cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A regional analysis of the meteorological aspects of the spread and development of blue mold on tobacco

Tobacco blue mold caused by Peronospora tabacina is a highly weather sensitive disease which occurred in the major tobacco production areas of North Carolina in 1980. Dates of first reported occurrence of blue mold by county units in eastern North Carolina progressed in a northeastward direction from the South Carolina border to the Virginia border between 1 May and 6 June. In the central piedmont region of the state, blue mold was first reported in mid-May while in the western mountains, blue mold was recorded in early June. Temperatures and total weekly rainfall data were analyzed for 18 weeks from late March to early August from 102 weather stations across North Carolina and from the bordering regions of surrounding states. An analysis of first occurrence dates and the temporal and spatial properties of temperature and precipitation indicated that the epidemic continued to spread despite temperatures outside the range previously considered favorable for the disease. Availability of moisture on the tobacco leaves for spore germination appeared to be the predominant factor in all parts of the state. Trajectory analysis was used to identify possible source regions for the spores which arrived over North Carolina tobacco fields. The analysis indicated that there were many days in April, May, and June 1980 when conditions were considered favorable for spore transport to North Carolina from the infected fields located to the south. Taking into account epidemiological latent periods, certain of these trajectory dates were selected as representing the most probable periods of spore transport.
A Reevaluation of the Super-LITHIUM-rich Star in NGC 6633

We present a new abundance analysis of the super-Li-rich star J37 and a comparison star in NGC 6633. We confirm the result of Deliyannis et al. that J37 has a Li abundance well above the meteoritic value, and we also confirm that Al, S, Si, Ca, Fe, and Ni are supersolar and that C is subsolar. We additionally find that Na, Sc, Ti are supersolar, while O is subsolar. The abundance pattern of metals in J37 is generally consistent with the bulk composition of the Earth. We propose that accretion of circumstellar matter is the best explanation for these abundance anomalies, although we cannot rule out a secondary contribution from diffusion.
Maternal cardiac arrest associated with attempted fetal injection of potassium chloride

We report a case of maternal cardiac arrest immediately after attempted fetal cardiac injection of potassium chloride. Prompt institution of maternal cardiac life-support protocols resulted in successful maternal resuscitation. The management of this case as well as that of fetal cardiac injections of potassium chloride is reviewed.
Cefoperazone for empiric therapy in patients with impaired renal function

Thirty-five patients with serious infections and impaired renal function were treated empirically with 2 to 8 g of cefoperazone per day. Infections included sepsis in 14, nonbacteremic urinary infections in nine, pneumonia in five, intra-abdominal infection in five, fasciitis in one, and malignant otitis externa in one. The average age of this group was 64.3 years, 25 had ultimately fatal underlying diseases, and their average serum creatinine level was 5.2 mg/dl. Infections were caused by Enterobacteriaceae in 23 patients, Streptococcus faecalis in five, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in four, Staphylococcus aureus in four, Hemophilus influenzae in three, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Clostridium sordelli in one each. Overall, 32 patients had clinical and microbiologic cures, two had improvement, and one had failure. Hypoprothrombinemia occurred in 18 of 28 patients not given vitamin K for prophylaxis and occurred more often in those with serum albumin concentrations below 3.5 g/dl. Prothrombin times returned to normal within 36 hours of treatment with vitamin K, although two patients experienced mild hematemesis. In anicteric patients with liver function abnormalities, 2 g every 12 hours produced peak and trough serum concentrations that averaged 254 and 125 micrograms/ml, respectively, compared with 179.5 and 19.5 micrograms/ml, respectively, in five with normal liver function test results. In jaundiced patients treated with 1 g every 12 hours, trough concentrations were comparably elevated. Serum concentrations did not correlate with hypoprothrombinemia, but high levels throughout the dosing interval may have contributed to the excellent cure rate in this study.
How can we best image congenital heart defects? Are two-dimensional and three-dimensional echocardiography competitive or complementary?

In 1974, shortly after the advent of two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography (2DE), Dekker et al published the results of their graduate work at Stanford University, ‘‘A System for Ultrasonically Imaging the Human Heart in Three Dimensions.’’ Their vision was clear: ‘‘With the four dimensional data stored on the computer, programs to determine such properties as ejection fraction, wall thickness, aneurysms, defects, valve motions, structure velocities and heart power can be developed as well as image enhancement routines.’’ In the more than 3 decades that have passed, many milestones have been achieved in three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography (3DE). Several generations of 3D or four-dimensional (3 dimensions and time) echocardiographic systems have been developed. With the newest matrix-array transducer technology and software, a four-dimensional data set can be obtained with the push of a button. A large body of scientific literature has become available: a PubMed search reveals >3000 articles published to date on the utility of 3DE. As more evidence for the utility of 3DE became available, the American Society of Echocardiography published a position paper on its use.
Nuclear magnetic resonance study of pyridine 2-azo-para-dimethylaniline and its nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes

Abstract The carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectra of N,N-dimethyl-4-(2-pyridylazo)benzeneamine, (pyridine 2-azo-paradimethylaniline, PADA), and of the 1:1 complex with zinc(II) ions, in the presence and absence of nickel(II) ions, have been obtained. Resonances have been assigned based on established or modified additivity rules. The spectra are interpreted as being consistent with the ligand binding as a trans isomer and are compatible with the normal mechanism of binding inferred from kinetic results.
The effect of levodopa treatment on the visual evoked potentials in Parkinsonian patients.

