cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the in vivo receptor occupancy for the behavioral effects of cannabinoids using a radiolabeled cannabinoid receptor agonist, R‐[125/131I]AM2233

G-protein coupled receptors exist in both high and low agonist affinity conformations, with tracer levels of agonist radioligands preferentially binding to the former. The goal of the present study was to characterize the in vivo binding of the aminoalkyindole-based, CB1 receptor agonist, R-[125/131I]AM2233 ((2-[125/131I]iodo-phenyl)-[1-(1-methyl-piperidin-2-yl-methyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-methanone), and to use this radiotracer to selectively measure the receptor occupancy by the related CB1 receptor agonist, WIN55212-2, to the agonist-preferring affinity state of the receptor. In mouse locomotor assays, both WIN55212-2 and AM2233 (racemic) produced an approximately 60% reduction in activity at 1 mg/kg, (i.v.) and completely inhibited activity at 3 mg/kg, confirming their agonist nature. In ex vivo autoradiography, preferential uptake of R-[131I]AM2233 was apparent in CB1 receptor-rich areas, including globus pallidus, substantia nigra, striatum, cerebellum, and hippocampus. Overall brain uptake of R-[131I]AM2233 was 1.3% injected activity/g at 5 min in mice. Coinjection of 3 mg/kg (i.v.) SR141716A, a CB1 receptor antagonist, with R-[125I]AM2233 inhibited the radiotracer binding almost to nonspecific levels in the striatum, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra, although residual binding to a non-CB1 receptor remained in the hippocampus. In contrast to the effect of SR141716A, coinjection of 10 mg/kg (i.v.) WIN55212-2, a high dose that produced an immediate and profound immobility and catalepsy in the mice, reduced CB1 receptor-specific binding of R-[125I]AM2233 in CB1 receptor-rich areas by only 21-43%. These observations suggest that the behavioral effects of CB1 receptor agonists are manifested with a relatively small fraction of the agonist-preferring affinity state of the receptor occupied.
Dilation of polycarbonate by carbon dioxide

A new technique is described for dilatometry under high pressure. The technique is based on optical interferometry and is analogous to measuring the thickness of thin, nonabsorbing films and coatings. The procedure is demonstrated for the well-characterized system of n-pentane sorption by polyisobutylene, and then results for the dilation of polycarbonate by the sorption of carbon dioxide are presented. The dilation of polycarbonate by CO2 is nearly linear with concentration; the partial molar volume of CO2 decreases slightly with increasing pressure. This result indicates that all sorbed CO2 molecules contribute equally to the dilation of the polymer matrix and that none reside in microvoids or in preexisting free-volume elements which do not contribute to volume expansion of the polymer.
An addendum to the understanding and treatment of individuals with motivational deficits

A brief philosophical addendum to the traditional cognitive-behavioral treatment of individuals with motivational deficits is presented. A distinction is drawn between long-term desire, or motivation, and short-term willpower. It is asserted that willpower deficit is typically self-defined by individuals who report they do not wish to, and therefore believe they are unable to, act upon a previous commitment. In addition to utilizing the already-established strategies for treating these individuals, it is suggested that drawing the distinction between motivation and action can often serve to move unmotivated clients.
Kinetic Properties of Polymorphic Variants and Pathogenic Mutants in Human Cystathionine γ-Lyase

Human cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CGL) is a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme, which functions in the transsulfuration pathway that converts homocysteine to cysteine. In addition, CGL is one of two major enzymes that can catalyze the formation of hydrogen sulfide, an important gaseous signaling molecule. Recently, several mutations in CGL have been described in patients with cystathioninuria, a rare but poorly understood genetic disease. Moreover, a common single nucleotide polymorphism in CGL, c.1364G>T that converts serine at position 403 to isoleucine, has been linked to elevated plasma homocysteine levels. In this study, we have characterized the pathogenic T67I and Q240E missense mutations and the polymorphic variants at amino acid residues 403 using kinetic and spectrophotometric methods. We report that the polymorphism does not influence the cofactor content of the enzyme or its steady-state kinetic properties. In contrast, the T67I mutant exhibits a 3.5-fold decrease in V max compared to that of wild-type CGL, while the Q240E mutant exhibits a 70-fold decrease in V max. The K Ms for cystathionine for both pathogenic mutants are comparable to that of wild type CGL. The PLP content of the T67I and Q240E mutants were about 4-fold and 80-fold lower than that of wild-type enzyme, respectively. Preincubation of the T67I mutant with PLP restored activity to wild-type levels while the same treatment resulted in only partial restoration of activity of the Q240E mutant. These results reveal that both mutations weaken the affinity for PLP and suggest that cystathionuric patients with these mutations should be responsive to pyridoxine therapy.
Experimental determination of stability margin in a 27 strand bronze matrix, Nb 3 Sn cable-in-conduit conductor

A small coil of internally cooled cabled superconductor was fabricated for experimental determination of the stability margin. The conductor is 27 strands of Nb 3 Sn in a bronze matrix. The sheath material is JBK-75 superalloy. The bifilar coil was potted in epoxy in the annulus of a pulse coll set. Experimental results are presented defining critical pulse energy as a function of normalized operating current and background field. The relationships between dB/dt, pulse energy and stability margin are derived by calculation and confirmed by experimental calibration.
Nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation in relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia: long-term follow-up, prognostic factors, and effect of human leukocyte histocompatibility antigen subtype on outcome.

