cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Receptor-mediated phosphorylation of astroglial intermediate filament proteins in cultured astroglia.

: Primary cultures of purified astroglia have been shown to exhibit a variety of membrane receptors that regulate intracellular cyclic AMP levels. The experiments described in this paper were completed to examine the effect of such receptor agonists on protein phosphorylation in intact astroglia. An analysis of 32P-labelled proteins derived from whole cell extracts and separated via two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated that increasing cyclic AMP levels in astroglia stimulated the phosphorylation of two distinct proteins that had apparent molecular weights/isoelectric points (pI) of 51K/ 6.0 and 57K/5.7. Similar experiments with cultured meningeal cells indicated that only the 57K/5.7 protein was phosphorylated in response to elevated levels of cyclic AMP. The 51K/6.0 protein was never observed in gels derived from meningeal cells. Immunoblot experiments indicated that the 51K/6.0 protein stained with antiserum to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the 57K/5.7 protein stained with antibodies to vimentin. Concentration-effect studies indicate that these proteins are maximally phosphorylated at concentrations of receptor agonists that only slightly elevate cyclic AMP levels. All receptor agonists that have been shown to increase cyclic AMP levels appear similarly efficacious with respect to increasing the phosphorylation of the two proteins. These experiments suggest that the membrane receptors present on astroglia function, in part, to regulate phosphorylation of the intermediate filament proteins GFAP and vimentin.
Malaria incidence in Nairobi, Kenya and dekadal trends in NDVI and climatic variables

The primary objective of this research was to determine if the remotely-sensed metric, Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and ground-collected dekadal climatological variables were useful predictors of future malaria outbreaks in an epidemic-prone area of Nairobi, Kenya. Data collected consisted of 36 dekadal (10-day) periods for the variables rainfall, temperature and NDVI along with yearly documented malaria admissions in 2003 for Nairobi, Kenya. Linear regression models were built for malaria cases reported in Nairobi, Kenya, as the dependent variable and various time-based groupings of temperature, rainfall and NDVI data from the dekads in both the current and the previous month as the independent variables. Data from 2003 show that malaria incidence in any given month is best predicted (R2 = 0.881, p < 0.001) by the average NDVI for the 30 days including the final two dekads of the previous month and first dekad of the current month, and by the average rainfall for the 30 days including t...
Tomographic absorption spectroscopy of combustion gases using tunable infrared diode lasers

ABSTRACT A novel method was developed for tomographic combustion diagnostics using tunable infrared laser absorption spectroscopy.In this method complete spectral profiles are reconstructed rather than at one or a few frequencies. When compared to existingtechniques, the new method needs much less prior infonnation about the sample gas and the spectroscopic behavior of thecandidate spectral lines. Acklitionally, the new method is much more immune to interference and random noise. The methodis demonstrated by CO2 measurements in an axisymmelric flame. 1. INTRODUCTION Accurate measurements of temperature and concentrations are needed to characterize high temperature gas flows. Opticalmeasurements are particularly desirable since they are non-intrusive, non-perturbing, and the probe is not subject to a hostileenvironment. An absorption measurement provides a simple, quantitative measurement of temperature and concentration ofthe absorbing species along the line-of-sight If a narrow-band tunable laser is used as a light source the measurement can befreed from uncertainties about the precise overlap between the light source and the absorption line. More importantly, onecan discriminate between species that have absorption lines in the same spectral region. This is particularly important in theinfrared where many molecules have absorption bands. Tunable infrared diode lasers, in particular, are unique tools for ultra-high resolution laser diagnostics, and have many applications in both research and industrial environments. They are corn-pact, and can be rapidly and repetitively tuned over a desired spectral interval by modulating the current in the diode.An average of concentration or temperature along the line-of-sight often provides all the information desired. In other cases
Covalency in metal-oxygen multiple bonds evaluated using oxygen K-edge spectroscopy and electronic structure theory.

Advancing theories of how metal oxygen bonding influences metal oxo properties can expose new avenues for innovation in materials science, catalysis, and biochemistry. Historically, spectroscopic analyses of the transition metal peroxyanions, MO4x-, have formed the basis for new M O bonding theories. Herein, relative changes in M O orbital mixing in MO42- (M = Cr, Mo, W) and MO41- (M = Mn, Tc, Re) are evaluated for the first time by non-resonant inelastic X-ray scattering, X-ray absorption spectroscopy using fluorescence and transmission (via a scanning transmission X-ray microscope), and linear-response density functional theory. The results suggest that moving from Group 6 to Group 7 or down the triads increases M O e () mixing. Meanwhile, t2 mixing ( + ) remains relatively constant within the same Group. These unexpected changes in frontier orbital energy and composition are evaluated in terms of periodic trends in d orbital energy and radial extension.
Effects of functional group substitution on electron spectra and solvation dynamics in a family of ionic liquids

Abstract Ionic liquids containing ether-, alcohol- and alkyl-functionalized quaternary ammonium dications were studied by pulse radiolysis. Spectra on nanosecond timescales revealed that solvation of the excess electron is particularly slow in the case of the alcohol-derivatized ionic liquids. The blue shift of the electron spectrum to the customary 650 nm peak takes 25–40 ns at 21 °C. Comparison with the relaxation dynamics observed in viscous 1,2,6-trihydroxyhexane reveals the hindering effect of the ionic liquid lattice on hydroxypropyl side chain reorientation.
Template-grown metal nanowires as resonators: performance and characterization of dissipative and elastic properties.

