cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of In Utero and Childhood Tobacco Smoke Exposure and β2-Adrenergic Receptor Genotype on Childhood Asthma and Wheezing

Wheezing is a common respiratory symptom associated with reversible airway obstruction. The airway obstruction may be enhanced by irritant exposures, particularly in individuals with airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and/or airway inflammation. In the airway, catecholamines or β2-agonists activate the β2-adrenergic receptors (β2AR), which results in bronchodilation and relief of wheezing symptoms. Because variants in the β2-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2) that encodes for this receptor modulate receptor activity that may affect airway tone, we hypothesized that functional variants in this gene affect the occurrence of wheezing. In ADRB2, Arg16Gly and Glu27Gln are the 2 most common nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In an in vitro study, Green et al1 found that the Gly16 allele was more susceptible to agonist-promoted downregulation, and the Glu27 allele was resistant to agonist-mediated receptor downregulation; however, subsequent ex vivo and in vivo studies provided inconsistent findings.2 The majority of the epidemiologic studies have investigated the associations of these 2 SNPs and asthma/wheeze and found inconsistent results. In addition, meta-analyses that pooled data from these studies failed to show any significant associations with asthma; however, these authors could not rule out effects of these SNPs on asthma symptoms.3–6 The inconsistencies across studies may have resulted from not taking into account environmental factors that could modulate the receptor activity. Tobacco smoke is 1 such factor that is associated with an increase in AHR and oxidant stress–mediated airway inflammation, biological mechanisms that could underlie the increased risk for wheeze from tobacco smoke as observed in many epidemiologic studies. To date, 1 study has reported the joint effects of functional variants in ADRB2 and personal active smoking on asthma. Among Chinese adults, Wang et al7 found that individuals who were homozygous for the Arg16 allele were at an increased risk for asthma only in smokers. Whether exposure to maternal smoking in utero or secondhand smoke (SHS) in childhood modifies the effect of these functional ADRB2 genetic variants on wheezing is yet to be determined. To assess the joint effects of tobacco smoke exposure and functional ADRB2 variants, we asked 3 research questions: (1) Are ADRB2 Arg16Gly and Glu27Gln variants associated with asthma/wheezing? (2) Are exposures to maternal smoking in utero and SHS in childhood associated with asthma/wheezing? (3) Do tobacco smoke exposures show stronger associations with asthma/wheezing in children with ADRB2 variants? To address these hypotheses, we examined respiratory health and genetic data from the Children's Health Study, a population-based study of school-aged children in 12 southern California communities.
Biomimetic structures for fluid drag reduction in laminar and turbulent flows

Biomimetics allows one to mimic nature to develop materials and devices of commercial interest for engineers. Drag reduction in fluid flow is one of the examples found in nature. In this study, nano, micro, and hierarchical structures found in lotus plant surfaces, as well as shark skin replica and a rib patterned surface to simulate shark skin structure were fabricated. Drag reduction efficiency studies on the surfaces were systematically carried out using water flow. An experimental flow channel was used to measure the pressure drop in laminar and turbulent flows, and the trends were explained in terms of the measured and predicted values by using fluid dynamics models. The slip length for various surfaces in laminar flow was also investigated based on the measured pressure drop. For comparison, the pressure drop for various surfaces was also measured using air flow.
All sealed endoleaks are not the same: a treatment strategy based on an ex-vivo analysis.

Abstract Purpose factors contributing to pressure transmission through thrombosed or sealed endoleaks have not been elucidated. The purpose of this investigation was to create an ex-vivo model that mimics patent and sealed endoleaks and that can quantitatively analyse the effects of length, diameter and thrombus on pressure transmission to the interior of the aneurysm sac. Methods in the ex-vivo model, endoleak channels (ELCs) of various lengths (2 cm, 6 cm, 10 cm) and diameters (0.6 cm, 1.0 cm, 1.4 cm) were constructed using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts and attached to an artificial aneurysm sac. These ELCs were incorporated within a mock circulation made of rubber tubing connected to a pulsatile pump. Peak systolic pressure (PSP) was recorded in the aneurysm sac, distal to each ELC. Subsequently the ELCs were filled with human thrombus, and the pressure measurements repeated (n =5). Data was evaluated by regression analysis. Resultspeak systolic pressure in the artificial circulation was maintained at 150 mmHg. In the absence of thrombus pressure did not change across the ELC, regardless of its length or diameter. In the presence of organised thrombus, the pressure curves distal to the ELC were dampened, and the pressure reduction was directly proportional to the length and inversely proportional to the diameter of the ELC. Regression analysis indicated statistical significance. Conclusions in the absence of thrombosis, pressure transmitted via an ELC to the aneurysm sac is unchanged regardless of its length or diameter. All sealed endoleaks also transmit pressure. However, when an endoleak has thrombosed, pressure reduction is directly proportional to the length and inversely proportional to the diameter of its channel. This ex-vivo model suggests that Type 2 endoleaks with longer channels and smaller diameters would derive a greater benefit from adjunctive manoeuvres (coil embolisation) that hasten thrombosis. On the other hand, thrombosis of endoleaks with short and wide channels (e.g. Type 1) may not result in substantial pressure reduction within the aneurysm sac and a successful outcome.
How did economics get that way & what way did it get?

