cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical doctors and complementary and alternative medicine: the context of holistic practice.

Consumers, health care financing, external and internal competition are factors identified in the medical literature as prompting change within medicine. I test these factors to determine if they a...
Effect of post-operative use of chlorhexidine on regeneration of bifurcation defects in dogs.

The daily post-operative use of topical chlorhexidine application has been compared to daily toothbrushing. Periodontal defects were experimentally created in the bifurcations of lower premolars in dogs. The defects were treated by surgical debridment. Chlorhexidine application and toothbrushing were performed post-operatively for six weeks on contra-lateral pairs of teeth. The amounts of connective tissue and bone regeneration were evaluated from microscopic sections of the bifurcation areas. No difference between chlorhexidine and toothbrushing was found for the connective tissue attachment. However, significantly more bone had regenerated in the chlorhexidine treated areas than the tooth-brushed areas.
A covering lemma for \({K(\mathbb {R})}\)

The Dodd–Jensen Covering Lemma states that “if there is no inner model with a measurable cardinal, then for any uncountable set of ordinals X, there is a \({Y\in K}\) such that \({X\subseteq Y}\) and |X| = |Y|”. Assuming ZF+AD alone, we establish the following analog: If there is no inner model with an \({\mathbb {R}}\) –complete measurable cardinal, then the real core model \({K(\mathbb {R})}\) is a “very good approximation” to the universe of sets V; that is, \({K(\mathbb {R})}\) and V have exactly the same sets of reals and for any set of ordinals X with \({|{X}|\ge\Theta}\) , there is a \({Y\in K(\mathbb {R})}\) such that \({X\subseteq Y}\) and |X| = |Y|. Here \({\mathbb {R}}\) is the set of reals and \({\Theta}\) is the supremum of the ordinals which are the surjective image of \({\mathbb {R}}\) .
Type II collagen during cartilage and corneal development: immunohistochemical analysis with an anti-telopeptide antibody.

We have examined the pattern of immunoreactivity of a monoclonal antibody, II-5B2, with specificity for an epitope which resides within the NH2-terminal extension peptide (telopeptide) of the avian type II collagen molecule. This epitope is available in regions of matrix where de novo synthesis of the molecule is ongoing, but not where synthesis has ceased and maturation and crosslink formation have occurred. Within the cartilaginous growth plate, the epitope disappears from the matrix soon after the chondrocytes become hypertrophic; within the cornea, the epitope disappears subjacent to the epithelium. The II-5B2 epitope is not made available by a variety of procedures shown to remove potentially masking substances and to disrupt fibrillar organization. It is rendered available, however, when covalent crosslink formation between collagen molecules is blocked through administration of β-aminopropionitrile or penicillamine. In contrast, the epitope of another monoclonal antibody against type II collagen, II-II6B3, which resides in the triple-helical domain of the molecule, in cartilage is present throughout the growth plate including the hypertrophic zone, and in cornea extends for a considerable distance into the stroma. Thus, it is available for antibody binding regardless of fibril maturation and crosslinking. These data suggest that the II-5B2 epitope becomes unavailable when the telopeptide becomes cross-linked. By using these two monoclonal antibodies in serial sections, one can establish the crosslinking pattern of type II collagen in the tissue. This set of antibodies is a potentially useful tool for analyzing normal and abnormal development, remodeling, and repair processes in the skeletal system and in other tissues where type II collagen is involved in organization of the matrix, such as the primary corneal stroma. © 1993 wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hysterical freedom: Surrealist dance & Hélène Vanel's faulty functions

(2005). Hysterical freedom: Surrealist dance & Helene Vanel's faulty functions. Women & Performance: a journal of feminist theory: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 37-61.
Thioredoxin reductase may be essential for the normal growth of hyperbaric oxygen-treated human lens epithelial cells.

We have shown previously with in vivo and in vitro animal models that the lens epithelium, in contrast to the nucleus, is remarkably resistant to hyperoxia. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the mRNA response of cultured human lens epithelial cells (LECs) to challenge by a high level of hyperbaric oxygen. Cells were treated for 3 hr with 50 atm of 99% O2, and then cultured normally for various times up to 11 days. Although the cells appeared normal immediately after the O2-treatment, they failed to grow and suffered 50% cell loss, as well as significant mitochondrial damage, during normal post-culture. Growth of the cells resumed after 3 days and by day 11, the number of O2-treated cells was the same as the controls. Remarkably, the 3 hr O2-treatment produced no immediate effects on either the cellular level of GSH, or on the activities of a number of antioxidant enzymes including glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which is generally regarded as being highly sensitive to oxidation. In contrast, the activity of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) was severely affected by the O2, decreasing by 51% after the 3 hr exposure. O2-induced death of the cells appeared to be caused by loss of ATP since a 31% decrease in ATP level occurred immediately after the O2-treatment, in spite of a 46% increase in lactate production. Analysis with real-time PCR showed a maximum 3‐6-fold increase in mRNA levels 9 hr after the 3 hr O2-exposure for the enzymes heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), MnSOD and TrxR1 (the cytoplasmic form of TrxR). These results were confirmed with the use of one-step RT-PCR and Northern blotting. Initial upregulation of message for HO-1 occurred a few hours before any upregulation of MnSOD could be detected, suggesting that release of free iron from the degradation of heme by HO-1 may have played a role in the upregulation of the dismutase. No significant changes in mRNA levels were observed for the antioxidant enzymes catalase, CuZnSOD, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase, or for the antioxidant protein thioredoxin. Recovery of TrxR activity over a 4-day period appeared to parallel the return of the cells to a normal rate of growth. The results indicate that damaging effects of hyperoxia on cultured LECs occur primarily in the mitochondria, rather than in the cytoplasm. Cells avoid O2-induced cell death, and return to a normal rate of proliferation by upregulating mRNA levels for HO-1, MnSOD and TrxR1. It appears that full activity of TrxR1, an enzyme required for the production of deoxyribonucletides for DNA synthesis, is essential for the normal growth of O2-challenged LECs. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Orally Active MMP-1 Sparing α-tetrahydropyranyl and α-piperidinyl Sulfone Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) Inhibitors with Efficacy in Cancer, Arthritis, and Cardiovascular Disease

