cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Haplogroup-associated differences in neonatal death and incidence of low birth weight at elevation: a preliminary assessment.

Abstract Objective: We sought to assess reproductive fitness differences between mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid haplogroups at high altitude. Study Design: This study considers differences in outcomes of conception, birth weight, and neonatal mortality rates for 62 women classified according to haplogroups (B or non-B). Results: The number of low-weight births ( P =.019). Mothers in the non-B group reported more spontaneous abortions ( P =.171) and stillbirths ( P =.301). The difference in conceptions per woman between groups was significant ( P =.036). However, no difference in infants alive at 1 month of age was evident. Neonatal death was significant ( P =.017). The odds of an unsuccessful outcome among mothers in the B group was compared with mothers in the non-B group and was significant ( P =.029). The chance of an adverse outcome, that is, fetal or infant death before 1 month, for mothers in the B group was between 11.1% and 88.7% lower than for mothers in the non-B group. Conclusions: The neonatal mortality rate for the non-B group was significantly elevated relative to the B group. The molecular basis for these observations is not clear. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;182:1599-5.)
QCD infrared pole at finite temperature

It is shown that the well-known infrared singularity (which is an attribute of any perturbative Green functions within statistical QCD) is still not ruled out although (when the axial gauge being fixed) the nonzero gluon magnetic mass seems to solve this problem.
Coordinating Robots for Connectivity in Wireless Sensor Networks

Mobile robots improve scalability and performance of wireless sensor networks. Protocols for many services including data collection, localization, topology control and security in wireless sensor networks include mobile robots. Using a single robot limits the scalability and performance and multiple robots are used as a result. When multiple robots are deployed, it is desirable to have the robots connected to provide improved services. However, coordinating the robots optimally to achieve connectivity among them is not trivial. We use computational geometry techniques to achieve connectivity. We use the concept of Frechet distance between curves to synchronize the robots for connectivity. We extend the idea of Frechet distance to multiple curves where each curve is the path of a robot. We analyze the proposed idea theoretically and show that the theory can not be applied directly due to limitations on robot speed and speed changes. Therefore, we propose a practical approach where maximum robot speed is bounded and speed changes is limited. Simulations show that the connectivity among the robots is maintained when the robots follow the movement pattern based on the Frechet distance between the paths of consecutive robots.
Periodic Orbits and Disturbance Growth for Baroclinic Waves

Abstract The growth of linear disturbances to stable and unstable time-periodic basic states is analyzed in an asymptotic model of weakly nonlinear, baroclinic wave–mean interaction. In this model, an ordinary differential equation for the wave amplitude is coupled to a partial differential equation for the zonal-flow correction. Floquet vectors, the eigenmodes for linear disturbances to the oscillatory basic states, split into wave-dynamical and decaying zonal-flow modes. Singular vectors reflect the structure of the Floquet vectors: the most rapid amplification and decay are associated with the wave-dynamical Floquet vectors, while the intermediate singular vectors closely follow the decaying zonal-flow Floquet vectors. Singular values depend strongly on initial and optimization times. For initial times near wave amplitude maxima, the Floquet decomposition of the leading singular vector depends relatively weakly on optimization time. For the unstable oscillatory basic state in the chaotic regime, the le...
Geometry of subalgebras and inseparable extensions

The rest of the paper is concerned with intermediate fields of purely inseparable extensions, the study of which was our original motivation. As an example of our results we single out one (part of the Corollary to Theorem 2.4) derived by algebraic deformation theory because it has a purely algebraic statement: Let A be an algebra (possibly of infinite dimension) over a field
Tarvip, a PC-Based Visibility Model for Normal and Ultra-Violet Activated Pavement Markings

Development of TarVIP 1.0, a computer model for predicting the detection distances of normal and UV activated pavement markings was recently completed at the Operator Performance Laboratory (OPL). Two Sherwin-Williams UV activated pavement marking samples, four UV headlamp units (Ultralux, Visteon, Cibio and Labino brands), and the UV filter covering the Labino UV headlamp unit were characterized in terms of their fluorescence coefficients, spectral emissions, and spectral transmissivity, respectively. The TarVIP model properly accounts for a complete three-dimensional representation of the roadway-headlamp-driver geometry. Veiling luminance due to fog is modeled using the Mie Scattering theory. The model consists of physical and human performance subsystems. Besides the aforementioned physical subsystem items, the human performance subsystem uses an extensive human visibility contrast threshold database to represent the human capabilities and limitations of pavement marking detection. The model was used ...
Changes in T-cell subsets in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with total lymphoid irradiation

