cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytokine induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase in an oligodendrocyte cell line: role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation.

The induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by proinflammatory cytokines was studied in an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell line in relation to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and cytokine-mediated cytotoxicity. When introduced individually to cultures of CG4 cells, the cytokines, i.e., tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), had either minimal (TNF alpha) or no (IL-1 and IFN gamma) detectable stimulatory effect on the production of nitric oxide. However, combinations of these factors, in particular, TNF alpha plus IFN gamma, elicited a strong enhancement of nitric oxide synthesis and, as revealed by western blot and RT-PCR analysis, the expression of iNOS. TNF alpha and IL-1 were able to activate p38 MAPK in a time- and dose-dependent manner and together showed a combinatorial effect. In contrast, IFN gamma neither activated on its own nor enhanced the activation of p38 MAPK in response to TNF alpha and IL-1. However, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, i.e., SB203580, inhibited the induction of iNOS in cytokine combination-treated cells in a dose-dependent manner, thereby suggesting a role for the MAPK cascade in regulating the induction of iNOS gene expression in cytokine-treated cells. Blocking of nitric oxide production by an inhibitor of iNOS, i.e., nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, had a minimal protective effect against cytokine-mediated cytotoxicity that occurred before the elevation of nitric oxide levels, thereby indicating temporal and functional dissociation of nitric oxide production from cell killing.
Sex roles on television: A comparison of eastern and western media

Abstract Research on television sex roles is examined in terms of sex role portrayal, occupational endeavors, attitudes, and personalities. The studies reviewed for the U.S. verified the notion that men and women are still presented in their traditional roles. Women are not portrayed as autonomous, independent human beings, but were primarily sex typed. They were given responsibility for child care and routine home maintenance. On the other hand, men were shown in more serious roles assuming responsibility for family financial support, and thus were very likely to be employed in positions of high occupational status. The studies conducted in Japan and the Philippines likewise adhered faithfully to traditional roles and, in that sense, women were still not functioning to promote an egalitarian life for themselves.
The ultrastructure of chromoplast development in red tomatoes

Plastid morphogenesis in ripening red tomato fruit tissues has been studied by light and electron microscopy. Color changes of the fruit flesh result from the metamorphosis of chloroplasts 3–6 μ in diameter into chromoplasts 15–48 μ in length and 1–2 μ in diameter, which accumulate lycopene as the major pigment component. In most of the red-fruited varieties examined, the chloroplast starch reserves and granal thylakoids disappear prior to or during the initiation of one or more pigmented crystalline plates. Retention of grana in many nearly mature chromoplasts of the Green Flesh mutant is apparently correlated with the continuation of chlorophyll synthesis in the ripening fruit. The crystalline plates are interpreted as flattened membranous sacs (thylakoids) that are usually initiated in close association with membranes apparently persisting from the chloroplast progenitor. Increased longitudinal growth of a given plate is thought to cause overall plastid elongation; transverse growth is accompanied by involution of the lateral edges of the membranous sac to produce a tubular, crystalline, myelinic configuration, which causes little increase in plastid diameter. Simultaneous growth of several plates within a single chromoplast may result in the inclusion of one tubular crystal within another, thus forming a “compound crystal.” The small tablet- or needle-shaped chromoplast crystals found in certain specimens were not typical of the specimens used in this study and therefore are treated only superficially. Even in the very late stages of chromoplast differentiation, the crystals and remaining stroma are surrounded by an intact plastid envelope, which can be consistently demonstrated at the ultrastructural level.
A pheromone mechanism for swaying female mate choice: enhanced affinity for a sexual stimulus in a woodland salamander

Traditionally, male signals have been thought to function in satisfying female choice by conveying meaningful information about a potential mate. However, the male signal, rather than merely providing raw material for female evaluation, may actively modulate a female’s intrinsic preferences or decision-making capabilities in favour of a given male. We propose two broad mechanisms by which male signals could modulate female behaviour: (1) specific augmentation of sexual motivation or (2) heightened general arousal. Specifically, we investigated the ability of a generic male pheromone mix to elicit changes in general activity or affinity for different classes of stimuli in female terrestrial salamanders ( Plethodon shermani ). Attraction to male olfactory stimuli was significantly increased by pheromones, but attraction to visual stimuli and nonsexual olfactory stimuli remained unaffected, as did locomotor activity. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that sex pheromones activate specific behavioural subsystems associated with augmented sexual motivation. This pheromone action may still function within the context of information-transfer signalling, for example, if pheromones influence female choice by affecting (1) sensory processing of relevant stimuli, (2) the value assigned to a set of sexual stimuli, or (3) the criteria used to decide whether to mate.
Isozyme activities in the domestic cat (Felis catus)

