cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein phosphorylation associated with synergistic stimulation of neutrophils.

Abstract Neutrophils treated with optimal amounts of tumor promoters that activate protein kinase C (e.g. mezerein) release large quantities of superoxide (O2-) and exhibit an intense phosphorylation of two proteins with molecular masses of approximately 47 and 49 kDa. These cells can also be stimulated synergistically to release a comparable amount of O2-. This involves treatment with a suboptimal amount of a tumor promoter and an agent capable of elevating cellular Ca2+. Neutrophils treated in the former fashion exhibit a redistribution of the activity of protein kinase C from a soluble to a particulate fraction that is stable in the presence of Ca2+ chelators, whereas cells stimulated synergistically do not do so to an appreciable extent (Badwey, J. A., Robinson, J. M., Horn, W., Soberman, R. J., Karnovsky, M. J., and Karnovsky, M. L. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 2779-2786). In this paper, we report that neutrophils stimulated synergistically do exhibit a significant incorporation of 32P into the 47-kDa protein, but with little labeling of the 49-kDa species. This labeling of the 47-kDa protein was greater than the sum of those observed with each agent added separately but was less than that observed in cells stimulated with optimal amounts of tumor promoters alone. An inhibitor of protein kinase C (1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine) blocked O2- release and the phosphorylation of the 47-kDa protein under all conditions of stimulation mentioned, whereas an inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases had no effect on these phenomena. Thus, labeling of the 47-kDa protein can occur in the absence of a "tight" translocation of protein kinase C to membrane and was always observed during synergy. The data support a role for protein kinase C and the 47-kDa phosphoprotein in the synergistic stimulation of neutrophils.
Coronary Artery Disease: Pathologic Anatomy and Pathogenesis

Coronary atherosclerosis is the major anatomic substrate for the diverse clinical syndromes of coronary heart disease. Coronary atherosclerosis is a disease that develops as an inflammatory response of the arterial wall to chronic, multifactorial injury. Acute ischemic heart disease is usually initiated by erosion, rupture, thrombosis and/or spasm superimposed on vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques with active inflammation. The process may be self-limited (angina pectoris), may trigger a lethal ventricular arrhythmia (sudden cardiac death), or result in death of heart muscle, myocardial infarction (MI). MI progresses as a wavefront of necrosis extending from subendocardium into subepicardium with complete evolution in 3–4 h. The pathogenesis of irreversible myocardial cell injury involves metabolic and electrolyte changes, and activation of necroptotic and apopotic mechanisms of cell injury and death. Timely reperfusion has a profound influence resulting in some further loss of critically injured cells (reperfusion injury) and net salvage of a significant amount of myocardium. Preconditioning by repetitive short intervals of coronary occlusion and reperfusion can significantly retard the subsequent development of MI. Reperfusion can be achieved clinically with coronary angioplasty and cardiac bypass surgery, but associated pathologic changes in coronary arteries can influence long-term outcomes. Progress in understanding the pathobiology of myocardial ischemic injury is leading to new therapeutic approaches to combine with established approaches for reperfusion and salvage of myocardium.
Valuing 1933 Act Registration Rights

States follow a number of different approaches to lawsuits alleging breach of contract or tort to value interests that have fluctuating values. This article examines one context where the factors that have produced the variation among jurisdictions are enhanced: breach of an obligation to register securities under the 1933 Act. A review of the pertinent authority identifies assorted miscues-approaches to valuation that are internally inconsistent, violate the weak form of the Efficient Capital Markets Hypothesis or founder for want of an adequately textured principle guiding damage computation. By referencing the component costs associated with creating synthetic registration rights, this article develops a textured principle for valuing breach of registration rights. As part of developing that damage measure, this article examines principles for computing compensatory prejudgement interest. The most thorough prior analysis in legal scholarship argues prejudgement interest should be at the defendant's cost of funds. This article demonstrates, however, that approach is inadequate, because it can shift value from shareholders of a corporate plaintiff to its creditors.
The importance of presentation skills in the classroom: students and instructors perspectives

Employers are demanding graduates with excellent communication (written, oral, and listening) skills. Thus, a student's presentation in the classroom becomes an important element in delivering positive learning experiences. This paper explored the role of students' presentation in the classroom from students and instructors' perspectives. The results of the study showed that forty-three percent of respondents indicated students were required to present in two classes per semester for an average of 10 minutes. Students and instructors agreed that critical objectives of presentations were to improve communication skills and to train students to talk to a group of people. However, the two groups differed on ranking the presentation evaluation. While instructors ranked "the content of presentation" in the first place, students ranked "the organization of the presentation" as their first choice. Both groups, however, agreed that "well-organized presentation" and "enjoyable content" were the two most important measures of presentation effectiveness. Students' responses showed no statistical significance between the grade assigned and the grade that should be assigned for presentation. While the majority of graduate students (70 percent) reported 11--20 minutes for presentation period, undergraduates indicated 10 minutes (68 percent). Undergraduate students thought handouts were the most important visual aid compared to graduate students who preferred PowerPoint. The paper concluded by providing a checklist of items for effective and ineffective presentations.
Acute Myocardial Infarction Due to Coronary Artery Dissection in the Postpartum Period

