cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Death of Herod the Great

SINCE a famous man's manner of death, his final moments, and last words were highly significant to the ancients, there developed in both classical and Judaic tradition conventional ways of reporting these incidents. Within the milieu of Hellenistic Judaism, for example, the last words or testaments of patriarchs often follow a definite arrangement (narrative section, ethical section, blessings, and curses) and thus their study has lent itself well to analysis.' In Graeco-Roman tradition, some forty years ago, A. Ronconi demonstrated how the Stoics adopted Plato's idealizing portrayal of Socrates both to validate and to inform the literary pattern of Stoic martyrdoms of the so-called Opposition, and how, in turn, the Christians often drew on this tradition in articulating their martyrdoms.2 If death scenes of the famous and godly became stereotyped, so also did death scenes of the infamous and godless. To set out one common paradigm, at times linked with the motif of divine retribution, the more villainous the character of a man (at least in the eyes of his historian or biographer) or the greater his sinfulness, the more ghastly the manner of his death. A specific variation of this scheme is death by loathsome disease, the revolting symptoms of which are frequently minutely described.3 While Plato's account of the death of Socrates may well have served as an Urbild for the first topos, it is less easy and inevitably arbitrary to isolate a single prototype in the latter case. Early on, examples occur in both Greek and Biblical traditions. In Herodotus, after Pheretime of Cyrene takes excessive and brutal vengeance on the Barcaeans for the murder of her son, she falls ill and, still living, swarms with worms, c&s apa app'7roLtoL at 'XIh 'a-Xvpa' TAcWpaLcL 7rpos 0Ecv rU00Goot TyLv'ovTLaL.4 In Chronicles, Elijah prophesies a similar doom to King Jehoram, who "made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness and made Judah go astray." Thereafter God strikes him with
Prediction of ignition implosion performance using measurements of Low-deuterium surrogates

The National Ignition Campaign (NIC) will use non-igniting THD capsules with cryogenic ice layers to study and optimize the hydrodynamic assembly of the fuel without burn. These capsules are characterized by the ratios of T:H:D. The species ratios are set with two goals in mind: (1) control T:D in order to adjust the nuclear energy production and (2) preserve the average atomic number of the fuel at 2.5 to maintain hydrodynamic similarity with the DT ignition capsule. We have developed an experimentally observable ignition threshold factor (ITFX) that uses measurements from THD experiments to predict the performance of DT ignition implosions. It was developed and tested on multiple large databases of 2D radhydro simulations. Each of the thousands of simulations includes twin DT and THD simulations with a variety of physical failure mechanisms – drive asymmetry, capsule roughness, continuum mixing, fabrication errors, among others. The results of our numerical database and the ITFX metric have allowed us to develop an experimental estimate of the probability of DT ignition based on THD experiments. The analysis accounts for both diagnostic precision and the effects of a finite number of shots. The NIC expects to field a combination of diagnostics and experimental attempts that result in a 15 to 20 percent uncertainty in the experimentally inferred probability of ignition. This work was completed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52–07NA27344.
Control of microstructural heterogeneities in carbon nanotube foams

Arrays of aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under compression are known to exhibit a dissipative hysteretic response similar to classical foams. Here, we control the microstructure of the arrays during synthesis using a variable supply of carbon source and catalyst. We control CNT alignment and density along the array height, creating bands of high- and low-density regions. We study the dynamic response of these materials and show the ability to tailor the location and extent of strain localization under compression. We show that the synthesis procedures described herein allow for construction of CNT arrays with improved protection and energy dissipation in impact tests.
Transcriptional regulation of estrogen-responsive genes by non-steroidal estrogens: doisynolic and allenolic acids.

Abstract Estrogen receptor (ER), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, exerts prominent physiological roles in both humans and other species by acting directly as a transcription factor, altering nuclear gene expression. One peculiarity of estrogenic regulation is that it is affected by a wide variety of non-steroidal compounds in addition to the natural hormone, estradiol. Doisynolic and allenolic acid compounds are non-steroidal compounds that act as potent estrogens in animal studies, yet bind to ER extremely poorly in competitive binding assays, raising the possibility of alternative molecular mechanisms for the observed estrogenic effects. In this work we demonstrate that (±)- Z-bis dehydrodoisynolic acid, (±)- Z-bis dehydrodoisynolic acid 3-methyl ether, and (−) allenolic acid can interact directly with ER. These compounds all serve as ligands for ER in mechanism-specific tissue culture-based reporter gene assays for both positive and negative gene regulation. We have also used a novel assay based on electromobility shift by ER for directly determining relative binding affinities for ER. In addition, we show cell-type-specific activity differences for (±)- Z-bis dehydrodoisynolic acid 3-methyl ether, supporting clinical observations indicating a higher potency of this compound in female animals than in humans.
Comparison of round-off noise variances in several low round-off noise digital filter structures

