cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphism with essential hypertension

Objective To investigate whether angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor(AT1R)gene polymorphism is associated with essential hypertension(EH). Methods A total of 200 hypertension patients and 192 normotensive controls were enrolled. The AT1R gene 1166A/C and -810A/T polymorphism were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-PFLP), and the association between the SNPs and the EH were analyzed statistically. Some biochemical index such as serum glucose (GLU) and total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) were also measured. Results There was no significant difference between two groups of 1166A/C polymorphisms of AT1R gene(P ＞ 0.05 ). However, for the -810A/T polymorphism of AT1R gene, -810 AT and TT genotypes frequencies were significantly higher in EH patients than control (P = 0. 004). The -810T allele frequencies were higher in case than in control (22.5% vs. 11.5% ;P =0.000). We also found an association between EH and -810AT and TT genotypes by logistic regression analysis ( P = 0. 003 ), adjusted for other risk factors. The odds ratio was 2.57 (95% CI:1. 37 ～4. 84). Conclusions AT1R -810A/T polymorphism is associated with EH and -810T allele may be a risk factor of hypertension Key words: Angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor; Essential hypertension; Gene polymorphism
Telemedicine in management of genitourinary malignancies: Patient and physician perspectives.

Abstract Purpose The rapid expansion of telemedicine has presented a challenge for the care of patients with genitourinary malignancies. We sought to assess patient and physician perspectives on the use of telemedicine for genitourinary cancer care. Methods We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study of patients who had telemedicine visits with urology, medical oncology, or radiation oncology for management of genitourinary malignancies from July-August 2020. Patients and physicians each received a questionnaire regarding the telemedicine experience. Responses were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The primary outcomes of the study were patient and physician satisfaction. Results Of the 115 patients who enrolled, we received 96 patient responses and 46 physician responses. Overall, 77% of patients and 70% of physicians reported being “extremely satisfied” with the telemedicine encounter. Satisfaction was high among all components of the encounter including patient-physician communication, counseling, shared decision making, time spent, timeliness and efficiency, and convenience. Additionally, 78% of patients and 85% of physicians “strongly agreed” that they were able to discuss sensitive topics about cancer care as well as they could at an in-person visit. Nine telemedicine visits (9%) encountered technological barriers. Technological barriers were associated with lower overall satisfaction scores among both patients and physicians (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion We observed high levels of patient and physician satisfaction for telemedicine visits for management of genitourinary malignancies. Technological barriers were encountered by 9% of patients and were associated with decreased satisfaction.
“A Superior Kind of Working Woman”: The Contested Meaning of Vocational Education for Girls in Progressive Era Chicago

Progressive Era school officials transformed public education in American cities by teaching male students trades like foundry, carpentry, and mechanics in classrooms outfitted like factories. Historians have demonstrated how this “vocational education movement” was championed by male administrators and business leaders anxious to train the next generation of expert tradesmen. But women also hoped vocational education could prepare female students for industrial careers. In the early twentieth century, members of the National Women’s Trade Union League demanded that public schools open trade programs to female students and teach future working women the history of capitalism and the philosophy of collective bargaining. Their ambitious goals were tempered by some middle-class reformers and club women who argued vocational programs should also prepare female students for homemaking and motherhood. This article uses Chicago as a case study to explore how Progressive Era women competed and collaborated to reform vocational education for girls, and how female students responded to new school programs designed to prepare them for work both in and outside the home.
General Computer Analysis of Beams

A comprehensive method is presented for the machine solution of a number of technically important beam problems. The beam may be uniform or nonuniform in cross section, and the elastic properties may be constant or may vary from section to section. The same computer program may be used for the calculation of deflections and stresses in beams under static or dynamic loading and for the determination of buckling loads, natural frequencies, and mode shapes. The governing system of differential equations is put in a form that is especially convenient for numerical integration and that, as the integration proceeds, produces explicit point values of the quantities that are of immediate interest to the engineer. Thus, the engineer is not required to compute the desired quantities by further operation on, for example, the computed values of the deflections. The procedure may be applied readily to certain plate problems and, on enlargement, may also be applied to certain shell problems.
Clictate: A Computer-Based Documentation Tool for Guideline-Based Care

