cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of contingent and noncontingent rewards on the IQ scores of children of above average intelligence1.

This study investigated the effects of candy reinforcement on I.Q. test scores in first and second graders of above-average intelligence. Thirty-six subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups and either given candy contingent on correct responses, noncontingently, or not given candy. After measuring all subjects on Form L of the revised Stanford Binet, each subject in the contingent group was given an M & M immediately following each correct answer on Form M, while a yoked-comparison subject received the same number of M & M's before responding to a question and therefore without regard to correctness of answers. It was expected that both types of candy administration would produce higher I.Q. change scores than the no-candy control group, but there were no statistically significant differences among the three treatments. The differences between the first and second test scores were 4.17 (contingent), 4.67 (noncontingent), and 1.00 (no reinforcement). Reasons for this failure to replicate previous findings were discussed.
The effect of light on stomatal control of gas exchange in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) saplings.

Attached twigs of young Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco plants were subjected to variations in irradaince. Stomatal responsiveness to irradiance, measured in an open type gas exchange system, varied seasonally. During the autumn and winter, stomatal conductance was relatively unresponsive to changes in irradiance, but during the summer stomatal conductance decreased in response to reduced irradiance. The summer stomatal response to irradiance was such that a nearly constant ratio of stomatal conductance to net photosynthesis was maintained as irradiance was varied. This caused intercellular CO2 concentration (ci) and water use efficiency (net CO2 uptake/transpiration) to also remain relatively constant. At constant irradiance, stomatal conductance was relatively insensitive to experimentally-induced changes in ci. This, and the observation that ci remained relatively constant as irradiance was varied, suggest that changes in ci played a minor role in mediating the stomatal response to light.
Investigation of Colloid Stability in Polyelectrolyte Solutions by Laser Doppler Spectroscopy

TWO important parameters in the investigation of colloids, mean particle size and electrophoretic mobility, can be measured in a single observation of an undisturbed colloid by the new technique of laser Doppler spectroscopy1,2. If particles are forced to migrate by an electric field, they will cause the spectrum of scattered laser light, usually a Lorentzian on account of Brownian motion3,4, to be shifted from the laser frequency by the Doppler effect. Study of this Doppler spectrum reveals the statistical mobility distribution in the sample under study and the diffusion effects (the size) of each electrophoretic species2. This technique is well suited for investigation of flocculation phenomena in colloids because the electrokinetic properties of the particles can be directly observed and the agglomeration of particles can be monitored by the changes in the properties of the fluctuating scattered light.
On languages accepted by space-bounded oracle machines

Characterizations of classes of languages accepted by space-bounded oracle machines are developed. These characterizations are given in terms of the regular sets, certain information about the oracle set, and certain algebraic closure operations.
Antioxidant defense of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni : enzymatic responses to the superoxide-generating flavonoid, quercetin, and photodynamic furanocoumarin xanthotoxin

— Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was induced by ca 2-fold (to5–6 U) when Trichoplusia ni midfifth-instar larvae were exposed to two toxic oxygen species generating plant pro-oxidants, quercetin (a flavonoid) and xanthotoxin (8-methoxypsoralen; a photoactive furanocoumarin). Very high catalase (CAT) activity (ca 300 U) of this insect was not affected by 8-methoxypsoralen, but was slightly decreased by quercetin. No Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GPOX) activity was observed, but high glutathione transferase (GST) peroxidase activity (over 50 U) in this insect was slightly induced by 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), and was partially inhibited by quercetin, 8-Methoxypsoralen induced the activity of glutathione reductase (GR), but quercetin partially inhibited the activity of this enzyme. An increase in SOD activity appears to be the main response of this insect to dietary exposure to pro-oxidant compounds. High CAT activity guarantees the destruction of large cellular increases in H2O2, a product of rapid dismutation of superoxide from induced activity of SOD. Moreover, GST with its peroxidase activity apparently substitutes for GPOX, forming a GST/GR enzyme pair as a primary line of defense against deleterious organic hydroperoxides. These studies clearly point out the key role for an insect's antioxidant enzymatic countermeasures against defensive pro-oxidant compounds produced by plants.
The successful treatment of a recurrent intracranial, dural-based plasmacytoma with lenalidomide.

