cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GENDER AND LITERARY VALORIZATION: THE AWAKENING OF A CANONICAL NOVEL

We use the reception history of Kate Chopin' s The Awak- ening to study the social context in which and processes through which lit- erary texts are evaluated. We explain The Awakening ' s ascendancy from an initial negative critical position in 1899 to its current canonical status by the emergence of new " interpretive strategies" for understanding and evaluating texts. The dominant interpretive strategies of nineteenth-century reviewers sentimentalized women as sele ess wives and mothers responsible for moral purity, making it dife cult to construct a valued or fruitful narra- tive from The Awakening. Late-twentieth-century feminist interpretive strategies, however, were highly productive tools for rereading The Awak- ening, generating a socially resonant narrative focused on the search for an independent female self. Most important, we show that analytic atten- tion to interpretive strategies allows sociologists to analyze both the mean- ings constructed from texts and the differential judgments attached to them under varying interpretive strategies.
The Relationship Between Television Exposure and Individual Work Expectations: An Empirical Study1

Each day, thousands of televised images of the workplace fill the airwaves through programs such as Law and Order, ER, and The Simpsons. Although communications research has suggested that the social reality of television is often accepted by high-level viewers (Perry & Roesch, 2004; Potter, 1994), management researchers have been slow to examine television as work socialization. This paper addresses possible concerns of scale and theoretical rigor through development of reliable scales based on televised content and the testing of relationships through an interdisciplinary framework. Regression results indicate that heavy television exposure may influence viewer perceptions regarding access to managers and resources. The results also indicate that non-media work information can moderate this effect. Practical implications for managers are provided.
Quiescent Reconnection Rate Between Emerging Active Regions and Preexisting Field, with Associated Heating: NOAA AR 11112

When magnetic flux emerges from beneath the photosphere, it displaces the preexisting field in the corona, and a current sheet generally forms at the boundary between the old and new magnetic domains. Reconnection in the current sheet relaxes this highly stressed configuration to a lower energy state. This scenario is most familiar and most often studied in flares, where the flux transfer is rapid. We present here a study of steady, quiescent flux transfer occurring at a rate three orders of magnitude lower than that in a large flare. In particular, we quantify the reconnection rate and the related energy release that occurred as the new polarity emerged to form NOAA Active Region 11112 (SOL16 October 2010T00:00:00L205C117) within a region of preexisting flux. A bright, low-lying kernel of coronal loops above the emerging polarity, observed with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the X-ray Telescope onboard Hinode, originally showed magnetic connectivity only between regions of newly emerged flux when overlaid on magnetograms from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager. Over the course of several days, this bright kernel advanced into the preexisting flux. The advancement of an easily visible boundary into the old flux regions allows measuring the rate of reconnection between old and new magnetic domains. We compare the reconnection rate with the inferred heating of the coronal plasma. To our knowledge, this is the first measurement of steady, quiescent heating related to reconnection. We determined that the newly emerged flux reconnects at a fairly steady rate of 0.38×1016 Mx s−1 over two days, while the radiated power varies between (2 – 8)×1025 erg s−1 over the same time. We found that as much as 40 % of the total emerged flux at any given time may have reconnected. The total amounts of transferred flux (∼ 1×1021 Mx) and radiated energy (∼ 7.2×1030 ergs) are comparable to that of a large M- or small X-class flare, but are stretched out over 45 hours.
Role for major histocompatibility complex class I in regulating natural killer cell-mediated killing of virus-infected cells.

Target structures important for natural killer (NK) cell recognition of virally infected cells are not well defined. Since major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules bind viral peptides during acute infection, we evaluated whether an interaction between MHC and virus might influence the susceptibility of infected cells to NK cell-mediated lysis. To control for MHC class I expression on target cells, we used either HLA class I-deficient C1R cells or C1R sublines expressing transfected HLA class I gene products. Human NK cells were unable to preferentially lyse class I-deficient C1R cells after infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV). In contrast, HLA class I transfectants were significantly more susceptible to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity after HSV infection. This occurred for HSV-infected C1R cells expressing any of the three HLA class I gene products tested (i.e., HLA-B27, HLA-A3, or HLA-Aw68), indicating that NK cell recognition in this system does not require "self" MHC and is not unique for a single haplotype. Productive HSV infection is required for the increased killing, since inoculation with UV-inactivated virus did not lead to increased lysis. In addition, since HSV infection of the transfectants did not significantly alter the level of class I expression, the change in susceptibility appears to be due to qualitative changes in the target structures on HSV-infected, HLA class I+ targets. These results demonstrate a role for MHC class I in regulating NK cell-mediated killing of virus-infected cells.
Internationalization and Unionist Isolation: a Response to Feargal Cochrane

