cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adiponectin and inflammation: Consensus and controversy

Circulating levels of adiponectin decrease with increasing visceral obesity and are lower in patients with type 2 diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease compared with controls matched by body mass index. Several reports demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects of adiponectin. Because increased adipose tissue is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation and proinflammatory factors inhibit adiponectin production, the current hypothesis states that chronic inflammation associated with visceral obesity inhibits production of adiponectin, perpetuating inflammation. The negative correlation between adiponectin and markers of inflammation in the aforementioned conditions supports this hypothesis. In contrast with disorders typically associated with excess adiposity and positive energy balance, adiponectin levels are elevated—rather than decreased—in classic chronic inflammatory/autoimmune diseases that are unrelated to increased adipose tissue, such as rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, and cystic fibrosis. In these patients, adiponectin levels positively—rather than negatively—correlate with inflammatory markers. Furthermore, proinflammatory effects of adiponectin have been reported in tissues such as joint synovium and colonic epithelium. Thus, adiponectin is regulated in the opposite direction and may exert differential functions in classic versus obesity-associated inflammatory conditions. This article discusses this apparent paradox and presents possible alternative and/or complementary explanations.
Electromagnetic response of layered superconductors.

L'impedance electromagnetique de surface d'un supraconducteur en couches est examinee dans le cadre de la theorie BCS. Les dependances avec la longueur de coherence et du libre parcours moyen des electrons, la temperature ambiante, et la frequence des hyperfrequences incidentes sont calculees pour un film oriente normalement suivant l'axe e
A Floor Without a Ceiling: Balancing Normative and Strategic Goals in Policy Design

This article considers the relationship between policy design and the pattern of interests attracted to the political arena. It examines legislation crafted by a large coalition of diverse interests that designed policy favorable to problem solving. This is the kind of policymaking that regime theorists identify with social production—but also one considered a rare circumstance. Previous attempts at passing similar legislation failed because the problem was defined narrowly and the political arena contained only two stakeholders, offering no opportunity to introduce a change that benefited one without harming the other. Success required redefining the problem and changing the nature of the political arena in a manner similar to that described by Schattschneider. By doing so, diverse interests discovered a way to benefit collectively. The present case therefore demonstrates the advantage of coupling the strategic insight of Schattschneider with the normative goals of regime theorists.
The Effect of Film Thickness on EHD-Driven Instability of Interface Separating Two Liquids

Most of the studies conducted so far on EHD-driven instability of superimposed fluids have been concerned with liquid layers of modest depths. In many applications, however, the liquid layers can be very thin. Since the dynamics in thin films is generally governed by lubrication equations rather than full Navier-Stokes equations, it is expected that the interface dynamics will be quite different from that of the liquids with modest depths. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of initial liquid thickness on the dynamics of the phase boundary. To do this end, we perform Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) using a front tracking/finite difference scheme, in conjunction with Taylor’s leaky dielectric model. For the physical parameters used here, it is shown that for sufficiently thick liquid layers, the interface instability leads to formation of liquid columns that merge together to form a big column. However, for thin layers, the interactions between the columns are weaker and lead to a short and a longer column that are connected by a thin liquid film.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Intrathecal sufentanil is more potent than intravenous for postoperative analgesia after total-hip replacement

Background and Objectives: In our clinical experience, sufentanil is more effective when administered intrathecally than intravenously. To test this hypothesis, we compared the analgesic characteristics of 7.5 go f intrathecal or intravenous sufentanil for pain relief after total-hip replacement. Methods: A randomized, double-blind study was conducted of 40 patients older than 75 years who experienced total-hip arthroplasty in which continuous spinal anesthesia was administered. In the recovery room, as soon as a pain score higher than 3 on a scale of 10 on a visual analog scale was reported, either 7.5 g intrathecal or 7.5 g intravenous sufentanil were given. If the pain score remained higher than 3 at 20 minutes after sufentanil administration,1.25 mg of “rescue” intrathecal bupivacaine were given. Results: During the first 20 minutes after intrathecal or intravenous injection, a significantly faster relief of pain was observed for the intrathecal group from 2.5 until 20 minutes. Significantly, more patients needed rescue bupivacaine in the intravenous group (7 of 20 v 0o f 20,P .008), whereas significantly more patients in the intrathecal group reached a pain score of 0 (20 of 20 v 9o f 20,P .001). The time to the first analgesic intervention for a pain score greater than 3 was significantly longer in the intrathecal group (224 100 v 98 60 minutes, P .001). Pruritus was observed only in 5 patients of the intrathecal group (P .047), whereas peripheral oxygen saturation under 95% was observed only in 6 patients in the intravenous group (P .045). Conclusions: After total-hip replacement, intrathecal route of sufentanil administration rapidly offers excellent analgesia of better quality and longer duration when compared with the intravenous route. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2005;30:249-254.
A hybrid finite element method for heterogeneous materials with randomly dispersed elastic inclusions

