cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Determining Specificity of Signal Transduction by G-protein-coupled Receptors: REGULATION OF SIGNAL TRANSFER FROM RECEPTOR TO G-PROTEIN (∗)

Among subfamilies of G-protein-coupled receptors, agonists initiate several cell signaling events depending on the receptor subtype (R) and the type of G-protein (G) or effector molecule (E) expressed in a particular cell. Determinants of signaling specificity/efficiency may operate at the R-G interface, where events are influenced by cell architecture or accessory proteins found in the receptor's microenvironment. This issue was addressed by characterizing signal transfer from R to G following stable expression of the alpha 2A/D adrenergic receptor in two different membrane environments (NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and the pheochromocytoma cell line, PC-12). Receptor coupling to endogenous G-proteins in both cell types was eliminated by pertussis toxin pretreatment and R-G signal transfer restored by reconstitution of cell membranes with purified brain G-protein. Thus, the receptor has access to the same population of G-proteins in the two different environments. In this signal restoration assay, agonist-induced activation of G was 3-9-fold greater in PC-12 as compared with NIH-3T3 alpha 2-adrenergic receptor transfectants. The cell-specific differences in signal transfer were observed over a range of receptor densities or G-protein concentration. The augmented signal transfer in PC-12 versus NIH-3T3 transfectants occurred despite a 2-3-fold lower level of receptors existing in the R-G-coupled state (high affinity, guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate-sensitive agonist binding), suggesting the existence of other membrane factors that influence the nucleotide binding behavior of G-protein in the two cell types. Detergent extraction of PC-12 but not NIH-3T3 membranes yielded a heat-sensitive, macromolecular entity that increased 35S-labeled guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) binding to brain G-protein in a concentration-dependent manner. These data indicate that the transfer of signal from R to G is regulated by a cell type-specific, membrane-associated protein that enhances the agonist-induced activation of G.
Better is the enemy of good: not the right approach for ablation of accessory pathways.

Originally attributed to the French writer and philosopher Voltaire in 1772, the aphorism stated in the title has been quoted to generations of medical students, residents, and junior attending physicians. While the French version “Le mieux est l’ennemi la begueule de bien” sounds rather elegant, the New York version “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is somewhat less refined. This viewpoint can be considered practical wisdom or conversely a rallying cry for mediocrity. During the past decade, based on available literature and curriculum at scientific sessions, it appears that this philosophy may have been adopted by cardiac electrophysiologists with respect to the catheter ablation of accessory pathways. The safety and efficacy of radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory pathways, particularly at major centers, have been commendable since its introduction. The initial riteria for determining successful sites for accessory pathay ablation were identified during surgical cryoablation nd catheter ablation utilizing DC current, establishing the oundation for future approaches. The introduction of transcatheter radiofrequency energy for arrhythmia ablation resulted in a smaller, more defined lesion delivered to the myocardium While this decreased the morbidity associated with accessory pathway ablation, it required more precise mapping in order to achieve a successful lesion. In the early 1990s, there was significant interest in identifying electrogram criteria for successful radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathways in the adult and pediatric populations. Interest in determining additional criteria or utilizing techniques to further assess electrograms for successful ablation has waned since the initial flurry of manuscripts. More recent attention regarding accessory pathway ablation has focused on challenging anatomic locations, including utilizing right coronary electroanatomic mapping for right freewall pathways and case reports of accessory pathway ablation from an epicardial or aortic sinus location. The progress that has been made with respect to catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation has redistributed the procedural case mix seen by the majority of internal medicine trained
Incremental and parallel spatial association mining

Spatial association mining has been used for discovering frequent spatial association patterns from large static spatial databases. When a large spatial database is updated, it is computationally expensive to redo the pattern discovery process for the updated database. This work presents the problem of finding spatial association patterns incrementally from evolving databases which are constantly updated with fresh data. The proposed method is implemented on the MapReduce framework for large-scale spatial data processing, and empirically evaluated. The developed algorithm shows substantial performance improvements when compared with an iterative and non-incremental spatial association mining algorithm.
Religious Pluralism and US Church Membership: A Reassessment