BACKGROUND: The role of nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation (NST) in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is not well established. The authors report on long-term experience with NST in relapsed/refractory CLL and define prognostic factors associated with outcome. METHODS: The authors reviewed the outcome of 86 patients with relapsed/relapsed CLL enrolled in sequential NST protocols. RESULTS: The median patient age was 58 years. Patients were heavily pretreated before transplantation, and 43 required immunomanipulation after NST for persistent or recurrent disease. Immunomanipulation included withdrawal of immunosuppression, rituximab, and step-wise donor lymphocyte infusions. Of 43 patients receiving immunomanipulation, 20 (47%) experienced a complete remission. Patients with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype A1+/A2−/B44− were more likely to experience a complete remission (P = .0009), with rates of 9%, 36%, 50%, and 91%, respectively, for 0, 1, 2, and 3 of these HLA factors. This resulted in significant improvement in progression-free-survival rates of 68.2% at 5 years for patients with all 3 HLA factors. Overall, the estimated 5-year survival rate was 51%. In a multivariate model, a CD4 count of <100/mm3 and a below normal serum immunoglobulin G level at study entry were associated with a short survival duration (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the potential cure of relapsed/refractory CLL with NST and provide the first evidence that immunoglobulin G and CD4 levels are predictive of overall survival after NST in CLL and that human leukocyte antigen alleles predict response to immunomanipulation. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Self-assembled monolayers that resist the adsorption of proteins and the adhesion of bacterial and mammalian cells

This paper examines the hypothesis that surfaces resistant to protein adsorption should also be resistant to the adhesion of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis) and the attachment and spreading of mammalian cells (bovine capillary endothelial (BCE) cells). The surfaces tested were those of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) terminated with derivatives of tri(sarcosine) (Sarc), N-acetylpiperazine, permethylated sorbitol, hexamethylphosphoramide, phosphoryl choline, and an intramolecular zwitterion (−CH2N+(CH3)2CH2CH2CH2SO3-) (ZW); all are known to resist the adsorption of proteins. There seems to be little or no correlation between the adsorption of protein (fibrinogen and lysozyme) and the adhesion of cells. Surfaces terminated with derivatives of Sarc and N-acetylpiperazine resisted the adhesion of S. aureus and S. epidermidis as well as did surfaces terminated with tri(ethylene glycol). A surface that presented Sarc groups was the only one that resisted the adhesion of BCE cells a...
Child development: what do parents expect?

Expectations of future development were assessed in parents of non-disabled children (n = 240) using the Predictive Adaptive Ability Questionnaire (PAAQ). The reliability estimate for the overall PAAQ was 0.90, with a test-retest reliability of 0.99 and an interrater reliability of 0.83. Parental expectations did not significantly differ from normal adaptive ability developmental standards. Longitudinal examination of parental expectations and their influence on child development and the impact of chronic illness on such expectations is recommended. Language: en
The Sorting Nexin, DSH3PX1, Connects the Axonal Guidance Receptor, Dscam, to the Actin Cytoskeleton

Abstract Dock, an adaptor protein that functions inDrosophila axonal guidance, consists of three tandem Src homology 3 (SH3) domains preceding an SH2 domain. To develop a better understanding of axonal guidance at the molecular level, we used the SH2 domain of Dock to purify a protein complex from fly S2 cells. Five proteins were obtained in pure form from this protein complex. The largest protein in the complex was identified as Dscam (Down syndrome celladhesion molecule), which was subsequently shown to play a key role in directing neurons of the fly embryo to correct positions within the nervous system (Schmucker, D., Clemens, J. C., Shu, H., Worby, C. A., Xiao, J., Muda, M., Dixon, J. E., and Zipursky, S. L. (2000) Cell 101, 671–684). The smallest protein in this complex (p63) has now been identified. We have named p63 DSH3PX1 because it appears to be theDrosophila orthologue of the human protein known as SH3PX1. DSH3PX1 is comprised of an NH2-terminal SH3 domain, an internal PHOX homology (PX) domain, and a carboxyl-terminal coiled-coil region. Because of its PX domain, DSH3PX1 is considered to be a member of a growing family of proteins known collectively as sorting nexins, some of which have been shown to be involved in vesicular trafficking. We demonstrate that DSH3PX1 immunoprecipitates with Dock and Dscam from S2 cell extracts. The domains responsible for the in vitro interaction between DSH3PX1 and Dock were also identified. We further show that DSH3PX1 interacts with theDrosophila orthologue of Wasp, a protein component of actin polymerization machinery, and that DSH3PX1 co-immunoprecipitates with AP-50, the clathrin-coat adapter protein. This evidence places DSH3PX1 in a complex linking cell surface receptors like Dscam to proteins involved in cytoskeletal rearrangements and/or receptor trafficking.
Energetics and structures of aluminum-lithium clusters.

