cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phytic acid-manganese(II) ion interactions: A calorimetric and EPR study

Abstract The interactions of Mn(II) with phytic acid to form both soluble and insoluble complexes has been studied by calorimetric and EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) techniques. The reaction to form soluble complexes (in the absence of precipitation) was examined over a range of mol ratios of Mn(II):phytic acid, from 1 to 6. Over this range of mol ratios the heats of reactions were endothermic. The amount of Mn(II) combined with the phytate was measured indirectly by an EPR procedure and the experimental heats of enthalpies were calculated. These enthalpies are a composite of a number of factors and varied to some extent dependent upon the Mn(II):phytate ratio. It is suggested that variations in the enthalpies could be a reflection of changes in the heats of ionization of the phytic acid and/or different binding sites with increasing Mn(II):phytate ratio. The heat of precipitation (which includes binding, solvation changes, etc.) of the insoluble Mn(II)-phytate complex was endothermic (22.4 kcal mol-1). This is similar in magnitude to the reported heats of precipitation reactions of Zn(II), Ca(II), Cu(II), Co(II), and Ni(II) with phytate. At approximately pH 6, measurements of the free Mn(II) concentration suggested that 5 mol Mn(II) binds per mol phytate.
GP3: GenePix post-processing program for automated analysis of raw microarray data

Summary: Here we describe an automated and customizable program to correct, filter and normalize raw microarray data captured using GenePix, a commonly used microarray image analysis application. Files can be processed individually or in batch mode for increased throughput. User defined inputs specify the stringency of data filtering and the method and conditions of normalization. The output includes gene summaries for replicate spots and descriptive statistics for each experiment. The source code (Perl) can also be adapted to handle raw data output from other image analysis applications. Availability: http://bch.msu.edu/∼zacharet/microarray/
Molecular Gradients and Compartments in the Embryonic Primate Cerebral Cortex

The mature cerebral cortex is divided into morphologically distinct, functionally dedicated and stereotypically connected cortical areas. How might such functional domains arise during development? To investigate possible intrinsic programs within the embryonic cerebral cortex we examined patterns of gene expression early in corticogenesis. We performed these studies using the developing macaque monkey because of the size, complexity, areal make-up and the extended nature of its cortical development. Here, we present results for two types of molecules. (i) Transcription factors ‐ gene products that bind DNA and activate transcription, directing cellular fates through cascades of gene expression. We find that the transcription factors TBr-1, Lhx-2, Emx-1 and a novel POU domaincontaining gene are differentially expressed within the forming primate forebrain, and are present in gradients across the neocortex. (ii) The EphA receptor tyrosine kinases ‐ gene products that mediate cellular recognition in many embryonic systems. Individual members of this family are expressed during primate corticogenesis in pronounced gradients and/or well-defined compartments with distinct boundaries. Together, these results suggest that at least two modes of grouping cells within the neocortex exist: the graded patterning of cells across its full anteroposterior extent and the parcellation of cells into defined domains. Moreover, emergence of molecular differences between regions of the cortical plate, prior to the arrival of afferent and formation of efferent connections, suggests that the initial cellular parcellation in the telencephalon is cell-autonomously regulated. This initial independence from peripheral influences supports the existence of an intrinsic protomap that may function both to differentially attract and respond to specific afferents, thus predicting the functional map of the mature cortex.
Single-incision robotic colectomy: are costs prohibitive?

Background The feasibility, safety, and costs of single-incision robotic colectomy (SIRC) are not known. Methods A retrospective review was conducted, comparing the initial 29 consecutive SIRC procedures performed to 36 multiport laparoscopic colectomies (MLC). Results The groups did not differ significantly on age, body mass index, gender, ASA classification, smoking status, steroid usage or rate of diabetes. Procedure time, conversion rate, infectious complications and length of stay did not differ significantly. The ratio of observed:expected direct hospital costs statistically favoured MLC, although there was no statistical difference between groups for contribution margin, or for observed and expected direct hospital costs. Conclusions These results demonstrate safety and technical feasibility for SIRC in selected patients with short-term outcomes and hospital costs comparable to MLC. Contribution margin remained positive and expected costs exceeded observed for SIRC. Increased costs for SIRC are a concern. The comparable but relatively high mortality in both groups may represent an institutional approach to colectomy where significant comorbidity is not a contraindication to minimally invasive surgery. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Phosphorylates RBL2/p130 during Quiescence

Phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma-related or pocket proteins RB1/pRb, RBL1/p107, and RBL2/p130 regulates cell cycle progression and exit. While all pocket proteins are phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) during the G1/S-phase transition, p130 is also specifically phosphorylated in G0-arrested cells. We have previously identified several phosphorylated residues that match the consensus site for glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) in the G0 form of p130. Using small-molecule inhibitors of GSK3, site-specific mutants of p130, and phospho-specific antibodies, we demonstrate here that GSK3 phosphorylates p130 during G0. Phosphorylation of p130 by GSK3 contributes to the stability of p130 but does not affect its ability to interact with E2F4 or cyclins. Regulation of p130 by GSK3 provides a novel link between growth factor signaling and regulation of the cell cycle progression and exit.
Untethered On-The-Fly Radio Assembly With Wires-On-Demand

In systems typified by software defined radio, existing flows for run-time FPGA reconfiguration limit resource efficiency when constructing datapaths. We present the wires-on-demand framework that allocates a sandbox region in which modules from a library are flexibly placed and interconnected rapidly and autonomously in an embedded platform without vendor tools.
Built-in current self-testing scheme (BICST) for CMOS logic circuits

A novel scheme for built-in self-testing used in current testing environment (named BICST) is presented in this paper. Test vectors are generated on chip in BICST to detect the stuck-on and bridging faults as well as stuck-at faults in a CMOS circuit. The test set generated by pseudo-exhaustive testing method can detect stuck-on and bridging faults that cause abnormal large current flow in the circuit, which will be caught by the built-in current sensors. Partitioning is done for pseudo-exhaustive testing and to obtain high resolution in current measuring. The overall structure of the BICST system is also presented. >
Recent Advances in Causal Modeling Methods for Organizational and Management Research

The purpose of this article is to review recent advanced applications of causal modeling methods in organizational and management research. Developments over the past 10 years involving research on measurement and structural components of causal models will be discussed. Specific topics to be addressed include reflective vs. formative measurement, multidimensional construct assessment, method variance, measurement invariance, latent growth modeling (LGM), moderated structural relationships, and analysis of latent variable means. For each of the areas mentioned above an overview of developments will be presented, and examples from organizational and management research will be provided.
Performance analysis of DS-CDMA with slotted ALOHA random access for packet PCNs

Presents a discrete Markov chain based analytic framework for the study of DS-CDMA with slotted ALOHA (DS-CDMA-S-ALOHA) random access protocols. The key feature of the work is that it distinguishes between the two stages in the transmission process, namely the access stage and the reception stage, which characterize the random access and the random errors associated with DS-CDMA-S-ALOHA respectively. Two DS-CDMA-S-ALOHA protocols are presented and analyzed. The performance of the protocols and the effects of the design parameters are evaluated numerically and compared with a bandwidth equivalent multi-channel slotted ALOHA system. The results show that with proper design, the DS-CDMA-S-ALOHA protocols can double the throughput with respect to that of a bandwidth equivalent multi-channel slotted ALOHA system.
Impacts of hematite nanoparticle exposure on biomechanical, adhesive, and surface electrical properties of Escherichia coli cells.

Despite a wealth of studies examining the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials, current knowledge on their cytotoxic mechanisms (particularly from a physical perspective) remains limited. In this work, we imaged and quantitatively characterized the biomechanical (hardness and elasticity), adhesive, and surface electrical properties of Escherichia coli cells with and without exposure to hematite nanoparticles (NPs) in an effort to advance our understanding of the cytotoxic impacts of nanomaterials. Both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that E. coli cells had noticeable deformation with hematite treatment for 45 min with a statistical significance. The hematite-treated cells became significantly harder or stiffer than untreated ones, as evidenced by indentation and spring constant measurements. The average indentation of the hematite-treated E. coli cells was 120 nm, which is significantly lower (P < 0.01) than that of the untreated cells (approximately 400 nm). The spring constant of hematite-treated E. coli cells (0.28 ± 0.11 nN/nm) was about 20 times higher than that of untreated ones (0.01 ± 0.01 nN/nm). The zeta potential of E. coli cells, measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS), was shown to shift from −4 ± 2 mV to −27 ± 8 mV with progressive surface adsorption of hematite NPs, a finding which is consistent with the local surface potential measured by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Overall, the reported findings quantitatively revealed the adverse impacts of nanomaterial exposure on physical properties of bacterial cells and should provide insight into the toxicity mechanisms of nanomaterials.
Definitional Issues in Pathokinesiology—A Retrospective and Look Ahead

Ten years have passed since the concept of pathokinesiology was introduced into physical therapy. Examining it from a philosopher's perspective, this article provides a brief retrospective on how the concept originally was described, poses some questions about the type of concept it has become, and suggests what it might now be able to help the profession of physical therapy achieve. INITIAL DESCRIPTION What was the initial description of the concept of pathokinesiology? Many physical therapists in the audience experienced a swell of excitement—like a wave that had been approaching and suddenly broke at the shore—when Hislop introduced the term pathokinesiology into physical therapy during her presentation as a Mary McMillan lecturer stating, “What is physical therapy? Physical therapy is knowledge. Physical therapy is clinical science … pathokinesiology is the distinguishing clinical science of physical therapy.”1
GROWTH HORMONE LEVELS IN MATERNAL AND CORD BLOOD.

