cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Store-operated calcium entry is present in HL-1 cardiomyocytes and contributes to resting calcium

Abstract Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) has recently been shown to be of physiological and pathological importance in the heart, particularly during cardiac hypertrophy. However, measuring changes in intracellular Ca2+ during SOCE is very difficult to study in adult primary cardiomyocytes. As a result there is a need for a stable and reliable in vitro model of SOCE which can be used to test cardiac drugs and investigate the role of SOCE in cardiac pathology. HL-1 cells are the only immortal cardiomyocyte cell line available that continuously divides and spontaneously contracts while maintaining phenotypic characteristics of the adult cardiomyocyte. To date the role of SOCE has not yet been investigated in the HL-1 cardiac cell line. We report for the first time that these cells expressed stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel Orai1, which are essential components of the SOCE machinery. In addition, SOCE was tightly coupled to sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-Ca2+ release in HL-1 cells, and such response was not impaired in the presence of voltage dependent Ca2+ channels (L-type and T-type channels) or reverse mode Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) inhibitors. We were able to abolish the SOCE response with known SOCE inhibitors (BTP-2 and SKF-96365) and by targeted knockdown of Orai1 with RNAi. In addition, knockdown of Orai1 resulted in lower baseline Ca2+ and an attenuated response to thapsigargin (TG) and caffeine, indicating that SOCE may play a role in Ca2+ homeostasis during unstressed conditions in cardiomyocytes. Currently, there is little knowledge about SOCE in cardiomyocytes, and the present results suggest that HL-1 cells will be of great utility in investigating the role of SOCE in the heart.
Modulating Contraction by Binding of MyBP-C to Actin

Myosin-binding protein C (MyBP-C) is a ∼130 kDa protein of the thick filaments of vertebrate skeletal and cardiac muscle. It consists of a linear array of ten or eleven globular, 10-kDa domains from the immunoglobulin (Ig) and fibronectin type III families, and an additional, MyBP-C-specific motif. The cardiac isoform, cMyBP-C, plays a key role in modulating cardiac function, and mutations in MyBP-C cause heart disease. Despite its discovery 40 years ago, the mechanism of MyBP-C function remains poorly understood. In vitro studies suggest that it could modulate contraction by binding to thin filaments, but there has been no evidence for this in situ. We used electron tomography of exceptionally well-preserved skeletal muscle to study the 3D organization of MyBP-C in the intact sarcomere. The tomogram shows that MyBP-C projects perpendicular to the thick filament surface and reaches neighboring thin filaments. This thick-thin filament bridge suggests a possible physical basis for modulating filament sliding and thus contraction. In vitro, binding to actin has been shown to occur via MyBP-C's N-terminal end. To understand the structural basis of this binding, we used negative stain electron microscopy and 3D reconstruction to study F-actin decorated with bacterially expressed N-terminal cMyBP-C fragments. Clear decoration was obtained under a variety of salt conditions. 3D reconstructions showed MyBP-C density starting over subdomain 1 of actin and extending tangentially towards actin's pointed end. Molecular fitting with an atomic structure of a MyBP-C Ig domain suggested that most of the N-terminal domains may be well ordered on actin. The location of binding was such that it appeared to overlap the relaxed (low Ca2+) position of tropomyosin but not the activated position. This suggests that MyBP-C might help determine the state of thin filament activity by modulating tropomyosin position on actin.
An institution-stakeholder framework for examining business relationship dynamics in a transforming Eastern Europe

Abstract Since the collapse of the USSR, most Central and East European countries have been integrated into global economic institutions through membership in the WTO and EU significantly changing the regional business climate. Through an in-depth analysis of a petroleum pipeline project initiated in Ukraine, a country on the EU's periphery, this research presents a framework based on institutional climate and stakeholder levers of influence for explaining the type of existing and evolving business relationships in the region. A relational matrix for Eastern Europe is developed with a set of guidelines for global firms and investors seeking markets in the region.
Cardiac manifestations of hyperparathyroidism, with presentation of a previously unreported arrhythmia.

Abstract A patient with primary hyperparathyroidism exhibiting A-V block, sinus arrest with ventricular rates as low as 15 per minute, and bouts of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is described. Removal of a parathyroid adenoma completely abolished the arrhythmias. We believe that this is the only documented instance of this degree of conduction disturbance in clinical hyperparathyroidism.
Differential effects of glucocorticosteroids on the functions of subpopulations of helper T lymphocytes.

The in vitro effects of dexamethasone on the activities of Th1 and Th2 helper cell subpopulations were examined in secondary (IgG) responses to hapten-carrier conjugates under conditions where the selective or dominant expression of their individual activities could be observed. In the induction of IgG anti-hapten responses, carrier-primed Th1 cells cooperate with hapten-primed B cells by linked recognition of antigen, while carrier-primed Th2 cells cooperate with hapten-specific B cells by unlinked recognition of antigen. The function of carrier-primed Th2 cells was resistant to inactivation by dexamethasone. In contrast, the function of carrier-primed Th2 cells was abolished in the presence of pharmacologic concentrations of the steroid. The differential effects of dexamethosone on the activities of the two subpopulations of helper T cells could not be attributed to selective inhibition of a subpopulation of B cells which cooperates with Th2 cells.
Variation in a sparrow's reproductive success with rainfall: food and predator-mediated processes.

