cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Community composition and allometry of Leucothoe davisiae, Cornus sericea, and Chrysolepis sempervirens.

Leucothoe davisiae Torr. ex A. Gray (Ericaceae), Sierra laurel, is an endemic shrub of the Sierra Nevada, Klamath Mountains, and Warner Mountains. We compared the woody plant community and allometry of Leucothoe with one widespread wetland shrub, red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea L. (Cornaceae)), and one widespread upland shrub, bush chinquapin (Chrysolepis sempervirens (Kellogg) Hjelmq. (Fagaceae)), in an Abies concolor - Pinus lambertiana forest. We examined 2282 mapped shrub patches and 34 392 trees in the Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot (25.6 ha), Yosemite National Park, California, USA. We dissected 40-41 stems of each shrub species and determined foliage, bark, wood, and total biomass as a function of stem diameter. Community compo- sitions determined from plants withi na5m buffer of Leucothoe were different from those reported for Leucothoe communities in the Siskiyou National Forest and the Central Klamath. Leucothoe allometry based on basal diameter was more variable (total biomass R2 = 0.64; P < 0.001) than that of Cornus (R2 = 0.93; P < 0.001) or Chrysolepis (R2 = 0.95; P < 0.001), reflecting greater canopy variation. Allometry based on diameter at 1.37 m along the main stem offered equivalent explanatory power for Cornus (R2 = 0.89; P < 0.001) and Chrysolepis (R2 = 0.84; P < 0.001), but Leucothoe rarely reached that stature. These allometric equations that we report
Can associations between free fatty acid levels and metabolic parameters determine insulin resistance development in obese Zucker rats

Elevated levels of serum free fatty acids (FFA) may be the metabolic alteration in obesity that leads to insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The obese Zucker rat (ZR) is a genetic model of juvenile-onset obesity and type 2 DM. Compared with its lean sibling, the obese ZR is hyperinsulinemic, hypertriglyceridemic, and, beginning at about 6 months, hyperglycemic. The obese ZR demonstrates also IR, hyperphagia, increased lipogenesis, adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia, and increased serum FFA levels. This study was designed to determine if serum FFA levels in lean and obese ZRs correlate with metabolic parameters associated with altered energy metabolism and IR. We hypothesized that serum FFA levels correlate with such serum parameters such as insulin, glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol, as well as such tissue parameters as retroperitoneal, perirenal, and epididymal fat pad weights and liver total lipid content. Twenty lean and 20 obese ZR were age/weight matched. For 14 days each rat had ad libitum access to a single bowl diet that was 50% fat, 30% carbohydrate, and 20% protein. Body weights and caloric intakes were measured daily. After 14 days, all animals were fasted overnight and euthanized. Serum and tissue measurements were made and various parameters were correlated with FFA levels. Serum FFA levels were almost 2 times higher in the obese ZR (approximately 1 mmol/L) compared to the lean (approximately 0.6 mmol/L). Each variable measured was significantly (p < or = 0.05) greater in the obese ZR compared to the lean. There were significant correlations between serum FFA levels and certain variables when data from all ZR were plotted against serum and tissue parameters. However, within phenotypes, there were no significant correlations. Serum FFA levels predict serum and tissue parameters that accompany obesity and IR when comparing lean and obese rats. However, FFA do not predict such parameters within one phenotype.
Post-soldering free-standing porcelain-fused-to-metal pontics

TMS pins were used to maintain accurate pontic relationships, and the porcelain that contacted the investment was eliminated to prevent porcelain contamination during the post-soldering procedure.
Conductivity of 2-D Ag Quantum Dot Arrays: Computational Study of the Role of Size and Packing Disorder at Low Temperatures

The temperature dependence of the coherent DC conductivity of an Ag quantum dot (QD) monolayer has been computed allowing for size fluctuations of the QDs as well as for packing disorder. The compu...
Effect of antibody emission rates on plaque morphology

CUNNINGHAM and Fordham1 have used a modified version of the haemolytic plaque technique to show that antibody diversity can be generated after B cells have been stimulated to proliferate. They tested antibody plaque forming cells (PFC) against a mixture of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) from two different sheep and obtained three morphological classes of direct plaques: clear (the plaque radii for both types of SRBC were equal), sombrero (the plaque radii were different for the two types of SRBC), and partial (there was only one plaque radius). For the clear and sombrero plaques both types of SRBC lysed to some extent, while for the partial plaques only one type of SRBC lysed. Cunningham and Fordham used plaque morphology as an antibody specificity marker, that is, if two plaques were different in morphology this was taken to mean that the antibodies produced by the two PFC differed in their specificity for the two types of SRBC. They studied clones produced from single PFC and found in most cases that the plaques produced by the progeny were of the same morphological class, differing only by slight variations in their plaque radii. In 10 of the 93 clones observed, however, the morphology of the plaques differed within the clone. In 7 clones two different morphological classes of plaque were observed, and in the others all three classes. Cunningham and Fordham suggested that within a given clone the antibodies emitted by different cells can have different specificities.
Return of axonal and glial membrane specializations during remyelination after tellurium-induced demyelination