‘… Northern Ireland is a miserable place, with bigots at one end of the spectrum and murderers at the other, while all sorts in the middle make what terms and partial terms they can with the dominant brutes of their own tribe. … Ulster is a valley cut off, but alas not lost, at some stage in the seventeenth century. … I doubt if the British would grieve too deeply if one bunch of offshore primitives decided to massacre the other; we haven't minded in ex-colonial Africa. … Candidly, we want these people at arm's length, governed by rules fairer than their own brutal instincts. They are not part of us, but we have a sort of duty to them.’2
Mesenteric stenting for chronic mesenteric ischemia

Background Mesenteric stenting has not been widely adopted for the treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI). The recent availability of embolic protection and low-profile devices with the theoretical ability to decrease perioperative bowel necrosis, led us to begin using mesenteric stenting for patients with CMI. We review our initial experience to examine short-term outcomes. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who were treated by vascular surgeons with mesenteric stenting for CMI. Patients with acute mesenteric ischemia were excluded. We evaluated perioperative morbidity and mortality, restenosis, recurrent symptoms, and reintervention. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to assess events during follow-up. We also compared these outcomes with a historical control group of patients treated with open surgical revascularization. Results Fourteen patients underwent mesenteric stenting over the past 3 years. Mean age was 73, and 64% were women. There was no perioperative or 30-day mortality or major morbidity. Early restenosis and recurrent symptoms occurred in 10% and 9% of patients at 6 months. At a mean follow-up of 13 months, 53% of patients underwent reintervention. However, 93% were symptom-free at their last follow-up. Compared with open surgery, stent patients had lower perioperative major morbidity (30% vs 0%, P Conclusion Mesenteric stenting for CMI can be performed with low perioperative risk. However, stenting is associated with early restenosis and recurrent symptoms requiring secondary procedures. Patients with severe nutritional depletion or high surgical risk may benefit from mesenteric stenting for CMI, but close follow-up is required. Later open surgery can be performed for restenosis if nutritional status and surgical risk are improved, or repeat angioplasty and stenting can be effectively performed if operative risk remains high.
Pulmonary Embolization of Acrylic Cement During Vertebroplasty

A 79-year-old man with a history of diastolic left ventricular dysfunction, atrial fibrillation, and low back pain underwent vertebroplasty. The procedure was uneventful except for the development of low-grade fever 1 day after the procedure. The patient denied any cough, dyspnea, or chest pain. Initial physical examination revealed that he was not in respiratory distress. His temperature was 38.3°C, respiratory rate was 20/min, blood pressure was …
Reversible activation of lysosomes by dimethyl sulphoxide.

WE have demonstrated that dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), used in concentrations which protect cells against damage caused by freezing and subsequent thawing, can increase the activity of rat liver lysosomes, in vitro, as measured by increased activity of acid phosphatase1. The presence of DMSO in sufficient concentration apparently increases the permeability of rat liver lysosomes to the sodium-beta-glycerophosphate used as substrate, thereby increasing the activity of the enzyme, which was originally masked or latent. Our previous experiments also indicated that DMSO, despite releasing some acid phosphatase from lysosomes in the conditions used, might not permanently alter the lysosomal membrane.
Lympho-myeloid organs of amphibia I. Appearance during larval and adult stages of Rana catesbeiana†

The bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, possesses lympho-myeloid and epithelial structures that are morphologically similar in some respects to lymph nodes of mammals. These organs are present during the entire life cycle of the frog, however, the structures that are present during larval stages do not appear to be morphological precursors of adult organs. According to certain terms used previously by other investigators, two major organs are present throughout the larval stages: the lymph gland and the ventral cavity body. In the adult, the jugular body, the epithelial body, the precoracoid and propericardial bodies are found in the ventral neck region in contrast to the lateral and ventral arrangement of the lymph gland and ventral cavity body in larvae. The function of these organs is not known but it is believed that they play a role in the production of certain blood cells, particularly lymphocytes, and they may be involved in some aspects of the differentiation and maintenance of the immune response capacity.
IDENTITY CHANGE AND STABILITY IN ORGANIZATIONAL GROUPS: A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION

Research on identity in organizations takes endurance overtime as a taken‐for‐granted expectation, but then often explores how identity changes. Conversely, research on memory in organizations takes change as a taken‐for‐granted expectation and then explores how particular memories might be maintained by purposeful action. We used both of these literatures as a basis for exploring what happened to two aspects of an organizational group's identity over the course of its first seven years. One aspect of identity centered on the group's mission and the other on the group's internal processes. Based on analysis of the processes involved in the evolution of the group's identity, we suggest several factors that foster stability in identity and several factors that foster change in identity. From the identification of these factors, and based on Lewin's Field Theory approach, we suggest a more complex depiction of what identity stability or change might mean overtime.
Dependence of ridge-axis morphology on magma supply and spreading rate

