cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Sam and Ann Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging Studies: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio☆

The Sam and Ann Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging Studies is a focal point for advanced research designed exclusively to study the genes involved in aging and the diseases of aging. The research performed at the Barshop Center is based on a solid foundation of nearly twenty-five years of aging research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Internationally recognized scientists in aging are now leading innovative research programs using state-of-the-art technologies in molecular and cellular biology to explore aging processes at the gene level in the four major programs that comprise the research at the Barshop Center: the Cellular Aging Program, the Invertebrate Aging Program, the Rodent Models of Aging Program, and the Human Genetics of Aging Program. The researchers involved in these programs share a common purpose in an atmosphere of collaboration to gain the scientific insights necessary to understand the molecular basis of aging. Their long-term goal is to gain the knowledge that will give rise to the development of interventions that retard or arrest the debilitating conditions associated with aging. February or March 2003 marks the groundbreaking for the first building of Barshop Center's new stand-alone facility. This is the initial step toward a $70 million, world-class research complex dedicated to the study of aging and healthy longevity.
Collective states of 232Th, 238U and 242Pu

Abstract Energy levels of 232 Th, 238 U and 242 Pu have been studied through inelastic scattering of 16 MeV deuterons. Inelastic scattering cross sections were measured at 90° and 125° by means of a magnetic spectrograph. In all three of the nuclei studied, the ground state rotational bands were excited up to the 8 + member. Several octupole-vibrational states were also identified in each nucleus. In 232 Th and 238 U, K = 0 + ( β -) and K = 2 + ( γ -) vibrations were observed. Relative reduced transition probabilities B (E2) and B (E3) were deduced from the (d, d') cross sections. The B (E3, 0 + → 3 − ) values agree reasonably well with results of a microscopic theory of octupole vibrations that includes Coriolis coupling between the negative-parity bands.
Differential Ubiquitination of Stallion Sperm Proteins: Possible Implications for Infertility and Reproductive Seasonality

Antibodies against ubiquitin, a universal proteolytic marker, show increased cross-reactivity with defective spermatozoa in men and bulls. We investigated sperm ubiquitination in the stallion, a seasonally polyestrous mammal. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated that anti-ubiquitin antibodies bind to the surface of both membrane-intact and aldehyde-fixed spermatozoa. Cross-reactivity to the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 was also detected in sperm. Immunohistochemistry showed that ubiquitinated spermatozoa were first detected in the caput epididymis, coincident with a strong accumulation of ubiquitin and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase, protein gene product 9.5, in the apical stereocilia of the epididymal epithelium. Testicular spermatozoa did not display significant ubiquitin cross-reactivity. Similarly, lesser accumulation of ubiquitin cross-reactive substrates was identified in the accessory sex glands. Semen samples were collected from three fertile stallions and one subfertile stallion between December and February and probed for ubiquitin by flow cytometry and immunoblotting. Flow cytometric analysis showed that sperm from the subfertile stallion had higher ubiquitin levels than sperm from the other three stallions. In addition, immunoblot analysis of sperm proteins from the subfertile stallion showed two unique ubiquitin cross-reactive bands that were not present in sperm extracts from the three fertile stallions. To screen for a possible role for ubiquitin in seasonal changes in sperm production, semen samples from two fertile stallions were collected in March, June, September, and December and subjected to a flow cytometric ubiquitin assay. The lowest levels of ubiquitin-labeled sperm were found in March, approximately coincident with the onset of the natural horse breeding season. A progressive increase in sperm ubiquitin levels was found during summer and fall, with a peak in December. These data suggest that stallion sperm are differentially ubiquitinated during epididymal maturation and that this ubiquitination may reflect changes in sperm numbers and semen quality. The association between changes in sperm ubiquitination and seasonal changes in sperm production will be subjected to further studies in a larger cohort of animals.
Colorectal cancer in patients older than 75 years of age.

Two hundred and seven hospital records of patients with colon or rectal cancer from 1982 to 1985 were reviewed retrospectively. Ninetysix patients were 75 years of age or older and 111 were younger than 75 years. Comparison of the two groups showed that the elderly group presented with lower hematocrits and serum albumin values despite comparable pathologic stages and tumor location. A higher preanesthetic stage was seen in the elderly group. The total perioperative mortality rates for the young and elderly groups were 3.6 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively, and were not statistically different. Emergency perioperative mortality rates were 5.2 percent and 10 percent, respectively, and also were not statistically different. All nine patients aged 90 and older underwent a major abdominal operation without the occurrence of any perioperative mortality. This study suggests that age need no longer be considered a major risk factor for immediate surgical outcome in colorectal cancer.
Differential operators on toric varieties

If X is a toric variety we show that X is isomorphic to a quotient Y G where G is a torus acting on an affine space ks and Y is a G-invariant open subset of ks. We also show that any ring of differential operators on X twisted by an invertible sheaf is a factor ring of the fixed ring D(Y)G by an ideal generated by central elements.
Current and future trends in therapy for dyslipidemias.