Abstract Patients with intractable rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were treated with total lymphoid irradiation (TLI, 2000 rads). We previously reported long-lasting clinical improvement associated with marked suppression of in vitro lymphocyte function in this group. In an attempt to better understand the mechanism of immunosuppression and clinical changes observed after TLI, we studied in greater detail changes in peripheral blood T-cell subsets identified by monoclonal antibodies. Before TLI, RA patients had a higher percentage of Leu-3 (helper subset) cells and a lower percentage of Leu-2 (suppressor/cytotoxic subset) cells than normals. Immediately after TLI, the absolute numbers of both Leu-2 and Leu-3 cells were reduced by at least 90%. Within 6–12 weeks, the number of Leu-2 cells returned to the pretreatment levels, but the levels of Leu-3 cells remained depressed for months thereafter. The lack of repopulation of Leu-3 cells resulted in a marked increase in the ratio of Leu-2 to Leu-3 cells as compared to pretreatment values (1.73 ± 0.23 vs 0.39 ± 0.06), and in a decrease in the percentage and absolute number of total T (Leu-1 and Leu-4) cells. The failure of Leu-3 cells (which mediate predominantly helper/inducer functions) to repopulate the peripheral blood may contribute to the prolonged clinical immunosuppression observed after TLI. Similar changes in T-cell subsets were not observed in RA patients given remittive drugs or low doses (200 rads) of radiotherapy. Thus, TLI differs from other treatment modalities with regard to its prolonged selective effect on the Leu-3 subset.
Intelligence in Markets: Asset Pricing, Mechanism Design, and Natural Computation [Technology Review]

Evolution, human and animal cognition, and the emergent coordination of systems of autonomous agents are among the areas of nature drawn upon for inspiration by the field of computational intelligence. Researchers are increasingly using these aspects of nature in the exploration of market interaction, both to develop more scientific knowledge about economic and financial phenomena and to build new commercial applications for price forecasting, asset trading, and market design. Adam Smith wrote of an "invisible hand" which guided markets. Today we may consider this specter to be the result of a limiting process of some computational evolutionary algorithm. It is here, at the intersection of economics and intelligent computation, where we may most profitably study the nature of human market interaction.
Separation of human from mouse and monkey adenosine deaminase by ion-exchange chromatography following retroviral-mediated gene transfer

Abstract A method for the chromatographic separation of human adenosine deaminase (ADA) from murine and monkey ADA is described. This procedure was developed in order to detect the expression of low or moderate levels of human ADA following retroviral-mediated gene transfer of cloned human ADA gene sequences into both mouse and monkey cells. Protein separation was achieved on a Mono Q (HR 5 5 ) anion-exchange column using the Pharmacia fast protein liquid chromatography system and was found to be a highly reproducible method yielding enzymatically active protein. An increasing linear gradient extending from 0.05 to 0.5 m potassium chloride (pH 7.5) was used to elute the enzyme. Under these conditions, most human ADA does not bind to the column and elutes in the low-salt buffer (0.05 m KCl), while murine ADA elutes at 0.12 m KCl and monkey ADA at 0.15 m KCl. The column fractions were assayed for ADA activity, and the characteristic isozyme banding patterns for human, mouse, and monkey ADA were confirmed by starch gel electrophoresis. This procedure allows the rapid and reproducible separation of human ADA from that of other species and yields partially purified enzymatically active protein.
Knowledge representation in a multilayered Hopfield network

A scheme is presented for representing knowledge in a multilayered Hopfield network. Each layer of this network is composed of units (representing microfeatures) and pairwise constraints among them. Each layer uses a Hopfield algorithm to find coalitions of units corresponding to local minima in an energy landscape. Each distinct coalition is assumed to correspond to some interesting cluster of microfeatures that are mutually reinforcing. A unique grandmother unit at the next layer is associated with every emerging coalition and serves as both a label and an abstraction for that coalition. Such grandmother units are in turn microfeatures for the subsequent layer and are also configured in a Hopfield network with pairwise constraints. This network can exhibit reconstruction, focus of attention, and switching of attention by using a second set of feedback layers with downward connections. >
Bilateral inflamed paratubal cysts

Paramesonephric duct remnants are an infrequent cause of abdominal symptoms in childhood. Preoperative diagnosis is often difficult and diagnosis is usually made at surgery. We report a rare presentation of an acute abdomen in a child with bilateral inflamed fimbrial cysts. Ultrasound revealed the presence of a multicystic lesion behind bladder. It was only at laparotomy the diagnosis of bilateral inflamed fimbrial cysts was establsihed. These were excised and the child made an uneventful post operative recovery.
Analytical and Experimental Investigation of Laser-Nanosphere Interaction for Nanoscale Surface Modification