pline began in September 1940 when I enrolled as a freshman in the elementary economics course at Harvard College. I will try in this essay to make sense of the evolution of economics over a span of more than 1⁄2fty years. An analogy that comes to mind is from The Boston Globe. The Sunday edition occasionally publishes pairs of photographs of urban landscapes. They are taken from the same spot, looking in the same direction, but are at least thirty, forty, or 1⁄2fty years apart. One shows a corner of the city as it looked then and the other as it looks now. Some buildings have disappeared, some new ones have been built, and some of the old ones are still there but with altered facades. This description is also true of the landscape and structure of economics, and I would like to provide a few then-and-now snapshots. The difference, however, is that with economics something more is called for; the pictures have to be connected. I would like to tell a story about how and why the architecture of economics changed. It will be a sort of Whig history but without the smugness.
A comparison of computational methods for solving the algebraic matrix Riccati equation

Computational Methods for solving the steady-state matrix Riccati equation are described. Theoretical advantages and disadvantages of each of the methods are discussed and asymptotic estimates of execution time in terms of the system dimension are indicated. Through experimental verification it is seen that asymptotic estimates may be misleading over a significant range of system dimensions.
Jumping to conclusions and the continuum of delusional beliefs

The present study examined the jumping to conclusions reasoning bias across the continuum of delusional ideation by investigating individuals with active delusions, delusion prone individuals, and non-delusion prone individuals. Neutral and highly self-referent probabilistic reasoning tasks were employed. Results indicated that individuals with delusions gathered significantly less information than delusion prone and non-delusion prone participants on both the neutral and self-referent tasks, (p<.001). Individuals with delusions made less accurate decisions than the delusion prone and non-delusion prone participants on both tasks (p<.001), yet were more confident about their decisions than were delusion prone and non-delusion prone participants on the self-referent task (p=.002). Those with delusions and those who were delusion prone reported higher confidence in their performance on the self-referent task than they did the neutral task (p=.02), indicating that high self-reference impacted information processing for individuals in both of these groups. The results are discussed in relation to previous research in the area of probabilistic reasoning and delusions.
Is The Prespace The Natural Location of our Consciousness and of our Primary Cognitive Entities

First Paragraph... We retain important to add some further comments to our recent submission to NeuroQuantology (Conte, 2013a; Conte, 2013b; Conte and Todarello, 2013). The thesis of the paper is that Information, Cognition and a Principle of Existence are intrinsically structured in the quantum model of reality. There is an intrinsic “factor of knowledge” that supports its structure from its starting. We reach such evidence by using the Clifford algebra. In detail we analyze quantization in some traditional cases of interest in quantum mechanics and, in particular, in quantum harmonic oscillator, orbital angular momentum and hydrogen atom. We adopt the basic von Neumann results that projection operators represent logical statements and we demonstrate that are intrinsically structured in the cases of quantization that are taken in consideration. NeuroQuantology | September 2013 | Volume 11 | Issue 3 | Page 503-506
Designing submission and workflow services for preserving interdisciplinary scientific data

Developments in information and communication technologies offer new opportunities to use and integrate scientific data that have been collected by researchers and scholars from diverse fields of inquiry. Data archives and digital repository systems are being developed to preserve current and legacy scientific data and technical information for use by others. However, capabilities are needed for data producers of various disciplines to easily and efficiently submit their data into archival systems for preservation. Analysis of digital preservation requirements has identified the requirements for services to support the submission and review of scientific data for preservation. Data submission and review processes are segmented into services, which are defined to support efficient preparation of scientific data for ingest into an archive or digital repository system. A model is proposed to inform the design of submission and workflow services for preserving interdisciplinary scientific data. Recommendations are offered for improving the design and evaluation of systems and services to prepare and preserve scientific data for new uses by interdisciplinary communities of users in the future. Improving the infrastructure that enables members of the scientific community to submit their data for archiving contributes to the scientific data stewardship and data curation capabilities needed to preserve scientific data for future generations of users.
Comparison of adjustment, activity, and tangible social support in men and women patients and their spouses during the six months post-myocardial infarction.

