cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of Metalloproteinases and Metalloproteinase Inhibitor in Human Arthritic Synovium

The expression of messenger RNA encoding neutral metalloproteinases and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) in human arthritic synovium was evaluated in situ, using RNA probes. Interstitial collagenase and stromelysin were expressed by synovial lining cells in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Proteinase messenger RNA was found both in cells expressing mononuclear phagocyte antigens and in cells that were negative for the antigens. TIMP was also expressed predominantly along the synovial lining layer. In highly inflammatory RA, TIMP expression appeared less intense than that of the proteases. In osteoarthritic synovium, TIMP was expressed at easily detectable levels, whereas the expression of collagenase and stromelysin was less prominent. The balance between expression of the metalloproteinases and of the metalloproteinase inhibitor in synovium appears to be altered during inflammation. These results are consistent with the notion that synovium plays different roles in the cartilage damage of RA and of osteoarthritis.
kappa-Opioid receptors also increase potassium conductance

Decrease of calcium conductance induced by opioid agonists has been reported by others for mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptors. On the other hand, only mu- and delta-opioid receptors have been reported to increase potassium conductance. Intracellular recordings were made from guinea pig substantia gelatinosa neurons in a brain slice. A subset of cells (29 of 83) were hyperpolarized by the kappa-opioid receptor agonist U69593 with an EC50 of 23 nM. The kappa-opioid receptor antagonist norbinaltorphimine (10 nM) blocked the hyperpolarization by U69593 but had no effect on the mu-opioid hyperpolarization present in these cells. Naloxone (300 nM) shifted the U69593 dose-response curve to the right, giving an estimated Kd for naloxone of 7.5 and 8.1 nM measured in two cells. The hyperpolarization caused by U69593 was mediated by a potassium conductance as determined with voltage clamp experiments. This demonstrates, depending on the cell type, that all three major opioid receptors (mu, delta, and kappa) can increase potassium conductance as well as decrease calcium conductance.
Abstract 4136: Effects of magnolol on cell cycle, STAT 3, NF-kappa B and AKT signaling

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Magnolol is plant lignan isolated from bark and seed cones of Magnolia glaucan has been investigated for its anticancer effects. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown magnolol to be chemopreventive against UVB-caused skin carcinogenesis by inducing apoptosis. The objective of present study is to investigate other mechanisms involved for its chemopreventive effects. For this investigation, A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells were used. Effects of magnolol on cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry. Expressions of various proteins involved in cell cycle were determined by Western blotting using appropriate antibodies. A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells were incubated with different concentrations at different time periods. We further investigated the effects of magnolol on signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT 3), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B/p65) and AKT signaling pathways that play an important role in cell proliferation and survival. Magnolol at 100 μM and 125 µM caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest by decreasing cyclin D1, cyclin D2, and CDK 4 and by increasing CDK inhibitors p21 and p27 at 24 and 48 h. We further found that magnolol inhibited expressions of STAT 3, NF-kappa B and AKT by inhibiting their phosphorylation at 24 and 48 h. These results indicate that chemopreventive effects of magnolol are mediated through multiple mechanisms. This study is supported by Translational Cancer Research Center funded as one of the 2010 Research Initiative Center by the State of South Dakota. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4136.
Head group analogs of arachidonylethanolamide, the endogenous cannabinoid ligand

Several analogs of an endogenous cannabimimetic, arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide), were synthesized to study the structural requirements of the ethanolamide head group. CB1 receptor affinities of the analogs were evaluated by a standard receptor binding assay using tritiated CP-55,940 as the radioligand and compared to anandamide which was shown to have a Ki of 78 nM. Replacement of the amide carbonyl oxygen by a sulfur atom had a detrimental effect on the CB1 affinity. The thio analogs of both anandamide and (R)-methanandamide showed very weak affinity for CB1. The secondary nature of the amidic nitrogen was also shown to be important for affinity, indicating a possible hydrogen-bonding interaction between the amide NH and the receptor. Introduction of a phenolic moiety in the head group resulted in the loss of receptor affinity except when a methylene spacer was introduced between the amidic nitrogen and the phenol. A select group of analogs were also tested for their affinity for the CB2 receptor u...
Automated direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-amplified fragments of the human Ha-ras gene.

