cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sphingosine 1-Phosphate (S1P) Carrier-dependent Regulation of Endothelial Barrier HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL)-S1P PROLONGS ENDOTHELIAL BARRIER ENHANCEMENT AS COMPARED WITH ALBUMIN-S1P VIA EFFECTS ON LEVELS, TRAFFICKING, AND SIGNALING OF S1P1

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a blood-borne lysosphingolipid that acts to promote endothelial cell (EC) barrier function. In plasma, S1P is associated with both high density lipoproteins (HDL) and albumin, but it is not known whether the carriers impart different effects on S1P signaling. Here we establish that HDL-S1P sustains EC barrier longer than albumin-S1P. We showed that the sustained barrier effects of HDL-S1P are dependent on signaling by the S1P receptor, S1P1, and involve persistent activation of Akt and endothelial NOS (eNOS), as well as activity of the downstream NO target, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). Total S1P1 protein levels were found to be higher in response to HDL-S1P treatment as compared with albumin-S1P, and this effect was not associated with increased S1P1 mRNA or dependent on de novo protein synthesis. Several pieces of evidence indicate that long term EC barrier enhancement activity of HDL-S1P is due to specific effects on S1P1 trafficking. First, the rate of S1P1 degradation, which is proteasome-mediated, was slower in HDL-S1P-treated cells as compared with cells treated with albumin-S1P. Second, the long term barrier-promoting effects of HDL-S1P were abrogated by treatment with the recycling blocker, monensin. Finally, cell surface levels of S1P1 and levels of S1P1 in caveolin-enriched microdomains were higher after treatment with HDL-S1P as compared with albumin-S1P. Together, the findings reveal S1P carrier-specific effects on S1P1 and point to HDL as the physiological mediator of sustained S1P1-PI3K-Akt-eNOS-sGC-dependent EC barrier function.
Flooding the Vote: Hurricane Katrina and Voter Participation in New Orleans

To what extent did the extensive flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina affect voter participation in the 2006 mayoral election? This article uses voting record data from 20 election cycles, GIS-coded flood-depth data, and census data to examine the voting behavior of registered voters in New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina. We use a variety of statistical techniques, primarily propensity score matching methods, to examine how flooding affected mayoral turnout. We find that flooding decreased participation, but registered voters who experienced more than 6 ft of flooding were more likely to participate in the election than those who experienced less flooding. This finding confirms that increasing the cost of voting decreases turnout and suggests several mechanisms motivating an expressive component of voting behavior. Our results indicate there is a complex relationship between participation and the costs and benefits of turnout. Our findings about the characteristics of the voters who participated in the mayoral election provide insights into the scope of change for the political landscape of New Orleans.
An empirical demonstration of using pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) genes as plant phylogenetic tools: Phylogeny of Verbenaceae and the Verbena complex

The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene family, with hundreds of members in land plant genomes, has been recognized as a tremendous resource for plant phylogenetic studies based on publicly available genomic data from model organisms. However, whether this appealing nuclear gene marker system can be readily applied to non-model organisms remains questionable, particularly given the potential uncertainties in designing specific primers to only amplify the locus of interest from the sea of PPR genes. Here we demonstrate empirically the use of PPR genes in the family Verbenaceae and the Verbena complex. We also lay out a general scheme to design locus-specific primers to amplify and sequence PPR genes in non-model organisms. Intergeneric relationships within the family Verbenaceae were fully resolved with strong support. Relationships among the closely related genera within the Verbena complex and among some species groups within each genus were also well resolved, but resolution among very closely related species was limited. Our results suggest that PPR genes can be readily employed in non-model organisms. They may be best used to resolve relationships in a spectrum from among distantly related genera to among not-so-closely related congeneric species, but may have limited use among very closely related species.
Self-Consistent Calculations for Even Ti, Cr, and Fe Isotopes

Results of self-consistent calculations with Hartree-Fock (HF), Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB), and spherical BCS approximations obtained with the central Yukawa (CY) interaction and with renormalized Kuo and Brown matrix elements for the Hamada-Johnston (HJ) interaction are reported for even Ti, Cr, and Fe isotopes. The calculated ground-state energies, corrected for Coulomb interaction amongst the extracore protons, are compared with the experimental values, and a better agreement for the HJ interaction is obtained than for the CY although they do not differ much with respect to each other. It is found that in the HFB approximation, the HJ interaction favors prolate solutions over oblate or spherical ones. Unlike the CY, the HFB approximation for $ZlN=28$ nuclei with the HJ interaction does not converge to spherical minima with lowest energy. It is also seen that the pairing contribution to the spherical BCS energy minimum is considerably larger for the HJ interaction as compared to the CY. The desirability of spherical solutions for $ZlN=28$ nuclei for the HJ interaction is discussed, and it is argued that it cannot be obtained by including $n\ensuremath{-}p$ pairing in the $T=1$ state. Modification of the Kuo and Brown renormalized matrix elements is suggested. Results for the oblate and prolate HFB solutions for ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{58}$ with HJ interaction are discussed, as these solutions have very close energy minima.
Incidence and Significance of Pleural Effusion after Abdominal Surgery

