cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coordinated Induction of MRP/GS-X Pump and γ-Glutamylcysteine Synthetase by Heavy Metals in Human Leukemia Cells

We recently reported that GS-X pump activity, as assessed by ATP-dependent transport of the glutathione-platinum complex and leukotriene C4, and intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels were remarkably enhanced in cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin)-resistant human leukemia HL-60 cells (Ishikawa, T., Wright, C. D., and Ishizuka, H. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 29085-29093). Now, using Northern hybridization and RNase protection assay, we provide evidence that the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) gene, which encodes a human GS-X pump, is expressed at higher levels in cisplatin-resistant (HL-60/R-CP) cells than in sensitive cells, whereas amplification of the MRP gene is not detected by Southern hybridization. Culturing HL-60/R-CP cells in cisplatin-free medium resulted in reduced MRP mRNA levels, but these levels could be induced to rise within 30 h by cisplatin and heavy metals such as arsenite, cadmium, and zinc. The increased levels of MRP mRNA were closely related with enhanced activities of ATP-dependent transport of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) in plasma membrane vesicles. The glutathione-platinum (GS-Pt) complex, but not cisplatin, inhibited ATP-dependent LTC4 transport, suggesting that the MRP/GS-X pump transports both LTC4 and the GS-Pt complex. Expression of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase in the cisplatin-resistant cells was also co-induced within 24 h in response to cisplatin exposure, resulting in a significant increase in cellular GSH level. The resistant cells exposed to cisplatin were cross-resistant to melphalan, chlorambucil, arsenite, and cadmium. These observations suggest that elevated expression of the MRP/GS-X pump and increased GSH biosynthesis together may be important factors in the cellular metabolism and disposition of cisplatin, alkylating agents, and heavy metals.
Gender differences in pediatric cardiac surgery: The cardiologist's perspective

doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2004.04.008 T here is much evidence that gender differences become manifest very early in life; in fact, they may begin before life. Sperm carrying the X chromosome differ in motility from the Y chromosome–bearing sperm. Once the ovum is fertilized, genetically normal male fetuses have a higher death rate than female fetuses. Neonatologists have long noted gender differences in their practice. Boys are more likely to be delivered prematurely. Deaths resulting from respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal neurologic complications are greater for boys. Preterm girls have higher levels of beneficial catecholamines than boys, and this may account for their better outcomes. Despite these indications that gender may affect the impact of disease in children, investigations into gender influences in congenital heart disease (CHD) are sparse. When compared with information on gender differences in adult acquired heart disease incidence, treatment, and outcome, there is a relative dearth of information regarding these data in congenital or acquired heart disease in children. The reason for this is likely due to multiple factors and is probably broader than the assumption that before adolescence, the cardiovascular physiology is unaffected by gender. For instance, the delay in diagnosis and treatment in women with ischemic heart disease that was so well documented in the 1990s is not likely to be found in infant girls with significant heart disease, because the presentation of CHD is often quite objective. Treatment in adult cardiology may have been biased in the past by exclusion of women from randomized drug trials, yet prospective clinical trials are much less common in pediatric cardiology for many reasons, including small numbers of patients, lack of treatment uniformity both between centers and over time within centers, and the need for multicenter trials. When a prospective clinical trial is performed, patient recruitment is difficult enough that exclusion of one gender is practically unthinkable. Despite the paucity of investigations, there are aspects of CHD in which a gender effect is known or suspected.
First man of the Earth

Principles of Geology, First Edition, Volumes I–III. by Charles Lyell University of Chicago Press: 1990 (Vol. I), 1991 (Vols II and III).
Enhanced Energy Storage and Suppressed Dielectric Loss in Oxide Core–Shell–Polyolefin Nanocomposites by Moderating Internal Surface Area and Increasing Shell Thickness

Dielectric loss in metal oxide core/Al(2)O(3) shell polypropylene nanocomposites scales with the particle surface area. By moderating the interfacial surface area between the phases and using increasing shell thicknesses, dielectric loss is significantly reduced, and thus the energy stored within, and recoverable from, capacitors fabricated from these materials is significantly increased, to as high as 2.05 J/cm(3).
Morning Glory Wave Clouds in Oklahoma: A Case Study

Abstract Early in the morning on 9 June 1982 a system of traveling wave cloud lines passed over 0klahoma, and in particular, over the relatively dense mesonetwork of surface stations, including the instrumented 444 m KTVY television tower, operated by the U.S. National Severe Storms Laboratory. An analysis of the network and other data presented herein shows that, in structure, the associated disturbance was an internal undular bore propagating on a low-level stable layer, similar to “morning glory”-type disturbances, which are common at certain times of the year in parts of northern Australia. Moreover, the speed of propagation of the component bore-waves is in broad agreement with theoretical calculations. There is evidence that the disturbance emanated late the previous evening from an area of rapidly growing intense thunderstorms located more than 400 km north-northwest of the surface mesonetwork. Possible mechanisms for generation are discussed, but the data pertaining to genesis are insufficient to ...
Spectator Rage as the Dark Side of Engaging Sport Fans: Implications for Services Marketers