Abstract There is extensive literature on the effects of levodopa treatment on the visual evoked potentials (VEP) in laboratory animals and in depressed patients. The effects of levodopa on the VEP of parkinsonian patients were overlooked to a certain extent. In this work we searched for levodopa effects on the VEP of 42 parkinsonian patients. The VEP were data-reduced and analyzed by several techniques: (a) 256 data values (256 msec) were reduced to 70 variables by averaging; (b) time-domain parametric extraction: latencies to peak-and-trough points, amplitudes, etc., resulted in 14 variables; (c) frequency transformation into power spectral density bands resulted in 14 variables. Each one of the above variables was univariate, paired t-tested for levodopa effects. The overall effects of levodopa on the power variables and the time-domain parameters were evaluated by Hotelling paired T2. The 70 time variables were further reduced by the tolerance function of the discriminant procedure and analyzed both by direct and by stepwise discriminant analyses and by SASMANOVA in a pairwise design. Only few sporadic univariate t values reached significance levels. No overall multivariate significant effects of levodopa were found. In view of known dopaminergic involvement in parts of the visual system it is postulated that levodopa might have antagonizing effects at different levels of the visual pathways. This hypothesis and better understanding of levodopa effects on the visual system should probably be achieved by recording VEP from the visual subsystems.
Frequency as a nonpropositional attribute of memory.

If frequency has a privileged, analog memory representation, as multiple-trace theory assumes, then at retrieval, it should not be confused with other quantitative information. If it shares a common associative or propositional format with other information, then such confusions should occur. In Experiment 1, subjects studied picture—digit pairs. The digits were 1–5, and the pairs were shown 1–5 times, in a 5 × 5 within-list design. Judged frequencies of the pictures were fairly accurate, and showed no intrusions from the digits. Digit recall showed frequency intrusions only for subjects who had given overt frequency judgments first. In Experiment 2, frequency information was communicated to the subjects verbally. Recall of stated frequency was poor, and showed mutual interference with the digit associates. The findings suggest that while frequency can be represented propositionally, it is automatically encoded, from direct experience with repetitions, in analog form.
Current status and future prospects for a vaccine against American trypanosomiasis.

The clinically relevant pathognomonic consequences of human infection by Trypanosoma cruzi are dilation and hypertrophy of the left ventricle walls and thinning of the apex. The major complications and debilitating evolutionary outcomes of chronic infection include ventricular fibrillation, thromboembolism and congestive heart failure. American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) poses serious public healthcare and budgetary concerns. The currently available drugs, although effective against acute infection, are highly toxic and ineffective in arresting or attenuating clinical disease symptoms in chronic patients. The development of an efficacious prophylactic vaccine faces many challenges, and progress is slow, despite several years of effort. Studies in animal models and human patients have revealed the pathogenic mechanisms during disease progression, pathology of disease and features of protective immunity. Accordingly, several antigens, antigen-delivery vehicles and adjuvants have been tested in animal ...
Cardiorespiratory Management of the High-Risk Neonate:

Advancements in neonatal intensive care have contributed to the survival of large numbers of infants with increased prematurity and high biologic risk. These infants are at high risk for developing neurodevelopmental complications and usually have some form of cardiorespiratory problem, especially in the acute care setting. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the developmental therapist with the common signs, symptoms and pathologies associated with cardiorespiratory dysfunction in neonates, and to describe the effects of cardiorespiratory dysfunction on the developmental management of the neonatal population. Special emphasis is placed on dealing with the neonatal intensive care unit environment and the importance of monitoring and modifying evaluation and treatment programs according to each infantAEs response. Finally, a discussion of the special problems and needs of the surviving population of infants and children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia is provided.
Progressive polyarthritis induced in BALB/c mice by aggrecan from normal and osteoarthritic human cartilage

