cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Chain Length on Dissolution of Calcium Sulfonate Precipitates

Abstract The chain length dependence of precipitation/redissolution behavior of a Na alkylsulfonate/CaCl2 system is investigated. Results obtained here clearly show that the precipitate redissolution occurs in the presence of micelles. Solubility product, CMC, and even the solubilization constant decrease with an increase in chain length. The dependence of these parameters on chain length has been used to estimate such thermodynamic parameters as free energy contribution per -CH2- group toward precipitation and micellization. Based on these results subprocesses involved in the precipitation/redissolution phenomena are discussed.
SMAD3 expression is regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 in epithelial and smooth muscle cells.

Abstract SMAD3 is a transcription factor that mediates TGF-β1 signaling and is known to be important in many of the cellular processes that regulate fibrosis and inflammation. Although several studies have examined SMAD3 activation, little is known about the control of SMAD3 expression. It is well established that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is responsive to TGF-β1 stimulation and coordinates with SMAD signaling in many cases; therefore, the hypothesis of this study is that the MAPK pathway will be involved in the regulation of SMAD3 expression. Using a SMAD3 promoter construct, we demonstrate that inhibition of either c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) or p38 activity has little effect on SMAD3 promoter function. Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (MEK1) with either PD98059 or UO126, however, results in a substantial dose-dependent inhibition of SMAD3 promoter activity. Further studies confirm that promoter activity correlates with protein expression by demonstrating reduced SMAD3 protein expression in A549 cells and airway smooth muscle cells after treatment with MEK1 inhibitors. Positive regulation of SMAD3 expression is also demonstrated by expression of a constitutively active (ca)-MEK1 construct, where the presence of ca-MEK1 resulted in increased SMAD3 protein expression. These data lead to the conclusion that MEK1 is an important regulator of SMAD3 expression.
Effect of Fiber and Matrix Maximum Strain on the Energy Absorption of Composite Materials

Static crushing tests were conducted on graphite composite tubes to examine the influence of fiber and matrix maximum strain at failure on the energy absorption capability of graphite reinforced composite material. Fiber and matrix maximum strain at failure were determined to significantly effect energy absorption. The higher strain at failure composite material system, AS-4/5245, exhibited superior energy absorption capability compared to AS-4/934, T300/5245 or T300/934 composite material. Results of this investigation suggest that to achieve maximum energy absorption from a composite material a matrix material that has a higher strain at failure than the fiber reinforcement should be used.
The volume and rate of volume change of the swimbladder of the goldfish.

Abstract The volumes of the swimbladders of 7 unanesthetized goldfish ( carassius auratus ), ranging in weight from 20.0 to 40.2 g and kept in water at a constant temperature of 29 °C, were measured by displacement plethysmography. The plethysmograph was located inside a hyperbaric chamber so that pressure could be applied to the fish without applying pressure across the walls of the plethysmograph. The mean volume of the swimbladders was 1.78 (S.D. ± 0.010) ml. The volumes of the swimbladders were measured again periodically after some gas had escaped through the pneumatic ducts during a brief exposure of the fish to a partial vacuum. The mean rate of change of the volume of the swimbladder was 0.22 (S.D. ± 0.08) ml 24 hr, independent of the weight of the fish; initial swimbladder volume ; volume of gas expelled ; or change in specific gravity of the fish. In 3 other fish exposed to a constant ambient pressure of 1.5, 1.75, or 2.0 atm, the rate of volume change of the partly evacuated swimbladder was + 0.056, − 0.025 and − 0.065 ml 24 hr. It is concluded that the net transfer of gas into the swimbladder of a goldfish is affected by the ambient pressure.
Acellular pertussis vaccines protect against disease but fail to prevent infection and transmission in a nonhuman primate model

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the bacterial pathogen Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis rates in the United States have been rising and reached a 50-y high of 42,000 cases in 2012. Although pertussis resurgence is not completely understood, we hypothesize that current acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines fail to prevent colonization and transmission. To test our hypothesis, infant baboons were vaccinated at 2, 4, and 6 mo of age with aP or whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccines and challenged with B. pertussis at 7 mo. Infection was followed by quantifying colonization in nasopharyngeal washes and monitoring leukocytosis and symptoms. Baboons vaccinated with aP were protected from severe pertussis-associated symptoms but not from colonization, did not clear the infection faster than naive animals, and readily transmitted B. pertussis to unvaccinated contacts. Vaccination with wP induced a more rapid clearance compared with naive and aP-vaccinated animals. By comparison, previously infected animals were not colonized upon secondary infection. Although all vaccinated and previously infected animals had robust serum antibody responses, we found key differences in T-cell immunity. Previously infected animals and wP-vaccinated animals possess strong B. pertussis-specific T helper 17 (Th17) memory and Th1 memory, whereas aP vaccination induced a Th1/Th2 response instead. The observation that aP, which induces an immune response mismatched to that induced by natural infection, fails to prevent colonization or transmission provides a plausible explanation for the resurgence of pertussis and suggests that optimal control of pertussis will require the development of improved vaccines.
Molecular dynamics simulations of substrate channeling through an α–β barrel protein

