cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nondestructive full coverage asphalt stripping detection using 3D radar

Since subsurface stripping extent is important for maintaining the road network, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) uses forensic measures such as coring. The destructive nature and lack of coverage provided by this accepted method makes finding nondestructive methods for detecting stripping of in situ asphalt pavements an important need for MnDOT and many other agencies. Stripping between hot mix asphalt layers can cause premature failure of pavements. Knowledge of the lateral location, depth and extent of stripping can affect the timing and type of pavement preservation, maintenance, or rehabilitation. This paper reports on use of a DX1821 antenna to collect data at a frequency step of 20 MHz ranging from 50 MHz to 3050 MHz with a dwell time of 7.52 μs using a GeoScope Mk IV control unit on a full-scale asphalt pavement constructed at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) test track with built-in stripping. Signals from the known stripped and non-stripped locations were used to evaluate statistical and energy based approaches. It is shown that a maximum energy ratio method, an approach that has been successfully applied to acoustic emission applications in the past, can improve signal clarity for stripping detection using ground penetrating radar (GPR). These results are confirmed using highway speed measurements at the Minnesota Road Research Facility with core validation.
A Novel Optimization Approach for Developing Foods that Address Childhood Malnutrition

Micronutrient deficiencies affect over thirty percent of the world's children. Children are particularly at risk for deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, iodine, and zinc, which are essential micronutrients. Malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are especially prevalent in Sierra Leone. Our overall goal is to develop nutrient-dense foods for children under the age of five in Sierra Leone using locally-sourced, low-cost ingredients. Three of the products in development include sweet potato muffins, peanut butter-based pudding, and bouillon cubes. In this study, we have used the model development and optimization tool AMPL (A Mathematical Programming Language), as an aid in developing recipes that minimize cost while satisfying nutrient requirements. First, AMPL and the optimization methodology are described. Then, three case studies, one for each food product, are presented to illustrate the use of AMPL as a tool to assist with recipe development. The results demonstrate how AMPL can aid in making quantitative decisions about food formulations. From the AMPL results, we have been able to structure recipes to meet nutrient requirements in a cost-efficient manner. Next steps for the project include taste-testing the products in Sierra Leone and analysis of the foods for nutrient content. The long-term plan for the project is for the foods to be produced in bakeries and sold in markets in Sierra Leone.
X-rays from the SNR 3C 391

An X-ray map and spectral information were obtained from a short Einstein observation of 3C 391 (G31.9 + 0.0). Both X-ray and radio emission appear to come from an irregular shell 5 arcmin in diameter. For a distance of 11 kpc the X-ray luminosity is at least 10 to the 35th ergs/sec. The luminosity, the radius, and the temperature are about as expected from a middle-aged SNR expanding into a medium with density a few tenths of an atom per cu cm.
Determinants of public attitudes towards school budget cuts during the Great Recession

During the Great Recession, which spanned 2008 and 2009, budget crises caused states to cut back on public education spending and schools responded by reducing spending on personnel, curriculum, an...
End-to-End Remote Field Testing of Phasor Measurement Units Using Phasor Measurement Unit Performance Analyzer Test Suite

Phasor measurement unit (PMU) testing is desired to ensure the continued power system monitoring and the maneuvering precision of synchrophasor-based control. IEEE Std C37.118 and IEEE synchrophasor measurement test suite specification (TSS) clarify the different requirements for both steady-state and dynamic test scenarios with varied error ranges. Existing PMU testing requires taking PMUs out of service and test in the lab typically manually. This article presents an architecture for remote PMU testing utilizing the PMU performance analyzer (PPA) test suite, which can considerably reduce the cost while achieving the substation automation. The proposed field-programmable gate array (FPGA) programming method is demonstrated to meet the TSS requirements for signal source generators (SSG). The accuracy of the frequency and harmonic distortion factors by SSG using the proposed method are compared with the built-in signal generation module of the national instruments (NI) cRIO system. The steady-state and dynamic test results of remote PMU testing based on the proposed architecture are presented in this article. The satisfactory performance test results demonstrate the feasibility of the architecture.
Searching for Fluctuations in the Intergalactic Medium Temperature Using the Lyα Forest

We propose a statistical method to search for fluctuations in the temperature of the intergalactic medium using the Ly? forest. The power on small scales (~25?km s-1) is used as a thermometer, and fluctuations of this power are constrained. The method is illustrated using Q1422+231. We see no evidence of temperature fluctuations. We show that in a model with two temperatures that occupy comparable fractions of the spectra, the ratio of small-scale powers is constrained to be smaller than 3.5 (corresponding to a factor of 2.5 in temperature). We show that approximately 10 quasars are needed to constrain temperature fluctuations of a factor of 1.7.
CRISPR knockdown of Kcnq3 attenuates the M-current and increases excitability of NPY/AgRP neurons to alter energy balance.

