cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interest and Academic Cheating

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the relationship between student interest and academic cheating. Both, personal and situational interest impact cheating. High personal interest decreases cheating. Situational factors, notably teacher effectiveness, that increase interest usually decrease cheating. However, some situational factors, notably lack of surveillance and high-stakes testing, increase cheating. This chapter examines how personal and situational factors such as student characteristics and attitudes are related to cheating. 10 personal factors (example, self-esteem, attitudes, and desire to learn) and 11 situational factors (example, teacher's knowledge, task difficulty, and pressure) that affect cheating, are identified. Another conclusion is that the content of a class matters. Some students may have strong personal interest in a topic prior to the class. Other students may develop situational interest because the information in the class is judged to be relevant or meaningfully connected to their lives. In addition, teachers often make classes more interesting by being knowledgeable, prepared, and excited about what they are teaching, which decreases cheating. Similarly, teachers who make classes engaging by using humor or demonstrating a thorough understanding of class content, and being able to relate that content to students' lives, should decrease cheating as well.
When Topology Meets Chemistry: A Topological Look at Molecular Chirality

1. Stereochemical topology 2. Detecting chirality 3. Chiral moebius ladders and related molecular graphs 4. Different types of chirality and achirality 5. Embeddings of complete graphs in 3-space 6. Rigid and non-rigid symmetries of graphs in 3-space 7. Topology of DNA.
Singleton breech presentation in labor: experience in 1980.

Abstract Excessive perinatal loss is associated with breech presentation, and in large measure, this loss is accounted for by prematurity, congenital anomalies, and birth trauma. In the endeavor to exert an effect on two of these problems, cesarean section has been resorted to increasingly. Three hundred thirty singleton breech pregnancies were reviewed, and delivery in 74.2% of these was by cesarean section. The only cases in which a trial of labor was routinely allowed were frank breech presentations at term. Fetal compromise during labor and delivery was relatively uncommon and seen to occur at both vaginal delivery and cesarean section. Preventable mortality was limited to infants who weighed less than 1,300 gm. Morbidity was also primarily associated with low birth weight, and was not significantly different in term infants delivered vaginally and those delivered by cesarean section. The conclusion drawn is that a liberal policy toward the use of cesarean section for breech presentation is necessary in conjunction with the manual skills required to effect a safe breech delivery, in order to minimize perinatal loss.
Measuring Utility and the Design of Provably Good EBL Algorithms

Abstract We estimate the utility of theory modifications constructed by explanation-based learning over given problem distributions. This paper describes an algorithm for efficiently estimating the cost of solving a distribution Q of queries in redundant, as well as recursive theories. The cost estimates produced by the algorithm are within user-specified error (e)and confidence (δ) bounds. We use the estimation theory to determine a key property called separability, that ensures that redundant macros speed up the execution of query distributions. We derive and empirically validate two utility theorems on EBL.
Fisher, Ronald Aylmer

Ronald A. Fisher (1890–1962) was a statistics pioneer who developed population genetics and created innovative mathematical experiments. Keywords: statistics; population genetics; Darwinism; eugenics
Timing and magnitude of prestretch strongly affect cardiac muscle tension development (545.2)

Ectopic ventricular pacing leads to regional myocardial prestretch. In-vivo studies suggest that the timing of prestretch determines the effect on pump function and can lead to regional wall remodeling. Here we measure the direct effects of prestretch timing on the magnitude of tension development in isolated cardiac muscle. The effects of prestretch were simulated using excised murine right ventricular papillary muscles. A servo motor was used to impose precisely timed stretches, while a force transducer measured force output and strain was monitored using a CCD camera and topical markers. A critical stretch timing interval was observed to statistically increase peak tension by as much as 500%, while shortening during this interval inhibited peak tension significantly by as much as 40%. A simple model consisting of experimentally obtained time varying elastance and the force-velocity relation could not completely explain the results. An estimate of shortening deactivation was measured by performing quick...
Ring-Opening Polymerization of l-Lactide and ε-Caprolactone Utilizing Biocompatible Zinc Catalysts. Random Copolymerization of l-Lactide and ε-Caprolactone

Polylactide and polycaprolactone were synthesized utilizing biocompatible zinc complexes as initiators at ambient temperature in “controlled”/“living” polymerization processes. The zinc complex containing a Schiff base ligand derived from the natural amino acid phenylalanine was found to catalyze the ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide and e-caprolactone in the melt at 110 °C to afford a series of random copolymers. These copolymers were shown to possess monomer contents which correlated well with their composition in the monomer feed. The thermal properties of the various copolymers (Tg, Tc, and Tm) as determined by differential scanning calorimetry were found to depend strongly on the copolymers’ composition. For example, the Tgs were shown to vary linearly with the molar % lactide in the copolymer over a temperature range of −67 to 60 °C.
Fast Algorithms for Local Similarity Queries in Two Sequences

