cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Latino adolescents’ cultural values associated with diurnal cortisol activity

Abstract Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity has been identified as a mechanism through which daily life stress contributes to health problems and racial/ethnic health disparities. Stress-related changes in neuroendocrine function are evident as early as adolescence, but the ways in which promotive cultural factors may also contribute to variation in diurnal HPA activity have received little empirical attention. Grounded in cultural models of resilience, dual dimensions of Latino adolescents’ cultural values (ethnic heritage and U.S. mainstream) were examined as promotive and protective factors in relation to their diurnal salivary cortisol patterns using ecological momentary assessment (N = 209; Mage = 18.10; 64.4% female). Participants provided 5 daily saliva samples for 3 days while completing corresponding electronic diary reports and using time-sensitive compliance devices (track caps, actigraphs). Results from 3-level growth curve models indicated that higher U.S. mainstream cultural values (e.g., self-reliance, competition, material success) were associated with higher average waking cortisol levels and a more rapid rate of diurnal cortisol decline (i.e., “steeper” slope). Regarding situational deviations from the diurnal rhythm (within-person differences), cortisol levels were higher in relation to diary-reported ongoing stress (vs. completed). Accounting for these situational differences in stress timing, a cross-level interaction (i.e., between-person difference in within-person process) indicated that higher perceived stress than usual was associated with lower cortisol levels for adolescents with stronger alignment to Latino ethnic heritage values (e.g., familism, respect, religiosity), compared to relatively higher cortisol levels for those with less alignment to these values. Results were consistent adjusting for participants’ sex, immigrant generation, parents’ education level, depressive symptoms, medication use, sleep duration, and other self-reported health behaviors. These findings join the growing science of cultural neurobiology by demonstrating the promotive and potentially regulating influence of cultural values in the daily HPA functioning of Latino adolescents.
Engagement of CD45 alters early signaling events in human T cells co-stimulated through TCR + CD28.

Abstract Previously our lab has shown that co-stimulation of human T cells through different co-stimulatory molecules tune differentiation to different phenotypes. An open question is where in the signaling pathways induced by the co-stimulation do differences occur that contribute to outcome of differentiation. In this project, we investigate the early signaling process by comparing events that follow engagement of CD45 alone or in association with a co-stimulatory molecule: CD28. CD45 plays a crucial role to initiate T cell signaling by dephosphorylating a negatively regulatory tyrosine residue in Src family kinases such as Lck. First, we observed that engagement of CD45 alone induced signaling in T cells. We observed that TCR/CD3 stimulation with CD45 promoted prolonged Lck association with TCR/CD3 complex and Lck remained associated during TCR/CD3 + CD28 + CD45 stimulation as well. We concluded that Lck association is dependent on TCR/CD3 and CD45 engagement. Hence, CD45 altered early signaling events in T cells.
Properties of Potentially Inverse Multielement Two-Terminal Devices

The capacity of potentially inverse multielement two-terminal devices to become complementary two-terminal devices under conditions that differ from the condition of invertibility is well known. For such two-terminal devices, both the generalized (classical) condition of complementarity and particular conditions in the form of a group of mathematical expressions are satisfied. Examples of potentially inverse two-terminal devices of the other form, which theoretically cannot be inverse two-terminal devices, are also known. For these two-terminal devices, the generalized condition of complementarity cannot be satisfied. It has been established for such two-terminal devices that, when the generalized condition of complementarity is not satisfied, the group of particular conditions of complementarity holds true and they become pseudocomplementary two-terminal devices. The number of the particular conditions of complementarity equals the number of the elements in the potentially inverse two-terminal devices of two structures selected. The number of the elements in the two-terminal devices and their connection have been justified. Variants of using pseudocomplementary two-terminal devices based on potentially inverse two-terminal devices are presented. The former devices allow a reduction of the number of inverse model elements in bridge circuits, the grounding of all multielement two-terminal devices present in the bridge circuits, and the manufacture of bridges with extended functional capabilities.
Creating and Scaling a High-Quality Lung Cancer Screening Program

Centralization of lung cancer screening across the Cleveland Clinic health system led to growth in patient volumes and the provision of high-quality care — but only after overcoming a series of hur...
Making language ‘academic’: language ideologies, enregisterment, and ontogenesis

We argue that ‘academic language’ should not be understood as technical components associated with a ‘register’, and that instead we must attend to its enregisterment. Enregisterment relies upon la...
Pancreatic cyst characterization: maximum axial diameter does not measure up.