Customer rage is a complex phenomenon that is beginning to receive attention from researchers and practitioners. To date, research into the phenomenon has focused exclusively on its occurrence with...
d-amphetamine levels in brain and other tissues of isolated and aggregated mice

Abstract The relative tissue distribution of d -amphetamine in the mouse after i.p. administration was: kidney > lung > liver, spleen, brain > heart > blood. Aggregation of mice, which enhances amphetamine toxicity, increased amphetamine levels in blood, heart, brain, and liver, but not in other tissues. This effect occurred at a dose of amphetamine near the LD 50 dose in the aggregated mice. Aggregation also increased brain levels and toxicity of dl -4-chloroamphetamine. Chlorpromazine pretreatment prevented aggregation-induced increases in amphetamine levels in heart and brain. The possible role of increased tissue levels in the altered pharmacological effects of amphetamine produced by aggregation is discussed.
Examination of perceived spouse responses to patient well and pain behavior in patients with headache

ObjectivesPrimary: to examine the association between perceived spouse responses to patient well behaviors and important patient variables (pain behavior, pain intensity, pain interference, and depressive symptoms). Secondary: to examine whether perceived spouse responses to patient pain behaviors a
Effect of epidural morphine on sedation requirements during regional anesthesia.

Abstract Study Objective: To examine the effect of using analgesic doses of epidural morphine on midazolam requirements for conscious sedation during regional anesthesia. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Setting: Operating rooms at a university hospital. Patients: 20 ASA physical status II and III patients aged 50 to 70 years undergoing elective peripheral vascular reconstruction with epidural anesthesia. Interventions: At the beginning of surgery, 10 patients received 3 mg of epidural morphine, and the other 10 patients received normal saline epidurally. All patients received midazolam intravenously in bolus doses and as a continuous infusion to maintain a steady state of sedation throughout surgery. Measurements and Main Results: There was no difference between the dose of midazolam required to maintain sedation in the two groups during the first 3 hours of the study. Beyond the third hour, the midazolam dose required to maintain the same level of sedation was significantly higher in the placebo group than in the epidural morphine group ( p = 0.05). Conclusion: An analgesic dose of epidural morphine, after a latent period of 3 hours, may decrease the dose of midazolam required for sedation using regional anesthesia.
Selective CXCR4 antagonism by Tat: Implications for in vivo expansion of coreceptor use by HIV-1

Chemokines and chemokine receptors play important roles in HIV-1 infection and tropism. CCR5 is the major macrophage-tropic coreceptor for HIV-1 whereas CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) serves the counterpart function for T cell-tropic viruses. An outstanding biological mystery is why only R5-HIV-1 is initially detected in new seroconvertors who are exposed to R5 and X4 viruses. Indeed, X4 virus emerges in a minority of patients and only in the late stage of disease, suggesting that early negative selection against HIV-1-CXCR4 interaction may exist. Here, we report that the HIV-1 Tat protein, which is secreted from virus-infected cells, is a CXCR4-specific antagonist. Soluble Tat selectively inhibited the entry and replication of X4, but not R5, virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We propose that one functional consequence of secreted Tat is to select against X4 viruses, thereby influencing the early in vivo course of HIV-1 disease.
State Involvement and Forest Co-Governance: Evidence from the Indian Himalayas

This article contributes to the literature on collective action around environmental co-governance by statistically analyzing original data on the experiences of 95 communities in the Indian Himalayas. We compare the performance of co-governance versus indigenous governance institutions, taking into account the causal influence of five classes of independent variables. Our analysis suggests that close involvement of government officials is negatively associated with efforts to manage forests sustainably. We identify contextual conditions that help explain why involvement of state officials has adverse consequences on resource governance outcomes. Our findings are relevant for studies of decentralization policies related to natural resource management that governments are currently pursuing in more than 60 countries.
Neuronal Functions of Protein Phosphatase 2A

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a common and important form of protein posttranslational modification which determines the proteins’ activities, substrate specificity and inhibitions or degradations, depending on the specific amino acid residue, or combination of residues, being targeted. While protein phosphorylations by kinases have been well studied, the importance of protein dephosphorylation by phosphatases has emerged over the past two decades in numerous cell functions, including cell cycle, development, regulation of signal transduction pathways, mitochondrial fussion and fission and disease states of cells. So far, there are five classes of phosphatases: tyrosine-specific phosphatases, serine/threonine specific phosphatases, dual specificity phosphatases, histidine phosphatase and lipid phosphatase. The subject of this review, Protein Phosphatase 2 (PP2, aka PP2A), is a member of the serine/threonine specific phosphatases which dephosphorylate a wide range of proteins including many of the phosphatases and kinases. In eukaryotic proteins, 86 and 12% are phosphorylated on Ser and Thr, respectively and the reversible phosphorylation of these proteins is key to their dynamic functions. The research done on PP2A has exploded in recent years and there are many excellent detail reviews each with a specific PP2A topic. This article presents a brief overview of PP2A functions in four aspects: Their substrate specificity, roles in Tau hyperphosphorylation, roles in mitochondria fusion and fission and nine examples of their roles in neuronal functions.
Monoclonal IgM antibodies from cytomegalovirus-infected mice recognize the GIcNAc-containing receptor determinant of murine CMV as well as neutralizing anti-CMV IgG antibodies

