cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prostaglandins, Angiotension II, and Proteinuria

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially indomethacin, have variable effects on proteinuria when used alone, but can dramatically reduce proteinuria if combined with diuretics and sodium restr
Hybrid molecules containing the A-domain of insulin-like growth factor-I and the B-chain of insulin have increased mitogenic activity relative to insulin

Two synthetic insulin-like compounds consisting of the B-chain of insulin linked via disulfide bonds to A chains corresponding to the A-domain or the A- and D-domains of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) have been evaluated for mitogenic activity and for binding to IGF receptors and IGF carrier proteins. Both compounds are 3- to 5-fold more potent mitogens than insulin, and have a comparably increased affinity for the type I IGF receptor that mediates these mitogenic effects in chick embryo fibroblasts. Neither compound interacts with IGF carrier proteins. These results indicate that the A-domain of IGF-I is importantly involved in its growth-promoting properties.
Experience of hypoglycemia among insulin dependent diabetics and its impact on the family

Abstract This study explores the biographical disruption that occurs as a result of a hypoglycemic episode (or insulin reaction) among people with insulin dependent diabetes. It focuses on the process of biographical reconstruction that sufferers and their spouses go through, while striving to maintain a positive self-worth in the ‘world of health’. This paper is a qualitative study of twenty-three people with diabetes in the stable phase of the illness and their spouses. The findings indicate that hypoglycemia has profound effects on the lives of people with diabetes and their families. It calls forth a renegotiation of the personal and social identities of the sufferer. The intensity, unpredictability, and risk of physical harm of an insulin reaction, all contribute to the complexity of the illness experience. Management of an insulin reaction involves an ongoing discourse between patients and their physical states, their partners, the medical professionals, and the social and ideological constraints, within a social and cultural context. The need for health professionals to adopt a more holistic approach giving due considerations to the everyday behavioural and emotional demands of hypoglycemia is underscored.
Uptake of glycolic acid by a marine bivalve

Abstract Glycolic acid is accumulated by in vitro preparations of gill tissue from the quahog clam, Mercenaria sp., by a process indicating diffusion kinetics. Carbon-14 from labelled glycolic acid was found in the lipid fraction of the gill tissue. Evolution of labelled carbon dioxide suggests that the glycolic acid is metabolized in gill tissue.
Nitrous oxide : sensory, motor, associative, and behavioral tolerance effects in classical conditioning of the rabbit nictitating membrane response

Experiment 1, of a series of six experiments with the rabbit nictitating memebrane response (NMR) preparation, revealed that nitrous oxide (0%, 33%, 67%) impaired acquisition of conditioned responses (CRs). Subsequent experiments indicated that nitrous oxide (N2O) had no reliable effects upon nonassociative processes (Experiment 2); impaired unconditioned response (UR) amplitude (Experiment 3); attenuated tone-conditioned stimulus (CS) intensity (Experiment 4); decremented tone-induced reflex modification of the unconditioned NMR (Experiment 5); and demonstrated no reliable evidence of behavioral tolerance (Experiment 6). It was concluded that N2O's impairment of CR acquisition was attributable to its attenuation of the intensity of tone CSs and shock USs and/or UR amplitude. These findings are consistent with the behavioral laws of conditioning: the attenuation of the intensive sensory properties of the CS and US and/or UR components of conditioning affect their ability to enter into the establishment of CS-CR connections and, therefore, the development of associative learning.
Laparoscopic pomeroy tubal ligation in a residency training program

Abstract Study Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of the laparoscopic Pomeroy method of tubal ligation as a teaching tool during the initial acquisition of advanced laparoscopic skills by 14 residents in a 28-person, 4-year program. Design. A prospective, nonrandomized study. Setting. A metropolitan teaching hospital. Patients. Fifty-seven women who desired permanent sterilization, and 56 controls who underwent laparoscopic sterilization by standard coagulation. One refused entry and had standard sterilization by bipolar coagulation. In two women, both with several previous laparotomies, visualization of the pelvic organs was incomplete and the procedure was abandoned at the discretion of the surgeon. One had a minilaparotomy Pomeroy tubal ligation and the other was sterilized by standard two-puncture laparoscopic coagulation. One patient was excluded due to an incomplete data profile. Interventions. Laparoscopic sterilizations using the Pomeroy technique and standard coagulation were performed by gynecology residents with an attending physician present. First-year residents performed 36 (68%) of the 53 procedures. Measurements and Main Results. Operative times to teach this technique to house officers rotating on the gynecologic service were recorded by postgraduate year and stratified by the number of cases performed by each operator. The average operative times for residents in postgraduate years 1 through 4 were 18.6, 15.4, 21.7, and 14.8 minutes, respectively. These diminished with experience. A statistically longer time of 7.1 minutes was required to teach residents the Pomeroy technique compared with standard bipolar coagulation (p Conclusion. Laparoscopic Pomeroy tubal ligation as a method to begin educating residents in advanced operative video-laparoscopy appears to have great potential.
The lubrication force between spherical drops, bubbles and rigid particles in a viscous fluid