A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate gender differences in adaptation and activity among survivors of acute mycardial infarction (MI) and their spouses during the six months post-hospital discharge. Male and female married survivors of MI, matched on age, disease severity, and socioeconomic status, and their spouses responded to measures about functional impairment, psychological distress, and level of involvement in household and other activities prior to and 4, 10, 16, and 22 weeks after the MI. Both patients and spouses were distressed by the MI, but the distress lasted longer for spouses. Male spouses increased traditional domestic activities (e.g. cooking, laundry) in the weeks shortly after their wives' heart attack, and patient wives decreased domestic activities compared to prior to the MI. However, wives still did as much as their husbands. Women recovering from MI may carry a heavier burden of household responsibilities and activities than their male counterparts. This burden, if premature, may pose a threat for reinfarction during the early stages of rehabilitation.
Improving the backend focus budget for 0.5-um lithography

One of the biggest challenges for printing 0.6 micrometers metal lines (1.3 micrometers pitch) over 1.1 micrometers of topography is the shallow depth of focus. Total random errors, or, Built In Focus Errors (BIFE) for the class of steppers used in this study was determined to be 0.48 micrometers . When topography, and field curvature/astigmatism, are factored in, the required depth of focus to print the metal lines is approximately 2.18 micrometers . However, the 'Available' DOF (as determined from PROLITH simulations) is only 1.8 micrometers . The deficit between available DOF and required DOF grows bigger when there are multiple steppers. To overcome this deficiency, various techniques have been studied. Topography reduction by 0.4 micrometers was achieved by the use of Reverse Well technology. Effect of different resist chemistries, off-axis illumination, variation in numerical aperture and partial coherence, on the focus latitude are shown.
The flp-1 propeptide is processed into multiple, highly similar FMRFamide-like peptides in Caenorhabditis elegans

Previously, we described a gene, flp-1, that encodes seven FMRFamide-like peptides from two alternatively spliced transcripts in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. To determine whether all or a subset of the predicted peptides coded for by flp-1 are produced in vivo, we undertook the isolation of FMRFamide-like peptides from C. elegans. Six FLRFamide-containing peptides, all contained within the putative translation products of the flp-1 gene, were isolated from extracts of mixed stage animals. By quantitative PCR analysis of RNA from mixed stage animals, we found that the shorter transcript of flp-1 has a higher level of expression than the longer transcript.
Differentiating between expanded and fault conditions using principal component analysis

An adaptive non-parametric model (ANPM) has been developed for condition monitoring and applications within prognostics. The ANPM has the ability to monitor systems while adapting to expanded conditions. This ability is useful in uncertain systems where the range of the model could be exceeded by the system when under non-fault conditions. Differentiating between expanded and fault conditions is essential to the ANPM. A method for differentiating between expanded and a fault condition for use in an adaptive model is described. Statistical process monitoring methods using principal component analysis (PCA) have been extensively studied and heavily applied within the chemical industry. A thorough literature review is given on the past applications of such methods, highlighting the applications strengths and weaknesses. A comparison between traditional fault detection and monitoring techniques and the newly proposed expanded process differentiation technique is discussed. Adaptive modeling requirements in a dynamic environment are shown to extend beyond the traditional modeling requirements. The basic approach to PCA is described, with a detailed description of the differentiation method. The Hotelling's T 2 statistic and the squared prediction error, also known as the Q statistic, are used as indicators of the condition of the system. Dependence on the internal linear relationships of the data is discussed, and kernel principal component analysis is described as a solution to difficulties posed by nonlinear relationships. This multivariate differentiation technique is applied to a simulated data set and is shown to correctly differentiate between expanded operating conditions and faulted conditions in an adaptive environment.
Th1/Th2 cytokine responses following HIV‐1 immunization in seronegative volunteers

The Th1/Th2 profile that follows human vaccination may profoundly influence the subsequent course of disease after infection. However, the ability to detect IL-4 has been limited outside trials of live vaccination. By using methods in which memory effector cells are allowed to antigenically expand by short term culture, followed by low-dose mitogenic stimulation, we have been able to follow the Th1/Th2 profile in HIV-1−volunteers enrolled in two phase I studies of HIV immunogens (a recombinant gp120 and a multivalent, octomeric V3 loop peptide). Antigen-specific interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) could be detected in primary stimulation, but IL-4 was observed only after antigenic expansion and restimulation. In both of these studies the responses after initial immunizations were dominated by IFN-γ, with IL-4 appearing only after multiple rounds of immunization, and IL-4 was temporally related to antibody production. Concomitant with the IL-4 production, the amount of supernatant IFN-γ declined. Antigen-specific IL-10 was not detected in either study. Such techniques, which have been shown to correlate with outcomes in immunotherapy, may prove useful as future surrogates of human vaccine response.
Some problems in the uses of intergovernmental documentation