From 1997 to 1999, we monitored the reproductive success of individual rufous-crowned sparrows (Aimophila ruficeps) in coastal sage scrub habitat of southern California, USA. Annual reproductive output of this ground-nesting species varied strongly with annual variation in rainfall, attributed to the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. Birds fledged 3.0 young per breeding pair in 1997, when rainfall was near the long-term mean, 5.1 offspring per pair in 1998, a wet El Nino year, and 0.8 fledglings per pair in 1999, a dry La Nina year. Variation in many components of reproductive output was consistent with the hypothesis that food availability was positively correlated with rainfall. However, the factor most responsible for the high reproductive output in 1998 was low early season nest predation which, combined with favorable nesting conditions, enabled more pairs to multiple-brood. Cool, rainy El Nino conditions may have altered the activity of snakes, the main predator of these nests, in the early season of 1998. Overall, more of the annual variation in fecundity was attributable to variation in within-season components of reproductive output (mean number of nests fledged per pair) than to within-nest components (mean brood size). Annual variation in rufous-crowned sparrow fecundity appears to be driven primarily by food resource-mediated processes in La Nina years and by predator-mediated processes in El Nino years.
The influence of pulse sequence on the relaxation effects of superparamagnetic iron oxide contrast agents.

The effects of different pulse sequences and timing parameters on the increase in transverse relaxation rate produced by superparamagnetic iron oxide particles have been studied. Gradient-echo, single spin-echo, and multiple-echo images recorded at 2.0 T were used to evaluate the reduction in signal intensity per unit concentration of iron oxide for different echo times and in different media. For the same echo time, gradient-echo sequences were found to be more than twice as sensitive to the effects of the agent as single spin-echo imaging sequences, while multiple-echo sequences were much less affected than either. Using measurements of the relative effects on different sequences, the contributions of different relaxation mechanisms have been quantified. © 1989 Academic Press, Inc.
Studies on the mode of action of sea urchin toxin—I. Conditions affecting release of histamine and other agents from isolated tissues☆

Abstract Direct tests with non-dialysable preparations of the pedicellarial toxin of Tripneustes gratilla L. elicited prolonged contractions of isolated guinea pig's ileum. Preliminary pharmacological experiments ruled out acetylcholine but suggested that histamine and several other agents might be released. Quantitative dose-response analysis showed that the activity of the toxin was reduced by gentle heating, and that carbon treatment and ammonium sulfate precipitation could affect the potency. Chemical evidence was obtained for the release of histamine from the ileal, cardiac, and pulmonary tissues of the guinea pig as well as from colonic and pulmonary tissues of the rat. The release of histamine was shown to be quantitatively dependent on the concentration of toxin acting upon the tissue.
Variation in body size, hair length, and hair density in the deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus along an altitudinal gradient

Wasserman, D. and Nash, D. J. 1979. Variation in body size, hair length, and hair density in the deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus along an altitudinal gradient. – Holarct. Ecol. 2: 115-118. Deer mice Peromyscus maniculatus were captured along an altitudinal gradient that extended from 1524 m up to 3353 m in central Colorado during August and early September 1976. No differences were found in mean body weight along the altitudinal, gradient. Mean hair length was found to increase along the gradient up to an altitude of 2438 m where it leveled off. Hair density was higher in mice captured at 3353 m than at 1524 m. This suggests that Bergmann's Rule was not found along the altitudinal gradient and that insulation was modified in response to the cooler conditions that exist at, high altitude.
Intermittent nicotine administration modulates food intake in rats by acting on nicotine receptors localized to the brainstem

Previous studies have shown nicotine (NIC) administration leads to decreased food intake, while other investigations have reported that NIC stimulates c-Fos expression in the brainstem. Whether there is a causal relationship between NIC effects on ingestion and its effect on brainstem neurons is uncertain, however we hypothesized that blocking NIC action in the brainstem would prevent, to some extent, the hypophagic effects of NIC. In the present study, cannulas were placed in the fourth ventricle of rats. A dose of NIC or saline was injected i.p. in four equal injections during the dark phase for four days. At the start of the second day of injections the NIC receptor antagonist mecamylamine (MEC) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (a-CSF) was infused intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.). Thus, four experimental groups were examined: a-CSF + SAL; a-CSF + NIC; MEC + SAL; MEC + NIC. Meal patterns were recorded using a computerized system and water intake and body weight were measured daily. Peripheral NIC injections suppressed food intake by decreasing meal size, whereas infusion of the NIC receptor antagonist MEC (4 μg) into the fourth ventricle blocked the NIC suppression of food intake. Moreover, the MEC effect was due primarily to an increase in dark phase meal size, which suggests neurons localized to the brainstem transmit NIC signals that regulate feeding behavior by affecting meal size.
Case Report: Cushing’s syndrome in infancy: difficulties in diagnosis and adrenal autotransplantation after therapeutic adrenalectomy