We have studied remyelination of rat peripheral nerves after tellurium-induced demyelination using thin section and freeze-fracture techniques. In rats fed a 1% tellurium diet, regions of demyelination were readily identified by myelin debris and the presence of large denuded axons. Remyelination occurred despite continued tellurium ingestion. However, the demyelinated axons underwent a more rapid remyelination if tellurium was removed from the diet. Remyelination proceeded as described for myelination in the normal developing animal. Sites destined to become nodes of Ranvier were identified as patches of intramembranous particles in the axonal E-face. Early terminal loops of the remyelinating Schwann cell were found adjacent to these particle patches. As wrapping proceeded, terminal loops of myelin, along with associated rows of dimeric-particles characteristic of the axonal P-face, were wound into a paranodal location. This winding of the membrane specializations and associated terminal loops resulted in the reformation of morphologically normal paranodes. The size of the nodal E-face particle patch increased in concordance with increases in the number of paranodal loops until an annulus of particles was obtained as seen in the normal node. The thin section and freeze-fracture morphology of remyelinated fibres was indistinguishable from the morphology of control fibres. These observations are discussed with respect to proposed functions of membrane specializations in myelination and nerve conduction.
Magnetic resonance imaging of microvascular leakage induced by myocardial contrast echocardiography in rats

The extent and magnitude of microvascular leakage induced by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) were characterized with contrast-aided magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Evans blue dye, Definity ultrasound contrast agent and Omniscan magnetic resonance contrast agent were injected intravenously in anesthetized rats suspended in a water bath. Diagnostic ultrasound B mode scans with 1:4 end-systolic triggering were performed at 1.5 MHz using a cardiac phased array scanhead to provide a short axis view of the left ventricle. The in situ peak rarefactional pressure amplitude (PRPA) was 2.0 MPa. Microvascular leakage was characterized by extraction of the dye from tissue samples and by imaging the distribution and concentration of Omniscan within the myocardium. The extracted Evans blue was 2.3 times greater than in shams (P<.05) for heart samples perfused with heparin saline, and 1.6 times greater than shams (not significant) for unperfused samples. The MRI showed the penetration of the ultrasound-induced capillary leakage throughout much of the scan plane. The overall gadolinium content measured by MR showed the same trends as the extracted Evans blue, but was more variable. For pooled data (perfused and unperfused), the exposed samples were significantly increased (P<.05) relative to the sham samples for both Evans blue and gadolinium content. Omniscan leakage was also discernable in two of four MRIs from intact rats (after sacrifice). These results demonstrate a potential for MR mapping of capillary leakage induced by contrast-aided ultrasound, with a possible application to spatial characterization of local drug delivery.
Fabrication of Freestanding 1-D PDMS Microstructures Using Capillary Micromolding

A method to create freestanding, biocompatible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microstructures is presented. First, capillary flow through micro channels on silicon (Si) substrates is used to create high fidelity PDMS structures that are a few μm wide and deep but several mm long (length to width/depth ≈ 500:1). Next, an improvised procedure is employed to remove the cured PDMS microstructures from the Si substrate without damaging them. The method is used to create extremely sensitive cantilever beams with stiffness less than 0.1 pN/μm, and micro platforms for cell biology studies. The PDMS microstructures created using this method have applications in cell mechanobiology as force and mass sensors.
COX-2 inhibition results in alterations in nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation but not cytokine production in acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is characterized by local inflammation and cytokine production, and release is thought to contribute to this process. Nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation and cytokine production are linked and inhibition of NF-κB has been shown to decrease the severity of pancreatitis. We have shown that inhibition of COX-2 ameliorates pancreatitis; however, the mechanism by which this effect occurs is unclear. Swiss Webster mice were injected intraperitoneally with either saline (control) or caerulein (CAE; 50 mg/kg) hourly for 8 hours; mice receiving CAE were further subdivided to receive saline or the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitor (SC-58125; 10 mg, intraperitoneally) at the time of the first injection of CAE. Pancreata were harvested, histologic sections were scored, and protein was extracted to determine cytokine (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β) levels and NF-κB subunits by ELISA and NF-κB activation by gel shift. In addition, serum was collected for measurement of cytokines. COX-2 inhibition resulted in decreased inflammation and a decrease in NF-κB activation. IL-6 and IL-1β levels after COX-2 inhibition, however, remained elevated to levels equivalent to those of mice with histologic inflammation after CAE alone. COX-2 inhibition decreases inflammation as well as late-phase NF-κB activation but does not diminish levels of inflammatory cytokines, thus suggesting a two-phase activator of NF-κB. The attenuation of inflammation, despite unaltered cytokine levels, suggests that cytokines may not be critical for the inflammatory phase of pancreatitis.
Modulation of the Trafficking Efficiency and Functional Properties of ATP-sensitive Potassium Channels through a Single Amino Acid in the Sulfonylurea Receptor

