cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Have the 1996 welfare reforms and expansion of the earned income tax credit eliminated the need for a basic income guarantee in the US

Abstract Welfare was reformed significantly in 1996, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) was expanded substantially during the last decade. In the wake of these events, welfare rolls have shrunk dramatically and employment among the poor has increased, leading many to conclude that these policies have achieved important equity and efficiency goals. It is argued here that these conclusions are too strong. The work requirements and time limits of welfare reform create equity outcomes that are dubious and leave the potential for inefficiencies in the allocation of labor. The EITC excludes almost half of the poor population under age 65, rewards poorer working families less well than it does less poor working families, and provides a sizable work disincentive for a large proportion of its recipients. It is shown here that the poor are not homogeneous. Specifically, the very poor have a much higher incidence of physical and other disabilities. The ability to work varies substantially with income among the ...
Residential Mortgage Default in Low- and High-Minority Census Tracts

The purpose of this study is to examine housing, demographic, and economic characteristics of the owners in census tracts with high residential mortgage default rates. In addition to these variables, the effect of being a minority is studied. Descriptive statistics and correlations are used to profile the characteristics of the census tracts and to determine which characteristics had statistical significance with mortgage default rate as well as minority percentage. Logistic regression is conducted to create a model describing the characteristics of the census tracts that have high rates of default. The statistical model shows that census tracts with high minority concentrations might be associated with higher rate of mortgage default; however, this could be explained by the fact that census tracts with higher minority concentrations typically have more economic disadvantages, which is the real cause of default, not their minority status per se.
Patient safety, error reduction, and pediatric nurses' perceptions of smart pump technology

Patient safety and error reduction are essential to improve patient care, and new technology is expected to contribute to such improvements while reducing costs and increasing care efficiency in health care organizations. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships among pediatric nurses' perceptions of smart infusion pump (SIP) technology, patient safety, and error reduction. Findings revealed that RNs' perceptions of SIP correlated with patient safety. No significant relationship was found between RNs' perceptions of SIP and error reduction, but data retrieved from the pumps revealed 93 manipulations of the pumps, of which error reduction was captured 65 times.
A day in the office of the dean of students

particulars, those of the present-day Junior High School. Thus, it appears that the South's first Junior High Schools were also those for the entire country. Much credit for this innovation in educational practice must be given to the Honorable William N. Sheats, State Superintendent of Public Instruction in Florida from 1893 to 1905. It was because of his vision, his grasp of the new thought in education, and his ability to direct the educational thinking of his people that the South may be credited with this forward step in meeting the needs of "all of the children of all of the people."
Effect of Dietary Energy Manipulation on Mares and their Foals: Determination of Voluntary Dry Matter Intake of Mares During Late Pregnancy Using a Dual Marker System

s / Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 31 (2011) 230-356 265 energy and protein requirements (NRC, 2007). There was a significant increase in VDMI in the Lactation Phase compared to the Gestation Phases (P < .05). On average, mares consumed 10.97 .13 kg/d during gestation compared to 14.58 .42kg/d during lactation. The average VDMI of 2.45 .07% BW for the lactating mares was greater (P < .05) than the average VDMI of 1.92 .11% BW for the non-pregnant mares during the Lactation Phase. Conclusion: High forage diets can be used to meet the energy and protein needs of mares in mid-gestation. Mares in late gestation and early lactation can also be fed high forage diets if high quality forage is used.
Irradiated Ground Beef: Sensory And Quality Changes During Storage Under Various Packaging Conditions

Ground beef patties (irradiated with 2 kGy and nonirradiated) were packaged using oxygen permeable (polyolefin) or oxygen impermeable material (polyethylene). Samples were irradiated in air and stored in air; irradiated under vacuum and stored under vacuum; or irradiated under vacuum and stored in air. Changes in flavor, texture, juiciness or aftertaste were evaluated after either 1 or 7 days storage at 25°C prior to cooking. Irradiated “Vac/Air” samples were more tender, irradiated “Vac” samples were more moist, and irradiated “Air” samples had the least aftertaste. A 3 log10 reduction in total aerobic counts was detected immediately after irradiation. No difference in lipid oxidation was found within the first week of storage, regardless of packaging atmosphere. Shelf life of ground beef patties was extended 55 days at 4°C.
Field-Scale Sprinkler Irrigation System Hydraulic Model. I: Hydraulic Characterization

AbstractA mathematical model for a field-scale hydraulic characterization and simulation of solid set sprinkler systems with single-line and double-line lateral layout configurations is developed. This paper describes the hydraulic equations, numerical solution algorithms, and the hydraulic characterization functionality of the model for a system with single-line laterals. Numerical solutions of the lateral and mainline hydraulic equations are based on standard manifold hydraulics. A rigorous and flexible formulation of the sprinkler hydraulic problem is obtained by coupling the energy equation for each lateral and mainline segment with the continuity equation at a node. The resulting set of equations is then solved iteratively, starting from the distal end sprinkler or mainline outlet and moving sequentially upstream. The hydraulic characteristics of the sprinklers is defined based on manufacture’s pressure head and discharge data, and the hydraulic characteristics of each mainline outlet are computed by...
DNase Protection Analysis of Retrovirus Integrase at the Viral DNA Ends for Full-Site Integration In Vitro

