cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 5328: Expansion of CD11b+CD33lowCD15highimmunosuppressive myeloid cell population in patients with bladder carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Recent studies highlighted the immunoregulatory role of CD11b myeloid cells in cancer-associated immune non-responsiveness. Increased presence of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) is one of the major factors responsible for immune suppression in tumor hosts. Here we describe the expanded CD11b myeloid cell subset in peripheral blood obtained from patients with bladder cancer. Based on expression of CD33 and CD15 myeloid cells markers, the circulating CD11b-positive cells in patients with bladder cancer could be subdivided into two major subpopulations: CD33lowCD15high and CD33highCD15low. First subpopulation (CD11b+CD33lowCD15high cells) has granulocyte-type morphology, express G-CSF receptor (CD114) and secrete elevated amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as G-CSF, MCP-1 MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta. Second major myeloid cell subset from cancer patients (CD11b+CD33high CD15lowcells) displays a monocyte-type cell morphology and co-express CD14, M-CSF receptor (CD115), CCR2 and HLA-DR. We show here that proportion of granulocytic CD33lowCD15high cells is highly elevated in cancer patients as compared to healthy individuals. Patients with bladder cancer but not healthy volunteers show weak T cell proliferative response after in vitro stimulation. We demonstrate that granulocyte-type CD33lowCD15high cell population is involved in T cell hyporesponsiveness, since specific depletion of this cell subset restored the T cell proliferation. Obtained results suggest that fraction of PBMC in patients with bladder cancer patients contains markedly elevated proportion of CD11b+CD33lowCD15high granulocyte-type myeloid cell population which contributes to cancer-associated inflammation and tumor-induced immune suppression. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5328.
Does east love guanxi more than west? The evolution of relation‐based governance: Contemporary and historical evidences∗

Relations, or informal social networks (also known as guanxi), are believed to be used predominantly by people in Asia to govern business transactions. Do Asians love relations more than their counterparts in the West? Using the theory of relation‐based and rule‐based governances, this paper argues that relying on relations in the East should not be viewed as predominantly determined by culture. The historical and contemporary evidences show that relation‐based governance existed in the West before an impartial legal system was established. In conclusion, the paper argues that the East does not love guanxi more than the West; it only reflects a different stage of political and economic development.
Construction and characterization of chemically joined stainless steel/E-glass composite sections

Abstract Silane-based chemistries on stainless steel substrates have been investigated to join them to E-glass composite sections for future shipbuilding applications. The joints were bonded using the Hysol EA9394 adhesive. The joints are characterized by measuring their fracture energies Gc using the double cantilever beam experiment. A chemistry has been uncovered that leads to a joint stronger than one of the substrates (composite). The effect of moisture preconditioning on the fracture energies of the joints was also evaluated. A silane layer chemistry was uncovered that controls the fracture path through the composite substrate in the multilayer joint assembly and thus improves the fracture durability by a factor of 6 over joints without any silane treatment.
Gonadotropin- and lipoprotein-supported progesterone production by primate luteal cell types in culture.

This study examined the ability of gonadotropin and lipoproteins to support progesterone (P) production during long-term culture of luteal cell types obtained from rhesus macaques at midluteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Mixed (unsorted) luteal cells and small and large cells sorted by flow cytometry were cultured with human IDL, acetylated (ac)LDL or high density lipoprotein (HDL) (0–100 μg protein/ml) with or without hCG (100 ng/ml). In mixed cells, daily P levels declined during culture, although treatment with hCG alone increased P levels on all days of culture. Treatment with LDL, acLDL or HDL alone had no effect on P levels. However, hCG + LDL sustained P levels through day 4 at or above day 1 control values. Treatment with hCG + acLDL also increased P production above that of hCG alone, but hCG + HDL only modestly enhanced P production (180%). Although hCG stimulated P production by freshly-harvested large, but not small, cells during acute (3h) incubation, both cell types responded to hCG with up to an eightfold increase in P production on days 1–4 of culture. P levels were essentially nondetectable in both sorted cell groups by day 4. Small cells did not respond to any of the three lipoprotein treatments; large cells responded to LDL or acLDL on day 1, but this response was not apparent later in culture. Treating small or large cells with hCG + lipoprotein was no different from hCG alone. Thus, (1) LDL, and to some extent modified LDL, supports gonadotropinstimulated steroidogenesis by mixed cell populations in the monkey corpus luteum; (2) the lack of LDL response by sorted cell types suggests that the culture conditions or absence of other cell types renders lipoprotein treatment ineffective; and (3) small luteal cells develop the cellular components necessary for gonadotropin-stimulated steroidogenesis within 24 h of culture.
Teachers' Beliefs and Practices within and across Domains.