Mutations in the sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1), a subunit of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels, cause familial hyperinsulinism. One such mutation, deletion of phenylalanine 1388 (ΔPhe-1388), leads to defects in both trafficking and MgADP response of KATP channels. Here we investigated the biochemical features of Phe-1388 that control the proper trafficking and function of KATP channels by substituting the residue with all other 19 amino acids. Whereas surface expression is largely dependent on hydrophobicity, channel response to MgADP is governed by multiple factors and involves the detailed architecture of the amino acid side chain. Thus, structural features in SUR1 required for proper channel function are distinct from those required for correct protein trafficking. Remarkably, replacing Phe-1388 by leucine profoundly alters the physiological and pharmacological properties of the channel. The F1388L-SUR1 channel has increased sensitivity to MgADP and metabolic inhibition, decreased sensitivity to glibenclamide, and responds to both diazoxide and pinacidil. Because this conservative amino acid substitution occurs in the SUR2A and SUR2B isoforms, the mutation provides a mechanism by which functional diversities in KATP channels are generated.
Desensitization, recovery and Ca2+-dependent modulation of ATP-gated P2X receptors in nociceptors

We have shown the presence and activity of ATP-gated ion channels (P2X receptors) in nociceptive nerve endings, supporting the theory that these channels mediate some forms of nociception [Cook S.P., Vulchanova L., Hargreaves K. M., Elde R. and McCleskey E. W. (1997) Distinct ATP receptors on pain-sensing and stretch-sensing neurons. Nature 387, 505-508]. The kinetics and pharmacology of ATP-gated currents in nociceptors suggest that the channels are comprised of either homomeric or heteromeric combinations of P2X3 receptors. Consistent with the diverse nature of P2X structure, electrophysiological responses of rat tooth-pulp nociceptors fall into two distinct classes based on desensitization and recovery kinetics. Here, we quantified the dramatic differences in desensitization kinetics of transient and persistent currents. The major component of transient P2X current desensitized with a tau decay = 32 +/- 2 msec, while persistent current desensitized > 100-fold more slowly, tau decay = 4000 +/- 320 msec. Both currents recovered from desensitization in minutes: tau recovery = 4 min for transient current, and tau recovery = 0.7 +/- 0.2 min for persistent current. Persistent current recovery was often accompanied by a current "overrecovery" that averaged ca threefold magnitude prior to desensitization. Comparison of ATP current in elevated Ca2+ext also revealed differences in transient and presistent currents. In 2 mM Ca2+ext medium, decrease of Na+ext resulted in an almost complete reduction of persistent, but not transient, current. Subsequent elevation of Ca2+ext greatly increased the transient, but not persistent, current. Mechanistic explanations for either the increase in transient current magnitude by elevated Ca2+ext, or persistent current overrecovery may reflect endogenous pathways for P2X receptor modulation.
Inhibition of Iron-Catalyzed Oxidations by Attainable Uric Acid and Ascorbic Acid Levels: Therapeutic Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease and Late Cognitive Impairment

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become one of the major health problems of the developed world. Previous studies have shown that oxidant-induced changes occur in cerebral t
Special issue on the cognitive revolution in clinical psychology: beyond the behavioral approach-conclusions: toward an evidence-based psychology and psychotherapy.

Integrating the criticisms of the cognitive psychology approach offered by behavioral oriented professionals, as well as the information offered in this special issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology, the article presents an overview of the theoretical and practical implications of the cognitive revolution on the clinical field and discusses the unique contribution of this approach beyond the contribution of the behavioral approach. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.
Reliability-based design optimization with confidence level under input model uncertainty due to limited test data

For obtaining a correct reliability-based optimum design, the input statistical model, which includes marginal and joint distributions of input random variables, needs to be accurately estimated. However, in most engineering applications, only limited data on input variables are available due to expensive testing costs. The input statistical model estimated from the insufficient data will be inaccurate, which leads to an unreliable optimum design. In this paper, reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) with the confidence level for input normal random variables is proposed to offset the inaccurate estimation of the input statistical model by using adjusted standard deviation and correlation coefficient that include the effect of inaccurate estimation of mean, standard deviation, and correlation coefficient.
The oligogenic properties of Bardet–Biedl syndrome