Metal resonators can significantly extend the scope of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) through access to a broader range of electrical, thermal, and surface properties. The material behavior o...
Quantum computing with superconductors

Superconductive technology is one of the most promising approaches to quantum computing because it offers devices with little dissipation, ultrasensitive magnetometers, and electrometers for state readout, large-scale-integration, and a family of classical electronics that could be used for quantum bit (qubit) control. The challenges this technology faces, however, are substantial: for example, control of the qubit to a part in /spl sim/10/sup 4/ must be accomplished with analog control pulses. But even after this is done, the accuracy is limited by the unavoidable decay of quantum information in the system. Recent experiments suggest the time over which this decay occurs is <1 /spl mu/s, though it is expected to lengthen as experimental methods improve. A 1-/spl mu/s decay time would mandate a very difficult to achieve maximum time of /spl sim/100 ps per analog operation. Thus, quantum computing is, simultaneously a promising technology for solving certain very hard problems in computer science and a daunting challenge for those working to develop that technology.
Synthesis of non-series-parallel LC one-port networks

An extrapolation technique is used to synthesise a given canonic inductor-capacitor network with a prescribed driving-point function. The method is based on the concept of shunt-or series-reduction of the network, and involves the solution of linear simultaneous algebraic equations. The numerical precision can be high, and depends on the degree of rigour employed in carrying out the computation. In the two examples presented, the given networks realise the set of prescribed critical frequencies to within ± 0.27%.
Monitoring Atlantic overturning circulation and transport variability with GRACE-type ocean bottom pressure observations – a sensitivity study

Abstract. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a key mechanism for large-scale northward heat transport and thus plays an important role for global climate. Relatively warm water is transported northward in the upper layers of the North Atlantic Ocean and, after cooling at subpolar latitudes, sinks down and is transported back south in the deeper limb of the AMOC. The utility of in situ ocean bottom pressure (OBP) observations to infer AMOC changes at single latitudes has been characterized in the recent literature using output from ocean models. We extend the analysis and examine the utility of space-based observations of time-variable gravity and the inversion for ocean bottom pressure to monitor AMOC changes and variability between 20 and 60° N. Consistent with previous results, we find a strong correlation between the AMOC signal and OBP variations, mainly along the western slope of the Atlantic Basin. We then use synthetic OBP data – smoothed and filtered to resemble the resolution of the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) gravity mission, but without errors – and reconstruct geostrophic AMOC transport. Due to the coarse resolution of GRACE-like OBP fields, we find that leakage of signal across the step slopes of the ocean basin is a significant challenge at certain latitudes. Transport signal rms is of a similar order of magnitude as error rms for the reconstructed time series. However, the interannual AMOC anomaly time series can be recovered from 20 years of monthly GRACE-like OBP fields with errors less than 1 sverdrup in many locations.
Daytime napping results in an underestimation of thermal strain during exercise in the heat: authors' response.

We appreciate the opportunity to respond to the letter by Professor Walsh and colleagues,1 regarding our article, ‘Effects of partial sleep restriction and subsequent daytime napping on prolonged exertional heat strain’.2 They suggested that daytime napping following partial sleep restriction might increase the risk of exertional heat-related illness because the participants who took a nap felt ‘less hot’ and ‘less fatigued’ than if they had not taken a nap. In this context, they assume that an underestimation of physical and thermal strain during exercise in a hot environment results in …
A Meta-Analysis Shows That Docosahexaenoic Acid from Algal Oil Reduces Serum Triglycerides and Increases HDL-Cholesterol and LDL-Cholesterol in Persons without Coronary Heart Disease

Certain algae contain the (n-3) fatty acid DHA, yet the relation between algal oil supplementation and cardiovascular disease risk factors has not been systematically examined. Our objective was to examine the relation between algal oil supplementation and cardiovascular disease risk factors. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials published between 1996 and 2011 examining the relation between algal oil supplementation and cardiovascular disease risk factors and performed a meta-analysis of the association between algal oil DHA supplementation and changes in the concentrations of TG, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C). We identified 11 randomized controlled trials with 485 healthy participants that evaluated the relation between algal oil DHA supplementation and TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C. The median dose of algal DHA was 1.68 g/d. The pooled estimate for the change in TG concentration was -0.20 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.27 to -0.14), 0.23 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.16-0.30) for LDL-C, and 0.07 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.05-0.10) for HDL-C. DHA supplementation from algal oil, a marine source of (n-3) fatty acids not extracted from fish, may reduce serum TG and increase HDL-C and LDL-C in persons without coronary heart disease.
ß-glucan affects leukocyte navigation in a complex chemotactic gradient

