cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of ammonium metavanadate on the mouse peritoneal macrophage lysosomal enzymes

Female B6C3F1 mice were injected intraperitoneally with ammonium metavanadate (2.5 or 10 mg V/kg), ammonium chloride, or sodium phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7.2) every 3 d for 6 wk. Resident peritoneal macrophage (PEM) cytolysates were prepared and assayed for intracellular enzyme activities of β‐glucuronidase, N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase, acid phosphatase, and lysozyme, to investigate possible reasons for the depressive effect of ammonium metavanadate on the intracellular killing of Liste‐ria monocytogenes by marine PEM. Acid phosphatase activity per 106 cells for the 2.5 and 10 mg V/kg groups was depressed by 22.8 and 44.7%, respectively, when compared to phosphate buffer controls. No significant effect by vanadium treatment was observed with regard to the other three enzymes. Kinetic studies (in vitro) on the effect of ammonium metavanadate (5, 10, 15, and 20 mM) on the above enzymes showed similar patterns of effect by vanadium. Lineweaver‐Burk analysis of acid phosphatase indicated linear noncompetit...
Use of activated charcoal for the purification of neon in the CLEAN experiment

Abstract Passage of neon gas through activated charcoal is planned to be the primary method of removing impurities from the liquid neon scintillator in the CLEAN experiment. In order to quantify this technique, the breakout curves for hydrogen, nitrogen, argon and krypton impurities in neon-saturated activated charcoal were measured. Adsorption coefficients and the number of theoretical stages were measured for hydrogen in the temperature range between 300 and 80 K, nitrogen between 300 and 200 K, and argon between 300 and 190 K. The adsorption coefficient for krypton was measured at 300 K.
The Effects of Arterial Tissue Reorganization on the Geometrical Outputs of Pressure- and Flow-Induced Remodeling: A Theoretical Study

Arterial remodeling in response to sustained alterations in blood pressure and/or flow induces changes in vessel geometry, structure, and composition. In conditions of hypertension and elevated blood flow, remodeling results in increased vessel mass that is distributed in a manner to maintain the local mechanical environment of the vascular cells at a baseline state. A majority of theoretical studies on remodeling have assumed that new mass is formed via a proportional production of load-bearing constituents, namely elastin, collagen, and smooth muscle. Therefore, when the vascular tissue is considered as a constrained mixture of these structural components, their mass fractions do not change as a result of remodeling. However, increased arterial mass is primarily attributed to smooth muscle cell hypertrophy and upregulated collagen production, implying a change in the mass fractions of all constituents and therefore the tissue mechanical properties [1]. Moreover, few papers account for remodeling-induced changes in the configuration and/or orientation of collagen fibers, both of which may also alter tissue mechanical properties. The objective of this study is to build a mathematical model that enables evaluation of the effects of mass redistribution among structural components and changes in collagen fiber configuration on the geometrical outputs of arterial remodeling.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Fungi and the rise of mammals.

Here are two indisputable facts: we are living in the age of mammals [1], and immunologically intact mammals are highly resistant to fungal diseases, such that most human systemic fungal are considered ‘‘opportunistic’’ [2]. Could these two facts be connected? The mammalian lifestyle is characterized by endothermy, homeothermy, and care for the young, including nourishment via lactation, all of which are energetically costly activities. In contrast, reptiles, which are ectotherms, require about one-tenth of the daily mammalian energy needs [3], and reptilian development is faster and requires less parental involvement. Given this energy handicap, how did mammals replace reptiles as the dominant land animals? This essay further develops the hypothesis originally proposed seven years ago that fungi contributed to the emergence of mammals by creating a fungal filter at the end of the Cretaceous that selected for the mammalian lifestyle and against reptiles [4].
IL-10 Inhibits Alloreactive Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Generation in Vivo

In this report, we present evidence that the CTL response directed against MHC Class I allo-determinants can be inhibited as a result of IL-10 expression in vivo. The presence of localized IL-10 secretion at the site of allogeneic tumor cell challenge resulted in marked inhibition of the CTL response and allowed growth of the tumor in the allogeneic host. Using purified CD4+ T cells from mice immunized in the presence or absence of IL-10, we have shown that the loss of alloreactivity as a consequence of IL-10 expression results from the inhibition of CD4+ T cell function. The expression of either IL-2 or IFN-gamma with IL-10 locally at the time of allogeneic cell challenge completely restored CTL alloreactivity, suggesting that the action of IL-10 could be bypassed by providing helper T lymphocyte-derived cytokines of the Th1 type at the site of immunization. Inhibition of alloreactivity by IL-10 was observed using either purified macrophages or dendritic cells as APC in an in vitro assay. Thus, the expression of IL-10 following antigenic challenge (such as that observed in Th2-like immune responses) may profoundly limit the ability for generating functional CTL in vivo.
Generation of C5-Dependent Bioactivity by Tissue-Bound Anti-BMZ Autoantibodies