Abstract This article explores the issue of domain generality of epistemological beliefs and world views of practicing teachers in the context of elementary school teaching. We describe ongoing research that examines beliefs held by teachers and their relationship to instructional practices. We examined the world views and beliefs of practicing teachers in the context of teaching elementary school science. We conclude that teachers endorse multiple world views, report teaching practices that are consistent and inconsistent with these world views, and report domain general teaching practices that extend to subject domains other than science, as well as domain specific teaching practices within the domain of science.
Some optical properties of intrinsic and doped UO2 thin films

Abstract Thin films of depleted uranium dioxide were made using the sol–gel approach. Films were deposited onto sapphire and MgO substrates that were 0.1 mm thick. Film thickness ranged from 1540 A to 2470 A. Intrinsic films were made as were films doped with aluminum, fluorine, phosphorus, nitrogen, and boron. Dopant concentrations ranged from 10 19 to 10 21 atoms/cc. Optical transmission data obtained on these samples revealed a range in bandgap from 2.0 to 2.5 eV identifying this as a wide bandgap semiconductor.
MicroCT Analysis of Symphyseal Ontogeny in Archaeolemur

Previous analyses of symphyseal fusion in the extinct Malagasy lemur Archaeolemur identified several functional characteristics of joint morphology that vary postnatally (Ravosa and Simons in American Journal of Physical Anthropology 95:63–76, 1994). To complement that study, we used an imaging technique (microCT) that provides novel data on ontogenetic and local variation in biomineralization along the mandibular symphysis before complete ossification among adult Archaeolemur. Our sample of unfused symphyses comprised juveniles from the 2 earliest postnatal dental ages examined previously. We imaged each specimen (ca.18 μm volume elements) with slices parallel to the coronal plane, i.e., orthogonal to the joint articular surface. In ≤5 labiolingually equidistant joint sites, we collected 40 contiguous slices (18-μm intervals). Each of the 5 joint sites is represented by 1 slice, with biomineralization values sampled at 5 equidistant points along the articular surface and at 3 external cortical bone points. Our analysis of Archaeolemur indicates the presence of ontogenetic increases in bone mineral density accompanying increases in joint size and the number and distribution of symphyseal rugosities. Such postnatal changes are particularly marked for the middle of the joint presumed to lie adjacent to a degrading fibrocartilage pad. In Archaeolemur, labial regions of the symphysis ossify earlier and are likewise more biomineralized. Ontogenetic increases in symphyseal biomineralization, overall size, and fusion are consistent with elevated masticatory stresses owing to the postweaning shift to adult-like feeding behaviors. However, the labiolingual pattern of fusion and biomineralization in Archaeolemur appears related more to constraints on synostosis owing to the lingually located vascular supply characteristic of mammalian symphyses.
Functional analysis of gas chromatographic data for C‐4 through C‐18:2 fatty acids

The problem of finding a functional relationship between concentration and output data from GC has been considered for a series of fatty acids (FA). The concentrations used are relative values, i.e., the actual concentration of a FA divided by that for an internal standard. The GC output used is relative peak areas, i.e., the integrated chromatogram area of the FA divided by that for the internal standard. Five functions have been investigated, each in reasonable accord with the concept of relative response factors being constant for a homologous series of compounds. We conclude that one of the five, Cj = aA j b , is clearly superior and recommend its use in agreement with a literature report for different compound types (5). In the equation above, “C” and “A” are the relative concentrations and areas, respectively, and “a” and “b” are fitting constants determined from the data by least-squares minimization. We found it was impossible to deal with a matrix of 10 acids and 9 concentrations in a manner that would reproduce the data within the experimental uncertainty (6%), and we concluded that an acid-by-acid analysis was preferable.
State-selected chemical reaction dynamics at the S matrix level - Final-state specificities of near-threshold processes at low and high energies

State‐to‐state reaction probabilities are found to be highly final‐state specific at state‐selected threshold energies for the reactions O+H2→OH+H and H+H2→H2+H. The study includes initial rotational states with quantum numbers 0–15, and the specificity is especially dramatic for the more highly rotationally excited reactants. The analysis is based on accurate quantum mechanical reactive scattering calculations. Final‐state specificity is shown in general to increase with the rotational quantum number of the reactant diatom, and the trends are confirmed for both zero and nonzero values of the total angular momentum.
Review of genus-group taxa included in the genus Tychius Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Review of world genus-group taxa heretofore assigned to Tychiinae indicates that the subfamily should be delimited to include the genera Apeltarius Desbrochers, Dichotychius Bedel, Itychus Kissinger, Mecynopyga Pierce, Paragoges LeConte, Sibinia Germar, Tychius Germar, Xenotychius Reitter, and their subgenera and synonyms. The status and relationships of formally recognized genus-group taxa within the genus Tychius are reviewed. Henonia Pic and Miccotrogus Schonherr are newly placed in sonynymy with Tychius; Lepidotychius Penecke is considered a subgenus of Tychius. All known host plants of species of Tychius are members of the legume subfamily Papilionoideae. Species from South America and Australia described as Tychius were not correctly assigned and belong in other tychiine genera or in other subfamilies.
An inhibitor-resistant mutant of Hck protects CML cells against the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of the broad-spectrum Src family kinase inhibitor A-419259