This note presents round-off noise expressions for fixed-point digital filters realized in the error-feedback structure, and a comparison of the error-feedback structure with other low round-off noise digital filter structures in terms of output round-off noise variance.
Longitudinal Behavioral and 6-[18F]Fluoro-l-DOPA-PET Assessment in MPTP-Hemiparkinsonian Monkeys

Biochemical and behavioral criteria were established to determine the long-term stability of a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced unilateral striatal dopamine deficiency in the vervet monkey. At time points over a 12-month period, post-MPTP striatal dopamine synthesis capacity was indexed with 6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA (FDOPA)-positron emission tomography. For the MPTP-treated subjects (n = 4), an intrasubject FDOPA influx rate constant (Ki) ratio method of right (lesioned) striatum/left (unlesioned) striatum values was used to assess changes in striatal activity. Striatal FDOPA Ki ratios differed less than 5% between studies conducted at 1-2, 5-7, and 9-11 months post-MPTP; these results indicated a stable MPTP-induced striatal lesion over this time period. At the 5-7 and 9-11 month time points, behavioral indices of the MPTP-induced deficits were obtained within a species-typical group setting. For three of the four subjects, persistent decrements in motoric, affiliative, and vigilance behavior were observed while the frequency of aggression toward group members was increased. At the 9-11 month time point, one subject showed a 30% improvement in the social measures, indicative of a partial recovery from the MPTP-induced behavioral decrements although its striatal FDOPAKi ratio remained unchanged. Thus, behavioral and noninvasive biochemical methods can provide complementary indices to assess individual differences in sensitivity to MPTP-induced deficits. Both types of data are required to determine lesion stability and, subsequently, the efficacy of interventions designed to restore normal function in this primate Parkinsonian model.
Changes in the propensity to live alone: Evidence from consecutive cross-sectional surveys, 1960–1976

The rise in the proportion of single persons living alone in the United States over the last several decades has been explained in two ways. A consumer demand explanation suggests that increases in income and the ability of persons to afford the desired privacy and autonomy of single person households account for the rise. An alternative explanation suggests that norms, residence rules, and tastes have become more supportive of nonfamilial living arrangements in post-industrial societies and that the proportion of persons living alone would have increased substantially even if income had not risen. Previous evidence for these explanations comes from cross-sectional or aggregate data; this paper tests alternative predictions of the explanations using individual-level survey data from three time points—1960, 1970, and 1976. In contrast to predictions of the consumer demand explanation, the results show that major increases in the proportion of single persons living alone are unexplained by increases in income and other individual-level characteristics of respondents. Although the effect of income on living alone has been constant over time, the existence of significant additive effects of time is consistent with alternative explanations of structural changes in propensity to live alone.
Relationship Between Nighttime Vital Sign Assessments and Acute Care Transfers in the Rehabilitation Inpatient

Purpose To investigate the role of nighttime vital sign assessment in predicting acute care transfers (ACT) from inpatient rehabilitation. Design Retrospective chart review. Methods Fifty patients unexpectedly discharged to acute care underwent chart review to determine details of each ACT. Findings Seven of 50 ACT possessed new vital sign abnormalities at the 11 pm vital sign assessment the night before ACT. None of these seven underwent ACT during the night shift the abnormalities were detected. Two of 50 ACT were transferred between 11 pm and 6:59 am; both demonstrating normal vital sign at the 11 pm assessment. During study period, an estimated 5,607 11 pm vital sign assessments were performed. Conclusions Nighttime vital sign assessments do not seem to be a good screening tool for clinical instability in the rehabilitation hospital. Clinical Relevance Eliminating sleep disturbance is important to the rehabilitation inpatient as inadequate sleep hinders physical performance. Tailoring vital sign monitoring to fit patents' clinical presentation may benefit this population.
Hamiltonian aspects of three-wave resonant interactions in gas dynamics

Equations describing three-wave resonant interactions in adiabatic gas dynamics in one Cartesian space dimension derived by Majda and Rosales are expressed in terms of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian variational principles. The equations consist of two coupled integro-differential Burgers equations for the backward and forward sound waves that are coupled by integral terms that describe the resonant reflection of a sound wave off an entropy wave disturbance to produce a reverse sound wave. Similarity solutions and conservation laws for the equations are derived using symmetry group methods for the special case where the entropy disturbance consists of a periodic saw-tooth profile. The solutions are used to illustrate the interplay between the nonlinearity represented by the Burgers self-wave interaction terms and wave dispersion represented by the three-wave resonant interaction terms. Hamiltonian equations in Fourier (p,t) space are also obtained where p is the Fourier space variable corresponding to the fast phase variable of the waves. The latter equations are transformed to normal form in order to isolate the normal modes of the system.
Concentration in Farming and Transition Bias