WHY do some mid-ocean-ridge axes have as their topographic expression a median valley 1–2 km deep and 15–30 km wide, whereas others have an axial high 100–200 m high and 1–2 km wide? In general, median valleys exist at the axes of ridges spreading at half-rates less than ∼ 20-25 mm yr−1, whereas axial highs are found at faster-spreading ridges1,2. A recent crustal genesis model3, incorporating hydrothermal cooling and crustal accretion by means of a magma lens, agrees well with observations of the spreading-rate dependence of axial morphology1,2, the depth of the axial magma chamber3,4 and the thickness of the ridge-axis lithosphere5,6. But there are several notable exceptions to the correlation between spreading rate and axial morphology, such as the Reykjanes Ridge, which spreads at l0mm yr−1 but has an axial high. Here we show that by extending the model of ref. 3 to include variations in crustal thickness, we can explain the observed dependence of axial morphology on crustal thickness and spreading rate. Our results suggest that the ultimate control on axial morphology is the thermal structure at the ridge axis, which is a function of both spreading rate and magma supply.
Direct Fuel Injector Temporal Measurements

Abstract : The objective of this study is to measure high-frequency, short-duration, actual liquid fuel spray events using a simple photo detector and validate the results with high-speed camera measurements. This report presents an optical approach for detecting bulk fuel injection's temporal characteristics, i.e. opening delay and duration times. A key component in the measurement system is a commercially available low-cost photo detector which is shown to be highly effective for detecting high frequency, short duration spray events. The paper provides an in-depth discussion of a photo detector based measurement system, a test fixture, and its validation. Test results with a two-stage pulse-width-modulation (PWM) current controlled approach are provided for various operation parameter settings. Its effectiveness is validated by comparing with the results obtained with a high-speed camera.
Quantitative Determinations of Antipyrine and Benzocaine in Ear Drops by High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography

Abstract Antipyrine and benzocaine were determined quantitatively in ear drops by high-pressure liquid chromatography on an octadecyl- trichlorosilane permanently bonded to a Si–C column, using 0.02 M KH 2 PO 4 in methanol-water as the mobile phase. Both compounds can be assayed in combination directly without interference from each other or from oxyquinoline sulfate (the preservative). The method is accurate, precise (estimated universe standard deviations of 0.68% for antipyrine and 1.18% for benzocaine), simple, and short (requires 30 min versus 2–3 hr by the NF method). The method was tried on a commercial product with excellent results and can be used in the presence of decomposition products.
Exploration and Visualization: Making Critical Connections About Linear Systems of Equations

Linear systems of equations are used to model relationships in both science and mathematics. Studies have shown that gaps exist in student understanding of important ideas about such systems. Students show weaknesses in understanding the connections between algebraic and geometric representations, the impact of scaling and approximation methods, and the validity of methods like Gaussian elimination. As demonstrated with the activities presented in this article, current technology allows readily accessible representations in algebraic, numeric, and geometric forms. Integrating these different representations into our curriculum helps students to think more critically about systems, to foster new perspectives, to feel more confident in their results, and to understand better the relations between different representations.
Impact and feasibility of a community pharmacy bone mineral density screening and education program.

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the impact of a community pharmacy-based bone mineral density (BMD) screening and education program and determine the feasibility of providing such a service in community pharmacies. Design Uncontrolled study using convenience sample combined with economic feasibility analysis. Setting Two independent and four chain community pharmacies. Participants Women age 18years and older. Intervention Pharmacy patrons were invited to a free BMD screening. Demographic information was collected, and patients were screened using an ultrasound BMD analyzer. BMD results were reviewed with the participant during an education session and forwarded to primary care providers. Questionnaires were completed at baseline and after 3months. Main Outcome Measures Time spent with each participant, project costs, and willingness to pay for screenings were used to estimate feasibility; questionnaire responses assessed impact of the intervention on participants' health care decisions, lifestyle modifications, and communications with their prescribers about osteoporosis. Results Of the 140 women screened at baseline, 82% indicated the screening was "very useful" for making health care decisions, and 91% believed it encouraged them to talk with their physicians about osteoporosis. At 3months, 11% of patients reported having improved exercise habits, and 30% had increased their calcium and vitamin D intake. A total of 41% of respondents indicated a willingness to pay $20 or more for the BMD screening service. The average screening time was 23minutes. Based on fixed costs of the screening device and materials and variable costs associated with personnel time, a community pharmacy could generate a positive net income with a BMD screening program. Cost of the BMD analyzer could be recovered through revenue generated in 24–35 screening days, depending on the fees charged. Conclusion A community pharmacy osteoporosis program had a positive impact on patient health care by influencing lifestyle modifications, increasing use of medications, and encouraging participants to discuss osteoporosis with their physician. Patients are willing to pay for this service; feasibility varies depending on available resources and patient population served.
Optimizing recycling in all of New York City's neighborhoods : Using GIS to develop the REAP index for improved recycling education, awareness, and participation

