cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rifampicin Does Not Prevent Amyloid Fibril Formation by Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide but Does Inhibit Fibril Thioflavin-T Interactions: Implications for Mechanistic Studies of β-Cell Death†

Amyloid formation has been implicated in more than 20 different human diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and type 2 diabetes. The development of inhibitors of amyloid is a topic of considerable interest, both because of their potential therapeutic applications and because they are useful mechanistic probes. Recent studies have highlighted the potential use of rifampicin as an inhibitor of amyloid formation by a variety of polypeptides; however, there are conflicting reports on its ability to inhibit amyloid formation by islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). IAPP is the cause of islet amyloid in type 2 diabetes. We show that rifampicin does not prevent amyloid formation by IAPP and does not disaggregate preformed IAPP amyloid fibrils;, instead, it interferes with standard fluorescence-based assays of amyloid formation. Rifampicin is unstable in aqueous solution and is readily oxidized. However, the effects of oxidized and reduced rifampicin are similar, in that neither prevents amyloid formation by IAPP. Furthermore, use of a novel p-cyanoPhe analogue of IAPP shows that rifampicin does not significantly affect the kinetics of IAPP amyloid formation. The implications for the development of amyloid inhibitors are discussed as are the implications for studies of the toxicity of islet amyloid. The work also demonstrates the utility of p-cyanoPhe IAPP for the screening of inhibitors. The data indicate that rifampicin cannot be used to test the relative toxicity of IAPP fibrils and prefibril aggregates of IAPP.
Effect of surface preparation and R-group size on the stabilization of lithium metal anodes with silanes

Abstract As new applications for lithium-ion batteries emerge into the marketplace, a new emphasis is being placed on developing higher capacity electrodes. Two of the higher capacity technologies under development are lithium–sulfur and lithium–air batteries, both of which, in most configurations, use a lithium metal anode. Building on our previous work extending the cycle life of lithium metal anodes via surface functionalization with silane groups, we have identified two separate regimes for the cycle life enhancements based on size of the silane R-groups. Very small R-groups (TMS) and R-groups bulkier than triphenyl show enhanced cycle life compared to control samples while R-groups between these in size show reduced cycle life. Additionally, we present a comparison between different cleaning methods to optimize the hydroxyl functionalized layer on the lithium metal and the influence of these methods on the stability of lithium metal in EC:EMC electrolyte. A solvent based cleaning approach is shown to substantially improve stability when combined with chlorotrimethyl silane treatment.
Performance of Computerized Protocols for the Management of Arterial Oxygenation in an Intensive Care Unit

Computerized protocols were created to direct the management of arterial oxygenation in critically ill ICU patients and have now been applied routinely, 24 hours a day, in the care of 80 such patients. The protocols used routine clinical information to generate specific instructions for therapy. We evaluated 21,347 instructions by measuring how many were correct and how often they were followed by the clinical staff. Instructions were followed 63.9% of the time in the first 8 patients and 92.3% in the subsequent 72 patients. Instruction accuracy improved after the initial 8 patients, increasing from 71.5% of total instructions to 92.8%. Instruction inaccuracy was primarily caused by software errors and inaccurate and untimely entry of clinical data into the computer. Software errors decreased from 7.2% in the first 8 patients to 0.8% in subsequent patients, while data entry problems decreased from 7.5% to 4.2%. We also assessed compliance with the protocols in a subset of 12 patients (2637 instructions) as a function of 1) the mode of ventilatory support, 2) whether the instruction was to increase or decrease the intensity of therapy or to wait for an interval of time and 3) whether the instruction was ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’. The mode of ventilatory support did not affect compliance with protocol instructions. Instructions to wait were more likely to be followed than instructions to change therapy. Ninety-seven percent of the correct instructions were followed and 27% of the incorrect instructions were followed. The major problem in creating the protocols was obtaining clinician agreement on protocol logic and their commitment to utilize it clinically. The major problem in implementing the protocols was obtaining accurate and timely data entry. We conclude that computerized protocols can direct the clinical care of critically ill patients in a manner that is acceptable to clinicians.
Economie reform and the behavior of policy makers: Some implications for economics and finance

Abstract The magnitude of recent changes in the internal and external environments faced by many countries and the speed with which these changes have come about necessitate that we gain an understanding of the factors affecting them. The way policymakers behave has a very important impact on the degree of success of a country's reform program. We must therefore understand what motivates policymakers and how they react to the changing environment.
Soil physical properties web database for GOSSYM and GLYCIM crop simulation models

