cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Establishment of a cell-to-cell communication pathway between separate carpels during gynoecium development.

In the evolutionarily advanced angiosperm flower, postgenital fusion is often involved in the formation of the female reproductive organ, the gynoecium. In the present study, we report on the early establishment of a cytoplasmic cell-to-cell communication pathway between the two fusing carpel primordia in Catharanthus roseus L. (periwinkle). Upon carpel contact, diffusible factors move between the two carpels to initiate the rapid redifferentiation of epidermal cells into parenchymatous cells, resulting in carpel fusion. Microinjection of the lipid-impermeable molecule, Lucifer Yellow CH (LYCH), into cells on either side of the epidermal fusion plane revealed that cytoplasmic continuity was established very early in this redifferentiation process. Electron-microscopic analysis confirmed that this inter-carpel cytoplasmic coupling was established by the formation of plasmodesmata produced between the contacting epidermal cells. The evolution of and role for this inter-carpel communication pathway is discussed in terms of the coordinate development of the gynoecium and its overall effect on reproductive fitness.
Simple mathematical model for designing laser diode focusing optics with a large numerical aperture

A simple mathematical model is derived for conveniently designing laser diode focusing optics with a large numerical aperture. The astigmatism of laser diode beams and the lens truncation effects are considered in the model. The linearly polarized nature of laser diode beams is also included. Two design examples using this model are presented. Design results show that the lens truncation will increase the size of the focused spot and the value of the M2 factor, and the lens truncation caused a focal shift, which is not enough to correct laser diode beam astigmatism.
When market and territory collide: Thatcherism and the politics of regional decline

This article examines the politics of regional economic decline in two British administrative regions since 1979. Variations in economic problems and in government policy have combined with the presence or absence of indigenous resources to produce distinctive responses by groups and organisations in these regions. The findings highlight the strong influence of government policy in structuring the options for regional groups, as well as the mediational role played by regional civil servants. The politics of territory is alive and well in Britain, although it occurs within well‐defined parameters set largely by central government.
Estimating product market competition: Methodology and application

Abstract In oligopolies, firms behave strategically and commit to actions that elicit favorable responses from rivals. Firm actions consequently are a function of the nature of these strategic interactions. In this paper, we develop a methodology for the empirical estimation of strategic interactions in product markets. We then apply our measure of strategic interactions to CEO compensation. We use quarterly data on profits and sales from Compustat to estimate the slope of firm’s reaction function. When the slope is negative and marginal profits decrease with an increase in the rival’s actions the firm is classified as a strategic substitute. When the slope is positive and marginal profits increase with an increase in the rival’s actions the firm is classified as a strategic complement. As predicted by theory, we find significant evidence that strategic substitutes decrease the pay for performance incentives of their CEOs. On the other hand, strategic complements significantly increase CEO pay for performance incentives. The empirical measure developed can be used to test a wide variety of strategic models.
317 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DIFFERENCES IN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF ALLERGIC CHILDREN

In allergic diseases serum IgE levels are elevated. It has been suggested in many studies that this is due to a shift in the balance between IFN-γ producing Th1 cells and IL-4/IL-10 secreting The cells. The period between 0 - 4 years is very important in the development of allergy, due to qualitative and quantitative differences in the immune system of children as compared to adults. The aim of this study is to examine the isotype switching potential of purified B cells and the cytokine profiles of purified T cells of allergic children. Therefore peripheral blood samples were collected of children (0-4 years), with allergic asthma or atopic dermatitis and healthy age-matched controls. Stimulation of purified B cells in vitro, revealed a decreased production of IgG4 and IgA, but not of IgE in atopic dermatitis. The production of these isotypes by B cells in asthma did not differ from healthy controls. Purified T cells were polyclonally stimulated in vitro and analyzed for cytokine (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13 and IFN-γ) production by semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis and cytokine specific ELISA. The IFN-γ production by T cells in atopic dermatitis was lower than in asthma and healthy controls, whereas the IL-4 production was comparable in the examined groups. By means of FACS-analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), we found that the relative amount of T cells was increased and the NK-cells relatively decreased in children with atopic dermatitis, which has been described in adult patients with atopic dermatitis. Furthermore the fraction of CD4CD45RO positive cells (memory T cells) tended to be higher in atopic dermatitis. The data obtained show more profound differences in cytokine pattern, isotype production and cell distribution in small children with atopic dermatitis than in children developing asthma.
On greedy heuristics for steiner minimum trees

We disprove a conjecture of Shor and Smith on a greedy heuristic for the Steiner minimum tree by showing that the length ratio between the Steiner minimum tree and the greedy tree constructed by their method for the same set of points can be arbitrarily close to√3/2. We also propose a new conjecture.
Carbocyclic pyrimidine nucleosides as inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase.