Significant differences in the concentration of growth hormone in umbilical arterial, umbilical venous and maternal venous sera at the time of delivery have been demonstrated, utilizing a modified hemagglutination inhibition immunoassay. Higher concentrations of growth hormone in the umbilical arteries than in umbilical and maternal venous blood indicate that the fetal anterior pituitary is an actively functioning endocrine organ.
Victimizing the Children of Immigrants: Latino and Asian American Student Victimization

Recent demographic changes have supported the emerging research on one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. population: the children of immigrants. Because victimization adversely affects yo...
Attentional requirements in a 'preattentive' feature search task

It is commonly assumed that certain features are so elementary to the visual system that they require no attentional resources to be perceived. Such 'preattentive' features are traditionally identified by visual search performance, in which the reaction time for detecting a feature difference against a set of distractor items does not increase with the number of distractors. This suggests an unlimited capacity for the perception of such features. We provide evidence to the contrary, demonstrating that detection of differences in a simple feature such as orientation is severely impaired by additionally imposing an attentionally demanding rapid serial visual presentation task involving letter identification. The same visual stimuli exhibit non-increasing reaction time versus set-size functions. These results demonstrate that attention can be critical even for the detection of so-called 'preattentive' features.
Global alterations in mechanical function in healed reperfused first anterior myocardial infarction.

Two-dimensional analysis techniques were applied to breathhold magnetic resonance (MR) tagged images in humans to better understand left ventricular (LV) mechanics 8 weeks after large reperfused first anterior myocardial infarction (Ml). Eighteen patients (aged 51 ± 13 yr, 15 men) were studied 8 ± 1 weeks after first anterior Ml as were 9 volunteers, (aged 30 ± 3, 7 men). Breathhold MR myocardial tagging was performed with short-axis images spanning the LVfrom apex to base. Myocardial deformation was analyzed from apical, mid-LV, and basal slices using two-dimensional analytic techniques and expressed as LI (greatest systolic lengthening), L2 (greatest systolic shortening), and β (angular deviation of LI from the radial direction). LV ejection fraction (EF) by MR imaging in the patients after MI was 45 ± 15%. The apex and midventricle in patients demonstrated reduced LI and L2 and increased P compared with normal subjects with the greatest abnormalities at the apex, as expected in anterior infarction. How...
Localization of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding site to mitochondria of human glioma cells.

Subcellular fractionation was performed on human U251 glioblastoma cultures. In all subcellular fractions, the binding of the peripheral benzodiazepine ligand, [3H]PK 11195, correlated with the specific activity of monoamine oxidase (r = 0.95, p < 0.001) and succinate dehydrogenase (r = 0.93, p < 0.001), two mitochondrial enzymes. The specific activity of plasma membrane and nuclear markers correlated poorly with the presence of PK 11195 binding sites. These data support the mitochondrion as the primary location of peripheral-type benzodiazepine binding sites (PBBS) in human glioma cells. Mitochondria-rich preparations were then assayed for [3H]Ro5-4964 binding. Six nM [3H]Ro5-4964 failed to specifically bind to human U251 mitochondria, but bound vigorously to mitochondria from rat C6 glioma. These data indicate that the low affinity of Ro5-4864 for PBBS in human glioma cells compared to those in rat is due to interspecies receptor variation rather than impaired drug transport into human cells.
Adaptive design for reference velocity recovery in motion coordination

We study a coordination problem where the objective is to steer a group of agents to a formation that translates with a prescribed reference velocity. Unlike existing designs which assume that the reference velocity information is available to each agent, we consider the situation where this information is available only to a leader. We then develop an adaptive design with which the other agents reconstruct the reference velocity and recover the desired formation. This design relies only on relative distance information with respect to neighbouring agents and, thus, can be implemented in a decentralized fashion.
SOLARC® Anti-Reflective Coating Material for High Transfer Efficiency Application Process

