cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stomata facilitate foliar sorption of silver nanoparticles by Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract Application of nanopesticides may substantially increase surface attachment and internalization of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in food crops. This study investigated the role of stomata in the internalization of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive ecotypes (Ler and Col-7) and ABA-insensitive mutants (ost1-2 and scord7) of Arabidopsis thaliana in batch sorption experiments, in combination with microscopic visualization. Compared with those of the ABA-free control, stomatal apertures were significantly smaller for the Ler and Col-7 ecotypes (p ˂ 0.05) but remained unchanged for the ost1-2 and scord7 mutants, after exposure to 10 μM ABA for 1 h. Generally Ag NP sorption to the leaves of the Ler and Col-7 ecotypes treated with 10 μM ABA was lower than that in the ABA-free control, mainly due to ABA-induced stomatal closure. The difference in Ag NP sorption with and without ABA was less pronounced for Col-7 than for Ler, suggesting different sorption behaviors between these two ecotypes. In contrast, there was no significant difference in foliar sorption of Ag NPs by the ost1-2 and scord7 mutants with and without ABA treatment. Ag NPs were widely attached to the Arabidopsis leaf surface, and found at cell membrane, cytoplasm, and plasmodesmata, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. These results highlight the important role of stomata in the internationalization of ENPs in plants and may have broad implications in foliar application of nanopesticides and minimizing contamination of food crops by ENPs.
Anti-PD-1-Related Pneumonitis during Cancer Immunotherapy

Among three patients with melanoma receiving anti–PD-1 antibodies, the use of checkpoint blockers led to the development of serious autoimmune pneumonitis, a potentially lethal complication.
Immunologic privilege and the brain

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the immunologic privilege and the brain. The central nervous system (CNS) is one of several anatomic sites considered to be immunologically privileged. Perhaps the best-defined immunologically privileged site is the placenta. Since the discovery of histocompatibility, scientists have puzzled over the factors that underlie a fetus' ability to survive in a histo-incompatible environment. Other immunologically privileged sites include the anterior chamber and cornea of the eye, the testis, and the hamster cheek pouch. With the exception of the placenta, this designation derives from observations dating to the early twentieth century regarding the behavior of foreign tissues transplanted to these sites. The properties that contribute to immunologic privilege are complex. It is important to bear in mind that such privilege is relative and not absolute. As such, immunologic privilege should be thought of as dynamic rather than static in nature. For example, although immune responses in the brain are limited by a variety of factors, continuous immune surveillance is essential to the general health of the CNS.
Theory of the Thermodynamics of Simple Liquid Metals

Publisher Summary The chapter presents a discussion on the thermodynamic properties of conducting liquids. The chapter discusses calculating measurable quantities as the compressibility, specific heat, and melting curves of metals from knowledge of the fundamental interactions among the electrons and ions. To understand this problem, it is necessary to consider both the electronic structure and the “bonding” structure or ionic arrangement. These are closely interrelated. For example, any description of the ionic arrangement must take into account the presence of the conduction electrons. Conversely, the electronic structure must in turn be strongly affected by the physical arrangement of the ions. The interplay between these dual aspects of liquid metals is quite complex, which is discussed in this chapter. Liquid metals may be further divided into roughly nonoverlapping classes according to their electronic structure, the chapter defines these classes under normal condition. A central question regarding liquid metals is, of course, why they form simple liquids, or equivalently, why, structurally, they have two body-central forces. The answer, in the case of free-electron metals, lies in the predictions of perturbation theory as applied to an interacting electron gas. The perturbation arises from the metallic ions which carry with them, in an adiabatic way, the fundamental interaction between the electrons and ions—the pseudopotential. The response of the electrons to this perturbation is discussed in the chapter. Once the nature of the interatomic forces is known, the thermodynamics of the liquid metal can be determined by the methods of classical statistical mechanics. Some of the methods for so doing are discussed in this chapter.
Enhancement of data rates by single and double cavity holographic recording

To satisfy the growing need for faster archival data storage and retrieval, we proposed an improvement to the read and write data transfer rates of Holographic Data Storage Systems (HDSS). Conventionally, reading and writing of data utilize only a fraction of the available light. Our techniques apply a resonator cavity to the readout and recording of holograms so that more of the available light is used. Functionally, more power is used than what is provided without violating energy conservation. Thus, data rates and/or capacities can be increased due to enhanced power. These improvements are also inversely related to the diffraction efficiency of a hologram, which makes these cavity enhanced techniques well suited to HDSS where large numbers of multiplexed holograms require low diffraction efficiencies. Previously, we presented the theory of cavity enhanced HDSS, the experimental effect of enhancement on readout, and the lack of effects on Bragg Selectivity. We have now formalized the enhancement in writing power and experimentally evaluated the improvement in writing speed over conventional means for writing a single plane wave hologram in Fe:LiNbO3 with a 532 nm wavelength, CW, single mode, DPSS, Nd:YAG, laser with a cavity on one of the writing arms. The diffraction efficiency was read during the recording by using a 632.8 nm wavelength HeNe Laser. We found that the enhancement of recording power for this configuration asymptotically approaches a factor of two, while the use of cavities in both writing arms provides a power enhancement which is limited only by the losses in the cavities. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Time Series Implications of the Calvo Model of Sticky Prices