An investigation on the features created on a silicon substrate by the irradiation of nanospheres on the substrate surface with a pulsed laser is presented. Silica nanospheres of diameter on the order of laser wavelength are deposited on silicon substrate and irradiated with a pulsed Nd: YAG laser. As a result, nanofeatures are created on the surface by the melting and resolidification of silicon. The experiment is repeated for different laser wavelengths (532 nm, and 355 nm), sphere diameters (640 nm, and 1.76 μm) and laser energies, and the effect of each of these parameters on the features created are studied. An analytical model based on Mie Theory complements the results. The model includes all evanescent terms and does not rely on either far field or size-parameter approximations. The predicted intensity distributions on the substrate indicate a strong near field enhancement confined to a very small area (nanometer scale). The results correlate well with the feature geometries obtained in the experiment.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
The Cosmological Argument

I. Professor William L. Rowe begins an interesting paper on the Cosmological Argument by stating that his ‘purpose …is not to resurrect it’ but ‘to uncover, clarify, and examine some of the philosophical concepts and theses essential to the reasoning exhibited in the argument’. (49) However, in the concluding pages of his paper, Rowe is at some pains to show that his discussion does at least demonstrate that the Cosmological Argument is beyond the reach of criticisms levelled against it in the works of its classical critics, Hume and Kant and their modern-day counterparts. To quote his concluding remark: ‘Like most important philosophical arguments, it appears that the Cosmological Argument is neither as good as its supporters have claimed it to be nor as bad as its critics have believed.’ (61) Now I have long suspected that some such estimate of the Cosmological Argument was correct; however I do not think that Rowe's discussions in his paper establish his contention that the reports of the death of the Cosmological Argument have been premature. Nevertheless, Rowe's uncovering of the reasoning that lies behind the argument does have the merit of laying bare the precise point from which, as well as the direction in which, the defence of the argument should proceed if we are to truly make some headway on this hoary topic. In what follows, I will first try to show why I think Rowe's discussion fails to establish his conclusion and thereafter try to give the outline of a more successful strategy for arriving at the same conclusion.
HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Among Chinese College Students in the US

This study assessed knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS and sources of HIV/STI information among Chinese college students living in the USA and explored specific factors associated with knowledge levels and types of sources of information. We surveyed 133 Chinese students enrolled in three US universities. About 41.4 % believed that HIV could be contracted through mosquito bites, and 22.6 % were unaware that condoms could prevent HIV. Sources of HIV/STI information were the mass media. Males were more likely to demonstrate a higher HIV/AIDS knowledge level than females. Graduate students were more likely to cite television as a source of information, and less likely to mention school teachers, than were undergraduate students. These ethnic minority immigrant students held misconceptions about HIV transmission and prevention, and possibly utilized information of varying quality. Accordingly this study identifies specific objectives for education, including basic biology and diversity issues from evidence-based sources.
Neural network design for channel routing

The paper proposes a neural network model for two layer channel routing. We hope this research will lead to a better understanding of the capability and limitations of neural networks as a general design methodology and in particular when it is applied to the routing problem in the design of VLSI chips. In our model the neurons form a two dimensional array where the value of element N represents the " chances" of net i is positioned at track j. The strength of connections between neurons are defined such that to prevent horizontal conflict between nets and also optimize a number of important routing metrics such as: minimum routing area and minimum wire length. We ran several examples for most of the small size examples ( less than 1 5 nets ) we were able to obtain good solutions. However for larger size examples apart from the known problems of long simulation times the router was not able to find a solution in many cases. 1.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Noncrossing approximation solution of the anisotropic Anderson impurity model

The thermodynamic and magnetic properties of a single impurity Anderson model that describes Ce in an environment with hexagonal symmetry is treated within the noncrossing approximation. It is found that the properties ofthe system at temperatures larger than the crystal field splitting are described by a Kondo temperature of the sixfold-degenerate spin-orbit multiplet and at low temperatures by a highly renormalized Kondo temperature of the crystal field ground state. The inelastic neutron scattering spectra exhibits a quasielastic and inelastic component. The results are compared with the concentrated heavy-fermion compound CeAl 3 . The system is well described by the single-impurity Anderson model at temperatures above I K, with the crystal field scheme determined by Goremychkin et al. from inelastic neutron scattering experiments. The excellent agreement may be due to the small variation of the f occupation number with temperature in heavy-fermion systems. However, the single-impurity model fails to describe the peak in the ratio C(T)/T found in earlier experiments. Therefore, it is concluded that this peak is either due to the coherence of the lattice or due to magnetic interactions that may be responsible for spin-glass-like ordering.
Paul and the Birth of Self-Consciousness

