julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Development of a Simplified Ice-Free Cryopreservation Method for Heart Valves Employing VS83, an 83% Cryoprotectant Formulation
2012-12-01

We have previously demonstrated storage of ice-free cryopreserved heart valves at -80°C without the need for liquid nitrogen, with the aims of decreasing manufacturing costs and reducing employee safety hazards. The objectives of the present study were a further simplification of the ice-free cryopreservation method and characterization of tissue viability. Porcine pulmonary heart valves were permeated with an 83% cryoprotectant solution (VS83) followed by rapid cooling and storage at -80°C. The cryoprotectants were added and removed in either single or multiple steps. Fresh untreated frozen controls employing 10% dimethylsulfoxide and controlled rate freezing to -80°C, and storage in vapor phase nitrogen were also performed. After rewarming and washing, cryopreserved leaflets were compared with fresh controls using the resazurin reduction metabolism assay. Comparison of valve tissues in which the cryoprotectants were added and removed in either single or multiple steps demonstrated similar viability results for the muscle, conduit, and leaflet components. The ice-free cryopreserved conduit and leaflet components were significantly less viable than either fresh or frozen tissues. The muscle component, although less viable, was not significantly different. The changes in tissue viability were a function of cryoprotectant exposure, and resulting cytotoxicity, not temperature reduction during storage. TUNEL staining showed that ice-free cryopreservation did not induce significant amounts of apoptosis, suggesting that necrosis is the predominant cell death pathway in ice-free cryopreserved heart valves. There was very little difference in cell viability when the cryoprotectants were added and removed in a single step versus multiple steps. Ice-free cryopreserved valve tissues demonstrated very low viability compared with controls. These results support further simplification of the ice-free cryopreservation method.
Zwischen Literarkritik und Stilkritik
2012-12-01

The article discusses the most recent source-critical reconstruction of two pre-Priestly linkages (»J/E«) between the ancestor tradition and the Moses tradition (L. Schmidt, ZAW 124 [2012], 19–37) and seeks the reasons for the surprisingly persistent disagreement about the literary history of this section of text (in particular the Joseph narrative). Drawbacks are identified, inter alia, in the inappropriate equation of (synchronic) incoherence and (diachronic) disunity (»Uneinheitlichkeit«) and the failure to appreciate conventions or possibilities of narrative style. Conversely, it can be shown that the standard Judah/Reuben division and the proposed J/E strands in Gen 50 – Ex 1 result in an unaccountable lack of coherence. Instead indications of the incorporation of an artistically composed »Josephnovelle« into a free-standing patriarchal narrative are affirmed and the literary combination of »Genesis« and »Exodus«, probably for the first time, in the Priestly tradition (KP) and their post-Priestly elaboration are outlined. En référence à la plus récente reconstruction à l’aide de la critique des sources, par L. Schmidt (ZAW 124 [2012], 19–37), des deux liaisons (»J/E«) pré-sacerdotales entre la tradition des Patriarches et celle de Moïse, la présente étude met en lumière les raisons des dissensions subsistants (?), de manière étonnante, quant à l’histoire littéraire de cet ensemble textuel (spéct. du cycle de Joseph). Parmi les manques, l’A. détaille ici, entre autres, l’identifiation inadéquate entre incohérence (synchronique) et hétérogénéité (?) (diachronique) et la méconnaissance des conventions ou possibilités propres au style narratif. Il démontre, à l’inverse, que les distinctions entre Juda et Ruben et les séquences J/E en Gen. 50 / Ex. 1 impliquent de leur côté des incohérences inexplicables. Il relève des indices en faveur de l’intégration d’une »Josephnovelle« élaborée dans un cycle patriarcal indépendant et retrace la première liaison littéraire supposée entre »Genèse« et »Exode« par la tradition P (KP), ainsi que ses développements post-sacerdotaux. Im Gespräch mit der jüngsten quellenkritischen Rekonstruktion zweier vorpriesterlicher Übergänge (»J/E«) von der Erzeltern- zur Moseüberlieferung durch L. Schmidt (ZAW 124 [2012], 19–37) fragt der Beitrag nach Gründen für den in diesem Textbereich (insbesondere der Josepherzählung) auffällig nachhaltigen literargeschichtlichen Dissens. Als Defizite werden hierbei u.a. die unsachgemäße Gleichsetzung von (synchroner) Inkohärenz und (diachroner) Uneinheitlichkeit und das Verkennen narrativer Stilkonventionen bzw. -möglichkeiten thematisiert. Umgekehrt lässt sich zeigen, dass die gängigen Juda-Ruben-Scheidungen und die vorgeschlagenen J/E-Fäden in Gen 50/Ex 1 ihrerseits nicht zu erklärende Inkohärenzen implizieren. Alternativ werden Indizien für die Einbindung einer kunstvollen »Josephnovelle« in eine eigenständige Vätergeschichte geltend gemacht und die mutmaßlich erste literarische Verknüpfung von »Genesis« und »Exodus« durch die P-Überlieferung (KP) sowie deren nachpriesterliche Ausgestaltung nachgezeichnet.
Conifold degenerations of Fano 3-folds as hypersurfaces in toric varieties
2012-12-01