The use of computer-based documentation tools confers many benefits to the delivery of evidence-based health care. We developed Clictate, a structured reporting environment that utilized standard WindowsTM-based data entry constructs and natural language generation. Clictate has been in use for over 3 years by pediatric providers in an ambulatory setting. More than 50% of our providers use Clictate during the patient encounter. This report describes our results to date, and suggests future opportunities for research and development in the area of computer-based documentation.
Cytology, physiology, and biochemistry of germination of fern spores.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the cytology, physiology, and biochemistry of germination of fern spores. Ferns (Filicales) represent a group of plants, which yield spores with considerable potential for physiological and biochemical analysis of germination. The majority of ferns produce spores of only one type, which are all similar in size and shape, a condition known as “homospory.” Fern spores are single-celled structures, which contain a quiescent protoplast closely invested by several layers of sporoderm constituting the exine and a thin inner layer or intine. Spores of many ferns germinate readily upon contact with water or a simple mineral salt medium in complete darkness or in response to a particular light quality or a specific growth hormone. All organic substances for germination are derived from the metabolism of stored reserves in the spores. The chapter presents a number of examples of spore germination to illustrate the hypothesis that there is probably but one control pattern, which may be variously triggered. The structure of the spore and morphological aspects of its germination are also discussed.
Molecular Tribology of Disk Drives

A good molecular level understanding of the tribological properties of the materials at the slider-disk interface is essential to the future development of disk drive technology. This paper provides a short overview of the molecular tribology of disk drives related to the selection of lubricant materials for the slider-disk interface. Besides providing criteria for lubricant selection, this paper briefly discusses our current understanding of stiction and friction forces, lubricant degradation, lubricant mobility, spin-off, and lubricant transfer to sliders.
Rademacher Processes and Bounding the Risk of Function Learning

We construct data dependent upper bounds on the risk in function learning problems. The bounds are based on local norms of the Rademacher process indexed by the underlying function class, and they do not require prior knowledge about the distribution of training examples or any specific properties of the function class. Using Talagrand’s type concentration inequalities for empirical and Rademacher processes, we show that the bounds hold with high probability that decreases exponentially fast when the sample size grows. In typical situations that are frequently encountered in the theory of function learning, the bounds give nearly optimal rate of convergence of the risk to zero.
Novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in the distal IL-10 promoter affect IL-10 production and enhance the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Family studies of first-degree relatives and analysis of twins indicate that as much as 75% of the differences in quantitative IL-10 production in man derive from heritable genetic factors. Studies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the proximal 1.0 kb of the IL-10 promoter have yielded inconsistent association with IL-10 production and variable results in promoter-reporter studies. However, in normal donors, an association of quantitative production with certain alleles of the IL-10.R short tandem repeat polymorphism at −4.0 kb suggested that SNPs in the more distal promoter might be informative. We have identified seven novel SNP sites in the genomic sequence of the first 4 kb of the IL-10 promoter region 5′ to the ATG start site from Caucasian individuals with either a high or a low IL-10 production phenotype. We have also identified eight SNP haplotypes in the distal promoter that segregate with significant differences in quantitative IL-10 production in normal donors. These SNPs are significantly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in African-Americans and may define one component of the genetic susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in this group.
What Finances R&D? R&D, Cash Flow Sensitivities, and Financing Constraints

I employ a dynamic multi-equation model in which …rms make interdependent decisions in …nancing, investment, and distribution, under the constraint that sources and uses of cash must be equal. I argue that the large R&D-cash ‡ow sensitivities found in prior studies are mostly due to the failure to control for the interdependence and intertemporal nature of …rm policies. My …ndings also indicate that young high-tech …rms are constrained in R&D, based on their signi…cantly lower capability to absorb negative cash ‡ow shocks than to accommodate positive ones through making adjustments in external …nancing to maintain innovative activities. In addition, I …nd the presence of heterogeneities in the …nancing sources for innovation, as well as the interaction between R&D and capital investment, when comparing young and mature …rms. My results are consistent with the notion that young …rms …nance innovation through internal and external equity, while mature …rms use cash ‡ow and debt for R&D …nancing. R&D and capital investment are likely to be complementary for mature, but not for young, …rms.
Development of Equations Predictive of Size and Condition for Black Bears in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Abstract Knowledge of body condition is important in predicting health and performance of large mammal populations. Therefore, we assessed body condition in black bears (Ursus americanus) in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Colorado, using body mass (BM), percent body fat (BF) and a body condition index (BCI) to: (1) develop a model predictive of BM for bears in RMNP using morphometric measures, (2) compare three models predictive of BM to provide further information on the influence of elevation and more complex models on model accuracy, and (3) assess the relationship between BF and BCI to determine if BF could be estimated from BCI. Our best BM model included only girth (r2 = 0.923) and indicated that mass-morphology relationships were more consistent within specified elevation zones; complexity of models had little influence on model efficiency. We also observed a strong relationship between BF and BCI (r2 = 0.962) indicating that BCI scores can be accurately converted to estimates of BF. This...
Promoter Hypomethylation Results in Increased Expression of Protein Phosphatase 2A in T Cells from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The catalytic subunit α isoform of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Acα) activity, protein, and mRNA have been found increased in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) T cells and to contribute to decreased IL-2 production. The PP2Acα promoter activity is controlled epigenetically through the methylation of a CpG within a cAMP response element (CRE) motif defined by its promoter. We considered that hypomethylation may account for the increased expression of PP2Acα in patients with SLE. Using bisulfite sequencing, we found that SLE T cells displayed decreased DNA methylation in the promoter region compared with normal T cells. More importantly, we found that the CRE-defined CpG, which binds p-CREB, is significantly less methylated in SLE compared with normal T cells, and the levels of methylation correlated with decreased amounts of DNA methyltransferase 1 transcripts. Methylation intensity correlated inversely with levels of PP2Acα mRNA and SLE disease activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed more binding of p-CREB to the CRE site in SLE T cells, resulting in increased expression of PP2Acα. We propose that PP2Acα represents a new methylation-sensitive gene that, like the previously reported CD70 and CD11a, contributes to the pathogenesis of SLE.
Statistical model of meteor streams II. Major showers