Retrovirus intasomes purified from virus-infected cells contain the linear viral DNA genome and integrase (IN). Intasomes are capable of integrating the DNA termini in a concerted fashion into exogenous target DNA (full site), mimicking integration in vivo. Molecular insights into the organization of avian myeloblastosis virus IN at the viral DNA ends were gained by reconstituting nucleoprotein complexes possessing intasome characteristics. Assembly of IN–4.5-kbp donor complexes capable of efficient full-site integration appears cooperative and is dependent on time, temperature, and protein concentration. DNase I footprint analysis of assembled IN-donor complexes capable of full-site integration shows that wild-type U3 and other donors containing gain-of-function attachment site sequences are specifically protected by IN at low concentrations (<20 nM) with a defined outer boundary mapping ∼20 nucleotides from the ends. A donor containing mutations in the attachment site simultaneously eliminated full-site integration and DNase I protection by IN. Coupling of wild-type U5 ends with wild-type U3 ends for full-site integration shows binding by IN at low concentrations probably occurs only at the very terminal nucleotides (<10 bp) on U5. The results suggest that assembly requires a defined number of avian IN subunits at each viral DNA end. Among several possibilities, IN may bind asymmetrically to the U3 and U5 ends for full-site integration in vitro.
The AGS Central RF Power Amplifier

The AGS central RF power amplifier has logged over 6000 hours of accelerator service at normal beam energies, intensities, and duty cycle. The twelve orbital cavities are driven by remote ferrite-coupled final amplifier stages through long matched pairs of coaxial cables from a central RF building. The final stage inputs are paralleled in groups of six for energizing by a pair of identical drivers which, in turn, are parallel-excited from a smaller predriver. There are no tuned stages. Wide-band coupling is achieved throughout the amplifier with ferrite networks. A common dc anode rectifier in the same building powers the driver and final stages. Cavity tuning and AGC loop commands are generated at the output terminals of the final stages. The design, construction, and performance of the new amplifier are discussed.
Reoperation and coarctation of the aorta: the need for lifelong surveillance.

Abstract Background . We report a series of reoperations in 23 patients who had undergone previous aortic coarctation repair. Methods . The medical records of these patients were reviewed, and the patients were followed up by telephone interview. Mean age at reoperation was 25 years. There was a mean of 18 years between initial coarctation repair and reoperation. Indications for reoperation included recoarctation (9 patients), aortic aneurysm (8), aortobronchial fistulas with exsanguinating hemorrhage (2), subaortic stenosis (1), ruptured thoracic aneurysm (1), ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (1), and supramitral stenosing ring (1). Results . There were no specific intraoperative complications. Three patients required reexploration for bleeding. An acutely ischemic lower limb developed in 1 patient secondary to a common femoral artery embolus, which necessitated embolectomy. Conclusions . Reoperation for postcoarctation repair patients can be performed with good results. Sudden life-threatening hemorrhage due to aortobronchial fistulas in patients having undergone Dacron patch aortoplasty, as well as long-term obstructive phenomena seen anywhere along the left ventricular outflow tract, make lifelong surveillance of these patients mandatory.
Improving readiness for enterprise migration to the cloud

Enterprises are increasingly moving their IT infrastructures to the Cloud, driven by the promise of low-cost access to ready-to-use, elastic resources. Given the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of enterprise IT environments, a rapid and accurate discovery of complex infrastructure dependencies at the application, middleware, and network level is key to a successful migration to the Cloud. Existing migration approaches typically replicate source resources and configurations on the target site, making it challenging to optimize the resource usage (for reduced cost with same or better performance) or cloud-fit configuration (no misconfiguration) after migration. The responsibility of reconfiguring the target environment after migration is often left to the users, who, as a result, fail to reap the benefits of reduced cost and improved performance in the Cloud. In this paper we propose a method that automatically computes optimized target resources and identifies configurations given discovered source properties and dependencies of machines, while prioritizing performance in the target environment. From our analysis, we could reduce service costs by 60.1%, and found four types of misconfigurations from real enterprise datasets, affecting up to 81.8% of a data center's servers.
An introduction to modern missing data analyses

A great deal of recent methodological research has focused on two modern missing data analysis methods: maximum likelihood and multiple imputation. These approaches are advantageous to traditional techniques (e.g. deletion and mean imputation techniques) because they require less stringent assumptions and mitigate the pitfalls of traditional techniques. This article explains the theoretical underpinnings of missing data analyses, gives an overview of traditional missing data techniques, and provides accessible descriptions of maximum likelihood and multiple imputation. In particular, this article focuses on maximum likelihood estimation and presents two analysis examples from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth data. One of these examples includes a description of the use of auxiliary variables. Finally, the paper illustrates ways that researchers can use intentional, or planned, missing data to enhance their research designs.
Modeling of Interaction Between Weakly Ionized Near- Surface Plasmas and Gas Flow

