructors.
Decision Making and Problem Solving

Imagine that you have been placed in the position of screening applicants for a high-level decision-making position. What criteria would you employ to evaluate the candidates for a job that involves making important decisions and solving difficult problems? Perhaps the first attribute that you would look for would be previous experience in making similar types of decisions or solving related problems. It is reasonable to expect that someone who has enjoyed success in such situations in the past will likely prove successful in the future. However, if experience is excluded, other characteristics must be considered. Some of those that might be useful in this context are: (1) creativity; (2) flexibility; (3) organizational skills; (4) ability to make valid logical deductions; (5) ability to sift relevant from irrelevant information; (6) ability to operate at both abstract and concrete levels; and (7) ability to proceed systematically towards a problem solution.
Essential fatty acid deficiency impairs the responsiveness of renal pelvic sensory receptors

The role of prostaglandins in renal sensory receptor activation was examined in rats fed an essential fatty acid-deficient (EFAD) diet to cause tissue arachidonate depletion. Littermates fed a standard diet were used as controls. In anesthetized rats, the increases in afferent renal nerve activity due to increasing ureteral pressure 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 mmHg were significantly reduced by the EFAD diet (P < 0.02): 3 +/- 5, 3 +/- 5, 11 +/- 5, 9 +/- 5, 19 +/- 3, and 17 +/- 5%, respectively, in EFAD rats and 23 +/- 11, 36 +/- 15, 50 +/- 15, 52 +/- 8, 72 +/- 17, and 90 +/- 19%, respectively, in control rats. In EFAD rats, addition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to the renal pelvic perfusate restored the afferent renal nerve activity response to increased ureteral pressure toward that in control rats. PGE2 had no effect in control rats. Also the afferent renal nerve activity responses to renal pelvic perfusion with bradykinin at 4, 20, 100, and 500 micrograms/ml were significantly suppressed by the EFAD diet (P < 0.01): 13 +/- 15, 5 +/- 7, 60 +/- 19, and 63 +/- 20%, respectively, in EFAD rats and 122 +/- 23, 142 +/- 31, 172 +/- 19, and 190 +/- 39%, respectively, in control rats. These results demonstrate an important role for arachidonate metabolites, particularly PGE2, in renal sensory receptor activation. Together with our previous studies showing that indomethacin blocks the afferent renal nerve activity responses to increased ureteral pressure or bradykinin, the present studies provide strong evidence for an essential role of prostaglandins in renal sensory receptor activation.
Interaction of Information Flow with CM Systems

Information is the coin of the management realm, being the essential link between means and ends. It can be studied analyzed, organized, systematized, and stored for future reference. Management participation in the design and testing of information systems greatly enhances organization communication. Construction management increasingly depends on meaningful information. Management success depends to a large degree on what information is chosen, and how it is utilized.
Tribochemistry of Carbon Films in Oxygen and Humid Environments: Oxidative Wear and Galvanic Corrosion.

The effects of oxidation on wear of carbon/steel tribological interfaces were studied. When mechanical wear was small, the oxidation behavior of hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (H-DLC) and stainless steel (SS) sliding interface varied depending on the nature of the oxidizing environment. In dry air or oxygen, both H-DLC and SS wore readily. The wear debris of SS did not form iron oxide in dry air and oxygen. In humid nitrogen, however, the wear of H-DLC diminished with increasing humidity, and the SS surface showed mild wear and iron oxide debris accumulated around the sliding contact region. These results revealed that different tribochemical reactions occur in dry oxygen and humid environments. In the absence of water, oxygen oxidizes the H-DLC surface, making it susceptible to wear, creating debris, and inducing wear on both H-DLC and SS. In contrast, adsorbed water molecules at less than 40% RH act as a molecular lubricant of the oxidized DLC surface, while multiwater layers adsorbed at near-saturati...
Microbes and Microbial Toxins: Paradigms for Microbial- Mucosal Interactions I. Pathophysiological aspects of enteric infections with the lumen-dwelling protozoan pathogenGiardia lamblia

Giardia lamblia is one of the most important causes of waterborne diarrheal disease worldwide, and giardiasis is the most common protozoan infection of the human small intestine. Symptomatic infection is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, and malabsorption, leading to malnutrition and weight loss, particularly in children. The pathogen resides strictly in the lumen of the small intestine, and infection is typically not accompanied by significant mucosal inflammation. Clinical and experimental studies indicate that B cell-dependent host defenses, particularly IgA, are important for controlling and clearing Giardia infection, although B cell-independent mechanisms also contribute to this outcome. In contrast to antigiardial host defenses, much less is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the clinical symptoms of giardiasis, partly because of the current lack of suitable model systems. In addition to being an important human enteric pathogen, Giardia is an interesting model organism for gaining basic insights into genetic innovations that led to evolution of eukaryotic cells, since it belongs to the earliest diverging eukaryotic lineage known. The completion of the giardial genome project will increase understanding of the basic biology of the protozoan and will help us to better understand host pathogen-interactions as a basis for developing new vaccination and therapeutic strategies.
Scalable maintenance of knowledge discovery in an ontology stream