Abstract Problems encountered in the use of intergovernmental documentation may be roughly classified as those of form (e.g. volume, scope, and diversity), and process (identification and retrieval). Solutions to both sets of problems require informed and collaborative relationships between librarians and researchers for which appropriate institutional and budgetary provision should be made.
Estimating product yields of carbon-containing products from the atmospheric photooxidation of ambient air alkenes

The yields of products have been calculated for the reactions of hydroxyl radicals and ozone with 19 of the two-through-six carbon anthropogenic alkenes. Based on their rate of reaction, mechanisms of reactions and the ambient air distribution for these alkenes their seasonal ambient air yields have been estimated.
Performance analysis of coded OFDM systems over frequency-selective fading channels

This paper considers the performance analysis of coded OFDM systems over frequency-selective fading channels. It is shown that both the random coding upper bounds and the strong converse lower bounds of a coded OFDM system converge to the channel outage probability for large OFDM block lengths. Thus primary attention is given to the analysis of the outage probability, which is taken as the optimal system performance. Instead of evaluating the outage probability numerically, we provide in this paper a simple analytical close form approximation of the outage probability for a coded OFDM system over frequency-selective quasistatic fading channels. Simulation results of the turbocoded OFDM systems further confirm the approximation of the outage probability.
Development and Validation of the Bladder Cancer Index: A Comprehensive, Disease Specific Measure of Health Related Quality of Life in Patients With Localized Bladder Cancer

Purpose: We developed and validated a reliable, responsive multidimensional instrument to measure disease specific health related quality of life in bladder cancer survivors treated with local cancer therapy.Materials and Methods: Instrument content was based on qualitative information obtained from a panel of bladder cancer providers and from patient focus groups. Draft items were piloted and revised, resulting in the 36-item Bladder Cancer Index consisting of urinary, bowel and sexual health domains. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, concurrent validity and criterion validity were then assessed.Results: Internal consistency was high at 0.77 to 0.91. Test-retest reliability was also high at 0.73 to 0.95. Correlations among the 3 domains were low (r ≤0.39), indicating interscale independence. Health outcome discrimination was apparent in clinically distinct treatment groups. Moderate correlation was observed with existing external measures, indicating that the Bladder Can...
Probabilistic martingales and BPTIME classes

We define probabilistic martingales based on randomized approximation schemes, and show that the resulting notion of probabilistic measure has several desirable robustness properties. Probabilistic martingales can simulate the "betting games" and can cover the same class that a "natural proof" diagonalizes against, as implicitly already shown. The notion would become a full-fledged measure on bounded-error complexity classes such as BPP and BPE if it could be shown to satisfy the "measure conservation" axiom for these classes. We give a sufficient condition in terms of simulation by "decisive" probabilistic martingales that implies not only measure conservation, but also a much tighter bounded error probabilistic time hierarchy than is currently known. In particular it implies BPTIME[O(n)]/spl ne/BPP, which would stand in contrast to recent claims of an oracle A giving BPTIME/sup A/[O(n)]=BPP/sup A/. This paper also makes new contributions to the problem of defining (deterministic) measure on P and other sub-exponential classes.
A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SCROTAL SWELLING AND RICKETTSIA BODIES TO MEXICAN TYPHUS FEVER.

The experiments recorded above have demonstrated the following points: 1. Scrotal swelling can appear in guinea pigs directly inoculated from a human case of Mexican typhus fever. 2. In certain strains of this disease, a number of generations of guinea pigs may show absolutely no scrotal swelling, which, however, may reappear in subsequent animals, suggesting—though not absolutely proving—that the scrotal swelling is an integral part of the disease and is not due to an incidental accompanying organism. If the latter were true, one would expect the organisms that caused the scrotal swelling to disappear during the negative generations. 3. A typhus fever sustained by a guinea pig without scrotal swelling protects against the swelling upon subsequent inoculation with a strain which produces this with considerable regularity. 4. Louse passage increases the capacity of a strain to produce the scrotal lesion, probably because of the considerable accumulation of rickettsia in the louse, but in the experiment noted, even after louse passage, two generations without swelling occurred, followed by reoccurrence of the swelling. We believe that these observations, taken together, can be interpreted in favour of the likelihood that the swelling is a part of the disease and that the rickettsia-like organisms described by Mooser in the tunica vaginalis have etiological significance.
The interaction of maternal personality traits and intimate partner violence as influences on maternal representations