Abstract Background Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) must traverse endogenous chemotactic gradients (interleukin 8 [IL-8]) before reaching target chemoattractants (fMLP [N-formylmethionine-leucine-phenylalanine], C5a) produced at a site of bacterial infection. Complement receptor 3 (CR3; CD11b/CD18) contains 2 distinct binding sites, one that mediates adhesion and a lectin-like domain (LLD) that binds polysaccharides of microbial origin. This laboratory previously reported an increase in the chemotactic capacity of PMNs toward fMLP upon ligation of the CR3 LLD with β-glucan, a CR3 agonist. Current studies sought to determine the effect of β-glucan on PMN navigation toward other chemoattractants alone and in a competing chemotactic environment. Methods Migration was assessed by serum agarose overlay with the use of chambered slides containing or not, β-glucan. Migration of human PMNs at 37°C for 2 hours was evaluated toward C5a or IL-8 alone and in competing gradients. Selected groups were treated with anti-CR3–blocking antibodies. The number of chemotactic cells was quantified by microscopy. Results β-glucan significantly enhanced chemotaxis toward C5a and suppressed that toward IL-8 in a CR3-dependent fashion. In the competing chemotactic gradient assays (C5a vs IL-8), β-glucan further enhanced migration toward C5a while not affecting that toward IL-8. Conclusions β-glucan selectively upregulates PMN chemotaxis toward C5a while suppressing chemotaxis toward IL-8.
Risk Perceptions and Subsequent Sexual Behaviors After HPV Vaccination in Adolescents

OBJECTIVES: Concerns have been raised that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination could lead to altered risk perceptions and an increase in risky sexual behaviors among adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess whether adolescent risk perceptions after the first vaccine dose predicted subsequent sexual behaviors. METHODS: Young women 13 to 21 years of age ( N = 339) completed questionnaires immediately after HPV vaccination, and 2 and 6 months later, assessing demographic characteristics, knowledge/attitudes about HPV vaccination, risk perceptions, and sexual behaviors. Risk perceptions were measured by using 2 5-item scales assessing: (1) perceived risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI) other than HPV, and (2) perceived need for safer sexual behaviors after HPV vaccination. We assessed associations between risk perceptions at baseline and sexual behaviors over the next 6 months by using logistic regression, stratifying participants by sexual experience at baseline and age (13–15 vs 16–21 years). RESULTS: Among all sexually inexperienced participants (42.5%), baseline risk perceptions were not associated with subsequent sexual initiation; in age-stratified analyses, girls 16 to 21 years of age who reported lower perceived risk for other STI (an inappropriate perception) were less likely to initiate sex (odds ratio [OR] 0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03–0.69). Among all sexually experienced participants (57.5%) and in age-stratified analyses, baseline risk perceptions were not associated with subsequent number of sexual partners or condom use. CONCLUSIONS: Risk perceptions after HPV vaccination were not associated with riskier sexual behaviors over the subsequent 6 months in this study sample.
Role of platelet-activating factor in ischemia/reperfusion-induced leukocyte adherence.

The objective of this study was to determine whether platelet-activating factor (PAF) mediates the leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions elicited by ischemia/reperfusion. The rates of adherence and extravasation of leukocytes were monitored in cat mesenteric venules subjected to 60 min of ischemia (blood flow reduced to 20% of control) followed by 60 min of reperfusion. Leukocyte rolling velocity, red blood cell velocity, and vessel diameter were also measured. The experiments were performed in control (untreated) animals and in animals pretreated with one of two PAF receptor antagonists, i.e., BN 52021 or WEB 2086. The responses of venular blood flow, wall shear rate, and vessel diameter did not differ between the three groups. In the control group, 1 h of ischemia was associated with significant adherence and extravasation of leukocytes, with reperfusion greatly enhancing these responses. The rates of leukocyte adherence and extravasation during reperfusion were greatly attenuated by both PAF antagonists. Furthermore, the proportion of adherent leukocytes that ultimately extravasate during reperfusion was markedly reduced by WEB 2086. These results suggest that PAF plays an important role in mediating the adhesive interaction between circulating leukocytes and microvascular endothelium induced by ischemia/reperfusion and that the phospholipid promotes the leukocyte extravasation associated with ischemia/reperfusion.
Towards spoken-document retrieval for the enterprise: Approximate word-lattice indexing with text indexers