Abstract Objective Arcuate nucleus neuropeptide Y/agouti-related peptide (NPY/AgRP) neurons drive ingestive behavior. The M-current, a subthreshold non-inactivating potassium current, plays a critical role in regulating NPY/AgRP neuronal excitability. Fasting decreases while 17β-estradiol increases the M-current by regulating the mRNA expression of Kcnq2, 3, and 5 (Kv7.2, 3, and 5) channel subunits. Incorporating KCNQ3 into heteromeric channels has been considered essential to generate a robust M-current. Therefore, we investigated the behavioral and physiological effects of selective Kcnq3 deletion from NPY/AgRP neurons. Methods We used a single adeno-associated viral vector containing a recombinase-dependent Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 with a single-guide RNA to selectively delete Kcnq3 in NPY/AgRP neurons. Single-cell quantitative measurements of mRNA expression and whole-cell patch clamp experiments were conducted to validate the selective knockdown. Body weight, food intake, and locomotor activity were measured in male mice to assess disruptions in energy balance. Results The virus reduced the expression of Kcnq3 mRNA without affecting Kcnq2 or Kcnq5. The M-current was attenuated, causing NPY/AgRP neurons to be more depolarized, exhibit a higher input resistance, and require less depolarizing current to fire action potentials, indicative of increased excitability. Although the resulting decrease in the M-current did not overtly alter ingestive behavior, it significantly reduced the locomotor activity as measured by open-field testing. Control mice on a high-fat diet exhibited an enhanced M-current and increased Kcnq2 and Kcnq3 expression, but the M-current remained significantly attenuated in KCNQ3 knockdown animals. Conclusions The M-current plays a critical role in modulating the intrinsic excitability of NPY/AgRP neurons that is essential for maintaining energy homeostasis.
On Fair and Efficient Allocations of Indivisible Goods

We study the problem of fair and efficient allocation of a set of indivisible goods to agents with additive valuations using the popular fairness notions of envy-freeness up to one good (EF1) and equitability up to one good (EQ1) in conjunction with Pareto-optimality (PO). There exists a pseudo-polynomial time algorithm to compute an EF1+PO allocation, and a non-constructive proof of existence of allocations that are both EF1 and fractionally Pareto-optimal (fPO). We present a pseudo-polynomial time algorithm to compute an EF1+fPO allocation, thereby improving the earlier results. Our techniques also enable us to show that an EQ1+fPO allocation always exists when the values are positive, and that it can be computed in pseudo-polynomial time. We also consider the class of k-ary instances where k is a constant, i.e., each agent has at most k different values for the goods. We show that for such instances an EF1+fPO allocation can be computed in polynomial time. When all values are positive, we show that an EQ1+fPO allocation for such instances can be computed in polynomial time. Next, we consider instances where the number of agents is constant, and show that an EF1+PO (also EQ1+PO) allocation can be computed in polynomial time. These results significantly extend the polynomial-time computability beyond the known cases of binary or identical valuations. Further, we show that the problem of computing an EF1+PO allocation polynomial-time reduces to a problem in the complexity class PLS. We also design a polynomial-time algorithm that computes Nash welfare maximizing allocations when there are constantly many agents with constant many different values for the goods.
Improving Trajectory Tracking Accuracy for Faster and Safer Autonomous Navigation of Ground Vehicles in Off-Road Settings

Autonomous navigation in off-road settings is complicated by environment-induced disturbances due to natural phenomena, such as friction and slip. This introduces deviations in trajectory-following capabilities, exacerbates the effects of inevitable understeering and, in the worst case, can lead to unsafe navigation. We anticipate that future systems will need to learn terrain-induced effects efficiently from experiences on-platform, in real-time, to compensate for complex terrain. Toward this vision, we discuss a data-driven approach to improving trajectory tracking accuracy by combining conventional, model-based solutions that use proprioceptive sensor data with online, self-supervised learning of noisy disturbances using exteroceptive data. We investigate the value and challenges of predicting disturbances and computing corresponding command offsets based on the robot's experiences.
Dysfluency in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract This paper will present the latest information regarding what is known and unknown about the presence, possible causes, and potential effective treatments of fluency disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Advanced review of cognitive features of ASDs which may play a role in contributing to dysfluencies in this population will be discussed. Examples of practical application of existing information to evaluation and treatment will be presented.
Rapid analytical gel filtration chromatography. 3. Apparent molecular weight distribution of peptides produced by proteolysis.