Detailed physical model for asymmetric dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in air is developed. Modeling of DBD with applied sinusoidal voltage is carried out. The leading role of charging the dielectric surface by electrons in the cathode phase is shown to be critical, acting as a harpoon that pulls positive ions forward and accelerates the gas in the anode phase. The positive ion motion back towards the exposed electrode is shown to be a major source of inefficiency in the sinusoidal or near-sinusoidal voltage cases. Based on understanding of the DBD physics, an optimal voltage waveform is proposed, consisting in high repetition rate short (a few nanoseconds in duration) negative pulses combined with positive dc bias applied to the exposed electrode. The velocity of near-surface gas jet produced by the DBD actuator thus optimized is shown to be considerably (potentially – by 1-2 orders of magnitude) greater than that for a sinusoidal signal with similar parameters.
Direct visualization of IMP--GMP:pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase in polyacrylamide gels.

Abstract Direct visual detection of IMP-GMP: pyrophosphate phosphoribosyl-transferase (HGPRT) activity after separation by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has not been easy to achieve. Radiochemical assays have been used but they have the disadvantage of requiring considerable amounts of time before the results are available (1.2). A fluorescence assay that couples inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP) to IMP dehydrogenase with concomitant formation of NADH has been described (3) but is inconvenient because the coupling enzyme is not commercially available. Bieber (4) has developed a fluorescence assay that can be used for HGPRT detection but it requires that the gels be sliced before they are incubated with the substrate mixture. A rapid, convenient method for visual observation of HGPRT activity would facilitate the study of this enzyme and its variants. In this paper we report the development of such a method based on precipitation of inorganic pyrophosphate, one of the reaction products, with Mn 2+ .
Seasonality of occurrence, foods and food preferences of ichthyoplankton in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Ichthyoplankton and microzooplankton were collected twice monthly for one year at a single station in Biscayne Bay, Florida. Based on approximate 10-m3, 333-μm mesh bongo net samples, the mean annual densities were 17·7 m−3 and 1·8 m−3 for fish eggs and larvae, respectively. Ichthyoplankton was most abundant in spring-summer. The most common fish larvae were bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli), spotted dragonet (Callionymus pauciradiatus), thread herring (Opisthonema oglinum) and gobies (Gobiidae), which comprised 50% of all larvae collected. A comparison of 35-μm and 333-μm mesh, bongo net collections revealed that mean densities of fish larvae were 8·5 times higher in the smaller mesh. The most abundant microzooplankton, based on 35-μm bongo net collections, were copepod nauplii, <100 μm in width, which averaged 90·41−1 and tintinnids which averaged 168·51−1. The mean density of microzooplankton <100 μm wide, potentially suitable food for first-feeding fish larvae, was 104·91−1, exclusive of tintinnids, and 273·41−1 including tintinninds. Excepting tintinnids, seasonal variability in microzooplankton abundance was low relative to that for ichthyoplankton. High microzooplankton densities, combined with low seasonal variability, indicated that feeding conditions for fish larvae were usually good in Biscayne Bay. Copepods, especially nauplii, were the predominant food of fish larvae (71% of all food items). Only mollusc veliger larvae (18% of all food items) were highly preferred prey but they were a small component of most larval fish diets. Average width of prey eaten by first-feeding larvae was 74 μm. Prey size increased in relation to larval length.
Thin Te and Te Alloy Films for Optical Data Storage

Laser writing sensitivity, contrast ratio, and archival stability are used to evaluate Te and various Te-alloy thin film media for optical data storage application. The alloys studied include Te-Se, Te-Ge, and Te-Bi. Optical properties pertinent to laser writing sensitivity and contrast ratio such as light absorption and reflectivity are reported for these films. No significant degradation in the light absorption and reflectivity are observed if the concentration of these alloying elements is less than e.g., 1 Owt% . The stability of these films is studied by monitoring the change in light transmission, measured both over a large area and locally using a scanning laser beam. The presence of this small amount of alloying elements is found to significantly improve the chemical stability of Te films. Examples concerning the physical stability of amorphous optical recording media are presented and discussed.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reaction of 4,4-dimethyloxazolidine-N-oxyl (doxyl) derivatives with nitrogen dioxide: a novel and efficient reconversion into the parent ketone

4,4-Dimethyloxazolidine-N-oxyl (doxyl) derivatives, an important class of spin labels, can be converted into their parents ketones in excellent yield by brief treatment with NO2.
Supraglottic laryngectomy: series report and analysis of results.

