cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional Activation of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein-4 by 17β-Estradiol in MCF-7 Cells: Role of Estrogen Receptor-Sp1 Complexes

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4) is expressed in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, and treatment of these cells with 17β-estradiol (E2) resulted in induction of IGFBP-4 gene expression (>3-fold) and protein secretion (>6-fold). To identify genomic sequences associated with E2 responsiveness, the 5′-promoter region (−1214 to +18) of the IGFBP-4 gene was cloned into a vector upstream from the firefly luciferase reporter gene, and E2 induced a 10-fold increase in luciferase activity in MCF-7 cells transiently transfected with this construct. Deletion analysis of this region of the IGFBP-4 gene promoter identified two GC-rich sequences at −559 to −553 and −72 to −64 that were important for E2-induced trans-activation. Gel mobility shift assays using 32P-labeled −569 to −540 and −83 to −54 oligonucleotides from the IGFBP-4 gene promoter showed that Sp1 protein bound these oligonucleotides to form a retarded band, and the intensity of the band was competitively decreased after coincubation ...
Chlamydial cervical infection in jailed women

OBJECTIVES. The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infection in incarcerated adult women has not been reported. To develop a policy for testing and treatment, we determined the prevalence of and risk factors for chlamydial infection in women in a New York City jail. METHODS. Interviews and cervical cultures for C trachomatis were obtained from 101 consenting female inmates. RESULTS. Positive cultures for C trachomatis were found in 27% of the participants. Mucopurulent cervical discharge and education of 8 years or less were two independent risk factors for infection, but only 63% of the infected women had one or both of these factors. If pelvic tenderness were considered as a third factor, an additional 7% of the infected women would have been identified. CONCLUSIONS. The prevalence of chlamydial infection in this population was as high as that in populations for which presumptive treatment is recommended. Although the optimal policy for detection and treatment of chlamydial infection may vary ...
Games for CS education: computer-supported collaborative learning and multiplayer games

Today's Millennial students have changing preferences for education and work environments that negatively affect their enrollment and retention rates into university computer science programs. To better suit these preferences, and to improve CS educational techniques, teaching methods and tools outside of the traditional lecture sessions and textbooks must be explored and implemented. Currently, both serious games and collaborative classroom work, including pair programming, are the focus of studies meant to do just this. The proposed work deals with both serious games and student collaboration research, positing that educational games with collaborative elements (multiplayer games) will take advantage of the benefits offered by each of these areas, resulting in an educational game that demonstrates increased learning gains and student engagement above that of individual learning game experiences. Collaborative educational games and software also have the potential to solve many of the problems that collaborative work may pose to course instructors in terms of helping to regulate and evaluate student performance.
Polymer conformation via magnetic field modulation of delayed fluorescence

Abstract Magnetic-field modulation of delayed fluorescence from poly(2-vinylnaphthalen) in a low-temperature glass at 77 K is reported. The observations are interpreted in terms of local ordering of the naphthalene chromophores with their normal axes aligned approximately parallel to one another.
Tool to classify stool consistency: Content validity and use by persons of diverse cultures

Developing and testing the quality of a research instrument, including its ability to be used by culturally diverse persons, is an important methodological objective. The present study determined the content validity and feasibility of culturally diverse persons to use an instrument to classify stool consistency that has been employed in research on fecal incontinence. Five multidisciplinary clinicians experienced in assessing stool consistency determined the tool to possess content validity. Twenty-four foreign nationals of diverse cultures who spoke English as a second language (ESL) classified the consistency of nine stools using word only or word plus diagram descriptions. The agreement of the ratings of the participants were compared with the those of an experienced investigator. There was no significant difference between the ratings of participants using either type of description. There was good agreement between the classifications of the participants and those of the investigator. The findings of this study contribute to the quality of our instrument and support its use by culturally diverse persons.
A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformations Trial: An Editorial Review

A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformations (ARUBA) is the first randomized trial that attempts to answer the clinical question: what is the best management for an unruptured brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM).1 More concisely, is the natural history or is treatment the riskier management choice? Unquestionably, the investigators engaged in a difficult task. AVMs are different in each individual and so are their treatments.2 Therefore, any randomized trial of AVM management will pose many methodological problems and provoke criticisms from the outset and may not be able to provide definitive answers to many pivotal questions. ARUBA separated unruptured AVMs into a medical treatment alone group (109 patients) and an interventional group subjected to open surgery, radiosurgery, endovascular intervention, or combinations (114 patients).1 The study followed all of these patients until primary end points, such as death or symptomatic stroke, were reached. The study was terminated prematurely at 33.3 months because the incidence of primary end points was dramatically higher in the treatment group compared with the medical management group (30.7% versus 10.1%).1 The first great concern with this study is the generalization that one treatment method is equal in complexity to the other, that is, a simple either/or choice between 2 management methods. Medical management (observation) is a homogenous management delivery system with almost zero clinical variability between practitioners. Interventional therapy, however, represents several individual technologies and methods that are heterogeneous and complex.3 Surgery, endovascular intervention, and radiosurgery are not the same in any shape or form, and when combinations of therapy are included in the analysis, …
Managing HIV in the Workplace: A Primer for Managers and Supervisors