Abstract A rapid gel filtration chromatography method is described for determination of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of peptide mixtures by using calibrated Sephadex microbore columns. The method was applied to MWD analysis of peptide mixtures resulting from trypsin and pepsin digestion of glycinin—the major soybean storage protein—under different incubation conditions of pH, temperature, and time of hydrolysis. Possible sources of errors and suggestions for improvement are discussed.
Dictionary of American Regional English, Volume V: Sl-Z

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2012 Publisher: Harvard University Press ISBN: 9780674047358 (soft cover).
Test strategies for nanometer technologies

The trend toward bigger systems-on-a-chip means that the increase in die size alone add significant DPM, making the goal of double-digit DPM using current methods infeasible. To keep quality under control in nanometer processes, test must target delay defects, noise and process variation. Functional testing of high-performance parts continues to screen significant unique DPM on top of high coverage scan content. The at-speed tests result in heavy yield losses because they are applied in non-native mode, and could target functionally unsensitizable paths. In addition DFT supports reliable at-speed test application methods. With the proliferation of subtle defect types in nanometer processes, targeting defects directly is essential to contain test data volume. To target the defects stochastic process such as N-defect and BIST were used.
Antarctica: A Biography

In Antarctica: A Biography, Australian writer David Day presents a comprehensive political history of Antarctica from 1766 to 2012. That may sound dull and boring to scientists, but Day livens it u...
Trigeminocervical complex responses after lesioning dopaminergic A11 nucleus are modified by dopamine and serotonin mechanisms

Both serotonergic and dopaminergic receptor modulation can alter trigeminal nociceptive processing, and descending A11 dopaminergic projections can affect trigeminal nociceptive transmission. Here we aimed to test the interaction between dopamine D(2) and serotonin 5-HT(1B/1D) receptors and their individual and combined effects in order to better understand the relationship of the descending influences of these systems on nociceptive trigeminovascular afferents. Extracellular recordings were made in the rat trigeminocervical complex in response to electrical stimulation of the dura mater and mechanical noxious and innocuous stimulation of the ipsilateral ophthalmic dermatome. The A11 nucleus was lesioned, and following the resultant facilitation of neuronal firing, one of a selective 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor agonist (naratriptan), selective 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor antagonist (GR127935), a selective D(2)-like receptor agonist (quinpirole), and a selective D(1)-like receptor agonist (dihydrexidine), or a combination of the above, were administered. Both quinpirole and quinpirole with naratriptan inhibited firing in the trigeminocervical complex evoked by noxious stimuli, reducing it below prelesion baseline, while the response to innocuous stimuli was reduced back to baseline. Both naratriptan alone, and quinpirole combined with GR127935, inhibited firing in the trigeminocervical complex evoked by noxious stimuli, returning it to prelesion baseline, while the response to innocuous stimuli remained facilitated. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated D(2)-receptor and 5-HT(1B/1D)-receptor colocalization in the trigeminocervical complex. The data suggest that the serotonergic and dopaminergic antinociceptive pathways act simultaneously on neurons in the trigeminocervical complex, and both amine systems need to be functioning for trigeminal sensitization to be reversed.
Single leptons from heavy-flavor decays at RHIC

Abstract Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of single electrons from Au+Au collisions have been measured at S N N = 130 GeV and 200 GeV at midrapidity by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. After subtraction of background from photon conversions and light hadron decays, the spectra appear consistent with semileptonic decays of charmed particles.
Application of physical electric circuit modeling to characterize Li-ion battery electrochemical processes

Abstract A physical electric circuit model (PECM) was used to identify several electrochemical processes occurring in two commercial Li-ion batteries of different cathode materials (LixFePO4 and LixCoO2) via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Through defining these electrochemical processes in these two cells, it was determined that the charge transfer resistance (or exchange current density) observed via EIS was due to the cathodic exchange current densities in both the LixFePO4 and LixCoO2 full cells. In discussing the ionic diffusion of the examined cells, the anode of one cell and the cathode of the other were primarily responsible for the observed diffusion of the full cells. Lastly, the measured double layer capacitance was determined to be represented in EIS scans by the anodes of both full cells. The diffusion coefficient was calculated using Fick's1st Law estimation, and from this coefficient, the particle size was calculated and evaluated against scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Application of High-Speed Countercurrent Chromatography/Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (HSCCC/ESIMS) in Natural Products Chemistry

Abstract In this paper, we describe the technique of analytical highspeed countercurrent chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HSCCC/ESIMS) for the first time, and evaluate its performance in terms of chromatography and mass spectrometry. This technique demonstrates the capability and resolving power of HSCCC in the separation of a few natural product mixtures and utilizes ESIMS as a detector with continuous detection and high sensitivity. Application of this HSCCC/ESIMS system is illustrated by the separation and detection of biologically important compounds.
Overexpression of human Argonaute2 inhibits cell and tumor growth.