Summary Horizontal starch-gel electrophoresis was performed on domestic cat blood and stained for 6-phosphogluconic dehydrogenase (6-PGD), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and tetrazolium oxidase. A polymorphism was found for 6-PGD; LDH and tetrazolium oxidase were monomorphic. These systems were tested on cats of English, Mexican and American origin.
Xigt: extensible interlinear glossed text for natural language processing

This paper presents Xigt, an extensible storage format for interlinear glossed text (IGT). We review design desiderata for such a format based on our own use cases as well as general best practices, and then explore existing representations of IGT through the lens of those desiderata. We give an overview of the data model and XML serialization of Xigt, and then describe its application to the use case of representing a large, noisy, heterogeneous set of IGT.
Ecology and marx's vision of communism

(2003). Ecology and marx's vision of communism. Socialism and Democracy: Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 41-72.
Review: effectiveness of intensive case management for severe mental illness depends on baseline hospital use and organisation.

T Burns Correspondence to: Professor T Burns, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; tom.burns@psych.ox.ac.uk In people with severe mental illness, what factors influence the effectiveness of intensive case management in reducing time in hospital? ### Data sources: Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, and PsycINFO (to January 2007); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 4, 2006); and reference lists. ### Study selection and assessment: randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared intensive case management with standard care or low-intensity case management in community-dwelling adults with severe mental disorder (schizophrenia, schizophrenia-like disorder, bipolar disorder, or depression with psychotic features). Excluded were trials involving an acute crisis team; a control condition of hospital admission, remaining in hospital, or an alternate form of intensive case management; patients with mean age 65 years; and patients with organic brain disorder or learning disability. Trials with inadequate concealment of allocation were also excluded. 29 RCTs (n = 5961, mean age 38 y, 63% men) met the selection criteria and had appropriate outcome data. Of these RCTs, 8 were multicentre trials for which each …
The colorimetric determination of the antihistaminic drug N1‐p‐methoxy benzyl‐N1‐2‐pyridyl‐N1‐dimethyl ethylene diamine (neohetramine)

A colorimetric method for the determination of Neohetramine in biological material and pharmaceutical preparations is described. Extracted residues containing Neohetramine are heated with 2-thiobarbituric acid, and the resulting color is measured in a spectropho-tometer at 510 mμ.
Oronasal distribution of ventilation at different ages.

Abstract The route of breathing, oral or nasal, is a determinant of the doses of inhaled pollutants delivered to target sites in the upper and lower respiratory tracts. We measured partitioning of ventilation, using a divided oronasal mask during a submaximal exercise test, in 37 male and female subjects who ranged in age from 7 to 72 y. The following four patterns of breathing were evident during exercise: (1) nasal only (13.5%), nasal shifting to oronasal (40.5%), oronasal only (40.5%), and oral only (5.4%). Children (i.e., 7–16 y of age) displayed more variability than adults with respect to their patterns of ventilation with exercise. Young adults (i.e., 17–30 y of age) who initially breathed nasally with exercise switched to oral ventilation at a lower percentage of the previously measured maximum ventilation (10.8%) than older subjects (31.8%). The partitioning of ventilation between the nasal and oral routes follows complex patterns that cannot be predicted readily by the age, gender, or nasal airw...
General size effect on strength of bimaterial quasibrittle structures

This paper presents a general size effect equation for the strength of hybrid structures, which are made of two dissimilar quasibrittle materials with a thin and weak bimaterial interface. Depending on the material mismatch and structure geometry, a singular stress field could occur at the bimaterial corner. For structures with strong stress singularities, an energetic size effect is derived based on the equivalent linear elastic fracture mechanics and asymptotic matching. For structures without stress singularities, a finite weakest link model is adopted to derive the size effect. A general scaling equation that bridges the limits of strong and zero stress singularities is formulated by combining the energetic scaling of fracture of the bimaterial corner and the finite weakest link model.
Mobile computing at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

The mobile computing program has transformed computing on our campus. Students and faculty now move about on and offcampus with their laptops and have come to expect constant access to their personal computing environment and to the Internet. Starting with the class of 2003, our students are required to have a laptop computer. The mobile computing program is a four-year phased-in plan with each new freshman class participating in the program. The size of the 2003 freshmen class was 1340 and the size of the class of 2004 is expected to be 1300. Both class sizes are larger than any class for the past 5 years. During our presentation we will discuss the program from the early days of the voluntary laptop pilot program through the early part of the second year of the required program.
Differential effects of partial spikelet removal and defoliation on kernel growth and assimilate partitioning among wheat cultivars

