cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ENHANCEMENT OF HUMAN KIDNEY ALLOGRAFTS BY COLD B-LYMPHOCYTE CYTOTOXINS

Abstract The sera of 233 kidney transplant patients before transplantation were tested by cytotoxicity against a panel of B and T lymphocytes at 5°C and 37°C. The results divided the patients into four groups: those whose sera reacted with B lymphocytes at 5°C only; those reacting with B lymphocytes at 5°C and 37°C; those reacting with T lymphocytes at 37°C; and those with no antibodies. The patients with pre-transplant antibodies reactive with B lymphocytes at 5°C had a significantly higher kidney-transplant survival rate at 6 months (70%) and 1 year (65%) than patients who had no antibodies (47% and 46%, respectively). Patients with antibodies reactive at 37°C had a 6-month survival-rate of 38% when reactive against B cells and 43% when reactive against T lymphocytes. The cold cytotoxins were IgM.
SU‐FF‐T‐68: A Three‐Dimensional Quantitative Dose Reduction Analysis in MammoSite Balloon Due to Radiopaque Iodine‐Based Contrast Solution in Ir‐192 for HDR Brachytherapy: Monte Carlo Calculations and MOSFET Measurements

Current treatment planning systems (TPS) for partial breast irradiation (PBI) using MammoSite brachytherapy applicator often neglects the effect of inhomogeneity, leading to potential inaccuracies in dose distributions. Previous publications have investigated only a planar dose perturbation along the bisector of the source. This investigation expanded to include the attenuation‐corrected radial dose and anisotropy functions and incorporates them into a treatment planning system in a form parallel to the updated AAPM TG‐43 formalism. This will delineate quantitatively the inaccuracies in dose distributions in three‐dimensional space. The changes in dosedeposition and distribution caused by increased attenuation coefficient resulted from iodine‐based contrast solution are quantified using MCNP Monte Carlo simulations in coupled photon/electron transport. The source geometry was that of the VariSource wire model VS2000. Concentration of the iodine‐based solution was varied from 5% to 25% by volume, a range recommended by the balloon's manufacturer. Balloon diameters of 4cm through 6cm were simulated. Measurements using MOSFET were done in water, using a water equivalent jig for precision positioning of balloon and instruments. Dose rates at the typical prescription line of 1cm away from the balloon surface were determined in different polar angles. According to the computations, the dose rate reduction throughout the entire region of interest ranged from 0.33% for the smallest balloon diameter and contrast concentration to a maximum of 6.29% for the largest balloon diameter and contrast. Good agreement was observed between simulations and measurements to within the acceptable error for MOSFETdosimetry (0.9%∼2.8%).
The effects of orbital interactions on the geometries of some annelated benzenes

In order to investigate C–C bond-length alternation in benzenes, tris-annelated with benzo (1), 1,3-cyclobutano (2), etheno (3), and ethano (4) groups, B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations have been performed. The calculations were carried out not only at the fully optimized geometries of 1–4, but also at partially optimized geometries in which the C–C bond lengths in the benzene rings were all constrained to be R = 1.397 A (the optimized C–C bond length of D 6h benzene). This mode of analysis allowed the annelation energies for forming 1–4 to be separated into contributions from (a) the effects of the orbital interactions, which, to different extents in 1–4, localize the π bonds in the benzene rings, even at R = 1.397 A and (b) the resulting changes in the C–C bond lengths that lead to the optimized, bond-alternated, geometries. The degree of cooperativity in steps (a) and (b) has been investigated by computing the annelation energies as a function of n, the number of annelating groups. Cooperativity has been found in step (a) for both 1 and 3, but not for 2, due to the absence of a low-lying, unfilled orbital in cyclobutane. Cooperativity has been found in step (b) for 1–3, where the energy liberated on allowing the benzene bond lengths to alternate has been found to vary as n 2, the square of the number of annelating groups. The dependence on n of both contributors to the annelation energies is discussed.
Marion Barry's road to redemption: A textual analysis of ABC's news story aired on 14 September 1994

Using a critical studies approach, a textual analysis was done to examine an ABC news story on Washington, DC, Mayor Marion Barry that was aired on 14 September 1994. Previous research findings indicate that network news coverage of African Americans is often biased and stereotypical. The purpose of this study was to examine a recent news story on Barry, who has been a subject of controversy, to see how he was portrayed by this network. A close textual analysis of both visual and verbal messages reveals that ABC's portrayal of Barry was rhetorical in nature. It is the author's view that the visual, verbal, presentational, and tonal codes in this news segment not only paint Barry in a negative way, but also convey a stereotypical image of African Americans.
Interleukin-11 Induces Complex Formation of Grb2, Fyn, and JAK2 in 3T3L1 Cells