ABSTRACT Objective To characterize the atherogenic lipoprotein profile and discuss its implications in terms of treatment. Methods Findings from large clinical trials and personal series of patients are reviewed, and the effectiveness of various interventions is assessed. A cost analysis of management of patients with dyslipidemias is offered. Results The dyslipidemia associated with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is similar to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) pattern B. This atherosclerosis susceptibility trait—which typically consists of a preponderance of small dense LDL particles, intermediate-density lipoprotein, slightly increased triglycerides, and inappropriately low high-density lipoprotein type 2— tends to precede the actual diagnosis of NIDDM and to identify a group with increased risk for cardiovascular events. It also usually signifies a group with good responses to treatment, including arteriographic evidence of regression of coronary artery disease. In general, niacin and fibrates are superior to statins for treatment of patients with LDL pattern B. Lipid management has been proved to be a cost-effective treatment strategy. Conclusion Therapeutic options that lower triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and small dense LDL should be recommended in patients with NIDDM. (Endocr Pract. 1997; 3:255-260)
Taxonomic variation in the patterns of craniofacial dimorphism in primates.

Understanding sexual dimorphism in living primates is important for interpreting the biological and taxonomic significance of variation in the primate fossil record. In the past two decades, there has been an increasing emphasis on the fact that sexual dimorphism varies in both magnitude and pattern among species. Several studies have suggested that distinct patterns of dimorphism may assist in species recognition and perhaps phylogenetic analysis. This study evaluates patterns of craniofacial dimorphism in samples of 82 anthropoid primates. Dimensions of the viscerocranium tend to be more dimorphic than those of the neurocranium and orbits. Principal components analysis of phylogenetically controlled data demonstrates a basic pattern of dimorphism in overall skull proportions, and a distinction between length and breadth measurements. For any given species there can be substantial variation in the magnitude of dimorphism among dimensions, and different species can show substantially different patterns of dimorphism within and between regions of the skull and jaws. Patterns of dimorphism are clearly associated with phylogeny. Pattern similarity is not dependent on the overall magnitude of craniofacial dimorphism, or body mass dimorphism. Among all anthropoids, there are few combinations of characters that consistently show greater or lesser degrees of dimorphism. Such "stability" of patterns increases within genera. Patterns of dimorphism are likely to be useful for interpreting the taxonomic significance of variation in the fossil record. However, phylogenetic propinquity alone is not reason to use an extant species as a model for variation in an extinct species. Rather, care must be taken to identify stable patterns of dimorphism within a group of closely related extant species.
The illusion of explanation: The experience of volition, mental effort, and mental imagery

This commentary argues that the “illusion” to which Wegner refers in The Illusion of Conscious Will is actually the illusion that our conscious experience of mentally causing certain behaviors explains the behavior in question: It is not the subjective experience itself that is illusory, but the implied causal explanation. The experience of “mental effort” is cited as another example of this sort of illusion. Another significant example is the experience that properties of the representation of our mental images are responsible for certain patterns of behavior observed in mental imagery experiments. Examples include the increase in reaction time found when details are reported from smaller images or when attention is switched between different places and features (imagined as further apart than they are) within a single image. These examples illustrate the nature of the “illusion” involved: It is the illusion that certain observed regularities occur because of the content of the experience, as opposed to the converse – that experience has the content it does because of what the person figures out would happen in the imagined situation.
Thermoelastic determination of stress intensity factors in orthotropic composites using the J-integral

Abstract A technique is presented for determining stress intensity factors from thermoelastic data away from the crack tip. The concept, which is based on equilibrium, compatibility and the J-integral, uses a complex-variable formulation involving conformal mappings, analytical continuation and numerical techniques. The method is demonstrated here for loaded cracked orthotropic composite and isotropic plates containing an edge or a central crack.
Malignant neoplasms and parathyroid adenoma.

Isolated publications note the association of thyroid carcinoma, thymoma, and parathyroid adenoma with malignancies of other organs or systems. Of 166 patients with histologically proven parathyroid adenomas, 42% of those found at autopsy and 16% of such patients with parathyroidectomy and no autopsy had such malignancies. Seventy-five similar patients were added to these from literature survey. Gastrointestinal, breast, thyroid, genitourinary, and respiratory systems were the primary sites of malignancy, in decreasing order. These were significantly higher than that observed in control autopsies of comparable age and sex. In contrast, thyroid carcinoma is associated with respiratory, gastrointestinal, breast, and genital malignancy; thymoma with dermatologic, respiratory, thyroid, gastrointestinal, and breast malignancies, both groups in decreasing order of frequency. The pathogenesis and significance of such observations remain obscure in some instances.
Foreign Policy, Naval Strategy, and the Defence of the Ottoman Empire in the Early Sixteenth Century

(1989). Foreign Policy, Naval Strategy, and the Defence of the Ottoman Empire in the Early Sixteenth Century. The International History Review: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 613-627.
Measuring the accuracy of the infrared tympanic thermometer: correlation does not signify agreement.