This paper studies the empirical performance of a widely used model of nominal rigidities: the Calvo model of sticky goods prices. We describe an extended version of this model with variable elasticity of demand of the differentiated goods and imperfect capital mobility. We find little evidence against standard versions of the model without the extensions, but the estimated frequency of price adjustment is implausible. With the extended model the estimates are more reasonable. This is especially so if the sample is split to take into account a possible change in monetary regime around 1980.
VLSI Algorithms and Architectures

In this paper we consider the relationship between algorithms and parallel VLSI architectures. Starting from the premise that VLSI is the natural habitat for parallel algorithmics, we outline the desirable features of VLSI architectures. Next we discuss the notion of algorithmic paradigm, as the data transfer pattern of a class of specific algorithms. The recursive combination paradigm (applicable to merging, sorting, FFT, permutation, etc.), is naturally mapped to the awkward binary cube architecture. Thus we analyze four viable architectures — the shuffle-exchange, the linear array, the mesh, and the cube-connected-cycles — which emulate the binary cube. Finally, we illustrate the mechanisms of pipelining, pleating, and mixing, which play a significant role in matching algorithms and architectures.
Searching with continuous query exploration

We have observed three prevalent trends in interface designs for searching and browsing. One, search is considered as a one step process where the user, in order to locate items of interest, needs to modify the query if dissatisfied with the retrieved results. Two, browsing is usually implemented as a static process that does not relate to the previous searches. Three, adaptive interfaces for searching try to filter and push items to the user based on her past queries and interest. None of these approaches, independently, try to address the issue of searching and browsing as an integral whole which contains a set of interrelated queries with a complex need. A need to capture the users' past behavior preferences with the present motivations. We believe these processes are not inherently separable. They are integral and continuous. Therefore this research wants to capture the process of finding information through continuous information exploration and address the problem of managing interrelated queries for every individual from past as well as present behavior. Thus this system will enable its users to continuously explore and seek all the alternatives in a way such that the users get to explore these through a single interface, without having to move between screens or having to form search strategies to locate information while on one screen. The goal is to capture and adapt the experience for each individual, based on their need. It is then the duty of our explorer system to guide the users through the possibilities by either: (a) allowing the user to browse the objects, (b) allowing the user to specify new search constraints and assign ranking to the desirability of these constraints by observing user behavior, (c) requesting the user to provide feedback on the desirability of different options to refine the ranking process.
Generation of IgA plasma cells during a secondary response in the absence of IgA memory B cells (LYM6P.800)

IgA antibodies are important for protection against infection at mucosal surfaces. Despite this importance in protective immunity, the differentiation of IgA B cells is not well understood. To address this issue, an antigen-based enrichment method was used to track polyclonal B cells specific for the model antigen R-Phycoerythrin (PE) during the course of a T-dependent immune response. While 10-40% of the PE-specific short lived plasma cells expressed IgA, less than 0.05% of the PE-specific germinal center and memory B cells expressed IgA. Despite the lack of IgA memory B cells, secondary antigen challenge resulted in the generation of large numbers of PE-specific IgA plasma cells that appeared at times prior to the appearance of IgA plasma cells during the primary response. Since IgA memory B cells were infrequently detected, we hypothesize that IgA plasma cells generated during the secondary challenge are the result of a secondary switch from memory B cells expressing other isotypes. We are currently examining the role that individual isotypes of memory B cells play in the generation of IgA plasma cells by looking for IgG switch remnants in the PE-specific IgA plasma cells generated after secondary challenge, and by testing the ability of purified isotypes of memory B cells to produce IgA plasma cells after transfer and challenge of recipient mice.
Clustering Methods and Their Uses in Computational Chemistry

Clustering is a data analysis technique that, when applied to a set of heterogeneous items, identifies homogeneous subgroups as defined by a given model or measure of similarity. Of the many uses of clustering, a prime motivation for the increasing interest in clustering methods is their use in the selection and design of combinatorial libraries of chemical structures pertinent to pharmaceutical discovery. One feature of clustering is that the process is unsupervised, that is, there is no predefined grouping that the clustering seeks to reproduce. In contrast to supervised learning, where the task is to establish relationships between given inputs and outputs to enable prediction of the output from new inputs, in unsupervised learning only the inputs are available and the task is to reveal aspects of the underlying distribution of the input data. Clustering is thus complemented by the related supervised process of classification, in which items are assigned labels applied to predefined groups: examples include recursive partitioning, naive Bayesian analysis, and K nearest-neighbor selection. Clustering is a technique for exploratory data analysis and is used increasingly in preliminary analyses of large data sets of medium and high dimensionality as a method of selection, diversity analysis, and data reduction. This chapter reviews the main clustering methods that are used for analyzing chemical
Alkoxylipids: I. Preparation and characterization of alkoxy-diglycerides and dialkoxy-glycerides