Forty-one consecutive patients who underwent supraglottic laryngectomy at UCLA were reviewed. All of the operations were performed by or under the direct supervision of the same surgeon (T.C.). The majority (68%) had advanced squamous cell carcinoma (Stage III-IV). Approximately one half received radiation therapy as part of planned combined therapy. The overall tumor-free survival, with a two-year minimum follow-up period, was 90%. The most common site of tumor recurrence was neck metastasis. There were four laryngeal recurrences, three of which were salvaged with completion laryngectomy. There was only one completion laryngectomy for severe aspiration. The favorable results in this series are attributed to frozen section control of surgical margins, surgical or radiation therapy treatment of cervical lymph nodes at risk for metastatic disease, and the employment of surgical techniques designed to minimize aspiration.
Septic Thrombophlebitis Complicating a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter

Peripherally inserted central venous catheters are associated with several complications. Thrombosis, catheter-related infection and phlebitis are well-recognized complications. However, septic thrombophlebitis is very rare. We describe a 44-year-old patient with heart failure who developed extensive septic thrombophlebitis of the right internal jugular, brachicephalic, facial veins and superior vena cava as a complication of prolonged use of a peripherally inserted central venous catheter that was inserted for dobutamine infusion. The catheter was displaced into the internal jugular vein by manipulation of the patient who used it for injection of illegal drugs. Blood cul tures grew Citrobacter amalonaticus and Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus with the former growing more often making it the more likely causative agent. The patient was treated successfully with antibiotics and anticoagulation. To our knowledge Citrobacter amalonaticus has not been previously recognized to be associated with septic th rombophlebitis. doi:10.4021/jmc560w
Native XML database technology of digital distribution network

The construction of “digital distribution network” needs to connect multitudinous information islands in the entire distribution networks and implement the information integration and resource harmonization of multi-heterogeneous distributed systems. The data sharing and exchanging between correlated systems of distribution in China and the characteristic and advantage of data integration technology based on Native XML Database (NXD) are analyzed. A scheme of constructing data integration platform of the digital distribution network based on NXD technology is proposed, and the platform functions, architecture and key technologies are studied. The integration platform constructs unified digital distribution model and data service bus using XML as information description model, establishes the data warehouse in accord with digital distribution model by the NXD, and realizes information exchange by unified data access mode. The NXD-based data integration scheme can supply excellent connectivity for various applications and well meet the requirement on information integration of digital distribution network.
MO-F-213AB-06: Experimental Evaluation of Radiation Dose Effect by High Atomic Number Materials for Superficial Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: High atomic number (Z) materials have been considered as a method for enhancing radiationdose in tumors. The dose enhancement due to interactions of kilovoltage x‐rays with high‐Z materials (i.e., gold or iodine) has been well demonstrated through computational works. This study is to experimentally quantify the effect using goldnanoparticles (AuNPs) and iodine solutions, respectively. Method and Materials: Iodine and AuNPs (AuroVist, Nanoprobes, Yaphank NY) are uniformly distributed in each cylinder phantom (1.6 cm diameter and 2.0 cm depth) separately. Concentrations of Iodine and AuNPs were varied from 40 to 225 mg/ml and 16.0 mg/ml to 42.7 mg/ml, respectively. The Iodine solutions were irradiated with 75 to 150 kVp x‐rays from a superficial x‐ray therapy machine at doses of 250 to 400 cGy. The AuNPs solutions in the cylinder were irradiated with 40 to 150 kVp x‐rays. The phantom was placed at the center of the cone to ensure a uniform radiation field. Radiationdoses were measured using GafChromic EBT2 films (International Specialty Products, Wayne NJ). Dose enhancement factors (DEF), i.e., the ratio of dose to high‐Z material versus dose to water, were calculated and plotted as functions of concentration and kVp. Results: Experimental DEFs varied between 1.01 and 1.38. The DEFs increased with increasing concentration and varied with changing kVp. The maximum DEF measured for Iodine solution was 1.38 at 225 mg/ml and 150 kVp. The maximum DEF measured for AuNPs was 1.22 at 42.7 mg/ml and 40 kVp. The target volume covered by dose enhancement is larger with relatively lower concentrations. Conclusions: The magnitude of dose enhancement due to AuNPs and Iodine presence has a dependency with the concentration and kVp. In clinical applications, the concentration of the high‐Z material and kVp should also be selected to suit the depth and volume of the target tumor.
Maximizing the sensitivity and specificity of pediatric trauma team activation criteria.