Abstract A new hybrid finite element method is presented for the mechanical analysis of heterogeneous materials with randomly dispersed inclusions. A special n-sided polygonal element with an elastic inclusion is developed on the basis of the Hellinger-Reissner principle. The element formulations are derived by decomposing the original problem into inclusion and matrix problems and relating each other through consistency conditions at their interface. For circular inclusions, the proposed method is verified against simple analytical solutions and shown to be suitable even for extreme cases such as porous materials and materials with rigid inclusions. It is also demonstrated that the effect of random packing of inclusions on stress concentration factors can be easily evaluated using the proposed method.
Effects of Computer Programming on Cognitive Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

Although claims regarding the cognitive benefits of computer programming have been made, results from existing empirical studies are conflicting. To make a more reliable conclusion on this issue, a meta-analysis was performed to synthesize existing research concerning the effects of computer programming on cognitive outcomes. Sixty-five studies were located from three sources, and their quantitative data were transformed into a common scale—Effect Size. The analysis showed that 58 or 89 percent of the study-weighted effect sizes were positive and favored the computer programming group over the control groups. The overall grand mean of the study-weighted effect size for all 432 comparisons was 0.41; this suggests that students having computer programming experiences scored about sixteen percentile points higher on various cognitive-ability tests than students who did not have programming experiences. In addition, four of the seven coded variables selected for this study (i.e., type of publication, grade le...
Near-rationality/menu costs, strategic complementarity, and real rigidity: An integration

This paper integrates near-rationality/menu cost ideas with strategic complementarity and real rigidity. It is shown that both strategic complementarity and real rigidity aggravate nominal rigidity and make monetary nonneutrality more potent. Also, real rigidity causing nominal rigidity is equivalent to strategic complementarity causing nominal rigidity. Though much has been written about these concepts and their macroeconomic significance, an obvious integration is lacking. This paper is an attempt in that direction.
Job selection and sequencing on a single machine in a random environment

Abstract We examine a single machine scheduling problem with random processing times and deadline. Given a set of independent jobs having specified initiation costs and terminal revenues, the objective is to select a subset of the jobs and sequence the selected jobs such that the expected profit is maximized. The job selection aspect considered by us marks a clear departure from the pure sequencing focus found in the traditional scheduling literature. In this paper, we assume an exponentially distributed deadline and do not allow preemption. Even under these conditions, the selection and sequencing problem remains quite difficult (unlike its pure sequencing counterpart); we in fact conjecture that the problem is NP-hard. However, we show that the problem can be efficiently solved as long as the cost parameter is agreeable or an approximate solution is acceptable. To this end, we describe several solution properties, present dynamic programming algorithms (one of which exhibits a pseudo-polynomial time worst-case complexity), and propose a fully-polynomial time approximation scheme. In addition, we study a number of special cases which can be solved in polynomial time. Finally, we summarize our work and discuss an extension where the jobs are precedence related.
Dendritic cell/peptide cancer vaccines: clinical responsiveness and epitope spreading.

(2000). Dendritic Cell/Peptide Cancer Vaccines: Clinical Responsiveness and Epitope Spreading. Immunological Investigations: Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 121-125.
Production, Interior Egg Quality and Some Physiological Effects of Feeding Raw Soybean Meal to Laying Hens

Abstract CARVER et al. (1946) reported excellent egg production by hens fed 13% protein all-mash diet containing either raw or heat-treated soybean meal. Fisher et al. (1957) studied utilization of raw soybean meal as the only source of dietary protein for laying hens and concluded that raw meal properly supplemented with methionine and vitamin B12 supported production equal to that obtained with heated meal. Raw soybean meal has been shown by Saxena et al. (1961) to cause growth inhibition, pancreatic hypertrophy and reduced protein efficiency in the chick. Observations on the influence of raw soybean meal on the pancreas in laying hens have not been reported. The present studies were undertaken to obtain additional information on the effects of feeding raw soybean meal to laying hens, particularly with respect to production, interior egg quality and some physiological aspects. EXPERIMENTAL Forty-eight S. C. White Leghorn hens were randomly distributed in individual wire…
Adaptive dynamics of articulated bodies

Forward dynamics is central to physically-based simulation and control of articulated bodies. We present an adaptive algorithm for computing forward dynamics of articulated bodies: using novel motion error metrics, our algorithm can automatically simplify the dynamics of a multi-body system, based on the desired number of degrees of freedom and the location of external forces and active joint forces. We demonstrate this method in plausible animation of articulated bodies, including a large-scale simulation of 200 animated humanoids and multi-body dynamics systems with many degrees of freedom. The graceful simplification allows us to achieve up to two orders of magnitude performance improvement in several complex benchmarks.
Reformulation of finite-temperature dilepton production.