α-Sulfone-α-piperidine and α-tetrahydropyranyl hydroxamates were explored that are potent inhibitors of MMP's-2, -9, and -13 that spare MMP-1, with oral efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth in mice and left-ventricular hypertrophy in rats and in the bovine cartilage degradation ex vivo explant system. α-Piperidine 19v (SC-78080/SD-2590) was selected for development toward the initial indication of cancer, while α-piperidine and α-tetrahydropyranyl hydroxamates 19w (SC-77964) and 9i (SC-77774), respectively, were identified as backup compounds.
Determination of Absolute Configurations from Anomalous Scattering by Oxygen

THE determination of absolute configurations by crystallographic methods depends on the measurement of the effect of anomalous scattering on diffraction intensities1. The effect will be most pronounced when the crystal contains atoms for which the wavelength of an absorption edge is just greater than that of the radiation being scattered, but it is not limited to such cases. Anomalous scattering results in an advance in phase angle relative to a normally scattered wave. This is usually expressed by writing the atomic scattering factor as a complex number f=fre + i▵f″. As a result of the anomalous phase shift the intensity I(hkl) of a reflexion from a set of planes (hkl) in a non-centrosymmetric crystal will in principle differ from that of a reflexion from the “back” of these planes (indices ); this difference will be readily observable only if at least one of the atomic scattering factors has a relatively large imaginary term (i▵f″).
Examining N-limited soil microbial activity using community-level physiological profiling based on O2 consumption

Abstract Nitrogen-limited soil microbial activity has important implications for soil carbon storage and nutrient availability, but previous methods for assessing resource limitation have been restricted, due to enrichment criteria (i.e., long incubation periods, high substrate amendments) and/or logistical constraints (e.g. use of radioisotopes). A microtiter-based assay of basal and substrate induced soil respiration based on O 2 consumption may be a rapid, ecologically relevant means of assessing N limitation. The present study evaluated this approach by examining 1) the extent and duration of N limitation on soil respiratory activity following different levels of N fertilization in the field, and 2) the relationship between N-limited activities and growth under the assay conditions. Fertilization rate and the time since fertilization had significant impacts on the degree of N limitation of soil microbial activity. The highest fertilization rate showed the earliest and most persistent reduction in N limitation, as would be predicted from the higher concentration of extractable inorganic soil N observed with this treatment. Bacterial growth under the assay conditions, as estimated by quantitative-PCR of 16S rRNA genes, was less than twofold in soils demonstrating a rapid respiratory response (i.e. peak within 6–8 h of initiating incubation) to up to fourfold in soils demonstrating a slower respiratory response (i.e., peak response after ∼14 h of incubation). Increased respiratory response with N amendment was usually associated with increased cell growth, although for rapidly responding soils some C sources showed N-limited use without growth. This was likely due to exhaustion of the relatively low levels of available C amendment before growth was detected. The method appears useful for assessing N-limited microbial growth, and it may be effective as a rapid indicator of bioavailable soil N. It may also be a tool to evaluate the complexity of N limitation among various metabolic pathways found in soil microbial communities, particularly if linked to dynamics in community structure and gene activation.
The future of ophthalmic ultrasonography

Ophthalmic ultrasonography has proven itself to be a safe and reliable technique for ophthalmic diagnosis and for ocular and orbital biometry. The increasing sophistication and refinement of CT scanning and the growing computerization of diagnostic modalities invite speculation on the future place and complexion of ophthalmic ultrasonography . The physical nature of the modality confers both advantages and constraints upon ultrasonography in comparison with other diagnostic techniques. Pulse-echo ultrasound utilizes the compression and rarefaction of matter to physically propagate the wavefront of sound. The returned
Role of copper in folding and stability of cupredoxin-like copper-carrier protein CopC.

