cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monetary Policy and Capital Market Integration in the Euro Area: What Is the Role of Covered Bonds?

Covered bonds have played a central role in funding strategies of European banks over the past two centuries. As the fragile recovery in the euro area exposes fault lines in a heavily intermediated financial system, the complementary role of covered bonds relative to securitization has become central to supporting monetary policy and the greater integration of capital markets, especially in the context of the European Central Bank’s (ECB’s) current private asset purchase program. However, covered bonds also have an important role to play in cultivating alternative, market-based, long-term sources of finance. Credit supply to the corporate sector is heavily influenced by the lending behavior of banks, which has constrained the recovery of credit supply, particularly to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which constitute the greatest share of European output and employment. Widening the scope of covered bond markets in tandem with restarting securitization could help mitigate structural constraints on credit supply by lowering the economic cost of capital and encouraging the use of standardized and more-efficient origination and loan pricing processes, leading to lower transaction costs. More official-sector involvement is required to ensure progress toward 1) providing greater regulatory differentiation among securities of different quality across the spectrum of structured finance, 2) completing necessary structural reforms, such as the harmonization of insolvency frameworks and the standardization of loan reporting requirements within the euro area, and 3) facilitating the cross-country harmonization of asset structures for covered bonds.
The A2 isoform of rat Na+,K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase is active and exhibits high ouabain affinity when expressed in transfected fibroblasts.

Abstract The α isoforms of the Na+,K+-ATPase (Na+ pump) are expressed with developmental and tissue heterogeneity in rodents and possess different sensitivity to inhibition by ouabain. We directly characterized the ouabain sensitivity of the rat A2 (α2) isoform by transfecting NIH 3T3 cells with rat A2. The treated cells exhibit high affinity (40 nM) ouabain binding with a density of 2 pmol/mg protein.86Rb+ flux studies confirm that A2 is Functional in this system and that A2 is inhibited by submicromolar concentrations of ouabain. These findings are consistent with measurements of ouabain affinity in tissues which express the A2 isoform.
Fine structural aspects of the developing compound eye of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L.

We studied the postembryonic development of the compound eye of the worker honey bee on the light and electron microscopy levels. During the late third and early fourth larval instars the cells of the optic primordium became organized into preommatidial cell clusters. Each cluster contained four prospective cone cells, nine prospective retinula cells (of which the ninth was centrally located and shorter than the other eight), and an undetermined number of prospective pigment cells. During ommatidial differentiation that was characterized by ommatidium and crystalline cone elongation, the ninth retinula cell moved laterally, and each retinula cell elaborated a rhabdomer. Possible roles of membrane junctional specializations and cytoplasmic microtubules in the processes of differentiation are discussed.
The mechanics of matrix cracking in fiber reinforced ceramic composites containing a viscous interface

Abstract A detailed fracture mechanics analysis of matrix cracking in a fiber reinforced ceramic composite is presented for the case where the fiber—matrix interface exhibits viscous flow as can be the case when ceramic composites containing amorphous interfacial layers are subjected to loads at elevated temperatures. The analysis considers the case where matrix cracks are fully bridged by fibers, and the role of the viscous interface is to introduce a time dependence into the stress-intensity formulations. Such time-dependence arises because the bridging fibers are able to pull out of the matrix by viscous interfacial flow, with the result that the crack opening, as well as the actual (or shielded) matrix crack-tip stress-intensity factor, increase with time under the action of a constant externally applied load to the composite. The differential equation governing the mechanics of the fiber pull-out is derived. This is then applied to obtain expressions for the time-dependence of the crack opening and the effective crack-tip stress-intensity factor in terms of material and microstructural factors. These expressions predict that the matrix crack will exhibit stable crack growth, with the crack growth rate being essentially crack length (and time) independent and a function only of the applied stress and of material and microstructural factors. It is also shown that the composite lifetime is independent of the sizes of pre-existing cracks and is dependent only on a critical microstructure dependent flaw size, applied stress and microstructural factors.
The multiple access channel with an untrusted relay

This paper considers a Gaussian multiple access channel aided by a relay. Specifically, the relay facilitates communication between multiple sources and a destination to which the sources have no direct link. In this set up, the relay node is considered to be untrusted, i.e., honest but curious, from whom the source messages need to be kept secret. We identify an achievable secrecy rate region utilizing cooperative jamming from the destination, and using compress-and-forward at the relay. Additionally, an outer bound on the secrecy rate region is derived. Numerical results indicate that the outer bound is tight in some cases of interest.
Clinical indications for newer antifungal agents.