New York City’s recycling program began in 1988 with scattered pilot programs to collect a restricted number of recyclable categories. Over time, the program was made more uniform in its implementation, was expanded citywide, and targeted more types of recyclables. Although Department of Sanitation surveys have shown that residents in all areas of the city have understood the requirements of the recycling program, recycling diversion rates vary substantially throughout the city’s neighborhoods, ranging from 9 to 31% per district, while city-wide the diversion rate averages only about 20%. This paper explores the possible reasons for the disparity of recycling participation rates amongst neighborhoods, using recycling data collected by the city and federal census information to characterize the city’s neighborhoods and show variation in recycling participation rates, demographics, socio-economic indicators, and other metrics. Four variables were found to be strongly correlated with low diversion rates: percentage of persons below poverty level; percentage of households headed by a single female with children; percentage of adults without a high school diploma; and percentage of minority population.
Direct numerical simulation (DNS) modeling of PEFC electrodes: Part I. Regular microstructure

A direct numerical simulation (DNS) model is developed to achieve pore-level description of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) electrodes. The DNS method solves point-wise accurate conservation equations directly on an electrode microstructure comprising of various phases and hence utilizes the intrinsic transport properties of each phase. Idealized two- and three-dimensional regular microstructures are constructed to represent the porous cathode catalyst layer. Various voltage losses identified from the simulation results are compared with experimental observations. This pore-scale model is further applied to study the morphological effects, such as pore size, layer thickness and porosity, on the performance of the cathode catalyst layer.
Microbicidal efficacy evaluation using plasma: International standards and recommended practices

Summary form only given. Microbicidal efficacy of plasma processing has been investigated as a possible alternative to conventional sterilization/decontamination methods for heat sensitive materials by a number of researchers from academia and industry. The disparity regarding the approaches to validating microbicidal efficacy makes study comparisons difficult. This review offers guidance on recommended practices for the evaluation of the microbicidal efficacy of plasma or any other sterilizing agent or process based on international industry standards and guidance documents.
The relationship between population size and temporal variability in population size

The relationship between population size and temporal variability in population size was examined using 2387 populations of 203 species from the Global Population Dynamics Database. Population variability, relative to population size, was assayed by regressing the standard deviation of population size against mean population size. Linear regression produced slopes that were less than one in 165 of 203 species. Thus, temporal fluctuations in population size became significantly weaker as population size increased. Similarly, the slope was significantly less than one for a single regression including all 2387 populations, regardless of taxonomic classification. The slopes of the regression lines did not differ for major taxonomic groupings, but the Y-intercept was significantly lower for birds than for the other taxonomic groupings. Factor analysis was used to examine the highly correlated parameters: data reliability, population size and taxonomic lineage. Population size was obviously the most important parameter affecting temporal variation in population size, data reliability was also very important, but taxonomy was of little or no importance. The relationship between temporal variation in population size and mean population size, predicted from the data, was used to predict the probability of extinction assuming a normal distribution of population sizes. This simple model predicts that populations of vertebrates will have to number in the thousands for long-term conservation to be effective.
A Hard Life for Cyanobacteria

Many organisms precipitate minerals ( 1 ), and sometimes the reasons appear obvious. Humans, for example, rely on biominerals to provide vital skeletal support. But interpreting biomineralization can also be challenging. On page 459 in this issue, Couradeau et al. ( 2 ) show that the cyanobacterium Candidatus Gloeomargarita lithophora from Alchichica, an alkaline lake in Mexico, produces the amorphous mineral benstonite. This rare carbonate has a more complicated composition than common calcium carbonate minerals such as calcite. Furthermore, the particular variety of benstonite produced by the bacterium contains almost as much barium, magnesium, and strontium as calcium. But the point that focuses attention is that the benstonite occurs inside the bacterial cells.
Alcohol and immunology: Summary of the 2012 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting

On October 27, 2012, the 17th annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held at the Grand Wailea Hotel in Maui, Hawaii as a satellite meeting to the 2012 Society of Leukocyte Biology conference. This year’s meeting focused on the influence of alcohol on signal transduction pathways in various disease and injury models. Three plenary sessions were held where invited speakers shared their research on alcohol-mediated alterations of cell signaling components, immune cell subsets, and inflammation. These studies suggested alcohol has a negative effect on cell signaling machinery and immune cell homeostasis, resulting in disease, disease progression, and increased mortality. Researchers also identified tissue-specific alcohol-linked elevations in markers of inflammation, including cold-shock proteins and microRNAs. Additionally, one study revealed the effects of alcohol on immune cell subsets in a model of allergic asthma.
In-field NoC-based SoC testing with distributed test vector storage