Abstract We present modifications to polymerase chain reaction-based DNA sequence analysis which avoid the need for M13 cloning and allow one set of sequencing primers to be used for analysis of any desired DNA sequence. This procedure employs nested amplification primers including short 5′-terminal sequences suitable for the attachment of fluorescent markers or for sequencing with M13 universal and reverse sequencing primers. Our modifications provided adequate single-stranded DNA for reliable automated sequence analysis of selected Ha-ras gene regions, starting with less than 1 μg of genomic DNA.
Mitostatic agents for analyzing growth of human gliomas

Vincristine and vinblastine possess antimitotic activities with arrest of cycling cells in metaphase. These drugs were utilized to analyze the growth characteristics of 12 human gliomas (6 glioblastomas, 4 anaplastic astrocytomas, 2 well differentiated gliomas). The patients received 3H-thymidine and mitostatic agents (either 0.1 mg/kg of Velban or 3 mg/m2 of Oncovin) prior to tumor biopsy. To allow for more convenient comparison of the mitotic index (MI) and the labeling index (LI) in the prognosis of patients, a normalized value (MI/t) was computed by dividing the MI by the lapsed time between drug administration and biopsy. Most malignant gliomas had a MI/t value of 4-5×10-3, a LI of 5-15%, and a potential doubling time of 8.7±3.3 days. In contrast, well differentiated gliomas had a MI/t value of 2×10-3 and/or a LI of > 5% died within 6 months after biopsy. Postmortem examination of specimens from 4 glioblastomas revealed very few, inconsistent mitoses (MI ?? <0.5×10-3). Thus, MI/t values obtained with the use of mitostatic agents should have prognostic significances similar to the LI. Although many uncertainties still exist, the use of mitostatic agents in the study of human brain tumor growth kinetics offers some advantages such as: mitostatic agents are not radioactive; single doses of these drugs are virtually harmless; the method is simple to apply; and, the results can be obtained very quickly.
Collecting and measuring wound exudate biochemical mediators in surgical wounds.

We describe a methodology by which we are able to collect and measure biochemical inflammatory and nociceptive mediators at the surgical wound site. Collecting site-specific biochemical markers is important to understand the relationship between levels in serum and surgical wound, determine any associations between mediator release, pain, analgesic use and other outcomes of interest, and evaluate the effect of systemic and peripheral drug administration on surgical wound biochemistry. This methodology has been applied to healthy women undergoing elective cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. We have measured wound exudate and serum mediators at the same time intervals as patient's pain scores and analgesics consumption for up to 48 hours post-cesarean delivery. Using this methodology we have been able to detect various biochemical mediators including nerve growth factor (NGF), prostaglandin E2 (PG-E2) substance P, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, TNFα, INFγ, G-CSF, GM-CSF, MCP-1 and MIP-1β. Studies applying this human surgical wound bioassay have found no correlations between wound and serum cytokine concentrations or their time-release profile (J Pain. 2008; 9(7):650-7).1 We also documented the utility of the technique to identify drug-mediated changes in wound cytokine content (Anesth Analg 2010; 111:1452-9).2
Hip stiffness patterns in lumbar flexion- or extension-based movement syndromes.

Abstract Objective To determine whether a relationship exists between sagittal plane hip range of motion loss and sagittal plane lumbar Movement System Impairment (MSI) categories in patients with low back pain (LBP). Design Correlational study. Setting University outpatient physical therapy clinic. Participants Subjects (N=40) with LBP. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Classification into a flexion- or extension-based lumbar MSI category, and bilateral passive hip flexion and extension range of motion testing. Using predefined criteria, subjects in each MSI category were subclassified into 1 of 3 hip stiffness categories: (1) a considerable loss of either flexion or extension (pattern A); (2) a considerable loss of both flexion and extension (pattern B); or (3) minimally limited flexion or extension (pattern C). Results Pattern A occurred in 23 (57.5%) subjects, with the primary direction of hip motion loss agreeing with the MSI category 78.3% of the time (φ=.56; P =.007). Pattern B occurred in 10 (25%) subjects, with the primary direction of hip motion loss agreeing with the MSI category 70% of the time (φ=.47; P =.197). Pattern C occurred in 7 (17.5%) subjects, with the primary direction of hip motion limitation agreeing with the MSI category 42.9% of the time (φ=−.40; P =.290). Conclusions Considerable unidirectional hip motion loss in the sagittal plane was a common finding among subjects with LBP and yielded a strong positive relationship with the same direction MSI category. These results may inform future studies investigating whether treatment of hip stiffness patterns could improve outcomes in LBP management.
Membrane potentials of the lobster giant axon obtained by use of the sucrose-gap technique.

A method similar to the sucrose-gap technique introduced be Stapfli is described for measuring membrane potential and current in singly lobster giant axons (diameter about 100 micra). The isotonic sucrose solution used to perfuse the gaps raises the external leakage resistance so that the recorded potential is only about 5 per cent less than the actual membrane potential. However, the resting potential of an axon in the sucrose-gap arrangement is increased 20 to 60 mv over that recorded by a conventional micropipette electrode when the entire axon is bathed in sea water. A complete explanation for this effect has not been discovered. The relation between resting potential and external potassium and sodium ion concentrations shows that potassium carries most of the current in a depolarized axon in the sucrose-gap arrangement, but that near the resting potential other ions make significant contributions. Lowering the external chloride concentration decreases the resting potential. Varying the concentration of the sucrose solution has little effect. A study of the impedance changes associated with the action potential shows that the membrane resistance decreases to a minimum at the peak of the spike and returns to near its initial value before repolarization is complete (a normal lobster giant axon action potential does not have an undershoot). Action potentials recorded simultaneously by the sucrose-gap technique and by micropipette electrodes are practically superposable.
Cytochrome c: gene structure, homology and ancestral relationships