This paper argues that church membership rates are lower in contemporary US counties having greater religtous pluralism and that the same negative relatinship is found in most historical data on US church membership. Finke and Stark find a xositive relationship but in most cases (nlly after statistically controlling for the percent of the population that is Catholic and/rr Monronu. Breault has showrn that these statistical controls create multicollinearity problems that distort the true, negative effects of pluralism. Finke and Stark counter that such multicollinearity is unavoidable because the statistical controls measure important substantive characteristics of Catholicism that are tecessary to accurately observe pluralism's true, positive effects. This paper shows that the statistical controls do not measure substantive effects of Catholicism and that the resulting multicollinearity problems are the result of a nathematical artifact of the way pluralism is calculated and the cases Fitnke and Stark select for analysis. Without these problematic statistical controls, most contemporary and historical analyses of US data reveal a negative association between religious pluralism and church membership. A key debate in the sociology of religion concerns whether religious pluralism enhances or diminishes religious involvement. Some such as Peter Berger (1967) argue that the increasing pluralism of religion in modern societies is contributing to secularization. Religious pluralism undermines the social networks that reinforce the plausibility of belief. When the state, public institutions, and one's day-to-day social contacts no longer reinforce the truth of one's religious belief and, further, when these same social contacts expose one to a pluralism of beliefs, religion loses its quality as taken-for-granted truth, acceptance of beliefs and religious involvement decline. Finke and Stark (1988) argue that pluralism has just the opposite effect. They suggest that religious monopolies become "lazy" but religious pluralism fosters competition which makes each religious group work harder to meet the religious needs of the populace, thus involving more people in religion.
Efficacy of a high-carbohydrate diet in catabolic illness.

ObjectiveTo determine within the setting of isocaloric, isonitrogenous enteral diets whether a diet that supplies most of its calories from fat or carbohydrate would be most beneficial at limiting muscle protein wasting in catabolic illness.DesignProspective, randomized, crossover trial.SettingAcade
A Theoretical Formula for the Solubility of Hydrogen in Palladium

It is known that the amount of hydrogen dissolved by Pt, Mo, Cu, Co, Fe, and Ni is directly proportional to the square root of the hydrogen pressure p . Furthermore, these metals take up hydrogen without changing their lattice structure. It has been shown by Fowler and Smithells (1937) that one can get a theoretical interpretation of the observed solubility, if one assumes that the hydrogen dissolves as protons which are free to move throughout practically the whole volume of the metal. The theory has been extended, using slightly different assumptions, to include the metals V, Ta, Ti, and Zr. In these cases definite metallic hydrides are formed having lattice structures differing from that of the pure metal, and at higher pressures the amount of absorbed hydrogen saturates, being no longer proportional to √ p . In the present paper we shall give a statistical interpretation of the solubility of hydrogen in palladium. Palladium seems to offer an advan­tageous starting-point for an attempt at a more profound extension of the theory outside the region where the √ p law is valid. It has been thoroughly investigated experimentally and is capable of taking up large volumes of hydrogen without changing its lattice structure (Linde and Borelius 1927; Kruger and Gehm 1933)
Cell Type-Specific Control of Spike Timing by Gamma-Band Oscillatory Inhibition

Many lines of theoretical and experimental investigation have suggested that gamma oscillations provide a temporal framework for cortical information processing, acting to either synchronize neuronal firing, restrict neuron's relative spike times, and/or provide a global reference signal to which neurons encode input strength. Each theory has been disputed and some believe that gamma is an epiphenomenon. We investigated the biophysical plausibility of these theories by performing in vitro whole-cell recordings from 6 cortical neuron subtypes and examining how gamma-band and slow fluctuations in injected input affect precision and phase of spike timing. We find that gamma is at least partially able to restrict the spike timing in all subtypes tested, but to varying degrees. Gamma exerts more precise control of spike timing in pyramidal neurons involved in cortico-cortical versus cortico-subcortical communication and in inhibitory neurons that target somatic versus dendritic compartments. We also find that relatively few subtypes are capable of phase-based information coding. Using simple neuron models and dynamic clamp, we determine which intrinsic differences lead to these variations in responsiveness and discuss both the flexibility and confounds of gamma-based spike-timing systems.
Simulation modelling analysis for small sets of single-subject data collected over time.

The behavioural data yielded by single subjects in naturalistic and controlled settings likely contain valuable information to scientists and practitioners alike. Although some of the properties unique to this data complicate statistical analysis, progress has been made in developing specialised techniques for rigorous data evaluation. There are no perfect tests currently available to analyse short autocorrelated data streams, but there are some promising approaches that warrant further development. Although many approaches have been proposed, and some appear better than others, they all have some limitations. When data sets are large enough (∼30 data points per phase), the researcher has a reasonably rich pallet of statistical tools from which to choose. However, when the data set is sparse, the analytical options dwindle. Simulation modelling analysis (SMA; described in this article) is a relatively new technique that appears to offer acceptable Type-I and Type-II error rate control with short streams o...
Management of antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Excerpt Because man is the only natural host of the speciesNeisseria gonorrhoeae, the ability of the gonococcus to thrive in a hostile antibiotic world serves as testimony both to the genetic princ...
An ESR study of the nitroxide radical of pentastarch-conjugated deferoxamine.