Energetics and structures of small aluminum-lithium clusters were investigated using structure minimization and dynamic simulated annealing on the electronic Born-Oppenheimer surface, calculated via the local-spin-density-functional method in conjunction with nonlocal pseudopotentials. It is suggested that evolutionary patterns of electronic structure, energetics, and binding in ALi n clusters may be analyzed within a framework were atomic-based characteristics, associated mainly with closing of the Al 3p shell, dominate for n≤5, while a perturbed delocalized electronic cluster-shell pattern, containing an AlLi 5 «core,» develops for larger clusters (i.e., for n≥6)
Confluence of Constraints in Gauge Mediation: The 125 GeV Higgs Boson and Goldilocks Cosmology

Recent indications of a 125 GeV Higgs boson are challenging for gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking, since radiative contributions to the Higgs boson mass are not enhanced by significant stop mixing. This challenge should not be considered in isolation, however, as gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking also generically suffers from two other problems: unsuppressed electric dipole moments (EDMs) and the absence of an attractive dark matter candidate. We show that all of these problems may be simultaneously solved by considering heavy superpartners, without extra fields or modified cosmology. Multi-TeV sfermions suppress the EDMs and raise the Higgs mass, and the dark matter problem is solved by ``Goldilocks'' cosmology, in which TeV neutralinos decay to GeV gravitinos that are simultaneously light enough to solve the flavor problem and heavy enough to be all of dark matter. The implications for collider searches and direct and indirect dark matter detection are sobering, but EDMs are expected near their current bounds, and the resulting nonthermal gravitino dark matter is necessarily warm, with testable cosmological implications.
Courtesy Stigma and Monetary Sanctions Toward a Socio-Cultural Theory of Punishment

Recent research suggests that the use of monetary sanctions as a supplementary penalty in state and federal criminal courts is expanding, and that their imposition creates substantial and deleterious legal debt. Little is known, however, about the factors that influence the discretionary imposition of these penalties. This study offers a comprehensive account of the role socio-cultural factors, especially race and ethnicity, have in this institutional sanctioning process. We rely on multilevel statistical analysis of the imposition of monetary sanctions in Washington State courts to test our theory. The theoretical framework emphasizes the need to treat race and ethnicity as complex cultural categories, the meaning and institutional effects of which may vary across time and space. Findings indicate that racialized crime scripts, such as the association of Latinos with drugs, affect defendants whose wrong-doing is stereotype congruent. Moreover, all individuals accused of committing racially and ethnically stigmatized offenses in racialized contexts may experience the courtesy stigma that flows from racialization. We find that race and ethnicity are not just individual attributes but cultural categories that shape the distribution of stigma and the institutional consequences that flow from it.
The use of glutamic acid for the isolation and identification of Clostridium cochlearium and Cl. tetanomorphum

A simple method has been developed to test the ability of anaerobes to ferment glutamic acid. This has been applied to a systematic study of seventeen strains of anaerobic spore-formers isolated from soil with the aid of enrichment cultures containing glutamic acid as the main source of carbon and energy. The twelve glutamic acid fermenting strains were found to be similar in their morphological and physiological characters except with respect to the utilization of glucose and pyruvate (with one strain also lactose, mannitol and salicin). These organisms are identified with two previously described species, Cl. cochlearium and Cl. tetanomorphum. The five glutamic acid negative strains differ distinctly from the positive strains also with respect to other characters. The ability to ferment glutamic acid therefore appears to be of taxonimic value.
Apolipoprotein ε4 is not a genetic risk factor for coronary artery disease or restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Abstract In conclusion, our results indicate that the apoe4 allele is not a significant risk factor for development of CAD or restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Thus, routine screening of persons for apoe genotypes to identify those at high risk for development of CAD or restenosis is not recommended.
Spurious solutions in driven cavity calculations

Difference approximations are used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for the plane incompressible flow of a viscous fluid in a square box. (AIP)
Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation of Automotive Glass Fiber Composites

Thermographic, ultrasonic and acoustic emission nondestructive evalua tion (NDE) characterizations of flawed and unflawed SMC-R25, SMC-R50 and XMC-3 composites are conducted. For various flawed and unflawed states of the composites, these NDE characterizations are correlated with both flaw state and tensile fracture strength. Drilled-holes and V-notch flaws of various sizes result in correspondingly lower tensile strengths; however, in creases in fabrication temperature up to 177 °C and pressure up to 13.8 MPa, post-fabrication thermal exposure at 191 °C for up to 24 hours, water immer sion at 21 °C for up to 45 days and aluminum foil inclusions are found to have no significant effects on the tensile strength.For all three materials, the maximum number of thermographic color dif ferences is correlated linearly with the flaw size to specimen thickness ratio and with the tensile fracture stress for the drilled-holes and V-notch flaws. For all three materials, the ultrasonic through-thickness attenuation at ...
Acyl Chloride-Modified Amorphous Carbon Substrates for the Attachment of Alcohol-, Thiol-, and Amine-Containing Molecules