Abstract CopC is a periplasmic copper carrier that, in contrast to cytoplasmic copper chaperones, has a β-barrel fold and two metal-binding sites distinct for Cu II and Cu I . The copper sites are located in each end of the molecule: the Cu I site involves His and Met coordination whereas the Cu II site consists of charged residues. To reveal biophysical properties of this protein, we have explored the effects of the cofactors on CopC unfolding in vitro . We demonstrate that Cu II coordination affects both protein stability and unfolding pathway, whereas Cu I has only a small effect on stability. Apo–CopC unfolds in a two-state reaction between pH 4 and 7.5 with maximal stability at pH 6. In contrast, Cu II –CopC unfolds in a three-state reaction at pH ⩾ 6 that involves a partly folded intermediate that retains Cu II . This intermediate exhibits high thermal and chemical stability. Unique energetic and structural properties of different metalated CopC forms may help facilitate metal transport to many partners in vivo .
Barbiturates impair cerebral metabolism during hypothermic circulatory arrest

Abstract Barbiturates have been used as a method of cerebral protection in patients undergoing open heart operations. Phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to assess barbiturate-induced alterations in the cerebral tissue energy state during cardiopulmonary bypass, hypothermic circulatory arrest, and subsequent reperfusion. Sheep were positioned in a 4.7-T magnet with a radiofrequency coil over the skull. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were obtained at 37 °C, during cardiopulmonary bypass before and after drug administration at 37 °C and 15 °C, throughout a 1-hour period of hypothermic circulatory arrest, and during a 2-hour reperfusion period. A group of animals (n = 8) was administered a bolus of sodium thiopental (40 mg/kg) during bypass at 37 °C followed by an infusion of 3.3 mg · kg −1 · min −1 until hypothermic arrest. A control group of animals (n = 8) received no barbiturate. The phosphocreatine/adenosine triphosphate ratio, reflecting tissue energy state, was lower during cardiopulmonary bypass at 15 °C in the treated animals compared with controls (1.06 ± 0.08 versus 1.36 ± 0.17; p p ≤ 0.01). Thiopental prevented the increase in cerebral energy state normally observed with hypothermia and resulted in a decrease in the energy state of the brain during hypothermic circulatory arrest and subsequent reperfusion. These results suggest that thiopental administration before a period of hypothermic circulatory arrest may prove detrimental to the preservation of the energy state of the brain.
A method for registering occlusion in semiedentulous mouths

Abstract A method of registering interoccusal jaw relations used in the crown and bridge technique at Western Reserve University, School of Dentistry has been described. This method has been an improvement over that used previously in the school.
Peasant Farmsteads and Households in the Baltic Littoral, 1797

Although the empirical basis for the comparative study of the history of European family life is expanding, there remain extensive areas of Eastern Europe about which almost nothing is known. This situation weakens all generalizations about Europe as a whole, especially since those localities of Eastern Europe from which family data are available reveal formations very different from what obtains in the West. The most ambitious comparative study to date, Household and Family in Past Time (1972; edited by Peter Laslett and Richard Wall) has taken a long step in the direction of providing a comparative methodology, but even in this excellent volume Eastern Europe is represented by only three essays dealing with the best known of its areas, the Balkans. In the Preface of the work, Laslett suggests that future historical evidence from the eastern regions ‘may possibly go to show that the extremes of familial organization, from the simplest to the most complex, may have once existed within the confines of the European continent itself’.
Compulsivity and superstitiousness

The relationship between superstitious beliefs and behaviors, and measures of obsessive-compulsive experiences was examined in this study. Both superstitious beliefs and superstitious behaviors were correlated with measures of compulsivity and obsessionality. Compulsive checking, but not compulsive cleaning (from the MOCI and the CAC-R) were correlated with superstitiousness. Both subscales from the Obsessional Thoughts Questionnaire were correlated with superstitiousness. The implications of these findings for the role of perceived control in obsessive-compulsive phenomena were discussed.
Guest editorial: special issue on wind power technologies

Due to global concerns about environmental pollution and potential fossil energy shortage, wind energy has become a significant clean energy for electricity generation systems all over the world. In China the total installed capacity of wind power has been over 70 GW in 2012, which makes China become the country with the largest wind power installation capacity worldwide. According to the official plan of Chinese government, the installed capacity of wind power in China is expected to be 150 and 200 GW in 2015 and 2020, respectively. The report from the Global Wind Energy Council has also shown that the total installed capacity of wind power in the US has reached to 60 GW in 2012. In Europe, the European Commission published its Communication ‘‘Investing in the Development of Low Carbon Technologies (SET-Plan)’’ in October 2009, stating that wind power would be ‘‘capable of contributing up to 20 % of EU electricity by 2020 and as much as 33 % by 2030’’. However, due to the intermittence and fluctuation of wind, the increasing penetration of wind power into the transmission grid has imposed many technical challenges on maintaining the secure and stable operation and control of transmission grids. In 2011, there were 193 wind power outages occurred in China. Among them, there were 54 outages with wind power losses ranging from 100 to 500 MW, and 12 outages with wind power losses over 500 MW. Therefore, effective technical solutions associated with the grid integration of large-scale wind power, and safe and reliable operation and control of the transmission grid integrated with large-scale wind power are urgently required. This special issue is dedicated to address the challenges, experiences, and solutions for the development of wind power technologies. Eight original research papers are brought together to report the most recent advances in wind power fields, particularly in wind power forecasting, wind turbine driven generation system, wind power integration, modeling and simulation, and operation, control and dispatch of the transmission grid integrated with large-scale wind power, etc. The issue also includes three reviews about the present state of art of research on wind power technologies and the suggestions for promoting the future research in this field. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all authors who made contributions in preparing their papers, and also thank all reviewers who made their efforts to review and comment each paper. I hope this special issue will be interesting to all readers who work in the field of wind power.
The mirative and evidentiality