Two hundred patients who had undergone abdominal surgery received bilateral decubitus chest roentgenograms between 48 and 72 hours after surgery to evaluate the incidence of pleural effusion after abdominal surgery. Ninety-seven (49 percent) had some pleural fluid visible on the x-ray films. In 50 patients the thickness of the fluid was less than 4 mm on the decubitus film; in 26, it was between 4 mm and 10 mm; and in 21, it was greater than 10 mm. The incidence of pleural effusions was higher after upper-abdominal surgery, in patients with postoperative atelectasis, on the side on which the surgery was performed, and in patients with free abdominal fluid. Thoracocentesis was performed on 20 patients, and in 16 patients the effusions were exudates. All of the effusions resolved without specific therapy except one. The pleural fluid in this patient was characterized by a low pH (6.93) and positive culture for Staphylococcus aureus. Small pleural effusions are common after abdominal surgery, and most resolve spontaneously within a few days.
Kinship Care and Permanency

Should kinship care be favored as a form of permanency in and of itself or should it be avoided as a barrier to more binding forms of legal permanency? This question is examined using data from Cook County, Illinois. The study uses event history methods to analyze placement histories for 1992-95 cohorts of 23,685 children and a 1994 matched, cross-sectional sample of 1,910 children. It finds that kin placements are more stable than non-kin placements but that the advantage diminishes with lengthier durations of care. Current trends indicate a greater potential for legal permanency with kin than earlier literature has suggested.
THERMAL RESISTANCE AT INDIUM-SAPPHIRE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN 1.1 AND 2.1 K

The thermal resistance at boundaries between indium and single crystal sapphire has been measured with the indium superconducting and normal. The effective temperature at the sapphire side of a boundary was determined from the condition of radiative equilibrium at the surfaces of the crystal. It was found that the thermal conductance of indium-sapphire boundaries can be represented by the sum of a ${T}^{2}$ term and a ${T}^{3}$ term. For two samples, the ${T}^{3}$ terms are, respectively, ${0.0295\mathrm{T}}^{3}$ and $0.0281{T}^{3}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0016{T}^{3}$ W/(${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$---deg). These numbers are within the range of possible values expected on the basis of the acoustic mismatch theory of Little. For the two samples the ${T}^{2}$ terms are ${0.0059\mathrm{T}}^{2}$ and $0.0098{\mathrm{T}}^{2}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001{\mathrm{T}}^{2}W$ (${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$---deg) with the indium superconducting, and are increased by $(1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}{T}^{2}$ when the indium is normal. The values obtained as a matter of course for the thermal conductivity of sapphire are in agreement with the Casimir theory as modified to include the effects of finite crystal length and specular reflection of phonons at the crystal surfaces.
Baron's Machiavelli and Renaissance Republicanism

HANS BARON CAME TO MACHIAVELLI late in his scholarly career. His first important essay on Machiavelli appeared in 1956, the year following the first edition of The Crisis of the Early Italian Renaissance, and was the fruit of studies to which he turned once work on the Crisis was complete.1 In this essay, Baron began his challenge to the then generally accepted beliefs that Machiavelli wrote The Prince after drafting the first eighteen or so chapters of the Discourses and that the trajectory of his thought thus moved away from the initial idealism and republicanism of the Discourses to the realism and the acceptance of the necessity of princely power characteristic of The Prince. Baron set out to demonstrate that Machiavelli's ideas migrated in precisely the opposite direction: that The Prince preceded the Discourses and that Machiavelli's early enthusiasm for a monarchical solution to Italy's woes gave way, in the years that followed, to a reaffirmation of faith in a republicanism grounded in both the experience of Florence and the memory of Rome. This project occupied Baron for much of the next half-dozen years, from the mid-1950s until 1961, when he published his fullest and most important analysis of the problem in the English Historical Review.2 Even the posthumously published article on the dating of the last chapter of The Prince goes back at least to 1968,3 and it seems likely that it, too, had its origins in Baron's thinking of the late 1950s or early 1960s, when his attention was sharply focused on Machiavelli.4 Clearly, Machiavelli emerged as a key figure in Baron's pantheon far later than did Bruni or Petrarch, and until this time he seems not to have occupied a significant place in Baron's view of Renaissance humanism or republicanism. The bibliography of Baron's writings published in the 1971 collection of studies in his honor contains very little on Machiavelli before 1956: a two-page review from 1928-1929, a
A Model of Tumour Growth in Irradiated Hosts

IT has been found that local irradiation of the transplantation site prior to grafting experimental animal tumours influences the subsequent growth rate of the tumours and the survival time of the tumour-bearing hosts1,2. While the results of the experiments indicated that irradiation of the host tissue slowed the growth of the tumours, more precise interpretation of the data seemed desirable. The following simple model was thus developed. In the light of this model, experimental data can be interpreted in a more meaningful fashion. In, addition, the approach utilized in the model may be useful in other problems of host-tumour interaction.
Avian botulism type E in waterbirds of Lake Michigan, 2010–2013