Abstract Background Unidimensional size is commonly used to risk stratify pancreatic cysts (PCs) despite inconsistent performance. The current study aimed to determine if unidimensional size, demonstrated by maximum axial diameter (MAD), is an appropriate surrogate measurement for volume and surface area. Methods Patients with cross-sectional imaging of PCs from 2012 to 2013 were identified. Cyst MAD, volume, and surface area were measured using quantitative imaging software. Non-pseudocystic PCs >1 cm were selected for inclusion to assess MAD correlation with volume and surface area. Cysts imaged twice >1 year apart were selected to evaluate volumetric growth rate. Results In total, 195 cysts were included. Overall, MAD was strongly correlated with volume (r = 0.83) and surface area (r = 0.93). However, cysts 1–2 cm and 2–3 cm were weakly correlated with volume and surface area: r = 0.78, 0.57 and 0.82, 0.61, respectively. Cyst volumes and surface areas varied widely within unidimensional size groups with 51% and 40% of volumes and surface areas overlapping unidimensional size groups, respectively. Estimated changes in volume poorly predicted measured changes in volume with 42% of cysts having >100% absolute percent difference. Conclusions Pancreatic cyst volume and surface area may be useful adjunct measurements to risk stratify patients and surveil cyst changes and deserves further study.
Hyperoxia Induced Fibrosis in ARDS and BPd: Current Pathology and Cytokine Profiles

In the February 16, 1967 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the pathologic features of two lung diseases, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in infants and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in adults, were described in ICU patients1. This era marked the time mechanical ventilators capable of delivering high pressures and elevated oxygen tensions were being introduced and utilized in intensive care units. Northway and his associates described the distinctive radiographic pattern of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and accompanying pathologic changes in 32 infants managed in the neonatal intensive care unit2. The average gestational age and birth weight of surviving BPD infants who did not receive exogenous surfactant treatment was 34 weeks and 2,224 grams respectively. Northway and his group suggested that the pathogenesis of BPD was a prolongation of the healing phase of severe hyaline membrane disease combined with generalized pulmonary oxygen toxicity, and that endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation might contribute to disease development. The pathologic lesions described by this group and others during the 1970’s, were alternating zones of overdistended alveoli and fibrosis, squamous metaplasia of the airway epithelium, peribronchial fibrosis, obliterative bronchiolitis, and hypertrophy of peribronchial smooth muscle3-11.
How safe is adolescent bariatric surgery? An analysis of short-term outcomes.

Background The prevalence of childhood obesity in the U.S. has tripled over the last three decades. However, fewer than 1% of children with severe obesity undergo surgical weight loss interventions each year. Materials and methods All patients age 10 to 19 years old who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) from 2015 through 2018 in the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database were included in this retrospective cohort analysis. The primary outcomes were mortality and overall complications. Procedural trends, readmission and reoperation rates were also examined using a multivariate regression model. Results Patients had a mean BMI of 47.3 kg/m2 and 80.0% were either 18 or 19 years old (n = 4,051). There were two reported deaths. Reoperation within 30 days occurred in 1.1% of patients, readmission in 3.5%, and complications in 1.2%. Among all readmissions, primary reasons included nausea/vomiting or nutritional depletion (41.3%) and abdominal pain (16.3%). RYGB was associated with higher odds for readmission (p = 0.006) and complications (p = 0.005). Higher BMI and younger age were not associated with an increased likelihood to experience poorer outcomes. The proportion of patients undergoing SG increased yearly over RYGB from 73.9% in 2015 to 84.3% in 2018. Conclusions Bariatric surgery appears to be low risk for adolescents and SG has become the operation of choice. More research on early consideration of surgical therapy in adolescents with severe obesity is needed given the safety profile. Level of Evidence III
Photoconductivity in Germanium

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses photoconductivity in germanium. Photoconductivity has been a recognized physical phenomenon for nearly a century. Its occurrence has been noted and its properties measured in a wide variety of insulating and semiconducting solids. The form of the solid studied has ranged from evaporated films or bulk polycrystalline samples to almost perfect single crystals of high purity. The type of measurement has varied from a simple observation of a photoeffect to more detailed studies of its dependence on significant parameters such as photon energy, radiation intensity, and temperature. In general, the interpretation of photoconductivity has been limited by insufficient knowledge of the intrinsic properties and lack of control of the purity and perfection of the material under study. The intrinsic properties of importance for this interpretation are the structure of both valence and conduction bands, the magnitude and temperature dependence of mobilities of electrons and holes, and the optical absorption as a function of energy and temperature. The extrinsic properties of importance include solubility and diffusivity of the electrically active impurities, the nature and position of energy levels in the forbidden band, and the cross sections for both optical excitation and recombination characteristic of these impurity levels.
Graphics and GUIs with MATLAB

From the Publisher: Graphics and GUIs with MATLAB completely examines the MATLAB graphics system, describing the enhancements and added features of MATLAB 5. This second edition provides illustrative example sets to simplify the process of learning and mastering the powerful, flexible, and easy-to-use graphics environment. This book serves technical professionals using MATLAB's plotting capabilities, MATLAB programmers learning about the graphics environment, anyone creating pictures using mathematical expressions.
Ganeden Biotech, Inc.