Amorphous carbon thin films are easily deposited at room temperature, readily functionalized with alkene-containing molecules through a UV photochemical reaction, and provide a robust surface capable of supporting array fabrication. Relatively few attachment chemistries for the fabrication of small organic molecule and/or biomolecule arrays on carbon substrates have been described to date. Here, acyl chloride-terminated amorphous carbon substrates were fabricated, characterized, and used to attach alcohol-, thiol-, and amine-containing small molecules. Oligonucleotide arrays of thiol- and amine-modified oligonucleotides were also prepared on these substrates. The hybridization density, average fluorescence signal of hybridized features, and average background fluorescence of oligonucleotide arrays prepared on acyl chloride-modified substrates were compared to the same parameters for oligonucleotide arrays prepared on maleimide- and aldehyde-modified substrates.
The ossification process of the developing antler in the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

Biopsy samples were obtained from the growing tips of the main beam and tines of two-and three-year-old, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) throughout the active growing season. The samples were prepared by routine and special histological techniques. The histological differentiation of the antler proceeded through a complex series of changes. The series originated with reserve mesenchymal tissue, progressed through the differentiation of a cartilaginous supportive tissue and culminated in the total osseous replacement of the cartilage. Chondroclasia and osteoclasia were responsible for the remodeling and removal of the mineralized cartilage and woven bone. Subsequent osteogenesis resulted in lamellar, cancellous and compact, bone deposition. The morphological evidence proves that the elongation of the antler in this species is achieved through a modified form of endochondral ossification, while the thickening of the antler is achieved through intramembranous mechanisms. Specifically, antler cartilage differentiates, matures, undergoes mineralization and is replaced subsequently by bone. The antler can serve as a useful model in chondrogenic and osteogenic studies.
ANTERIOR SEGMENT VITRECTOMY

Summary The role of vitrectomy instrumentation in anterior segment reconstruction is reviewed with regard to indications, techniques, and pertinent clinical examples. An historical Summary of previous techniques and results for anterior segment vitrectomy is provided to emphasize certain aspects of modern closed-eye microsurgical vitrectomy techniques.
Pyridine nucleotides in the thyroid gland. VII. Effect of thyroid stimulating hormone on ATP concentration in dog thyroid slices.

The ATP concentration of dog thyroid slices averages 319 ±76 mμmoles/g wet weight of tissue with a range from 167 to 669 mμmoles/g. Incubation of thyroid slices with TSH decreased the ATP levels during a 45-min incubation. This reduction was significantly greater when glucose was omitted from the incubation medium. A 45-min incubation period by itself did not change the ATP concentrations of thyroid slices. Iodoacetate, dicumarol, dinitrophenol, NaF and pcrm-hydroxymercuribenzoate all decreased the basal and TSH-stimulated glucose- l-14C oxidation and caused marked reduction of ATP levels in thyroid slices. There was no apparent correlation between 14CO2 production and ATP levels. The present results indicate that the TSH-mediated increase in TPN is not due to an effect of the hormone on increasing ATP conconcentrations.(Endocrinology 79: 732, 1966)
How Important are Shared Perceptions of Procedural Justice in Cooperative Alliances

Building on the “loose coupling” logic, this study examines the importance of boundary spanners' shared perceptions of procedural justice in cross-cultural cooperative alliances. I argue that allia...
Yellow Fever virus NS3 plays an essential role in virus assembly independent of its known enzymatic functions

In flaviviruses it has been proposed that there is a coupling between genome replication and virion assembly and that nonstructural proteins are involved in this process. It was previously reported that mutations in yellow fever virus (YFV) nonstructural protein NS2A blocked production of infectious virus and that this block could be released by a suppressor mutation in NS3. Here, based on studies using a YFV replicon-based trans-packaging system as well as full-length YFV cDNA, we report that mutation of a conserved tryptophan at position 349 in the helicase domain of NS3 blocks production of infectious virus particles, revealing an as-yet-unknown role for NS3 in virus assembly. Mutation of tryptophan 349 to alanine (W349A) had no effect on viral replication, as demonstrated by wild-type levels of viral RNA amplification and protein expression in W349A-transfected cells. Although release of infectious virus was not detected, release of capsidless subviral particles was not blocked. The assembly defect in W349A could be trans-complemented inefficiently using BHK-REP cells (a cell line containing persistently replicating YFV replicon RNA). trans-complementation was also demonstrated by supplying wild-type NS2B-3 or NS3 protein alone as well as by supplying inactive NS2B-3 protein, indicating that this function of NS3 in virus assembly was independent of its known enzymatic functions.
Clinical Reasoning: A 28-year-old man with progressive gait disturbance and encephalopathy.