At higher concentrations, deferoxamine (DFO) reacts with hydroxyl radicals to produce a stable nitroxide free radical. Formation and decay of this nitroxide radical was investigated and compared with a novel modified pentastarch conjugate of DFO (MPS-DFO). Photolytic generation of hydroxyl radicals from H2O2 in the presence of free DFO produced a nitroxide radical with coupling constants of aN = 8.0 G and aH = 6.5 G. Under the same experimental conditions, equimolar concentrations of MPS-DFO produced an ESR signal of reduced intensity while iron-saturated MPS-DFO produced no signal. Incubation of free DFO with pentastarch (i.e., without conjugation) greatly decreased the intensity of the nitroxide radical signal. Using a spin-trapping technique with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO), the pentastarch vehicle was shown to inhibit the DMPO-OH adduct formation. The decay of the DFO nitroxide radical decayed with a second-order rate constant while that of MPS-DFO decayed with a first-order rate constant. Thus, a novel derivative of DFO may provide some additional benefit in limiting DFO nitroxide radical formation and might explain the reported reduced in vivo toxicity of MPS-DFO relative to free DFO.
Application of PAS for the Investigation of Overtones and Combinations in the near IR

The photoacoustic spectrometer (PAS) used in the near IR region is shown to be useful for observing the combinations and overtones of strong IR fundamentals. Overtones and combinations of the carbonyls in Mo(CO)6, Ir4(CO)12, and [RhCl(CO)2]2 are observed. Carbonyl and ring (C—H, C—C) fundamental overtones and combinations from (C6H6)Cr(CO)3 are observed in the near IR. The near IR PAS is shown to be useful for analyzing surface constituents on silicon. An overtone and combination due to bound H2O is identified on silicon by comparison to the near IR PAS spectrum of H2O and D2O. The C—N overtone band due to ferro- and ferricyanide is observed in the near IR by PAS. The spectrum of ferricyanide deposited on silicon is used to identify the surface changes that occur on a silicon photoelectrochemical cell coated with ferricyanide.
In situ analysis of mineral content and crystallinity in bone using infrared micro-spectroscopy of the ν4 PO43− vibration

Measurements of bone mineral content and composition in situ provide insight into the chemistry of bone mineral deposition. Infrared (IR) micro-spectroscopy is well suited for this purpose. To date, IR microscopic (including imaging) analyses of bone apatite have centered on the nu(1),nu(3) PO(4)(3-) contour. The nu(4) PO(4)(3-) contour (500-650 cm(-1)), which has been extensively used to monitor the crystallinity of hydroxyapatite in homogenized bone samples, falls in a frequency region below the cutoff of the mercury-cadmium-telluride detectors used in commercial IR microscopes, thereby rendering this vibration inaccessible for imaging studies. The current study reports the first IR micro-spectroscopy spectra of human iliac crest cross sections in the nu(4) PO(4)(3-) spectral regions, obtained with a synchrotron radiation source and a Cu-doped Ge detector coupled to an IR microscope. The acid phosphate (HPO(4)(2-)) content and mineral crystallite perfection (crystallinity) of a human osteon were mapped. To develop spectra-structure correlations, a combination of X-ray powder diffraction data and conventional Fourier transform IR spectra have been obtained from a series of synthetic hydroxyapatite crystals and natural bone powders of various species and ages. X-ray powder diffraction data demonstrate that there is an increase in average crystal size as bone matures, which correlates with an increase in the nu(4) PO(4)(3-) FTIR absorption peak ratio of two peaks (603/563 cm(-1)) within the nu(4) PO(4)(3-) contour. Additionally, the IR results reveal that a band near 540 cm(-1) may be assigned to acid phosphate. This band is present at high concentrations in new bone, and decreases as bone matures. Correlation of the nu(4) PO(4)(3-) contour with the nu(2) CO (3)(2-) contour also reveals that when acid phosphate content is high, type A carbonate content (i.e., carbonate occupying OH(-) sites in the hydroxyapatite lattice) is high. As crystallinity increases and acid phosphate content decreases, carbonate substitution shifts toward occupation of PO(4)(3-) sites in the hydroxyapatite lattice. Thus, IR microscopic analysis of the nu(4) PO(4)(3-) contour provides a straightforward index of both relative mineral crystallinity and acid phosphate concentration that can be applied to in situ IR micro-spectroscopic analysis of bone samples, which are of interest for understanding the chemical mechanisms of bone deposition in normal and pathological states.
Who Will Speak for Me?: Advocating for Pregnant Women in Prison