Abstract A theoretical prediction of the lubrication force resisting the close approach of two spherical drops of arbitrary radii and viscosities separated by a thin viscous fluid layer is presented. The hydrodynamic resistance is predicted to be weaker than that for two colliding rigid spheres in near contact due to the mobility of the drop interfaces. Solutions are also presented for the limiting cases of (a) a drop or bubble approaching a rigid sphere or flat plate, (b) a drop approaching a bubble or a flat free surface and (c) a rigid sphere approaching a flat free surface. When one of the interfaces is completely mobile, as for a bubble or a free surface, the ratio of the lubrication force to that for two rigid spheres with the same relative velocity and reduced radius is predicted to be less than one-fourth; when one interface is completely rigid or immobile, this ratio is predicted to be greater than one-fourth. The results are shown to be in good agreement with previous solutions based on the method of bispherical coordinates when the gap is much smaller than the radius of the smallest drop.
Effect of inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis on sympathetic nervous system function in man.

The effect of inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by indomethacin on the function of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system was studied in eight normotensive subjects. Sympathetic nervous function was assessed by measurement of plasma norepinephrine, α-adrenergic receptor sites on platelet membranes, and urinary excretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine. Treatment with indomethacin for 7 days resulted in significant decreases in basal plasma norepinephrine from 134 ± 7 to 99 ± 6 (SEM) pg/ml (P < 0.01), a 26% decrease. Posturally stimulated norepinephrine concentrations (337 ± 14 pg/ml in control studies) were 255 ± 18 pg/ml (P < 0.02), 25%lower, with indomethacin. Plasma norepinephrine after 5-min compression of hand grip (468 ± 47 pg/ml in control) was 331 ± 30 pg/ml (P < 0.005), 29% lower, with indomethacin. The number of platelet α-adrenergic receptor sites did not change with indomethacin, nor did prostaglandin E1-stimulated cAMP production by platelet membranes. In addition, indomethacin produ...
The difficult dialogues initiative at Clark University: A case study

This initiative works to foster a culture of dialogue on the campus—raising awareness of discourse itself and encouraging skills and attitudes of responsible citizenship across our community.
Theory and experiment of investigation of exchange interactions in organic molecules and materials

Intramolecular and intermolecular exchange in molecules and polymers is investigated computationally and experimentally, in order to identify structure-property relationships.
Pulsed Laser Deposition of Epitaxial and Polycrystalline Bismuth Vanadate Thin Films

We report pulsed laser deposition (PLD) synthesis of epitaxial and polycrystalline monoclinic bismuth vanadate (BiVO4, BVO) thin films. X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the samples. Epitaxial, c-axis oriented growth was achieved using single crystal yttria-stabilized zirconia (100), a substrate temperature of 575–600 °C, and an oxygen pressure of 7.8 mTorr. The volatility of Bi necessitated a large excess (Bi:V = ∼6:1) of this element in the ceramic targets to obtain stoichiometric films. XRD confirmed a BVO (001)||YSZ (001) and BVO [100]||YSZ [100] epitaxial relationship. Film growth was 3-D, and the morphology was discontinuous, consisting of irregular, smooth grains. Additionally, dense, continuous polycrystalline films were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) on glass substrates at room temperature with stoichiometric targets and postdeposition annealing in air. Evaluation of these sam...
Chemistry in a microenvironment of low pH, generated with the aid of an immobilized proteinase

Abstract α-Chymotrypsin, when immobilized in a collodion membrane, exhibits high activity and remarkable stability. When the immobilized proteinase is exposed to 15 mM ethyl N- acetyl - l - tyrosinate in dilute pH 8.5 buffer it generates a microenvironment which, indicator studies suggest, has an effective pH of ≈4. The presence of this locally highly acidic region produces a marked increase in the rate of hydrolysis of BzPhealAla dissolved in the buffer solution (BzPhealAla is the acylhydrazide obtained from the reaction between N- benzoyl - l - phenylalaninal and N- acetyl - l - alanine hydrazide ). The observed rate is 10-times greater than in comparable control experiments incorporating a concentrated buffer solution, in which a pH-gradient does not form. The enhanced hydrolysis rate is quantitatively explained if it is attributed to the ≈ 20 μl of pH 4 solution within the membrane. Other experimental data are also consistent with this hypothesis.
Temperature-dependent fiber optic hydrogen gas sensor response characteristics

Dynamic response characteristics of silica fiber long-period grating with a modified cladding, composed of ∼10-100 nm nanoparticle palladium oxides thin film material prepared by a magnetron sputtering technique, have been investigated at several elevated temperatures with a 2%H2/98%N 2 mixing gas concentration. The fiber cladding modified grating, without cladding chemical etching process, demonstrates 540 pm per 1% H 2 sensitivity, a better than 1sec response times at 160 o C, respectively. The thermal responses of the prototype have demonstrated increased dynamic wavelength shift while reducing response time simultaneously. The observed thermal dependence of the prototype could be attributed to a combined effect of thermal dependent hydrogen atoms diffusion rate and hydrogen atoms solubility.
Labeling Acts of Sexual Violence: What Roles Do Assault Characteristics, Attitudes, and Life Experiences Play?