Evidentiality refers to the grammatical marking of the source of evidence for a proposition; mirativity refers to the marking of a proposition as representing information which is new to the speaker. Mirativity has sometimes been thought of as part of the larger category of evidentiality. Based on evidence from Tibetan, Hare, and other languages, it is argued here that mirativity must be recognized as a distinct semantic and grammatical category. The existence in many languages of a form which combines mirative and inferential readings can be explained in terms of the interaction of mirativity and aspect: The combination of mirative marking and perfective aspect will naturally tend to be interpreted as inferential, since an event in the past will ordinarily be new information to the speaker only if his or her knowledge of it derives from secondary evidence rather than from direct perception.
4-Hydroperoxy-2-nonenal-Induced Formation of 1,N2-Etheno-2‘-deoxyguanosine Adducts

Analysis of the reaction between 4-hydroperoxy-2-nonenal (HPNE) and 2'-deoxyguanosine (dGuo) by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) revealed the formation of 1,N2-etheno-dGuo as well as heptanone-etheno-dGuo and trace amounts of dihydroxyheptane-etheno-dGuo. Identities of the dGuo adducts were confirmed by comparison with authentic standards. The minor dihydroxyheptane-etheno-dGuo adducts could be generated from 2,3-epoxy-4-hydroxynonanal (EHN), the epoxidation product of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE). An LC/MS method was developed for the analysis of EHN. No EHN was detected by LC/MS during the decomposition of HPNE. Therefore, the dihydroxyheptane-etheno-dGuo adducts are either generated from a direct reaction between HPNE and dGuo or from another intermediate that cannot be detected by LC/MS. In addition, no HNE-derived hydroxypropano-dGuo adducts were observed. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that HPNE, a primary product of lipid peroxidation, is a major precursor to the formation of 1,N2-etheno-dGuo. We propose that it arises from the reaction of dGuo and HPNE through the intermediate formation of a cyclic hydroxy-ethano-epoxide derivative. The minor amounts of heptanone-ethano-dGuo adducts that were formed from HPNE in the absence of vitamin C suggest that heptanone-etheno-dGuo can be generated directly from HPNE without the intermediate formation of ONE. Therefore, HPNE can be considered as another lipid hydroperoxide-derived bifunctional electrophile with the potential for biological activities that are similar to HNE and ONE.
A Case Report on a Rare Disease: Dyskeratosis Congenita

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, cancer predisposition (11-fold increase compared to general population), ectodermal dysplasia (nail dystrophy, oral leukoplakia, and abnormal skin pigmentation) and other additional somatic abnormalities. A 22-year-old man presented with fever, chills, and a painful throat. Leukoplakia was noted on his tongue and some of his fingers and toe nails were markedly dystrophic. His skin seemed spotted with pigmentation on the anterior chest and neck. Patient reported family history of “blood disease” and leukemia. He was admitted for the management of neutropenic fever (102.9 °F, WBC: 940, ANC: 404, platelets: 21,000 and Hb: 9.2), and was put on broad spectrum antibiotics. A bone marrow biopsy revealed normocellular marrow with erythroid predominance and mild dyserythropoiesis. Chromosomal analysis indicated no numerical or structural chromosomal abnormalities. The fluorescence in situ hybridization report did not reveal any assay specific abnormalities. Viral marker for hepatitis and studies of autoimmune antibodies showed negative results. CT scan had shown splenomegaly. Patient was discharged after he has been fever and symptoms free, with a follow-up at hematology clinic. Individuals with DC most commonly present with skin pigmentation, dystrophic nails and leukoplakia, as presented in this case. Genetic abnormality was not confirmed in our patient, but it is suggested that X-linked recessive pattern would be significant because of greater prevalence in men than in women (10:1). The distribution of blood counts and bone marrow biopsy categorizes our patient in the moderate aplastic anemia class which is the most prevalent pattern. When fever in young patients with a failing bone marrow is diagnosed, it is important that physicians rule out the possible underlying causes. DC is a rare disease, but can be diagnosed by simple inspection of the mucocutaneous abnormalities. DC is a severe multisystem disorder associated with premature morbidity and mortality. We believe that reporting this case would add more information to the existing fund of knowledge.
109: POST-TRANSFUSION DETERIORATION OF PULMONARY FUNCTION IN PRETERM INFANTS