Abstract The new statistical model for meteor streams recently proposed by the writer has been applied to the sample of 19,303 radio meteor orbits of the Harvard-Sm Smithsonian Radio Meteor Project from 1961 to 1965, and the following major showers have been identified: Geminids, Taurids, Southern and Northern δ- Aquarids, Quadrantids, October Draconids, Orionids, η-Aquarids, Andromedids, Lyrids, and December Ursids. Mean orbital elements, encounter data, structural constants, and parameters of parent-body associations, if any, are listed, and the cumulative D-distributions plotted for each of the above major showers. A scarcity of Perseids and Leonids is noticed. From the properties of the streams, it is concluded that (1) there are systematic differences in the dynamical behavior between bright photographic and faint radio meteors in most of the showers; (2) dispersion σ appears to be related to the radiant dispersion and also to the stream's “age” as obtained from historical records; and (3) there is a strong instrumental dependence of the no-atmosphere velocity on the mass of a meteor.
Incidental Learning And Environmental Exploration In Unknown Terrains

We consider the navigation of autonomous mobile machines, which are referred to as robots, through unknown terrains, i.e, terrains whose models are not a priori known. We deal with point-sized robots in two- and three-dimensional terrains and circular robots in two-dimensional terrains. The two-dimensional (three-dimensional) terrains are finite-sized and populated by an unknown, but, finite, number of simple polygonal (polyhedral) obstacles. The robot is equipped with a sensor system that detects all vertices and edges that are visible from its present location. In this context, we deal with two basic navigational problems. In the visit problem, the robot is required to visit a sequence of destination points, in a specified order, using the sensor system. In the terrain model acquisition problem, the robot is required to acquire the complete model of the terrain by exploring the terrain with the sensor. We present a framework that yields solutions to both the visit problem and the terrain model acquisition problem using a single approach. A point robot employs the restricted visibility graph and the visibility graph as the navigational course in two- and three-dimensional cases respectively. A circular robot employs the modified visibility graph. We present and analyze the algorithms to solve the visit problem and the terrain model acquisition problem based on the abovementioned structures.
Infrared behavior of the effective coupling in quantum chromodynamics: A non-perturbative approach

Abstract In this paper we examine a different viewpoint, based on a self-consistent approach. This means that rather than attempting to identify any particular physical mechanism as dominating the QCD vacuum state we use the non-perturbative Schwinger-Dyson equations and Slavnov-Taylor identities of QCD as well as the renormalization group equation to obtain the self-consistent behavior of the effective coupling in the infrared region. We show that the infrared effective coupling behavior g (q 2 /μ 2 , g R (μ)) = (μ 2 /q 2 ) λ/2 g R (μ) in the infrared limit q2/μ2 → 0, where μ2 is the euclidean subtraction point; λ = 1 2 (d − 2) , where d is the space-time dimension, is the preferred solution if a sufficient self-consistency condition is satisfied. Finally we briefly discuss the nature of the dynamical mass Λ and the 1/N expansion as well as an effective bound state equation.
A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF ELECTRO‐CARDIOGRAPHIC INTERVALS IN HEALTHY CHILDREN

This study was supported in large part by research grants from the Commonwealth Fund and from the Rockefeller Foundation Publication was supported by the Publication Division, the Commonwealth Fund
Lysis of Large Unilamellar Vesicles Induced by Analogs of the Fusion Peptide of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin

We have developed a micropipette aspiration assay to observe the lysis of large (20-30 mm diameter) vesicles aspirated using micropipettes. Single membrane lysis events can be seen with the light microscope and are followed using fluorescence assays and video microscopy. In this study, we have examined the ability of two analogs of the fusion peptide from influenza virus hemagglutinin to induce the lysis of large unilamellar egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles, as a function of peptide concentration and pH. X31 is a wild-type peptide from one strain of Influenza A, and E5 is an analogue which has several residues replaced by glutamate residues. Both peptides were found to induce lysis of large vesicles in a pH-dependent manner. Both peptides exhibited maximal activity at pH 5, measured in terms of both rate and extent of lysis. E5 was active at much lower concentrations than X31. Our results with both peptides are compared to results published from other laboratories.
THE POLLS—REVIEWCLARIFYING DIVERGENT ESTIMATES OF RAPE FROM TWO NATIONAL SURVEYS