The 1999 publication of a report by Amnesty International on the use of shackles and restraints with pregnant incarcerated women by correctional facilities in the United States was an attempt to highlight this ongoing practice. Despite the initial outrage expressed in many professional arenas, it continues in many states. This commentary provides a snapshot of incarcerated pregnant women and briefly discusses the risks associated with the use of shackles and restraints. Specific strategies describing how to advocate for this invisible and vulnerable population are provided with the hope that more nurses will be the voice for these women in correctional institutions, hospitals and in state government.
Studies of in vitro differentiation with embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first cultured from mouse embryos little more than a decade ago, yet they are now widely used in transgenic studies which are revolutionizing mammalian genetics. Although drawing less attention, in vitro studies of mouse ES cells have also contributed widely to the understanding of mechanisms of embryonic cell differentiation and proliferation. This review focusses on the application of ES cells as in vitro models for cellular and molecular events in the early mammalian embryo. Future studies with cultured ES cells of mouse and other species should provide insights into the factors regulating the differentiation of intermediate stem cells and terminal cells for the various embryonic lineages, thus contributing profoundly to the understanding of mammalian embryogenesis as well as providing cells for therapeutic applications.
SERS-based detection in an optofluidic ring resonator platform.

The development of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection has made Raman spectroscopy relevant for highly sensitive lab-on-a-chip bio/chemical sensors. Despite the tremendous benefit in specificity that a Raman-based sensor can deliver, development of a lab-on-a-chip SERS tool has been limited thus far. In this work, we utilize an optofluidic ring resonator (OFRR) platform to develop a SERS-based detection tool with integrated microfluidics. The liquid core optical ring resonator (LCORR) serves both as the microfluidic sample delivery mechanism and as a ring resonator, exciting the metal nanoclusters and target analytes as they pass through the channel. Using this OFRR approach and R6G as the analyte, we have achieved a measured detection limit of 400 pM. The measured Raman signal in this case is likely generated by only a few hundred R6G molecules, which foreshadows the development of a SERS-based lab-on-a-chip bio/chemical sensor capable of detecting a low number of target analyte molecules.
A contribution to the study of ZnCl+ adsorption by soils

Beitrag zum Studium der ZnCl+ -Adsorption durch Boden In 3 carbonatfreien und 3 kalkhaltigen Bodenproben aus verschiedenen Bezirken Griechenlands und in einem Yolo-Lehm aus Davis, Kalifornien wurde die Menge des adsorbierten Zinks bestimmt durch isotopische Verdunnung von mit 65Zn-markiertem ZnCl2 und auserdem aus der Differenz zwischen Gesamt-Zink und Gesamt-Chlorid. Zusatzlich wurde die Menge des adsorbierten Chlorids durch isotopische Verdunnung von mit 36Cl-markiertem ZnCl2 bestimmt. Man kann aus den Ergebnissen folgern, das die Menge des Komplex-Ions ZnCl+ nicht bedeutsam ist. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, das die beobachteten Diskrepanzen im Fall der kalkhaltigen Boden wahrscheinlich durch die Ausfallung oder Immobilisation des Zinks oder durch die Loslichkeit der Zn-Fallungsprodukte in der Extraktionslosung zu erklaren sind.
Numerical solution of boundary-layer flows with massive blowing

Boundary layer flow with large mass injection rate, presenting numerical method with rapid convergence for increasing blowing parameter
Nonlinear Vibration of Buckled Beams

The steady state response and stability of free and forced vibration of simply supported, axially restrained, buckled beams is investigated. The equations of motion dealing with the buckled state include the effect of an initial displacement either by initial load or by initial temperature. By an assumed mode solution, the response and stability of two types of vibration are determined—snap-through (symmetrical) and one-sided (unsymmetric) vibration. The theoretical results of the response and stability are verified by analog computer simulation. It is concluded that the stability of the unsymmetric vibration is not a problem and that the different orders of parametric response of the rest modes (the modes originally not excited) in symmetric vibration correspond to the instability regions determined for the approximate single mode response.
Volt-Time Areas of Impulse Spark-Over

On the basis of classification of impulse wave shape, the paper shows that impulse spark-over characteristics of electrodes with nonuniform fields cannot be represented by single volt-time curves but must be represented by volt-time areas of considerable extent. This classification explains the large difference obtained by various laboratories when investigating sparkover between one and five micro- seconds. The effect of impulse generator discharge circuits in producing these differences is explained. The necessity of insulation co-ordination on the basis of volt-time areas is pointed out.
Tailored xerogel-based sensor arrays and artificial neural networks yield improved O2 detection accuracy and precision.