We previously reported that complement-binding anti-basement membrane zone (BMZ) auto antibodies can mediate complement-dependent directed migration and adherence of leukocytes to the BMZ in cryostat skin sections and that there is heterogeneity in the ability of anti-BMZ auto antibodies to mediate that response. Those observations suggested that directed migration and adherence of leukocytes to the BMZ might be dependent on the amount of complement-activating autoantibody deposited at the BMZ and the extent to which those antibodies could activate complement and generate C5-derived peptides (C5a, C5a des arg). In this study, we have examined the role of autoantibody concentration and C5 in mediating the adherence response. When cryostat skin sections were pretreated with anti-BMZ auto antibodies and subsequently incubated with neutrophils suspended in fresh serum, neutrophils adhered to the BMZ. Adherence was anti-BMZ autoantibody specific and proportional to anti-BMZ autoantibody concentration. To determine the role of C5 in mediating adherence, neutrophils were suspended in increasing concentrations of: 1) fresh serum, 2) heat-inactivated serum, 3) serum pretreated with antihuman C5, 4) serum pretreated with antihuman IgG, 5) C5-depleted serum, 6) purified C5, and 7) C5-depleted serum reconstituted with increasing concentrations of purified C5. The suspensions were then incubated with autoantibody-treated skin sections. The results showed a dose-dependent requirement for fresh serum and for C5-depleted serum reconstituted with increasing doses of C5. Adherence could be detected with C5 concentrations less than 200 ng/ml, which correspond to a C5a/C5a des arg concentration of 10-8 -10-9 molar. These results suggest that complement-dependent neutrophil adherence is a highly sensitive method for detecting and quantitating the abilty of tissue-deposited anti-BMZ autoantibodies to activate complement and generate C5-derived bioactive peptides, for estimating the amount of C-activating anti-BMZ autoantibody deposited at the BMZ in vivo, and for evaluating the potential role of C-activating anti-BMZ autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of lesions.
Simultaneous σ-hole and hydrogen bonding by sulfur- and selenium-containing heterocycles

When a Group V, VI, or VII atom forms a covalent bond, its bonding orbital has a deficiency of electronic charge in its outer (noninvolved) lobe. This is called a σ-hole. If the atom is sufficiently polarizable, the σ-hole may have a positive electrostatic potential which can interact with a nucleophilic site in its proximity to form a noncovalent bond. In this article, we show computationally, for a series of sulfur and selenium heterocycles, how the two σ-holes on each S or Se atom are affected by changes in the molecular framework and substituents. It is possible to selectively design σ-holes of appropriate strength and orientation for specific purposes, e.g. drug-receptor interactions or crystal engineering. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008
Portable multichannel multiwavelength near-infrared diffusive light imager

ABSTRACT We have developed a near infrared optical tomography system features fast optical switching, three-wavelength excitations, and avalanche photodiode (APD) detectors with a high dynamic range. Pigtailed laser diodes at 660, 780, and 830 nm are used as light sources and their outputs are distributed sequentially to one of nine source fibers. The crosstalk between source channels is around 65 dB, equivalent to 130 dB in opto-electrical signals. 10 Silicon APDs detect diffusive photon density waves simultaneously. The dynamic range of an APD is several orders higher than that of a photomultiplier tube (PMT), which eliminates the need of multi-step system gain control. However, the internal gain of the APD we are using is about 3 orders lower than an ordinary PMT. Efforts have been made to suppress the feed through interferences from the transmission part to the reception part so as to reduce the errors in amplitude and phase measurements. Keywords: diffusive, imaging, optical switch, avalanche photodiode, dynamic range
Emerging technologies for oral diagnostics: lessons from chronic graft-versus-host disease

Saliva is a protein-rich oral fluid that contains information about systemic and oral-specific disease pathogenesis and diagnosis. Technologies are emerging to improve detection of protein components of human saliva for use not only in biomarker discovery, but also for the illumination of pathways involved in oral disease. These include the optimization of liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of saliva in health and disease. Downstream of saliva component identification and validation comes the complex task of connecting salivary proteomic data to biological function, disease state, and other clinical patient information in a meaningful way. Augmentation of database information with biological expertise is crucial for effective analysis of potential biomarkers and disease pathways in order to improve diagnosis and identify putative therapeutic targets. This presentation will use LC-MS/MS analysis of saliva from chronic Graft-versus-Host disease (cGVHD) patients to illustrate these principles, and includes a discussion of the complex clinical and diagnostic issues related to proteomics and biomarker research in cGVHD.
An RCM Strategy to Stereodiverse δ-Sultam Scaffolds

An asymmetric approach for the synthesis of substituted δ-sultams with multiple synthetic handles is described. This study demonstrates the facile construction of a stereochemically diverse array of substituted δ-sultams, more specifically substituted 3,4,5,6-dihydro 1,2-thiazine 1,1-dioxides. A pivotal Mitsunobu alkylation/RCM sequence is used to assemble key allyl sultam building blocks possessing a C3 stereogenic handle. All subsequent reactions are achieved with high levels of diastereoselectivity to afford enantiopure δ-sultams in good yields.
Time-dependent Accretion by Magnetic Young Stellar Objects as a Launching Mechanism for Stellar Jets