A 28-year-old man with sickle cell disease presented with 7 months of difficulty walking. Initial examination 3 months prior to admission to our hospital was thought to be consistent with a polyneuropathy. He was areflexic, was unable to stand on toes or heels with decreased sensation on the left foot to light touch and vibration, had difficulty with heel to shin, and was unable to perform tandem gait. Laboratory tests revealed anemia (hemoglobin 7.2 g/dL) and elevated creatinine (1.49 g/dL). HIV, antinuclear antibodies, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, hepatitis serologies, rapid plasma reagin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, copper, SSA/B, and Lyme titers were unremarkable. B12 deficiency (B12 188 pg/mL) and a mildly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at 24 mm/hour were found. Initial MRI brain showed multiple foci of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintense lesions in the subcortical and periventricular white matter. Lesions did not restrict on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); however, a few lesions demonstrated enhancement with gadolinium. MRI of the spine was unremarkable. Lumbar puncture (LP) was remarkable for a CSF protein of 144 mg/dL, leukocytes 43/µL (92% lymphocytes), erythrocytes 2,400/µL, and glucose 41 mg/dL. There were no oligoclonal bands. The patient was treated with IM injections of B12, without improvement in his deficits.
COMMENTARY: MY ADVENTURES IN ZUNI—AND KYKOTSMOVI AND WINDOW ROCK AND …

Over the last three decades, museums' and archaeology's engagement with Indians has changed dramatically, most notably with NAGPRA. I review my personal experiences in the U.S. Southwest, drawing tentative conclusions about the present and future of museum–Indian relations.
A Study Of Gender Differences With Respect To Internet Socialization Of Adolescents

This study investigates the differences between adolescent males and females in the perceived amount of knowledge regarding internet usage provided by various socialization agents (i.e. parents, school, media, and peers). Further, it examines whether there is a significant difference in the amount of knowledge regarding internet usage provided by various socialization agents within gender. The study takes a social learning perspective to examine the gender differences.
Effects of inhomogeneous myofibril morphology on optical diffraction in single muscle fibers

Laser diffraction is commonly used in physiological research that explores single muscle fibers. Although variations in sarcomere morphological properties have often been observed, their effects on laser diffraction have not been studied in detail. In this study, we applied three-dimensional coupled wave theory to a physical sarcomere model to investigate the effects of inhomogeneous morphological profiles in muscle fibers. The simulation results were compared with several those of published experimental studies. Our results indicate that by incorporating various myofibril inhomogeneities such as skew and domain effect in the theoretical model, a variety of observations in single fiber diffraction under different experimental conditions can be reproduced in the simulation.
Fluorescence imaging in living animals. Focus on “Uptake and trafficking of fluorescent conjugates of folic acid in intact kidney determined using intravital two-photon microscopy”

the past two decades have seen spectacular advances in the ability to directly observe physiological processes in living cells. While various forms of transmitted light microscopy (e.g., differential interference contrast microscopy) have made very significant contributions, the greatest advances
Underflow and the Denormalized Numbers

Although there have been misconceptions about it, gradual underflow fits naturally into the proposed standard and leads to simple, general statements about the arithmetic.
Wittgensteinian developmental investigations

I criticize Carpendale & Lewis's (C&L) attempt to produce a Wittgensteinian theory, as an alternative to work in the “theory of mind” tradition, not because I disagree with it as theory, but because Wittgenstein would be critical of any attempt to make such a use of his work. His concern is with descriptions, not theories.
A radical concept on caveolae and endothelial dysfunction in coronary microvascular disease in diabetes.

The risk of cardiovascular disease is markedly elevated in individuals with diabetes, representing the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in these diabetic patients (1). More specifically, individuals with diabetes display dysfunctions in the regulation of blood flow in coronary arterioles (2,3). Importantly, impairments in the appropriate vasodilatory response of myocardial arterioles to various pharmaceutical and physical stimuli can be present even if there is no discernible atherosclerotic blockage in these blood vessels (4,5). Moreover, increased flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in coronary arterioles is an important regulatory mechanism for controlling arteriolar diameter and blood flow in response to changes in wall shear stress, and this mechanism is also impaired in conditions of glucose dysregulation (6,7). While the underlying etiology for the dysfunctions in the coronary microcirculation in diabetes is certainly multifactorial, the contribution of impairments in the endothelial nitric oxide (NO)–generating system and their association with the excess generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) appears to be crucial in the development of these vascular abnormalities. For example, the impairment of the induction of vasodilation in coronary arterioles in the db/db mouse, a model of obesity-associated insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, is related to limitations in NO availability (8,9). It is of great interest that NO availability can be compromised by interactions with superoxide anion, with a …
Self-monitoring and self-adapting operating systems

Extensible operating systems allow applications to modify kernel behavior by providing mechanisms for application code to run in the kernel address space. Extensibility enables a system to efficiently support a broader class of applications than is currently supported. This paper discusses the key challenge in making extensible systems practical: determining which parts of the system need to be extended and how. The determination of which parts of the system need to be extended requires self-monitoring, capturing a significant quantity of data about the performance of the system. Determining how to extend the system requires self-adaptation. In this paper, we describe how an extensible operating system (VINO) can use in situ simulation to explore the efficacy of policy changes. This automatic exploration is applicable to other extensible operating systems and can make these systems self-adapting to workload demands.
Porothermoelasticity in Transversely Isotropic Porous Materials

