cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tetracyclines Inhibit Protein Glycation in Experimental Diabetes

Glycation of proteins, which is accelerated in the diabetic state, has been implicated in many of the long-term complications of diabetes. This process can be inhibited by members of the tetracycline family of compounds. This novel finding is supported by studies conducted on drug (streptozotocin)induced Type I and genetic (ZDF/Gmi-fa/fa) Type II diabetic rats. These animals were orally gavaged daily with 5 mg of doxycycline and a variety of non-antimicrobial chemically modified tetracycline derivatives for time periods of 3 weeks to 11 months, while control untreated diabetic and nondiabetic animals were gavaged with vehicle alone (2% CMC). Blood and tissue samples were collected and analyzed for glucose and glycated proteins. None of the treatments had any effect on the severity of hyperglycemia or the intracellular glycation of hemoglobin of either Type I or II diabetic animals. However, the tetracycline analogues did affect the extracellular glycation of several proteins such as those found in the serum as well as skin collagen. In the Type II (ZDF) animals, initial mortality (3-5 months) was seen only in the doxycycline-treated animals, associated with infection by tetracycline-resistant micro-organisms, which was eventually surpassed by mortality rates in the untreated diabetics (6-9 months). CMT treatment not only decreased mortality but also increased longevity in the Type II diabetic animals, most likely by preventing the development of a number of long-term complications of uncontrolled diabetes, including glycation of proteins, that eventually lead to the demise of untreated diabetic animals.
Plasma phosphatidylcholine concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids are differentially associated with hip bone mineral density and hip fracture in older adults: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may influence bone health. The objective of this work was to examine associations between plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC) PUFA concentrations and hip measures: (1) femoral neck bone mineral density (FN-BMD) (n = 765); (2) 4-year change in FN-BMD (n = 556); and (3) hip fracture risk (n = 765) over 17-year follow-up among older adults in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. BMD measures were regressed on quintile of plasma PC PUFAs (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA], linoleic acid [LA], and arachidonic acid [AA]), adjusted for covariates. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for hip fracture were estimated by quintile of plasma PC PUFAs, adjusted for covariates. Higher concentrations of PC DHA were associated with loss of FN-BMD over 4 years in women (p-trend = 0.04), but was protective in men in the uppermost quintile compared to men grouped in the lower four quintiles, in post hoc analysis (p = 0.01). PC LA concentrations were inversely associated with baseline FN-BMD in women (p-trend = 0.02), and increased hip fracture risk in women and men (p-trend = 0.05), but body mass index (BMI) adjustment attenuated these associations (p-trend = 0.12 and p-trend = 0.14, respectively). A trend toward a protective association was observed between PC AA and baseline FN-BMD in men (p-trend = 0.06). Women and men with the highest PC AA concentrations had 51% lower hip fracture risk than those with the lowest (HR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.24–1.00). Opposing effects of PC DHA on FN-BMD loss observed in women and men need further clarification. Bone loss associated with PC LA may be confounded by BMI. High PC AA concentrations may be associated with reduced hip fracture risk. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Why lean needs simulation

Lean methods have become the standard approach to the resolution of design and operational issues in production and other systems. However, the lean approach has deficiencies. The deficiencies that simulation can address are presented, discussed and illustrated. These deficiencies include modeling and assessing the effects of variation, making use of all available data, validating the effects of proposed changes before implementation as well identifying other possible improvements, and assessing the interaction effects between system components. Various industrial applications are presented that show that simulation was required to successfully address operational issues that the lean approach failed to identify and could not resolve.
The reliability of preference for signaled shock

Furedy and Biederman cited unreported silent parameters as the reason for their failure to replicate one of Badia and Culbertson’s (1972) experiments. Badia and Culbertson reported that rats prefer signaled electric shock to unsignaled. The purpose of the present experiment was to determine if the preference for signaled shock would emerge, using the Badia and Culbertson procedure, in a different laboratory and, hence, to evaluate the Furedy and Biederman speculation about silent parameters. Rats were shocked, in one of two conditions, at unpredictable times throughout each session. In the signaled conditions, each shock was preceded by a tone; in the unsignaled condition, no shock was preceded by a tone. Later, when given the opportunity, each rat changed the unsignaled condition to the signaled condition. The results are very similar to those of Badia and Culbertson. It was concluded that the changeover procedure is valid, reliable, and interpretable.
Symbolic versus Policy Representation on the U.S. Supreme Court

Presidents often pick Supreme Court justices at least in part for their symbolic appeal to geographic, sex, racial, religious, or partisan groups. Whether these symbolic appointees actually represent group attitudes particularly well during their tenure on the Court, however, has not yet been examined. Evidence from 107 rulings during the Warren, Burger, and Rehnquist Courts indicates that most symbolic appointees to the Courts do not vote for their own group's attitudes on specific Court cases any more often than do their remaining brethren. Symbolic appointees have not typically been "faithful delegates."
Elucidation of structure-activity relationships for 2- or 6-substituted-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones.