Estimates of the volume of rape in the United States vary wildly (Bachman and Saltzman 1995; Bureau of Justice Statistics 1992; Koss 1992; Koss, Gidycz, and Wisniewski 1987; National Victim Center 1992), and this variability has generated a great deal of controversy about the extent of the problem. Advocates of legislation to reduce and redress violence against women have cited the higher figures, while opponents of legislation have used the lower estimates (McPhail 1995; Murray, n.d.; Snow 1995; Young 1994, 1995). The result has been not only a vitriolic and largely ideological debate over the extent of rape and the need for new laws but also the trashing of social statistics used to inform these discussions (Murray, n.d.). This "deconstruction" of social statistics from both ends of the ideological spectrum is dangerous. It undermines public confidence in social statistics and concedes policy debates to anecdote and ideology. This is not to deny that there are substantial difficulties in the measurement of rape, but many of these problems can be fixed or otherwise taken into account. It is better for all concerned that we seek to understand why estimates of rape differ than to abandon flawed statistics for even more deficient forms of evidence. This review explores the question of why we should have such diverging estimates of the level of rape. It focuses on two ostensibly similar surveys-the National Crime Victimization Survey and the National Women's Study-that produced very different (and widely pub-
Neurological autoimmunity targeting aquaporin-4

Abstract Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is the first inflammatory autoimmune demyelinating disease of the CNS for which a specific tissue target molecule has been identified—the astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4). Immunological insights have propelled significant advances in understanding the clinical, radiologic and immunopathologic characteristics of the disease in the last 5 years. In this review, we describe features distinguishing CNS AQP4 autoimmunity from classical multiple sclerosis (MS). In NMO, disease attacks preferentially involve the optic nerves and spinal cord (hence the name), but neurological signs in the initial attack of AQP4 autoimmunity in children commonly involve the brain. A clinically validated serum biomarker, NMO–IgG, distinguishes relapsing CNS inflammatory demyelinating disorders related to NMO from MS. The NMO–IgG autoantibody is AQP4-specific. Clinical, radiological and immunopathological data support its role in the pathogenesis of NMO spectrum disorders. Lesions characteristic of NMO are distinct from MS: AQP4 and its coupled glutamate transporter, excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2), are lost, with and without associated myelin loss, IgG, IgM and complement are deposited in a vasculocentric pattern, edema and inflammation are prominent. In vitro studies demonstrate that binding of NMO–IgG to astrocytic AQP4 initiates multiple potentially neuropathogenic mechanisms: complement activation, AQP4 and EAAT2 downregulation with disruption of water and glutamate homeostasis, enhanced blood–brain barrier permeability, plasma protein and granulocyte influx, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Development of effective, and potentially curative, therapies requires validated models of the disease, in animals and cell culture systems.
The “Ball of Confusion” in Federal Budgeting: A Shadow Agenda for Deliberative Reform of the Budget Process

The budget process is seriously flawed, as Irene Rubin suggests, but there is little prospect for its effective reform. Current economic and political conditions could open the window for reform, but the excessive partisanship that helped create these conditions also has reduced the pool of institutionalists who could lead reforms. More important is confusion about which reforms might be most effective. Most proposed reforms would create more rules, but they will not work unless politicians commit to meeting the goals such rules are intended to support. Those commitments could be produced by deliberation over critical issues that have been neglected in recent discussions of budget process reform: how the process could support macroeconomic policy making, how improved budget concepts could accurately measure finances and aid in dealing with upcoming policy challenges, how reorganization could enable intelligent priority setting, and how the process could be better aligned with the constitutional sharing of powers and the electoral system.
Kinetic investigation of malathion degradation in water

Malathion exhibits considerable biological selectivity and has been the subject of many comparative biological studies. The kinetics of microbial degradation of malathion by aquatic organisms has been reported by PARIS et al. (2), and a kinetic study in soils has been carr-~ed--out by KONRAD et al. However, there are no available data ~-n t-he literature describing the kinetics of malathion degradation in water.
Nonsuicidal Self-Injury-Related Foreign Bodies in the Emergency Department

Nonsuicidal self-injury is a common cause of foreign bodies encountered in emergency departments, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality, and economic costs. We review the role of imaging and frequent imaging findings in nonsuicidal self-injury, illustrated by case examples from a level 1 trauma center with dedicated jail and psychiatric wards in a major US metropolitan teaching hospital.
Auditor Change and Auditor Choice in Nonprofit Organizations