Recent years have seen the release of multiple new systemic antifungal agents, significantly increasing options for the treatment of most serious fungal infections. Newly available drugs include those in the echinocandin class, including caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin, as well as the newer generation triazoles, voriconazole and posaconazole. Ordering of these agents is variably restricted, depending on a given institution's policies, and all are costly. In this review we examine the available evidence and outline the role of newer antifungal medications in several common and/or important situations, including invasive and mucocutaneous Candida infection, febrile neutropenia, invasive aspergillosis, zygomycosis, and endemic mycoses. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;4:102–111. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
CMB constraints on principal components of the inflaton potential

We place functional constraints on the shape of the inflaton potential from the cosmic microwave background through a variant of the generalized slow-roll approximation that allows large amplitude, rapidly changing deviations from scale-free conditions. Employing a principal component decomposition of the source function ${G}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{\approx}3({V}^{\ensuremath{'}}/V{)}^{2}\ensuremath{-}2{V}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}/V$ and keeping only those measured to better than 10% results in 5 nearly independent Gaussian constraints that may be used to test any single-field inflationary model where such deviations are expected. The first component implies $l3%$ variations at the 100 Mpc scale. One component shows a 95% CL preference for deviations around the 300 Mpc scale at the $\ensuremath{\sim}10%$ level but the global significance is reduced considering the 5 components examined. This deviation also requires a change in the cold dark matter density which in a flat $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\mathrm{CDM}$ model is disfavored by current supernova and Hubble constant data and can be tested with future polarization or high multipole temperature data. Its impact resembles a local running of the tilt from multipoles 30--800 but is only marginally consistent with a constant running beyond this range. For this analysis, we have implemented a $\ensuremath{\sim}40\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ faster WMAP7 likelihood method which we have made publicly available.
Ultrasonic mineralization of a reactive textile azo dye, remazol black B

The degradation of a reactive black dye in oxygen saturated aqueous solution has been investigated using a high frequency ultrasonic generator. The OH radical initiated oxidative degradation of the dye results in 65% mineralization as measured by the decrease in the total organic content. Ion chromatography indicates that the only remaining components are oxalate, sulfate and nitrate ions.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide: Detailed immunohistochemical distribution in the central nervous system

With the use of an antiserum generated in rabbits against synthetic human calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) the distribution of CGRP-like immunoreactive cell bodies and nerve fibers was studied in the rat central nervous system. A detailed stereotaxic atlas of CGRP-like neurons was prepared. CGRP-like immunoreactivity was widely distributed in the rat central nervous system. CGRP positive cell bodies were observed in the preoptic area and hypothalamus (medial preoptic, periventricular, anterior hypothalamic nuclei, perifornical area, medial forebrain bundle), premamillary nucleus, amygdala medialis, hippocampus and dentate gyrus, central gray and the ventromedial nucleus of the thalamus. In the midbrain a large cluster of cells was contained in the peripeduncular area ventral to the medial geniculate body. In the hindbrain cholinergic motor nuclei (III, IV, V, VI, VII XII) contained CGRP-immunoreactivity. Cell bodies were also observed in the ventral tegmental nucleus, the parabrachial nuclei, superior olive and nucleus ambiguus. The ventral horn cells of the spinal cord, the trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia also contained CGRP-immunoreactivity. Dense accumulations of fibers were observed in the amydala centralis, caudal portion of the caudate putamen, sensory trigeminal area, substantia gelatinosa, dorsal horn of the spinal cord (laminae I and II). Other areas containing CGRP-immunoreactive fibers are the septal area, nucleus of the stria terminalis, preoptic and hypothalamic nuclei (e.g., medial preoptic, periventricular, dorsomedial, median eminence), medial forebrain bundle, central gray, medial geniculate body, peripeduncular area, interpeduncular nucleus, cochlear nucleus, parabrachial nuclei, superior olive, nucleus tractus solitarii, and in the confines of clusters of cell bodies. Some fibers were also noted in the anterior and posterior pituitary and the sensory ganglia. As with other newly described brain neuropeptides it can only be conjectured that CGRP has a neuroregulatory action on a variety of functions throughout the brain and spinal cord.
Individual Power and Political Behaviors in Organizations: An Inadequately Explored Reality

Despite their apparent pervasiveness, individual political behaviors in organizations have received minimal theoretical and research attention. This discussion focuses on individual power related behaviors. A conceptual scheme links: (a) the bases of individual power; (b) the intent of the powerholder; and (c) the means of the powerholder. Implications for related areas and suggested research approaches are discussed.
Regulation of the cellular retinoid-binding proteins and their messenger ribonucleic acids during P19 embryonal carcinoma cell differentiation induced by retinoic acid.