Abstract Background Argonaute (Ago) proteins are essential for the biogenesis and function of ~ 20–30 nucleotide long RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs). Ago expression increases or decreases under various physiological conditions, although the functional consequences are unknown. In addition, while reduced global miRNA production was shown to enhance cellular transformation and tumorigenesis, how Ago proteins contribute to human diseases has not been reported. Method Ago2, an essential Ago isoform in mammals, was stably expressed in 293 T, the human embryonic kidney cell line, and H1299, the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. miRNA and mRNA expression was investigated by quantitative PCR and microarray profiling. Cell proliferation and migration was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and scratch assay in the cell cultures, respectively. How Ago2 affected cell growth in vivo was determined by H1299 xenograft tumor growth in mice. Changes in Ago2 expression in human lung cancer samples were investigated by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results Stable Ago2 overexpression elicited specific changes in miRNA and mRNA expression in both 293 T and H1299 cells. It also inhibited cell proliferation and migration in cell cultures as well as xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. Ago2 expression was lower in human lung adenocarcinomas than in the paired, non-cancerous tissues. General significance We concluded that changes in Ago2 expression might have significant physiological and pathological consequences in vivo.
Effect of Imitation or Filled Dairy Products

Abstract United States consumers are eating more fat than ever, but they are eating less animal fat. Per capita consumption of animal fat dropped 34% since 1960, and vegetable fat consumption increased by 77%. The shift to imitation dairy products is reflected in dairy product surpluses and resulting downward pressure on dairy product prices. The imitation product that threatens the dairy industry most is imitation cheese. The 205 million pounds of imitation cheese marketed in 1984 was 44% of US Department of Agriculture price support purchases of cheese. Average retail prices for various types of imitation cheese are 16 to 32% lower than natural cheese prices; pizza with imitation cheese averages 14% less in price than natural cheese pizza of the same brand. Imitation cheese takes up 16% of the shredded cheese shelf space, 2% of the unshredded and process cheese shelf space, and pizza made with imitation cheese has gained more than half the pizza shelf space in the United States. The following strategies are recommended to counter the imitation problem: 1) reduce price advantage of imported casein through negotations with the European Economic Community to reduce export subsidies: 2) work for clearer, more prominent labeling of imitation dairy products; 3) put more emphasis on butter-margarine blend products, which compete more directly with margarine than butter; 4) use more of the $197 million annual promotion funds from farmer checkoffs for promoting cheese. Buyer response to cheese promotion is three times the response from a similar investment in fluid milk promotion.
Altered ontogeny of glutathione S-transferases by 2,4,5-2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl.

Abstract Date-bred rats were treated orally from the 8th through the 18th day of gestation with pure congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). At designated stages of postnatal development offspring of treated dams were sacrificed and glutathione S -transferase (G S-t) activity levels were determined using the substrates 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene (DCNB). Male and female rats exposed perinatally to 2,4,5-2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (6-CB) had higher levels of G S-t than the controls at all ages examined (Days 6, 21, 55 postpartum). Treatment of adult male rats with increasing doses of 6-CB revealed that glutathione conjugation toward CDNB could be more easily enhanced than toward DCNB. Pure 6-CB added to control cytosol did not change G S-t activities. Mixtures of cytosol from 21-day-old control and 6-CB animals had activities similar to the calculated mean average of the two.
First incoherent‐scatter measurements of the equatorial E layer obtained with the ALTAIR radar

We describe the first incoherent-scatter (IS) radar measurements made of the daytime E layer at equatorial latitudes. Using ALTAIR, a steerable IS radar located in the Kwajalein Atoll, we not only show that the E-layer profiles are consistent with those obtained in situ by rockets, we present the first direct evidence of a latitudinal gradient in plasma density in the bottomside E layer that extended from 3°N dip latitude to beyond 6°N. We suggest that the gradient involves the electrodynamic transport of metallic ions, e.g., the gradient could be produced by the equatorial metallic-ion fountain or possibly by the dumping of metallic ions at the base of the E layer by the wind-shear mechanism for sporadic E. We close with a brief discussion of the implications of such a gradient on the equatorial electrojet.
ROR-γ: The Third Member of ROR/RZR Orphan Receptor Subfamily That Is Highly Expressed in Skeletal Muscle

Abstract In this study, we describe the identification and cloning of a novel member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. This orphan receptor, referred to as RORγ, belongs to the ROR/RZR subfamily. The open reading frame of RORγ encodes a protein of 560 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 63 kD. The amino acid sequence of RORγ exhibits a 50 and 51% identity with those of RORα/RZRα and RZRβ, respectively, whereas the DNA-binding domains were 89% identical. RORγ was localized on human chromosome 1. Northern blot analysis using RNA from multiple tissues indicated that RORγ is expressed in several tissues but is most highly expressed in skeletal muscle.
Cholinergic deafferentation enhances rat hippocampal pyramidal neuron responsiveness to locally applied nicotine.