In this paper, the author notes the recommended definition of the word "homology" (i.e., indicating an ancestral relationship) and the recommended stipulation that "evidence for homology should be explicitly laid out". The postulated homology for somatic and testes-specific isozymes of cytochrome c is then examined, using recent data obtained from the study of cytochrome c genes. Consideration is also given to some newer findings of molecular biology and possibilities are considered for various types of change in the genome of an organism. Possible roles of introns, pseudogenes and multigene families are considered. The relationship of testes-specific cytochrome c to somatic cytochrome c is carefully considered from data obtained in experimental studies of genes of these two isozymes. If one assumes that these isozymes arose as a consequence of a gene duplication, data from rat and mouse genes indicate that the testes-specific isozyme has incorporated more amino acid changes than the somatic isozyme since the time of their divergence. However, when the 15 amino acid differences (testes-specific vs. somatic isozyme) are considered, there is virtually no similarity in these 15 positions of the testes-specific isozyme with any of the hypothetical ancestral sequences of the somatic isozyme. Nucleotide differences in cytochrome c genes have been evaluated by comparing genes for the two rodent cytochrome c isozymes to cytochrome c genes of fruit flies, chickens and humans. Comparisons of nucleotide substitution rates in genes for the two cytochrome c isozymes in rodents confirm the conclusions from amino acid sequence comparisons; namely, that more rapid nucleotide changes have occurred in the testes-specific cytochrome c gene, than in the somatic cytochrome c gene. Possible explanations for these findings are considered.
How does diabetes accelerate Alzheimer disease pathology

Diabetes and Alzheimer disease (AD)-two age-related diseases-are both increasing in prevalence, and numerous studies have demonstrated that patients with diabetes have an increased risk of developing AD compared with healthy individuals. The underlying biological mechanisms that link the development of diabetes with AD are not fully understood. Abnormal protein processing, abnormalities in insulin signaling, dysregulated glucose metabolism, oxidative stress, the formation of advanced glycation end products, and the activation of inflammatory pathways are features common to both diseases. Hypercholesterolemia is another factor that has received attention, owing to its potential association with diabetes and AD. This Review summarizes the mechanistic pathways that might link diabetes and AD. An understanding of this complex interaction is necessary for the development of novel drug therapies and lifestyle guidelines aimed at the treatment and/or prevention of these diseases.
Collective vs. Dyadic Representation in Congress

Previous studies of legislative-constituency representation have focused almost exclusively on pairs of Congress members and their constituencies. It is possible, however, to think of representation collectively, i.e., to consider the extent to which Congress as an institution represents the American people. Our analysis delineates this concept of representation, analyzes its existence by use of probability theory and the Miller-Stokes data, and then considers the relationship between collective representation and electoral control. We conclude that citizens probably get better representation than is suggested by the Miller-Stokes analysis, that the amount of representation may be more a function of institutional arrangements than of electoral control, and that citizen indifference towards many aspects of legislative politics is quite reasonable, given the existence of collective representation.
Private and government consumption with liquidity constraints

Abstract Economic theory predicts that liquidity constraints and substitutability or complementarity between private and government consumption result in excess sensitivity of private consumption to income and government consumption, respectively. Using annual data, we estimate these excess sensitivity parameters for each of 54 countries and show that they not only have sensible values but are also correlated with several variables in ways consistent with economic theory. Our findings imply that the degree of substitutability between government services and private consumption depends negatively on the fraction of government spending that goes to national defense. We also find that liquidity constraints typically exist and they are affected positively by output variability and negatively by the saving rate.
Water-Soluble Copolymers. 64. Effects of pH and Composition on Associative Properties of Amphiphilic Acrylamide/Acrylic Acid Terpolymers

Acrylamide (AM)/acrylic acid (AA) copolymers and AM/AA/N-(4-hexylphenyl)acrylamide (HPAM, 0.5 mol %) terpolymers with varied AA content have been synthesized by micellar copolymerization. Co- and terpolymers with 5−37 mol % AA and similar hydrodynamic volumes were prepared. Solution viscosity studies of the copolymers as a function of pH and copolymer concentration in deionized water and NaCl solution indicate normal polyelectrolyte behavior. In aqueous solutions, intra- or intermolecular hydrophobic associations may be favored by variation of terpolymer composition. Three-dimensional plots of both I3/I1 (from pyrene probe fluorescence) and viscosity as functions of pH and terpolymer concentration demonstrate the responsive nature of associations in water and in 0.5 M NaCl. Terpolymers containing approximately 9 and 21 mol % AA exhibit intermolecular (open) associations at ≤pH 5 and in the presence of NaCl. The terpolymer containing approximately 37 mol % AA, however, exhibits no intermolecular associatio...
Response cost, reinforcement, and children's porteus maze qualitative performance