Abstract Among soft red winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, compensatory kernel set does not occur with 50% spikelet removal (SR) at anthesis, but there are differential responses in final kernel mass. It seems that these cultivar differences resulted from sink limitations for nonresponsive cultivars and from source limitations for responsive cultivars. Individual kernel masses and kernel growth rates of sink-limited cultivars are not expected to respond to an increased ratio of source to sink and should be less affected than source-limited cultivars when this ratio is reduced. To compare kernel growth traits of six cultivars that differed in response to 50% SR in a previous experiment, a range of SR treatments and defoliation were used to manipulate ratios of source to sink. Two field experiments were conducted for four years. In the first experiment, all spikes on a plant had 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% SR treatments at anthesis. In the second experiment, sink size was reduced at anthesis by restricting 50% SR to a single culm, and source size was reduced at anthesis by removing all leaf blades from a single culm. Partial SR increased final kernel mass of only responsive cultivars (15–25%), but differences in final kernel mass between the 50 and 75% SR-treated plants were not significant. At maturity, water-soluble carbohydrate levels in stems of all cultivars with 75% SR were less than or equal to those with 100% SR, but greater than those with ≤ 50% SR. Partial SR increased the kernel growth rate of responsive cultivars, which increased the final mass of individual kernels. Kernel N concentrations also were increased. Defoliation decreased kernel growth rate and individual kernel mass of all cultivars; relative decreases were greater for responsive cultivars than for nonresponsive cultivars. The mass and kernel growth rate of individual kernels of responsive cultivars were normally source-limited, while source and sink strengths of nonresponsive cultivars were more closely balanced than those of responsive cultivars.
A new shield for a cytokine storm

Highly virulent influenza virus infection results in excessive cytokine production, recruitment of leukocytes, and immune-mediated pulmonary injury. Teijaro et al. (2011) now demonstrate that sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 ligands suppress all features of flu-inflicted pathological inflammation and place the endothelium at the center of this regulatory network.
Histological changes observed in an Arachnia propionica infection of mice.

Abstract The pathological changes associated with actinomycosis in mice caused by Arachnia propionica have been described. Abscess formation in the liver was the predominant gross and microscopic alteration produced by this organism. Liver abscesses were evident 3 days post challenge and simply enlarged with time. There was no evidence of spontaneous abscess healing. Additionally, multinucleated giant cells were found in an enlarged spleen.
Application of geosynthetics in the construction of an overrun area at La Guardia Airport

Abstract Geosynthetic products were used successfully in the construction of a runway overrun area at New York's La Guardia Airport. A field fabricated geotextile sheet measuring 8.4 hectares was used to provide base reinforcement for the placement of approximately 400,000 m 3 of fill over a 23 m thick layer of normally consolidated clay. The inter-tidal nature of the site and its proximity to active shipping dictated that fill placement be performed using stringent lift and slope criteria. Prefabricated, vertical strip drains were used to accelerate subsoil consolidation. The performance of the drains was very good, back calculated Cv values were approximately 90% of the laboratory derived design value.
Learning How and Learning What: Effects of Tacit and Codified Knowledge on Performance Improvement Following Technology Adoption

This paper examines effects of tacit and codified knowledge on performance improvement as organizations gain experience with a new technology. We draw from knowledge management and learning curve research to predict improvement rate heterogeneity across organizations. We first note that the same technology can present opportunities for improvement along more than one dimension, such as efficiency and breadth of use. We compare improvement for two dimensions: one in which the acquisition of codified knowledge leads to improvement and another in which improvement requires tacit knowledge. We hypothesize that improvement rates across organizations will be more heterogeneous for dimensions of performance that rely on tacit knowledge than for those that rely on codified knowledge (H1), and that group membership stability predicts improvement rates for dimensions relying on tacit knowledge (H2). We further hypothesize that when performance relies on codified knowledge, later adopters should improve more quickly than earlier adopters (H3). All three hypotheses are supported in a study of 15 hospitals learning to use a new surgical technology. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
The expanding universe of inflammatory bowel disease genetics.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. In this review, we will provide an update on the rapid advances in the discovery of inflammatory bowel disease, primarily Crohn's disease, associated genes. RECENT FINDINGS: Seven recently published Crohn's disease genome-wide association studies have confirmed prior findings related to the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) gene and the IBD5 locus. In addition, 10 novel loci have been identified and well replicated. SUMMARY: Several promising associations between Crohn's disease and gene variants have been identified and replicated, the two most widely replicated being variants in the IL23R and ATG16L1 genes. These findings highlight and further support the importance of the immune system and its interactions with the intestinal microflora in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.
Nondestructive determination of wood strength and elasticity by vibration