Previous studies suggested that interleukin-11 (IL-11) induces the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in mouse 3T3L1 cells. However, the mechanisms by which IL-11 activates MAPK remain elusive. Our present results show that IL-11 promotes the formation of the active GTP-bound form of Ras, suggesting that IL-11 actions may be transduced in part through the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway. By immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation, we further demonstrate the association of tyrosine phosphoproteins with Grb2, an adaptor protein serving as a key intermediate for Ras activation. These phosphotyrosine-containing proteins have been subsequently identified to be JAK2, Fyn, and Syp. JAK2 and Fyn are transiently associated with Grb2 upon stimulation with IL-11, suggesting that JAK2 and Fyn may be involved in transducing signals from the IL-11 receptor•glycoprotein 130 to the Ras system through Grb2. Taken together, these results suggest that IL-11-induced interactions of JAK2, Fyn, and Grb2 may not only provide a novel mechanism for the activation of the Ras/MAPK system but also indicate cross-talk among diverse signaling pathways.
A Double Horizon Defense Design for Robust Regulation of Malicious Traffic

Deploying defense mechanisms in routers holds promises for protecting infrastructure resources such as link bandwidth or router buffers against network Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks. However, in spite of their efficacy against brute-force flooding attacks, existing router-based defenses often perform poorly when confronted to more sophisticated attack strategies. This paper presents the design and evaluation of a system aimed at identifying and containing a broad range of malicious traffic patterns. Its main feature is a double time horizon architecture, designed for effective regulation of attacking traffic at both short and long time scales. The short horizon component responds quickly to transient traffic surges that deviate significantly from regular (TCP) traffic, i.e., attackers that generate sporadic short bursts. Conversely, the long horizon mechanism enforces strict conformance with normal TCP behavior, but does so by considering traffic over longer time periods, and is therefore aimed at attackers that attempt to capture a significant amount of link bandwidth. The performance of the proposed system was tested extensively. Our findings suggest that the implementation cost of the system is reasonable, and that it is indeed efficient against various types of attacks while remaining transparent to normal TCP users.
A Study of High Temperature Carburization and Its Correlation with the Creep-Rupture Properties of a 30 Cr/30 Ni Austenitic Steel

Abstract The interaction of environment with alloy microstructure can significantly alter the mechanical properties of the alloy. In this study, a 30 Cr-30 Ni austenitic steel was carburized under two different thermodynamic conditions whereby two distinct microstructures were developed at the same level of carburization. The response of the two microstructures to deformation by creep was investigated at 1000 and 1050 C. Upon carburization at 950 C, the resulting microstructure consisted of thick grain boundary carbides and fine M23C6 carbides in the vicinity of the grain boundaries, while a nonprotective MnCr2O4 layer developed on the alloy surface. Carburization at 1150 C, on the other hand, developed an M7C3 surface layer, also unprotective, while uniformly distributed coarse M23C6 carbides formed in the alloy interior. Creep tests showed that the former microstructure led to an enhancement of creep strength and time to rupture at the expense of rupture ductility. In the latter case, carburization dras...
Nutritional risk and body composition in free-living elderly participating in congregate meal-site programs.

Abstract Early detection of nutritional risk in free-living elderly is critical in healthcare, yet comprehensive measurements are time consuming and can be frustrating to both health professionals and elderly. In addition, body composition measurements provide information regarding fat and fatfree mass that have been linked to morbidity and mortality in elderly. In this study, nutritional risk was assessed in 69 elderly, aged 50-90 years, attending congregate mealsite programs, using Mini Nutritional Assessment, and body composition was assessed by bioelectric impedance. Analysis revealed that 31.9% of the elderly were at risk for malnutrition and 2.9% were malnourished. Males had significantly greater body weight, height and fatfree mass, and females had significantly greater body fat as percentage of body weight, but there was no gender difference in nutritional risk. Of elderly, 36.2% had body mass index > 85th percentile and 8.7% < 15th percentile using national population reference standards. Age-rel...
The Woman Who Walked into the Sea: Huntington's and the Making of a Genetic Disease

The URL for data presented herein is as follows:Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Omim/
Wave propagation in nonlinear multilayer structures

We investigate the adequacy of the Kronig-Penney \ensuremath{\delta}-function model in describing the electromagnetic wave propagation in periodic structures consisting of thin layers of materials with an intensity-dependent dielectric constant. We find that the model captures the most essential features of nonlinear response to radiation. Excellent agreement is found between the results from the \ensuremath{\delta}-function model and the exact solutions of nonlinear wave equations. However, discrepancies do exist below the bottom of transmission bands due to the rigidness of the band edge in the \ensuremath{\delta}-function model. Consequently, gap solitons cannot form in the \ensuremath{\delta}-function model when the nonlinear Kerr coefficient is positive. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Umbilical artery aneurysm: a case report, literature review, and management recommendations.