Abstract 1,4-Naphthoquinones have already been recognized to possess a wide range of biological activities. We have developed quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) for different series of 2- or 6-substituted-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones to understand the chemical–biological interaction governing antiproliferative/cytotoxic activities against L1210 cells. QSAR results have shown that these activities of 2- or 6-substituted-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones depend largely on their hydrophobicity.
Failure of ethylene oxide to sterilize extracted human teeth

Abstract Objectives . The purpose of this study was to determine if ethylene oxide could sterilize extracted human teeth to be used in research. Methods . An occlusal preparation was cut in freshly extracted molars, and a small hole was drilled into the pulp chamber. A suspension of Bacillus subtilis (globigii) endospores, the standard biological monitor used for ethylene oxide sterilization, was injected into the pulp cavity, and the pulp cavity access was filled with composite material and sealed with a light-cured sealant. The teeth were exposed to either a 30°C or 63°C ethylene oxide sterilization process. Following exposure, the teeth were aseptically split and cultured to reveal viable spores. Results . Sixty-four percent of the teeth exposed to “cold” ethylene oxide treatment and 80% of the teeth exposed to the “warm” treatment still contained viable spores. Significance . Ethylene oxide cannot be relied on to sterilize extracted human teeth. Therefore, before they are used in research, other methods should be used to ensure killing of bloodborne pathogens that may be present within the teeth.
Host acceptance and larval competition in the banded and European elm bark beetles, Scolytus schevyrewi and S. multistriatus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae): potential mechanisms for competitive displacement between invasive species.

A recent survey revealed that the newly invasive banded elm bark beetle, Scolytus schevyrewi, was much more abundant than the long-established European elm bark beetle, S. multistriatus, in areas of Colorado and Wyoming, USA. This study was initiated to determine whether competitive displacement of S. multistriatus by S. schevyrewi might be mediated by a sequence of behavioral interactions between the species on and below the bark surface. At the first step in the sequence, host acceptance behavior (i.e., time to tunnel into the host) was monitored among female S. schevyrewi and S. multistriatus. There was no substantial difference in host acceptance behavior when females were offered small cut logs (bolts) of Siberian elm, Ulmus pumila, infested with con- or heterospecific females. At the second step, mating and oviposition usually follow after a female has excavated a gallery. Mean oviposition per parental female in 1 wk was not significantly different among treatments: S. schevyrewi at medium density of 2.86 parental females per dm2, at high density of 5.71 per dm2; S. multistriatus at medium density, at high density; and mixed species (i.e., S. schevyrewi and S. multistriatus combined, with each at medium density). At the third step, progeny production and progeny size were monitored among the same density treatments, but the number of parental beetles and size of bolts were doubled. Differences in progeny production would reflect larval competition, since the number of eggs initially laid was not different. Both S. schevyrewi and S. multistriatus were sensitive to intraspecific competition because size of progeny was smaller in high than medium density treatments, but total progeny production was similar at both densities. Scolytus schevyrewi was a stronger interspecific competitor than S. multistriatus. Smaller S. multistriatus progeny, and four-fold more S. schevyrewi progeny were produced when both species developed on the same host. The contributions of these proximal behavioral events toward the mechanism for competitive displacement are described in the context of the host colonization behavior of Scolytus spp. The competitive advantage of S. schevyrewi larvae established through this study, and the more rapid response of S. schevyrewi to elm hosts established through other investigations, may be the key mechanistic components that facilitate the displacement of S. multistriatus by S. schevyrewi.
WE‐D‐332‐04: Calculation of Patient‐Specific Organ Doses From CT Exams

Purpose: To develop a Monte Carlo based package for calculating the patient specific organ doses from CT exams. Method and Materials: Clinical CT systems were simulated using the recently released Geant4 9.1 based on specifications provided by CT vendors. Continuous movements of CT gantry rotation and patient table translation were implemented. A text file was used to configure the scanner geometry and scanning protocols. The X‐ray spectra were generated using the TASMIP program and were verified with the scanner HVL specifications. The simulation was at first validated by comparing the calculated CTDI100 with the measured value. The CTimages of a CIRS anthropomorphic phantom were then used as a voxelized phantom and the CT ♯ of each voxel was converted to a tissue composition based on the published data. Absorbed energy in each voxel was recorded and 3‐D dose map was obtained. Organs were segmented manually and the dose for each organ was calculated. Results: The difference between the simulated CTDI100 and the measured value was less than 10%. A CT scan of a CIRS anthropomorphic phantom was simulated and doses to each organ were calculated. Conclusion: It is feasible to calculate organ doses for individual patient based on clinically acquired CTimages and scanning parameters. Automated segmentation tool is needed to make the organ dose calculation to be practical.
Citizenship education in Post-conflict contexts: A review of the literature

In recent years, citizenship education has been the subject of much international attention, including two major cross-national studies. However, few reviews of civic education scholarship include ...
Sign reversal of the Hall effect in YBa2(Cu1?x )3O7?? single crystals