The multiplicity of ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ or ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ pairs produced at finite temperature is expressed in terms of the photon proper self-energy at finite temperature. The production rate is strongly dependent on the four-momentum ${q}^{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ of the lepton pair and has a resonance at ${q}^{2}=\mathrm{Re}\ensuremath{\Pi}$.
A software testbed for digital handwriting analysis and training

In many skilled labor jobs, workers develop extremely valuable specialized knowledge about the jobs they perform. Large manufacturing companies, such as Rolls-Royce Corporation, see great value in developing software systems that can monitor skilled workers and quantify the characteristics associated with productive performance. The quantification of the characteristics associated with the most highly skilled workers could later be built into training or automation systems for skilled tasks. The goal of this project was to create a software system that is able to capture the expert knowledge of a skilled user on a particular task. The design effort explored the use of individual handwriting styles. The project team created a system that recognized and captured the subtle nuances of a person's handwriting. The algorithm created used an individual's writing sample to identify characteristics that made that individual's writing style unique and recognized one person's handwriting over another person's handwriting. The information captured could later be used in experiments in which an individual can try to mimic the handwriting style of an "expert" and gain feedbacks for improvement. The handwriting recognition system showed a proof-of-concept for knowledge management software in the absence of a highly technical process.
Effects of Adrenalectomy on Neuronal Substrate Fuel Transporter and Energy Transducer Gene Expression in Hypothalamic and Hindbrain Metabolic Monitoring Sites

It has been reported that adrenalectomy (ADX) and the potent type II glucocorticoid receptor agonist, dexamethasone, exert opposing effects on glucose utilization in specific brain regions, including the hypothalamus. The present study investigated the hypothesis that ADX alters neuronal substrate fuel transporter mRNA levels in characterized hypothalamic and hindbrain metabolic monitoring structures, and adjustments in these gene profiles are correlated with modified transcription of genes encoding the glucose sensor, glucokinase (GCK), and the energy-dependent, inwardly-rectifying potassium channel, K(ATP). The lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN), and dorsal vagal complex (DVC) were microdissected from ADX and sham-operated male rats 2 h after neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin or vehicle injection, and evaluated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR for neuronal glucose (GLUT3, GLUT4), monocarboxylate (MCT2) transporter, GCK, and sulfonylurea receptor-1 (SUR1) mRNA content. ADX modified basal fuel transporter and energy transducer gene expression in a site-specific manner since this manipulation decreased MCT2 and GLUT3 transcription in the DVC only; increased or decreased GCK mRNA in the LHA and VMN, respectively; and decreased SUR1 gene profiles in the DVC and LHA. Adrenal removal did not alter baseline GLUT4 mRNA in any structure examined. ADX also prevented the following transcriptional responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia: downregulated DVC MCT2, downregulated DVC and upregulated LHA and VMN GLUT3, upregulated LHA GLUT4, upregulated LHA GCK, and upregulated VMN SUR1. These results show that the adrenals regulate basal GLUT3 gene profiles in the DVC alone; during hypoglycemia, these glands suppress (DVC) or increase GLUT3 (LHA and VMH) mRNA, and selectively elevate GLUT4 transcripts in the LHA. The data demonstrate divergent adrenal control of DVC neuronal monocarboxylate transporter gene expression under basal (stimulatory) versus hypoglycemic (inhibitory) conditions. The current work also reveals contrasting adrenal regulation of baseline GCK mRNA in the LHA (inhibitory) and VMN (stimulatory), as well as adrenal-dependent hypoglycemic enhancement of LHA GCK and VMN SUR1 gene profiles. Additional research is required to characterize the impact of adrenal-sensitive substrate transporter and metabolic transducer function on fuel uptake and metabolic regulatory signaling in these brain sites.
Coadaptation and conflict, misconception and muddle, in the evolution of genomic imprinting

Coadaptation and conflict, misconception and muddle, in the evolution of genomic imprinting
A Suggested nomenclature for bacterial host modification and restriction systems and their enzymes

Abstract In the proposed nomenclature restriction-modification systems are named according to host organism and strain. Different R-M systems in a single host are designated by Roman numerals. Restriction nucleases and modification methylases are given the general names endonuclease R and methylase M, followed by their R-M system name.
Because People Matter: Studying Global Political Economy

The 1990s were hard on our traditional theories of International Relations and International Political Economy, and the Millennium has brought the End of Meta‐Narrative as We Know It. In this article, I discuss and dissect three of the past decade’s meta‐narratives, and show how they were no more than failed efforts to shore up the decomposing corpus of mainstream theories. In their stead, I offer a preliminary description of a contextual and contingent approach to thinking about and analyzing global political economy. I place people at the center of my framework, and use the tools of historical materialism, feminist theory, and agency‐structure analysis to generate an understanding of the relationship between what I call the “social individual” and global politics and political economy.
Cost-effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis for dental procedures in patients with artificial joints.