The label assigned to a given act of sexual violence (e.g., rape, sexual assault) can have a notable impact on perceptions of the incident and the role of the individuals involved. Research has identified personal rape scripts and assault characteristics as factors that influence the labeling of sexual violence. This study advances the field by providing information about the influence of participant-related variables (e.g., life experiences, personal attitudes) on the labeling of a sexual violence vignette. Results from this online study of 379 participants revealed that victim empathy, perpetrator empathy, rape myth acceptance (RMA) and receipt of a rape disclosure were associated with correctly labeling a sexual violence vignette as a rape; RMA remained a significant predictor of labeling after all variables were entered into the regression simultaneously. Assault characteristics, victimization history, acknowledgement of victimization and gender were not associated with the label assigned to the vignette in the regression, although inspection of qualitative reasons given for labeling the vignette revealed that some of these factors may influence label choice. Importantly, participants who labeled the event as a rape were less likely to assign responsibility for the assault to the victim. Implications of correctly identifying and labeling experiences of sexual violence, both for victims and for support providers, are discussed.
Functional Properties and Differential Neuromodulation of Nav1.6 Channels

The voltage-gated sodium channel Na(v)1.6 plays unique roles in the nervous system, but its functional properties and neuromodulation are not as well established as for Na(V)1.2 channels. We found no significant differences in voltage-dependent activation or fast inactivation between Na(V)1.6 and Na(V)1.2 channels expressed in non-excitable cells. In contrast, the voltage dependence of slow inactivation was more positive for Na(v)1.6 channels, they conducted substantially larger persistent sodium currents than Na(v)1.2 channels, and they were much less sensitive to inhibition by phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C. Resurgent sodium current, a hallmark of Na(v)1.6 channels in neurons, was not observed for Na(V)1.6 expressed alone or with the auxiliary beta(4) subunit. The unique properties of Na(V)1.6 channels, together with the resurgent currents that they conduct in neurons, make these channels well-suited to provide the driving force for sustained repetitive firing, a crucial property of neurons.
Phototriggered DNA Hairpin Formation in a Stilbenediether-Linked Bis(oligonucleotide) Conjugate

Photochemical switches have found numerous biological applications, but have received only limited application to the control of DNA base pairing processes. The authors report here that a hairpin-forming bis(oligonucleotide) conjugate possessing a stilbenediether linker undergoes reversible trans {leftrightarrow} cis photoisomerization when both the cis and trans conjugates are in the random coil conformation, but undergoes one-way cis {r{underscore}arrow} trans isomerization when both are in hairpin conformations. Thus base-pairing inhibits trans {r{underscore}arrow} cis but not cis {r{underscore}arrow} trans isomerization. Moreover, photoisomerization of the random coil cis conjugate under conditions where the trans conjugate forms a stable hairpin results in phototriggered base pairing. The use of base pairing to effect one-way photoisomerization and of photoisomerization to effect base pairing are without precedent.
Sensation Seeking and Impulsivity: The Direct and Indirect Effects on Adolescent Marijuana Use

Research over the past decades has found that adolescent drug use is intricately entwined with serious personal and social problems, including personality trait tendencies, peer pressure, family‐ and school‐related influences. Using structural equation modelling, this study tries to incorporate a set of personal and interpersonal factors to predict marijuana use among a sample of adolescents in two US cities. The study found that sensation seeking, rather than impulsive decision making contributes directly to adolescents' marijuana use, while their indirect contributions on marijuana use work through the interplay of demographic variables, risk and protective factors, the adolescents' beliefs and attitudes toward marijuana use, and the adolescents' intentions to using marijuana.
Suppression of T-cell response and prolongation of allograft survival in a rat model by tryptophan catabolites☆

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is a rate-limiting enzyme involved in the conversion of tryptophan to various endogenous catabolites, such as 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine, and L-kynurenine. This study aims to provide evidence to support the hypothesis that some of the tryptophan catabolites may exert strong immunosuppression against allograft rejection by inhibiting allogeneic T-cell response. The mixed lymphocyte proliferation assay was used as an in-vitro model and the rat cardiac allograft as an in-vivo model. We found that 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid and 3-hydroxykynurenine inhibited T-cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Both dendritic cell-stimulated T-cell proliferation and baseline T-cell proliferation (in the absence of dendritic cells) were inhibited by these tryptophan catabolites. Using the rat cardiac allograft model, we showed that a single i.v. administration of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid+allogeneic dendritic cells seven days before cardiac grafting markedly prolonged the graft survival in the recipient (from seven days to fifteen days). Additional studies showed that this single administration of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid wiped out a majority of specific T-cell sub-populations that were activated by allogeneic dendritic cells. This strong inhibition by 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid is believed to be an important mechanism contributing to the development of immunotolerance against the allogeneic graft. These observations offer a potential strategy for using tryptophan catabolites together with allogeneic dendritic cells to induce selective immunotolerance against allogeneic grafts in the recipients.
Rate Constants for the Gas-Phase Reactions of OH Radicals with Dimethyl Phosphonate over the Temperature Range of 278-351 K and for a Series of Other Organophosphorus Compounds at ̃280 K