As a result of the recent frauds and the U.S. Congress's passing of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002, more focus has been placed on the role of independent auditors in monitoring corporations. While the new rules are not directed toward nonprofit organizations, these organizations face many of the same monitoring concerns as their for‐profit counterparts. Given their large reliance on public support through donations, it is imperative they maintain adequate levels of monitoring. This study looks at nonprofit organizations' auditor choice decisions—the factors associated with their decision to change auditors and the factors associated with the auditor selected if a change is made. Using multivariate regressions on data on almost 16,000 nonprofit organizations, I find changes in operational structure, management's reputation, and audit fee are all significant in determining whether an organization will change auditors. In addition, changes in operational structure, financing, and management contracting may h...
Internal and external K+ help gate the inward rectifier.

Recent investigations have demonstrated substantial reductions in internal [K+] in cardiac Purkinje fibers during myocardial ischemia (Dresdner, K.P., R.P. Kline, and A.L. Wit. 1987, Circ. Res. 60: 122–132). We investigated the possible role these changes in internal K+ might play in abnormal electrical activity by studying the effects of both internal and external [K+] on the gating of the inward rectifier iK1 in isolated Purkinje myocytes with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Increasing external [K+] had similar effects on the inward rectifier in the Purkinje myocyte as it does in other preparations: increasing peak conductance and shifting the activation curve in parallel with the potassium reversal potential. A reduction in pipette [K+] from 145 to 25 mM, however, had several dramatic previously unreported effects. It decreased the rate of activation of iK1 at a given voltage by several-fold, reversed the voltage dependence of recovery from deactivation, so that the deactivation rate decreased with depolarization, and caused a positive shift in the midpoint of the activation curve of iK1 that was severalfold smaller than the associated shift of reversal potential. These changes suggest an important role of internal K+ in gating iK1 and may contribute to changes in the electrical properties of the myocardium that occur during ischemia.
Immunosuppressive macromolecules of endometrial and conceptus origins in livestock species

Since the mid- to late-1970s, intrauterine immunosuppressive macromolecules recovered from endometrial and conceptus secretions have been reported for livestock species. Using primarily in vitro assays, in conjunction with a limited number of techniques conducted in vivo, these macromolecules were shown to suppress various T-cell responses. Some macromolecules were also shown to suppress cytolytic activities of non T-cells. It remains unknown as to whether these macromolecules actually afford protection to the conceptus by suppressing cell-mediated immune responses directed toward conceptus tissues. Endometrial effector cells in the ewe respond to antigenic stimulation and preattachment trophoblastic cells of pigs and sheep can be lysed by effector cells. Consequently, these observations suggest a need for immunosuppression, either locally at placentation sites or within the entire uterus. This review describes the intrauterine macromolecules that have been shown to suppress lymphocyte responses. Additional information, although limited at this time, refers to their origin and possible mechanisms of action. As more reagents become available to complete the identification of the intrauterine immune cells in livestock animals, experiments (e.g. antibody-mediated depletion of cells) can be conducted to determine the precise functions of all these cells. Knowing their functions will help delineate whether or not immunosuppressive macromolecules have a role in the regulation and maintenance of conceptus tissues during pregnancy.
Separation of Dilute Binary Gases by Simulated-Moving Bed with Pressure-Swing Assist: SMB/PSA Processes

Hybrid simulated-moving bed/pressure-swing adsorption (SMB/PSA) cycles are developed to achieve the relatively difficult separation of dilute enantiomeric enflurane in a nitrogen carrier gas. SMB/PSA decreases molar desorbent requirements by taking advantage of gas expansion at low pressure and the desorbent (carrier gas) present in the dilute feed. The most practical SMB/PSA configuration is a pair of two-zone SMB/PSA trains operating 180° out of phase to form a continuous (1,1)−(1,1) SMB/PSA process. With no additional nitrogen carrier gas (D/F = 0), the (1,1)−(1,1) SMB/PSA produced products having a maximum average purity of ∼86% and a maximum average recovery of ∼86%. By manipulating the recycle ratio (RR) and the bed purge ratio (BPR) at D/F = 0, either the raffinate or extract product could be produced with purity greater than or equal to 95%. To produce purer products simultaneously, pure nitrogen was added as desorbent. A maximum average purity of 99% and a maximum average recovery of 99% were att...
Effect of different "contact conditions" on the blue tongue virus-antibody reaction and on the validity of the "percentage law".