A time-dependent jet launching and collimating mechanism is presented. Initial results of numerical simulations of the interaction between an aligned dipole rotator and a conducting circumstellar accretion disk that is initially threaded by the dipole field show that differential rotation between the disk and the star leads to the rapid expansion of the magnetic loops that connect the star to the disk. The expansion of these magnetic loops above and below the disk produces a two-component outflow. A hot, well-collimated outflow is generated by the convergent flow of attached plasma toward the rotation axis, while a cool, slower outflow is produced on the disk side of the expanding loop. The expanding loop, which later forms a plasmoid, defines the boundary between the jetlike flow and the disk wind. Episodic magnetic reconnection above and below the disk releases the jet plasma from the system and allows the process to repeat, reinforcing the hot, well-collimated outflow.
252. Targeted Transgene Integration of the Human ATM cDNA Mediated by HSV/AAV Hybrid Amplicon Vector

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by neurodegeneration, immunodeficiency, cancer predisposition, genome instability, and radiation sensitivity. The large size of the cDNA (9.2 kb) required to correct the hereditary deficiency in A-T has limited use of many vector types for genetic treatment. HSV-1 amplicon vectors provide a means to deliver large genes to cells efficiently and without toxicity. We have previously reported the construction of an HSV-1 amplicon vector carrying the full-length human ATM cDNA, and shown the ability of this vector to correct aspects of the cellular phenotype of human A-T cells in culture.
Speciation of the uranyl nitrate system via spectrophotometric titrations

The speciation of the uranyl nitrate system has been studied previously with limited success producing a wide range of stability constant values. The current literature has values for the mononitrate species, with scattered data for higher nitrate species. Furthermore, the reported values vary with experimental method. The work presented here examines the stability of the uranyl/nitrate/perchlorate/water system via spectrophotometric titrations with a focus on the predominance of the uranyl dinitrate species at low nitrate concentrations. Stability constants were determined at ionic strengths ranging from 1 to 6 molal followed by refinement with the specific ion interaction theory. The zero ionic strength stability constant of the uranyl dinitrate species was refined as log β (2,1)o = 3.37 ± 0.02 when including the stability constant for the uranyl mononitrate from Ahrland and 2.66 ± 0.02 without. These values are considerably higher than previous studies, which is attributed to the alternate speciation model used. The values generated in this work produce speciation diagrams that are consistent with published solvent extraction data of the uranyl nitrate system.
Choosing When to Choose: Explaining the Duration of Presidential Supreme Court Nomination Decisions

Although the selection of Supreme Court nominees is of tremendous importance to all presidents, the amount of time it takes presidents to select nominees varies dramatically across nominations. We argue that the timing of nominations is a function of the political constraints the president faces. We examine all Supreme Court nominations since 1882 and find that divided government, a newly-elected president, a nominee's personal characteristics, and Senate rule changes increase the length of the nomination stage. Nomination decisions are abbreviated as the Senate nears the end of session and as the presidency's institutional capacity has increased over time.
The microprocessor as a microcosm: a hands-on approach to VLSI design education

Introductory very large scale integration (VLSI) design courses face a tension between teaching good design practices by example and giving students the freedom to learn for themselves through open-ended team design projects. On one hand, guiding students through implementation of a well-planned chip is an efficient way to teach design and verification methods, CAD flow, and proper use of datapaths, arrays, and synthesized logic. On the other hand, permitting students to select and carry out a design project of their own choice through tapeout is very motivational and provides a deeper mastery. The author has developed a new undergraduate VLSI course at Harvey Mudd College that reconciles this conflict by packing a complete set of microprocessor design labs into the first five weeks, leaving the remainder of the semester for a major team-based design project.
Synthesizing designs with low-cardinality minimum feedback vertex set for partial scan application

An efficient partial scan approach for cost-effective sequential ATPG is to select flip-flops (FFs) in the minimum feedback vertex set (MFVS) of the FF dependency graph, so that loops are broken. Through a comprehensive analysis of the sources of loops in the data path, this paper proposes a new high-level synthesis methodology to synthesize data paths which have low-cardinality MFVS, thereby reducing the cost of partial scan significantly. A test efficiency of 100% could be achieved for all designs synthesized by the proposed approach, requiring a significantly less number of FFs to be scanned compared to the original implementations. >
Integrated services for the 1990's

True integrated services for the 1990s should focus on the required services and not the transmission path of either narrowband ISDN or wideband ISDN. Integrated services for the 1990s will utilize computers and telephony switching equipment to provide solutions to customer needs. While ISDN will play a role in these services, LANs and other computer interfaces will also have a major role in the solutions. The switch to the computer applications interface concept will provide major opportunities for businesses to improve their telephony communication systems. >
An adaptive extended Kalman filter for structural damage identifications II: unknown inputs