Knowledge of soil physical properties is needed for various kinds of environmental studies, including crop simulation where the intended users are agronomists, consultants, and growers. However, acquiring and tabulating a complete set of soils analysis data for a particular region is expensive and laborious. This paper describes the construction of a web-based soil physical properties database to meet data requirements of users of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] crop simulation models (GOSSYM and GLYCIM, respectively) in addition to providing a generic data file of soil physical properties. The data are comprised of undisturbed samples of 1074 soil horizons (or about 300 sample sites) collected from farmers' fields using a tractor-mounted hydraulic probe. Standard laboratory analyses were performed to determine the various soil physical properties. An Oracle8 relational database management system was designed and implemented to store and deliver the soil physical properties using a client/server approach. A Peri database interface was used for the server-side database connectivity to build the soil files. The database accepts queries on several attributes, including sampling location, soil series name, state, county, farm, etc. This web-based database of soil physical properties was successfully implemented and tested and is available online at www.msstate.edu/ ∼ia3/ (verified 11 Aug. 2004) without any restriction of identification or password.
The second Joseph H. Ogura memorial lecture complications of laryngeal surgery: Etiology and prevention

Conservation, surgery has developed into the fine-tuned, state-of-the-art procedure during the past century. With success have come the complications of stenosis, edema, infection, granulation tissue, scarring, paralysis of the laryngeal nerves, slough, aspiration, and recurrence of tumor. Some of these problems can be prevented by solid anatomical knowledge and meticulous surgery.
Glucagon and the Insulin:Glucagon Ratio in Diabetes and Other Catabolic Illnesses

The biologic opposition which insulin and glucagon exert upon the liver and adipose tissue suggests that the relative concentrations of these two hormones which perfuse these tissues may determine their net nutrient balance. A review of recent studies of plasma glucagon and insulin levels reveals that the insulin:glucagon ratio (I/G) varies inversely with need for endogenous glucose production, being lowest in total starvation and highest during loading with exogenous carbohydrate. Similarly, the infusion of the glucose precursor, alanine, which in the fasting state causes a fall in I/G, a “catabolic response,” increases I/G during a glucose infusion, an ”anabolic response,/ which must spare alanine from gluconeogenesis. The same bihormonal relationship to need for glucose production has been observed after a protein load; normally after an overnight fast I/G rises in response to a beef meal, an anabolic response, while in the carbohydrate-deprived subject, the I/G does not rise, remaining at a catabolic level; during a glucose infusion the ingestion of a beef meal induces a greatly exaggerated anabolic rise in I/G. These findings are believed to account for certain previously poorly understood clinical observations. They may explain the so-called “protein sparing action” of glucose and the salutory nutritional effect of intravenously administered amino acid preparations when glucose is also provided in large quantities. The inability of diabetics to increase their I/G generally parallels their catabolic state, and, by stimulating glucagon but not insulin, tissue breakdown due to infection or trauma may further reduce the I/G and cause metabolic deterioration. The possible role of the I/G in the response to burns, trauma, infection, and malignancy is considered.
Clinical outcomes after neurogenic stress induced cardiomyopathy in aneurysmal sub-arachnoid hemorrhage: A prospective cohort study

Abstract Introduction Neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy (NCM) has been associated with poor outcomes in the setting of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Much less is known regarding recovery of cardiac function. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to study the rate of early cardiac recovery after NCM and the potential effect of NCM on short term functional recovery. A secondary aim sought to determine whether certain biomarkers may be associated with the development of NCM. Methods Patients with confirmed aSAH between November 2012 and October 2013 were prospectively enrolled and received echocardiograms within 48 h of admission. Ejection fraction (%) and regional wall motion abnormality score index (RWMI) were noted. All patients with confirmed aSAH had a troponin and BNP level drawn on admission. Patients with confirmed NCM received a follow up echocardiogram 7–21 days after the initial echocardiogram. Clinical follow up at 3 months evaluated mortality, mRS and mBI scores. Results 63 patients with confirmed aSAH were enrolled. In this cohort 11 (17%) patients were confirmed to have NCM. The NCM group had higher in-hospital mortality [ n = 4(36.4%)] compared to the non-NCM group [ n = 5(9.6%)] ( p = .021). At 3 months the development of NCM was associated with an unfavorable mRS ( p = 0.042) and mBI ( p = 0.005). Both an elevated BNP (>100 pg/mL) and elevated troponin (>0.3 mg/dL) were associated with the development of NCM. Follow-up echocardiograms were performed within 21 days of admission on 8 patients with NCM. An abnormal RWMI of 1.5 or higher was present in 5(71%) patients. Conclusion NCM is a frequent complication associated with aSAH. The onset of the disease occurs early in the course of aSAH and an elevated BNP and troponin may be associated with the onset of NCM. Cardiac function often remains impaired during the acute recovery phase potentially impeding resuscitation during this period. The routine use of short term follow-up echocardiography may be recommended.
When individual locations affect the choice of multi-location acquisition targets