Abstract. Background: Care of the severely injured child requires the rapid assembly of personnel trained in pediatric trauma care. Trauma team activation criteria, which are highly sensitive and maximally specific for identifying the child who requires resuscitation, are necessary to provide rapid care to all who need it, while using resources efficiently. Objective: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the standard trauma team activation (TTA) criteria for identifying patients who receive resuscitation in the emergency department. Methods: A one-year study was conducted of all patients transported by emergency medical out-of-hospital services for a trauma-related complaint. For all patients, out-of-hospital medical control operators recorded whether patients met TTA criteria and, if so, which criteria were met. Criteria included standard physiologic, anatomic, and mechanism parameters. Sensitivity and specificity for the outcome of resuscitation (volume restoration, assisted ventilation or intubation, chest tube insertion/needle decompression, operative intervention) were calcuated. Results: A total of 492 patients met the case definition. Two-thirds were male, the mean age was 8 years (±4.8 SD), and the Injury Severity Score was ≥15 in 9.3%. Trauma team activation criteria were met by 179 patients (36.4%) and, of these, 107 met mechanism criteria only. A resuscitative intervention was received by 54 (10.9%) of the total and none in the mechanism-only group. Sensitivity and specificity of the TTA criteria for predicting receipt of a resuscitation procedure were 98.1% and 71.2%, respectively. When mechanism criteria were excluded, the sensitivity remained 98.1% and the specificity increased to 95.7%. Conclusions: Criteria for TTA that include patients who meet mechanism criteria only are not specific for identifying patients who receive a resuscitative intervention. Use of anatomic and physiologic criteria only results in an increase in specificity, thereby reducing overtriage while retaining a high sensitivity.
Abstract 2145: Coupling S100A4 to Rhotekin alters Rho signaling output in breast cancer cells

S100A4 is a calcium binding protein and tumor metastasis associated factor that has been suggested to promote motility and invasiveness of different types of cancer. This migratory promoting effect, in part, is due to the interaction of S100A4 with actin and actin binding proteins, such as myosin IIA. We found that S100A4 interacts with Rho binding domain of Rhotekin (TRBD), one of the Rho effectors, thus suggesting a connection between the Rho and S100A4 pathways. To test whether this interaction is specific, we performed GST pull-down assays using Rho binding domain from different Rho effectors such as Rhotekin, Rhophilin, PKN, ROCK II, and Citron. These results showed that S100A4 specifically interacts with Rho binding domain of Rhotekin but not of other Rho effectors. We further determined that this interaction is direct and calcium-dependant by performing GST-TRBD pull-down assays with purified S100A4 in the presence and absence of calcium. The in vivo interaction of these two proteins was further confirmed by immunoprecipitation of exogenously expressed mutated forms of Rhotekin with endogenous S100A4 from MDA-MB-231 cells. Confocal microscopy showed that Rhotekin and S100A4 co-localize at the edge of membrane ruffles in response to EGF. We demonstrated that S100A4 did not bind TRBD using the same residues as Rho, as determined by using a triple-A mutant of Rhotekin. Interestingly, we found that active Rho, S100A4 and Rhotekin are in a complex by using constitutively active GST-RhoQ63L pull-down assay. To examine the function of this interaction, RNAi was used to suppress Rhotekin and/or S100A4 in MDA-MB-231. F-actin staining showed that suppression of both RTKN and S100A4 leads to the loss of Rho-dependent membrane ruffling in response to EGF stimulation, an increase in contractile F-actin “stress” fibers in the cell body and a reduction in invasive growth in three-dimensional culture. Taken together, we showed that S100A4 specifically and directly interacts with Rhotekin in a calcium-dependent manner. This coupling permits S100A4 to complex with RhoA and switch RhoA function from stress fiber formation to membrane ruffling. Based on the function of this interaction, we propose that interaction of S100A4 and Rhotekin alters the functional output of Rho signaling to confer an invasive phenotype in breast cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2145. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2145
Antioxidant Strategies in Neurocritical Care

An increase in oxidative stress and overproduction of oxidizing reactive species plays an important role in the pathophysiology of several conditions encountered in the neurocritical care setting including: ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, traumatic brain injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and organ failure. The presence of oxidative stress in these conditions is supported by a large body of pre-clinical and clinical studies, and provides a rationale to support a potential therapeutic role for antioxidants. The purpose of this article is to briefly review the basic mechanisms and molecular biology of oxidative stress, summarize its role in critically ill neurological patients, and review available data regarding the potential role of antioxidant strategies in neurocritical care and future directions.
Lead exposure raises superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in human endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells

Lead exposure raises superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in human endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. Background Chronic lead exposure causes hypertension and cardiovascular disease, which are associated with, and, in part, due to oxidative stress. While occurrence of oxidative stress in lead-exposed animals and cultured endothelial cells has been well-established, direct and specific evidence on the type of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by lead-exposed vascular cells is lacking and was investigated. Methods Human coronary endothelial (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were incubated in appropriate culture media in the presence of either 1 ppm or 10 ppm lead acetate or sodium acetate (control) for 1 to 30 minutes or 60 hours. Productions of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in the cell populations were determined by flow cytometry using hydroethidine and dihydrorhodamine, respectively. Data from a minimum of 10,000 cells were collected and analyzed using Cell Quest software. In addition, Cu Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and NAD(P)H oxidase (gp91 phox ) were measured. Results Short-term lead exposure resulted in a significant rise in both superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production by both EC and VSMC. After long-term exposure, detectable superoxide levels fell to near normal level, while hydrogen peroxide production remained high. This was associated with up-regulations of gp91 phox , elevation of superoxide dismutase, reduction of VSMC catalase, and no change in GPX levels. Together, these events can account for the observed decline in superoxide and the rise in hydrogen peroxide following long-term lead exposure. Conclusion Lead exposure promotes generation of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in human EC and VSMC. This phenomenon can potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of the lead-associated hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and points to the potential benefit of lowering lead burden in the exposed populations.
Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia decreased neuronal but increased cerebral vascular endothelial IGFBP3 expression