We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate whether patients with artificial joints should take penicillin, erythromycin, or no antibiotics before dental procedures. We modeled the risk of anaphylaxis from penicillin, the risks and consequences of an artificial joint infection, and the actual variable costs of hospitalization and antibiotics. Penicillin prophylaxis is slightly less expensive than erythromycin prophylaxis but is both more expensive and less effective than no prophylaxis. Erythromycin prophylaxis, the most effective, is the most expensive strategy. The marginal cost effectiveness of erythromycin prophylaxis compared to no prophylaxis is $12,900 per quality-adjusted year of life saved. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the risk of developing a joint infection is the key parameter in the analysis. Based on our estimated risk of developing a joint infection, the cost-effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis with erythromycin compares favorably with other medical interventions. T...
A Performance Index for Gas Chromatographic Columns

J. Friend and E. Watson have suggested that if an adequate ‘performance index’ could be defined for gas chromatographic columns, a much-needed clarification could be achieved in the interchange of data among experimenters.
Variability in Community Characteristics and Spanish-Speaking Children's Home Language and Literacy Opportunities

Abstract Drawing on data from 14 communities in California and Texas, this paper examines the variability in language and literacy resources across communities with large numbers of Latino families. Spanish-speaking children live in communities that vary considerably with respect to language use, ethnic composition and education levels. Children's community experiences vary with respect to exposure to English and Spanish and in terms of access to print materials in one or both languages. Immigrant Spanish-speaking families residing in these communities also demonstrate variation with respect to home literacy practices. However, community-level characteristics only modestly predict a few aspects of children's language and literacy experiences. While this suggests that community characteristics can influence children's language and literacy opportunities (relative to Spanish-speaking children in other communities), the weak associations also show that educators should not presume to know children's home lan...
Surface elasticity and charge concentration-dependent endothelial cell attachment to copolymer polyelectrolyte hydrogel

The surface micromechanical properties of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 2-methacryloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (MAETAC) copolymer hydrogels are probed using atomic force microscopy. HEMA-MAETAC polyelectrolyte hydrogels with increasing positive charge concentrations ranging from 0 to 400mM in increments of 40mM, are fabricated using different proportions of HEMA and MAETAC monomers. Increasing proportions of positively charged MAETAC monomers produce hydrogels with increasingly swollen states and correspondingly decreasing measures of stiffness, or Young's modulus. Increasing the relative proportion of charged monomers also increases the hysteresis in the approaching and retracting components of the force spectroscopy curves. When these hydrogels are equilibrated in cell-culture media without fetal bovine serum and a pH-controlled CO(2) environment, precipitation reactions increase the variability of the Young's modulus estimates. Adding a buffer, 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid, maintains physiological pH without the use of a CO(2) environment, and thus reduces salt precipitation reactions and the variability of the Young's modulus. The attachment of porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells increases with increasing prepared hydrogel charge concentration and decreasing elasticity.
Kinetics of anhydride formation in poly(acrylic acid) and its effect on the properties of a PAA‐alumina composite

The kinetics of anhydride formation of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in porous PAA–alumina composites have been investigated by using a thermogravimetric technique (TGA). Three distinct reaction peaks at 200°C (I), 250°C (II), and 390°C (III) were identified in the dynamic TGA thermogram. These peaks were attributed to bound water removal (I), anhydride formation (II), and polymer degradation (III). The kinetics of the anhydride reaction were studied in a temperature range of 220–240°C and found to follow a second-order mechanism with an activation energy of approximately 38 kcal/mole. In addition, the bound water was found to inhibit the onset of anhydride formation. The degree of conversion to anhydride was correlated with the equilibrium swelling level attained by the composite in water.
Controllability of non-linear delay systems

In this paper we examine the approximate controllability in the space W2 × L2 of non-linear systems with delays in states and controls. If the uncontrolled system is asymptotically stable and if the linear part of the control system is controllable, then the non-linear delay system is approximately controllable. An upper bound on the magnitude of retardation for the system to be controllable is estimated. An example is given to demonstrate the practical verification of the new conditions
Differential Regulation of Inflammatory Cytokine Secretion by Human Dendritic Cells upon Chlamydia trachomatis Infection