When examining how geographic location affects acquisitions, existing research has largely overlooked that many acquired firms operate in multiple locations. We examine the role of inter-firm and intra-firm agglomeration effects through the use of acquisitions of multi-location targets in knowledge-intensive industries, focusing on the importance of knowledge transfer. We argue that in such settings, acquirers value specific location characteristics of multi-location firms and not aggregate location characteristics. We hypothesize that in knowledge-intensive industries, an acquirer is more likely to select a multi-location target the higher the knowledge intensity of its most knowledge-intensive location. We also hypothesize that in knowledge-intensive industries, an acquirer is more likely to select a multi-location target the more locations their operations overlap because it facilitates internal knowledge transfer in the combined firm. Using a sample of multi-location acquisitions of US manufacturing f...
Changes in the Information Efficiency of Stock Prices: Additional Evidence

Previous research shows, using data from three quarters after the implementation of regulation fair disclosure (Reg FD), that there is an improvement in the informational efficiency of stock prices after Reg FD. We compare the informational efficiency of stock prices in four pre-Reg FD quarters (1999–2000) and 12 post-Reg FD quarters (2002–2005). The improvement in the informational efficiency of stock prices previously reported in the immediate aftermath of Reg FD persists in later periods.
Interest, Ideology, and Claims‐Making Activity*

Social constructionists have produced a rich theoretical and empirical literature on the rise and fall of public issues. By focusing exclusively on claims-making behavior in a micro interactive context, social constructionists, in the tradition of Spector and Kitsuse, generally have rejected efforts to link claims-making to antecedent variables. Thus they often treat claims-making participants as activities, devoid of motives, meanings, and intentions. In this paper, ideology and interest are offered as antecedent variables to claims-making and as the critical factors which determine why some claims are more marketable than others. Interest and ideology also are examined as both subjective and structural/cultural phenomena.
Long‐term Adaptation to Fatty Acids by the Phytoflagellate, Polytoma uvella

SUMMARY. The adaptation to fatty acids by Polytoma depends upon two mechanisms: 1. The induced synthesis of fatty acid oxidase which precedes growth. 2. A long-term physiological adaptation spanning several cell generations which results in an increase of the initial rate of growth. Analysis of the long-term adaptation shows that the adaptation does not result from the selection of fast-growing mutants. The generation time on butyrate of unadapted cells is initially ca. 24 hours and it is reduced to ca. 10 hours after the second subculture in butyrate medium. Adaptation to butyrate results in a simultaneous adaptation to caproate.
Dynamic stall on a pitching and surging airfoil

Vertical axis wind turbine blades undergo dynamic stall due to the large angle of attack variation they experience during a turbine rotation. The flow over a single blade was modeled using a sinusoidally pitching and surging airfoil in a non-rotating frame with a constant freestream flow at a mean chord Reynolds number of 10^5. Two-dimensional, time-resolved velocity fields were acquired using particle image velocimetry. Vorticity contours were used to visualize shear layer and vortex activity. A low-order model of dynamic stall was developed using dynamic mode decomposition, from which primary and secondary dynamic separation modes were identified. The interaction between these two modes was able to capture the physics of dynamic stall and as such can be extended to other turbine configurations and problems in unsteady aerodynamics. Results from the linear pitch/surge frame are extrapolated to the rotating VAWT frame to investigate the behavior of identified flow structures.
Statistical programs utilizing dynamic allocation of memory on the CDC 6400

Statistical routines written for general use often require large data storage arrays. A program using three n x n arrays, for instance, would require 30,000 words of memory for 100 variables. Usually the number of variables in any analysis is less than the maximum number of variables dimensioned in the program. This generally results in a number of unused data storage locations and a waste of computer resources. It would be advantageous to allocate storage for data arrays at execution time rather than at compile time, thereby minimizing storage requirements and turn around time for each program run.
A moving mesh interface tracking method for 3D incompressible two-phase flows

An interface tracking method using an unstructured moving mesh has been developed for simulating three-dimensional, incompressible, and immiscible two-phase flows. The interface mesh is moved in a Lagrangian fashion. A local mesh adaptation method is used to capture the changing interface curvature, maintain good mesh quality, and deal with large deformation. The interface is of zero thickness, so the jump and continuity conditions across the interface are implemented directly, without any smoothing of the properties of the two fluids. This is theoretically beneficial compared to other methods that allow the fluids' properties to continuously vary in an interface region. The curvature for interfacial tension calculation is geometrically computed by a least squares parabola fitting method. A mesh separation scheme for interfacial flows is employed to handle topological transition. The numerical technique is tested and validated by several cases, which include a two-layer Couette flow, an oscillating droplet surrounded by gas, and a droplet in shear flow. The results obtained from numerical simulations are found to be in excellent agreement with analytical solutions and experimental results. A collapsing ligament in a quiescent gas flow and a modulated jet pinching are simulated to show the robustness of the method.
STORM: Scalable Resource Management for Large-Scale Parallel Computers