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is driven by Bcr-Abl, a constitutively active protein-tyrosine kinase that stimulates proliferation and survival of myeloid progenitors. Global inhibition of myeloid Src family kinase (SFK) activity with the broad-spectrum pyrrolo-pyrimidine inhibitor, A-419259, blocks proliferation and induces apoptosis in CML cell lines, suggesting that transformation by Bcr-Abl requires SFK activity. However, the contribution of Hck and other individual SFKs to Bcr-Abl signaling is less clear. Here, we developed an A-419259-resistant mutant of Hck by replacing the gatekeeper residue (Thr-338; c-Src numbering) in the inhibitor-binding site with a bulkier methionine residue (Hck-T338M). This substitution reduced Hck sensitivity to A-419259 by more than 30-fold without significantly affecting kinase activity in vitro. Expression of Hck-T338M protected K-562 CML cells and Bcr-Abl-transformed TF-1 myeloid cells from the apoptotic and antiproliferative effects of A-419259. These effects correlated with persistence of Hck-T338M kinase activity in the presence of the compound, and were accompanied by sustained Erk and Stat5 activation. In contrast, control cells expressing equivalent levels of wild-type Hck retained sensitivity to the inhibitor. We also show for the first time that A-419259 induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in primary CD34+ CML cells with equal potency to imatinib. These data suggest that Hck has a nonredundant function as a key downstream signaling partner for Bcr-Abl and may represent a potential drug target in CML.
Five Years Experience with Carotid Endarterectomy in a Small Commltnity Hospital

Seventy-nine carotid endarterecto mies were performed for 65 patients in a 140-bed hospital in a predominantly rural community during a 5-year pe riod. The procedure's mortality was 3.8%, and the rate of surgical stroke was 3.8%. In a small community hospital where most assistants have relatively limited experience in vascular surgical procedure, it was felt advisable to use the internal shunt routinely.
Militat omnis amans: Ovidian elegy in L’incoronazione di Poppea

G.F. Busenello's libretto forL'incoronazione di Poppea, first performed in Venice in 1643 to music by Claudio Monteverdi, is based on material from Tacitus and the pseudo-SenecanOctavia. It depicts the defeat of virtue, as embodied in the figures of Seneca and Octavia, by the lust and ambition of Nero and Poppaea Sabina. This analysis examines how the neostoic moralizing of the character Seneca is overcome by the use of an Ovidian sensibility which makes the affair of Nero and Poppaea into a lover's campaign, as described most clearly inAmores 1.9. Monteverdi's music underlines the pattern suggested by Busenello's text, using the distinctive agitated style (stile concitato) developed in his Book VIIIMadrigals of War and Love. This bold Ovidian triumph of vice was sanctioned by its performance during Venetian Carnival, where the immoral was celebrated and abuse of the old moral order was “erotic and life-giving.”
Equilibrium and non-equilibrium kinetics of self-assembled surfactant monolayers: a vibrational sum-frequency study of dodecanoate at the fluorite-water interface.

The adsorption, desorption, and equilibrium monomer exchange processes of sodium dodecanoate at the fluorite(CaF2)−water interface have been studied. For the first time, we use in situ vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) to gain insights into the mechanism and kinetics of monolayer self-assembly at the mineral−water interface. By exploiting the nonlinear optical response of the adsorbate, the temporal correlation of headgroup adsorption and alignment of the surfactant’s alkyl chain was monitored. Because of the unique surface-specificity of VSFS, changes in the interfacial water structure were also tracked experimentally. The spectra clearly reveal that the structure of interfacial water molecules is severely disturbed at the start of the adsorption process. With the formation of a well-ordered adsorbate layer, it is partially reestablished; however, the molecular orientation and state of coordination is significantly altered. Even at very low surfactant concentrations, overcharging of the miner...
The substance-using human immunodeficiency virus patient: Approaches to outpatient management

Individuals with a substance use disorder who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) provide physicians with challenging issues for both medical management and drug treatment. Using a case presentation format, we present an overview of some of the major issues involved in delivering effective primary care for these individuals. A detailed medical and substance use history is critical to sort common complaints that can be seen both in HIV infection and with drug use. Physicians must be able to recognize withdrawal syndromes and differentiate those signs and symptoms that may be attributed to specific drugs. A two-phase model of drug abuse treatment takes into account both detoxification and maintenance of abstinence. Primary care physicians should be able to initiate the process of substance abuse treatment and refer the patient to appropriate substance abuse programs when necessary. Pharmacological approaches to long-term abstinence with heroin addiction include methadone, LAAM, and naltrexone. While clinically challenging, HIV-infected substance users can be successfully managed using the general principles of primary care.
A Content-Based Video Coding Method for Remote Monitoring of Neurosurgery