We hypothesized that treatment of anemia by packed RBC transfusion in preterm infants will increase the mean inspiratory flow. Pulmonary mechanics were studied using an esophageal balloon and mask during the quiet state in 10 preterm anemic infants (Hct- 28±3) with a mean GA 29.2±2.4 wks at a postnatal age of 42±21 days, before and after (16 hrs) transfusion with 10 cc/kg of packed cells. These results indicate that there is a significant deterioration in lung compliance, after transfusion. The increase in inspiratory impedance may have blunted the anticipated rise in mean inspiratory flow. Whether these changes are related to the volume of blood infused, remains to be determined.
The urbanization of an idea: Imagining nature through urban growth boundary policy in Portland, Oregon

A concept of a specifically "urban imaginary of nature" is developed through a dialectical (re)reading of Georg Simmel's and Louis Wirth's seminal texts on the nature of urbanism. We then examine how this urban imaginary is mobilized through the politics of nature in metropolitan Portland, Oregon. We demonstrate that the logic of Oregon's "Urban Growth Boundary" land-use policy promises the retrieval and spatial demarcation of a fading "nature" threatened by urbanization itself. We then examine how Portland's metropolitan planning agency ("Metro") imagines ways in which the urban growth boundary can reconcile and spatially delimit an "invisible line" where the urban ends and nature begins. These policies set the conditions through which Portland can market itself as the "green city." We conclude by arguing for a more radical and denaturalized political imaginary that takes into account the socioecological constitution of the urban "metabolism" itself.
A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of fluoxetine for repetitive behaviors and global severity in adult autism spectrum disorders.

Objective:The effects of fluoxetine and placebo on repetitive behaviors and global severity were compared in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Method:Adults with ASDs were enrolled in a 12-week double-blind placebo-controlled fluoxetine trial. Thirty-seven were randomly assigned to fluoxetine (N=22) or placebo (N=15). Dosage followed a fixed schedule, starting at 10 mg/day and increasing as tolerated up to 80 mg/day. Repetitive behaviors were measured with the compulsion subscale of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale; the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) improvement scale was used to rate improvement in obsessive-compulsive symptoms and overall severity. Results:There was a significant treatment-by-time interaction indicating a significantly greater reduction in repetitive behaviors across time for fluoxetine than for placebo. With overall response defined as a CGI global improvement score of 2 or less, there were significantly more responders at week 12 in the fluoxetine group than in ...
The Making of a Sweet Modification: Structure and Function of O-GlcNAc Transferase

O-GlcNAc transferase is an essential mammalian enzyme responsible for transferring a single GlcNAc moiety from UDP-GlcNAc to specific serine/threonine residues of hundreds of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. This modification is dynamic and has been implicated in numerous signaling pathways. An unexpected second function for O-GlcNAc transferase as a protease involved in cleaving the epigenetic regulator HCF-1 has also been reported. Recent structural and biochemical studies that provide insight into the mechanism of glycosylation and HCF-1 cleavage will be described, with outstanding questions highlighted.
Economic optimization of a global strategy to address the pandemic threat

Emerging pandemics threaten global health and economies and are increasing in frequency. Globally coordinated strategies to combat pandemics, similar to current strategies that address climate change, are largely adaptive, in that they attempt to reduce the impact of a pathogen after it has emerged. However, like climate change, mitigation strategies have been developed that include programs to reduce the underlying drivers of pandemics, particularly animal-to-human disease transmission. Here, we use real options economic modeling of current globally coordinated adaptation strategies for pandemic prevention. We show that they would be optimally implemented within 27 y to reduce the annual rise of emerging infectious disease events by 50% at an estimated one-time cost of approximately $343.7 billion. We then analyze World Bank data on multilateral “One Health” pandemic mitigation programs. We find that, because most pandemics have animal origins, mitigation is a more cost-effective policy than business-as-usual adaptation programs, saving between $344.0.7 billion and $360.3 billion over the next 100 y if implemented today. We conclude that globally coordinated pandemic prevention policies need to be enacted urgently to be optimally effective and that strategies to mitigate pandemics by reducing the impact of their underlying drivers are likely to be more effective than business as usual.
Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Grid for Reinforced Concrete Construction

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the suitability of Fiber-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) grids for use as a structural reinforcement in slab-type concrete structures. The behavior of concrete ...
Climatology, Variability, and Trends in the U.S. Vapor Pressure Deficit, an Important Fire-Related Meteorological Quantity

AbstractUnlike the commonly used relative humidity, vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is an absolute measure of the difference between the water vapor content of the air and its saturation value and an accurate metric of the ability of the atmosphere to extract moisture from the land surface. VPD has been shown to be closely related to variability in burned forest areas in the western United States. Here, the climatology, variability, and trends in VPD across the United States are presented. VPD reaches its climatological maximum in summer in the interior southwest United States because of both high temperatures and low vapor pressure under the influence of the northerly, subsiding eastern flank of the Pacific subtropical anticyclone. Maxima of variance of VPD are identified in the Southwest and southern plains in spring and summer and are to a large extent driven by temperature variance, but vapor pressure variance is also important in the Southwest. La Nina–induced circulation anomalies cause subsiding, nort...
Protein–Protein Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Analysis of Nucleosome Core Particles Containing H2A and H2A.Z