Abstract Steered molecular dynamics simulations are used to probe the energetics of substrate channeling in an enzyme regulating histidine biosynthesis, imidazole glycerol phosphate synthase (IGPS). IGPS is a multidomain globular protein complex: the glutaminase domain hydrolyzes glutamine to form glutamate and ammonia, and is docked to the cyclase domain, a (β/α)8 barrel protein that completes the ring formation of imidazole glycerol phosphate. Recently, it has been suggested that this protein exploits its barrel structure to channel ammonia from one remote active-site to the other. The current work includes both domains, their substrates, ammonia, and explicit solvent. Compared to the apo-complex, the inclusion of substrates does indeed affect the barrier to ammonia entry into the channel as well its transport through the barrel. Based on bioinformatic data, we suggest an “open-gate” mechanism that has a low barrier to ammonia entry. We also perform the first systematic investigation of interface water molecules near the channel gate and argue that the optimum number of water molecules inside the channel is one.
Low cost fuel cell converter system for residential power generation

The high installation cost is the major obstacle of the commercialization of the solid oxide fuel cell for distributed power generation. This paper presents a new low cost 10-kW converter system to overcome this obstacle. The proposed system consists of an isolated dc-dc converter to boost the fuel cell voltage to 400 V dc and a pulse-width modulated inverter with filter to convert the dc voltage to two split-phase 120-V ac. The dc-dc converter uses phase shifting to control power flow through a transformer with a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor full bridge on the low voltage side and a voltage doubler on the high voltage side. One IPM is used to realize the voltage doubler and the dc-ac inverter. Compared to the existing fuel cell converter systems, the proposed circuit has low cost, less component count, smaller size, and reduced dc-dc converter peak current. Simulation and experimental results are demonstrated.
Physical conditions on early earth: Implications for the origin of life

The history of the earth can be divided into the earlier part of the accretion, the later part of accretion and core formation, and the remaining history. The early part of accretion is irrelevant to the origin of life because of the extreme conditions associated with the late stages of accretion. The impact of several lunar to Mars-sized objects appears inevitable. These large impacts surrounded the earth with rock vapor tens to hundreds of kilometers thick. Although the solid surface was quickly reestablished any ocean or atmosphere existing before the last very large impact was either buried or lost. The iron core of the earth formed during accretion and released enough gravitational energy to melt the interior of the earth. Moderate sized impacting bodies formed local pockets of impact melt. Following the last very large impact the earth (and the moon) were near their present sizes and the energy flux from impacts was sufficiently less than the present solar heat flux. A cool surface with oceans and an atmosphere then could persist. The internal tectonics and degassing mechanisms of the earth were different than during the rest of earth history. In particular, the eruption of total ly melted rock to the surface was a much more efficient means of heat loss than plate movements and the return of the frozen material to the interior may have efficiently cooled the interior. Once the last pockets of very hot material in the mantle erupted and were used up, plate tectonics became the dominate mode of heat transfer from the earth 's interior. The interior temperature at the s tar t of plate tectonics need not have been particularly high as cold total ly frozen material acted to cool the mantle during the early epic of total melting and volcanism. Mare-sized impacts were infrequent during the period of heavy bombardment and mare formulation on the moon that the surface geology of the earth was probably dominated by internal processes rather than cratering. In particular, the resurfacing of the earth was probably comparable to that of present-day active volcanic regions where life is abundant in spite of frequent disasters. The mare-forming imparts on the earth would have produced heavy casualities in any life that existed, but the worst effects were local and not a danger to life globally. Conversely, impacts were sufficiently infrequent that meteoritic iron, shocked or melted rocks, and shock-induced atmospheric gasses were not dependable material for the sustenance of early life. The origin of an atmosphere and an ocean following the last major impact was probably rapid, but quantitative observations exist only for radiogenic rare gasses and not for CO 2 and H20. As at present, competing processes tended to degas volatiles and to return them to the earth 's interior. Volcanic activity and metamorphism released gasses and lower temperature alteration particularly at mid-oceanic ridges returned volatiles into the interior. Although the
The effect Akt2 deletion on tumor development in Pten +/− mice