Transmitting high-quality neurophysiology video via the Internet is a challenging problem in telemedicine. We propose a novel video data processing and compression method based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT). The DWT is utilized to decompose video frames into subframes, different bandwidth budgets are assigned to important and less important regions in each subframe, and several video encoders are employed in parallel to accelerate computation. When compared with the general-purpose video compression methods, our method allows scalability on real-time network bandwidth allocation, and offers higher video quality within the critical field of neurosurgery
Identification and analysis of the D' →A' transition in the emission spectrum of Cl2

Abstract The emission spectrum of Cl2 in Ar is re-examined using Tesla discharge sources containing isotopically pure 35Cl2 and 37Cl2. Earlier speculation that the dominant emission near 2580 A is due to the D' 2g(3P2 → A' 2u(3Π) transition is confirmed, with the following constants (cm−1) obtained for these states: ΔTe=40125.4, ω′e = 253.17, ω″e = 257.27. A weaker band system in the same spectral region is tentatively assigned to β 1g(3P2) → A 1u(3Π).
Null mutation for Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) is associated with less aggressive bladder cancer in mice

Inflammatory cytokines may promote tumorigenesis. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine with regulatory properties over tumor suppressor proteins involved in bladder cancer. We studied the development of bladder cancer in wild type (WT) and MIF knockout (KO) mice given N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN), a known carcinogen, to determine the role of MIF in bladder cancer initiation and progression. 5-month old male C57Bl/6 MIF WT and KO mice were treated with and without BBN. Animals were sacrificed at intervals up to 23 weeks of treatment. Bladder tumor stage and grade were evaluated by H&E. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was performed for MIF and platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1), a measure of vascularization. MIF mRNA was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Poorly differentiated carcinoma developed in all BBN treated mice by week 20. MIF WT animals developed T2 disease, while KO animals developed only T1 disease. MIF IHC revealed predominantly urothelial cytoplasmic staining in the WT control animals and a shift toward nuclear staining in WT BBN treated animals. MIF mRNA levels were 3-fold higher in BBN treated animals relative to controls when invasive cancer was present. PECAM-1 staining revealed significantly more stromal vessels in the tumors in WT animals when compared to KOs. Muscle invasive bladder cancer with increased stromal vascularity was associated with increased MIF mRNA levels and nuclear redistribution. Consistently lower stage tumors were seen in MIF KO compared to WT mice. These data suggest that MIF may play a role in the progression to invasive bladder cancer.
A simple method of monitoring antiarrhythmic drugs during short- and long-term therapy.

Abstract Since the classic studies by Sokolow and Edgar 1 with quinidine, and Koch-Weser and Klein 2 with procainamide, “therapeutic ranges” have been proposed for most of the available antiarrhythmic drugs. 1–5 One problem with therapeutic ranges of these agents is their determination by a variety of methods in heterogenous samples of patients. Recently, we evaluated the utility of antiarrhythmic concentrations determined during electrophysiologic serial drug testing. 6 An extremely wide range of effective concentrations was found for the type IA agents, e.g., procainamide 2.9 to 22.2 μg/ml and quinidine 1.0 to 9.1 μg/ml. It was suggested that in a given patient with a symptomatic tachycardia, a specific threshold or “target” concentration exists at which efficacy occurs, but this value is quite variable and unpredictable. If the target concentration could be determined during an objective assessment of efficacy, such as electrophysiologic drug testing or continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, then it could be used to develop an effective long-term regimen. In this manner, true drug failure during long-term therapy might be distinguished from a recurrence of the tachycardia due to concentrations below the threshold for efficacy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this concept.
The Customer Is Always Wrong: Consumer Complaint in Late-NEP Russia

T A o earn the public's trust and publicize his firm's commitment to provide customers attentive and courteous assistance, Philadelphia's pioneering retailer John Wanamaker coined the slogan "The Customer is Always Right." Enshrined as a cornerstone of the capitalist retail ethos, Wanamaker's slogan nonetheless brought no end of trouble to many proprietors and retail employees. As Susan Porter Benson has noted in her study of the development of the American department store, "once services had become accepted features of department stores, certain customers demanded special individual attention. To some women of the upper and middle classes, the emphasis on amenity and luxury was not just an invitation to consume in style, but also a blank check for the exercise of their class prerogatives."1 While the image of the customer as queen?or king?continued to reign supreme in the United States, even as trade journals filled with stories of ill-tempered customers who defied the noble ideal, the installation of a socialist government in the former Russian Empire called into question the privileging of the consumer. As Benson's remark suggests, serving the customer connoted an unquestioning deference on the part of sales workers, who were expected to fulfill the personal requests of middleand upper-class female shoppers and indulge their whims. In the Soviet Union, a society founded to uphold the rights of the working class, this unequal relationship symbolized the reenactment of class struggle on the sales floor, and, therefore, would have to be reversed. The process by which the Bolsheviks tried to recreate the retail sector and alter the relationship between workers and consumers, however, was by no means as straightforward as simply inverting class and gender dynamics. Consumers were not always middle or upper class. Neither were workers and consumers always female. Moreover, socioeconomic struggle became only one factor at play on the sales floor. Equally important was the legacy of the pre-1917 retail economy,
Some observations and speculation on the mechanism of “depletion,” “repletion,” and release of adenohypophyseal hormones