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium responsible for a wide spectrum of diseases in humans. Both genital and ocular C. trachomatis infections are associated with tissue inflammation and pathology. Dendritic cells (DC) play an important role in both innate and adaptive immune responses to microbial pathogens and are a source of inflammatory cytokines. To determine the potential contribution of DC to the inflammatory process, human DC were infected with C. trachomatis serovar E or L2. Both C. trachomatis serovars were found to infect and replicate in DC. Upon infection, DC up-regulated the expression of costimulatory (B7-1) and cell adhesion (ICAM-1) molecules. Furthermore, chlamydial infection induced the secretion of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, IL-8, IL-12p70, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The mechanisms involved in Chlamydia-induced IL-1beta and IL-18 secretion differed from those of the other cytokines. Chlamydia-induced IL-1beta and IL-18 secretion required infection with viable bacteria and was associated with the Chlamydia-induced activation of caspase-1 in infected host cells. In contrast, TNF-alpha and IL-6 secretion did not require that the Chlamydia be viable, suggesting that there are at least two mechanisms involved in the Chlamydia-induced cytokine secretion in DC. Interestingly, an antibody to Toll-like receptor 4 inhibited Chlamydia-induced IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha secretion. The data herein demonstrate that DC can be infected by human C. trachomatis serovars and that chlamydial components regulate the secretion of various cytokines in DC. Collectively, these data suggest that DC play a role in the inflammatory processes caused by chlamydial infections.
Atomic-level observation of macromolecular crowding effects: escape of a protein from the GroEL cage.

Experimental work has demonstrated that the efficient operation of the GroEL-GroES chaperonin machinery is sensitive to the presence of macromolecular crowding agents. Here, I describe atomically detailed computer simulations that provide a microscopic view of how crowding effects are exerted. Simulations were performed to compute the free energy required to extract the protein rhodanese from the central cavity of GroEL into solutions containing a range of crowder concentrations. The computed energetics allow the total yield of folded protein to be predicted; the calculated yields show a nonlinear dependence on the concentration of crowding agent identical to that observed experimentally. The close correspondence between simulation and experiment prompts the use of the former in a truly predictive setting: simulations are used to suggest that more effective crowding agents might be designed by exploiting an “agoraphobic effect.”
Bursal synovial chondromatosis formation following osteochondroma resection

Osteochondroma is a common tumor of the bone and can be complicated by adventitial bursa formation and malignant transformation of the cartilaginous cap. Synovial chondromatosis formation within these bursae is extremely rare and can be confused with malignant transformation of the osteochondroma cap to a chondrosarcoma. We describe a case of extra-articular synovial chondromatosis formation several years following osteochondroma resection. Cartilage nodule formation within the bursal synovial lining and proliferation of cartilage debris shed from the cartilaginous cap during surgery or biopsy are potential etiologies of this rare complication of osteochondromas.
Gods, German Scholars, and the Gift of Greece Friedrich Kittler’s Philhellenic Fantasies

This article argues that the abundance of Greek figures and scenarios in Kittler’s recent work points to a shift in his oeuvre, which, however, does not represent a radical break with his ‘hardware studies’. At the turn of the 21st century, Kittler champions an emphatic notion of culture as a necessary supplement to science and technology. This conceptual marriage mediates grand historical narratives of cultural identity. Specifically, Kittler’s texts provide us with narratives of Greek origin which serve to re-capture collective identities in the age of globalization. On the explicit level, this identity is predominantly European, but the search has national components as well. With his turn to culture, the organizing trope of 19th-century German nationalism, Kittler has also embraced the legacy of German philhellenism, which articulated national identities through the theme of ‘elective affinity’. Kittler’s Greece occupies the very structural place it had in 19th-century German philhellenism: It stands ...
Social Background and School Continuation Decisions

Abstract Logistic response models of the effects of parental socioeconomic characteristics and family structure on the probability of making selected school transitions for white American males are estimated by maximum likelihood using the 1973 Occupational Changes in a Generation Survey data. As a consequence of differential attrition patterns, parental socioeconomic effects decline sharply from the earliest school transitions to the latest. Estimated effects of parental income on grade progression decline by more than 50 percent between elementary school and college.
Deep-play: developing TPACK for 21st century teachers

A key complication facing teachers who seek to integrate technology in their teaching is the fact that most technologies are not designed for educational purposes. Making a tool an educational technology requires creative input from the teacher to re-design, or maybe even subvert the original intentions of the designer. The learning technology by design (LT/D) framework has been proposed as being an effective instructional technique to develop deeper understanding of technological pedagogical content knowledge. In this paper we expand our description of the LT/D technique to develop what we call a deep-play model for teacher professional development. The deep-play model integrates: a) pedagogy for key 21st century learning skills; b) content that cuts across disciplines with trans-disciplinary cognitive tools; c) technology by the creative repurposing of tools for pedagogical purposes.
Absorption of pyrimidines, purines, and nucleosides by Li-, Na-, Mg-, and Ca-montmorillonite /clay-organic studies XII/.