Enterprise-scale search engines are generally designed for linear text. Linear text is suboptimal for audio search, where accuracy can be significantly improved if the search includes alternate recognition candidates, commonly represented as word lattices. We propose two methods to enable text indexers to approximately index lattices with little or no code change: "TMI" (Time-based Merging for Indexing) aims at lattice-index size reduction, and the "sausage"-like "TALE" (Time-Anchored Lattice Expansion) approximation requires no indexer-code or data-format changes at all. On four enterprise-type data sets (meetings, phone calls, lectures, and voicemail), TMI and TALE improve accuracy by 30-60% for multi-word phrase searches and by 130% for two-term AND queries, compared to indexing linear text.
Non-uniform information dissemination for sensor networks

Future smart environments are characterized by multiple nodes that sense, collect, and disseminate information about environmental phenomena through a wireless network. In this paper, we define a set of applications that require a new form of distributed knowledge about the environment, referred to as non-uniform information granularity. By non-uniform information granularity we mean that the required accuracy or precision of information is proportional to the distance between a source node (information producer) and current sink node (information consumer). That is, as the distance between the source node and sink node increases, loss in information precision is acceptable. Applications that can benefit from this type of knowledge range from battlefield scenarios to rescue operations. The main objectives of this paper are two-fold: first, we precisely define non-uniform information granularity, and second we describe the different protocols that achieve non-uniform information dissemination and analyze these protocols based on complexity, energy consumption, and accuracy of information.
Systems engineering and management for industrial ecology and sustainable development

Sustainable development refers to the fulfilment of human needs through simultaneous socioeconomic and technological progress and conservation of the Earth's natural systems. Industrial ecology represents one of the major approaches to insure high quality products with resource conservation. This paper discusses the key role of systems engineering and systems management as a provider of the knowledge principles and practices that help realize this integration of economic and environmental efficiency and effectiveness to achieve industrial ecology and sustainable development.
Improved hemodynamic function during hypoxia with Carbicarb, a new agent for the management of acidosis.

Carbicarb is a mixture of Na2CO3/NaHCO3 that buffers similarly to NaHCO3, but without net generation of CO2. We studied the effects of carbicarb in an animal preparation of hypoxic lactic acidosis (HLA). HLA was induced by ventilating dogs with an hypoxic gas mixture (8% O2/92% N2). Dogs with HLA (n = 28) were then treated with 2.5 meq/kg of either NaHCO3 or carbicarb over 1 hr. Measurements were made, after 1 hr of hypoxia and 1 hr of therapy, of: cardiac hemodynamics, blood gases, liver intracellular pH (pHi), oxygen consumption, and regional lactate production. After therapy, the arterial pH rose with carbicarb (7.22 to 7.27, p less than .01), and fell with NaHCO3 (7.18 to 7.13, p less than .01). Mixed venous PCO2 did not change with carbicarb but increased with NaHCO3 (p less than .05). Arterial lactates stabilized with carbicarb but rose with NaHCO3 (by 3.1 mmol/liter, p less than .005). Lactate use by muscle, gut, and liver all improved with carbicarb and decreased with NaHCO3. The liver pHi (normal = 6.99, hypoxia = 6.80) improved with carbicarb (to 6.92), but decreased further with NaHCO3 (to 6.40). Muscle O2 consumption rose with carbicarb, whereas it decreased with NaHCO3. Arterial pressure fell less with carbicarb (-12 vs -46 mm Hg, p less than .006) and the cardiac output was stable with carbicarb but decreased with NaHCO3 (from 143 to 98 ml/kg/min, p less than .004). Stroke volume also improved with carbicarb but there was no change in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, suggesting that carbicarb had a beneficial effect on myocardial contractility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Abnormal interactions of embryonic mouse trisomy 16 heart fibroblasts with extracellular matrix components in vitro.

Trisomy 16 mice have cardiovascular abnormalities thought to arise from altered development and maturation of the cardiac cushions. Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions play critical roles in heart morphogenesis. To begin to examine the potential involvement of cell-ECM interactions in abnormal trisomy 16 heart development, fibroblasts were isolated from normal and trisomy 16 embryonic mouse hearts. Behavior of these cells was compared in bioassays involving cell-ECM interactions including cell attachment and collagen gel contraction. Significant differences in cell-ECM interactions were found between fibroblasts isolated from normal and trisomy 16 embryonic hearts. Trisomy 16 cells attached poorly to collagen and laminin compared to normal fibroblasts. Trisomy 16 heart fibroblasts also contracted collagen gels less effectively than normal heart fibroblasts. Cell-ECM interactions are largely mediated by ECM receptors of the integrin family. Expression of β1 integrins was examined at ...
Update on Family Psychoeducation for Schizophrenia

The Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team and others have previously included family psychoeducation and family support in best practices guidelines and treatment recommendations for persons with schizophrenia. In this article we review in detail 15 new studies on family interventions to consider issues around the implementation of family interventions in current practice. The data supporting the efficacy of family psychoeducation remain compelling. Such programs should remain as part of best practices guidelines and treatment recommendations. However, assessment of the appropriateness of family psychoeducation for a particular patient and family should consider (1) the interest of the family and patient; (2) the extent and quality of family and patient involvement; (3) the presence of patient outcomes that clinicians, family members, and patients can identify as goals; and (4) whether the patient and family would choose family psychoeducation instead of alternatives available in the agency to achieve outcomes identified.
Quantitative linkages among sediment supply, streambed fine sediment, and benthic macroinvertebrates in northern California streams