Die Arbeit berichtet uber zwei neue Verfahren zur zerstorungsfreinen Prufung von Schnittholz, die an der Washington State University entwickelt wurden. Ein Verfahren arbeittt mit transversalen Schwingungen, das andere mit der Fortpflanzung von Spannungswellen. Obwohl der Ausdruck „zerstorungsfreie Prufung” alle Prufweisen umfast, bei denen das zu prufende Material durch den Test nicht zerstort wird, hat sich bis heute das Hauptinteresse mehr jenen Prufmethoden zugewendet, bei welchen die Proben zerstort werden, wie z. B. bei fast allen Festigkeitsprufungen. Gelange es, derartige Prufverfahren zu ersttzen, so wurde sich die Moglichkeit der Totalprufung eroffnen im Gegensatz zur Prufung von mehr oder weniger eng begrenzten Probestucken. Im letzteren Falle ist man auserdem gezwungen, die Prufergebnisse als Stichprobe aus einer groseren Grundgesamtheit anzumehmen, die mit den bekannten statistischen Unsicherheiten behaftet ist. Hinzu kommt, das Holz als Naturstoff durch eine verhaltnismasig grose Variabilitat nahezu aller seiner Eigenschaften gekennzeichnet ist.
Contribution of locomotor activity to the generation of the daily rhythm of body temperature in golden hamsters

The locomotor activity and body temperature of 40 golden hamsters maintained under a 14L:10D light:dark cycle were studied by telemetry. Body temperature was found to be highly correlated with activity. On average, an increase from 0 to 200 units of activity was associated with a 0.7 degrees C increase in body temperature. However, body temperature during the dark phase of the light:dark cycle was 0.3 degrees C higher than during the light phase, irrespective of the activity level. These results indicate that, although activity can affect body temperature, the increase in activity during the dark phase is not the cause of the temperature rhythm. At least 30% of the total daily variation in body temperature is independent of variations in the activity level.
Bounds for a joint distribution function with fixed sub-distribution functions: Application to competing risks.

This paper gives sharp bounds for the joint survival function G(t1, t2,...,tr) ≡ P(X1 > t1, X2 > t2,...,Xr > tr), and for the marginal survival functions Sj(t) ≡ P(Xj > t), j = 1,2,...,r, when the sub-survival functions Sj*(t) ≡ P(Xj > t, Xj = mink=1,2,...,rXk) are fixed. Theorem 1 gives the bounds for r = 2, and Theorem 2 gives the bounds for general r. Theorem 3 applies the result to the competing risks problem, and presents empirical bounds based on the observations. Finally, an example illustrates the bounds.
Teachers' Backgrounds and Beliefs: Influences on Learning to Teach in the Social Studies

Abstract This paper reports an interpretive case study of two certification students involved in a one-year, elementary school post-baccalaureate teacher education program. It describes how students' background knowledge, beliefs, experience, and personalities influenced what they learned in a social studies methods course and their consequent learning to teach. The paper describes the partial and differential ways in which the methods course and certification program influenced the students' beliefs and teaching practices.
Scattering of Stimulated Emission in Laser Materials

An important consideration in the determination of threshold for laser oscillation and of laser efficiency is the scattering and diffraction losses which are present in the resonant optical cavity. Previous techniques for measuring such losses include: (1) conventional techniques for small-angle scattering, and (2) variation of the cavity loss in a known manner [ R. J. Collins D. F. Nelson , in Proceedings of the Conference on Optical Instruments and Techniques, HabellK. J., ed. ( Wiley, New York, 1963)]. The first technique leaves uncertain the acceptance angle of the resonant cavity for scattered radiation. This paper describes the extension of the second method to permit measurement of losses effective in prohibiting laser oscillation in materials which are not operative as laser oscillators. Thus, the technique discussed is useful in evaluating otherwise promising laser materials. Scattering losses in some potential organic laser materials are obtained using the technique described.
Creativity Tests and Teacher and Self Judgments of Originality

IN THE HISTORY of the development of tests of intellectual ability, teacher ratings have played a most important role. Indeed, in the development of intelligence tests, such ratings have probably been used as criteria more frequently than any other type of measure. This would certainly be true if grades are considered tobeaspecial case of teacher rating. Recently, however, teacher ratings have come under heavy criticism as a criterion measure for tests of certain types of intellectual ability. In par ticular, Getzels and Jackson (1, 2) make adistinc tionbetween "high creativity" and "high IQ" types of intellectual ability, and on the b a s i s of t h e ir studies of the two types conclude that teachers much prefer the "high IQ" type of pupil, rate them unduly high, and even reject the "high creativity" type pu pil in their ratings? Since high IQ and high creativ ity type pupils do equally well on objective achieve ment tests, this is interpreted as a major weakness in teacher ratings as a criterion. Torrance (6), on the basis on independent findings, essentially con firms these conclusions. Getzels and Jackson also present "clinical" data which suggests that highly creative pupils recognize their own capacities quite well, and that therefore self ratings may be more appropriate as criteria of creativity than are teach er ratings. The results and conclusions have been g r e eted with enthusiasm by various critics of education,and have been generalized to the point of concluding that teachers are unable to recognize creativity or orig inality. There are, however, difficulties for this interpretation. These difficulties arise because the qualities rated by teachers in the Getzels and Jack son study are qualities on which high IQ types would be expected to be higher than high creativity types, and therefore the results may in fact reflect ac curate perception on the part of the teachers. Spe cifically, the characteristics rated were 1) desira bility as a student, 2) leadership qualities, and 3) in volvement in learning. No direct teacher ratings of creativity or originality were included. It is obvi ously unfair to conclude that teachers cannot rate originality on the basis of a study in which they were not asked to make such ratings. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to ex plore the intellectual characteristics of pupils which are related to teacher ratings of originality, and to obtain data relevant to the question of teacher dis crimination against creative children in making such ratings. In order to obtain more generalizable re sults, a secondary purpose was to correlate teacher ratings with pupil characteristics over a wider range of ability than was used in the Getzels and Jackson study.
Synergy in practice: caring for victims of intimate partner violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significantly prevalent health issue that creates devastating effects for victims, their families, and the community IPV extends across social, religious, economical, geographical, and cultural groups. IPV has public health implications that affect current victims and may impact future generations. While all people are at risk for IPV, women are 5 times more likely to be victimized. Despite all of the literature regarding IPV, there is still a compliance issue regarding screening for IPV in health care settings. Utilizing the Synergy Model of Nursing Practice, this article demonstrates the care of victims of IPV by the clinical nurse specialist. The Synergy Model framework is described, and correlated with IPV The clinical nurse specialist plays a unique role that can improve patient outcomes through many domains including expert clinical practice, role modeling, education, global systems thinking, research, consultation, and holistic approaches to care. Current state of the science practice techniques and barriers to screening are discussed. The summary highlights suggestions for future research. Language: en
Design, Simulation, and Control of a Teleoperated Omnidirectional Ground Vehicle