A 75 year old woman presented in October of 2008 with new onset symptoms of headaches, difficulty with penmanship, forgetfulness and vertigo. Her past medical history includes sarcoidosis and osteoporosis. As a result of the sarcoidosis, she has chronic interstitial pulmonary fibrosis but refused treatment with chronic steroids. The physical exam was unremarkable and her Karnofsky performance status was 80. She was evaluated for vestibular abnormalities and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without gadolinium was obtained. This demonstrated an enhancing extra-axial, dural-based mass in the high biparietal region, measuring 3.0 cm 9 6.6 cm in the axial plane and encasing the superior sagittal sinus. This was initially thought to represent a meningioma. She underwent a stereotactic biopsy of the mass. The Haematoxylin & Eosin (HE whereas the majority of cells were positive for EMA, and all were strongly positive for MUM-1 (Fig. 1b–d). IHC stains were strongly positive for kappa light chains and negative for lambda chains demonstrating the clonality of the plasma cells in the specimen (Fig. 1e, f). Both serum and urine immunofixation showed no evidence of a monoclonal protein. Serum free light chain ratio was also normal. The blood counts, serum creatinine and calcium are normal. A bone marrow biopsy revealed no evidence of a plasma cell dyscrasia and a skeletal survey showed no destructive lytic lesions, thus effectively ruling out multiple myeloma. Due to the solitary location of the tumor, she was treated with image-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in November of 2008, receiving a total of 4,500 cGy. Following this treatment, her MRI normalized and her symptoms improved including the resolution of her headaches. In August 2009, a repeat MRI revealed a new area of dural thickening in a region that had not previously received radiotherapy. She received a second course of IMRT of 4,500 cGy in 25 fractions in September of 2009. A post-treatment MRI showed another complete response. In June 2010, an MRI revealed a new, third homogeneously enhancing lesion measuring approximately 5.3 cm in cranial-caudal dimension (Fig. 2a). Due to the extent of prior radiation therapy and her advanced age, alternatives to radiotherapy were considered in an attempt to avoid excessive neurotoxicity. Given the dural nature of the lesion, it was thought that systemic therapy could access and treat the lesion. A previously published study evaluated the use of low dose dexamethasone combined with lenalidomide (Revlimid ; Celgene Corp., Summit, NJ) for multiple myeloma, and demonstrated an improved time to progression and overall C. E. Devoe (&) Monter Cancer Center, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, 450 Lakeville Road, Lake Success, NY 11042, USA e-mail: CDevoe@NSHS.edu
ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF SMALL-SCALE BLACK-LIPPED PEARL OYSTER (PINCTADA MARGARETIFERA) PEARL FARMING IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC

ABSTRACT This work provides an analysis of the economic feasibility of one of many small-scale aquaculture operations being considered, black pearl oyster farms, as one type of supplemental economic activity for outer island communities in the Central Pacific. Specifically, projections of financial performance of a small-scale 25,000 seeded pearl oyster farm using the Tahitian long-line method are being conducted. Estimates of initial capital investment and annual operating costs are being formulated, an annual cash flow and enterprise budget are being developed. Results show that initial capital investment is $202,076. Annual operating expenses are $293,726 during full operation. The largest costs contributing to annual operating expenses are seeding (46%), labor including farm owner's opportunity cost (24%), and depreciation (9%). The base model presented in this work suggests profitability over a 20-year horizon. Net returns over a 20-year farm horizon based on an 8% discount rate indicate a positive N...
Unconstrained minimization of quadratic functions via min-sum

Gaussian belief propagation is an iterative algorithm for computing the mean of a multivariate Gaussian distribution. Equivalently, the min-sum algorithm can be used to compute the minimum of a multivariate positive definite quadratic function. Although simple sufficient conditions that guarantee the convergence and correctness of these algorithms are known, the algorithms may fail to converge to the correct solution even when restricted to only positive definite quadratic functions. In this work, we propose a novel change to the typical factorization used in GaBP that allows us to construct a variant of GaBP that can solve the minimization problem for arbitrary positive semidefinite matrices while still preserving the distributed message passing nature of GaBP. We prove that the new factorization avoids the major pitfalls of the standard factorization, and we demonstrate empirically that the algorithm can be used to solve problems for which the standard GaBP algorithm would have failed. As quadratic minimization is equivalent to solving a system of linear equations, this work can be applied to solve large positive semidefinite linear systems in many application areas.
TUNNELING ZERO-BIAS ANOMALY IN THE ULTRA-QUANTUM LIMIT

Effects of the electron-electron interaction on tunneling into a metal in a very strong magnetic field (ultra-quantum limit) are considered. It is shown that for short-range repulsive interactions, tunneling is dominated by the renormalization of the coupling constant leading eventually to the CDW instability. Near the gap, the conductance gT assumes a universal form. For the long-range interaction, there exists an intermediate energy EPL such that for Δ ≪ E ≤ EPL the conductance obeys a power-law scaling form, similar to that of a 1D Luttinger liquid. For smaller energies, scaling breaks down and gT is again dominated by the CDW-instability. It is also shown that the energy dependence of gT may be non-monotonic: whereas gT is always suppressed by the interaction at lower energies, at higher energies it may also be enhanced above its non-interacting value. Such an unusual behavior gets a natural explanation in terms of multiple scattering from the Friedel oscillation near the surface.
Prevalence and etiology of elevated serum alanine aminotransferase level in an adult population in Taiwan.