This study examines monoclonal antibodies derived from mice at different time points after infection with attenuated murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). The antibodies obtained from mice at 3 weeks p.i. were of IgG type (designated V-antibodies) and several could neutralize the virus. Those obtained at 5 weeks p.i. were of the IgM class (designated R-antibodies), bound to uninfected (MEF, mouse embryo fibroblast) cells, and thereby blocked MCMV plaque formation. In ELISA, the IgM monoclonals (R-antibodies) bound to GalB1-3GlcNAc and GalB1-4GlcNAc, the receptor determinants for MCMV. Similarly, these GlcNAc-containing residues blocked the binding of purified IgM monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to MEF. The R- and V-series of antibodies showed mutual binding activities; for example, IgM MAb R-2D8 bound specifically to four (V-8C4, V-1C7, V-8C7, V-9C5) of six neutralizing IgG MAbs in ELISA. The same neutralizing IgG MAbs bound to antireceptor IgM antibodies in an immunoblot assay. This suggests that the IgM monoclonals directed against the known cell surface receptor determinant are anti-idiotypic antibodies against neutralizing antiviral IgG antibodies. The neutralizing antiviral IgG MAbs bound to 60- and 66-kDa MCMV polypeptides on Western blots, suggesting that these viral polypeptides may be important in MCMV binding to this receptor. The R-series might represent anti-idiotype antibodies capable of down-regulating antiviral V-antibodies and may also represent a mechanism for the induction of IgM autoantibodies directed at cell surface glycolipids present in autoimmune CMV-associated neuropathies.
Hegemonic masculinity on the mound: Media representations of Nolan Ryan and American sports culture

This article analyzes print and television representations of baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan to reveal how hegemonic masculinity is reproduced in mediated sport. The analysis concerns how the media have covered and commodified Ryan throughout his career. Five distinguishing features are analyzed: Ryan as the embodiment of male athletic power, as an ideal image of the capitalist worker, as a family patriarch, as a white rural cowboy, and as a phallic symbol.
Early and late onset Clostridium difficile‐associated colitis following liver transplantation

Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC) remains a serious and common complication after liver transplantation (LT). Four hundred and sixty-seven consecutive LTs in 402 individuals were performed between 1998 and 2001 at our center. Standard immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and steroids. CD toxins A and B were detected by using a rapid immunoassay or enzyme immunoassay. CDC was diagnosed in 32 patients (5-1999 days post-LT), with 93.8% (30/32) of patients developing CDC during the first year post-LT; three individuals had CDC more than 3 years post-LT, one of which also had early CDC. All patients presented with abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. Patients who developed CDC within 1-year post-LT were significantly more likely to have a hemorrhagic, biliary, or infectious complication. Patients who developed CDC within 28 days post-LT had a significantly higher model end-stage liver disease score. Treatment consisted of fluid and electrolyte replacement and metronidazole and no patients developed toxic megacolon, required colonic resection, or died from CDC. CDC represents a potentially severe complication following LT. Most cases occur early post-LT. Development of a hemorrhagic, biliary, or infectious complication is associated with the development of CDC.
IMPROVED DOSIMETRIC AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES WITH INTENSITY-MODULATED RADIOTHERAPY FOR HEAD-AND-NECK CANCER OF UNKNOWN PRIMARY ORIGIN

Purpose To compare differences in dosimetric, clinical, and quality-of-life endpoints among a cohort of patients treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and conventional radiotherapy (CRT) for head-and-neck cancer of unknown primary origin. Methods and Materials The medical records of 51 patients treated by radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck presenting as cervical lymph node metastasis of occult primary origin were reviewed. Twenty-four patients (47%) were treated using CRT, and 27 (53%) were treated using IMRT. The proportions of patients receiving concurrent chemotherapy were 54% and 63%, respectively. Results The 2-year estimates of overall survival, local-regional control, and disease-specific survival for the entire patient population were 86%, 89%, and84%, respectively. There were no significant differences in any of these endpoints with respect to radiation therapy technique ( p > 0.05 for all). Dosimetric analysis revealed that the use of IMRT resulted in significant improvements with respect to mean dose and V30 to the contralateral (spared) parotid gland. In addition, mean doses to the ipsilateral inner and middle ear structures were significantly reduced with IMRT ( p p p Conclusions IMRT results in significant improvements in the therapeutic ratio among patients treated by radiation therapy for head-and-neck cancer of unknown primary origin.
Lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine effects on rabbit lens and levels in human lenses and senile cataracts.