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues and medical advances permit persons living with HIV/AIDS to live longer and healthier lives, effective management of HIV/ AIDS in the workplace has become more important. Effective, legal, ethical, and compassionate management of employees with HIV/AIDS requires knowledge of information from several different, yet related, domains. Employers and managers should be informed about organizational HIV/AIDS policy, legal aspects of employment of persons with HIV/AIDS, accommodations for employees with HIV/AIDS-related disabilities, employee benefits packages, and HIV/AIDS education and training in the workplace. Thorough managerial understanding of these areas can facilitate meaningful employment experiences for persons living with HIV/AIDS that can translate into benefits for employers, such as increased productivity among employees and protection from lawsuits. Literature from each of these areas is reviewed and practical applications are discussed.
Technology roadmap development process (TRDP) in the medical electronic device industry

Technology intelligence using techniques such as data mining or patent analyses is not a new concept in the management of technology. Nevertheless, there is a lack of useful, user-friendly techniques that incorporate quantitative data and expert judgements in technology forecasting, especially if the application targets the medical electronic device industry. This study aims to develop a new model that integrates quantitative data from a variety of sources and expert judgements to develop a technology roadmap for emerging technologies.
Recognition for an Innate Explorer

On June 5, 2013, Ruslan Medzhitov received the Else Kroner-Fresenius Immunology Award. This recognition goes to an individual who has had such an influence on basic and medical immunology that it is almost difficult to recall a time before his discoveries were made. But in reality, that time was not long ago. To mark this celebratory event, I highlight the conceptual revolution spurred by his work, which continues to inspire excitement today.
THE MERIDIONAL GROWTH OF SQUALL LINES

Abstract Squall lines that form ahead of an accelerating cold front are sometimes observed to grow in length. In this paper an attempt is made to explain this interesting property of squall lines, and to deduce a mathematical formula by which this growth may be forecasted. The idealized model is based on the following assumptions: (1) the ground on which the flow occurs is horizontal and devoid of any elevations; (2) there is an inversion layer above the lower surface flow; (3) the acceleration of the cold front is constant; (4) no lateral velocities are produced because of the motion of the cold front. On the basis of these assumptions, and with use of the method of characteristics, a formula is derived for the formation and growth of a squall line. A numerical example is given to clarify the method.
Interaction between a cellular protein that binds to the C-terminal region of adenovirus E1A (CtBP) and a novel cellular protein is disrupted by E1A through a conserved PLDLS motif

Adenovirus E1A proteins immortalize primary animal cells and cooperate with several other oncogenes in oncogenic transformation. These activities are primarily determined by the N-terminal half (exon 1) of E1A. Although the C-terminal half (exon 2) is also essential for some of these activities, it is dispensable for cooperative transformation with the activated T24 ras oncogene. Exon 2 negatively modulates in vitro cooperative transformation with T24 ras as well as the tumorigenic and metastatic potentials of transformed cells. A short C-terminal sequence of E1A governs the oncogenesis-restraining activity of exon 2. This region of E1A binds with a cellular phosphoprotein, CtBP, through a 5-amino acid motif, PLDLS, conserved among the E1A proteins of human adenoviruses. To understand the mechanism by which interaction between E1A and CtBP results in tumorigenesis-restraining activity, we searched for cellular proteins that complex with CtBP. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a 125-kDa protein, CtIP, that binds with CtBP through the PLDLS motif. E1A exon 2 peptides that contain the PLDLS motif disrupt the CtBP-CtIP complex. Our results suggest that the tumorigenesis-restraining activity of E1A exon 2 may be related to the disruption of the CtBP-CtIP complex through the PLDLS motif.
Identification of genetic loci that control mammary tumor susceptibility through the host microenvironment

The interplay between host genetics, tumor microenvironment and environmental exposure in cancer susceptibility remains poorly understood. Here we assessed the genetic control of stromal mediation of mammary tumor susceptibility to low dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) using backcrossed F1 into BALB/c (F1Bx) between cancer susceptible (BALB/c) and resistant (SPRET/EiJ) mouse strains. Tumor formation was evaluated after transplantation of non-irradiated Trp53-/- BALB/c mammary gland fragments into cleared fat pads of F1Bx hosts. Genome-wide linkage analysis revealed 2 genetic loci that constitute the baseline susceptibility via host microenvironment. However, once challenged with LDIR, we discovered 13 additional loci that were enriched for genes involved in cytokines, including TGFβ1 signaling. Surprisingly, LDIR-treated F1Bx cohort significantly reduced incidence of mammary tumors from Trp53-/- fragments as well as prolonged tumor latency, compared to sham-treated controls. We demonstrated further that plasma levels of specific cytokines were significantly correlated with tumor latency. Using an ex vivo 3-D assay, we confirmed TGFβ1 as a strong candidate for reduced mammary invasion in SPRET/EiJ, which could explain resistance of this strain to mammary cancer risk following LDIR. Our results open possible new avenues to understand mechanisms of genes operating via the stroma that affect cancer risk from external environmental exposures.
Death Experience and Religion