This paper describes the design, construction, and simulation of a prototype, teleoperated, omnidirectional robotic ground vehicle. The design of a dynamic control system to assist the human operator of the vehicle is also presented. This work sought to test the feasibility of a novel vehicle architecture and to develop a dynamic multi-body simulation tool to assist in the development of future iterations of such a vehicle. The vehicle design seeks to achieve high-speed, omnidirectional mobility, and modest off-road capability. This paper presents results from the physical operation and simulation of the vehicle as well as describing some future work to achieve improved performance of the vehicle system.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Loss of information in the presence of nuisance parameters and partial sufficiency

Abstract Loss of information concerning parameter of interest θ in the absence of any knowledge of nuisance parameters is considered when statistic S = S ( X ) is used in place of X , especially when S has marginal distribution depending only on parameter θ. Some definitions of partial sufficiency of S for θ are investigated for possible information loss with respect to Fisher information matrix generalizations.
Clinical vigilance for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in the context of natalizumab use

Natalizumab therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been associated with both improved clinical outcomes and an increased incidence of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). We provide details of the etiology and recent history of PML as associated with immunosuppressive disease states, including MS. Furthermore, it offers clinical guidance on differentiating PML from a MS relapse and a review of the current treatment options for patients suspected of having developed the complication.
Preventing injuries using an ergonomic approach.

ABSTRACT The risk of back injury is a continuing problem for nurses. Patient-handling tasks (eg, transferring patients on and off stretchers, repositioning patients on OR beds) are a major precipitating factor to this problem. Educating nurses about body mechanics has not been the answer to preventing back injuries; however, changing the physical demands of the job (ie, using an ergonomic approach) by using assistive devices (eg, friction reducers) has been proven to decrease perceived stress and injury rates and increase patient comfort. This article focuses on the problem of nurses' back and shoulder overexertion injuries and explores the application of ergonomics in the perioperative setting. AORN J 72 (Dec 2000) 1031–1036.
Lattice Modules over Principal Element Domains

Abstract This paper obtains a structure theorem for a finitely generated lattice module &#x1d510; over a Noetherian principal element domain &#x1d50f;,with a slightly stronger theorem if the lattice module satisfies a hypothesis valid over principal ideal domains. Additionally,we obtain a new characterization of Dedekind lattice domains as multiplicative lattice domains over which there exists a non torsion,principally generated,Noetherian join-principal-element lattice module.
Differential sexual responding among four groups of sexual offenders against children

Previous literature on typologies of child molesters has separated groups into those that display a primary sexual orientation to children (the pedophile) versus those where children serve as a surrogate (i.e., the incest case). However, empirical evidence to substantiate this distinction has been conflicting. A study by Quinsey et al. (1979), employing physiological measures of erection responses to slide stimuli, supported the above distinction. However, Abel et al. (1981), measuring erection responses to audiotaped descriptions of sexual interactions with children, found no differences between pedophiles and incest cases. The present study compared erection responses to slide and audiotaped stimuli of four groups of offenders against children: homosexual pedophiles, heterosexual pedophiles, incest cases, and a mixed diagnostic group. In general, regardless of the scoring method employed (percentage full erection or z-score transformation), the results indicated that with slide stimuli, pedophiles showed more responding to children than adults, while the opposite was true for the incest cases. However, with audiotaped descriptions, all groups evidenced more responding to children than adults. Reasons for the differences observed with various types of stimulus material are discussed, as are treatment implications.
Continuum percolation theory for pressure–saturation characteristics of fractal soils: extension to non-equilibrium