Abstract Lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine (LPE), a phospholipid present in the human lens, induced posterior subcapsular cataracts after intravitreal injection to the rabbit eye. Rabbit lenses cultured in TC 199-bicarbonate media with LPE gained Na + ions and water. LPE levels were higher in the cortex (7 m -urea soluble fraction) of senile cataracts as compared to a similar fraction of clear lenses. The findings suggest a possible cataractogenic role of endogenous LPE in senile cataracts. Long-chain fatty acids (20-carbon atoms or longer) were found proportionately increased in LPE of senile cataracts.
Effect of Bile Salt Hydrolase Inhibitors on a Bile Salt Hydrolase from Lactobacillus acidophilus

Bile salt hydrolase (BSH), a widely distributed function of the gut microbiota, has a profound impact on host lipid metabolism and energy harvest. Recent studies suggest that BSH inhibitors are promising alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) for enhanced animal growth performance and food safety. Using a high-purity BSH from Lactobacillus salivarius strain, we have identified a panel of BSH inhibitors. However, it is still unknown if these inhibitors also effectively inhibit the function of the BSH enzymes from other bacterial species with different sequence and substrate spectrum. In this study, we performed bioinformatics analysis and determined the inhibitory effect of identified BSH inhibitors on a BSH from L. acidophilus. Although the L. acidophilus BSH is phylogenetically distant from the L. salivarius BSH, sequence analysis and structure modeling indicated the two BSH enzymes contain conserved, catalytically important amino residues and domain. His-tagged recombinant BSH from L. acidophilus was further purified and used to determine inhibitory effect of specific compounds. Previously identified BSH inhibitors also exhibited potent inhibitory effects on the L. acidophilus BSH. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the BSH from L. salivarius is an ideal candidate for screening BSH inhibitors, the promising alternatives to AGP for enhanced feed efficiency, growth performance and profitability of food animals.
A behavioral approach to the treatment of adolescent obesity

Forty-six obese adolescents were placed into one of five groups: no-treatment control, conventional diet, conventional diet plus self-reinforcement, stimulus control, and stimulus control plus conventional diet. Treatment lasted for 12 weeks and follow-up was conducted approximately 1 year following the initiation of treatment. All treatment groups were superior to the no-treatment controls, and, among the active treatment groups, the two habit-change groups (stimulus control and stimulus control plus conventional diet) were the most effective. This was particularly true at follow-up. Dependent measures included changes in weight and percentage overweight.
An O(n/spl middot/(log/sub 2/(n))/sup 2/) algorithm for computing the reliability of k-out-of-n:G and k-to-l-out-of-n:G systems

This paper presents the RAFFT-GFP (Recursively Applied Fast Fourier Transform for Generator Function Products) algorithm as a computationally superior algorithm for expressing and computing the reliability of k-out-of-n:G and k-to-l-out-of-n:G systems using the fast Fourier transform. Originally suggested by Barlow and Heidtmann (1984), generating functions provide a clear, concise method for computing the reliabilities of such systems. By recursively applying the FFT to computing generator function products, the RAFFT-GFP achieves an overall asymptotic computational complexity of O(n/spl middot/(log/sub 2/(n))/sup 2/) for computing system reliability. Algebraic manipulations suggested by Upadhyaya and Pham (1993) are reformulated in the context of generator functions to reduce the number of computations. The number of computations and the CPU time are used to compare the performance of the RAFFT-GFP algorithm to the best found in the literature. Due to larger overheads required, the RAFFT-GFP algorithm is superior for problem sizes larger than about 4000 components, in terms of both computation and CPU time for the examples studied in this paper. Lastly, studies of very large systems with unequal reliabilities indicate that the binomial distribution gives a good approximation for generating function coefficients, allowing algebraic solutions for system reliability. >
Microsoft framework for geospatial stream processing

Microsoft StreamInsight is a platform for developing and deploying streaming applications. StreamInsight embraces a temporal stream model to unify and further enrich query language features, handle imperfections in event delivery and define consistency guarantees on the output. With its extensibility framework, StreamInsight enables developers to integrate their domain expertise within the query pipeline as user defined functions, operators and aggregates. The addition of the Microsoft SQL Server Spatial Library enables StreamInsight to deliver Geostreaming support. With StreamInsight analyzing and summarizing input data, SQL Server and SQL Azure has the ability to persist these summaries in the data center or the cloud. These summaries can be used as feedback to StreamInsight for future query processing or used as the basis for historical data analysis and reporting. This framework enables organizations to seamlessly consume, use, and extend all form of stream data including geographic data.
Dehydration of 2-Trifluoromethy1-3,3,3-trifluoropropanol with Base

Abstract 2-Trifluoromethyl-3,3,3-trifluoropropanol gave 2-trifluoromethyl -3,3,3-trifluoroprop-l-ene in good yield by the action of base under mild conditions.
Linear precoding for MIMO with LDPC coding and reduced receiver complexity