The operational lifetimes of SoC and microprocessors face growing threats from technology scaling and increasing device temperature and power density. In-field (or on-line) testing of NoC-based SoC is an important technique in ensuring system integrity throughout this potentially shorter lifetime. Whether in-field testing is conducted concurrently with normal applications or executed in isolation, application intrusion must be minimized in order to maintain system availability. Specialized infrastructure IP have been proposed to manage on-line testing by scheduling tests and delivering test vectors to the various cores within the SoC from a centralized location. However, as the number of cores integrated into a single chip continues to increase, issuing test vectors from a centralized location is not a scalable solution. These increased distances that test vectors must travel have become a major concern for on-line testing because of its direct impact on application intrusion in terms of energy consumption, network load, and latency. In this paper, we apply a distributed storage technique to bound and minimize this distance, thereby minimizing network load, energy consumption, and test delivery latency across the entire network. Our experiments show that test delivery latency and energy consumption is reduced by approximately 90% for moderately sized NoC.
Probabilistic Data Detection for Probe-Based Storage Channels in the Presence of Jitter

Probe-storage devices employ large arrays of probes to write/read data in parallel in some storage medium. Because of their inherent parallelism and the independence of data retrieved from different probes, these devices lend themselves naturally to low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and associated soft/iterative decoding techniques. In this paper, a concatenated coding scheme for a particular probe-storage channel is presented that comprises an inner (d, k)-constrained code and an outer LDPC code, and the problem of probabilistic data retrieval for this channel is addressed. In particular, soft information is generated by explicitly accounting for the channel output statistics in the presence of jitter and additive noise, based on derived analytical expressions.
MotifCut: regulatory motifs finding with maximum density subgraphs

Motivation DNA motif finding is one of the core problems in computational biology, for which several probabilistic and discrete approaches have been developed. Most existing methods formulate motif finding as an intractable optimization problem and rely either on expectation maximization (EM) or on local heuristic searches. Another challenge is the choice of motif model: simpler models such as the position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM) impose biologically unrealistic assumptions such as independence of the motif positions, while more involved models are harder to parametrize and learn. Results We present MotifCut, a graph-theoretic approach to motif finding leading to a convex optimization problem with a polynomial time solution. We build a graph where the vertices represent all k-mers in the input sequences, and edges represent pairwise k-mer similarity. In this graph, we search for a motif as the maximum density subgraph, which is a set of k-mers that exhibit a large number of pairwise similarities. Our formulation does not make strong assumptions regarding the structure of the motif and in practice both motifs that fit well the PSSM model, and those that exhibit strong dependencies between position pairs are found as dense subgraphs. We benchmark MotifCut on both synthetic and real yeast motifs, and find that it compares favorably to existing popular methods. The ability of MotifCut to detect motifs appears to scale well with increasing input size. Moreover, the motifs we discover are different from those discovered by the other methods. Availability MotifCut server and other materials can be found at motifcut.stanford.edu.
Theoretical Perspectives, Methodological Approaches, and Trends in the Study of Expertise

This chapter begins by briefly overviewing the early approaches, perspectives, and findings in the expertise research. Basically, the approaches have first focused on exceptional experts, then studies evolved into studying expert per- formance relative to novices, with emphases on differences in their strategies of searching for a solution, the structure of knowledge, and finally in representation. Then three constructs emphasized in current research on expertise are described. These constructs are ideas about deliberate practice, adaptive expertise, and team expertise. The last section of the chapter proposes a new perspective for understand- ing the acquisition of expertise, which is the idea of a perspective shift. Interleaved throughout the chapter is discussion of how the acquisition of expertise can be facilitated and/or accelerated.
Prognostic significance of baseline positron emission tomography and importance of clinical complete response in patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUND: Metabolic imaging is of interest in esophageal cancer; however, the usefulness of initial standardized uptake value (SUV) in positron emission tomography (PET) is unknown in patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal carcinoma treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. The authors hypothesized that initial SUV would correlate with patient outcome. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed esophageal or gastroesophageal carcinoma patients who had baseline PET and endoscopic ultrasonography in addition to other routine staging. All patients received definitive chemoradiotherapy. Multiple statistical methods were used. RESULTS: The authors analyzed 209 consecutive esophageal or gastroesophageal carcinoma patients treated with definitive chemoradiation for outcome; of these, 180 had baseline PET for additional analyses. The median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 20.7 months (95% confidence interval, 18.8-26.3). Patients with clinical complete response (CR) lived longer than those with less than clinical CR (P < .0001). The median initial SUV was 12.7 (range, 0-51). Higher initial SUV was associated with longer tumors (P = .0001), higher T-stage status (P < .0001), positive N-stage status (P = .0001), higher overall stage (P < .0001), lack of clinical CR (P = .0002), and squamous cell histology (P < .0001). In the univariate analysis, initial SUV was associated with OS (Cox model, P = .016; log-rank test, P = .002). In the multivariate analysis, initial SUV dichotomized by the median value (P = .024) and tumor grade (P = .016) proved to be independent OS prognosticators. Median initial SUV for clinical CR patients was 10.2, compared with 15.3 for less than clinical CR patients (P = .0058). CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that a higher initial SUV is associated with poorer OS in patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal carcinoma receiving definitive chemoradiation. Upon validation, baseline PET may become a useful stratification factor in randomized trials and for individualizing therapy. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Levels of Expression of P-Selectin, E-Selectin, and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 in Coronary Atherectomy Specimens from Patients With Stable and Unstable Angina Pectoris