Sixty fourth-grade children were given two different series of the Porteus Maze Test. The first series was given as a baseline, and the second series was administered under one of four different experimental conditions: control, response cost, positive reinforcement, or negative verbal feedback. Response cost and positive reinforcement, but not negative verbal feedback, led to significant decreases in the number of all types of qualitative errors in relation to the control group. The reduction of nontargeted as well as targeted errors provides evidence for the generalized effects of response cost and positive reinforcement.
Silver ion perturbation of olefin photochemistry

Abstract Ag(I) catalysis and inhibition of alkene E/Z photoisomerization, and its effect on tetramethylethylene photochemistry, are reported.
Mimicking the nanostructure of bone matrix to regenerate bone

Key features of bone tissue structure and composition are capable of directing cellular behavior towards the generation of new bone tissue. Bone tissue, as well as materials derived from bone, have a long and successful history of use as bone grafting materials. Recent developments in design and processing of synthetic scaffolding systems has allowed the replication of the bone's desirable biological activity in easy to fabricate polymeric materials with nano-scale features exposed on the surface. The biological response to these new tissue-engineering scaffold materials oftentimes exceeds that seen on scaffolds produced using biological materials.
Transferrin in chick retina: distribution and location during development.

Abstract Chick retinas from embryonic day 6 (E6) to 3 weeks post-hatching were examined for the presence and location of endogenous transferrin. Immunocytochemistry revealed that transferrin was differentially distributed in retinal layers. Furthermore, the pattern of transferrin distribution changed with developmental age. At day E6, transferrin was found in 2 distinct bands which were located in the area of the Muller cell end-feet. By day E9, additional regions of transferrin immunoreactivity could be found in the inner and outer plexiform layers (IPL, OPL) and the nerve fiber layer (NFL). These latter 3 bands (IPL, OPL and NFL) became more prominent from E9 until E17 as the synaptic layers and nerve fiber layer increased in size, density and maturation. Perikarya in the nuclear layers were negative. At day E17 and later, the newly forming outer segments of photoreceptor cells were strongly reactive for transferrin while the somas of the photoreceptor cells, in the ONL, were negative. Retinas from chicks 1 day to 3 weeks post-hatching retained strong immunoreactivity for transferrin in the photoreceptor cell outer segments and OPL, lessened immunoreactivity in the IPL and loss of immunoreactivity in the NFL. Iron distribution in the retina for all ages examined showed only 2 bands that locally corresponded to the Muller cell end-feet. Iron stores were not found in the synaptic layers or photoreceptor cell outer segments. These studies suggest an iron storage function for retinal glia and a role for transferrin in neuronal development and differentiation.
Editor's Spotlight/Take 5: The 2014 ABJS Nicolas Andry Award: The puzzle of the thumb: mobility, stability, and demands in opposition.

Note from the Editor-In-Chief: In “Editor’s Spotlight,” one of our editors provides brief commentary on a paper we believe is especially important and worthy of general interest. Following the explanation of our choice, we present “Take Five,” in which the editor goes behind the discovery with a one-on-one interview with an author of the article featured in “Editor’s Spotlight.” The authors certifies that he, or any members of his immediate family, has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research ® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and do not reflect the opinion or policy of CORR ® or the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons®. This comment refers to the article available at: DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3901-6.
Skill needs and human resources development in the emerging field of nanotechnology

Strong societal requirements and consumer acceptance are the driving force of nanotechnology development. The necessity for qualified experts and strong demand on education in the multi‐, trans‐ and interdisciplinary field of nanotechnology is a logical consequence of this driving force. There is the need for a comprehensive national skill‐needs‐identification study as a first step towards developing the appropriate workforce and to prevent any skill gap or shortage. This paper provides an analytical overview of skill needs and human resources development for the emerging fields of nanotechnology and gives recommendations for further research. Emphasis is placed on the role of vocational educational training (VET) in skill development for nanotechnology. Evidence review and secondary analysis of the literature are used as the methodological approach. A comparative analysis of approaches to nanotechnology workforce development in Germany and the United States is done.
Protection of Colloidal Suspensions with Random Poly(vinyl acetate) Copolymers