Background The prevalence and etiologies of elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) have geographic variations and they are rarely reported in Taiwan. Through a population-based screening study, the prevalence and etiologies of elevated ALT in an adult population of Taiwan were assessed. Methods A cross-sectional community study in a rural village of Taiwan was conducted in 3260 Chinese adults (age >or=18 years) undergoing ultrasonography (US), blood tests, and interviews with a structured questionnaire. The diagnostic criteria of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) included alcohol intake Results The prevalence of elevated ALT was 11.4% (372/3260). The probable cause of this elevation was excess alcohol consumption in 0.8%, HBV in 28.5%, HCV in 13.2%, both HBV and HCV in 2.2%, NAFLD in 33.6%, and unexplained cause in 21.8%. The etiologic distribution of elevated ALT was similar in both genders, although elevation was more common in men compared to women (17.3%vs 6.1%, P or= 65 years, OR 1.46, 95%CI: 1.08-1.96), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) >or= 126 mg/dL (OR 1.54, 95%CI: 1.11-2.14), body mass index (BMI) >or= 25 kg/m(2) (OR 5.01, 95%CI: 4.13-6.26), triglyceridemia >or= 150 mg/dL (OR 1.96, 95%CI: 1.58-2.42), and hyperuricemia (OR 1.50, 95%CI: 1.22-1.84). Elevated ALT was related to male gender, BMI >or= 25 kg/m(2), and triglyceridemia >or= 150 mg/dL in subjects without known etiologies of liver disease (all P Conclusions Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease appears to be the commonest cause of elevated ALT and presumed liver injury in Taiwan. The development of NAFLD is closely associated with many metabolic disorders. Metabolic disorders are also related to elevated ALT in subjects without known etiologies of liver disease.
Regulation of the formation and utilization of photosynthate in leaves

II. Regulation of carbon transformations by chloroplasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 A. The reductive pentose phosphate cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 1. The ferredoxin/thioredoxin system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 2. The NADP/thioredoxin system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 3. Coordinate regulation of photosynthetic enzymes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 B. Starch synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 C. Starch degradation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Computer use, computer training, and employment : Outcomes among people with spinal cord injuries

Computer use and training may be of special benefit to people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) because computer technology may help lessen the impact of mobility limitations that are inherent with this disability. This article summarizes several findings from a 1994 survey conducted of New Jersey residents who suffered SCIs within the previous 10 years. The results indicate that, among people with SCIs, 46% currently use a computer in some capacity and 22% received computer training since the date of their injury. Perhaps surprisingly, both corresponding percentages are higher in the general population. People with SCIs appear to have less access to computers because most people learn how to use computers at work, and only a minority of people with SCIs work. The lower rate of use of computers among people with SCIs is unfortunate because the steep employment and earnings declines often experienced after an SCI are partially mitigated for those who have computer skills. The results suggest the importance of policies and programs aimed at increasing access to computers and computer training for people with severe disabilities.
Fatigue damage in bulk metallic glass II: Experiments

Abstract Cyclic fatigue was investigated in metallic glasses using fracture mechanics-based crack-growth and stress-life experiments. Steady-state crack growth in a Zr-based bulk metallic glass occurred with a Paris law exponent of ∼1.5. Growing planar fatigue cracks were often noted to destabilize into a wavy crack front geometry, and the conditions determining the stability of these cracks are analyzed. Transient crack-growth rates were measured during variable-amplitude fatigue. Stress-life experiments showed low endurance limits. Fatigue damage initiated at an angle to the applied load, but changed direction at a critical length and grew as mode I cracks. However, the initiation stage of fatigue damage was very short, and almost the entire fatigue life was spent in the crack-growth stage.
Extremely large telescope: a twenty-five meter aperture for the twenty-first century

The 10-meter class Hobby-Eberly telescope (HET), now nearing completion, provides technology for optical Arecibo-type telescopes which can be extrapolated to even larger apertures. Utilizing a fixed elevation angle and a spherical segmented primary mirror provides cost effective and pragmatic solutions to mirror mounting and fabrication. Arecibo-type tracking implies a greatly reduced tracking mass and no change to the gravity vector for the primary mirror. Such a telescope can address 70 percent of the available sky and exhibit optical quality easily sufficient for effective spectroscopy and photometry. The extremely large telescope takes advantage of several key engineering approaches demonstrated by the HET project to achieve a cost comparable to similarly-sized radio rather than optical telescopes. These engineering approaches include: bolted pre-manufactured primary mirror truss, factory manufactured geodesic enclosure dome, air bearing rotation of primary mirror, tracker, and dome systems directly on concrete piers, and tracking via a hexapod system. Current estimates put the cost of the ELT at $200 million for a 25-meter aperture utilizing a 33-meter primary mirror array. Construction of the ELT would provide the astronomy community with an optical telescope nearly an order of magnitude larger than even the largest telescopes in operation or under construction today.
Behavior of Beryllium During Solar System and Planetary Evolution: Evidence from Planetary Materials