Abstract Alkoxy-diglycerides (3-alkoxy-1,2-di-O-acyl-propanediols) and dialkoxy-glycerides (2,3-dialkoxy-1-O-acyl-propanols) were prepared from the corresponding glyceryl ethers by reaction with acid chlorides in benzene-pyridine solution. The physical properties of these alkoxylipids are described, and their occurrence in nature is demonstrated.
The History of Science and the Idea of an Oscillating Universe

At the Spring 1974 meeting of the American Physical Society in Chicago, Jeremiah P. Ostriker, an astrophysicist from Princeton, read a paper1 which made news all over the United States. In view of the particular problem which gave rise to the paper, the excitement should have seemed out of proportion. It was an old story that rotating gravitational systems like our system of planets and the system of stars composing our galaxy or other spiral galaxies obey Kepler’s laws, the third of which states a very specific ratio for the decrease of orbital speed with distance from the center. It is an equally old story that Kepler’s laws can be derived from Newton’s investigations of the mutual attraction of moving masses according to the inverse square law. If it had been known around the turn of the century that the observed orbital velocities of stars in our galaxy did not fit the ratio in question and if it had been proposed that more mass ought therefore to exist in the galaxy, no particular excitement would have ensued. Around the turn of the century, the Universe was pictured as containing an infinite amount of mass and the value of the average density of matter could not be considered critical.
Approximate capacity of Gaussian relay networks: Is a sublinear gap to the cutset bound plausible?

Beginning with work by Avestimehr, Diggavi and Tse, there have been a series of papers showing that the capacity of Gaussian relay networks can be closely approximated by the cutset bound. More precisely, it is known that the gap between the cutset bound and capacity in these networks can be bounded by a function that grows linearly with the number of nodes in the network and is otherwise independent of network topology and channel configurations. We argue that this linear gap is fundamental to such approximations, and prove that improvement to a sublinear function is possible if, and only if, capacity is equal to the cutset bound for all Gaussian relay networks.
Narrative Effects in Russian Indirect Reports and What They Reveal About the Meaning of the Past Tense

Ever since the seminal work in (Kamp 1979, Hinrichs 1981; 1986, Kamp and Rohrer 1983, and Partee 1984), it has been generally held that temporal anaphora depends in part on the aspectual distinction between events and states. For example, consider Partee’s classic example in (1). Here, the times of the described events (i.e. John’s getting up, going to the window, raising the blind, going back to bed) correlate with the order of appearance, i.e. a narrative progression is invoked. On the other hand, the states described in (1) (i.e. being light out, not being ready to face the day, being depressed) hold throughout the described events, i.e. a narrative halt is invoked.
Dalgarno receives Fleming Medal

The John Adam Fleming Medal, given for original research and technical leadership in geomagnetism, atmospheric electricity, aeronomy, and related sciences, was presented to Alexander Dalgarno at the AGU Spring Meeting Honor Ceremony on May 31 in Baltimore. The award citation and Dalgarno's response are given here.
Rapid development of cardiac dysfunction in a canine model of insulin resistance and moderate obesity

The worldwide incidence of obesity and diabetes continues to rise at an alarming rate. A major cause of the morbidity and mortality associated with obesity and diabetes is heart disease, yet the mechanisms that lead to cardiovascular complications remain unclear. We performed cardiac MRI to assess left ventricular morphology and function during the development of moderate obesity and insulin resistance in a well-established canine model (n = 26). To assess the influence of dietary fat composition, we randomised animals to a traditional lard diet (rich in saturated and monounsaturated fat; n = 12), a salmon oil diet (rich in polyunsaturated fat; n = 8) or a control diet (n = 6). High-fat feeding with lard increased body weight and fasting insulin and markedly reduced insulin sensitivity. Lard feeding also significantly reduced left ventricular function, evidenced by a worsening of circumferential strain and impairment in left ventricular torsion. High-fat feeding with salmon oil increased body weight; however, salmon oil feeding did not impair insulin sensitivity or cardiac function. These data emphasise the importance of dietary fat composition on both metabolic and cardiac function, and have important implications for the relationship between diet and health.
Transfer of persulfide sulfur from thiocystine to rhodanese