It has been demonstrated in literature that chemical liquid deposition (CLD) processes such as dip coating, spray coating, roll coating, spin coating, curtain coating, meniscus coating etc. can be successfully used to deposit anti-reflective coatings on glass substrates. In comparison to physical vapor deposition (PVD), a CLD process generally is cost efficient because of lower capital requirements to set up coating manufacturing lines. Within the realm of CLD processes only some application techniques are suitable for high speed continuous manufacturing processes to deposit coatings on large area glass substrates. Significant differences in transfer efficiencies of these high speed application processes are readily apparent when material utilization per unit area of glass are compared. Roll coat process among all the high speed CLD processes stands out for its high material transfer efficiency due to direct contact printing on flat glass substrates. Honeywell Electronic Materials expanded its line of SOLARC® anti-reflective coating materials to include a new coating formulation SOLARC® RPV, which is customized for roll coating application. This paper highlights the advantages of using SOLARC® RPV in roll coat process and the performance attributes of SOLARC® anti-reflective coatings. Durability characteristics of these anti-reflective coatings in accelerated aging tests designed to simulate harsh field conditions will also be discussed.
Screen-printed electrodes modified with functionalized mesoporous silica for voltammetric analysis of toxic metal ions

Mercury-free sensors for lead (Pb 2+ ) assay based on chemical modification of screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) with acetamide phosphonic acid self-assembled monolayer on mesoporous silica (Ac-Phos SAMMS) have been developed. The analysis of Pb using SPCEs-based adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) includes two steps. Pb 2+ ions are firstly adsorbed on electrode surface in a Pb 2+ solution (15 ml) during a preconcentration step, followed by a measurement step using one drop of acidic solution (50 ll) as medium for stripping voltammetry. The preconcentration of Pb 2+ at SAMMS-based sensors utilize the binding affinity of the acetamide phosphonic acid and Pb 2+ , which can be accomplished at open circuit potential without electrolyte and solution degassing. Due to the strong covalent bonding of the functional groups on mesoporous silica, the SAMMS-based sensors with a built-in three electrode system can be reused for tens of measurements with minimal degradation, enabling the establishment of the calibration curve and lowering the costs. Linear calibration curve was found in the range of 0 to at least 100 ppb Pb 2+ after 5 min of preconcentration. The detection limit was calculated from 3S/N to be 0.91 ppb of Pb 2+ . Reproducibilty (%RSD) was found to be 5% for a single sensor (six measurements) and 10% for five sensors. The reproducibility can be improved through the precision of manufacturing of the sensors, in which SAMMS modification can be done in situ, increasing the user-friendliness of the sensors. Cadmium, lead, and copper can also be detected simultaneously at the SAMMS modified screen-printed sensors. 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Earthworm avoidance of biochar can be mitigated by wetting

Abstract Biochar has a great potential for enhancing soil fertility and carbon sequestration while enabling beneficial waste disposition. Because of the potential for widespread application, it is essential to proactively assess and mitigate any unintended consequences associated with soil biochar amendment. We conducted soil avoidance tests, growth and reproduction tests, and oxidative stress assays with the earthworm Eisenia foetida to assess the potential toxicity of soil amended with biochar produced from apple wood chips. Earthworms avoided soils containing 100 and 200 g/kg dry biochar at statistically significant levels (p
Research on cruciferous vegetables, indole-3-carbinol, and cancer prevention: A tribute to Lee W. Wattenberg

Lee W. Wattenberg, who spent his entire career at the University of Minnesota, was a true pioneer in the field of chemoprevention. This paper is a tribute to his groundbreaking research which uncovered the cancer prevention properties of many dietary compounds, including those discussed here in some detail-indole-3-carbinol and diindolylmethane. These compounds occur as glucosinolate conjugates in cruciferous vegetables and are released when one chews or otherwise macerates the vegetable. They have numerous beneficial effects including the ability to prevent cancer in laboratory animals treated with carcinogens. We review some of the early work on indole-3-carbinol and diindolylmethane which spurred subsequent studies on their efficacy and molecular mechanisms of prevention. We also present unique data on field conditions that affect levels of their glucosinolate precursors in vegetables and on the release of diindolylmethane in people who consume cruciferous vegetables.
Application of Harmonic Balance Technique to the Compressible Euler and Navier-Stokes Equations

A time-domain harmonic balance method was used to compute time-periodic nonlinear flow fields governed by the compressible Euler and Navier-Stokes equations. Three examples were considered: a periodically forced transonic nozzle with an oscillating high-spatialfrequency structure (shock); a spatially periodic wave-rotor flow field established by highamplitude, discrete circumferential distortions; and, a synthetic jet in a quiescent background flow for which experimental data were available. Runge-Kutta time-marching was used to solve “steady-state” equations for time-domain variables at the 2N+1 sample times (phases) of an N-harmonic-order computation. Flux vector differencing was used to compute inviscid flux vectors, but computational instabilities were encountered when higher-order spatial interpolation was used. The unsteady flow constructed from the lower harmonic-order Fourier series solutions manifested non-physical ringing near discrete spatial structures (shocks). Nonetheless, convergence on time-mean solutions was obtained at low harmonic-order, again recommending the harmonic balance methodology as a means by which to compute directly the time-mean flow field of a nonlinear time-periodic flow.
On the Detergency of Hand Dishwashing Detergents