P19 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells can be induced to differentiate in vitro into a variety of cell types by treatment with different concentrations of retinoic acid (RA). A study was conducted to explore the regulation of expression of the genes for cellular retinoic acid-binding protein (CRABP) and cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP) in P19 cells induced to differentiate by RA. For each retinoid-binding protein, both the level of specific mRNA and of immunoreactive protein were measured, respectively, by RNase protection assay and by a specific RIA. Dramatic increases in CRABP and CRBP were seen, at both the mRNA and protein levels, during the RA-induced differentiation. CRBP induction differed from that of CRABP in several major ways. 1) Induction of CRBP occurred at lower concentrations of RA (10−9 m) than did that of CRABP (10−8–10−7 m). 2) CRBP induction was an early response (within 3 h) to RA treatment, whereas CRABP induction occurred at a later time (12–24 h). 3) Induction of CRABP mRNA by RA...
Inflammation After Stroke: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches

Reperfusion of ischemic brain can reduce injury and improve outcome, but secondary injury due to inflammatory mechanisms limits the efficacy and time window of such treatments for stroke. This review summarizes the cellular and molecular basis of inflammation in ischemic injury as well as possible therapeutic strategies.
Density Functional Theory Study of the Jahn-Teller Effect and Spin-Orbit Coupling for Copper and Gold Trimers

The Born−Oppenheimer potential energy hypersurfaces of copper and gold trimers were calculated using density functional theory with an analytic potential. The calculated Jahn−Teller distortion energies, pseudorotation barriers, dissociation, and isomerization energies for the two trimers are discussed. Global minima from the surfaces were optimized using the density functional theory method as well as the coupled cluster-singles-doubles-with-triples energies technique. The agreement of the optimized structures with the analytic potential was very good. The Mulliken population analysis compared favorably with the experimental electron spin resonance results. Spin−orbit coupling was subsequently included and the effect was significant for gold, but negligible for copper. The spin−orbit effect suppressed the Jahn−Teller distortion of the gold trimer, and the potential surface with the spin−orbit effect included was also obtained. The spin−orbit splitting for the D3h geometry of the gold trimer was in excelle...
Preparation of a stable folate-Sepharose complex for affinity chromatography

Abstract A stable folic acid affinity gel has been developed for the purification of nanograms of protein that bind folic acid or its derivatives. The affinity gel was prepared by first coupling folic acid covalently to bovine serum albumin, followed by covalent coupling of the albumin to p-benzoquinone-activated Sepharose. After the albumin-folic acid complex was formed, it was treated with charcoal to remove ionically bound folate which would otherwise elute from the gel and decrease the recovery of the binding protein. The p-benzoquinone activation resulted in a more stable binding of the albumin to the Sepharose.
Bundling Informed Consent and Advance Care Planning in Chronic Cardiovascular Disease: We Need to Talk

Modern cardiovascular therapies offer unprecedented opportunities to improve survival and quality of life. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality have significantly declined, owing in a large part to preventive therapies and technological advances such as coronary revascularization, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), and ventricular assist devices (VADs). Newer therapies like transcatheter aortic valve replacement hold great promise. Nonetheless, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death. Cardiovascular therapies delay but cannot avert dying. A view expressed in 1997 regarding coronary angioplasty remains applicable: “We rescue people from a relatively sudden death…only to inflict on them a more prolonged death from progressive heart failure.” 1(p1484) This trade-off may be worth it for individual patients but also introduces complexities into end-of-life interventions (both in terms of whether to intervene at all and, if so, when and how to stop the interventions). The choice to implant an ICD in an octogenarian, for instance, begs the question “How do you want to die?” because sudden arrhythmic death may be preferable to most other ways to die. Conversely, the decision to deactivate a VAD in a young patient with a debilitating stroke draws on subjective assessments of quality of life and patient values. The federal Patient Self-Determination Act 2 mandates that all patients be given the opportunity to execute an advance directive (living will, power of attorney for health care). Despite broad support, only a third of patients take this opportunity. Even elderly patients with highly mortal diseases like severe aortic stenosis often lack advance directives. 3 Furthermore, advance directives may not impact end-of-life care, 4 and few address important decisions like defibrillator deactivation. 3,5 Advance directives are only 1 part of advance care planning—the process by which clinicians set a course of care by integrating the patient’s values and preferences with what is medically reasonable. Advance care planning should anticipate future decisions in care and approaches to care at the end of
Improving scalability and awareness in iconic interfaces for multiple-device environments

Iconic interfaces offer a promising interaction metaphor for effectively managing applications in multi-device environments. However, current implementations scale poorly for even a modest number of applications and do not allow users to maintain adequate awareness of the workspace. To overcome these limitations, we have designed new interaction techniques and prototyped them within a new iconic interface. Our interface uses zooming and animation-based interactions to improve scalability and uses application icons and portal views with real-time updates to enhance awareness. Results from a user study confirm the efficacy of these techniques. These techniques can be used to improve the broader class of iconic and portal-based interfaces.
STABILITY OF THE CSTR BY CORRELATION OF LIAPUNOV FUNCTIONS