The objective of this research is to develop arrays of tuned chemical sensors wherein each sensor element responds to a particular target analyte in a unique manner. By creating sol–gel-derived xerogels that are co-doped with two luminophores at a range of molar ratios, we can form suites of sensor elements that can exhibit a continuum of response profiles. We trained an artificial neural network (ANN) to “learn” to identify the optical outputs from these xerogel-based sensor arrays. By using the ANN in concert with our tailored sensor arrays we obtained a 5–10 fold improvement in accuracy and precision for quantifying O2 in unknown samples. We also explored the response characteristics of these types of sensor elements after they had been contacted with rat plasma/blood. Contact with plasma/blood caused ∼15% of the luminophore molecules within the xerogels to become non-responsive to O2. This behavior is consistent with rat albumin blocking certain pore sub-populations within the mesoporous xerogel matrix thereby limiting O2 access to the luminophores.
A comparison of local structures in crystalline P(EO)3LiCF3SO3 and glyme‐LiCF3SO3 systems

The newly discovered crystal structures of CH 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 )OCH 3 (LiCF 3 SO 3 ) 2 , monoglyme:(LiTf) 2 , and CH 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 3 OCH 3 (LiCF 3 SO 3 ) 2 , triglyme:(LiTf) 2 , are briefly described. The coordination of lithium cations and the CF 3 SO 3 - anions in these structures is compared with the cation and anion coordination in the crystalline phase of high molecular weight P(EO) 3 LiCF 3 SO 3 . Comparison is also made with the previously reported crystalline phase of CH 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 OCH 3 LiCF 3 SO 3 , diglyme:LiTf. A tendency to form trans-gauche-trans conformations for the bond order -O-C-C-O- is noted in adjacent ethylene oxide sequences interacting with a five-coordinate lithium ion.
The fate of phenothiazine-based redox shuttles in lithium-ion batteries

The stability and reactivity of the multiple oxidation states of aromatic compounds are critical to the performance of these species as additives and electrolytes in energy-storage applications. Both for the overcharge mitigation in ion-intercalation batteries and as electroactive species in redox flow batteries, neutral, radical-cation, and radical-anion species may be present during charging and discharging processes. Despite the wide range of compounds evaluated for both applications, the progress identifying stable materials has been slow, limited perhaps by the overall lack of analysis of the failure mechanism when a material is utilized in an energy-storage device. In this study, we examined the reactivity of phenothiazine derivatives, which have found interest as redox shuttles in lithium-ion battery applications. We explored the products of the reactions of neutral compounds in battery electrolytes and the products of radical cation formation using bulk electrolysis and coin cell cycling. Following the failure of each cell, the electrolytes were characterized to identify redox shuttle decomposition products. Based on these results, a set of decomposition mechanisms is proposed and further explored using experimental and theoretical approaches. The results highlight the necessity to fully characterize and understand the chemical degradation mechanisms of the redox species in order to develop new generations of electroactive materials.
Effectiveness of Special Education: Is Placement the Critical Factor?.

Research indicates that various program models, implemented both in special education and general education, can have moderately positive academic and social impacts for students with disabilities. However, no intervention has been designed that eliminates the impact of having a disability. With few exceptions, students with disabilities have not achieved commensurately with their nondisabled peers; even students with learning disabilities as a group have not been able to achieve at the level of low-achieving nondisabled students. In general, the most effective interventions for students with disabilities, whether in special education or general education settings, have employed intensive and reasonably individualized instruction, combined with careful, frequent monitoring of student progress. There is no compelling evidence that placement rather than instruction is the critical factor in student academic or social success. Further, studies have indicated that typical practice in general education is substantially different from practice in the model programs that showed greatest success for students with disabilities. The interventions that were effective in improving academic outcomes for students with disabilities required a considerable investment of resources, including time and effort, as well as extensive support for teachers. The research does not support full-time inclusion for all students with disabilities. On the contrary, it appears that there is a clear need for special education. At the same time, given adequate resources, schools should be able to assist more students to be more successful in general education settings.
Kant condemned all suicide.

Professor Cooley, in the first section of his article, claims that “there are a number of suicides Kant argues are morally required,” (2007, 37) and lists some alleged examples from Kant of one's “...
Rett syndrome associated with tuberous sclerosis in a male and in a female: evidence for arrested motor and mental development.

Two sporadic cases of tuberous sclerosis presented with flexion spasms in a male and early intractable seizures evolving into a Lennox–Gastaut syndrome in a female. Early hypotonia and lack of substantial motor development are key features of the Rett syndrome, more easily overlooked than hand-wringing. Clumsy self-feeding and immature ambulation were the highest achievements in the second case now aged 36 years. Immaturity rather than degeneration, dementia, or assumed tissue destruction, is the capital feature of many disorders of early brain development leading to profound motor as well as mental retardation. Studying unusual clinical combinations is more likely to shed light on the underlying etiology than focusing on procrustean syndrome definitions. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Low temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8

Abstract A low temperature scanning tunneling microscope was used to measure the energy gap of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 in the direction perpendicular to the a – b plane. The derivative curve differs significantly from that expected for a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer density of states. No multiple gap features have been observed. The energy gap was consistently measured to be about 21 meV.
Analysis of feedback control of piezoelectric transducers.