Detergency of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate and coconut fatty acid diethanol amide mixture, the representative components of liquid hand dishwashing detergents, was tested by several formulations; using oily soil and applying three testing methods, dynamic foam test, emulsifying test and practical hand dishwashing test.Test results obtained by these three methods resembled with each other, however the result by emulsifying test had closer correlation to the result obtained by practical hand dishwashing test than that by dynamic foam test.As a result it was recognized that emulsifying effect closely related to dishwashing detergency, and that, as the proportion of fatty diethanol amide increased the detergency at 30°C increased, but at 20°C it increased at first and then decreased after reaching maximum.Some of the commercial dishwashing detergents were tested by emulsifying test and practical hand dishwashing test, which showed good coincidence.
Real-time control of shake tables for nonlinear hysteretic systems

Summary Shake table testing is an important tool to challenge integrity of structural and non-structural specimens by imposing excitations at their base. When shake tables are loaded with specimens, the interaction between the tables and specimens influences the system dynamics that may result in undesired performance. In order to compensate the effects of the interaction, open loop feedforward compensation methods have been widely used successfully in current practice of table controls, assuming that the specimens remain linear. On the contrary, unsatisfactory signal performances during shake table testing were observed when flexible and heavy specimens experience nonlinear behavior. While lack of high fidelity might be acceptable for the purpose of exploration research of specimens subjected to random excitations, a high fidelity of signal reproduction is necessary for shake table qualification testing where specific target motion is required to challenge the specimens. In this study, a nonlinear tracking control scheme based on the feedback linearization method is proposed for the control of shake tables to simulate target motions at specific locations of test structures, having nonlinear hysteretic behavior. Additionally, a real-time estimator using the extended Kalman filter is adopted and combined with the controller in order to account for the changes and uncertainties in system models due to nonlinearities and yielding caused by extreme excitations. The proposed adaptive tracking control method has been applied to a realistic shake table–structure test setup by means of numerical simulations, and the results show good tracking and estimation performance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Preventing Chronic Allograft Dysfunction in Liver-Transplanted Rats

Objective To investigate the role of Hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) in chronic liver allograft dysfunction in rats after orthotopic liver transplantation.Methods DA(RT1a)rats and Lewis(RT1l)rats were used as donors and receptors,respectively.All rats were injected tacrolimus at dose of 0.1mg/kg.day for 5 days post-transplantation.Treated group received injections of HGF(1 mg/kg,b.i.w) from 10 days to 90 days post-transplantation.Control group received the same dose of phosphate-buffer saline,the injected time was the same with treated group.The change of TNF-α in blood serum was measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results The mean survival rate of treated group was much higher than that of control group(P0.001).The grade of liver injures in treated group after transplantation was less than that of control group.The content of total bilirubin(TB) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) in treated group was both significantly lower than that of control group(P0.01).The concentration of TNF-α in the serum of treated group decreased obviously compared with the control group(P0.01). Conclusion HGF contributes to the prevention of chronic liver-allograft dysfunction through its potent anti-inflammatory action,and it may become a novel treatment for chronic liver-allograft dysfunction.
Modeling and Simulation of Grid-connected Control System for Offshore Wind Farms

Considering the feature of large capacity and long distance of offshore wind farm,a offshore wind farm connected to power grid via power transmission with VSC-HVDC system is proposed.Basic operating principles of the dual-port VSC-HVDC are analyzed.The math model of VSC is established and the control system for grid-connection is designed.To verify the feasibility of the proposed scheme,a model with dual-port VSC-HVDC system for grid-connection of offshore farm is built with MATLAB/Simulink and the actual operation is simulated.The simulation results show that the proposed scheme of grid-connection of offshore wind farm with VSC-HVDC can implement stable operation of wind turbine sets.
Do performance avoidance goals moderate the effect of different types of stereotype threat on women’s math performance?

Abstract Stereotype threat is considered to be a robust effect that explains persistent gender gaps in math performance and scientific career trajectories. Some evidence suggests stereotype threat effects are buffered by adoption of performance avoidance goals (Chalabaev, Major, Sarrazin, & Cury, 2012). With 590 American female participants, we closely replicated Chalabaev et al. (2012). Results showed no significant main or interaction effects for stereotype threat or performance avoidance goals, despite multiple controls. We conclude that effects of stereotype threat might be smaller than typically reported and find limited evidence for moderation by avoidance achievement goals. Accordingly, stereotype threat might not be a major part of the explanation for the gender gap in math performance, consistent with recent meta-analyses (Flore & Wicherts, 2015).
Effects of low oxygen tension and antioxidants on human erythropoiesis in vitro