Abstract A general Liapunov function for a homogeneous CSTR is formally developed from available Liapunov functions which guarantee the global asymptotic stability of steady states associated with the separate mechanisms (flow mixing and chemical reaction) which compete in a CSTR. The Liapunov functions for the asymptotic systems (mixing tank and batch reactor) are combined via a one parameter correlation form to provide a one parameter family of Liapunov functions for the general CSTR. The single parameter allows for convenient optimization of regions of asymptotic stability surrounding CSTR steady states.
Break-induced replication: functions and molecular mechanism

Break-induced replication (BIR) is the pathway of homologous recombination (HR) conserved from phages to eukaryotes that serves to repair DNA breaks that have only one end. BIR contributes to the repair of broken replication forks and allows telomere lengthening in the absence of telomerase. Nonallelic BIR may lead to translocations and other chromosomal rearrangements. In addition, BIR initiated at sites of microhomology can generate copy number variations (CNVs) and complex chromosomal changes. The level of mutagenesis associated with DNA synthesis in BIR is significantly higher than during normal replication. These features make BIR a likely pathway to promote bursts of genetic changes that fuel cancer progression and evolution.
Intraoperative ultrasound imaging of the entire brain through unilateral exploratory burr holes after severe head injury: technical note

A portable ultrasound unit with a 3.5-MHz probe allows accurate imaging of both cerebral hemispheres and partial imaging of the posterior fossa through unilateral exploratory burr holes or a craniotomy. In patients with clinical signs of transtentorial herniation after severe head injury, this unilateral technique can detect extraaxial and intraparenchymal mass lesions more accurately than is possible with bilateral exploratory burr holes.
A Penalty-Interior-Point Algorithm for Nonlinear Constrained Optimization

Penalty and interior-point methods for nonlinear optimization problems have enjoyed great successes for decades. Penalty methods have proved to be effective for a variety of problem classes due to their regularization effects on the constraints. They have also been shown to allow for rapid infeasibility detection. Interior-point methods have become the workhorse in large-scale optimization due to their Newton-like qualities, both in terms of their scalability and convergence behavior. Each of these two strategies, however, have certain disadvantages that make their use either impractical or inefficient for certain classes of problems. The goal of this paper is to present a penalty-interior-point method that possesses the advantages of penalty and interior-point techniques, but does not suffer from their disadvantages. Numerous attempts have been made along these lines in recent years, each with varying degrees of success. The novel feature of the algorithm in this paper is that our focus is not only on the formulation of the penalty-interior-point subproblem itself, but on the design of updates for the penalty and interior-point parameters. The updates we propose are designed so that rapid convergence to a solution of the nonlinear optimization problem or an infeasible stationary point is attained. We motivate the convergence properties of our algorithm and illustrate its practical performance on large sets of problems, including sets of problems that exhibit degeneracy or are infeasible.
U.S. aerospace industry opinion of the effect of computer-aided prediction-design technology on future wind-tunnel test requirements for aircraft development programs

A survey of the U.S. aerospace industry in late 1977 suggests that there will be an increasing use of computer-aided prediction-design technology (CPD Tech) in the aircraft development process but that, overall, only a modest reduction in wind-tunnel test requirements from the current level is expected in the period through 1995. Opinions were received from key spokesmen in 23 of the 26 solicited major companies or corporate divisions involved in the design and manufacture of nonrotary wing aircraft. Development programs for nine types of aircraft related to test phases and wind-tunnel size and speed range were considered.
The feature-positive effect in pigeons: Conditionality, overall predictiveness, and type of feature

Two experiments examined variations of standard visual discrimination arrangements in which pigeons typically perform much better when a distinguishing feature appears on reinforced (featurepositive) than on nonreinforced (feature-negative) trials. In Experiment 1 the feature was continuously present on the response key during intertriai intervals as well as during the appropriate type of discrimination trial. Although retarded in its appearance, a strong feature-positive superiority did occur. In Experiment 2 the feature and common cues were reversed in function from those in conventional procedures; a small white square was common to all trials, and the distinctive element involved illumination of the key with a green color. Nevertheless, a significant feature-positive superiority was found, although excellent performance was achieved rapidly for both groups. The results suggest that the conditionality versus nonconditionality of the two discriminations and the feature’s overall positive predictiveness of food are not crucial in producing superior discriminative performance in the feature-positive case.
Cardiomyopathy is linked to complement activation.