Maternal representations of the infant and self-as-mother predict attachment security and may be differentially influenced by environmental stressors such as intimate partner violence (IPV), but no study has yet examined potential direct and interactive effects of maternal personality. Maternal representations (Working Model of the Child Interview; C.H. Zeanah, D. Benoit, L. Hirshberg, M.L. Barton, & C. Regan, 1994), maternal personality (Revised NEO Personality Inventory; P.T. Costa & R.R. McCrae, 1992), and experiences of domestic violence (Severity of Violence Against Women Scales; L. Marshall, 1992) were assessed in a community sample of 180 women during pregnancy and 1 year postpartum. Logistic regression analyses assessed main and interaction effects of personality traits and IPV exposure on maternal representations in pregnancy and stability and change over the first year of life. Maternal openness and agreeableness increased the odds of balanced prenatal representations while extraversion predicted change from nonbalanced to balanced representations when the child was age 1 year. The relationship with conscientiousness and openness was moderated by IPV exposure. The authors conclude that the interaction of IPV and maternal personality has significant implications for the earliest substrates of parenting. Future research may include maternal personality variables to further explicate their role as broad predictors of caregiving representations. Clarification of the role of neuroticism is needed. These findings may inform the development of family-based interventions targeting caregiving and insecure attachment relationships. Abstracts translated in Spanish, French, German, and Japanese can be found on the abstract page of each article on Wiley Online Library at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/imhj.
Metastatic uveal melanoma

In general, the survival of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma is poor with a median survival of less than 6 months. Despite recent advances in management of uveal melanoma, the relative survival rate appears to have remained unchanged over the last 25 years. In this chapter, the pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma are outlined.
Using confirmatory factor analysis to measure contemporaneous activation of defined neuronal networks in functional magnetic resonance imaging

Functional neuroimaging often generates large amounts of data on regions of interest. Such data can be addressed effectively with a widely-used statistical technique based on measurement theory that has not yet been applied to neuroimaging. Confirmatory factor analysis is a convenient hypothesis-driven modeling environment that can be used to conduct formal statistical tests comparing alternative hypotheses regarding the elements of putative neuronal networks. In such models, measures of each activated region of interest are treated as indicators of an underlying latent construct that represents the contemporaneous activation of the elements in the network. As such, confirmatory factor analysis focuses analyses on the activation of hypothesized networks as a whole, improves statistical power by modeling measurement error, and provides a theory-based approach to data reduction with a robust statistical basis. This approach is illustrated using data on seven regions of interest in a hypothesized mesocorticostriatal reward system in a sample of 262 adult volunteers assessed during a card-guessing reward task. A latent construct reflecting contemporaneous activation of the reward system was found to be significantly associated with a latent construct measuring impulsivity, particularly in males.
Adaptive computations using material forces and residual-based error estimators on quadtree meshes

Quadtree is a hierarchical data structure that is well-suited for h-adaptive mesh refinement. Due to the presence of hanging nodes, classical shape functions are non-conforming on quadtree meshes. In this paper, we use natural neighbor basis functions to construct conforming interpolants on quadtree meshes. To this end, the recently proposed construction of polygonal basis functions is adapted to quadtree elements. A fast technique for calculating stiffness matrix on quadtree meshes is introduced. Residual-based error estimators and material force technique are used to estimate the error on quadtree meshes. The performance of the adaptive technique is demonstrated through the solution of linear and nonlinear boundary-value problems.
Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE): synthesis and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

The structure of caffeic acid phenethyl ester [2-propenoic acid, 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-, 2-phenethyl ester] (I), C17H16O4 x 1/2C6H6, synthesized by base-catalyzed alkylation of caffeic acid salt with beta-bromoethylbenzene in HMPA (hexamethylphosphoramide) and recrystallized from benzene, was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystals are triclinic, space group P1, Z=2, unit cell dimension a=5.8129 (9) A, b=11.122 (2) A, c=13.226 (2) A, alpha=97.080 (3) degrees, beta=101.467 (3) degrees, gamma=95.405 (3) degrees , V=825.4 (2) A3, Dcalc=1.301 g/cm3, F(000)=342. The packing of the molecule is stabilized by intermolecular O1H...O4 (2.69 A) and O1...HO2 (2.82 A) hydrogen bonds.
Negative Regulation of Phosphate Starvation-Induced Genes

Phosphate (Pi) deficiency is a major nutritional problem faced by plants in many agro-ecosystems. This deficiency results in altered gene expression leading to physiological and morphological changes in plants. Altered gene expression is presumed to be due to interaction of regulatory sequences (cis-elements) present in the promoters with DNA binding factors (trans-factors). In this study, we analyzed the expression and DNA-protein interaction of promoter regions of Pi starvation-induced genes AtPT2 and TPSI1. AtPT2 encodes the high-affinity Pi transporter in Arabidopsis, whereas TPSI1 codes for a novel gene induced in the Pi-starved tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Expression of AtPT2 was induced rapidly under Pi deficiency and increased with decreasing concentrations of Pi. Abiotic stresses except Pi starvation had no affect on the expression of TPSI1. DNA mobility-shift assays indicated that specific sequences of AtPT2 and TPSI1 promoter interact with nuclear protein factors. Two regions of AtPT2 and TPSI1 promoters specifically bound nuclear protein factors from Pi-sufficient plants. Interestingly, the DNA binding activity disappeared during Pi starvation, leading to the hypothesis that Pi starvation-induced genes may be under negative regulation.
Improved plant regeneration and in vitro somatic embryogenesis of St Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze]

St Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze] is an important warm season turf and pasture grass. In vitro tissue culture of St Augustinegrass could serve as an important mean for its improvement through genetic transformation as well as induced somaclonal variation. To optimize tissue culture conditions for plant regeneration of St Augustinegrass, tissue culture responses of 11 explant tissues and four callus induction/subculture media have been examined. Embryogenic calli with regeneration potential were observed on cultures of early immature embryo [3 days after pollination (DAP)], immature embryo (7-14 DAP), and shoot base of young seedlings. The addition of benzyladenine (BA) in the callus induction/subculture medium enhances callus regeneration ability and does not harm callus induction for immature embryos. The best response came from 7 to 14 DAP immature embryo on MS medium containing 1 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 0.5 mg/l BA. The callus induction and regeneration rates were 97.7% and 47.6% respectively. However, BA supplement reduced callus formation and failed to enhance regeneration for young leaf bases. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that plant regeneration of St Augustinegrass is via somatic embryogenesis.
The Characterization of the Ascorbic Acid-Mediated α-Amidation of α-Melanotropin in Cultured Intermediate Pituitary Lobe Cells

Previous studies have shown that cultured rat intermediate pituitary lobe cells lose the ability to form ACTH-(1-13)NH2-related molecules (alpha MSH) and instead produce ACTH-(1-14)-related peptides. In vitro studies have shown that peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase the enzyme responsible for the conversion of ACTH-(1-14) to ACTH-(1-13)NH2, requires ascorbate, CuSO4, and molecular oxygen as cofactors. In the present study we have demonstrated that cultured intermediate pituitary lobe cells require long term supplementation of the medium with ascorbate for continued production of immunoactive alpha-amidated alpha MSH. When the relative quantities of alpha-amidated and COOH-terminally glycine-extended forms of alpha MSH were assessed in biosynthetic labeling experiments, it was shown that either L-ascorbate or an epimer of the vitamin, D-isoascorbate, was capable of supporting cellular alpha-amidation. However, the potency of isoascorbate was approximately 4- to 5-fold lower than that of ascorbate. The ascorbate-mediated reestablishment of alpha-amidation ability was shown to be dependent on the presence of sodium in the medium; at physiological levels of ascorbate (35 microM), the EC50 for sodium was about 40 mM. Time-course experiments indicated that the time of exposure of the cultured cells to ascorbate could be decreased to as little as 30 min. However, a total incubation time of 6 h was required after such an exposure to convert biosynthetically labeled ACTH-(1-14)-related peptides to labeled ACTH-(1-13)NH2-related peptides. The time course of the effects of ascorbic acid on the reestablishment of alpha-amidation, as well as the relative stereospecificity for L-ascorbic acid and the sodium requirement, are all consistent with the hypothesis that ascorbic acid must be transported into the intermediate pituitary lobe cells to participate in the peptidyl alpha-amidation reaction. Moreover, it is apparent that the length of time required to reestablish alpha-amidation ability (6 h) is a function of transport of the cofactor into the granules, the rate of the peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase-catalyzed reaction, or both.
Eight Years After The Fact Is SOX Working? A Look At The Brooke Corporation

In 2002 the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was passed; in addition, federal sentencing guidelines have been revamped and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 has been brushed off, all in an attempt to codify the ethical behavior of companies, their executives, and their management. The goal was to make companies and employees behave ethically; however, whether that has worked or not is questionable. Many argue that the implementation and ongoing requirements of Sarbanes Oxley and other laws are costly, time consuming, and as yet ineffective. Recent evidence suggests that for some organizations these requirements and the associated punishments are not a sufficient deterrent. In many instances law has at best led to a culture of compliance rather than a culture of integrity. Even more disappointing is that too often the very activities Sarbanes Oxley was designed to prevent continue to slip past regulators until it is too late and the damage incurred. Brooke Corporation is one example where these laws have seemingly failed. With this in mind, this paper will attempt to: 1) provide examples from the Brooke Corporation that demonstrate the evolving culture of compliance vs. one of true integrity, 2) identify areas where the law continues to compete with long-standing corporate culture, 3) discuss those areas where additional work remains for Sarbanes Oxley to achieve its intended impact, and 4) discuss what work remains to be done to make other laws effective.
Long-term macrolide antibiotics in asthma therapy