The absence of quantified relationships among sediment supply, stream channel conditions, and biological responses limits our ability to predict the cumulative watershed effects of management activities in forested mountainous watersheds. We addressed this uncertainty by testing whether increased sediment supply resulted in elevated levels of streambed fine sediment stored in pools and riffles and whether fine bed material was correlated with spawning-gravel quality and altered benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in 6 streams of the Klamath Mountains, northern California. Sediment supply was estimated using 2 models: 1) an empirical model of landslide volumes based on terrain types present in a basin, and 2) a surface erosion model using a locally calibrated version of the universal soil loss equation. Riffle-surface fine sediment and the fractional volume of pools filled with fine sediment (V*) were both positively correlated with estimated sediment supply, whereas subsurface spawning-gravel permeability was inversely correlated with estimated sediment supply. Fine sediment levels were relatively low compared to published values. Reach-average values of riffle-surface fine sediment ranged from 4 to 16% and V* values ranged from 0.05 to 0.20. Based on established relationships between subsurface flow rates and salmonid egg survival, median predicted egg survival was quite low and ranged from 15 to 38%. Riffle-surface fine sediment and common benthic macroinvertebrate biological metrics were not correlated, but several taxa showed responses to riffle-surface fine sediment. Taxa that showed negative responses to fine sediment are hypothesized to be more available as prey for salmonids than taxa that showed positive responses. This relationship suggests that fine sediments might cause an overall reduction in prey availability for salmonids. Monitoring the effects of increased sediment supply in steep, forested streams should focus on fine sediment in pools and riffles, salmonid spawning-gravel quality, and specific macroinvertebrate taxa that are especially responsive to fine sediment. The linkages described in our paper can be used to make quantitative predictions of the cumulative watershed effects of management activities on stream conditions, salmonid habitat, and benthic macroinvertebrates.
A Qualitative Analysis of Motivation of Elite Female Triathletes

A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF MOTIVATION OF ELITE FEMALE TRIATHLETES by Alexis Waddel-Smith The multidimensional theoretical framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has gained prominence in the sport and exercise field to assist in understanding human motivation. While there is extensive research on motivation of recreational athletes, no study has qualitatively examined the motivation of elite female triathletes. The primary purpose of this research was to determine how motivation to train and compete is maintained at the elite level using the Basic Needs Theory. The participants were eight elite female triathletes who competed in International Triathlon Union (ITU) draft-legal Olympic distance, HalfIronman, and Ironman triathlons. Results from the semi-structured interviews revealed that challenges, love of the sport, and togetherness enhanced motivation to persist in this demanding sport. Several similarities with Deci and Ryan’s (2000) Basic Needs Theory were found. Directions for future research using SDT within the sport of triathlon were discussed.
Collaborative recommender systems for building automation

Building Automation Systems (BASs) can save building owners money by reducing energy consumption while simultaneously preserving occupant comfort. There are algorithms that optimize this tradeoff, such as detecting which appliances are turned on without requiring expensive status detectors to be attached to each appliance. However, better ways are needed to determine which algorithms are best-suited to a particular building. This paper explores the idea of allowing building managers to automatically communicate among themselves and exchange ratings of individual monitoring and control algorithms in such a way that each building manager can then obtain predicted ratings for all algorithms that he has not yet tried personally. We allow individual algorithms to be replaced by using a blackboard architecture to loosen the coupling between them. We propose a recommender system that operates on a database of contributed ratings to predict ratings of untried algorithms. To explore this approach, we developed a prototype that seamlessly interacts with both emulated physical buildings and buildings simulated in software and we implemented several of the control algorithms described in previous works. We demonstrate a recommender system that selects between algorithms in various types of buildings.
Recommendations for the Definition of Clinical Responder in Insulin Preservation Studies

Clinical responder studies should contribute to the translation of effective treatments and interventions to the clinic. Since ultimately this translation will involve regulatory approval, we recommend that clinical trials prespecify a responder definition that can be assessed against the requirements and suggestions of regulatory agencies. In this article, we propose a clinical responder definition to specifically assist researchers and regulatory agencies in interpreting the clinical importance of statistically significant findings for studies of interventions intended to preserve β-cell function in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. We focus on studies of 6-month β-cell preservation in type 1 diabetes as measured by 2-h–stimulated C-peptide. We introduce criteria (bias, reliability, and external validity) for the assessment of responder definitions to ensure they meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency guidelines. Using data from several published TrialNet studies, we evaluate our definition (no decrease in C-peptide) against published alternatives and determine that our definition has minimum bias with external validity. We observe that reliability could be improved by using changes in C-peptide later than 6 months beyond baseline. In sum, to support efficacy claims of β-cell preservation therapies in type 1 diabetes submitted to U.S. and European regulatory agencies, we recommend use of our definition.
Redox-regulatory mechanisms induced by oxidative stress in Brassica juncea roots monitored by 2-DE proteomics†