The design, synthesis and unexpected inhibitory activity against S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) for a series of truncated carbocyclic pyrimidine nucleoside analogues is presented. Of the four nucleosides obtained, 10 was found to be active with a Ki value of 5.0 μM against SAHase.
Influence of age on the hemodynamic response to exercise.

Respiratory and hemodynamic measurements were made on 54 sedentary subjects during progressive exercise on a bicycle ergometer up to the point of maximal voluntary effort. The age range of the group was from 18 to 68 years. The maximum tolerated exercise, as indicated by the highest achieved level of oxygen consumption (Voo2), diminished with age. Older subjects had a lower resting cardiac output (Q) than normal subjects, but an identical increase in Q with Voo2. There was no evidence of flattening of this curve as the older subjects approached highest exercise loads. Consequently, the arteriovenous oxygen difference did not increase abnormally on high loads, and the cardiac response to exercise in older subjects appeared to be adequate. The relationship between inspired air volume and heart rate with Voo2 at submaximal loads was not influenced by age. Systolic pressure increased progressively with exercise and showed a greater change in older subjects. Total peripheral resistance at rest increased with a...
Colloquium: The quest for high-conductance DNA

The DNA molecule, well known from biology for containing the genetic code of all living species, has recently caught the attention of chemists and physicists. A major reason for this interest is DNA's potential use in nanoelectronic devices, both as a template for assembling nanocircuits and as an element of such circuits. Without question, a truly conducting form of DNA would have a major impact on developments in nanotechnology. It has also been suggested that extended electronic states of DNA could play an important role in biology, e.g., through the processes of DNA damage sensing or repair or through long-range charge transfer. However, the electronic properties of DNA remain very controversial. Charge-transfer reactions and conductivity measurements show a large variety of possible electronic behavior, ranging from Anderson and band-gap insulators to effective molecular wires and induced superconductors. Indeed, understanding the conductance of a complicated polyelectrolytic aperiodic system is by itself a major scientific problem. In this Colloquium, the authors summarize the wide-ranging experimental and theoretical results and look for any consistencies between them. They also pose simple questions regarding the electronic states of DNA within the framework of generalized H\"uckel and Slater-Koster theories. The Colloquium provides a quantitative overview of DNA's electronic states as obtained from density-functional theory, focusing on dependence on structure, on molecular stretching and twisting, and on water and counterions. While there is no clear theoretical basis for truly metallic DNA, situations are discussed in which very small energy gaps might arise in the overall DNA/water/counterion complex, leading to thermally activated conduction at room temperature.
A 13C n.m.r. study of the B6 vitamins and of their aldimine derivatives

The vitamins, pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal-5′-phosphate and pyridoxamine-5′-phosphate, have been studied in aqueous solution over a pH range of 2–12 by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Resonance assignments are made primarily by the spin–spin coupling constants of carbons with protons and with phosphorus. The proton–carbon coupling constants show a marked conformational dependence in the hemiacetal form of pyridoxal. Furthermore, the H-6C-5 coupling constant in the vitamins is much smaller than the corresponding constant in pyridine. This may be due either to an effect of the C-5 substituent in vitamins or to a different electronic configuration of the zwitterionic hydroxypyridine ring. The addition of manganese to a solution of pyridoxal phosphate causes line broadenings consistent with the interaction of the metal ion with this vitamin at the formyl and phenolic oxygens. The chemical shifts of the aromatic carbons of pyridoxine have been calculated, as a function of pH, by summing shielding parameters which were estimated empirically from pyridine derivatives. The calculated shifts agree well with the experimental data for C-3, C-5 and C-6, less well for C-2, and poorly for C-4. The deviation from additivity for C-4 indicates a preferred orientation for the 4-hydroxymethyl substituent caused by internal hydrogen bonding between the substituents at C-3 and C-4. Evidence is presented for the existence of the free aldehyde form of pyridoxal at alkaline pH. Aldimine complexes of pyridoxal and pyridoxal phosphate with amines and amino acids have also been studied. Characteristic chemical shift changes caused by both pyridinium and aldimine nitrogen deprotonations are seen. Additionally, the chemical shifts of carbons of the pyridine ring are dependent upon the structure of the imine, especially when the aldimine nitrogen is protonated. We conclude that this dependency is due to steric effects in an aldimine complex which is constrained by internal hydrogen bonding. We also discuss the merits of carbons 3 and 4 as possible sites of cofactor labeling for enzymatic studies.
Memory access coalescing: a technique for eliminating redundant memory accesses