In sequence comparison, finding local similarities in given strings is a very important well-known problem. In this work we introduce two local sequence similarity query problems, and present algorithms for them. Our algorithms use a data structure that supports constant time longest common extension queries. This data structure is created only once, and in time linear in the size of the input strings. After this step all subsequent local similarity queries can be answered very fast. Existing algorithms take significantly more time in answering these queries.
“Murder!” She Said: A Case of Iatrogenic Delirium

This case study discusses the psychotherapy of an elderly woman who presented with anxiety and depression mangest by psychosomatic symptoms. At the termination of what had appeared to be a successfully completed therapy, the patient revealed a long-held secret. An iatrogenic delirium resulted in the patient's having “witnessed a murder.” Unaddressed and unresolved feelings of anger, shame, and guilt led to years of anguish. This study illustrates the destructive potential of secrecy in both personal and professional relationships. It emphasizes the importance of the nurse's role in acquiring and applying knowledge of pharmacology, especially as it applies to the elderly; the need to discuss delirious episodes without delay; the wisdom of listening to a person's story as a lived experience; the value of applying the nursing process toward problem resolution; and the benefit of providing holistic nursing care.
Impaired CD4+ and T-helper 17 cell memory response to Streptococcus pneumoniae is associated with elevated glucose and percent glycated hemoglobin A1c in Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Individuals with type 2 diabetes are significantly more susceptible to pneumococcal infections than healthy individuals of the same age. Increased susceptibility is the result of impairments in both innate and adaptive immune systems. Given the central role of T-helper 17 (Th17) and T-regulatory (Treg) cells in pneumococcal infection and their altered phenotype in diabetes, this study was designed to analyze the Th17 and Treg cell responses to a whole heat-killed capsular type 2 strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Patients with diabetes demonstrated a lower frequency of total CD+T-cells, which showed a significant inverse association with elevated fasting blood glucose. Measurement of specific subsets indicated that those with diabetes had, low intracellular levels of interleukin (IL)-17, and lower pathogen-specific memory CD4+ and IL-17+ cell numbers. No significant difference was observed in the frequency of CD4+ and Th17 cells between those with and without diabetes. However, stratification of data by obesity indicated a significant increase in frequency of CD4+ and Th17 cells in obese individuals with diabetes compared with nonobese individual with diabetes. The memory CD+T-cell response was associated inversely with both fasting blood glucose and percent glycated hemoglobin A1c. This study demonstrated that those with type 2 diabetes have a diminished pathogen-specific memory CD4+ and Th17 response, and low percentages of CD+T-cells in response to S. pneumoniae stimulation.
Social modulation of spontaneous ejaculation in the mouse

The frequency of spontaneous ejaculation was compared in socially dominant and subordinate male mice while they were housed in the presence of their opponent, and with or without periodic exposure to females. Regardless of the presence or absence of female stimulation, dominant males ejaculated spontaneously at a daily rate similar to that shown by isolated controls. The frequency of spontaneous ejaculation was depressed among subordinate males when they were not given female stimulation but occurred at control levels if periodic female stimulation was provided. These results suggest the existence of a physiological ceiling on the frequency of spontaneous ejaculation in laboratory mice; decreasing the frequency of occurrence of this behavior either experimentally or naturally appears necessary if social stimulation is to be observed.
Corrigendum to “Land use context and natural soil controls on plant community composition and soil nitrogen and carbon dynamics in urban and rural forests” [Forest Ecol. Manage. 236 (2006) 177–192]

Peter M. Groffman *, Richard V. Pouyat , Mary L. Cadenasso , Wayne C. Zipperer , Katalin Szlavecz , Ian D. Yesilonis , Lawrence E. Band , Grace S. Brush f a Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA b USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station, c/o Baltimore Ecosystem Study, 5200 Westland Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21227, USA c Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95615, USA d Johns Hopkins University, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA e Department of Geography, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA f Johns Hopkins University, Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
Saturation of a convective instability due to trapped particles

Abstract We examine the saturation of a single wave ( ω > ω ce ) spatially growing due ti interaction with a cold electron beam in a magnetoplasma. A wavelength change after saturation is observed.
Phosphorylation of Tyrosine 182 of p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Correlates with the Protection of Preconditioning in the Rabbit Heart