Abstract A two-month-old female with clinical manifestations of Cushing’s syndrome including mild virilization exhibited an unusual steroid pattern illustrating difficulties in diagnosis of this disorder in infancy. Unequivocal abnormalities were limited to serial elevations of serum cortisol concentration, hyperresponsiveness to ACTH, resistance of serum cortisol to dexamethasone suppression, and elevation of testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentration. On the other hand, twenty-four hour urinary 17-hydroxysteroid, 17- ketosteroid, free cortisol, and 6B-hydroxycortisol excretion were normal for the age. At laparotomy the adrenals were only minimally enlarged, and their architecture was normal by light microscopy. Following total adrenalectomy, adrenal slices were transplanted into the rectus abdominis muscles. Progressive hypertension developed three weeks later, suggesting adrenal regeneration. The infant then developed acute Salmonella enteritis and expired. At autopsy, the adrenal transplant showed outer cortical preservation, inner zone degeneration, and some growth into the surrounding tissue. The unfavorable outcome notwithstanding, this study adds to existing data in the adult that adrenal autotransplantation may have significant therapeutic value in Cushing’s syndrome treated by bilateral adrenalectomy.
Studies on 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3: evidence for a nonnuclear membrane receptor in the chick tibial fracture-healing callus

Abstract The effect(s) of 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 [24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 ] on fracture healing was studied in a vitamin D-depleted chick model. 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 , together with another hormonally active vitamin D metabolite, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 [1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 ], improved bone mechanical strength parameters (torsional strength, angular deformation, and stiffness) and the ash content. The synthetic epimer 24S,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 [24S,25(OH) 2 D 3 ] was not as potent as the natural 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 . In light of the ability of the fracture-healing callus to discriminate between 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 and 24S,25(OH) 2 D 3 , a search was initiated in fracture-healing callus tissue for the presence of a specific 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 receptor. No evidence was obtained for a classical nuclear/cytosol receptor for 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 in the fracture-healing callus. A specific receptor/binding protein for 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 was found in the callus membrane fraction, which showed different ligand binding affinities [ K D = 18.3 ± 1.9 nmol/L, B max = 43.9 ± 6.0 fmol/mg; relative competitive index (RCI) for 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 /24S,25(OH) 2 D 3 /25(OH)D 3 /1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 = 100/37/401/2.0] compared with the ubiquitous serum vitamin D-binding protein (RCI = 100/99/219/5). Also, a callus membrane-binding protein/receptor for 1α,25(OH) 2 D 3 was detected with a K D = 0.83 ± 0.35 nmol/L and a B max = 35.5 ± 5.2 fmol/mg. Thus, we have demonstrated a biological role for 24R,25(OH) 2 D 3 in fracture healing and described the presence of its receptor/binding protein in a callus membrane fraction.
Clinical features and treatment outcomes of 79 infants with immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Background To determine the clinical features and treatment outcomes of infants with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Methods Retrospective analysis of 79 infant ITP patients treated from 1987 to 2002. The data abstracted comprised age, gender, clinical features, and treatment outcomes. A score test for the trend in the odds ratios was used to determine the risk of chronic ITP with advancing age. The infants were compared to a group of contemporaneous older children with regard to bleeding severity and incidence of chronic ITP. Results The 34 female and 45 male infants had a median age of 16 months. Seventy-four presented with purpura, four with viral illnesses, and one was asymptomatic. Eight percent had active mucosal bleeding. The median platelet count was 8,000/μl. Forty infants received intravenous immunoglobulin, nine intravenous anti-D immunoglobulin, six steroids, and seven were observed without treatment. Fifty-five (76%) responded to a single course of treatment. Only 9% of infants developed chronic ITP compared to 18% of children between the ages of 25 and 119 months and 47% of children 120 months or older (P < 0.0005). Conclusions Infants with ITP respond favorably to treatment and are less likely to develop chronic ITP compared to older children. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Experimental budgeting research: Implications for practitioners

In most organizations, budgeting is an essential business process. While budgets have many advantages, they have been criticized for discouraging creativity and innovation, destroying cooperation, promoting a short-term focus, and encouraging gaming. We believe that a well-designed budgeting system can address many of these concerns. Our belief stems partly from the results of experimental research on budgeting. The purpose of this article is to detail results from some of the recent experimental academic literature on budgeting and to provide insights on budget design and use. This article highlights results from recent academic research on budgeting and summarizes considerations for practitioners as they design and use budgeting systems. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Work practices of system administrators: implications for tool design

System administrators are specialized workers and computer users. As skilled workers in complex and high-risk environments, intuition tells us this unique user group may have requirements of the systems and software they use that differ from the requirements of regular computer users. An examination of system administrator work practices sheds light on the system attributes and characteristics they need to do their jobs. Through shadowing, interviews, and a review of previous system administrator studies, we present information and system quality attributes that appear to be important to system administrators. Following a discussion of these attributes, we present a model of user satisfaction that provides actionable guidance and an integration of the attributes. We close with a discussion of the research findings and a call for future research in this area.
Familial celiac disease with intestinal disaccharidase deficiencies.