As microprocessor speeds increase, memory bandwidth is increasingly the performance bottleneck for microprocessors. This has occurred because innovation and technological improvements in processor design have outpaced advances in memory design. Most attempts at addressing this problem have involved hardware solutions. Unfortunately, these solutions do little to help the situation with respect to current microprocessors. In previous work, we developed, implemented, and evaluated an algorithm that exploited the ability of newer machines with wide-buses to load/store multiple floating-point operands in a single memory reference. This paper describes a general code improvement algorithm that transforms code to better exploit the available memory bandwidth on existing microprocessors as well as wide-bus machines. Where possible and advantageous, the algorithm coalesces narrow memory references into wide ones. An interesting characteristic of the algorithm is that some decisions about the applicability of the transformation are made at run time. This dynamic analysis significantly increases the probability of the transformation being applied. The code improvement transformation was implemented and added to the repertoire of code improvements of an existing retargetable optimizing back end. Using three current architectures as evaluation platforms, the effectiveness of the transformation was measured on a set of compute- and memory-intensive programs. Interestingly, the effectiveness of the transformation varied significantly with respect to the instruction-set architecture of the tested platform. For one of the tested architectures, improvements in execution speed ranging from 5 to 40 percent were observed. For another, the improvements in execution speed ranged from 5 to 20 percent, while for yet another, the transformation resulted in slower code for all programs.
Transposition of the brachial vein: a new source for autologous arteriovenous fistulas

Increasing the prevalence of arteriovenous fistula over arteriovenous synthetic graft is critical for decreasing the morbidity and costs of dialysis patients. This is highlighted in the guidelines set forth by The National Kidney Foundation-Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF-DOQI), which encourage the increased use of autogenous vein in fistula creation. In addition to the basilic and cephalic veins, another source of autogenous vein is the brachial vein, a deep vein of the upper arm. Here we describe 2 patients with absence of adequate superficial veins, in whom a transposed brachial vein was used for the creation of an arteriovenous fistula.
A deterministic interpretation of the commutation and uncertainty relations of quantum theory and a redefinition of Planck’s constant as a coupling condition

In a previous paper, a deterministic account of the dynamics underlying the quantum-mechanical wave amplitude equation (Schrodinger’s equation) was given. In the present paper, that topological analysis is extended to a deterministic interpretation of the commutation relations of quantum theory and Planck’s constant is redefined as a resonance coupling condition for linearly progressing and circularly orbiting particles. In the case of parametric excitation coupling of two linearly progressing particles, a temporal coupling condition is required, not Planck’s constant. It is demonstrated that, when described in four-parameter form, quantum-mechanical systems behave in a way identical to the hypercomplex systems called, by Hamilton, quaternions. The analysis provides a physical picture of quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics.
The United States Naval Reserve

The rapid development of the communications and electronics field, and its present and potential importance in times of peace and war, are clear to farseeing Governmental officers. The Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) has consistently endeavored to contribute to the advancement of this field. It is accordingly encouraging and stimulating to receive a message from Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy. The readers of the PROCEEDINGS OF THE IRE AND WAVES AND ELECTRONS will gain a clear picture of the importance of Naval contributions to this field and the desirability of further co-operation with the Armed Forces from the accompanying paper by Commander Delbert S. Wicks, United States Navy.
Fibroblasts from biopsies—An easier way

Abstract We describe a simple technique for instituting fibroblast growth from biopsied tissue.
Intersexes Dependent on a Maternal Effect in Hybrids Between Drosophila Repleta and D. Neorepleta.

Drosophila repleta Wollaston and D. neorepketa Patterson and Wheeler are closely similar species, the former widely distributed and the latter known from Guatemala. It was found by Dr. E. Novitski that these species occasionally cross, and that the F1 females sometimes give a few offspring when mated to repleta males (see Wharton 1942 and Sturtevant 1946). I have found a sex-linked recessive white-eyed mutant type in D. repleta (actually not quite white, but retaining only a slight tinge of color). At least 5000 neorepleta females have been crossed to white repleta males (in a few cases the repleta males carried singed, another sex-linked recessive, rather than white). These matings included at least 500 mass cultures, of which 74 produced hybrid offspring -- a total of 532 females and 635 males, all wild type for the sex -- linked mutant characters used. The males had very narrow testes, and were wholly sterile. The females were variable; most of them had bristles somewhat reduced in size ("minute"), and many of them had three anal plates instead of the usual two -- this last character suggesting intersexuality.
Platelet transfusions in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: a report of four cases and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a complication of heparin therapy associated with thrombocytopenia and thrombosis. The diagnosis of HIT is based on clinical criteria and laboratory tests, including the serotonin release assay (SRA). Because HIT patients are thrombocytopenic, platelet (PLT) transfusions may be contemplated; however, many published reviews have concluded that PLT transfusions are contraindicated in HIT because they may precipitate thrombotic events. This study reports four patients with clinically suspected HIT who received PLT transfusions without complications, and the literature regarding this subject has been reviewed. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients with a SRA ordered for suspected HIT were retrospectively identified. Charts of patients with positive SRAs who received a PLT transfusion when HIT was clinically suspected were reviewed for evidence of PLT transfusion safety and efficacy. A comprehensive search of the published literature regarding PLT transfusions in patients with HIT was conducted. RESULTS: A SRA was performed on 189 patients with suspected HIT. Thirteen patients tested positive and 4 of these received a PLT transfusion. No patient developed a thrombotic complication. All 4 patients had adequate posttransfusion PLT increments. Two of the 3 patients with active bleeding had cessation of bleeding after transfusion. Review of the literature revealed no case of a complication clearly attributable to PLT transfusion. CONCLUSION: Four patients with clinically suspected HIT and a positive SRA were transfused PLTs both efficaciously and safely. These outcomes, combined with the results of the literature review, suggest that PLT transfusions should not be withheld when clinically indicated in patients with HIT.
Determination of pore size distribution by transmission electron microscopy