A majority of this volume of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry is dedicated to the distribution and behavior of Be in terrestrial environments, yet the Earth makes up less than 0.02% the mass of the solar system. Therefore, it seems sensible to explore the behavior of Be outside our terrestrial home. In addition to remotely sensed data from planetary and solar surfaces, there is a large suite of planetary materials that have been used for exploring the geochemistry and mineralogy of the solar system (Shearer et al. 1998). The first planetary samples in our collection were delivered to Earth as meteorites. These samples include material from numerous asteroids, the Moon, and Mars. This is an ever-growing collection of over 7000 well-documented samples with a total mass greater than 16,000 kg. In the second half of the 20th century, humans have been far less passive and much more systematic in collecting materials from other planetary bodies. Robotic and human sample return missions have been made to the Earth’s Moon, where over 2200 individual samples with a total weight of 384 kg have been collected. United States, Japanese and European survey teams have recovered over 16,000 meteorites in Antarctica. Interplanetary dust particles (<1 gram, ≈ 10,000 samples) are actively being collected in the stratosphere, from terrestrial polar ice, deep-sea sediments, and within impact features on spacecraft. Exciting new missions are underway or being planned to return samples from Mars, asteroids, comets, and other moons. Since the pioneering work that laid the foundation of cosmochemistry (Oddo 1914; Harkins 1917; Goldschmidt 1926; Russell 1929; Atkinson and Houtermans 1929), significant inroads have been made into understanding the synthesis of Be in the cosmos and its behavior in extraterrestrial environments. Early studies from the 1960s and 1970s primarily emphasized the bulk Be …
The Dynamics and Regulation of Mesenchymal Cell Fusion in the Sea Urchin Embryo

Cell-cell fusion occurs in a wide variety of developmental contexts, yet the mechanisms involved are just beginning to be elucidated. In the sea urchin embryo, primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) fuse to form syncytial filopodial cables within which skeletal spicules are deposited. Taking advantage of the optical transparency and ease of micromanipulation of sea urchin embryos, we have developed methods for directly observing the dynamics of PMC fusion in vivo. A fraction of the PMCs was labeled with fluorescent dextran and transfer of the dye to unlabeled PMCs was followed by time-lapse, fluorescence microscopy. Fusion was first detected about 2 h after PMCs began to migrate within the blastocoel. Fusion proceeded in parallel with the assembly of the PMC ring pattern and was complete by the early gastrula stage. The formation of a single, extensive PMC syncytium was confirmed by DiI labeling of fixed embryos. When single micromeres were isolated and cultured in unsupplemented seawater, they divided and their progeny underwent fusion. This shows that the capacity to fuse is autonomously programmed in the micromere-PMC lineage by the 16-cell stage. PMC transplantations at late embryonic stages revealed that these cells remain fusion-competent long after their fusion is complete. At late stages, other mesenchyme cells (blastocoelar cells) are also present within the blastocoel and are migrating and fusing with one another. Fusion-competent blastocoelar cells and PMCs come into contact but do not fuse with one another, indicating that these two cell types fuse by distinct mechanisms. When secondary mesenchyme cells convert to a skeletogenic fate they alter their fusogenic properties and join the PMC syncytium, as shown by transfer of fluorescent dextran. Our analysis has provided a detailed picture of the cellular basis and regulation of mesodermal cell fusion and has important implications regarding molecular mechanisms that underlie fusion.
Development of robust in vitro serine protease assay based on recombinant Pakistani HCV NS3-4A protease

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious cause of chronic liver disease worldwide with more than 170 million infected individuals at risk of developing significant morbidity and mortality. Current interferon-based therapies are suboptimal especially in patients infected with HCV genotype 3 (predominant genotype in Pakistan) and they are poorly tolerated, highlighting the requirement of new therapeutics. HCV non-structural protein-3 (NS3) protease and helicase domains are essential for viral replication; they are highly conserved among various HCV strains. In the current study, we enrolled 56 HCV infected patients from various regions of Pakistan and determined their genotypes, ALT level and virus titer. We have cloned and sequenced NS3/NS4A from 4 of the HCV Serum samples. Nucleotide sequence alignment showed high level of identities among 3a genotypes. One of the samples (NCVI 01) showed unique amino acids substitutions, including R9Q, L332P, L354I, I605V and S622C. Three dimensional structures were determined and analyzed effect of substitutions on amino acids interactions. We further established fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based assays for detecting proteolytic activity of (NS3-4A) serine protease, using AnaSpec peptide, for high throughput screening (HTS) inhibitors against HCV. In future, this study could be of great interest in the development of HCV NS3 cell-based HTS FRET assay for genotype 3a and subsequent antiviral testing of drugs.
Accumulation of tyrosine hydroxylase messenger RNA molecules in the rat mesencephalon by chronic caffeine treatment

In the present study we assessed the effect of chronic treatment with caffeine on the levels of the messenger RNA molecule encoding the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) by in situ hybridization histochemistry in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) of the rat brain. Animals that received caffeine for nine consecutive days at doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg of body weight displayed increased TH mRNA levels in the SNc (up to 64% above vehicle-injected controls) and the VTA (33% above controls). Moreover, the increases observed at 80 mg/kg of caffeine were prevented by concurrent administration of the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 (0.25 mg/kg). These results demonstrate that chronic exposure to caffeine, an adenosine A2 receptor antagonist, alters the levels of expression of the mRNA encoding the rate limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis.
Reality check : Should we try to detect and isolate vancomycin-resistant enterococci patients?