The CEO of Ganeden Biotech, a small firm with several viable probiotic products but limited resources, must decide what markets to invest in and what intellectual property strategies will best serve its immediate and longer term business interests.Learning Objective:To understand the role of IP brokers and IP licensing in implementing business strategy.
A novel approach for the identification of HeLa membrane proteins by combining reversed-phase protein pre-fractionation with Nano-chip-LC/MS

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4464 It is predicted that more than one third of the open reading frames in the human genome encode membrane proteins. Membrane proteins govern many important cellular functions including membrane potential stabilization, signal transduction, and cell volume regulation, all of which play critical roles in cancer, heart disease, cystic diseases and neurological disorders. Over 50% of commercially available drugs targets are membrane proteins. However, analysis of membrane proteins represents a major challenge in proteomics due to their hydrophobicity, and despite their biological importance, they remain an underrepresented subset of studied proteins within proteomics. We have developed a strategy for enhancing membrane protein identifications by two dimensional prefractionation and microfluidic nano-chip-LC/MS analysis. Specifically, we have used a novel high-recovery macroporous reversed-phase (RP) C18 column to prefractionate intact HeLa membrane proteins under high temperature conditions. Collected RP fractions were further resolved by 1D SDS PAGE, the bands excised and the tryptic digest analyzed by nano-chip-LC/MS system. We have identified more than 600 proteins with more than half of the identifications predicted or verified as membrane proteins. This robust and highly reproducible workflow has demonstrated utility for increasing membrane protein identifications from a highly complex membrane protein sample. Optimized conditions for the RP separation permitted total protein recoveries greater than 95%, enhanced peak resolution and showed excellent reproducibility. The combination of reversed-phase chromatographic methods with the subsequent gel separation reduced sample complexity and permitted a higher certainty for membrane protein identifications.
Thoughts About Theories and Statistics

The purpose of this essay is to share my ideas about the connection between theories and statistics. The essay content reflects my concerns about some researchers’ and readers’ apparent lack of clarity about what constitutes appropriate statistical testing and conclusions about the empirical adequacy of theories. The reciprocal relation between theories and statistics is emphasized and the conclusion is that statistics without direction from theory is no more than a hobby.
Pollution from China increases cloud droplet number, suppresses rain over the East China Sea

Rapid economic growth over the last 30 years in China has led to a significant increase in aerosol loading, which is mainly due to the increased emissions of its precursors such as SO2 and NOx. Here we show that these changes significantly affect wintertime clouds and precipitation over the East China Sea downwind of major emission sources. Satellite observations show an increase of cloud droplet number concentration from less than 200 cm-3 in the 1980s to more than 300 cm-3 in 2005. In the same time period, precipitation frequency reported by voluntary ship observers was reduced from more than 30% to less than 20% of the time. A back trajectory analysis showed the pollution in the investigation area to originate from the Shanghai-Nanjing and Jinan industrial areas. A model sensitivity study was performed, isolating the effects of changes in emissions of the aerosol precursors SO2 and NOx on clouds and precipitation using a state-of-the-art mesocale model including chemistry and aerosol indirect effects. Similar changes in cloud droplet number concentration over the East China Sea were obtained when the current industrial emissions in China were reduced to the 1980s levels. Simulated changes in precipitation were somewhat smaller than the observed changesmore » but still significant. Citation: Bennartz, R., J. Fan, J. Rausch, L. R. Leung, and A. K. Heidinger (2011), Pollution from China increases cloud droplet number, suppresses rain over the East China Sea, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L09704, doi:10.1029/ 2011GL047235.« less
Metabolism of 2′,3′-Dideoxy-2′,3′-Didehydro-β-l(−)-5-Fluorocytidine and Its Activity in Combination with Clinically Approved Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus β-d(+) Nucleoside Analogs In Vitro

2',3'-Dideoxy-2',3'-didehydro-beta-L(-)-5-fluorocytidine [L(-)Fd4C] has been reported to be a potent inhibitor of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in cell culture. In the present study the antiviral activity of this compound in two-drug combinations and its intracellular metabolism are addressed. The two-drug combination of L(-)Fd4C plus 2',3'-didehydro-2'-3'-dideoxythymidine (D4T, or stavudine) or 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT, or zidovudine) synergistically inhibited replication of HIV in vitro. Additive antiviral activity was observed with L(-)Fd4C in combination with 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC, or zalcitabine) or 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddI, or didanosine). This beta-L(-) nucleoside analog has no activity against mitochondrial DNA synthesis at concentrations up to 10 microM. As we previously reported for other beta-L(-) nucleoside analogs, L(-)Fd4C could protect against mitochondrial toxicity associated with D4T, ddC, and ddI. Metabolism studies showed that this drug is converted intracellularly to its mono-, di-, and triphosphate metabolites. The enzyme responsible for monophosphate formation was identified as cytoplasmic deoxycytidine kinase, and the K(m) is 100 microM. L(-)Fd4C was not recognized in vitro by human mitochondrial deoxypyrimidine nucleoside kinase. Also, L(-)Fd4C was not a substrate for deoxycytidine deaminase. L(-)Fd4C 5'-triphosphate served as an alternative substrate to dCTP for incorporation into DNA by HIV reverse transcriptase. The favorable anti-HIV activity and protection from mitochondrial toxicity by L(-)Fd4C in two-drug combinations favors the further development of L(-)Fd4C as an anti-HIV agent.
Further Applications of Reverberation Chambers

