cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heat Shock Protein 70 Suppresses Astroglial-inducible Nitric-oxide Synthase Expression by Decreasing NFκB Activation *

In brain glial cells, expression of calcium independent nitric-oxide synthase (NOS-2) is induced following stimulation with bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) and/or pro-inflammatory cytokines. We have investigated the effects of heat shock (HS), which can reduce inflammatory responses in several cell types, on the induction of glial NOS-2 expression. Preincubation of cells for 20-60 min at 43°C decreased subsequent levels of NOS-2 induction, with a maximal 80% reduction after 60 min of HS. Following HS, cells were refractory to NOS inducers for up to 4 h, after which time little or no suppression was observed. HS reduced cytosolic NOS-2 enzymatic activity (3-fold), steady state mRNA levels (2-3-fold), and gene promoter activity (by 50%). HS also reduced LPS-induced nuclear accumulation of transcription factor NFκB p65 subunit, suggesting perturbation of NFκB activation. A role for HS protein (HSP) 70 in NOS-2 suppression by HS is supported by the demonstration that 1) transfection with human HSP70 cDNA partially replicated HS effects; 2) antisense, but not sense, oligonucleotides directed against rat HSP70 partially blocked HS effects; and 3) rat fibroblasts stably expressing human HSP70 did not express NOS-2 in response to LPS plus cytokines. As with heat-shocked cells, HSP70-expressing cells also exhibited decreased NFκB p65 subunit nuclear accumulation. These results demonstrate that in glial cells, as well as other cell types, NOS-2 induction can be modulated by the HS response, mediated at least in part by HSP70 expression.
Brain angiotensin receptors and binding proteins

This review addresses classical and novel aspects of the brain angiotensin system. The brain contains both the AT1 and AT2 angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor subtypes which are well-characterized guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Like other GPCRs, novel signal transduction pathways and protein interactions are being described for Ang II receptors. For brain AT1 receptors, there is a controversy regarding the identity of the active angiotensin peptide in the brain which is addressed in this review. This review also summarizes a recent discovery of a novel, membrane-bound, non-AT1, non-AT2 binding site for angiotensin peptides that appears to be brain-specific. This binding site is unmasked by a limited concentration range of the organometallic sulfhydryl-reactive agent p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) suggesting that functional expression of this binding site may depend on the redox state of the milieu of the brain. While this binding site has similarities to a previously described soluble angiotensin-binding protein found in liver that is unmasked by PCMB, it has many different characteristics. The possible functional significance of this novel non-AT1, non-AT2 binding site for angiotensin peptides as a mediator of non-traditional actions of Ang II in the brain, e.g., stimulation of dopamine release from the striatum, as a peptidase, or as a clearance receptor, and the importance of the state of the internal environment of the brain to its function is reviewed.
The “overdue kid”: A face-to-face library service encounter as ritual interaction☆

Abstract Using the theoretical frameworks of Erving Goffman and Michael Lipsky, an example of school library staff and student interactions is examined, using functional discourse analysis to reveal how practice is produced as a clerical control routine which upholds institutional authority over users, rather than legitimate service work. The study, which consists of a single interaction between a middle school library clerk and a young adolescent with overdue books, is an example of what Goffman calls a “remedial interchange” in which the clerk, with the use of the library's computer, identifies the student's “offense” of keeping books overdue, despite repeated notices. Upon admission of the student's virtual transgression, the clerk provides an “offering” to hold his desired books until he returns the others, thus redressing the balance of the interaction while still retaining asymmetrical institutional control over the student.
The effect of immediate v delayed burn wound excision on pulmonary function

Pulmonary dysfunction has been reported as a complication of burn wound excision. It remains undetermined as to the degree of lung injury and whether this is caused by bacteria or by inflammatory mediators released during excision of the wound. We produced a 15% full thickness burn in 19 sheep and completely excised the would under general anesthesia immediately postburn or at days 4 and 5 or days 7 and 8. Pulmonary parameters measured were of dynamic lung compliance, C DYN PaO 2 /FiO 2 , pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa), and burn lymph, venous, and aortic TxB 2 . There was a transient increase in wound lymph and plasma TxB 2 during immediate excision, increasing from a preburn value of 200 and 220 ± 50 pg/mL, to 950 ± 210 and 800 ± 180 pg/mL, respectively. However, pulmonary parameters remained unchanged. Animals excised at four or five days (n = 7) demonstrated a transient (one- to two-hour) decrease in C DYN and an increase in Ppa, as well as an increase of TxB 2 in plasma and burn lymph. Two of seven demonstrated a more protracted decrease in compliance and gas exchange postexcision, corresponding with a more protracted increase in plasma TxB 2 . Animals excised at 7 to 8 days (n = 7) demonstrated a similar increase in TxB 2 in lymph and plasma and a similar transient lung dysfunction. Three of seven demonstrated more pronounced pulmonary changes. Four out of five sheep from both excision periods demonstrating more severe lung dysfunction and increased TxB 2 levels had wound quantitative cultures greater than 10 7 bacteria/g. However, four of nine sheep with only a transient lung response also had increased bacterial contents but only modest increases in TxB 2 . We conclude that the pulmonary changes seen with delayed burn excision are only modest in degree and are the result of wound mediator release, rather than the direct effect of wound bacterial content.
Normalizing democracy and human rights: discipline, resistance and carceralization in Croatia's Euro-Atlantic integration