O fact about farming is better known than the continuing trend toward fewer and larger commercial farms. Less is known about changes in relative concentration of farming in different size groups. Are large farms growing faster than small farms? For evidence, observers usually turn to the convenient census economic classes (Tables 1 and 2). A first impression from such information is that increasing concentration is indeed taking place in the upper size classes. But frequency distributions of this kind are not designed to measure changes in relative concentration in a growth situation. They are subject to a serious limitation, which may be termed transition bias. The purpose of this paper is to call attention to this limitation and to suggest what can be done about it.
IBM research division cloud computing initiative

Cloud computing represents the latest phase in the evolution of Internet-based computing. In this paper, we describe the fundamental building blocks of cloud computing and the initiative undertaken by the IBM Research Division in this area, which includes work on Internet-scale data centers, virtualization, scalable storage, and cloud computing services. The focus of this project has been the Research Compute Cloud, an environment for cloud computing research that is also used as a computing resource by various groups in the IBM Research Division.
Prognostic significance of mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Abstract Background Mitral regurgitation (MR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) frequently develop in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Ventricular volume overload that occurs in patients with MR and TR may lead to progression of myocardial dysfunction. We hypothesized that MR and TR would provide markers of risk in patients with LVSD. Methods We reviewed clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic data on 1421 consecutive patients with LVSD (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%). Predictors of survival (freedom from death or United Network for Organ Sharing [UNOS]-1 transplantation) were identified in a multivariable analysis with a Cox proportional hazards analysis. The impact of MR and TR (none to mild, moderate, or severe) then was assessed separately with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results During the follow-up period (mean ± SD, 365 ±364 days), death occurred in 435 study subjects (31%) and UNOS-1 transplantation in 28 subjects (2%). Multivariable predictors of poor outcome included increasing MR and TR grade, cancer, coronary artery disease, and absence of an implantable cardiac defibrillator. Relative risk was 1.84 (95% CI 1.43-2.38) for severe MR and 1.55 (95% CI 1.14-2.11) for severe TR. Survival with Kaplan-Meier analysis related inversely to MR grade (none to mild 1004 ±31 days, moderate 795 ±34 days, severe 628 ±47 days, P P =.0001). Conclusion Patients with severe MR or TR represent high-risk subsets of patients with LVSD. Future study is warranted to determine whether pharmaceutical or surgical strategies to relieve MR and TR have a favorable impact on survival. (Am Heart J 2002;144:524-9.)
Hyperaldosteronism in an adolescent with Gardner's syndrome

Gardner's syndrome, a variant of familial adenomatous polyposis, is characterized by colonic polyposis, osteomas, and soft tissue tumors. Adrenal masses in Gardner's syndrome are rare, and few have displayed clinical manifestations. We report a 16-year-old female with Gardner's syndrome, who had an aldosterone-secreting tumor resected via laparoscopic adrenalectomy.
Investigation of light load HCCI combustion using formaldehyde planar laser-induced fluorescence

Abstract Planar laser-induced fluorescence of formaldehyde was used to investigate quenching of the homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion process at light load in an n-heptane-fueled internal combustion engine. Detailed chemical kinetic calculations indicated that the persistence of formaldehyde after the end of heat release coincided with the existence of a significant mole fraction of carbon monoxide at the end of the cycle. At fuel–air equivalence ratios greater than 0.16, the data indicate that formaldehyde is uniformly formed within the combustion chamber during the first-stage ignition and then completely consumed during the second-stage ignition event. At leaner equivalence ratios, the formaldehyde fluorescence was found to persist after the second-stage ignition process; formaldehyde fluorescence was observed as late at 60 crankangle degrees after top dead center at an equivalence ratio of 0.09. The laser-induced fluorescence images were acquired in the central portion of the combustion chamber away from the cool combustion chamber surfaces. Therefore, the mechanism by which formaldehyde persists is considered to be bulk gas quenching as opposed to quenching due to thermal stratification within the combustion chamber. Data acquired from a uniform formaldehyde mixture over a range of crankangle timings in a motored engine were used to investigate the fluorescence signal as a function of temperature and pressure, and to provide a first order estimation of the absolute concentration. The fluorescence per formaldehyde molecule was found to be constant for a window about top dead center, but was found to increase for advanced or retarded timings where the pressure and temperature were lower.
Reduction Of Beam Coupling In A Ring Laser Gyro By Doppler Shifting Of Scattered Light

We report here the successful reduction of the lock-in band of a triangular ring laser gyro by dithering two flat diaphragm mirrors 180 degrees out of phase along their normals. This causes a frequency shift of the backscattered light of each beam out of the capture band of the counterpropagating beam. After properly matching the phase and amplitudes of the mirror drives we obtained a residual lock-in roughly two orders of magnitude below the undithered value. A quantitative explanation of this result is given.
Mechanistic fracture criteria for the failure of human cortical bone

A mechanistic understanding of fracture in human bone is critical to predicting fracture risk associated with age and disease. Despite extensive work, a mechanistic framework for describing how the underlying microstructure affects the failure mode in bone is lacking.
A Computational Study of Alternate SELEX

Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is a procedure for identifying nucleic acid (NA) molecules with affinities for specific target species, such as proteins, peptides, or small organic molecules. Here, we extend the work in Seo et al. (Bull Math Biol 72:1623–1665, 2010) (multiple-target SELEX or positive SELEX) and examine an alternate SELEX process with multiple targets by incorporating negative selection into a positive SELEX protocol. The alternate SELEX process is done iteratively by alternating several positive selection rounds with several negative selection rounds. At the end of each positive selection round, NAs are eluted from the bound product and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to increase the size of the pool of NA species that bind preferentially to the given positive target vector. The enriched population of NAs is then exposed to the negative targets (undesired targets). The free NA species (instead of the bound NA species being eluted) are retained and amplified by PCR (negative selection). The goal is to minimize an enrichment of nonspecifically binding NAs against multiple targets. While positive selection alone results in a pool of NAs that bind tightly to a given target vector, negative selection results in the subset of the NAs that bind best to the nontarget vectors that are also present. By alternating the two processes, we eventually obtain a refined population of nucleic acids that bind to the desired target(s) with high “selectivity” and “specificity.” In the present paper, we give formulations of the negative and alternate selection processes and define their efficiencies in a meaningful way. We study the asymptotic behavior of alternate SELEX system as a discrete-time dynamical system. To do this, we use the chemical potential to examine how alternate SELEX leads to the selection of NAs with more specific interactions when the ratio of the number of positive selection rounds to the number of negative selection rounds is fixed. Alternate SELEX is said to be globally asymptotically stable if, given the initial target vector and a fixed ratio, the distribution of the limiting NA fractions does not depend on the relative concentrations of the NAs in the initial pool (provided that all of the NA species are initially present in the initial pool). We state conditions on the matrix of NA—target affinities that determine when the alternate SELEX process is globally asymptotically stable in this sense and illustrate these results computationally.
Imaging Dynamic Redox Changes in Mammalian Cells with Green Fluorescent Protein Indicators

Changes in the redox equilibrium of cells influence a host of cell functions. Alterations in the redox equilibrium are precipitated by changing either the glutathione/glutathione-disulfide ratio (GSH/GSSG) and/or the reduced/oxidized thioredoxin ratio. Redox-sensitive green fluorescent proteins (GFP) allow real time visualization of the oxidation state of the indicator. Ratios of fluorescence from excitation at 400 and 490 nm indicate the extent of oxidation and thus the redox potential while canceling out the amount of indicator and the absolute optical sensitivity. Because the indicator is genetically encoded, it can be targeted to specific proteins or organelles of interest and expressed in a wide variety of cells and organisms. We evaluated roGFP1 (GFP with mutations C48S, S147C, and Q204C) and roGFP2 (the same plus S65T) with physiologically or toxicologically relevant oxidants both in vitro and in living mammalian cells. Furthermore, we investigated the response of the redox probes under physiological redox changes during superoxide bursts in macrophage cells, hyperoxic and hypoxic conditions, and in responses to H2O2-stimulating agents, e.g. epidermal growth factor and lysophosphatidic acid.
Materials And Devices For Optical Information Processing

Advances in the field of optical information processing continue to be impeded by a number of factors, the principal factor being the lack of highly sensitive, fast, high resolution, two-dimensional spatial light modulators. The performance limitations of these devices can be traced to inadequate materials properties as well as to inadequate exploitation of the characteristics of available materials.
A solitary wave packet in the atmosphere observed from space

A group of parallel cloud lines was identified in seven successive space shuttle photographs taken over the Pakistani offshore zone in the northern Arabian Sea on April 29, 1993. There are a total of 19 lines aligned with the length of the leading line longer than 250 km and an average separation distance (wavelength) of 1 km. We suggest that the lines are generated by an atmospheric solitary wave packet characterized by decreases in amplitudes and wavelengths from the front to the rear. These features are comparable with the dnoidal soliton solution to the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation. The land breeze and katabatic flow are proposed as a possible generation mechanism.
CONTEMPLATING THE HORMONES

Present pursuit of the hormones is at such a pace that we may well be persuaded that endocrinologists are just now in a bigger hurry than any other group of investigators in the world. In this we are right: never before were so many choice secrets of chemical regulation spread just beyond our finger tips. However, from all this important activity of a recent period I am here regretfully obliged to refer merely to some fragments which to me seem of rather special significance to both biology and medicine.
Emergency obstetric care: measuring availability and monitoring progress.