Abstract A simple method is suggested for preparing very thin films of alumina suitable for direct observation in a transmission electron microscope. The method consists of painting aluminum hydroxide gel on aluminum films, followed by dehydration at 500 °C. The aluminum film is dissolved by amalgamation. Pore size distributions for γ- and η-alumina are measured directly and compared to those obtained by an adsorption-desorption technique.
Estimation of the Dynamic States of Synchronous Machines Using an Extended Particle Filter

In this paper, an extended particle filter (PF) is proposed to estimate the dynamic states of a synchronous machine using phasor measurement unit (PMU) data. A PF propagates the mean and covariance of states via Monte Carlo simulation, is easy to implement, and can be directly applied to a nonlinear system with non-Gaussian noise. The proposed extended PF improves robustness of the basic PF through iterative sampling and inflation of particle dispersion. Using Monte Carlo simulations with practical noise and model uncertainty considerations, the extended PF's performance is evaluated and compared with the basic PF, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) and an unscented Kalman filter (UKF). The extended PF results showed high accuracy and robustness against measurement and model noise.
Eimeria and Klossia spp. (Protozoa: Sporozoa) from Wild Mammals in Borneo*

SYNOPSIS. During a survey of parasites of Sabah mammals, coccidia oocysts were found in 9 of 22 host species examined. Sporulated oocysts of Klossia sp. from Rattus whiteheadi are described. New geographic records are reported for Eimeria callosciuri, Eimeria sabani, and Eimeria tupaiae. New host and geographic records are reported for Eimeria separata from Rattus cremoriventer, for E. tupaiae and Eimeria ferruginea from Tupaia tana, for Eimeria nieschulzi from Rattus muelleri, and for E. sabani and Klossia sp. from R. whiteheadi.
Redox regulation of Nox proteins

The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a major role in endothelial signaling and function. Of the several potential sources of ROS in the vasculature, the endothelial NADPH oxidase (Nox) family of proteins, Nox1, Nox2, Nox4 and Nox5, are major contributors of ROS. Excess generation of ROS contributes to the development and progression of vascular disease. While hyperoxia stimulates ROS production through Nox proteins, hypoxia appears to involve mitochondrial electron transport in the generation of superoxide. ROS generated from Nox proteins and mitochondria are important for oxygen sensing mechanisms. Physiological concentrations of ROS function as signaling molecule in the endothelium; however, excess ROS production leads to pathological disorders like inflammation, atherosclerosis, and lung injury. Regulation of Nox proteins is unclear; however, antioxidants, MAP Kinases, STATs, and Nrf2 regulate Nox under normal physiological and pathological conditions. Studies related to redox regulation of Nox should provide a better understanding of ROS and its role in the pathophysiology of vascular diseases.
Nearshore Facies Relations, Eocene Lake Uinta, Utah: ABSTRACT

Fluvial through "deep" lacustrine transitions are present in the Green River Formation (Eocene) of the Uinta basin, Utah. Characteristic sedimentary features useful for reconstructing specific subenvironments are (in approximate order of usefulness): Fluvial Channel: Small- and medium-scale cross-stratification; horizontal stratification; channels; poorly sorted sublitharenite, lithic arenite and subarkose; intraformational and chert-pebble conglomerate. Fluvial Floodplain: Earthy silty claystone; paleosoil. Lagoonal: Thin horizontal lamination; waxy claystone; clastic lenses of oolitic sandstone; algal mat; carbonate pebble conglomerate. Shoal: Horizontal and small- to medium-scale cross-stratification; oolite; algal mat; ripple marks; shrinkage polygons; chert-pebble conglomerate; ripple stratification; bone fragments. Beach, Shoreface: Horizontal and small- to medium-scale cross-stratification; quartz-arenite and subarkose; ripple marks; incomplete shrinkage cracks; ripple stratification; burrowing; chert-pebble conglomerate; large-scale cross-stratification; disturbed bedding; small channels. Nearshore: Horizontal and wavy stratification; fine-grained sandstone and siltstone; small-scale cross-stratification; disturbed bedding; incomplete shrinkage cracks; ripple marks; ripple stratification. Offshore: Horizontal stratification; varves; oil shale and claystone; syneresis cracks; oolitic sandstone; stromatolites. Sedimentary cycles are present in each of these depositional environments. Lacustrine cycles consist of a lower regressive clastic phase and an upper transgressive carbonate phase. Specific lithologies and sequences differ in each lacustrine subenvironment. Fluvial cycles consist of a basal erosional episode followed by channel filling and floodplain development. Fluctuations in the level of Lake Uinta are interpreted to have caused these cyclical deposits. End_of_Article - Last_Page 343------------
Vibration of Cantilevered Graphite/Epoxy Plates With Bending-Torsion Coupling