In adults, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) is the main carrier protein for circulating insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) (IGF-I and-II). While most IGFBP3 is synthesized in the liver, it is also expressed locally by many cell types including vascular endothelial cells. The regulation of this endothelial IGFBP3 expression, especially in response to hypoxic-ischemic injury, has not been investigated in vivo. Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, we studied the cellular distribution of IGFBP3 mRNA in rat brains following hypoxic-ischemic injury at 1, 5, 24, and 72 h of recovery. In normal P7 rat brain, IGFBP3 mRNA was found in neurons within the thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdaloid. Low levels of IGFBP3 mRNA were also detected in cerebral vascular endothelial cells. After the hypoxic-ischemic injury, the levels of neuronal IGFBP3 mRNA substantially decreased within 24 h in areas that were normally supplied by the middle cerebral artery. In the meantime, there was an immediate increase in IGFBP3 expression in vascular endothelial cells throughout the affected hemisphere. This vascular IGFBP3 expression was further enhanced with the highest level at 24h of recovery whereas neuronal IGFBP3 expression was further decreased. By 72 h of recovery, IGFBP3 was no longer expressed in vascular endothelial cells. Taken together, the activation of IGFBP3 is a likely mechanism by which vascular endothelial cells respond to hypoxic-ischemic insult. In addition, increased endothelial IGFBP3 may modulate the interaction of IGFs with IGF-I receptors at the site of injury and/or act independently on endothelial cell growth.
Heritability and components of phenotypic expression in skin reflectance of Mestizos from the Peruvian Lowlands

Skin reflectance was measured on the inner upper arm and fore- head of a sample of 209 Mestizos ranging in age from 2 to 64 years living in the town of Lamas in the Eastern Peruvian Lowlands. The sample consisted of 43 father-son, 42 father-daughter, 62 mother-son, and 70 mother-daughter pairs. The sample also consisted of 57 brother-brother, 60 sister-sister and 139 brother- sister pairs. The reflectance measurements were made with a Photovolt Reflection Meter, model 670. Stepwise polynomial regression techniques were used to derive standardized residual values. Then using these residual values parent-offspring, sibling intraclass correlations and components of the phenotypic expression of skin reflectance were calculated. The study indicates that 1) the parent-offspring and sibling correlation coefficients conformed with the theoretical correlations expected assuming polygenic inheritance; 2) the husband-wife correlations in- dicate a high degree of assortative mating for skin color, but despite this effect the parent-offspring and sibling correlation coefficients are lower than the values expected under the influence of autosomal genes; 3) estimates of heritability and components of phenotypic expression indicate that about 55% of the total vari- ability in skin reflectance could be attributed to the influence of additive genetic factors; and 4) there is no evidence of X-linkage in the inheritance of skin color.
Alterations in Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) Secretion and Renal Effects in Aging

Aging is associated with hypertension and electrolyte disturbances. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of aging upon secretion and renal actions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). Rats were anesthetized and received tracheal, jugular vein, carotid artery, and bilateral uretheral catheterization. One set of young (2-3 mo) rats (Group 2, n = 9) and one set of old (18-21 mo) rats (Group 4, n = 7) received bilateral atrial appendectomies. Control young (Group 1, n = 8) and old (Group 3, n = 8) rats received a sham appendectomy. All rats were infused (iv) with 6% albumin in Krebs buffer, sufficient to increase blood volume by 15%. Finally, each rat was injected with ANP (1 microgram/kg). Sodium excretion rate (U(Na+)V) in response to volume expansion was significantly decreased in all groups compared to Group 1 (young control, p < .05). All groups demonstrated a striking increase in U(Na+)V with the ANP injection, but the response was greatest in young control rats when factored by body weight (p < .05). There were no significant differences in MAP between the groups, suggesting that the differences in U(Na+)V observed were not the result of hemodynamic factors. Isolated perfused atria from young (n = 9) and old (n = 8) rats were subjected to stretch and endothelin stimulation (50 nM). Atria from young rats showed a dramatic increase in ANP secretion in response to atrial stretch and a further marked increase in secretion in response to endothelin, whereas both of these responses were markedly attenuated in old rats (p < .05). These results suggested that the secretion and renal effects of ANP are impaired in aging. Changes in secretion and actions of ANP in aging could contribute to the development of hypertension or heart failure.
Sceptical theism and divine truths