The serine/threonine kinase Akt is frequently activated in human cancers and is considered an attractive therapeutic target. However, the relative contributions of the different Akt isoforms to tumorigenesis, and the effect of their deficiencies on cancer development are not well understood. We had previously shown that Akt1 deficiency is sufficient to markedly reduce the incidence of tumors in Pten+/− mice. Particularly, Akt1 deficiency inhibits endometrial carcinoma and prostate neoplasia in Pten+/− mice. Here, we analyzed the effect of Akt2 deficiency on the incidence of tumors in Pten+/− mice. Relative to Akt1, Akt2 deficiency had little-to-no effect on the incidence of prostate neoplasia, endometrial carcinoma, intestinal polyps and adrenal lesions in Pten+/− mice. However, Akt2 deficiency significantly decreased the incidence of thyroid tumors in Pten+/−, which correlates with the relatively high level of Akt2 expression in the thyroid. Thus, unlike Akt1 deletion, Akt2 deletion is not sufficient to markedly inhibit tumorigenesis in Pten+/− mice in most tested tissues. The relatively small effect of Akt2 deletion on the inhibition of tumorigenesis in Pten+/− mice could be explained, in part, by an insufficient decrease in total Akt activity, due to the relatively lower Akt2 versus Akt1 expression, and relatively high blood insulin levels in Pten+/−Akt2−/− mice. The relatively high blood insulin levels in Pten+/−Akt2−/− mice may elevate the activity of Akt1, and possibly Akt3, thus, limiting the reduction of total Akt activity and preventing this activity from dropping to a threshold level required to inhibit tumorigenesis.
Composition of the aliphatic components of ‘suberin’ from the bundle sheaths of Zea mays leaves

Abstract The aliphatic components of the polymeric lipid of the bundle sheaths of the leaves of Zea mays were analyzed by combined gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The major components were 7,16-, 8,16-, 9,16- and 10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid, 18-hydroxyoctadecenoic acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, epoxy and trihydroxy C18 acids and long chain acids and alcohols. The composition of this ‘suberin type’ polymer is compared with that of the cuticular polymer of the leaf.
Processing distinct linguistic information types in working memory in aphasia

This investigation measured performance of individuals with aphasia on working memory tasks targeting their processing of different information types (phonological, semantic, and structural/syntactic). Participants included 3 adults with aphasia. Tasks included a listening span and three novel n-back tasks. The n-back tasks were presented auditorily, and measured both active working memory maintenance ("identity" level) and processing ("depth" level) for each information type. Results indicate that the tasks may be able to differentiate individual performance along the lines of aphasia classification categories, suggesting that the modified n-back tasks may lead to a more precise description of aphasic performance.
Effects and prevention of source/drain ion implantation into the polysilicon in a BiCMOS technology

The implantation of source/drain dopants into the polysilicon for FET gates and the bipolar emitter has a profound effect on the operation of the devices. Although the collector current is only slightly affected, the base current increases by as much as a factor of three, with the emitter resistance doubled. The effect of altering the gate doping is evident in the FET devices as well. This paper describes the above device processes necessary to add a silicon nitride blocking layer. >
Floral MADS box genes and homeotic gender dimorphism in Thalictrum dioicum (Ranunculaceae) - a new model for the study of dioecy

In most dioecious angiosperm species, flowers are initially perfect but abort either stamens or carpels during their development, indicating that sex determination occurs after floral organ identity has been established. Dioecious members of the genus Thalictrum (meadow-rue), however, produce flowers that lack aborted organs. Examination of early flower development of T. dioicum confirms that flowers are male or female from inception, raising the possibility that genetic mechanisms working at or above the level of organ identity promote sex determination through a homeotic-like mechanism. In order to investigate this possibility, we identified homologs of the organ identity genes PISTILLATA (PI), APETALA3 (AP3) and AGAMOUS (AG) from T. dioicum and the hermaphroditic species T. thalictroides. A combination of early and late duplication events was uncovered in these gene lineages and expression analyses indicate that these events are generally associated with divergence in gene regulation. In light of these findings, we discuss the potential of T. dioicum as a new model for the study of sex determination in the basal eudicots.
Militarizing American Police: The Rise and Normalization of Paramilitary Units

This paper examines overlooked developments in contemporary policing: the growth in the number of, and a significant shift in the character of. United States police paramilitary units (PPUs). A survey of all police departments serving cities of 50,000 people or more provides the first comprehensive national data on PPUs. Findings document a rise in the number of PPUs, an escalation in their level of activity, a normalization of these units into mainstream policing, and a direct link between PPUs and the U.S. military. These findings reflect the aggressive turn many law enforcement agencies are assuming behind the rhetoric of community and problem-oriented policing reforms.
Giant component and connectivity in geographical threshold graphs

The geographical threshold graph model is a random graph model with nodes distributed in a Euclidean space and edges assigned through a function of distance and node weights. We study this model and give conditions for the absence and existence of the giant component, as well as for connectivity.
Hierarchical voting experts: An unsupervised algorithm for hierarchical sequence segmentation