Purines, pyrimidines and nucleosides absorption by Li-, Na-, Mg- and Ca-montmorillonite in aqueous solutions over range pH 2-12 by cation exchange
Associative and competitive indirect self-enhancement in close relationships moderated by trait self-esteem

Subjects wrote (free-format) descriptions of themselves and of their romantic partners. Self-esteem and publicness moderated these descriptions. In addition to a tendency of high self-esteem subjects to avoid self-derogatory statements more than low self-esteem subjects, qualitative differences in favourable self-presentation were observed. While high self-esteem subjects emphasized their abilities (self-promotion), low self-esteem subjects focused instead on their social qualities and described themselves as altruistic (exemplification). Both groups described their partners positively and used indirect self-enhancement. However, the specific strategies of self-enhancement differed between the groups, such that high self-esteem subjects emphasized their superior abilities compared to their partners while low self-esteem subjects enhanced their self-worth by associating with a partner whom they described more positively than themselves. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Loss of MicroRNAs in Neural Crest Leads to Cardiovascular Syndromes Resembling Human Congenital Heart Defects

Objective— Congenital heart defects represent the most common human birth defects. Even though the genetic cause of these syndromes has been linked to candidate genes, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still largely unknown. Disturbance of neural crest cell (NCC) migration into the derivatives of the pharyngeal arches and pouches can account for many of the developmental defects. The goal of this study was to investigate the function of microRNA (miRNA) in NCCs and the cardiovascular system. Methods and Results— We deleted Dicer from the NCC lineage and showed that Dicer conditional mutants exhibit severe defects in multiple craniofacial and cardiovascular structures, many of which are observed in human neuro-craniofacial-cardiac syndrome patients. We found that cranial NCCs require Dicer for their survival and that deletion of Dicer led to massive cell death and complete loss of NCC-derived craniofacial structures. In contrast, Dicer and miRNAs were not essential for the survival of cardiac NCCs. However, the migration and patterning of these cells were impaired in Dicer knockout mice, resulting in a spectrum of cardiovascular abnormalities, including type B interrupted aortic arch, double-outlet right ventricle, and ventricular septal defect. We showed that Dicer loss of function was, at least in part, mediated by miRNA-21 (miR-21) and miRNA-181a (miR-181a), which in turn repressed the protein level of Sprouty 2, an inhibitor of Erk1/2 signaling. Conclusion— Our results uncovered a central role for Dicer and miRNAs in NCC survival, migration, and patterning in craniofacial and cardiovascular development which, when mutated, lead to congenital neuro-craniofacial-cardiac defects.
Mesenchymal stem cells for vascular regeneration

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have tremendous potential for regenerative medicine, and have been researched for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. MSCs are a promising cell type because of their ease of isolation and expansion, their multipotency and their low immunogenicity. However, in order to fully utilize the therapeutic potential of MSCs, it is important to understand the intrinsic property of MSCs and the role of the microenvironment in modulating MSC behavior and function. Microenvironmental factors such as mechanical cues, soluble factors and matrix properties not only regulate MSC differentiation, but also modulate MSC signaling to the surrounding environment. Understanding the properties of MSCs and the role of the microenvironment will be beneficial for developing in vivo therapies for the construction of tissue-engineered vascular grafts and the treatment of ischemic cardiac tissues.
Is the repeated prisoner's dilemma a good model of reciprocal altruism?

Abstract Axelrod and Hamilton (1981) used the repeated prisoner's dilemma game as a basis for their widely cited analysis of the evolution of reciprocal altruism. Recently, it has been argued that the repeated prisoner's dilemma is not a good model for this task. Some critics have argued that the single period prisoner's dilemma represents mutualistic rather than altruistic social interactions. Others have argued that reciprocal altruism requires that the opportunities for altruism occur sequentially, first one individual and then after some delay the other. Here I begin by arguing that the single period prisoner's dilemma game is consistent with the definition of altruism that is widely accepted in evolutionary biology. Then I present two modified versions of the repeated prisoner's dilemma, one in which behavior is sequential, and a second in which behavior occurs in continuous time. Each of these models shares the essential qualitative properties with the version used by Axelrod and Hamilton.
Quantifying homologous replacement of loci between haloarchaeal species.

In vitro studies of the haloarchaeal genus Haloferax have demonstrated their ability to frequently exchange DNA between species, whereas rates of homologous recombination estimated from natural populations in the genus Halorubrum are high enough to maintain random association of alleles between five loci. To quantify the effects of gene transfer and recombination of commonly held (relaxed core) genes during the evolution of the class Halobacteria (haloarchaea), we reconstructed the history of 21 genomes representing all major groups. Using a novel algorithm and a concatenated ribosomal protein phylogeny as a reference, we created a directed horizontal genetic transfer (HGT) network of contemporary and ancestral genomes. Gene order analysis revealed that 90% of testable HGTs were by direct homologous replacement, rather than nonhomologous integration followed by a loss. Network analysis revealed an inverse log-linear relationship between HGT frequency and ribosomal protein evolutionary distance that is maintained across the deepest divergences in Halobacteria. We use this mathematical relationship to estimate the total transfers and amino acid substitutions delivered by HGTs in each genome, providing a measure of chimerism. For the relaxed core genes of each genome, we conservatively estimate that 11–20% of their evolution occurred in other haloarchaea. Our findings are unexpected, because the transfer and homologous recombination of relaxed core genes between members of the class Halobacteria disrupts the coevolution of genes; however, the generation of new combinations of divergent but functionally related genes may lead to adaptive phenotypes not available through cumulative mutations and recombination within a single population.
Solar cycle warming at the Earth's surface in NCEP and ERA-40 data: A linear discriminant analysis