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is known to be activated after exposure to endotoxin, osmotic and environmental stress, and, most recently, during ischemia/reperfusion. We investigated whether ischemic preconditioning also causes phosphorylation of the activation sites on p38 MAPK. Three groups of isolated rabbit hearts were studied. Control hearts experienced 30 min of ischemia only. The second group was preconditioned with 5 min of global ischemia and 10 min of reperfusion. Group 3 was also ischemically preconditioned, but in the presence of 100μm8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline (SPT). Transmural left ventricular biopsies were taken before and during the long ischemic period. Western blot analysis with either p38 MAPK or phospho-specific p38 MAPK (Tyr-182) antibodies showed a decreased phosphorylation during ischemia in non-preconditioned hearts, but phosphorylation was enhanced several fold after 10 and 20 min of ischemia in preconditioned hearts. Furthermore, when protection from ischemic preconditioning was blocked by SPT, increased phosphorylation of p38 MAPK during ischemia was not present. Therefore the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK at tyrosine 182, which is required for the kinase's activation, occurred during ischemia only when protection from preconditioning was evident. In a second study, changes in osmotic fragility were measured during simulated ischemia in rabbit cardiomyocytes. Reduced fragility in ischemically preconditioned myocytes could be completely abolished by the specific p38 MAPK inhibitor SB-203580. In contrast, anisomycin, an activator of p38 MAPK and JUN kinase pathways, was found to be as protective as ischemic preconditioning. We conclude that p38 MAPK phosphorylation correlates with preconditioning's protection, and that its activation may be an important step in the signal transduction cascade of ischemic preconditioning.
Niacin and Hepatic Failure

Excerpt To the Editor:I read with interest the recent report by Mullin and associates (1) on fulminant hepatic failure in a patient after ingestion of sustained-release nicotinic acid. Development ...
Femtochemistry: recent advances and extension to high pressures

Recent advances made in laser femtochemistry are presented. Extensions to the high pressure regime (and liquids) are demonstrated, using an example, the classic case of iodine dissociation and recombination. In femtochemistry the motion of the nuclei is followed with femtosecond time resolution and the dynamics are studied during the course of the reaction — the transition states. The examples given here draw on increasing complexity — from elementary chemical reactions under isolated molecular conditions to more complex reactions with many degrees of freedom, and move toward the condensed phase limit.
Corporate governance: a paradigmatic look

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a paradigmatic look at corporate governance.Design/methodology/approach – This paper starts with the premise that any worldview can be associated with one of the four basic paradigms: functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. The paper looks at the current state of mainstream academic finance and notes that it is founded only on the functionalist paradigm. It argues that any view expressed with respect to corporate governance is based on one of the four paradigms or worldviews. It, therefore, discusses four views expressed with respect to the nature and role of corporate governance.Findings – The paper emphasizes that the four views expressed are equally scientific and informative; they look at the nature and role of corporate governance from a certain paradigmatic viewpoint. Emphasizing this example in the area of corporate governance, the paper concludes that there are opportunities for mainstream academic finance, in gene...
Feasibility of a Catch-Up HPV Vaccination Program among College Students Attending a Large Rural University in the South.

Our study explored the eligibility and willingness of students to participate in a university-wide catch-up Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program. A total of 1804 electronic surveys (82% response) assessing demographics, HPV knowledge, eligibility, and willingness were gathered. HPV knowledge was moderate, with just over a quarter (26%) answering all knowledge items correctly. Most understood that HPV is sexually transmitted (82%) while fewer knew HPV can cause cancer in men (40%) and that a vaccine is available for men (32%). Eligibility (71%) and willingness (71%) to receive school-based HPV vaccinations was high. These data support developing a college-wide catch-up HPV vaccination program.
Grooming Systems of Insects: Structure, Mechanics

Scraping by inclined setae or projections removes detritus from the cuticular surfaces of insects. These particles are concentrated, often transported from leg to leg, and then disposed of through use of the same scraping mechanism. Altering the location, structure, and field of action of grooming organs as well as shifting the direction of detrital elimination have resulted in diverse grooming systems whose evolution consists, in part, of reactions to diversification of the feeding and locomotory systems.
A synthetic DNA motor that transports nanoparticles along carbon nanotubes.

Motors based on RNA-cleaving DNA enzymes can transport cadmium sulphide nanocrystals along single-walled carbon nanotubes.
Using Video Images to Improve the Accuracy of Surrogate Decision-Making: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction When patients are unable to make important end-of-life decisions, doctors ask surrogate decision makers to provide insight into patients' preferences. Unfortunately, multiple studies have shown that surrogates' knowledge of patient preferences is poor. We hypothesized that a video decision tool would improve concordance between patients and their surrogates for end-of-life preferences. Objective To compare the concordance of preferences among elderly patients and their surrogates listening to only a verbal description of advanced dementia or viewing a video decision support tool of the disease after hearing the verbal description. Methods This was a randomized controlled trial of a convenience sample of community-dwelling elderly subjects (≥65 years) and their surrogates, and was conducted at 2 geriatric clinics affiliated with 2 academic medical centers in Boston. The study was conducted between September 1, 2007, and May 30, 2008. Random assignment of patient and surrogate dyads was to either a verbal narrative or a video decision support tool after the verbal narrative. End points were goals of care chosen by the patient and predicted goals of care by the surrogate. Goals of care included life-prolonging care (CPR, mechanical ventilation), limited care (hospitalization, antibiotics, but not CPR), and comfort care (only treatment to relieve symptoms). The primary outcome measure was the concordance rate of preferences between patients and their surrogates. Results A total of 14 pairs of patients and their surrogates were randomized to verbal narrative (n = 6) or video after verbal narrative (n = 8). Among the 6 patients receiving only the verbal narrative, 3 (50%) preferred comfort care, 1 (17%) chose limited care, and 2 (33%) desired life-prolonging care. Among the surrogates for these patients, only 2 correctly chose what their loved one would want if in a state of advanced dementia, yielding a concordance rate of 33%. Among the 8 patients receiving the video decision support tool, all 8 chose comfort care. Among the surrogates for these patients, all 8 correctly chose what their loved one would want if in a state of advanced dementia, yielding a concordance rate of 100%. Conclusion Patients and surrogates viewing a video decision support tool for advanced dementia are more likely to concur about the patient's end-of-life preferences than when solely listening to a verbal description of the disease.
Effects of winds and inhomogeneous atmosphere on sonic boom.