In this paper, the problem of designing a linear precoder for Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems employing Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes is addressed under the constraint of minimizing the dependence between the system's receiving branches, thus reducing the relevant transmitter and receiver complexities. Our approach constitutes an interesting generalization of Bit-Interleaved Coded Modulation with Multiple Beamforming (BICMB) which has shown many benefits in MIMO systems. We start with a Pareto optimal surface modeling of the system and show the difficulty involved in the corresponding optimization problem. We then propose an alternative, practical technique, called per-Group Precoding (PGP), which groups together multiple input symbol streams and corresponding receiving branches, and thus results in independent transmitting/receiving streams between groups. We show with simulated results that PGP offers almost optimal performance, albeit with significant reduction both in the precoder optimization, and LDPC EXIT chart based decoding complexities.
Mixtures of predictive linear Gaussian models for nonlinear stochastic dynamical systems

The Predictive Linear Gaussian model (or PLG) improves upon traditional linear dynamical system models by using a predictive representation of state, which makes consistent parameter estimation possible without any loss of modeling power and while using fewer parameters. This work extends the PLG to model non-linear dynamical systems through the use of a kernelized, nonlinear mixture technique. The resulting generative model has been named the "MPLG," for "Mixture of PLGs." We also develop a novel technique to perform inference in the model, which consists of a hybrid of sigma-point approximations and analytical statistics. We show that the technique leads to fast and accurate approximations, and that it is general enough to be applied in other contexts. We empirically explore the MPLG and demonstrate its viability on several real-world and synthetic tasks.
Predicting Part-of Speech Information about Unknown Words using Statistical Methods

This paper examines the feasibility of using statistical methods to train a part-of-speech predictor for unknown words. By using statistical methods, without incorporating hand-crafted linguistic information, the predictor could be used with any language for which there is a large tagged training corpus. Encouraging results have been obtained by testing the predictor on unknown words from the Brown corpus. The relative value of information sources such as affixes and context is discussed. This part-of-speech predictor will be used in a part-of-speech tagger to handle out-of-lexicon words.
Fiscal policy rules in an overlapping generations model with endogenous labour supply

Abstract A fiscal policy rule in which taxation is a function of the stock of government debt (a ‘wealth tax’) is usually believed to be effective in providing stability. Using a discrete-time version of the Blanchard (1985, Debt, deficits and finite horizons. Journal of Political Economy 93, 223–247) overlapping generations model extended to include an endogenous labour supply, we show that, contrary to the conventional wisdom, a wealth tax might not be enough to ensure the existence of a unique, well-defined steady state. We suggest that a government willing to run a positive and sustainable level of debt could use an alternative rule (a ‘fiscal Taylor rule’), in which another taxation component, that takes in to account the level of the real interest rate, is added.
A theory of dispersion in turbulent shear flow

Abstract A generalized non-Gaussian diffusion model for turbulent shear flow is developed on the basis of statistical theory and K-theory. The conventional Guassian diffusion model is a special case of the present model. Analytical methods are also developed for evaluating diffusion parameters that are obtained from the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory for the surface boundary layer. The concentration distributions predicted by the theory are in excellent agreement with observations.
An in vivo and in vitro toxicological characterisation of realistic nanoscale CeO2 inhalation exposures

AbstractNanoscale CeO2 is increasingly used for industrial and commercial applications, including catalysis, UV-shielding and as an additive in various nanocomposites. Because of its increasing potential for consumer and occupational exposures, a comprehensive toxicological characterisation of this nanomaterial is needed. Preliminary results from intratracheal instillation studies in rats point to cytotoxicity and inflammation, though these studies may not accurately use realistic nanoscale exposure profiles. By contrast, published in vitro cellular studies have reported limited toxicological outcomes for the case of nano-ceria. Here, the authors present an integrative study evaluating the toxicity of nanoscale CeO2 both in vitro, using the A549 lung epithelial cell line, and in vivo using an intact rat model. Realistic nano-ceria exposure atmospheres were generated using the Harvard Versatile Engineered Nanomaterial Generation System (VENGES), and rats were exposed via inhalation. Finally, the use of a n...
The electronic partition functions of atoms and ions between 1500°K and 7000°K

Abstract Electronic partition functions of the atoms and first ions of 73 elements have been calculated over the temperature range of 1500–7000°K. The results are presented in the form of a fifth order polynomial expression which has been fitted to the data by a method of least squares.
More-than-topology-preserving flows for active contours and polygons

Active contour and active polygon models have been used widely for image segmentation. In some applications, the topology of the object(s) to be detected from an image is known a priori, despite an unknown complex geometry, and it is important that the active contour or polygon maintain the desired topology. In this work, we construct a novel geometric flow that can be added to image based evolutions of active contours and polygons so that the topology of the initial contour or polygon is preserved. Indeed, the proposed geometric flow ensures more than just correct topology; it ensures that the active contour or polygon is, in some sense, kept far away from a topology change. Smoothness properties similar to curvature flow are also guaranteed by the proposed geometric flow. The proposed topology preserving geometric flow is the gradient flow arising from an energy that is based on electrostatic principles. The evolution of a single point on the contour depends on all other points of the contour, which is different from traditional curve evolutions in computer vision literature
On efficient deployment of sensors on planar grid