Abstract Data from in vivo and in vitro experiments on the “depletion,” “repletion,” and release of prolactin (PL) and growth hormone (GH) of the adenohypophysis (AP) are presented and discussed with regard to the interrelationships among these aspects of AP cell function. The data show that “depletion” can occur without release or it can be temporally dissociated from release. “Repletion” can occur even when protein synthesis is blocked by cycloheximide. The results indicate that the “depletion” which occurs without concomitant release is not the result of intracellular degradation. A model of the “depletion,” “repletion,” and release mechanisms is proposed, which can explain the discrepancies which occur in these events in AP cells. It is suggested that the intracellular hormones exist in at least two forms. The storage form is of low molecular weight (monomeric?), and a second form is either aggregated or bound (“macromolecular”). The “large” form is considered to be both a presecretory form and a “precursor” of the “smaller” form. Both forms are detectable by immunoassay, but bioassay and disc-electrophoretic methods detect only the storage (“small”) form. “Depletion” without release and “repletion” without synthesis can occur by intracellular shifts of the hormone from one form to the other without a change in AP hormone content. Release of small amounts of the hormone from the pools of either form can also occur without significant change in the total hormone level in the gland. Rapid release of hormone is proposed to occur in two stages. The first involves a shift from the storage (“small”) form to the presecretory (“large”) form. The second stage involves extracellular discharge from the presecretory form. In the rat lactotrope, the second stage is competent and release occurs. In the rat somatotrope, the second stage is deficient. The extent to which this model is appropriate for explaining “depletion,” repletion,” and release of other AP hormones is discussed.
The economic efficiency of corporate culture

Corporate culture is a set of broad, tacitly understood rules which tell employees what to do under a wide variety of unimaginable circumstances. We explain how culture can be economical, and suggest when different types of cultures will flourish.
Potency, cure, and local control in the operative treatment of rectal cancer.

• Impotence due to parasympathetic nerve injury is one of the most feared consequences of operations for treatment of rectal cancer. Sharp dissection along the parietal pelvic fascia where the parasympathetic nerves are located significantly reduces the incidence of pelvic failure. Autonomic nerve—preserving pelvic sidewall dissections, which combined the benefits of en bloc parietal pelvic dissection with nerve preservation, were performed in 42 men who were undergoing sphincter-preserving operations for treatment of rectal cancer. Thirty-three (86.7%) of the 38 evaluable patients have remained potent, and 29 (87.9%) of the 33 patients have normal ejaculation. Deliberate sacrifice of the inferior hypogastric plexus caused only minor sexual dysfunction. Cancer recurred locally in only one patient (with stage D cancer). Autonomic nerve—preserving pelvic sidewall dissection combines the benefits of curative resection and local control with reduced morbidity, and it preserves potency. (Arch Surg. 1992;127:1396-1402)
Synthesis of a precursor for the preparation of 9α,11α-tritiated 5α-androstane-3α, 17β-diol 17-glucuronide

Starting from 11 beta-hydroxytestosterone, the synthesis of a strategic precursor, C-9 (11) unsaturated 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol 17-glucuronide (9a), for the preparation of 9 alpha,11 alpha-tritiated 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol 17-glucuronide has been achieved. The authors optimized the reaction conditions for catalytic reduction employing hydrogen and subsequent base hydrolysis followed by purification on Amberlite XAD-2 resin to obtain the saturated 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol 17-glucuronide.
Caveolin-1 expression in clinically confined human prostate cancer: a novel prognostic marker.

We demonstrated previously elevated caveolin-1 expression in metastatic mouse and human prostate cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo .I n this study, we analyzed its prognostic value for progression of clinically confined human prostate cancer. Immunohistochemical staining with a caveolin-1-specific antibody was performed on routinely processed paraffin sections from 189 radical prostatectomy specimens. Caveolin-1 immunoreactivity was evaluated in association with patients’ age, race, preoperative prostate-specific antigen, clinical stage, and pathological features including Gleason score, extraprostatic extension, status of surgical margins, and time to disease progression after surgery. Positive caveolin-1 immunostaining was detected in 47 of the 189 cancers (25%) and correlated positively with Gleason score, positive surgical margin, as well as lymph node involvement (P 5 0.0071, 0.0267, and 0.0399, respectively). In lymph node-negative cancers (n 5 162), caveolin-1 immunoreactivity predicts a shorter time to disease progression after surgery (P 5 0.0033, univariate analysis). Multivariate analyses that included caveolin-1 and other prognostic pathological markers identified positive caveolin-1 immunostaining as an independent predictor for time to disease progression (P 5 0.0186). Thus, our study establishes caveolin-1 as a novel prognostic marker for clinically confined human prostate cancer.
Effects of sublethal pyrethroid exposure on the host-seeking behavior of female mosquitoes.