Cardiomyopathies are traditionally divided into dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), restrictive cardiomyopathy, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. DCM is characterized by depressed systolic function and an increase in the size of the left ventricle usually involving dilatation of all four chambers. 1 DCM represents a common cause of congestive heart failure and frequently leads to cardiac transplantation. 2 Approximately 30 to 40% of patients with DCM have a familial form of the disease involving mutations in genes coding for cytoskeletal and sarcomeric proteins. 2,3 The remaining cases are idiopathic, many of which are believed to be due to preceding myocarditis, particularly virus-induced. The detection of a cardiotropic virus, such as coxsackievirus and adenovirus, in endomyocardial biopsy specimens from patients with DCM supports this hypothesis. 4,5 The presence of a virus in the myocardium has been shown to be associated with a poorer prognosis in DCM. 6,7
Polymerase chain reaction primers for polymorphic microsatellite loci in the African armyworm, Spodoptera exempta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Eight pairs of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers that amplify polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed for the African armyworm, Spodoptera exempta (Walker) to be used in the study of its population dynamics in sub-Sahara Africa where the species is a major pest of cereals and rangeland. A magnetic beads based enrichment protocol was used; it appears that previously reported scarcity of microsatellites in Lepidoptera species does not apply to the African armyworm. All the loci showed significant heterozygote deficit; possibly because the samples were laboratory reared from limited stock. Four primer pairs successfully amplified single fragments of beet and fall armyworm DNA of comparable size to the African armyworm alleles.
Effect of ethionine on hepatic polyribosomes and protein synthesis. Studies dealing with the acute administration of ethionine to fasted or fed mice or to rats fed a diet containing ethionine

Abstract In female mice, the administration intraperitoneally of ethionine ( 16 or 25 mg 18–25 gm of body weight) to overnight fasted animals (up to 3 hours before killing) caused polyribosomal disaggregation, decreased in vitro protein synthesis, and a marked decrease of ATP of the livers. In contrast, the administration of ethionine to nonfasted animals led to greater polyribosomal aggregation, increased in vitro protein synthesis, decreased in vivo protein synthesis and a moderate decrease of ATP of the livers. In female rats, the effects of the administration intraperitoneally of ethionine ( 100 mg 100 gm of body weight) to overnight fasted animals (4 hours before killing) that had been fed ad libitum a basal diet or an ethionine diet (basal diet plus 0.25% ethionine) for 1 to 5 weeks or force-fed a basal diet or an ethionine diet for 3 days were investigated. Following ethionine administration, the animals fed the basal diet responded with polyribosomal disaggregation, decreased in vitro protein synthesis and decreased ATP levels in the livers while, in contrast, the animals fed the ethionine diet showed no change in polyribosomes along with little or no change in in vitro protein synthesis and in ATP levels of the livers. This adaptive response of the livers of rats fed the ethionine diet could be reversed, since rats fed ad libitum the ethionine diet for 21–31 weeks and then switched to the basal diet for 5–12 weeks reacted to the ethionine administration as did control animals.
Change in attitudes about employed mothers: Exposure, interests, and gender ideology discrepancies ☆

Using a sample of continuously-married individuals (793 women and 847 men) and their spouses drawn from the first two waves of the NSFH, we examine change in individuals' attitudes about mothers' employment. We investigate hypotheses derived from three models of attitude change: the exposure model, the interest-based model, and the control model. We find support for hypotheses derived from all three. Consistent with exposure hypotheses, the adoption of fundamentalist beliefs reduces egalitarianism, while spouses' egalitarianism and spouses' education are positively related to individuals' own egalitarianism. As predicted in both exposure and interest hypotheses, women's entry into employment is positively related to women's egalitarianism, while wives' occupational prestige is positively related to men's egalitarianism. Congruent with the interest model, the presence of a young child is positively associated with women's egalitarianism. Consistent with the exposure model, the number of children in the home reduces men's egalitarianism, and a traditional division of housework decreases women's egalitarianism. Finally, consistent with the gender ideology discrepancy hypothesis, derived from the control model, individuals whose background, work, and family life are inconsistent with their gender ideology at wave 1 shift their gender ideology at wave 2 in a direction that is more compatible with their background, work, and family life: egalitarians with traditional life patterns at wave 1 are more traditional in their gender ideology at wave 2, and traditionals with egalitarian life patterns at wave 1 are more egalitarian at wave 2. We discuss the implications of these patterns for larger scale change in gender ideology.
Similarity mapping of software faults for self-healing applications

For self-healing software application, finding fix for a previously unseen fault is a grand challenge. Asking the user to provide fixes for every fault is bad for productivity, especially when the users are non-savvy in technical computing. If failure scenarios come into existence, the user wants the runtime environment to handle those situations autonomically. This paper proposes a new technique of matching unknown fault scenarios to already established fault models. By capturing runtime parameters and execution pathways, stable execution models are established and later are used to match with an unstable execution scenario. All these support is provided transparently and the added functionalities are incorporated into existing user application by using appropriate code transformation techniques. Initial results from experimentation show signs of promise and to be successful in providing transparent self-healing support to end user.
Normal Genetic Variation, Cognition, and Aging