Macrolide antibiotics drew worldwide attention when their use was dramatically successful in the treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis in 1980s. The success was attributed to their immunomodulatory effects, rather than their antimicrobial properties. Since then, studies have shown that macrolides exert their immunomodulatory effects through several mechanisms, including suppression of proinflammatory cytokines, promoting apoptosis of inflammatory cells, improving phagocytic function, ameliorating airway hypersecretion, and inhibiting production of reactive oxygen species. Macrolides have also been studied in the treatment of asthma. This review highlights the role of macrolides in the treatment of asthma, presenting an overview of the main clinical trials. Despite favourable preclinical data and reports of anecdotal successes, the results of clinical trials are conflicting. This may be due to the heterogeneous nature of asthma. Further studies are needed to identify particular subgroup of asthma that will respond to macrolides.
CGE Models for Yugoslavia

This review paper analyzes the structure and results of the existing computable general equilibrium (CGE) models of the Yugoslav economy.
The effects of subcutaneous injections of sodium selenate on blood composition and milk yield in dairy cows.

Three groups of four lactating cows received a subcutaneous injection of 0·05, 0·10 and 0·15 mg Se/kg body weight respectively administered as sodium selenate. A fourth group was injected with saline. In all the cows injected with sodium selenate, the concentration of Se in blood increased rapidly and was significantly higher than in control cows for two days in the group receiving the lowest dose and for 182 days (the duration of the experiment) in the two other groups. The activity of glutathione peroxidase in blood increased slowly in all cows injectcd with sodium selenate and was significantly greater than in control cows after 15, 22 and 29 days respectively, and remained significantly greater for 63, 91 and 182 days respectively. In a second experiment a single subcutaneous injection of 0·15 mg Se/kg body weight had no effect on the mean milk yield of 37 animals (19·1 kg/day) compared with the milk yield of a similar group of control animals (19·1 kg/day) during 70 days. The concentration of Se in milk was significantly higher on the first (168 μg/litre) and second (69 μg/litre) day after injection than in control animals (mean 26 μg/litre).
Enhanced T helper 1 (Th1) responses with Fluzone® adjuvanted with a synthetic TLR4 agonist in an emulsion (45.15)

Impairments in anti-influenza Th1 responses are associated with the significantly greater risk of influenza related mortality in the elderly population. Developing appropriate adjuvants for seasonal influenza vaccines could therefore improve protection against influenza in the elderly. In this study we compare the activity of three different adjuvants, an oil-in-water emulsion and a synthetic lipid A adjuvant formulated with or without an emulsion, to enhance the immunogenicity of the Fluzone influenza vaccine. Fluzone combined with lipid A plus an emulsion was the most effective vaccine tested in mice, which induced greater vaccine-specific IgG2a and IgG titers, enhanced HI titers and the production of Th1-mediated cytokine responses (IFN-γ and IL-2) to each of the Fluzone components. In contrast, while the Fluzone vaccine plus the emulsion induced good antibody responses and HI titers to all of the vaccine components following a boost, a Th2-mediated cytokine response (IL-5) and IL-10 was induced. We demonstrate that in addition to antibody responses, cytokine responses may also be needed for evaluation and characterization of new adjuvants formulations for influenza vaccines. This work was supported in part by Grant #42387 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
TAVR in Nonagenarians: Pushing the Boundaries∗

The introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the treatment of aortic stenosis, especially in high-risk patients and in the elderly. These patients would be considered either high risk or not eligible for surgical aortic valve replacement. The pivotal PARTNER-B
Estimates of iceberg submarine melting from high-resolution digital elevation models: application to Sermilik Fjord, East Greenland

Observed increases in iceberg discharge from Greenland’s marine-terminating glaciers over the past two decades have altered the freshwater flux from glacial fjords into surrounding ocean basins. Although variations in freshwater flux due to ice-sheet discharge change have been investigated on a broad scale, the distribution of the freshwater flux due to melting of calved glacier ice (i.e. icebergs) has not been examined. Logistical challenges to collecting in situ data in glacial fjords have so far prevented a detailed examination of freshwater fluxes arising from melting beneath the waterline (i.e. submarine melting). Here we demonstrate that submarine melting of icebergs can be quantified using repeat digital elevation models derived from very high-resolution stereo satellite images. Analysis of volume changes for icebergs in Sermilik Fjord, East Greenland, yield area-averaged submarine melt rates of ~0.39 m d–1. These rates are in relatively good agreement with simulated winter melt rates along the submerged portion of the Helheim Glacier terminus, providing independent validation of the applied technique. Further, the volume flux of fresh water from iceberg melting scales with surface and submerged iceberg areas, which suggests that iceberg meltwater may be an important freshwater component in fjords with high iceberg concentrations and/or expansive ice melange.
Structure and Elastic Properties of Ni/Cu AND Ni/Au Multilayers