Familial celiac disease was demonstrated in at least 2 members of a studied family. Intestinal disaccharidase activity, evaluated in 4 members of the family by qualitative and quantitative assays of their intestinal mucosa, was found to be diminished. Disaccharidase activity improved after removal of gluten from the diet but lactase deficiency persisted. The histologic appearance of the intestinal mucosa improved with prolonged therapy; however, lactase deficiency persisted even after the mucosa had returned to normal. Possibly an underlying lactase deficiency precipitated gluten-sensitive enteropathy with mucosal damage and additional disaccharidase deficiencies.
Ultra-Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Instrument at the Advanced Photon Source: History, Recent Development, and Current Status

The 25-year history and development of an ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) instrument dedicated to serving materials research is presented and discussed. The instrument’s successful track record is attributed to three factors. The first, and surely the most important, is that all development has been driven by scientific research directions and opportunities. Second, the USAXS instrument is a core capability rather than an add-on facility, with measurement capability from micrometers to nanometers, which is precisely the size range where microstructures determine physical properties. The third is that the instrument’s range of capabilities has continually expanded, now including 2D collimation, imaging, and dynamics. And finally, USAXS has enjoyed the benefit of a management structure that has consistently appreciated the unique experimental measurement capabilities that USAXS delivers.
Enhancing the Interdisciplinary Perspective in the Marketing Management Decision Process through an Applied, Integrated, Client Project.

Businesses function within a cross-functional, integrative setting, and this necessitates providing a learning environment for students that is comparable to real-life work projects. Two upper-level university classes in marketing and information systems worked collaboratively with a snack food business to design and build a Web site based on a conceptual framework model that met specific marketing and operational objectives. Student teams developed appropriate Web site strategies intended to meet the goals and objectives, and made formal presentations to the client. Information systems students then built the designed site. This collaborative, interdisciplinary project created a richer, more complex, and realistic learning environment.
Temperature and cerebral blood flow regulation in the freshwater turtle, Pseudemys scripta.

Abstract Chemical regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) by CO 2 has been demonstrated in an ectohermic vertebrate (Davies, Am. J. Physiol. 260: R382, 1991). Cerebrovascular sensitivity to CO 2 (ΔCBF/ΔPa CO 2 ), a measure of the vascular reactivity of the cerebral blood vessels to CO 2 , was found to be 0.7 ml·min −1 ·100 g −1 ·Torr −1 during anoxia in the freshwater turtle, Pseudemys scripta . In the present study, the effect of body temperature on ΔCBF/ΔPa CO 2 was studied. ΔCBF/ΔPa CO 2 was not significantly affected by body temperature. It was concluded that if ΔCBF/ΔPa CO 2 remains constant with changes in body temperature and CBF is controlled by CO 2 , CBF should increase with temperature due to the temperature-induced increase in Pa CO 2 .
Unintended imitation affects success in a competitive game

Imitation typically occurs in social contexts where people interact and have common goals. Here, we show that people are also highly susceptible to imitate each other in a competitive context. Pairs of players performed a competitive and fast-reaching task (a variant of the arcade whac-a-mole game) in which money could be earned if players hit brief-appearing visual targets on a large touchscreen before their opponents. In three separate experiments, we demonstrate that reaction times and movements were highly correlated within pairs of players. Players affected their success by imitating each other, and imitation depended on the visibility of the opponent’s behavior. Imitation persisted, despite the competitive and demanding nature of the game, even if this resulted in lower scores and payoffs and even when there was no need to counteract the opponent’s actions.
In vitro metabolism of the brominated flame retardants 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) 2,3,4,5-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) in human and rat tissues.