Abstract This prospective study assessed the accuracy of the infrared tympanic thermometer (ITT) compared to the rectal thermometer (RT) using statistical measures of agreement. In a convenience sample of 100 adult emergency department patients, ear examinations to assess for cerumen or otitis were followed by temperature measurements using the First Temp 2000A thermometer in both ears and the IVAC 2000 rectally. Left and right ITT temperatures showed high correlation and agreement; therefore, only right ITT results are reported. Both the ITT and RT recorded similar mean temperatures, standard deviations, and ranges. The correlation of the ITT and RT and agreement were below the 0.8 level, indicating excellent agreement. The mean temperature difference (RT-ITT) between the two devices was 0.1 ± 0.7 °C; in 10% of patients, the temperature difference was ≥1 °C. Among 10 patients identified as febrile by RT(RT ≥ 38.5 °C), 6 were febrile by ITT. Significant differences occurred between the temperature measurements using the ITT and RT; these devices do not demonstrate excellent agreement.
Targeted Ablation of Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide-producing Cells in Transgenic Mice Reduces Obesity and Insulin Resistance Induced by a High Fat Diet

The K cell is a specific sub-type of enteroendocrine cell located in the proximal small intestine that produces glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), xenin, and potentially other unknown hormones. Because GIP promotes weight gain and insulin resistance, reducing hormone release from K cells could lead to weight loss and increased insulin sensitivity. However, the consequences of coordinately reducing circulating levels of all K cell-derived hormones are unknown. To reduce the number of functioning K cells, regulatory elements from the rat GIP promoter/gene were used to express an attenuated diphtheria toxin A chain in transgenic mice. K cell number, GIP transcripts, and plasma GIP levels were profoundly reduced in the GIP/DT transgenic mice. Other enteroendocrine cell types were not ablated. Food intake, body weight, and blood glucose levels in response to insulin or intraperitoneal glucose were similar in control and GIP/DT mice fed standard chow. In contrast to single or double incretin receptor knock-out mice, the incretin response was absent in GIP/DT animals suggesting K cells produce GIP plus an additional incretin hormone. Following high fat feeding for 21-35 weeks, the incretin response was partially restored in GIP/DT mice. Transgenic versus wild-type mice demonstrated significantly reduced body weight (25%), plasma leptin levels (77%), and daily food intake (16%) plus enhanced energy expenditure (10%) and insulin sensitivity. Regardless of diet, long term glucose homeostasis was not grossly perturbed in the transgenic animals. In conclusion, studies using GIP/DT mice demonstrate an important role for K cells in the regulation of body weight and insulin sensitivity.
Initial recovery of soil carbon and nitrogen pools and dynamics following disturbance in jack pine forests : A comparison of wildfire and clearcut harvesting

Abstract Forests naturally maintained by stand-replacing wildfires are often managed with clearcut harvesting, yet we know little about how replacing wildfire with clearcutting affects soil processes and properties. We compared the initial recovery of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools and dynamics following disturbance in jack pine ( Pinus banksiana ) stands in northern Lower Michigan, USA, by sampling soils (Oa+A horizons) from three “treatments”: 3–6-year-old harvest-regenerated stands, 3–6-year-old wildfire-regenerated stands and 40–55-year-old intact, mature stands ( n =4 stands per treatment). We measured total C and N; microbial biomass and potentially mineralizable C and N; net nitrification; and gross rates of N mineralization and nitrification. Burned stands exhibited reduced soil N but not C, whereas clearcut and mature stands had similar quantities of soil organic matter. Both disturbance types reduced microbial biomass C compared to mature stands; however, microbial biomass N was reduced in burned stands but not in clearcut stands. The experimental C and N mineralization values were fit to a first-order rate equation to estimate potentially mineralizable pool size (C 0 and N 0 ) and rate parameters. Values for C 0 in burned and clearcut stands were approximately half that of the mature treatment, with no difference between disturbance types. In contrast, N 0 was lowest in the wildfire stands (170.2 μg N g −1 ), intermediate in the clearcuts (215.4 μg N g −1 ) and highest in the mature stands (244.6 μg N g −1 ). The most pronounced difference between disturbance types was for net nitrification. These data were fit to a sigmoidal growth equation to estimate potential NO 3 − accumulation (Nit max ) and kinetic parameters. Values of Nit max in clearcut soils exceeded that of wildfire and mature soils (149.2 vs. 83.5 vs. 96.5 μg NO 3 − –N g −1 , respectively). Moreover, the clearcut treatment exhibited no lag period for net NO 3 − production, whereas the burned and mature treatments exhibited an approximate 8-week lag period before producing appreciable quantities of NO 3 − . There were no differences between disturbances in gross rates of mineralization or nitrification; rather, lower NO 3 − immobilization rates in the clearcut soils, 0.20 μg NO 3 − g −1 d −1 compared to 0.65 in the burned soils, explained the difference in net nitrification. Because the mobility of NO 3 − and NH 4 + differs markedly in soil, our results suggest that differences in nitrification between wildfire and clearcutting could have important consequences for plant nutrition and leaching losses following disturbance.
Transformations of De Stijl Art: The Paintings of Georges Vantongerloo and Fritz Glarner