There has been much speculation about death experience's impact on people's religious orientations and behavior. The most common hypothesis linking the religious domain with death experience has it...
Gender Differences among Self-Reported Genital Piercing Stories

Through the investigation of a rich, qualitative dataset of 484 self-reported genital piercing stories, we significantly expand an understanding of the characteristics, motivations, experiences, and outcomes of persons with genital piercings. While many of our findings confirm and elaborate prior research, some of our findings also challenge this research. In particular, we find that contrary to the expectations of prior research, there is: (1) little evidence to support the frequently made claim that genital piercings are pathological and (2) little evidence to support the alternatively framed claim that genital piercings somehow offer resistance to traditional gender and sexual norms. Instead, we argue that, by and large, genital piercings are just another mainstream and fairly conventional type of body decoration and adornment.
Central effects of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF): evidence for similar interactions with environmental novelty and with caffeine

Centrally administered rat/human corticotropin-releasing factor (rCRF) increases low levels of locomotor activity by rats tested in a familiar environment but suppresses the higher levels of activity associated with exposure of the animals to a novel environment. These opposing responses do not appear to be manifestations of a simple rate-dependent effect, since ICV-administered rCRF did not lower the higher levels of locomotor activity associated with the dark (active) phase of the animal's activity cycle. Caffeine, which has anxiogenic effects in man, produces effects in rats which are similar to those of rCRF. That is, both compounds elevate activity in a familiar environment but lower activity in a novel environment. Furthermore, caffeine appears to substitute for novelty in determining the direction of the locomotor effect of rCRF. Animals made hyperactive by caffeine show decreased activity when co-administered rCRF. These findings are consistent with the view that CRF acts through pathways which also subserve the responsiveness to novelty and to the anxiogenic compound caffeine.
Tenoscopic surgery for treatment of lacerations of the digital flexor tendon sheath

Summary Reasons for performing study: Lacerations to the digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) are a common injury in the horse, but little information is available in the literature regarding prognostic indicators. Objective: To ascertain whether laceration of the DFTS carried a better prognosis if treated by tenoscopic lavage, debridement and repair within 36 h of the original injury. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 39 horses treated surgically for lacerations to the DFTS was performed over a 3 year period. The injury-to-surgery interval was recorded as 36 h. The structures damaged by the injury were also recorded, as well as age, sex, use and outcome. Results: Sixteen horses had laceration and contamination of the DFTS alone, of which 15 (94%) returned to their original or intended use. Sixteen horses had lacerations involving the superficial digital flexor tendon, of which 12 (75%) made a full recovery. Six horses had lacerations to both superficial and deep digital flexor tendons, 5 were subjected to euthanasia intraoperatively and one is paddock sound. Treatment within 36 h of initial laceration carried a significantly better prognosis for return to intended athletic use (25 of 28 horses allowed to recover from anaesthesia) than treatment after 36 h (2 of 5 P = 0.03; Fisher's Exact Test). Conclusions: If sepsis is treated early using tenoscopic visualisation, lavage and repositol antibiotics, the limiting factor in return to athletic function is tendon damage. Potential relevance: This study supports anecdotal evidence that early treatment of synovial sepsis improves the prognosis for return to intended use. It also provides information on prognostic indicators including extent of damage to collateral structures.
Linearization of dynamical systems using integrals of the motion

A method is presented which transforms certain nonlinear differential equations of dynamics into linear equations by introducing an independent variable and utilizing the integrals of motion. As examples of special interest, the linearizations of unperturbed and perturbed Keplerian motions are discussed.
Shared dysregulated pathways lead to Parkinson's disease and diabetes

Recent evidence indicates that Parkinson's disease and diabetes, both age-related chronic diseases, share remarkably similar dysregulated pathways. Exposure to environmental factors and genetic susceptibility play a role in the etiology and progression of both diseases. In light of recent findings, an intriguing hypothesis has emerged that suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, and alterations in metabolism may lead to insulin resistance and, ultimately, to diabetes and/or neurodegeneration. In this article, we summarize the studies that have addressed the relationship between Parkinson's disease and diabetes and propose that disruptions in these shared molecular networks lead to both chronic diseases.
Spinal kinematics and facet load transmission after total disc replacement