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with dimethyl phosphonate [DMHP; (CH3O)2P(O)H] were measured over the temperature range of 278−351 K at atmospheric pressure of air using a relative rate method with 4-methyl-2-pentanone as the reference compound. The Arrhenius expression obtained was 1.01 × 10−12 e(474 ± 159)/T cm3 molecule−1 s−1, where the indicated error is two least-squares standard deviations and does not include uncertainties in the rate constants for the reference compound. Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with dimethyl methylphosphonate [DMMP, (CH3O)2P(O)CH3], dimethyl ethylphosphonate [DMEP, (CH3O)2P(O)C2H5], diethyl methylphosphonate [DEMP, (C2H5O)2P(O)CH3], diethyl ethylphosphonate [DEEP, (C2H5O)2P(O)C2H5], and triethyl phosphate [TEP, (C2H5O)3PO] were also measured at 278 and/or 283 K for comparison with a previous study (Aschmann, S. M.; Long, W. D.; Atkinson, R. J. Phys. Chem. A, 2006, 110, 7393). With the experimental procedures employed, exp...
INDIGENOUS FIRE USE TO MANAGE SAVANNA LANDSCAPES IN SOUTHERN MOZAMBIQUE

Prescribed burn regimes for protected areas in southern Africa are often based solely on modeling of historic data and onsite experimentation. Most rural communities in this region continue to rely on fire to manage natural resources for subsistence needs, yet relatively few detailed studies of local fire knowledge and practices exist. The long history of anthropogenic fire in southern Africa suggests that traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of fire could provide further insight into location-specific anthropogenic contributions to fire-savanna interactions. This study used an ethnographic approach to investigate how local people think about and manage fire as part of their daily activities in two rural communities in southern Mozambique. Residents use fire for a range of livelihood activities and identify both controlled and uncontrolled anthropogenic fire sources. Fire regimes are presented for five common livelihood activities including frequency, seasonality, area, and type of habitat burned. Comparisons between historic and contemporary fires revealed decreases in the number of controlled burns and consequent increases in the size and number of wildfires, but no changes in the purposes for conducting controlled burns or the methods people used to conduct burns. Community fire regulations aim to reduce personal and communal property destruction, as well as protect locally valuable biodiversity. The results highlight the importance in accessing indigenous fire TEK for understanding anthropogenic contributions to fire regimes. Furthermore, they demonstrate that despite different worldviews, indigenous and western fire experts share a common goal in maintaining regional biodiversity.
Habitat restoration and agricultural production under land retirement

Current land retirement programs seek to address drainage management challenges in the western San Joaquin Valley of California using a willing seller strategy. In choosing between available parcels, the program managers focus primarily on the drainage mitigation potential of retiring each parcel of land. The results of 50-year groundwater simulations suggest that retirement of parcels already underlain by shallow groundwater produces the largest drain flow reduction. However, the managers also want this land to provide useful habitat for threatened terrestrial organisms. Using the depth of unsaturated material above a shallow water table as a proxy for habitat suitability, the model results reveal that only retirement of land that is currently well aerated and free from shallow groundwater will provide useful habitat in the long term. A secondary objective of land retirement is to minimize the negative local economic impact of removing a parcel from production. According to a productivity proxy drawn from model results, the retirement of land already overlying shallow groundwater will minimize the short-term productivity decline.
Effect of Calcium Phosphate Coating and rhBMP-2 on Bone Regeneration in Rabbit Calvaria Using Poly(propylene fumarate) Scaffolds

Various calcium phosphate based coatings have been evaluated for better bony integration of metallic implants and are currently being investigated to improve the surface bioactivity of polymeric scaffolds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of calcium phosphate coating and simultaneous delivery of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) on the in vivo bone regeneration capacity of biodegradable, porous poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) scaffolds. PPF scaffolds were coated with three different calcium phosphate formulations: magnesium-substituted β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCMP), carbonated hydroxyapatite (synthetic bone mineral, SBM) and biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). In vivo bone regeneration was evaluated by implantation of scaffolds in a critical-sized rabbit calvarial defect loaded with different doses of rhBMP-2. Our data demonstrated that scaffolds with each of the calcium phosphate coatings were capable of sustaining rhBMP-2 release and retained an open porous structure. After 6weeks of implantation, micro-computed tomography revealed that the rhBMP-2 dose had a significant effect on bone formation within the scaffolds and that the SBM-coated scaffolds regenerated significantly greater bone than BCP-coated scaffolds. Mechanical testing of the defects also indicated restoration of strength in the SBM and β-TCMP with rhBMP-2 delivery. Histology results demonstrated bone growth immediately adjacent to the scaffold surface, indicating good osteointegration and osteoconductivity for coated scaffolds. The results obtained in this study suggest that the coated scaffold platform demonstrated a synergistic effect between calcium phosphate coatings and rhBMP-2 delivery and may provide a promising platform for the functional restoration of large bone defects.
Protocol-Based Multi-Agent Systems: Examining the Effect of Diversity, Dynamism, and Cooperation in Heuristic Optimization Approaches