We present experimental and self-consistent field (SCF) modeling results on partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA) chains adsorbed on poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) latex particles to determine the relationship between the structure of PVA and the steric force between the colloidal particles with adsorbed PVA. By measuring the surface pressure−area isotherms for a PVA-coated PVC latex monolayer at the air/water interface with the Langmuir−Blodgett surface balance, we found that both an increase in chain length and a decrease in degree of hydrolysis increase the repulsive energy between colloidal particles. Surface pressure−area isotherms also reveal that temperatures ranging from 20 to 50 °C have little effect on the repulsive energy between the colloidal particles. We also used this method to analyze the effect of PVA mixtures on colloidal stability. SCF modeling was used to analyze our experimental results. Our results showed excellent agreement between the SCF modeling results and the experimental ...
A multiple-choice secretary algorithm with applications to online auctions

In the classical secretary problem, a set S of numbers is presented to an online algorithm in random order. At any time the algorithm may stop and choose the current element, and the goal is to maximize the probability of choosing the largest element in the set. We study a variation in which the algorithm is allowed to choose k elements, and the goal is to maximize their sum. We present an algorithm whose competitive ratio is 1-O(√1/k). To our knowledge, this is the first algorithm whose competitive ratio approaches 1 as k ← ∞. As an application we solve an open problem in the theory of online auction mechanisms.
Benchmarks of improved complete basis set extrapolation schemes designed for standard CCSD(T) atomization energies

Simple modifications of complete basis set extrapolation formulas chosen from the literature are examined with respect to their abilities to reproduce a diverse set of 183 reference atomization energies derived primarily from very large basis set standard, frozen core coupled-cluster singles, doubles plus perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) with the aug-cc-pVnZ basis sets. This reference set was augmented with a few larger chemical systems treated with explicitly correlated CCSD(T)-F12b using a quadruple zeta quality basis set followed by extrapolation to complete basis set limit. Tuning the extrapolation formula parameters for the present reference set resulted in substantial reductions in the error metrics. In the case of the best performing approach, the aVnZ extrapolated results are equivalent to or better than results obtained from raw aV(n + 3)Z basis set calculations. To the extent this behavior holds for molecules outside the reference set, it represents an improvement of at least one basis set level over the original formulations and a further significant reduction in the amount of computer time needed to accurately approximate the basis set limit.
Buried Sphere Detection Using a Synthetic Aperture Sonar

This paper presents observations of a buried sphere detected with a low-frequency (5-35-kHz) synthetic aperture sonar (SAS). These detections were made with good signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) at both above and below the critical grazing angle. The raw data for the below-critical-grazing angle detection shows that the acoustic penetration is skewed by the 29deg offset of the ripple field relative to the sonar path. This observed skew is in agreement with T-matrix calculations carried out to model penetration into the bottom via ripple diffraction. Additionally, measured SNRs over different frequency bands are compared to predictions made using both first- and second-order perturbation theory for ripple diffraction. Both the data and the models indicate a peak detection region around 25 kHz for the environmental conditions present during the test. These results confirm that ripple diffraction can play a critical role in long range (subcritical angle) buried target detection.
Restoration of immunologic memory in the tumor-bearing mouse.

Using C3H/HeHa mice and a transplanted methylcholanthrene sarcoma induced in this strain, the effect of simple and radical amputation of the tumor-bearing leg on tumor immunity was evaluated. Radical amputation of the tumor-bearing leg removed the protective effect upon subsequent tumor challenge while immunity was present in mice submitted to only simple amputation of the tumor-bearing leg. However, radical amputation of the contralateral normal leg resulted in failure to demonstrate protection to subsequent challenge. These data suggest that severe stress is the cause of lack of demonstrable immunity in these mice. Restoration of immunity was attempted by injecting a tumor vaccine after radical amputation. When injected immediately after the operative stress, no immunity to tumor was seen. On the other hand, if the vaccine was injected 12 days after operation, protection once again was demonstrated.
Hormone regulation of the growth of endometrial hyperplasias and tumors from the aged Fischer rat

Abstract A monolayer culture system was developed for growing hyperplastic endometrial cells and endometrial tumor cells derived from aged Fischer 344 rats. This system permits the study of the action of hormones and drugs on growth of rat endometrial cells in a defined system. The growth of the hyperplastic endometrial cells in culture was stimulated by 5 n M 17β-estradiol and inhibited by 1.5 m M , N 6 ,O 2′ -dibutyryl cAMP. Equilibrium binding studies with cAMP and tumor cytosols showed a biphasic Scatchard plot with apparent K d values of 10 and 376 n M cAMP and a binding capacity of 3.0 pmole/mg protein. Normal uterine cytosols exhibited apparent K d values of 11 and 267 n M and a binding capacity of 3.8 pmole/mg protein. Binding studies with 17β-estradiol (E 2 ) and cytosols exhibited apparent K d values of 0.40 and 0.42 n M E 2 and binding capacities of 76 and 115 fmole E2mg protein for normal uterine and endometrial tumor cytosols, respectively. These data indicate that both normal uterine and endometrial tumor cytosols exhibit high-affinity receptor sites for cAMP and E 2 which may mediate the responses of the uterine cells to the actions of cAMP and E 2 . Endometrial tumor cells from the aged Fischer rat thus offer a system to investigate hormone regulation of tumor growth.
Tardy transfers from Apium to Ciclospermum (Umbelliferae)