[1] The total solar irradiance (TSI) has been measured by orbiting satellites since 1978 to vary on an 11-year cycle by about 0.08%. Because of previous controversies on the reality of solar cycle response at the surface, in this work we discuss the robustness of the solar response with respect to analysis methods, data sets and periods used. Furthermore we concentrate on the globally coherent signal. Two reanalysis data sets are used: one is from National Centers for Environmental Prediction and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP for short) and the other is the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)’s most recent reanalysis denoted by ERA-40. Three analysis methods are considered, with increasing sophistication. Within each data set the analysis results are consistent with each other (i.e., each within the other’s error bars), with the method of linear discriminant analysis (LDA) yielding the smallest error bar and the unfiltered global mean data yielding the largest error bar in the temperature amplitude. All three methods and both data sets are able to demonstrate that the 11-year signal is statistically significant and attributable (i.e., related) to the solar cycle. We deduce the spatial surface pattern over the globe which best distinguishes the solar maximum years from the solar minimum years using the LDA method. The resulting warming pattern shows clearly the polar amplification of warming and the preference for continents over oceans. We propose that the magnitude of the surface warming is consistent with direct solar radiative forcing if positive feedback processes such as ice albedo, water vapor/lapse rate and cloud feedbacks, similar to some of those studied for the greenhouse warming problem, are incorporated. It does not appear to be necessary to invoke some previously proposed exotic indirect mechanisms for an explanation of the observed solar signal. Citation: Tung, K. K., and C. D. Camp (2008), Solar cycle warming at the Earth’s surface in NCEP and ERA-40 data: A linear discriminant analysis, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D05114, doi:10.1029/2007JD009164.
Identification and Characterization of Broadly Neutralizing Human Monoclonal Antibodies Directed against the E2 Envelope Glycoprotein of Hepatitis C Virus

Nearly all livers transplanted into hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients become infected with HCV, and 10 to 25% of reinfected livers develop cirrhosis within 5 years. Neutralizing monoclonal antibody could be an effective therapy for the prevention of infection in a transplant setting. To pursue this treatment modality, we developed human monoclonal antibodies (HuMAbs) directed against the HCV E2 envelope glycoprotein and assessed the capacity of these HuMAbs to neutralize a broad panel of HCV genotypes. HuMAb antibodies were generated by immunizing transgenic mice containing human antibody genes (HuMAb mice; Medarex Inc.) with soluble E2 envelope glycoprotein derived from a genotype 1a virus (H77). Two HuMAbs, HCV1 and 95-2, were selected for further study based on initial cross-reactivity with soluble E2 glycoproteins derived from genotypes 1a and 1b, as well as neutralization of lentivirus pseudotyped with HCV 1a and 1b envelope glycoproteins. Additionally, HuMAbs HCV1 and 95-2 potently neutralized pseudoviruses from all genotypes tested (1a, 1b, 2b, 3a, and 4a). Epitope mapping with mammalian and bacterially expressed proteins, as well as synthetic peptides, revealed that HuMAbs HCV1 and 95-2 recognize a highly conserved linear epitope spanning amino acids 412 to 423 of the E2 glycoprotein. The capacity to recognize and neutralize a broad range of genotypes, the highly conserved E2 epitope, and the fully human nature of the antibodies make HuMAbs HCV1 and 95-2 excellent candidates for treatment of HCV-positive individuals undergoing liver transplantation.
Dry Deposition to Snowpacks

Dry deposition refers to the transfer of gases and particles to ground-based surfaces, where they are removed. The two main reasons for studying dry deposition are: (1) The determination of the quantity of a species entering the environment. Interest usually centers on species such as SO4 −2 or toxic trace metals that may harm components of aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems. (2) The determination of removal rates of a species from the atmosphere so that its atmospheric concentration and lifetime can be determined. Over the last several years, much of the dry deposition research has focused on acid deposition issues.
The Prototype of Indicators of a Responsive Partner Shapes Information Processing: A False Recognition Study