Systematic experimental deviations from theoretical predictions derived for water retention characteristics of fractal porous media have previously been interpreted in terms of continuum percolation theory (at low moisture contents, below the critical volume fraction of water, αc capillary flow ceases). In other work, continuum percolation theory was applied to find the hydraulic conductivity as a function of saturation for saturations high enough to guarantee percolation of capillary flow. Now these two problems are further linked, using percolation theory to estimate non-equilibrium water retention at matric potential values such that the equilibrium water content is too low for percolation of capillary flow paths. In particular, a procedure for developing a time-dependent moisture content is developed for experimental time scales long enough that film flow can provide an alternate mechanism for equilibrating when continuous capillary flow is not possible. The time scales are defined in terms of moisture-dependent length scales and film flow and capillary flow hydraulic conductivities. Imbibition is treated in the extreme case of no film-flow contribution to equilibration. In another application at higher matric potentials, recursive relations are derived for the water content of porous media during drying when external pressures are changed at rates too rapid for equilibrium to be attained by capillary flow.
Endothelial cell activation by antiphospholipid antibodies is modulated by Krüppel-like transcription factors

Antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by thrombosis and/or recurrent pregnancy loss in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLAs). The majority of APLAs are directed against phospholipid-binding proteins, particularly β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI). Anti-β2GPI antibodies activate endothelial cells in a β2GPI-dependent manner through a pathway that involves NF-κB. Kruppel-like factors (KLFs) play a critical role in regulating the endothelial response to inflammatory stimuli. We hypothesized that activation of endothelial cells by APLA/anti-β2GPI antibodies might be associated with decreased expression of KLFs, which in turn might facilitate cellular activation mediated through NF-κB. Our experimental results confirmed this hypothesis, demonstrating markedly decreased expression of KLF2 and KLF4 after incubation of cells with APLA/anti-β2GPI antibodies. Restoration of KLF2 or KLF4 levels inhibited NF-κB transcriptional activity and blocked APLA/anti-β2GPI–mediated endothelial activation despite NF-κB p65 phosphorylation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that inhibition of NF-κB transcriptional activity by KLFs reflects sequestration of the cotranscriptional activator CBP/p300, making this cofactor unavailable to NF-κB. These findings suggest that the endothelial response to APLA/anti-β2GPI antibodies reflects competition between KLFs and NF-κB for their common cofactor, CBP/p300. Taken together, these observations are the first to implicate the KLFs as novel participants in the endothelial proinflammatory response to APLA/anti-β2GPI antibodies.
A literature synthesis of symptom prevalence and severity in persons receiving active cancer treatment

Purpose Patients with cancer experience acute and chronic symptoms caused by their underlying disease or by the treatment. While numerous studies have examined the impact of various treatments on symptoms experienced by cancer patients, there are inconsistencies regarding the symptoms measured and reported in treatment trials. This article presents a systematic review of the research literature of the prevalence and severity of symptoms in patients undergoing cancer treatment.
Problems in palaeomagnetic synthesis illustrated by results from Permo-Triassic dolerites in Guyana

Abstract Relatively consistent palaeomagnetic results have been obtained after alternating field demagnetization of samples from seven of eight dolerite dykes (ten sites) intruding the basement shield in Guyana. Results from five of these dykes (seven sites, 33 samples) give an average site-pole at 63°S, 138°W, k = 24.6, α95 = 12.4°. Despite KAr ages ranging from 262 to 675 m.y., the good grouping suggests that these dykes are generally contemporaneous, and they are judged to be Permo-Triassic. The remaining two dykes have distinct, apparently Precambrian, magnetizations. Comparison of these Permo-Triassic data with other studies of reputedly similar age rocks from elsewhere in South America, show a significant scatter, the cause of which cannot be uniquely determined. This problem is commonly encountered in general palaeomagnetic synthesis, and to alleviate it, the analysis of all site-poles from a single continent for a substantial time segment is recommended. A polar-wander swath should result, the dimensions and pattern of which are theoretically a function primarily of secular variation and continental drift. Such a plot of site-poles gives appropriate weight to all useful palaeomagnetic data; it can be readily updated as new results are added to the data reservoir.
Decoding political discourse networks

This describes the current research project on political discourse networks, at the Center on Organizational Innovation at Columbia University. This research is supported by the NSF grant #IIS- 0441999, Technologies of Civil Society.
A method for the concentration of erythropoietin from human urine