Many heuristic optimization approaches have been developed to combat the ever-increasing complexity of engineering problems. In general, these approaches can be classified based on the diversity of the search strategies used, the amount of change in these search strategies during the optimization process, and the level of cooperation between these strategies. A review of the literature indicates that approaches that are simultaneously very diverse, highly dynamic, and cooperative are rare but have immense potential for finding high quality final solutions. In this work, a taxonomy of heuristic optimization approaches is introduced and used to motivate a new approach called protocol-based multi-agent systems. This approach is found to produce final solutions of much higher quality when its implementation includes the use of multiple search protocols, the adaptation of these protocols during the optimization, and the cooperation between these protocols than when these characteristics are absent.
First- and second-order phase transitions in the Dicke model: Relation to optical bistability

The authors consider a system comprised of a collection of identical two-level atoms interacting with the electromagnetic field in the dipole approximation and with an externally applied steady-state coherent driving field. The atoms are considered to interact with each other only via the electromagnetic field and are assumed to be contained within a volume much smaller than a resonance wavelength. The system is treated as a quantum-statistical ensemble in the rotating frame, rotating at the carrier frequency of the externally applied coherent field. The Hamiltonian in this frame is explicitly time independent and the exact analog of a spin temperature is defined. The thermodynamic-Green's-function method is used to determine the thermodynamic equilibrium properties of the system in the rotating frame. This results in a nonlinear relation between the applied field and the field in the volume containing the atoms. The expression is a nonlinear function of the effective or "spin" temperature as well, and has the form of a first-order phase transition with the macroscopic atomic polarization as order parameter. In the low-"spin"-temperature limit, and for perfect tuning, the expression reduces to the exact form of the nonlinear relation for optical bistability derived by Bonifacio and Lugiato and relating the incident and transmitted fields for atoms in a ring cavity in the mean-field approximation. The results contain absorptive as well as dispersive contributions. These results predict essentially different behavior as a function of off tuning compared with behavior predicted by others using statistical steady-state models far from thermodynamic equilibrium. In the limit of zero value for the applied field amplitude, the results reduce to the conditions for the well-known second-order superradiant" phase transition. The condition for the existence of the second-order phase transition is shown to depend on the cavity tuning and the photon escape rate. The authors also show why, in light of the experiments in optical bistability, this second-order phase is difficult to observe.
Reevaluation of the minimum vitamin A requirement of Holstein male calves based upon elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure

Abstract Forty-one male Holstein calves whose average age was 60 days, live weight 74kg and plasma vitamin A concentration 8.4 μ g/100ml were fed a vitamin A depletion ration plus one of five daily vitamin A acetate intakes equivalent to 4, 12, 16, 64 or 256 μ g of retinol per kilogram of live weight for 16 weeks. Daily ration consumption averaged 3.0 kg/day, and live weight increased .81kg/day. The incidence of diarrhea, the number of treatments for diarrhea, and the number of calves exhibiting convulsions were greater in the calves fed the lowest vitamin A intake of 4 μ g. Average plasma vitamin A concentrations increased .8 μ g/100ml for each 10% increase in vitamin A intake and terminal values increased .9 μ g/ 100ml. Cisternal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressures were maintained at a geometric mean of 68mm of saline at vitamin A intakes greater than 29 μ g per kilogram of live weight. For each 10% decrease in vitamin A intake below the 29 μ g intake, CSF pressure increased by 8.6%.
Comparison of two blood cell separators in collecting peripheral blood stem cell components