This paper explores the mechanisms of governance put in place by international organizations in the process of the pacification and Europeanization of Croatia, and the local administrations' strategies of resistance. In Croatia, international organizations enacted processes of subjectification organized around idioms of democracy and human rights, and deployed disciplinary and governmental methods for monitoring, transforming and steering the state's behaviour. These practices also inscribed spaces of resistance that have been used by different local governmental constituencies to accommodate, contest or hijack international agendas. This paper provides insights on how international regimes of practices in the post- Cold War era operate through isomorphic but decentralized normalizing processes. In doing so, it traces out the interaction between these regimes and local actors. Relying on governmentality theories, this paper also provides empirical support for conceptualizations of power as the structure of human interactions, and of resistance as strategic transformative action. Critiques of governmentality, inspired by Agamben, conceptualized power as domination, and resistance as total rejection of its inscriptions. The case of Croatia shows that international normalizing regimes of practices do not produce totalizing effects of domination, but regimes of carceralization that are always met with resistance. International regimes elicit the proliferation and intensification of mechanisms for monitoring, assessing and steering behaviour. However, the effect of these regimes is not the obliteration of political life. Instead, normalization opens spaces for continuously renovated modalities of resistance. Finally, this paper questions romanticized representations of ‘resistance’ as a path to ‘liberation’. The political effects of power and resistance are ambiguous, and need to be explored in their contingent interactions.
MAPs and POEP of the roads from prokaryotic to eukaryotic kingdoms

Methionine aminopeptidases (MAPs) play important roles in protein processing. MAPs from various organisms, for example E. coli, S. typhimurium, P. furiosus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and porcine have been purified to homogeneity and their MAP activities have been tested in vitro and in vivo. The DNA sequence analyses of MAP genes from the above organisms reveal sequence homologies with other prokaryotic MAPs as well as with various eukaryotic homologues of rat p67. The cellular glycoprotein, p67 protects the alpha-subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2) from phosphorylation by its kinases. We call this POEP (protection of eIF2alpha phosphorylation) activity of p67. The POEP activity of p67 is observed in different stress-related situations such as during heme-deficiency of reticulocytes, serum starvation and heat-shock of mammalian cells, vaccinia virus infection of mammalian cells, baculovirus infection of insect cells, mitosis, apoptosis, and possibly during normal cell growth. The POEP activity of p67 is regulated by an enzyme, called p67-deglycosylase (p67-DG). When active, p67-DG inactivates p67 by removing its carbohydrate moieties. Remarkable amino acid sequence similarities at the C-terminus of rat p67 with its eukaryotic and prokaryotic homologues which have MAP activities, raise several important questions: i) does rat p67 have MAP activity?; and ii) if it does have MAP activity, how the two activities (POEP and MAP) of p67 are used by mammalian cells during their growth and differentiation. In this review, discussions have been made to evaluate both POEP and MAP activities of p67 and their possible involvement during normal growth and cancerous growth of mammalian cells.
Generalized Response Surface Model Updating Using Time Domain Data

AbstractIn finite-element (FE) model updating using response surface (RS) models as surrogate, the procedure of finding an appropriate design to build the RS models requires a number of trial-and-error approaches with different designs and subset models. To address this issue, a procedure is proposed in this paper to design and fit proper RS models in FE model updating problems. Also, formulation of the problem in an iterative format in time domain is proposed to extract more information from measured signals and compensate for the error present in the regressed models. This procedure is applicable to both linear and nonlinear models under static or dynamic analysis. The proposed methodology is applied to a numerical case study of a steel frame with global nonlinearity. Appropriate design and model order are successfully established and optimization in time performs well in all the simulated scenarios. Finally, the performance of this method in presence of measurement noise is compared with a method based...
Melt spun microporous fibers using poly(lactic acid) and sulfonated copolyester blends for tissue engineering applications