Objective To find an “unlimited” source of antigenic material (aggrecan) for arthritis induction in BALB/c mice; to analyze the specificities of immune reactions to aggrecan and type II collagen in 2 arthritis-susceptible murine strains, BALB/c mice for proteoglycan (aggrecan)-induced arthritis and DBA/1j mice for collagen-induced arthritis; to compare the histopathologic features of arthritis induced by purified aggrecans or total extracts of osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage; and to determine arthritis susceptibility in various BALB/c colonies. Methods Aggrecans from total extracts of human fetal, normal adult, OA, and rheumatoid cartilage samples and from osteophytes were isolated, purified by gradient centrifugation, deglycosylated, characterized, and tested for arthritis induction. Purified type II collagen and salt-soluble collagens from OA cartilage were denatured, stromelysin treated, and used for immunization and arthritis induction in arthritis-susceptible (DBA/1j and BALB/c) murine strains. Results Chondrocytes from OA cartilage synthesize predominantly fetal-type aggrecan, which is the most efficient antigenic material for arthritis induction in BALB/c mice. The critical autoimmune/arthritogenic T cell epitopes of aggrecan are located in the G1 domain. Although most of the aggrecan molecules are heavily degraded and lost from OA cartilage, the G1 domain-containing fragments accumulate in OA cartilage. The amount of G1-containing fragments is approximately twice as much in OA than in normal adult articular cartilage, and the arthritogenic epitope(s) remains intact in G1-containing fragments retained in cartilage. Thus, total extracts of OA cartilage (without additional purification), if deglycosylated appropriately, can be used as arthritogenic material in BALB/c mice. Conclusion Predominantly G1 domain-containing fragments of aggrecan accumulate in OA cartilage, and these are the fragments which induce arthritis in BALB/c mice. Arthritis induction is highly specific for aggrecan epitopes and dictated by the genetic background of the BALB/c strain.
Dynamic length regulation of sensory stereocilia

Stereocilia, the mechanosensory organelles of hair cells, are a distinctive class of actin-based cellular protrusions with an unparalleled ability to regulate their lengths over time. Studies on actin turnover in stereocilia, as well as the identification of several deafness-related proteins essential for proper stereocilia structure and function, provide new insights into the mechanisms and molecules involved in stereocilia length regulation and long-term maintenance. Comparisons of ongoing investigations on stereocilia with studies on other actin protrusions offer new opportunities to further understand common principles for length regulation, the diversity of its mechanisms, and how the specific needs of each cell are met.
Municipal Code Enforcement and Urban Redevelopment: Private Decisions and Public Policy in an American city:

Over the past three decades urban redevelopment projects in the United States have typically involved working partnerships between public officials and the business community. This article presents the results of a case study showing how one American city cooperated with private investors to redevelop a large residential area close to its central business district. Through the use of strategic code enforcement and a financial scheme which removed market risks for the developers, the city in question made it possible for the development plan to succeed. The data are examined within the framework of an emerging neo Marxist literature on urban land use. The policy implications of the findings are discussed and analyzed.
Maternal Famine, De Novo Mutations, and Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder that likely stems from multiple genetic and environmental factors. Identifying molecular mechanisms underlying schizophrenia offers the promise of improved treatment and prevention strategies. Finding culprit mutations and the genes that harbor them is therefore one of the great challenges of human genomics. Studying populations who survived in utero exposure to maternal starvation may reveal clues regarding the genetic bases of schizophrenia. For example epidemiological investigations of 2 famines in the 20th century -- the Nazi-induced 1944-1945 Dutch Hunger Winter and the Chinese famine of 1959-1961 following the failure of the Great Leap Forward -- demonstrated an increased risk for schizophrenia among offspring conceived in famine conditions. A possible molecular basis for this risk may be the occurrence of new mutations in genes critical for brain development. Furthermore folate deficiency which could occur in famine may be a mediator of this risk by impairing capacity for DNA repair. Once identified disease-causing de novo mutations in exposed individuals may be informative for the larger population of individuals with schizophrenia. A gene that harbors one disease-associated mutation likely harbors other different mutations associated with the illness in other cases. (excerpt)
Spring Meeting sail-in

In May 1986, Ian MacGregor and I sailed into Baltimore's Inner Harbor to live aboard my boat while we attended the AGU Spring Meeting. During our stay at the Marina, which is only 400–500 m from the Convention Center, we ran into AGU members from several other boats. From these chance encounters an idea was born: Why not have a more coordinated sail-in for the meeting in 1987!! I have offered to act as the commodore/coordinator for this informal event. I'm willing to keep track of the boats that wish dock space and make arrangements with the marina so that boats associated with the sail-in will be together on one “finger” pier.
Volunteer tourism in the global South

At first glance, Volunteer tourism in the global South appears to be a quick and easy read. A closer look reveals that this book is packed with insight, critical analysis, and reflection on both a ...
Pure rotational excitation of H2 at electron impact energies of 3 to 100 eV