The effects of laminate unbalance on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of cantilevered Graphite/Epoxy plates with bending-torsion stiffness coupling has been examined. Unbalanced laminates of the form [θ2/0] s were studied. A Rayleigh-Ritz analysis was performed to determine the sensitivity of the accurate prediction of the lowest three natural fre quencies to the choice of assumed mode shapes. To serve as a reference, a finite element analysis was performed, using a general anisotropic plate element, and a series of experiments were performed. The results showed that five modes, two bending, two torsional and one chordwise, were required in the Rayleigh-Ritz formulation to determine the first three modes accurately. The presence of chordwise curvature in the torsion modes, even for plates with high aspect ratio, has a significant effect on the results and must be included in the model. Plates with significant bending- torsion coupling also require a second torsion mode to obtain a reasonable estima...
Validation Study of Energy Requirements in Critically Ill, Obese Cancer Patients

Background: Current guidelines from the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (ASPEN/SCCM) regarding caloric requirements and the provision of nutrition support in critically ill, obese adults may not be suitable for similar patients with cancer. We sought to determine whether the current guidelines accurately estimate the energy requirements, as measured by indirect calorimetry (IC), of critically ill, obese cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective validation study of critically ill, obese cancer patients from March 1, 2007, to July 31, 2010. All patients ≥18 years of age with a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 who underwent IC were included. We compared the measured energy expenditure (MEE) against the upper limit of the recommended guideline (25 kcal/kg of ideal body weight [IBW]) and MEE between medical and surgical patients in the intensive care unit. Results: Thirty-three patients were included in this study. Mean MEE (...
Test of GEANT3 and GEANT4 nuclear models for 160 MeV protons stopping in CH2.

Monte Carlo simulations are used for many problems in protonradiation therapy, some of which are sensitive to the nuclear interaction model. The available models have been little tested in the regime of interest, namely in their ability to predict the secondary particle yield, including their angle and energy, when 70–250 MeV protons stop in various materials. The present study provides one such test in carbon, complementing a previous one in copper. Using a multilayerFaraday cup we have measured the projected range distribution of charged nuclear secondaries from 160 MeV protons stopping in polyethylene ( CH 2 ). To test the popular GEANTMonte Carlo we have simulated the experiment with GEANT3 using the “Gheisha” (default) and “Fluka” models and with GEANT4.5 using the “low-energy” and “precompound” models. The GEANT3/Fluka and GEANT4/precompound simulations agree moderately well with the observed range distribution. The data are given in a convenient form for testing other Monte Carlo programs.
Minority carrier lifetimes in HgCdTe alloys

We present the results of full band structure calculations of Fermi levels, intrinsic carrier densities, and one-photon absorption coefficients in undoped HgCdTe alloys. The full band structure is used in the calculation of majority and minority carrier densities and the minority carrier lifetimes limited by radiative, Auger-1, and Auger-7 mechanisms in both n- and p-doped alloys. The lifetimes we predicted differ substantially from those calculated with widely used analytical expressions, except in cases where the hole density is small. This difference originates from the significantly non-parabolic and anisotropic valence bands, which are of increasing significance as the hole density increases. From a comparison of the calculated and measured lifetimes, we deduce that the lifetimes at low temperatures are limited by the Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination. We have generalized the SRH expression to include Fermi-Dirac statistics, but we still treat the density, energy level, and cross section as adjustable parameters. We find that the calculated radiative and Auger recombination lifetimes, as well as SRH lifetimes, can fit the measured lifetimes using traps located (a) near the conduction band edge in n-HgCdTe and (b) near the valence band edge for p-HgCdTe. In addition, the movement of Fermi level with respect to the trap level explains the observed temperature-dependence of the lifetimes. We conclude that there is considerable room for improvement in HgCdTe material quality.
Radiation Oncology: a Primer for Medical Students

Radiation oncology requires a complex understanding of cancer biology, radiation physics, and clinical care. This paper equips the medical student to understand the fundamentals of radiation oncology, first with an introduction to cancer treatment and the use of radiation therapy. Considerations during radiation oncology consultations are discussed extensively with an emphasis on how to formulate an assessment and plan including which treatment modality to use. The treatment planning aspects of radiation oncology are then discussed with a brief introduction to how radiation works, followed by a detailed explanation of the nuances of simulation, including different imaging modalities, immobilization, and accounting for motion. The medical student is then instructed on how to participate in contouring, plan generation and evaluation, and the delivery of radiation on the machine. Lastly, potential adverse effects of radiation are discussed with a particular focus on the on-treatment patient.
Problems for semantic externalism and A Priori refutations of skeptical arguments