Microporous fibers can potentially increase diffusional properties of three-dimensional nonwoven scaffolds used for tissue engineering applications. We have investigated the use of a water-dispersible copolyester, sulfonated copolyester (SP), to create micropores in composite fibers containing a blend of SP and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) at 1, 3, 5, and 10% SP content. PLA and SP were blended at 175°C in a microcompounder followed by extrusion of composite fibers and removal of SP from composite fibers by using hydrodispersion to form micropores in the composite fibers. Differential scanning calorimetric studies on unhydrolysed composite fibers showed that SP was partially miscible in PLA. Fourier transform infrared mapping of composite fiber cross sections revealed that SP was randomly dispersed throughout the cross section where the degree of dispersion depended on the SP content. As revealed by the scanning electron micrographs, the size of the micropores was dependent on the SP content. Micropores on fiber cross sections were observed in fibers above 3% SP indicating that at least 3% SP content is needed to produce droplet morphology of SP in these fibers. These results show that SP can be successfully used in a blend with PLA to produce microporous fibers to fabricate three-dimensional nonwoven scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
The effects of practical vascular blood flow restriction training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy

Background Practical blood flow restriction training is a novel training method that has the potential to increase muscular hypertrophy and muscular strength while allowing individuals to train with lighter loads (20-30% of 1-RM). Through the use of elastic knee wraps, the limbs can be restricted using a perceived pressure scale. The comparison of practical blood flow resistance training with traditional, nonoccluded resistance training and its effects on muscle hypertrophy has yet to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of practical vascular blood flow restriction training vs. traditional resistance training (non-blood flow restricted) on skeletal muscle cross sectional area during a 4-week period in trained, college-age males. Methods
Gradient estimates for singular fully nonlinear elliptic equations

Abstract We study a class of singular fully nonlinear elliptic equations under suitable natural conditions, with the model equation being Δ u + b ( γ ⋅ D u ) / d − u + c | D u | 2 = f for Lipschitz functions b > 0 , c and f , where d denotes distance to the boundary of the domain and γ is a suitable extension of the interior unit normal. We show that such equations have a unique, globally C 1 solution (without any a priori prescription of boundary data).
RAPSearch: a fast protein similarity search tool for short reads

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) is producing enormous corpuses of short DNA reads, affecting emerging fields like metagenomics. Protein similarity search--a key step to achieve annotation of protein-coding genes in these short reads, and identification of their biological functions--faces daunting challenges because of the very sizes of the short read datasets. We developed a fast protein similarity search tool RAPSearch that utilizes a reduced amino acid alphabet and suffix array to detect seeds of flexible length. For short reads (translated in 6 frames) we tested, RAPSearch achieved ~20-90 times speedup as compared to BLASTX. RAPSearch missed only a small fraction (~1.3-3.2%) of BLASTX similarity hits, but it also discovered additional homologous proteins (~0.3-2.1%) that BLASTX missed. By contrast, BLAT, a tool that is even slightly faster than RAPSearch, had significant loss of sensitivity as compared to RAPSearch and BLAST. RAPSearch is implemented as open-source software and is accessible at http://omics.informatics.indiana.edu/mg/RAPSearch . It enables faster protein similarity search. The application of RAPSearch in metageomics has also been demonstrated.
Evidence for a Three-Pion Resonance Near 550 Mev,

Abstract : DESCRIPTORS: (*B s, *S et , *Cr ep, *Buckling, Equation of state S ability, Elasticity, T eory.) (Aluminum alloy , Tests.) A creep buckling t eory is developed based upon fundamental concepts of a mechanical equation of state to repr s n the tim depen e t b havior at instability of columns and also a time dep ndent for ul tion of the gov rning differ ntial equation and stability criterion. T e predictions of this theory as well as those of other classical stability hypotheses are t e cor related with rece experimental data of creep buckling of 2024-0 Al alloy columns. A simplified approach for prediction of creep buckling is also pres nted nd this is correlated with test data on columns of v rious Al alloys, T I ALLOYS, A D !+-+PH stainless steel Conclusions are drawn as to the predictive value of classical stability approaches and to certain important difficulties in correlating t e d ta which are related to the short time failure behavior of columns at elevated temper tures nd which seem to have been overlooked in the past. (Author)
Differing Evaluations of Vietnamization

Research on wartime behavior has grown substantially in recent years, analyzing domestic politics and war, battlefield effectiveness, war duration and expansion, and strategic choices. Critical to many of these studies is the notion that leaders evaluate the possible ramifications of policies and act on their assessments. Applying this type of analytical approach to the controversial Vietnam War decision of Vietnamization has important implications both for our understanding of this particular war and war in general.1 President Nixon's administration initiated Vietnamization in I969 to alter how the war was fought in order to decrease us losses and shift the burden of fighting to the South Vietnamese. Although Vietnamization clearly led to the withdrawal of us troops, and a subsequent decrease in us casualties, there is no systematic analysis of the effectiveness of Vietnamization in obtaining two other military objectives that the Nixon administra-
Manual and Semiautomated Wind Direction Editing for Use in the Generation of Synthetic Aperture Radar Wind Speed Imagery