A formalism for describing stylistic change in design is used to analyze transformations of the De Stijl style of painting in the works of two artists.
On the Diversity of Nature and the Nature of Diversity

Diversity was the theme of the 1988 meeting of the Entomological Society of America, chosen to link with themes of other recent meetings: Habitat in 1986 and Evolution in 1987. It was to express an essential aspect of insects and related organisms, of entomology, and of the Entomological Society of America. I wish to relate entomology to the broad issue of the preservation of biotic diversity and to explore some aspects of entomology and ESA for which diversity may be of value.
Oral hydration solutions: Experimental optimization of water and sodium absorption

Eight solutions of potential efficacy for hydration orally, which differed in composition, osmolality, and pH, were tested in an in vivo perfusion system on rat jejunum to assess the rate of water and sodium absorption or secretion. Optimal results were obtained with a preparation of the type recommended by the World Health Organization, containing 60 mEq/L sodium and 111 mM glucose; there was a maximum influx of both water and sodium, which may be ideal for rehydration. It appeared that the critical factor was the molar relationship between glucose and sodium at a 2:1 ratio. Sodium absorption was inversely correlated with glucose concentration in the perfusates. Osmolality and pH may also have a role in the regulation of fluxes across the mucosa. Citrate at concentrations up to 30 mEq/L did not interfere with water absorption. The data presented may thus contribute to a better rationale for the use of orally administered hydration solutions and guidelines for the preparation of more effective ready-to-use solutions.
Bending, Twisting, Popping: Protein and Nucleic-Acid Remodeling by ATP-Dependent Machines and Switches

RecA and AAA+ family ATPases play key roles in cellular events ranging from vesicle trafficking and proteolysis to chromatin remodeling and DNA replication/repair. A large subset of these enzymes form multimeric rings or spirals that respond to cycles of ATP binding and hydrolysis by undergoing changes in oligomeric and/or conformational state, and then transducing these physical rearrangements onto target macromolecules for controlling key biological processes. New structural and biochemical findings from the lab pertaining to how DNA substrates are moved or remodeled by RecA/AAA+ ATPases will be discussed.
Expansion of HIV screening to non-clinical venues is aided by the use of dried blood spots for Western blot confirmation

Abstract Background HIV rapid testing programs in New York State (NYS) are required to collect a specimen for confirmation of a preliminary positive result; however, some venues have limited capacity to collect venous blood, and confirmation using oral fluid is restricted by cost and availability. Objective To evaluate the feasibility of using dried blood spots (DBS) at non-clinical HIV rapid testing sites for Western blot testing. Study design The New York State Department of Health facilitated registration of 48 non-clinical HIV test sites and provided training on DBS procedures. Following a reactive rapid test, DBS were collected by fingerstick onto filter paper cards, dried and mailed to the NYS public health laboratory for Western blot testing. Results From October 2010 to December 2012, 280 DBS specimens were submitted for confirmation. Four (1.4%) were unsatisfactory for testing and 276 (98.6%) DBS were tested. Of these, 235 (85.1%) were positive, 37 (13.4%) were negative and 4 (1.4%) were indeterminate. During this period, the laboratory also received 1033 venous blood specimens for rapid test confirmation, and 35 (3.4%) were unsatisfactory. Of the 998 tested by Western blot, 784 (78.6%) were positive, 197 (19.7%) were negative and 17 (1.7%) were indeterminate. Discussion Compared to venous blood, the percentage of rapid test referral specimens with a positive Western blot was significantly greater for DBS specimens and the frequency of unsatisfactory specimens did not differ significantly. These results indicate that DBS are a suitable alternative to venous blood for confirmation of HIV rapid tests conducted at non-clinical sites.
Dynamical synaptic plasticity: a model and connection to some experiments.

Using a modified version of a phenomenological model for the dynamics of synaptic plasticity, we examine some recent experiments of Wu et al. [(2001) J Physiol 533:745–755]. We show that the model is quantitatively consistent with their experimental protocols producing long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in slice preparations of rat hippocampus. We also predict the outcome of similar experiments using different frequencies and depolarization levels than reported in their results.
Retinal Coding of Visual Scenes— Repetitive and Redundant Too?