Winds and inhomogeneous atmosphere effects on sonic boom strength and propagation, using model based on shock wave/vortex sheet interaction concept
Chemical and sensory studies of antioxidant-treated beef

Ground beef patties treated with metal chelators, free radical scavengers, rosemary and sodium alginate were examined by chemical (TBARS and gas chromatography) and sensory means in regard to warmed-over flavor (WOF). A highly trained analytical sensory panel evaluated the patties for desirable descriptors, such as cooked beef brothy (CBB) and for WOF descriptors, painty and cardboardy. Results showed many of the compounds retarded lipid oxidation when judged by chemical means, but not all affected development of WOF when judged by sensory means since CBB values decreased and WOF descriptors increased. The free radical scavengers appeared overall the most effective inhibitors of WOF.
Galanin Causes Cl− Secretion in the Human Colon: Potential Significance of Inflammation‐Associated NF‐κB Activation on Galanin‐1 Receptor Expression and Function

Galanin is widely distributed in enteric nerves and nerve terminals throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Within the GI tract galanin is best known for its ability to alter smooth muscle contractility and regulate intestinal motility. However, recent studies also indicate that galanin can modulate epithelial ion transport. We previously showed that epithelial cells lining the human GI tract, including those of colonic origin, express Gal1 galanin receptors (Gal1-R). We herein demonstrate that epithelial cells lining the human colon only express Gal1-R receptors and do not express other galanin receptor subtypes. We previously showed that Gal1-R expression was transcriptionally regulated by the transcription factor NF-kappa B. Consistent with this transcription factor being activated in a number of inflammatory conditions, we show increased colonic Gal1-R expression in patients with colitis due to a variety of causes. To further evaluate the physiology of Gal1-R activation, we studied this receptor expressed by the human colon epithelial cell line T84. Gal1-R activation resulted in a dose-dependent increase in Cl- secretion; whereas infection of T84 cells with pathogens known to activate NF-kappa B augmented Gal1-R expression and Cl- secretion. Thus, galanin acts as a secretagogue in epithelial cells lining the human colon, with alterations in Gal1-R expression possibly playing an important role in the diarrhea associated with various inflammatory processes affecting the GI tract.
Current and future commitment to hematology research.

This article provides an overview of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) current and future commitment to hematology research. The paper comprises nine sections: (1) a brief history of how NHLBI incorporated blood research in its mission; (2) a summary of the traditional areas of research interest for blood diseases and resources; (3) a description of how NHLBI has assured and continues to assure a safe blood supply; (4) the current and future plans for transfusion medicine and cellular therapy research; (5) research support for hemoglobinopathies and red cell disorders; (6) research support for thrombosis and hemostatic disorders; (7) current and future research of hematopoietic stem cell biology, and aplastic and preneoplastic conditions; (8) future training for hematologists, and (9) a concluding summary.
Rotational locomotion by the cockroach Blattella germanica

Abstract Locomotion on complex substrata can be expressed in a plane by two geometric components of body movement: linear locomotion and rotational locomotion. This study examined pure rotation by analysing the geometry of leg movements and stepping patterns during the courtship turns of male Blattella germanica . Strict rotation or translation by an insect requires that each side of the body cover equal distance with respect to the substrate. There are three mechanisms by which the legs can maintain this equality: frequency of stepping, magnitude of the leg arcs relative to the body and the degree to which legs flex and extend during locomotion. During the courtship behaviour of Blattella germanica selected males executed turns involving body rotation along with leg movements in which the legs on the outside of the turn swung through greater average arcs than those on the inside of the turn. This difference should have resulted in a translation component. However, legs on the inside of the turn compensated by flexion and extension movements which were greater than those of opposing legs. The net effect was that both sides of the body covered equal average ground. These cockroaches used a wide variety of stepping combinations to effect rotation. The frequency of these combinations was compared to an expected frequency distribution of stepping combinations and further to an expected frequency of these stepping combinations used for straight walking. These comparisons demonstrated a similarity between interleg coordination during straight walking and that during turning in place.
Evolution of Novice Programming Environments: The Structure Editors of Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract Beginning in the early 1980s, the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University developed and used three generations of novice programming environments. The focus of these systems was to apply, advance and tune structure editor technology in support of the teaching and learning of computer programming. The use of these pedagogical systems in Carnegie Mellon's introductory programming courses provided feedback and inspiration to guide the projects. This paper tracks the evolution of the programming environments and courses, documenting important lessons and discoveries about novice programmers and the environments that support them.
Synthesis of a water soluble boron neutron capture therapy agent: 1-amino-3-[2-(7-{3-[2-(2-hydroxymethyl-ethoxy)-1-(2-hydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl-ethoxymethyl)ethoxy]propyl}-1,7-di-carba-closo-dodecaboran-1-yl)ethyl]cyclobutanecarboxylic acid