There exist exactly 166 4-dimensional reflexive polytopes such that the corresponding 4-dimensional Gorenstein toric Fano varieties have at worst terminal singularities in codimension 3 and their anticanonical divisor is divisible by 2. For every such a polytope, one naturally obtains a family of Fano hypersurfaces X with at worst conifold singularities. A generic 3-dimensional Fano hypersurface X can be interpreted as a flat conifold degeneration of some smooth Fano 3-folds Y whose classification up to deformation was obtained by Iskovskikh, Mori and Mukai. In this case, both Fano varieties X and Y have the same Picard number r. Using toric mirror symmetry, we define a r-dimensional generalized hypergeometric power series associated to the dual reflexive polytope. We show that if r =1 then this series is a normalized regular solution of a modular D3-equation that appears in the Golyshev correspondence. We expect that the multidimensional power series can be used to compute the small quantum cohomology ring of all Fano 3-folds Y with the Picard number r >1 if Y admit a conifold degeneration X.
Quadratic residues and class numbers
2012-12-01

For an odd prime let be the least odd prime ( ) which is a~quadratic residue mod . Using the theorems of Heegner--Baker--Stark and Siegel--Tatuzawa on the class number of the imaginary quadratic number field it is shown that unless\\n , possibly with one further exceptional (large) prime (satisfying with und ).\\nThe exceptional prime does not exist if the Extended Riemann Hypothesis is true.
In memoriam Ernst Josef Fittkau (22.7.1927 – 12.5.2012)
2012-12-01

10.1080/01650521.2012.748483-F0001 Figure 1.Professor Fittkau in the Zoologische Staatssammlung Munchen, holding the skull of a black caiman, Melanosuchus niger (Crocodilia, Alligatoridae), collect...
Museum Exhibitions, Open-Air Museums, and Hands-On Archaeology
2012-12-01

This chapter focuses on how open-air museums and living-history events can create a dynamic and active dialogue between professionals, the media, and the general public, to the benefit of all. It discusses the historical development of wetland museums; open-air museums in Europe; the origins of open-air museums; experimental archaeology, museum pedagogy, and their historical foundations; and the ideal archaeological wetland museum.
First test of Lorentz violation with a reactor-based antineutrino experiment
2012-12-01

We present a search for Lorentz violation with 8249 candidate electron antineutrino events taken by the Double Chooz experiment in 227.9 live days of running. This analysis, featuring a search for a sidereal time dependence of the events, is the first test of Lorentz invariance using a reactor-based antineutrino source. No sidereal variation is present in the data and the disappearance results are consistent with sidereal time independent oscillations. Under the Standard-Model Extension (SME), we set the first limits on fourteen Lorentz violating coefficients associated with transitions between electron and tau flavor, and set two competitive limits associated with transitions between electron and muon flavor.
C-Peptide Levels Are Associated With Mortality and Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients Undergoing Angiography
2012-12-02