Visual information reaches the brain by way of a fine cable, the optic nerve. The million or so axons in the optic nerve represent an information bottleneck in the visual pathway—where the fewest number of neurons convey the visual scene. It has long been thought that to make the most of the optic nerve's limited capacity the retina may encode visual information in an optimally efficient manner. In this issue of Neuron , Puchalla et al. report a test of this hypothesis using multielectrode recordings from retinal ganglion cells stimulated with movies of natural scenes. The authors find substantial redundancy in the retinal code and estimate that there is an ∼10-fold overrepresentation of visual information.
Behavioral and pharmacological assessment of a potential new mouse model for mania

Abstract Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a devastating long-term disease for which a significant symptom is mania. Rodent models for mania include psychostimulant-induced hyperactivity and single gene alterations, such as in the Clock or DAT genes, but there is still a pressing need for additional models. Recently, our lab isolated a line of mice, termed Madison (MSN), that exhibit behavioral characteristics that may be analogous to symptoms of mania. In this study we quantified possible traits for mania and tested the response to common anti-BPD drugs in altering the behavioral profiles observed in this strain. Relative to other mouse lines, MSN mice showed significant elevations of in-cage hyperactivity levels, significant decreases in daytime sleep, and significant increases in time swimming in the forced swim test. In terms of sexual behavior, the MSN mice showed significantly higher number of mounts and a trend toward higher time mounting. In separate studies, olanzapine and lithium (or respective controls) were administered to MSN mice for at least 2 weeks and response to treatments was evaluated. Olanzapine (1 mg/kg/day) significantly decreased in-cage hyperactivity and significantly increased time sleeping. Lithium (0.2–0.4% in food) significantly decreased in-cage hyperactivity. Given the behavioral phenotypes and the response to anti-BPD treatments, we propose that MSN mice may provide a possible new model for understanding the neural and genetic basis of phenotypes related to mania and for developing pharmaceutical treatments.
Development and application of in vivo molecular traps reveals that dynein light chain occupancy differentially affects dynein-mediated processes

The ability to rapidly and specifically regulate protein activity combined with in vivo functional assays and/or imaging can provide unique insight into underlying molecular processes. Here we describe the application of chemically induced dimerization of FKBP to create nearly instantaneous high-affinity bivalent ligands capable of sequestering cellular targets from their endogenous partners. We demonstrate the specificity and efficacy of these inducible, dimeric “traps” for the dynein light chains LC8 (Dynll1) and TcTex1 (Dynlt1). Both light chains can simultaneously bind at adjacent sites of dynein intermediate chain at the base of the dynein motor complex, yet their specific function with respect to the dynein motor or other interacting proteins has been difficult to dissect. Using these traps in cultured mammalian cells, we observed that induction of dimerization of either the LC8 or TcTex1 trap rapidly disrupted early endosomal and lysosomal organization. Dimerization of either trap also disrupted Golgi organization, but at a substantially slower rate. Using either trap, the time course for disruption of each organelle was similar, suggesting a common regulatory mechanism. However, despite the essential role of dynein in cell division, neither trap had a discernable effect on mitotic progression. Taken together, these studies suggest that LC occupancy of the dynein motor complex directly affects some, but not all, dynein-mediated processes. Although the described traps offer a method for rapid inhibition of dynein function, the design principle can be extended to other molecular complexes for in vivo studies.
THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ON THE SIZE OF INVENTORIES

For many businesses the investment in inventories, measured in absolute amounts or as a percentage of assets, turns out to be quite significant. According to recent statistics, the average nonfinancial US corporation has a larger percentage of its funds invested in inventory than in any other current asset. In fact, the role of inventories for many firms in the wholesale and retail trade is even more pronounced where many firms have in excess of 40 percent of their total assets invested in inventory.
Sequential diagnosability of star graphs

Abstract System-level diagnosis for n — star multi-computer systems is considered. In this approach, processors test each other and the test results are collected and analyzed to determine faulty processors. Three basic diagnosis strategies based on this approach are considered for use in n — star: one — t, one — t t , and seq — t. The one — t and one — t t are one-step diagnosis strategies which involve only one testing phase and one repair phase. The goal here is to identify and replace all faulty processors through one mutual testing phase. The other method is sequential diagnosis strategy (seq — t) which involves multiple iterations of testing and repair phases. The cost and diagnostic power of these three basic strategies for n — star is considered. In this paper some new properties of the sequential diagnosis strategy are discussed. In particular, we give a lower bound for the degree of diagnosability of the seq — t strategy in n − star multi-computer system.
Finding intersection of rectangles by range search