During 2010 to 2013, waterbird mortality surveillance programs used a shared protocol for shoreline walking surveys performed June to November at three areas in northern Lake Michigan. In 2010 and 2012, 1244 total carcasses (0.8 dead bird/km walked) and 2399 total carcasses (1.2 dead birds/km walked), respectively, were detected. Fewer carcasses were detected in 2011 (353 total carcasses, 0.2 dead bird/km walked) and 2013 (451 total carcasses, 0.3 dead bird/km walked). During 3 years, peak detection of carcasses occurred in October and involved primarily migratory diving and fish-eating birds, including long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis; 2010), common loons (Gavia immer; 2012), and red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator; 2013). In 2011, peak detection of carcasses occurred in August and consisted primarily of summer residents such as gulls (Larus spp.) and double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). A subset of fresh carcasses was collected throughout each year of the study and tested for botulinum neurotoxin type E (BoNT/E). Sixty-one percent of carcasses (57/94) and 10 of 11 species collected throughout the sampling season tested positive for BoNT/E, suggesting avian botulism type E was a major cause of death for both resident and migratory birds in Lake Michigan. The variety of avian species affected by botulism type E throughout the summer and fall during all 4 years of coordinated surveillance also suggests multiple routes for bird exposure to BoNT/E in Lake Michigan.
Etiology of strokes in children with sickle cell anemia.

The most devastating complication of sickle cell anemia is cerebral infarction, affecting 30% of all individuals with sickle cell anemia. Despite being one of the most common causes of stroke in infants and children, the mechanism of cerebral infarction in this population has not been extensively studied and is poorly understood. Multiple, synergistic factors are important in the pathogenesis of stroke including the hemodynamic effects of cerebral arterial occlusive disease, viscosity, chronic and acute anemia and acute medical events. This review focuses on the relationship between these factors in order to provide a foundation for further study of the etiology of strokes in this high-risk population.
Modulation of endothelial cell shape and growth by retinoids.

Physiologic concentrations of retinol (1 × 10−6M) caused capillary and aortic endothelial cells (EC) to undergo a morphologic change, characterized by a rounder cell body, increased refractility at cell edges, and longer cytoplasmic processes distributed in a bipolar fashion. Computer image analysis of retinoid-treated EC revealed that both retinoic acid and retinol affected cellular area. Twenty-four hours following retinoic acid treatment, EC occupied a greater area than control (P < 0.03) or retinol-treated EC (P < 0.02). By Day 7, however, retinoic acid-treated EC occupied equivalent cellular areas as compared to control cells (P = 0.8). In contrast, by Day 7, retinol-treated EC occupied a smaller cellular area than control (P < 0.002) or retinoic acid-treated EC (P < 0.001). Proliferation studies revealed that within the first 72 hr of retinol treatment, basal EC growth was inhibited by 33% and the cells exhibited a lowered responsiveness to basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). In contrast, EC treated with retinoic acid and pericytes treated with each of the retinoids were not inhibited. The inhibitory effect of the 72 hr retinol treatment was reversible. Following 3 days exposure to retinol, EC given fresh media without retinoid underwent a population doubling in a subsequent 3-day period. However, in the continued presence of retinol, EC were 100% growth-inhibited. After a 3-day pretreatment with retinol, with or without continued retinol treatment, EC were refractile to the mitogenic action of bFGF in a subsequent 3-day period. These results demonstrate that retinol inhibits the basal and growth factor-stimulated growth of EC and causes a significant shape alteration of EC, supporting our hypothesis that vitamin A may be one of the signals that modify the growth and phenotype of EC.
Nature of cysteine-based Re(V)=O(N2S2) radiopharmaceuticals at physiological pH ascertained by investigation of a new complex with a meso N2S2 ligand having carboxyl groups anti to the oxo group.

X-ray structural characterization of a new isomer of ReO(TMECH3) revealed that it is anti-ReO(dl-TMECH3) (1). (dl-TMECH6 is meso-tetramethyl-ethylene-dicysteine prepared from racemic penicillamine (penH4), the subscript on H indicating the number of dissociable protons; anti denotes the geometric isomer having both carboxyl groups anti to the oxo ligand.) In 1, one carboxyl is deprotonated and coordinated trans to the oxo ligand, and the other is protonated and dangling. The 1H NMR spectrum (assigned by 2D methods) of 1 at pH 4 in aqueous solution revealed that the structure of 1 is the same as in the solid state except for deprotonation of the dangling carboxyl group, affording the monoanion. All chelate ring protons and methyl groups are inequivalent and give sharp signals. As the pH was raised above 7, the 1D 1H NMR signals of the monoanion broadened. Broadening was severe for the methyl and ethylene signals of the tridentate half of the monoanion, and these signals were replaced by new signals for the...
Transient heat transfer to a spheroidal liquid drop suspended in an electric field

