cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PAR1- and PAR2-induced innate immune markers are negatively regulated by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in oral keratinocytes

Background Protease-Activated Receptors (PARs), members of G-protein-coupled receptors, are activated by proteolytic activity of various proteases. Activation of PAR1 and PAR2 triggers innate immune responses in human oral keratinocytes (HOKs), but the signaling pathways downstream of PAR activation in HOKs have not been clearly defined. In this study, we aimed to determine if PAR1- and PAR2-mediated signaling differs in the induction of innate immune markers CXCL3, CXCL5 and CCL20 via ERK, p38 and PI3K/Akt.
An achromatic proton microbeam of 1.06 MeV energy and 0.1 μm linewidth

Abstract Protons from a Van de Graaff accelerator were focused with an achromatic quadrupole doublet with lenses of 60 mm length and 1.04 mm electric bore. The procedure for compensating second-order parasitic aberrations using the electrodes of the lenses is summarized, and parameters of parasitic hexapoles are found. Third-order aberrations were accurately measured and are shown to be small at the apertures used. First-order parasitic aberration was trimmed to zero simultaneously in both principal sections by applying an electric rotation voltage to the upstream lens. A test was conducted using a lens aperture set small enough to avoid residual second-order effects. As the object slits were narrowed, the focused beam line width decreased in a linear fashion from 1.0 to 0.1 μm.
Comparison of glycated albumin and hemoglobin A1c levels in diabetic subjects on hemodialysis

Glycated albumin is thought to more accurately reflect glycemic control in diabetic hemodialysis patients than hemoglobin A 1c because of shortened red cell survival. To test this, glycated hemoglobin and albumin levels were measured in blood samples collected from 307 diabetic subjects of whom 258 were on hemodialysis and 49 were without overt renal disease. In diabetic subjects with renal disease, relative to those without, the mean serum glucose and glycated albumin concentrations were significantly higher while hemoglobin A 1c tended to be lower. The glycated albumin to hemoglobin A 1c ratio was significantly increased in dialysis patients compared with the controls. Hemoglobin A 1c was positively associated with hemoglobin and negatively associated with the erythropoietin dose in hemodialysis patients, whereas these factors and serum albumin did not significantly impact glycated albumin levels. Using best-fit multivariate models, dialysis status significantly impacted hemoglobin A 1c levels without a significant effect on glycated albumin. Our results show that in diabetic hemodialysis patients, hemoglobin A 1c levels significantly underestimate glycemic control while those of glycated albumin more accurately reflect this control.
Study of the chemical activation of hydroxyapatite rich ashes as raw materials for geopolymers

Abstract The behaviour of ashes, deriving from mixed vegetal and animal biomass incineration, was studied in different alkaline and acidic environments, in order to assess their suitability as primary raw material for low-temperature chemical consolidation. Mixed biomass ashes are mainly based on calcium phosphate and secondly on aluminosilicate compounds; they still represent an unexplored source material to be used in alternative ceramics production. Their chemical behaviour was studied as a function of pH and chemical nature of the leaching solutions, to identify the suitable conditions for ashes chemical consolidation. Preliminary results indicated that acidic digestion of ashes, regardless acid counterion nature, is able to determine the complete decomposition of complex calcium-phosphate phases. Then it allows recombination of dissolved phases into new ones, thus promoting chemical consolidation. Alkaline media were found to be less effective, however, biomass ashes might be successfully regarded as partially reactive fillers for alkali-activated materials.
Alveolar hemorrhage in patients with rheumatic disease

The terms pulmonary hemorrhage, intrapulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary capillary hemorrhage, lung hemorrhage, diffuse microvascular lung hemorrhage, alveolar hemorrhage (AH), immune alveolar hemorrhage , and pulmonary alveolar hemorrhage are often used interchangeably in the literature. Usually these terms refer to bleeding that originates in small vessels of the pulmonary circulation (capillaries, venules, and arterioles), and, usually, the majority of the alveolar capillary basement membrane surface is involved. This makes such bleeding distinctly different from other far more common causes of hemoptysis caused by focal problems in the airways and lung parenchyma (Table 1). Outlined in Figure 1 are the sources of pulmonary bleeding. These include the pulmonary circulation , a low-pressure circuit with normal pulmonary artery pressures of 15 to 20 mmHg systolic and 5 to 10 mmHg diastolic, and the bronchial circulation , consisting of bronchial arteries, which branch from the aorta and have systemic arterial pressures, and bronchial veins, which drain into the systemic veins to the right side of the heart. Normal bronchial and pulmonary circulation are interconnected thus: the bronchial arterial blood feeding the proximal airways (e.g., trachea and mainstem bronchi) drains into bronchial veins and empties into the right side of the heart, whereas bronchial arterial blood feeding the intrapulmonary airways and lung tissue drains through bronchopulmonary anastomoses into the pulmonary veins and left side of the heart. 60 In most causes of hemoptysis listed in Table 1 (except alveolar hemorrhage), the bronchial rather than the pulmonary circulation is the source of the bleeding. The alveoli are only affected secondarily when blood from larger airways is aspirated. In rheumatic diseases, however, the small vessels of the pulmonary circulation are usually the source of the bleeding, and the majority of the alveolar capillary basement membrane surface is involved, producing diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. For consistency and clarity, the term alveolar hemorrhage will be used in the rest of this chapter, avoiding modifiers like immune (because an immune etiology cannot always be substantiated) or diffuse (because the process can be focal). The less specific term hemoptysis or pulmonary hemorrhage will be reserved for situations when the source of bleeding is not clear or is not important to specify.
Early pulmonary homograft failure from dilatation due to distal pulmonary artery stenosis