Abstract We tested whether cholinergic denervation of the hippocampas of young rats would result in an enhancement of CAI pyramidal cell responsiveness to nicotine. Electrolytic lesions of the medial septal area were performed in young male Fisher 344 rats, One month later the rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital and nicotine was locally applied to CAI pyramidal neurons using pressure microejection. The dose of nicotine required to excite the pyramidal neurons was significantly lower for cells recorded from rats with septal lesions. However, no changes in hippocampal cytisine or α-bungarotoxin binding were found.
Changes in selective attention as measured by the visual averaged evoked potential following REM deprivation in man

Abstract After rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM deprivation, the amplitude of the major component of the averaged evoked potential (AEP) in attention and non-attention conditions was measured. The difference between the AEP in the attention and the non-attention conditions is considered to be a measure of selective attention and is greater following REM deprivation. It is suggested that this narrowing of the attentive field may be due to increased arousal or greater central nervous system excitability following REM deprivation.
Seymour Benzer's life.

Seymour Benzer – partitioner of the gene, cofounder of modern neurogenetics – died at 86 on November 30, 2007. The obituaries have chronicled his achievements and awards. Two books have described his work on the phage rII gene1 and on Drosophila’s behavioral genetics.2 What is in danger of being lost to recollection is the character of the man – what an original thinker he was, what an unusual person, and how good to be around. I will try to describe a little of this.(Image Source: Seymour Benzer 1921–2007, The Man Who Took Us from Genes to Behaviour, Harris WA, PLoS Biology Vol. 6, No. 2, e41 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060041)
Liquid water cluster sizes

Abstract The effective mean number of water monomers per liquid cluster estimated from tensile strength and surface tension data appears to fall within the range, 4–20, while an estimate based upon a generalized thermodynamics varies from 8 to 5 over the range 10–50°C. This depends upon a new interpretation of surface tension. Since these clustering estimates are somewhat lower than some abstract theories have predicted, they may be regarded as tentative.
Factors affecting outcomes young patients with diverticulitis

Abstract Introduction. Young age has been identified in the literature as a risk factor for complications and emergency surgery among patients with acute diverticulitis. Our objective was to determine whether or not factors such as (1) duration of symptoms before admission to the hospital, (2) body mass index (BMI), and (3) smoking affected their outcome. Materials and methods. After IRB approval, a retrospective review was conducted at a community teaching hospital. The study included 107 patients 45 years of age and younger admitted with diverticulitis between January 1997 and December 2001. Comparison was made between patients who either underwent surgery or received antibiotics alone upon first admission for diverticulitis. The results were evaluated using either a Mann--Whitney Rank Sum or Chi-Square test. Results. The mean age of the 107 patients was 38.5 years (22–45), 64% males, and 36% females. There were a total of 126 admissions. Fourteen patients were excluded from this analysis since they were readmissions for elective surgery. Twenty-five patients (26.9%) required surgery during the first admission. Among this subgroup, the duration of symptoms was 5.1 days. Antibiotic management alone was successful in 73.1% of patients. Obesity was found in 86.3% (mean BMI 32.5 ± 8.2 kg/m2). Among the subgroup that required surgery during the first admission, the BMI was 28.5. Smoking history was present in 56% (1.25 ± 0.6 packs a day × 18.4 ± 6.1 years) of all study patients, and there was no significant difference in smoking history between the two outcome groups. Mortality was zero. Conclusions. Diverticulitis in young patients can usually be managed at first presentation nonoperatively; patients that require surgery urgently tended to have a longer duration of symptoms. Obesity and smoking do not increase the risk for needing surgery at initial admission. TABLE—ABSTRACT P39 . Factor Antibiotic alone Emergency surgery P value Symptoms 2.6 days 5.1 days 0.248 BMI 34.3 28.5 0.004 Smoke 35 (53%) 14 (56%) 0.986
Three-dimensional modeling of angiogenesis in porous biomaterial scaffolds

Vascularization of biomaterial scaffolds is essential for the successful clinical application of engineered tissues. Experimental studies are often performed to investigate the role of scaffold architecture on vascularized tissue formation. However, experiments are expensive and time-consuming and synthesis protocols often do not allow for independent investigation of specific scaffold properties. Computational models allow for rapid screening of potential material designs with control over scaffold properties that is difficult in laboratory settings. We have developed and tested a three-dimensional agent-based framework for investigating the effect of scaffold pore architecture on angiogenesis. Software agents represent endothelial cells, interacting together and with their micro-environment, leading to the invasion of blood vessels into the scaffold. A rule base, driven by experimental findings, governs the behavior of individual agents. 3D scaffold models with well-defined homogeneous and heterogeneous pore architectures were simulated to investigate the impact of various design parameters. Simulation results indicate that pores of larger size with higher interconnectivity and porosity support rapid and extensive angiogenesis. The developed framework can be used to screen biomaterial scaffold designs for optimal vascularization and investigate complex interactions among invading blood vessels and their micro-environment.
PKI-587 and sorafenib alone and in combination on inhibition of liver cancer stem cell proliferation.