In dynamic settings where data is exposed by streams, knowledge discovery aims at learning associations of data across streams. In the semantic Web, streams expose their meaning through evolutive versions of ontologies. Such settings pose challenges of scalability for discovering (a posteriori) knowledge. In our work, the semantics, identifying knowledge similarity and rarity in streams, together with incremental, approximate maintenance, control scalability while preserving accuracy of streams associations (as semantic rules) discovery.
Pericyte Degeneration and Basement Membrane Thickening in Skeletal Muscle Capillaries of Human Diabetics

Pericyte distribution and capillary dimensions were determined in tissue obtained at autopsy from human pectoral, abdominal, quadriceps femoris, and gastrocnemius muscle of 20 diabetics and 20 age- and sex-matched nondiabetics. Tissue was processed for electron microscopy, and morphometric data obtained from electron micrographs were used to calculate capillary circumference, the percentage of capillary circumference covered by pericytes, and capillary basement membrane width (CBMW). The numbers of vessels containing pericytes and the number of pericyte processes per vessel were tabulated as indices of pericyte distribution along capillaries. The presence of cellular debris within capillary basement membranes was tabulated as an index of pericyte necrosis. Capillary circumference did not differ for controls and diabetics and did not vary between muscles from either group. CBMW was consistently thicker in diabetics than in controls and differences were greatest in lower extremity muscles. Pericytes were associated with virtually all vessels in lower extremity muscles of both normal and diabetic subjects. Although no differences were observed between controls and diabetics for each muscle examined, pericyte circumferential coverage of capillaries, as well as numbers of pericyte processes per capillary, increased significantly in the direction of head to foot for both controls and diabetics, paralleling increases in CBMW. Pericyte debris within capillary basement membranes also increased significantly in the direction of head to foot in both controls and diabetics and, in addition, occurred much more frequently in diabetics than in controls, with the greatest differences present in lower extremity muscles. These observations indicate that pericyte frequency and coverage of capillaries vary between different skeletal muscles, but not between controls and diabetics. These findings, coupled with the increased frequency of pericyte debris within capillary basement membranes of diabetics, suggest that: (1) pericyte degeneration and turnover are increased in skeletal muscle capillaries of diabetics, arid (2) pericyte degeneration is not limited to the retina in diabetes mellitus. A strong correlation between the presence of pericyte debris and capillary basement membrane thickening suggests that both may be linked to a common pathogenetic factor.
Impact of Bolt-Nut Interface Modeling Assumptions on the Calculated Low Cycle Fatigue Life of Aircraft Engine Turbine Rotor Bolted Joints

Finite element analysis is used extensively in the aircraft turbine engine industry to predict stresses to calculate low cycle fatigue (LCF) life of life-limited parts (LLP’s). A failure of an LLP can lead to a potentially catastrophic event such as a noncontainment of high energy debris. Under-predicted stress can cause the life limits to be set too high, which is a safety hazard. Over-predicted stress can cause the life limits to be set too low, which adds cost due to the need to replace expensive engine hardware more frequently. As such, high fidelity stress analysis is necessary to appropriately set LCF life limits. This study focuses on the nut-bolt interface modeling assumptions associated with a rotor bolted joint stress analysis for LCF predictions. A 3D finite element model of an actual aircraft engine rotor bolted joint is created. Different cases are analyzed and compared to investigate how the thread modeling assumptions might affect the calculated life in the mated rotor LLP hardware. Walker-adjusted alternating stress, σ0,alt, is used to measure the affect on life impact. It is shown that elastic versus elastic-plastic nut/bolt materials properties and the inclusion of the helical thread shape have minor impact on the calculated stresses. However, inclusion of contact elements with friction at the thread interface instead of couples has a moderate impact on the calculated stresses and therefore expected life.© 2013 ASME
Investigation on AIDS/STD knowledge,infection and high risk behavior among clients

Objective To understand AIDS knowledge,AIDS/STD infection,and high risk behavior among clients in Yichang City. Methods Personal interview and infection test were applied to investigate 450 clients in the VCT and Dermatological and venereal diseases OPD. Results The awareness of AIDS knowledge among 450 clients was between 40.56% and 90.37%.81.17% clients had vaginal sex behavior,5.09% clients had penilingus behavior,and 13.74% clients had both two patterns.Condom-use rate was 46.03%,4.65% and 33.87% respectively,with statistically significance(χ2=17.20,P0.01).The positive rate of HIV-Ab,syphilis and Ureaplasma Urealyticum in clients was 0.44%,4.63% and 6.13% respectively.The infection rate of genital herpes and verruca acuminate was 5.66% and 9.13% respectively.The relative risk of the four STD between the condom-use group and the control group was 7.46-13.91,with significant difference(χ2=7.01-11.09,P0.01). Conclusions The results showed that there was low condom using rate and high AIDS/STD infection rate,which was closely related with low rate of condom-use.Therefore,knowledge publicizing and behavior intervention should be greatly promoted among clients and prostitutes,so as to reduce the danger of AIDS/STD spreading to the general population.
Failure to thrive: parental neglect or well-meaning ignorance?

A case scenario describing a six-month-old infant's weight loss. The physician commentary outlines the careful analysis required to reach an accurate diagnosis.