Although clusters are a popular form of high-performance computing, they remain more difficult to manage than sequential systems - or even symmetric multiprocessors. In this paper, we identify a small set of primitive mechanisms that are sufficiently general to be used as building blocks to solve a variety of resource-management problems. We then present STORM, a resource-management environment that embodies these mechanisms in a scalable, low-overhead, and efficient implementation. The key innovation behind STORM is a modular software architecture that reduces all resource management functionality to a small number of highly scalable mechanisms. These mechanisms simplify the integration of resource management with low-level network features. As a result of this design, STORM can launch large, parallel applications an order of magnitude faster than the best time reported in the literature and can gang-schedule a parallel application as fast as the node OS can schedule a sequential application. This paper describes the mechanisms and algorithms behind STORM and presents a detailed performance model that shows that STORM's performance can scale to thousands of nodes
On the structural stability of dye-doped silica nanoparticles

Encapsulation of dye molecules into a silica framework promises to overcome some of the functional limitations of free organic dyes. In the present work, structural stability of tetramethyl rhodamine-dextran (TMR-dex) doped silica nanoparticles (NPs) prepared through a reverse microemulsion method is probed with respect to observable changes of NP morphology and dye leaching from the NPs during their storage and post-synthesis modification. It is found that NPs synthesized with the higher (of two samples) water concentration convert during processing into hollow-like spheres. For the NPs prepared with the lower water concentration, which show no observable morphology variations, dye leaching under "static" and "dynamic" conditions is assessed. The "static" stability is determined by measuring the percentage of dye molecules leached after shelf- storing the NPs in water, ethanol or 2-(N-morpholine)-ethane sulphonic acid (MES) buffer for two weeks. The results demonstrate that dye leaching is most severe in MES while almost negligible in ethanol, suggesting ethanol to be the most suitable medium for NP storage. Dye-doped NPs normally require surface modification prior to their use for bio-labeling or bio-imaging, with common modification procedures involving multiple centrifugation/ultrasonication steps. The "dynamic" stability is, thus, evaluated by measuring the dye loss from NPs after the modification. It is found that over 70% of dye molecules are retained by the NPs after modification.
Effect of antimicrobial mouth rinses on the incidence of localized alveolitis and infection following mandibular third molar oral surgery

Mandibular third molars were removed from 400 patients who were divided into four different preoperative and postoperative rinsing groups using either normal saline solution, chloramine-T, povidone iodine, or sodium bicarbonate. The overall incidence of localized alveolitis and infection was 4.5% and 1.7%, respectfully. The incidence of the two postoperative problems proved not to be statistically significant when the four groups were compared with each other. There seems to be no apparent advantage to the preoperative and postoperative use of an antimicrobial mouth rinse in place of normal saline solution in reducing the incidence of either localized alveolitis or postoperative infections.
Vascular remodeling 1 year after cardiac transplantation.

Background The belief that vascular remodeling and intimal hyperplasia are causes of luminal narrowing in cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is controversial. This study evaluated the relationship of vascular remodeling and intimal hyperplasia to luminal narrowing 1 year after orthotopic heart transplantation. Methods Intravascular ultrasound imaging was performed on 190 cardiac transplant recipients at baseline and again 1 year after transplantation as part of a randomized trial of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and azathioprine (Aza). Studies 1 year apart were matched at 625 sites. All sites were classified into positive, non-significant and negative remodeling patterns, depending on a change of ±10% in external elastic membrane area. Of the 190 patients, 99 were randomized to receive MMF, and 91 to receive Aza. Results A total of 625 sites were observed. Of these, 52% had no remodeling, 25% exhibited vessel dilation, and 23% had vessel shrinkage in the presence of variable intimal growth (Δ intimal area: 0.73 ± 1.70 mm2, p Conclusions Positive remodeling is associated with intimal growth, but negative remodeling does not correlate with any specific change in intimal hyperplasia. Constrictive remodeling is more responsible than intimal hyperplasia for the luminal narrowing that occurs. MMF is more efficacious than azathioprine in preventing the development of CAV at 1 year, by reducing the degree and incidence of vessel shrinkage and the progression of intimal hyperplasia.
Obligate costs of parental care to offspring: egg brooding‐induced hypoxia creates smaller, slower and weaker python offspring

Python egg brooding typifies parental care because it consists of multiple behaviours that provide for multiple developmental needs. For example, tightly coiling around the eggs benefits embryonic water balance, but periodic female postural adjustments improve embryonic gas exchange. Regardless of these postural adjustments, egg brooding creates a hypoxic intra-clutch environment that constrains embryonic metabolism. We further examined this novel and useful parental care model to determine: (1) any fitness-related costs of egg brooding to offspring; (2) whether any long-term costs are alleviated by postural adjustments. We artificially incubated Children's python (Antaresia childreni) clutches and modulated oxygen partial pressure (PO2) to create three treatments: normoxic (NRM, 20.3 kPa O2), brooding [BRD, PO2 profile typical of clutch PO2 (PO2clutch) in maternally brooded clutches, 15.8–19.3 kPa O2] and low (LOW, predicted PO2 profile of maternally brooded PO2clutch if females did not make postural adjustments, 14.4–18.6 kPa O2). Using various metrics from ∼12 days pre-hatching to 14 days post-hatching, we demonstrated that NRM offspring were larger, faster and stronger than BRD offspring. As only hatchling heart mass differed between BRD and LOW treatments (LOW > BRD), postural adjustments may not alleviate hypoxia-related costs to embryos. Our results demonstrate that parental care may represent a compromise between competing developmental needs and thus entails obligate costs to the offspring. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 98, 414–421.
Introduction: A Long Way from Earth Day