ROS, including hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), can serve as cellular signaling molecules following oxidative stress. Analysis of the redox state of proteins in Brassica juncea roots by 2-DE proteomics following treatment with either exogenous H(2)O(2) or buthionine sulfoximine, which depletes glutathione to cause accumulation of endogenous H(2)O(2), led to the identification of different sets of proteins. These data suggest that exogenous and endogenous oxidative stresses trigger specialized responses.
Polar Environments Assessment by Remote Sensing

Polar regions are those surrounding the North and South Poles and situated within the Arctic and Antarctic Circles of the Earth. The polar regions are characterized by environments harsh to human and other organisms: low mean annual temperature and long nights and extensive snow and ice cover in winter. Because of the harsh conditions and poor accessibility, assessment of different aspects of the polar environment, such as light, temperature, snow and ice cover, soil and vegetation, largely relies on information acquired by remote sensors, i.e. airborne- and satellite-borne electromagnetic instruments. This article briefly describes how and to what extent polar environmental information is currently derived through remote sensing methods.
Role of neuronal NO synthase in relationship between NO and opioids in hypoxia-induced pial artery dilation

Nitric oxide (NO) contributes to hypoxia-induced pial artery dilation, at least in part, via the formation of guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and subsequent release of Met-enkephalin an...
Alcohol's impact on man's activities. Its role in unnatural death.

The association of alcohol with unnatural death, especially automobile accidents, is widely accepted. Unfortunately, national statistics often do not include information from medical examiners, which can be a significant contribution. This report summarizes the experience of the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator during the period 1974-76. Thirty-nine per cent of automobile drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents and 40% of pedestrians killed by motor vehicles had some blood alcohol present. The relationship of alcohol and other violent crimes is summarized, indicating the involvement of alcohol in 39% to 74% of the several types of crimes presented. The expense of alcohol-related accidents is presented. The psychological autopsy was used to prepare profiles of drivers involved in a variety of vehicular accidents. Drivers were grouped into five categories according to behavioral characteristics that were likely to have contributed to their accidents. Twenty-eight per cent of drivers involved in serious and fatal accidents in this study were judged to have had behavioral disorders in which alcohol often played a role. Language: en
TAKINGS, LEGITIMACY, AND EMERGENCY ACTION: LESSONS FROM THE FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 2008

Government actions taken during and in the wake of the Financial Crisis of 2008 have generated lawsuits that, somewhat unexpectedly, have made takings law a key vehicle for assessing the government’s response to the crisis. This Essay examines these developments and offers three observations. First, these suits have already served an important public purpose by uncovering information that might not otherwise have come to light about how and why the government chose to do what it did. Second, the prospect of relief for takings claims can bolster the legitimacy of emergency action. This insight leads to this Essay’s final point, which concerns the political economy of public measures to contain financial and economic crises. Government choices regarding who gets help, how much, and with what strings attached inevitably yield winners and losers. Insulating these decisions from review can facilitate the use of crisis to subvert government for private ends. Particularly at a time when anxieties about “crony capitalism” and the outsize influence of elites are running high, these are the wrong incentives to create.
Role of cAMP, PKA and Rap1A in thyroid follicular cell survival

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) rescues cells from apoptosis stimulated by diverse insults. We examined the role of cAMP as a survival factor, and the signaling pathways through which cAMP affords protection. Rat thyroid cells were selected for these studies given the predominant role of cAMP in thyrotropin (TSH)-stimulated proliferation and as an oncogene in thyroid cells. Wistar rat thyroid (WRT) cells perished via apoptosis following sodium nitroprusside (SNP) treatment. Elevations in cAMP following treatment with forskolin, 8BrcAMP or IBMX rescued cells from SNP-induced cell death. Notably, TSH prevented apoptosis, implicating an important role for this hormone as a survival factor. Cyclic AMP activates multiple signaling pathways including those mediated through PKA, PI3K, p70S6k and the Ras-related small G protein, Rap1. Intriguingly, multiple pathways modulate thyroid cell survival. Interference with cAMP-stimulated p70S6k, but not PI3K, activity abrogated cell survival. Treatment with PKA inhibitors was sufficient to stimulate apoptosis in hormone-deprived cells and markedly enhanced cell death in response to SNP. Cells expressing an activated Rap1A mutant exhibited an enhanced sensitivity to SNP-induced apoptosis, while those expressing dominant negative Rap1A were resistant to SNP-initiated cell death. Together, these findings establish an important role for PKA and Rap1 in the control of thyroid cell survival.
Formation of Light-weight Low-density Materials via Gas Phase Aerosol Gelation