STUDY DESIGN In vitro human cadaveric biomechanical study. OBJECTIVE The objectives were to determine the effect of total disc replacement (TDR) on kinematics, especially range of motion (ROM), helical axis of motion (HAM), and facet joint contact force. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Ball-and-socket type artificial discs are designed to mimic normal motion, but the biomechanical effect on kinematics has not been thoroughly clarified. METHODS Fourteen human cadaveric L4-L5 units were tested before and after TDR. In 7 specimens, facet contact forces were directly measured with thin-film piezoresistive load transducers inserted in the facet joints. In the other 7 specimens, the facet joint capsules were kept intact. Moments (±7.5 Nm) were applied in flexion/extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation motion, with and without an axial compressive preload of 400 N. Three-dimensional motion was recorded, and each angular ROM and HAM were calculated. RESULTS Without axial compressive preload, the TDR did not produce significant differences in ROMs in all cases. However, under compressive preload, the TDR produced significantly larger ROMs for flexion (4.0° and 8.7°) and lateral bending (2.4° and 5.6°) (intact state and TDR, respectively). The TDR did not alter the HAM significantly except the location in lateral bending without compressive preload and the orientation in flexion/extension against horizontal plane. The location of HAM was slightly shifted caudally by the compressive preload in intact and TDR states. Despite the increased ROMs, the facet contact forces were not significantly altered by the TDR either with or without compressive preload (26 N and 27 N in extension, 41 N and 41 N in lateral bending, 117 N and 126 N in axial rotation). CONCLUSION TDR using a ball-and-socket type artificial disc significantly increased ROM under axial load and maintained the HAM with similar facet contact forces to the intact state.
Managing Your Career in an Era of Change

The practice of civil engineering is becoming more global each day. No longer is American know-how required on major international infrastructure projects. The Kansai Airport in Osaka, Japan, the Chek Lap Kok Airport in Hong Kong, the Three Gorges Dam in China, an open copper mine dam in Argentina, a major container port in the Netherlands, and a major dam construction in India are some examples of significant civil engineering projects with little or no American engineering involvement. You can also see this trend closer to home, where foreign firms are successfully “out bidding” America's firms for design and construction projects in the United States. With our society taking engineering for granted, U.S. civil engineers must retool or become obsolete, except as technical processors—using the computer to meet the requirements of codes, standards, and regulations.
The Removal of Copper with Dialkyldithiocarbamate Ligands in Condensed Carbon Dioxide

The global kinetics of the oxidation and removal of copper(0) foil were examined in liquid and supercritical CO 2 using tert-butyl peracetate (t-BuPA) as the oxidant and dialkyldithiocarbamate lithium salts (Li + R 2 DTC - , with R = ethyl, propyl, or n-butyl) as the chelating agent. The pressure was kept constant (at 240 bar) for all reactions as density was not found to affect the kinetics at pressures above 150 bar. Temperature was varied between 25 and 60 °C and the concentrations of the oxidant and chelating agents were varied to determine the observed overall reaction orders for each species. Interestingly, under our reaction conditions, the observed global reaction was independent of oxidant concentration but varied due to the R 2 DTC - concentration. The Et 2 DTC - had an observed half order reaction dependence, indicating a complex reaction mechanism while the other two R 2 DTC - had first order dependence suggesting diffusion limitations. Arrhenius expressions were determined by the temperature dependent kinetics of the product, Cu(R 2 DTC) 2 , formation. The apparent activation energy, E a , for the Et 2 DTC - was 66 kJ/mol, confirming a complex reaction mechanism due to its large value. The apparent activation energies for the Pr 2 DTC - and Bu 2 DTC - were 14 and 17 kj/mol, respectively. These low energies are consistent with diffusion limitation.
A Method for Simultaneous Echo Planar Imaging of Hyperpolarized 13C Pyruvate and 13C Lactate

Abstract A rapid echo planar imaging sequence for dynamic imaging of [1- 13 C] lactate and [1- 13 C] pyruvate simultaneously was developed. Frequency-based separation of these metabolites was achieved by spatial shifting in the phase-encoded direction with the appropriate choice of echo spacing. Suppression of the pyruvate–hydrate and alanine resonances is achieved through an optimized spectral–spatial RF waveform. Signal sampling efficiency as a function of pyruvate and lactate excitation angle was simulated using two site exchange models. Dynamic imaging is demonstrated in a transgenic mouse model, and phantom validations of the RF pulse frequency selectivity were performed.
F-region neutral winds and temperatures at equatorial latitudes: Measured and predicted behaviour during geomagnetically quiet conditions