After a major event, such as a strong earthquake, a rapid assessment of the state (or damage) of the structure, including buildings, bridges and others, is important for post-event emergency responses, rescues and management. Time domain analysis methodologies based on measured vibration data, such as the least squares estimation and the extended Kalman filter (EKF), have been studied and shown to be useful for the on-line tracking of structural damages. The traditional EKF method requires that all the external excitation data (input data) be measured or available, which may not be the case for many structures. In this paper, an EKF approach with unknown inputs (excitations), referred to as EKF-UI, is proposed to identify the structural parameters, such as the stiffness, damping and other nonlinear parameters, as well as the unmeasured excitations. Analytical solution for the proposed EKF-UI approach is derived and presented. Such an analytical solution for EKF-UI is not available in the previous literature. An adaptive tracking technique recently developed is also implemented in the proposed EKF-UI approach to track the variations of structural parameters due to damages. Simulation results for linear and nonlinear structures demonstrate that the proposed approach is capable of identifying the structural parameters, their variations due to damages, and unknown excitations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal wiresizing under Elmore delay model

In this paper, we study the optimal wiresizing problem under the Elmore delay model. We show that the optimal wiresizing solutions satisfy a number of interesting properties, including the separability, the monotone property, and the dominance property. Based on these properties, we have developed a polynomial-time optimal wiresizing algorithm for arbitrary interconnect tree structures under Elmore delay model. Extensive experimental results have shown that our wiresizing solution reduces interconnect delay by up to 51% when compared to the uniform-width solution of the same routing topology. Furthermore, compared to the wiresizing solution based on a simpler RC delay model our wiresizing solution reduces the total wiring area by up to 28% while further reducing the interconnect delays to the timing-critical sinks by up to 12%. >
Testing group velocity maps for Eurasia

SUMMARY Group velocity maps for seismic surface waves play an important role in monitoring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty so their accuracy is crucial. Group velocity anomalies can be modelled in terms of lateral variations in crustal and shallow mantle structure, the knowledge of which is important for understanding wave propagation and the blockage of regional phases. Accurate group velocity maps are also indispensable tools in attempts to lower the detection threshold for seismic events and to distinguish between explosions and earthquakes. This paper investigates the feasibility of validating existing maps using a relatively small data set of pathaveraged group traveltime data. We find that group velocity correction surfaces calculated for two sets of global maps and a set of regional maps in Eurasia exhibit significant differences. We compare our measurements with predictions from these maps and test whether any of these maps is consistent with our data. Large differences between measurements and predictions can occur for selected individual paths across Eurasia and we find that maps resulting from global inversions fit our data best. There are visually only subtle differences between global and regional maps but we speculate that the long-wavelength structure is relatively poorly constrained in the regional maps.
Modes of action of enterotoxins from Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli.

Current information on the intestinal secretory mechanism and on the actions of the enterotoxins from Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli are reviewed. These enterotoxins, through their effects on the metabolism of cyclic nucleotides, both inhibit active absorption and stimulate active secretion of water and electrolytes in the small intestine. the enterotoxin of V. chol erae and the heat-labile enterotoxin of E. coli affect these activities by stimulating adenylate cyclase, and the heat-stable enterotoxin of E. coli does so by stimulating guanylate cyclase.
Determining the shape of multi-colored dichromatic surface using color photometric stereo

The utilization of color information to increase the accuracy of 3-D shapes derived from photometric stereo is described. Multicolored objects under white illumination are considered. Using color images rather than gray-scale makes it simple to separate the specular and diffuse reflection components. The diverse properties of diffusive and specular reflection yield supplementing constraints on the surface orientation, making the method less sensitive to noise. >
A pilot study of standardized treatment in geriatric bipolar disorder.

Objective The authors sought to determine the feasibility of treating elderly adults with bipolar disorder under standardized-treatment conditions. Methods Thirty-one patients age 60 and older with bipolar disorder were treated in standardized pathways. Mood state was checked at each study visit with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression–17 item (Ham-D–17) and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Results Defining “well days” as both Ham-D and YMRS scores of ≤10, the mean percentage of well days was 72.5 (range: 0%–100%) over study participation. Conclusions Treating older adults with bipolar disorder under standardized treatment is feasible and is associated with low symptom levels. However, most older adults with bipolar disorder do not experience sustained recovery.
Utility of a transdermal delivery system for antihypertensive therapy. Part 1.