We have demonstrated that gas phase explosive combustion can lead to nanoparticle aerosols with sufficiently large volume fraction to cause a volume spanning gel to form on the order of ten’s of seconds. The term “aerosol gel” was coined to name these materials. So far we have made aerosol gels of carbon and silica. These aerosol gels are similar to well-known, liquid-phase, sol-gel synthesized aerogels.
Compressive Millimeter Wave and X-Ray Tomography

Compressive tomography consists of estimation of high dimensional objects from measurements distributed over lower dimensions. Examples include reconstruction of 3D spectral data cubes from 2D focal planes and reconstruction of 3D volumes from 2D x-ray projections or holograms. Compressive tomographic estimation is improved if projections are structured to randomize the sampling phase space. To illustrate this principle, we show that structured x-ray illumination enables improvements in reconstructed image quality for compressed measurements relative to full Radon sampling and that structured millimeter wave illumination improves estimation of 3D surfaces.
Stereophonic Scientific Modernisms: Social Science between Mexico and the United States, 1880s-1930s

Ecce lupus (Behold the wolf [the United States-mocking the habit of making that country into the blameworthy "other" in Mexican historiography]). -Edmundo O'Gorman, Mexico: El trauma de su historia, 1977 Nowadays the coupling of the terms American and social science seems a redundancy. On the one hand, from a distance sociology, anthropology, folklore, and ethnology appear to be obsolete buildings more or less well constructed, with hypotheses, causes, proofs, and laws. Seen close up from within the violent river rapids of words of which those laws formed a part, social science constitutes choices of utterances within the chaotic and dynamic possibilities for naming things, in sciences, literature, and art. Yet this choice of terms seemed worldwide. On the other hand, America, the continent, has been linked to the very conception of social science as research project and form of human knowledge. The torrent of scientific terms began with the naming of a large part of America as the archetype for barbarism. The American continent became the laboratory for all experiments in development-the word in which hopes of applying social science to benefit society came to concentrate. America is present, for instance, in the use that Friedrich Engels made of the studies of American natives by the United States anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan, in the ambivalent fascination of the French sociologist Maurice Halbwachs with the United States in defining the concept of standard of living, and in the construction of the weightiest utterance in the entire river of scientific words that formed the nineteenth century: race. Likewise, the United States gradually americanized the social sciences as its own product. By the 1920s, Americathe continent-was the seat of cosmopolitan scientific language, visible in the Chicago School of sociology, the urban studies of Robert Park, or the archaeological and anthropological studies of Mexican, Peruvian, or Brazilian indigenistas (who found in indigenous peoples the bedrock for their respective nationalisms and great aesthetic and cultural potential). By the 1960s, the world had adopted social science
An Agent-Based Model of Competition Between Financial Exchanges: Can Frequent Call Mechanisms Drive Trade Away from CDAs?

In the debate over high frequency trading, the frequent call (Call) mechanism has recently received considerable attention as a proposal for replacing the continuous double auction (CDA) mechanisms that currently run most financial markets. One natural question, which has begun to spur the development of new models, is the effect of competition between platforms that use these two different mechanisms when agents can strategize over platform choice. In this paper we contribute to this nascent literature by developing an agent-based model of competition between a Call market and a CDA market. Our model incorporates patient informed traders (both high-frequency and not) who are willing to wait for order execution at their preferred price and impatient background traders who demand immediate execution. We show that there is a strong tendency for the Call market to absorb a significant fraction of trade under most equilibrium and approximate-equilibrium conditions. These equilibria typically lead to significantly higher welfare for the background traders, an important measure of social value, than the operation of an isolated CDA market.
Islam and Contemporary Radicalized Violence: A Historic Turning Point

Contemporary ideologically-motivated violence, using Islam as a justification, constitutes a new threat to the stability of Muslim states and escalates the confrontation between Islam and the West.1 Whether it will cause regime change in certain Muslim countries and whether it will lead to a clash of civilizations are still to be seen.2 In this writer’s opinion, it will not. Instead, it will wither away like the rise of Marxist/Maoist inspired ideologically-motivated violence in the 1960s and 1970s.3 In this age of globalization, with all which it comports of easy and rapid worldwide transmission of ideas, the violent radicalization of a few Muslims is facing increased opposition from many Muslims.4 This applies to Muslims living in Muslim states as well as non-Muslim states. But the potential for continued violence by different groups in Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria, as well as by individuals in many more countries, including Western states, is a growing likelihood.
Evaluation and comparison of classical interatomic potentials through a user-friendly interactive web-interface