Cultured cells grow better in low oxygen than in room air, and the addition of a sulfhydryl-reducing agent is usually routine. It has been thought that such reagents protect cells from free-radical toxicity in atmospheric oxygen, which is higher than in physiological oxygen tension. Previous data demonstrating the efficacy of the usual antioxidant, 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME), were obtained in murine studies. We have compared the effect of 2ME and other antioxidants on human erythropoiesis using neonatal (cord) and adult blood. Without antioxidants, erythroid colony numbers were higher in 5% oxygen than in air, while colony formation could be improved even in 5% oxygen by the addition of antioxidants. In dose-response curves of each drug, the maximum increase in colony number was achieved with 0.1 microM 2ME, 10 microM reduced glutathione (GSH), 1 U/mL catalase (CAT), and 1 U/mL superoxide dismutase (SOD). Erythroid colony growth in air and in 5% oxygen was identical with 10 microM GSH and higher than in any other conditions, including with combinations of GSH and any other antioxidant. For human erythroid progenitor cell cultures, 10 microM GSH appears to be more appropriate than the usual 100 microM 2ME. Antioxidants are necessary, however, even in low oxygen tension. The mechanism of the GSH action is incompletely understood.
Synchronously Occurring Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma of the Kidney with Contralateral Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract A case is reported of synchronously occurring malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the kidney with contralateral renal cell carcinoma.
Choosing Commercial Suppliers of Primary Antibodies

As IHC dogma puts it, the higher the quality of primary antibodies, the more compelling and credible the scientific data. There are two main sources of primary antibodies, either generated in-house or purchased from commercial suppliers. It appears that by choosing the in-house route, researchers are in full control of the antibody production process and can generate an endless supply of antibodies free of charge that can be shared with other labs.
Evaluation of an Interactive Science Publishing Tool: Toward Enabling Three-Dimensional Analysis of Medical Images

Rationale and Objectives Higher resolution medical imaging platforms are rapidly emerging, but there is a challenge in applying these tools in a clinically meaningful way. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a novel three-dimensional (3D) software imaging environment, known as interactive science publishing (ISP), in appraising 3D computed tomography images and to compare this approach with traditional planar (2D) imaging in a series of lung cancer cases. Materials and Methods Twenty-four physician volunteers at different levels of training across multiple specialties were recruited to evaluate eight lung cancer–related clinical vignettes. The volunteers were asked to compare the performance of traditional 2D versus the ISP 3D imaging in assessing different visualization environments for diagnostic and measurement processes and to further evaluate the ISP tool in terms of general satisfaction, usability, and probable applicability. Results Volunteers were satisfied with both imaging methods; however, the 3D environment had significantly higher ratings. Measurement performance was comparable using both traditional 2D and 3D image evaluation. Physicians not trained in 2D measurement approaches versus those with such training demonstrated better performance with ISP and preferred working in the ISP environment. Conclusions Recent postgraduates with only modest self-administered training performed equally well on 3D and 2D cases. This suggests that the 3D environment has no reduction in accuracy over the conventional 2D approach, while providing the advantage of a digital environment for cross-disciplinary interaction for shared problem solving. Exploration of more effective, efficient, self-directed training could potentially result in further improvement in image evaluation proficiency and potentially decrease training costs.
The impact of media coverage on IPO stock performance

Abstract This study uses signaling theory to examine the role of media coverage on IPO stock performance. Specifically, it investigates how coverage in credible financial media and the tone of media coverage about an IPO firm before and after its listing influence its stock performance. Results show that coverage in credible financial media about an IPO firm significantly impacts its stock price. Additionally, the findings show that uncertainty in the tone of media coverage about an IPO firm adversely influences its stock price. Overall, these findings contribute to signaling theory by addressing the impact of uncertain signals on investor behavior. Moreover, the findings reported in this study also contribute to the growing organizational literature on media by emphasizing the need for scholars to examine the content of media coverage, and specifically the role of uncertain media coverage, on firm-level variables.
Population Responses to the Environment in Tropical Insects

The association of an insect species with a particular habitat means that the species maintains a breeding population in that habitat. We therefore need to distinguish between resident and nonresident species associated with different habitats. The great differences in the taxonomic composition and structure of vegetation in disturbed and undisturbed habitats in tropical regions, discussed in detail by Holdridge et al (396) indicate that the composition of local insect faunas may differ greatly between habitats in the same region, a phenomenon well documented by the studies of Janzen and Schoener(134) and Janzen.(74) Thus different collections or assemblages of insects and other vegetation-dwelling arthropods are expected for different kinds of terrestrial habitats in tropical regions.
Discovery of a potent inhibitor of MELK that inhibits expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 and TNBC cell growth