Not until the time of Philo and Paul did the Hebraic tradition make a decisive impact beyond the community of Israel, and it is of overwhelming importance that to this day it is in Paul and in Paul alone that the worlds of sacred history and individual interiority appear and stand forth together in their own integral and distinct identities, which is to say that it is only in the letters of Paul that biblical language is manifest and real as biblical language even while being spoken and resaid in the language of a full and active self-consciousness. True, a parallel coincidence appears in Dante's Comedy and Milton's Paradise Lost, but the very unity of the language of these poems fully harmonizes and integrates the worlds of revelation and self-consciousness, so that neither self-consciousness nor revelation stands isolated and apart, whereas Pauline language commonly and almost continually embodies a dichotomy between "I" language and revelatory language, between the language of revelation and the language of self-consciousness. A full and actual language of self-consciousness first historically appears in Paul's letters, and here it is a negative language, indeed, a self-negating language, as the "I" of self-consciousness knows itself as a sinful and guilty conscience and consciousness, a carnal or fleshly "I" that is wholly and totally imprisoned by sin (Romans 7:14-20). For the first time in history a full and total impotence of the will is now manifest and actual at the center of consciousness, and that impotence is the site of the dawning voice of self-consciousness, a lacerated and self-lacerating voice which can speak only by speaking against itself. Nothing is more controversial either in the interpretation of Paul or in the problematics of Christian anthropology itself than the identity of the deeper or the inner man. A classical text here is Romans 7:22, where Paul declares that he delights in the Law of God, kata ton eso anthropon, in my inner man or my inmost self or my inner depths. These depths can be and have been identified with the Law of my nous (7:23),
Intoxication by Intraperitoneal Injection or Oral Gavage Equally Potentiates Postburn Organ Damage and Inflammation

The increasing prevalence of binge drinking and its association with trauma necessitate accurate animal models to examine the impact of intoxication on the response and outcome to injuries such as burn. While much research has focused on the effect of alcohol dose and duration on the subsequent inflammatory parameters following burn, little evidence exists on the effect of the route of alcohol administration. We examined the degree to which intoxication before burn injury causes systemic inflammation when ethanol is given by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection or oral gavage. We found that intoxication potentiates postburn damage in the ileum, liver, and lungs of mice to an equivalent extent when either ethanol administration route is used. We also found a similar hematologic response and levels of circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) when either ethanol paradigm achieved intoxication before burn. Furthermore, both i.p. and gavage resulted in similar blood alcohol concentrations at all time points tested. Overall, our data show an equal inflammatory response to burn injury when intoxication is achieved by either i.p. injection or oral gavage, suggesting that findings from studies using either ethanol paradigm are directly comparable.
Hyaluronidase activity during open wound healing in rabbits: A preliminary report

Abstract The presence of an enzyme with hyaluronidase activity has been established for open wound granulation tissue in rabbits. Such activity was unrelated to the presence of inflammatory cells and, in fact, was absent in early wounds. Activity increased 7 days after wounding and remained elevated through the 19-day term of the study. The approximate hyaluronic acid content of granulation tissue during healing decreased markedly during this period. The relationship of hyaluronidase to hyaluronic acid in the process of open would healing is discussed.
Polyethylene Glycol Grafted Polyethylene: A Versatile Platform for Nonmigratory Active Packaging Applications

UNLABELLED Nonmigratory active packaging, in which bioactive components are tethered to the package, offers the potential to reduce the need for additives in food products while maintaining safety and quality. A challenge in developing nonmigratory active packaging materials is the loss of biomolecular activity that can occur when biomolecules are immobilized. In this work, we describe a method in which a biocompatible polymer (polyethylene glycol, PEG) is grafted from the surface of ozone-treated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) resulting in a surface functionalized polyethylene to which a range of amine-terminated bioactive molecules can be immobilized. Free radical graft polymerization is used to graft PEG onto the LDPE surface, followed by immobilization of ethylenediamine onto the PEG tether. Ethylenediamine was used to demonstrate that amine-terminated molecules could be covalently attached to the PEG-grafted film. Changes in surface chemistry and topography were measured by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We demonstrate the ability to graft PEG onto the surface of polymer packaging films by free radical graft polymerization, and to covalently link an amine-terminated molecule to the PEG tether, demonstrating that amine-terminated bioactive compounds (such as peptides, enzymes, and some antimicrobials) can be immobilized onto PEG-grafted LDPE in the development of nonmigratory active packaging. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Nonmigratory active packaging offers the potential for improving food safety and quality while minimizing the migration of the active agent into food. In this paper, we describe a technique to modify polyethylene packaging films such that active agents can be covalently immobilized by a biocompatible tether. Such a technique can be adapted to a number of applications such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, or immobilized enzyme active packaging.
Poor Sustained Virological Response in a Multicenter Real-Life Cohort of Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Treated with Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin plus Telaprevir or Boceprevir

Background There are limited data analyzing the effectiveness of boceprevir (BOC) or telaprevir (TVR) in combination with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) in a real-life patient cohort.
Use of ibuprofen and risk of Parkinson disease