This chapter contains sections titled: Nested Chambers for Shielding Effectiveness Measurements Evaluation of Shielded Enclosures Measurement of Antenna Efficiency Measurement of Absorption Cross Section Problems
Balancing Clients’ Rights

In the last two decades, society has witnessed a dramatic increase in the amount of litigation concerning incarcerated mentally ill and developmentally disabled persons. These lawsuits reflect a heightened concern with the conditions and practices to which these people have been exposed. Of prime importance in many of those cases have been alleged harmful practices, including such things as physical and mental abuse, un-sanitary living conditions, and exposure to aversive treatment procedures, such as electric shock, psychosurgery, physical restraints, and seclusion (Halderman and the United States v. Pennhurst, 1977; Kaimowitz v. Department of Mental Health, 1973; New York State Association for Retarded Children and Parisi v. Carey, 1975; Wyatt v. Stickney, 1972). Evidence from the cases indicated that individuals in residential programs could also be exposed to harmful conditions because of an absence of appropriate treatment; without appropriate treatment, many individuals can regress or deteriorate in their functioning (Walker &Peabody, 1979). A number of important conclusions have resulted from these lawsuits. Two of the most important are: (1) the right of residential clients to be free from abusive and harmful procedures and conditions and (2) the right of clients to receive treatment appropriate to their needs.
Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Garlic Extracts and Organosulfur Compounds: Human and Animal Studies

The medicinal use of garlic dates back thousands of years, but there was little scientific support of its therapeutic and pharmacologic properties until recently. In the past decade, the cancer-protective effects of garlic have been well established by epidemiologic studies and animal experiments. However, the cardiovascular-protective properties of garlic are less well understood. In particular, despite the reported hypocholesterolemic effect of garlic, the mechanism of the effect is unclear. In a recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study, we showed that aged garlic extract (AGE) supplementation was effective in lowering plasma concentration of total cholesterol by 7% and LDL cholesterol by 10% in hypercholesterolemic men compared with subjects consuming a placebo. Supplementation of AGE in animal diets similarly reduced plasma concentrations of total cholesterol and triacylglycerol by 15 and 30%, respectively. In subsequent experiments using cultured rat hepatocytes, we found 44--87% inhibition of cholesterol synthesis by the water-extractable fraction (WEF), methanol-extractable fraction (MEF) and petroleum ether-extractable fraction (PEF) of fresh garlic, and Kyolic (liquid form of AGE). These observations suggested that hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds of garlic are inhibitory to cholesterol synthesis. Because S-allylcysteine (SAC) alone was less potent than Kyolic, which contains SAC and other sulfur compounds, a maximal inhibition appears to require a concerted action of multiple compounds of garlic. In a series of experiments, we further characterized the inhibitory potency of individual water-soluble and lipid-soluble compounds of garlic. Among water-soluble compounds, SAC, S-ethylcysteine (SEC), and S-propylcysteine (SPC) inhibited cholesterol synthesis by 40--60% compared with 20--35% by gamma-glutamyl-S-allylcysteine (GSAC), gamma-glutamyl-S-methylcysteine (GSMC) and gamma-glutamyl-S-propylcysteine (GSPC). Lipid-soluble sulfur compounds (i.e., diallyl sulfide, diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide, dipropyl sulfide and dipropyl trisulfide) at low concentrations (0.05--0.5 mol/L) slightly (10--15%) inhibited cholesterol synthesis but became highly cytotoxic at high concentrations (1.0--4.0 mol/L). All water-soluble compounds, except S-allylmercaptocysteine, were not cytotoxic, judging from the release of cellular lactate dehydrogenase into the culture medium. Taken together, the results of our studies indicate that the cholesterol-lowering effects of garlic extract, such as AGE, stem in part from inhibition of hepatic cholesterol synthesis by water-soluble sulfur compounds, especially SAC.
Fatty acid composition of different serum phospholipids in men and women

1. Eight young healthy persons, four men and four women, were maintained for a total of 2 months on a diet in which 40%, 16% and 44% of the total calories were present as fats, proteins and carbohydrates respectively. The ratio of complex to simple carbohydrates in the diet was 1:4. 2. The fatty acids of serum kephalins, lecithins, lysolecithins and sphingomyelins were determined by gas–liquid column chromatography. 3. Lysolecithins in both men and women had the highest content of saturated acids, followed by sphingomyelins, lecithins and kephalins in that order. The degrees of saturation and of polyunsaturation of the fatty acids in the different phospholipid fractions were significantly different, except for the differences in the polyunsaturation of the kephalins and lecithins. 4. No sex difference was found in the fatty acid composition of the different phospholipids.
Field-Induced Orbital and Magnetic Phases in C a 3 R u 2 O 7