Abstract Unstable angina occurs when atherosclerotic plaque ruptures. Recent evidence suggests a role for inflammation in this process. Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions are important in inflammation and are regulated by cell adhesion molecules. This study was designed to examine the vascular expression of cell adhesion molecules and cytokines in patients with unstable angina. Directional coronary atherectomy was performed in patients with unstable and stable angina. Expression of the cell adhesion molecules P-selectin, E-selectin, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in the tissue obtained was examined using immunohistochemistry. In addition, expression of the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β, which participate in the regulation of cell adhesion molecule expression, was also examined. Atherectomy specimens had significantly greater P-selectin expression from patients with unstable angina than from patients with stable angina. P-selectin expression was observed primarily on endothelial cells. There were no differences in any of the other factors between patients with unstable and stable angina. In addition, other clinical and angiographic variables were not associated with differential expression of any of the cell adhesion molecules or cytokines. These results indicate a possible role for P-selectin in the process of unstable angina. Expression of the cell adhesion molecules P-selectin, E-selectin, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in specimens obtained by directional coronary atherectomy was examined using immunohistochemistry. Atherectomy specimens revealed significantly greater P-selectin expression from patients with unstable angina than from patients with stable angina. P-selectin expression was observed primarily on endothelial cells, and there were no differences in expression of the other factors between patients with unstable angina and stable angina; results indicate a possible role for P-selectin in the process of unstable angina.
The xeroderma pigmentosum group E gene product DDB2 is a specific target of cullin 4A in mammalian cells.

The damaged-DNA binding protein DDB consists of two subunits, DDB1 (127 kDa) and DDB2 (48 kDa). Mutations in the DDB2 subunit have been detected in patients suffering from the repair deficiency disease xeroderma pigmentosum (group E). In addition, recent studies suggested a role for DDB2 in global genomic repair. DDB2 also exhibits transcriptional activity. We showed that expression of DDB1 and DDB2 stimulated the activity of the cell cycle regulatory transcription factor E2F1. Here we show that DDB2 is a cell cycleregulated protein. It is present at a low level in growth-arrested primary fibroblasts, and after release the level peaks at the G1/S boundary. The cell cycle regulation of DDB2 involves posttranscriptional mechanisms. Moreover, we find that an inhibitor of 26S proteasome increases the level of DDB2, suggesting that it is regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Our previous study indicated that the cullin family protein Cul-4A associates with the DDB2 subunit. Because cullins are involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, we investigated the role of Cul-4A in regulating DDB2. Here we show that DDB2 is a specific target of Cul-4A. Coexpression of Cul-4A, but not Cul-1 or other highly related cullins, increases the ubiquitination and the decay rate of DDB2. A naturally occurring mutant of DDB2 (2RO), which does not bind Cul-4A, is not affected by coexpression of Cul-4A. Studies presented here identify a specific function of the Cul-4A gene, which is amplified and overexpressed in breast cancers.
Human RNase 7: a new cationic ribonuclease of the RNase A superfamily

Here we report on the expression and function of RNase 7, one of the final RNase A superfamily ribonucleases identified in the human genome sequence. The human RNase 7 gene is expressed in various somatic tissues including the liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and heart. Recombinant RNase 7 is ribonucleolytically active against yeast tRNA, as expected from the presence of eight conserved cysteines and the catalytic histidine-lysine- histidine triad which are signature motifs of this superfamily. The protein is atypically cationic with an isoelectric point (pI) of 10.5. Expression of recombinant RNase 7 in Escherichia coli completely inhibits the growth of the host bacteria, similar to what has been observed for the cationic RNase, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP/RNase 3, pI 11.4). An in vitro assay demonstrates dose-dependent cytotoxicity of RNase 7 against bacteria E.coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. While RNase 7 and ECP/RNase 3 are both cationic and share this particular aspect of functional similarity, their protein sequence identity is only 40%. Of particular interest, ECP/RNase 3's cationicity is based on an (over)abundance of arginine residues, whereas RNase 7 includes an excess of lysine. This difference, in conjunction with the independent origins and different expression patterns, suggests that RNase 7 and ECP/RNase 3 may have been recruited to target different pathogens in vivo, if their physiological functions are indeed host defenses.
Role of biomarkers and endophenotypes in prevention and treatment of psychopathological disorders