On the basis of habital, foliar, and cytological characters, the taxaApium laciniatum (DC.) Urban,A. leptophyllum var.multisectum Mathias & Constance,A. leptophyllum var.latisectum (Urban) Mathias & Constance, andA. uruguayense Mathias & Constance are transferred to the genusCiclospermum Lagasca.
Care for the Caregiver: Clues for the Pastoral Care of Clergywomen

In this article, we report the results of a qualitative study on the special challenges faced by clergywomen: the impact of gender, work demands, and personal and professional stressors, and the positive and negative coping strategies these clergywomen employed. We include a discussion of the pastoral care issues that emerged from the study and make recommendations for ways pastoral counselors may care for their own.
Magnetic field localization method for guiding visually impaired applications

This paper presents a method to assist visually impaired persons to locate magnetic objects along a path when performing daily arm-reaching and way-finding tasks. To avoid the effect of geo-magnetics, gradient of an object from measured magnetic flux densities has been developed, which characterize the two properties; the relative location and magnetic moment vectors of a magnetic object in the presence of geomagnetic fields. Based on the object motion relative to the sensor along a path, this method overcomes the difficulty of measuring the magnetic anomalies directly. Using dipole models, the magnetic moment and position vectors of the object are measured by a multi-sensor system; and these properties along a path graphically are represented by a magnetic tensor based ellipsoids. The effectiveness and accuracy of the magnetic field localization has been numerically demonstrated and validated by comparing results against exact solutions. For one object condition, the location and moment can be calculated accurately. Results also show that the tensor based ellipsoids are path dependent and can be used to identify the presence of a second object.
Population dynamics of the onuphid polychaete Diopatra cuprea (Bosc) along a tidal exposure gradient

Abstract By means of a technique for mapping permanent quadrats, recruitment and survival were followed for an intertidal, sand flat population of Diopatra cuprea (North River Estuary, Beaufort, North Carolina). Relatively constant, distinctive densities were maintained for more than a year, for the three populations monitored in low (longest tidal exposure), medium and high (shortest tidal exposure) density areas. Mortality in the low density area was relatively high from late spring through early fall, coincident with increasing water and air temperatures. Peak mortality in the medium and high density areas occurred in winter. Although recruitment into all three sites was low, the high density area had a greater number of recruits than the other two sites. Highest adult survival offset lowest recruitment to maintain the medium density subpopulation (site B). Thus, this area has the lowest population turnover (6·1 years) of the three sites. The high density site had the greatest rate of population turnover (2·9 years), reflecting highest rates of mortality and recruitment. The use of long-term, individual monitoring is an effective method of studying variation in population dynamics.
Frontal Callosal Fiber Integrity Selectively Predicts Coordinated Psychomotor Performance in Chronic Alcoholism.

Introduction Quantitative fiber tracking with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides a new approach for assessing deficits in the microstructural integrity of white matter circuits that may underlie cognitive deficits associated with conditions affecting white matter, including chronic alcoholism.
Modeling and Adaptive Control for Tracking Wing Trajectories

Studies of Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) have gained increased attention over the past decade, while a significant range of open problems in this emerging field remain unaddressed. This paper highlights the investigations entailing flapping wing vehicles, designed based on inspiration from observations of avian flight. The nonlinear equations of motion of a ground fixed flapping wing robot are derived that incorporates a quasi-steady model of aerodynamics. The equations of motion are developed using Lagrange’s equations and the aerodynamic contributions are formulated using virtual work principles. The aerodynamics are constructed with a quasi-steady state formulation where the functions representing lift and drag coe cients as a function of angle of attack are treated as unknowns. An adaptive controller is introduced that seeks to learn the aerodynamic e ects. A Lyapunov analysis of the controller guarantees boundedness of all error terms and asymptotic stability in both the joint position and derivative error. The controllers are simulated using two dynamic models based on flapping wing prototypes designed at Virginia Tech. The numerical experiments validate the Lyapunov analysis and verify that unknown parameters are learned if persistently excited.
Do all patients with coronary artery disease benefit from angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

Cumulative evidence supports the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for stable coronary artery disease in patients with and without heart failure. The dose and unique properties of ACE inhibitors, trial data, differences in trial design and demographics, may all contribute to variable responses in clinical outcomes. Pending direct comparator clinical trials between a tissue ACE inhibitor vs a plasma ACE inhibitor, evidence indicates that both ramipril and perindopril can be recommended for secondary risk prevention.
Melanoma epidemic: Facts and controversies