Magnetic-field- and temperature-dependent Raman scattering studies of ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{a}}_{3}{\mathrm{R}\mathrm{u}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ reveal dramatic field-dependent properties arising from transitions between various complex orbital and magnetic phases, including a field-induced orbital-ordered to orbital-disordered transition (${H}_{o}\ensuremath{\Vert}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{\text{hard axis}}$), and a reentrant orbital-ordered to orbital-disordered to orbital-ordered transition (${H}_{o}\ensuremath{\Vert}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{\text{easy axis}}$). We find that the dramatic magnetic-field properties are most prevalent in a ``mixed''-magnetic and -orbital phase regime, providing evidence for a strong connection between orbital phase inhomogeneity and ``colossal'' field effects in the ruthenates.
Proliferating Cells Express mRNAs with Shortened 3' Untranslated Regions and Fewer MicroRNA Target Sites

Messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, localization, and translation are largely determined by sequences in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). We found a conserved increase in expression of mRNAs terminating at upstream polyadenylation sites after activation of primary murine CD4+ T lymphocytes. This program, resulting in shorter 3'UTRs, is a characteristic of gene expression during immune cell activation and correlates with proliferation across diverse cell types and tissues. Forced expression of full-length 3'UTRs conferred reduced protein expression. In some cases the reduction in protein expression could be reversed by deletion of predicted microRNA target sites in the variably included region. Our data indicate that gene expression is coordinately regulated, such that states of increased proliferation are associated with widespread reductions in the 3'UTR-based regulatory capacity of mRNAs.
Centroids and widths in the symplectic collective model

Abstract Methods of statistical spectroscopy are applied to the symplectic collective shell model. Analytic expressions are given for determining the distribution of U(3) centroids within an irreducible repressentation of Sp(3, R) for the Bohr-Mottelson collective V(β, γ) potential. For 20Ne, a comparison is made between statistical predictions and shell-model results for the U(3) content of states in the ground state domain. The results suggest that statistical measures can be used reliably to truncate symplectic model spaces so that microscopic calculations become feasible.
DIFFERENTIATION OF VAGINAL EPITHELIUM IN MICE GIVEN ESTROGEN AND THYMIDINE-H3.

Adult mice of the A/Jax strain were given injections of thymidine-H3 at proestrus and injections of estrogen at one day intervals thereafter, up to eight days. Mice were killed at daily intervals and longitudinal sections of vagina were radioautographed. Cells which were immediately above the basal layer at proestrus, and which would have given rise to the mucous, nucleated cell layer, eventually produced an interruption in the otherwise continuous cornification of the surface layers. A similar experiment, begun at late metestrus, produced comparable results, except that the interruption of cornification was more pronounced. Mice which had been ovariectomized two weeks previously were given injections of estradiol and thymidine-H3. Cells at the surface continued to show a low frequency of mitotic activity and retained their nuclei after estradiol treatment. They were finally sloughed by the squamous transformation of underlying cells. The latter were derived originally from the basal layer under the influence of estradiol, which led to greatly accelerated mitotic activity in that layer. It is concluded that the course of cellular differentiation in these migrating cells is fixed when they are produced by mitosis of basal cells. This differentiation can only be modified, not reversed, by subsequent estradiol treatment even when the cells involved are still capable of undergoing mitosis.
MAPK7 Regulates EMT Features and Modulates the Generation of CTCs.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicatedinmodelsoftumorcellmigration,invasion,andmetastasis.Ina search for candidate therapeutic targets to reverse this process, nontumorigenic MCF10A breast epithelial cells were infected with anarrayed lentiviral kinome shRNA library and screened for either suppression or enhancementof a 26-gene EMT RNA signature. No individualkinasegeneknockdownwassufficienttoinduceEMT.In
Mutarotation of tetramethylglucose catalyzed by ribonucleosides

Abstract The inherent catalytic ability of various 2′, 3′, 5′ tri-OTBS protected RNA nucleosides in facilitating mutarotation of tetramethylglucose in benzene was investigated. Nucleosides A, G, and Ψ showed modest rate enhancements (3–5 fold) over the uncatalyzed rate whereas C demonstrated a rate increase of over 20-fold. The relatively large rate increase for C points to a bifunctional mode of catalysis wherein the amidine functionality of C provides simultaneous acceptance and deliverance of protons in the catalytic mechanism.
Substrate specificity of Helicobacter pylori histone-like HU protein is determined by insufficient stabilization of DNA flexure points