Due to the phaseout of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, new chemicals, such as 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) 2,3,4,5-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), have been used as replacements in some commercial flame retardant mixtures. Both chemicals have been detected in indoor dust at concentrations approaching the concentrations of PBDEs; however, little is known about their fate, metabolism, or toxicity. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential metabolism of these two brominated flame retardants in human and rat tissues by conducting in vitro experiments with liver and intestinal subcellular fractions. In all the experiments, TBB was consistently metabolized to 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoic acid (TBBA) via cleavage of the 2-ethylhexyl chain without requiring any added cofactors. TBBA was also formed in purified porcine carboxylesterase but at a much faster rate of 6.29 ± 0.58 nmol min–1 mg protein–1. The estimated Km and Vmax values for TBB metab...
Isolation of Drosophila melanogaster Testes

The testes of Drosophila melanogaster provide an important model for the study of stem cell maintenance and differentiation, meiosis, and soma-germline interactions. Testes are typically isolated from adult males 0-3 days after eclosion from the pupal case. The testes of wild-type flies are easily distinguished from other tissues because they are yellow, but the testes of white mutant flies, a common genetic background for laboratory experiments are similar in both shape and color to the fly gut. Performing dissection on a glass microscope slide with a black background makes identifying the testes considerably easier. Testes are removed from the flies using dissecting needles. Compared to protocols that use forceps for testes dissection, our method is far quicker, allowing a well-practiced individual to dissect testes from 200-300 wild-type flies per hour, yielding 400-600 testes. Testes from white flies or from mutants that reduce testes size are harder to dissect and typically yield 200-400 testes per hour.
Sediment nutrient accumulation and nutrient availability in two tidal freshwater marshes along the Mattaponi River, Virginia, USA

Sediment deposition is the main mechanism of nutrient delivery to tidal freshwater marshes (TFMs). We quantified sediment nutrient accumulation in TFMs upstream and downstream of a proposed water withdrawal project on the Mattaponi River, Virginia. Our goal was to assess nutrient availability by comparing relative rates of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) accumulated in sediments with the C, N, and P stoichiometries of surface soils and above ground plant tissues. Surface soil nutrient contents (0.60-0.92% N and 0.09-0.13% P) were low but within reported ranges for TFMs in the eastern US. In both marshes, soil nutrient pools and C, N, and P stoichiometries were closely associated with sedimentation patterns. Differences between marshes were more striking than spatial variations within marshes: both C, N, and P accumulation during summer, and annual P accumulation rates (0.16 and 0.04 g P m � 2 year � 1 , respectively) in sediments were significantly higher at the downstream than at the upstream marsh. Nitrogen:P ratios <14 in above ground biomass, surface soils, and sediments suggest that N limits primary production in these marshes, but experimental additions of N and=or P did not significantly increase above ground productivity in either marsh. Lower soil N:P ratios are consistent with higher rates of sediment P accumulation at the downstream site, perhaps due to its greater proximity to the estuarine turbidity maximum.
Per-Unit Reactances of Superconducting Synchronous Machinery

Because superconducting machines lack well defined magnetic circuits and air gaps, some per-unit normalization methods used for conventional machines are not satisfactory. This paper presents six possible ways of normalizing the impedances of air-core machines, illustrating the processes with data from an experimental air core machine. It is found that a commonly used per-unit system may be used with certain modifications.
Climate, Medicine, and Peruvian Health Resorts

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the Peruvian Andes ranked as a key international destination for those afflicted with one of the world’s most deadly diseases, tuberculosis. Physicians, scientists, policy makers, and patients believed that high-elevation mountain climates worldwide would help cure the disease. Historical processes driving the creation of Andean health resorts, which are understudied in the historiography, uncover an important story in the history of tuberculosis, and also reveal how global health initiatives and disease treatment played out within the global South, where national forces and local environmental conditions influenced the trajectory of science and medicine. Jauja, Peru, became an internationally recognized health resort for tuberculosis treatment not only through science and medicine but also through national political integration campaigns, transportation initiatives, economic development agendas, social (race and class) relations, cultural perspectives o...
A Review Of Recent Studies On The Sources Of Hazardous Compounds Emitted From Solid Waste Landfills: A U.S. Experience

Municipal solid waste landfills operating in the United States receive a large variety of materials generated by an industrialized, "throwaway" society. As a result, liquid and gas emissions (produced during the normal decomposition processes occurring within the landfill) are often contaminated with hazardous compounds. The presence of hazardous pollutants in liquid and gaseous emissions is well documented, however, the source of these pollutants is not always apparent. Potential sources of these hazardous contaminants in municipal solid waste landfills may include small quantity generators of hazardous wastes, household hazardous wastes, wastes disposed prior to the 1980 enactment of U.S. hazardous waste disposal legislation, and biological and chemical transformation products of buried refuse. Source identification will facilitate characterization and quantification of emissions necessary for the design and operation of leachate gas collection and treatment facilities.
Reduced complexity programmable FIR filters

Reduced complexity FIR (finite impulse response) filtering approaches are investigated for suitability as high-speed, general-purpose, programmable order, programmable coefficient digital filters. Approaches are investigated in terms of control complexity, speed, and hardware efficiency. Basic processing element configurations are proposed, and general implementation considerations are discussed. >
Divergence-free basis for representing polarization current in finite-size dielectric regions