Early progressive pulmonary homograft insufficiency developed in an 11-month-old infant after repair of truncus arteriosus because of dilatation secondary to the presence of residual distal pulmonary artery stenosis and hypoplasia. Before repair, the pulmonary artery branches were discontinuous, with the right pulmonary artery being somewhat hypoplastic and originating from the trunk, and the left pulmonary artery supplied by a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt created in the newborn period. At repair, a pulmonary homograft was used to connect the branches. Progressive cardiomegaly and oxygen dependance occurred 3 weeks postoperatively. Cardiac catheterization showed systemic right ventricular pressure, severe homograft insufficiency, and residual distal pulmonary artery stenosis and hypoplasia. On reoperation at 3 months postoperatively, the homograft annulus diameter increased from 14 mm to 16 mm. Dilatation and insufficiency probably occurred because the right ventricle and homograft distal to the obstruction functioned as a unit during systole. The problem might have been minimized with the use of aortic homograft, which is thicker, or annular reinforcement with a synthetic material.
The proportion of cancer attributable to alcohol consumption

Abstract Existing evidence leaves little room for doubt that alcoholic beverages are carcinogenic. Alcohol is a risk factor for cancer of the oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, and possibly the liver. The extent to which carcinogenicity is attributable to the alcohol per se, or to other components of some or all of the beverages that contain it, is unclear. The alcohol effect, at least for cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, depends on tobacco consumption. About 3% of all U.S. cancers in 1974 are attributable to alcohol; the small proportion and the dependence on tobacco mitigate against antidrinking campaigns for the primary prevention of cancer. It is likely that antismoking campaigns would be more effective than antidrinking campaigns in preventing alcohol-related cancers.
The uneven acceptance of CAD

Abstract In some areas, the take-up of CAD to increase design office efficiency has been dramatic. In other areas of design, where, apparently the same conditions exist and the same software and hardware facilities are available for adoption, the new techniques have been eschewed. The barriers to acceptance range from those which are currently insurmountable, such as unfavourable economics or inadequate technology, to those which are merely mythical, such as the often-cited misconception that CAD causes unemployment.
Election Reform and Direct Democracy Campaign Finance Regulations in the American States

Changes in rules governing how legislators seek office, such as term limits, open primary laws, and regulations on campaign contributions, might not always find majority support in a state legislature. Direct democracy provides groups advocating such policies with an extra method for shaping the public agenda, a method that is absent in noninitiative states. This may lead initiative states to implement different electoral laws than noninitiative states. We test if direct democracy is associated with the regulations a state places on contributions to legislative candidates. We find that states with frequent initiative use placed more restrictions on contributors between 1984 and 1998 and that initiative states were more likely than noninitiative states to increase regulations on contributions from political parties and political action committees.
Solution structure of a putative ribosome binding protein from Mycoplasma pneumoniae and comparison to a distant homolog

The solution structure of MPN156, a ribosome-binding factor A (RBFA) protein family member from Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is presented. The structure, solved by nuclear magnetic resonance, has a type II KH fold typical of RNA binding proteins. Despite only approximately 20% sequence identity between MPN156 and another family member from Escherichia coli, the two proteins have high structural similarity. The comparison demonstrates that many of the conserved residues correspond to conserved elements in the structures. Compared to a structure based alignment, standard alignment methods based on sequence alone mispair a majority of amino acids in the two proteins. Implications of these discrepancies for sequence based structural modeling are discussed.
Crime in the U.S. and the Former U.S.S.R.: A Comparison of Crime Trends from the Third United Nations World Survey

This paper compares crime data from the U.S. and the former U.S.S.R. for the period 1980–86. Data were obtained from the Third United Nations World Survey in which both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. participated. Findings on trends for these years are presented.
Effects of ionizing radiation on oxidized silicon surfaces and planar devices