To reduce maternal deaths substantially, the facilities for Emergency Obstetric Care (EOC) must exist, be accessible, be utilized by complicated cases and be successful. Accordingly, a new set of indicators, viz., number of functional EOC facilities, geographic bed distribution within a district, proportion of expected births and expected complications managed at these units, and case fatality rate for complicated cases, were assessed in ten districts drawn from ten major states of India. The paper discusses the findings and some of the problems of data collection and interpretation. In general, maldistribution of beds within the district, low levels of cesarean section rates and, sometimes, high case fatality point to a need for an improvement in availability, distribution and quality of EOC. Similarly, low institutional birth rate and much lower than expected number of complications reaching the facilities point to the need for encouraging families to use them. Changes in these indicators over time will help gauge improvements in provision and utilization of EOC. The study findings and methodology are serving as an important element for developing a monitoring system for EOC under Safe Motherhood in India.
E- and Z-vinyloxyboranes (alkenyl borinates): stereoselective formation and aldol condensation

Abstract Vinyloxyboranes, intermediates of Hooz' reaction, are almost exclusively E -isomers which can be isomerized to the Z -isomers. Both isomers undergo stereoselective aldol condensations.
After the storm: Recognition, recovery, and reconstruction.

On August 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall near the Louisiana–Mississippi border, it exposed a large number of people to extraordinary loss and suffering. The enormous swath of physical devastation wreaked across the marshes of Louisiana’s Plaquemines Parish to the urban communities of New Orleans and the coastal landscape of Mississippi and Alabama caused a notable change to the demographics of the Gulf Region, making it the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. This article describes a disaster responder’s experiences of working with displaced survivors of Hurricane Katrina, providing crisis and mental health support in the acute phase of the disaster. This is followed by a discussion of the importance of a multicultural approach to helping survivors of a natural disaster; several guidelines to improve multicultural competence are proposed. In particular, the importance of attending to survivors’ racial, socioeconomic, language, and religious differences is discussed.
MULTIPLE-BEAM CROSSED-FIELD INTERACTION

ABSTRACT The dispersion relations for the crossed-field double-beam drift space amplifier are developed in terms of the two beam currants and the plasma frequencies and the correspondence between the two equations is discussed. In general, there are two growing waves and two declining waves. Through control of the various operating parameters all these waves can be made unchanging. The propagation constants of the cyclotron and space-charge waves depend very much upon the values of the velocity slip parameter, ωp/ ωc and ωp/ ωc In the presence of a slow-wave circuit the fast growing wave is excited only for large values of the velocity slip parameter. The gain is found to be larger for the double-beam device than for a single-beam device. The growth rate is proportional to the interaction parameter and depends very much upon the bunching of the beam. A wide velocity distribution in the beam reduces the gain of the slow wave. The importance of the a.c. transverse field is also discussed.
Insights into the assessment of myocardial perfusion offered by different cardiac imaging modalities

Myocardial perfusion may be very broadly defined as the tightly regulated nutrient delivery to cardiac tissue. The different components of perfusion are myocardial blood flow, oxygen delivery, myocardial oxygen consumption, and myocardial blood volume. Historically, focus has been placed mostly on the assessment of blood flow. In many instances, knowledge of flow without information about these other aspects is inadequate. This review discusses the various cardiac imaging techniques used for the assessment of myocardial perfusion that represent diverse physiologic measures of “perfusion.” Their strengths and limitations are discussed as is their relevance to specific clinicopathologic conditions. Significant work still needs to be performed before all the aspects of myocardial perfusion can be precisely measured in human beings.
The structure of icosahedral cytoplasmic deoxyriboviruses.

It is proposed that the shell of icosahedral cytoplasmic deoxyriboviruses (ICDV) consists of a unit membrane modified by the apposition of an icosahedral lattice of morphological subunits. A second unit membrane appears to be closely associated with, or a part of, the inner nucleoprotein core of the virus. The two membranes are closely appressed at the periphery of mature intact virus particles. The presence of two unit membranes in mosquito iridescent virus particles is clearly illustrated, but can at present only be inferred in the case of two smaller insect ICDV's studied. It is emphasized that ICDV unit membranes are defined in this study on the basis of morphology alone.
Stabilization of the superoxide-generating respiratory burst oxidase of human neutrophil plasma membrane by crosslinking with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide

Abstract The superoxide-generating respiratory burst oxidase (NADPH-oxidase) of neutrophil plasma membranes is known to be highly unstable. In an attempt to stabilize the enzyme, we investigated the effect of crosslinking with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). The stability of superoxide-generating activity of plasma membrane was significantly enhanced by crosslinking. The half-life ( t 1 2 ) of the activity at 37 °C in the absence of crosslinker was about 2 min. Crosslinking extended the t 1 2 significantly. Crosslinked material exhibited a biphasic loss of activity: about half was lost in each phase with respective t 1 2 values of 20 and 240 min. The lifetime of the crosslinked material at 37 °C was further extended (about sixfold) with 30% glycerol, and the crosslinked material was completely stable for more than 2 weeks if stored on ice. Crosslinking also stabilized the activity to the effects of high salt and detergent, both of which have inactivating effects on the oxidase. In addition, crosslinking stabilizes not only the V m but also the K m of the enzyme, which was noted to increase upon storage in the absence of crosslinking. Unlike the native material, the crosslinked oxidase failed to be stimulated (and in fact was inhibited) by phosphatidylserine, recently reported to be an activator of the oxidase (Tamura et al. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263 , 17,621–17,626) . The crosslinked plasma membrane provides a useful stabilized system for kinetic studies. When the activated plasma membrane was treated with EDC, the stabilized oxidase could not be solubilized effectively using detergents, since greater than 95% of the activity remained with the pellet following centrifugation, perhaps due to crosslinking to the cytoskeleton. However, when the activity was first detergent-solubilized, the soluble activity was also stabilized by EDC. This solubilized, crosslinked material may provide useful starting material for subsequent isolation and characterization of a stabilized active NADPH-oxidase.
Growth-related signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells is deregulated by TCDD during the G0/G1 transition.