Background Though rare, myocardial infarction secondary to coronary artery dissection is a life-threatening event. In reproductive age women, it commonly occurs during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Case We present a case of pregnancy-related acute myocardial infarction due to spontaneous coronary artery dissection in a 37-year-old woman who presented to the emergency room with shortness of breath and sudden onset of retrosternal chest pain 8 days after delivery of premature twins. Coronary artery catheterization showed 75 to 90% stenosis in the left main coronary artery (LMCA), extending into the proximal and mid left anterior descending (LAD) branch. The LMCA appearance in the heart catheterization was consistent with vasospasm, but it was not responsive to medical management. Subsequently, she underwent a second coronary artery catheterization and was found to have dissection requiring emergent coronary artery bypass graft × 3 in the LMCA, circumflex, and LAD that was followed by an uneventful recovery. Conclusion Early diagnosis and management of myocardial infarction due to coronary artery dissection in the peripartum period is crucial. This condition should be suspected in young reproductive age women, even in the setting of minimal risk factors. Angiography is required for diagnosis. Management should be individualized as it may include both invasive and noninvasive measures.
Why Seemingly Trivial Events Sometimes Evoke Strong Emotional Reactions: The Role of Social Exchange Rule Violations

People sometimes display strong emotional reactions to events that appear disproportionate to the tangible magnitude of the event. Although previous work has addressed the role that perceived disrespect and unfairness have on such reactions, this study examined the role of perceived social exchange rule violations more broadly. Participants (N = 179) rated the effects of another person’s behavior on important personal outcomes, the degree to which the other person had violated fundamental rules of social exchange, and their reactions to the event. Results showed that perceptions of social exchange rule violations accounted for more variance in participants’ reactions than the tangible consequences of the event. The findings support the hypothesis that responses that appear disproportionate to the seriousness of the eliciting event are often fueled by perceived rule violations that may not be obvious to others.
IEEE individual learning programs in digital signal and speech processing

A detailed description is presented for two ILPs developed by the author: Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Introduction to Digital Speech Processing. Their structures are fairly similar: both are based on standard and widely quoted texts. A study guide links the various components of the course, sets the learning pace and acts as a self-test instrument, containing many worked-out examples, original illustrations, and numerous spot-check questions. The texts are augmented by the course readers Applications of Digital Signal Processing and Speech Analysis, collections of classic papers that enhance and update the texts. Sound cassettes add an auditory dimension to the learning experience by demonstrating (for DSP) various signal-processing effects. Optional hands-on simulation laboratories combining professional software for the IBM-PC with over 30 tested experiments for each course are also discussed. >
Summer Treatment Program Improves Behavior of Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study evaluated the effects of a behavioral summer treatment program for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). Twenty boys (M = 9.2 years) diagnosed with HFASD participated in the 6-week program across 6 years. Detailed daily behavioral data were collected on a variety of positive and negative social behaviors. Repeated measures ANOVAs of weekly behavior frequencies indicated substantial improvements in a number of behaviors over the 6 weeks of the program, including following activity rules, contributing to a group discussion, paying attention, and less complaining/whining. Overall, results highlight the potential efficacy of treating chronic functional impairments of HFASD and associated problem behaviors in the context of an intensive behavioral summer treatment program.
Mary Beth Swetnam Mathews, Rethinking Zion: How the Print Media Placed Fundamentalism in the South Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2006. 177 pages. $36, hardcover.

In the American South of the 1960s, my Southern Baptist mother would complain directly to the television set when CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite and his colleagues were reporting. She would say, “...
World of workout: a contextual mobile RPG to encourage long term fitness

In today's digital world many individuals spend their day in front of a computer or mobile phone for entertainment. Individuals enjoy a more sedentary lifestyle from advances in technology. This is one of the leading factors contributing to a decrease in fitness level for large parts of the populations in developed countries. We want to design a mobile role-playing game (RPG) where the character evolves based on the exercises the user performs in reality. This design can motivate and persuade a potentially large demographic of users to engage in physical activity for an extended period of time through the enjoyment of an engaging game. This novel application has shown the capability of automatically identifying and counting the exercises performed by the user. This automatic activity recognition and numeration is performed solely through the accelerometer of a single smartphone held by the user while exercising. The type and amount of exercise improve the characters speed, strength, and stamina based on the type and amount of exercise performed.
Three-and-a-half years' experience with PACS at the Baltimore VA Medical Center

The Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center relocated onto the campus ofthe University of Maryland at Baltimore campus and opened in January 1993. Although the original bed capacity was 300, the hospital is currently operating approximately 200 beds. The imaging department currently performs approximately 60,000 examinations per year (up from 34,000 in 1993). Both the hospital and radiology departments were designed for digital rather than conventional imaging. The Picture Archival and Communication System (PACS) has been in operation for three and a halfyears. Radiologists have been reading imaging studies in a "soft-copy" mode using computer workstations for approximately 3 years. One hundred percent ofthe imaging studies are currently archived to the PACS. However conventional film/screen is still used as the acquisition modality for mammography and for primary interpretation of mammograms by the radiologists. These mammograms are then digitized into the PACS and are thus available for clinicians for soft-copy review.
The Old Testament of the Early Church (A Study in Canon)