Cross sections for pure rotational excitation in H2 are obtained using two different crossed-beam type electron-impact spectrometers with three sets of conditions: at electron energies of 15-100 eV and scattering angles of 115 deg; 3-40 eV at 20 deg; 40 eV at 10-135 deg. For intermediate-energy electrons the pure rotational excitation cross section at large scattering angles exceeds the elastic scattering cross section at electron energies greater than about 30 eV. Rotational cross sections are found to decrease slowly with decreasing electron energy, with a magnitude at their peak (at 4 eV) about 20 times that at 100 eV. It is suggested that these results may account in part for the large population of excited rotational states observed in interstellar H2.
Has the North American Free Trade Agreement fulfilled its promise? An assessment after 15 Years

Five years have passed since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) celebrated its 10th anniversary. In that time, trade expansion among the United States, Mexico, and Canada continues to be strong, albeit in a more modest fashion than in the initial ten years of the agreement. This continued growth has not been without complications in the last five years, especially between the United States and Mexico. The corn and sugar trade have both sparked controversy, while trucking regulation remains an unresolved issue. Trade between the United States and Canada has largely been free of complications save for recent protectionist actions at the sub-national level. These actions are due to misunderstandings concerning the 2009 economic stimulus bill passed in the United States. Many new players have emerged in the free trade landscape since NAFTA's 10th anniversary. Foreign direct investment, imports, and exports have all grown exponentially between the United States and China. Despite rising trade friction due to the global recession of 2008–2009, the North American Free Trade Agreement continues to generate net positive economic benefits for all three signatories.
Role of galanin in stimulation of pituitary luteinizing hormone secretion as revealed by a specific receptor antagonist, galantide

In this study, a specific galanin (GAL) receptor antagonist, galantide, was employed to evaluate the role of endogenous GAL in episodic basal and phasic LH release in rats. To assess the specificity of galantide, a series of experiments was performed. In the first experiment, we observed that administration of GAL (0.62 nm) intracerebroventricularly (icv) in ovarian steroid-primed ovariectomized (ovx) rats rapidly increased plasma LH levels between 10-30 min, and prior injection of galantide icv (5 nm) blocked the GAL-induced LH release. In the second experiment, galantide inhibited the GAL-evoked in vitro release of LHRH from the median eminence-arcuate nucleus (ME-ARC) of ovarian steroid-primed ovx rats. In addition, galantide on its own significantly decreased the basal efflux of LHRH from the ME-ARC of similarly treated rats, thereby suggesting that even the basal LHRH secretion may be a GAL-dependent event. In the third experiment, the effects of galantide on the phasic LH surge elicited by progester...
Quasilikelihood Estimation in Measurement Error Models with Correlated Replicates

SUMMARY We consider quasilikelihood models when some of the predictors are measured with error. In many cases, the true but fallible predictor is impossible to measure, and the best one can do is to obtain replicates of the fallible predictor. We consider the case that the replicates are not independent. If one assumes that replicates are independent and they are not, one typically underestimates the extent of the measurement error, leading to an inconsistent errors in variables correction. We devise techniques for estimating the measurement error covariance matrix. In addition, we discuss how one might perform a quasilikelihood analysis by computing the mean and variance functions of the observed data, both using approximations and also exactly through a Monte Carlo method. The methods are illustrated on a data set involving systolic blood pressure and urinary sodium chloride, where the measurement errors appear to be approximately normally distributed but highly correlated, and the distribution of the true predictor is reasonably modeled as a mixture of normals.
Thrombospondin-4 and Its Variants Expression and Differential Effects on Endothelial Cells

Background— In a recent large-scale genetic association study, a single nucleotide polymorphism in the thrombospondin-4 (TSP-4) gene, resulting in a proline-for-alanine substitution at position 387, was associated with a significantly increased risk for premature atherosclerosis. TSP-4 had not previously been implicated in vascular pathology, and very little information is available on its expression and functions. Methods and Results— The goal of this study was to assess TSP-4 expression in vessel wall and to identify differences in functions of TSP-4 variants that could account for the proatherogenic effects of the (P387)TSP-4 variant. TSP-4 expression was demonstrated in human endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells from brain blood vessels and coronary arteries. (P387)TSP-4 and its fragment (residues 326 to 722), but not the A(387) forms, suppressed EC adhesion and proliferation. The (P387)TSP-4 was more active in inducing the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, consistent with ...
A rational approach to the design of highly-effective chiral stationary phases

Abstract Geometric considerations require that a minimum of three simultaneous interactions occur if a chiral molecule is to “recognize” the chirality of other molecules. Moreover, chiral recognition is reciprocal in that if a chiral stationary phase (CSP) derived from (+)-A can distinguish between (+)-B and (−)-B, then a CSP derived from (+)-B may distinguish (+)-A from (−)-A. These simple considerations have been instrumentally applied in the design of a series of CSPs which show great scope and power in the separation of stereoisomers and it is evident that these CSPs have the ability to separate the enantiomers of thousands of amines, amino alcohols, amino acids (and their ester and amide derivatives), alcohols, and diols, all as the 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl derivatives. Specific resolutions are presented for each of the aforementioned classes of compounds, and the relationship of analyte structure to the extent of enantiomer separation is considered. Such relationships are important to the determination of chiral recognition mechanisms. Evidence is presented for the presence of multiple competing chiral recognition mechanisms, and it is demonstrated that this mechanistic understanding can be used to design CSPs in which the balance between the competing mechanisms can be dramatically shifted.
Investigating the intersection of policing and public health.