Abstract A retrospective evaluation of patient-level Medicaid claims data from two states was undertaken to discern the fiscal utility of transdermally delivered clonidine versus both the oral formulation of clonidine and oral formulations of eight other antihypertensive agents. In the first phase of our two-part study, we compared paid claims data (n = 1,135) from Florida for transdermal and oral clonidine. Multivariate regression analysis was used to evaluate the incremental impact of six variables on health-care expenditures in the first year after patients were given a diagnosis of hypertension. These variables were: age, gender, prior utilization of medical services, regimen complexity, and dosage formulation. Patients prescribed transdermal clonidine experienced a significant (p ≤ 0.001) increase in prescription expenditures and significant reductions in the use of physician (p ≤ 0.05), laboratory (p ≤ 0.10), and hospital (p ≤ 0.05) services. Moreover, savings were maximized (p ≤ 0.001) where multi-drug regimens incorporated the transdermal delivery system. In the second phase of our study we compared paid claims data (n = 8,894) from South Carolina for transdermal clonidine and for nine oral antihypertensive agents: atenolol, captopril, clonidine, diltiazem, enalapril, metoprolol, prazosin, terazosin, and verapamil-SR. Once again, regression analysis was used, this time to evaluate the incremental impact of five variables on health-care expenditures in the first year post diagnosis: age, gender, prior utilization of medical services, regimen complexity, and Medication Possession Ratio (MPR), an index of compliance. The data from part 2 of our study revealed that patients assigned a b.i.d. oral antihypertensive agent experienced a significant reduction (p ≤ 0.05) in MPR and a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in health-care expenditures when compared to patients prescribed the transdermal delivery system and to patients prescribed once-daily oral medications. These data confirm previous findings concerning the impact of complicated dosing regimens on compliance in hypertensive patients. In this two-part paper we report the data from both phases of our study.
Objective quality assessment of atrial fibrillation ablation: a novel scoring system.

health-care processes and overall patient outcomes. 1 However, these critical evaluations have been lacking in the field of interventional cardiac electrophysiology and in the assessment of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (CAAF) in particular. The clinical success of CAAF, the most common ablation procedure performed worldwide, is currently reported in terms of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence rates, an assessment strategy with considerable limitations. Since recognition of AF recurrence is largely based on the presence of symptoms and as recurrences are frequently asymptomatic, 2 this strategy can substantially underestimate the true incidence of postablation AF. Even when noninvasive monitoring is routinely used after ablation, the sensitivity for the detection of asymptomatic AF recurrences depends on the protocol used, with more aggressive arrhythmia surveillance certain to identify higher rates of recurrence. 3 Furthermore, the definition of AF burden (symptomatic and asymptomatic) used to define recurrence varies and there are discrepancies as to whether a requirement for antiarrhythmic drugs is considered separately from maintenance of sinus rhythm without adjuvant pharmacotherapy. 4 As a result, there are wide variations in reported recurrence rates after CAAF among centers and the factors accounting for these differences have not been systematically delineated. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, reported success rates do not account for procedural safety, precluding meaningful comparisons between different techniques. The appraisal of CAAF requires a more objective evaluation that combines data on the quality of lesion delivery, complication rates, and clinical outcomes. To develop a more comprehensive, less biased criterion to assess the quality of CAAF and standardize comparisons between ablation strategies, we devised a novel quantitative scoring system based on more objective measures of the ablation procedure and a weighted assessment of procedurerelated complications, which we have termed the AF ablation (AFA) score.
Multi Robot Trajectory Generation for Single Source Explosion Parameter Estimation

This paper addresses the problem of estimating the parameters of the advection-diffusion equation, which describes the propagation of an instantaneously released gas. A team of mobile robots, equipped with appropriate sensing devices, are used for collecting gas concentration measurements. In addition, each of the robots has sensitive anemometric vanes for determining the velocity and the direction of the wind. The selection of the sequence of locations, where the robot should go to collect the gas concentration measurements, is performed in real-time and is based on the minimization of the uncertainty of the estimated parameters and on reducing the time to convergence of this estimation problem. Simulation results are presented in order to confirm the described approach, which has significantly lower computational requirements than other well-known techniques based on exhaustive global search.
What is 'minimally invasive' coronary bypass surgery? Experience with a variety of surgical revascularization procedures for single-vessel disease.

Background Although the use of small incisions is theoretically appealing, it has been argued that the true advantage of minimally invasive approaches to myocardial revascularization lies in the avoidance of cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods Of 25 patients referred for surgical revascularization of single-vessel coronary disease, 20 elected to undergo a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG) procedure, while 5 opted to have conventional surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients having MICABG underwent single-vessel revascularization without CPB, via limited anterior thoracotomy, hemistemotomy, or median sternotomy. Intraoperatively, hemodynamics, anastomotic time, and total operative time were recorded. Postoperatively, length of hospital stay, incidence of myocardial infarction, indexes of end-organ function, and morbidity rates were recorded. In addition, patient questionnaires were used to assess subjective end points such as postoperative pain, wound drainage, and quality of life. Results Fifteen of 20 patients undergoing MICABG underwent revascularization without CPB, while 4 were converted to standard coronary artery bypass grafting with CPB due to technical reasons and 1 for intraoperative ventricular fibrillation. Patients undergoing MICABG had no perioperative myocardial infarctions, while those having CPB had two infarctions (20%;). Furthermore, there were no differences in length of stay or postoperative morbidity among the various approaches, while the MICABG procedures, especially via median sternotomy, were associated with shorter operative times. Conclusions The advantage of MICABG lies mainly in the avoidance of CPB. Thus, we advocate that surgeons initially utilize the median sternotomy and limited skin incision for MICABG to assure adequate exposure, technical precision, and patient safety. After a reasonable level of technical proficiency and experience are attained, the limited anterior thoracotomy approach can be used.
Functional chimeras of the Rous sarcoma virus and human immunodeficiency virus gag proteins.