This paper examines in detail the effects of high and low energy electron, X-ray, and ultraviolet radiation on oxidized silicon surfaces and planar devices. Two permanent effects of ionizing radiation on oxidized silicon surfaces are distinguished: 1) The buildup of a positive space charge within the oxide, and 2) The creation of fast surface states at the oxide-silicon interface resulting in increased surface recombination velocity. The dependence of these effects on dose and dose rate, on bias applied during irradiation, and on structural parameters is discussed and a theory is presented which accounts for the observed features of the space-charge buildup. This theory involves trapping of holes which are generated within the oxide by the radiation. It is shown that all details of the experimental observations can be accounted for by assuming a high density of hole traps near the oxide-silicon interface which decays rapidly with distance into the oxide. Radiation-induced changes in the characteristics of MOS and junction field-effect transistors, p-n junction diodes, and p-n-p and n-p-n transistors are reported and examined in terms of the above two effects. It is shown that the charge buildup causes shifts in the operating point of MOS transistors, catastrophic increases in the reverse current of p-n junctions, and variations in their breakdown voltage. The increase in fast surface-state density is responsible for the lowering of the transconductance of MOS transistors and, in combination with the space-charge buildup, for the degradation of the current gain in bipolar transistors. It is shown that junction field-effect transistors are relatively insensitive to both effects of ionizing radiation and therefore offer the most promise for use in ionizing radiation environments.
Low-fat diets do not lower plasma cholesterol levels in healthy men compared to high-fat diets with similar fatty acid composition at constant caloric intake

In most studies reporting the effects of high-fat (HF) and low-fat (LF) diets on human plasma fatty acids (FA) and lipoprotein levels, the design involved adding to the diet an oil that had an FA composition (FAC) very different from the FAC of the control diet. Thus, it is difficult to determine if simply reducing the fat content of the diet without changing the dietary FAC changes the tissue FAC or alters plasma lipid levels. In this study, we fed diets that contained either 22 or 39% of calories from fat, but had no differences in their FAC, for 50 d to a group (n=11) of healthy men (20–35 y). Thus, the polyunsaturated/saturated ratios (1.0) of the diets were identical as were the n−3/n−6 ratio and the monounsaturated-to-total fat ratios. The diets contained (wt% of total fat) approximately 28% saturated FA, 33% monounsaturatedcis-FA, 6% monounsaturatedtrans-FA, 22% n−6 polyunsaturated FA, and 7% n−3 polyunsaturated FA, and 4% other minor FA. The diets consisted of natural foods and were formulated to contain 16 en% protein, either 45 or 62 en% carbohydrate (CHO) and at least the recommended dailyallowance for all micronutrients. Both diets contained 360 mg of cholesterol per day. All subjects were given the HF diet for 20 d, and then six were placed on the LF and the other five remained on the HF diet for 50 d. The two groups were crossedover for the remaining 50 d of the study. The subjects' baseline total cholesterol level was 173 mg/dl, after 50 d on the HF diet it was 177 mg/dl and after 50 d on the LF diet, 173 mg/dl. The differences were not significant, and there were no significant changes in either the LDL or HDL cholesterol levels with either diet. Triglyceride levels, and consequently very low density lipoprotein levels, rose significantly on the LF, higher CHO diet compared to the levels found in the subjects on the HF diet (91.5 and 66.4 mg/dl respectively,P<0.002). The linoleic acid content of the plasma, platelets, and red blood cells was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in the LF diet compared to HF diet, without any obvious physiological effects. Hence, many earlier observations indicating reductions in plasma lipid levels when people are on LF diets may be due to changes in the FAC of the diet, not the reduction in fat calories.
The diminishing utility of economic growth: From maximizing security toward maximizing subjective well‐being

Abstract Twenty years ago, Tibor Scitovsky questioned the assumption, embedded in neoclassical economics, that human happiness will be augmented if the level of consumption either rises or becomes more uniform over time. Evidence from the 1990–1993 World Values Survey suggests that his doubts were well‐founded: although economic gains apparently make a major contribution to subjective well‐being as one moves from societies at the subsistence level to those with moderate levels of economic development, further economic growth seems to have little or no impact on subjective well‐being. This transition seems to reflect a basic cultural change that results in the diminishing marginal utility of economic growth.
Soot Particle Measurements in Steady and Unsteady Laminar Diffusion Flames Using Laser-Induced Incandescence

Laser-Induced Incandescence (LII) is used in this study to measure the soot volume fraction for steady and unsteady laminar ethylene diffusion flames. For the steady flame the soot profiles obtained in this study using LII showed good agreement with those obtained previously using scattering/extinction technique. For the unsteady or flickering flames, we generated very repeatable time-varying diffusion flames by forcing the fuel flow at frequencies between 1–10 Hz. Phase lock images of the soot volume fractions were obtained for different phases between 0° and 360°. The sequential images showed the dynamics of the interactions between the generated vortices in the fuel and the flame. The phase-locked soot images revealed the entire motion process of the soot field during each pulsation period. The results obtained in the course of this study show that the soot emission decreased by lowering the oscillation frequency of the flame.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Transduction and selection of human T cells with novel CD34/thymidine kinase chimeric suicide genes for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease.