Antimicrobial resistance, including vancomycin resistance in enterococci (VRE), is a growing problem in healthcare facilities. This "Reality Check" session focused on the question of whether we should try to detect and isolate patients colonized or infected with VRE.
Self-associating IgG Rheumatoid Factors Stimulate Monocytes to Release Prostaglandins and Mononuclear Cell Factor that Stimulates Collagenase and Prostaglandin Production by Synovial Cells

Self-associating IgG rheumatoid factors isolated from three patients with rheumatoid arthritis activated human monocytes to release prostaglandin E2 as well as a previously described mononuclear cell factor, which stimulates human synovial cells to release additional prostaglandin E2 and collagenase. Thus, the immune complexes composed of self-associating IgG rheumatoid factors can contribute to the processes that destroy cartilage and bone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Death and mourning as sources of community participation in online social networks: R.I.P. pages in Facebook

Facebook is a place for people to connect and share; a place to form online communities and engage in discussion. Kern, et al. (2013) found that Facebook is also a place to commune with, and about, the dead in a public forum. Although most often mourning of a death is done privately within tight knit communities, online social networking sites and particularly Facebook R.I.P. pages are creating public participation in the memorialization of those who have passed. The present study examines Facebook R.I.P. pages as a catalyst for participation and creation of online communities. Gallant, et al. (2007) provided the framework for determining the depth of online community created by those who participate in the creation, maintenance, and involvement with Facebook R.I.P. pages. This study examines the Facebook R.I.P. pages using a content analysis to determine if indeed these pages represent online community as defined by Gallant, et al. The model created by Gallant, et al. includes the following heuristics used to define online community: interactive creativity, selective hierarchy, identity construction, rewards and costs, and artistic forms.
SU‐FF‐J‐83: Interfractional Geometric and Dosimetric Variations in Prone Breast Irradiation

Purpose: To quantitatively evaluate interfractional variations in treatment setup and their dosimetric effects, in prone breast irradiation based on daily kVCT acquired during IGRT.Materials/Methods: In‐house study enrolling patients with prone breast irradiation to be treated on linac and CT‐on‐Rails combination (CTVision, Siemens) is on going. Patients with surgical clips placed in the lumpectomy cavity who fit through standard bore CT with field of view sufficient to image the whole treated breast are selected. Patients were setup prone with shifts made from a PA set up point to the isocenter. Registration was adjusted manually to achieve visual agreement between the daily and planning CTs using the cavity in conjunction with surgical clips. Daily CT data and repositioning shifts acquired for 15 patients were analyzed. Dose plan delivered with CT guidance (IGRT plan) for each treatment was reconstructed in the planning system (Xio, CMS) by placing the original beams on CT of the day with the corresponding shifts. In addition, the dosimetric plan with the patient shifts based on 2D portal images (non‐IGRT plan), as conventionally practiced, was reconstructed. Dose‐Volume‐Histograms (DVH) for PTV and organs‐at‐risk (OAR) for the IGRT, non‐IGRT and original plans were compared. Results: The daily shifts are patient dependent. Comparison of variations of D95 and D50 values shows higher interfractional variability for non‐IGRT plan. Average D95 was 1–2% lower for non‐IGRT plans than IGRT plans, with some fractions receiving as low as 91% of planned dose. IGRT plans showed improvement with minimum D95 of 95% of planned D95. Effect of the repositioning on the OAR DVH is patient specific and depends on the location of the cavity.Conclusion: The interfractional variations in patient setup and anatomic changes, and their dosimetric impact, in prone breast irradiation are significant, and can be reduced with IGRT based on kV fan‐beam CT.
A mirror of two faces: Lin28 as a master regulator of both miRNA and mRNA.

Lin28 is an evolutionarily conserved RNA-binding protein that plays important roles in development, pluripotency, tumorigenesis, and metabolism. Emerging evidence suggests that the pleiotropic roles of Lin28 in the diverse physiological and pathological processes are mechanistically linked to its ability to modulate not only the biogenesis of miRNAs, particularly the let-7 family miRNAs, but also the translation of mRNAs important for cell growth and metabolism. Let-7 negatively regulates the translation of oncogenes, cell cycle regulators, and metabolic pathway components. Lin28 relieves this repression by blocking the production of mature let-7. Lin28 binds to the terminal loops of let-7 precursors, leading to inhibition of processing and the induction of uridylation and precursor degradation. Lin28 also is a direct translational regulator: it selectively binds to a cohort of mRNAs and stimulates their translation. Recent advances in our understanding of Lin28-mediated mechanisms of posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression reveal important roles of this protein in the fields of development, stem cells, metabolic diseases, and cancer. WIREs RNA 2012, 3:483–494. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1112 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. The author declares no conflict of interest associated with this work.
Assessment of Multiplate® platelet aggregometry using Citrate, Heparin or Hirudin in Rhesus macaques