We have measured the in-plane Hall effect and in-plane resistivity of cobalt-doped YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) single-crystal samples. The concentration of cobalt ranged from 1 to 3%. As the applied field was varied, a sign reversal of the Hall resistivity was seen for 1 and 2% Co-doped samples, but not for the 3% sample. Our results are expressed in terms of conductivities, as recently recommended by the work of Dorseyet al. and Kopninet al. In the mixed state just below the superconducting transition temperatureTc, the Hall conductivityσxy is the sum of two terms,C1/H andC2H, whereC1 andC2 are field-independent but temperature-dependent. As previously observed by Ginsberg and Manson for undoped YBCO, the coefficientC1 is approximately proportional toτ2 andC2 is approximately linear inτ, whereτ = 1−(T/T c ). The values ofC1 andC2 are presented for each cobalt concentration.
Time-dependent sensitization of plasma beta-endorphin in community elderly with self-reported environmental chemical odor intolerance

This study examined plasma beta-endorphin as a marker of the physiological stress response in community elderly who were either high ( n = 15) or low ( n = 15) in self-rated frequency of illness from environmental chemical odors. Individuals who report nonatopic multiple sensitivities to or intolerances for low levels of environmental chemicals also claim high rates of comorbid food sensitivities or intolerances. Subjects gave 9 am blood samples for plasma beta-endorphin 90 min after ingesting either 1% fat cow's milk or a soy-based nondairy drink, on six different mornings in the laboratory after all-night sleep recordings. The six sessions were divided into three sets of two successive days each, with each set [involving baseline (ad lib milk), nondairy (soy-based), and dairy diets] separated from the next by 3 weeks. In the chemically tolerant subjects, stably lower beta-endorphin levels suggested that milk may have been a physiologically less stressful beverage than was the soy drink. In contrast, the chemical odor intolerant group exhibited a) increased levels of plasma beta-endorphin averaged over the 6 days ( p = .02); and b) marked fiuctuations in endorphin from one laboratory day to the next (Group × Diet × Day interaction, p = .005). The findings were consistent with time-dependent, context-dependent sensitization of beta-endorphin in the chemical odor intolerant individuals.
Na-K-Cl cotransporter expression in the developing and senescent gerbil cochlea

Changes in the cellular expression pattern of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter (NKCC) were investigated during postnatal development and with advancing age in the gerbil cochlea. At birth, faint immunostaining for NKCC was discernable in the developing stria vascularis (StV), Reissner's membrane, interdental cells and some relatively undifferentiated cells lining the cochlear partition. Between 2 and 4 days after birth (DAB) immunostaining persisted and increased in the future interdental, inner and outer sulcus and claudius cells but then disappeared from these sites by 8 DAB. In contrast, NKCC immunoreactivity in the StV increased progressively during development and approached adult levels by 12 DAB. Immunostaining for NKCC in subpopulations of fibrocytes in the inferior portion of the spiral ligament, the suprastrial region and the spiral limbus was first detectable between 10 and 12 DAB and staining intensity reached adult levels around 16 DAB. Changes in NKCC expression with advancing age generally mimicked those previously observed for Na,K-ATPase in focal regions of atrophic lateral wall. Diminished immunostaining was first seen in the StV, presumably associated with the involution of the marginal cell's basolateral processes. Further atrophy culminated in complete loss of immunostaining in the StV and an associated down-regulation of NKCC expression in spiral ligament transport fibrocytes. The marked similarities in the developmental and age-related expression patterns of NKCC and Na,K-ATPase point to a high level of functional cooperativity between these two ion transport mediators, which together provide an efficient mechanism for generating and maintaining high K+ levels in endolymph and the endocochlear potential.
Neural stem cells from adult hippocampus develop essential properties of functional CNS neurons

Neural stem cells are present both in the developing nervous system and in the adult nervous system of all mammals, including humans. Little is known, however, about the extent to which stem cells in adults can give rise to new neurons. We used immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy (FM imaging) and electrophysiology to demonstrate that progeny of adult rat neural stem cells, when co-cultured with primary neurons and astrocytes from neonatal hippocampus, develop into electrically active neurons and integrate into neuronal networks with functional synaptic transmission. We also found that functional neurogenesis from adult stem cells is possible in co-culture with astrocytes from neonatal and adult hippocampus. These studies show that neural stem cells derived from adult tissues, like those derived from embryonic tissues, retain the potential to differentiate into functional neurons with essential properties of mature CNS neurons.
Demo: Distilling likely truth from noisy streaming data with Apollo