A porothermoelastic theory for saturated porous elastic materials has been presented. Constitutive equations for the most general case were presented and specializations for orthotropy, transverse isotropy, and isotropy were carried out to identify the material constants required to define the system. Although theoretical developments have accomplished development of governing equations to describe behaviors of anisotropic poroelastic materials under non-isothermal conditions, the experimental research is still lacking in measurement of these fundamental constants. The solution for an inclined borehole in a transversely isotropic poroelastic formation subject to a temperature gradient via difference in borehole fluid and formation temperature has been presented. Although the solution is limited for the case where the isotropic plane is perpendicular to the borehole axis, it is still a unique solution in transversely isotropic porothermoelasticity and can serve as a benchmark for validating numerical codes.
Share and share alike: exploring the user interface affordances of file sharing

With the rapid growth of personal computer networks and the Internet, sharing files has become a central activity in computer use. The ways in which users control the what, how, and with whom of sharing are dictated by the tools they use for sharing; there are a wide range of sharing practices, and hence a wide range of tools to support these practices. In practice, users' requirements for certain sharing features may dictate their choice of tool, even though the other affordances available through that tool may not be an ideal match to the desired manner of sharing.In this paper, we explore users' current practices in file sharing and examine the tools used to share files. Based on our findings, we unpack the features and affordances of these tools into a set of dimensions along which sharing tools can be characterized. Then, we present the set of user interface features we have prototyped in an interface called a sharing palette, which provides a platform for exploration and experimentation with new modalities of sharing. We briefly present the tool as a whole and then focus on the individual features of the sharing palette that support reported styles of sharing.
Prioritized multiplicative Schwarz procedures for solving linear systems

We describe a new algorithm designed to quickly and robustly solve general linear problems of the form Ax = b. We describe both serial and parallel versions of the algorithm, which can be considered a prioritized version of an alternating multiplicative Schwarz procedure. We also adopt a general view of alternating multiplicative Schwarz procedures which motivates their use on arbitrary problems (even which may not have arisen from problems that are naturally decomposable) by demonstrating that, even in a serial context, algorithms should use many, many partitions to accelerate convergence; having such an over-partitioned system also allows easy parallelization of the algorithm, and scales extremely well. We present extensive empirical evidence, which demonstrates that our algorithm, with a companion subsolver, can often improve performance by several orders of magnitude over the subsolver by itself and over other algorithms.
A Prison and a Nursing Home: Any Similarities?

Although diversity exists between a prison and a nursing home, there are similarities. In both institutions, the staff members who have the most contact with the population (guards and nurse's aides) had the least amount of professional training in mental health. Significantly, in both institutions, prisoners and residents with whom I worked chose either to be a prisoner or to have a physical disability over mental illness. Two other similarities occurred: food (negative evaluation) and the importance of visitors.
Carbon Partitioning in a Flaveria linearis Mutant with Reduced Cytosolic Fructose Bisphosphatase

Oxygen sensitivity and partitioning of carbon was measured in a mutant line of Flaveria linearis that lacks most of the cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase found in wild-type lines. Photosynthesis of leaves of the mutant line was nearly insensitive to O(2), as found before. The mutant plants partitioned 2.5 times less carbon into sucrose than the wild type in a pulse chase experiment, with the extra carbon going mainly to starch but also to amino acids. From 10 to 50 min postlabeling, radioactivity chased out of the amino acid fraction to starch in both lines. In the middle of the light period, starch grains were larger in the mutant than in the wild type and covered 30% of the chloroplast area as seen with an electron microscope. Starch grains were found in both mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts in both lines in these C(3)-C(4) intermediate plants. At the end of the dark period, the starch levels were considerably reduced from what they were in the middle of the light in both lines. The concentration of sucrose was higher in the mutant line despite the lack of cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. The amino acid fraction accounted for about 30% of all label following a 10-min chase period. In the mutant line, most of the label was in the glycine + serine fraction, with 10% in the alanine fraction. In wild-type leaves, 35% of the label in amino acids was in alanine. These results indicate that this mutant survives the reduced cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activity by partitioning more carbon to starch and less to sucrose during the day and remobilizing the excess starch at night. However, these results raise two other questions about this mutant. First, why is the sucrose concentration high in a plant that partitions less carbon to sucrose, and second, why is alanine heavily labeled in the wild-type plants but not in the mutant plants?
A Note on the Local Convergence of a Predictor-Corrector Interior-Point Algorithm for the Semidefinite Linear Complementarity Problem Based on the Alizadeh-Haeberly-Overton Search Direction