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated that satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can be used as an accurate scatterometer, yielding wind speed fields with subkilometer resolution. This wind speed generation is only possible, however, if a corresponding accurate wind direction field is available. The potential sources of this wind direction information include satellite scatterometers, numerical weather prediction models, and SAR itself through analysis of the spatial patterns caused by boundary layer wind structures. Each of these wind direction sources has shortcomings that can lead to wind speed errors in the SAR-derived field. Manual and semiautomated methods are presented for identifying and correcting numerical weather prediction model wind direction errors. The utility of this approach is demonstrated for a set of cases in which the first-guess wind direction data did not adequately portray the features seen in the SAR imagery. These situations include poorly resolved mesoscale phenomena an...
Reversible Photoswitching of Spiropyran-Conjugated Semiconducting Polymer Dots

Semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) recently have emerged as a new class of ultrabright fluorescent probes with promising applications in biological detection and imaging. We developed photoswitchable Pdots by conjugating photochromic spiropyran molecules onto poly[9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-1,4-benzo-{2,1′-3}-thiadiazole)] (PFBT). The modulation of fluorescence was achieved by ultraviolet irradiation, which converted spiropyran into its visible-absorbing merocyanine form. The merocyanine efficiently quenched the fluorescence of PFBT via Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET). We then reversed the quenching by subsequent irradiation with visible light to get back the fluorescence of PFBT. This FRET-based photomodulation of Pdot fluorescence could be repeated multiple times. We next conjugated biomolecules onto the surface of these photoswitchable Pdots and demonstrated their specific cellular and subcellular labeling to different types of cells without any noticeable nonspecific binding. We antic...
Lysophosphatidic Acid Enhances Pulmonary Epithelial Barrier Integrity and Protects Endotoxin-induced Epithelial Barrier Disruption and Lung Injury

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a bioactive phospholipid, induces a wide range of cellular effects, including gene expression, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and cell survival. We have previously shown that LPA stimulates secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in bronchial epithelial cells. This study provides evidence that LPA enhances pulmonary epithelial barrier integrity through protein kinase C (PKC) delta- and zeta-mediated E-cadherin accumulation at cell-cell junctions. Treatment of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEpCs) with LPA increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) by approximately 2.0-fold and enhanced accumulation of E-cadherin to the cell-cell junctions through Galpha(i)-coupled LPA receptors. Knockdown of E-cadherin with E-cadherin small interfering RNA or pretreatment with EGTA (0.1 mm) prior to LPA (1 microm) treatment attenuated LPA-induced increases in TER in HBEpCs. Furthermore, LPA induced tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and overexpression of the FAK inhibitor, and FAK-related non-kinase-attenuated LPA induced increases in TER and E-cadherin accumulation at cell-cell junctions. Overexpression of dominant negative protein kinase delta and zeta attenuated LPA-induced phosphorylation of FAK, accumulation of E-cadherin at cell-cell junctions, and an increase in TER. Additionally, lipopolysaccharide decreased TER and induced E-cadherin relocalization from cell-cell junctions to cytoplasm in a dose-dependent fashion, which was restored by LPA post-treatment in HBEpCs. Intratracheal post-treatment with LPA (5 microm) reduced LPS-induced neutrophil influx, protein leak, and E-cadherin shedding in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids in a murine model of acute lung injury. These data suggest a protective role of LPA in airway inflammation and remodeling.
Subcutaneous thigh fat assessment: a comparison of skinfold calipers and ultrasound imaging

Abstract Context: Skinfold calipers (SC) typically are used to determine subcutaneous fat thicknesses. Identifying the exact separation of muscle and fat can complicate measurements. Ultrasound ima...
New Data on Sepiolite and Attapulgite1

Hydrothermal studies have failed to yield synthetic attapulgite or sepiolites in the system MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O. However, the natural minerals can be decomposed to yield mont-morillonoids by mild hydrothermal treatment as low as 200°C and probably as low as 100°C. These data indicate that they are metastable and probably could not have formed at these temperatures. Dry dehydration at 400° and 750°C gave no evidence for the presence of “zeolitic water” in these minerals and failed to establish the existence of “anhydride” phases. The field study of relationships in one sepiolite locality suggests the importance of structural control in the formation of these minerals.
Micro Cold Spray printed top metallization layer for solar cells

Our group has recently developed a non-contact direct-write print tool suitable for the top metallization layer on solar cells. This tool, termed Micro Cold Spray (MCS) allows for the direct deposition of metal powders onto a substrate forming a near-bulk property feature without post-processing. The development of this tool was facilitated by our experience with aerosol micro focusing in systems such as Aerosol Jet and Collimated Aerosol Beam Direct-Write (CAB-DW). In this paper we will present our results of MCS printed silver and copper traces on silicon solar cells, including bulk resistance, contact resistance, minimum feature widths, and optical properties.
Monsoonal Interactions Leading to Sudden Tropical Cyclone Track Changes