OBJECTIVE C-peptide is a proinsulin cleavage product released from the pancreas in amounts equimolar to insulin, and elevated levels of C-peptide have been found in patients with insulin resistance and early type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recent data suggest that C-peptide could play a causal role in the pathophysiology of vascular disease, but nothing is known about the prognostic value of C-peptide concentrations in the circulation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We examined whether C-peptide is associated with cardiovascular and total mortality in 2,306 patients from the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study who underwent coronary angiography at baseline (1997–2000). RESULTS During a mean follow-up of 7.6 years, 440 deaths (19.1%) occurred, 252 (10.9%) of which were due to cardiovascular causes. Age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) in the third compared with the first tertile of C-peptide were 1.46 (95% CI 1.15–1.85; P = 0.002) for all cause and 1.58 (1.15–2.18; P = 0.005) for cardiovascular mortality. After further adjustment for common risk factors as well as markers of glucose metabolism, these HRs remained significant at 1.46 (1.10–1.93; P = 0.008) and 1.55 (1.07–2.24; P = 0.022), respectively. Moreover, patients in higher tertiles of C-peptide exhibited higher levels of markers of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis as well as a more severe extent of coronary lesions. CONCLUSIONS In patients undergoing coronary angiography, C-peptide levels are independently associated with all cause and cardiovascular mortality as well as presence and severity of coronary artery disease. Further studies are needed to examine a potential causal role of C-peptide in atherogenesis in humans.
Gene Expression Profile of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes from Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated with IL-2, Interferon-α and Dendritic Cell Vaccine
2012-12-03

Lymphocytes are a key component of the immune system and their differentiation and function are directly influenced by cancer. We examined peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) gene expression as a biomarker of illness and treatment effect using the Affymetrix Human Gene ST1 platform in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) who received combined treatment with IL-2, interferon-?-2a and dendritic cell vaccine. We examined gene expression, cytokine levels in patient serum and lymphocyte subsets as determined by flow cytometry (FCM). Pre-treatment PBLs from patients with mRCC exhibit a gene expression profile and serum cytokine profile consistent with inflammation and proliferation not found in healthy donors (HD). PBL gene expression from patients with mRCC showed increased mRNA of genes involved with T-cell and T(REG)-cell activation pathways, which was also reflected in lymphocyte subset distribution. Overall, PBL gene expression post-treatment (POST) was not significantly different than pre-treatment (PRE). Nevertheless, treatment related changes in gene expression (post-treatment minus pre-treatment) revealed an increased expression of T-cell and B-cell receptor signaling pathways in responding (R) patients compared to non-responding (NR) patients. In addition, we observed down-regulation of T(REG)-cell pathways post-treatment in R vs. NR patients. While exploratory in nature, this study supports the hypothesis that enhanced inflammatory cytotoxic pathways coupled with blunting of the regulatory pathways is necessary for effective anti-cancer activity associated with immune therapy. This type of analysis can potentially identify additional immune therapeutic targets in patients with mRCC.
Molecularly imprinted conductive polymers for controlled trafficking of neurotransmitters at solid–liquid interfaces
2012-12-03

We realize a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) which is imprinted with the\\nretinal neurotransmitter glutamate. The films prepared by electrochemical\\ndeposition have a smooth surface with a granular morphology as observed using\\nan atomic force microscope. Multiple reflection attenuated total reflection\\ninfrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)\\nare used to chemically confirm the imprint of a neurotransmitter in the MIP at\\nthe solid–liquid and the solid–air interface, respectively. Fluorescence\\nspectroscopy using the dye fluorescamine is used to monitor the changes in\\nneurotransmitter concentration in various solvents induced by application of\\nvoltage to the MIP. By controlling neurotransmitter trafficking across a\\nsolid–liquid interface with voltage, we suggest the possibility of using such\\na neurotransmitter imprinted MIP for chemical stimulation of retinal neurons.\\nThe current state of the art approach to restore sight in certain cases of\\nblindness is the replacement of damaged photoreceptors by a subretinal implant\\nconsisting of light-sensitive photodiodes. Thus a future perspective of our\\nwork would be to chemically stimulate the neurons by replacing the photodiodes\\nin the subretinal implant by the neurotransmitter imprinted polymer film.
Abiotic oxidation of Fe(II) by reactive nitrogen species in cultures of the nitrate‐reducing Fe(II) oxidizer Acidovorax sp. BoFeN1 – questioning the existence of enzymatic Fe(II) oxidation
2012-12-04