Sceptical theism has been employed by its adherents in an argument aimed at undermining the so called 'noseeum inference'. Erik Wielenberg (2010) has recently argued that there is an equally plausible argument for the conclusion that sceptical theism implies that we do not know any proposition that has word-of-God justification only. Thus, sceptical theists need to give up their argument against the noseeum inference or accept the conclusion that we do not know any proposition that has word-of-God justification only. I claim that sceptical theists need not face such a difficult choice because the argument that Wielenberg offers is not as plausible as their argument against the noseeum inference.
Development and Use of the BLT Equation in the Time Domain as Applied to a Coaxial Cable

This paper discusses the use of the Baum-Liu-Tesche (BLT) equation for calculating transmission-line load responses directly in the time domain. From the frequency-domain BLT equation, its transient counterpart is first derived. For the special case of a coaxial cable, explicit expressions for the transient propagation function, the surge impedance and admittance, and the transient reflection coefficients at each end of the line are derived. These quantities, together with the transient-BLT equation, are used to compute the transient load voltages. The computed results are subsequently compared with transient responses obtained using the frequency-domain BLT equation and Fourier inversion, and the agreement is excellent for highly conducting cables. The benefit of deriving the BLT equation in the time domain is that it may be used, with slight modifications, to treat the case of nonlinear or time-varying loads. This will be described in a future paper
Ultrafiltration during open-heart surgery in chronic renal failure.

Ultrafiltration at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass is an important improvement in major cardiac surgery in patients with chronic renal failure and also in dialysis-dependent patients. It has many advantages over pre- and postoperative haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The method, employing disposable equipment, is easy to use, does not prolong total pump time, as it is of short duration, and restores at the end of operation nor-movolaemia and haematocrit values.
Metabolism-Mediated Drug Interactions Associated with Ritonavir-Boosted Tipranavir in Mice

Tipranavir (TPV) is the first nonpeptidic protease inhibitor used for the treatment of drug-resistant HIV infection. Clinically, TPV is coadministered with ritonavir (RTV) to boost blood concentrations and increase therapeutic efficacy. The mechanism of metabolism-mediated drug interactions associated with RTV-boosted TPV is not fully understood. In the current study, TPV metabolism was investigated in mice using a metabolomic approach. TPV and its metabolites were found in the feces of mice but not in the urine. Principal component analysis of the feces metabolome uncovered eight TPV metabolites, including three monohydroxylated, three desaturated, one dealkylated, and one dihydroxylated. In vitro study using human liver microsomes recapitulated five TPV metabolites, all of which were suppressed by RTV. CYP3A4 was identified as the primary enzyme contributing to the formation of four TPV metabolites (metabolites II, IV, V, and VI), including an unusual dealkylated product arising from carbon-carbon bond cleavage. Multiple cytochromes P450 (2C19, 2D6, and 3A4) contributed to the formation of a monohydroxylated metabolite (metabolite III). In vivo, RTV cotreatment significantly inhibited eight TPV metabolic pathways. In summary, metabolomic analysis revealed two known and six novel TPV metabolites in mice, all of which were suppressed by RTV. The current study provides solid evidence that the RTV-mediated boosting of TPV is due to the modulation of P450-dependent metabolism.
Unsupervised Learning of Boosted Tree Classifier using Graph Cuts for Hand Pose Recognition

This study proposes an unsupervised learning approach for the task of hand pose recognition. Considering the large variation in hand poses, classification using a decision tree seems highly suitable for this purpose. Various research works have used boosted decision trees and have shown encouraging results for pose recognition. This work also employs a boosted classifier tree learned in an unsupervised manner for hand pose recognition. We use a recursive two way spectral clustering method, namely the Normalized Cut method (NCut), to generate the decision tree. A binary boosting classifier is then learned at each node of the tree generated by the clustering algorithm. Since the output of the clustering algorithm may contain outliers in practice, the variant of boosting algorithm applied at each node is the Soft Margin version of AdaBoost, which was developed to maximize the classifier margin in a noisy environment. We propose a novel approach to learn the weak classifiers of the boosting process using the partitioning vector given by the NCut algorithm. The algorithm applies a linear regression of feature responses with the partitioning vector and utilizes the sample weights used in boosting to learn the weak hypotheses. Initial result shows satisfactory performances in recognizing complex hand poses with large variations in background and illumination. This framework of tree classifier can also be applied to general multi-class object recognition.
Minor introns are embedded molecular switches regulated by highly unstable U6atac snRNA