Velocity control feedback may be required for implementation in large underwater acoustic arrays to mitigate the effects of strong acoustic field coupling when specific beam pattern performance over a variety of operating conditions is desired. This paper presents an analysis of velocity control with piezoelectric loads using motional current monitoring [as an extension to Aronov, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 119(6), 3822–3830 (2006) and Bachand, Brown, and Aronov, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 124(4), 2568 (2008)], with particular interest in automated wideband acoustic beamforming. The analysis is applicable to other forms of motional feedback control such as accelerometer or displacement signal feedback. Topics presented include the control loop's effectiveness, stability criteria, and the array equations governing the acoustical outputs. The conditions that can cause negative radiation impedance are also presented, concluding that in any velocity control system with acoustic interactions, the likelihood of a transmit ch...
Delegation to civil servants in parliamentary democracies

This article reviews institutionalarrangements that cabinet ministers and otherpolitical actors employ to influence civil servantbehavior in parliamentary democracies. I then discusshow unlike other theories of bureaucratic structure,the principal-agent framework can be employed togenerate testable hypotheses about systematiccross-national variation in delegation instruments. Ialso offer an empirical illustration of the approach,one that examines the relationship between cabinetturnover and delegation strategies on health policy.The analysis underlines the need to be cautious aboutmaking claims concerning the impact of politicalfactors (like cabinet instability) and institutionalfactors (like cabinet decision-making rules) ondelegation outcomes without first examining how thesefactors influence delegation strategies themselves.
The association of plasma androgen levels with breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer risk factors among postmenopausal women

Although androgens may play an etiologic role in breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers, little is known about factors that influence circulating androgen levels. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among 646 postmenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study to examine associations between adult risk factors for cancer, including the Rosner/Colditz breast cancer risk score, and plasma levels of testosterone, free testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS). All analyses were adjusted for age, laboratory batch and other cancer risk factors. Free testosterone levels were 79% higher among women with a body mass index of > or =30 vs. 89 vs. 30 g of alcohol a day vs. none was associated with a 31% increase in DHEA and 59% increase in DHEAS levels (p-trend = 0.01 and or =25 cigarettes per day had 35% higher androstenedione and 44% higher testosterone levels than never smokers (p-value, F-test = 0.03 and 0.01, respectively). No significant associations were observed for height or time since menopause with any androgen. Testosterone and free testosterone levels were approximately 30% lower among women with a hysterectomy vs. without (both p-values < 0.01). Overall breast cancer risk was not associated with any of the androgens. Thus, several risk factors, including body size, alcohol intake, smoking and hysterectomy, were related to androgen levels among postmenopausal women, while others, including height and time since menopause, were not. Future studies are needed to clarify further which lifestyle factors modulate androgen levels.
Seasonal distribution and genetic diversity of genogroups I, II, and IV noroviruses in the Tamagawa River, Japan.

We investigated the prevalence, seasonal dependence, and genetic diversity of noroviruses (NoVs) in the Tamagawa River, which runs through a densely populated region in Tokyo, Japan, from April 200...
Vitamin D in Health and Disease

Vitamin D functions in the body through both an endocrine mechanism (regulation of calcium absorption) and an autocrine mechanism (facilitation of gene expression). The former acts through circulating calcitriol, whereas the latter, which accounts for more than 80% of the metabolic utilization of the vitamin each day, produces, uses, and degrades calcitriol exclusively intracellularly. In patients with end-stage kidney disease, the endocrine mechanism is effectively disabled; however, the autocrine mechanism is able to function normally so long as the patient has adequate serum levels of 25(OH)D, on which its function is absolutely dependent. For this reason, calcitriol and its analogs do not constitute adequate replacement in managing vitamin D needs of such patients. Optimal serum 25(OH)D levels are greater than 32 ng/mL (80 nmol/L). The consequences of low 25(OH)D status include increased risk of various chronic diseases, ranging from hypertension to diabetes to cancer. The safest and most economical way to ensure adequate vitamin D status is to use oral dosing of native vitamin D. (Both daily and intermittent regimens work well.) Serum 25(OH)D can be expected to rise by about 1 ng/mL (2.5 nmol/L) for every 100 IU of additional vitamin D each day. Recent data indicate that cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is substantially more potent than ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and that the safe upper intake level for vitamin D3 is 10,000 IU/d.
The mechanism of tonic inhibition of crayfish escape behavior: distal inhibition and its functional significance