Abstract Thiocystine (bis-[2-amino-2-carboxyethyl]trisulfide) is a natural substrate for rhodanese (thiosulfate;cyanide sulfurtransferase, EC 2.8.1.1). Analogs of thiocystine were prepared by eliminating the carboxyl or amino group or by lengthening the carbon chain. Of these only homothiocystine (bis-[2-amino-2-carboxypropyl]trisulfide) had appreciable activity as a substrate. At pH 8.6, the optimum for rhodanese, transfer of sulfane sulfur to cyanide in the presence of rhodanese was nonspecific. Only the sulfane sulfur of 35S-labeled thiocystine was transferred to rhodanese. Thus, thiocystine and thiosulfate both produce a rhodanese persulfide as a stable intermediate in sulfur transfer.
A distributed problem-solving approach to collaborative facility engineering

A framework for collaborative facility engineering is presented. The framework is based on a distributed problem-solving approach to collaborative facility engineering and employs an integration approach called Agent-Based Software Engineering as an implementation vehicle of this approach. The focal entity of this framework is a Multiagent Design Team (MDT) that comprises a collection of software agents (e.g. design software applications with a certain standard communication interface) and a design specialist, which together perform specific design tasks. Multiagent design teams are autonomous and form an organizational structure based on a federation architecture. Every multiagent design team surrenders its autonomy to a system program called facilitator, which coordinates the interaction among software agents in the federation architecture. Facilitators can be viewed as representatives of one or more teams that facilitate the exchange of design information and knowledge in support of the design tasks they perform. In the federation architecture, design specialists collaborate by exchanging design information with others via their software agents, and by identifying and resolving design conflicts by negotiation. In addition to a discussion of the framework's primary components, its realization in an integrated distributed environment for collaborative building engineering is described.
BDNF, interleukin-6, and salivary cortisol levels in depressed patients treated with desvenlafaxine.

Abstract Background Relationships between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin (IL)-6, and salivary cortisol and both depression severity and treatment response were assessed in patients enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d for MDD. Methods Outpatients with MDD were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d or placebo (2:1). Baseline severity was assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D 17 ); treatment response at week 12 was based on HAM-D 17 total score and response and remission status. Saliva (cortisol) and blood (BDNF, IL-6) samples for biomarker assay were collected at baseline and week 12. Spearman correlations were calculated between the biomarkers at baseline, and between biomarkers and HAM-D 17 total score at baseline. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess whether baseline biomarker levels predicted treatment response at week 12, with and without adjustment for baseline HAM-D 17 score, treatment, and geographic region. Similarly, an analysis of covariance was used to assess whether baseline disease severity predicted biomarker change at week 12. Results A total of 427 patients who received ≥ 1 dose of study drug and had baseline and ≥ 1 on-therapy primary efficacy evaluations were included in the analysis. At baseline, there was a statistically significant although weak correlation between levels of IL-6 and BDNF (Spearman correlation coefficient [r s ] = 0.120; P = 0.014), but no significant correlation between baseline biomarker levels and baseline HAM-D 17 total score (absolute value of all r s , ≤ 0.061). Desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d treatment significantly reduced HAM-D 17 total score from baseline at week 12 compared with placebo ( P = 0.006), but the three potential biomarkers did not predict treatment effects. No significant correlations were observed between the change from baseline in any biomarker level and change in HAM-D 17 total score at week 12, either overall, or in desvenlafaxine or placebo groups (absolute value of all r s , 0.003–0.196). Baseline levels of BDNF, IL-6, and salivary cortisol did not significantly predict response to treatment at week 12. Although median increase in BDNF was not significantly different between desvenlafaxine (13.7%) and placebo (5.7%) groups, the increase was significantly greater (33.4% vs 4.3%; P = 0.003) in patients with more severe depression at baseline (HAM-D 17 > 22) vs those with less severe depression (HAM-D 17 ≤ 22). No similar findings were observed for IL-6 or salivary cortisol. Discussion Weak or no relationships were observed at baseline between the potential biomarkers or between biomarkers and disease severity. While baseline biomarker level did not predict treatment response, improvement in BDNF was significantly greater among patients who were more severely depressed at baseline.
Management of Lymph Nodes During Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Systematic Review

The role of lymph node dissection (LND) in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains controversial. We sought to systematically review all available evidence to determine the role of LND in patients with HCC and ICC. Studies that reported on LND, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and short- and long-term outcomes for patients with HCC or ICC survival were identified from PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Data were extracted, synthesized, and analyzed using standard techniques. A total of 603 and 434 references were identified for HCC and ICC, respectively. Among HCC patients, the overall prevalence of LND was 51.6 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 19.7-83.5) with an associated LNM incidence of 44.5 % (95 % CI 27.4–61.7). LNM was associated with a 3- and 5-year survival of 27.5 and 20.8 %, respectively. Among ICC patients, most patients 78.5 % (95 % CI 76.2–80.7) underwent LND; 45.2 % (95 % CI 39.2–51.2) had LNM. Three and 5-year survival among ICC patients with LNM was 0.2 % (95 % CI 0–0.7) and 0 %, respectively. While there are insufficient data to recommend a routine LND in all patients with HCC or ICC, the potential prognostic value of LND suggests that LND should at least be considered at the time of surgery.
Assessing the water quality impacts of future land-use changes in an urbanising watershed