Nighttime thermospheric winds and temperatures were measured over Roi Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, with a Fabry-Perot interferometer; measurements were obtained during August and September 1977, August 1978, July 1979, and March and July 1980. The winds and temperatures were determined from the Doppler shifts and line profiles of the 630.0 nm twilight and nightglow line emission. All of the measured wind vectors lie in the South-East quadrant, however, there is considerable variation in magnitude and direction within that quadrant. During 1977 all of the data exhibit the same qualitative behaviour. At evening astronomical twilight the wind vector is directed eastward with velocities ranging between 50 and 120 m s−1. The wind vector turns clockwise, increasing in magnitude to 130–160 m s−1 at 23 L.T. in an East South-East direction and then decreasing to < 50 m s−1 at 04 L.T. in a southward direction. During 1978 the wind vector generally turns counterclockwise during the night, with considerable day-to-day variability. The measured wind vector variation during July 1979 and March and July 1980 is quite irregular, but the wind vector consistently remains directed toward the South-East quadrant. The measured nighttime variation of the neutral gas gemperature indicates a 200–300 K temperature drop between sunset and sunrise. The average temperature, however, increases by about 400 K from 1977 to 1980. The NCAR thermospheric general circulation model (TGCM) is used to calculate the nighttime variation of winds and temperatures over Kwajalein Atoll. Numerical experiments made with the TGCM indicate that F-region winds in the equatorial region are strongly influenced by variations of ion drag caused by E × B drifts in the equatorial ionosphere, upward-propagating tides from the lower atmosphere, and high-latitude magnetospheric convection. With a reasonable prescription of the three effects, agreement can be obtained between the calculated and observed variation of winds over Kwajalein. By altering the timing between the interaction of tides and E × B drifts it is possible to derive either a clockwise or counterclockwise wind vector rotation during the night. TGCM calculations suggest that much of the observed variability of winds can be attributed to variations of E × B drifts, tides and to a lesser extent high-latitude magnetospheric convection.
A STUDY OF THE FEMALE FORGER

Abstract Despite substantial increases in female arrests for fraud and forgery, only minimal research has focused on these offenders. A perspective is provided by this anicle, which reviews findings from a study of 32 convicted female forgers. These subjects were part of a larger sample of female offenders that were selected on a proportionate random basis by race and offense from the population of the Florida Correctional Institution at Lowell. The findings indicate that the majority of female forgers were white, although blacks were disproportionately represented, under 30, of average intelligence, single and had prior arrests for forgery related offenses. The female forger was typically found to operate alone, engage in little or no planning and to be motivated by a desire for financial gain. A preliminary typology which included two major categories, check bouncer and the forger was developed.
Effects of calcium nitride and calcium carbonate gasifying agents on the porosity of Ni3Ti–TiC composites produced by combustion synthesis

Combustion synthesis or Self-propagating High Temperature Synthesis (SHS) has been used to produce highly porous materials intended for biomedical applications. Two novel gasifying agents, calcium nitride and calcium carbonate, were employed to increase product porosity and pore size during the combustion synthesis reaction for two SHS chemical compositions. A greater increase in apparent porosity of the products was gained using calcium carbonate compared with calcium nitride. Conversely, a greater increase in the number of pores falling within a 101–500 μm range was gained using calcium nitride compared with calcium carbonate. A greater increase in product porosity and pore sizes was observed for the TiC-50 wt% Ni3Ti than the TiC-30 wt% Ni3Ti with both gasifying agents.
Distributional Impacts of Generic Advertising: Comments

The main point of Kinnucan and Miao can be understood by considering the case of two related goods where the first good (good 1) is an advertised commodity. An effective advertising program will shift the demand curve for good 1 to the right and the demand for good 2 to the left, with the magnitudes of the shifts depending on the own-advertising elasticity of good 1 and the cross-advertising elasticity of good 2. The rightward shift of good 1's demand curve will cause its price to rise, and the magnitude of the price increase depends on the extent of the demand curve shift as well as the slopes of the demand and supply curves of good 1. Similar reasoning applies to the price of good 2. Kinnucan and Miao refer to these shifts in demand due to
A 32-year experience in 100 patients with giant paraesophageal hernia: the case for abdominal approach and selective antireflux repair.

Abstract Background. Giant paraesophageal hiatal hernia (GPEH) presents a risk of catastrophic complications that include massive bleeding, strangulation, and perforation and should be repaired. Controversy persists as to the surgical approach and whether an antireflux repair is required. Methods. This study reviews the experience with 100 patients with GPEH who underwent surgical repair between 1967 and 1999. Eighty patients underwent an elective operation, and 20 patients underwent an emergency procedure for complications of GPEH. The gastroesophageal junction was above the hiatus (“combined” hernia with sliding component) in 23 patients and in the abdomen in 77 patients, including 3 patients with a true parahiatal hernia. Results. A thoracic approach was used in 18 patients, mostly early in our experience; postoperative gastric volvulus requiring transabdominal repair developed in 2 patients. The remaining 82 patients underwent an abdominal repair, with temporary gastrostomy to prevent gastric displacement in 75 patients; the hernial sac was resected, and the hiatus was reconstructed in all of the patients. Thirty-five patients with reflux on preoperative work up underwent a fundoplication, with gastroplasty in 2 patients because of a short esophagus. No patient has experienced hernia recurrence. Whereas symptomatic relief was excellent in all patients with elective repair, mild reflux was present in 2 patients after emergency operation. There were no deaths among the patients who underwent elective operation; there were 2 hospital deaths among those patients who underwent emergency operation (10%). Conclusions. GPEH should be repaired soon after recognition. Reflux should be evaluated before the operation, and if present, fundoplication should be part of the repair along with the reduction of the hernia, excision of the sac, gastropexy, and crural closure. These are best achieved with an abdominal approach. (Surgery 2000;128:623-30.)
Simulation of Seismic Collapse in Nonductile Reinforced Concrete Frame Buildings with Masonry Infills