The Gag protein encoded by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is the only viral product required for the process of budding whereby virus particles are formed at the plasma membrane. Deletion analysis of this Gag molecule has revealed several regions (assembly domains) that are important for budding. One of these domains is located at the amino terminus and is needed for membrane binding. Another is located within the carboxy-terminal third of the protein. Though there is little sequence homology among the Gag proteins of unrelated retroviruses, it seemed possible that their assembly domains might be functionally conserved, and to explore this idea, numerous Gag chimeras were made. The results indicate that the first 10 amino acids of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Gag protein can suppress the block to budding caused by deletions in the RSV MA sequence, much as described previously for the first 10 residues from the Src oncoprotein (J.W. Wills, R.C. Craven, R. A. Weldon, Jr., T. D. Nelle, and C.R. Erdie, J. Virol. 65:3804-3812, 1991). In addition, the carboxy-terminal half of the HIV Gag protein was fused to a truncated RSV Gag molecule, mutant Bg-Bs, which is unable to direct core assembly. This chimera was able to produce particles at a rate identical to that of RSV and of a density similar to that of authentic virions. Deletion analysis of the carboxy-terminal chimera revealed two small regions within the HIV NC protein that were sufficient for endowing mutant Bg-Bs with these properties. Chimeras lacking both regions produced particles of a low density, suggesting that these sequences may be involved in the tight packing of Gag molecules during assembly. In a related set of experiments, replacement of the RSV protease with that of HIV resulted in premature processing within the RSV sequence and a block to budding. Particle assembly was restored when the HIV PR activity was inactivated by mutagenesis. Collectively, the data presented here illustrate the functional similarities of Gag proteins from unrelated retroviruses.
FRACTAL ANALYSIS OF GRAPHOGLYPTID TRACE FOSSILS

Graphoglyptids are a group of deep-sea trace fossils that exhibit ornate burrow geometries. Feeding patterns represented by these burrows have been interpreted as fodinichnial (mining), pascichnial (grazing), and/or agrichnial (farming). In this study, several different graphoglyptid trace fossils were analyzed quantitatively using fractal analysis to determine which of these three feeding modes is most appropriate as an interpretation. Graphoglyptid burrows lend themselves to fractal geometric analysis, because they commonly exhibit the essential fractal characteristics of scale invariance and self similarity. Fractal analysis is presented as a tool for analyzing geometric configurations by combining shape complexity and space usage into one number, the fractal dimension. Fractal dimensions of such graphoglyptid burrows as Paleodictyon and Spirorhaphe were compared with those of known fodinichnial burrows, such as Zoophycos, and pascichnial trails, such as Scolicia, all from Zumaia, Spain. Results indicate that the deposit-feeding burrows (fodinichnia and pascichnia) illustrate a high fractal dimension, as would be expected for a deposit-feeding–optimal foraging strategy. Graphoglyptids illustrate a consistently lower fractal dimension than the deposit-feeding burrows, thus providing evidence against the suggestion that they represent fodinichnial or pascichnial behaviors. This observation supports the hypothesis that graphoglyptids represent agrichnial activity rather than mining or grazing activities.
Axiom A polynomial skew products of 2 and their postcritical sets

A polynomial skew product of ℂ2 is a map of the form f(z,w)=(p(z),q(z,w)), where p and q are polynomials, such that f extends holomorphically to an endomorphism of ℙ2 of degree at least two. For polynomial maps of ℂ, hyperbolicity is equivalent to the condition that the closure of the postcritical set is disjoint from the Julia set; further, critical points either iterate to an attracting cycle or infinity. For polynomial skew products, Jonsson [Dynamics of polynomial skew products on C2. Math. Ann. 314(3) (1999), 403–447] established that f is Axiom A if and only if the closure of the postcritical set is disjoint from the right analog of the Julia set. Here we present an analogous conclusion: critical orbits either escape to infinity or accumulate on an attracting set. In addition, we construct new examples of Axiom A maps demonstrating various postcritical behaviors.
Predominant Role of Bacterial Pneumonia as a Cause of Death in Pandemic Influenza: Implications for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness

Background Despite the availability of published data on 4 pandemics that have occurred over the past 120 years, there is little modern information on the causes of death associated with influenza pandemics.
Data Mining: A Gateway to Better Data Gathering

In many situations, data mining results—due to the deficiencies in the available data—in less than definitive conclusions. This is especially the case when one is seeking cause-and-effect relationships. The major value of data mining in such cases is as part of an iterative process that leads to improved data gathering, or even controlled experimentation, to permit improved data analysis in the future. This is illustrated by an example that assesses the impact of taking action to reduce future fraudulent activities by Internet users who had been found engaged in such activities. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 1: 000-000, 2009
Use of Unique Doppler Flow-Pattern for the Diagnosis of Left Ventricular Diverticulum