The excitability of crayfish escape behavior is seldom fully predictable. A major determinant of this fickleness is a form of descending inhibition that is reliably evoked during restraint or feeding and is called “tonic inhibition.” Tonic inhibition was found to inhibit postsynaptically the lateral giant neurons, the command neurons for one form of escape. This inhibition is located on lateral giant dendrites that are electrotonically distant from the neuron's spike initiating zone. in contrast, the postsynaptic inhibition due to “recurrent inhibition,” which prevents new escape responses from starting while a previously initiated one is in process, occurs proximally, near the spike initiating zone. The distalness of tonic inhibition could be an adaptation for selective suppression of parts of the lateral giant dendritic tree. Consistent with this, evidence was obtained that the tonic inhibitory system can suppress responses to specific sensory fields. An independent reason for targeting recurrent inhibition proximally and tonic inhibition distally was suggested by the functional requirements of each inhibitory process: recurrent inhibition needs to be “absolute” in the sense that the response should be absolutely prevented, whereas it must be possible to override tonic inhibition. Neuronal models demonstrated that proximal inhibition gives recurrent inhibition the required property of absoluteness while distal inhibition allows tonic inhibition to be overridden (“relativity”). It was shown that the relativity of distal inhibition arises from its interaction with the process of saturation of excitation and that tonic inhibition does indeed interact with excitatory saturation as predicted. It is suggested that the property of relativity of distal inhibition is exploited in other nervous systems as well.
The Multidimensional Phase Unwrapping Integral and Applications to Microwave Tomographical Image Reconstruction

Spatial unwrapping of the phase component of time varying electromagnetic fields has important implications in a range of disciplines including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry, MRI, optical confocal microscopy, and microwave tomography. This paper presents a fundamental framework based on the phase unwrapping integral, especially in the complex case where phase singularities are enclosed within the closed path integral. With respect to the phase unwrapping required when utilized in Gauss-Newton iterative microwave image reconstruction, the concept of dynamic phase unwrapping is introduced where the singularity location varies as a function of the iteratively modified property distributions. Strategies for dynamic phase unwrapping in the microwave problem were developed and successfully tested in simulations and clinical experiments utilizing large, high contrast targets to validate the approach
Key role of the positive feedback between PGE2 and COX2 in the biology of myeloid-derived suppressor cells

PGE(2) is the key factor needed for MDSCs development, accumulation and functional stability. PGE(2) initiates an EP2/EP4-mediated positive feedback between COX2 and PGE(2) in monocytic precursors, redirecting dendritic cell differentiation to MDSCs. COX2- or EP2/EP4- blockade abrogates MDSC functions and their CXCR4-CXCL12-mediated attraction to cancer environment, providing convenient immunotherapeutic targets.
Methods of Multivariate Analysis

Methods of multivariate analysis , Methods of multivariate analysis , کتابخانه دیجیتال جندی شاپور اهواز
The influence of stilbestrol and thyroxin on galactose absorption and liver function.

PRELIMINARY TO ITS USE IN THE STUDY of the thyrotoxic state in the human, the galactose tolerance test, as originally advocated by Althausen (1) was employed J L as a unit of measurement in dogs. Following Althausen's report, Maclagan and Rundle (2) as well as King et al (3, 4) employed the same type of test but they placed a different interpretation on their findings. Briefly, the American authors ad-vanced the explanation that the thyroid hormone increases the rate of absorption of galactose from the intestinal tract (5). In support of this concept, they quoted the work of Soskin et al. (6). The English authors (2, 3, 4) contended that the increase of the galactose in the circulating blood in the thyrotoxic state was due to liver damage; that the blood was therefore not cleared sufficiently rapidly of the galactose which was absorbed from the intestinal tract.(14).
Thermal analysis of carbon fiber polymer-matrix composites by electrical resistance measurement

Thermal analysis conducted on carbon fiber polymer-matrix structural composites by DC electrical resistance measurement provided information on structural transitions, residual stress, composite interfaces, the composite fabrication process, and thermal damage. The composites involved continuous carbon fibers in single fiber and laminate forms, together with thermoplastic and thermoset matrices. The experimental methods and data interpretation are covered in this review.
National and District Systems of Collective Bargaining in the United States

I. Rapid increase of systems of collective bargaining after 1897, 425. — List of systems established and terminated from 1898 to 1911, 427. — II. Success or failure of these systems to some extent independent of the character of the system, 429. — Classification of systems on basis of area of wage rates, 431. — Greater success of systems under which national or district rates are fixed, 433. — III. Desire of employers to bring working rules of national union under joint determination, 435. — Difficulty of achieving this under systems in which only local rates are fixed, 438. — IV. Tendencies favoring establishment of national and district rates of wages, 440. — Circumstances under which systems with only local rates may succeed, 443.
Fluorescent dUTP helps characterize 10 novel tetranucleotide microsatellites from an enriched salamander (Ambystoma texanum) genomic library

Ten tetranucleotide microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from Indiana (USA) populations of the smallmouth salamander, Ambystoma texanum . As opposed to individually labelling primers that were not yet known to be polymorphic, we used fluorescent dUTP to assess genetic variability and found it to be very effective. Allelic diversity ranged from two to 18 alleles per locus and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.17 to 0.91 among roughly 25 individuals. One of the 10 markers also amplified and was polymorphic in the tiger salamander ( A. tigrinum ).
The Olivocerebellar Projection Mediates Ibogaine-Induced Degeneration of Purkinje Cells: A Model of Indirect, Trans-Synaptic Excitotoxicity