AbstractImproved analysis methods and guidelines are presented to simulate the seismic collapse of nonductile concrete frame buildings with masonry infills. The analysis tools include an inelastic dual-strut model that captures the post-peak behavior of the masonry infill and its interaction with the surrounding frame. The dual compression struts capture the column-infill interaction that can cause shear failure of the columns and loss of their vertical load carrying capacity. A rigid softening shear degradation model is implemented in the beam-column elements to capture the shear failure of nonductile RC columns. Guidelines are presented to determine the strut model parameters based on data from 14 experimental tests on infill frames. The models are applied in three-dimensional nonlinear dynamic analyses of a three-story nonductile concrete frame prototype building with infills. The incremental dynamic analyses technique is utilized to understand the effect of the infill-column interaction and the rockin...
The Implications of Acute Pouchitis on the Long-Term Functional Results after Restorative Proctocolectomy

A prospective study was conducted to determine the implications of acute pouchitis on the long-term functional results of restorative proctocolectomy with J-pouch ileoanal anastomosis (IPAA). Between July 1988 and June 1996, 137 consecutive patients underwent IPAA for treatment of ulcerative colitis. 127 patients (93%) have been available for follow-up. All patients completed diaries detailing bowel habits over a 7-day period at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 months, and yearly after reestablishment of intestinal continuity. Diaries were completed only during time periods in which patients were not suffering from acute symptomatic pouchitis. Patients with chronic pouchitis (n = 7) were excluded from this study leaving 120 patients for analysis. Fifty patients suffered at least one episode of pouchitis (Pouchitis Group). Seventy patients never had pouchitis (No Pouchitis Group). Patients with a history of pouchitis having significantly more bowel movements per day were more likely to ever have minor incontinence (75% vs. 45%, p < 0.005) or major incontinence (37% vs. 17%, p < 0.02). The stools of Pouchitis Group were less likely to be formed (24% vs. 31%, p < 0.001). Pouchitis Group patients also were more likely to wear a protective pad during the day (21% vs. 7% p < 0.04) or during the night (40% vs. 13%, p < 0.001). Even in the absence of clinically active pouchitis, patients who have suffered at least one episode of pouchitis have a poorer long-term functional result after IPAA. The results of this study suggest that ileal pouchitis may represent a chronic condition that displays episodic symptomatic exacerbations.
FAMILIAL PATTERNS OF HOARDING SYMPTOMS.

Background Previous research suggests that hoarding aggregates in families and is associated with health and safety risks and family problems. The present study examined gender- and diagnosis-related differences in reports of hoarding symptoms among first-degree relatives of people who hoard, and of clinical and community samples. Methods The present study included 443 participants in a study of hoarding behavior: 217 with hoarding disorder (HD), 96 with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and 130 nonclinical community controls (CC). Assessment included a detailed interview of familial patterns of hoarding behaviors among parents and siblings and measures of hoarding severity. Results In the combined sample, participants reported more hoarding among female (mothers, sisters) than male (fathers, brothers) relatives. Significantly more female than male participants indicated they had a parent or any first-degree relative with hoarding behaviors. However, within the HD sample no significant gender effects were found for household, safety, and functioning variables, or for hoarding symptom severity. In an age- and gender-matched subsample (total n = 150), HD participants reported more hallmark hoarding symptoms (difficulty discarding and saving/clutter), and acquiring among their relatives compared to OCD and CC samples, and parents had higher rates than siblings. Conclusions Hoarding symptoms appear to be common among first-degree relatives of people who hoard and are also found among relatives of control samples. The predominance of hoarding symptoms among female relatives may indicate genetic or modeling transmission but this requires further study using large twin samples. Clinicians should consider that family members may also have significant hoarding symptoms.
Thalamic and cortical afferents differentiate anterior from posterior cingulate cortex in the monkey

The anterior cingulate cortex receives thalamic afferents mainly from the midline and intralaminar nuclei rather than the anterior thalamic nuclei. In contrast, the posterior cingulate cortex receives afferents primarily from the anterior thalamic nuclei and from extensive cortical areas in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. These contrasting afferents may provide a structural basis for pain-related functions of the anterior cingulate cortex.
Severe congenital encephalopathy caused by MECP2 null mutations in males: central hypoxia and reduced neuronal dendritic structure