At CPSWeek 2011, the authors presented a demonstration of Apollo, a fact-finder for participatory sensing that ranks archived human-centric and sensor data by credibility. The current demonstration significantly extends our previous work by allowing Apollo to operate on live streaming data; in this case, live Twitter feeds. As the role of humans as sensors increases in emerging sensing applications, a principled approach becomes necessary to address the problem of ascertaining the veracity of sources and observations made by them. Participatory and social sensing applications may use potentially unreliable or unverified sources, such as a phone-based sensing application that grows virally in a large un-vetted population, a disaster-response application, where conflicting damage assessment reports may come from large numbers of different volunteers, or a military application, where friendly observers at a remote location may make hard-to-verify claims about local events. Apollo analyzes noisy data that increasingly plagues human-centric sensing to determine which items of information are more likely to be true.
An engineer looks at space flight

A brief description of space flight is presented from the perspective of the engineering disciplines. Main benefit accruing to mankind will be in the qualitative leap in scientific knowledge.
The impact of mass communication campaigns in the health field

This article analyzes a series of health education projects that used the mass media to change behavior. First, the article describes how persuasion theories are used to maximize impact in mass communication campaigns. Second, this paper discusses theories of social psychology used in such campaigns. One such theory, cognitive dissonance, explains changes at the level of attitudes, beliefs and opinion. Another theory, social learning, defines strategies of behavior changes. A third theory, concerning diffusion of innovations, helps understand the network of interpersonal relationships essential for the adoption of any innovation. McGuire's inoculation theory suggests strategies to aid resistance to harmful environmental influences (e.g. smoking, excessive drinking, etc.). Third, this work reviews public health campaigns that have used one or more of these theories of social psychology. The first project, dealing with smoking behavior cessation and prevention, mainly used strategies of interpersonal communication for inoculating and modeling useful behavior in order to resist social pressures favorable to smoking. The second project, designed to prevent alcoholism, used the mass media primarily. The objective of this campaign was to obtain changes in knowledge, attitude and behavior in the public through modeling desirable behaviors over public service announcements. The third campaign, a heart disease prevention program, used a combination of mass media and interpersonal communication to achieve changes in lifestyle of the population. Finally, this article describes limitations in using mass media in behavior change health programs.
Transition metal complexes of triethylenetetramine. IV. Synthesis of chloroaquotriethylenetetraminechromium(III) cation, and kinetics of primary and secondary aquation of cis-α- dichlorotriethylenetetraminechromium (III) cation

Abstract The new complex, pink Cr (trien) (OH2)Cl2+ (probably cis-β or cis-β′isomer), has been synthesized and characterized aqueous solution, as have orange Cr(trien) (OH2)23+ (unknown isomers) and a purple species tentatively characterized as Cr(trienH) (OH2)2Cl3+ (unknown isomers), and their visible absorption spectra recorded. The latter two species are directly formed products in the hydrolysis of pink Cr(trien) (OH2Cl2+ in 0.1–3 F HClO4 at 25–35°. Aquation of cis-μ-Cr(trien) Cl2+ follows a first-order rate law with k = (1.02±0.06) × 10−4 sec−1 at 25.00° over the range 0.0001–0.1 F HClO4 (μ = 0.1); Ea = 21.2± 0.7 kcal mole−1 and log PZ = 11.8±0.5 (sec−1). The aquation product is the new pink chloroaquo complex. Reaction schemes and approximate rate constant are presented for the hydrolysis of the chloroaquo complex. Comparison of rates are made with Cr(III)-bis(en) and Co(III)-trien analogs where they are known.
Intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma: A correlated light microscopic, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical study

Oral mucosal lesions of Kaposi's sarcoma are a common finding in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The histologic features of Kaposi's sarcoma vary, depending on the clinical stage of the lesion. Endothelium-lined vessels are the principal feature of early, macular lesions, while spindle cells dominate late-stage, nodular lesions. The histogenesis of both components remains controversial. In this study, biopsy specimens of intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma from 10 patients with AIDS were studied by light and electron microscopic examination and by immunoperoxidase staining with the endothelial markers, factor VIII-related antigen and Ulex europeaus agglutinin I. The results of this study support a vascular origin for both the endothelium-lined vessels and the spindle cells. The latter appear to represent vascular endothelial cells in various stages of differentiation. The histologic features that are useful in the diagnosis of intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma are reviewed.
The Impact of International Free Trade Agreements on Animal Research