Abstract A water soluble boronated amino acid containing a cascade polyol, 1-amino-3-[2-(7-{3-[2-(2-hydroxymethyl-ethoxy)-1-(2-hydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl-ethoxymethyl)ethoxy]propyl}-1,7-di-carba- closo -dodecaboran-1-yl)ethyl]cyclobutanecarboxylic acid, has been developed. The key step in the synthesis is the alkylation of 3-[2-(1,7-dicarba- closo -dodecarboran-1-yl)ethyl]cyclobutanone hemithioketal with toluene-4-sulfonic acid 3-[2-(2-benzyloxy-1-benzyloxymethyl-ethoxy)-1-(2-benzyloxy-1-benzyloxymethyl-ethoxymethyl)ethoxy]propyl ester which gave the required precursor ketone which was then converted to the title amino acid via a Bucherer–Strecker synthesis followed by hydrogenolysis to remove the benzyl protecting groups.
In lieu of an autobiography

The author recalls some of the issues related to his professional work, first at the Politechnika in Warsaw and at the Polish University College in London and subsequently during his tenure as a professor of engineering at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Just A Dog: Understanding Animal Cruelty and Ourselves

(2007). Just A Dog: Understanding Animal Cruelty and Ourselves. Anthrozoos: Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 201-203.
Global smoothness and uniform convergence of smooth Gauss-Weierstrass singular operators

In this article we continue with the study of smooth Gauss-Weierstrass singular integral operators over the real line regarding their simultaneous global smoothness preservation property with respect to the L"p norm, [email protected][email protected]?~, by involving higher order moduli of smoothness. Also we study their simultaneous approximation to the unit operator with rates involving the modulus of continuity with respect to the uniform norm. The produced Jackson type inequalities are almost sharp containing elegant constants, and they reflect the high order of differentiability of the engaged function.
Keeping the Peace: A Tale of Murder and Morality in Postapartheid South Africa

This article examines a South African murder trial known as the Reeds Murders as a site for analyzing discourses of crime, race, and citizenship within the context of postapartheid South Africa. I show how concerns over public morality are represented within the juridical field, as well as how the defendants in this case deploy collective memories of state violence to challenge the court's vision of postapartheid justice. I conclude by exploring both how public fears of African youth emerge in the sentencing of the accused, and also how those fears map onto the contours of a postapartheid moral geography.
Flexural strength of cement paste composites containing micron and sub-micron nickel particulates

Abstract The effect of nickel particle addition (0.3–5.0 μm diameter) to brittle cement paste matrices on flexural strength was investigated. Strengthening was observed for nickel particle addition up to 15% by volume. This was explained in terms of pore structure modifications and toughening mechanisms using evidence provided by mercury intrusion porosimetry and SEM.
Copper transporter 2 regulates intracellular copper and sensitivity to cisplatin

Mammalian cells express two copper (Cu) influx transporters, CTR1 and CTR2. CTR1 serves as an influx transporter for both Cu and cisplatin (cDDP). In mouse embryo fibroblasts, reduction of CTR1 expression renders cells resistant to cDDP whereas reduction of CTR2 makes them hypersensitive both in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the role of CTR2 on intracellular Cu and cDDP sensitivity its expression was molecularly altered in the human epithelial 2008 cancer cell model. Intracellular exchangeable Cu+ was measured with the fluorescent probe Coppersensor-3 (CS3). The ability of CS3 to report on changes in intracellular Cu+ was validated by showing that Cu chelators reduced its signal, and that changes in signal accompanied alterations in expression of the major Cu influx transporter CTR1 and the two Cu efflux transporters, ATP7A and ATP7B. Constitutive knock down of CTR2 mRNA by ∼50% reduced steady-state exchangeable Cu by 22–23% and increased the sensitivity of 2008 cells by a factor of 2.6–2.9 in two separate clones. Over-expression of CTR2 increased exchangeable Cu+ by 150% and rendered the 2008 cells 2.5-fold resistant to cDDP. The results provide evidence that CS3 can quantitatively assess changes in exchangeable Cu+, and that CTR2 regulates both the level of exchangeable Cu+ and sensitivity to cDDP in a model of human epithelial cancer. This study introduces CS3 and related sensors as novel tools for probing and assaying Cu-dependent sensitivity to anticancer therapeutics.
The 8;21 translocation in leukemogenesis