This note points out an error in the local quadratic convergence proof of the predictor-corrector interior-point algorithm for solving the semidefinite linear complementarity problem based on the Alizadeh--Haeberly--Overton search direction presented in [M. Kojima, M. Shida, and S. Shindoh, SIAM J. Optim., 9 (1999), pp. 444--465]. Their algorithm is slightly modified and the local quadratic convergence of the resulting method is established.
Growth Response of Penaeus setiferus to Four Commercial Feeds Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions

Shrimp farmers have access to and have evaluated a diverse number of shrimp species; however, due to culture and market considerations three penaeid species (Penaeus monodon, P. orientalis and P. vunnamei) account for 80% of the world production (Weidner and Rosenbeny 1992). Although culture techniques for these species have been extensively studied and are relatively well established, they are not native to U.S. coastal waters and hence possess problems associated with the use of exotic species. Three native species P. aztecus. brown shrimp; P. duorarum, pink shrimp; and P. setiferus, white shrimp, support commercial fisheries along the Gulf states (Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council 1981). The commercial culture of these species would avoid the inherent problems associated with the culture of exotic species and allow shrimp farmers in the Caribbean basin to more effectively expand operations.
Takeover! 1997 (D): The White Knight: United Brands Corporation

The D case, part of a series of cases that simulate a hostile-takeover attempt involving four companies in January 1997 (see also the A [UVA-F-1170], B [UVA-F-1171], and C [UVA-F-1172] cases), focuses on the white-knight firm, which has had amicable relations with the target company in the past and is considering making a friendly bid for it. The exercise organizes students into teams representing the four companies, and each team must negotiate an outcome that is most advantageous to its firm. The parties are motivated to act because the expiration of the raider's tender offer will occur soon, and if there is no higher offer outstanding, the arbitrageurs will tender their shares and the raider will tender its control. All parties know that the target company's board of directors is meeting in a few hours to settle on a course of action. This exercise is ideally suited to (1) hone students' valuation and negotiation skills, (2) train students in the unusual dynamics of hostile takeovers, and (3) develop an understanding of some fundamental points of corporate governance, including the responsibilities of a board of directors and the agency problems that can arise when managers' jobs are threatened.
Regulation of cellular volume in rabbit ventricular myocytes: bumetanide, chlorothiazide, and ouabain

Video microscopy was used to study the regulation of cell volume in isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes. Myocytes rapidly (less than or equal to 2 min) swelled and shrank in hyposmotic and hyperosmotic solutions, respectively, and this initial volume response was maintained without a regulatory volume decrease or increase for 20 min. Relative cell volumes (normalized to isosmotic solution, 1T) were as follows: 1.41 +/- 0.01 in 0.6T, 1.20 +/- 0.04 in 0.8T, 0.71 +/- 0.04 in 1.8T, and 0.57 +/- 0.03 in 2.6T. These volume changes were significantly less than expected if all of the measured volume was osmotically active water. Changes in width and thickness were significantly greater than changes in cell length. The idea that cotransport contributes to cell volume regulation was tested by inhibiting Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport with bumetanide (BUM) and Na(+)-Cl- cotransport with chlorothiazide (CTZ). Under isotonic conditions, a 10-min exposure to BUM (1 microM), CTZ (100 microM), or BUM (10 microM) plus CTZ (100 microM) decreased relative cell volume to 0.87 +/- 0.01, 0.86 +/- 0.02, and 0.82 +/- 0.04, respectively. BUM plus CTZ also modified the response to osmotic stress. Swelling in 2.6T medium was 76% greater and shrinkage in 0.6T medium was 29% less than in the absence of diuretics. In contrast to the rapid effects of diuretics, inhibition of the Na(+)-K+ pump with 10 microM ouabain for 20 min did not affect cell volume in 1T solution. Nevertheless, ouabain decreased swelling in 0.6T medium by 52% and increased shrinkage in 1.8T medium by 34%. These data suggest that under isotonic conditions Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- and Na(+)-Cl- cotransport are critical in establishing cell volume, but osmoregulation can compensate for Na(+)-K+ pump inhibition for at least 20 min. Under anisotonic conditions, the Na(+)-K+ pump and Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- and/or Na(+)-Cl- cotransport are important in myocyte volume regulation.
CpGFilter: model-based CpG probe filtering with replicates for epigenome-wide association studies

Summary: The development of the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip enables epigenome-wide association studies at a reduced cost. One observation of the 450K data is that many CpG sites the beadchip interrogates have very large measurement errors. Including these noisy CpGs will decrease the statistical power of detecting relevant associations due to multiple testing correction. We propose to use intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), which characterizes the relative contribution of the biological variability to the total variability, to filter CpGs when technical replicates are available. We estimate the ICC based on a linear mixed effects model by pooling all the samples instead of using the technical replicates only. An ultra-fast algorithm has been developed to address the computational complexity and CpG filtering can be completed in minutes on a desktop computer for a 450K data set of over 1000 samples. Our method is very flexible and can accommodate any replicate design. Simulations and a real data application demonstrate that our whole-sample ICC method performs better than replicate-sample ICC or variance-based method. Availability and implementation: CpGFilter is implemented in R and publicly available under CRAN via the R package ‘CpGFilter’. Contact: chen.jun2@mayo.edu or xlin@hsph.harvard.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Consequences of ATP1a3 dysfunction: Characterization of a novel model and underlying pathophysiology (S22.002)