For three-quarters of a century the hypothesis of an Alexandrian canon has been the commonly accepted solution to the problem of how the Jewish canon and the Old Testament of the early church came to differ. That hypothesis suggests that a larger canon of scriptures was initiated in Alexandria and circulated throughout Diaspora Judaism than what obtained in Palestine. The Christian church, becoming predominantly Gentile early in its history, adopted this enlarged canon, that included the books of the Apocrypha, from Diaspora Judaism. The hypothesis represents essentially a geographic distinction in canonical usage between Palestinian Judaism and Alexandrian and Dispersion Judaism. It is the opinion of the present writer that the Alexandrian canon hypothesis is not only unprovable, as Pfeiffer has recognized, but is erroneous. This opinion is based (1) on a study of the history of the Alexandrian canon hypothesis, (2) on an examination of the arguments favoring the hypothesis, and (3) on a re-evaluation of the status of canonical usage in Judaism at the time of the emergence of Christianity into the world.
Josephson tunneling: An example of steady-state superradiance

We demonstrate that the self-oscillations of a Josephson junction can be regarded as an example of steady-state superradiance.
The role of the N-terminus of the myosin essential light chain in cardiac muscle contraction.

Abstract To study the regulation of cardiac muscle contraction by the myosin essential light chain (ELC) and the physiological significance of its N-terminal extension, we generated transgenic (Tg) mice by partially replacing the endogenous mouse ventricular ELC with either the human ventricular ELC wild type (Tg-WT) or its 43-amino-acid N-terminal truncation mutant (Tg-Δ43) in the murine hearts. The mutant protein is similar in sequence to the short ELC variant present in skeletal muscle, and the ELC protein distribution in Tg-Δ43 ventricles resembles that of fast skeletal muscle. Cardiac muscle preparations from Tg-Δ43 mice demonstrate reduced force per cross-sectional area of muscle, which is likely caused by a reduced number of force-generating myosin cross-bridges and/or by decreased force per cross-bridge. As the mice grow older, the contractile force per cross-sectional area further decreases in Tg-Δ43 mice and the mutant hearts develop a phenotype of nonpathologic hypertrophy while still maintaining normal cardiac performance. The myocardium of older Tg-Δ43 mice also exhibits reduced myosin content. Our results suggest that the role of the N-terminal ELC extension is to maintain the integrity of myosin and to modulate force generation by decreasing myosin neck region compliance and promoting strong cross-bridge formation and/or by enhancing myosin attachment to actin.
The importance of bonding to school for healthy development: findings from the Social Development Research Group.

Summary of Etiological Analyses. T his analysis confirm ed the im portance of school bonding to child devel-opm ent. V arious techniques w ere used to exam ine the rela-tionship betw een school bonding and positive and problembehavior, and these relationships w ere found during child-h o o d and ad o lescen ce. S chool b o n d in g in elem en taryschool w as related to initiation of drinking, sm oking, andalcohol abuse and dependence at age 2 1 . It also related tolow er likelihood of becom ing serious offenders in m iddleschool and joining a gang in adolescence. E lem entary andm iddle school bonding had a negative effect on violence inm iddle school through age 2 1 . It also reduced the chance ofschool m isbehavior, grade repetition , and dropout. S choolbonding also affected positive developm ent. S chool bond-ing w as associated w ith increases in academ ic achievem entand social skills . S chool bonding effects extended to high -risk groups including aggressive boys, children w ith parent sw ho m odeled problem behaviors, and children from low -incom e fam ilies. S chool bonding in m iddle school w asrelated to desistance of serious delinquent behavior. T herelationship w as m aintained through age 2 1 , w ith studentsreporting greater school bonding in sevent h grade m orelikely to desist rather than escalate the seriousness of theiroffending. S chool bonding in m iddle school and the patternof bonding throughout m iddle and high school also relatedto reduced levels of substance use in 12th grade. T h u s,school bonding during elem entary and m iddle school w asconsistently related negatively to problem behaviors in thislongitudinal study.S everal com peting factors that m ight explain the rela-tionship betw een school bonding and problem behaviorsw ere controlle d in the analyses, lending credibilit y to thepotential causal effect of school bonding. H ow ever, w hilenonexperim ental, longitudinal studies establish tim e order,they do not establish cause. A stronger criterion for estab-lishing the causal effect of school bonding com es fromintervention studies aim ed at changing the levels of schoolbonding and exam ining the effects on positive and problembehavior. S tatistically significant results of the preventionexperim ent em bedded w ithin S S D P are described below .
Near-simultaneous Observations of Direct and Raman-scattered Linesin the Symbiotic Star Z Andromedae