The effect of various times and temperatures of virus-antibody contact (contact conditions) on the blue tongue virus-antibody reaction was studied. Linear regressions of neutralized virus on antibody titers were compared in three differentin vivo neutralization tests. In all three tests antibody titers were highly dependent on the virus test dose used, that is, the slopes of the regression plots were flat. In the twoin ovo neutralization tests slow virus multiplication probably caused the flat slopes.
Structural Basis of Vta1 Function in the Multivesicular Body Sorting Pathway

The MVB pathway plays essential roles in several eukaryotic cellular processes. Proper function of the MVB pathway requires reversible membrane association of the ESCRTs, a process catalyzed by Vps4 ATPase. Vta1 regulates the Vps4 activity, but its mechanism of action was poorly understood. We report the high-resolution crystal structures of the Did2- and Vps60-binding N-terminal domain and the Vps4-binding C-terminal domain of S. cerevisiae Vta1. The C-terminal domain also mediates Vta1 dimerization and both subunits are required for its function as a Vps4 regulator. Emerging from our analysis is a mechanism of regulation by Vta1 in which the C-terminal domain stabilizes the ATP-dependent double ring assembly of Vps4. In addition, the MIT motif-containing N-terminal domain, projected by a long disordered linker, allows contact between the Vps4 disassembly machinery and the accessory ESCRT-III proteins. This provides an additional level of regulation and coordination for ESCRT-III assembly and disassembly.
Behavioral improvement in long-term geriatric patients during an age-integrated psychosocial rehabilitation program.

: A study was made of the effects of a psychosocial rehabilitative program on the behavioral functioning of elderly chronically ill patients. High school students served as remotivation and socialization therapists in a supervised structured process designed to improve the quality of life for the participating nursing-home residents. The participants were 12 long-term patients whose ages ranged from 62 to 99 years (mean, 73.2 years). The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by means of the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), a questionnaire designed to assess the effect of a physical illness on daily activities, psychosocial skills and mental status. The results demonstrated that the rehabilitative program had a significant impact on several dimensions of the lives of the participants. As a consequence of the interaction with the students, there was an increase in social interaction, a reduction in daytime sleeping and an increase in mobility. The results reported here extend the successful use of remotivation techniques to areas of overt behavioral functioning not previously assessed.
Insulin-related materials in the nervous system of vertebrates and non-vertebrates: possible extrapancreatic production.

Studies from multiple laboratories with a range of methods raised the possibility that insulin production occurs naturally at extrapancreatic sites. Part A covers the presence of insulin-related materials in organisms that do not have an endocrine pancreas, including unicellular prokaryotes and eukaryotes as well as multicellular non-vertebrate animals (insects et al.) and plants. Part B covers possible production of insulin by extrapancreatic tissues of vertebrates that are remote from a source of pancreatic insulin e.g. early chick embryos and mammalian cells in culture. Part C covers possible extrapancreatic insulin production in mammals in vivo. Each section ends with an outline summary with evidence in favor of and against the hypothesis.
Erotic Mourning and Post-traumatic Sexual Desire

In her article, "Erotic Mourning and Post-traumatic Sexual Desire" Gila G. Ashtor investigates the ways Dave Eggers's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius 2000 memoir contains an alternative logic of affectivity that locates possibilities for mourning in the ambivalent directionalities of post-traumatic sexual desire. Ashtor links dominant conceptualizations of post-traumatic workingthrough and regimes of heteronormative sexual reproductivity in order to argue that Eggers's selfexhibitionistic spectacle of failed post-traumatic healing, precisely as a drama of undoing that replaces the cumulative acquisition of psychic cohesion with survival incoherent gestures, produces a version of what this paper will call "radical mourning." To particularize the text's investment in imagining radical mourning, Ashtor's focuses on how, despite Eggers's ambitions to climax himself back into coherent selfhood, sex repeatedly transforms into a theater of suspended intensities and aborted pleasure. Instead of developmental advances toward meaning, Eggers's "aberrant" eroticism that revolves around its own prefigured failure, posits and dismantles the link between sexual redemption and psychic renewal, thereby metamorphosing the ambit of post-traumatic intelligibility into a queer force field of incoherent "liveness" and inchoate healing. Gila G. Ashtor, "Erotic Mourning and Post-traumatic Sexual Desire" page 2 of 10 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 12.3 (2010):
Subsets of ωω and the Fréchet-Urysohn and αi-properties

Abstract Arhangel'skiǐ defined a number of related properties called α i ( i = 1, 2, 3, 4) having to do with amalgamating countably many sequences each converging to the same point. Here we use the set ω ω of functions to produce examples of Frechet spaces in the various classes and to study the relationships between the classes. We also introduce an intermediate class α 1.5 . Under various set-theoretic hypotheses we produce a countable Frechet α 1 -space that is not first countable, and several that are α 2 but not α 1 , including one which is α 1.5 and another which is not. It is now known to be consistent that none of these kinds of spaces exist, but we also construct a countable Frechet-Urysohn α 2 -space that is not first countable using only ZFC. The existence of an α 2 -space which is not α 1 in any given model of set theory is reduced to the existence of a certain kind of space whose underlying set is (ω × ω)∪∞, with neighborhoods of ∞ defined using graphs of partial functions. Alan Dow has recently shown that every α 2 -space is α 1 in the Laver model. A proof using the reduction theorem is outlined here and the result is used to obtain other information about this model. An example of a countable α 2 -topological group that is not first countable is given, and it is shown to be Frechet-Urysohn under the relatively mild assumption p = b , as is a related separable nonmetrizable topological vector space.
Distribution and stability of [111In]bleomycin and its fractions in tumor-bearing mice.