The histone-like HU protein is ubiquitous in the eubacteria. A role for Escherichia coli HU in compaction of the bacterial genome has been reported, along with regulatory roles in DNA replication, transposition, repair and transcription. We show here that HU from the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori, which has been implicated in the development of ulcers and gastric cancer, exhibits enhanced thermal stability and distinct DNA substrate specificity. Thermal denaturation of HpyHU (H. pylori HU) measured by CD spectroscopy yields a melting temperature (T(m)) of 56.4+/-0.1 degrees C. HpyHU binds linear duplex DNA with a site size of approximately 19 bp and with low affinity, but in striking contrast to E. coli HU, HpyHU has only modest preference for DNA with mismatches, nicks or gaps. Instead, HpyHU binds stably to four-way DNA junctions with half-maximal saturation of 5 nM. Substitution of two residues adjacent to the DNA-intercalating prolines attenuates both the preference for flexible DNA and the ability to bend and supercoil DNA. These observations suggest that proline intercalation generates hinges that must be stabilized by adjacent residues; insufficient stabilization leads to reduced bending and a failure to bind preferably to DNA with flexure points, such as gaps and mismatches.
Congestion avoidance in S-CSCF selection in an IMS network

In the signaling plane of an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) network, the interrogating Call/Session Control Function (I-CSCF) is required to choose the serving CSCF (S-CSCF) for user requests arriving at the proxy CSCFs (P-CSCF). This requires S-CSCF selection in such a way that the response time is minimized. However, in an overloaded situation, the P-CSCF entry points for arriving requests must balance between rejecting new requests and having an acceptable response time from S-CSCF for those that are allowed to enter. In this setting, we consider a number of controls for congestion avoidance that work in conjunction with S-CSCF selection in an IMS Network. For balancing between rejection of requests and the response time, we also propose a composite metric. Through our studies on grid topologies, we observe that one of the avoidance algorithms, the bang-bang control, generally shows to be the most promising toward striking a good balance between rejection of requests and the response time.
Urban Hazard Mitigation: Creating Resilient Cities

Cities are complex and interdependent systems, extremely vulnerable to threats from both natural hazards and terrorism. This paper proposes a comprehensive strategy of urban hazard mitigation aimed at the creation of resilient cities, able to withstand both types of threats. The paper reviews hazard mitigation practice, defines a resilient city, considers the relationship between resilience and terrorism, and discusses why resilience is important and how to apply its principles to physical and social elements of cities. Contending that current hazard mitigation policy, practice, and knowledge fail to deal with the unique aspects of cities under stress, the paper recommends a major resilient cities initiative, including expanded urban systems research, education and training, and increased collaboration among professional groups involved in city building and hazard mitigation.
24: Time, Terror, Television

Abstract:The television program 24 is about time, terror, television, and the relays among them. It offers fantasies about hi-tech resolution of terrorism, but it repeatedly depicts the medium of television as an unresolvable other that rumbles capitalist and humanist dreams of eliminating threatening otherness—such as wasted time—in pursuit of profit and self-possession.
Analysis of copper and brass coins of the early roman empire.

X-ray fluorescence analysis of 14 copper and brass coins of the early Roman Empire shows differences in composition between coins minted in Rome and in France. Concentrations of tin, lead, and antimony are nearly always less than in coins minted before 29 B.C. or after 54 A.D. Older coins were not melted to make copper coins of the early empire.
Trends in healthcare and the role of the anesthesiologist in the perioperative surgical home - the US perspective.

Purpose of review Although advances in science are important, changes in population structure and developments in health policy have equally critical roles in shaping the future of anesthesia practice. Therefore, it is important for anesthesiologists to be aware of these trends and their implications. Recent findings As in other industrialized nations, population aging implies that patients presenting for elective surgery in future decades will be older and sicker. Nevertheless, in part for economic reasons, the fraction of surgeries performed in the ambulatory environment will continue to increase. Furthermore, the gradual elimination of fee-for-service care in favor of bundled payments will place additional risk on providers to prevent costly complications. In the USA, the American Society of Anesthesiologists has offered the 'surgical home' as a new model for perioperative care delivery in which the anesthesiologist serves as the coordinator of care from the preoperative through the postoperative phase. The purpose is not only to increase patient-centeredness but also to find opportunities for cost savings and increased efficiencies. Summary Global demographic and health policy trends are calling for new models of healthcare delivery. Anesthesiologists have much experience in the fields of risk assessment and quality improvement. They are well positioned to become leaders in the perioperative care environment of the future.
Cohomological invariants of algebraic tori

Given a field F of arbitrary characteristic and an algebraic torus T/F we calculate degree 2 and 3 cohomological invariants of T with values in Q/Z(1) and Q_p/Z_p(2) respectively, the latter for p not equal to 2, char(F) and generalize the former to other algebraic groups. Moreover, we obtain descriptions of the corresponding unramified cohomology groups, and in particular of H 3 nr (F(T), mn \otimes 2 ) for n prime to 2 and char(F) . In the process, we construct a useful short exact sequence for cohomological invariants and make connections with recent results on Chow groups of codimension 2.
Modification of photochemical reactivity by zeolites: heavy cation induced phosphorescence and entrapment of rotational conformers of trans-stilbene

Abstract trans-Stilbene when included in Tl+-exchanged faujasites and pentasils shows intense phosphorescence. Analysis of the phosphorescence spectra reveals that the conformers included in these two types of zeolites are different.
Market transition, educational disparities, and family strategies in rural China: new evidence on gender stratification and development.