Abstract A protein–protein Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) system, employing probes at multiple positions, was designed to specifically monitor the dissociation of the H2A–H2B dimer from the nucleosome core particle (NCP). Tryptophan donors and Cys-AEDANS acceptors were chosen because, compared to previous NCP FRET fluorophores, they: (1) are smaller and less hydrophobic, which should minimize perturbations of histone and NCP structure; and (2) have an R 0 of 20 A, which is much less than the dimensions of the NCP (∼ 50 A width and ∼ 100 A diameter). Equilibrium protein unfolding titrations indicate that the donor and acceptor moieties have minimal effects on the stability of the H2A–H2B dimer and (H3–H4) 2 tetramer. NCPs containing the various FRET pairs were reconstituted with the 601 DNA positioning element. Equilibrium NaCl-induced dissociation of the modified NCPs showed that the 601 sequence stabilized the NCP to dimer dissociation relative to weaker positioning sequences. This finding implies a significant role for the H2A–H2B dimers in determining the DNA sequence dependence of NCP stability. The free energy of dissociation determined from reversible and well-defined sigmoidal transitions revealed two distinct phases reflecting the dissociation of individual H2A–H2B dimers, confirming cooperativity as suggested previously; these data allow quantitative description of the cooperativity. The FRET system was then used to study the effects of the histone variant H2A.Z on NCP stability; previous studies have reported both destabilizing and stabilizing effects. H2A.Z FRET NCP dissociation transitions suggest a slight increase in stability but a significant increase in cooperativity of the dimer dissociations. Thus, the utility of this protein–protein FRET system to monitor the effects of histone variants on NCP dynamics has been demonstrated, and the system appears equally well-suited for dissection of the kinetic processes of dimer association and dissociation from the NCP.
An Application of Markov Chain Monte Carlo to Community Ecology

(2003). An Application of Markov Chain Monte Carlo to Community Ecology. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 110, No. 4, pp. 265-288.
Generic workers: towards unified distributed and parallel JavaScript programming model

In this paper we introduce generic workers, a programming model for JavaScript unifying parallel and distributed computing paradigms, that allows the same application to run well on a variety of clients while utilizing the available resources in the best possible way. We describe the design and implementation of an infrastructure supporting our programming model and evaluate performance of selected applications running on devices with differing computational capabilities.
Inertial tip translator for a scanning tunneling microscope

A two‐dimensional micropositioning device for scanning tunneling microscope (STM) probes has been developed. This device uses the principle of piezoelectric inertial translation to produce a controlled stepping motion of the probe along vertical and horizontal axes over distances of several mm. The tip micropositioner is controlled by the same electrical signals that drive the scanning piezoelectric element, thus alleviating the need for additional electronic control elements. This device has been tested on STMs operating in air and in ultrahigh vacuum environments.
Characterization of the G protein coupling of a glucagon receptor to the KATP channel in insulin-secreting cells

The G-protein-mediated coupling of a glucagon receptor to ATP-dependent K channels—KATP—has been studied in insulin-secreting cells using the patch clamp technique. In excised outside-out patches, KATP channel activity was inhibited by low concentrations of glucagon (IC50 = 2.4 nm); the inhibitory effect vanished at concentrations greater than 50 nm. In cell-attached patches, inhibition by bath-applied glucagon was seen most often, although stimulation was observed in a few cases. A dual action of the hormone is proposed to resolve these apparently divergent results. In excised inside-out patches, KATP channel activity was inhibited by addition of βγ subunits purified from either erythrocyte or retina (IC50 = 50 pm and 1 nm, respectively). Subsequent exposure of the patch to α i or α o reversed this effect. In excised inside-out patches, increasing Mg2+ in the bath stimulated the channel activity between 0 and 0.5 mm, but blocked it at higher concentrations (IC50 = 2.55 mm). In most cases (70%), GTP had a stimulatory effect at concentrations up to 100 μm. However, in three cases, similar GTP levels had clear inhibitory effects. In excised inside-out patches, cholera toxin (CTX) caused channel inhibition. Although the effect could not be reversed by removal of the toxin, the activity was restored by subsequent addition of purified α i or α o . These results are compatible with a model whereby channel inhibition by activated G S -coupled receptors occurs, at least in part, via association of the βγ subunits of G S with α i /α o subunits and deactivation of the α i /α o -dependent stimulatory pathway. On the basis of this hypothesis, a model is developed to describe the effects of G proteins on the KATP channel, as well as to account for the concentration-dependent stimulation and inhibition of KATP channel by Mg2+. An interpretation of the ability of glucagon to potentiate, but not initiate, insulin release is also given in terms of this model and the effects of ATP on KATP channels. This work was supported by grant DCB-89 19368 from the National Science Foundation and a research grant (W-P 880513) from the American Diabetes Association to B.R.
Potential health risks of air pollution beyond triggering acute cardiopulmonary events.