In an accompanying Perspective, Scott Burris and Stephen Koester discuss the association between punitive policies and health inequalities and argue for more research focusing on policing and health. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
Surface coatings that promote rapid release of peptide-based AgrC inhibitors for attenuation of quorum sensing in Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen responsible for a variety of life-threatening infections. The pathogenicity of this organism is attributed to its ability to produce a range of virulence factors and toxins, including the superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). While many S. aureus infections can be treated using conventional antibiotics, strains resistant to these bactericidal agents have emerged. Approaches that suppress pathogenicity through mechanisms that are nonbactericidal (i.e., antivirulence approaches) could provide new options for treating infections, including those caused by resistant strains. Here, we report a nonbactericidal approach to suppressing pathogenicity based on the release of macrocyclic peptides (1 and 2) that inhibit the agr quorum sensing (QS) circuit in group-III S. aureus. It is demonstrated that these peptides can be immobilized on planar and complex objects (on glass slides, nonwoven meshes, or within absorbent tampons) using the rapidly dissolving polymer carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). Peptide-loaded CMC films released peptide rapidly ( 95%) inhibition of the agr QS circuit without inducing cell death when incubated in the presence of a group-III S. aureus gfp-reporter strain. Peptide 1 is among the most potent inhibitors of QS in S. aureus reported to date, and the group-III QS circuit regulates production of TSST-1, the primary cause of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). These results thus suggest approaches to treat the outer covers of tampons, wound dressings, or other objects to suppress toxin production and reduce the severity of TSS in clinical and personal care contexts. Because peptide 1 also inhibits QS in S. aureus groups-I, -II, and -IV, this approach could also provide a pathway for attenuation of QS and associated virulence phenotypes in a broader range of contexts.
A novel sparse source imaging in reconstructing extended cortical current sources

We have developed a new sparse source imaging (SSI) method with the use of the L1-norm in EEG inverse problems to reconstruct extended cortical current sources. The new SSI method explores the sparseness in cortical current density variation maps (the transform domain) other than in the cortical current density maps (the original domain) from previously reported SSI methods. The new SSI is assessed by a series of computer simulations. The performance of SSI is compared with the well-known L2-norm MNE using the AUC metric. Our present simulation data indicate that the new SSI has significantly improved performance in reconstructing extended cortical current sources and estimating their cortical extents. The L2-norm MNE shows relatively poor performance in the same source imaging tasks. The new SSI method is also applicable to MEG source imaging.
To VBAC or Not to VBAC

Catherine Spong discusses new research in PLoS Medicine that sheds more light on the risks of uterine rupture for women attempting a trial of labor following previous cesarean section.
Estimating the value of the reduction in air pollution during the Beijing Olympics

This study estimates the willingness-to-pay (WTP) of Beijing residents in order to maintain the improved air quality experienced during the Olympic Games. A double-bounded contingent valuation method is applied to a survey of 566 Beijing residents. The results indicate that the mean annual WTP per household is between CNY 22,000 and 24,000, and the median WTP is around CNY 1,700. The WTP for this actually experienced improvement is significantly higher than the results from previous hypothetical WTP surveys in China.
Design and optimization of double-RESURF high-voltage lateral devices for a manufacturable process

A simple method for determining the optimal charge balance and processing window of double-reduced surface field (RESURF) lateral devices is presented. The technique is based on the use of simple two test structures that are widely used in ICs, no special test structures are required. The optimal processing window is determined from the bounds over which RESURF is maintainable, and hence, high breakdown voltage is achievable. Using the technique, device designers can set and choose the process conditions of the device's critical layers to yield a manufacturable process prior to actual device layout, and therefore preserves the ability for layout design optimization independent of process optimization. The proposed technique also maximizes the benefits of double-RESURF processing for achieving the lowest on-resistance while maintaining the desired breakdown voltage. Using the technique, the process design and optimization guidelines for a double-RESURF LDMOS built in a high voltage IC technology are discussed and supported with experimental results.
Hair Display Loss in Mature Male American Bison: A Temperate Zone Adaptation?