The term biomarker is used in numerous scientific disciplines. Accordingly, several different types of biomarkers exist, ranging from biosignatures in geology to surrogate endpoints in medicine. Although any of these types of biomarkers could provide for an interesting discussion, in this editorial I focus on biomarkers as endogenous, measurable characteristics that mark either risk for or manifestation of psychiatric illness. For example, recent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) studies indicate that choline concentrations in the cingulate cortex correlate positively with depression ratings among patients with bipolar disorder compared with controls1. Thus, choline levels in the cingulate appear to be a state dependent biomarker of the depressive phase of bipolar illness. This state dependence suggests that choline concentrations in the cingulate may serve as an objective biomarker of treatment response.
Noninfectious X4 but Not R5 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Virions Inhibit Humoral Immune Responses in Human Lymphoid Tissue Ex Vivo

Ex vivo human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of human lymphoid tissue recapitulates some aspects of in vivo HIV-1 infection, including a severe depletion of CD4(+) T cells and suppression of humoral immune responses to recall antigens or to polyclonal stimuli. These effects are induced by infection with X4 HIV-1 variants, whereas infection with R5 variants results in only mild depletion of CD4(+) T cells and no suppression of immune responses. To study the mechanisms of suppression of immune responses in this ex vivo system, we used aldrithiol-2 (AT-2)-inactivated virions that have functional envelope glycoproteins but are not infectious and do not deplete CD4(+) T cells in human lymphoid tissues ex vivo. Nevertheless, AT-2-inactivated X4 (but not R5) HIV-1 virions, even with only a brief exposure, inhibit antibody responses in human lymphoid tissue ex vivo, similarly to infectious virus. This phenomenon is mediated by soluble immunosuppressive factor(s) secreted by tissue exposed to virus.
Collection Assessment through WorldCat

This study, an analysis of the foreign approval plans for Romance languages at the University of Alabama Libraries, investigates the use of WorldCat as an assessment tool. The technique employs the capability in WorldCat to limit to a specific library collection and thereby to compare and contrast library collections. The analysis provides results that reveal relative strengths and weaknesses within the collections. The WorldCat default ranking by library holdings provides title lists for future collection development. In establishing comparisons among collections and highlighting missing titles, the technique uses basic WorldCat to mimic some of the features of OCLC's Worldcat Collection Analysis, a subscription product derived from the WorldCat database.
Magnetic Properties of Heterostructured Co–Au Nanoparticles Direct-Synthesized From Gas Phase

Heterostructured Co-Au nanoparticles are direct synthesized from gas phase. Magnetic properties of Co-Au nanoparticles are characterized. Low-temperature and room-temperature hysteresis loops show that the magnetic properties of Co are kept in Co-Au nanoparticles. A blocking temperature of 290 K is measured for Co-Au particles with an average size of 12 nm. A field-cooled low-temperature hysteresis loop of Co-Au nanoparticles indicates the existence of oxide, even the particles have a core-shell-like structure
Newborns of obese parents have altered DNA methylation patterns at imprinted genes.

Several epidemiologic studies have demonstrated associations between periconceptional environmental exposures and health status of the offspring in later life. Although these environmentally related effects have been attributed to epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation shifts at imprinted genes, little is known about the potential effects of maternal and paternal preconceptional overnutrition or obesity. We examined parental preconceptional obesity in relation to DNA methylation profiles at multiple human imprinted genes important in normal growth and development, such as: maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3), mesoderm-specific transcript (MEST), paternally expressed gene 3 (PEG3), pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like 1 (PLAGL1), epsilon sarcoglycan and paternally expressed gene 10 (SGCE/PEG10) and neuronatin (NNAT). We measured methylation percentages at the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) by bisulfite pyrosequencing in DNA extracted from umbilical cord blood leukocytes of 92 newborns. Preconceptional obesity, defined as BMI ⩾30 kg m−2, was ascertained through standardized questionnaires. After adjusting for potential confounders and cluster effects, paternal obesity was significantly associated with lower methylation levels at the MEST (β=−2.57; s.e.=0.95; P=0.008), PEG3 (β=−1.71; s.e.=0.61; P=0.005) and NNAT (β=−3.59; s.e.=1.76; P=0.04) DMRs. Changes related to maternal obesity detected at other loci were as follows: β-coefficient was +2.58 (s.e.=1.00; P=0.01) at the PLAGL1 DMR and −3.42 (s.e.=1.69; P=0.04) at the MEG3 DMR. We found altered methylation outcomes at multiple imprint regulatory regions in children born to obese parents, compared with children born to non-obese parents. In spite of the small sample size, our data suggest a preconceptional influence of parental life-style or overnutrition on the (re)programming of imprint marks during gametogenesis and early development. More specifically, the significant and independent association between paternal obesity and the offspring’s methylation status suggests the susceptibility of the developing sperm for environmental insults. The acquired imprint instability may be carried onto the next generation and increase the risk for chronic diseases in adulthood.
Structure/formula informatics of isomeric sets of fluoranthenoid/fluorenoid and indacenoid hydrocarbons