Abstract Heat transfer to a spheroidal drop of a dielectric fluid suspended in another dielectric fluid in the presence of an electric field is investigated in this paper. The effect of drop deformation on the heat transport is analyzed. A range of prescribed drop deformations from b a =0.99 to b a =0.4 is considered. The electric potential distribution is numerically obtained for each deformed drop configuration. The resulting flow field is determined by the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations in the continuous and the dispersed phase. The transient heat transfer is studied in the limit of bulk of the resistance to the heat transport being in the droplet. An alternating-direction-implicit (ADI) method is used to obtain the transient temperature field for drop Peclet number from 5 to 1500. In the limiting case of negligible drop deformation, we recover the flow field and the electrically induced interfacial stresses for a liquid sphere calculated by analytical methods. Heat transfer results for a spherical drop ( b a =0.99 ) show excellent agreement with results available in the published literature. Study of drop deformation reveals interesting features in the flow and heat transport. The location of the maximum surface velocity moves toward the equatorial plane for a deformed drop compared to that for a liquid sphere. It is found that the increase in drop deformation results in higher steady state Nusselt numbers for very large as well as very small equivalent Peclet numbers. However, for intermediate equivalent drop Peclet numbers, the equivalent steady state Nusselt numbers for a deformed drop may be lower than for a sphere.
Plasma lipid changes in PRCD-affected and normal miniature poodles given oral supplements of linseed oil. Indications for the involvement of n-3 fatty acids in inherited retinal degenerations.

Abstract It has previously been shown that miniature poodles with progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRCD) have lower plasma levels of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) than normal poodles and it has been suggested that affected animals have a defect in the metabolism of 22:6n-3. To test this hypothesis in vivo, PRCD-affected and normal miniature poodles were given daily oral supplements of linseed oil (enriched in 18:3n-3). Blood was drawn from food-deprived animals at predetermined times before, during and after supplementation, and plasma lipid fatty acids were analysed. There were no differences in the levels of 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3, and 22:5n-3 between affected and normal dogs. Therefore, there appears to be no abnormality in the elongation and desaturation system that takes 18:3n-3 to 22:5n-3. Surprisingly, the plasma level of 22:6n-3 was reduced in both groups following supplementation, but to a significantly greater extent in affected dogs. This resulted in a significantly higher 22:5n-3/22:6n-3 ratio in affected animals. These results support the earlier suggestion of an abnormality in 22:6n-3 metabolism in PRCD-affected miniature poodles. To determine the effect of n-3 supplementation on polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in dogs (not as a function of disease), results from both groups of dogs were pooled and compared at times before and near the end of supplementation. Dietary 18:3n-3 led to predictable increases in 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3, and 22:5n-3, but to a decrease in 22:6n-3. There was no effect of supplementation on 18:2n-6 and 22:5n-6 levels, although the levels of 20:4n-6 and 22:4n-6 were lowered. These results show that short-term supplementation of n-3 fatty acids affects both n-3 and n-6 fatty acid metabolism in dogs, as reflected in changes in plasma fatty acids.
Elevated antibody titers to epstein‐barr virus in Hodgkin's disease

Sera from 63 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 42 patients of comparable age with other lymphomas were tested for antibody to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by indirect immunofluorescence. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of EBV antibody in the patients with Hodgkin's disease was significantly higher (1:367) than the GMT of the other lymphoma patients (1:132) and 85 normal controls (1:90). Higher EBV titers in untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease were associated with a longer duration of symptoms, more advanced disease, shorter survival, and a histologic picture of lymphocyte depletion. Treated patients had significantly higher titers than untreated patients. When the same sera were tested for antibody to 4 other herpes viruses (herpes simplex type I and type II, cytomegalovirus, and varicella), no differences in titer between patient and control groups were found. Although this study associates elevated EBV titers with those factors relating to a poor prognosis in patients with Hodgkin's disease, the data do not distinguish between an etiologic role for EBV and that of a passenger virus which produces high titers as a result of the disease process.
Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses of "flavory" and "non-flavory" Ceylon black tea aroma concentrates prepared by two different methods.

Abstract Aroma concentrates of Ceylon black tea were prepared by two methods, (1) steam distillation and (2) adsorption of charcoal of the head-space vapor over a tea brew followed by elution with diethyl ether. The former method was superior to the latter, perhaps partly due to formation or artefacts on the charcoal. Comparison by gas chromatography of aroma concentrates from “flavory” and “non-flavory” tea showed marked qualitative and quantitative variations in the components detected. Twenty-one of these components were identified by mass spectometry.
On the Teaching of Geometry a Potpourri

My understanding is that this International Conference on the Teaching of Geometry will address itself to the improvement of geometry courses. Naturally, vitalizing and modernizing the content of the courses will have the strongest impact on the projected improvement. However, content depends on some prior conditions, namely, on the philosophy and orientation of the courses; in simple terms, on the purposes of the course.
Ex vivo identification of atherosclerotic plaque calcification by a 31P solid-state magnetic resonance imaging technique.