Background Deregulated Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase and PI3 K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways are significant in hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation (HCC). In this study we evaluated differences in the antiproliferative effect of dual PI3 K/Akt/mTOR and Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition of non liver cancer stem cell lines (PLC and HuH7) and liver cancer stem cell (LCSC) lines (CD133, CD44, CD24, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1-positive cells).
Effects of TSH stimulation on serum thyroglobulin in metastatic thyroid cancer

Thyroglobulin (TG) is a glycoprotein which has been found to be produced by almost all nonmedullary thyroid cancers, and is present in elevated levels in the serum of most patients with metastatic thyroid cancer. It has long been a clinical impression that many metastatic thyroid cancers are "responsive" to TSH suppression as manifested by a decrease in the size and/or symptoms of the tumor. Five athyroid patients with metastatic thyroid cancer were studied to determine the effect of TSH stimulation on their serum TG levels and attempt to correlate this effect with their clinical response. Three of the five patients showed a definite rise in their serum TG once serum thyroxine (T4Y replacement was withdrawn, which correlated with an increase in TSH, and two of these patients have had no progression of their disease while on T4 suppression. The remaining two patients have shown no change in their TG levels after T4 withdrawal, and both have had progression of their metastatic disease while on T4 suppression. Thus, we see that in some patients, TG production by their metastatic thyroid cancer is responsive to TSH suppression, and there is some suggestion that TSH-responsive cancers are less aggressive; but it will require further studies to determine this.
Matrix control of protein diffusion in biological membranes

Abstract Lateral diffusion coefficients of fluorescently labeled lipids and integral membrane proteins were determined in the membranes of normal and spectrin-deficient spherocytic mouse erythrocytes by the technique of fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching. The results were used to generate a mathematical description of a matrix-control model of membrane protein diffusion. In the spherocytic cells, which lack the principal components of the cytoskeletal matrix of normal cells, the diffusion coefficients of lipid (1.5 +/- 0.5 X 10(-8) cm2/s) and protein (2.5 +/- 0.6 X 10(-9) cm2/s) differ only by a factor of 6, close to the difference predicted on the basis of size by the two-dimensional bilayer continuum model of Saffman and Delbruck [Saffman, P. G. l& Delbruck, M. (1975) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 72, 3111-3113]. In contrast, the membranes of normal cells show a lipid diffusion coefficient (1.4 +/- 0.5 X 10(-8) cm2/s) that is some 300-fold greater than that of the membrane proteins (4.5 +/- 0.8 X 10(-11) cm2/s). Analysis of these results, based on the hypothesis that protein diffusion in normal membranes is sterically hindered by a labile matrix, yields an effective matrix surface viscosity consistent with the viscoelastic mechanical properties of the membranes. Thus, a relationship is established between the deformation characteristics of the membrane and the lateral mobility of proteins suspended in the membrane.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF)-Binding Proteins Inhibit the Smooth Muscle Cell Migration Responses to IGF-I and IGF-II*

Smooth muscle cells have been shown to migrate in response to insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). However, the role of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) in this process has not been determined. As IGFBPs are synthesized and secreted by smooth muscle cells and bind to IGFs with high affinity, this study was undertaken to determine the ability of IGFBP-1 and -2 to modulate cellular migration in response to IGF-I and -II. Confluent monolayers of porcine vascular smooth muscle cells were wounded with a razor blade. After wounding, IGF-I and -II induced increases of 159 +/- 49% (mean +/- SD) and 108 +/- 33%, respectively, above control values in the number of cells migrating over a fixed distance in 4 days. The addition of IGFBP-1 caused a 19-21% inhibition of IGF-I- or IGF-II-stimulated migration, whereas the addition of IGFBP-2 inhibited the effect of both by greater than 60%. The addition of IGFBP-2 alone had no effect, whereas IGFBP-1 addition was associated with a 42 +/- 12% increase. In contrast, [Trp221]I...
Young Children's Knowledge of Their Memory Span: Effects of Task and Experience.

This study investigated the hypothesis that young children have knowledge about their memory that they may be unable to articulate, but are able to reflect on and use in problem-solving. Forty-eight kindergarteners made one of two types of judgments about their memory span for words. Half of the children made prospective verbal predictions about the number of words they thought they could recall from a list of 10. The other half made concurrent, nonverbal predictions by listening to words on a tape and manually stopping the tape when they heard as many words as they thought they could recall. Children's actual recall for words was then assessed. All children participated in multiple trials to assess the effect of task experience on their predictions. Analyses revealed that predictions made in the concurrent task were significantly more accurate than those made in the prospective task. All children lowered their predictions across trials, although only in the concurrent task were children's final-trial predictions not significantly greater than their actual recall. No meaningful effects or interactions were associated with actual recall scores. These results revealed that young children manifested greater memory knowledge when this knowledge was assessed through their concurrent problem-solving behavior rather than through their prospective verbal predictions.
Intelligent interface for a microprocessor controlled scanning transmission electron microscope with x‐ray imaging