A common chromosomal translocation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) involves the AML1 (acute myeloid leukemia 1, also called RUNX1, core binding factor protein (CBF alpha), and PEBP2 alpha B) gene on chromosome 21 and the ETO (eight-twenty one, also called MTG8) gene on chromosome 8. This translocation generates an AML1-ETO fusion protein. t(8;21) is associated with 12% of de novo AML cases and up to 40% in the AML subtype M2 of the French-American-British classification. Furthermore, it is also reported in a small portion of M0, M1, and M4 AML samples. Despite numerous studies on the function of AML1-ETO, the precise mechanism by which the fusion protein is involved in leukemia development is still not fully understood. In this review, we will discuss structural aspects of the fusion protein and the accumulated knowledge from in vitro analyses on AML1-ETO functions, and outline putative mechanisms of its leukemogenic potential.
Effect of benomyl on shoot-tip cultures from PVX-and PVS-infected potatoes

Benomyl (50% WP) at 25 and 50 ώg ai/ml was tested as a constituent of potato shoot-tip culture medium. Both concentrations increased shoot-tip growth rate when compared to a nontreated control. The 25 ώg/ml benomyl treatment significantly reduced the amount of time required for plantlet regeneration. Benomyl had no eradicative effect on potato virus X, but it appeared to exhibit a weak eradicative effect on potato virus S.
Role of phospholipase A2 in the cytotoxic effects of oxalate in cultured renal epithelial cells.

Role of phospholipase A 2 in the cytotoxic effects of oxalate in cultured renal epithelial cells. Background Oxalate, a common constituent of kidney stones, is cytotoxic for renal epithelial cells. Although the exact mechanism of oxalate-induced cell death remains unclear, studies in various cell types, including renal epithelial cells, have implicated phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) as a prominent mediator of cellular injury. Thus, these studies examined the role of PLA 2 in the cytotoxic effects of oxalate. Methods The release of [ 3 H]-arachidonic acid (AA) or [ 3 H]-oleic acid (OA) from prelabeled Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells was measured as an index for PLA 2 activity. The cell viability was assessed by the exclusion of ethidium homodimer-1. Results Oxalate exposure (175 to 550 μM free) increased the release of [ 3 H]-AA in MDCK cells but had no effect on the release of [ 3 H]-OA. Oxalate-induced [ 3 H]-AA release was abolished by arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone (AACOCF 3 ), a selective inhibitor of cytosolic PLA 2 (cPLA 2 ), but was not affected by selective inhibitors of secretory PLA 2 and calcium-independent PLA 2 . The [ 3 H]-AA release could be demonstrated within 15 minutes after exposure to oxalate, which is considerably earlier than the observed changes in cell viability. Furthermore, AACOCF 3 significantly reduced oxalate toxicity in MDCK cells. Conclusions Oxalate increases AA release from MDCK cells by a process involving cPLA 2 . In addition, based on the evidence obtained using a selective inhibitor of this isoform, it would appear that the activity of this enzyme is responsible, at least in part, for the cytotoxic effects of oxalate. The finding that oxalate can trigger a known lipid-signaling pathway may provide new insight into the initial events in the pathogenesis of nephrolithiasis.
Scoring functions and their evaluation methods for protein-ligand docking: recent advances and future directions.

The scoring function is one of the most important components in structure-based drug design. Despite considerable success, accurate and rapid prediction of protein–ligand interactions is still a challenge in molecular docking. In this perspective, we have reviewed three basic types of scoring functions (force-field, empirical, and knowledge-based) and the consensus scoring technique that are used for protein–ligand docking. The commonly-used assessment criteria and publicly available protein–ligand databases for performance evaluation of the scoring functions have also been presented and discussed. We end with a discussion of the challenges faced by existing scoring functions and possible future directions for developing improved scoring functions.
Successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C with pegylated interferon in combination with ribavirin in a methadone maintenance treatment program

Injection drug users constitute 60% of the more than 4 million people in the United States with hepatitis C virus (HCV), including many methadone maintenance patients. Few data exist describing clinical outcomes for patients receiving HCV treatment on-site in methadone maintenance settings. In this retrospective study, we describe clinical outcomes for 73 patients receiving HCV treatment on-site in a methadone maintenance treatment program. Fifty-five percent of patients achieved end-of-treatment response, and 45% achieved sustained viral response. These treatment response rates are nearly equivalent to previously published HCV treatment response rates, despite high prevalences of ongoing drug use (49%), psychiatric comorbidity (67%), and HIV coinfection (32%). These data show that on-site HCV treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin is effective in methadone-maintained patients, many of whom are active drug users, psychiatrically ill, or HIV coinfected, and that methadone maintenance treatment programs represent an opportunity to safely treat chronic hepatitis C.
SU‐HH‐BRB‐12: IGRT Via Machine Learning from Limited Angle Projection Images