Electrical impedance aggregometry (EIA) has gained popularity in clinical and research applications. Nonhuman primates are used to study disease and drug-related mechanisms that affect hemostasis, therefore establishing normal EIA parameters are necessary. The anticoagulants sodium heparin, hirudin and sodium citrate and three agonists, ADP, ASPI, and collagen were evaluated. Whole blood from 12 adult male rhesus macaques was collected to evaluate anticoagulants, sodium heparin, hirudin and sodium citrate using three agonists (ADP, ASPI and collagen), on the Multiplate® 5.0 Analyzer. Platelet function was reported for three parameters: Area under the curve (AUC), aggregation, and aggregation velocity. There was a significant difference in mean AUC between citrate and heparin samples, and citrate and hirudin samples regardless of the agonist used. There was no difference in AUC between heparin and hirudin. ADP-activated samples showed an increase in impedance with hirudin samples compared to citrate. Furthermore, heparin and hirudin out-perform citrate as the anticoagulant for EIA in the macaque. Finally, this study demonstrates the utility of the Multiplate® system in this model and provides important insight into anticoagulant choice when using EIA.
Single nanowire thermal conductivity measurements by Raman thermography.

A facile, rapid, and nondestructive technique for determining the thermal conductivity of individual nanowires based on Raman temperature mapping has been demonstrated. Using calculated absorption efficiencies, the thermal conductivities of single cantilevered Si nanowires grown by the vapor−liquid−solid method are measured and the results agree well with values predicted by diffuse phonon boundary scattering. As a measurement performed on the wire, thermal contact effects are avoided and ambient air convection is found to be negligible for the range of diameters measured. The method’s versatility is further exemplified in the reverse measurement of a single nanowire absorption efficiency assuming diffuse phonon boundary scattering. The results presented here outline the broad utility that Raman thermography may have for future thermoelectric and photovoltaic characterization of nanostructures.
Waveguiding in Photonic Crystal Slab with Variable Thickness

We demonstrate optical waveguiding in photonic crystal slab (PhCS) with a trench. This enables optical circuitry on PhCS prefabricated with holographically, eliminating the need for slow electron-beam lithography.
A computer-aided design tool for robustness analysis and control-relevant identification of Horizon Predictive Control with application to a binary distillation column

Abstract This paper describes a MATLAB-based computer-aided design tool, IRA-HPC, which accomplishes integrated system identification and robustness analysis for Horizon Predictive Control (HPC), a model predictive control algorithm implemented on the Application Module of the Honeywell TDC 3000 distributed control system. The tool addresses lifecycle as well as functional aspects of the technology, with the goal of making advanced control principles more accessible to the practising control engineer. IRA-HPC systematically performs the various stages of system identification in a control-relevant framework (addressing input design, parameter estimation, and model validation from the standpoint of the final purpose of the model, which is control system design), followed by robust HPC controller tuning using the Structured Singular Value (μ) paradigm as a basis. The benefits of the tool are shown experimentally in the modelling and control of a methanol/isopropanol pilot-scale distillation column, interfaced to an industrial-scale real-time computing testbed. The example demonstrates the practical feasibility of this tool and its benefits in terms of simplifying the choices of design variables in integrated identification and control design.
Folding and unfolding kinetics of the proline-to-alanine mutants of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A.

Four single mutants (P42A, P93A, P114A, and P117A) of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A (RNase A) in which each mutant has one of the four prolines of RNase A changed to alanine were prepared. The p...
Acoustic and semantic interference effects in words and pictures

Interference effects for pictures and words were investigated using a probe-recall task. Word stimuli showed acoustic interference effects for items at the end of the list and semantic interference effects for items at the beginning of the list, similar to results of Kintsch and Buschke (1969). Picture stimuli showed large semantic interference effects at all list positions with smaller acoustic interference effects. The results were related to latency data on picture-word processing and interpreted in terms of the differential order, probability, and/or speed of access to acoustic and semantic levels of processing. A levels of processing explanation of picture-word retention differences was related to dual coding theory. Both theoretical positions converge on an explanation of picture-word retention differences as a function of the relative capacity for semantic or associative processing.
Calculation of the Phonon Spectra of β-Alumina

The phonon spectra and density of states of β-alumina (1.3 M2O·11 Al2O3) have been computed assuming that: (1) only the dynamics of the monovalent metal ions M+ need be treated, the other ions are approximated by an elastic potential derived from the calculation of Wang, Gaffari and Choi1; (2) the screened Coulomb interaction among M+ ions in a single layer is taken into full account, but different layers are assumed to be non-interacting; and (3) overall charge neutrality is maintained by a uniform, negatively-charged background. The equations of motion, within the harmonic approximation, are obtained by standard methods2 and the dynamical matrix corresponding to the Coulomb interactions is treated exactly by a generalization3 of the Ewald method.2 Two ideal lattice structures are considered: (1) the stoichiometric structure; and (2) an extended super-lattice structure. Allowance for non-ideal structures is made by using a self-consistent-perturbation method; disorder is treated as a set of randomly distributed static defects, the defects-induced phonon self-energy is assumed to be independent of momentum and effects of localized phonon modes are ignored. The observed infrared reflection spectra4 and Raman spectra5 are in close correspondence with the computed vibrational density of states and features in these optical spectra are thus identified and ascribed to specific ionic normal modes.
Glomerular metalloprotease activity in streptozotocin-treated rats and in spontaneously diabetic rats (BB/DP)