An integrated watershed hydrologic model, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was adopted in this study to simulate the water quality conditions under the current and the future land-use configurations. The findings were compared to determine the hydrologic consequences of future land-use changes. Results indicate that as the land use in the watershed shifts from predominantly agricultural to mixed rural and residential lands, a reduction in flow, sediments, and nutrients is detected. Although the projected average daily concentration of phosphorus is reduced by 47% under the future land-use scenario, it will still exceed the daily limit suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency. From this study, it is evident that SWAT is a reliable water quality model, capable of producing accurate information for environmental decision-making. The model has a GIS interface and is coupled with the Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources system. It is, therefore, a valuable tool f...
An economical optical cloud/fog detector

A new, relatively low cost instrument has been developed to detect the presence of fog or cloud for fog/cloud sampling applications. The instrument uses attenuation of an 880 nm light emitting diode signal to detect cloud/fog drops in the optical path between a sending and receiving arm. Laboratory and field testing under a variety of conditions and fog types were carried out to determine the ability of the optical fog detector (OFD) to accurately detect cloud/fog presence as well as to provide some measure of liquid water content. Results indicated that the OFD provided a reliable estimate of fog presence as well as a reasonable estimate of liquid water content (LWC) under several different conditions. The OFD does appear to have an interference from rain, resulting in an overestimation of LWC during rainfall. This may occasionally give a false positive indication of fog presence.
Patterns of organic and inorganic sulfur transformations in sediments

Two new methods for analysis of sedimentary sulfur employing sensitive flame photometric detection have been developed and applied to a study of marine, estuarine and freshwater sediments. Volatile organosulfur compounds generated from freeze-dried sediments upon heating in a H2 atmosphere reflect the distribution and extent of degradation of detrital organic matter. Regions of biogeochemical sulfur transformations, as characterized by the presence of SO2 progenitors, sulfite and thiosulfate, are also depicted. Scrubbing of sediment slurries treated with the reducing agent, acidic Cr(II) solution, releases H2S and CH2SH from their metal-complexed forms. CH3SH is a common constituent of marine and estuarine sediments at sub-ppm concentrations.
Home Range and Space Use Patterns of Flathead Catfish during the Summer–Fall Period in Two Missouri Streams

Abstract Flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris were radio-tracked in the Grand River and Cuivre River, Missouri, from late July until they moved to overwintering habitats in late October. Fish moved within a definable area, and although occasional long-distance movements occurred, the fish typically returned to the previously occupied area. Seasonal home range was calculated with the use of kernel density estimation, which can be interpreted as a probabilistic utilization distribution that documents the internal structure of the estimate by delineating portions of the range that was used a specified percentage of the time. A traditional linear range also was reported. Most flathead catfish (89%) had one 50% kernel-estimated core area, whereas 11% of the fish split their time between two core areas. Core areas were typically in the middle of the 90% kernel-estimated home range (58%), although several had core areas in upstream (26%) and downstream (16%) portions of the home range. Home-range size did not di...
The endocrine control of mating behavior in the cockroach Byrsotria fumigata (Guerin).

Abstract The mating behavior of the cockroach, Byrsotria fumigata is shown to be under endocrine control. Virgin females of this species produce a volatile sex attractant or sex pheromone. This substance appears to be of primary importance in the attraction of males and the subsequent release of their courting behavior. Experiments on the role of the corpora allata in the control of sex pheromone production show that: (a) adult females ordinarily fail to produce sex pheromone if their corpora allata have been removed shortly after the imaginal molt; (b) there is a high correlation between the production of sex pheromone and successful mating; (c) implantation of corpora allata into previously allatectomized females can induce pheromone production; (d) the production of sex pheromone appears to be the only aspect of the female's sexual behavior that is affected by allatectomy. Thus in addition to the promotion of oocyte maturation and accessory sex gland secretion in the adult female cockroach, the corpora allata also regulate mating behavior through the control of sex pheromone production. The female reproductive cycle of Byrsotria is discussed in the light of this new information. Evidence suggestive of a role for the brain in the post imaginal molt reactivation of the corpora allata is presented. In contrast to the situation in the female, the corpora allata appear to play no role in the reproductive behavior of the male of Byrsotria .
Inflammatory caspases are critical for enhanced cell death in the target tissue of Sjögren's syndrome before disease onset