ABSTRACT: A common method of adult mosquito control consists of residual application on surfaces and aerial spraying often using pyrethroids. However, not all insects that contact insecticides are killed. Sublethal exposure to neurotoxic compounds can negatively affect sensory organs and reduce efficiency of host location. Flight tracks of host-seeking female Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles albimanus, and Aedes aegypti in a wind tunnel were video-recorded to compare activation of host-seeking and patterns of flight orientation to host odors. During host-seeking flights, all three mosquito species differed significantly in flight duration, velocity, turn angle, and angular velocity. Mosquitoes were then exposed to sublethal levels (LD25) of pyrethroid insecticides to evaluate the effects of the neurotoxicants 24 hours post-exposure. Significant reductions in time of activation to flight and flight direction were observed in mosquitoes exposed to deltamethrin and permethrin. Additionally, pesticide-treate...
Interleukin‐10 induces apoptosis in developing mast cells and macrophages

Interleukin (IL)-10 is a potent immunoregulatory cytokine capable of inhibiting the inflammatory response. As mast cells and macrophages are central effectors of inflammation, we investigated the effects of IL-10 on mast cell and macrophage development from mouse bone marrow progenitors. Bone marrow cells were cultured in IL-3 + stem cell factor (SCF), giving rise to mixed populations of mast cells and macrophages. The addition of IL-10 greatly decreased the expansion of bone marrow progenitor cells through a mechanism requiring signal tranducer and activator of transcription-3 expression. The inhibitory effects were a result of the induction of apoptosis, which occurred with caspase-3 activation and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential. Supporting a role for the mitochondrion, bone marrow cells from p53-deficient or Bcl-2 transgenic mice were partly resistant to the effects of IL-10. Further, IL-10 decreased Kit receptor expression and inhibited survival signaling by SCF or IL-3. These data indicate that IL-10 induces an intrinsic, mitochondrial apoptosis cascade in developing mast cells and macrophages through mechanisms involving blockade of growth factor receptor function. The ability of IL-10 to inhibit survival could support immune homeostasis by dampening inflammatory responses and preventing chronic inflammation.
More trees in the tropics

Repeat photography is the process of rephotographing the same scene that appears in an earlier photograph. As a methodology, repeat photography is a valuable tool for investigating and assessing landscape change. Beyond the disadvantages of scale, composition, areal coverage and temporal punctuation, the method is useful. Photographs are comprehensive views that offer a ‘contextualized’ landscape to examine. As well, the unexpected may be revealed through the process. My research in Honduras using this method led me to find a vegetation increase, rather than the decrease that was expected of a tropical area. A few example photographs illustrate the variety of manifestations this increase takes.
Solubility and Bioactivity of the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal Are Increased by a Pseudomonas aeruginosa-Produced Surfactant

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterium that causes serious infections in immunocompromised individuals and cystic fibrosis patients. This opportunistic pathogen controls many of its virulence factors and cellular functions through the activity of three cell-to-cell signals, N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone, N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone, and the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS). The activity of these signals is dependent upon their ability to dissolve in and freely diffuse through the aqueous solution in which P. aeruginosa happens to reside. Despite this, our data indicated that PQS was relatively insoluble in aqueous solutions, which led us to postulate that P. aeruginosa could be producing a PQS-solubilizing factor. In this report, we show that the P. aeruginosa-produced biosurfactant rhamnolipid greatly enhances the solubility of PQS in aqueous solutions. The enhanced solubility of PQS led to an increase in PQS bioactivity, as measured by both a gene induction assay and an apoptosis assay. This is the first demonstration of the importance of a bacterial surfactant in the solubilization and bioactivity of a cell-to-cell signal.
Systemic exposure to fluticasone MDI delivered through antistatic chambers

We performed this study to evaluate how age and device affect the systemic exposure of inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) in children. The findings indicate an anti-static valved holding chamber significantly increases systemic exposure of FP.
We're really asking for it: Using surveys to engage the freight community

Freight transportation concerns and issues have received increasing attention during the 1990s. Various public-sector agencies have attempted to identify locations where improvements are needed to facilitate freight movements. Needed improvements have been determined via modeling, technical data and estimates, reviews of plans and other documents, personal observations, and public input. Various observers think that information from these sources should be combined with more specific information from shippers and motor carriers moving freight. No definitive research has been conducted on how best to survey shippers and motor carriers. To establish the most effective means of obtaining views from the freight community about infrastructure problems on state highways and the supporting road network, the Oregon Department of Transportation sponsored the development of a method to conduct a shipper and carrier survey. Pilot instruments and methods were systematically administered to a stratified, random sample of Oregon freight shippers and motor carriers.
Critical evaluation of uniformity and contamination in porous silicon SOI wafers