Symbiotic binary stars typically consist of a hot compact star orbiting a cool giant. Overlaid on the continuum from these stars is a nebular spectrum produced by the photoionization of the cool star wind by the hot star. Most of the observed emission lines are readily identifiable with common ions; however, a pair of lines at λλ6825 and 7082 remained unidentified until relatively recently. A case has been made that these long-unidentified emission lines result from the Raman scattering of O VI λλ1032, 1038 resonance photons. We present near-simultaneous far-UV and optical observations of the symbiotic star Z Andromedae, obtained with the space-borne Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope and the Mount Hopkins 1.5 m telescope. Our data show the presence of both the O VI λλ1032, 1038 resonance doublet and the λ6825 and λ7082 emission lines and provide strong evidence for the Raman effect in Z And. We show that the unusual line ratio of 7:1 observed for the O VI lines is due to the effects of interstellar H2 absorption. Correction for this effect results in a line ratio of close to2:1, consistent with optically thin emission. We derive the efficiency for the Raman-scattered O VI lines and compare them with previously reported measurements for RR Telescopii.
A reproducible sodium-lithium countertransport assay: the outcome of changing key laboratory parameters.

Abstract This paper describes experimental conditions for reproducible measurement of sodium-lithium countertransport in red blood cells. The assay is sensitive to temperature (10% per °C at 37°C) and the condition of the red cells; it is affected little by changes in intracellular lithium over the range 2–7 mmol/1 or by red cell concentrations with laboratory hematocrits of 0.03 to 0.07. Repeated measurements of the same subjects give day-to-day coefficients of variation of 10% or less. The mean difference for interlaboratory comparisons is 11%.
Heteronuclear NOE analysis of bilirubin solution conformation and intramolecular hydrogen bonding

Abstract 1 H{ 1 H}-Homonuclear and 13 C{ 1 H}-heteronuclear NOE (Nuclear Overhauser Effect) experiments carried out on bilirubin analogs ( 1–5 ) in CDCl 3 and in CDCl 3 -(CD 3 ) 2 SO solutions indicate that the carboxylic acid groups and dipyrrinone lactams and/or pyrroles are linked by intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Nonbonded C-H to H-C and N-H to H-N, and N-H to CO 2 H distances were calculated from the NOE data and confirm that the bilirubins adopt a folded, ridge-tile shape in solution.
Turbo compression/joint source-channel coding of correlated binary sources with hidden Markov correlation

We propose a system to perform compression and joint source-channel coding of correlated binary sources when the correlation between the sources is defined by a hidden Markov model. In the case of source coding, punctured turbo codes are used as source encoders, with the objective of compressing the information at rates close to the Slepian-Wolf theoretical limit. The same system structure can be utilized for the transmission of the correlated sources through noisy channels (joint source-channel coding), so that the desired information rates are achieved by puncturing. In both cases, no a priori knowledge about the correlation statistics is required in the encoding process. The source decoder utilizes iterative schemes and does not present significant performance degradation when the correlation parameters are not known in the decoder, since they can be estimated jointly with the iterative decoding process.
Image-Guided Frontal Sinus Surgery

Most patients with inflammatory frontal sinus disease that is un-responsive to medical therapy can be surgically managed with conventional endoscopic techniques; image-guidance technology is not usually necessary.However, in more advanced cases or for revision surgery, a surgical navigation system can be extremely beneficial in preoperative planning and intraoperative localization of complex frontal sinus outflow anatomy. For patients who have failed endoscopic approaches, external procedures, such as frontal sinus obliteration, can also be enhanced through the application of image guidance. Navigation technology has the potential to improve the efficacy and safety of frontal sinus surgery; however, its use is no substitution for proper surgical training and technique.
Cloned embryo mRNAs not detectably expressed in adult sea urchin coelomocytes.

A set of 455 cloned pluteus cDNAs was analyzed by colony hybridization to radioactive cDNAs transcribed from cytoplasmic poly(A) RNA of pluteus embryos and adult coelomocytes. The prevalence of transcripts corresponding to each of the clones was estimated by use of cloned standards having known transcript prevalences. While 46% of the clones correspond to transcripts present at more than 105 copies/ng poly(A) RNA (about 5 copies/cell) in plutei, only 5.5% are that prevalent in the coelomocyte. The most prevalent pluteus transcripts are frequently also prevalent in coelomocytes, but more than 85% of the moderately prevalent pluteus transcripts are below the limit of detection of about 1 copy/cell in coelomocytes. None of the clones corresponding to rare transcripts in the pluteus is represented by prevalent transcripts in coelomocytes. The data suggest that the expression of the majority of genes giving rise to moderately prevalent messenger RNAs in embryos must be regulated during the life cycle of the sea urchin, while some very prevalent transcripts may be ubiquitous.
Dose-dependent and time-course evaluation of surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and B (SP-B) expression in human lung cells exposed to dexamethasone (DXM)