This paper extends the voting experts (VE) algorithm for unsupervised segmentation of sequences to create the hierarchical voting experts (HVE) algorithm for unsupervised segmentation of hierarchically structured sequences. The paper evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the HVE algorithm to identify its proper domain of application. The paper also shows how higher order models of the sequence data can be used to improve lower level segmentation accuracy.
Isotonic Solutions XIII: Hemolysis of Red Corpuscles by Various Substances in the Presence of Sodium Chloride

Various compounds which cause hemolysis in the presence of 0.6% sodium chloride were studied in environments of higher concentrations of sodium chloride. An increase in the concentration of sodium chloride reduced the degree of hemolysis produced by a compound in the presence of 0.6% sodium chloride in some instances, but this effect did not occur as a general rule for all compounds. Since 0.1% sodium carbonate did not cause an appreciable discoloration of oxyhemoglobin, it was retained as a standard for total hemolysis in the hemolytic method employed.
A methodology for economic justification of flexible manufacturing systems

Abstract This paper develops a model for the economic justification of flexible manufacturing systems. The proposed model considers the intangible and tangible benefits resulting from the implementation of advanced computer controlled manufacturing systems. The model's structure consists of a top down approach which identifies and measures the desirability of the firm's global (strategic) as well as local (tactical) objectives.
Stokes flow around a circular cylindrical post confined between two parallel plates

A slow viscous flow around a circular cylindrical post confined between two parallel flat plates is analyzed. The solution is given in the form of a series each term of which satisfies the equations of motion and continuity as well as the no-slip condition on the plates. A number of arbitrary constants left open in the series can then be determined according to the no-slip condition at the surface of the cylinder. Numerical results are presented. The series is found to be adequate when the ratio of the distance between the plates and the diameter of the post is not much larger than unity. The coefficient of resistance of the flow decreases rapidly as the sheet-thickness-to-post-diameter ratio increases. It is shown that the series converges rapidly when the thickness ratio is small, so that an approximate solution consisting of the two leading terms of the series, gives a reasonable representation of the velocity field and a good approximation to the flow resistance.
Structure and binding of the H4 histone tail and the effects of lysine 16 acetylation

The H4 histone tail plays a critical role in chromatin folding and regulation—it mediates strong interactions with the acidic patch of proximal nucleosomes and its acetylation at lysine 16 (K16) leads to partial unfolding of chromatin. The molecular mechanism associated with the H4 tail/acidic patch interactions and its modulation viaK16 acetylation remains unknown. Here we employ a combination of molecular dynamics simulations, molecular docking calculations, and free energy computations to investigate the structure of the H4 tail in solution, the binding of the H4 tail with the acidic patch, and the effects of K16 acetylation. The H4 tail exhibits a disordered configuration except in the region Ala15–Lys20, where it exhibits a strong propensity for an α-helical structure. This α-helical region is found to dock very favorably into the acidic patch groove of a nucleosome with a binding free energy of approximately −7 kcal mol−1. We have identified the specific interactions that stabilize this binding as well as the associated energetics. The acetylation of K16 is found to reduce the α-helix forming propensity of the H4 tail and K16's accessibility for mediating external interactions. More importantly, K16 acetylation destabilizes the binding of the H4 tail at the acidic patch by mitigating specific salt bridges and longer-ranged electrostatic interactions mediated by K16. Our study thus provides new microscopic insights into the compaction of chromatin and its regulation viaposttranslational modifications of histone tails, which could be of interest to chromatin biology, cancer, epigenetics, and drug design.
BASE: Using abstraction to improve fault tolerance

Software errors are a major cause of outages and they are increasingly exploited in malicious attacks. Byzantine fault tolerance allows replicated systems to mask some software errors but it is expensive to deploy. This paper describes a replication technique, BASE, which uses abstraction to reduce the cost of Byzantine fault tolerance and to improve its ability to mask software errors. BASE reduces cost because it enables reuse of off-the-shelf service implementations. It improves availability because each replica can be repaired periodically using an abstract view of the state stored by correct replicas, and because each replica can run distinct or nondeterministic service implementations, which reduces the probability of common mode failures. We built an NFS service where each replica can run a different off-the-shelf file system implementation, and an object-oriented database where the replicas ran the same, nondeterministic implementation. These examples suggest that our technique can be used in practice---in both cases, the implementation required only a modest amount of new code, and our performance results indicate that the replicated services perform comparably to the implementations that they reuse.
Use of chorus sounds for location of breeding habitat in 2 species of anuran amphibians