Background Umbilical artery aneurysm is a rare and often lethal condition frequently associated with fetal anomalies, fetal demise, and neonatal complications. Case We report a case of umbilical artery aneurysm discovered at 21 weeks 2 days of gestation in a fetus of normal karyotype. Maternal hospitalization occurred at 28 weeks for antenatal testing, betamethasone administration, and monitoring for expansion of the aneurysm. Delivery of a live neonate by repeat cesarean delivery was performed at 32 weeks 2 days. Pathology confirmed a 3-vessel cord with an umbilical artery aneurysm. Neonatal course was complicated by respiratory distress of the newborn, hyperbilirubinemia, anemia, difficulty feeding, and cardiac defects. The newborn was discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit on day of life 19. Conclusions Umbilical artery aneurysm is highly associated with fetal complications including trisomy 18, single umbilical artery, cardiac anomalies, and intrauterine fetal demise. A normal karyotype, antenatal monitoring, and early delivery have been suggested to impact the likeliness of survival. Antenatal management strategies include consideration of nonstress testing 3 times daily, serial ultrasound assessments, testing to identify intrauterine growth restriction, and delivery by planned cesarean delivery between 32 and 34 weeks. We recommend that patients be counseled on the high risks associated with umbilical artery aneurysm and be included in discussions regarding antenatal management and delivery planning.
Equivalent Thermal Resistance of a Corrugated Contact Boundary

The heat conduction across a corrugated contact boundary between two different materials is solved by perturbations
No Easy Talk: A Mixed Methods Study of Doctor Reported Barriers to Conducting Effective End-of-Life Conversations with Diverse Patients.

Objective Though most patients wish to discuss end-of-life (EOL) issues, doctors are reluctant to conduct end-of-life conversations. Little is known about the barriers doctors face in conducting effective EOL conversations with diverse patients. This mixed methods study was undertaken to empirically identify barriers faced by doctors (if any) in conducting effective EOL conversations with diverse patients and to determine if the doctors’ age, gender, ethnicity and medical sub-specialty influenced the barriers reported. Design Mixed-methods study of multi-specialty doctors caring for diverse, seriously ill patients in two large academic medical centers at the end of the training; data were collected from 2010 to 2012. Outcomes Doctor-reported barriers to EOL conversations with diverse patients. Results 1040 of 1234 potential subjects (84.3%) participated. 29 participants were designated as the development cohort for coding and grounded theory analyses to identify primary barriers. The codes were validated by analyses of responses from 50 randomly drawn subjects from the validation cohort (n= 996 doctors). Qualitative responses from the validation cohort were coded and analyzed using quantitative methods. Only 0.01 % doctors reported no barriers to conducting EOL conversations with patients. 99.99% doctors reported barriers with 85.7% finding it very challenging to conduct EOL conversations with all patients and especially so with patients whose ethnicity was different than their own. Asian-American doctors reported the most struggles (91.3%), followed by African Americans (85.3%), Caucasians (83.5%) and Hispanic Americans (79.3%) in conducting EOL conversations with their patients. The biggest doctor-reported barriers to effective EOL conversations are (i) language and medical interpretation issues, (ii) patient/family religio-spiritual beliefs about death and dying, (iii) doctors’ ignorance of patients’ cultural beliefs, values and practices, (iv) patient/family's cultural differences in truth handling and decision making, (v) patients’ limited health literacy and (vi) patients’ mistrust of doctors and the health care system. The doctors' ethnicity (Chi-Square = 12.77, DF = 4, p = 0.0125) and medical subspecialty (Chi-Square = 19.33, DF = 10, p =0.036) influenced their reported barriers. Friedman’s test used to examine participants relative ranking of the barriers across sub-groups identified significant differences by age group (F statistic = 303.5, DF = 5, p < 0.0001) and medical sub-specialty (F statistic =163.7, DF = 5, p < 0.0001). Conclusions and Relevance Doctors report struggles with conducting effective EOL conversations with all patients and especially with those whose ethnicity is different from their own. It is vital to identify strategies to mitigate barriers doctors encounter in conducting effective EOL conversations with seriously ill patients and their families.
Characterization of electrode dissolution products on the high-voltage electron microscope

Abstract Deposits left by electrodes and biocompatibility test specimens implanted in brain or peripheral nerve were characterized by X-ray microprobe analysis, electron diffraction and stereoscopic imaging using a high-voltage electron microscope. Examination of thick (1 μm) sections of neural tissue confirmed that the electron-dense bodies found adjacent to electrode positions consist of elements originating in the implant material (with the exceptions of the S and Se found in association with Ag). These elements have no long-range order, suggesting they are complexed with biological molecules. In some cases the deposits appear to be caused by pulsing the electrode with current, while in other cases the deposits are corroded or abraded from the electrode or are otherwise not associated with the neuroprosthetic functioning of the implant.
Nucleosome positioning and gene regulation: advances through genomics

Knowing the precise locations of nucleosomes in a genome is key to understanding how genes are regulated. Recent 'next generation' ChIP-chip and ChIP-Seq technologies have accelerated our understanding of the basic principles of chromatin organization. Here we discuss what high-resolution genome-wide maps of nucleosome positions have taught us about how nucleosome positioning demarcates promoter regions and transcriptional start sites, and how the composition and structure of promoter nucleosomes facilitate or inhibit transcription. A detailed picture is starting to emerge of how diverse factors, including underlying DNA sequences and chromatin remodelling complexes, influence nucleosome positioning.
Fast convergence of the Glauber dynamics for sampling independent sets