The creation of a global common market will require major changes in public policies and initiatives concerning international trade on the part of all countries. Such a market will also require more scientific information to optimally identify and manage risks. A common market will allow the free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital among countries with diverse socioeconomic situations, cultural backgrounds, and regulatory systems. It represents a marked shift away from the traditional policy of refusing animal and plant trade from regions with any degree of health risk (such as pests and diseases) towards assessing the level of risk that would permit safe trade. The U.S. Congress ratified the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in November 1993, and the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement for Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in December 1994. Both agreements aim to reduce and eliminate barriers to trade, investment, and services, and they clearly signal the emergence of a "one world" global market. These agreements introduce a host of questions for the scientific community: What are their implications for biomedical research? Will new trade policies and initiatives affect research priorities in the future? How will research and development of new techniques and assay methods be impacted? Will additional restraints in the form of new guidelines and regulations be forthcoming? A new world market will, without question, present challenges as well as new opportunities for the scientific community. Therefore, it is important for the researcher to become familiar with the general provisions of NAFTA and GATT in order to identify concerns, participate in discussions, and assume an appropriate role in developing new policy. At present, Canada, Mexico, and the United States constitute NAFTA. With 360 million people and a gross national product totaling $6 trillion, this agreement creates the largest free-trade area in the world. In the future, it is quite likely that more countries will be added. For example, Chile is preparing to meet the NAFTA provisions, and preliminary discussions are ongoing with some Central American countries. A bill to include the Caribbean countries in NAFTA was recently introduced in Congress. The GATT comprises 115 signatory countries and has provisions similar to NAFTA. In addition to eliminating traditional barriers such as quotas and tariffs, both agreements have sanitary and phyto-
Regrowth of western wheatgrass utilizing 14C-labeled assimilates stored in belowground parts

Results of this study showed that carbohydrates stored in the roots of western wheatgrass are utilized for regrowth following clipping of the aboveground foliage. Shoots remained dependent on carbohydrates stored in roots until sufficient photosynthetic leaf surface was developed to supply carbon to the shoots. During early phenophases, the partitioning of carbohydrates between shoots and roots was identical, indicating equal metabolic demands for carbon from both the shoot and root systems. Subsequent fluctuations in root and shoot carbohydrates may be caused by selected pressure imposed on either the root or shoot systems by physiological changes in these organs.
The Los Alamos High-Brightness Accelerator FEL (HIBAF) facility☆

Abstract The 10 μm Los Alamos free-electron laser (FEL) facility is being upgraded. The conventional electron gun and bunchers have been replaced with a much more compact, 6 MeV photoinjector accelerator. By adding existing parts from previous experiments, the primary beam energy will be doubled to 40 MeV. With the existing 1 m wiggler (λw = 2.7 cm) and resonator, the facility can produce photons with wavelengths from 3 to 100 μm when lasing on the fundamental mode and produce photons in the visible spectrum with short-period wigglers or harmonic operation. After installation of a 150° bend, a second wiggler will be added as an amplifier. The installation of laser transport tubes between the accelerator vault and an upstairs laboratory will provide experimenters with a radiation-free environment for experiments. Although the initial experimental program of the upgraded facility will be to test the single-accelerator master-oscillator/power amplifier configuration, some portion of the operational time of the facility can be dedicated to user experiments.
Gate Sizing and Replication to Minimize the Effects of Virtual Ground Parasitic Resistances in MTCMOS Designs

The Multi-Threshold CMOS (MTCMOS) technique can significantly reduce sub-threshold leakage currents during the circuit sleep (standby) mode by adding high-V/sub th/ power switches (sleep transistors) to low-V/sub th/ logic cells. During the active mode of the circuit, the high-V/sub th/ transistors and the virtual ground network can be modeled as resistors, which in turn cause voltage of the virtual ground node to rise thereby degrading the switching speed of the logic cells. This paper introduces a new design methodology that minimizes the impact of virtual ground parasitic resistances on the performance of an MTCMOS circuit by using gate resizing and logic restructuring (i.e., gate replication.) Experimental results show that the proposed techniques are highly effective in making the MTCMOS circuits robust with respect to such parasitic resistance effects.
Drug-Drug Interactions With Fluoroquinolones

Antimicrobials of the fluoroquinolone class are involved in a number of clinically important drug-drug interactions. Many of these interactions occur with all the available agents and exhibit little interpatient variability. In contrast, others occur only with specific fluoroquinolones and their extent varies markedly among subjects. The oral absorption of all fluoroquinolones is significantly impaired when coadministered with aluminum- and magnesium-containing antacids and sucralfate, as well as with other metal cations such as calcium and iron. Concomitant use of these agents, even when dosed several hours apart, should be avoided. Enoxacin and ciprofloxacin impair the hepatic metabolism of theophylline and caffeine, leading to significantly increased serum concentrations. Ofloxacin and lomefloxacin have only minimal effects on xanthine metabolism. Case reports suggest that concomitant administration of several fluoroquinolones and warfarin, a drug that is also highly metabolized by the liver, leads to increased hypoprothrombinemic effects; prospective studies, however, failed to confirm this interaction. Clinicians must be aware of these and other potential drug-drug interactions with fluoroquinolones for optimal use of the agents.
Characterization of surface plasmon polariton pulse propagation on thin metallic films and two dimensional nanohole arrays

A variety of techniques, including spectral measurements, near-field, and time-resolved spatial heterodyne imaging technique are employed to investigate the properties of surface plasmon polaritons. Such techniques may prove useful for investigating the properties of SPP waves, and their interaction with the surrounding media, intended for a variety of applications, including various sensors and future plasmon based integrated devices.
Constraints imposed by non-functional protein–protein interactions on gene expression and proteome size