Conspecific cues have been shown to influence habitat selection in many different species. In anurans, conspecific chorus sounds may facilitate location of new breeding ponds, but direct experimental evidence supporting this notion is lacking. We conducted an experimental field study on American toads (Anaxyrus americanus) and Cope’s gray tree frogs (Hyla chrysoscelis) to determine whether toads and tree frogs use acoustic cues to find new breeding areas by broadcasting chorus sounds at artificial ponds. We found that acoustic cues were effective in attracting H. chrysoscelis to ponds; playback ponds were detected by H. chrysoscelis at significantly faster rates and had greater rates of use than control ponds. Anaxyrus americanus did not colonize ponds regardless of the presence of chorus sounds. This study provides some of the first experimental field evidence that anurans use conspecific cues to locate new breeding habitat; however, species with certain life-history traits may be more likely to exhibit this behavior. These findings may have valuable applications to amphibian conservation and management. If certain anuran species use presence of conspecifics to select habitat, managers may manipulate conspecific cues to passively translocate individuals across the landscape to target wetlands.
Measurements of neutrino mass

Direct experimental information of neutrino mass as derived from the study of nuclear and elementary-particle weak decays is reviewed. Topics include tritium beta decay; the /sup 3/He-T mass difference; electron capture decay of /sup 163/Ho and /sup 158/Tb; and limits on massive neutrinos from cosmology. 38 references. (WHK)
Integrated adaptive step-up/down switching DCDC converter with tri-band tri-mode digital control for dynamic voltage scaling

An adaptive step-up/down DC-DC converter with tri-band tri-mode digital control is presented. Three control methods jointly and seamlessly optimize the converterpsilas operation performances at the start-up state, steady state and dynamic voltage/load transient state. A compact automatic substrate switching circuit is used for adaptive substrate biasing, consuming only 88-muW power. A low-power self-biased current sensing technique is also employed with 98.4% sensing accuracy. The adaptive step-up/down voltage conversion offers a wide output range for flexible dynamic voltage scaling in VLSI systems. The converter was designed with a standard 0.35-mum digital CMOS N-well process. The entire die area is 1.3 mm2. With a 2.5-V input power supply, the converter precisely provides an adjustable power output with a voltage ranging from 0.9 to 3.0 V and a power ranging from 11 to 800 mW. The maximum efficiency of 96.5% is measured at 0.9-V output and 45-mW load power, while the efficiency remains above 50% over the entire power range. Load transient response is shorter than 5 mus when the load current changes by 100% from 87.5 to 175 mA. It functions well when the supply voltage varies between 1.8 and 3.3 V, with a line regulation of 20.4 mV/V. The design provides a high-performance solution to on-chip adaptive power supply designs.
A Survey Overview of United States Equine Show and Event Managers on the National Equine Identification System

Abstract The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is a program to identify and record the movement of animals in the event of an animal disease outbreak. A 15-question online survey was designed to evaluate equine event official demographics, required equine health paperwork, animal verification procedures, familiarity with NAIS, use of microchipping technology, and cost feasibility. A name and e-mail list resulted in 243 equine show managers of event sizes ranging from small local shows to large sanctioned events, with representation from all 50 states. The survey was open to invited participants only. At the close of data collection, 152 people visited the site and 115 had completed surveys, for a return rate of 47.3%. Twenty-four percent of responding show managers reported being in favor of NAIS, 18% were opposed, and 58% were neutral or unsure, indicating the need to educate equine show managers on the benefits of NAIS. Approximately 40% reported that microchipping horses would be useful to verify animal identification and prevent fraud at an equine event. Thirty-seven percent reported that it would prevent or deter theft of horses from the show grounds, and 34% reported that it would prevent the incorrect horse from being shown. However, 53% reported that NAIS would increase paperwork at events. Equine show and event managers reported some benefits of using NAIS.
A Speed-Adaptive Reduced-Order Observer for Sensorless Vector Control of Doubly Fed Induction Generator-Based Variable-Speed Wind Turbines

In this paper, a speed-adaptive reduced-order observer for sensorless vector control of doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) is proposed. The observer is a simulation of the rotor current dynamic model with feedback of the estimation error and a speed-adaptation loop. Feedback and adaptation gains are designed based on the closed-loop observer model. A parameter sensitivity analysis reveals that this observer is robust against machine parameter variations in the normal operating regions. Simulation results demonstrate desired steady-state and dynamic performance of this sensorless control approach for DFIG-based variable-speed wind turbines.
G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase-5 Attenuates Atherosclerosis by Regulating Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and 7-Transmembrane Receptors

Objective—G protein–coupled receptor kinase-5 (GRK5) is a widely expressed Ser/Thr kinase that regulates several atherogenic receptors and may activate or inhibit nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). This study sought to determine whether and by what mechanisms GRK5 affects atherosclerosis. Methods and Results—Grk5−/−/Apoe−/− mice developed 50% greater aortic atherosclerosis than Apoe−/− mice and demonstrated greater proliferation of macrophages and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in atherosclerotic lesions. In Apoe−/− mice, carotid interposition grafts from Grk5−/− mice demonstrated greater upregulation of cell adhesion molecules than grafts from wild-type mice and, subsequently, more atherosclerosis. By comparing Grk5−/− with wild-type cells, we found that GRK5 desensitized 2 key atherogenic receptor tyrosine kinases: the platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β in SMCs, by augmenting ubiquitination/degradation; and the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) in macrophages, by reducing CSF-1-induced tyrosyl ph...
Interaction of Class I Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA-I) Molecules with Insulin Receptors and Its Effect on the Insulin-Signaling Cascade