To date, little is known about why exocrine glands are subject to immune cell infiltrations in Sjogren's syndrome (SjS). Studies with SjS-prone C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 mice showed altered glandular homeostasis in the submandibular glands (SMX) at 8 weeks before disease onset and suggested the potential involvement of inflammatory caspases (caspase-11 and -1). To determine whether inflammatory caspases are critical for the increased epithelial cell death before SjS-like disease, we investigated molecular events involving caspase-11/caspase-1 axis. Our results revealed concurrent upregulation of caspase-11 in macrophages, STAT-1 activity, caspase-1 activity and apoptotic epithelial cells in the SMX of C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 at 8 weeks. Caspase-1, a critical factor for interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-18 secretion, resulted in an elevated level of IL-18 in saliva. Interestingly, TUNEL-positive cells in the SMX of C57BL/6.NOD-Aec1Aec2 were not colocalized with caspase-11, indicating that caspase-11 functions in a noncell autonomous manner. Increased apoptosis of a human salivary gland (HSG) cell line occurred only in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS-) and interferon (IFN)-gamma-stimulated human monocytic THP-1 cells, which was reversed when caspase-1 in THP-1 cells was targeted by siRNA. Taken together, our study discovered that inflammatory caspases are essential in promoting a pro-inflammatory microenvironment and influencing increased epithelial cell death in the target tissues of SjS before disease onset.
Quantitative computed tomography of lung parenchyma in patients with emphysema: analysis of higher-density lung regions

Quantitative computed tomography (CT) has been widely used to detect and evaluate the presence (or absence) of emphysema applying the density masks at specific thresholds, e.g., -910 or -950 Hounsfield Unit (HU). However, it has also been observed that subjects with similar density-mask based emphysema scores could have varying lung function, possibly indicating differences of disease severity. To assess this possible discrepancy, we investigated whether density distribution of "viable" lung parenchyma regions with pixel values > -910 HU correlates with lung function. A dataset of 38 subjects, who underwent both pulmonary function testing and CT examinations in a COPD SCCOR study, was assembled. After the lung regions depicted on CT images were automatically segmented by a computerized scheme, we systematically divided the lung parenchyma into different density groups (bins) and computed a number of statistical features (i.e., mean, standard deviation (STD), skewness of the pixel value distributions) in these density bins. We then analyzed the correlations between each feature and lung function. The correlation between diffusion lung capacity (DLCO) and STD of pixel values in the bin of -910HU ≤ PV < -750HU was -0.43, as compared with a correlation of -0.49 obtained between the post-bronchodilator ratio (FEV1/FVC) measured by the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) dividing the forced vital capacity (FVC) and the STD of pixel values in the bin of -1024HU ≤ PV < -910HU. The results showed an association between the distribution of pixel values in "viable" lung parenchyma and lung function, which indicates that similar to the conventional density mask method, the pixel value distribution features in "viable" lung parenchyma areas may also provide clinically useful information to improve assessments of lung disease severity as measured by lung functional tests.
Defining adolescent and young adult (AYA) exercise and nutrition needs: Concerns communicated in an online cancer support community

Abstract Objective To describe topics, needs, and concerns related to nutrition and exercise that adolescents and young adults affected by a serious illness (cancer) discuss online. Methods Investigators conducted a qualitative content analysis of messages related to nutrition and exercise posted on an online young adult cancer forum. Results AYAs described several functions achieved through nutrition and exercise, such as fighting cancer, losing weight, obtaining nutrients despite side effects of treatment, promoting general health, enjoyment, and promoting mental/emotional health. AYAs also discussed several problems that interfere with nutrition and exercise goals, such as side effects of steroids, physiological problems with eating, safety concerns or physical limitations due to treatment, poor follow through with behavioral change, stress, and low energy. Conclusion AYAs discuss specific ways nutrition and exercise help achieve a variety of functions that may be physical or psychological, cancer-specific or general. AYAs describe several concerns and barriers that impede their nutrition and exercise goals. Practice implications Clinicians should also consider relevant medical and personal variables that partly determine nutrition and exercise concerns. Clinicians can anticipate barriers to desired nutrition/exercise change and develop interventions that address these barriers in appropriately tailored ways, including using digital media.
The 2009 H1N1 pandemic adds to our knowledge of influenza pathogenesis.

This commentary discusses the pathology and pathogenesis of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A pandemic.
Electrical engineering education in the USSR

The mixing of digital electronics with Marxist philosophy makes electrical-engineering education in the USSR unique. This article examines the Soviet educational system and concludes with a description of the undergraduate programme at the Leningrad Electrical Engineering Institute
Bone-induction potential of mineralized collagen gel xenografts☆

Mineralized collagen gel xenografts may supply a mechanical and biochemical substrate for cell growth and hard tissue formation. This might be translated into a means of producing onlaid bone formation where clinically applicable.
ABORTION IN THE UNITED STATES