Purpose: To yield accurate patient treatment setup correction from few numbers of projection images in tomosynthesis‐based IGRT approaches using cone‐beam CT(CBCT) and the novel carbon nanotube stationary tomosynthesis (NST) devices.Method and Materials: Our method uses a machine learning strategy that has a two‐stage process: training and IGRT. In the training stage we perform a patient‐specific training that samples from a range of potential patient movements, and for each such movement we generate 2D projections by transforming and re‐projecting the patient's planning CT. We compute a linear regression between the patient movements and the differences between the projections of the moved CT and those of the CT in the planning position. In the IGRT stage, the learned regression model is applied iteratively to the successive residues between the real‐time projections and those of the moving CT transformed by the previously predicted parameters. This iteration yields the predicted transformation with sub‐voxel accuracy. The re‐projection process is implemented on GPUs to speed up the real‐time image guidance that will be enabled by the carbon nanotube based stationary tomosynthesisIGRT system NST. Results: We tested our method using three patients' head‐and‐neck CTs. A total of 180 test movements were simulated with combination of both translations and rotations that were randomly picked within −2 to 2 cm and −5 to 5 degrees, respectively. The NST and the 44‐degree CBCTIGRTdevices are simulated in our tests. The mean of the vector error distance are 0.1270 cm with 12 NST image projections and 0.1116 cm with 5 image projections from the 44‐degree CBCT.Conclusion: Our method can yield accurate patient's position and orientation correction with limited projection images, which is important for image‐guidance during treatment delivery and the reduction of imagingradiationdose.Conflict of Interest: Research sponsored by Siemens Medical Solutions.
Specification of jaw muscle identity in zebrafish: correlation with engrailed-homeoprotein expression

Molecules that determine the specific features of individual muscles in vertebrates are unknown. Antibody labeling studies described here revealed a molecular difference among muscles in the zebrafish head, in that two functionally related jaw muscles (the levator arcus palatini and the dilator operculi), and not other head muscles, expressed engrailed-homeodomain proteins. Expression began in mesoderm-derived muscle-precursor cells in the paraxial mesenchyme and continued during muscle morphogenesis and differentiation. Growth cones of trigeminal motoneurons that innervate these muscles associated with the precursors within a few hours of the time they began to express engrailed. It is proposed that the engrailed proteins in these cells establish muscle identity and neuromuscular target recognition.
Molecular chemisorption at well-defined Pd(111) electrode surfaces: hydroquinone sulfonate studied by UHV-EC-STM

Abstract The chemisorption of 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulfonate (hydroquinone sulfonate, HQS) from dilute aqueous solutions, onto a well-defined Pd(111) electrode surface has been studied by a combination of Auger electron spectroscopy, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy and electrochemistry. The results indicate that HQS is oxidatively chemisorbed and exists on the surface as benzoquinone sulfonate (BQS); it is oriented essentially parallel to the surface with a slight tilt due to the bulky SO3− group. The H+ counter-ions in the ionic adlayer can be exchanged reversibly and quantitatively by K+ or Cs+ ions without changes in the structure and coverage of the surface-anchored species.
Spin-dependent Gauge Fields in Atomic Gases

Gauge fields -- ubiquitous in Physics -- can depend on ``spin'' degrees of freedom, and in materials these are often manifest as spin-orbit coupling. Here I present our work synthesizing SOC for ultracold neutral atoms.
Current trends in industrial control

This paper demonstrates the outline of the recently published literatures on the field of industrial control and gives an overview about the current trends of control issues in various industrial applications. Controllers can be divided into different categories according to different control algorithms and technologies, which includes PID algorithm, Kalman filter, least squares regression, network-based automation, fuzzy inference systems, neural networks, radial basis function networks and sliding-mode control and so on. A brief introduction will be given for every paper related to these control technologies and applications.
Real Time Voltage-Phasor Measurements for Static State Estimation

Recent introduction of microcomputers in substations to assume all substation tasks including protections makes possible accurate real-time measurements of positive sequence voltage phasors. Since static state estimators use measurements of line flows and injections to estimate the positive sequence voltage phasors it is clear that direct measurement of the state vector may be used to enhance state estimation. In order to obtain simultaneous measurements of different buses it is necessary to synchronize sampling clocks at different locations. After reviewing the techniques for obtaining positive sequence phasors from samples. techniques for clock synchronization are reviewed. Data volume reductions possible with direct measurement of state are examined and static state estimators which incorporate direct measurements are presented. Simulation results for the IEEE 118 bus system are presented.
Estrogen and telomerase in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The enzyme telomerase plays an important role in sustaining the capacity of T lymphocytes for homeostatic replication. Recent data have suggested that gonadal steroids might modulate telomerase expression or activity within these cells. We used quantitative assay techniques for both telomerase mRNA expression and telomerase enzymatic activity to systematically examine the effects of physiologic concentrations of estradiol on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells under basal conditions and under conditions that normally enhance telomerase activity in T lymphocytes. Cells from women tended to exhibit higher responsiveness of telomerase activity to induction by T cell receptor engagement. However, we found no evidence of a direct effect of physiologic concentrations of estradiol on human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA expression, hTERT protein expression, or telomerase enzymatic activity in cultured PBMCs. While estrogen might exert developmental effects on T cells to alter telomerase responsiveness to T cell receptor engagement, mature peripheral T cells do not respond to estradiol with changes in expression or function of telomerase.
Schizophrenic, alcoholic, felon and management factor compositions of social status.