Insulin receptor (IR) and class I major histocompatibility complex molecules associate with one another in cell membranes, but the functional consequences of this association are not defined. We found that IR and human class I molecules (HLA-I) associate in liposome membranes and that the affinity of IR for insulin and its tyrosine kinase activity increase as the HLA:IR ratio increases over the range 1:1 to 20:1. The same relationship between HLA:IR and IR function was found in a series of B-LCL cell lines. The association of HLA-I and IR depends upon the presence of free HLA heavy chains. All of the effects noted were reduced or abrogated if liposomes or cells were incubated with excess HLA-I light chain, beta2-microglobulin. Increasing HLA:IR also enhanced phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 and the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase. HLA-I molecules themselves were phosphorylated on tyrosine and associated with phosphoinositide 3-kinase when B-LCL were stimulated with insulin.
Attenuation of β-amyloid neurotoxicity in vitro by potassium-induced depolarization

The cell death of cultured neurons triggered by beta-amyloid peptides has been theorized to model, at least in part, the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease. To investigate potential strategies to interrupt beta-amyloid neurotoxicity in vitro, we examined the effects of potassium-induced membrane depolarization, a treatment previously demonstrated to reduce development-related apoptosis in cultured neurons. We report here that cultured rat hippocampal neurons pretreated for several hours with 30 mM KCl exhibit significantly reduced vulnerability to aggregated beta-amyloid peptides. The potassium-mediated neuroprotection was mimicked by activation of voltage-sensitive calcium channels using S(-)-Bay K8644 and was attenuated by R(+)-Bay K 8644, a blocker of voltage-dependent calcium channels, and KN-82, an inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. The protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide also attenuated beta-amyloid neurotoxicity. Addition of cycloheximide following 30 mM KCl significantly increased protection offered by membrane depolarization, whereas cycloheximide addition during membrane depolarization blocked the protective effect. These data suggest that one cellular pathway that can inhibit neuronal death induced by beta-amyloid involves calcium influx through voltage-sensitive channels followed by stimulation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity and synthesis of new protein(s).
Bayesian Model Adaptation for Crowd Counts

The problem of transfer learning is considered in the domain of crowd counting. A solution based on Bayesian model adaptation of Gaussian processes is proposed. This is shown to produce intuitive model updates, which are tractable, and lead to an adapted model (predictive distribution) that accounts for all information in both training and adaptation data. The new adaptation procedure achieves significant gains over previous approaches, based on multi-task learning, while requiring much less computation to deploy. This makes it particularly suited for the problem of expanding the capacity of crowd counting camera networks. A large video dataset for the evaluation of adaptation approaches to crowd counting is also introduced. This contains a number of adaptation tasks, involving information transfer across video collected by 1) a single camera under different scene conditions (different times of the day) and 2) video collected from different cameras. Evaluation of the proposed model adaptation procedure in this dataset shows good performance in realistic operating conditions.
Utilizing Geographic Information Systems to Identify Clusters of Severe Sepsis Patients Presenting in the Out-of-Hospital Environment.

AbstractUnderstanding the geographic distribution of critical illness within a community may provide public health stakeholders with information that can be used to expedite access to specialized care. We hypothesized that severe sepsis patients transported by emergency medical services (EMS) exhibit geospatial clustering and that prehospital providers would recognize sepsis more frequently in patients transported from sepsis clusters. Retrospective review of a prospective, observational study of patients with severe sepsis transported to the emergency department (ED) by EMS and treated with early goal-directed therapy (EGDT). Inclusion criteria: suspected infection, 2 or more criteria for systemic inflammation, and either systolic blood pressure 4 mmol/liter. Exclusion criteria: age <18 or need for immediate surgery. Patient location at the time of EMS activation was recorded. Analysis of the addresses identified clusters, defined as a location in which EMS transp...
Nietzsche in the Tropics: Colonialism and the Photographic Imagination

The objective of this article is to highlight a tension within colonialism between the possibilities of individual pleasure, self-aggrandisement and experimentation on the one hand, and on the other, statist projects that privilege the racialised community of committed citizens, administrators and employees. Simultaneously examining Joseph Conrad’s ‘fictional’ Congo and M.V. Portman’s ‘real’ Andaman Islands, it argues that the tension produces an identifiable cultural and political entity: the rogue coloniser who appears to be revelling in, and to be infected by, the ‘sickness’ of his tropical environment. It further argues that this rogue entity—which is in fact normative within the colony—is deeply implicated in the modern tendency to ‘acquire’ the world by imagining it as a set of photographs.
Ethics Information Seeking and Sharing Among Scientists The Case of Nanotechnology