Abstract Sudden poleward track changes of tropical cyclones embedded in monsoon gyres in the western North Pacific are documented. During these track changes, which are generally not well forecast, the cyclones are often accompanied by a separate comma-shaped area of gale-force winds and deep convection along the eastern periphery. This monsoon surge is distinct from the tropical cyclone. Synoptic analyses often reveal a building anticyclone to the east or southeast of the monsoon gyre. The hypothesis that the sudden track change is initiated by a binary interaction of the tropical cyclone and monsoon gyre is tested with a nondivergent barotropic model. Tropical cyclone-scale vortices with initial positions within the eastern semicircle of a larger monsoon gyre-scale vortex initially coalesce with the monsoon gyre and then exhibit sudden poleward track changes that are similar to the observations. During the coalescence phase, the large and relatively weak monsoon gyre undergoes a β-induced dispersion in ...
Drosophila katanin-60 depolymerizes and severs at microtubule defects

Microtubule (MT) length and location is tightly controlled in cells. One novel family of MT-associated proteins that regulates MT dynamics is the MT-severing enzymes. In this work, we investigate how katanin (p60), believed to be the first discovered severing enzyme, binds and severs MTs via single molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We find that severing activity depends on katanin concentration. We also find that katanin can remove tubulin dimers from the ends of MTs, appearing to depolymerize MTs. Strikingly, katanin localizes and severs at the interface of GMPCPP-tubulin and GDP-tubulin suggesting that it targets to protofilament-shift defects. Finally, we observe that binding duration, mobility, and oligomerization are ATP dependent.
Neuregulin-1 Enhances Motility and Migration of Human Astrocytic Glioma Cells

Gliomas are the most frequently diagnosed adult primary brain malignancy. These tumors have a tendency to invade diffusely into the surrounding healthy brain tissue, thereby precluding their successful surgical removal. In this report, we examine the potential for the neuregulin-1/erbB receptor signaling network to contribute to this process by modulating glioma cell motility. Neuregulin-1 is expressed throughout the immature and adult central nervous system and has been demonstrated to influence the migration of a variety of cell types in the developing brain. In addition, erbB2, an integral member of the heterodimeric neuregulin-1 receptor, has been shown to be overexpressed in human glioma biopsies. Using antibodies specific for erbB2 and erbB3, we show that these receptors localize preferentially in regions of the plasma membrane which are involved in facilitating cellular movement. Here, erbB2 colocalizes and coimmunoprecipitates with members of the focal complex including β1-integrin and focal adhesion kinase. Further, erbB receptor activation by neuregulin-1 enhances cell motility in two-dimensional scratch motility assays and stimulates cell invasion in three-dimensional Transwell migration assays. These effects of neuregulin-1 appear to involve the activation of focal adhesion kinase, which occurs downstream from erbB2 receptor stimulation. Taken together these data suggest that neuregulin-1 plays an important modulatory role in glioma cell invasion.
Energy Levels of the First Spectrum of Europium (Eu i)

A theoretical analysis of the Eu i spectrum has been attempted with the use of available experimental data. Energy matrices including both electrostatic and spin–orbit interactions were constructed and, wherever possible, Slater parameters giving a best fit to the observed levels have been derived. The positions reported for terms below about 40 000 cm−1 arising from the addition of two electrons to the 8S7/2 ground state of the 4f7 core are critically examined. The analysis confirms the identifications previously given to terms below 32 000 cm−1 but reveals a number of discrepancies in the assignments of levels to higher terms. Tables of observed and computed wavenumbers, eigenvectors, and theoretical gJ values are presented for the configurations 4f7(8S)6s6p, 4f7(8S)6s5d, and 4f7(8S)5d6p. The configurations 4f7(8S)6s7s, 4f7(8S)6s8s, 4f7(8S)6s7p, 4f7(8S)6s5f, 4f7(8S)5d2, and 4f7(8S)6s6d are also discussed, together with the likely influence of configuration interaction. The analysis indicates the need for further experimental work before an understanding of these latter configurations can be achieved.
Adenovirus-mediated gene therapy of osteoblasts in vitro and in vivo.

Modulation of biological pathways governing osteogenesis may accelerate osseous regeneration and reduce the incidence of complications associated with fracture healing. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a potent growth factor implicated in the regulation of osteogenesis and fracture repair. The use of recombinant proteins, however, has significant disadvantages and has limited the clinical utility of these molecules. Targeted gene therapy using adenovirus vectors is a technique that may circumvent difficulties associated with growth factor delivery. In this study, we investigate the efficacy of replication-deficient adenoviruses containing the human TGF-β1 and the bacterial lacZ genes in transfecting osteoblasts in vitro and osseous tissues in vivo. We demonstrate that adenovirus-mediated gene therapy efficiently transfects osteoblasts in vitro with the TGF-β1 virus causing a marked up-regulation in TGF-β1 mRNA expression even 7 days after transfection. Increased TGF-β1 mRNA expression was efficiently translated into protein production and resulted in approximately a 46-fold increase in TGF-β1 synthesis as compared with control cells (vehicle- or B-galactosidase–transfected). Moreover, virally produced TGF-β1 was functionally active and regulated the expression of collagen IαI (5-fold increase) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (2.5-fold increase). Using an adenovirus vector encoding the Escherichia coli LacZ gene, we demonstrated that adenovirus-mediated gene transfer efficiently transfects osteoblasts and osteocytes in vivo and that transfection can be performed by a simple percutaneous injection. Finally, we show that delivery of the hTGF-β1 gene to osseous tissues in vivo results in significant changes in the epiphyseal plate primarily as a result of increased thickness of the provisional calcification zone.
Maturation of locomotor and Fos responses to the NMDA antagonists, PCP and MK-801.