(SP-A) AND B (SP-B) EXPRESSION IN HUMAN LUNG CELLS EXPOSED TO DEXAMETHASONE (DXM) LINDA FONSECA, ALEX VIDAEFF, ALCORN JOSEPH, BISHOP KAREN, GILSTRAP LARRY, RAMIN SUSAN, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Houston, Texas OBJECTIVE: Previous in vitro studies have shown that physiologic concentrations of corticosteroids significantly influence surfactant proteins gene expression after 48 hours of exposure. The purpose of this study was to determine if shorter exposures at lower concentrations elicit the same genomic effects on SP-A and B mRNA. STUDY DESIGN: NCI-H441 cells were exposed to varying concentrations of DXM (10-11 to 10-7 M) in combination with dibutyryl cAMP (1mM) an agent which promotes surfactant gene expression. The measured outcome was SP-A and SP-B mRNA expression at different time points in cell culture (6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours). The experiment was conducted three times in parallel with control, and mRNA levels were quantified by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Two-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Both time and concentration significantly influenced SP-A and SP-B mRNA levels (ANOVA, P=0.01 and P=0.03, respectively for SP-A and p=0.001 and p!0.001, respectively for SP-B). When SP-A mRNA levels were considered relative to concentration alone, significant inhibition was evident at higher concentration (10-7 M) compared to control and lower concentration (10-11 M) (P=0.001 and P=0.01, respectively). Also, a dose-dependent effect of DXM on SP-B mRNA upregulation compared to control was first noticeable at 10 -9 M and maximal at 10-7 M concentration (P!0.001 and P=0.001, respectively). Analysis of time impact alone showed that the significant influence of DXM on SP-A and SP-B was not observed until 48 hours (P=0.001 and P=0.008, respectively). CONCLUSION: The dose-dependent effect of DXM on inhibition of SP-A mRNAsteady-state levels andupregulationofSP-BmRNAlevels doesnotappear to manifest earlier than 48 hours from exposure. The inhibition of SP-A mRNA expression at higher concentrations may be relevant to the human fetus. These results suggests that prenatal overexposure to corticosteroids may unfavorably impact thenon-immunehost defense in the lung,which is theprimary role ofSP-A.
States at 10 – 14 MeV excitation in 20Ne from the (d, n) reaction

Abstract In using the 19 F(d,n) 20 Ne reaction at 5.1 MeV to study states of 10.5 to 13.9 MeV excitation, l p = 0 transitions are observed which, with a few lower states, seem to expend the 2s proton strength expected for 20 Ne.
Low affinity binding of taurine to phospholiposomes and cardiac sarcolemma.

Abstract A sarcollema-enriched membrane fraction was prepared from the hearts of Sprague-Dawley rats and its ability to bind taurine (0.5–150 mM) was measured. In the absence of cations, the sarcolemma bound a maximum of 661 nmol taurine / mg protein, with a dissociation constant of 19.2 mM and a Hill coefficient of 1.9, indicating positive cooperativity. Scatchard analysis of taurine bindign to sarcolemma gave a bell-shaped curve. Neither β-alanine nor guanidinoethane sulfonate, inhibitors of taurine transport, affected the degree of taurine binding to sarcolemma. However, hypotaurine was an effective antagonist. Equimolar concentrations of Ca 2+ , Na + or K + alro reduced taurine binding. Heterogeneous phospholipid vesicles of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylserine (18:19:2:1) also bound taurine with positive cooperatively, yielding a bell-shaped Scatchard curve. The affinity of taurine for these mixed phospholipid vesicles was enhanced by the inclusion of cholesterol (50%). Taurine associated in a maximum ratio of 1:1 with homogeneous vesicles of phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine. Vesicles of phosphatidylethanolamine bound taurine in a maximum of ratio of 2:1, whereas those of phosphatidylinositol bound significant amounts of taurine. These studies demonstrate a low affinity to sarcolemma of taurine at concentrations normally present in rat heart. Similar levels of binding were observed in phospholipid vesicles, suggesting that the interaction of taurine with biological membranes involves phospholipids.
Winston Churchill versus the Webbs: The Origins of British Unemployment Insurance

AMONG the several legislative experiments that constitute the social reform program of Herbert Asquith's prewar Liberal administration, the measure most wildly empirical, most fraught with economic and political danger, was compulsory insurance against unemployment, which appeared as Part II of the National Insurance Act of I9II. Never before had a nation required its citizens to insure against the vagaries of the labor market. Even the Germans, whose influence on British social welfare experiments was critical, had been unwilling to attempt unemployment insurance.' Although many publications dealing with the general topic of compulsory unemployment insurance in Great Britain have appeared, the political and ideological origins of the measure have been only slightly explored. Because the mass unemployment of the I920's and I930's destroyed the program for a time as a plan of insurance, modern histories have neglected the prewar problems that unemployment insurance had been designed to solve and have underestimated the very real legislative craftsmanship and political daring involved in framing the measure.2 The intent of this study is to show that the attack on unemployment marked a significant departure in Liberal welfare planning, the beginning of what may be termed the pioneering phase of social reform. The early
The Impact of Nasal Surgery on Sleep Quality A Prospective Outcomes Study