Summary form only given. Three aspects of porous silicon (PS) formation that could affect its compatibility with VLSI manufacturing processes are evaluated: (1) chemical contamination, (2) particulate contamination, and (3) PS uniformity. Porous silicon anodization equipment and procedures developed to optimize the uniformity of porous silicon-based SOI wafers are also described. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and surface-scan measurements indicate there is no significant chemical or particle contamination associated with the porous silicon process. >
Comparison of Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 and Hepatocyte Antigen Immunohistochemical Analysis in the Differential Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Metastatic Adenocarcinoma, Renal Cell Carcinoma, and Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma

We compared the effectiveness of thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1, cytoplasmic reactivity) and hepatocyte antigen (HPA) as markers for characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and as discriminators to distinguish HCC from its histologic and cytologic mimics. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of 258 specimens, including 76 HCCs, 85 metastatic adenocarcinomas, 75 renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), and 22 adrenal cortical carcinomas (ACCs), were evaluated. Specimens included tissue sections and cytologic material (cell blocks). Following heat-induced epitope retrieval, immunohistochemical studies were performed using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. Cytoplasmic reactivity for TTF-1 was noted for 54 (71%) of 76 HCCs, 3 (4%) of 85 adenocarcinomas, none of 72 RCCs, and none of 22 ACCs. Cytoplasmic reactivity for HPA was observed for 50 (66%) of 76 HCCs, 1 (1%) of 83 adenocarcinomas, none of 74 RCCs, and none of 21 ACCs. Cytoplasmic reactivity for TTF-1 and HPA is highly specific for HCC, although a minority of HCCs, particularly poorly differentiated tumors, may be nonreactive. Thus, these markers are useful for the characterization of HCC in tissue sections and cell blocks and are highly effective for distinguishing these tumors from other neoplasms included in the differential diagnosis.
A robust Dynamic Time Warping algorithm for batch trajectory synchronization

Derivative Dynamic Time Warping (DDTW) is useful in time series alignment to avoid singularity points and reduce the bias of alignment results towards the reference trajectory compare with Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). In order to apply DDTW to an industrial environment, a robust DDTW (RDDTW) algorithm is proposed by combining a moving window least squares procedure with DDTW. The developed algorithm is tested with noisy data and results are compared with those of DDTW and DTW.
Sepsis: An update in management

Hospitalists are a critical link in providing evidence-based care for patients with sepsis across the disease spectrum, from early recognition to recovery. The past decade of sepsis research has led to significant findings that will change clinical practice for hospital medicine practitioners. Although the incidence of severe sepsis in the United States has continued to rise, in-hospital mortality has declined. Management of the spectrum of sepsis disorders is no longer restricted to the intensive care unit (ICU). This review article will provide an update in the management of sepsis for hospitalists based on recently published pivotal studies. The expanding evidence base in sepsis includes early goal-directed therapy/clinical endpoints/sepsis bundles, antibiotics and source control, volume resuscitation, ICU considerations (including the use of insulin and corticosteroids), mortality/complications, and the newly recognized condition of "sepsis survivorship".
Response availability and second-order conditioned suppression

Following 8 CER training days, 18 rats were given second-order conditioning trials under one of two conditions. Control Ss had the response lever present during all 10 SOC days. Experimental Ss had the lever absent during the first 3 SOC days (CS1 was noise, CS2 was a flashing light). A second experiment with 16 rats reversed the first- and second-order stimuli and gave 5 days of SOC with the lever absent for half the Ss. In both studies, when the lever was returned for all Ss, subsequent SOC days showed no significant differences between groups with respect to either acquisition of SOC or extinction of FOC. These results offer no support to Kamil’s (1969) hypothesis that his failure to find a correspondence between first- and second-order conditioned suppression might be due to counterconditioning of CS2 to the food reinforcement obtained during SOC.
Automated compile-time and run-time techniques to increase usable memory in MMU-less embedded systems

Random access memory (RAM) is tightly-constrained in many embedded systems. This is especially true for the least expensive, lowest-power embedded systems, such as sensor network nodes and portable consumer electronics. The most widely-used sensor network nodes have only 4-10 KB of RAM and do not contain memory management units (MMUs). It is very difficult to implement increasingly complex applications under such tight memory constraints. Nonetheless, price and power consumption constraints make it unlikely that increases in RAM in these systems will keep pace with the requirements of applications.We propose the use of automated compile-time and run-time techniques to increase the amount of usable memory in MMU-less embedded systems. The proposed techniques do not increase hardware cost, and are designed to require few or no changes to existing applications. We have developed a fast compression algorithm well suited to this application, as well as run-time library routines and compiler transformations to control and optimize the automatic migration of application data between compressed and uncompressed memory regions. These techniques were experimentally evaluated on Crossbow TelosB sensor network nodes running a number of data collection and signal processing applications. The results indicate that available memory can be increased by up to 50% with less than 10% performance degradation for most benchmarks.
Design and generation of DEP force for assembly of CNT-based nano devices