Calcified tissue is a common component of atherosclerotic plaques, and occurs most often in mature plaques. The process of calcification is a poorly understood risk factor that may contribute to a plaque's vulnerability to sudden rupture. In this study a solid-state imaging sequence, termed single-point imaging (SPI), was used to observe calcification directly in ex vivo atherosclerotic plaques. Standards were used to validate the ability of 31P SPI to detect and differentiate calcification from crystalline cholesterol, phospholipids, and other plaque components. After suitable experimental parameters were found, human carotid specimens obtained by endarterectomy were imaged ex vivo by 31P solid-state imaging and standard 1H methods. In contrast to 1H imaging methods, 31P imaging detected only the calcification in the plaque. Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Structure, function, and tethering of DNA-binding domains in σ54 transcriptional activators

We compare the structure, activity, and linkage of DNA-binding domains (DBDs) from σ(54) transcriptional activators and discuss how the properties of the DBDs and the linker to the neighboring domain are affected by the overall properties and requirements of the full proteins. These transcriptional activators bind upstream of specific promoters that utilize σ(54)-polymerase. Upon receiving a signal the activators assemble into hexamers, which then, through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis, drive a conformational change in polymerase that enables transcription initiation. We present structures of the DBDs of activators nitrogen regulatory protein C 1 (NtrC1) and Nif-like homolog 2 (Nlh2) from the thermophile Aquifex aeolicus. The structures of these domains and their relationship to other parts of the activators are discussed. These structures are compared with previously determined structures of the DBDs of NtrC4, NtrC, ZraR, and factor for inversion stimulation. The N-terminal linkers that connect the DBDs to the central domains in NtrC1 and Nlh2 were studied and found to be unstructured. Additionally, a crystal structure of full-length NtrC1 was solved, but density of the DBDs was extremely weak, further indicating that the linker between ATPase and DBDs functions as a flexible tether. Flexible linking of ATPase and DBDs is likely necessary to allow assembly of the active hexameric ATPase ring. The comparison of this set of activators also shows clearly that strong dimerization of the DBD only occurs when other domains do not dimerize strongly.
Testosterone and photoperiod interact to regulate locomotor activity in male hamsters

Abstract Testicular size, plasma testosterone levels, copulatory behavior, and daily locomotor activity are reduced in male hamsters after 10 weeks of exposure to short days. The role of testosterone in the short day-induced decline in locomotor activity was investigated, determining whether or not photoperiod could alter the effect of testosterone on activity. Castrated adult hamsters were allowed to acclimate to running wheels (wired to digital counters) and then were kept on either long (L:D 14:10) or short (L:D 6:18) days for 60 days. On Day 60, half of the animals on each light cycle were implanted with 12-mm-long testosterone-filled Silastic capsules; half received empty capsules. Digital counting of wheel-running activity continued for another 140 days. Blood samples taken on Day 200 confirmed L:D 14:10 and L:D 6:18 testosterone-treated hamsters had equivalent plasma testosterone levels. After an initial decline in activity, L:D 14:10 animals exhibited a progressive rise in mean running activity (from ~2000 to ~5000 wheel revolutions per day) through 100 days after the initiation of testosterone treatment. In contrast, activity levels in testosterone-treated L:D 6:18 animals remained uniform (~2000 wheel revolutions per day) during this time, indicating exposure to short days rendered the hamsters less sensitive to the stimulatory effect of testosterone on activity. Of further interest was a marked increase in activity after 160–200 short days in animals treated with either testosterone-filled or empty capsules. It appears the total amount of daily locomotor activity in the hamster is modulated by circulating testosterone levels in a manner which is dependent upon the environmental photoperiod.
DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSIVENESS TO HORMONES OF C3H AND A MOUSE MAMMARY TISSUES IN ORGAN CULTURE.

The minimal hormonal requirements for maintenance of structure and for initiation of secretion in organ cultures of prelactating mammary tissues from C3H mice were determined. The responses of strain A mice to hormonal combinations effective on C3H tissues were compared with the latter. A minimal combination of aldosterone +insulin (1 + 5 μg/ml, respectively) permitted explant survival without inducing secretion. In C3H mammary tissues, the minimal concentrations of pituitary hormones required for initiation of secretion were influenced by parity. Prelactating lobules from parous pregnant mice were uniformly maximally stimulated by mammotropin (= prolactin, 0.5 μg/ml), or somatotropin (1 μg/ml), or mammotropin+somatotropin (0.5 μg/ml), in the presence of aldosterone +insulin (1 + 5 μg/ml, respectively). Tissues from nulliparous pregnant mice required, in addition to aldosterone+insulin (1+5 μg/ml, respectively), mammotropin (1 μg/ml), or somatotropin (2 μg/ml), or mammotropin + somatotropin (0.5 μg/ml) fo...
Expression profiling of primary tumors and matched lymphatic and lung metastases in a xenogeneic breast cancer model