Two theoretical perspectives have dominated debates about the impact of development on gender stratification: modernization theory, which argues that gender inequalities decline with economic growth, and the “women in development” perspective, which argues that development may initially widen gender gaps. Analyzing cross-sectional surveys and time-series data from China, this article indicates the relevance of both perspectives: while girls’ educational opportunities were clearly more responsive than boys’ to better household economic circumstances, the era of market transition in the late 1970s and early 1980s failed to accelerate and, in fact, may have temporarily slowed progress toward gender equity.
Four cases of injury involving soda vending machines

Injuries resulting from rocking soda vending machines are severe and potentially fatal. Four cases of significant trauma stemming from soda vending machine accidents are reported: One patient died, one is disabled, and two healed uneventfully. As a result, we recommend securing heavy soda vending machines to prevent further injuries. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a mechanism of injury resulting from soda machines. Language: en
Extension of DVB-S2 capabilites for high rate AISR data transport

In 2007, MIT Lincoln Laboratory began supporting the United States Air Force (USAF) MILSATCOM Family of Advanced Beyond Line of Sight Terminals Increment 2 (FAB-T Inc 2) program1. The Laboratory led the development and implementation of the Ka-band high data rate (Ka HDR) waveform for the transportation of airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (AISR) data from air assets to any number of ground stations via the Ka-band capabilities of the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system. This waveform is subject to all the technical challenges posed by the requirements of an airborne terminal, including: limited size weight and power (SWaP), a direct synthesis scheme on transmit, developing for a software defined radio (SDR) environment, and adhering to MILSATCOM requirements. After a research study of available waveform options, Lincoln recommended the Digital Video Broadcast Satellite Second Generation (DVB-S2) waveform to fulfill the Air Force's requirements. Because commercially available DVB-S2 modems currently only support rates of approximately 45 million symbols per second (Msym/s), Lincoln extended this capability to 280 Msym/s to satisfy the FAB-T Inc 2 requirements. This paper details the results of this extension and shows that the new system maintains much of the benefits of the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components. DVB-S2, ETSI (EN 302 307), is an advanced satellite communications standard developed to support commercial satellite broadcasting of television, interactive services, news gathering, and other broadband satellite applications. Its advanced forward error correction (FEC) scheme, multiple modulation types, and potential compatibility with the Joint Internet Protocol Modem (JIPM) made it a suitable candidate for FAB-T Inc 2.
A method to fabricate mesoscopic freestanding polydimethylsiloxane membranes used to probe the rheology of an epithelial sheet.

Details are presented for the formulation, fabrication, and mechanical characterization of mesoscopic freestanding polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer membranes, 10.0 μm thick and 5.0 mm in diameter, used to probe the rheology of a living epithelial sheet. In what is described as a composite diaphragm inflation (CDI) experiment, freestanding PDMS membranes are utilized as substrates for the culture of a sheet of epithelial cells. Together, the cell layer and the PDMS elastomer form a composite diaphragm (CD) that is suitable for mechanical testing in an axisymmetric membrane inflation experiment. In order to distinguish the rheological behavior of the epithelial sheet from the mechanical response of the elastomer using inflation test data, freestanding PDMS membranes should exhibit a highly compliant yet mechanically invariant finite load-deformation response when subjected to multiple inflation cycles following intermittent periods of cell culture. Given these considerations, we describe a method for preparing freestanding PDMS elastomer membrane specimens that are optically transparent, tensed, and wrinkle-free. Surface modifications intended to facilitate cell culture, namely water vapor plasma and ultraviolet light treatments, were shown to dramatically stiffen the mechanical response of the membranes, rendering them unusable as CD substrates. In this study, only PDMS membranes with physiosorbed collagen demonstrated the mechanical compliance, fatigue resistance, and environmental stability necessary for reliable use in CDI experiments.
Increased asymmetrical dimethyl-arginine suppresses nitric oxide production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis

More than 750,000 patients in the United States develop sepsis annually. Previously, we have shown that plasma nitric oxide (NO) levels were approximately sevenfold higher and that arginase activity is significantly lower in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sepsis than in Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis. In the present study, we hypothesize that increased asymmetrical dimethyl-arginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of NO synthase, is responsible for the suppressed NO production in Ps. aeruginosa sepsis.
Recurrent phenomena in French film studies: from television to digital media