As nanotechnologies permeate our daily lives, it is increasingly important that we understand the ethical considerations of these innovations and to what extent scientists attend to these considera...
Determining the Optimal Approach to Initiating Oral, Inhaled, and Intravenous Therapies in Clinical Practice: Sequential Goal-Directed Therapy Is Best

The current standard of care in the management of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is the initiation of monotherapy, and, if treatment goals are not achieved, then concomitant therapies are added sequentially to achieve treatment goals. This approach is supported by 13 double-blind, randomized clinical trials studying the addition of PAH agents to existing background therapy, and a Class IA recommendation from the 5th (Nice) World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) for the management of PAH patients in clinical practice. An alternative treatment strategy is the up-front, simultaneous initiation of different PAH-specific therapies in combination. The only published double-blind randomized clinical trial to date studying up-front combination therapy failed to show a significant clinical improvement, and thus this approach received a Class IIbC recommendation by the World Symposium. Pending results from ongoing studies designed to address this issue further, the current standard of care remains sequential addition of combination therapy in a goal-directed manner. Comprehensive and standardized therapy goals have not yet been established in this regard; however, preventing decline beyond moderate heart failure-associated functional limitation (e.g., modified WHO Functional Class 2) is generally considered a benchmark treatment aim.
Compensation Method Based on Positive Sequence Voltage Component under Asymmetrical Grid Fault

Aimed at asymmetric grid fault in wind power system of DFIG,based on the principle of positive andnegative sequence decomposition,a compensation method based on positive sequence voltage component was putforward,changed the problem of asymmetric grid fault to the symmetrical fault by using the method. The topology andcontrol strategy to implement the compensation method was researched,and determined the method to calculate thereference value of positive sequence voltage. The corresponding simulation model in the Matlab/Simulink was build.The simulation results under different fault types and different levels of voltage dip verify the effectiveness of theproposed method in improving LVRT ability of DFIG.
Measurement of intracellular ionized magnesium.

Recent advances in methods for measuring Mg i have advanced our understanding of Mg i homeostasis. Several methods exist for measuring Mg i ; all have strengths and weaknesses and one needs to match the experimental needs with the limitations of the method. For example, if one needs rapid (ms) time resolution, or only relative directional changes in a cell that is not easily impaled with an electrode, the fluorescent indicators may best suit ones needs. If on the other hand one wants to measure Mg i in a perfused organ, then the NMR methods may best address one's needs. If one needs to accurately know Mg i in a papillary muscle or some other tissue which is readily impaled then ion-selective microelectrodes may be the method of choice
Capillary Forces Described by Effective Contact Angle Distributions via Simulations of the Centrifuge Technique

Understanding particle adhesion is vital to any industry where particulate systems are involved. There are multiple factors that affect the strength of the adhesion force, including the physical properties of the interacting materials and the system conditions. Surface roughness on the particles and the surfaces to which they adhere, including roughness at the nanoscale, is critically important to the adhesion force. The focus of this work is on the capillary force that dominates the adhesion whenever condensed moisture is present. Theoretical capillary forces were calculated for smooth particles adhered to smooth and rough surfaces. Simulations of the classical centrifuge technique used to describe particle adhesion to surfaces were performed based on these forces. A model was developed to describe the adhesion of the particles to the rough surface in terms of the adhesion to a smooth surface and an ‘effective’ contact angle distribution.
Prophylactic antibiotics for third molar surgery: A supportive opinion

In considering the question "should antibiotics be used for third molar surgery?" one can give at least five possible reasons. Use antibiotics when 1) an infection is present that must be treated; 2) the patient is medically compromised and requires antibiotic prophylaxis against metastatic infection; 3) the patient or the patient's family demands antibiotics; 4) the standard of care in the oral surgery community is to use antibiotics, and hence not to use them violates this standard; and when 5) the risk of postoperative infection is high and, consequently, prophylaxis is needed. This article explores the rationale behind these reasons for use of antibiotics in third molar surgery. Further, it presents a review of infection rates in our own practice, comparing different antibiotic regimens and the degree of impaction.
Single-nucleotide polymorphism bioinformatics: a comprehensive review of resources.