One practical goal of sensor deployment in the design of distributed sensor systems is to achieve an optimal monitoring and surveillance of a target region. The optimality of a sensor deployment scheme is a tradeoff between implementation cost and coverage quality levels. In this paper, we consider a probabilistic sensing model that provides different sensing capabilities in terms of coverage range and detection quality with different costs. A sensor deployment problem for a planar grid region is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem with the objective of maximizing the overall detection probability within a given deployment cost. This problem is shown to be NP-complete and an approximate solution is proposed based on a two-dimensional genetic algorithm. The solution is obtained by the specific choices of genetic encoding, fitness function, and genetic operators such as crossover, mutation, translocation for this problem. Simulation results of various problem sizes are presented to show the benefits of this method as well as its comparative performance with a greedy sensor placement method.
Leaflet migration in an aortic bileaflet mechanical prosthesis.

A 41-year-old man was referred to the emergency department for transient atypical chest pain. Six years before presentation, he underwent concomitant aortic and mitral mechanical valve replacement for a bicuspid aortic valve regurgitation and a regurgitating mitral valve prolapse. A significant paravalvular leak of the 21 mm …
Curcumin implants, not curcumin diet, inhibit estrogen-induced mammary carcinogenesis in ACI rats.

Curcumin is widely known for its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities in cell culture studies. However, poor oral bioavailability limited its efficacy in animal and clinical studies. Recently, we developed polymeric curcumin implants that circumvents oral bioavailability issues, and tested their potential against 17β-estradiol (E2)-mediated mammary tumorigenesis. Female ACI rats were administered curcumin either via diet (1,000 ppm) or via polymeric curcumin implants (two 2-cm; 200 mg each; 20% drug load) 4 days prior to grafting a subcutaneous E2 silastic implant (1.2 cm, 9 mg E2). Implants were changed after 41/2 months to provide higher curcumin dose at the appearance of palpable tumors. The animals were euthanized after 3 weeks, 3 months and after the tumor incidence reached >80% (~6 months) in control animals. The curcumin administered via implants resulted in significant reduction in both the tumor multiplicity (2±1 vs 5±3; p=0.001) and tumor volume (184±198 mm3 vs 280±141 mm3; p=0.0283); the dietary curcumin, however, was ineffective. Dietary curcumin increased hepatic CYP1A and CYP1B1 activities without any effect on CYP3A4 activity whereas curcumin implants increased both CYP1A and CYP3A4 activities but decreased CYP1B1 activity in presence of E2. Since CYP1A and 3A4 metabolize most of the E2 to its non-carcinogenic 2-OH metabolite and CYP1B1 produces potentially carcinogenic 4-OH metabolite, favorable modulation of these CYPs via systemically delivered curcumin could be one of the potential mechanisms. The analysis of plasma and liver by HPLC showed substantially higher curcumin levels via implants versus the dietary route despite substantially higher dose administered.
Transluminal atherectomy for occlusive peripheral vascular disease.

Sixty-one patients with occlusive peripheral vascular disease were treated with transluminal atherectomy, a catheter-mediated technique for removal of atheroma. The technique was performed using 7Fr, 9Fr or 11Fr atherectomy catheters. Mean percent diameter stenosis was reduced from 71 to 23%, by removal of 831 atheromatous specimens in 949 passes of the cutting element through 136 stenoses in 61 patients. All specimens removed were sent for histopathologic examination to determine the components of the atheroma removed, which differed for specimens removed from original vs restenotic lesions. Percent stenosis was reduced to less than 45% in 118 of 136 stenoses (87%). Complications included 1 thrombus, which resolved after intraarterial infusion of streptokinase and 1 probable distal embolization without sequelae. Three angiographic dissections occurred without impairment of blood flow. There were no instances of acute occlusion, vascular spasm or vessel perforation. Six-month follow-up angiography was performed showing that patients who had a residual stenosis 30% (52%); this result demonstrated the importance of performing more complete atherectomy. Transluminal atherectomy appears to be an effective, predictable and safe method for removing occlusive atheromatous deposits from peripheral arteries.
Expression of the hepatocyte growth factor-like protein gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma and interleukin-6-induced increased expression in hepatoma cells

Human hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most frequent malignant tumors. It may occur following exposure to various agents, including viruses and chemical carcinogens; however, the underlying mechanisms of the hepatocarcinogenesis are not known. The present study is the result of our search for genes which may be abundantly expressed in human primary liver carcinoma. One of these genes was found to encode the human hepatocyte growth factor-like protein (HGFLP), also known as macrophage-stimulating protein. HGFLP is structurally homologous to hepatocyte growth factor, a potent growth factor for liver. HGFLP mRNA was also found to be overexpressed in a hepatoblastoma sample and in a sample of subacute fulminant hepatic necrosis. In a study on the effects of cytokines on the expression of HGFLP, we found that IL-6 increased expression of HGFLP mRNA in Hep G2 cells, but IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha had no effect. An increase in HGFLP could be the result of inflammation and/or tissue injury and its overexpression may prove to be useful as an indicator of hepatoma.
Increasing serum betahydroxybutyrate concentrations during the 72-hour fast: evidence against hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia.