Ibogaine, an indole alkaloid that causes hallucinations, tremor, and ataxia, produces cerebellar neurotoxicity in rats, manifested by degeneration of Purkinje cells aligned in narrow parasagittal bands that are coextensive with activated glial cells. Harmaline, a closely related alkaloid that excites inferior olivary neurons, causes the same pattern of Purkinje cell degeneration, providing a clue to the mechanism of toxicity. We have proposed that ibogaine, like harmaline, excites neurons in the inferior olive, leading to sustained release of glutamate at climbing fiber synapses on Purkinje cells. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that increased climbing fiber activity induced by ibogaine mediates excitotoxic Purkinje cell degeneration. The inferior olive was pharmacologically ablated in rats by a neurotoxic drug regimen using 3-acetylpyridine, and cerebellar damage attributed to subsequent administration of ibogaine was analyzed using immunocytochemical markers for neurons and glial cells. The results show that ibogaine administered after inferior olive ablation produced little or no Purkinje cell degeneration or glial activation. That a lesion of the inferior olive almost completely prevents the neurotoxicity demonstrates that ibogaine is not directly toxic to Purkinje cells, but that the toxicity is indirect and dependent on integrity of the olivocerebellar projection. We postulate that ibogaine-induced activation of inferior olivary neurons leads to release of glutamate simultaneously at hundreds of climbing fiber terminals distributed widely over the surface of each Purkinje cell. The unique circuitry of the olivocerebellar projection provides this system with maximum synaptic security, a feature that confers on Purkinje cells a high degree of vulnerability to excitotoxic injury.
Scientific knowledge acquisition during the extension of GSA: An expert system for generic safety analysis

Abstract This paper describes an extension of GSA, a knowledge based expert system designed to help nonexperts perform generic safety analysis. GSA is implemented on the EMYCIN expert system shell, consists of approximately 150 safety related rules, and runs on a VAX 11–750 computer. As originally implemented, GSA organized several generic safety problems within a well-structured tree and focused on problems within interface biomechanics. GSA also emphasized the application of theoretical principles instead of empirical data. To extend GSA, a specialized empirical knowledge base was developed that described the available slip resistance found for various combinations of surfaces, shoes, and contaminants. During knowledge acquisition, it became apparent that fundamental problems were present in much of the past research regarding to available slip resistance. We therefore chose to directly collect data during a large controlled experiment. The collected data was initially organized by applying statistical methods. After the statistical results were classified into conceptually meaningful categories, a set of rules was easily described and added to the system. The conclusion was that GSA describes an extendable framework that can organize and selectively apply very specialized safety ergonomics research.
Race, Class, and the Differential Application of Bank Bailouts

This paper presents a comparative analysis of state intervention in two recent bank crises and suggests that factors other than those that are the focus of existing theories of the state may be important in defining the meaning of "too big to fail." In particular, social characteristics such as the race and class of each bank's respective constituents stood out as differentiating dimensions in the politics of the bailout process. This suggests that when we attempt to define the meaning of "too big to fail," or to understand the politics of finance more generally, we should look not only at the characteristics of the banks themselves but also at the characteristics of their customers.
A fully nonlinear Boussinesq model for surface waves. Part 1. Highly nonlinear unsteady waves

Fully nonlinear extensions of Boussinesq equations are derived to simulate surface wave propagation in coastal regions. By using the velocity at a certain depth as a dependent variable (Nwogu 1993), the resulting equations have significantly improved linear dispersion properties in intermediate water depths when compared to standard Boussinesq approximations. Since no assumption of small nonlinearity is made, the equations can be applied to simulate strong wave interactions prior to wave breaking. A high-order numerical model based on the equations is developed and applied to the study of two canonical problems: solitary wave shoaling on slopes and undular bore propagation over a horizontal bed. Results of the Boussinesq model with and without strong nonlinearity are compared in detail to those of a boundary element solution of the fully nonlinear potential flow problem developed by Grilli et al. (1989). The fully nonlinear variant of the Boussinesq model is found to predict wave heights, phase speeds and particle kinematics more accurately than the standard approximation.
On the likelihood ratio test for envelope models in multivariate linear regression

We investigate the likelihood ratio test for a hypothesis regarding the dimension of the Σ-envelope of span(β) in a multivariate linear regression model. The asymptotic null distribution of the likelihood ratio statistic is obtained as some nuisance parameters approach infinity. A saddlepoint approximation is also given for this limiting distribution. The accuracy of this approximation and its comparison to the standard chi-squared approximation are assessed via simulation. The results can be used in a similar test for partial envelope models. Copyright 2013, Oxford University Press.