Isolated congenital left ventricular diverticulum (LV) is reportedly a rare finding. It is frequently associated with other congenital defects involving heart, pericardium, sternum, diaphragm, and abdominal wall. It is an outpouching from the ventricle and has all three layers of left ventricular free walls. We present the case of a 53-year-old woman who was discovered to have an outpouching of the LV apex on a nongated chest CT scan raising possibility of a pseudoaneurysm. A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed systolic diminution of this outpouching with unique Doppler flow-patterns suggesting a diagnosis of a muscular type of LV diverticulum instead of a postinfarct LV pseudoaneurysm. The patient was reassured and treated conservatively.
The Fund Agreement in the Courts: XIX

En la presente entrega de la serie de articulos sobre los efectos de las normas juridicas del Fondo Monetario Internacional en los litigios, se examinan fallos emitidos por tribunales de Inglaterra, Estados Unidos, Paises Bajos e Italia, asi como fallos de la Corte de Justicia de las Comunidades europeas y de un tribunal arbitral. A continuacion se presentan algunas de las cuestiones vinculadas al Convenio Constitutivo del Fondo que se han planteado en esos casos: 1) ?Cual es el significado de “contratos de cambio” en la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII del Convenio? 2) ?Cual es la relacion entre la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII y el derecho internacional privado del foro? 3) ?Quien tiene que probar si se han cumplido o no las condiciones de la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII y que efecto tiene, en la asignacion de la carga de la prueba entre las partes, el hecho de que el propio tribunal decida discutir la aplicacion de la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII? 4) ?Cual es la moneda “implicada” en la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII? 5) ?Se aplica la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII a un contrato de cambio si las disposiciones de control de cambios se adoptaron con posterioridad a su celebracion? 6) ?Debe permitirse que las partes en un contrato de cambio acuerden dejar sin efecto las disposiciones de control de cambios? 7) ?Se aplica la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII a las disposiciones de control de cambios si estas son parte del derecho del foro? 8) Si de conformidad con un contrato de cambio se hace efectivo un pago que no es exigible segun la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII, ?se puede demandar por enriquecimiento sin causa a quien recibio el pago? 9) ?Debe adjudicarsele danos y perjuicios a una parte si la otra se comprometio a solicitar u obtener una licencia de cambio y no cumplio con dicho compromiso? 10) Si un tribunal rechaza la aplicacion de la Seccion 2 b) del Articulo VIII y falla en favor del demandante a pesar de las disposiciones de control de cambios que forman parte de la legislacion de otro pais miembro del Fondo ?reconocera y cumplira el fallo el tribunal de ese otro pais? 11) ?Cual es la relacion entre las disposiciones del Convenio y las disposiciones del Tratado de Roma sobre movimientos de capital? 12) ?Sigue siendo pertinente la antigua paridad en asuntos que se someten a la resolucion de los tribunales?
"Süß im Licht, Wach im Wind": Rainer Maria Rilke's Search for a Locus Amoenus in Paris

This essay argues that Rainer Maria Rilke creates alternative realms evocative of an earlier time and sensibility in select poems of the Neue Gedichte in an attempt to overcome certain disturbing aspects of the Grosstadt. In these alternative realms, which reveal traces of a vanished world, Rilke draws on the topos dimension of landscape and stages theatrical scenes within the Parisian cityscape. Here, exotic places and objects triumph over ordinary ones and encourage the reader to imagine faraway spaces and times. Rilke thus creates within the Grosstadt a locus amoenus and a utopian vision of what an ideal city might be.
To What Extent Do Firms Manage Capital Structure Changes

Management controls the issuing and repurchasing of securities, but they have no direct control over leverage changes stemming from changes in stock price or from profits and losses. By separating managed from unmanaged changes in leverage ratios, we draw three basic conclusions: 1) management only controls one-half (market) to two-thirds (book) of leverage changes, 2) the higher a firm’s leverage the less any changes in the firm’s leverage stems from management’s actions, and 3) firms appear to achieve extremely low leverage on purpose but extremely high leverage due to factors beyond management’s direct control.
Foreword: Love It or Leave It; An Examination of the Need For and Structure of a Class Action Rule in Mississippi

This Article provides an introduction to the Mississippi College Law Review's 2005 Symposium on the need for and structure of a class action rule in Mississippi.
Bringing you down versus bringing me up: Discrepant versus congruent high explicit self-esteem differentially predict malicious and benign envy