Objective(1) Evaluate the impact of nasal airway surgery on sleep quality using validated outcome measurements, (2) compare the utility of Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) versus Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as a reflection of sleep quality, and (3) identify perioperative variables that might correlate with a beneficial effect of nasal surgery on sleep quality.Study DesignProspective outcome study of patients with symptomatic nasal obstruction undergoing nasal airway surgery.SettingAcademic medical center.MethodsPatients completed the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale, ESS, PSQI, and Ease-of-Breathing and Sleep Quality Likert scales preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. A nonparametric analysis compared pre- and postoperative values, and associations were examined using Spearman correlations.ResultsSixty-one patients completed the study. Mean NOSE scores decreased significantly from 68.2 preoperatively to 17.5 three months after surgery. Mean ESS scores and PSQI scores improv...
Effects of trace element concentrations on culturing thermophiles

The majority of microorganisms in natural environments resist laboratory cultivation. Sometimes referred to as ‘unculturable’, many phylogenetic groups are known only by fragments of recovered DNA. As a result, the ecological significance of whole branches of the ‘tree of life’ remains a mystery; this is particularly true when regarding genetic material retrieved from extreme environments. Geochemically relevant media have been used to improve the success of culturing Archaea and Bacteria, but these efforts have focused primarily on optimizing pH, alkalinity, major ions, carbon sources, and electron acceptor–donor pairs. Here, we cultured thermophilic microorganisms from ‘Sylvan Spring’ (Yellowstone National Park, USA) on media employing different trace element solutions, including one that mimicked the source fluid of the inocula. The growth medium that best simulated trace elements found in ‘Sylvan Spring’ produced a more diverse and faster growing mixed culture than media containing highly elevated trace element concentrations. The elevated trace element medium produced fewer phylotypes and inhibited growth. Trace element concentrations appear to influence growth conditions in extreme environments. Incorporating geochemical data into cultivation attempts may improve culturing success.
A 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS 3b 12.5 GS/s frequency channelized receiver for serial-links

A frequency channelized receiver that samples at an effective sampling frequency of 10 GS/s with 3b resolution is fabricated in a 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS process. The chip occupies 4 mm/sup 2/ and consumes 1 W at 2.5 V supply. The functionality of the receiver is demonstrated by correctly reconstructing data from 10 GS/s in a channel with significant ISI.
Effects of Quinapril on Left Atrial Structural Remodeling and Arterial Stiffness

Left atrial (LA) enlargement, left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, and increased arterial stiffness are all associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The rate, magnitude, and concordance of modifiability of these risk markers have not been well characterized. Twenty-one patients (mean age 69 +/- 8 years; 52% women) with isolated diastolic dysfunction and indexed LA volumes > or =32 ml/m(2) were randomly assigned to receive either quinapril at a target dose of 60 mg/day or matching placebo for 12 months. Echocardiographic maximum LA volume and LV diastolic function and arterial stiffness by the augmentation index were measured at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Analysis was based on intention to treat. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the treatment (n = 9) and placebo (n = 12) groups. The mean reduction in LA volume of 4.2 +/- 7.8 ml/m(2) in the quinapril group was significant (p = 0.01) compared with the increase in LA volume in the placebo group (5.5 +/- 8.1 ml/m(2)). This represents a relative improvement of 9.7 ml/m(2). Change in LV filling pressure in terms of E/e' and diastolic function grade did not reach significance. A reduction in the augmentation index was associated with a decrease in indexed LA volume (odds ratio 11, p = 0.046), independent of changes in systolic blood pressure. In conclusion, LA structural remodeling appeared reversible with quinapril, which occurred in parallel with an improvement in arterial stiffness but independent of blood pressure changes.
Stepsize control for delay differential equations using continuously imbedded runge-kutta methods of sarafyan

The use of continuously imbedded Runge-Kutta-Sarafyan methods for the solution of ordinary differential equations with either time-dependent or state-dependent delays is discussed. It is shown how to get reliable solutions for such problems in a manner that does not require that the effect of the local approximation error be considered separately from the local integration error. It is also shown how to reliably handle derivative discontinuities that arise in the solution of differential equations with delays.
Perceived discrimination in leisure settings in Latino urban communities

This study explored: (1) whether Latino residents of two highly segregated neighbourhoods in Chicago, IL, USA, experienced or witnessed any discriminatory incidents in leisure settings; (2) what were the most frequent places and types of discrimination they encountered; (3) who were the perpetrators of discriminatory acts and (4) how people responded to discrimination. Moreover, Latinos own interracial/inter-ethnic attitudes toward members of other ethnic/racial groups were examined. Data were collected with the use of surveys and focus groups. The results suggest perceived discrimination is an important constraint on recreation behaviour among Latino urban residents. The findings revealed that Latinos most often experienced discrimination from African Americans and Whites visiting the parks, as well as from law enforcement officers. Verbal harassment from other recreationists, being stopped and searched by police and being denied a service or being given substandard service were named most often as the types of discrimination. Survey respondents indicated that they responded to discrimination by visiting the locations with a group of people or by notifying the police, whereas focus groups participants suggested withdrawal was the most often employed tactic. The findings also suggested a disconnect between Latinos’ interracial/inter-ethnic attitudes at the individual and group levels. Although the interviewees reported having positive to neutral interracial/inter-ethnic attitudes, they were willing to acknowledge the existence of prejudicial attitudes among Latinos at the group level.
Modeling the impact of land use changes on runoff and sediment yield in the Le Sueur watershed, Minnesota using GeoWEPP