Abstract Three related rectangle intersection problems in k-dimensional space are considered: (1) find the intersections of a rectangle with a given set of rectangles, (2) find the intersecting pairs of rectangles as they are inserted into or deleted from an existing set of rectangles, and (3) find the intersecting pairs of a given set of rectangles. By transforming these problems into range search problems, one need not divide the intersection problem into two subproblems, namely, the edge-intersecting problem and the containment problem, as done by many previous studies. Furthermore, this approach can also solve these subproblems separately, if required. For the first problem the running time is O((log n)2k−1 + s), where s is the number of intersecting pairs of rectangles. For the second problem the time needed to generate and maintain n rectangles is O(n(log n)2k) and the time for each query is O((log n)2k−1 + s). For the third problem the total time is O(n log n + n(log n)2(k−1) + s) for k ≥ 1.
An A/T-rich cis-element is essential for rat angiotensin II type 1A receptor transcription in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Abstract Transcriptional mechanisms regulating the expression of the rat angiotensin II type 1A receptor (rAT1AR) gene were investigated in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Transcriptional analyses of various 5′-deletion mutants of the rAT1AR promoter region, fused upstream from the firefly luciferase gene, demonstrated that a 71 base pair (bp) region (−557 to −486 bp, with respect to transcription initiation) was necessary for expression of this gene in VSMC. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that specific protein-DNA complexes were formed with the −516 to −486 bp region of the rAT1AR promoter when incubated with VSMC extract. Computer analysis of this region indicated the presence of an A/T-rich sequence (i.e., TTTAAAAATAAA) which is similar to a myocyte enhancer binding factor 2 (MEF2) cis-regulatory element (i.e., CTTAAAAATAAC). Site-directed mutagenesis of this A/T-rich sequence inhibited rAT1AR promoter activity in VSMC, suggesting that this region was necessary for expression of this gene in these cells. Immuno-gel shift experiments suggest that MEF2 heterodimers may interact with the A/T-rich sequence in the rAT1AR promoter. Additionally, it was demonstrated that a transcription factor non-homologous to MEF2 can also interact with this A/T-rich site in the rAT1AR promoter. Taken together, our results suggest that MEF2 heterodimers, and/or transcription factors non-homologous to MEF2, are required to regulate the expression of the rAT1AR gene in VSMC.
Epigenetic regulation and downstream targets of the Rhox5 homeobox gene

The discovery of the Rhox homeobox gene cluster on the X chromosome opens up new vistas in the regulation of reproductive processes in mammals. In mice, this cluster comprises more than 30 genes that are selectively expressed in reproductive tissues. A subset of Rhox genes are androgen and AR regulated in postnatal and adult Sertoli cells, making them candidates to mediate androgen-dependent steps during spermatogenesis. The best characterized of these androgen/AR-regulated genes is Rhox5 (Pem), the founding member of the Rhox gene cluster. Targeted deletion of Rhox5 in mice causes male subfertility marked by increased germ-cell apoptosis and decreased sperm count and motility. Microarray analyses identified a wide variety of genes regulated by Rhox5 in Sertoli cells. One of them is the tumour suppressor UNC5C, a pro-apoptotic molecule previously only known to be involved in brain development. Targeted deletion of Unc5c causes decreased germ-cell apoptosis in postnatal and adult testes, indicating that it also has a role in spermatogenesis and supporting a model in which Rhox5 promotes germ-cell survival by downregulating Unc5c. Rhox5 has two independently regulated promoters that have distinct expression patterns. The unique tissue-specific and developmentally regulated transcription pattern of these two promoters appear to be controlled by DNA methylation. Both promoters are methylated in tissues in which they are not expressed, suggesting that DNA methylation serves to repress Rhox5 expression in inappropriate cell types and tissues. In summary, the Rhox gene cluster is an epigenetically regulated set of genes encoding a large number of transcription factors that are strong candidates to regulate gametogenesis and other aspects of reproduction.
Estimating the prior probability of paternity from the results of exclusion tests

A simple method is described for calculating the prior probability of paternity from a series of genetic tests on putative fathers. Two numerical examples have been given to illustrate the method.
Integrated modeling and dynamics simulation for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST)

NGST represents a challenging problem from the point of view of maintaining a milli-arcsecond level pointing accuracy and diffraction limited wavefront performance in the presence of dynamic onboard disturbances during science observations in a cryogenic environment. A Dynamics-Optics-Controls-Structures framework is being developed in support of the NGST dynamics and controls modeling program. First, an integrated model comprising multiple disturbance sources, structures, optics and control systems was developed in order to predict the expected dynamic wavefront error and line-of-sight jitter. A disturbance analysis was carried out using frequency domain and Lyapunov techniques. An indexing technique was subsequently used to analyze the sensor-actuator topology of the system. A sensitivity analysis revealed which modal parameters contribute significantly to the root-mean-square errors. The critical frequencies were found to be in the range from 5-50 Hz. This information was subsequently used to recommend performance improvements including stiffening the secondary mirror tower, isolating reaction wheels and adding passive damping treatments. The combination of improvements was implemented numerically, resulting in good performance with sufficient design margins. Isoperformance analysis was introduced as a means of trading system parameters, while holding the performance constant. This research is motivated by the fact that it will not be possible to test the fully deployed observatory in a I g environment before launch.
Abnormalities of Retinal Metabolism in Diabetes or Experimental Galactosemia. III. Effects of Antioxidants