Differences in the type and extent of diabetic glomerular injury occur in rats made diabetic with streptozotocin (STZ) and in a spontaneously diabetic rat model of the BB/Wor strain. The diabetes prone (BB/DP) rat develops no mesangial matrix expansion with diabetes, whereas the STZ-treated Sprague Dawley rat does. The present study was performed to determine if glomerular metalloprotease activities were decreased in these two rat models of diabetes. Rats were studied at 8 weeks following the onset of hyperglycemia. All diabetic rats were maintained moderately hyperglycemic (plasma glucose = 350 mg/dL) with daily injection of insulin. Glomerular preparations were made and metalloprotease activities were assayed by hydrolysis of gelatin. Metalloprotease activities were decreased by 40-50% in STZ-treated Sprague Dawley rats, but not in BB/DP rats or diabetes resistant rats (BD/DR--the control for the BB/DP) made diabetic by STZ-injection. These data suggest that the decrease in glomerular metalloprotease activity may contribute to mesangial matrix expansion in the diabetic Sprague Dawley rats.
Magnetic properties of metallic glasses using the laser-Mössbauer method

Abstract Using amorphous Fe 81 B 13.5 Si 3.5 C 2 , Fe 40 Ni 38 Mo 4 B 18 , Fe 66 Co 18 B 15 Si 1 and Fe 72.6 Cr 22 Al 4.8 Si 0.3 Y 0.3 as model systems, we apply the laser-Mossbauer method in order to obtain metallic glasses with novel properties. As shown by transmission Mossbauer spectroscopy, the bulk magnetic texture was modified in a rational manner by applying a varying number of excimer laser pulses per spot ( λ =248 nm, τ =8 ns). As shown by conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy, this process left the surface magnetic texture unchanged and induced a distribution of magnetic-moment directions throughout the thickness of the foil. A similar dependence of the magnetic texture upon the number of applied laser pulses was obtained in metallic-glasses irradiated with a Nd : YAG laser ( λ =532 nm, τ =8 ns). However, in this case we observed the onset of surface crystallization in the hyperfine magnetic field distributions extracted from the CEMS spectra. When a pulsed alexandrite laser was used ( λ =750 nm, τ =60 μs), the onset of crystallization was found to be accompanied by bulk oxidation and the formation of magnetite particles in the irradiated system. Finally, a crucial experiment was performed in order to demonstrate the role played by the magnetostriction constant in the onset of crystallization.
Approaches to mapping genetically correlated complex traits

Our Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods were used in linkage analyses of the Framingham Heart Study data using all available pedigrees. Our goal was to detect and map loci associated with covariate-adjusted traits log triglyceride (lnTG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) using multipoint LOD score analysis, Bayesian oligogenic linkage analysis and identity-by-descent (IBD) scoring methods. Each method used all marker data for all markers on a chromosome. Bayesian linkage analysis detected a linkage signal on chromosome 7 for lnTG and HDL, corroborating previously published results. However, these results were not replicated in a classical linkage analysis of the data or by using IBD scoring methods. We conclude that Bayesian linkage analysis provides a powerful paradigm for mapping trait loci but interpretation of the Bayesian linkage signals is subjective. In the absence of a LOD score method accommodating genetically complex traits and linkage heterogeneity, validation of these signals remains elusive.
Effects of a reacting channel wall on turbulent mass transfer

The effects of a turbulent fluid reacting with the channel wall on the turbulent mass transfer were investigated using a Lagrangian method. The reactants diffused from the bulk of the fluid to the channel walls, where they reacted by an effectively first-order reaction. The effective reaction rate was found to be diffusion limited for high Schmidt number fluids. The mass transfer coefficient was found to be independent of reaction rate, but was found to exhibit a strong dependence on the Schmidt number. A correlation of the mass transfer coefficient as a function of the Schmidt number for both low and high Schmidt numbers was obtained.
Effect of Dose Size on the Pharmacokinetics of Oral Hydrocortisone Suspension

The pharmacokinetics of hydrocortisone were examined following single doses of 5-, 10-, 20-, and 40-mg hydrocortisone suspensions to healthy male volunteers. Endogenous hydrocortisone was suppressed by giving 2 mg of dexamethasone the night before hydrocortisone administration. Plasma samples obtained serially for 12 hr after hydrocortisone administration were assayed by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography using a fixed-wavelength (254 nm) UV absorbance detector. Drug absorption was rapid, with mean maximum plasma hydrocortisone concentrations occurring within 60 min of dosing. Subsequent drug elimination was monophasic with mean elimination half-lives increasing from 1.2 hr for the 5-mg dose to 1.7 hr for the 40-mg dose. Increases in AUC and Cmax with increasing dose were linear but not directly proportional to dose size. This was attributed to dose-dependent absorption or to loss of drug during the first-pass through the liver.
Learning Curves and Reliability Measures for Virtual Reality Simulation in the Performance Assessment of Carotid Angiography