The head hair, beard and pantaloons of mature male American bison (Bison bison) are greatly reduced after each breeding season, primarily by internal physiological events, rather than external, mechanical forces. The consequent reduction in sexual dimorphism may function to reduce post-breeding season aggression between ♂♂. Minimization of aggression at that time would facilitate adaptation to the seasonal resource scarcity characteristic of temperate zones by permitting the ♂♂ to maximize energy storage prior to the winter food shortage. This adaptive value of a disposable display may help to explain some other instances of seasonal loss of sexually dimorphic features, such as antlers in deer and horn sheaths in pronghorns.
Polarization properties of degenerate four-wave mixing in GaAs

The effect of an applied dc electric field on beam-polarization properties of degenerate four-wave mixing in GaAs is investigated. The results can be interpreted in terms of the phase retardation arising from the applied electric field and the light-induced periodic space-charge field. The conditions for attaining a cross-polarized diffracted beam and read beam are discussed. The experimental results agree reasonably well with the theoretical calculations for an applied voltage of 6 kV.
Signaling of the Tissue Factor Coagulation Pathway in Angiogenesis and Cancer

Activation of coagulation precedes or coincides with angiogenesis in wound healing and postischemic tissue regeneration. Advanced cancer is associated with a hypercoagulable state, and tissue factor expression by cancer cells has received widespread attention because of its significant contribution to the pathogenesis of cancer progression and metastasis. Our recent work demonstrates that tissue factor–mediated cellular signaling is relevant to cancer angiogenesis. Here we review the molecular mechanisms of tissue factor pathways in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis with emphasis on the intriguing role for tissue factor cytoplasmic domain signaling.
Pulmonary function reduction in diabetes with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE Diabetes damages major organ systems through disrupted glycemic control and increased inflammation. The effects of diabetes on the lung have been of interest for decades, but the modest reduction in pulmonary function and its nonprogressive nature have limited its investigation. A recent systematic review found that diabetes was associated with reductions in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ), forced vital capacity (FVC), and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide of the lung and increased FEV 1 /FVC. They reported pooled results including few smokers. This study will examine measures of pulmonary function in participants with extensive smoking exposure. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We examined pulmonary function in participants with a >10–pack-year history of smoking with and without diabetes with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We measured pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and pulmonary-related quality of life in 10,129 participants in the Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPDGene) Study. RESULTS Participants with diabetes were observed to have reduced pulmonary function after controlling for known risk factors and also significant reductions in exercise capacity and quality of life across functional stages of COPD. CONCLUSIONS Pulmonary function in patients with ≥10 pack-years of smoking and diabetes is reduced, and this decrease is associated with significant reductions in activity-related quality of life and exercise capacity.
The Sandia lightning simulator: recommissioning and upgrades

The Sandia lightning simulator at Sandia National Laboratories can provide up to 200 kA for a simulated single lightning stroke, 100 kA for a subsequent stroke, and hundreds of Amperes of continuing current. It has recently been recommissioned after a decade of inactivity and the single-stroke capability demonstrated. The simulator capabilities, basic design components, upgrades, and diagnostic capabilities are discussed in this paper.
The influence of conventional and compost fertilization on phosphorus use efficiency by broccoli in a phosphorus deficient soil

Phosphorus (P) accumulation and use efficiency by broccoli (Brassica oleraceae var. italica ) were observed in a field plot study comparing management with varying levels of conventional fertilizer, differing composted amendments, and a combination of inorganic Nitrogen (N) and compost sources. Total P accumulation and yield were highest in treatments incorporating solely compost or vermicompost applications of 30 tons ha –1 . Applications of N as ammonium sulfate caused significant soil acidification, which lowered yield and P uptake. Poor growth and yield were probably related to manganese toxicity effects on root extension and activity. These effects were partly ameliorated in treatments combining fertilizer N and compost sources. As a result, yield in plots receiving 75 kg N ha –1 as ammonium sulfate and 8.9 kg P ha –1 as compost was nearly identical to highest experimental yields. Phosphorus use efficiency was highest in this treatment incorporating fertilizer N and compost. Generally, P use efficiency tended to decline at the highest levels of fertilization. We propose that intensive organic matter management may be a good way to improve P use efficiency by vegetable crops.
Quantizer design and distributed encoding algorithm for source localization in sensor networks