Objective: We have determined whether the behavior of betahydroxybutyrate (BOHB) during the 72-h fast of persons without evidence of hyperinsulinemic or any form of organic hypoglycemia might provide indicators of a negative fast. Design: Twenty-one patients with surgically confirmed insulinoma and 34 patients with negative 72-h fasts had BOHB measured every 6 h until Whipple’s triad in the former and until 72-h in the latter. Results: Quadratic regression curves of BOHB from the negative fasts showed the typical curve to be flat initially, then increase in a manner that was roughly linear. Using time-specific medians, the changes were: 12–18 h, 0% increase; 18–36 h, 333% increase; 36–54 h, 210% increase, and 54–72 h, 167% increase. In contrast, patients with insulinoma had suppressed BOHB concentrations. Two successive BOHB values in excess of the 18-h level seemed to portend a negative fast. By using the previously published criterion of BOHB more than 2.7 mmol/liter (a surrogate for hypoinsulinemia and...
Finite-time stability of homogeneous systems

Examines finite-time stability of homogeneous systems. The main result is that a homogeneous system is finite-time stable if and only if it is asymptotically stable and has a negative degree of homogeneity.
Comparative Endocrinology of Aging and Longevity Regulation

Hormones regulate growth, development, metabolism, and other complex processes in multicellular animals. For many years it has been suggested that hormones may also influence the rate of the aging process. Aging is a multifactorial process that causes biological systems to break down and cease to function in adult organisms as time passes, eventually leading to death. The exact underlying causes of the aging process remain a topic for debate, and clues that may shed light on these causes are eagerly sought after. In the last two decades, gene mutations that result in delayed aging and extended longevity have been discovered, and many of the affected genes have been components of endocrine signaling pathways. In this review we summarize the current knowledge on the roles of endocrine signaling in the regulation of aging and longevity in various animals. We begin by discussing the notion that conserved systems, including endocrine signaling pathways, "regulate" the aging process. Findings from the major model organisms: worms, flies, and rodents, are then outlined. Unique lessons from studies of non-traditional models: bees, salmon, and naked mole rats, are also discussed. Finally, we summarize the endocrinology of aging in humans, including changes in hormone levels with age, and the involvement of hormones in aging-related diseases. The most well studied and widely conserved endocrine pathway that affects aging is the insulin/insulin-like growth factor system. Mutations in genes of this pathway increase the lifespan of worms, flies, and mice. Population genetic evidence also suggests this pathway's involvement in human aging. Other hormones including steroids have been linked to aging only in a subset of the models studied. Because of the value of comparative studies, it is suggested that the aging field could benefit from adoption of additional model organisms.
Long-term prevention of criminality in siblings of serious and violent juvenile offenders: a 25-year follow-up to a randomized clinical trial of multisystemic therapy

OBJECTIVE: Family-based treatment models that have shown effectiveness with juvenile offenders may also lead to reduced criminality in siblings of those offenders. However, the lasting effects of such treatments on siblings have not been evaluated. In the present study, the authors examined criminal outcomes for siblings of serious and violent juvenile offenders who had participated on average 25.0 years earlier in a clinical trial of multisystemic therapy (MST; Borduin et al., 1995). METHOD: Participants were 129 closest-in-age siblings of individuals who were originally randomized to MST or individual therapy (IT) during adolescence. Arrest and incarceration data were obtained in middle adulthood when siblings were on average 38.4 years old. RESULTS: Intent-to-treat analyses showed that arrest rates were significantly lower for siblings in the MST condition than in the IT condition (43.3% vs. 72.0%, respectively). In addition, siblings in the IT condition were about 3 times as likely to be convicted of a felony and more than twice as likely to be sentenced to incarceration and probation. CONCLUSION: The present study represents the longest follow-up to date of sibling participants in an MST clinical trial and demonstrates that the positive impact of an evidence-based treatment for serious and violent juvenile offenders can extend to other family members. Implications of the authors' findings for policymakers and service providers are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Effect of Impurities and Heat‐Treatment on Ductility of MgO

Stress-strain curves were obtained in flexure and in tension on single crystals of MgO. A decrease in iron content and high-temperature heating and rapid cooling caused a decrease in strength and increase in ductility. Heat-treatment of previously deformed specimens increased their strength. The slip band structures resulting from deformation were brought out by chemical etching, and their significant features are discussed.
A Novel Mutual Authentication Based on Data Embedding Technique