Abstract Experiments have been conducted to examine the impact of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on growth-related signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). A 40% reduction of peak DNA synthesis was observed in SMCs only when TCDD was added during the G0/G1, transition of the cell cycle. Enhanced phosphorylation of several endogenous proteins during this period was coincident with increased tyrosine kinase activity as early as 15 min following TCDD challenge. No changes in protein phosphorylation status occurred in cells treated with TCDD during the C,/S transition or during 5 phase. Cotreatment of quiescent SMCs with 10 nM TCDD and serum for 3 h reduced serum-inducible binding activity to a 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate responsive element (TRE) by approximately 40%. No alterations of constitutive TRE binding were observed in quiescent SMCs treated with TCDD for up to 5 h. These data show that mitogen-related signaling in vascular SMCs is modulated by TCDD selectively during th...
Transcapillary loss, equilibrium time, half-return time of thiocyanate and heavy water in the forearm.

For this hemodynamic study, Freis's team "devised a method for determining the net bidirectional exchange of substances permeable to the capillary walls of the human forearm," using T-1824 (a dye that binds to plasma protein), sodium thiocyanate, and deuterium oxide (heavy water). They were then able to learn the rate at which water moves between body tissues and capillaries in cell metabolism.
Studies on the electron transport system XXXIV. isolation and properties of mammalian cytochrome c1

A method is presented by which soluble cytochrome c1 was isolated form beef-heart mitochondria in relatively high yield. The purity of the final preparation, 27.2 μmoles of heme or iron per gram of protein, was considerably higher than previously reported. Chemical analysis of the purified cytochrome c1 disclosed that it was free from contamination by other cytochromes, flavin, non-heme iron and bile salts. Studies in the analytical ultracentrifuge and electrophoresis showed that the preparation was homogeneous. The molecular weight of cytochrome c1, calculated on the basis of the iron content of the purest preparation obtained, is 37 000. Enzymic reduction of the purified cytochrome c1 was obtained by the use of a wide variety of enzyme systems derived from beef heart mitochondria when succinate, DPNH or reduced Coenzyme Q was used as substrate. The sensitivity of this reaction to inhibition by antimycin A appeared to be determined by the characteristics of the enzyme system employed. Oxidation of the purified cytochrome c1 proceeded rapidly in the presence of cytochrome oxidase and cytochrome c, the rate being dependent upon the cytochrome c concentration. However, before interpreting this fact it should be noted that cytochromes c and c1 interacted when solutions of the two purified hemoproteins were mixed together.
Insights into the Mechanism by Which Interferon-γ Improves Macrophage Function Following Hemorrhage and Resuscitation

Abstract Recent studies indicate that depressed macrophage (Mo) immune responses following hemorrhage can be restored by the administration of interferon (IFN)-γ as an adjuvant to resuscitation. However, the mechanism of these effects remains unknown. An important component of the process of Mo activation in response to pathogens is the mobilization of intracellular calcium ([Ca 2+ ] i ). Since hemorrhage alters the Mo signal transduction system, the aim of this study, therefore, was to determine whether administration of IFN-γ after hemorrhage restores this mode of macrophage signal transduction. To assess this, C3H/HeN mice were bled to and maintained at a mean blood pressure of 35 mm Hg for 1 hr and then adequately resuscitated. Mice then received either 40,000 units IFN-γ/kg body wt or saline vehicle and were killed 2 hr posthemorrhage to obtain splenic Mo. These Mo were loaded with Fluo-3 AM (fluorescent [Ca +2 ] i probe) and their capacity to mobilize [Ca +2 ] i in response to stimulation with f-met-leu-phe (FMLP; bacterial peptide) was assessed on a laser cytometer. The results indicated that IFN-γ restored the capacity of splenic Mo to mobilize [Ca +2 ] i in response to FMLP. Moreover, the results demonstrated that hemorrhage produced a marked increase in resting cAMP levels in these cells that were lowered to sham levels by the administration of IFN-γ. Thus, it appears that IFN-γ acts to restore Mo signal transductional capacity, thereby improving Mo-mediated immune functions following hemorrhage and resuscitation.
Multipole expansion techniques for the calculation and characterization of molecular electrostatic potentials