An intelligent interface has been designed to perform synchronous digital image acquistion and scan generation (SDIASG interface) for a microprocessor controlled Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (S(T)EM) with x-ray imaging. The SDIASG interface connects an LSI-11/2 microprocessor to a Philips EM400 electron microscope. The LSI-11/2 microprocessor is part of a DeAnza VC5000 digital image display system. A system using the SDIASG interface is described. The system takes advantage of the SDIASG interface and a DeAnza VC5000 digital image display system to realize new capabilities that optimize conditions for x-ray mapping. A low characteristic x-ray count rate is generated by the ultrathin specimens from which high resolution x-ray maps can be obtained (Shuman et al, 1976; Somlyo and Shuman, 1982). This low count rate necessitates a long image accumulation time, which in turn makes drift correction essential for maintaining spatial resolution. The new capabilities of the system described here consist of real-time display and summation of consecutive image and x-ray maps, and automatic return to a high speed imaging mode between consecutive x-ray map passes. The new capabilities combine to allow frequent correction for specimen drift between consecutive x-ray mapping passes while still permitting a long total accumulation time for the x-ray maps.
Estimation of parameters governing the transmission dynamics of schistosomes

The clumping parameter related to the distribution of schistosome parasites is obtained by fitting a negative binomial distribution to data collected from patients in a village in Brazil; the natural uninfected and parasite-induced snail host mortality rates are obtained from laboratory data. These values are used in a schistosomiasis model proposed earlier by the authors, and a disease transmission parameter from snails to humans is estimated. Finally, the effect of chemotherapy of humans is assessed using prevalence of morbidity as a measure of the level of schistosome infection in a human population.
In vivo processing of nonanchored Yapsin 1 (Yap3p).

Abstract A C-terminally truncated form of yapsin 1 (yeast aspartic protease 3) was overexpressed in yeast and its processing through the secretory pathway was followed by pulse-labeling and immunoprecipitation studies. In the soluble cell extract, three forms of yapsin 1—87, 74, and 18 kDa—were found. Identification of these forms of yapsin 1 using different antisera suggests that the 87-kDa form is pro-yapsin 1, which is processed into two subunits, α (18 kDa) and β (74 kDa), by cleavage at a loop region not found in traditional aspartic proteases. By use of a temperature-sensitive mutant strain, sec18, the generation of the two subunits was found to occur in the endoplasmic reticulum. An active site-mutated yapsin 1 was not processed into the two subunits, suggesting that this process occurs in an autocatalytic manner.
A historical examination of employee entitlement

There has been much debate about people’s perceptions of entitlement. We trace the history of the different uses of entitlement perceptions across fields in order to develop a typology that identifies two dimensions: level of entitlement and degree of reciprocity. We conclude that a historical, cross‐disciplinary examination of the construct of employee entitlement will improve our understanding of the role of entitlement perceptions in the workplace. Specifically, we suggest that each of the four combinations of the entitlement and reciprocity dimensions points to a different employee‐organization relationship and, thus, requires a different motivational tool.
Numerical integration of Euler's integral and numerical relationships involving E and T

Abstract Numerical integration has been carried out for p( x ) = ʃ ∞ x x −2 e − x d x where x = E/RT with E = 20, 25, …, 100 kcal mole −1 and T = 300, 350, …, 1000 K. Using the values of -log p( x ), numerical equations have been obtained that enable calculations of -log p( x ) at other values of E and T .
Elementary abelian Hopf Galois structures and polynomial formal groups

Abstract We find a relationship between regular embeddings of G, an elementary abelian p-group of order p n , into unipotent upper triangular matrices with entries in F p and commutative dimension n degree 2 polynomial formal groups with nilpotent upper triangular structure matrices. We classify the latter when n = 3 up to linear isomorphism, and use that classification to determine the number of Hopf Galois structures on a Galois extension L / K of fields with Galois group G elementary abelian of order p 3 . We also obtain a lower bound on the number of Hopf Galois structures on a Galois extension L / K when the Galois group is elementary abelian of order p n .
Ethical Behavior and Regional Environments: The Effects of Culture, Values, and Trust

This article offers a theoretical framework and empirical analysis for explaining regional differences in the United States between culture, trust, and ethical behaviors in workplaces. Drawing on a branch of behavioral economics that uses “cultural cognition” to describe social factors influencing values and ethical decision making, we argue that an orientation toward a hierarchical or individualistic view of society erodes levels of generalized trust. A lack of generalized trust among citizens and workers is associated with employers’ illegal activity to impede union organizing activity, which we define as a violation of ethical standards. We tested our model at the US state level of analysis and found that trust mediates the relationship between social values of hierarchy and unfair labor practices. To conclude, we suggest connections between the theory and its implications for the impact of culture on a firm’s responses to workers’ exercise of their rights of collective action.
Prostanoid receptors and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase: a pathway to cancer?