Abstract Nitrate‐reducing, Fe(II)‐oxidizing bacteria were suggested to couple with enzymatic Fe(II) oxidation to nitrate reduction. Denitrification proceeds via intermediates ( , NO) that can oxidize Fe(II) abiotically at neutral and particularly at acidic pH . Here, we present a revised Fe(II) quantification protocol preventing artifacts during acidic Fe extraction and evaluate the contribution of abiotic vs. enzymatic Fe(II) oxidation in cultures of the nitrate‐reducing, Fe(II) oxidizer A cidovorax sp. BoFeN1. Sulfamic acid used instead of HCl reacts with nitrite and prevents abiotic Fe(II) oxidation during Fe extraction. Abiotic experiments without sulfamic acid showed that acidification of oxic Fe(II) nitrite samples leads to 5.6‐fold more Fe(II) oxidation than in anoxic samples because the formed NO becomes rapidly reoxidized by O 2 , therefore leading to abiotic oxidation and underestimation of Fe(II). With our revised protocol using sulfamic acid, we quantified oxidation of approximately 7 m m of Fe(II) by BoFeN1 within 4 days. Without addition of sulfamic acid, the same oxidation was detected within only 2 days. Additionally, abiotic incubation of Fe(II) with nitrite in the presence of goethite as surface catalyst led to similar abiotic Fe(II) oxidation rates as observed in growing BoFeN1 cultures. BoFeN1 growth was observed on acetate with N 2 O as electron acceptor. When adding Fe(II), no Fe(II) oxidation was observed, suggesting that the absence of reactive N intermediates ( , NO) precludes Fe(II) oxidation. The addition of ferrihydrite [Fe(OH) 3 ] to acetate/nitrate BoFeN1 cultures led to growth stimulation equivalent to previously described effects on growth by adding Fe(II). This suggests that elevated iron concentrations might provide a nutritional effect rather than energy‐yielding Fe(II) oxidation. Our findings therefore suggest that although enzymatic Fe(II) oxidation by denitrifiers cannot be fully ruled out, its contribution to the observed Fe(II) oxidation in microbial cultures is probably lower than previously suggested and has to be questioned in general until the enzymatic machinery‐mediating Fe(II) oxidation is identified.
Symmetric integrator for nonintegrable Hamiltonian relativistic systems
2012-12-04

By combining a standard symmetric, symplectic integrator with a new step size controller, we provide an integration scheme that is symmetric, reversible and conserves the values of the constants of motion. This new scheme is appropriate for long term numerical integrations of geodesic orbits in spacetime backgrounds, whose corresponding Hamiltonian system is non-integrable, and, in general, for any non-integrable Hamiltonian system whose kinetic part depends on the position variables. We show by numerical examples that the new integrator is faster and more accurate i) than the standard symplectic integration schemes with or without standard adaptive step size controllers and ii) than an adaptive step Runge-Kutta scheme.
Assessing the Target Differentiation Potential of Imidazole-Based Protein Kinase Inhibitors
2012-12-04

A library of 484 imidazole-based candidate inhibitors was tested against 24 protein kinases. The resulting activity data have been systematically analyzed to search for compounds that effectively differentiate between kinases. Six imidazole derivatives with high kinase differentiation potential were identified. Nearest neighbor analysis revealed the presence of close analogues with varying differentiation potential. Small structural modifications of active compounds were found to shift their inhibitory profiles toward kinases with different functions.
Population genetic structure of parthenogenetic flatworm populations with occasional sex
2012-12-04

Summary 1. Sexual populations are expected to perform better in fluctuating environments than asexuals because recombination provides the potential to adapt to changing environments due to increased genetic variation. Nevertheless, some asexual species show comparably high levels of genotypic diversity. Such diversity might be achieved through gene flow between coexisting sexual and asexual populations or through sexual events within asexual populations. 2. Evidence for occasional sex in the flatworm Schmidtea polychroa was previously found at one specific site that is inhabited by parthenogenetic forms. There, varying rates of sex between subpopulations, reaching up to 12%, were observed. Past recurrent sexual processes left a significant genetic signature in the population genetic structure of this population. In the present study, we examined the population genetic structure of six independent metapopulations (lakes) of the freshwater planarian flatworm S. polychroa , to confirm the presence of occasional sex and that its population genetic consequences can be generalised. 3. Using microsatellites, we found varying rates of occasional sex among subpopulations. Metapopulations showed medium to high levels of genotypic diversity that correlated with the rate of sex. 4. We conclude that occasional sex has considerable consequences for population genetic structure of parthenogenetic species and promotes diversity that might allow response to the particular type of selection that is usually predicted to favour sexual reproduction. This reproductive strategy provides genetic characteristics required for selection to act on, and might, therefore, explain the success of this parthenogenetic species.
Sub-$\\mu\\hbox{m}$ Josephson Junctions for Superconducting Quantum Devices
2012-12-04