Abstract The tissue distributions in glioma-bearing mice given injections of [ 111 In]bleomycin (BLM) indicated that tumor concentrations and ratios of tumor to blood, muscle and brain for [ 111 In]BLM-B 2 and -A 2 were higher than those for unfractionated [ 111 In]BLM. Autoradiographs of electrophoretic gels of urine containing [ 111 In]BLM or one of its fractions differed from those containing 111 InCl 3 [ 111 In]BLM and its fractions (A 2 and B 2 ) were found to be stable in vivo . The fractions may be more useful in the clinic than [ 111 In]BLM.
Dynamics and control of integrated microchemical systems with application to micro-scale fuel processing

Microchemical systems are a new generation of miniature chemical systems that carry out chemical reactions and separations in precisely fabricated three dimensional microreactor configurations in the size range of a few microns to a few hundred microns. Typical microchemical systems combine fluid handling and reaction capabilities with electronic sensing and actuation, are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing techniques and use silicon and related IC industry materials, polymers, ceramics, glass or quartz as their material of construction. The use of such systems for in situ and on-demand chemical production is gaining increasing importance as the field of microreaction engineering transitions from a theoretical concept to a technology with significant industrial applications. In this paper, we present a review of our work on MEMS-based microfabrication, modeling and control of micro-reformers for hydrogen delivery systems in micro-fuel cells and put it in the context of a number of reported studies in the literature on this topic. The paper concludes by suggesting possible areas of future research.
On improvement of critical current density of single-phase superconducting YBa2Cu3O6.5+σ by modification processes

Abstract Single-phase YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6.5+σ crude samples produced by directed reaction process exhibit “zero-resistance” at temperature of 90–92 K. These crude samples can bear very low critical current density of 23–32 A cm −2 . Regrinding the crude speciments and repressing the powder into pellets under increased pressures enhance J c up to 109–267 A cm −2 . Additional heat treatments of the crude samples make a steep rise in J c , raising it to 336 A cm −2 . Post-treatment/modification processes are necessary for improving J c of single-phase superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6.5+σ .
Three-dimensional automatic computer-aided evaluation of pleural effusions on chest CT images

The ability to estimate the volume of pleural effusions is desirable as it can provide information about the severity of the condition and the need for thoracentesis. We present here an improved version of an automated program to measure the volume of pleural effusions using regular chest CT images. First, the lungs are segmented using region growing, mathematical morphology, and anatomical knowledge. The visceral and parietal layers of the pleura are then extracted based on anatomical landmarks, curve fitting and active contour models. The liver and compressed tissues are segmented out using thresholding. The pleural space is then fitted to a Bezier surface which is subsequently projected onto the individual two-dimensional slices. Finally, the volume of the pleural effusion is quantified. Our method was tested on 15 chest CT studies and validated against three separate manual tracings. The Dice coefficients were 0.74±0.07, 0.74±0.08, and 0.75±0.07 respectively, comparable to the variation between two different manual tracings.
COSMO: Software for designing smoke control systems in high-rise buildings

Abstract A differential computer model specifically designed to quantify smoke movement during a fire in a high-rise structure is described. The basic conservation equations are transformed into a computer code which can be used to determine the paths that smoke will take during a fire. The program is a tool for fire protection engineers to design a smoke management plan with the ultimate goal of improving occupant safety in the event of a fire. The computer code is based on a modified and improved differential smoke control model for the conditions in the floor spaces, stairwells and elevator shafts and it considers a complete set of variables that influence the motion of smoke throughout the building. Program output suggests ways to alter the pressure distribution within the building by using air handling equipment, so that occupants will have smoke-free areas on the floors and inside of the fire escape stairwells. Results for several example cases are provided, and the results are used to illustrate how smoke movement can be managed in order to mitigate dangerous conditions within the building.
Reduction of cancer risk by consumption of selenium-enriched plants: enrichment of broccoli with selenium increases the anticarcinogenic properties of broccoli.