Andrea Baccarelli, MD; Ida Martinelli, MD; Antonella Zanobetti, PhD; Paolo Grillo, MD; Li-Fang Hou, PhD; Pier A. Bertazzi, MD; Pier Mannuccio Mannucci, MD; Joel Schwartz, PhD Background Particulate air pollution has been linked to heart disease and stroke, possibly resulting from enhanced coagulation and arterial thrombosis. Whether particulate air pollution exposure is related to venous thrombosis is unknown. Methods We examined the association of exposure to particulate matter of less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) risk in 870 patients and 1210 controls from the Lombardy region in Italy, who were examined between 1995 and 2005. We estimated exposure to PM10 in the year before DVT diagnosis (cases) or examination (controls) through area-specific mean levels obtained from ambient monitors. Results Higher mean PM10 level in the year before the examination was associated with shortened prothrombin time (PT) in DVT cases (standardized regression coefficient [β] = −0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.23 to 0.00) (P = .04) and controls (β = −0.06; 95% CI, −0.11 to 0.00) (P = .04). Each increase of 10 μg/m3 in PM10 was associated with a 70% increase in DVT risk (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; 95% CI, 1.30 to 2.23) (P < .001) in models adjusting for clinical and environmental covariates. The exposure-response relationship was approximately linear over the observed PM10 range. The association between PM10 level and DVT risk was weaker in women (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.92) (P = .02 for the interaction between PM10 and sex), particularly in those using oral contraceptives or hormone therapy (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.58 to 1.61) (P = .048 for the interaction between PM10 level and hormone use). Conclusions Long-term exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with altered coagulation function and DVT risk. Other risk factors for DVT may modulate the effect of particulate air pollution.
Integration of optical fiber and optoelectronic devices

The paper reports on pursing a different, potentially complementary vision of all-fiber optoelectronics in which light can be generated, modulated, and detected within the fiber itself. Fiber devices are in general valued for their robustness, simplicity, and ability to integrate seamlessly with existing fiber infrastructure. If the light never leaves the fiber, for example, difficulties associated with modal and impedance mismatches between fibers and planar semiconductor waveguides do not need to be overcome. Fiber lasers also integrate naturally with fibers, whereas using direct gap semiconductor lasers on chip remains an ongoing challenge. Semiconductor fiber fabrication and adding optoelectronic function to fibers are also discussed.
Evaluation of an Outpatient Culture Device in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

From August 1983 through August 1986, we used a dipstick culture device for outpatient dialysate cultures among patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. The device was used in 42% of 531 peritonitis episodes. In 21 % of the peritonitis episodes, patients elected to be hospitalized for treatment and, therefore, did not obtain a dialysate culture. The frequency of noncompliance was 18%. All samples were received within four days of mailing. Forty percent of isolates were gram-positive organisms, 30% were gram-negative, 3% were fungal organisms, and 27% of the cultures failed to yield a growth. Aside from a greater incidence of failure to define a bacterial growth responsible for peritonitis, the spectrum of organisms was similar to culture results obtained from the patients who elected, during this same period, to be hospitalized. We believe the dipstick device may be used effectively for outpatient dialysate cultures.
Architecture school: three centuries of educating architects in North America

Architecture school: three centuries of educating architects in North America, edited by Joan Ockman, Cambridge, MA, MIT Press, 2012, 440 pp., US$50 (hardcover) In Washington, DC, in December 1912,...
Specificity of the effects of neuroleptics on the release of glutamate from the rat amygdala

The purpose of this study was to determine if the depression of calcium-dependent glutamate release from synaptosomes derived from the rat amygdala is specific to neuroleptics. To this end the effects of nine nonneuroleptic agents and nine previously untested neuroleptic agents (or isomers) on nondependent and calcium-dependent glutamate release were determined by gas-chromatographic and radioisotopic methods. All of the neuroleptics except reserpine depressed calcium-dependent release at 10−7 M with only a weak, inconsistent reduction of nonspecific release. None of the nonneuroleptic agents at concentrations of 10−6 M 10−5 M produced depression of calcium-dependent release without also strongly depressing nonspecific release. Reserpine was without effect on release at concentrations as high as 10−7 M. Also shown was that the representive neuroleptics Haloperidol, chlorpromazine, and clozapine depressed the calcium-dependent release of glutamine-derived glutamate to a greater extent over glucose derived glutamate. These data suggest that the specific depression of stimulus-coupled glutamate release is not a characteristic of noneuroleptic compounds, but is highly associated with neuroleptics of the phenothiazine or butyrophenone classes.
Revisiting the risk for aneuploidy in fetuses with isolated pyelectasis