This article reviews the modulation of cognitive function by normal genetic variation. Although the heritability of "g" is well established, the genes that modulate specific cognitive functions are largely unidentified. Application of the allelic association approach to individual differences in cognition has begun to reveal the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms on specific and general cognitive functions. This article proposes a framework for relating genotype to cognitive phenotype by considering the effect of genetic variation on the protein product of specific genes within the context of the neural basis of particular cognitive domains. Specificity of effects is considered, from genes controlling part of one receptor type to genes controlling agents of neuronal repair, and evidence is reviewed of cognitive modulation by polymorphisms in dopaminergic and cholinergic receptor genes, dopaminergic enzyme genes, and neurotrophic genes. Although allelic variation in certain genes can be reliably linked to cognition--specifically to components of attention, working memory, and executive function in healthy adults--the specificity, generality, and replicability of the effects are not fully known.
Outcomes of a Multidisciplinary Approach to the Management of the Metabolic Syndrome

Background:Patients with the metabolic syndrome (determined by NCEP ATPIII criteria) are at increased risk for the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.Objectives:We sought to determine whether treating patients at a dedicated community-based clinic using a multidisciplinary program would result in positive changes in predetermined clinical indicators of the metabolic syndrome.Methods:Patients were referred to the clinic by either family physicians or specialists. They were seen individually by a health care team consisting of a registered dietitian, a registered nurse, a pharmacist, and an endocrinologist. Patients were counselled with regard to lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy in order to achieve targets for glucose, lipids, blood pressure, and weight. Patients remained on the program for a maximum of 6 months.Results:There were statistically significant changes for the first 76 patients who completed at least 4 of 6 monthly visits. The following parameters decreased: waist c...
Parallel buffers for chip multiprocessors

Chip multiprocessors (CMPs) present new opportunities for improving database performance on large queries. Because CMPs often share execution, cache, or bandwidth resources among many hardware threads, implementing parallel database operators that efficiently share these resources is key to maximizing performance. A crucial aspect of this parallelism is managing concurrent, shared input and output to the parallel operators. In this paper we propose and evaluate a parallel buffer that enables intra-operator parallelism on CMPs by avoiding contention between hardware threads that need to concurrently read or write to the same buffer. The parallel buffer handles parallel input and output coordination as well as load balancing so individual operators do not need to reimplement that functionality.
Dietary Sulfur Amino Acid Supplementation Reduces Small Bowel Thiol/Disulfide Redox State and Stimulates Ileal Mucosal Growth after Massive Small Bowel Resection in Rats

Following massive small bowel resection in animal models, the remnant intestine undergoes a dynamic growth response termed intestinal adaptation. Cell growth and proliferation are intimately linked to cellular and extracellular thiol/disulfide redox states, as determined by glutathione (GSH) and GSH disulfide (GSSG) (the major cellular redox system in tissues), and cysteine (Cys) and its disulfide cystine (CySS) (the major redox system in plasma), respectively. The study was designed to determine whether dietary supplementation with sulfur amino acids (SAA) leads to a greater reduction in thiol/disulfide redox state in plasma and small bowel and colonic mucosa and alters gut mucosal growth in an established rat model of short bowel syndrome (SBS). Adult rats underwent 80% jejunal-ileal resection (RX) or small bowel transection (surgical control) and were pair-fed either isonitrogenous, isocaloric SAA-adequate (control) or SAA-supplemented diets (218% increase vs. control diet). Plasma and gut mucosal samples were obtained after 7 d and analyzed for Cys, CySS, GSH, and GSSG concentrations by HPLC. Redox status (Eh) of the Cys/CySS and GSH/GSSG couples were calculated using the Nernst equation. SAA supplementation led to a greater reduction in Eh GSH/GSSG in jejunal and ileal mucosa of resected rats compared with controls. Resected SAA-supplemented rats showed increased ileal adaptation (increased full-thickness wet weight, DNA, and protein content compared with RX control-fed rats; increased mucosal crypt depth and villus height compared with all other study groups). These data suggest that SAA supplementation has a trophic effect on ileal adaptation after massive small bowel resection in rats. This finding may have translational relevance as a therapeutic strategy in human SBS.
Induction of NF-kappa B DNA-binding activity during the G0-to-G1 transition in mouse fibroblasts.