OBJECTIVES Improvement in performance as measured by metric-based procedural errors must be demonstrated if virtual reality (VR) simulation is to be used as a valid means of proficiency assessment and improvement in procedural-based medical skills. BACKGROUND The Food and Drug Administration requires completion of VR simulation training for physicians learning to perform carotid stenting. METHODS Interventional cardiologists (n = 20) participating in the Emory NeuroAnatomy Carotid Training program underwent an instructional course on carotid angiography and then performed five serial simulated carotid angiograms on the Vascular Interventional System Trainer (VIST) VR simulator (Mentice AB, Gothenburg, Sweden). Of the subjects, 90% completed the full assessment. Procedure time (PT), fluoroscopy time (FT), contrast volume, and composite catheter handling errors (CE) were recorded by the simulator. RESULTS An improvement was noted in PT, contrast volume, FT, and CE when comparing the subjects' first and last simulations (all p < 0.05). The internal consistency of the VIST VR simulator as assessed with standardized coefficient alpha was high (range 0.81 to 0.93), except for FT (alpha = 0.36). Test-retest reliability was high for CE (r = 0.9, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS A learning curve with improved performance was demonstrated on the VIST simulator. This study represents the largest collection of such data to date in carotid VR simulation and is the first report to establish the internal consistency of the VIST simulator and its test-retest reliability across several metrics. These metrics are fundamental benchmarks in the validation of any measurement device. Composite catheter handling errors represent measurable dynamic metrics with high test-retest reliability that are required for the high-stakes assessment of procedural skills.
The costs of competition. FCC Telecommunication Orders of 1997

Abstract This article summarizes and discusses the FCC orders for reforming universal service (FCC Order 97–157) and access charges (FCC Order 97–158) that were issued in May, 1997. Also included in the article is a summary and discussion of FCC Order 97–159 which makes some changes in price cap regulation. The article starts with a short tutorial on access charges. It then summarizes the FCC Orders and analyzes their financial impact. The article concludes with some personal observations on the course, thus far, of telecommunications reform in the United States.
Recent advances in the role and biosynthesis of ascorbic acid in plants

The past few years have provided many advances in the role and biosynthesis of L-ascorbic acid (AsA) in plants. There is an increasing body of evidence confirming that AsA plays an important role in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species. The role of AsA in photoprotection has been confirmed in vivo with the use of Arabidopsis mutants. A player in the defence against reactive oxygen species, AsA peroxidase, has been extensively studied at the molecular level, and regulation of this key enzymatic activity appears to occur at several levels. As a cofactor in the hydroxylation of prolyl and lysl-residues by peptidyl-prolyl and -lysyl hydroxylases, AsA plays a part in cell wall synthesis, defence, and possibly cell division. The maintenance of reduced levels of AsA appears to be highly regulated, involving the interplay of both monodehydroascorbate and dehydroascorbate reductases and possibly auxin. A major breakthrough in plant AsA biosynthesis has been made recently, and strong biochemical and genetic evidence suggest that GDP-mannose and L-galactose are key substrates. In addition, evidence for an alternative AsA biosynthetic pathway(s) exists and awaits additional scrutiny. Finally, newly described Arabidopsis mutants deficient in AsA will further increase our understanding of AsA biosynthesis.
Small-angle neutron scattering investigation of the response of model polyurethane ionomers to uniaxial deformation

Abstract The deformation behaviour of the poly (tetramethylene oxide) subchains of two sodium sulphonated model polyurethane ionomers is examined by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Surprisingly, the scattering patterns from both ionomers remained isotropic at low elongations. At higher elongations, visible anisotropy appeared in the SANS patterns, but the change in the radii of gyration in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the stretching direction was small. Three models of network deformation—the junction affine, the phantom network and the affine deformation model—failed to reproduce the experimental results. A two-stage deformation model comprising an initial stage of aggregate rearrangement and subchain relaxation at low elongations, followed by subchain stretching at higher elongations, is postulated to explain the observed results.
Use of the song repertoire in intersexual and intrasexual contexts by male red-winged blackbirds

Live and stuffed male and female red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) were presented to territorial males in order to study the repertoire organization of males during intersexual and intrasexual encounters. Territorial male red-winged blackbirds switched song types more frequently and sang more song types in response to presentation of a female stimulus than during control periods, but decreased their switching frequency when a male stimulus was presented. Switching frequency in response to the female stimulus was three times that in response to the male stimulus. These results support the hypothesis that song repertoires of male red-winged blackbirds evolved primarily in response to intersexual rather than intrasexual selection. They also suggest that male red-winged blackbirds have been selected to de-emphasize their song repertoires during encounters with conspecific males as a result of some as yet unidentified cost.