We consider the problem of sampling independent sets of a graph with maximum degree δ. The weight of each independent set is expressed in terms of a fixed positive parameter λ≤2/(δ−2), where the weight of an independent set σ is λ|σ|. The Glauber dynamics is a simple Markov chain Monte Carlo method for sampling from this distribution. We show fast convergence (in O(n log n) time) of this dynamics. This paper gives the more interesting proof for triangle-free graphs. The proof for arbitrary graphs is given in a companion paper (E. Vigoda, Technical Report TR-99-003, International Computer Institute, Berkeley, CA, 1998). We also prove complementary hardness of approximation results, which show that it is hard to sample from this distribution when λ>c/δ for a constant c≤0. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 15, 229–241, 1999
The gas-phase elimination reaction of 3-methoxycyclohexene: regiochemistry

Abstract Gas-phase elimination reactions of deuterium labeled 3-methoxycyclohexenes have been investigated. 1,4-Elimination is heavily favored over 1,2-elimination when strong bases such as hydroxide and amide are used. The 1,2-pathway becomes more competitive when weaker bases such as methoxide are employed, and the mechanism shifts from E1 cB to E2.
Excimer Photorefractive Keratectomy for Myopia

Purpose: To study the safety, effectiveness, predictability, and stability of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in 133 normally sighted eyes. Methods: An excimer laser was used with a fluence of 160 mJ/cm 2 at a frequency of 5 Hz and an ablation zone of 5.0 mm. The effects of nitrogen purge at surgery and postoperative steroids were evaluated. Results: No significant complications occurred in any patient. After an initial overcorrection, the refraction stabilized. The average results obtained at 6 months were maintained on successive examinations to 36 months. Analysis of their visual acuity in groups IIA, IIB, and III indicates that results at 6 months are predictive of final results at 1 to 3 years ( P 0.9). In myopia (1.00–6.00 diopters [D]) treated with the excimer laser, there was a trend toward improvement in results over the course of the study. In 60% in group IIA, 58% in group IIB, 71% in group III, and 88% in group III no nitrogen (no N 2 ), ±1 D was obtained. For 20/40 or better uncorrected visual acuity, the outcome was 70% for group IIA, 67% for group IIB, 75% for group III, and 100% for group III no N 2 . Significant improvement was noted without nitrogen purge. No significant improvement was observed from steroid treatment as used. Conclusion: In reducing myopia, PRK appears to be safe and effective. The results obtained are reasonably predictable and stable after 6 months. As more refinements are introduced, this procedure could become one of the most promising in refractive surgery.
Support effects in cobalt-based ethanol steam reforming catalysts: Reaction of ethanol on Co/CeO2/YSZ(1 0 0) model catalysts

Abstract In order to provide insight into how the support affects the reactivity of cobalt-based ethanol steam reforming catalysts, the reaction of ethanol on Co/CeO 2 /YSZ(1 0 0) model catalysts was investigated using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Temperature Programmed Desorption (TPD). Consistent with previous studies, metallic cobalt was found to be active for decarbonylation of ethoxide groups, while partially oxidized cobalt containing both Co 0 and Co 2+ was found to be active for ethoxide dehydrogenation to produce acetaldehyde. This partially oxidized active form of the cobalt was found to be readily formed via the reaction of vapor-deposited Co films with the reducible CeO 2 support at temperatures as low as 300 K. Comparisons of these results to those obtained in our previous studies of the reactivity of Co/ZnO(0 0 0 1) and Co/YSZ(1 0 0) model catalysts are also presented, and the role of the support for enhancing ethanol steam reforming activity is discussed.
Infection of human cells by murine ecotropic viruses: retroviral vectors carrying the hygromycin resistance-encoding gene

The construction of a new retroviral vector, pSKV, is described. This vector carries two unique cloning sites, located between two Moloney leukemia virus-derived LTR, into which genes of interest may be introduced. The gene encoding hygromycin resistance (HyR) was subsequently introduced into one of the two sites, producing a second vector (pSKV/HyR) containing a unique SfiI site for the introduction of cDNA clones under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter (P-CMV). The cDNA (mH13), encoding a protein that has been shown to serve as a murine ecotropic retroviral receptor in transient assays, was cloned into the SfiI site (pSKV/HyR/mH13). Both constructs can be packaged into retroviral particles following transfection into an appropriate packaging cell line. Stable transfectants of the human glioblastoma cell line (U118MG) carrying each of these two constructs were generated by transfection and subsequent Hy selection. Clones expressing both the selectable marker and the mH13 gene, but not those expressing only the selectable marker, are shown to be susceptible to infection with murine ecotropic retroviral particles. These cells (HyR and mH13 positive) were then exposed to CRE/Xtk culture supernatant, a packaging cell line producing ecotropic retroviral particles carrying the HSV-TK (Herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase) and neoR (neomycin-resistance) genes. Selection was in the presence of G418. In vitro growth of the U118MG/HyR/mH13/TK cells, but not that of the U118MG/HyR/mH13 cells, was inhibited by ganciclovir (GCV), indicating the successful transfer of HSV-TK by infection of human cells with murine retroviruses via the mH13 product.
Bifurcation characteristics of nonlinear systems under conventional pid control