Crowded intracellular environments present a challenge for proteins to form functional specific complexes while reducing non-functional interactions with promiscuous non-functional partners. Here we show how the need to minimize the waste of resources to non-functional interactions limits the proteome diversity and the average concentration of co-expressed and co-localized proteins. Using the results of high-throughput Yeast 2-Hybrid experiments, we estimate the characteristic strength of non-functional protein–protein interactions. By combining these data with the strengths of specific interactions, we assess the fraction of time proteins spend tied up in non-functional interactions as a function of their overall concentration. This allows us to sketch the phase diagram for baker's yeast cells using the experimentally measured concentrations and subcellular localization of their proteins. The positions of yeast compartments on the phase diagram are consistent with our hypothesis that the yeast proteome has evolved to operate closely to the upper limit of its size, whereas keeping individual protein concentrations sufficiently low to reduce non-functional interactions. These findings have implication for conceptual understanding of intracellular compartmentalization, multicellularity and differentiation.
Thermal effects in poly(hexamethylene adipamide) and polyoxymethylene at high hydrostatic pressures

The temperature changes as a result of rapid hydrostatic pressure applications are reported for poly(hexamethylene adipamide) (nylon 66) and poly(oxymethylene) (POM) in the reference temperature range from 298 to 423 K and in the pressure range from 13.8 to 200 MN/m2. The adiabatic temperature changes were found to be a function of pressure and temperature. A curve fitting analysis showed that the empirical curve (∂T/∂P) = ab(ΔP)b−1 described the experimental thermoelastic coefficients obtained from the experiments. The data were analyzed by determining the predicted thermoelastic coefficients derived from the Thomson equation (∂T/∂P) = αT0/ρCp. The experimental and predicted Gruneisen parameter γT were also determined. The relationship between the thermal effects and the chain molecular motion is discussed by including dynamic mechanical analysis and DSC measurements for the nylon 66 and POM samples.
Affective neuroscience and the study of normal and abnormal emotion regulation

Affective neuroscience allows investigators to study the biologic basis of psychologic phenomena such as emotion and mood. Understanding the components of emotion, valence, and arousal and their physiologic correlates is the starting point for studies that quantify emotional and physiologic reactions. This information could provide insight into the biologic foundations of numerous psychiatric conditions. Understanding the normal development of emotions and regulation of emotion will provide new avenues of research into the complex problem of severe mood disorders.
On reducing test length in LFSR based testing

Proposes a new method for generating test patterns in the BIT (built-in testing) environment. This method reduces the testing time under both deterministic and pseudo-random testing, for a desired fault coverage. It relies on the fact that the LFSR (linear feedback shift register) sequence is deterministic. Since the position of any test vector in this sequence can be predicted, the starting vectors (seeds) can be rightly chosen and thereby obtain maximal number of test vectors in minimal time. However, even for reasonably long LFSRs, the length of the sequence can be exorbitantly large, rendering it impractical to search the whole length. The authors propose a technique to overcome this problem, and predict the position of a test vector in the LFSR sequence, in a computationally feasible manner. >
Short form of the Bilingual Aphasia Test in Russian: Psychometric data of persons with aphasia

Background: There is currently a lack of standardised aphasia batteries available in the Russian language. The psychometric properties of a short form of the Russian version of the Bilingual Aphasia Test (BAT) (Paradis, 1987) were examined. The BAT (Paradis & Zeiber, 1987) is one of the few published tests in Russian. Aims: The primary aims were: (1) to describe the psychometric properties of a modified short form of the BAT in Russian by analysing the data collected on a large sample of Russian‐speaking adults with aphasia; (2) to identify needs for further modification, validation, and standardisation; and (3) to provide a preliminary evidence base for clinicians and investigators using the test. Methods & Procedures: The modified short form of the Russian BAT was administered to 83 patients with mild to severe aphasia. All were native speakers of Russian. Outcomes & Results: The test was effective in discriminating patients according to level of severity of language impairment. Most of the tasks consti...
Fulfilling the Promise: A Response to Helmreich1

It is argued that there is little evidence to support Helmreich's conclusion that there currently exists a pernicious conflict between applied and theoretical social psychology. The development of new journals, applied graduate programs and changes in the funding policy of federal agencies instead indicate that at present there is a rapprochement between applied and theoretical social psychology.
THE URBAN STREET PATTERN AS A CULTURE INDICATOR: PENNSYLVANIA, 1682–18151

The urban street pattern is a potential culture indicator which has not been utilized previously in the United States. This survey of the early street patterns of Pennsylvania establishes four principal morphological types: Irregular, Linear, Rectilinear, and Linear-R. Examination of the introduction and diffusion of the individual plans showed that their distributions were determined by cultural rather than economic or physical considerations. Analysis of the national origins of town founders indicated that the four plans cannot be correlated with individual national cultural groups. When the distribution of street pattern types is mapped, four regions emerge: the southeastern corner, the southwestern corner, the northern border region, and central and western Pennsylvania. These subareas correspond well with previously established culture areas, although some variations exist. An internal classification of culture areas modified after Meinig is proposed to explain the organization of the regions and subregions indicated by the study.
SMAP-WS: a parallel web service for structural proteome-wide ligand-binding site comparison