Abstract Sediment delivery from the Le Sueur River watershed is a major concern in the turbidity-impaired Minnesota River. As part of a broader effort to develop a sediment budget for the Le Sueur River, this study implemented a process-based watershed hydrology and upland erosion model, Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), to simulate hydrology and sediment dynamics in several land-use/land-cover scenarios. The Geo-spatial interface for WEPP (GeoWEPP) was used to characterize upland overland flow elements based on their land use/land cover, soil, and slope profiles. These characteristics were used as inputs for the WEPP model to estimate runoff fluxes, soil loss rates, and sediment delivery ratio (SDR) for three environmental scenarios: current land-use/land-cover with agricultural lands under fall mulch till management (scenario 1), current land-use/land-cover with agricultural lands under no till management (scenario 2), and pre-settlement land-use/land-cover (scenario 3). Over a simulated 30-year period (1979–2008), the runoff depth, soil loss rate and SDR were estimated to be 86 mm, 2.6 T/ha, and 0.84 for scenario 1; 73.8 mm, 0.5 T/ha, and 0.9 for scenario 2; and 70.9 mm, 0.2 T/ha, and 0.73 for scenario 3.
A simple method for linearizing nonlinear spectra for calibration

Abstract The development and acceptance of spectral calibration methods has been an important success story for the field of chemometrics. This paper contains a new study of a very old calibration method ( K -matrix calibration, parallel calibration, or generalized inverse prediction) and partial least squares (PLS), the mainstay of modern chemometrics. We show that with some modest amount of modification, the old method of calibration is comparable, in terms of prediction, to PLS for spectroscopy involving nonlinear spectral responses.
Sliver-Free Fully Automated Robust Mesh Generation for Complex Embedded Organic Shapes From 3-D Volumetric Images

Robust, automated mesh generation remains a difficult challenge for complex organic shapes encountered in biomedical modeling, particularly for multilayered or embedded topologies. Often, these objects cannot be described using parametric surfaces that are used in most available commercial mesh generation software.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Tyrosine kinase discoidin domain receptors DDR1 and DDR2 are coordinately deregulated in triple-negative breast cancer.

Receptor kinases Discoidin Domain Receptors (DDRs) 1 and 2 are emerging as new therapeutic targets in breast cancer (BC). However, the expression of DDR proteins during BC progression and their association with BC subtypes remain poorly defined. Herein we report the first comprehensive immunohistochemical analyses of DDR protein expression in a wide range of breast tissues. DDR1 and DDR2 expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry in 218 samples of normal breast (n = 10), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS, n = 10), and invasive carcinomas (n = 198), arrayed in tissue microarrays with comprehensive clinical and follow-up information. Staining was evaluated for cell type, subcellular localization, percentage and intensity (scores 1–4), and association with disease subtype and outcome. In normal epithelium and DCIS, DDR1 was highly expressed, while DDR2 was negative in normal epithelium, and in DCIS it localized to cells at the epithelial-stromal interface. Of the 198 invasive carcinomas, DDR1 was high in 87 (44 %) and low in 103 (52 %), and DDR2 was high in 110 (56 %) and low in 87 (44 %). High DDR2 was associated with high tumor grade (P = 0.002), triple-negative subtype (TNBC) (P < 0.0001), and worse survival (P = 0.037). We discovered a novel concordant deregulation of DDR expression, with a DDR1Low/DDR2High profile significantly associated with TNBC, compared to luminal tumors (P = 0.012), and with worse overall survival. In conclusion, DDR2 upregulation occurs in DCIS, before stromal invasion, and may reflect epithelial-stromal cross-talk. A DDR1Low/DDR2High protein profile is associated with TNBC and may identify invasive carcinomas with worse prognosis.
Chronopotentiometry in fused lithium chloride-potassium chloride

Abstract Previous work in the application of chronopotentiometry in aqueous and fused salt media has been reviewed. This investigation describes the application of this principle to the reduction of cadmium, cobalt, lead and thallium ions in a fused eutectic mixture of potassium, chloride and lithium. chloride at 450°C. Platinum microelectrodes of different areas and geometry were used. The transition time was limited to the order of 0.2 to 0.7 sec using oscillographic recording.It was found that so long as the dimensions of the electrode were considerably greater than the thickness of the diffusion, layer, linear diffusion theory was obeyed. The transition time constants for cadmium, cobalt, lead and thallium ions were found to be 0.83± 0.02, 0.90 ± 0.03, 0.95 ± 0.04, and 0.59 ± 0.02.103 amp cm sec 1 2 per mole, respectively. The diffusion coefficients of these ions were calculated to be 2.08, 2.42, 2.18 and 3.88.IO-5 cm2 sec-1, respectively.
Some multidimensional spline approximation methods

Abstract : Some multidimensional spline approximation methods are constructed from one dimensional methods by forming tensor products and by using blending methods. The questions of convergence for continuous and for L sub p functions, the rates of convergence for classes of smooth functions, and the convergence of derivatives are studied. (Author)
The hydrogen sulfide signaling system: changes during aging and the benefits of caloric restriction