Abstract A DNA-binding factor with properties of NF-kappa B and another similar activity are rapidly induced when growth-arrested BALB/c 3T3 cells are stimulated with serum growth factors. Induction of these DNA-binding activities is not inhibited by pretreatment of quiescent cells with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Interestingly, the major NF-kappa B-like activity is not detected in nuclear extracts of proliferating cells, and thus its expression appears to be limited to the G0-to-G1 transition in 3T3 cells. These DNA-binding activities bind many of the expected NF-kappa B target sequences, including elements in the class I major histocompatibility complex and human immunodeficiency virus enhancers, as well as a recently identified NF-kappa B binding site upstream of the c-myc gene. Furthermore, both the class I major histocompatibility complex and c-myc NF-kappa B binding sites confer inducibility on a minimal promoter in 3T3 cells stimulated with serum growth factors. The results demonstrate that NF-kappa B-like activities are immediate-early response proteins in 3T3 cells and suggest a role for these factors in the G0-to-G1 transition.
Mixing/segregation in two‐ and three‐dimensional fluidized beds: Binary systems of equidensity spherical particles

A comparison was made of the equilibrium mixing/segregation behavior of binary mixtures of different-sized, equal-density glass beads in two- and three-dimensional fluidized beds. Several empirical equations for mixing index were examined, all involving a dimensionless function of excess gas velocity. This function, which appeared to largely account for the effect of aspect ratio, was found to optimally correlate the data for both types of beds. However, a much better fit was obtained for the threedimensional bed data, most probably because wall effects significantly retarded mixing in the two-dimensional bed.
Negotiating worlds: a young Mayan child developing literacy at home and at school in Mexico

In Mexico almost ten million people speak an indigenous language. Recognizing the pluralistic nature of the nation, the Mexican Constitution mandates bilingual‐intercultural education; in reality, however, the school system typically imposes the Spanish language and dominant culture on indigenous children. For these children their academic success comes at the expense of their own language and culture. In this article we share the case study of Yadira, a Mayan girl living in Yucatan, Mexico, whom we met when she was in first grade. Using ethnographic tools we document the different literacy events in which Yadira participates at home and at school, and how these shape her understandings about print. We discuss how Yadira negotiates between two worlds using informal sources of Maya and Spanish to construct meaning from written language.
Philosophical perspectives on the problem of extraterrestrial signal detection

ABSTRACT SETI (the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) is a unique scientific activity. Given that SETI researchers purport to study a phenomenon that has as of yet not been demonstrated to exist, some commentators claim that the field cannot in fact be called "scientific" at all. Examining the field from a philosophical perspective, this paper will show that SETI does indee d satisfy Popperian falsificationist principles of scientific legitimacy. In addition, this paper will highlight how these princ iples apply to methodological diversity within SETI. Keywords: SETI, philosophy of science, extra-terrestrial intelligence 1. INTRODUCTION This paper emerges from my experiences interacting with in stitutional SETI resea rchers, which generally begins with 1)a discussion of my background as a student in the field of STS, or Science and Tech nology Studies, and 2)a conversation about how my own project  a look at some of the organizational aspects of the SETI field  might productively contribute to SETI efforts. STS is an intensely interdisciplinary field, drawing upon work from (and including researchers with primary backgrounds in) sociology, anthropology, political science, cognitive science, cultural studies, philosophy, and other social science and liberal arts disciplines. Given that philosophy is included in this list, several times in my visits with SETI f olks Ive been asked to explore the philosophical foundations of SETI science in order to help define how the field differs from UFOlogy and other 'pseudoscientific' alien detection efforts. That is not, however, what this paper is intended to acc omplish. For reasons mentioned below, I think that traditional philosophy of science has relatively little application to the epistemology of SETI  the justification of the fields fundamental assumptions, or the demarcation between scientific and pseudoscientific methodologies of alien detection. Given this, I will instead utilize one particular philosophical perspective  Karl Poppers theory of scientific method  to highlight just a few particular aspects of SETI, namely 1)the relationship between SETI science and its external critics, and 2)the role of methodological pluralism in empirical SETI research. Rather than looking to philosophy for unequivocal answers regarding the foundations of SETI, in this paper I employ ph ilosophy as a theoretical lens through which vari ous aspects of SETI can be viewed in new ways.
On splittable and unsplittable flow capacitated network design arc-set polyhedra

We study the polyhedra of splittable and unsplittable single arc-set relaxations of multicommodity flow capacitated network design problems. We investigate the optimization problems over these sets and the separation and lifting problems of valid inequalities for them. In particular, we give a linear-time separation algorithm for the residual capacity inequalities (19) and show that the separation problem of c-strong in- equalities (7) is NP -hard, but can be solved over the subspace of fractional variables only. We introduce two classes of inequalities for the unsplittable flow problems. We present a summary of computational experiments with a branch-and-cut algorithm for multicommodity flow capacitated network design problems to test the effectiveness of the results presented here empirically.
SLC/CCL21-mediated anti-tumor responses require IFNγ, MIG/CXCL9 and IP-10/CXCL10