Summary A familiar sort of argument for skepticism about the external world appeals to the evidential similarity between what is presumed to be the normal case and the case where one is a brain in a vat (or BIV). An argument from Putnam (1981, ch. 1) has been taken by many to provide an a priori refutation of this sort of skeptical argument. The question I propose to address in this paper is whether Putnam's argument affords us an a priori refutation of skeptical arguments that appeal to the claim that one does not know that one is not a BIV. I will develop a negative answer to this question along two related fronts. Along the first front I defend against new criticisms the common position that the externalism on which Putnam's argument is based entails skepticism about the meanings of sentences in our language and the contents of our thoughts. I do not take this to be a refutation of externalism or externalist arguments; rather, I see this as a motivation to locate the difficulty with arguments for externalism. But if externalism is abandoned, of course, the anti-skeptical argument it has widely been taken to support must be abandoned along with it. I will argue, however, that this is not a significant loss, because along a second front I will argue that externalism cannot be given a priori justification; it is therefore ill-suited to ground an a priori refutation of BIV skepticism anyway.
Nucleostemin: a multiplex regulator of cell-cycle progression.

Nucleostemin (NS) is a protein concentrated in the nucleolus of most stem cells and also in many tumor cells, which has been implicated in cell-cycle progression owing to its ability to modulate p53. Depletion of NS causes G 1 cell-cycle arrest, but its overexpression does so as well. Recently, this paradox has been clarified. NS overexpression causes a sequestration of murine double minute 2 (MDM2), preventing the destruction of p53. A recent study has demonstrated that loss of NS promotes the interaction of L5 and L11 ribosomal proteins with MDM2 and, thus, also prevents p53 degradation. This new finding expands our understanding of the multiple modes of NS action and reinforces the concept that the nucleolus has key roles in cell-cycle progression.
Bioavailability of Tetracycline and Doxycycline in Fasted and Nonfasted Subjects

The influence of various test meals and fluid volumes on the relative bioavailability of commercial formulations of doxycycline hyclate and tetracycline hydrochloride was studied in healthy human volunteers. Serum levels of tetracycline were uniformly reduced by approximately 50% by all test meals, whereas serum levels of doxycycline were reduced by 20%. The reduction of tetracycline serum levels will likely be of clinical significance. The bioavailability of each drug was almost identical from an oral solution and from capsules in fasted subjects. The rate of doxycycline absorption was reduced when capsules were administered with a small volume of water, but the overall efficiency of absorption of both drugs was essentially independent of co-administered fluid volume. The use of 8-h serum data provides a reliable estimate of drug bioavailability for tetracycline and, to a lesser extent, for doxycycline.
Holmium laser-assisted coronary angioplasty in acute ischemic syndromes.

Background and hypothesis: Initial studies have shown holmium laser to be effective in ablation of coronary atheromam, and small studies suggest that it may be helpful in ablation of thrombotic stenoses. Therefore, holmium laser-assisted coronary angioplasty was studied in 85 consecutive patients with acute ischemia syndromes. Methods: Indications for therapy were acute myocardial infarction (MI) in 7 patients (8%), post-MI ischemic in 32 patients (38%), and crescendo angina pectoris in 46 patients (54%). Coronary morphology characteristics by multivessel angioplasty prognosis group criteria were Type A in 9 (10%), Type B1 in 15 (18%), Type B2 in 44 (52%), Type C in 17 patients (20%). Results: Angiographic evidence of thrombus was seen in 37 (44%) of patients. The laser successfully crossed the total length of the coronary narrowing in 76 patients (89%). Procedure/clinical success was 92% for the total study population, 100% for patients with acute MI, 94% for post-MI ischemia patients, and 89% for patients with crescendo angina. Lesions with and without thrombus had identical procedure succes rates. Major complication rate was 3.5%, (deaths 0%, Q-wave MI 0%, and emergent bypass surgery 3.5%). Six-month angiographic restenosis rate (>50% stenosis) was 45%. Conclusion: Holmium laser-assisted balloon angioplasty appears promising in the treatment of acute ischemic syndromes and thrombotic coronary lesions.
IL-17 Gene Ablation Does Not Impact Treg-Mediated Suppression of Graft-Versus-Host Disease after Bone Marrow Transplantation