Abortion is an extremely safe and common medical procedure. In the United States, over one million women had an abortion in the year 2000. Advances in early abortion techniques have helped to increase the proportion of early procedures, the safest type. Abortion rates have been declining since the early nineties among adults and adolescents, but rates among poor, minority women remain high. State restrictions to abortion have a larger impact on poor women and young women. Restrictions and regulations have also resulted in the concentration of abortion services in specialized clinics. These clinics are subject to harassment. The expansion of abortion services to more types of providers could increase access, as well as integrate abortion into women's health care.
Computer Monitoring of Work Performance: Extending the Social Facilitation Framework to Electronic Presence1

This study demonstrated the utility of employing a social facilitation framework to the study of computer monitoring of work performance. The physical presence of an observer watching a subject work on a complex task (as a supervisor might “look over an employee's shoulder“) was contrasted with four conditions involving the electronic presence of computer-based work monitoring (as a supervisor might monitor an employee's work remotely via computer) and a control condition of subjects working alone without any monitoring of their work. Task performance was severely impaired for participants who were monitored electronically as well as for those who were monitored “in person.” Two interventions, providing participants with a sense of control over their work conditions and monitoring participants as a group rather than as individuals, each reduced the negative impact of monitoring on task performance by almost 40%. Results also indicated that individuals with an external locus of control (who believe reinforcements received are primarily determined by factors outside of themselves, e. g., other people) experience greater anxiety than those with an internal locus of control under monitoring conditions. Implications of these findings for social facilitation and the rapidly expanding use of computer-based work monitoring are discussed.
The Mann-Elkins Act, Amending the Act to Regulate Commerce

Legislative history of the act, 593. — Carriers subject to the act, 596. — Long and short haul clause, 597. — Rates and routes; Suspension of rates, 601. — Misquotation of rates, 605. — Through routes, 606. — Right to route traffic, 608. — Passes, 611. — Classification, 612. — Additional Powers: Power to initiate inquiries, 612. — Regulations and practices, 613. — Facilities for through routes, 614. — Procedure: the Commerce Court, 615. — Miscellaneous Provisions: Penalties, 624. — Disclosure of information, 624. — Statistics, 625. — Enjoining state statutes, 625. — Projects which failed of enactment: Agreements as to rates, 626. — Control of capitalization, 627. — Physical valuation, 628. — Miscellaneous provisions, 628. — Subjects which failed of action in either house: Control of water carriers, 629. — Minimum rates, 630. — No amendment of the commodities clause, 630. — "Insurgents" responsible for the Act, 631. — Grave responsibility of the Commission, 633.
A New Calculation Method for Distinguishing Endo‐ from Exo‐Polygalacturonases

A method which uses a comparison ratio (CR) of fluidity (1/n)sp)/μmoles reducing groups is proposed for comparing and distinguishing endo- and exo-polygalacturonases (PGases). This method is faster, easier and as accurate a method as the percent hydrolysis method. The CR method can also be used as a measure of the purity of endo- PGase with respect to exo-PGase.
Determinants for the rhesus monkey TRIM5α-mediated block of the late phase of HIV-1 replication

Rhesus monkey TRIM5α (TRIM5αrh) includes RING, B-box, coiled-coil, and B30.2(PRYSPRY) domains and blocks HIV-1 infection by targeting HIV-1 core through a B30.2(PRYSPRY) domain. Previously, we reported that TRIM5αrh also blocks HIV-1 production in a B30.2(PRYSPRY)-independent manner. Efficient encapsidation of TRIM5αrh, but not human TRIM5α (TRIM5αhu), in HIV-1 virus-like particles suggests the interaction between Gag and TRIM5αrh during viral assembly. Here, we determined responsible regions for late restriction activity of TRIM5αrh. The RING disruption, but not the replacement with human TRIM21 RING, ablated the efficient encapsidation and the late restriction, suggesting that a RING structure was essential for the late restriction and efficient interaction with HIV-1 Gag. The prominent cytoplasmic body formation of TRIM5αrh, which depended on the coiled-coil domain and the ensuing linker 2 region, was not required for the encapsidation. Intriguingly, TRIM5αrh coiled-coil domain mutants (M133T and/or T146A) showed impaired late restriction activity, despite the efficient encapsidation and cytoplasmic body formation. Our results suggest that the TRIM5αrh-mediated late restriction involves at least two distinct activities as follows: (i) interaction with HIV-1 Gag polyprotein through the N-terminal, RING, and B-box 2 regions of a TRIM5αrh monomer, and (ii) an effector function(s) that depends upon the coiled-coil and linker 2 domains of TRIM5αrh. We speculate that the TRIM5αrh coiled-coil region recruits additional factor(s), such as other TRIM family proteins or a cellular protease, during the late restriction. RBCC domains of TRIM family proteins may play a role in sensing newly synthesized viral proteins as a part of innate immunity against viral infection.
Frank Biermann and Bernd Siebenhüner. 2009 (eds.). Managers of Global Change: The Influence of International Environmental Bureaucracies (Cambridge: MIT Press)