The third Conservation movement was summoned to life between Rachel Carson's The Silent Spring (1962) and the Santa Barbara Oil Spill at the end of the movement-spawning Sixties, and would be called by a more nature-evoking term—environmentalism. Looking back from there, those of us with some historical memory were struck by how far we had come from the first Conservation crusade led by John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and Gifford Pinchot, or the second led by FDR in the 1930s. In those early days they thought the problem was loss of forests, soil erosion, water and air pollution, and that the solutions were National Parks and National Forests watched over by civil servants in their gray or tan-brown uniforms, along with a Soil Conservation Service for farmers.
Non invasive in vivo investigation of hepatobiliary structure and function in STII medaka ( Oryzias latipes ): methodology and applications

A novel transparent stock of medaka (Oryzias latipes; STII), recessive for all pigments found in chromatophores, permits transcutaneous imaging of internal organs and tissues in living individuals. Findings presented describe the development of methodologies for non invasive in vivo investigation in STII medaka, and the successful application of these methodologies to in vivo study of hepatobiliary structure, function, and xenobiotic response, in both 2 and 3 dimensions. Using brightfield, and widefield and confocal fluorescence microscopy, coupled with the in vivo application of fluorescent probes, structural and functional features of the hepatobiliary system, and xenobiotic induced toxicity, were imaged at the cellular level, with high resolution (< 1 μm), in living individuals. The findings presented demonstrate; (1) phenotypic response to xenobiotic exposure can be investigated/imaged in vivo with high resolution (< 1 μm), (2) hepatobiliary transport of solutes from blood to bile can be qualitatively and quantitatively studied/imaged in vivo, (3) hepatobiliary architecture in this lower vertebrate liver can be studied in 3 dimensions, and (4) non invasive in vivo imaging/description of hepatobiliary development in this model can be investigated. The non-invasive in vivo methodologies described are a unique means by which to investigate biological structure, function and xenobiotic response with high resolution in STII medaka. In vivo methodologies also provide the future opportunity to integrate molecular mechanisms (e.g., genomic, proteomic) of disease and toxicity with phenotypic changes at the cellular and system levels of biological organization. While our focus has been the hepatobiliary system, other organ systems are equally amenable to in vivo study, and we consider the potential for discovery, within the context of in vivo investigation in STII medaka, as significant.
Parallel and configurable protocols: experiences with a prototype and an architectural framework

The authors consider the use of parallelism and configurability to increase throughput and reduce protocol processing latencies. They obtain experimental results on parallel protocol performance using a prototype implemented on a shared memory multiprocessor. The results demonstrate the utility of parallel protocol processing, and they indicate the further research necessary for constructing viable communication protocols for large-scale parallel machines. Based on these experiences, the design of an object-oriented framework for parallel protocol programming which facilitates parallel protocol development and helps maximize protocol performance on a wide variety of multiprocessors is presented. >
Angiotensin II slow-pressor hypertension enhances NMDA currents and NOX2-dependent superoxide production in hypothalamic paraventricular neurons

Adaptive changes in glutamatergic signaling within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) may play a role in the neurohumoral dysfunction underlying the hypertension induced by “slow-presso...
Gender Belief Systems: Homosexuality and the Implicit Inversion Theory:

Beliefs about the characteristics of male and female homosexuals and heterosexuals were assessed to determine the degree to which stereotypes of homosexuals are consistent with the inversion model proposed by Freud (1905) and others, i.e., the assumption that homosexuals are similar to the opposite-sex heterosexual. Results showed that people do subscribe to an implicit inversion theory wherein male homosexuals are believed to be similar to female heterosexuals, and female homosexuals are believed to be similar to male heterosexuals. These results offer additional support for a bipolar model of gender stereotyping, in which masculinity and femininity are assumed to be in opposition.
On-site validation of fiber-optic methods for structural health monitoring: Streicker Bridge