ABSTRACTWhen judging whether a relationship partner can be counted on to “be there” when needed, people may draw upon knowledge structures to process relevant information. We examined one such knowledge structure using the prototype methodology: indicators of a partner who is likely to be there when needed. In the first study (N = 91), the structure, content, and reliability of the prototype of indicators were examined. Then, using a false recognition study (N = 77), we demonstrated that once activated, the prototype of indicators of a partner who is likely to be there when needed affects information processing. Thus, the prototype of indicators may shape how people process support-relevant information in everyday life, affecting relationship outcomes. Using this knowledge structure may help a person process relevant information quickly and with cognitive economy. However, it may also lead to biases in judgments in certain situations.
Dioxygen binding at a four-coordinate cobaltous porphyrin site in a metal–organic framework: structural, EPR, and O2 adsorption analysis

The study of cobalt porphyrin interactions with O2 is important owing largely to its relevance to biological heme-mediated O2 transport and storage. The immobilization of a metalloporphyrin site in a metal–organic framework (MOF) enables the study of these interactions without interference from solution effects such as bimolecular reactions, axial ligation, and solvent/solute interactions involving the porphyrin ligand. Here, we investigate the reaction of O2 with the four-coordinate cobaltous porphyrin complex in the MOF PCN-224Co. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of the oxygenated form, PCN-224CoO2 reveals a five-coordinate low-spin CoIII center coordinated to an S = 1/2 superoxo (O2−˙) ligand. Moreover, O2 adsorption measurements on PCN-224Co reveal two distinct binding sites with adsorption enthalpies of hads = −15.2(6) and −10.2(3) kJ mol−1. The former binding event is ascribed to ligation of O2 at the open Co site, and the obtained value is considerably lower than those observed for cobalt porphyrin units in substituted proteins and model complexes that feature axial ligands. These results provide the first structurally-characterized five-coordinate Co–O2 species, further highlight the importance of axial ligation in biological O2 transport and storage, and demonstrate the ability of a MOF to enable isolation and study of a species that is highly unstable in molecular form.
Novel Ferroelectric Polymers for High Energy Density and Low Loss Dielectrics

The state-of-the-art polymer dielectrics have been limited to nonpolar polymers with relatively low energy density but ultralow dielectric losses for the past decades. With the fast development of power electronics in pulsed power and power conditioning applications, there is a need for next-generation dielectric capacitors in areas of high energy density/low loss and/or high temperature/low loss polymer dielectrics. Given limitations in further enhancing atomic and electronic polarizations for polymers, this Perspective focuses on a fundamental question: Can orientational polarization in polar polymers be utilized for high energy density and low loss dielectrics? Existing experimental and theoretical results have suggested the following perspectives. For amorphous polar polymers, high energy density and low loss can be achieved below their glass transition temperatures. For liquid crystalline side-chain polymers, dipole mobility is so high that they saturate at relatively low electric fields, and only li...
Extended family relationships, social support, and mental health in a southern black community

Les perspectives contemporaines sur la famille noire suggerent que la famille etendue est une source essentielle de support social a l'interieur de la communaute noire. Les influences sur l'etat depressif d'un certain nombre de relations sociales sont examinees; on passe en revue: les dimensions de la parente etendue et la perception comparee du soutien venant de la parente et venant des non-parents. Les symptomes depressifs ont paru en raison inverse du soutien par la parente. L'effet tampon du soutien de la parente etendue sur les evenements existentiels n'est evident que chez les hommes. Il n'y a pas d'effet tampon du support social sur les facteurs chroniques de stress...
Considering women's experience: A reformulation of power theory

All views of power, as Lukes points out, are both contested and ideological. The view I present here was developed through efforts to construct a theory of power grounded in the central themes of feminist research, especially its focus on the social construction of reality. The most salient realities addressed in this context are the ethics and social structure of obligation, relationship, and care, especially as these affect differential identities, social rankings, and asymmetries in power. These inequalities are socially constructed. They stabilize power contests of the past in prescribed relationships of the present.
Dating Violence: A Qualitative Analysis of Mexican American Youths' Views

This study reports the findings of focus groups examining the thoughts and attitudes of Mexican American youth about dating violence. Youth in the focus groups expressed concern about the wide spread use of violence, and many reported the common occurrences of violent behaviors in their lives. Moreover, the youth voiced the acceptance of the use of violence in many situations especially when violence is used to retaliate for a peer's lack of respect or infidelity. Males expressed a willingness to intervene on behalf of female friends who were victimized by violence. The males reported that they turned to friends for assistance when they were confronted with violence. Females involved in relationship violence stated that they preferred to turn to their brothers for assistance. Implications for developing culturally sensitive prevention programming are discussed.
Transperitoneal Absorption. VI. Significance of Impaired Viability and Influence of Distension on its Occurrence.

Conclusions1. Transperitoneal absorption in simple obstruction may occur but only through devitalized segments of bowel subjected to distension. 2. The obstructed bowel under similar experimental conditions is more permeable to strychnine than the normal.