Despite recent advances in molecularly directed therapy, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, still without a suitable target for specific inhibitors. Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is highly expressed in TNBC, where level of overexpression correlates with poor prognosis and an aggressive disease course. Herein, we describe the discovery through targeted kinase inhibitor library screening, and structure-guided design of a series of ATP-competitive indolinone derivatives with subnanomolar inhibition constants towards MELK. The most potent compound, 17, inhibits the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 and proliferation of TNBC cells exhibiting selectivity for cells expressing high levels of MELK. These studies suggest that further elaboration of 17 will furnish MELK-selective inhibitors with potential for development in preclinical models of TNBC and other cancers.
Ensemble Methods for Structured Prediction

We present a series of learning algorithms and theoretical guarantees for designing accurate ensembles of structured prediction tasks. This includes several randomized and deterministic algorithms devised by converting on-line learning algorithms to batch ones, and a boosting-style algorithm applicable in the context of structured prediction with a large number of labels. We give a detailed study of all these algorithms, including the description of new on-line-to-batch conversions and learning guarantees. We also report the results of extensive experiments with these algorithms in several structured prediction tasks.
An Integrated Approach to Nonprofit Management Curriculum: Implications for Accreditation

The expanding prevalence and popularity of nonprofit management programs has created a complex array of public, nonprofit, and even for-profit programs with incredible diversity in focus and quality. While this program growth provides students with significant choice in selecting a nonprofit management program, it has also raised understandable calls for ways to differentiate programs, especially in terms of quality. Accreditation of nonprofit management programs has been offered as one solution. However, accreditation is the wrong solution to any perceived quality problems and could undermine the adaptability and flexibility of many nonprofit management programs. With increasing hybridity of public and nonprofit organizations and “sector-hopping” of many graduates of public administration programs even in nonprofit specializations, integrating nonprofit management education into the core curriculum of public administration programs increases the responsiveness and effectiveness of nonprofit management programs. Accreditation programs tend to focus on a detailed list of dedicated nonprofit courses and may undermine this curricular integration. In addition, the political and resource requirements of accreditation may pit nonprofit management accreditation against other accreditation programs and curricular needs, to the detriment of the success of nonprofit management education. Ultimately, accreditation threatens the curricular integration of nonprofit management education and, as such, risks undermining the continued vibrancy and effectiveness of nonprofit management programs.
A laryngeal fibrous mass impacts the acoustics and attractiveness of a multicomponent call in túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus)

AbstractThe evolution of elaborate signals can emerge from changes in anatomical signaling structures. In the male tungara frog, a simple advertisement call (‘whine’) can be ornamented facultativel...
MicroRNA-210 suppresses glucocorticoid receptor expression in response to hypoxia in fetal rat cardiomyocytes.

// Shannalee R. Martinez 1 , Qingyi Ma 1 , Chiranjib Dasgupta 1 , Xianmei Meng 1 and Lubo Zhang 1 1 Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA Correspondence to: Lubo Zhang, email: lzhang@llu.edu Keywords: hypoxia, microRNA-210, glucocorticoid receptor, cardiomyocyte, fetal programming Received: April 04, 2017 Accepted: April 29, 2017 Published: May 11, 2017 ABSTRACT Hypoxia is a common intrauterine stressor, often resulting in intrauterine growth restriction and increased risk for cardiovascular disease later in life. The aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that microRNA-210 (miR-210) mediates the detrimental suppression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in response to hypoxia in fetal rat cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes isolated from gestational day 21 Sprague Dawley fetal rats showed increased miR-210 levels and reduced GR abundance after exposure to ex vivo hypoxia (1% O2). In regard to mechanisms, the different contributions of hypoxia response elements (HREs) motifs in the regulation of miR-210 promoter activity and the miR-210-mediated repression of GR expression were determined in rat embryonic heart-derived myogenic cell line H9c2. Moreover, using a cell culture-based model of hypoxia-reoxygenation injury, we assessed the cytotoxic effects of GR suppression under hypoxic conditions. The results showed that hypoxia induced HIF-1α-dependent miR-210 production, as well as miR-210-mediated GR suppression, in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, inhibition or knockdown of GR exacerbated cell death in response to hypoxia-reoxygenation injury. Altogether, the present study demonstrates that the HIF-1α-dependent miR-210-mediated suppression of GR in fetal rat cardiomyocytes increases cell death in response to hypoxia, providing novel evidence for a possible mechanistic link between fetal hypoxia and programming of ischemic-sensitive phenotype in the developing heart.
Comparing visual food images versus actual food when measuring emotional response of children