The electrostatic interaction between a chemical and its site of biological action is often important in determining biological activity. In order to include this interaction in methods to assess the potential biological activity of large molecules, rapid and reliable techniques are needed for its calculation and characterization. A finite multicenter multipole expansion technique provides a good approximation of the molecular electrostatic potential in circumstances of interest. This technique introduces multipoles at expansion centers within the molecule in addition to atoms. It is difficult to interpret the significance of these multipole terms that are not centered on atoms. Methods are introduced to eliminate the expansion centers and truncate the now infinite multipole expansion. We have found that eliminating all centers with a charge less than .1 of an electron unit has little effect on the results. Two methods for obtaining multipole expansions only at atomic centers are investigated. The expansion of two center charge distributions about the nearest atom is found to give better results than dividing the two center gaussian charge distributions between the atomic centers for the gaussians.
The rate and consequences of Sr diagenesis in deep-sea carbonates

We have used a diffusion-advection-reaction model for Sr exchange during deep-sea carbonate diagenesis to determine the rate and consequences of Sr exchange between porewaters and bulk carbonate at six DSDP sites (590B, 575, 593, 516, 305 and 289) where the required Sr concentration and isotopic composition data for the interstitial waters are available from the literature. The model can reproduce both the Sr2+ and 87Sr/86Sr profiles in the porewaters at each of the sites by adjusting the rate of Sr exchange due to solution-reprecipitation as a function of sediment age. We find that the rate of solution-reprecipitation at all of the sites is highest for the youngest sediment (1–10%/m.y.) and decreases by about an order of magnitude over the first 10 m.y. of sediment age. The effect of this exchange on the properties of the bulk carbonate is to reduce the Sr content by 5–25%, depending primarily on the sedimentation rate, and shift the 87Sr/86Sr by as much as 0.00004 from the value the sediment had when first deposited. Isotopic shifts of this magnitude are large compared to present analytical uncertainties and therefore should be corrected for when using bulk carbonate 87Sr/86Sr for stratigraphic correlation. The average Sr loss in the carbonate sections studied is about 15%, from which we conclude that the Sr flux from carbonate sediments to the overlying ocean is of the order of 15% of the riverine Sr flux. We also show that the isotopic composition of the diagenetic Sr flux is at all times quite close to the contemporaneous seawater value and therefore this flux plays a very minor role in the overall Sr budget that determines the Sr isotopic composition of seawater. The range of Sr losses from bulk carbonate due to diagenesis that we calculate is too small to account for the typical decrease in Sr content seen in pelagic carbonates as a function of age (about 70% over the first 100 m.y.). We conclude that this decrease is not the result of diagenesis and must involve some changing property of the ocean itself.
Abstract 2291: Downregulation of uPA/uPAR inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in intermittent hypoxic DAOY and D283 medulloblastoma cells

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Medulloblastoma is the most common, rapidly growing tumor of the cerebellum, which arises in childhood and has a tendency to metastasize via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways. In addition to surgical resection, post-operative radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays in treating patients with medulloblastoma. However, these tumors remain among the most challenging pediatric brain tumors. Factors related to the tumor microenvironment are being recognized as fundamental to tumor progression, increased resistance and metastasis. Hypoxia, one of these factors, leads to epigenetic and genetic adaptation of clones and increased EMT, invasiveness and metastasis. Thus, hypoxia is closely associated with tumorigenesis and provides tumors the ability to outgrow the existing vasculature. In this study, we show that intermittent hypoxia has a more pronounced effect than chronic hypoxia and is responsible for EMT, invasion, migration, and survival of hypoxic-conditioned medulloblastoma cells. We also show that Akt and SNAIL are activated under hypoxia, and this response is blocked by plasmid vector-mediated delivery of uPA/uPAR siRNA. The linkage of uPAR to Akt activation under hypoxia provides one mechanism by which uPAR may regulate SNAIL, and thus, promote EMT. The results presented here suggest that, in cells that express high levels of uPAR, induction and maintenance of EMT depends on simultaneous activation of numerous cell-signaling factors downstream of uPAR. This study provides valuable evidence of the anti-tumor efficacy of plasmid vector-mediated delivery of uPA/uPAR siRNA in hypoxic-conditioned medulloblastoma cells to target intermittent hypoxia-induced cell invasion, migration, angiogenesis and EMT and to achieve better therapeutic outcomes in the treatment of malignant medulloblastomas Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2291.
Response to Comment on "The Ocean Sink for Anthropogenic CO2"

By discussing the impact of feedbacks between the physical climate system and the oceanic carbon cycle, Keeling's comment ([ 1 ][1]) addresses a crucial issue in the determination of the air-sea balance of CO2 beyond the direct oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2. These feedbacks were already
Low-cost wavelet image compression for FPGAs

Wavelet image compression provides high compression ratios without producing noticeable visible artifacts. However, wavelet image compression can be expensive in terms of memory usage and computational complexity. This paper describes a low-cost algorithm suitable for implementation in Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs).
AT4 receptor binding in the developing rabbit