In this paper, we propose a quantizer design algorithm that is optimized for source localization in sensor networks. For this application, the goal is to minimize the amount of information that the sensor nodes have to exchange in order to achieve a certain source localization accuracy. We show that this goal can be achieved more efficiently when "application-specific" quantizers are used. Our proposed quantizer design algorithm uses a cost function that takes into account the distance between the actual source position and the position estimated based on quantized data. We also propose a distributed encoding algorithm that is applied after quantization and achieves rate savings by merging quantization bins without any degradation of localization performance. The merging technique in the encoding algorithm exploits the fact that certain combinations of quantization bins at each node cannot occur because the corresponding spatial regions have an empty intersection. We apply these algorithms to a system where an acoustic sensor model is employed for localization. For this case, we introduce the equally distance-divided quantizer (EDQ), designed so that quantizer partitions correspond to a uniform partitioning in terms of distance. Our simulations show the improved performance of our quantizer over traditional quantizer designs. In addition, they show rate savings (32.8%, 5 nodes, 4 bits per node) when our novel bin-merging algorithms are used. Our results also show that an optimized bit allocation leads to significant improvements in localization performance with respect to a bit allocation that uses the same number of bits for each node.
THE ECONOMETRICS OF FINANCIAL MARKETS: John Y. Campbell, Andrew W. Lo, and A. Craig MacKinlay, Princeton University Press, 1997

The abundance of high-frequency financial data and the rapid development of computer hardware have combined to transform financial economics into, arguably, the most empirically oriented field within the social sciences. At the same time, as a result of the difficulty of conducting genuine market experiments, empirical finance remains firmly grounded in the tradition of model-driven statistical inference that is characteristic of economics. Even so, the richness of data has often spurred a practical orientation that is more familiar in the natural sciences. The combination has proved fertile, leading to the classification of a set of loosely connected empirical topics as a distinct entity, financial econometrics.
Lack of Sequence Homology Among RNAs of Avian Leukosis-Sarcoma Viruses, Reticuloendotheliosis Viruses, and Chicken Endogenous RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase Activity

The relatedness of the RNAs of the three avian systems, including six avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses, four reticuloendotheliosis viruses, and the microsome fraction of normal uninfected chicken embryo cells, containing RNA and a DNA polymerase have been studied by nucleic acid hybridization. All six avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses have closely related nucleotide sequences; and all four reticuloendotheliosis viruses have closely related nucleotide sequences. But, almost no similarities were detected between the RNAs of avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses and reticuloendotheliosis viruses. The RNA template of the endogenous RNA-directed DNA polymerase activity of normal uninfected chicken cells had no detectable relationship to RNAs of avian leukosis-sarcoma and reticuloendotheliosis viruses.
Proposed Methodology for Dynamic Schedule Compression

Despite aggressive efforts of project managers to maintain a project schedule or to recover from a lapsed schedule, delays and cost overruns have become routine phenomenon at many construction projects. This research proposes a proactive schedule compression method to reduce the expected project completion time by removing latent lazy time caused by constraints that impose non-value-added effects on project. An additional objective of this research is to develop a systematic environmental model, the dynamic schedule compression model (DSCM), to improve performance against latency and complexities of design and construction projects in schedule compression. Developing and implementing the DSCM model will result in the following research outcomes: optimizing schedule compression concepts and methods to minimize waste and maximize project performance; detecting and eliminating latent lazy time that project has potentially; managing latency caused by schedule compression; understanding of schedule compression frameworks; and developing system dynamics-based schedule compression model.
Field validation of hsp70 stress proteins as biomarkers in Asian clam (Potamocorbula amurensis): is downregulation an indicator of stress?

The focus of this paper is to consider the applicability of the hsp70 stress protein response as a biomarker in field studies. Stress proteins (or heat shock proteins, hsp) of the hsp70 family are induced by sublethal concentrations of a variety of environmental pollutants. However, few studies have applied these proteins as biomarkers of environmental stress under field conditions. Our laboratory is investigating hsp70 proteins and other responses of Asian clam (Potamocorbula amurensis) as potential biomarkers in laboratory and field studies. Our efforts include two studies presently being conducted in northern San Francisco Bay: (1) monthly collection of clams from four sites along a cadmium contamination gradient; (2) 7 day in situ exposure of clams at two selected sites at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Here we present results on hsp70 proteins in P. amurensis in field-collected and outplanted clams. Both field projects are ongoing, therefore the results presented here do not represent completed studies;...
A Delphi Study Of Web-Enabled Technologies: Identification And Prioritization Of Critical Issues

The role of the Internet as an enabling technology is critical to the strategic planning of national and local governments, educational institutions, hospitals, manufacturing as well as non-manufacturing companies, and increasingly, for small organizations as much as for larger ones. Like other technologies, the path to effective assimilation of Internet-based technologies has not been free of problems and challenges. This paper presents the results of a Delphi study to identify and rank critical issues for effective deployment of Internet-based technologies in organizations. The critical issues identified in this study provide valuable insights for formulating strategies for the overall utilization and management of Web-enabled technologies in organizations.
Low-voltage BICMOS and vertical OTA

A linear BICMOS operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) with low voltage supply requirements is presented. Two versions of this circuit using stacked and folded BICMOS composite transistors are discussed. Simulations and experimental results using transistor arrays are shown that verify the operating principle of the proposed structures.
Internship in LIS education An international perspective on experiential learning