Using a purpose-designed experimental model, we have defined new, statistically significant, differences in gene expression between heavily and weakly metastatic human breast cancer cell populations, in vivo and in vitro. The differences increased under selection pressures designed to increase metastatic proficiency. Conversely, the expression signatures of primary tumors generated by more aggressive variants, and their matched metastases in the lungs and lymph nodes, all tended to converge. However, the few persisting differences among these selectively enriched malignant growths in the breast, lungs, and lymph nodes were highly statistically significant, implying potential mechanistic involvement of the corresponding genes. The evidence that has emerged from the current work indicates that selective enhancement of metastatic proficiency by serial transplantation co-purifies a subliminal gene expression pattern within the tumor cell population. This signature most likely includes genes participating in metastasis pathogenesis, and we document manageable numbers of candidates for this role. The findings also suggest that metastasis to at least two different organs occurs through closely similar genetic mechanisms.
Unsolvability considerations in computational complexity

The study of Computational Complexity began with the investigation of Turing machine computations with limits on the amounts of tape or time which could be used. Latter a set of general axioms for measures of resource limiting was presented and this instigated much study of the properties of these general measures. Many interesting results were shown, but the general axioms allowed measures with undesirable properties and many attempts have been made to tighten up the axioms so that only desirable measures will be defined. In this paper several undecidability aspects of complexity classes and several sets associated with them will be examined. These sets will be classified by their degree of unsolvability and restrictions will be placed on measures so that these degrees are identical. This gives rise to a new criterion for the “naturalness” of measures and to suggestions for strengthening the measures of complexity.
Family Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement Among Korean Adolescents Linking Mechanisms of Family Processes and Adolescents’ Time Use

This study examined pathways through which family socioeconomic status may influence adolescents’ academic achievement. We focused on parental monitoring and adolescents’ after-school time-use patterns as linking mechanisms. Participants were 441 twelve- to fourteen-year-old Korean adolescents who participated in the Korea Welfare Panel Study. Higher family economic pressure was linked with lower parental monitoring through elevated levels of parental depression. Parental monitoring was associated with more time spent in structured learning-oriented activities and less time spent in unstructured nonacademic activities. Both types of time-use activities and parental monitoring were associated with academic achievement. The results supported both the family stress model and the family investment model, indicating that families’ socioeconomic conditions were directly and indirectly linked to adolescents’ academic achievement. The findings are discussed in the context of Korean culture, which emphasizes high ...
Clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi May Not Be Required for Resistance to Experimental Lyme Arthritis

Infection of inbred mouse strains with Borrelia burgdorferi results in the development of experimental Lyme arthritis. The degree of arthritic pathology has been suggested to correlate with the level of spirochete burden within tissues. To investigate this further, we infected resistant DBA/2 (DBA) and susceptible C3H/HeJ (C3H) mice in the hind footpads and monitored arthritis development for 21 days. To quantitate levels of spirochetes within tissues, we created a competitive PCR molecule containing modified ospA and fla gene segments. C3H mice developed severe arthritis of the tibiotarsal joints, while DBA mice developed only mild inflammation throughout the experimental period. At day 21, when the gross size and histologic composition of ankles revealed significant differences in arthritis between the strains, there was little difference in levels of spirochete DNA as determined by competitive PCR. Cultures of ankle tissue at day 21 were also uniformly positive in both C3H and DBA animals and contained relatively similar levels of spirochetes. These results indicate that the presence of spirochetes in the ankles of experimental animals is not sufficient for arthritis development. Since arthritic and nonarthritic animals can harbor relatively equal spirochete burdens yet retain their distinct phenotypic outcomes, an aberrant or overly exuberant immune response may be an additional requirement for pathology in arthritis-prone mice.
Sketching a Grand Order: A Link Between Conceptualizing and Realizing Internet Structure

In several disciplines, sketching is used as a fundamental activity in the creation of new ideas. Theodor Holm Nelson, who coined the term hypertext, used sketching to conceptualize the way that hypertext would create dynamic, cross-linkable structures in order to escape the hierarchies of paper documents. Hypertext, as envisioned by Nelson, promised to revolutionize how documents could be viewed and browsed within electronic environments, such as the Internet. Yet, despite the prevalence of hypertext within the Internet, many of the concepts represented in these sketches remain unrealized. This article investigates Nelson's early conceptual sketches of hypertext, in which he envisioned how it would affect people's interaction with electronic documents, and also explores the larger role of sketching in technical innovation.
Phase retrieval for a complex-valued object by using a low-resolution image

It is difficult to reconstruct an image of a complex-valued object from the modulus of its Fourier transform (i.e., retrieve the Fourier phase) except in some special cases. By using additionally a low-resolution intensity image from a telescope with a small aperture, a fine-resolution image of a general object can be reconstructed in a two-step approach. First the Fourier phase over the small aperture is retrieved, using the Gerchberg–Saxton algorithm. Then that phase is used, in conjunction with the Fourier modulus data over a large aperture together with a support constraint on the object, to reconstruct a fine-resolution image (retrieve the phase over the large aperture) by the iterative Fourier-transform algorithm. The second step requires a modified algorithm that employs an expanding weighting function on the Fourier modulus.
Immunological evidence for a P2 protamine precursor in mature rat sperm.