With the continued growth of emotion research in the consumer sciences, it has become necessary to investigate approaches which are appropriate for use with children. The purpose of this study was to compare children's liking and emotional responses to food images and actual foods. In both studies, 8 foods were used as stimuli (fresh spinach, baby carrots, orange juice, white grapes, cheddar cheese, chocolate graham snacks, lychee gummy candy, and white bread). In the first study, children answered questions about liking and emotions in response to food images. Emotion responses were collected using a check-all-that-apply format with emojis and words as variables. In the second study, children were asked liking and emotion questions after seeing the sample and after tasting the sample. Overall liking scores were higher for actual foods compared with food images. Additionally, testing with actual foods resulted in increased use of positive emojis and words, and decreased use of negative emojis and words for both food appearance and post-taste emotions. The largest differences in liking and emotion results were seen in response to the lychee gummy candy, which most children had not tried before. The children's responses differed between a conceptual evaluation (image) versus actual evaluation (appearance, taste). Practical applications This study illustrates the influence of stimulus type on study outcomes when testing with children. In this study, the children's responses differed between a conceptual evaluation (image only) versus literally seeing and tasting the product, and are therefore not interchangeable when conducting emotion testing with children.
Quality of Institutions and Violence Incidence: A Cross-Country Analysis

This paper utilizes two alternative econometric strategies to test the hypothesis that countries with poor institutional arrangements create an environment with increased impunity, thus providing incentives for potential law-breakers to engage in criminal activities that lead to rapid contagion of violence. Several measures of institutions including legal, political, market, government, and sociocultural institutions are considered in the paper. The empirical analysis provides evidence that the impact of institutional quality on violence is important regardless of income levels. This finding implies that differences in quality of institutions explain why countries with similar levels of income per capita may have different rates of violence and crime. In addition, the results show that quality of institutions matter for a successful long-term strategy to reduce violence.
A Model for Queue Position Valuation in a Limit Order Book

Many financial markets operate as electronic limit order books under a price-time priority rule. In this setting, among all resting orders awaiting trade at a given price, earlier orders are prioritized for matching with contra-side liquidity takers. This creates a technological arms race among high-frequency traders and other automated market participants to establish early (and hence advantageous) positions in the resulting first-in-first-out (FIFO) queue. We develop a model for valuing orders based on their relative queue position that incorporates both eco- nomic (informational) and stochastic modeling (queueing) aspects. Our model identifies two important components of positional value: (i) a static component that relates to the trade-off at an instant of trade execution between earning a spread and incurring adverse selection costs, and incorporates the fact that adverse selection costs are increasing with queue position; (ii) a dynamic component, that captures the optionality associated with the future value that accrues by locking in a given queue position. Our model offers predictions of order value at different positions in the queue as a function of market primitives, and can be empirically calibrated. We validate our model by comparing it with estimates of queue value realized in backtesting simulations and find the predictions to be accurate. Moreover, for some large tick-size stocks, we find that queue value can be of the same order of magnitude as the bid-ask spread. This suggests that accurate valuation of queue position is a necessary and important ingredient in considering optimal execution or market-making strategies for such assets.
Skin lipids of the striped plateau lizard ( Sceloporus virgatus ) correlate with female receptivity and reproductive quality alongside visual ornaments

Sex pheromones can perform a variety of functions ranging from revealing the location of suitable mates to being honest signals of mate quality, and they are used in the mate selection process by many species of reptile. In this study, we determined whether the skin lipids of female striped plateau lizards (Sceloporus virgatus) can predict the reproductive quality of females, thereby having the potential to serve as pheromones. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we identified 17 compounds present in skin lipids of female lizards. Using principal component analysis to compare the skin lipid profile of receptive and non-receptive females, we determined that an uncharacterized compound may allow for chemical identification of receptive mates. We also compared extracted principal components to measures of female fitness and reproductive qualities and found that the level of two 18 carbon fatty acids present in a female's skin lipids may indicate her clutch size. Finally, we compared the information content of the skin lipids to that of female-specific color ornaments to assess whether chemical and visual cues transmit different information or not. We found that the chroma of a female's orange throat patch is also related to her clutch size, suggesting that chemical signals may reinforce the information communicated by visual ornamentation in this species which would support the "backup signals" hypothesis for multiple signals.
Computational approaches to habits in a model-free world

Model-free (MF) reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms account for a wealth of neuroscientific and behavioral data pertinent to habits; however, conspicuous disparities between model-predicted response patterns and experimental data have exposed the inadequacy of MF-RL to fully capture the domain of habitual behavior. We review several extensions to generic MF-RL algorithms that could narrow the gap between theory and empirical data. We discuss insights gained from extending RL algorithms to operate in complex environments with multidimensional continuous state spaces. We also review recent advances in hierarchical RL and their potential relevance to habits. Neurobiological evidence suggests that similar mechanisms for habitual learning and control may apply across diverse psychological domains.