To ensure that a sufficient number of CD34+ cells are collected for an allogeneic blood progenitor cell transplant, the most effective blood cell separator should be used to collect peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) components. We compared the effectiveness of two blood cell separators. We gave 29 healthy people 7.5 or 10 micrograms kg-1 of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) daily for 5 days and collected one PBSC component with either a Fenwal CS3000 (n = 15) or a Cobe Spectra (n = 14) blood cell separator. The volume of blood processed was the same for each machine (8.4 +/- 1.0 L; range = 4.9-9.4 L for the CS3000 and 8.9 +/- 1.0 L; range 6.7-10.9 L; P = 0.71). The components collected with the CS3000 contained more mononuclear cells (39.6 +/- 21.9 x 10(9) compared with 26.9 +/- 5.6 x 10(9), P = 0.02) and fewer neutrophils (1.38 +/- 1.88 x 10(9) compared with 5.53 +/- 8.71 x 10(9), P = 0.001). The total number of CD34+ cells collected with the two instruments was the same (470 +/- 353 x 10(6) for the CS3000 and 419 +/- 351 x 10(6) for the Spectra; P = 0.64) as was the number of CD34+ cells collected per litre of whole blood processed (55.9 +/- 42.0 x 10(6) L-1 compared with 45.9 +/- 37.9 x 10(6) L-1; P = 0.59). The mononuclear cell collection efficiency was greater for the CS3000 (82.4 +/- 54.9% compared with 53.3 +/- 14.1; P = 0.04) but the CD34+ cell collection efficiencies were the same (87.4 +/- 61.1% for the CS3000 compared with 56.3 +/- 23.5% for the Spectra; P = 0.07). In conclusion, both blood cell separators collected components which contained large numbers of CD34+ cells, but those collected with the CS3000 contained fewer neutrophils and the CS3000 was more efficient at collecting mononuclear cells.
Anisotropic Atomic Hydrogen Distribution in Interplanetary Space

Blum and Farr1 have suggested modifications of current theories2,3 concerning the interaction of the solar wind with interstellar hydrogen. One feature of their model involves the motion of the solar system. This motion, coupled with the velocity of the interstellar hydrogen, results in a velocity of 10 to 40 km s−1 for interstellar hydrogen relative to the solar system. According to Blum and Fahr the relative velocity gives rise to an anisotropic distribution of neutral hydrogen atoms in interplanetary space. The neutral hydrogen density is enhanced in the direction of approach of the interstellar hydrogen and diminished in the opposite hemisphere. The motion of the interstellar hydrogen is assumed to cause a highly aspherical transition region between the hydrogen and the solar wind.
Cardiosome mediated regulation of MMP9 in diabetic heart: role of mir29b and mir455 in exercise

‘Cardiosomes’ (exosomes from cardiomyocytes) have recently emerged as nanovesicles (30–100 nm) released in the cardiosphere by myocytes and cardiac progenitor cells, though their role in diabetes remains elusive. Diabetic cardiovascular complications are unequivocally benefitted from exercise; however, the molecular mechanisms need exploration. This novel study is based on our observation that exercise brings down the levels of activated (Matrix Metalloprotease 9) in db/db mice in a model of type 2 diabetes. We hypothesize that exosomes that are released during exercise contain microRNAs (mir455, mir29b, mir323-5p and mir466) that bind to the 3′ region of MMP9 and downregulate its expression, hence mitigating the deleterious downstream effects of MMP9, which causes extracellular matrix remodeling. First, we confirmed the presence of exosomes in the heart tissue and serum by electron microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively, in the four treatment groups: (i) db/control, (ii) db/control+exercise, (iii) db/db and (iv) db/db+exercise. Use of exosomal markers CD81, Flottilin 1, and acetylcholinesterase activity in the isolated exosomes confirmed enhanced exosomal release in the exercise group. The microRNAs isolated from the exosomes contained mir455, mir29b, mir323-5p and mir466 as quantified by qRTPCR, however, mir29b and mir455 showed highest upregulation. We performed 2D zymography which revealed significantly lowered activity of MMP9 in the db/db exercise group as compared to non-exercise group. The immunohistochemical analysis further confirmed the downregulated expression of MMP9 after exercise. Since MMP9 is involved in matrix degradation and leads to fibrosis and myocyte uncoupling, the present study provides a strong evidence how exercise can mitigate these conditions in diabetic patients.
Light-Regulated Expression of a Pea Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase Small Subunit Gene in Transformed Plant Cells

A pea nuclear gene encoding the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase was inserted into the tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and transferred into petunia ce...
The carr-benkler wager and its implications for ULS software engineering

In this paper, I present the Carr-Benkler wager - a bet over whether free-market/economic or social forces will determine the future of the internet - and discuss its implications for the software engineering practices of Ultra-Large Scale (ULS) systems. As a result of considering the underlying forces behind the wager, I discuss three implications for the software engineering of Ultra-large scale systems. From these implications I suggest a set of topics that describe how we need to think about, teach, and develop software and software-related processes differently.
On the effect of colluding eavesdroppers on secrecy capacity scaling

In a powerful secrecy attack, eavesdroppers can collude, i.e., they can share their observations. Securing information in such a scenario will be an even more challenging task compared to non-colluding case. We here analyze the effect of eavesdropper collusion on the achievable performance in both the path loss and ergodic multi-path fading models. We provide two results: 1) For the Poisson point process model in a random extended network, if the legitimate nodes have unit intensity (λ = 1) and the colluding eavesdroppers have an intensity of λ e = O((log n)−(2+p)) for any p > 0, almost all of the nodes can achieve a secure rate of Ω(1/√n); I and 2) In the K-user Gaussian interference channel with E external colluding eavesdroppers, a secure degrees of freedom of η =[1/2−E/K]+ per frequency-time slot is achievable for each user in the ergodic setting (in the absence of the eavesdropper channel state information).
A Candida albicans Petite Mutant Strain with Uncoupled Oxidative Phosphorylation Overexpresses MDR1 and Has Diminished Susceptibility to Fluconazole and Voriconazole