The systematics of fluoranthenoid/fluorenoid and indacenoid hydrocarbons is studied. Successive circumscribing a set of isomeric structures that result in a constant number of isomers at each circumscribing step gives what is called a constant-isomer series. Constant-isomer series have a repetitive isomer number pattern in which those series with the same isomer number have a one-to-one matching in topology among their membership. The general formulas of the matching constant-isomer sets of indacenoids are reproduced by \({{\rm C}_{{{4p}^{2}}{+1}}{\rm H}_{4p+1}}\) and \({{\rm C}_{{{4p}^{2}}{+4p+3}}{\rm H}_{4p+3}}\), respectively, by successively inputting p = 1, 2, 3, . . ., and the general formula for the unique indacenoid constant-isomers is reproduced by \({{\rm C}_{{p^{2}}{+3p+4}}{\rm H}_{2p+4}}\). Similar general formulas for the fluoranthenoid/fluorenoid hydrocarbon constant-isomer series are also presented.
Glucocorticoid inhibition of Na-SO4 transport by chick renal brush-border membranes.

To examine the effect of glucocorticoids on sulfate transport by the chick (domestic Gallus gallus) renal tubule we dosed 3-wk-old animals with 60 micrograms dexamethasone/100 g body wt at 24 and 6 h before isolation of renal brush-border (BBM) and basolateral membranes (BLM). Dexamethasone treatment significantly reduced Na-dependent sulfate transport by BBM and had no effect in paired membranes on bicarbonate, proton, or electrical gradient-driven sulfate transport. The glucocorticoid treatment had no statistically significant effect on HCO3-SO4 exchange in the BLM. Kinetic analysis of the dexamethasone effect on the Na-SO4 transport process showed that apparent Vmax was significantly decreased to almost one-half that seen in controls (from 676 to 348 pmol.mg protein-1.5 s-1). The Km in control BBM was 0.40 +/- 0.095 mM and was not significantly different in dexamethasone-treated membranes (0.53 +/- 0.094 mM). To determine whether the dexamethasone-induced decrease in Na-SO4 transport by BBM was indirectly caused by stimulation of Na-H exchange and more rapid dissipation of the initial Na gradient used to drive sulfate uptake, we examined the effect of 0.1 mM amiloride on Na-SO4 uptake by BBM. With amiloride present, dexamethasone treatment caused Vmax to significantly drop from 1,102 to 660 pmol.mg protein-1.5 s-1. Amiloride had no statistically significant effect on the Km. The extent to which amiloride increased Na-SO4 transport and blocked 22Na uptake by BBM did not appear to be related to hormone treatment. The data indicate that glucocorticoids may participate in the regulation of sulfate excretion.
The Increasing Role of Empirical Research in Corporate Law Scholarship: A Review of Mark Roe, The Political Determinants of Corporate Governance: Political Context, Corporate Impact

This is a review of Professor Mark Roe's book, The Political Determinants of Corporate Governance. It seeks to accomplish two goals. First, in Part I, it summarizes the theoretical arguments made in Political Determinants and critiques the empirical support marshaled by Professor Roe in support of them. Then, in Part II, it develops an alternative model that could be used to test jointly Professor Roe's and LLSV's theory about the determinants of corporate governance. Finally, it offers a few concluding remarks about the future of empirical legal scholarship.
Thalamic and Cortical Contributions to Neural Plasticity After Limb Amputation

Little is known about the substrates for the large-scale shifts in the cortical representation produced by limb amputation. Subcortical changes likely contribute to the cortical remodeling, yet there is little data regarding the extent and pattern of reorganization in thalamus after such a massive deafferentation. Moreover, the relationship between changes in thalamus and in cortex after injuries of this nature is virtually unexplored. Multiunit microelectrode maps were made in the somatosensory thalamus and cortex of two monkeys that had long-standing, accidental forelimb amputations. In the deprived portion of the ventroposterior nucleus of the thalamus (VP), where stimulation to the hand would normally activate neurons, new receptive fields had emerged. At some recording sites within the deprived zone of VP, neurons responded to stimulation of the remaining stump of the arm and at other sites neurons responded to stimulation of both the stump and the face. This same overall pattern of reorganization was present in the deprived hand representation of cortical area 3b. Thus thalamic changes produced by limb amputation appear to be an important substrate of cortical reorganization. However, a decrease in the frequency of abnormal stump/face fields in area 3b compared with VP and a reduction in the size of the fields suggests that cortical mechanisms of plasticity may refine the information relayed from thalamus.
EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF TICAGRELOR FOR LONG-TERM SECONDARY PREVENTION OF ATHEROTHROMBOTIC EVENTS IN PATIENTS WITH PRIOR MI AND MULTIVESSEL CORONARY DISEASE: INSIGHTS FROM THE PEGASUS-TIMI 54 TRIAL

Patients with multi-vessel coronary disease (MVD) have heightened ischemic risk, particularly coronary risk, and may derive particular benefit from long-term ticagrelor. Pts with MI 1-3 years prior from PEGASUS-TIMI 54 were stratified by MVD and analzyed for the primary efficacy endpoint (PEP; CV