Abstract Antagonists at the N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor, such as phencyclidine (PCP) and dizocilpine (MK-801), are well-known to evoke increases in locomotor activity in adult rats and mice. However, little is known about the effects of NMDA antagonists on locomotor activity as a function of development. The present study examined locomotor responses to PCP or MK-801 in male rats of varying ages and found that prepubertal rats were more sensitive to the locomotor-elevating effects of PCP (1.5 mg/kg and 3.0 mg/kg, s.c.) than were adults. Locomotor responses to MK-801 (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg, s.c.) were not dependent on age. The age-dependent response to PCP may be related to developmental events in the motor cortex, since more Fos-immunoreactive neurons were observed in the motor cortex of prepubertal animals after PCP administration relative to adult animals. An opposite pattern of age-dependent Fos responses was observed in the posterior retrosplenial cortex. The results suggest that locomotor responses to NMDA antagonists can be influenced in an age- and drug-dependent manner and that maturational events in the motor cortex may modify responses to PCP.
Numerical modeling of the electrical breakdown and discharge properties of laser-generated plasma channels.

An extensive nonequilibrium steady-state kinetics model incorporating collisional and radiative processes is developed to study the electrical breakdown and discharge maintenance of laser-induced atmospheric plasma channels formed in externally applied electric fields. The model is based upon a self-consistent numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation for the electron energy distribution function coupled with the electron energy balance equation and the population balance equations for electrons and air species. Using the electron energy distribution function, the ionization and electron attachment rates as a function of the reduced applied electric field at different degrees of ionization are calculated. We find that the ionization rate as a function of applied electric field in a laser-induced plasma channel is orders of magnitude larger than that obtained for a natural atmospheric air discharge. Therefore, the electrical breakdown of these plasma channels may occur at significantly lower applied electric fields. The present model predicts a breakdown electric field of $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kV}∕\mathrm{cm}$, while the experimentally determined breakdown field strength is $\ensuremath{\sim}5.7\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kV}∕\mathrm{cm}$ [A. P. Baronavski et al., NRL Memorandum Report No. NRL/MR/6110--02-8642, 2002 (unpublished)], a reduction of about a factor of 5 from the natural Paschen electrical breakdown field of $\ensuremath{\sim}30\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kV}∕\mathrm{cm}$.
Spontaneous mutation at the mtr locus of neurospora : the spectrum of mutant types

We have isolated 135 strains of Neurospora which have mutations at the mtr locus resulting from independent spontaneous events. mtr is the structural gene for the neutral amino acid permease. The mutants have been characterized by their reversion behavior (both spontaneous and induced) and by hybridization studies of restriction digests of their DNA. About half of the mutants (54%) appear to result from single base-pair substitutions. Thirty-four percent have deletions, including some which extend into neighboring genes. Most of the remaining mutants have insertions. Several of the insertions are tandem duplications of 400-1000 bp and these mutants are unstable, reverting to mtr+ with a high frequency. When tandem-duplication mutants go through a cross, they are modified: the mutant progeny are fully stable. This modification is probably due to RIP (repeat-induced point mutation). This process has an important bearing on the comparison of germinal to somatic mutation.
Life Inside the Hive: Creating a Space for Literacy to Grow.

This piece describes how a 5th grade language arts teacher employed technology to create and sustain a metaphorical, virtual, and physical figured world in her class by means of a web site called “The Hive Society.” This world positioned students as intellectuals and scholars, and explored how Ms. Smith integrated 21st Century technological tools into a vibrant literacy classroom. Excerpts from the web site, photographs of class and school events, and thick descriptions of teaching and learning in the Hive are included as well.
A Novel Method for the Isolation and Quantitative Analysis of Nicotine and Cotinine in Biological Fluids

A rapid quantitative method has been developed for the estimation of nicotine and cotlnlne In blood and urine. Isolatlon Is accomplished by adsorption of the alkaloids on AmberIlte XAO-2 resin and subsequent elutlon with chloroform/ methanol. No solvent extraction or further purlllcatlon is required. The final determination Is made by high performanee liquid chromatography using UV detection. Absolute recovery of nicotine was at least 80% in all samples. The accuracy of the method Is estimated to be  5% on standard addition measurements. Detection limits of 2 ng/ml urine may be routinely obtained.
Alkalinization of mepivacaine does not alter onset of caudal anesthesia.