Clinical trials evaluating the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk)/ganciclovir (GCV) suicide gene therapy system for the control of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) have been limited by low transduction efficiencies and inefficient selection procedures. In this study, we designed and evaluated a novel chimeric suicide gene consisting of the extracellular and transmembrane domains of human CD34 and full-length HSV-tk (CD34-tk). High-efficiency transfer of CD34-tk to primary human T cells was accomplished after a single exposure to VSV-G-pseudotyped, Moloney murine leukemia virus-based retrovirus 48 h after activation of human PBMCs with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies immobilized on magnetic beads. Using an optimized 5-day transduction and selection procedure, transduction efficiencies averaged 71%, with isolation purities greater than 95% and yields exceeding 90%. The immunoselected T cells were selectively eliminated by GCV (IC50 3 nM), maintained a normal subset composition, exhibited a polyclonal TCR V family repertoire, and contained 5 or 6 vector copies per transduced cell when optimally transduced. No increase in GCV sensitivity was observed upon incorporation of highly active mutant HSV-tk enzymes into the CD34-tk suicide gene. T cells modified with the CD34-tk gene using the optimized protocol should improve the overall efficacy of the HSV-tk/GCV suicide gene therapy method of GVHD control.
Bile acids in treatment of ocular disease

Bear bile has been included in Asian pharmacopeias for thousands of years in treatment of several diseases, ranging from sore throat to hemorrhoids. The hydrophilic bile acids tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) are the major bile acids of bear bile. Both of these are available as synthetic formulations and are approved by the health administrations of several countries for treatment of cirrhosis and gallstones. This review briefly covers the use of bear bile in Traditional Chinese Medicine, bile acid physiology, approved use of UDCA and TUDCA in Western medicine, and recent research exploring their neuroprotective properties, including in models of ocular disease.
Effect of Processing Under Ultraviolet Light on the Shelf Life of Fresh‐Cut Cantaloupe Melon

The effect of processing cantaloupe melon under ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation on storage properties of the cut fruit at 10 °C was compared with post-cut UV-C fruit treatment and the untreated control. Cutting fruit under UV-C light induced a hypersensitive defense response that resulted in increased accumulation of ascorbate peroxidase relative to the other 2 treatments. Fruit processed under UV-C radiation had the lowest esterase activity throughout the storage period. Lipase activity was higher in post-cut treated fruit than fruit processed under UV-C light and the control fruit. Lipase activity, however, decreased rapidly in fruit processed under UV-C and was undetectable after 7 d of storage. Human sensory aroma evaluation indicates reduced rancidity, and instrumental texture measurements suggested improved firmness retention in fruit cut under UV-C radiation. The treatment also reduced respiration during cut fruit storage. UV-C was effective in reducing yeast, mold, and Pseudomonas spp populations in both treatments. Fresh-cut pieces from whole melon cut under UV light had lower populations of aerobic mesophilic and lactic acid bacteria relative to the control and post-cut treated pieces. Results indicate that while post-cut application of UV improved shelf life of cut cantaloupe melon, cutting fruit under UV-C radiation further improves product quality.
The linkage between velocity patterns and sediment entrainment in a forced-pool and riffle unit.

A field-based project was initiated in order to characterize velocities and sediment entrainment in a forced-pool and riffle sequence. Three-dimensional velocities and turbulence intensities were measured with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter at 222 different points at three similar flows that averaged approximately 4·35 m 3 s −1 within a large pool-riffle unit on North Saint Vrain Creek, Colorado. Sediment-sorting patterns were observed with the introduction of 500 tracer particles painted according to initial seeding location. Tracer particles moved sporadically during a 113 day period in response to the annual snowmelt peak flow, which reached a maximum level of 14·8 m 3 s −1 . Velocity data indicate high instantaneous velocities and turbulence levels in the centre of pools. Patterns of sediment deposition support the notion that stream competence is higher in the pool than the downstream riffle. Flow convergence around a large channel constriction appears to play a major role in multiple processes that include helical flow development and sediment routing, and backwater development with low velocities and turbulence levels above the constriction that may locally limit sediment supply. Jet flow, flow separation, vortex scour and turbulence generation enhance scour in the centre of pools. Ultimately, multiple processes appear to play some role in maintenance of this forced pool and the associated riffle. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.
A Refracted Reality of Everyday Life: The Constructed Culture of a Therapeutic Community