Administered the Social Status Study scale to four different groups: 174 incarcerated felons, 125 alcoholics, 278 management consultants, and 388 chronic undifferentiated schizophrenics. Five factors were derived for each of the four populations. Major finding is that factorial composition of the groups is dependent upon specific population characteristics, and the overall factors are not sufficient for clinical judgment of individuals from different subgroups. The resulting factors were clearly unique in depicting social adjustment maladjustment styles in each of the clinical groups.
Quasi-periodic patterns (QPP): Large-scale dynamics in resting state fMRI that correlate with local infraslow electrical activity

Functional connectivity measurements from resting state blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are proving a powerful tool to probe both normal brain function and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the neural mechanisms that coordinate these large networks are poorly understood, particularly in the context of the growing interest in network dynamics. Recent work in anesthetized rats has shown that the spontaneous BOLD fluctuations are tightly linked to infraslow local field potentials (LFPs) that are seldom recorded but comparable in frequency to the slow BOLD fluctuations. These findings support the hypothesis that long-range coordination involves low frequency neural oscillations and establishes infraslow LFPs as an excellent candidate for probing the neural underpinnings of the BOLD spatiotemporal patterns observed in both rats and humans. To further examine the link between large-scale network dynamics and infraslow LFPs, simultaneous fMRI and microelectrode recording were performed in anesthetized rats. Using an optimized filter to isolate shared components of the signals, we found that time-lagged correlation between infraslow LFPs and BOLD is comparable in spatial extent and timing to a quasi-periodic pattern (QPP) found from BOLD alone, suggesting that fMRI-measured QPPs and the infraslow LFPs share a common mechanism. As fMRI allows spatial resolution and whole brain coverage not available with electroencephalography, QPPs can be used to better understand the role of infraslow oscillations in normal brain function and neurological or psychiatric disorders.
Mechanochemical Sensing: A Biomimetic Sensing Strategy

Existing biosensors employ two major components: analyte recognition and signal transduction. Although specificity is achieved through analyte recognition, sensitivity is usually enhanced through a chemical amplification stage that couples the two main units in a sensor. Although highly sensitive, the extra chemical amplification stage complicates the sensing protocol. In addition, it separates the two elements spatiotemporally, reducing the real-time response of the biosensor. In this review, we discuss the new mechanochemical biosensors that employ mechanochemical coupling strategies to overcome these issues. By monitoring changes in the mechanical properties of a single-molecule template upon analyte binding, single-molecule sensitivity is reached. As chemical amplification becomes unnecessary in this single-molecule mechanochemical sensing (SMMS) strategy, real-time sensing is achieved.
Measuring bias in self-reported data.

Response bias shows up in many fields of behavioural and healthcare research where self-reported data are used. We demonstrate how to use stochastic frontier estimation (SFE) to identify response bias and its covariates. In our application to a family intervention, we examine the effects of participant demographics on response bias before and after participation; gender and race/ethnicity are related to magnitude of bias and to changes in bias across time, and bias is lower at post-test than at pre-test. We discuss how SFE may be used to address the problem of ‘response shift bias’ – that is, a shift in metric from before to after an intervention which is caused by the intervention itself and may lead to underestimates of programme effects.
c-FLIP Degradation Mediates Sensitization of Pancreatic Cancer Cells to TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis by the Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor LBH589

Great efforts have been made to develop novel and efficacious therapeutics against pancreatic cancer to improve the treatment outcomes. Tumor-necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is such a therapeutic cytokine with selective killing effect toward malignant cells. However, some human pancreatic cancers are intrinsically resistant to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis or therapy. In this study, we have shown that the histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 can synergize with TRAIL to augment apoptosis even in TRAIL-resistant cells. LBH589 decreased c-FLIP levels in every tested cell line and survivin levels in some of the tested cell lines. Enforced expression of ectopic c-FLIP, but not survivin, abolished the cooperative induction of apoptosis by the combination of LBH589 and TRAIL, indicating that c-FLIP downregulation plays a critical role in LBH589 sensitization of pancreatic cancer cells to TRAIL. Moreover, LBH589 decreased c-FLIP stability and the presence of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 prevented c-FLIP from reduction by LBH589. Correspondingly, we detected increased levels of ubiqutinated c-FLIP in LBH589-treated cells. These data thus indicate that LBH589 promotes ubiqutin/proteasome-mediated degradation of c-FLIP, leading to downregulation of c-FLIP. Collectively, LBH589 induces c-FLIP degradation and accordingly sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, highlighting a novel therapeutic regimen against pancreatic cancer.