A new set of subsectional basis functions is described for calculating the full-wave solution for structures composed of finite-sized dielectrics and conductors. The basis functions explicitly satisfy the physical condition that no polarization charge exist within homogeneous dielectric regions, and this allows, as a side benefit, a significant reduction in associated matrix size and solution run time. Algorithms for efficiently generating the new basis functions are also given. Through the examples presented, the accuracy of the solution technique is confirmed, as well as the claims on reductions in computational effort. >
Methodologies for Surveying Herpetofauna Mortality on Rural Highways

Road mortality can contribute to local and regional declines in amphibian and reptile populations. Thus, there is a need to accurately and efficiently identify hotspots of road-mortality for hazard assessment and mitigation. In 2002, we conducted walking and driving surveys throughout an extensive rural highway network in northern New York, USA, to evaluate survey methods and to quantify spatial and temporal patterns of herpetofauna road-mortality. In 2004, we repeated the surveys at a subset of locations to quantify interannual repeatability. Reptile and amphibian species had different peak periods of road-mortality because they differed in the causes of movements that resulted in crossings. Spatial locations of herpetofauna road-mortality were concentrated at a limited number of hotspots. Hotspots overlapped across species and were located at consistent locations across years. Results of walking and driving surveys were highly repeatable among survey teams, but driving surveys underestimated the density of road-mortality because many animals were missed. Detection failure was higher in some taxa (e.g., frogs) than others (e.g., turtles). Our results indicate that it is possible to design a valid, efficient methodology for locating hotspots of reptile and amphibian road-mortality along a road network and, thus, pinpoint priority sites for mitigation.
Robust source coding of images for very noisy channels

Robust source coding provides the compression and noise mitigation necessary for image transmission over noisy channels. Two methods are compared-differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) and predictive trellis coded quantisation (PTCQ)-incorporating linear and nonlinear filters. Findings show that although PTCQ has better rate-distortion properties, DPCM provides better performance in noise. Additionally, the nonlinear filter yields better images.
Some considerations about the use and applicability of preference-based health-related quality of life measures to survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence in developing countries

Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have become widely available in developed countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Such measures, instruments or questionnaires need to undergo translation processes, validation and cultural adaptation in order to be used in other countries and in other languages. The utilization of measures developed in settings other than the originating ones poses several challenges, including the appropriateness of the translation and of the cross-cultural adaptation and adequate validation process. Preference-based or preference-weighted utilities for health states have an important role in measurement and in economic evaluation regarding a wide range of conditions, such as childhood cancer and survivorship. Some attempts have been made to create and apply preference-based HRQoL indexes to young populations, such as children, adolescents and young adults. Use of proxy respondents is an issue for studying HRQoL in these groups, especially children. This review aims at providing a critical evaluation of the use of preference-based HRQoL measures in developing countries, focusing on the Health Utilities Index, Mark 2 and Mark 3, commonly called HUI2 and HUI3, and their application to survivors of childhood cancer in Latin America. The process researchers undertake, especially in regards to the use of already translated instruments is discussed. The appropriateness of the instruments is also assessed and focus is on the attributes of the instrument and the population, the cultural aspects and the use of proxy respondents. Finally, the adequateness of other commonly used preference-based instruments for childhood cancer is discussed. This critical assessment could benefit future work in the area of health-related quality of life, especially guiding those interested in the trans-cultural use of existing generic preference-based HRQoL instruments.
Human melanomas of fibroblast and epithelial morphology differ widely in their ability to synthesize retinyl esters

Reduced retinyl ester synthesis has been associated with several forms of cancer; we therefore proposed studying melanoma development from the perspective of this biochemical pathway. Cultures of human melanoma cells with fibroblastoid morphology showed negligible retinyl ester synthesis; in sharp contrast, those with epithelioid morphology were capable of retinol esterification. Further, isolated proliferating epidermal melanocytes (HFSC/2) esterified retinol, whereas proliferating normal skin fibroblasts (F:CCD-1121.Sk) did not. A primary site cutaneous melanoma and its metastatic match (both of epithelioid morphology) were capable of retinol esterification, while a matched fibroblastoid tumor pair did not synthesize retinyl esters; nevertheless, LRAT (lecithin:retinol acyltransferase) protein was found in microsomal fractions from all four tumors. A mutation screen in the LRAT coding region and adjacent intronic sequences revealed several novel mutations in these melanomas as well as in HFSC/2 and F:CCD-1121.Sk cells: a single nucleotide polymorphism in exon 1(37A→G), a silent mutation in exon 2a (188 A→G/ 186 G→A), and an insertion in the 5UTR (9‐10insC). CRBP-1 basal expression was present in the HFSC/2, and in both sets of matched tumor pairs; however, steady-state levels in the fibroblastoid melanoma pair were one-third that found in the epithelioid matched tumor pair. Coculture of human primary site epithelioid melanoma with proliferating normal human skin fibroblasts abrogated retinol esterification within 96 h and increased the expression of the active form of TGFβ-1 by 2.4-fold. A concomitant 3.2-fold downregulation of CRBP-1 expression took place. This is the first study to (1) demonstrate an association between retinyl ester synthesis and cutaneous melanoma morphological phenotypes; (2) suggest the existence of a soluble, diffusible inhibitor of the retinol esterification pathway; (3) report the ability of the isolated, proliferating human epidermal melanocyte to esterify retinol; and (4) provide evidence of DNA variants in the coding region of LRAT.
Synthesis and Magnetic Characteristics of Granular Co Dispersions in a Polymer Matrix