The proteome-wide characterization and analysis of protein ligand-binding sites and their interactions with ligands can provide pivotal information in understanding the structure, function and evolution of proteins and for designing safe and efficient therapeutics. The SMAP web service (SMAP-WS) meets this need through parallel computations designed for 3D ligand-binding site comparison and similarity searching on a structural proteome scale. SMAP-WS implements a shape descriptor (the Geometric Potential) that characterizes both local and global topological properties of the protein structure and which can be used to predict the likely ligand-binding pocket [Xie,L. and Bourne,P.E. (2007) A robust and efficient algorithm for the shape description of protein structures and its application in predicting ligand-binding sites. BMC bioinformatics, 8 (Suppl. 4.), S9.]. Subsequently a sequence order independent profile-profile alignment (SOIPPA) algorithm is used to detect and align similar pockets thereby finding protein functional and evolutionary relationships across fold space [Xie, L. and Bourne, P.E. (2008) Detecting evolutionary relationships across existing fold space, using sequence order-independent profile-profile alignments. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 105, 5441-5446]. An extreme value distribution model estimates the statistical significance of the match [Xie, L., Xie, L. and Bourne, P.E. (2009) A unified statistical model to support local sequence order independent similarity searching for ligand-binding sites and its application to genome-based drug discovery. Bioinformatics, 25, i305-i312.]. These algorithms have been extensively benchmarked and shown to outperform most existing algorithms. Moreover, several predictions resulting from SMAP-WS have been validated experimentally. Thus far SMAP-WS has been applied to predict drug side effects, and to repurpose existing drugs for new indications. SMAP-WS provides both a user-friendly web interface and programming API for scientists to address a wide range of compute intense questions in biology and drug discovery. SMAP-WS is available from the URL http://smap.nbcr.net.
Blood pressure control in the hypertension clinic.

Abstract Background One effort to improve hypertension care in the United States is the development of the “Hypertension Specialist” program with appropriate training and certification of individual physicians. Methods We examined the impact of a hypertension clinic on blood pressure (BP) levels and control. Results By one year, BP declined 18/9 mm Hg, (P = .001) and BP control rates increased from 26% to 55% (P Conclusions Attendance in a hypertension clinic significantly impacts BP control.
New Noncoding Lytic Transcripts Derived from the Epstein-Barr Virus Latency Origin of Replication, oriP, Are Hyperedited, Bind the Paraspeckle Protein, NONO/p54nrb, and Support Viral Lytic Transcription

ABSTRACT We have previously shown that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) likely encodes hundreds of viral long noncoding RNAs (vlncRNAs) that are expressed during reactivation. Here we show that the EBV latency origin of replication ( oriP ) is transcribed bi-directionally during reactivation and that both leftward (oriPtLs) and rightward (oriPtRs) transcripts are largely localized in the nucleus. While the oriPtLs are most likely noncoding, at least some of the oriPtRs contain the BCRF1/vIL10 open reading frame. Nonetheless, oriPtR transcripts with long 5′ untranslated regions may partially serve noncoding functions. Both oriPtL and oriPtR transcripts are expressed with late kinetics, and their expression is inhibited by phosphonoacetic acid. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis showed that oriPtLs and oriPtRs exhibited extensive “hyperediting” at their Family of Repeat (FR) regions. RNA secondary structure prediction revealed that the FR region of both oriPtLs and oriPtRs may form large evolutionarily conserved and thermodynamically stable hairpins. The double-stranded RNA-binding protein and RNA-editing enzyme ADAR was found to bind to oriPtLs, likely facilitating editing of the FR hairpin. Further, the multifunctional paraspeckle protein, NONO, was found to bind to oriPt transcripts, suggesting that oriPts interact with the paraspeckle-based innate antiviral immune pathway. Knockdown and ectopic expression of oriPtLs showed that it contributes to global viral lytic gene expression and viral DNA replication. Together, these results show that these new vlncRNAs interact with cellular innate immune pathways and that they help facilitate progression of the viral lytic cascade. IMPORTANCE Recent studies have revealed that the complexity of lytic herpesviral transcriptomes is significantly greater than previously appreciated with hundreds of viral long noncoding RNAs (vlncRNAs) being recently discovered. Work on cellular lncRNAs over the past several years has just begun to give us an initial appreciation for the array of functions they play in complex formation and regulatory processes in the cell. The newly identified herpesvirus lncRNAs are similarly likely to play a variety of different functions, although these functions are likely tailored to specific needs of the viral infection cycles. Here we describe novel transcripts derived from the EBV latency origin of replication. We show that they are hyperedited, that they interact with a relatively newly appreciated antiviral pathway, and that they play a role in facilitating viral lytic gene expression. These investigations are a starting point to unraveling the complex arena of vlncRNA function in herpesvirus lytic replication.
Sustained Drug Delivery Systems I. The Permeability of Poly(e-Caprolactone), Poly(DL- Lactic Acid), and Their Copolymers