This paper is a comparative study of the impact on French film studies of the emergence of television and digital technologies. The goal of the comparison between what the author calls the ‘television revolution’ – a period in which film theorists became aware of the impact of television on the study of cinema – and the now well-known ‘digital revolution’ is to observe the recurrence of specific phenomena in the history of film studies in France. The author argues that during both the television and digital revolutions there appears to be a desire to compare cinema with other media while at the same time asserting its specificity. The impact of the television and digital revolutions on film studies in France is thus two-fold: (1) the broadening of the discipline's boundaries to include other media and other research methods; and (2) the redefinition of cinema based on a singular definition of the medium.
INTEGRATING PREY DEFENSIVE TRAITS: CONTRASTS OF MARINE WORMS FROM TEMPERATE AND TROPICAL HABITATS

Marine worms are speciose and numerically prominent members of marine communities where they play critical roles in trophic interactions and in affecting biogeochemical cycles. Despite the ecological importance of this group, little is known about their palatability to, and defenses against, consumers. In addition, most studies of prey defenses in marine organisms have focused on overt, sessile species: few studies have investigated more mobile and behaviorally complex species that could potentially be integrating predator deterrents with refuge use and other escape behaviors. To increase our understanding of consequences of defensive traits among mobile marine prey, we surveyed the palatability of 81 species of worms from the Caribbean and warm-temperate western Atlantic. Thirty-seven percent of the species were unpalatable. Worms with differentially exposed body portions commonly defended exposed feeding appendages with chemical or structural deterrents, while palatable and undefended bodies remained sheltered within structural refuges. Unpalatable worms tended to be brightly colored and sedentary, exposed to epibenthic predators, and to occupy hard substrates. Palatable worms tended to be drab, to live in structural refuges from consumers, to be mobile, and to inhabit unconsolidated sediments. Overall, taxonomy (Sabellidae and Terebellidae) and color were the traits most strongly associated with unpalatability. Unpalatable species appeared less constrained by predation and freer to forage for long periods on higher quality surface sediments or on other invertebrates at the sediment surface (thus, potentially influencing the distribution and abundance of other species). In contrast, palatable species appeared more constrained by predation risk. They fed on lower quality subsurface sediments and foraged at times or locations where consumers were less active. These ecological patterns may be generalized to other soft-bodied prey, such as caterpillars, which show similar trends regarding palatability and lifestyle.
Why do we have nominal government debt

Abstract We study the choice between nominal and indexed debt in a stochastic macroeconomic model with discretionary monetary and fiscal policy. With distortionary taxes, nominal debt provides valuable insurance against the budgetary effects of economic fluctuations. We show that a welfare-maximizing government always issues some nominal debt even though nominal debt increases inflation along the time-consistent path of the economy. The result is fairly robust with respect to changes in assumptions about policy constraints and about the macroeconomic setting.
Changes in Monoamines and Their Metabolite Concentrations in REM Sleep-Deprived Rat Forebrain Nuclei

Rapid eye movement sleep deprivation (REMSD) is a potent stressor in rats. Behavioral abnormalities such as passive and active avoidance, locomotor activity, problem solving, sensory information processing, and the development of adaptive copping strategy in response to repeated stress are among the earliest obvious symptoms of REMSD, the mechanism for which remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether 96 h of REMSD causes changes in monoamine neurotransmitters concentrations in rat forebrain regions (frontal cortex, FC; parietal cortex, PC, and striatum) that are involved in mediating higher brain functions such as attentional mechanisms, sensory information processing, and locomotor activity, which are severely affected in REMSD conditions. Rats were subjected to 96 h of REMSD using inverted flower pot water tank technique. To account for the stress associated with water tanks, a tank control group (TC) was included where the animals could reside comfortably on a large pedestal in the water tank. Regional brain concentrations of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), dihydroxyphenyacetic acid (DOPAC), L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (HIAA) were determined by electrochemical detection using high-performance liquid chromatography. The concentrations of serotonin and its metabolite, HIAA, was reduced in the frontal and parietal cortexes of REMSD rats compared with TC or cage control (CC) group. NE, DA, DOPAC, and HVA concentrations in FC and PC of REMSD animals were remained unchanged compared with TC or CC rats. A significant increase in the concentrations of DA metabolites was observed in the striatum of REMSD rats when compared with CC and TC rats. There was a 29 and 31% increase in the concentration of striatal DA in REMSD group compared to the TC and CC groups, respectively; however, these percentages were not statistically different. Striatal NE, 5-HT, and HIAA concentrations were not significantly different among the three groups. These results suggest that 96 h of REMSD alters dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in different locations in rat brain. The effect of REMSD on the serotonergic systems are localized in the cerebral cortex, whereas dopaminergic metabolism is increased in the striatum.