Abstract A method for concentrating erythropoietin in urine is described. The concentration was achieved by use of a hollow fiber membrane apparatus with a 10,000 MW exclusion, Model DC2 filtration system with a H1DP10 cartridge (Amicon Incorporated, Lexington, MA). Essentially all of the ESF activity was recovered from a test volume of urine obtained from a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Test specimens of urine from anemic patients were concentrated to determine ESF levels of these patients. Urine specimens from normal volunteers was likewise concentrated to determine the daily level of ESF excreted by these individuals.
Predicting neuropsychological abnormalities in multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is associated with MRI signal alteration and neuropsychological (NP) dysfunction. Screening tools have been developed to identify patients at high risk for these neurological complications of MS. One such measure, the Multiple Sclerosis Neuropsychological Screening Questionnaire (MSNQ), has well-established reliability and predictive validity. In this article, we report on the accumulated findings derived from 162 consecutive research participants and MS clinic attendees. Our data show significant correlation between both patient- and informant-report MSNQ and NP impairment. As shown previously, larger, and more significant correlations are found between informant-report MSNQs than with patient-report MSNQs. In addition, we find that the MSNQ predicts follow-up NP testing 51 weeks after baseline with a similar degree of association. Finally, the MSNQ is correlated with MRI measures of whole-brain lesion burden and atrophy, secondary progressive course, and vocational disability. We conclude that the MSNQ is reliable and valid for detecting neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric complications of MS.
Neuroscience - informed nosology in psychiatry: are we there yet?

During the past 10 years, rapid developments in neuroscience and genetics have occurred, and optimism concerning the reformulation of diagnosis of psychiatric disorders based on biological processes has been raised. Given these high expectations, the development of the next DSM has certainly not proceeded quietly. Therefore, it is most appropriate to pose the question – now that DSM has been published and has become a bestseller, why has there been so much continued controversy? DSM-5 arrived this May 2013 (Keshavan, 2013). A review of the DSM-5 manual will demonstrate that a number of key changes have occurred, and many individuals are satisfied. Those individuals most satisfied are likely to feel that progress in the area of diagnosis and nosology is one area that proceeds in an iterative process, and that the diagnostic frameworks used must be flexible (Kupfer et al., 2013). Based on 20 years of neuroscience and genetics, we know that the major disorders that we deal with represent complex brain and behavioral disorders. Indeed, this level of complexity was reflected even 10 years ago in two monographs dealing with the research agenda for DSM-5 and
2010 Teaching Excellence Award Winners

The Society for the Teaching of Psychology (Division 2) celebrated the 31st year of its annual Teaching Awards Program at the August convention of the American Psychological Association in San Dieg...
Legislator specialization and the size of government

This paper addresses an empirical issue how does the degree of specialization in the legislature affect the size of government? The size of government is readily measured, for example, by the number of government employees. The degree of specialization by legislators is also relatively easy to proxy in terms of the number of committees and subcommittees in a legislature. And, of course, we can hold constant the usual forces, such as population and income, which have predictable impacts on government size. We thus have the ingredients for the empirical analysis that we propose. A priori, it is unclear how legislator specialization will impact on the size of government. On the one hand, there are reasons to expect that more legislative committees will lead to more effective monitoring of government bureaus, with the accompanying implication of more efficient management of public services. This is what one might call the supply-side of the problem. Legislators are the custodians of the public purse, and they become more efficient at their task as the degree of specialization in the legislature increases.1 On the other hand, the degree of legislative specialization may be in response to demand-side forces, such as interest groups, and may therefore impinge positively on the size of government. That is, more committees allow legislators to mirror interest groups and their concerns better, and hence lead to more rather than less government. In this case more committees mean that the legislature is more easily captured by special-interest groups. Government programs increase in number and size as a result.2 So our basic point is to apply Adam Smith's parable about the pin factory to the legislature, with the twist in this case that the effects of increased specialization on the output of the relevant 'firm' (government) are unclear.
Confidence Intervals for the Exponential Scale Parameter Using Optimally Selected Order Statistics

We obtain exact and approximate confidence intervals (tabulated for 90%, 95% and 99%) for the scale parameter, σ, of the exponential distribution in small and large samples. The exact confidence intervals are based on the distributions of the BLUE and ABLE of σ, using k optimally selected order statistics from a random sample of size n and are tabulated for k = l(l)5 and various n. The approximate intervals are based on approximating chi-square distributions. We find that in large samples, the optimal quantiles for the interval estimation of σ are the same as those for the point estimation of σ, for several optimality criteria; or, in other words, these several criteria are equivalent in large samples.
Oxidative stress-inducible protein tyrosine phosphatase in glomerulonephritis