Focusing on the charismatic authority of its Founder/ Director, the ideology, and formal social structure of a holistic therapeutic community for schizophrenics, this paper examines the process of reality construction in an alternative therapeutic milieu. Data was provided from a field work study involving Intensive participant observation over a two year period and open-ended interviews. Within a phenomenological perspective, therapeutic work is viewed as a cognitive activity that not only redefines and transforms the meanings of everyday life but also one that in the process of redefining produces a peculiar cognitive style—a specific tension of consciousness—through a specific epochs. By virtue of this sustained bracket and a self-consciously created culture the therapeutic community is seen as constructing its own version of reality and a peculiar social world.
Numerical modeling of effect of polyurea on response of steel plates to impulsive loads in direct pressure-pulse experiments

Abstract Results of computational modeling and simulation of the response of monolithic DH-36 steel plates and bilayer steel-polyurea plates to impulsive loads in direct pressure-pulse experiments ( Amini et al., in press-b ), are presented and discussed. The corresponding experiments and their results are presented in an accompanying paper ( Amini et al., 2010 ). The entire experimental setup is modeled using the finite-element code, LS-DYNA, in which a physics-based temperature- and strain rate-sensitive constitutive model for DH-36 steel, developed by Nemat-Nasser and Guo (2003b ) and an experimentally supported temperature-, rate-, and pressure-sensitive constitutive model for polyurea, developed and incorporated into the computer code, LS-DYNA, by Amirkhizi et al. (2006) , have been implemented. The transient response of the plates under impulsive pressure loads is studied, focusing on the effects of the relative position of polyurea with respect to the loading direction, the thickness of the polyurea layer, and the polyurea-steel interface bonding strength. The numerical simulations of the entire experiment support the experimentally observed results reported by Amini et al. (2010) .
Toward a framework for ecologies of artifacts: how are digital artifacts interconnected within a personal life?

Assuming that an interactive artifact cannot be fully understood by itself due to their increasing number, we explored how individual artifacts are related to each other and how those relationships can be investigated for further design and research implications. This study suggests a concept of ecology of artifacts to describe any implicit or explicit relationships among interactive artifacts in one's personal life. We conducted two types of studies -- personal inventory study and an ecology map study -- to explore multiple dimensions for understanding a personal ecology of artifacts. We expect the knowledge of artifact ecology would help designers and researchers in the field of HCI to create and analyze interactive artifacts considering their dynamic interplays in an increasingly ubiquitous technology environment.
Elucidation of the Molecular Mechanisms of Action of the Natural Antimicrobial Peptide Subtilosin Against the Bacterial Vaginosis-associated Pathogen Gardnerella vaginalis

Subtilosin A is a 35-amino acid long cyclical peptide produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens that has potent antimicrobial activity against a variety of human pathogens, including the bacterial vaginosis-related Gardnerella vaginalis. The specific mode of action of subtilosin against G. vaginalis was elucidated by studying its effects on the proton motive force's (PMF) components: transmembrane electric potential (ΔΨ), transmembrane pH gradient (ΔpH), and intracellular ATP levels. The addition of subtilosin to G. vaginalis cells caused an immediate and total depletion of the ΔpH, but had no effect on the ΔΨ. Subtilosin also triggered an instant but partial efflux of intracellular ATP that was twofold higher than that of the positive control bacteriocin, nisin. Taken together, these data suggest that subtilosin inhibits G. vaginalis growth by creating transient pores in the cells' cytoplasmic membrane, leading to an efflux of intracellular ions and ATP and eventually cell death.
THE THEORY OF DIFFUSION IN CELL MODELS

The differential equations which describe the simultaneous diffusion of water and a salt in a cell model have been formulated and solved. The equations have been derived from the general laws which describe diffusion processes, thereby furnishing a physical interpretation for the constants which enter into the theory. The theoretical time curves for the two diffusing substances are in good agreement with the experimentally determined curves and accurately reproduce all of the essential characteristics of the experiment.
Assessment of graduate public health education in Nepal and perceived needs of faculty and students

Despite the large body of evidence suggesting that effective public health infrastructure is vital to improving the health status of populations, many universities in developing countries offer minimal opportunities for graduate training in public health. In Nepal, for example, only two institutions currently offer a graduate public health degree. Both institutions confer only a general Masters in Public Health (MPH), and together produce 30 graduates per year. The objective of this assessment was to identify challenges in graduate public health education in Nepal, and explore ways to address these challenges. The assessment included in-person school visits and data collection through semi-structured in-depth interviews with primary stakeholders of Nepal’s public health academic sector. The 72 participants included faculty, students, alumni, and leaders of institutions that offered MPH programs, and the leadership of one government-funded institution that is currently developing an MPH program. Data were analyzed through content analysis to identify major themes. Six themes characterizing the challenges of expanding and improving graduate public health training were identified: 1) a shortage of trained public health faculty, with consequent reliance on the internet to compensate for inadequate teaching resources; 2) teaching/learning cultures and bureaucratic traditions that are not optimal for graduate education; 3) within-institution dominance of clinical medicine over public health; 4) a desire for practice–oriented, contextually relevant training opportunities; 5) a demand for degree options in public health specialties (for example, epidemiology); and 6) a strong interest in international academic collaboration. Despite an enormous need for trained public health professionals, Nepal’s educational institutions face barriers to developing effective graduate programs. Overcoming these barriers will require: 1) increasing the investment in public health education and 2) improving the academic environment of educational institutions. Long term, committed academic collaborations with international universities may be a realistic way to: 1) redress immediate inadequacies in resources, including teachers; 2) encourage learning environments that promote inquiry, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking; and 3) support development of the in-country capacity of local institutions to produce a cadre of competent, well-trained public health practitioners, researchers, teachers, and leaders.
HIGH-PRESSURE AND HIGH-TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIS OF LaCo2