Abstract A bifurcation approach to nonlinear systems stabilized by a conventional PID controller is presented to extend the linear control theories and complement the state-space numerical methods. The types of bifurcation and the nature of the new solutions that are created by individual modes in the closed-loop system are revealed by several theorems. Numerical routines initiated by the local bifurcation analyses are presented to trace all solution branches in the gain space and to locate the region in which the set-point is globally stable. A substrate inhibition model of bioreactors, used to display the techniques, exemplifies the richness of dynamic behaviors that can be instigated by a simple controller by exhibiting multiple equilibrium points, limit-cycles, tori, and chaotic strange attractors in the closed-loop system.
A General Review of CDO Valuation Methods

Many investors rely on third-party (dealer) valuation of their CDO positions to satisfy accounting regulations, but there is ambiguity around how the values are derived. This article is intended to clarify the valuation process. In the article, three common CDO valuation techniques are reviewed: net asset value (NAV) analysis, cash flow analysis, and comparables analysis. Frequently asked questions are answered at the end of the article.
Formal analysis of steady state errors in feedback control systems using HOL-light

The accuracy of control systems analysis is of paramount importance as even minor design flaws can lead to disastrous consequences in this domain. This paper provides a higher-order-logic theorem proving based framework for the formal analysis of steady state errors in feedback control systems. In particular, we present the formalization of control system foundations, like transfer functions, summing junctions, feedback loops and pickoff points, and steady state error models for the step, ramp and parabola cases. These foundations can be built upon to formally specify a wide range of feedback control systems in higher-order logic and reason about their steady state errors within the sound core of a theorem prover. The proposed formalization is based on the complex number theory of the HOL-Light theorem prover. For illustration purposes, we present the steady state error analysis of a solar tracking control system.
Tracking spore-forming bacterial contaminants in fluid milk-processing systems.

The presence of psychrotolerant Bacillus species and related spore formers (e.g., Paenibacillus spp.) in milk has emerged as a key biological obstacle in extending the shelf life of high-temperature, short-time pasteurized fluid milk beyond 14 d. A recently developed rpoB DNA sequence-based subtyping method was applied to characterize spoilage bacteria present in raw milk supplies for 2 processing plants, and to assess transmission of these organisms into pasteurized products. Thirty-nine raw milk samples and 11 pasteurized product samples were collected to represent the processing continuum from incoming truck loads of raw milk to packaged products. Milk samples were held at 6°C for up to 16 d and plated for bacterial enumeration at various times throughout storage. Among the 88 bacterial isolates characterized, a total of 31 rpoB allelic types representing Bacillus and Paenibacillus spp. were identified, including 5 allelic types found in both raw milk and finished product samples. The presence of the same bacterial subtypes in raw and commercially pasteurized milk samples suggests that the raw milk supply represents an important source of these spoilage bacteria. Extension of the shelf life of high-temperature, short-time pasteurized fluid milk products will require elimination of these organisms from milk-processing systems.
Histochemical labeling of drug receptors in schistosomes: Quantitation using computer image analysis techniques

Computer image analysis techniques were used to quantitate the histochemical labeling of schistosomes with dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonaminoethyl methylamine hydrochloride (DDNS), a fluorescent analog of acetylcholine (ACh). Dose-response curves, consistent with previous experiments, were obtained for DDNS, and for blockage of DDNS labeling, by trifluoperazine and mecamylamine.
Higher dimensional representations of the SU(N) Heisenberg model

Abstract We construct and solve an integrable SU( N ) invariant Heisenberg model with the degrees of freedom in the symmetric rank- m tensor representation.
Genetic Basis of Familial Dyslipidemia and Hypertension: 15-Year Results From Utah

The genetic and environmental determinants of hypertension, lipid abnormalities, and coronary artery disease (CAD) have been studied for 15 years in Utah in population-based multigenerational pedigrees (2500 subjects among 98 pedigrees), twin pairs (74 monozygous and 78 dizygous), hypertensive siblings (131 sibships), siblings with CAD before age 55 (45 sibships), and anecdotally ascertained pedigrees with type II diabetes (271 subjects among 16 pedigrees), lipoprotein lipase deficiency (106 subjects in a single pedigree), and familial hypercholesterolemia (502 heterozygotes among 50 pedigrees). Estimates of heritability ranged from 20 to 75% for blood pressures and blood lipids. A strong positive family history predicts a future occurrence of hypertension (relative risk [RR] = 3.8) and CAD (RR = 12.7). Segregating single-gene effects were found for several 'intermediate phenotypes' associated with hypertension (erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport, intraerythrocytic sodium, a relative fat pattern, total urinary kallikrein excretion, and fasting insulin levels). Strong single-gene effects in segregation analysis were also found for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]), low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and high apolipoprotein (apo) B. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) markers of lipid abnormalities or hypertension have included LDL-receptor defects, lipoprotein lipase deficiency, high Lp(a), familial defective apo B, decreased quantitative levels of apo B, apo E phenotype, angiotensinogen, and 'glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism (GRA) hypertension.' Also tested in Utah studies, but not found to be DNA markers for hypertension, were the genetic loci for the structural genes for renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme, and the sodium antiport system. In addition, important gene-gene interactions (LDL receptor with apo E2) and gene-environment interactions (kallikrein with potassium intake) were found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Force meets chemistry: analysis of mechanochemical conversion in focal adhesions using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching.