Effects of antioxidants on hyperglycemia-induced alterations of retinal metabolism were evaluated in rats diabetic or experimentally galactosemic for 2 months. Oxidative stress was estimated by measuring lipid peroxides (measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TEARS]) in retina and plasma. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility, another measure of oxidative stress, also was determined in the same groups of rats. In diabetic rats, TBARS were elevated by 74% in retina and 87% in plasma. In galactose-fed rats, TBARS were significantly elevated in retina ( P + -K +- ATPase and calcium ATPase activities in retinas of diabetic animals without having any beneficial effect on plasma TBARS. In galactosemic rats, these antioxidants had a partial beneficial effect on the activity of retinal Na + -K +- ATPase, but failed to have any effect on calcium ATPase. The beneficial effects of antioxidants in diabetes and experimental galactosemia were not caused by the amelioration of hyperglycemia or retinal polyol accumulation. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility was increased by more than twofold in diabetes, but was normal in experimental galactosemia, and antioxidants prevented diabetes- induced increases in erythrocyte osmotic fragility. Diabetes-induced increased oxidative stress and subnormal ATPase activities in the retina can be inhibited by dietary supplementation with antioxidants.
Outcome of erosive reflux esophagitis after Nissen fundoplication.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the utilization of health care resources and long term outcome of erosive esophagitis in patients treated with and without open Nissen fundoplication. METHODS: A population of 35,725 patients with erosive esophagitis was extracted from the computerized database of the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Subjects were stratified by severity of disease into erosive esophagitis alone versus erosive esophagitis complicated by esophageal ulcers or peptic strictures. During a mean follow-up period of 4.2 yr (range 1–12 yr), the consumption of health care resources, except for medications, was compared between case and control subjects treated with and without fundoplication, respectively. RESULTS: Among patients with complicated erosive esophagitis, 5,064 control subjects were treated without, and 542 case subjects were treated with, fundoplication. Cases incurred less recurrence of esophageal erosions (controls: 56% vs cases: 46%), esophageal ulcers (38% vs 33%), and peptic strictures (43% vs 32%) during follow-up. Among patients with erosive esophagitis but no complications, 29,514 control subjects were treated without, and 605 case subjects were treated with, fundoplication. Cases did not experience any change in the recurrence of esophageal erosions (controls: 25% vs cases: 24%). Irrespective of treatment type, none of the case or control subjects with erosive esophagitis alone developed esophageal ulcers or peptic strictures during follow-up. Compared with controls, however, after fundoplication in erosive esophagitis alone, cases incurred more dysphagia (2.6% vs 4.6%), postsurgical syndromes (0.8% vs 1.7%), as well as more outpatient visits (34 vs 40 visits/patient) and outpatient procedures (2.7 vs 4.3 procedures/patient). CONCLUSIONS: Fundoplication improves the clinical outcome of erosive esophagitis in patients with concomitant esophageal ulcers and strictures, but not in patients without such complications. Fundoplication does not reduce the consumption of health care resources.
Ripplocations in van der Waals layers.

Dislocations are topological line defects in three-dimensional crystals. Same-sign dislocations repel according to Frank’s rule |b1 + b2|2 > |b1|2 + |b2|2. This rule is broken for dislocations in v...
Identification of determinant attributes using the analytic hierarchy process

This article develops a new approach, using information available in the intermediate and final phases of the analytic hierarchy process, to explicitly identify which attributes or criteria are determinant in making a choice among several given alternatives. The approach parallels that used in the popular direct dual questioning determinant attribute (DQDA) analysis, which has been widely used in marketing applications. Using the hierarchical structure and pairwise comparisons, the combined relative priorities of the criteria are compared with the relative priorities of the choice alternatives to compute determinance scores. These values are the basis for identifying which of the criteria are both important and different across alternatives (i.e., determinant). This new approach overcomes the potential ambiguities of traditional direct dual questioning methods. Moreover, the approach is easily extended to include decision hierarchies with multiple levels of attributes and subattributes.
Obesity and women—II. A neglected feminist topic

Synopsis This second paper places these findings on obesity in a feminist context and examines the political dimension of obesity for women. It examines the possibility that in Western society females are never too thin to feel fat and looks at the ‘mass starvation of women’ in America as a possible cultural ‘equivalent to foot-binding, lip-stretching, and other forms of woman mutilation’.
Cellular and molecular basis for endometriosis-associated infertility.