Background: Neuroinflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD). Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in general, and possibly ibuprofen in particular, has been shown to be related to lower PD risk in previous epidemiologic studies. Methods: We prospectively examined whether use of ibuprofen or other NSAIDs is associated with lower PD risk among 136,197 participants in the Nurses9 Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) free of PD at baseline (1998 for NHS and 2000 for HPFS). NSAIDs use was assessed via questionnaire. Results were combined in a meta-analysis with those of published prospective investigations. Results: We identified 291 incident PD cases during 6 years of follow-up. Users of ibuprofen had a significantly lower PD risk than nonusers (relative risk [RR], adjusted for age, smoking, caffeine, and other covariates = 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42–0.93; p = 0.02). There was a dose–response relationship between tablets of ibuprofen taken per week and PD risk ( p trend = 0.01). In contrast, PD risk was not significantly related to use of aspirin (RR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.78–1.26), other NSAIDs (RR = 1.26; 95% CI 0.86–1.84), or acetaminophen (RR = 0.86; 95% CI 0.62–1.18). Similar results were obtained in the meta-analyses: the pooled RR was 0.73 (95% CI 0.63–0.85; p Conclusions: The association between use of ibuprofen and lower PD risks, not shared by other NSAIDs or acetaminophen, suggests ibuprofen should be further investigated as a potential neuroprotective agent against PD.
End-Times Theology, the Shadow of the Future, and Public Resistance to Addressing Global Climate Change:

The authors examine U.S. public attitudes regarding global climate change, addressing the puzzle of why support for governmental action on this front is tepid relative to what existing theories predict. Introducing the theoretical concept of relative sociotropic time horizons, the authors show that believers in Christian end-times theology are less likely to support policies designed to curb global warming than are other Americans. They then provide robustness checks by analyzing other policy attitudes. In so doing, the authors provide empirical evidence to suggest that citizens possessing shorter “shadows of the future” often resist policies trading short-term costs for hypothetical long-term benefits.
The acoustic boundary layer in porous walled ducts with a reacting flow

An analysis of the acoustic boundary layer in a porous walled duct containing a primixed, laminar flame adjacent to the duct walls is presented. The reactants are injected through the sidewalls and an overall one step chemical reaction is assumed. The theory finds applications in studies of propellant response and stability analyses of solid propellant rocket motors. The formulation, valid for low injection Mach numbers, is two dimensional and includes effects of viscosity, thermal conductivity, axial and transverse velocities and unsteady combustion in the flame. It is shown that increasing the flow injection rate increases the boundary layer thickness at a given frequency and its tendency to damp acoustic motions in the duct also increases. However, the unsteady reaction rate and associated unsteady heat release rate tend to enhance acoustic motions within the duct and generally dominate the damping processes. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the unsteady expansion in the unsteady reaction region is the, mechanism responsible for the observed acoustic driving. Finally, the analysis shows that the acoustic admittance at the boundary layer edge depends upon axial location within the duct, varying most rapidly near an acoustic pressure minimum.
Determination of critical parameters in large flexible space structures with uncertain modal data

On applique les concepts d'analyse de cout modal a des structures flexibles tridimensionnelles avec les parametres incertains suivants: amortissement modal, frequences modales et formes de mode aux emplacements des capteurs
Analysis of die profiles in wire drawing

Abstract A method for the stress analysis of wire drawing using dies of any given profile is described. Examples of straight, concave, convex and bell-shape dies are investigated. Results indicate that the die profile has a significant effect on the distribution of die pressure and comparison shows that the bell-shape die has the lowest draw stress and the most uniformly distributed pressure and frictional force.
Japanese postwar migration to Brazil: an analysis of data presently available.

In March 1968 the Japan Emigration Service (JEMIS) reported that more than 615000 Japanese and their descendants were residing in Brazil. The figure represented a considerable increase over the 250000 members of Japanese families living in Brazil at the end of the World War II. The rapidity of population growth which these figures would indicate represents a marked departure from the experience of the first half of the century. Japanese migration to Brazil resumed in 1952 after a ten year pause occasioned by the war. The Brazilian government had conceded quotas for the importation of migrants to two Japanese-Brazilians. The late Mr. Yasutaro Matsubara was authorized to settle 4000 Japanese families in central Brazil (southern Brazil was approved later) and Mr. Kotaro Tsuji was authorized to settle 5000 Japanese families in the Amazon region. In practice the two quotas were administered in Brazil by an agent Mr. Akira Ohtani the former sub-manager of the Yokohama Specie Bank’s Rio de Janeiro branch. In Japan the "Federation of Japan Overseas Associations" was created (1954) for the purpose of recruiting and screening emigrants. The Federation also provided some training and loans of passage money for migrants. Mr. Ohtani became head of the Rio de Janeiro branch of the Federation. (excerpt)
The structure, function and evolution of proteins that bind DNA and RNA