The binding of the AT4-specific analog, divalinal-AngIV (Dival), was studied in rabbit fetuses of various gestational ages. Saturation isotherm and competition data from selected tissues indicate that fetal Dival binding sites are saturable and specific for AT4 ligands. Autoradiographs revealed that binding was present in all the specimens examined. The peripheral nerves, kidneys, and heart were particularly heavily labeled. Labeling of some tissues, such as forming bones, was not constant as gestational age increased. Other tissues, including multilocular fat, sinus hairs, and enamel organs of nascent teeth, exhibited substantial binding as these tissues developed. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Oral Cancer Detection

There are approximately 21,000 new cases of oral cancer every year. Although the oral cavity is relatively accessible to examination, malignant processes tend to present late with poor prognosis. To improve tumor outcome, early detection and treatment is essential. This article reviews the realms of oral cancer and its causes, as well as early detection methods and screening technologies that may be used. Currently available screening tools may help in visualizing an existing lesion or its borders, but they add little in discriminating between a premalignant, malignant, or inflammatory process.
A General Control Algorithm for Cooling Towers in Cooling Plants with Electric and/or Gas-Driven Chillers

A hybrid chiller plant employs a combination of chillers that are “powered” by electricity and natural gas. This paper presents an algorithm for determining cooling tower fan settings in hybrid plants in response to loadings on individual chillers. Parameters of the algorithm are evaluated using design information for the chillers and cooling tower fans. In addition to reducing operating costs, use of the open-loop control strategy simplifies the control and improves the stability of the tower control compared with the use of a constant condenser water supply or approach to wet-bulb. Simulated plant cooling costs associated with the algorithm were compared with costs for optimized settings and were within 1% of the minimum costs. The control method is general, in the sense that it also applies to cooling plants that have all electric or all natural gas chillers.
Effect of Weaning System on Commercial Milk Production and Lamb Growth of East Friesian Dairy Sheep

East Friesian crossbred ewes (n = 99) and their lambs (n = 232) were used to study the effects of three weaning systems on milk production and lamb growth. Prior to parturition, a ewe and her lambs were assigned to one of the following three treatments for the first 28 ± 3 d of lactation: 1) ewes weaned from their lambs at 24 h postpartum, ewes machine milked twice daily, and their lambs raised artificially (DY1); or 2) beginning 24 h postpartum, ewes separated from their lambs for 15 h during the evening, ewes machine milked once daily in the morning, and their lambs allowed to suckle for 9 h during the day (MIX); or 3) ewes not machine milked and exclusively suckled by their lambs (DY30). After the treatment period, lambs were weaned from MIX and DY30 ewes, and all three groups were machine milked twice daily. Daily commercial milk yield and milk composition were recorded weekly or twice monthly, and lambs were weighed at weaning or at 28 d and at approximately 120 d of age. Average lactation length (suckling + milking period) was 183 ± 5 d and was similar among weaning systems. Differences among weaning systems for milk yield, milk fat and protein percentages, and somatic cell count were highly significant prior to and around weaning, and became nonsignificant by 6 wk in lactation. Total commercial milk production was greatest for DY1 and MIX ewes (261 ± 10 and 236 ± 10 kg/ewe, respectively) and least for DY30 ewes (172 ± 10 kg/ewe). Daily gain of lambs to 30 d and weight at 30 d were similar regardless of weaning system; however, by 120 d, DY30 lambs tended to be heaviest, MIX lambs intermediate, and DY1 lambs lightest (47.3 ± 1.6, 45.9 ± 1.8, and 43.7 ± 1.2 kg, respectively). Overall financial returns for milk and lamb sales were greatest for the MIX system because of the increase in marketable milk during the first 30 d of lactation compared with the DY30 system and because of acceptable 120-d lamb weights without the expenses of artificial rearing compared with the DY1 system. A mixed system of suckling and milking during early lactation appears to be a valuable management tool for dairy sheep production.
Phthirus pubis as a cause of axillary pruritus.

A 62-year old man with HIV was referred to us for evaluation of underarm pruritus for one month. Previous providers had recommended pramoxine and ketoconazole creams, which did not improve the condition. He reported intimate contact with one male partner. Examination revealed an ill-defined erythematous patch of his left axilla with numerous cream-colored eggs cemented to the base of axillary hairs (Panel A). Microscopic examination of organisms found in the axillary vault revealed live lice; each louse had a short, shield-shaped body, six legs, and was filled with blood (Panel B). The patient was diagnosed with Phthirus pubis infestation (pubic or “crab” lice). Both he and his partner were treated with topical permethrin cream, and asked to shave axillary and pubic hair to remove the nits. He was counseled to launder all clothing and linens. Panel A Panel B Phthirus pubis classically involves the pubic area, but can also be found in the hairy areas of the scalp, beard, eyebrows and eyelashes. Patients commonly present with pruritus, but eczematization or secondary infection may also occur.