Abstract Study Objective: To determine the effect of alkalinization of mepivacaine on onset of caudal anesthesia. Design: Randomized, blind study. Setting : Colon-Rectal Surgery Service of the Tertiary Center at Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Patients: Young, healthy adults undergoing anal surgery. Interventions : Addition of bicarbonate (study group) or saline (control group) to mepivacaine. Measurements and Main Results: At the onset of sacral anesthesia, demographics were measured. A slightly faster onset was found in the study group (4.28 vs. 6.08 minutes), but this was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Alkalinization of mepivacaine does not significantly accelerate the onset of caudal anesthesia.
Changes in Prostate Cancer Grade on Serial Biopsy in Men Undergoing Active Surveillance

Purpose Active surveillance is now considered a viable treatment option for men with low-risk prostate cancer. However, little is known regarding changes in Gleason grade on serial biopsies over an extended period of time. Patients and Methods Men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1998 and 2009 who elected active surveillance as initial treatment, with 6 or more months of follow-up and a minimum of six cores at biopsy, were included in analysis. Upgrading and downgrading were defined as an increase or decrease in primary or secondary Gleason score. Means and frequency tables were used to describe patient characteristics, and treatment-free survival rates were determined by life-table product limit estimates. Results Three hundred seventy-seven men met inclusion criteria. Mean age at diagnosis was 61.9 years. Fifty-three percent of men had prostate-specific antigen of 6 ng/mL or less, and 94% had Gleason score of 6 or less. A majority of men were cT1 (62%), had less than 33% of biopsy cores involved (80%), and were low risk (77%) at diagnosis. Median number of cores taken at diagnostic biopsy was 13, mean time to follow-up was 18.5 months, and 29% of men had three or more repeat biopsies. Overall, 34% (129 men) were found to have an increase in Gleason grade. The majority of men who experienced an upgrade (81%) did so by their second repeat biopsy. Conclusion A proportion of men experience an upgrade in Gleason score while undergoing active surveillance. Men who experience early upgrading likely represent initial sampling error, whereas later upgrading may reflect tumor dedifferentiation. J Clin Oncol 29:2795-2800. © 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology
A Novel Polymer Microneedle Arrays and PDMS Micromolding Technique

This paper presents a novel method to fabricate polymeric hollow microneedles with sharp tips by a proprietary photolithography and molding process. This process can be employed to fabricate a multi-layer structure that consists of a microchannel layer, a supporting layer and many polymeric hollow out-of-plane microneedles on the supporting layer. The structure was fabricated monolithically, and won't be out of shape after high temperature/high pressure vapor test. It can be used for biomedical applications such as drug delivery, blood sensing and printing tip array. We also determine the microneedles for blood extraction by numerical simulation. Furthermore, this array of needles was coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to make an inverse mold.
Random Power Control in Poisson Networks

This paper studies power control strategies in interference-limited wireless networks with Poisson distributed nodes. We concentrate on two sets of strategies: single-node optimal power control (SNOPC) strategies and Nash equilibrium power control (NEPC) strategies. SNOPC strategies maximize the expected throughput of the power-controllable link given that all the other transmitters do not use power control. Under NEPC strategies, no individual node of the network can achieve a higher expected throughput by unilaterally deviating from these strategies. We show that under mean and peak power constraints at each transmitter, the SNOPC and NEPC strategies are ALOHA-type random on-off power control policies, whose transmit powers and transmit probabilities depend on the knowledge about the network at each transmitter. Moreover, the resulting NEPC strategies achieve a higher spatial average throughput of the network than constant power transmission. These results suggest that ALOHA can be viewed not only as a MAC scheme but also as a stable and efficient power control scheme.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of the Flow in an APCVD Applicator System

Application of Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (APCVD) to the production of coated glass is addressed in this study. Several layers of thin films are deposited on the surface of the glass as it moves underneath the APCVD applicator system at high temperature. A memory effect in the form of film thickness streaks, corresponding to the location of the inlet holes located upstream in the upper manifold feed channel, is evident on the glass. This nonuniform film across the glass causes a color variation of the coating. Effective mixing of the gas streams is required to treat the hole memory problem. However, a premature reaction is to be avoided. Optimum design parameters to correct this problem include the geometry of the applicator and the sensitivity of the flow field to boundary conditions is of major interest. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation and analysis package FIRE is used to predict the flow. The flow of gases involved is treated as that of a steady, viscous, incompressible fluid. Results for both two- and three-dimensional cases demonstrate that the deposition process can be improved by injecting the flow at an angle counter to the direction of glass motion, and that CFD techniques can be successfully used to predict the flow behavior of an APCVD applicator system and help optimize its design.
Human Capital: A Comparison of Rustbelt and Sunbelt Cities