In this paper, we present a new mathematical model for designing micro electrode geometry and electric field for carbon nanotubes application. The micro electrode design is based on the assumption that the electrical potential at any point (x,y,z) created by a micro electrode of interest is defined by a polynomial that obeys Laplacepsilas equation. By substituting this polynomial into Laplacepsilas equation the corresponding equipotentials can therefore be determined, and these in turn can be used to define the required micro electrode boundaries for use in carbon nanotube deposition, manipulation, and implementation using dielectrophoresis for electronics and sensing application. Simulation and preliminary experimental results are presented for the developed models.
Discontinuous-Conduction Mode DC/DC Converters Feeding Constant-Power Loads

One of the major issues in multiconverter power-electronic systems, which exist in different land, sea, air, and space vehicles, is the stability problem imposed by constant-power loads (CPLs). The research work done in this field has been focused mainly on continuous-conduction mode of operation. In this paper, we study the case when the loaded converter operates in discontinuous-conduction mode (DCM). We prove that the open-loop DC/DC converters operating in DCM are stable when they are loaded by CPLs. Furthermore, we present that the problem of feedback design for a converter operating in DCM and loaded by a CPL can be translated into a conventional feedback-design task for the same converter with a resistive load. Simulation and experimental results verify the presented discussion.
Expression and localization of adipophilin and perilipin in human fetal membranes: association with lipid bodies and enzymes involved in prostaglandin synthesis.

Lipid storage droplets (LSDs) are subcellular storage depots for triglycerides (TGs) and cholesterol esters surrounded by specific populations of proteins that are necessary for their formation. We have previously described the appearance of LSDs in human fetal membranes with advancing gestation and labor. Perilipin and adipophilin are functional/structural proteins located on the surfaces of intracellular LSDs. Adipophilin and perilipin were both immunolocalized to the amnion epithelium and amnion fibroblasts in human fetal membranes. Adipophilin was also localized to the choriodecidual layer, whereas perilipin was localized to the chorion trophoblasts. Although immunohistochemical data show an apparent increase in adipophilin, but not perilipin, expression in fetal membranes with advancing gestation and labor, Western analysis of tissue homogenate supernatant revealed no significant changes in adipophilin and perilipin expression. However, Western analysis of the floating lipid-rich layer from the tissu...
Protective effect of quercetin in primary neurons against Aβ(1–42): relevance to Alzheimer's disease

Quercetin, a flavonoid found in various foodstuffs, has antioxidant properties and increases glutathione (GSH) levels and antioxidant enzyme function. Considerable attention has been focused on increasing the intracellular GSH levels in many diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid beta-peptide [Abeta(1-42)], elevated in AD brain, is associated with oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. We aimed to investigate the protective effects of quercetin on Abeta(1-42)-induced oxidative cell toxicity in cultured neurons in the present study. Decreased cell survival in neuronal cultures treated with Abeta(1-42) correlated with increased free radical production measured by dichlorofluorescein fluorescence and an increase in protein oxidation (protein carbonyl, 3-nitrotyrosine) and lipid peroxidation (protein-bound 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal). Pretreatment of primary hippocampal cultures with quercetin significantly attenuated Abeta(1-42)-induced cytotoxicity, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and apoptosis. A dose-response study suggested that quercetin showed protective effects against Abeta(1-42) toxicity by modulating oxidative stress at lower doses, but higher doses were not only non-neuroprotective but also toxic. These findings provide motivation to test the hypothesis that quercetin may provide a promising approach for the treatment of AD and other oxidative-stress-related neurodegenerative diseases.
A software environment of architecture prototypes for evaluating parallel vision systems and algorithms

Presents a software environment consisting of a collection of parallel architecture prototypes used to evaluate the performance of parallel vision systems and algorithms. A consistent evaluation of parallel algorithms on various architectures is difficult due to the variety and complexity of parallel architectures and the fact that parallel algorithm-architecture performance is governed by both task characteristics and architecture characteristics. The authors use the prototyping approach for performance evaluation because theoretical analysis as well as simulation of massively parallel computer systems cannot accurately estimate the performance of these systems. The software environment presented offers a uniform basis for the comparison of a variety of parallel system configurations, such as meshes, rings, hypercubes, and pyramids. Performance measurements of algorithms on various configurations can then be derived and used to choose the most efficient algorithm for a particular vision task to run on a particular parallel system configuration. The authors describe the software environment and its operations. Its usefulness was demonstrated by developing a collection of vision tasks, executing them on the software architecture prototypes, and evaluating them by gathering actual performance measurements. >