The structure and elastic properties of Ni/Cu and Ni/Au multilayer systems are investigated as a function of the number of Ni monolayers built into the systems. We employed lattice statics simulations with the interatomic potentials described by the embedded-atom method. For the Ni/Cu systems, coherent interfaces and FCC structure are maintained, and no elastic anomaly is found. For the Ni/Au systems, when the Ni layers are thick enough, they undergo a strain-induced phase transformation from FCC to HCP structure. An enhancement of Young’s modulus of these systems is found to be associated with this structural change.
Salmonella as an inducer of autoimmunity

A clear etiological link has been established between infection with several gram-negative enteric pathogens, including Salmonella spp., and the incidence of reactive arthritis (ReA), an autoimmune disease that largely affects the joints. ReA is sometimes referred to as Reiter's syndrome, particularly when accompanied by uveitis and urethritis. This review reviews the evidence etiologically linking Salmonella infection with autoimmune disease and addresses the roles that bacterial and host elements play in controlling disease outcome. ReA is an autoimmune disease that largely consists of painful joint inflammation but also can include inflammation of the eye, gastrointestinal tract, and skin. ReA is a member of a broad spectrum of chronic inflammatory disorders termed the seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SNSpAs) that includes ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis, and enteropathic arthritis. Salmonella species, as well as other enteric pathogens associated with postgastroenteritis ReA, are facultative intracellular gram-negative bacteria. Many studies have analyzed the association of the HLA class I molecule, HLA-B27, with SNSpAs. Whereas B27 has been shown to be present in 90 to 95% of cases of AS, the association of the B27 haplotype with other SNSpAs is more tenuous. The clear association between ReA and infection with Salmonella or other gram-negative enteric pathogens has led to the suggestion that the adaptive immune response to infection has an autoimmune component. In addition to various Salmonella species, other gram-negative enteric pathogens have been linked to the development of ReA. Given their close relationship to Salmonella, this review considers the involvement of Shigella species in ReA.
7SKiing on chromatin: Move globally, act locally

ABSTRACTRNA polymerase II (Pol II) pausing at promoter-proximal regions is a highly regulated step in the transcription cycle. Pause release is facilitated by the P-TEFb kinase, which phosphorylates Pol II and negative elongation factors. Recent studies suggest that P-TEFb (as part of the inhibitory 7SK snRNP) is recruited to promoter-proximal regions through interaction with KAP1/TRIM28/TIF1β to facilitate ‘on-site’ kinase activation and transcription elongation. Here, I discuss features of this model and future challenges to further hone our understanding of transcriptional regulation including Pol II pausing and pause release.
What Edith Stein Can Teach Adult Educators

Many think of Edith Stein as a phenomenological philosopher who experienced a dramatic religious conversion, but contemporary adult educators may also look to her as a model for the application of social activism based in theory. This article explores Stein’s continued relevance for adult educators who research and then try to apply key concepts related to transformative learning and social activism. The author first provides a context for her transformative learning experience, describes her social activism in 20th-century Germany, discusses how Stein integrated theory and practice, and then suggests key areas that could inform future research. Edith Stein left an unsurpassed but largely untapped legacy of adult education practice in three key areas for future research: how transformative learning can influence adult educators, the application of social activism in a tumultuous social–political environment, and the integration of theory and practice.
Physicochemical Characteristics of Corn Cob Biomass Ash

The physicochemical characteristics of corn cob ash obtained at different ashing temperatures(600 ℃ and 815 ℃) were studied with X-ray fluorescence spectrometry,X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy and grading analysis. M uffle furnace burning experiment was adopted to study the influence of ashing temperature and holding time on ash content. The ash composition and morphology of the fly ash samples collected from biomass gasification station were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy( SEM) and energy disperse X-ray microanalysis( EDX). The results indicated that ashing temperature has a remarkable effect on the ash granularity, content, composition, morphology and phase composition,but has no obvious effects on the fouling and slagging characteristics. The main component elements of ash are potassium and chlorine,which means that the major existent form of potassium is potassium chloride in the pyrolysis and gasification process of corn cob. The morphology of ash surface is in different shapes. Flocculent large particles were formed at the ashing temperature of 600 ℃,while the ash surface happens to soften and fuse,and the flocculent particles decreases at 815 ℃. Above research results can provide guidance not only for the purification of gas obtained from the thermal chemical conversion of biomass fuel,but also for the comprehensive utilization of biomass ash.
Measurement and Analysis of Audible Noise Bringing about by Equipments in Domestic ±500 kV Converter Stations and Noise Reduction Measures

To master the audible noise level of ±500kV DC converter stations in China, the audible noise bringing about by the equipments with large acoustical power such as converter transformers, smoothing reactors and AC filters in ±500kV DC converter stations is measured. According to the measured frequency spectrum, the noise generation mechanism of main equipments in converter stations is analyzed. According to the noise generation mechanism of converter transformers, smoothing reactors and AC filters, different noise reduction measures for them are proposed respectively.