High molecular weight proteins in Rattus norvegicus that are immunoreactive with an antiprotamine 2 specific antibody but not with an anti-protamine 1 specific antibody are described. These proteins were detected by coupling high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Briefly, following HPLC separation of rat sperm nuclear proteins, the HPLC fractions were probed with the antibodies. We estimate that the antibody probes are 100–1000 times more sensitive than UV absorbance measurements. Immunoblot analysis following acid-urea electrophoretic separation of rat sperm nuclear proteins, and of the HPLC fractions, also detected putatie protamine 2 precursor proteins. The proteins reactive with the anti-protamine 2 antibody are most likely not mature protamine 2, since they were detected in a region of the chromatogram where we would not expect protamine 2 to migrate based on the chromatographic locations of human and mouse protamine 2. Likewise, the immunoblotting experiments demonstrated that the anti-protamine 2 antibody recognized proteins with slower electrophoretic mobilities than would be expected for a mature protamine 2. An anti-protamine 1 monoclonal antibody, Hup1 N, that binds rat protamine 1 is also described. Hup 1 N allowed for identification of the HPlc fractions that contained rat protamine 1. Finally, we demonstrated that Hup 1 N binds protamine 1 from a large number of species, suggesting a conserved epitope for Hup 1 N. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Plate in situ hybridization (PISH) as a time and cost effective RNA expression assay to study phenotypic heterogeneity in a population of cultured murine cells at single cell resolution

Regenerative medicine approaches using reprogrammed or transdifferentiated cells require efficient single cell expression profiling to analyze culture homogeneity for quality control and recipients’ safety. While antigen–antibody based systems have been developed for several proteins, probing at the mRNA level allows for more flexibility, faster adaption to the ever increasing new data from next generation sequencing and increased specificity, especially for genes of conserved gene families. We developed a time and cost effective expression profiling assay for monolayer cell culture in 96-well plates based on RNA in situ hybridization, termed PISH, at single cell resolution.
The hydrogenase cytochrome b heme ligands of Azotobacter vinelandii are required for full H(2) oxidation capability.

The hydrogenase in Azotobacter vinelandii, like other membrane-bound [NiFe] hydrogenases, consists of a catalytic heterodimer and an integral membrane cytochrome b. The histidines ligating the hemes in this cytochrome b were identified by H2 oxidation properties of altered proteins produced by site-directed mutagenesis. Four fully conserved and four partially conserved histidines in HoxZ were substituted with alanine or tyrosine. The roles of these histidines in HoxZ heme binding and hydrogenase were characterized by O2-dependent H2 oxidation and H2-dependent methylene blue reduction in vivo. Mutants H33A/Y (H33 replaced by A or Y), H74A/Y, H194A, H208A/Y, and H194,208A lost O2-dependent H2 oxidation activity, H194Y and H136A had partial activity, and H97Y,H98A and H191A had full activity. These results suggest that the fully conserved histidines 33, 74, 194, and 208 are ligands to the hemes, tyrosine can serve as an alternate ligand in position 194, and H136 plays a role in H2 oxidation. In mutant H194A/Y, imidazole (Imd) rescued H2 oxidation activity in intact cells, which suggests that Imd acts as an exogenous ligand. The heterodimer activity, quantitatively determined as H2-dependent methylene blue reduction, indicated that the heterodimers of all mutants were catalytically active. H33A/Y had wild-type levels of methylene blue reduction, but the other HoxZ ligand mutants had significantly less than wild-type levels. Imd reconstituted full methylene blue reduction activity in mutants H194A/Y and H208A/Y and partial activity in H194,208A. These results indicate that structural and functional integrity of HoxZ is required for physiologically relevant H2 oxidation, and structural integrity of HoxZ is necessary for full heterodimer-catalyzed H2 oxidation.
Association of Body Mass Index with Outcomes in Patients with CKD

Obesity is associated with higher mortality in the general population, but this association is reversed in patients on dialysis. The nature of the relationship of obesity with adverse clinical outcomes in nondialysis-dependent CKD and the putative interaction of the severity of disease with this association are unclear. We analyzed data from a nationally representative cohort of 453,946 United States veterans with eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). The associations of body mass index categories (<20, 20 to <25, 25 to <30, 30 to <35, 35 to <40, 40 to <45, 45 to <50, and ≥50 kg/m(2)) with all-cause mortality and disease progression (using multiple definitions, including incidence of ESRD, doubling of serum creatinine, and the slopes of eGFR) were examined in Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression models. Multivariable adjustments were made for age, race, comorbidities and medications, and baseline eGFR. Body mass index showed a relatively consistent U-shaped association with clinical outcomes, with the best outcomes observed in overweight and mildly obese patients. Body mass index levels <25 kg/m(2) were associated with worse outcomes in all patients, independent of severity of CKD. Body mass index levels ≥35 kg/m(2) were associated with worse outcomes in patients with earlier stages of CKD, but this association was attenuated in those patients with eGFR<30 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). Thus, until clinical trials establish the ideal body mass index, a cautious approach to weight management is warranted in this patient population.
A Review of Techniques in the Verified Solution of Constrained Global Optimization Problems