Abstract Recent research supports the existence of two faces of envy: malicious envy, characterized by the desire to bring an envy target down, and benign envy, characterized by the desire to bring oneself up to the level of an envy target. In the current study, we investigated discrepant high self-esteem (high explicit, low implicit self-esteem) and congruent high self-esteem (high explicit, high implicit) as antecedents of malicious versus benign envy, respectively. Participants with discrepant high self-esteem were particularly likely to rate a target negatively across a variety of attributes and as deserving to fail when the target was an upward rather than downward social comparison, consistent with malicious envy. In contrast, unlike other participants, those with congruent high self-esteem tended to persist longer at a difficult task after an upward rather than downward social comparison, potentially consistent with benign envy. These results suggest novel antecedents of the two faces of envy and novel consequences of self-esteem.
alpha-Synuclein budding yeast model: toxicity enhanced by impaired proteasome and oxidative stress.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that results from the selective loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Misfolding and aggregation of the protein α-synuclein, oxidative damage, and proteasomal impairment are all hypotheses for the molecular cause of this selective neurotoxicity. Here, we describe a Saccharomyces cerevisiae model to evaluate the misfolding, aggregation, and toxicity-inducing ability of wild-type α-synuclein and three mutants (A30P, A53T, and A30P/A53T), and we compare regulation of these properties by dysfunctional proteasomes and by oxidative stress. We found prominent localization of wild-type and A53T α-synuclein near the plasma membrane, supporting known in vitro lipid-binding ability. In contrast, A30P was mostly cytoplasmic, whereas A30P/A53T displayed both types of fluorescence. Surprisingly, α-synuclein was not toxic to several yeast strains tested. When yeast mutants for the proteasomal barrel (doa3-1) were evaluated, delayed α-synuclein synthesis and membrane association were observed; yeast mutant for the proteasomal cap (sen3-1) exhibited increased accumulation and aggregation of α-synuclein. Both sen3-1 and doa3-1 mutants exhibited synthetic lethality with α-synuclein. When yeasts were challenged with an oxidant (hydrogen peroxide), α-synuclein was extremely lethal to cells that lacked managanese superoxide dismutase Mn-SOD (sod2Δ) but not to cells that lacked copper, zinc superoxide dismutase Cu,Zn-SOD (sod1Δ). Despite the toxicity, sod2Δ cells never displayed intracellular aggregates of α-synuclein. We suggest that the toxic α-synuclein species in yeast are smaller than the visible aggregates, and toxicity might involve α-synuclein membrane association. Thus, yeasts have emerged effective organisms for characterizing factors and mechanisms that regulate α-synuclein toxicity.
A Cluster Analytic Approach to Market Response Functions

The estimation of marketing policy effects with time series data is a fairly well-mined area of marketing discourse. Use of such data bases to examine the differences in effects on various market segments has received relatively less attention (except [3]). This is surprising given the premise of market segmentation, namely that certain groups of buyers behave differently than others. If a market consists of segments, ideally one would think that the effects of marketing policies should be estimated segment by segment. Then the market response function would be simply the aggregate of the functions estimated separately for each segment. That is, let: S, = f, (A, P, D)
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is characterized by pruritus, elevated bile acids and liver enzymes, and occasionally jaundice. It has specific implications for maternal and perinatal outcomes. Symptomatic and therapeutic treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid is usually initiated. Bile acid levels in their initial and serial determination can assist with antepartum management. Preterm delivery, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and respiratory distress commonly complicate these pregnancies. The difficulty in predicting and preventing unanticipated fetal death near term drives the obstetrician9s desire to deliver infants before 38 weeks. The neonatologist in turn manages potential complications related to prematurity and the compounding negative effect of bile acids on respiratory function. The pathophysiology of elevated maternal bile acid levels on the fetal lung should prompt a high level of care and attention during the first hours after birth in all newborn infants born to women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Marital Dissolution and Major Depression in Midlife: A Propensity Score Analysis.

Marital dissolution is commonly assumed to cause increased depression among adults, but causality can be questioned based on directionality and third-variable concerns. The present study improves on past research by using a propensity score matching algorithm to identify a subsample of continuously married participants equivalent in divorce risk to participants who actually experienced separation/divorce between two waves of the nationally representative Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study. After correcting for participants’ propensity to separate/divorce, we observed increased rates of depression at the second MIDUS assessment only among participants who (a) were depressed at the initial MIDUS assessment and (b) experienced a separation/divorce. Participants who were not depressed at the initial assessment but who experienced a separation/divorce were not at increased risk for a later major depressive disorder. Thus, both social selection and social causation contribute to the increase...
Insertion of B−X (X = Cl, SMe2) Moieties into Ruthenaborane Frameworks: Synthesis and Characterization of (η5-C5Me5Ru)2(μ-H)B4HmCln, (m, n = 4, 3; 5, 2; 7, 2), closo-1-(SMe2)-2,3-(η5-C5Me5Ru)2(μ3-H)B5HCl3, and closo-2,3-(η5-C5Me5Ru)2B6H3Cl3

The reaction of nido-1,2-(η5-C5Me5Ru)2(μ-H)2B3H7 (1) with the dichloroborane BHCl2·SMe2 results in the formation of three sets of B−Cl inserted metallaborane products: nido-1,2-(η5-C5Me5Ru)2(μ-H)B...