Proteins that bind both DNA and RNA typify the ability of a single gene product to perform multiple functions. Such DNA- and RNA-binding proteins (DRBPs) have unique functional characteristics that stem from their specific structural features; these developed early in evolution and are widely conserved. Proteins that bind RNA have typically been considered as functionally distinct from proteins that bind DNA and studied independently. This practice is becoming outdated, in partly owing to the discovery of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that target DNA-binding proteins. Consequently, DRBPs were found to regulate many cellular processes, including transcription, translation, gene silencing, microRNA biogenesis and telomere maintenance.
Inhibition of human lymphocyte transformation by oxygenated sterol compounds

Abstract Oxygenated sterol compounds (OSC), potent inhibitors of sterol synthesis in both resting and mitogen-stimulated human lymphocytes, are capable of suppressing the DNA-synthetic response of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to mitogenic lectins, anti-human thymocyte antiserum, and the mixed lymphocyte culture. The most potent OSC are 20α-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol, which inhibit DNA synthesis in mitogenstimulated lymphocytes at 7.4 and 3.9 × 10 −6 M , respectively. Lymphocytes which have been exposed to OSC for 18 hr and washed free of inhibitor are fully capable of DNA synthesis when subsequently challenged with mitogen. Suppression of DNA synthesis by OSC is not apparent during the first 24–40 hr of culture. The inhibition of lymphocyte DNA synthesis by OSC can be partially reversed by the addition of 10 −2 M mevalonate to the culture. Sterol synthesis by mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes is enhanced by culturing them in medium supplemented with lipoprotein (and cholesterol-)-depleted serum. In such medium, the 50% inhibitory doses of 25-hydroxycholesterol for suppression of both mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte DNA and sterol synthesis are approximately equal (−3 × 10 −7 M ). Sterol synthesis is a necessary, but not sufficient, part of the program of lymphocyte proliferative response to mitogens; the evidence presented suggests that lymphocytes can utilize exogenous sterol at least partially for the purpose of cell replication.
Surgery, Mitral Regurgitation, and Heart Failure: The Valves Are All Repairable But the Patients Are Not

Despite advances in medical and surgical therapy, heart failure continues to be a formidable problem. More than 5 million individuals are affected by heart failure in the United States, and it is estimated that 550 000 new cases are diagnosed annually (www.americanheart.org). Advances have been made with medical therapy and cardiac resynchronization, but despite such measures, outcomes remain poor in individuals with advanced heart failure.1 Cardiac transplantation, the ultimate therapy for end-stage heart failure, is plagued by the limited supply of donor hearts and the need for lifelong immunosuppression. It remains, and will always be, a therapy that benefits, at best, only a few thousand individuals each year. Ventricular assist devices are improving but are still limited by problems such as infection and thromboembolism. Although several promising ventricular assist devices are in trial or recently approved, they are only available for those with the most advanced heart failure.2,3 For all intents and purposes the field of mechanical assistance remains, if not in its infancy, in its childhood. Many patients once thought to need transplant can benefit from conventional surgery like bypass and valve repair. Mahon et al4 from the Cleveland Clinic demonstrated equivalent intermediate survival for transplant and conventional surgery in a group of patients initially referred for transplant. We have learned from the ventricular reconstruction literature that many patients with advanced cardiomyopathy can have excellent long-term survival after conventional surgery.5–7 Surgeons who frequently deal with ischemic cardiomyopathy now no longer focus on left ventricular function, but rather the degree of hibernating myocardium that can be revascularized.8 Modern surgical heart failure specialists look for targets of opportunity which, when corrected, will help their patients’ compromised ventricles function more efficiently and potentially reverse remodel. Many heart failure patients can benefit from conventional surgical repairs but it …
Normal social seeking behavior, hypoactivity and reduced exploratory range in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by severe developmental delay with mental retardation, a generally happy disposition, ataxia and characteristic behaviors such as inappropriate laughter, social-seeking behavior and hyperactivity. The majority of AS cases are due to loss of the maternal copy of the UBE3A gene. Maternal Ube3a deficiency (Ube3am-/p+), as well as complete loss of Ube3a expression (Ube3am-/p-), have been reproduced in the mouse model used here. Here we asked if two characteristic AS phenotypes - social-seeking behavior and hyperactivity - are reproduced in the Ube3a deficient mouse model of AS. We quantified social-seeking behavior as time spent in close proximity to a stranger mouse and activity as total time spent moving during exploration, movement speed and total length of the exploratory path. Mice of all three genotypes (Ube3am+/p+, Ube3am-/p+, Ube3am-/p-) were tested and found to spend the same amount of time in close proximity to the stranger, indicating that Ube3a deficiency in mice does not result in increased social seeking behavior or social dis-inhibition. Also, Ube3a deficient mice were hypoactive compared to their wild-type littermates as shown by significantly lower levels of activity, slower movement velocities, shorter exploratory paths and a reduced exploratory range. Although hyperactivity and social-seeking behavior are characteristic phenotypes of Angelman Syndrome in humans, the Ube3a deficient mouse model does not reproduce these phenotypes in comparison to their wild-type littermates. These phenotypic differences may be explained by differences in the size of the genetic defect as ~70% of AS patients have a deletion that includes several other genes surrounding the UBE3A locus.
Fault-tolerant memory simulator