Mechanotransduction—the process by which mechanical forces are converted into changes of intracellular biochemistry—is critical for normal cell and tissue function. Integrins facilitate mechanochemical conversion by transferring physical forces from the extracellular matrix, across the cell surface, and to cytoskeletal- associated proteins within focal adhesions. It is likely that force alters biochemistry at these sites by altering molecular binding affinities of a subset of focal adhesion proteins, but this has been difficult to quantify within living cells. Here, we describe how the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) technique can be adapted and used in conjunction with mathematical models to directly measure force-dependent alterations in molecular binding and unbinding rate constants of individual focal adhesion proteins in situ. We review these recent findings, and discuss the strengths and limitations of this approach for analysis of mechanochemical signaling in focal adhesions and other cellular structures. The ability to quantify molecular binding rate constants in the physical context of the living cytoplasm should provide new insight into the molecular basis of cellular mechanotransduction. It also may facilitate future efforts to bridge biological experimentation and mathematical modeling in our quest for a systems biology level description of cell regulation. J. Cell. Biochem. 97: 1175-1183, 2006. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Implementation of a novel living-donor kidney transplant preoperative checklist within the electronic medical record: a pilot study.

Checklist utilization in surgery has contributed to improved patient safety and reduced numbers of preventable complications. A living-donor kidney transplant (LDKT) preoperative checklist embedded within electronic medical record (EMR) was developed to enhance patient safety and prevent “never” events including: unexpected donor-recipient blood (ABO) incompatibility, positive (XM) cross match, infectious disease transmission, or procurement of an anatomically inappropriate allograft. Review of the initial 2 years of checklist utilization was performed. This safety instrument operates by facilitating critical review and referencing of source documentation to confirm ABO, XM, infectious risk, and organ anatomy compatibility. It was met with high compliance rates and no “never events” have occurred following its inception. The checklist is readily available in the EMR and is accessible by all members of the LDKT recipient healthcare team. Checklist utilization was associated with zero LDKT “never event” occurrences. Surgeons felt the checklist was easy to use.
Structure, Dynamics and Function of Serine Proteases

There has recently been a major revival of interest in serine protease structure, mechanism and inhibition. Recognition that this class of enzymes plays an essential role in such diverse and important processes as cellular regulation, viral infection, blood coagulation, and diseases like emphysema has led to new efforts to control their reactivites. Because serine proteases are ubquitous, but highly specific, they pose special problems as targets for inhibitor design. A “generic” protease inhibitor that bases its reactivity solely on the nucleophilicity of the active site serine hydroxyl will inactivate too many essential proteases as well as the target enzyme; phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride is such a compound, and is highly toxic. Consequently, the most fruitful approach would be to use the natural specificity of the protease to direct the inhibitor to only the desired target. This specificity resides in a set of specificity sub-sites, some distance from the reactive serine and extending away from it in two opposite directions. Naturally occurring protein protease inhibitors derive their specificity from a number of interactions between inhibitor and enzyme, which are not restricted to the catalytic site or primary specificity site.
Positive values of inhomogeneous quaternary ouadratic forms, II

In a previous paper [4] we showed that Γ 3,1 = 16/. For the definition of Γ r, s for an indefinite quadratic form in n = r + s variables of the type ( r , s ) see the above paper. Here we shall show that Γ 2,2 = 16. More precisely we prove: Theorem . Let Q (x, y, z, t) be an indefinite quaternary quadratic form with determinant D > 0 and signature (2, 2). Then given any real numbers x 0 , y 0 , z 0 , t 0 we can find integers x, y, z, t such that Equality is necessary if and only if either where ρ ≠ 0. For Q 1 equality occurs if and only if
Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in bioenergy ecosystems: 2. Potential greenhouse gas emissions and global warming intensity in the conterminous United States