Regulatory T cell (Treg) immunotherapy is a promising strategy for the treatment of graft rejection responses and autoimmune disorders. Our and other laboratories have shown that the transfer of highly purified CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ natural Treg can prevent lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation across both major and minor histocompatibility barriers. However, recent evidence suggests that the Treg suppressive phenotype can become unstable, a phenomenon that can culminate in Treg conversion into IL-17–producing cells. We hypothesized that the intense proinflammatory signals released during an ongoing alloreaction might redirect a fraction of the transferred Treg to the Th17 cell fate, thereby losing immunosuppressive potential. We therefore sought to evaluate the impact of Il17 gene ablation on Treg stability and immunosuppressive capacity in a major MHC mismatch model. We show that although Il17 gene ablation results in a mildly enhanced Treg immunosuppressive ability in vitro, such improvement is not observed when IL-17–deficient Treg are used for GVHD suppression in vivo. Similarly, when we selectively blocked IL-1 signaling in Treg, that was shown to be necessary for Th17 conversion, we did not detect any improvement on Treg-mediated GVHD suppressive ability in vivo. Furthermore, upon ex vivo reisolation of transferred wild-type Treg, we detected little or no Treg-mediated IL-17 production upon GVHD induction. Our results indicate that blocking Th17 conversion does not affect the GVHD suppressive ability of highly purified natural Treg in vivo, suggesting that IL-17 targeting is not a valuable strategy to improve Treg immunotherapy after hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Congenital Cardiovascular Anomalies Induced by Pteroylglutamic Acid Deficiency during Gestation in the Rat

Congenital cardiovascular anomalies were observed in the offspring when rats were placed on a dietary regimen deficient in pteroylglutamic ("folic") acid during gestation. These cardiovascular malformations occurred only when the mothers were given this diet for specific periods, as short as two or three days, in early pregnancy, at a time when the heart and aortic arches were in the initial stages of development.
Attitudes towards Lung Cancer Screening in an Australian High-Risk Population

Objectives. To determine whether persons at high risk of lung cancer would participate in lung cancer screening test if available in Australia and to elicit general attitudes towards cancer screening and factors that might affect participation in a screening program. Methods. We developed a 20-item written questionnaire, based on two published telephone interview scripts, addressing attitudes towards cancer screening, perceived risk of lung cancer, and willingness to be screened for lung cancer and to undertake surgery if lung cancer were detected. The questionnaire was given to 102 current and former smokers attending the respiratory clinic and pulmonary rehabilitation programmes. Results. We gained 90 eligible responses (M:F, 69:21). Mean [SD] age was 63 [11] and smoking history was 32 [21] pack years. 95% of subjects would participate in a lung cancer screening test, and 91% of these would consider surgery if lung cancer was detected. 44% of subjects considered that they were at risk of lung cancer. This was lower in ex-smokers than in current smokers. Conclusions. There is high willingness for lung cancer screening and surgical treatment. There is underrecognition of risk among ex-smokers. This misperception could be a barrier to a successful screening or case-finding programme in Australia.
The dosimetric impact of single, dual, and triple tandem applicators in the treatment of intact uterine cancer

PURPOSE: To identify an optimal afterloading technique for high-dose-rate brachytherapy treat- ments in patients with medically inoperable uterine cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Eighteen treatment plans were generated using point and volume-based techniques for three patients using a single, dual, and triple tandem. Dosimetric parameters of the target and critical structures were evaluated. RESULTS: Similar target coverage was achieved for each patient using volume-based planning; however, differences were evident when comparing point-based plans for the three applicators. In Patient 1, with a cylindrical uterus (8 cm by 4.5 cm), similar results were achieved with all three applicators (V95 (Single)590.6%, V95 (Dual) 5 90.6%, and V95 (Triple) 591.5%). In Patient 2, who had a more spherical uterus (5 cm by 5.4 cm), the dual tandem was inferior to the others (V95 565.9% vs. 83.7% with triple and 85.8% with single tandem). Analysis of isodose distribu- tions showed that the dual tandem failed to achieve adequate coverage of the central portion of the fundus. In Patient 3, who had a uterus (6 cm by 5.5 cm) in close proximity to the bladder (0.5 cm) and bowel, both the triple and dual tandem point-based plans achieved better coverage than the single tandem, given dose constraints on the bladder and bowel, with uterus V95 of 83.4% (Triple), 84.9% (Dual), and 73.7% (Single), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For inoperable uterine cancer, optimal high-dose-rate applicator selection depends on the anatomy and location of the uterus and critical organs. The triple tandem applicator provides greater latitude in dose and anatomic uterus coverage as compared with either single or dual tandem applicators. 2014 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
comparison of body Mass Index (bMI) categories based on Asian and universal Standards and language Spoken at home among Asian American university Students

Abstract Background: The World Health Organization released lower Body Mass Index (BMI) cutoff points for Asian individuals to account for increased body fat percentage (BF%) and risk of obesity-related conditions at a lower body mass index. Purpose: This preliminary study: (1) explores the impact of utilizing Asian BMI standards (compared to universal standards) on the overweight/obese categorization of Asian females and males; and (2) determines whether age, gender, acculturation, and living arrangements are associated with BMI and BF%. Methods: Data on demographic variables, height and weight, BF%, living situation, and language spoken at home were collected from 170 Asian students enrolled in a health course at a public university in California. Results: When Asian BMI cutoffs were applied, categorization of Asian males and females as normal weight decreased significantly. Language spoken at home was not significantly associated with BMI; however, acculturated females tended to have higher BMIs than n...
Peripheral injury induces long-term sensitization of defensive responses to visual and tactile stimuli in the squid Loligo pealeii, Lesueur 1821