Abstract The significance of receptor heterogeneity has, in many cases, been unclear, particularly in the case of closely related receptor subtypes that are activated by the same endogenous ligands and appear to signal through the same second messenger pathways. In this article, recent studies of the EP and FP prostanoid receptors are reviewed, showing that receptor subtypes previously thought to activate the same signaling pathways, in fact, differ through novel interactions with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and activation of nuclear signaling pathways. These findings might be applicable to other families of G-protein-coupled receptors and have implications in cancer and other diseases.
Discovery of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors by pharmacophore searching.

Based upon a class of known HIV-1 integrase inhibitors, several pharmacophore models were proposed from molecular modeling studies and validated using a 3D database of 152 compounds for which integrase assay data are known. Using the most probable pharmacophore model as the query, the NCI 3D database of 206 876 compounds was searched, and 340 compounds that contain the pharmacophore query were identified. Twenty-nine of these compounds were selected and tested in the HIV-1 integrase assay. This led to the discovery of 10 novel, structurally diverse HIV-1 integrase inhibitors, four of which have an IC50 value less than 30 μM and are promising lead compounds for further HIV-1 integrase inhibitor development.
Well-Defined (Co)polymers with 5-Vinyltetrazole Units via Combination of Atom Transfer Radical (Co)polymerization of Acrylonitrile and ``Click Chemistry''-Type Postpolymerization Modification

Well-defined homo- and copolymers of acrylonitrile were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization, which were further modified using a “click chemistry” reaction with sodium azide and zinc chloride to yield polymeric materials with 5-vinyltetrazole units. Using optimized reaction conditions ([NaN3]:[ZnCl2]:[RCN] = 4:1:1 in DMF at 120 °C for 48−50 h), essentially complete transformation of the nitrile groups was achieved, as judged from IR and 13C NMR spectra. The produced tetrazole-containing polymers had markedly better solubility or swellability in protic solvents (methanol or aqueous base solutions) compared to the precursors. Random copolymers of acrylonitrile and styrene were also grown from polystyrene and silica particles with immobilized initiator groups and were similarly modified to the corresponding tetrazole-containing polymers. All materials were characterized by means of thermogravimetry, which showed that the polymeric tetrazoles started to decompose with evolution of significant amo...
A set-theoretic automatic selection of cutting tools in manufacturing system

Abstract The selection of the optimum number and right type of cutting tools in manufacturing systems is very important. Set theory has been used for such decision making in this paper. From the known work load and known characteristics of the cutting tool, set-theory analysis leads to the identification of constraints bearing upon the selection of cutting tools. A linear programming formulation then helps in the selection of the optimum number and type of cutting tools. In this paper, this approach has been illustrated by selecting cutting tools for an aircraft-engine parts manufacturing system.
High-resolution electron crystallography of protein molecules

Electron diffraction data and high-resolution images can now be used to obtain accurate, three-dimensional density maps of biological macromolecules. These density maps can be interpreted by building an atomic-resolution model of the structure into the experimental density. The Cowley-Moodie formalism of dynamical diffraction theory has been used to validate the use of kinematic diffraction theory (strictly, the weak phase object approximation) in producing such 3D density maps. Further improvements in the preparation of very flat (planar) specimens and in the retention of diffraction to a resolution of 0.2 nm or better could result in electron crystallography becoming as important a technique as X-ray crystallography currently is for the field of structural molecular biology.
A comprehensive clerkship in family medicine.

Summary A 6-week family medicine clerkship that is comprehensive in its approach to the academic base of family medicine and in its integration of clinical and didactic experiences is discussed. The goals of the clerkship are to enable students to: acquire knowledge of common illnesses in ambulatory care; integrate compassion, concern and empathy in the delivery of comprehensive and personalized care; and to experience the medical and social issues of family medicine. The curriculum includes 50 hours of didactic preparation in the family life cycle, common illnesses, patient interviewing, problem-oriented medical records, genograms. compliance, and clinical problem-solving. Clinical experiences include placement in a family practice centre, an experience in a drug-abuse treatment centre and a brief rotation in geriatric medicine. Students are evaluated on their performance in clinical settings and in an objective test of primary care concepts. Test performance shows significant growth from student pre- to post-test scores. Student evaluations have been very favourable toward the clerkship, and self-reports reveal growth in knowledge of common illnesses, problems of the elderly, problems of drug abuse and the role of the family doctor.
Nurse practitioner in a university emergency department

A nurse practitioner functions in the minor illness area of the George Washington University Medical Center Emergency Department that handles 40,000 patients annually. Patient care activities, teaching of patients, students, and physicians and some minor administrative activities are the nurse practitioner's responsibilities. These activities improve the quality and quantity of patient care and promote better team development and education.
Misspecification Testing: A Comprehensive Approach

Misspecification tests of individual assumptions underlying regression models often lead to erroneous conclusions regarding source of misspecification. Monte Carlo experiments demonstrate that a comprehensive set of individual and joint tests reduces the likelihood of such conclusions. A practical testing strategy is proposed and suggestions made regarding its implementation.