For high-performance superconducting quantum devices based on Josephson junctions (JJs) decreasing lateral sizes is of great importance. Fabrication of sub-\\mu m JJs is challenging due to non-flat surfaces with step heights of up to several 100 nm generated during the fabrication process. We have refined a fabrication process with significantly decreased film thicknesses, resulting in almost flat surfaces at intermediate steps during the JJ definition. In combination with a mix-&-match process, combining electron-beam lithography (EBL) and conventional photolithography, we can fabricate JJs with lateral dimensions down to 0.023 \\mu m^2. We propose this refined process as an alternative to the commonly used chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) procedure. We present transport measurements of JJs at 4.2 K that yield critical-current densities in the range from 50 to 10^4 A/cm^2. Our JJ process yields excellent quality parameters, Rsg/Rn up to ~50 and Vgap up to 2.81 mV, and also allows the fabrication of high-quality sub-\\mu m wide long JJs (LJJs) for the study of Josephson vortex behavior. The developed technique can also be used for similar multilayer processes and is very promising for fabricating sub-\\mu m JJs for quantum devices such as SQUIDs, qubits and SIS mixers.
Compositional and Isotopic Analytical Methods in Archaeological Micromorphology
2012-12-05

Resin‐impregnated sediment blocks are a by‐product of micromorphological sample processing. These blocks can be further studied using a variety of destructive, nondestructive, and minimally destructive geochemical techniques. X ‐ray fluorescence microanalyses conducted on sediment blocks yield semiquantitative major and trace elemental abundances that can be used to generate compositional maps, and to illustrate compositional change within or between archaeological strata and features. Sediment blocks can also be drilled to obtain small sediment samples for stable oxygen and carbon isotopic analyses. Both elemental and isotopic analyses can be conducted in conjunction with micromorphological analyses to yield a holistic picture of archaeological sediment composition, source, and depositional processes. The integration of micromorphological, compositional, and isotopic analyses is used here to aid in the differentiation of calcareous ash and lime plasters from the N eolithic site of A sıklı H öyük, T urkey.
Plasma levels of soluble glycoprotein VI (sGPVI) are associated with ischemic stroke
2012-12-05

Platelet collagen receptor glycoprotein VI (pGPVI) is elevated in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and ischemic stroke. Recently, we developed a novel bead-based sandwich immunoassay to determine soluble GPVI (sGPVI), which has been validated in ACS patients. This study aimed to evaluate the plasma levels of sGPVI and pGPVI expression in patients with suspected stroke. We consecutively evaluated 176 patients, who were admitted to the stroke unit. Surface expression of pGPVI was determined by flow cytometry, sGPVI concentrations were determined using our sandwich immunoassay. Unlike patients with TIA, patients with stroke showed significantly decreased plasma levels of sGPVI compared to patients with non-ischemic (NI) events (TIA: mean [μg/L] ± standard deviation): 6.1 ± 2.1 vs. NI: 8 ± 4; p = 0.192; stroke: 5.9 ± 2.3 vs. NI; p = 0.013), whereas for pGPVI, patients with TIA and ischemic stroke revealed a significantly increased platelet surface expression compared to NI patients (TIA: mean fluorescence intensity [MFI] ± standard deviation): 20.9 ± 5.4 vs. NI: 17.6 ± 5.2; p = 0.021; stroke: 20.3 ± 6.2 vs. NI; p = 0.016). Using logistic regression analysis, both sGPVI (p = 0.002) and pGPVI (p = 0.012) are independently associated with ischemic stroke compared to other laboratory markers. To predict the individual risk for ischemic stroke using the plasma levels of sGPVI, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined an optimal cutoff value of sGPVI at 6.5 μg/l, thus, patients with decreased plasma levels (<6.5 μg/l) have a 1.5-fold adjusted odds ratio (95%confidence interval, 1.4-2.7). Lower plasma levels of sGPVI are associated with the slightly elevated risk of stroke and may be a promising novel biomarker.