Hydrogen sulfide gas (H(2)S) is a putative signaling molecule that causes diverse effects in mammalian tissues including relaxation of blood vessels and regulation of perfusion in the liver, but the effects of aging on H(2)S signaling are unknown. Aging has negative impacts on the cardiovascular system. However, the liver is more resilient with age. Caloric restriction (CR) attenuates affects of age in many tissues. We hypothesized that the H(2)S signaling system is negatively affected by age in the vasculature but not in the liver, which is typically more resilient to age, and that a CR diet minimizes the age affect in the vasculature. To investigate this, we determined protein and mRNA expression of the H(2)S-producing enzymes cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) and cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), H(2)S production rates in the aorta and liver, and the contractile response of aortic rings to exogenous H(2)S. Tissue was collected from Fisher 344 × Brown Norway rats from 8-38 months of age, which had been maintained on an ad libitum (AL) or CR diet. The results demonstrate that age and diet have differential effects on the H(2)S signaling system in aorta and liver. The aorta showed a sizeable effect of both age and diet, whereas the liver only showed a sizeable effect of diet. Aortic rings showed increased contractile sensitivity to H(2)S and increased protein expression of CSE and CBS with age, consistent with a decrease in H(2)S concentration with age. CR appears to benefit CSE and CBS protein in both aorta and liver, potentially by reducing oxidative stress and ameliorating the negative effect of age on H(2)S concentration. Therefore, CR may help maintain the H(2)S signaling system during aging.
Aerodynamic theory for a cascade of oscillating airfoils in subsonicflow

The theory is developed in terms of the velocity potential rather than the acceleration potential, and a brief outline is given of the simple numerical technique used. The effects of varying airfoil spacing, frequency, Mach number, stagger angle, and phase difference between adjacent airfoils are discussed. Particular attention is given to variations in the aerodynamic damping for pure vertical translational and pitching motions. It is shown that the translational damping can become zero at certain discrete frequencies but that it never becomes negative. The pitching moment damping, however, can become negative over a wide range of frequencies of practical interest. The airfoils are assumed to be at zero mean incidence.
Epitaxy driven interactions at the organic–inorganic interface during biomimetic growth of calcium oxalate

During oriented biomimetic crystallization of calcium oxalate monohydrate under floating fatty acid monolayers, the (01) surface structure is initially compressed and epitaxial with the monolayer lattice. The surface subsequently relaxes to the bulk structure and the monolayer expands, reestablishing a lattice match. These interactions were observed in situ using synchrotron X-ray diffraction.
Intrastrand G-U cross-links generated by the oxidation of guanine in 5'-d(GCU) and 5'-r(GCU).

Abstract It has been suggested that carbonate radical anions are biologically important because they may be produced during the inflammatory response. The carbonate radicals can selectively oxidize guanine in DNA and RNA by one-electron transfer mechanisms and the guanine radicals thus formed decay by diverse competing pathways with other free radicals or nucleophiles. Using a photochemical method to generate CO 3 − radicals in vitro, we compare the distributions of products initiated by the one-electron oxidation of guanine in the trinucleotides 5′-r(GpCpU) and 5′-d(GpCpU) in aqueous buffer solutions (pH 7.5). Similar distributions of stable end products identified by LC-MS/MS methods were found in both cases. The guanine oxidation products include the diastereomeric pair of spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp) and 2,5-diamino-4 H -imidazolone (Iz). In addition, intrastrand cross-linked products involving covalent bonds between the G and the U bases (G⁎CU⁎) were also found, although with different relative yields in the 2′-deoxy- and the ribotrinucleotides. The positive-ion MS/MS spectra of the 5′-r(G⁎pCpU⁎) and 5′-d(G⁎pCpU⁎) products clearly indicate the presence of covalently linked G⁎-U⁎ products that have a mass smaller by 2 Da than the sum of the G and U bases in both types of trinucleotides. The 5′-d(G⁎CU⁎) cross-linked product was further characterized by 1D and 2D NMR methods that confirm its cyclic structure in which the guanine C8 atom is covalently linked to the uracil N3 atom.
Human acceleration of animal and plant extinctions: A Late Pleistocene, Holocene, and Anthropocene continuum

Abstract One of the most enduring and stirring debates in archeology revolves around the role humans played in the extinction of large terrestrial mammals (megafauna) and other animals near the end of the Pleistocene. Rather than seeking a prime driver (e.g., climate change, human hunting, disease, or other causes) for Pleistocene extinctions, we focus on the process of human geographic expansion and accelerating technological developments over the last 50,000 years, changes that initiated an essentially continuous cascade of ecological changes and transformations of regional floral and faunal communities. Human hunting, population growth, economic intensification, domestication and translocation of plants and animals, and landscape burning and deforestation, all contributed to a growing human domination of earth's continental and oceanic ecosystems. We explore the deep history of anthropogenic extinctions, trace the accelerating loss of biodiversity around the globe, and argue that Late Pleistocene and Holocene extinctions can be seen as part of a single complex continuum increasingly driven by anthropogenic factors that continue today.