Managers of Global Change addresses a long-standing question in international relations scholarship: “Do international organizations (IOs) matter?” In answering this question, the authors narrow down the focus of their study to bureaucracies (IBs) within IOs. International civil servants have largely remained outside of international relations research, even though IOs have long been recognized as actors capable of autonomous action. The book centers on IBs and their influence on behavior of states and other actors and evaluates this influence systematically, using an impressive wealth of information presented in case studies. The authors begin the book with a review of the literature that has previously examined the role and effect of IOs. They note that the current state of this research leaves the study of IBs and their influence on the periphery, despite numerous studies of IOs. The authors emphasize that their framework shares similarities with two theoretical approaches that have been used to analyze IBs: principal-agent theory and sociological institutionalism. Yet, there are also important differences. One shortcoming of the principal-agent approach that the authors try to overcome is its focus on variation in IBs’ behavior stemming from differences in principal-agent relations. As a result, principal-agent theory is less useful when variation in IBs’ choices is observed under similar principal-agent relations. In addition, this approach fails to analyze the preference formation in IBs. In the case of sociological institutionalism, the authors credit this perspective for advancing the study of IBs as autonomous actors in international politics, but critique the failure to separate IBs from IOs. The authors argue that the study of IBs as autonomous agents requires a more precise conceptualization in order to distinguish the influence of IBs—groups of international civil servants—from that of IOs—institutional structures encompassing collectives of member states, normative frameworks, and IBs. Rev Int Organ (2011) 6:105–108 DOI 10.1007/s11558-010-9087-0
Unions and productivity: Evidence from academe

In order to test competing hypotheses about the effect of unions on labor productivity, we examine research performance in a sample of 889 Ph.D.-granting departments (175 unionized) in public universities. We find no support for the hypothesis that unions enhance productivity in academe. If we compare union and nonunion departments endowed with (sample) mean amounts of labor and capital, we find that unionization is associated with a 17 percent reduction in output of published articles and a 9 percent reduction in peers’ survey evaluations of a department’s level of scholarly achievement.
Ownership structure and corporate diversification strategies of Chinese business groups

Purpose – Diversified business groups have become active players in Chinese economy in the recent years. While several studies have been conducted to examine the role of external factors such as market imperfection on firms' decisions to diversify, relatively few efforts have been made to investigate the impact of internal factors such as ownership structures on such decision. Building on agency theory, this paper attempts to examine the impacts of ownership type and ownership concentration on Chinese business groups' diversification strategies.Design/methodology/approach – Year 2000 annual reports of publicly traded companies on Shenzhen Stock Exchange were used to identify business groups and collect data. Multiple regression analysis was used to conduct the data analysis.Findings – The results indicate that compared to other ownership structures, government‐owned business groups tend to be more diversified, while ownership concentration seems to be related to lower levels of diversification. Industry m...
The Risk Principle in Action: What Have We Learned From 13,676 Offenders and 97 Correctional Programs?

Over the recent past there have been several meta-analyses and primary studies that support the importance of the risk principle. Oftentimes these studies, particularly the meta-analyses, are limited in their ability to assess how the actual implementation of the risk principle by correctional agencies affects effectiveness in reducing recidivism. Furthermore, primary studies are typically limited to the assessment of one or two programs, which again limits the types of analyses conducted. This study, using data from two independent studies of 97 correctional programs, investigates how adherence to the risk principle by targeting offenders who are higher risk and varying length of stay and services by level of risk affects program effectiveness in reducing recidivism. Overall, this research indicates that for residential and nonresidential programs, adhering to the risk principle has a strong relationship with a program’s ability to reduce recidivism.
The Construction of an Africalogical Method to Examine Nkrumahism's Contribution to Pan-African Agency

This article advances the beginning of a method to Afrocentrically evaluate the works of Nkrumah and the ideology of Nkrumahism.' It will also address some key concepts, sources of data, and a rationale for the selection of such data sources. A description of Afrocentricity and its impact on disciplines used to examine African phenomena is given as a map of the possibilities of philosophical examinations. This methodological model is the result of research that I have done on Nkrumahism using Africology and Africalogy as core disciplinary foci. My description of Nkrumahism and Nkrumah employed a periodization that was idiosyncratic to Pan-African historiography. Descriptive theoretical tools were employed when needed from the disciplines of psychology, economics, politics, linguistics, philosophy, and international relations. They were useful tools, once calibrated, for the evaluation of broad praxis and ideology. Their use value was elevated when grounded in the lifeaffirming moral and ethical base of Afrocentricity. The concepts and terms that add important information and structure to the examinations of Nkrumahism are Pan-Africanism, philosophical consciencism, philosophical materialism, nationalism, socialism, African liberation movement, African unity movement, political location, and organizational agency. This article is not primarily a definitional one, so I will not digress with an expla-