The presence of a true melanoma epidemic has been a controversial topic for the past decade. A dramatic increase in the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma in developed countries is well documented, but mortality rates have not risen as rapidly. This has generated much discussion about whether there is a true increase in disease, or more of an apparent phenomenon that may be explained by multiple biases and other factors. The increase in incidence may be due to aggressive surveillance with increased detection of melanomas that are histologically worrisome but biologically benign. This argument, however, does not account for increased incidence of both thin and thicker melanomas. The controversy lies in the interpretation of these facts. This contribution reviews epidemiologic studies from the United States and worldwide to summarize the arguments for and against the debate about whether a melanoma epidemic exists.
Anchor deformations drive limit cycle oscillations in interferometrically transduced MEMS beams

A micro-scale resonator suspended over a substrate and illuminated with a continuous wave (CW) laser forms an interferometer which couples deflection of the resonator to light absorption. In turn, absorption creates temperature and thermal stress fields which feedback into the motion. Experiments have shown that this coupling can lead to limit cycle oscillations in which the resonator vibrates in the absence of external forcing. However, the mechanism by which the thermal stresses drive limit cycle oscillations of initially flat beams was unknown. In this paper, we present a thermo-mechanical finite element method (FEM) analysis of doubly clamped beams which shows that the combination of anchor point thermal gradients and deflection due to compression couples out-of-plane motion of the beam to the thermal field. It is this coupling that makes limit cycle oscillations of the beam resonators possible. Results of the FEM analysis are used to compute the threshold laser power needed for limit cycle oscillations.
The Politics of Children's Health Insurance Policy:

What is the relationship between state-level politics and the resources devoted to children's health insurance programs (CHIP)? The authors asses this question by drawing on theories from the power resources, institutionalist, logic of industrialism, and racial threat schools of thought. The authors find that each approach offers some explanatory power for per capita CHIP spending. In particular, Republican strength in state legislatures and governorships are associated with diminished CHIP spending. Professionalized state legislatures, strong state financial capacities, and states with a legacy of social policy innovation were linked to greater CHIP spending. States with more uninsured children tended to spend more per capita. And states with greater numbers of blacks spent less per capita. But there was no similar effect for Hispanics. The authors conclude that an array of forces at the state level figure prominently in cross-state inequality and the prospects for social citizenship.
Incorporation of functional HN – F glycoprotein-containing complexes into Newcastle disease virus is dependent on cholesterol and membrane lipid raft integrity

Newcastle disease virus assembles in plasma membrane domains with properties of membrane lipid rafts, and disruption of these domains by cholesterol extraction with methyl-β-cyclodextrin resulted in the release of virions with irregular protein composition, abnormal particle density, and reduced infectivity (J. P. Laliberte, L. W. McGinnes, M. E. Peeples, and T. G. Morrison, J. Virol. 80:10652-10662, 2006). In the present study, these results were confirmed using Niemann-Pick syndrome type C cells, which are deficient in normal membrane rafts due to mutations affecting cholesterol transport. Furthermore, cholesterol extraction of infected cells resulted in the release of virions that attached to target cells at normal levels but were defective in virus-cell membrane fusion. The reduced fusion capacity of particles released from cholesterol-extracted cells correlated with significant loss of HN-F glycoprotein-containing complexes detected in the virion envelopes of these particles and with detection of cell-associated HN-F protein-containing complexes in extracts of cholesterol-extracted cells. Extraction of cholesterol from purified virions had no effect on virus-cell attachment, virus-cell fusion, particle infectivity, or the levels of glycoprotein-containing complexes. Taken together, these results suggest that cholesterol and membrane rafts are required for the formation or maintenance of HN-F glycoprotein-containing complexes in cells but not the stability of preformed glycoprotein complexes once assembled into virions.
Free vibration analysis of rectangular and annular Mindlin plates with undamaged and damaged boundaries by the spectral collocation method

The objective of this paper is the development of a new numerical technique for the free vibration analysis of isotropic rectangular and annular Mindlin plates with damaged boundaries. For this pur...
Heat-shock proteins: new keys to the development of cytoprotective therapies

As molecular chaperones, heat-shock proteins (HSPs) function to limit protein aggregation, facilitate protein refolding and chaperone other proteins. Under conditions of cellular stress, intracellular HSP levels increase in order to provide cellular protection and maintain homeostasis. Evidence exists that the HSP family may be secreted into the circulation via lipid raft-mediated, granule-mediated or exosome-mediated exocytosis in haematopoietic and tumour cells. Extracellular HSPs exert immunomodulatory activities and play an important role in innate immune activation against pathogen infection. Membrane-bound Hsp70 in tumour cells or released chaperone-tumour associated antigen complex represent a target structure for the cytolytic attack by natural killer cells or T lymphocytes. Cellular stresses induce stress granule formation to evade detrimental cellular effects, mediating preconditioning phenotype. Therefore, induction of cellular stress tolerance by preconditioning (e.g., heat shock) might be pot...
Minimizing scatter in experimental data sets