Classical empirical potentials/force-fields (FF) provide atomistic insights into material phenomena through molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. Despite their wide applicability, a systematic evaluation of materials properties using such potentials and, especially, an easy-to-use user-interface for their comparison is still lacking. To address this deficiency, we computed energetics and elastic properties of variety of materials such as metals and ceramics using a wide range of empirical potentials and compared them to density functional theory (DFT) as well as to experimental data, where available. The database currently consists of 3248 entries including energetics and elastic property calculations, and it is still increasing. We also include computational tools for convex-hull plots for DFT and FF calculations. The data covers 1471 materials and 116 force-fields. In addition, both the complete database and the software coding used in the process have been released for public use online (presently at http://www.ctcms.nist.gov/∼knc6/periodic.html ) in a user-friendly way designed to enable further material design and discovery. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data (ISA-Tab format)
A Review of Direct Observation Research within the Past Decade in the Field of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

This study reviewed prominent journals within the field of emotional and behavioral disorders to identify direct observation approaches, reported reliability tatistics, and key features of direct o...
Prenatal Exposure to Industrial Chemicals and Pesticides and Effects on Neurodevelopment

Approximately 80 000 synthetic chemicals are in commercial use worldwide. Each year, hundreds of new chemicals are added to this list. For the majority of these materials, there are not even basic data available regarding developmental or pediatric toxicity. The developing human brain, particularly during the prenatal period, has been shown to be highly sensitive to toxic chemical insults. As was first demonstrated with lead, and then with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and methyl mercury, even low-level exposures in early life to neurotoxic chemicals – exposures at levels well below those associated with clinical signs of toxicity – can interfere with brain development and produce long-lasting detrimental effects on cognition and behavior. A new generation of chemicals termed endocrine disruptors – among them phthalates, bisphenol A, and certain pesticides – which can alter the availability and actions of endogenous hormones, is suspected of being capable of interfering with early brain development. It is hypothesized that certain chemical exposures in early life, perhaps acting in concert with genetic and social factors, may impact the prevalence of developmental disabilities across the population, and account in part for the apparent population-wide increases in neurodevelopmental abnormalities observed over recent years. In this article, the relevant literature concerning prenatal exposure to some of the more widespread industrial pollutants, their mechanisms of action, and their associations with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes is reviewed.
Evaluation of Solanum sisymbriifolium as a Potential Inoculum Source of Verticillium dahliae and Colletotrichum coccodes

Solanum sisymbriifolium, the litchi tomato, is a perennial herbaceous plant from South America that is used as a trap crop to reduce soilborne populations of the pale cyst nematode Globodera pallida, an important potato pathogen. Possible interactions of soilborne potato pathogens Verticillium dahliae and Colletotrichum coccodes with litchi tomato are unknown, yet important for potato production if litchi tomato is to be planted as a trap crop. The goal of this research was to quantitatively assess if litchi tomato is a potential inoculum source for C. coccodes and V. dahliae by comparing colony forming units (CFU) observed in litchi tomato to susceptible and resistant potato cultivars. The potato cvs. Alturas (P = 0.0003), Ranger Russet (P = 0.0193), and Russet Norkotah (P = 0.0022) produced more CFUs of the potato pathotype of V. dahliae than litchi tomato the first of two years of greenhouse trials. Significantly more CFUs of the potato pathotype of V. dahliae were quantified from stems and roots of only cv. Russet Norkotah compared with litchi tomato (P = 0.0001) in the second year. The CFUs for C. coccodes varied between litchi tomato and the potato cvs., perhaps due to varying levels of resistance since litchi tomato is from a selected intermated seed source. Based on these data, the effect of litchi tomato in rotation with potato is likely to have limited effect on the proliferation of V. dahliae or C. coccodes populations in the soil when compared with a susceptible potato cultivar.
Abstract 16: Genomewide Association Study of Isoproterenol-Induced Heart Failure in a Large Mouse Panel

Heart failure is highly heterogeneous and association studies in humans have yielded few insights into its genetic basis. We have developed a resource, the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, to efficien...
Continued retreat of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, controlled by bed topography and ocean circulation

The Amundsen Sea sector is experiencing the largest mass loss, glacier acceleration, and grounding line retreat in Antarctica. Enhanced intrusion of Circumpolar Deep Water onto the continental shelf has been proposed as the primary forcing mechanism for the retreat. Here we investigate the dynamics and evolution of Thwaites Glacier with a novel, fully coupled, ice-ocean numerical model. We obtain a significantly improved agreement with the observed pattern of glacial retreat using the coupled model. Coupled simulations over the coming decades indicate a continued mass loss at a sustained rate. Uncoupled simulations using a depth-dependent parameterization of sub-ice-shelf melt significantly overestimate the rate of grounding line retreat compared to the coupled model, as the parameterization does not capture the complexity of the ocean circulation associated with the formation of confined cavities during the retreat. Bed topography controls the pattern of grounding line retreat, while oceanic thermal forcing impacts the rate of grounding line retreat. The importance of oceanic forcing increases with time as Thwaites grounding line retreats farther inland.
CT20p induced autophagy in breast cancer cells can be overcome by co-treatment with 3-methyladenine to maximize cell death

Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of cancer that is highly resistant to current treatments and has a high rate of recurrence. The CT20p peptide is a novel therapeutic that can tar...