SUMMARY Survivable injuries are a common yet costly experience. The ability to sense and respond to noxious stimuli is an almost universal trait, and prolonged behavioral alterations, including sensitization to touch and other stimuli, may function to ameliorate fitness costs associated with injury. Cephalopods can modify their behavior by learned association with noxious electric shock, but non-associative alterations of behavioral responses after tissue injury have not been studied. The aim of this study was to make the first systematic investigations in any cephalopod of behavioral responses and alterations elicited by explicit, minor injury. By testing responsiveness in the longfin squid, Loligo pealeii, to the approach and contact of an innocuous filament applied to different parts of the body both before and after injury to the distal third of one arm, we show that a cephalopod expresses behavioral alterations persisting for at least 2 days after injury. These alterations parallel forms of nociceptive plasticity in other animals, including general and site-specific sensitization to tactile stimuli. A novel finding is that hyper-responsiveness after injury extends to visual stimuli. Injured squid are more likely to employ crypsis than escape in response to an approaching visual stimulus shortly after injury, but initiate escape earlier and continue escape behaviors for longer when tested from 1 to 48 h after injury. Injury failed to elicit overt wound-directed behavior (e.g. grooming) or change hunting success. Our results show that long-lasting nociceptive sensitization occurs in cephalopods, and suggest that it may function to reduce predation risk after injury.
Standard Error Correction in Two-Stage Estimation with Nested Samples

Summary Data at different levels of aggregation are often used in two-stage estimation, with estimates obtained at the higher level of aggregation entering the estimation at the lower level of aggregation. An example is customers within markets: first-stage estimates on market data provide variables that enter the second-stage model on customers. We derive the asymptotic covariance matrix of the second-stage estimates for situations such as these. We implement the formulae in the Petrin‐Train application of households’ choice of TV reception and compare the calculated standard errors with those obtained without correction. In this application, ignoring the sampling variance in the first-stage estimates would be seriously misleading.
Patient‐centered or ‘central’ patient: Raising the veil of ignorance over randomization

In the accompanying commentary, Lauer supports the role of large-scale randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in comparative effectiveness research (CER) and argues that the current debate on CER will reinvigorate the clinical trial enterprise. [1] Although I agree with Lauer that randomization will continue to play a big role in comparative effectiveness research going forward, I believe that the current clinical trial enterprise needs re-invention rather than reinvigoration as it falls short of the data production infrastructure required to achieve the goals set out by the recent legislation on CER. [2] I discuss some of the issues surrounding the concerns about current RCT infrastructure and how we might think of rebuilding it to meet the needs of health care.
A Conserved Lysine in β-Lactam Synthetase Assists Ring Cyclization: Implications for Clavam and Carbapenem Biosynthesis

β-Lactam synthetase (β-LS) is the paradigm of a growing class of enzymes that form the critical β-lactam ring in the clavam and carbapenem antibiotics. β-LS catalyzes a two stage reaction in which N2-(2-carboxyethyl)-l-arginine is first adenylated, and then undergoes intramolecular ring closure. It was previously shown that the forward kinetic commitment to β-lactam formation is high, and that the overall rate of reaction is partially limited to a protein conformational change rather than to the chemical step alone of closing the strained ring. β-Lactam formation was evaluated on the basis of X-ray crystal structures, site-specific mutation, and kinetic and computational studies. The combined evidence clearly points to a reaction coordinate involving the formation of a tetrahedral transition state/intermediate stabilized by a conserved Lys. The combination of substrate pre-organization, a well-stabilized transition state and an excellent leaving group facilitates this acyl substitution to account for the strong forward commitment to catalysis and to lower the barrier of four-membered ring formation to the magnitude of a protein conformational change.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): risk and outcome of colonized vs. infected patients.

A retrospective study of 204 patients culture positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus compared infected and colonized patients. Seventy-eight patients were colonized and never developed infection (C), 24 were colonized and subsequently infected (C----I), and 102 patients had 1 or more nosocomial infections with MRSA at time of first culture (I). The most prevalent sites of infection were wound (26.5%) and blood-stream (20.7%), whereas the respiratory tract and surgical wounds were both frequent sites of colonization. Stepwise discriminant analysis found the most important factors in differentiating likelihood of colonization vs. infection were recent prior hospitalization, history of wound debridement, and number of invasive procedures. Ten percent of (C) died and 25.5% of (I) died. MRSA contributed to death in 57.6% of the (I) deaths (p less than .05). These results underscore the importance of differentiating (C) vs. (I) in hospitals where MRSA is endemic so that early specific treatment may be initiated. Risk factors for infection should be discriminated from those for acquisition of the organism.