Memory systems in modern computers employ a variety of methods to achieve fault tolerance, such as single- or double-error correction, page deallocation, or the use of spare chips or cells. Such methods ensure that the failure rate of the system is considerably less than the sum of the failure rates of the components. However, these methods also complicate the task of evaluating system reliability. The memory reliability function is too intractable to handle analytically, and we must turn to Monte Carlo methods. This paper describes the Fault-Tolerant Memory Simulator (FTMS), an interactive APL program which uses Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate the reliability of fault-tolerant memory systems.
A Novel Cell-Associated Protection Assay Demonstrates the Ability of Certain Antibiotics To Protect Ocular Surface Cell Lines from Subsequent Clinical Staphylococcus aureus Challenge

In vivo effectiveness of topical antibiotics may depend on their ability to associate with epithelial cells to provide continued protection, but this contribution is not measured by standard antibiotic susceptibility tests. We report a new in vitro method that measures the ability of test antibiotics azithromycin (AZM), erythromycin (ERY), tetracycline (TET), and bacitracin (BAC) to associate with mammalian cells and to protect these cells from destruction by bacteria. Mammalian cell lines were grown to confluence using antibiotic-free medium and then incubated in medium containing a single antibiotic (0 to 512 μg/ml). After incubation, the cells were challenged with Staphylococcus aureus ocular isolates, without antibiotics added to the culture medium. Epithelial cell layer integrity was assessed by gentian violet staining, and the minimum cell layer protective concentration (MCPC) of an antibiotic sufficient to protect the mammalian cells from S. aureus was determined. Staining was also quantified and analyzed. Bacterial viability was determined by culture turbidity and growth on agar plates. Preincubation of Chang and human corneal limbal epithelial cells with AZM, ERY, and TET at ≥64 μg/ml provided protection against AZM-susceptible S. aureus strains, with increasing protection at higher concentrations. TET toxicity was demonstrated at >64 μg/ml, whereas AZM displayed toxicity to one cell line at 512 μg/ml. BAC failed to show consistent protection at any dose, despite bacterial susceptibility to BAC as determined by traditional antibiotic susceptibility testing. A range of antibiotic effectiveness was displayed in this cell association assay, providing data that may be considered in addition to traditional testing when determining therapeutic dosing regimens.
The Mouse Formin mDia1 Is a Potent Actin Nucleation Factor Regulated by Autoinhibition

Abstract Formin proteins are widely expressed in eukaryotes and play essential roles in assembling specific cellular actin-based structures [1, 2]. Formins are defined by a Formin Homology 2 (FH2) domain, as well as a proline-rich FH1 domain that binds the actin monomer binding protein, profilin, and other ligands [3]. Constructs including FH2 of budding yeast Bni1 or fission yeast Cdc12 formins nucleate actin filaments in vitro [4–7]. In this study, we demonstrate that FH2-containing constructs of murine mDia1 (also called p140 mDia or Drf1) are much more potent actin nucleators than the yeast formins. FH1 is necessary for nucleation when actin monomers are profilin bound. mDia1 is a member of the Diaphanous formin subfamily (Dia), whose members contain an N-terminal Rho GTPase binding domain (GBD) and a C-terminal Diaphanous autoinhibitory domain (DAD, [8]). Based on cellular and in vitro binding studies, an autoinhibitory model for Dia formin regulation proposes that GBD binding to DAD inhibits Dia-induced actin remodeling, whereas Rho binding activates by releasing GBD from DAD [9, 10]. Supporting this model, our results show that an N-terminal mDia1 construct strongly inhibits actin nucleation by the C terminus. RhoA partially relieves inhibition but does so when bound to either GDP or GTP analogs. Both N- and C-terminal mDia1 constructs appear to be multimeric.
Pulsed-laser melting of amorphous silicon: Time-resolved measurements and model calculations

It is demonstrated that the thermal conductivity of self-ion--implanted, amorphized silicon is an order of magnitude less than that of crystalline silicon and is by far the dominant parameter determining the dynamical response of the ion-implanted silicon system to pulsed-laser radiation; the latent heat and melting temperature of amorphous silicon are relatively unimportant. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that bulk nucleation occurs in the highly undercooled liquid phase; a model simulating this effect is presented.
Mechanisms controlling seasonal-to-interannual mixed layer temperature variability in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean

[1] We use an Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean assimilation product to investigate seasonal-interannual mixed layer temperature (MLT) budgets in the southeastern tropical Indian Ocean (SETIO) during 1993–2006. We examine spatial inhomogeneity of the SETIO MLT budget, contrasting three subregions with different forcing/circulation characteristics to better understand the area mean budget over the full SETIO. The subregions are the equatorial zone (box 1), the Sumatra-Java upwelling zone (box 2), and east of the thermocline ridge (box 3). Seasonally, surface heat flux dominates MLT in all regions; advection and subsurface processes generally play secondary roles. On interannual scales, surface heat flux makes major contributions in all three boxes to termination of SETIO cooling associated with the Indian Ocean Zonal/Dipole Mode. Ocean dynamics show vital differences between regions: Subsurface processes cool box 1 and 2 but warm box 3. Horizontal advection warms box 1 but cools box 2 and 3. Averaging the MLT budget over the SETIO obscures regional physics. We explain spatial variations of the SETIO MLT budget in terms of differences in forcing, circulation, MLT distribution, and mixed layer and barrier layer thicknesses. We also examine SETIO MLT budget differences during 1994, 1997, and 2006, years exhibiting notable SETIO cooling events. In box 1, horizontal advection dominates warming after the 1994 and 2006 coolings, while in 1997, surface heat flux dominates warming. In box 2, cooling peaks earlier in 1994 than in 1997 and 2006 because of subsurface processes. Last, we show that the MLT budget is very different from heat budgets for fixed depth layers (e.g., the top 50–60 m).
Double-diffusive convection during solidification of a metal analog system (NH4Cl–H2O) in a differentially heated cavity

Abstract This experimental study focused mainly on the solidification of a binary mixture of ammonium chloride and water (NH4Cl–H2O) in a differentially heated cavity. One vertical wall was cooled to temperature TC=−20 °C, and the other opposite vertical wall was kept at a constant temperature TH=+20 °C. The effect of the initial concentration of ammonium chloride on the solidification process was considered. Particle image velocimetry was used in this study for the visualization of the dynamic field during the solidification process. The temperature distribution at discrete locations in the solution and on the vertical cooling wall were monitored using thermocouples. The convection flow patterns, the ice thickness, and the temperature distribution were obtained for various initial concentrations of ammonium chloride ranging from 0 to 20 wt.% (sub-eutectic and near-eutectic growth). The results obtained in the course of this study reveal that (1) the initial concentration plays a significant role in the evolution of convection flow patterns, (2) the thickness of the frozen layer depends on position inside the cavity (top, middle, bottom), (3) the ice growth rate was almost double at the bottom of the cavity, and (4) the process of solidification is slower with an increase in the initial concentration levels of the binary solution.
Job enrichment and mental workload in computer-based work: Implications for adaptive job design

Abstract A conceptual framework for job design of computer-based work is presented which includes job enrichment and mental workload as important constructs influencing work outcome variables. A total of 66 university students participated in a laboratory-based experiment designed to examine the confounded relation between mental workload and job enrichment in a simulated computer-based work setting. The results of the experimental study indicated that although mental workload was effectively manipulated independently of job enrichment, the experimental manipulations did not provide statistically significant differences in job satisfaction as a function of job enrichment and mental workload presumably because of exceptionally large within-group variance. However, correlational analysis supported the notion that mental workload is a significant contributor to job satisfaction. This has implications for the design of adaptive computer-based work since both job enrichment and mental workload can be independently manipulated in order to achieve an individual's job satisfaction potential. Relevance to industry The study outcome provides the opportunity to design computer-based jobs in industry which accommodate an individual's job design preferences such as varying the levels of job enrichment and mental workload for the purpose of increasing job satisfaction.
Spatial distribution of bacteria associated with the marine sponge Tethya californiana

Microbial diversity and spatial distribution of the diversity within tissue of the marine sponge Tethya californiana was analyzed based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. One candidate division and nine bacterial phyla were detected, including members of all five subdivisions of Proteobacteria. Moreover, chloroplast-derived Stramenopiles- and Rhodophyta-affiliated 16S rRNA gene sequences were found and Stramenopiles represented the most abundant clones (30%) in the clone library. On the phylum-level, the microbial fingerprint of T. californiana showed a similar pattern as its Mediterranean relative T. aurantium. An interesting difference was that Cyanobacteria that were abundantly present in T. aurantium were not found in T. californiana, but that the latter sponges harbored phototrophic Stramenopiles instead. Surprisingly, the phototrophic microorganisms were evenly distributed over the inner and outer parts of the sponge tissue, which implies that they also reside in regions without direct light exposure. The other phyla were also present in both the outer cortex and the mesohyl of the sponges. These results were confirmed by analysis on the operational taxonomic unit level. This leads to the conclusion that from a qualitative point of view, spatial distribution of microorganisms in T. californiana tissue is quite homogeneous. Thirty-two percent of the operational taxonomic units shared less than 95% similarity with any other known sequence. This indicates that marine sponges are a rich source of previously undetected microbial life.