Non-mosaic males with a 46,XY karyotype and a MECP2 null mutation display a phenotype of severe neonatal-onset encephalopathy that is distinctly different from Rett syndrome (RTT). To increase awareness of this rare disorder, we are reporting novel findings in a sporadic case, compare them to 16 previously reported cases and establish salient criteria for clinical diagnosis. The proband suffered from general hypotonia and hypoxia caused by hypoventilation and irregular breathing. He developed abnormal movements, seizures and electroencephalogram abnormalities. He failed to thrive and to reach any motor milestones and died at 15 months from central respiratory failure without a diagnosis. In a muscle biopsy, type II fibers were reduced in diameter, indicating central hypoxia. At autopsy, the brain was small with disproportionate reduction of the frontal and temporal lobes. Synaptophysin staining of synaptic vesicles was greatly reduced in cerebellar and spinal cord sections. Analysis of Golgi-stained pyramidal neurons from cortical layers III and V of the frontal and temporal lobes revealed drastically diminished dendritic trees. Post-mortem MECP2 mutation analysis on DNA and RNA from fibroblasts revealed a novel de novo 9-nucleotide deletion including the intron 3/exon 4 splice junction. The two nucleotides flanking the deletion form a new splice site, and the aberrantly spliced transcript lacks seven nucleotides (r.378_384delTCCCCAG), causing a frameshift and premature termination codon (p.I126fsX11). Males with congenital encephalopathy, not females with RTT, represent the true human counterpart for the commonly studied Mecp2-/y mouse model and provide unique insight into the mechanisms of MeCP2 deficiency.
Medical therapy of acute myocardial infarction: Part II. The role of adjunctive medical therapy.

The second part of this review summarizes the role of other classes of pharmacological therapy in treatment of acute myocardial infarction (MI). The goals of pharmacological therapy are to alleviate symptoms, to stabilize hemodynamic status, and to prevent arrhythmias. These agents have been utilized primarily because of their ability to limit infarct size. Other beneficial properties may include their effects on neurohormonal activation, hemodynamics, and arrhythmias. In an individual patient, age, associated medical conditions, and hemodynamic status are important considerations in choosing a specific class of drug therapy. The beta-adrenergic blocking agents have modest effects on mortality, and they are useful when used alone and in combination with thrombolytic agents. Calcium antagonists have a limited role in acute MI. Diltiazem reduces the incidence of reinfarction in patients with non-Q MI. Oral nitrate therapy has not been shown to reduce mortality. Data from recent trials suggest that prophylac...
Adaptive sidelobe nulling using digitally controlled phase-shifters

Adaptive null-steering arrays which use phase-only weights are examined. The optimal phase weightings are developed and the mathematical equations are reduced to a simplified computational form. Approximations for low sidelobe arrays allow more efficient computations and demonstrate the decomposition of the antenna pattern into a sum of patterns which place gain towards each directional emitter. Computer simulations and breadboard array measurements substantiate the mathematical development and indicate the practicality of the method.
Compiler-directed Collective-I/O

Current approaches to parallel I/O demand extensive user effort to obtain acceptable performance. This is in part due to difficulties in understanding the characteristics of a wide variety of I/O devices and in part due to inherent complexity of I/O software. While parallel I/O systems provide users with environments where persistent data sets can be shared between parallel processors, the ultimate performance of I/O-intensive codes depends largely on the relation between data access patterns exhibited by parallel processors and storage patterns of data in files and on disks. In cases where access patterns and storage patterns match, we can exploit parallel I/O hardware by allowing each processor to perform independent parallel I/O. In order to keep performance decent under circumstances in which data access patterns and storage patterns do not match, several I/O optimization techniques have been developed in recent years. Collective I/O is such an optimization technique that enables each processor to do I/O on behalf of other processors if doing so improves the overall performance. While it is generally accepted that collective I/O and its variants can bring impressive improvements as far as the I/O performance is concerned, it is difficult for the programmer to use collective I/O in an optimal manner. We propose and evaluate a compiler-directed collective I/O approach which detects the opportunities for collective I/O and inserts the necessary I/O calls in the code automatically. An important characteristic of the approach is that instead of applying collective I/O indiscriminately, it uses collective I/O selectively only in cases where independent parallel I/O would not be possible or would lead to an excessive number of I/O calls. The approach involves compiler-directed access pattern and storage pattern detection schemes that work on a multiple application environment. We have implemented the necessary algorithms in a source-to-source translator and within a stand-alone tool Our experimental results on an SGI/Cray Origin 2000 multiprocessor machine demonstrate that our compiler-directed collective I/O scheme performs very well on different setups built using nine applications from several scientific benchmarks. We have also observed that the I/O performance of our approach is only 5.23 percent worse than an optimal scheme.
Increased Spontaneous Unit Activity and Appearance of Spontaneous Negative Potentials in the Goldfish Tectum during Refinement of the Optic Projection