Background: SLC/CCL21, normally expressed in high endothelial venules and in T cell zones of spleen and lymph nodes, strongly attracts T cells and dendritic cells (DC). We have previously shown that SLC/CCL21-mediated anti-tumor responses are accompanied by significant induction of IFNγ and the CXC chemokines, monokine induced by IFNγ (MIG/CXCL9) and IFNγ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10/CXCL10). Results: We assessed the importance of IFNγ, IP-10/CXCL10 and MIG/CXCL9 in SLC/CCL21 therapy. In vivo depletion of IP-10/CXCL10, MIG/CXCL9 or IFNγ significantly reduced the antitumor efficacy of SLC/CCL21. Assessment of cytokine production at the tumor site showed an interdependence of IFNγ, MIG/CXCL9 and IP-10/CXCL10; neutralization of any one of these cytokines caused a concomitant decrease in all three cytokines. Similarly, neutralization of any one of these cytokines led to a decrease in the frequency of CXCR3 +ve T cells and CD11c +ve DC at the tumor site. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the full potency of SLC/CCL21-mediated anti-tumor responses require in part the induction of IFNγ, MIG/CXCL9 and IP-10/CXCL10.
Task Performance is Prioritized Over Energy Reduction

The objective of this study was to characterize the temporal relationship between hand stiffness and task performance during adaptation to a brief contact task that required precision at the time of contact. The experiment required subjects to control the vertical position of a paddle on a computer display by grasping a robot's instrumented handle, with the goal of intercepting a virtual ball within 1 mm from the paddle center. A force transient was applied to the hand immediately after the ball-paddle impact to estimate the intrinsic hand impedance. There were two main results: 1) more trials were required for a brief contact task to find a low-energy strategy when compared with tasks that received feedback through the entire movement trajectory and 2) when the whole course of adaptation is long for brief contact tasks, viscoelastic forces were increased to achieve the task goal before the energy reduction initiated. Also, as the accuracy requirement was increased by changing the gain between handle and paddle motion through visual amplification, peak stiffness increased and occurred later, indicating that higher energy strategies are used for longer when the task's accuracy requirements were increased. These results indicated that task performance may be prioritized over energy reduction for a brief contact task.
Tailoring ferromagnetic chalcopyrites.

If magnetic semiconductors are ever to find wide application in real spintronic devices, their magnetic and electronic properties will require tailoring in much the same way that bandgaps are engineered in conventional semiconductors. Unfortunately, no systematic understanding yet exists of how, or even whether, properties such as Curie temperatures and bandgaps are related in magnetic semiconductors. Here we explore theoretically these and other relationships within 64 members of a single materials class, the Mn-doped II-IV-V2 chalcopyrites (where II, IV and V represent elements from groups II, IV and V, respectively); three of these compounds are already known experimentally to be ferromagnetic semiconductors. Our first-principles results reveal a variation of magnetic properties across different materials that cannot be explained by either of the two dominant models of ferromagnetism in semiconductors. On the basis of our results for structural, electronic and magnetic properties, we identify a small number of new stable chalcopyrites with excellent prospects for ferromagnetism.
Female sterilization's impact on laparoscopy

i l t w Though Power and Barnes reported their experience with aparoscopic tubal occlusion in 1941, it was not until the late 960s that this instrument’s possibilities for female sterilizaion were widely appreciated. For women, voluntary sterilizaion was often difficult to obtain before May l969, as the merican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ACOG) recommended, after approval of both the wife and usband, a 3-person committee to review a written request rom the patient’s physician. Between May l969 and October 974, however, ACOG recognized that most states had no law egarding sterilization and, from a legal standpoint, the deciion could be made between the physician and the patient. onetheless, ACOG continued to recommend a consultation rom 2 “senior” staff members after voluntary requests. However, ACOG’s position changed abruptly with the ublication of the l974 Standards for Obstetric-Gynecologic ervices, (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecolgists, Chicago, IL) which stated, “If sterilization is reuested by the patient and her physician agrees, consultation s not necessary.” By this time, the Roe vs Wade decision as already in place, and for ACOG to have continued its rior stance would have appeared unduly harsh and exposed he organization to intense criticism. As often happens, by l970, most medical centers had lready adopted their own guidelines considerably ahead of he pronouncements of academic bodies such as ACOG, and hese were similar to those that exist today. The 1 exception as the introduction of the federal support consent form, hich was prompted by the sterilization (under dubious ircumstances) of 2 allegedly “retarded” sisters who were
Current issues in packet switch design

Addressing the ever growing capacity demand for packet switches, current research focuses on scheduling algorithms or buffer bandwidth reductions. Although these topics remain relevant, our position is that the primary design focus for systems beyond 1 Tb/s must be shifted to aspects resulting from packaging disruptions. Based on trends such as increased link rates and improved CMOS technologies, we derive new design factors for such switch fabrics. For instance, we argue that the packet round-trip transmission time within the fabric has become a major design parameter. Furthermore, we observe that high-speed fabrics have become extremely dependent on serial I/O technology that is both high speed and high density. Finally, we conclude that in developing the architecture, packaging constraints must be put first and not as an afterthought, which also applies to solving the tremendous power consumption challenges.