Structural health monitoring (SHM) has potential to facilitate understanding of real structural behavior and provide important information for assessment of structural safety. In spite of its importance and its promising benefits, SHM is scarcely used on real structures. An efficient approach for implementation of SHM has not been developed yet, which is in part due to the current inefficient fragmented approach to SHM in research activities, in practical applications, and in education. To address this challenge, a holistic approach is taken in creation of novel fiber-optic methods for strain-based SHM, with an overall objective to achieve Level IV SHM. The methods are researched, applied, and (to the extent of feasible) validated through implementation on Streicker Bridge at the Princeton University Campus. While the presented research consists of several components, they are all mutually connected by the holistic approach and the ultimate objective. Thus, this paper presents for the first time the holistically researched methods and their validation in on-site conditions. The methods are first generally presented and then their implementation is illustrated through the application to Streicker Bridge, including design of sensor networks, algorithms for data analysis, and rich information on structural conditions provided by the SHM. Two fiber-optic methods are currently applied to the bridge: a global structural monitoring method based on discrete fiber Bragg-grating long-gauge strain and temperature sensors and an integrity monitoring method based on Brillouin-scattering distributed sensors. The results include early age and long-term strain evolution, damage detection, and characterization, including thermally induced cracks and evaluation of reduced joint stiffness, structural identification, evaluation of the effectiveness of complex cross sections through the determination of the location of the centroid of stiffness, discussion of bending, shear, and torsional cross-sectional stiffness, and determination of natural frequencies. This research demonstrates that the proposed methods can be used reliably in on-site conditions to achieve Level IV monitoring. The presented fiber-optic methods can be applied universally to a wide range of beam structures, and the results presented emphasize their effectiveness.
A Novel Biomarker for Staging Human Prostate Adenocarcinoma: Overexpression of Matriptase with Concomitant Loss of its Inhibitor, Hepatocyte Growth Factor Activator Inhibitor-1

Background: Matriptase, a type II transmembrane serine protease is involved in angiogenesis, degradation of extracellular matrix, and in the progression of some epithelial cancers. Here, we establish the clinical significance of matriptase and its inhibitor, hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor-1 (HAI-1), during the progression of human prostate cancer (CaP). Methods: The expression patterns of matriptase and HAI-1 were determined in primary cultures of normal human prostate epithelial (NHPE) cells, human CaP cells LNCaP, DU-145, CWR22Rν1, and PC-3, and in tissue samples of 172 patients with normal prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and adenocarcinoma of different tumor grades. Results: The protein and mRNA levels of matriptase were significantly higher in all carcinoma cells as compared with NHPE cells. Conversely, all CaP cells exhibited a reduced expression of HAI-1 as compared with NHPE cells. A progressive increase in the protein levels of matriptase was observed with increasing tumor grade in CaP specimens as compared with normal and BPH tissue specimens. Tissue samples of normal prostate exhibited a high constitutive protein level of HAI-1 compared with BPH and low-grade cancer with a progressive loss with increasing tumor grade. Conclusion: The increased expression of matriptase and loss of HAI-1 may be an important event during the progression of CaP in humans. We suggest that the ratio of these two gene products may serve as a promising biomarker for CaP progression and a potential marker for establishing the efficacy of therapeutic and chemopreventive interventions. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(2):217–27)
Temporal gene expression and probiotic attributes of Lactobacillus acidophilus during growth in milk

Lactic acid bacteria have been used as starter strains in the production of fermented dairy products for centuries. Lactobacillus acidophilus is a widely recognized probiotic bacteria commonly added to yogurt and used in dietary supplements. In this study, a whole genome microarray was employed to monitor gene expression of L. acidophilus NCFM cells propagated in 11% skim milk during early, mid and late logarithmic phase, and stationary phase. Approximately 21% of 1,864 open reading frames were differentially expressed at least in one time point. Genes differentially expressed in skim milk included several members of the proteolytic enzyme system. Expression of prtP (proteinase precursor) and prtM (maturase) increased over time as well as several peptidases and transport systems. Expression of Opp1 (oligopeptide transport system 1) was highest at 4 h, whereas gene expression of Opp2 increased over time reaching its highest level at 12 h, suggesting that the 2 systems have different specificities. Expression of a 2-component regulatory system, previously shown to regulate acid tolerance and proteolytic activity, also increased during the early log and early stationary phases of growth. Expression of the genes involved in lactose utilization increased immediately (5 min) upon exposure to milk. The acidification activity, survival under storage conditions, and adhesion to mucin and Caco-2 tissue culture cells of selected mutants containing insertionally inactivated genes differentially expressed in the wild-type strain during growth in milk were examined for any potential links between probiotic properties and bacterial growth and survival in milk. Some of the most interesting genes found to be expressed in milk were correlated with signaling (autoinducer-2) and adherence to mucin and intestinal epithelial cells, in vitro.
Anything goes! teenage sex and the media.

That is a statement that should send chills downthe spine of any parent (or responsible adult, for that mat-ter). Canadian parents would do well to learn from the mis-takes of their American counterparts, who have let thegovernment and religious fundamentalists run amok with“abstinence-only” sex education. Only in the US could thefederal government set aside $170 million for abstinence-onlysexeducationprogramsatatimewhenHollywoodandthenetworksareproducingthemostsuggestiveandexplicitprogramming in their history.
Consistent vertical and horizontal resolution

Simple physical relations (namely, the Rossby ratio between vertical and horizontal scales in quasi-geostrophic flow and the dispersion relation for internal gravity waves) are used to estimate the vertical resolution consistent with a given horizontal resolution. Using these relations it is found that virtually all large scale models and observing systems have inadequate vertical resolution. In models, the excess horizontal resolution can lead to increased model 'noise' rather than improved accuracy. In observing systems, the finer horizontal scales can be severely misrepresented.
Coupling of mitochondrial metabolism and protein synthesis in heart mitochondria