Plant-based diets and phytochemicals present in plants are associated with decreased risk of cancer. Brassica species, and broccoli in particular, are associated with reduced risk of several important cancers. Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient that is covalently bound in a number of different chemical forms found in plants. Broccoli accumulates Se many-fold beyond the concentration of Se in the soil, and the chemical form of Se in broccoli is similar to the chemical form in high-Se garlic, a food with unique chemoprotective properties. Se from broccoli grown to accumulate more than 500 µg Se/g did not accumulate in rat tissues or increase glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity to the same extent as Se salts or seleno-amino acids. Se from high-Se broccoli decreased the incidence of aberrant crypts in rats with chemically induced colon cancer by more than 50%, compared with controls. Se from high-Se broccoli also decreased the incidence of mammary tumors in rats treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthrac...
A computational thermodynamic model of the Ca-Mg-Zn system

Abstract The phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of the Mg–Ca–Zn ternary system were analyzed and a complete thermodynamic description of the system was obtained using a computerized optimization procedure. Based on the experimental data, one ternary intermetallic compound was considered for the model, while another ternary intermetallic compound was speculated. The calculated results were compared with the experimental data in the literature.
The Top 10 Things Nephrologists Wish Every Primary Care Physician Knew

Renal disease is commonly encountered by primary care physicians during their day-to-day visits with patients. Common renal disorders include hypertension, proteinuria, kidney stones, and chronic kidney disease. Despite their prevalence, many physicians may be unfamiliar with the diagnosis and initial treatment of these common renal disorders. Early recognition and intervention are important in slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease and preventing its complications. The evidence-based pearls in this article will help primary care physicians avoid common pitfalls in the recognition and treatment of such disorders and guide their decision to refer their patients to a specialist.
Confidence sets based on sequential Tests

For given (small) a and β a sequential confidence set that covers the true parameter point with probability at least 1 - a and one or more specified false parameter points with probability at most β can be generated by a family of sequen-tial tests. Several situations are described where this approach would be a natural one. The following example is studied in some detail: obtain an upper (1 - α)-confidence interval for a normal mean μ (variance known) with β-protection at μ - δ(μ), where δ(.) is not bounded away from 0 so that a truly sequential procedure is mandatory. Some numerical results are presented for intervals generated by (1) sequential probability ratio tests (SPRT's), and (2) generalized sequential probability ratio tests (GSPRT's). These results indicate the superiority of the GSPRT-generated intervals over the SPRT-generated ones if expected sample size is taken as performance criterion
Pseudomonas aeruginosa vesicles associate with and are internalized by human lung epithelial cells

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the major pathogen associated with chronic and ultimately fatal lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). To investigate how P. aeruginosa-derived vesicles may contribute to lung disease, we explored their ability to associate with human lung cells. Purified vesicles associated with lung cells and were internalized in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Vesicles from a CF isolate exhibited a 3- to 4-fold greater association with lung cells than vesicles from the lab strain PAO1. Vesicle internalization was temperature-dependent and was inhibited by hypertonic sucrose and cyclodextrins. Surface-bound vesicles rarely colocalized with clathrin. Internalized vesicles colocalized with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker, TRAPα, as well as with ER-localized pools of cholera toxin and transferrin. CF isolates of P. aeruginosa abundantly secrete PaAP (PA2939), an aminopeptidase that associates with the surface of vesicles. Vesicles from a PaAP knockout strain exhibited a 40% decrease in cell association. Likewise, vesicles from PAO1 overexpressing PaAP displayed a significant increase in cell association. These data reveal that PaAP promotes the association of vesicles with lung cells. Taken together, these results suggest that P. aeruginosa vesicles can interact with and be internalized by lung epithelial cells and contribute to the inflammatory response during infection.
Ginkgo biloba inhibits hydrogen peroxide–induced activation of nuclear factor kappa B in vascular endothelial cells

The present study determined the effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and the level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). H2O2 showed a concentration-dependent activation of NF-kappaB. GBE demonstrated a concentration-dependent suppression of NF-kappaB activated by H2O2. GBE directly scavenged H2O2 in a cell-free system; it also decreased H2O2 levels in PAEC. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of GBE on H2O2-induced NF-kappaB activation may be caused by its scavenging and suppression of H2O2. Our experiments demonstrate that GBE can inhibit NF-kappaB activation induced by H2O2 and may thus be effective for the prevention or treatment of atherosclerosis and other disorders related to NF-kappaB activation.
The Elusive Bose Metal

The conventional theory of metals is in crisis. In the past 15 years, there has been an unexpected sprouting of metallic states in low-dimensional systems, directly contradicting conventional wisdom. For example, bosons are thought to exist in one of two ground states: condensed in a superconductor or localized in an insulator. However, several experiments on thin metal-alloy films have observed that a metallic phase disrupts the direct transition between the superconductor and the insulator. We analyze the experiments on the insulator-superconductor transition and argue that the intervening metallic phase is bosonic. All relevant theoretical proposals for the Bose metal are discussed, particularly the recent idea that the metallic phase is glassy. The implications for the putative vortex-glass state in the copper oxide superconductors are examined.