Objectives: 1) Determine the effects of ATP1A3 dysfunction on behavior, motor control and predisposition to epilepsy. 2) Investigate the electropysiological mechanisms underlying such dysfunction. 3) Generate a knock-in mouse that allows such investigations. Background: ATPase dysfunction is important in the pathophysiology of epilepsy whether it is primary due to mutations or secondary due to energy crisis during seizures/status epilepticus. The mechanisms and consequences such dysfunction are not fully understood. Developing and investigating a knock-in mouse model that has a mutation shown to cause alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) a disorder which manifests abnormalities in motor function, behavior and epilepsy should address this need. Methods: We used homologous recombination of the targeting vector in embryonic stem cells to generate mutant heterozygous mice which have the most common mutation (D801N) causing AHC and compared mutant and wild-type littermates (8-16/group) using a battery of behavioral tests, in vivo predisposition to seizures and hippocampal slice electrophysiology. Results: Mutants had abnormal impulsivity (open field, p=0.007), memory (novel object task, p=0.04), gait (hindlimb stride length, p Disclosure: Dr. Hunanyan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fainberg has nothing to disclose. Dr. Linabarger has nothing to disclose. Dr. Arehart has nothing to disclose. Dr. Leonard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Adil has nothing to disclose. Dr. Helseth has nothing to disclose. Dr. Swearingen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Forbes has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rodriguiz has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rhodes has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yao has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kabbi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hochman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wetsel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hochgeschwender has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mikati has nothing to disclose.
Applications of confocal microscopy to studies of sea urchin embryogenesis.

The principles, advantages, and some of the general applications of confocal microscopy are presented by Wright et al. ([I] in this volume). The primary benefit of the confocal microscope derives from its ability to obtain optical sections from which out-of-focus information has been removed by the confocal aperture. The background rejection of the confocal aperture is only one consideration, however. Specimen preparation is an equally important factor that determines whether or not sections of sufficient resolution and contrast can be successfully obtained from deep within a thick specimen (see Cheng and Summers, 1990). Once confocal images of adequate quality are collected from the interior of an entire specimen or from a limited area of interest within that sample, the optical sections are stored individually in a digital form on the host computer. Subsequently, these data sets can be transformed into three-dimensional, stereoscopic, or extended-focus views that allow an entire specimen to be viewed in focus (Boyde, 1990).
Promoting Repeat Tobacco Dependence Treatment: Are Relapsed Smokers Interested?

Background Promotion of repeat tobacco dependence treatment among relapsed smokers interested in "recycling" (repeat quit attempt) may be a promising approach to increase quit rates. Objective To report relapsed smokers' interest in recycling and their treatment preferences. Study design Descriptive analysis of a population of relapsed smokers who were randomized to receive a recycling intervention strategy to increase tobacco dependence treatment rates, as part of a randomized controlled trial at 5 Veterans Affairs medical centers. Methods Individuals prescribed a tobacco dependence medication in 2002 were eligible and were identified from the Department of Veterans Affairs Pharmacy Benefits Management database. Intervention group participants (n = 951) were contacted for a standardized telephone interview approximately 6 months after the prescription fill date to assess smoking status, interest in recycling, and treatment preferences. Bivariate analyses and generalized linear mixed-model regressions were used to describe outcomes. Results The response rate to the intervention telephone call was 62% (586/951), at which 61% (357/586) of respondents had relapsed. Almost two thirds of relapsed smokers were interested in recycling within 30 days. Of these, 91% wanted behavioral or pharmacologic smoking cessation treatment, and 64% wanted behavioral and pharmacologic treatment. In multivariate analyses, independent predictors of interest in recycling within 30 days included black race, lower smoking level, and greater number of smoking-related medical conditions. Conclusion Most smokers who attempt to quit but relapse want to quit again right away, and most are interested in receiving behavioral and pharmacologic treatment.
Does reading scenarios of future land use changes affect willingness to participate in land use planning

Scenarios of future outcomes often provide context for policy decisions and can be a form of science communication, translating complex and uncertain relationships into stories for a broader audience. We conducted a survey experiment (n = 270) to test the effects of reading land use change scenarios on willingness to participate in land use planning activities. In the experiment, we tested three combinations of scenarios across two time periods, comparing survey responses of individuals reading a set of scenarios with individuals who did not read scenarios. Reading scenario narratives increased willingness to participate in land use planning activities and perceived self-efficacy. Measures of interest and sense of community also increased willingness to participate. Tests of an indirect mediation model found self-efficacy partially mediated the effect of reading scenarios on willingness to participate. This latter relationship may be a mechanistic explanation for the effect of reading scenarios. Envisioning the future with brief, bulleted scenarios of land use change in a print format appears to increase self-efficacy in planning for the future. Our results suggest scenarios can serve as a vehicle for changing public participation in land use planning.