Although much is now known with regard to the processes of mammalian mitochondrial gene expression, relatively little is known concerning the quantitative regulation of this pathway in response to hormones or other physiological stimuli. In this paper the potential coupling of mitochondrial metabolism to mitochondrial protein synthesis was investigated and the concentration of nucleotides and substrates for optimal translation in isolated rat heart mitochondria was determined. It was demonstrated that optimal isolated heart mitochondrial protein synthesis required the presence of an oxidizable substrate. Of the substrates tested, glutamate (20 mM) supported translation best followed by malate, succinate, and alpha-ketoglutarate, whereas pyruvate supported synthesis poorly. Unlike other recent mammalian mitochondrial systems, the presence of an oxidizable substrate was required for translation even in the presence of medium ATP and an exogenous energy-generating system. Mitochondrial translation also required the presence of adenine nucleotide that could be added as ADP or ATP; however, ATP added above 0.5 mM became progressively inhibitory. As a result, synthesis was supported significantly better by ATP synthesized by the system from added ADP, than by ATP added directly to the system. However, if the phosphorylation of ADP was prevented by limiting the phosphate concentration, ADP itself strongly inhibited mitochondrial protein synthesis. This inhibition appeared to be closely related to the energy charge of the system rather than to absolute levels of ADP, indicating for the first time that mitochondrial translation, like its cytoplasmic counterpart is regulated by energy charge. Last, this system did not require the inhibition of guanine nucleotide or exogenous energy-generating systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Null Controllability for the Dissipative Semilinear Heat Equation

Abstract. We consider the exact null controllability problem for the semi- linear heat equation with dissipative nonlinearity in a bounded domain of R n . The main result of the article asserts that if the nonlinearity is even mildly superlinear, then global null controllability in an arbitrarily short time fails; instead we provide sharp estimates for the controllability time in terms of the size of the initial data.
Human ApoE Isoforms Differentially Modulate Glucose and Amyloid Metabolic Pathways in Female Brain: Evidence of the Mechanism of Neuroprotection by ApoE2 and Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention and Early Intervention

Three major genetic isoforms of apolipoprotein E (ApoE), ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4, exist in humans and lead to differences in susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigated the impact of human ApoE isoforms on brain metabolic pathways involved in glucose utilization and amyloid-β (Aβ) degradation, two major areas that are significantly perturbed in preclinical AD. Hippocampal RNA samples from middle-aged female mice with targeted human ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4 gene replacement were comparatively analyzed with a qRT-PCR custom array for the expression of 85 genes involved in insulin/insulin-like growth factor (Igf) signaling. Consistent with its protective role against AD, ApoE2 brain exhibited the most metabolically robust profile among the three ApoE genotypes. When compared to ApoE2 brain, both ApoE3 and ApoE4 brains exhibited markedly reduced levels of Igf1, insulin receptor substrates (Irs), and facilitated glucose transporter 4 (Glut4), indicating reduced glucose uptake. Additionally, ApoE4 brain exhibited significantly decreased Pparg and insulin-degrading enzyme (Ide), indicating further compromised glucose metabolism and Aβ dysregulation associated with ApoE4. Protein analysis showed significantly decreased Igf1, Irs, and Glut4 in ApoE3 brain, and Igf1, Irs, Glut4, Pparg, and Ide in ApoE4 brain compared to ApoE2 brain. These data provide the first documented evidence that human ApoE isoforms differentially affect brain insulin/Igf signaling and downstream glucose and amyloid metabolic pathways, illustrating a potential mechanism for their differential risk in AD. A therapeutic strategy that enhances brain insulin/Igf1 signaling activity to a more robust ApoE2-like phenotype favoring both energy production and amyloid homeostasis holds promise for AD prevention and early intervention.
LDPC-coded OAM based FSO transmission system in the presence of strong atmospheric turbulence

In this invited paper we explore LDPC-coded orbital angular momentum (OAM) based free-space optical (FSO) transmission system in the presence of strong atmospheric turbulence. We find that the BER uncoded curves in the presence of turbulence drop slowly in the regime of high OSNR because of the effect of crosstalk, but when LDPC coding is used, the BER curves drop dramatically with the increase of OSNR. The coding gains is about 3.7, 3.3, and 4.3 dB at BER of 0.04 for OAM states 1, 3, and 5, respectively when single OAM mode is transmitted. In case of OAM multiplexing of states −2, 1, and 4, the curve of OAM state −2 drops along with the increasing OSNR, while error floor can be seen on all the other curves caused by the crosstalk and boundary effect.
Effect of flooding and cropping on the changes in the inorganic phosphate fractions in some rice soils