Abstract High pressures and high temperatures were used to synthesize previously unknown LaCo 2 . This compound has the cubic MgCu 2 -type structure with a lattice parameter of 7.449 A. Attempts to prepare EuCo 2 and LaCo 3 were not successful.
Crust and upper mantle structure of the Transantarctic Mountains and surrounding regions from receiver functions, surface waves, and gravity: Implications for uplift models

[1] This study uses seismic receiver functions, surface wave phase velocities, and airborne gravity measurements to investigate the structure of the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) and adjacent regions of the Ross Sea (RS) and East Antarctica (EA). Forty-one broadband seismometers deployed during the Transantarctic Mountain Seismic Experiment provide new insight into the differences between the TAM, RS, and EA crust and mantle. Combined receiver function and phase velocity inversion with niching genetic algorithms produces accurate crustal and upper mantle seismic velocity models. The crustal thickness increases from 20 ± 2 km in the RS to a maximum of 40 ± 2 km beneath the crest of the TAM at 110 ± 10 km inland. Farther inland, the crust of EA is uniformly 35 ± 3 km thick over a lateral distance greater than 1300 km. Upper mantle shear wave velocities vary from 4.5 km s � 1 beneath EA to 4.2 km s � 1 beneath RS, with a transition between the two at 100 ± 50 km inland near the crest of the TAM. The � 5k m thick crustal root beneath the TAM has an insufficient buoyant load to explain the entire TAM uplift, suggesting some portion of the uplift may result from flexure associated with a buoyant thermal load in the mantle beneath the edge of the TAM lithosphere.
Alternate-Day Dosing of HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors for Cholesterol Reduction

OBJECTIVE:Assess efficacy, safety, and cost of alternate-day dosing with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (HRIs).DATA:International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and MEDLINE (English-language clinical trials, 1966–April 2000) were searched.DATA SYNTHESIS:Established efficacy of HRIs is based on daily administration. Many patients who could benefit from these agents are unable to afford them; therefore, alternate-day dosing may be a solution for reducing expense without decreasing therapy benefits. Studies addressing alternate-day HRI therapy are evaluated to determine the usefulness of this option for cholesterol reduction.CONCLUSIONS:Although limited studies imply a trend toward benefit with alternate-day HRI therapy, large, controlled, randomized trials are needed before making this a standard recommendation.
Effects of mu- and kappa-2 opioid receptor agonists on pain and rearing behaviors

Background Management of pain involves a balance between inhibition of pain and minimization of side effects; therefore, in developing new analgesic compounds, one must consider the effects of treatment on both pain processing and behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the mu and kappa-2 opioid receptor agonists on general and pain behavioral outcomes.
REMARKS ON A CONJECTURE OF FONTAINE AND MAZUR

We show that a continuous, odd, regular (non-exceptional), ordinary, irreducible, two-dimensional, -adic representation of the absolute Galois group of the rational numbers is modular over some totally real field. We deduce that it occurs in the -function has meromorphic continuation to the whole complex plane and satisfies the expected functional equation.AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 11F80. Secondary 11G40
Trends in High Blood Pressure among United States Adolescents across Body Weight Category between 1988 and 2012.

Objective To examine trends in pre-high blood pressure (BP [HBP]) and HBP among US adolescents by body weight category during 1988-2012. Study design We estimated pre-HBP and HBP prevalence among 14 844 participants aged 12-19 years using National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988-1994, 1999-2002, 2003-2006, and 2007-2012. Pre-HBP and HBP were defined based on age-sex-height-specific BP percentiles. We examined the temporal trends in pre-HBP and HBP across category of body weight (normal weight vs overweight/obese), adjusted for potential explanatory factors, and estimated the number of adolescents with pre-HBP and HBP. Results Between 1988 and 2012, the prevalence of HBP decreased and pre-HBP did not change. Among normal weight adolescents, multivariable adjusted pre-HBP prevalence was 11.0% during 1988-2012, and 10.9% during 2007-2012 (P = .923 for trend); adjusted HBP prevalence increased from 1988-1994 (0.9%) to 1999-2002 (2.3%), then declined significantly to 1.4% during 2007-2012 (P = .049). Among overweight/obese adolescents, adjusted pre-HBP prevalence was 17.5% during 1988-2012, and 20.9% during 2007-2012 (P = .323); adjusted HBP prevalence declined significantly from 7.2% during 1988-1994 to 3.2% during 2007-2012 (P = .018). Because of population growth, estimated number of adolescents with pre-HBP or HBP increased, from 4.18 million during 1988-1994 to 5.59 million during 2007-2012. Conclusions Between 1988 and 2012, pre-HBP prevalence was consistently higher among overweight/obese adolescent than those of normal weight, and the pattern remain unchanged. HBP prevalence declined significantly, especially among overweight/obese adolescent that are not completely explained by sociodemographic or lifestyle characteristics.
Intrauterine oxygen tension in the rat during progestation: its possible relation to carbohydrate metabolism and the regulation of nidation.