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease characterized by the presence of endometrial glandular epithelial and stromal cells growing in the extra-uterine environment. The disease afflicts 10%–15% of menstruating women causing debilitating pain and infertility. Endometriosis appears to affect every part of a woman’s reproductive system including ovarian function, oocyte quality, embryo development and implantation, uterine function and the endocrine system choreographing the reproductive process and results in infertility or spontaneous pregnancy loss. Current treatments are laden with menopausal-like side effects and many cause cessation or chemical alteration of the reproductive cycle, neither of which is conducive to achieving a pregnancy. However, despite the prevalence, physical and psychological tolls and health care costs, a cure for endometriosis has not yet been found. We hypothesize that endometriosis causes infertility via multifaceted mechanisms that are intricately interwoven thereby contributing to our lack of understanding of this disease process. Identifying and understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for endometriosis-associated infertility might help unravel the confounding multiplicities of infertility and provide insights into novel therapeutic approaches and potentially curative treatments for endometriosis.
Did Maxwell pull a fast one? [Microwave Surfing]

This article deals with the explanation about the inner workings of a radiometer developed by the Victorian chemist Sir William Crookes. Crookes submitted a paper using differential radiation pressure to describe the device operation and was reviewed and accepted by Maxwell as an experimental vindication of radiation pressure predicted by his electromagnetic theory. However, it was noted that if the bulb had a perfect vacuum, the device would not work indicating that the gases inside played some role and not by radiation pressure. Osborne Reynolds offered the correct explanation in 1879 based on his "thermal transpiration" theory but did not publish a paper based on the theory upon Maxwell's criticism on Reynold's mathematical treatment of the subject. Osborne wanted to publish his protest against Maxwell's bias on the matter, but because of Maxwell's death, this was deemed inappropriate.
Intrinsic focal variations of rabbit aortic hydrolase activities.

Abstract Normal arterial foci which take up Evans blue dye (EBD) in vivo are believed to represent atherosclerosis-prone, hemodynamically stressed foci compared to areas which exclude dye. We have used the rabbit EBD model to examine focal aortic hydrolases of blue areasa versus white areas, and we report herein significant focal variations of hydrolase activities. Enzymes measured included neutral α-glucosidase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, α-mannosidase, acid α-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, β-glucuronidase, cathepsin C, and acid cholesteryl esterase (ACE); specific activities were expressed on the basis of tissue DNA. In correlative areas of EBD uptake in normal rabbit aortic arch, ACE activity averaged 17% higher and cathepsin C activity averaged 37% lower than activities of areas free of EBD in the descending thoracic aorta (P
Characterization of a lower-body exoskeleton for simulation of space-suited locomotion

Abstract In a previous analysis of suited and unsuited locomotion energetics, we found evidence that space suits act as springs during running. Video images from the lunar surface suggest that knee torques create, in large part, this spring effect. We hypothesized that a lower-body exoskeleton, properly constructed, could be used to simulate the knee torques of a range of space suits. Here we report characterization of a lower-body exoskeleton. Equivalent spring stiffness of each exoskeleton leg varies as a function of exoskeleton knee angle and load, and the exoskeleton joint-torque relationship closely matches the current NASA space suit, or Extravehicular Mobility Unit, knee torques in form and magnitude. We have built an exoskeleton with two physical non-linear springs, which achieve space-suit like joint-torques. Therefore space-suit legs act as springs, with this effect most pronounced when locomotion requires large changes in knee flexion such as during running.
Dependency of polyelectrolyte solvent composition on electrochromic photopic contrast

Abstract Herein, we present a versatile way to increase the photopic contrast of electrochromic devices (ECDs), approximately 14%, through the use of binary mixtures of propylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, and ethylene carbonate that serve the role as plasticizers in the gel electrolyte. The binary plasticizer mixture changed the physical properties of the gel electrolyte medium, including the viscosity and dielectric constant, and also facilitates the diffusion of ions and monomer in the medium leading to an increase in ionic conductivity and the photopic contrast. ECDs were fabricated using a one-step lamination procedure, based on poly(2,2-dimethyl-3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT-Me2) with different polymer gel electrolyte compositions where the electrochromic polymer was electrochemically obtained in situ. Gel electrolytes based on unary or binary plasticizer systems and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) with varying lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiTrif) loading were investigated for the effect of solvent on ionic conductivity and the resulting photopic contrast of the ECD. This study demonstrates a relationship between photopic contrast and ionic conductivity, where the system reaches a maximum in photopic contrast the system is also at the maximum ionic conductivity.
Computational analysis of effect of single-walled carbon nanotube rope on molecular interaction and load transfer of nanocomposites

Abstract In single-walled carbon nanotube/polymer composites, carbon nanotubes usually exist as ropes or bundles of closest-packed nanotubes instead of individual and separated nanotubes. However, both the mechanisms and magnitudes of load transfer between the nanotubes within a rope and the polymer matrix have not been explored. We used molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics simulations to study the molecular interaction and load transfer in the presence of single-walled carbon nanotube rope. The incorporation of a nanotube rope into the composite system substantially increased the simulation difficulties due to the large number of atoms involved in the model. Our simulations revealed that the molecular interaction and load transfer were dependent on not only the physical interactions between the nanotubes and epoxy resins but also the internal interactions within the nanotube rope system. The simulations results showed that individual nanotubes had stronger interactions with the epoxy resins and, therefore, provided better load transfer than the nanotube rope.