Objective Previous studies are contradictory with regard to the association of isolated pyelectasis and aneuploidy. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that isolated pyelectasis is associated with aneuploidy and calculate likelihood ratios using a large ultrasound database. Methods A retrospective cohort study of pregnancies presenting to our prenatal ultrasound unit at 16 to 22 weeks was conducted. Pyelectasis was defined as fetal renal pelvis> 4 mm in the anterior-posterior dimension. Fetuses with co-existing major structural anomalies or markers of aneuploidy were excluded. Association between isolated pyelectasis and aneuploidy was assessed and screening efficiency was evaluated. Results were also stratified by maternal age. Results Among 62 103 patients who had obstetric ultrasounds during the study period, 1055 (1.7%) were diagnosed with isolated pyelectasis. The presence of isolated pyelectasis was significantly associated with any aneuploidy [OR 1.93 (CI 1.06–3.54)], and specifically trisomy 21 (T21) [OR 2.91 (CI 1.48–5.71)]. There was a greater than two-fold increase in the risk of T21 in the presence of isolated pyelectasis [LR+ 2.44 (CI 1.28–4.64)]. Conclusions Our data confirm a significant association between isolated pyelectasis and increased risk of aneuploidy, particularly T21. These likelihood ratios can be used to adjust aneuploidy risk and in counseling patients regarding appropriateness of amniocentesis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dose escalated external beam radiotherapy versus neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy and conventional dose external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer: do we need both?

Several randomized trials have demonstrated that men with localized prostate cancer benefit from the use of short-term neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (NADT) in combination with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), while other trials have shown improved outcomes with higher doses of radiation. This review compares both approaches and the rationale for using both. To date 4 randomized trials, including 10 arms and ∼1600 men have reported comparing patients treated with EBRT alone to EBRT combined with short-term NADT. To date, four Phase III dose escalation trials have been completed including 8 arms and a total of ∼2210 patients with doses up to 74 to 79 Gy compared to doses of 64 to 70 Gy on the control arms. All studies (n = 4) using NADT demonstrated an improvement in biochemical failure compared to patients treated with EBRT alone, three studies showed an improvement in cause specific survival and one showed an overall survival advantage, one showed a reduction in distant metastasis or the need for salvage ADT. All phase III dose escalation studies to date only show an improvement in biochemical control. The quality of the evidence supporting the use of NADT in combination with EBRT for clinically important endpoints is stronger than the data supporting dose escalation. Cure rates appear to be unacceptably low for both approaches such that higher doses of EBRT combined with NADT and whole pelvic radiotherapy may be indicated for optimal outcomes.
The effect of therapeutic radiation on canine alveolar ridges augmented with hydroxylapatite

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of radiation on hydroxylapatite (HA) implanted subperiosteally for alveolar ridge augmentation in dogs. All bicuspids and molars were extracted from 16 dogs. After 6 weeks, nonporous HA granules were implanted subperiosteally on the alveolar ridge. Following 4 months of healing, 12 dogs (experimental group) underwent therapeutic radiation therapy (Co60, 4,000 rad [40 Gy]) to the head and neck region. Four dogs were not irradiated and served as controls. Four animals (three experimental and one control) were killed at 5,6,7, and 8 months after HA augmentation. Light microscopic evaluation showed that approximately 25% of HA granules were encased by bone while the others were surrounded by fibrous connective tissue. Dissolution of the HA was observed. Microparticles of HA were phagocytized as part of a granulomatous inflammatory reaction. This reaction decreased significantly as time elapsed after implantation. Osteoclastic activity was seen at the junction of HA and periosteum and as part of bone remodeling. Dissolution of the HA granules and the granulomatous inflammatory reaction were not significantly increased by therapeutic radiation. The radiation did not cause development of dehiscence or osteonecrosis.
Wide bandgap nanowire sensors

Wide bandgap semiconductor ZnO and GaN nanowires have shown the ability to detect many types of gases, biological and chemical species of interest In this review we give some recent examples of using these nanowires for pH sensing, glucose detection and hydrogen detection at ppm levels.
The role of affective choice mode in the consumer purchase of expressive products

Abstract Based on Zajonc's (1980) thesis, a concept of Affective Choice Mode is developed. It is argued that when products are expressive (i.e., they are sought for psycho-social goals rather than for utilitarian goals), then the predominant mode of consumer brand selection is the affective choice mode. This mode is contrasted with the traditionally assumed information processing mode. Using survey data from 192 consumers and employing LISREL analyses it is shown that (a) although involvement leads to information processing, (b) expressiveness makes affective choice mode more likely, which in turn (c) suppresses information processing. Research and managerial implications of the present work are discussed.
Genetic Population Structure within and Between Beaver (Castor canadensis) Populations in Illinois

Abstract Mating behavior and social structure can influence genetic structure within and between populations, yet most studies focus on highly kin-structured, polygynous species. The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is socially monogamous; however, examination of recent genetic data suggests that this species may be opportunistically promiscuous. We used 7 microsatellite loci to quantify genetic structure within and between 2 beaver populations in Illinois. An analysis of molecular variance revealed significant genetic subdivision among breeding groups in southern Illinois (FST = 0.086, P < 0.001), whereas regional genetic subdivision was evident in central Illinois (FST = 0.037, P < 0.001). Overall FST between populations also was significant (0.068 ± 0.012 SE, P < 0.001). Bayesian clustering assigned individuals from the 2 geographic sampling regions into 2 distinct genetic clusters with 70% of individuals assigned to 1 of the 2 clusters. Migration between populations was low at 0.16 individual...