Spontaneous (not retinally driven) postsynaptic activity was examined during activity-dependent refinement of optic fibers in the goldfish tectum. Unit recordings in vivo and in vitro demonstrated that spontaneous tectal activity increased to 150% of normal during refinement at 1–2 months after optic nerve crush and subsequently returned to baseline over the next month. This increase was not mimicked by long-term denervation indicating an effect specifically influenced by regenerating fibers. Loss of optic input was also found to induce spontaneous negative potentials (SNPs) rapidly in the tectum. SNPs were negative, monophasic potentials of 70–120 msec duration and −0.15 to −1.5 mV amplitude. SNPs occurred with no apparent periodicity at a frequency of ∼0.3–0.6 Hz. Multiple electrode recordings and depth analysis showed that SNPs were localized events occurring in columnar domains of tectum a few hundred micrometers wide. Cross-correlation analysis revealed that SNPs were strongly correlated with local unit bursting, suggesting SNPs are generated by the summed synaptic and spike currents of coactive cells in small regions of the tectum. SNPs were suppressed by a low concentration of APV indicating they were regulated by NMDA receptors. During regeneration, the number and size of SNPs reached a peak during refinement and subsequently decreased, eventually disappearing. This temporal association with refinement suggests that these patterns of postsynaptic activity may have functional relevance. It is hypothesized that SNPs or the underlying activity that produces them increases the excitability of target cells, allowing the weak, less-convergent input from regenerating axons to drive target groups of cells in the tectum during refinement.
Nematode development: An evolutionary fugue

Recent studies of vulva development in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus have identified cell interactions that do not appear to occur in Caenorhabditis elegans. The new results underscore the diversity of patterning mechanisms that can produce structures with similar cellular morphology.
Patterns of Hsp gene expression in ectothermic marine organisms on small to large biogeographic scales

SYNOPSIS. The goal of my research program is to employ biochemical and molecular techniques to gain ecological insight into the role of temperature in setting species’ distribution patterns in the marine environment. Our central focus is the study of the environmental regulation of gene expression, where we are particularly interested in a set of inducible molecular chaperones, the heat-shock proteins (Hsps), and how the expression of these genes varies with the thermal history of organisms in natural populations. The primary study organisms are intertidal invertebrates and marine fish that experience dramatic changes in body temperature on varying temporal and spatial scales. In this review, I present studies that address the variable expression of Hsps, how these genes are differentially regulated in ectothermic animals in response to ecologically relevant temperature conditions, and how such plasticity in gene expression contributes to physiological plasticity in the environment.
Energy characterization based on clustering

We illustrate a new method to characterize the energy dissipation of circuits by collapsing closely related input transition vectors and energy patterns into capacitive coefficients. Energy characterization needs to be done only once for each module (ALU, multiplier etc.) in order to build a library of these capacitive coefficients. A direct high-level energy simulator or profiler can then use the library of pre-characterized modules and a sequence of input vectors to compute the total energy dissipation. A heuristic algorithm which performs energy clustering under objective constraints has been devised. The worst case running time of this algorithm is O(m/sup 3/n), where m is the number of simulation points and n is the number of inputs of the circuit. The designer can experiment with the criterion function by setting the appropriate relative error norms to control the "goodness" of the clustering algorithm and the sampling error and confidence level to maintain the sufficiency of representation of each cluster. Experiments on circuits show a significant reduction of the energy table size under a specified criterion function, cluster sampling error and confidence level.
Spectro-Temporal Receptive Fields of Subthreshold Responses in Auditory Cortex

How do cortical neurons represent the acoustic environment? This question is often addressed by probing with simple stimuli such as clicks or tone pips. Such stimuli have the advantage of yielding easily interpreted answers, but have the disadvantage that they may fail to uncover complex or higher-order neuronal response properties. Here we adopt an alternative approach, probing neuronal responses with complex acoustic stimuli, including animal vocalizations and music. We have used in vivo whole cell methods in the rat auditory cortex to record subthreshold membrane potential fluctuations elicited by these stimuli. Whole cell recording reveals the total synaptic input to a neuron from all the other neurons in the circuit, instead of just its output—a sparse binary spike train—as in conventional single unit physiological recordings. Whole cell recording thus provides a much richer source of information about the neuron's response. Many neurons responded robustly and reliably to the complex stimuli in our ensemble. Here we analyze the linear component—the spectro-temporal receptive field (STRF)—of the transformation from the sound (as represented by its time-varying spectrogram) to the neuron's membrane potential. We find that the STRF has a rich dynamical structure, including excitatory regions positioned in general accord with the prediction of the simple tuning curve. We also find that in many cases, much of the neuron's response, although deterministically related to the stimulus, cannot be predicted by the linear component, indicating the presence of as-yet-uncharacterized nonlinear response properties.