Oxidative stress-inducible protein tyrosine phosphatase in glomerulonephritis. Previously we found that rat mesangial cells express 3CH134/CL100 protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) in response to reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs), and we now extend these studies to glomerulonephritis (GN), where ROI have been demonstrated to play a role. The rat homologue of 3CH134/CL100 was cloned from a rat macrophage cDNA library. The rat 3CH134/CL100 mRNA was strongly induced in the lung, liver, and heart the first day after birth, suggesting that hyperoxic adaption might be involved in the induction of the PTPase mRNA. In anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody (Ab) GN in rats, the 3CH134/CL100 PTPase mRNA was expressed in glomeruli as early as 30 minutes after anti-GBM Ab injection. The 3CH134/CL100 mRNA expression was modulated by the ROI scavenger dimethylthiourea (DMTU), indicating that its induction was ROI related. In contrast to the glomerular lesion, PTPase mRNA expression was not induced in experimental tubulointerstitial nephritis. In situ hybridization suggested that mesangial and some infiltrating cells were the major glomerular cell sources of the PTPase mRNA. These results indicate that rat CCH134/CL100 PTPase is actively induced in glomeruli as part of an acute immune injury at least in part related to oxidative stress. PTPase induction in GN and potentially other forms of inflammation may play an important regulatory role in protein kinase signaling pathways.
ENDOMORPHISMS OF DISCRETE GROUPS ACTING CHAMBER TRANSITIVELY ON AFFINE BUILDINGS

Let Γ be a group acting chamber transitively by type preserving automorphisms on a locally finite affine building of type A2. We show that Out(Γ) is finite and that Γ is Hopfian. We apply our results to affine Coxeter groups and a family of four groups discovered by J. Tits.
Photovoltaic panel as metamaterial antenna radome for dual‐band application

A novel planar dual-band antenna is presented by using a panel of photovoltaic (PV) cells as a metamaterial layer for dual-band operation. A 10-Watt, 72-cell unmodified commercial PV panel is applied as a transparent layer in the first operation band and as a semitransparent layer for λ/2 Fabry-Perot cavity in the second operation band to achieve high antenna gain. Unit-cell transmission analysis is adopted to determine the frequency point of operation. And the screen impedance technique is utilized to increase simulation efficiency. The proposed prototype, measured as 360 × 320 × 44 mm, achieves remarkable 17.3 and 6.6 dBi antenna gain at 3.50 and 1.23 GHz, respectively, by a dual-band dipole feeding. With the aid of PV panel, the antenna can support an upper band at about 3550 MHz to cover the WiMAX (3400–3600 MHz) operation and a lower band at about 1185 MHz to cover the 70 MHz operation bandwidth. The very combination of PV cell and antenna exhibits high fill factor, high-gain, and simple construction characteristics. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2382–2388, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26234
Construction of optimal communication structures for weighted distributed match-making

Abstract Several distributed issues such as name service and replicated data management need a communication structure with an intersection property. This paper discusses the efficiency of communication structures for cases in which the issues are weighted. We first provide a lower bound of communication complexity, using a distribution vector, and then give a method for constructing an efficient and symmetric communication structure. Our method achieves the lower bound 2 √abn in the symmetric case, where √an/b and √bn/a are integers, a and b are weights, and n is the number of nodes.
Effect of Chlorothiazide on Blood Pressure and Electrolytes of Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats.

SummaryChlorothiazide was given to normal rats for 6 weeks and to renal hypertensive rats for 11 to 17 days. Lowering of elevated blood pressure by this agent was variable in duration and degree. Plasma, skeletal and heart muscle, aorta, and in one experiment the whole animal, were analyzed for sodium, potassium, chloride and water. No consistent alterations were found in electrolyte or water contents of plasma or tissues of normotensive or hypertensive rats given thiazide drugs.
Reversible Posterior Leuko-Encephalopathy in Children With Sickle Cell Disease

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) have high risk of neurologic morbidity and mortality, such as strokes, silent infarcts and TIA's. A retrospective review of magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography identified eight children with radiological and clinical characteristics of reversible posterior encephalopathy (RPLS). These patients had no evidence of previous cerebral infarcts or vasculopathy. Three have died during the 5-year follow up; one developed a stroke and one a conditional TCD. RPLS needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of children with SCD that present with acute neurological changes, especially if they are already been hospitalized. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:373–375. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Silent no more: Expression of RNA from telomeres may regulate telomere length

The ends of eukaryotic chromosomes are capped with telomeres, a protective structure needed to preserve genome integrity. The maintenance of telomeres is critical, as instability at the telomere is linked to cancer, and shortening is linked to cellular senescence. Long thought to be transcriptionally silent due to their heterochromatic nature, a recent publication by Schoeftner and Blasco found that a G-rich strand of RNA was transcribed from mammalian telomeres, and that the abundance of this nuclear RNA corresponded with telomere length 1. A second study from the Lingner laboratory also identified telomeric RNAs, and showed that non-sense mediated decay proteins negatively regulated their ability to form nuclear foci2. The Blasco paper revealed that telomeric RNAs (TelRNAs) were transcribed by RNA polymerase II, and also that the telomere binding protein TRF1 could interact with this polymerase. TelRNAs co-localized with TRF1 at telomeres, as well as other heterochromatic structures in the nucleus. The ...