The value of internship as a form of experiential learning in library and information science education has been debated for many years in North America. To gain a global perspective, the current research examines whether such an experience is required and for what reasons and whether placements can be done internationally or virtually. Participants include national libraries, associations, and academic library and information science programs from 69 different countries around the world. Results indicate that outside of American Library Association accredited institutions, internship is more often required and that when it is not, participation rates are low. Further, there was much stronger support for international experiences. Despite the increasing use of online tools to deliver library and information science education, there is a decided lack of institutional support for virtual internships. Suggestions for further research are proposed that address the interdisciplinary, intentional, interconnected, and international model for an internship in 21st-century library and information science education.
Hymenoptera Venom Proteins

There has been much interest in studying and characterizing the venom proteins of social Hymenoptera, since stings from many of these insects can cause serious allergic reactions in man. Because most of the venom proteins are enzymes, specific toxins or other bioactive molecules, their study has led to a number of significant findings in other areas of biology and medicine, beside allergy and immunology. The primary structures of a large series of venom proteins have been determined by the techniques of molecular biology and protein sequencing, allowing the comparative study of families of related venom proteins. Although the primary purpose of the studies was to understand the immunological relationships among these proteins, these families of characterized proteins should provide powerful tools for other types of investigations.
Perception of Risk Posed by Extreme Events

Extreme events, by definition, cause much harm to people, property, and the natural world. Sometimes they result from the vagaries of nature, as in the case of flood, earthquake, or storm, and thus are truly the outcomes of "games against nature." In other cases they follow technological failure or unintentional human error, as in the case of Chernobyl or Bhopal, putting them also into the category of risks that are predictable only probabilistically. More recently we have witnessed another form of extreme hazard, resulting from terrorism. One of us has termed this "a new species of trouble" (Slovic, in press), since it involves an intelligent and motivated opponent, putting the situations that give rise to these types of extreme events into the domain of economic game theory. The purpose of this brief review is to examine what existing research can tell us about the perception of risk associated with these extreme events. We will also point out issues that remain in need of exploration.
RELIABILITY OF CURRENT STEEL BUILDING DESIGNS FOR SEISMIC LOADS

This is a progress report of a research project which evaluates the performance and safety of buildings designed according to the recently proposed procedures such as Uniform Building Code (UBC) and Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC). The extensive results from recent analytical studies of structural behavior, laboratory tests of structural and nonstructural components and field ground motion and damage investigations form the data basis for this study. State-of-the-art reliability methods are used. The study concentrates on low-to medium-rise steel buildings. Both time history and random vibration methods are used for the response analysis. Limit states considered include maximum story drift, damage to nonstructural components and content, and low cycle fatigue damage to members and connections. The risks implied in the current procedure, for example those based on various RW factors for different structural types, will be calculated and their consistency examined.
Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis Does Not Impact Fusion Rates in a Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2-Dependent Rat Posterolateral Arthrodesis Model.

Study Design Randomized, controlled animal study. Objective Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is frequently utilized as a bone graft substitute in spinal fusions to overcome the difficult healing environment in patients with osteoporosis. However, the effects of estrogen deficiency and poor bone quality on rhBMP-2 efficacy are unknown. This study sought to determine whether rhBMP-2-induced healing is affected by estrogen deficiency and poor bone quality in a stringent osteoporotic posterolateral spinal fusion model. Methods Aged female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent an ovariectomy (OVX group) or a sham procedure, and the OVX animals were fed a low-calcium, low-phytoestrogen diet. After 12 weeks, the animals underwent a posterolateral spinal fusion with 1 μg rhBMP-2 on an absorbable collagen sponge. Representative animals were sacrificed at 1 week postoperative for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin serum analyses. The remaining animals underwent radiographs 2 and 4 weeks after surgery and were subsequently euthanized for fusion analysis by manual palpation, micro–computed tomography (CT) imaging, and histologic analysis. Results The ALP and osteocalcin levels were similar between the control and OVX groups. Manual palpation revealed no significant differences in the fusion scores between the control (1.42 ± 0.50) and OVX groups (1.83 ± 0.36; p = 0.07). Fusion rates were 100% in both groups. Micro-CT imaging revealed no significant difference in the quantity of new bone formation, and histologic analysis demonstrated bridging bone across the transverse processes in fused animals from both groups. Conclusions This study demonstrates that estrogen deficiency and compromised bone quality do not negatively influence spinal fusion when utilizing rhBMP-2, and the osteoinductive capacity of the growth factor is not functionally reduced under osteoporotic conditions in the rat. Although osteoporosis is a risk factor for pseudarthrosis/nonunion, rhBMP-2-induced healing was not inhibited in osteoporotic rats.