Intrauterine oxygen tension was measured in vivo in the adult rat throughout pseudopregnancy and during the first 6 days of pregnancy. Average pO2 increased from 22 mm Hg during Day O (estrus) to between 35 and 40 mm Hg during Days 1–4 of the luteal phase. No significant differences were measured between pseudopregnant and pregnant rats. Between Days 4 and 5, a significant increase in pO2 was measured in nondecidualizing uteri of pseudopregnant or unilaterally pregnant rats. Oxygen tension was measured at 59 mm Hg by Day 7 of pseudopregnancy, after which a gradual decline to 37 mm Hg on Day 12 was measured. In contrast, pO2 in decidualized cornua did not change significantly during Days 4–5 of progestation or during Days 4–9 of pseudopregnancy. The present evidence, correlated with studies of uterine respiration, indicated an inverse relation between intrauterine pO2 and oxygen consumption, suggesting that during the pre-implantation period, the conceptus and the uterus may compete for available oxygen. C...
A model for the function of glycosaminoglycans in the urinary tract

Investigations into the antibacterial defense mechanisms of the urinary tract revealed an important function for cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAG), that of a generalized antiadherent activity. This activity was found to prevent bacterial, protein, and ionic adherence to the cell membrane. A model was developed to explain mechanically the activity of sulfated polysaccharides at the bladder surface. The model predicted injurious effects of quaternary amines and also that the mucus would be the so-called blood-urine barrier. It also led to the hypothesis that exogenous polysaccharides may be important in treating bladder disease such as infection and interstitial cystitis. For the first clinical test of these concepts, a polysaccharide was employed in several double-blind studies and was shown to ameliorate significantly the symptoms of interstitial cystitis. These discoveries suggest new methods to manipulate the microenvironment between the transitional cell surface and the urine, leading to novel therapies in regulating disease of the genitourinary tract. They also stress the importance of understanding the mechanisms by which GAGs exert their effect in the urinary tract and how they are produced, maintained, and even inactivated (e.g., by urinary substances such as protamine).
Admissible Traces, Stability and Rate Management of Queueing / Switching Service Structures

This paper studies the slotted time Queueing / Switching Service Structure (QSSS) problem, where service configurations are selected dynamically in response to queue workload backlogs, so as to maintain stability (inflow-outflow balance) when possible. The only assumption on the traffic traces is that the incoming workload in each slot is bounded by some global (per trace), finite, burst ceiling. First, a key condition is identified, based on which each traffic trace can be classified as either admissible or non-admissible. Non-admissible traces drive the QSSS unstable, irrespective of the service configuration algorithm. Under admissible traces, the QSSS will remain stable when a Stabilizing Scheduling Algorithm (SSA) is utilized to control the service configuration. It is shown that Maximum-Weight-Matching (MWM) and Projective-Cone- Scheduling (PCS) belong to the SSA family. In addition, useful, theoretical tools are developed to facilitate trace classification. Second, the impact of rate management (i.e. power management) on stability is theoretically explored. In particular, under mild assumptions, it is proven that 'low workload backlog' decisions have little effect on the stability of a QSSS, provided that above a certain backlog threshold SSA-based service configuration controls are used.
Physician Assistants: Is There a Return to Training?

Summary The major finding of this study is that the private rate of return to training physician assistants, employing the most conservative projections, is approximately 20 per cent, a rate comparable to that found for physicians. This result would seem to suggest that PA training is a good investment for the individual and that future demand for training will be high. The validity of this result, however, depends on the accuracy of the earnings projections that were utilized. Although they appear reasonable, only future observations can confirm their accuracy. The multiple regression model used to test the significance of various independent variables indicated that for the ten-year period analyzed race, sex, and years of education prior to training did not explain differences in net present values of PA training, whereas age, years of health-related experience before training, training in a specialty, and the type of medical practice employing the PA were found to be important. Although this study's findings should be considered tentative, the major policy implication evident from this research is that increases in government support to physician assistant trainees does not appear warranted at this point.
Revisiting the risk of intraparenchymal hemorrhage following aneurysm treatment by flow diversion.