We have produced thin film composite matrices containing granular transition metals in the zero valent state and have found onset of percolation at a much lower volume fraction than was the case for Au, albeit for significantly smaller transition metal particles. At volume fractions below percolation these granular composites are superparamagnetic down to 6°K. Remanent magnetization and hysteretic ferromagnetic behavior was not observed until we were slightly above the onset of electrical percolation. We interpret this result as indicative of ferromagnetic ordering among the transition metal grains. No significant reduction in magnetic moment due to size effects or to chemical interaction with the matrix was observed. A very small size dispersion of the metal clusters was indicated both from magnetic a well as electron microscopy measurements.
How can we reduce the risk of serious infection for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Infection is responsible for approximately 25% of all deaths in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), making it a leading cause of mortality among patients. Ruiz-Irastorza and colleagues, in a recent issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy, report the clinical predictors of major infections found in a prospective study of patients with SLE. Similar patterns of infection and pathogens as reported in previous studies were seen; what is striking, however, was the protective effect seen with anti-malarial use. Many infections in patients with SLE could be prevented with timely vaccinations, reducing exposure to contagious contacts, screening for latent infections, minimizing exposure to corticosteroids, targeted prophylaxis for high risk patients, and, unless contraindicated, anti-malarial therapy as standard of care.
Independent Recruitment of an O -Methyltransferase for Syringyl Lignin Biosynthesis in Selaginella moellendorffii

Syringyl lignin, an important component of the secondary cell wall, has traditionally been considered to be a hallmark of angiosperms because ferns and gymnosperms in general lack lignin of this type. Interestingly, syringyl lignin was also detected in Selaginella, a genus that represents an extant lineage of the most basal of the vascular plants, the lycophytes. In angiosperms, syringyl lignin biosynthesis requires the activity of ferulate 5-hydroxylase (F5H), a cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase, and caffeic acid/5-hydroxyferulic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT). Together, these two enzymes divert metabolic flux from the biosynthesis of guaiacyl lignin, a lignin type common to all vascular plants, toward syringyl lignin. Selaginella has independently evolved an alternative lignin biosynthetic pathway in which syringyl subunits are directly derived from the precursors of p-hydroxyphenyl lignin, through the action of a dual specificity phenylpropanoid meta-hydroxylase, Sm F5H. Here, we report the characterization of an O-methyltransferase from Selaginella moellendorffii, COMT, the coding sequence of which is clustered together with F5H at the adjacent genomic locus. COMT is a bifunctional phenylpropanoid O-methyltransferase that can methylate phenylpropanoid meta-hydroxyls at both the 3- and 5-position and function in concert with F5H in syringyl lignin biosynthesis in S. moellendorffii. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that Sm COMT, like F5H, evolved independently from its angiosperm counterparts.
COMPARISON OF NEW AND EXISTING METHODS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF INDIVIDUALS ACCORDING TO 6-N PROPYLTHIOURACIL (PROP) TASTER STATUS

We developed an alternative method for the determination of 6-n propylthiouracil (PROP) taster status that is based on the comparison of intensity ratings of PROP solutions with intensity ratings of visual, tactile, and kinesthetic (physical) stimuli. We then compared the classification obtained with this method to those derived from traditional approaches. One hundred and forty-two subjects rated the perceived intensity of 0.000032, 0.00018, 0.00032, 0.0018, and 0.0032 M PROP, and 0.01, 0.032, 0.1, 0.32, and 1.0 M NaCl, as well as five levels each of perceived roughness of sandpaper, grayness of shades, and thickness of honey and water mixtures on the Labeled Magnitude Scale (LMS). Ratings for 0.00032 M PROP and 0.1 M NaCl were also compared in a one solution test. Subjects were classified as PROP nontasters, tasters or supertasters by all three procedures. Seventy-six percent of panelists were classified in a similar way by the physical stimuli and NaCl procedures, while 70% percent of panelists were classified similarly by the physical stimuli procedure and the one solution test, as well as by the NaCl procedure and the one solution test. Only 65% of panelists were classified similarly by all three procedures. Further, in replicate ratings of PROP solutions, supertasters’ evaluations of PROP at all concentration levels decreased significantly (P < 0.01) from the first to the second rating. It is evident from these findings that the method used to determine PROP taster status can greatly influence the outcome of any investigation of PROP taster status on other phenotypes.
Surveillance history and the history of new media: An evidential paradigm:

New media are often addressed within the growing field of surveillance studies, but technologies predating the late twentieth century are rarely considered. This essay challenges conventional histories of modern surveillance by highlighting the cultural impact of three ‘old’ new media: photography, the phonograph, and the telephone. Drawing upon the work of historian Carlo Ginzburg (1990), I argue that new media produce new evidence and that late nineteenth-century media contributed to an emergent ‘evidential paradigm’. From this perspective, the intensification of contemporary surveillance can be seen as an elaboration of late nineteenth-century new media and the proliferation of evidence-producing communication technologies.
Search for Production of Single Top Quarks in the Electron+Jets Channel at DØ

We present a search for the electroweak production of single top quarks using 156-169 pb-1 of electron+jets data collected by the DO detector, at , at the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider at Fermilab. In the absence of any significant evidence for single top production we set upper limits on the cross section at 95% C.L., of 14 pb for s-channel, 20 pb for t-channel, and 18 pb for the combined s + t channel.
Another Calcium Paradox

In a number of important diseases, the clinical course is defined principally by the host response, more so than by the initiating environmental insult. Clinicians rely on identification of this host response for diagnosis and may select those responses as targets for therapeutic intervention. Atherosclerosis is one such disease. The clinical course was once felt to result from progressive accumulation of inert “deposits” of cholesterol and calcium. In the past decade, it has become clear and widely understood that atherosclerosis is a complex orchestrated series of host responses to as yet poorly understood vascular injury.1 One of the most striking and convincing mechanistic advances in recent times has been the revelation of the extent to which inflammatory events predominate in the afflicted arterial wall.2 This understanding has been reached by basic and clinical studies at the tissue, cellular, and subcellular levels3 and by population-based epidemiological investigations.4 The atherosclerotic process can be viewed as occurring in stages, beginning with a “nascent” period, during which fatty streaks appear in the arterial wall.1 Transformation to a “hot” phase ensues, consisting of accumulation of free lipid, leukocyte attraction and activation, and proliferation of arterial wall cells.5 This phase, the paradigm holds, gives way to lipid resorption, collagen deposition and remodeling, and calcification of vessel wall tissue.6 We now know that mural calcification, once thought to represent a “burned out” stage of atherosclerosis, is actually a complex programmed …
Debts and Deficits in Australia

The question of the current account deficit and the external debt has become the hottest issue in Australia since the «Bottom of the Harbor» scandal of 1982. The net external debt, currently calculated at a bit more than 30% of GDP (with interest payments at about 3% of GDP), is growing rapidly due to a current account deficit that, in the second half of 1989, was approximately 5% of GDP. The spirited and, at times, hysterical controversy over the debt and deficit issue has been lead by Professor John Pitchford, who supports (or at least gives comfort to) the Labor government’s policy of benign neglect of the deficit, arguing quite sensibly that foreign borrowing is not inherently bad in the absence of externalities that cause the private cost of external borrowing to fall short of the social cost (1). The financial press and, more recently, the business community, have strongly condemned the government’s attitude.
Radial basis function networks, regression weights, and the expectation-maximization algorithm

We propose a modified radial basis function (RBF) network in which the regression weights are used to replace the constant weights in the output layer. It is shown that the modified RBF network can reduce the number of hidden units significantly. A computationally efficient algorithm, known as the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, is used to estimate the parameters of the regression weights. A salient feature of this algorithm is that it decomposes a complicated multiparameter optimization problem into L separate small-scale optimization problems, where L is the number of hidden units. The superior performance of the modified RB network over the standard RBF network is illustrated by computer simulations.
The Emergence of Modern Korean Scientific and Technological Manpower

For years now, historians of science and technology in Korea have shied away from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century largely to avoid dealing with the implications of the Japanese colon...
Adsorption of insulin to glass.

SummaryBy elution with gelatin solutions a material having hypoglycemic activity in mice can be recovered from laboratory glassware which has previously been exposed to insulin. Gelatin solutions can prevent adsorption of insulin to glass.
Runtime Semantic Security Analysis to Detect and Mitigate Control-Related Attacks in Power Grids

In this paper, we analyze control-related attacks in supervisory control and data acquisition systems for power grids. This class of attacks introduces a serious threat to power systems, because attackers can directly change the system’s physical configuration using malicious control commands crafted in a legitimate format. To detect such attacks, we propose a semantic analysis framework that integrates network intrusion detection systems with a power flow analysis capable of estimating the execution consequences of control commands. To balance detection accuracy and latency, the parameters of the power flow analysis algorithm are dynamically adapted according to real-time system dynamics. Our experiments on IEEE 24-bus, 30-bus, and 39-bus systems and a 2736-bus system demonstrate that by opening three transmission lines, an attacker can put the tested system into an insecure state, and the semantic analysis can complete detection in 200 ms for the large-scale 2736-bus system with about 0.78% false positives and 0.01% false negatives, which allow for timely responses to intrusions.