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the significance to flooded rice of the various forms of inorganic soil phosphate on Aborlan, Luisiana and Pili soils with and without phosphate. Changes in the various inorganic soil phosphate fractions with time under cropped and uncropped conditions were measured. Results showed that the iron phosphate fraction was the most important source of phosphate to the rice plant. It was also evident that phosphate added to the soils was slowly converted into the iron phosphate form. Transformation of soil phosphate seemed to be greatly affected by the presence of plant roots. Changes in the phosphate fractions were marked in the cropped soils.
Gear modifications for fishing octopus, Octopus vulgaris, on live-bottom and adjacent flat bottom habitats in coastal waters off North Carolina

The Common Octopus, Octopus vulgaris, is an r-selected mollusk found off the coast of North Carolina that interests commercial fishermen because of its market value and the cost-effectiveness of unbaited pots that can catch it. This study sought to: 1) determine those gear and environmental factors that influenced catch rates of octopi, and 2) evaluate the feasibility of small-scale commercial operations for this species. Pots were fished from August 2010 through September 2011 set in strings over hard and sandy bottom in waters from 18 to 30 m deep in Onslow Bay, N.C. Three pot types were fished in each string; octopus pots with- and without lids, and conch pots. Proportional catch was modeled as a function of gear design and environmental factors (location, soak time, bottom type, and sea surface water temperature) using binomially distributed generalized linear models (GLM’s); parsimony of each GLM was assessed with Akaike Information Criteria (AIC). A total of 229 octopi were caught throughout the study. Pots with lids, pots without lids, and conch pots caught an average of 0.15, 0.17, and 0.11 octopi, respectively, with high variability in catch rates for each pot type. The GLM that best fit the data described proportional catch as a function of sea surface temperature, soak time, and station; greatest proportional catches occurred over short soak times, warmest temperatures, and less well known reef areas. Due to operating expenses (fuel, crew time, and maintenance), low catch rates of octopi, and high gear loss, a directed fishery for this species is not economically feasible at the catch rates found in this study. The model fitting to determine factors most influential on catch rates should help fishermen determine seasons and gear soak times that are likely to maximize catch rates. Potting for octopi may be commercially practical as a supplemental activity when targeting demersal fish species that are found in similar habitats and depth ranges in coastal waters off North Carolina.
The Status of Employment Discrimination Suits in Police and Fire Departments Across the United States

Research indicates that women and people of color have made progress in gaining entry-level jobs in government, particularly at the federal level, but still lag behind in gaining positions at the u...
Political Influence, the News Media and Campaign Consultants

Editor's Note: The following comments are excerpted from Sabato's remarks at the Roundtable on Political Consultancy and, Governance during the 1988 APSA Annual Meeting. The 1988 election points out a number of important facts about and principles of consultancy. In early September, for example, we learned that Michael Dukakis couldn't live without John Sasso. Dukakis brought Sasso back into the campaign, and it was heralded as Dukakis' resurrection. In doing this, Sasso became as important to Dukakis as Jim Baker was to George Bush. This raises certain questions. One wonders, for instance, whether the press reaction would have been quite the same had this been Bush bringing back a disgraced political consultant. It was interesting to see the press spin on it, which I was that Sasso's rehiring was a very good thing, overdue, and necessary. Given what Sasso did and how he did it in the Biden incident, I think you could have put another spin I on that story. On the other hand, if you ever doubt the power of some political consultants, then simply cite Dan Quayle as an example. I'm convinced that Roger Ailes, and to a lesser extent, Bob Teeter, were primarily responsible for putting Dan Quayle's name on the potential selection list. It's pretty well known that George Bush did not have a close and continuing relationship with Dan Quayle; they didn't know each other very well. So, how did the Quayle pick happen? Well, Bob Teeter, Bush's pollster, and Roger Ailes, his media consultant, had both handled Dan Quayle's previous congressional campaigns in Indiana. And they knew just how attractive and malleable Dan Quayle was.
Mechanisms for Adsorption of Methyl Viologen on CdS Quantum Dots

This paper describes the surface composition-dependent binding of the dichloride salt of methyl viologen (MV2+) to CdS quantum dots (QDs) enriched, to various degrees, with either Cd or S at the surface. The degree of enrichment is controlled synthetically and by postsynthetic dilution of the QDs in their solvent, THF. NMR shows the Cd-enriched QDs to contain a relatively dense (2.8 ligands/nm2) surface layer of oleic acid, in the form of Cd-oleate, and S-enriched QDs to contain relatively sparse (1.0 ligands/nm2) surface density of native ligands containing both oleic acid and octadecene. Electron transfer-mediated photoluminescence quenching of the QDs by MV2+ serves as a probe for the binding affinity of MV2+ for the surfaces of the QDs. Diluting Cd-enriched QDs removes Cd-oleate from the surface, exposing the stoichiometric CdS surface beneath and increasing the quenching efficiency of MV2+, whereas diluting S-enriched QD does not change their surface chemistry or the efficiency with which they are qu...