We read with interest the recent case series by Cruz et al,[1][1] reporting their experience with the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED; Chestnut Medical Technologies, Menlo Park, California) in 66 patients with 47 anterior circulation aneurysms. The emphasis of this article was on the high rate of
Marketing Quotas and Random Yields: Marginal Effects of Inframarginal Subsidies on Peanut Supply

The U.S. peanut program restricts domestic sales with poundage quota but allows surplus production to be exported or crushed. Empirical analysis of North Carolina peanut production reveals that the marginal (and lower) price received by production above quota, that is the world price, is far more important in determining acreage than is the inframarginal subsidy of the quota support price.
Role of RXR in Neurite Outgrowth Induced by Docosahexaenoic Acid

We have previously demonstrated that DHA at low micromolar concentrations has a remarkable effect on morphological differentiation of hippocampal neurons by increasing the population of neurons with more branches and longer neurites. In this study, possible involvement of the retinoid X receptor (RXR) in the DHA-induced hippocampal neurite outgrowth was evaluated as DHA is an endogenous ligand for RXR. Immunocytochemical examination revealed that all RXR isoforms, RXR-alpha, -beta 1, -beta 2 and -gamma, are expressed exclusively in neurons with distinctive intracellular distribution. The cell-based dual luciferase reporter assay indicated that DHA activates RXRα at or above 10 μM but not at 1.5 μM where DHA induces neurite outgrowth. Arachidonic acid also activated RXRα in a similar concentration range but with lower efficacy. Our results suggest that DHA-induced neurite outgrowth may not be mediated by direct activation of RXRα, although involvement of other isoforms or DHA metabolites can not be excluded.
Notes on the Distribution of Bailey's Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma Floridana Baileyi) in Nebraska

ABSTRACT. The eastern woodrat (Neotoma floridana) occurs in eastern and central parts of the United States, with 3 subspecies inhabiting Nebraska. Herein, we report on distributional records of N. f. baileyi—an isolated, disjunct subspecies in north-central Nebraska. We searched for diagnostic sign of woodrats in 4 counties in Nebraska and 1 county in South Dakota. We obtained distributional records for N. f. baileyi east, west, and north of known distribution limits in Nebraska, but none in South Dakota. Most distributional records represent range extensions because of lack of prior mammalian surveys in those areas. Observations of woodrats in isolated, human-established woodlots surrounded by prairies represent range expansions because such habitats were not present in the past.
Preprocessing and tightening methods for time-indexed MIP chemical production scheduling models

Abstract We propose a series of preprocessing algorithms for the generation of strong valid inequalities for time-indexed, discrete and continuous, mixed-integer programming scheduling models for problems in network production environments. Specifically, starting from time- and inventory-related instance data, the proposed algorithms use constraint propagation techniques to calculate parameters that are used to bound the number of times subsets of tasks can be executed in a feasible solution. We also extend some of the propagation ideas to generate three classes of new tightening constraints. The proposed methods result in tightening constraints expressed in terms of assignment binary variables (Xijt = 1 if task i is assigned to start on unit j at time point t) which are present in all time-indexed MIP models, therefore they are applicable to all time-indexed models accounting for a wide range of processing features. Finally, the methods are shown to lead to up to two orders of magnitude reduction in computational time when optimal solutions are found and significantly improve optimality gap when a time limit is enforced.
Phosphorus removal by Azolla caroliniana cultured in nutrient enriched waters

Phosphorus removal by Azolla caroliniana cultured in nutrient enriched waters was evaluated under varying environmental and cultural conditions. Azolla growth rates were found to be influenced by plant density, temperature, solar radiation and nutrient composition of the culture medium. Biomass yields were found to be highest during first harvest (5.6 to 7.9 g dry wt m−2 day−1) and yields decreased significantly during subsequent harvests, when plants were cultured without replenishing the depleted nutrients. Phosphorus removal in Azolla systems was found to be due to plant uptake and chemical precipitation. Phosphorus removal due to plant uptake was found to be in the range of 16.7 to 92.1 mg P m−2 day−1. Estimated N2 fixation rates were found to be in the range of 201 to 275 mg N m−2 day−1.
Pioglitazone: lessons and learnings 15 years since launch and beyond

Pioglitazone is a PPARγ agonist that is widely used as an oral antihyperglycemic agent. Its main effect consists of blunting insulin resistance in tissues such as muscle, liver and adipose tissue. Its strength in terms of glycosylated hemoglobin AIc reduction varies within a range of -1.0 to -1.5%. This article examines the role of pioglitazone in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and assesses efficacy data on insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, as well as the effects on hepatic steatosis, endothelial function and cardiovascular risk. Finally, concerns linked to pioglitazone use, such as weight gain, fluid retention, bone fragility, bladder cancer and macular edema, are analyzed finding that pioglitazone use must be balanced between the risks and benefits for each individual patient.