Human capital studies in economic geography are dominated by themes associated with the following: (i) the creative class and (ii) skilled individuals' role in innovation spillovers. Both literatures highlight the efficacy of urban and regional agglomerations in creative and innovation activities through retention of the skilled and their knowledge production. They also favor large or Sunbelt cities while painting a dismal picture for smaller or uncool Rustbelt cities with significant implications for inter-urban inequality. In this paper, we compare the human capital level of Sunbelt and Rustbelt cities. We find that Rustbelt cities are experiencing a brain gain that reflects the relocation and retention of college-educated immigrants and natives in the region. Furthermore, skill ratios are higher in most Rustbelt than Sunbelt cities. We argue for a human capital narrative that is more spatially expansive, and that includes the effect of both skilled immigrants and natives on urban development.
Family and Asian Students' Educational Performance: A Consideration of Diversity

Although researchers have illustrated the fallacy of the model minority image affixed to Asian Americans (e.g., occupational attainment), few have investigated the specific variations that exist across Asian ethnic groups and how such differences may affect both personal and family outcomes. Using a sample of Asian American students from the 1992 wave of the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS), the authors examine variation in educational performance among students of Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Southeast Asian, and Japanese ethnicities. Overall, they find significant differences in educational performance across these five Asian American groups. Religion, use of a non-English language at home, levels of parental education, number of siblings, family income, and the availability of educational materials in the home differentiately affected student performance. The authors' contention that grouped analyses of Asian students may provide misleading results is validated in the comparison of the resu...
A new bifurcation analysis for power system dynamic voltage stability studies

The dynamic of a large class of power systems can be represented by parameter dependent differential-algebraic models of the form x/spl dot/ = f (x, y, p) and 0 = g(x, y, p). When the parameter p of the system (such as load of the system) changes, the stable equilibrium points may lose their dynamic stability at local bifurcation points. The systems will lose its stability at the feasibility boundary, which is caused by one of three different local bifurcations: the singularity induced bifurcation, saddle-node and Hopf bifurcation. In this paper, the dynamic voltage stability of a power system is introduced and analyzed. Both the reduced and unreduced Jacobian matrix of the system are studied and compared. It is shown that the unreduced Jacobian matrix, whose eigenstructure matches well with the reduced one; and thus can be used for bifurcation analysis. In addition, the analysis avoids the singularity induced infinity problem, which may happen at reduced Jacobian matrix analysis, and is more computationally attractive.
Mapping algorithms to the Amalgam programmable-reconfigurable processor

The Amalgam programmable-reconfigurable processor is designed to provide the computational power required by upcoming embedded applications without requiring the design of application-specific hardware. It integrates multiple programmable processors and blocks of reconfigurable logic onto a single chip, using a clustered architecture, similar to the one used on the M-Machine to reduce wire length and delay and allow implementation at high clock rates. The clustered architecture provides tremendous flexibility, allowing applications to exploit parallelism at whatever granularity is best-suited to the application, while the combination of reconfigurable logic and programmable processors delivers much higher performance than could be achieved through programmable processors alone. This abstract presents the results of our initial experiments in hand-mapping applications onto Amalgam. Five applications (IDCT, Rijndael encryption, nQueens, DNA sequence comparison, and image dithering) have been implemented, achieving speedups ranging from 8.7/spl times/ to 23.2/spl times/ over the performance of a single programmable cluster by using the complete resources of an Amalgam chip.
SPICi: a fast clustering algorithm for large biological networks

Motivation: Clustering algorithms play an important role in the analysis of biological networks, and can be used to uncover functional modules and obtain hints about cellular organization. While most available clustering algorithms work well on biological networks of moderate size, such as the yeast protein physical interaction network, they either fail or are too slow in practice for larger networks, such as functional networks for higher eukaryotes. Since an increasing number of larger biological networks are being determined, the limitations of current clustering approaches curtail the types of biological network analyses that can be performed. Results: We present a fast local network clustering algorithm SPICi. SPICi runs in time O(V log V + E) and space O(E), where V and E are the number of vertices and edges in the network, respectively. We evaluate SPICi’s performance on several existing protein interaction networks of varying size, and compare SPICi to nine previous approaches for clustering biological networks. We show that SPICi is typically several orders of magnitude faster than previous approaches and is the only one that can successfully cluster all test networks within very short time. We demonstrate that SPICi has state-of-the-art performance with respect to the quality of the clusters it uncovers, as judged by its ability to recapitulate protein complexes and functional modules. Finally, we demonstrate the power of our fast network clustering algorithm by applying SPICi across hundreds of large context-specific human networks, and identifying modules specific for single conditions. Availability: Source code is available under the GNU Public License at http://compbio.cs.princeton.edu/spici