The maximum steady state flux, diffusion coefficients, and solubilities of five contraceptive steroids in homopolymers and copolymers of epsilon-caprolactone and DL-lactic acid were determined. The permeabilities of polymers of epsilon-caprolactone were comparable to silicone rubber and, by inference, are suitable for the construction of drug delivery devices. Poly(DL-lactic acid) was 10(4) times less permeable, although its permeability was significantly enhanced by additives.
The Determination of Interfacial Structure and Phase Transitions in Al/Cu and Al/Ni Interfaces by Means of Surface Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure

Surface extended x-ray absorption fine structure (SEXAFS) was used to investigate the interfacial conditions of Al/Cu and Al/Ni shallow buried interfaces. Previous studies using glancing angle extended x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray reflectivity, photoemission, and SEXAFS produced conflicting results as to whether or not the interfaces between Al and Cu and Al and Ni were reacted upon room temperature deposition. In this study polycrystalline bilayers of Al/Cu and Al/Ni and trilayers of Al/Cu/Al and Al/Ni/Al were deposited on tantalum foil at room temperature in ultra high vacuum and analyzed to evaluate the reactivity of these systems on a nanometer scale. It become overwhelming apparent that the interfacial phase reactions were a function of the vacuum conditions. Samples deposited with the optimum vacuum conditions showed reaction products upon deposition at room temperature which were characterized by comparisons to standards and by least squares fitting the be CuAl{sub 2} and NiAl{sub 3} respectively. The results of this study that the reacted zone thicknesses were readily dependent on the deposition parameters. For both Al on Cu and Al on Ni as well as the metal on Al conditions 10{Angstrom} reaction zones were observed. These reaction zones were smaller than that observed for bilayers more » of Al on Cu (30{Angstrom}) and Al on Ni (60{Angstrom}) where deposition rates were much higher and samples were much thicker. The reaction species are evident by SEXAFS, where the previous photoemission studies only indicated that changes had occurred. Improved vacuum conditions as compared to the earlier experiments is primarily the reason reactions on deposition were seen in this study as compared to the earlier SEXAFS studies. « less
Plasma insulin, glucose, IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 and risk of recurrent colorectal adenomas.

AIM: Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF’s) are associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenomas. The association with recurrent adenomas is inadequately studied. We prospectively examined the relationship between insulin biomarkers and the risk of recurrent adenomas. METHODS: Our analysis included 167 subjects with one or more adenomas detected on a baseline colonoscopy who had a surveillance colonoscopy within three to five years. We measured serum biomarkers in all subjects at baseline. ELISA was used to measure fasting plasma insulin, IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). The hexokinase assay was used to measure fasting plasma glucose and immuno-turbidimetric assay to measure hemoglobin A1C. RESULTS: Subjects with recurrent adenomas were more likely to be male, overweight and have≥3 adenomas at baseline. We found no significant associations between insulin (OR=1.6, 95% CI 0.7-3.5), glucose (OR=1.4, 95% CI 0.7-3.1), IGF-I (OR=0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.5), IGF-II (OR=1.0, 95% CI 0.5-2.3), IGFBP-3 (OR=0.1, 95% CI 0.5-2.1), or anthropometric measures and recurrent adenomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support a role for insulin biomarkers and recurrent colorectal adenomas.
Quality Constrained Compression Using DWT-Based Image Quality Metric

A quality constrained compression algorithm based on discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is proposed. The spatial-frequency decomposition property of DWT provides possibility for not only the new compression algorithm but also a frequency-domain quality assessment method. For facilitating the new algorithm, a new quality metric in the wavelet domain called WNMSE is suggested, which assesses the quality of an image with the weighted sum of normalized mean square errors of the wavelet coefficients. The metric is consistent with the human judgment of visual quality as well as able to estimate the quality during the compression process. Based on the relationship between the statistic features, quantization steps, and the weighted normalized mean square error value of the image, we develop a quality constrained quantization algorithm which can determine the quantization step-sizes for all the wavelet subbands for compressing the image to a desired visual quality accurately.
Dependability Analysis with Markov Chains: How Symmetries Improve Symbolic Computations

We propose a novel approach that combines two general and complementary methods for dependability analysis based on the steady state or transient analysis of Markov chains. The first method allows us to automatically detect all symmetries in a compositional Markovian model with state-sharing composition. Symmetries are detected with the help of an automorphism group of the model composition graph, which yields a reduction of the associated Markov chain due to lumpability. The second method allows us to represent and numerically solve the lumped Markov chain, even in the case of very large state spaces, with the help of symbolic data structures, in particular matrix diagrams. The overall approach has been implemented and is able to compute stationary and transient measures for large Markovian models of dependable systems.