This study estimated the potential emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from bioenergy ecosystems with a biogeochemical model AgTEM, assuming maize (Zea mays L.), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and Miscanthus (Miscanthus 9 giganteus) will be grown on the current maize-producing areas in the conterminous United States. We found that the maize ecosystem acts as a mild net carbon source while cellulosic ecosystems (i.e., switchgrass and Miscanthus) act as mild sinks. Nitrogen fertilizer use is an important factor affecting biomass production and N2O emissions, especially in the maize ecosystem. To maintain high biomass productivity, the maize ecosystem emits much more GHG, including CO2 and N2O, than switchgrass and Miscanthus ecosystems, when high-rate nitrogen fertilizers are applied. For maize, the global warming potential (GWP) amounts to 1– 2M g CO2eq ha � 1 yr � 1 , with a dominant contribution of over 90% from N2O emissions. Cellulosic crops contribute to the GWP of less than 0.3 Mg CO2eq ha � 1 yr � 1 . Among all three bioenergy crops, Miscanthus is the most biofuel productive and the least GHG intensive at a given cropland. Regional model simulations suggested that substituting Miscanthus for maize to produce biofuel could potentially save land and reduce GHG emissions.
Illness, power and prayer in Asser's Life of King Alfred

Asser's account of Alfred's mysterious illnesses is one of the most puzzling and most-discussed passages in his Life. This article attempts to place this account in its contemporary setting, analysing its devotional, intellectual and political contexts, in order to argue that, far from being an anomaly, it reflects the cultural interests of the Alfredian court and the influence upon it of contemporary Carolingian notions of rulership. In the process, Asser is shown to be an author with a keen sense of the prevailing notions of royal authority, but one equally aware of the potential dangers such notions could bring, particularly when one key royal attribute, humility, could be seen as indicative more of weakness than fitness to rule. Taken as a whole, the ideas, allusions and influences present in the work allow Asser's Life to be seen not merely as a descriptive but also as a thematic portrait of the king's intellectual interests. Above all, the Life emerges as a work with strong resonances with the cultural preoccupations of the late ninth century.
A unified bandwidth reservation and admission control mechanism for QoS provisioning in cellular networks

Summary We propose a unified framework consisting of a differential bandwidth reservation (DBR) algorithm and a Quality of Service (QoS)-aware admission control scheme to provide QoS guarantees to on-going connections in cellular networks. The differential bandwidth reservation policy uses a sector of cells in making the bandwidth reservation for accepting a new call. Based on the distance of the target cells in the sectors, two different bandwidth reservation policies are applied to optimize the connection dropping rate (CDR), while maintaining a competitive connection blocking rate (CBR). In addition, two possible mobile terminal (MT) movements are analyzed using the DBR mechanism. In the first case, no knowledge of an MT’s moving path is assumed to be known, while in the second case, prior knowledge of an user profile is used in bandwidth reservation, and it is called user profile-based DBR (UPDBR) algorithm. Using the DBR scheme, we propose an admission control algorithm that uses varying number of cells in a sector to meet admission decisions. Extensive simulation is performed to evaluate our methodology. Comparison of the proposed scheme with two prior schemes shows that our approach is not only capable of providing better QoS guarantees, but is also flexible in terms of using varying number of cells in satisfying the high-level QoS requirements. Copyright # 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High-resolution measurements of saturated coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy line shapes

We report the first measurements to our knowledge of the effects of two-photon Raman saturation on fully resolved, homogeneously broadened coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) line shapes. Saturation dips and line broadening were observed with a high-resolution scanning CARS experiment using a single-mode, frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser and a pulse-amplified cw dye laser. Saturated line shapes are compared with the results of numerical solutions of the time-dependent density matrix equations.
Contact Mechanism of Tribological Coatings With Columnar Microstructure

Tribological coatings for mechanical components such as bearings and gears can experience failure occurring at the surface for highly localized contact conditions. In the present study, a finite element analysis (FEA) model was developed to study the stress distribution and deformation of tungsten carbide reinforced amorphous hydrocarbon coatings with and without columnar microstructures under nanoindentation. Results show that the microstructure of these tribological coatings significantly influences the stress distribution and deformation under heavily loaded conditions.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The effect of large training set sizes on online Japanese Kanji and English cursive recognizers

Much research in handwriting recognition has focused on how to improve recognizers with constrained training set sizes. This paper presents the results of training a nearest-neighbor based online Japanese Kanji recognizer and a neural-network based online cursive English recognizer on a wide range of training set sizes, including sizes not generally available. The experiments demonstrate that increasing the amount of training data improves the accuracy, even when the recognizer's representation power is limited.
Economic Games Among the Amazonian Tsimane: Exploring the Roles of Market Access, Costs of Giving, and Cooperation on Pro-Social Game Behavior

This paper reports the results of the Ultimatum Game (UG), Dictator Game (DG) and Public Goods Game (PGG) played among the Tsimane, a group of forager-horticulturalists living in the Bolivian Amazon. Game results differ significantly from those commonly reported among modern, westernized populations. Without a long history of anonymous interactions, it is highly suspect whether the Tsimane or other traditional populations play economic games under assumptions of anonymity and one-shot exposure. Employing a behavioral ecology framework, I test predictions that differential market exposure, costs of giving, and experience with cooperation can help explain much of the variance in game outcomes. While these factors sometimes act as important predictors of game behavior, the most significant predictor is village membership. Implications for understanding the role of markets, frequent interaction with strangers, and payoffs to cooperation in daily life can help us better understand cross-cultural variation in pro-social behavior.
Biodiversity conservation and drug discovery: Can they be combined? The Suriname and Madagascar experiences