This paper presents a novel approach for retrieving images from databases using eigen color and the concept of multiple instance learning. Usually, vehicles have various colors and shapes under different viewpoints, weathers, and lighting conditions. All the variations will increase many difficulties and challenges in selecting a general feature to describe vehicles. Thus, traditional methods to retrieve vehicles require their orientations or colors being fixed. To tackle this problem, this paper proposes a novel vehicle retrieval system for effectively retrieving vehicles from databases no matter what orientations and colors they are. First of all, this paper proposes a novel color transform model, which is global and does not need to be re-estimated for any new vehicles or new images, to extract different regions of interest (or vehicle analogues) from databases. Then, to more accurately locate desired vehicle images, this paper uses the MIL(multiple-instance learning) method to learn specific visual properties of vehicles from query images. However, the MIL technique requires the positive training data being strongly positive and the negative ones being strongly negative. This requirement is too constrained in real cases and will lead to lots of false detection. This problem can be easily tackled if an eigen color transform is introduced. The extra consideration “eigen color” will add more capabilities to the MIL learner for capturing the embedded concept more accurately. Furthermore, during the learning process, since no time-consuming optimization process is involved, all the desired visual concept can be obtained immediately and adapted to different user’s requests. Experimental results reveal the feasibility and high accuracy of the proposed approach in vehicle retrieval system.
The safety of bevacizumab

Despite the significant gains made in the treatment of many cancers over the last few decades, further improvements in survival using traditional chemotherapeutic agents have now begun to plateau. The development of bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeted against the vascular endothelial growth factor, has provided promise for continued gains in survival in the therapy of a variety of cancers, including some previously refractory to traditional chemotherapeutic agents. Although its toxicity profile differs from traditional chemotherapeutic drugs, bevacizumab is not completely without side effects. The mechanisms of its unique toxicities have not yet been fully characterised, and at this time it is not possible to predict which toxicities will be experienced by each individual patient or which population.
Egyptian Responses to the Palestine Problem in the Interwar Period

As far as I am concerned I remember that the first elements of Arab consciousness began to filter into my mind as a student in secondary schools, wherfrom I went out with my fellow schoolboys on strike on December 2nd [sic] of every year as a protest against the Balfour declaration whereby England gave the Jews a national home usurped unjustlu from its legal owners.
A case of macroprolactinoma and elevated insulin-like growth factor-I in a young boy.

UNLABELLED We report a case of a 10-y-old boy who presented with persistent headache and was found to have a giant prolactinoma. Laboratory evaluation revealed markedly elevated prolactin (PRL) level, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) deficiency, and elevated insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). He had normal random growth hormone (GH) but non-suppressible GH during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Cabergoline treatment was initiated and was well tolerated. Therapy successfully reduced PRL levels, normalized IGF-I levels, and reduced tumor size. CONCLUSION Our patient presented with a GH-PRL-secreting tumor. Dopamine agonists are recommended as the treatment of choice for prolactinomas. However, there should be careful attention to GH status when treating GH-PRL-secreting tumor with dopamine agonists alone. IGF-I levels should be followed in all patients with prolactinoma, even in those with normal basal GH concentrations, because of the possibility of GH co-secretion.
Potential for Dietary ω-3 Fatty Acids to Prevent Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Reduce the Risk of Primary Liver Cancer

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased in parallel with central obesity, and its prevalence is anticipated to increase as the obesity epidemic remains unabated. NAFLD is now the most common cause of chronic liver disease in developed countries and is defined as excessive lipid accumulation in the liver, that is, hepatosteatosis. NAFLD ranges in severity from benign fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and NASH is characterized by hepatic injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis. NASH can progress to cirrhosis, and cirrhosis is a risk factor for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The prevention of NASH will lower the risk of cirrhosis and NASH-associated HCC. Our studies have focused on NASH prevention. We developed a model of NASH by using mice with the LDL cholesterol receptor gene ablated fed the Western diet (WD). The WD induces a NASH phenotype in these mice that is similar to that seen in humans and includes robust induction of hepatic steatosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis. With the use of transcriptomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic approaches, we examined the capacity of 2 dietary ω-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5ω-3; EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6ω-3; DHA), to prevent WD-induced NASH. Dietary DHA was superior to EPA at attenuating WD-induced changes in plasma lipids and hepatic injury and at reversing WD effects on hepatic metabolism, oxidative stress, and fibrosis. The outcome of these studies suggests that DHA may be useful in preventing NASH and reducing the risk of HCC.
Transmission of Millimeter Radio Waves in Over Water Ducts

The effect of high lapse rates of water vapor on radar ranges over seas was noted in the early shipborne use. The microwave transmissions guided by surface anomalies were reflected by surface targets far beyond the normal line-of-sight.
Properties of Beurling-type submodules via Agler decompositions

Abstract In this paper, we study operator-theoretic properties of the compressed shift operators S z 1 and S z 2 on complements of submodules of the Hardy space over the bidisk H 2 ( D 2 ) . Specifically, we study Beurling-type submodules – namely submodules of the form θ H 2 ( D 2 ) for θ inner – using properties of Agler decompositions of θ to deduce properties of S z 1 and S z 2 on model spaces H 2 ( D 2 ) ⊖ θ H 2 ( D 2 ) . Results include characterizations (in terms of θ) of when a commutator [ S z j ⁎ , S z j ] has rank n and when subspaces associated to Agler decompositions are reducing for S z 1 and S z 2 . We include several open questions.