Recent years have seen near exponential growth in knowledge regarding genetic and genomic variation as more genomes have been sequenced, and corresponding advances and economies of scale in sequencing and genotyping technologies have reduced their relative costs. In parallel with these developments, discoveries of genes contributing to monogenic and complex diseases have rapidly advanced, and bioinformatics databases and software relating to the collection and analysis of genetic data have increased in number, size, and scope. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), comprising the most abundant type of genetic variation, are now the principal raw material underlying most genetic studies and databases. Although other types of variation, including indels, microsatellites, copy number variants, and epigenetic markers remain important to consider and can impact disease, SNPs are largely the easiest to ascertain and the most useful and widely applied markers in genetic studies in the modern age. Researchers and clinician-researchers are confronted with a dizzying array of software choices and increasingly large and complex datasets and databases relating to SNPs, sometimes working without assistance from a geneticist or a bioinformatician to help guide them. The principle aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of available bioinformatics resources relating to human genetics research, with an emphasis on SNP-centered resources. The review also provides a resource for students seeking an introduction to SNP genetics resources and for wet laboratory molecular biologists conducting SNP-centered research who want to expand their knowledge on ways to apply SNP tools and databases. A number of important issues that affect users and developers of SNP bioinformatics resources are discussed throughout along with practical examples. Although many of the resources described have relevance and origins in the study of nonhuman species, this review focuses on human clinical applications. The review discusses basic SNP bioinformatics issues, critical databases and their uses, …
Percent Emphysema and Daily Motor Activity Levels in the General Population: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background COPD is associated with reduced physical capacity. However, it is unclear whether pulmonary emphysema, which can occur without COPD, is associated with reduced physical activity in daily life, particularly among people without COPD and never smokers. We hypothesized that greater percentage of emphysema-like lung on CT scan is associated with reduced physical activity assessed by actigraphy and self-report. Methods The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) enrolled participants free of clinical cardiovascular disease from the general population. Percent emphysema was defined as percentage of voxels Results Among 1,435 participants with actigraphy and lung measures, 47% had never smoked, and 8% had COPD. Percent emphysema was associated with lower activity levels on actigraphy ( P = .001), corresponding to 1.5 hour less per week of moderately paced walking for the average participant in quintile 2 vs 4 of percent emphysema. This association was significant among participants without COPD ( P = .004) and among ever ( P = .01) and never smokers ( P = .03). It was also independent of coronary artery calcium and left ventricular ejection fraction. There was no evidence that percent emphysema was associated with self-reported activity levels. Conclusions Percent emphysema was associated with decreased physical activity in daily life objectively assessed by actigraphy in the general population, among participants without COPD, and nonsmokers.
Control sharing barrier functions with application to constrained control

This paper investigates the control sharing property of two control barrier functions (CBFs), and its application to the control of strict feedback nonlinear systems with time-varying bounding output constraints. CBFs are used to design a family of controls that ensure the forward invariance of a set, which represents satisfaction of a safety specification. We call two CBFs have the control sharing property if a common control exists such that the two safety constraints can be satisfied simultaneously. A sufficient condition for the control sharing property is provided, and based on that, a control design method is given to the control of strict feedback nonlinear systems with time-varying output constraints. The effectiveness of the control design method is illustrated by an example.
Predictors of Clinically Significant Bleeding in Patients with Aortic Stenosis

Abstract 3315 Background: Acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) is a frequent cause of bleeding in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). The goals of this study were to understand the incidence and patterns of bleeding in patients with various degree of AS and identify predictors for bleeding. Methods: Ninety-one patients (59 men, median age 79 years) with mild, moderate or severe aortic stenosis (AS) (n=64) or heart valve replacement (n=27) were studied. Clinically significant bleeding was determined based on the 2008 NHLBI VWD diagnostic guideline (Haemophilia. 2008, 14(2):171–232). We recorded blood counts, vital signs, mean gradient, peak aortic velocity, aortic valve area (AVA) and valve area index (AVAi), time velocity integral ratio (TVI ratio), VWF antigen (VWF:Ag), VWF activity by latex immunoturbidity assay (VWF:Lx), VWF multimer analysis, and closure times of platelet function analysis ADP and epinephrine cartridges (PFA–CADP and –CEPI). VWF high molecular weight multimer (HMWM) losses were graded as normal/mild or severe when compared to pooled plasma samples from normal donors. Associations with bleeding tendency were explored using single variable and multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Of the 91 patients, 29 (32%) were taking warfarin, and 55 (60%) were taking aspirin. None received a thienopyridine. Clinically significant bleeding was seen in 27 (30%) patients with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding being most common (n=13). Nine patients who bled required hospitalization. Bleeding tendency was more common in patients with a severe loss of HMWM (OR=3.18, 95% CI: 1.06–9.71, P=0.039) and in patients with AS-associated symptoms (OR=3.02, 95% CI: 1.14–8.24, P=0.027). No other echocardiographic, laboratory, or clinical features demonstrated a statistically significant association with bleeding tendency. Conclusion: The incidence of clinically significant bleeding in this population was about 30% with GI being the most common site. Bleeding tendency was associated with severe HMWM loss and AS-associated symptoms. This study underscores the importance of acquisition of a history of bleeding, cardiac symptoms, and VWF multimer analysis in clinical management of AS patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.