The central dogma of biology states that genetic material, DNA, is transcribed into RNA, which is then translated into proteins. However, the genes of many organisms have stretches of non-coding DNA that interrupt the sequences that code for protein. These non-coding sequences, which are called introns, must be removed, and the remaining sequences—which are called exons—must then be joined together to produce a messenger RNA (mRNA) transcript that is ready to be translated into protein. The process of removing the introns and joining the exons is called splicing, and it is carried out by a molecular machine called the spliceosome. However, in addition to containing typical (‘major’) introns, several hundred human genes also contain a single ‘minor’ intron, and a minor spliceosome is needed to remove it. Minor introns occur in many highly conserved genes, but they are often inefficiently spliced. This means that the resulting mRNA transcripts may not be translated into proteins—which is puzzling given that these proteins perform important roles within the cell. The major and minor spliceosomes are composed of proteins and small non-coding RNA molecules (which, as their name suggests, are never translated in cells). Now Younis et al. shed new light on the minor spliceosome by showing that a small non-coding RNA molecule known as U6atac, which catalyzes the removal of introns by the minor spliceosome, is highly unstable in human cells. This means that U6atac is a limiting factor for the splicing of minor introns—a process that is already limited by the very low abundance of the minor spliceosome under normal conditions. However, Younis et al. found that this bottleneck could be relieved by halting the degradation of U6atac. Experiments showed that U6atac can be stabilized by a key signaling molecule, a protein kinase (called p38MAPK), which is activated in response to stress. The resulting higher levels of U6atac promoted splicing of the introns in its target mRNA transcripts, and also modulated various signaling pathways in the cells. Together, these results imply that the minor spliceosome is used as a valve that can help cells to adapt to stress and other changes. Moreover, by helping to translate mRNA transcripts that are already present in cells, it enables proteins to be produced rapidly in response to stress, bypassing the need for a fresh round of transcription.
Recognition of beta-structural motifs using hidden Markov models trained with simulated evolution

Motivation: One of the most successful methods to date for recognizing protein sequences that are evolutionarily related, has been profile hidden Markov models. However, these models do not capture pairwise statistical preferences of residues that are hydrogen bonded in β-sheets. We thus explore methods for incorporating pairwise dependencies into these models. Results: We consider the remote homology detection problem for β-structural motifs. In particular, we ask if a statistical model trained on members of only one family in a SCOP β-structural superfamily, can recognize members of other families in that superfamily. We show that HMMs trained with our pairwise model of simulated evolution achieve nearly a median 5% improvement in AUC for β-structural motif recognition as compared to ordinary HMMs. Availability: All datasets and HMMs are available at: http://bcb.cs.tufts.edu/pairwise/ Contact:anoop.kumar@tufts.edu; lenore.cowen@tufts.edu
The unraveling of the Multi-Fiber Arrangement, 1981: an examination of international regime change

As competition between newly industrializing and advanced industrialized countries has increased, trade protection has become a key issue. In textile and apparel trade, international regimes to regulate trade intervention have existed since the early 1960s. The 1981 renewal of the Multi-Fiber Arrangement poses two puzzles. First, why did countries choose to continue to manage conflict through an international regime rather than through some other arrangement? Second, why did the regime become weaker and more protectionist than in the past? An international structure approach suggests that regimes are wanted to prevent arrangements in larger systems from being undermined, to control the behavior of other countries, and to reduce information costs. Variation in regime strength can be explained by asymmetry in the distribution of capabilities in various systems. The nature of the regime is influenced by changes in international competition and by nesting. A domestic structure approach, on the other hand, focuses on the relationships between state and societal groups (the Commission and member states in the case of the EEC). The relative strength of groups affects national policies and the development and characteristics of regimes. A “processtracing” examination of international textile negotiations, emphasizing the response of decision makers to structural constraints and incentives, allows us to ascertain the relative influence of international and domestic structures on the negotiations and outcomes.
Identification of Genes That Mediate Sensitivity to Cisplatin

Cisplatin (cDDP) is effective against some human tumors, but many are intrinsically resistant and, even among initially sensitive tumors, acquired resistance develops commonly during treatment. It has not been possible to prove which biochemical mechanisms control sensitivity to cDDP. Gene knockout studies in yeast, Dictyostelium discoideum, and mammalian cells have begun to unambiguously identify genes whose products function to modulate the cytotoxicity of cDDP. This review summarizes information currently available about the function of these genes. This comprehensive compilation points to the involvement of regulatory pathways known to mediate apoptosis, cell cycle checkpoint activation, and transcriptional rescue as regulators of cDDP sensitivity. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that mediate cDDP resistance holds promise for the design of pharmacological strategies for preventing, overcoming, or reversing this form of drug resistance.
Efficient measurement of the percolation threshold for fully penetrable discs

We study the percolation threshold for fully penetrable discs by measuring the average location of the frontier for a statistically inhomogeneous distribution of fully penetrable discs. We use two different algorithms to efficiently simulate the frontier, including the continuum analogue of an algorithm previously used for gradient percolation on a square lattice. We find that φc = 0.676 339 ± 0.000 004, thus providing an extra significant digit of accuracy to this constant. (Some figures in this article appear in colour in the electronic version; see www.iop.org)