Thermal transient data collected to characterize packaged semiconductor devices is often acquired from a number of individual samples that then must be averaged together. Yet each individual transient curve has a relatively large experimental uncertainty which is usually a combination of unmeasurable initial transient thermal response (related to electrical transients which cannot be separated from the thermal signal), coupled with mounting variability not fairly attributable to the device itself being tested (but is rather due to differences in test board characteristics, solder thickness variation, etc.). When a limited range of the data is believed to accurately represent device-only dependence, a useful, simple, yet rigorous method has been developed to allow the analyst to minimize the scatter in the data set, while preserving the average value in the specified range. Application of this method to actual data is presented for purposes of illustration, and additional implications in the use of the method are discussed. Although this method was developed and is applied here in the context of thermal transient characterization, it is universal in potential application; the underlying mathematical "theorem" is completely general.
The effects of patch size and substrate isolation on colonization modes and rates in an intertidal sediment

The dynamics of soft-bottom disturbance mosaics may be strongly influenced by life stages of colonists, disturbance size, and patch isolation. We assessed the effects of postlarval immigration, patch size, and vertical isolation on colonization following small-scale disturbance in a mudflat in Barnstable Harbor, Massachusetts. Defaunated sediment plugs of two sizes (50 and 1,750 cm2 in plan area) and two levels of isolation (flush with the seafloor and elevated 5 cm) were implanted in the flat and sampled after 4-41 d. Postlarval immigration proved a major colonization mode for both treatment sizes. Colonization rates and successional patterns varied markedly between patch sizes, however. Fauna1 abundance and species number increased more rapidly, and species proportions differed, in smaller treatments primarily because the contribution of postlarval immigration varied inversely with patch size. Colonization in elevated plugs bore little resemblance to that in flush treatments, with macrofauna accumulating in raised plugs at markedly lower rates. We conclude that postlarval immigration may be a major mode of colonization at our site and perhaps in soft bottoms generally, following small-scale disturbance, that patch size must be considered in models of benthic colonization and succession, and that interpreting results from colonization studies with raised substrata may be problematic.
Role of tissue optics and pulse duration on tissue effects during high-power laser irradiation

The primary zone of deposition of optical energy is called here the optical zone. The tissue absorption, tissue scattering, laser-beam diameter, or size of pigmented structures can specify the size of the optical zone. The initial optical zone may be altered by the formation of char during high-irradiance laser exposure, and a spectrum of char absorbance is presented. The relationship between the optical zone and the pulse duration specifies the type of laser-tissue interaction that may occur. Short laser pulses can confine thermal energy and/or stress energy within the optical zone, which maximizes photothermal and photomechanical mechanisms of interaction.
A NEW AND UNUSUAL XEROPHYTIC SPECIES OF BEGONIA (BEGONIACEAE) FROM PERU

A new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae), Begonia gorgonea Tebbitt, is described from Cajamarca Province in northern Peru. This species is allied to a group of Andean species that are currently classified in Begonia sect. Knesebeckia . An identification key to this species group is provided, and the IUCN conservation category of VU D2 is proposed for the new species.
Letter to the Editor-The Incorporation of Step Functions and Ramp Functions into a Linear Programming Model

There exist a number of algorithms for solving linear programming problems in which some or all of the variables are required to have integer values. This paper describes a method for solving programming problems in which some of the variables are step functions of other variables that may themselves be continuous or constrained to take only integer values. The method reduces the latter problem to an integer or partial integer programming problem that can be solved by existing algorithms.
Tight Hardness Results for LCS and Other Sequence Similarity Measures

Two important similarity measures between sequences are the longest common subsequence (LCS) and the dynamic time warping distance (DTWD). The computations of these measures for two given sequences are central tasks in a variety of applications. Simple dynamic programming algorithms solve these tasks in O(n2) time, and despite an extensive amount of research, no algorithms with significantly better worst case upper bounds are known. In this paper, we show that for any constant a#x03B5;>0, an O(n(2-a#x03B5;)) time algorithm for computing the LCS or the DTWD of two sequences of length n over a constant size alphabet, refutes the popular Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis (SETH).
Multiple-Target Visual Search Errors Overview and Implications for Airport Security

Visual search—the ability to locate visual targets among distractors—is a fundamental part of professional performance for many careers, including radiology, airport security screening, cytology, lifeguarding, and more. Successful execution of visual search in these settings is critically important because the consequences of a missed target can be horrific. Unfortunately, many of these professions place high demands on the people performing the searches, and either the task or the environment (or both) could lead to significant errors. One known source of error that exists across many fields is “multiple-target visual search” errors—a target is less likely to be detected if another target was already found in the same search than if the target was the only one present. These errors have proven to be stubborn and not easily eliminated. This article offers a brief overview of the existing research on multiple-target visual search errors and discusses possible policy implications of the errors for airport s...