The approach to new drugs through natural products has proved to be the single most successful strategy for the discovery of new drugs, but in recent years its use has been deemphasized by many pharmaceutical companies in favor of approaches based on combinatorial chemistry and genomics, among others.Drug discovery from natural sources requires continued access to plant, marine, and microbial biomass, and so the preservation of tropical rainforests is an important part of our drug discovery program. Sadly, many of the tropical forests of the world are under severe environmental pressure, and deforestation is a serious problem in most tropical countries. One way to combat this loss is to demonstrate their value as potential sources of new pharmaceutical or agrochemical products.As part of an effort to integrate biodiversity conservation and drug discovery with economic development, we initiated an International Cooperative biodiversity Group (ICBG) to discover potential pharmaceuticals from the plant biodiversity of Suriname and Madagascar. The Group, established with funding from agencies of the United States government, involved participants from the USA, Suriname, and Madagascar. The basic approach was to search for bioactive plants in the Suriname and Malagasy flora, and to isolate their bioactive constituents by the best available methods, but the work included capacity building as well as research. Progress on this project will be reported, drawing on results obtained from the isolation of bioactive natural products from Suriname and Madagascar. The benefits of this general approach to biodiversity and drug discovery will also be discussed.
Phytoplankton photosynthesis and carbon‐specific growth: Light‐saturated rates in a nutrient‐rich environment1

Ahstruct Light-saturated photosynthesis from short term (2 h) and daily (24 h) measurements were correlated in phytoplankton of two size fractions, net plankton dominated by diatoms and nanoplankton dominated by chlorophytes. Diurnal variations in short term photosynthesis were characterized by a midday maximum and tended to be of a greater amplitude in net plankton than in nanoplankton populations. Nanoplankton photosynthesis varied on a seasonal scale while net plankton photosynthesis varied on a daily scale-a phenomenon which appeared to be reflected in the relationship between short term photosynthesis and growth. The latter, calculated from daily photosynthesis, increased exponentially with temperature and was more closely coupled to short term photosynthesis in nanoplankton than in net plankton populations. These differences seem to bc related to the way in which the two size fractions arc distributed in time and space as a consequence of interactions between physical process and time-dependent growth.
Arrival Timing and Seasonal Reproductive Performance in a Long-Distance Migratory Landbird

The date when a landbird migrant arrives on its breeding grounds may have reproductive consequences. Generally, early arriving individuals begin breeding earlier and consequently experience greater seasonal reproductive performance. Here, we describe relationships between arrival timing and seasonal reproductive performance in the American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), a long-distance passerine migrant, arriving at northerly breeding grounds in Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula. Evidence suggests that both males and females benefited from early arrival at the breeding grounds. Early males appeared to settle on higher quality territories and hatched nestlings sooner than later arrivals. Early females began their clutches early, produced heavier nestlings and possibly laid more eggs than later arrivals. Larger clutches and heavier offspring increase the likelihood of offspring recruiting into the breeding population. The findings of this study point to fitness consequences arising from when a bird arrives at its breeding grounds. These results also have implications for understanding how events occurring during spring migration influence reproductive performance as migratory delays likely influence arrival timing.
Parenting Stepchildren and Biological Children The Effects of Stepparent's Gender and New Biological Children

Evolutionary views suggest that stepparents find it more difficult to parent stepchildren than to parent biological children. However, gender stratification perspectives suggest that stepmothers are more likely than are stepfathers to experience role conflict in acting as both a stepparent and a biological parent. Therefore, especially when new biological children are added to the stepfamily, stepmothers, more often than stepfathers, may experience greater relative difficulty parenting their stepchildren. Using a sample of 139 stepparents with both residential stepchildren and residential biological children, we determined that stepmothers are in fact more likely than are stepfathers to find it more difficult to rear stepchildren than to rear biological children. However, we also discovered that when stepparents add new biological children to their stepfamilies, both stepmothers and stepfathers find it more difficult to derive satisfaction from stepchildren than from biological children only if their new ...
Fundamental limits on the frequency instabilities of quartz crystal oscillators

The frequency instabilities of precision bulk acoustic wave (BAW) quartz crystal oscillators, and the contributions from the instabilities of resonators, sustaining circuits, and ovens, are reviewed. The fundamental limits on the achievable frequency stabilities, and the degree to which the fundamental limits have been approached to date are examined. Included are the instabilities as a function of time, temperature, acceleration, ionizing radiation, electromagnetic fields, humidity, atmospheric pressure, power supply and load impedance. Most of the fundamental limits are zero or negligibly small, a few are finite. The authors speculate about the progress which may be achievable in the future with respect to approaching the fundamental limits. Suggestions are provided about the paths that may lead to significant stability improvements. >