We showed that a Candida albicans petite mutant in which oxidative phosphorylation is uncoupled was eightfold more resistant to fluconazole and voriconazole than SC5314 but equally susceptible to ketoconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B. Strain P5 significantly overexpressed MDR1, which likely accounts for the decreased drug susceptibility.
Explaining African-American Political Empowerment Windy City Politics from 1900 to 1983

Early in the 20th century, Chicago was "the seventh heaven" of political activity for African-Americans. In no city had African-American empowerment proceeded as far. But from the 1950s to the election of Harold Washington in 1983, Chicago was considered a glaring example of African-American subordination and powerlessness. This transformation presents excellent conditions for analysis of the processes of political empowerment and the rollback of political power. The author challenges the conventional wisdom that political machines represent a "ladder" for minority empowerment. Rather, electoral competition among white factions or parties created the conditions under which African-American voters could determine electoral outcomes and African-American leaders could bargain for group empowerment.
Arch dam-fluid interactions: By fem-bem and substructure concept

Arch dams can be conveniently analysed by the finite element method. For dam–fluid interaction problems, the fluid domain may be more conveniently handled by the boundary element method as a substructure first before connecting to the dam substructure. The added-mass matrix calculated from the fluid domain is symmetrized and lumped first so that the banded and symmetrical characteristics of the finite element method are retained. In the boundary element formulation, a mirror image method and quadratic elements are used for computational efficiency and accuracy. The strong singular terms are handled by using a solution which satisfies the governing equation and the free surface boundary condition. Infinite boundary conditions at the upstream of the reservoir can be reasonably approximated from the fundamental solution with accurate results, if the interior pressure distribution in the fluid domain is neglected. Numerical solutions on hydrodynamic pressure distribution and the natural frequencies of the dam–reservoir system with various water levels are obtained and compared with available analytical and experiment results.
Influence of lipoteichoic acid structure on recognition by the macrophage scavenger receptor

Lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) belong to the immunostimulatory class of molecules of gram-positive bacteria (GPB). Previous investigations showed that the macrophage scavenger receptor (SR), a glycosylated trimeric transmembrane protein, binds directly to many GPB, possibly via LTA. SR binding to other ligands is dependent upon the spatial characteristics of the repeating negative charge of the ligand. We therefore investigated SR recognition of LTA species with various charge densities and distributions by determining the capacity of these LTAs to compete with the binding of metabolically labeled SR to beads coated with the known SR ligand polyguanylic acid. Staphylococcus aureus LTA, a classical LTA type (unbranched 1,3-linked polyglycerophosphate chain covalently bound to a membrane diacylglyceroglycolipid), had a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for inhibition of SR binding of 0.84 microg/ml. When the S. aureus LTA was rendered more negatively charged by removal of ester-linked alanine from the polyglycerophosphate backbone, the IC50 dropped to 0.23 microg/ml. Other polyglycerophosphate LTAs from Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus hirae, Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria welshimeri, and Streptococcus sanguis showed IC50S of 0.5 to 2.1 microg/ml, supporting the role of negative charge in binding to SR. Accordingly, the zwitterionic LTA of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Clostridium innocuum LTA substituted with positively charged sugar residues had no binding capacity. Monoglycerophosphate branches, but not succinyl ester, affected binding of lipoglycans. The data presented above parallel the previous findings for whole organisms and support the role of surface-associated LTA as a major ligand of GPB for binding to SR. Whether binding of LTA and whole GPB to macrophages initiates uptake and degradation or results in signal transduction remains to be determined.
The relative maxima of the likelihood function

Abstract Suppose X 1, X 2, …, X n are independent, identically distributed random variables, the common distribution known except for the value of a single parameter θ. f(x, θ) denotes the probability density function if the distribution is absolutely continuous, or the point probability function if the distribution is discrete.
A comprehensive analysis of pectoralis major transfer for long thoracic nerve palsy

Background: In the treatment of long thoracic nerve palsy with pectoralis major transfer, it remains unknown whether direct transfer of the pectoralis to the scapula or indirect transfer with an interpositional graft provides superior outcomes. Methods: A 3-tiered study was performed to gain a comprehensive understanding. (1) A survey of the membership of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) was conducted to reach a Level V consensus. (2) A systematic review was conducted to identify all series evaluating direct and indirect transfer of the pectoralis major tendon to create a Level IV consensus. (3) A retrospective review was performed to provide Level III evidence. Results: (1) Surgeons were evenly split between whole and split tendon transfers, direct and indirect transfers, and graft types. More experienced surgeons were more likely to prefer an indirect transfer. (2) Analysis of 10 Level IV studies (131 shoulders) revealed that patients who underwent indirect transfer were significantly more likely to develop recurrent winging (P ¼ .009) and had lower active forward elevation (P < .001) and ASES scores (P ¼ .0016). (3) Twenty-four patients were included in our retrospective review with a mean follow-up of 4.3 years (77% follow-up), of whom 14 underwent indirect transfer and 10 underwent direct transfer. There were no significant differences in recurrence of winging, range of motion, or ASES scores. Conclusions: Level V and III evidence suggests that there is no functional difference between direct and indirect transfer. Level IV evidence must be interpreted with caution. Level of evidence: Level III, Retrospective Cohort Design, Treatment Study. 2015 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees.
School Activities, Community Service, and Delinquency:

A common observation is that lack of involvement in communities is linked to a host of social problems, including delinquency. In response to this observation, youth are increasingly encouraged to volunteer for community service projects. Involvement in school activities is also seen as a way to attenuate delinquency. Yet little research has examined the simultaneous and unique impact of school involvement and community activities on delinquency. Using linked individual-level and school-level data, the authors investigate the impact of school and community activities on delinquency. The results indicate that community activities are related negatively to delinquency, especially in schools that are perceived as unsafe. However, race/ethnicity and percentage of minority students in the school condition the impact of school activities on delinquent behavior. In high-minority schools, African American students who participate in school activities are involved in more delinquent behavior, yet those in low-mino...
Head and neck sequelae of cardiac transplantation

Cardiac transplantation has become the treatment of choice for end-stage cardiomyopathies. In 1987, nearly 2000 cardiac transplants were performed in the United States. Otolaryngologists will be asked with increasing frequency to evaluate and treat these patients. The otolaryngology service at Loyola University Medical Center has been involved in the follow-up and treatment of head and neck complications in 100 transplant patients. Sixty percent of these patients manifest head and neck sequelae. The results of this review are presented. The otolaryngologist should be aware of the special features of this patient population that require modification of the treatment approach, such as 1. the need to avoid the drugs erythromycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and ketoconazole, 2. the need to preserve the right internal jugular vein, and 3. the high risk of silent myocardial infarction. A discussion of these treatment modifications is provided. All patients should be treated in close communication with the medical transplant treatment team.
Plants actively control nitrogen cycling: uncorking the microbial bottleneck

Ecologists have tried to link plant species composition and ecosystem properties since the inception of the ecosystem concept in ecology. Many have observed that biological communities could feed back to, and not simply result from, soil properties. But which group of organisms, plants or microorganisms, drive those feedback systems? Recent research asserts that soil microorganisms preclude plant species feedback to soil nitrogen (N) transformations due to strong microbial control of soil N cycling. It has been well documented that litter properties influence soil N cycling. In this review, we stress that under many circumstances plant species exert a major influence over soil N cycling rates via unique N attainment strategies, thus influencing soil N availability and their own fitness. We offer two testable mechanisms by which plants impart active control on the N cycle and thereby allow for plant-litter-soil-plant feedback. Finally, we describe the characteristics of plants and ecosystems that are most likely to exhibit feedback.
Developing Seeds of Arabidopsis Store Different Minerals in Two Types of Vacuoles and in the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Mineral-accumulating compartments in developing seeds of Arabidopsis were studied using high-pressure-frozen/freeze-substituted samples. Developing seeds store minerals in three locations: in the protein storage vacuoles of the embryo, and transiently in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and vacuolar compartments of the chalazal endosperm. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and enzyme treatments suggest that the minerals are stored as phytic acid (myo-inositol-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate) salts in all three compartments, although they differ in cation composition. Whereas embryo globoids contain Mg, K, and Ca as cations, the chalazal ER deposits show high levels of Mn, and the chalazal vacuolar deposits show high levels of Zn. The appearance of the first Zn-phytate crystals coincides with the formation of network-like extensions of the chalazal vacuoles. The core of these networks consists of a branched network of tubular ER membranes, which are separated from the delineating tonoplast membranes by a layer of cytosolic material. Degradation of the networks starts with the loss of the cytosol and is followed by the retraction of the ER, generating a network of collapsed tonoplast membranes that are resorbed. Studies of fertilized fis2 seeds, which hyperaccumulate Zn-phytate crystals in the chalazal vacuolar compartments, suggest that only the intact network is active in mineral sequestration. Mineral determination analysis and structural observations showed that Zn and Mn are mobilized from the endosperm to the embryo at different developmental stages. Thus, Zn appears to be removed from the endosperm at the late globular stage, and Mn stores appear to be removed at the late bent-cotyledon stage of embryo development. The disappearance of the Mn-phytate from the endosperm coincides with the accumulation of two major Mn binding proteins in the embryo, the 33-kD protein from the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II and the Mn superoxide dismutase. The possible functions of transient heavy metal storage in the chalazal endosperm are discussed. A model showing how phytic acid, a potentially cytotoxic molecule, is transported from its site of synthesis, the ER, to the different mineral storage sites is presented.