Elements and techniques of state-of-the-art automatically verified constrained global optimization algorithms are reviewed, including a description of ways of rigorously verifying feasibility for equality constraints and a careful consideration of the role of active inequality constraints. Previously developed algorithms and general work on the subject are also listed. Limitations of present knowledge are mentioned, and advice is given on which techniques to use in various contexts. Applications are discussed.
Rotor Position Feedback Over an RF Link for Motor Speed Control

In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of controlling the speed of an induction motor using a wireless position feedback over an RF link, and compare its performance under dynamic- and steady-state conditions with those obtained by using a wire-based position feedback control. The wireless scheme precludes the need for the cable that feeds the position from the sensor to the controller, thereby minimizing feedback noise pickup and cost for some applications. It also raises the possibility of using a low-resolution, low-cost sensor, which, along with the use of simple estimation algorithms, may potentially provide an alternative to or backup support for conventional position sensorless control for a wide range of motors and speeds. Further, using a composite Lyapunov-function-based approach, we determine the effect of time delay (due to wireless communication) on the stability of the overall system.
VLSI implementation of minimum order state-space structures for adaptive digital filters

The VLSI implementation of a minimum-order structure for a single-input single-output (SISO) digital filter with fixed point arithmetic is investigated. To reduce the number of multipliers, second order parallel structures are proposed. It is shown that the proposed structure presents a good compromise between round off noise, order reduction, number of multipliers and hardware complexity with maximum testability of the circuit.
Resituating Kenneth Burke's ``My Approach to Communism''

Abstract Kenneth Burke9s important 1934 essay “My Approach to Communism” is often read as “a commitment to Communism” celebrating the movement. A typescript (recently discovered in the Kenneth Burke Papers) of a speech given by Burke in January, 1934 invites a reconsideration of “My Approach.” The speech, delivered to the New York John Reed Club, is concerned with finding a solution to America9s contemporary economic and social derangements and is more committed to this search and the desired effects of social change than any specific political system or party. Resituating “My Approach to Communism” as a revised and abridged version of this speech encourages a re-reading of the essay as an extended critique of capitalism and an argument for social conditions that foster cultural stability for art9s sake.
Scaling fully depleted SOI CMOS

Quasi-two-dimensional (2-D) device analyses, 2-D numerical device simulations, and circuit simulations of nanoscale conventional, single-gate fully depleted (FD) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS are done to examine the scalability and performance potential of the technology. The quasi-2-D analyses, which can apply to double-gate devices as well, also provide a simple expression to estimate the effective channel length (L/sub eff/) of FD/SOI MOSFETs. The insightful results show that threshold-voltage control via channel doping and polysilicon gates is not a viable option for extremely scaled FD/SOI CMOS, and hence that undoped channels and metal gate(s) with tuned work function(s) must be employed. Quantitative as well as qualitative insights gained on the short-channel effects reveal the need for ultrathin films (t/sub Si/ < 10 nm) for L/sub eff/ < 50 nm. However, the implied manufacturing burden, compounded by effects of carrier-energy quantization for ultrathin t/sub Si/, forces a pragmatic limit on t/sub Si/ of about 5 nm, which in turn limits the scalability to L/sub eff/ = 25-30 nm. Unloaded CMOS-inverter ring-oscillator simulations, done with our process/physics-based compact model (UFDG) in SPICE3, show very good performance for L/sub eff/ = 35 nm, and suggest viable technology designs for low-power as well as high-performance applications. These simulations also reveal that moderate variations in t/sub Si/ can be tolerated, and that the energy quantization significantly influences the scaled-technology performance and hence must be properly accounted for in optimal FD/SOI MOSFET design.
Importance of incorporation of personal communication devices in evacuation simulators

Abstract The importance of the incorporation of personal communication devices in emergency evacuation simulators will be discussed. Four case studies are examined to identify usage statistics and human behavior when using the devices in an emergency. The case studies are: 9/11 World Trade Center Attacks, London train bombings, Virginia Tech shooting and United Flight #93. The case studies’ findings are implemented into the Vacate evacuation simulator, which uses particle swarm optimization to mimic human pedestrian behavior. The physical actions of using a device, as well as the reaction to the information transmitted during usage, are examined. Findings show that the effects of the personal communication devices can affect individuals that are close to the user of the device, as well as those not in the local vicinity of the user. These effects, combined with the rapid mainstream acceptance of communication technologies, justify the implementation of personal communication devices into evacuation simulators.