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS: OMIM 209900) is a rare developmental disorder that exhibits significant clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Although modeled initially as a purely recessive trait, recent data have unmasked an oligogenic mode of disease transmission, in which mutations at different BBS loci can interact genetically in some families to cause and/or modify the phenotype. Here, I will review and discuss recent advances in elucidating both genetic and cellular aspects of this phenotype and their potential application in understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic variability and oligogenic inheritance.
Synechococcus sp. Strain PCC 7002 nifJ Mutant Lacking Pyruvate:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase

The nifJ gene codes for pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR), which reduces ferredoxin during fermentative catabolism of pyruvate to acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). A nifJ knockout mutant was constructed that lacks one of two pathways for the oxidation of pyruvate in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7002. Remarkably, the photoautotrophic growth rate of this mutant increased by 20% relative to the wild-type (WT) rate under conditions of light-dark cycling. This result is attributed to an increase in the quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) charge separation as measured by photosynthetic electron turnover efficiency determined using fast-repetition-rate fluorometry (F(v)/F(m)). During autofermentation, the excretion of acetate and lactate products by nifJ mutant cells decreased 2-fold and 1.2-fold, respectively. Although nifJ cells displayed higher in vitro hydrogenase activity than WT cells, H(2) production in vivo was 1.3-fold lower than the WT level. Inhibition of acetate-CoA ligase and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by glycerol eliminated acetate production, with a resulting loss of reductant and a 3-fold decrease in H(2) production by nifJ cells compared to WT cells. Continuous electrochemical detection of dissolved H(2) revealed two temporally resolved phases of H(2) production during autofermentation, a minor first phase and a major second phase. The first phase was attributed to reduction of ferredoxin, because its level decreased 2-fold in nifJ cells. The second phase was attributed to glycolytic NADH production and decreased 20% in nifJ cells. Measurement of the intracellular NADH/NAD(+) ratio revealed that the reductant generated by PFOR contributing to the first phase of H(2) production was not in equilibrium with bulk NADH/NAD(+) and that the second phase corresponded to the equilibrium NADH-mediated process.
The Effect of State Licensing Regulations on the Real Estate Brokerage Industry

An argument is often made that occupational licensure protects members of the regulated industry by limiting supply and raising earnings. The purpose of this study is to examine entry barriers within the real estate brokerage industry and to determine the effect of differing state entry requirements on the supply of practitioners, earnings, and quality of service provided. A simultaneous system of equations is developed where the number of licensees per capita, earnings, and quality are jointly estimated. Two-stage least squares results support the premise that the consumer rather than the industry benefits from real estate prelicensing regulation with a higher quality of service. Significant evidence is not found to support the idea that the real estate industry regulations are self-serving.
Matched Pair Comparison of Busulfan/Cyclophosphamide/Etoposide (BuCyE) to Carmustine/Etoposide/Cytarabine/Melphalan (BEAM) Conditioning Regimen Prior to Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (autoHCT) for Lymphoma

Matched Pair Comparison of Busulfan/ Cyclophosphamide/Etoposide (BuCyE) to Carmustine/ Etoposide/Cytarabine/Melphalan (BEAM) Conditioning Regimen Prior to Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (autoHCT) for Lymphoma Marcelo C. Pasquini , Jennifer Le Rademacher , Christopher Flowers , Michael Lill , Luciano J. Costa , Tsiporah B. Shore , William Vaughan , Michael Craig , Cesar O. Freytes , Thomas C. Shea , Mitchell E. Horwitz , Joseph W. Fay , Shin Mineishi , Damiano Rondelli , James Mason , Vijay Reddy , Ira Braunschweig , Weiyun Ai , Elizabeth Armstrong , Angela Smith , Cathy Zhao , Agnes Elekes , Jeanette Carreras , Kazunobu Kato , Edmund K. Waller . 1 CIBMTR, CIBMTR/ Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI; 2 Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI; 3 Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Division of BMT, Emory University, Atlanta, GA; 4 Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; 6 Cornell Medical Center Hematology/ Oncology, The New York Hospital, New York, NY; 7 Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapy Program, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; West Virginia University Health Science Center, Morgantown, WV; 9 South Texas Veterans Health Care System and University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX; 10 Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; 11 Adult Stem Cell Transplant Program, Division of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC; 12 Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX; 13 Bone Marrow Transplantation Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; 14 Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Oncology, University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, Chicago, IL; 15 Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA; 16 University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; 17 Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY; 18 University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; 19 Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., Princeton, NJ; 20 CIBMTR, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI; 21 Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Division of BMT, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
GAP: a GPSS/FORTRAN package

The GAP package has been developed to permit the linking of standard GPSS models to a series of FORTRAN subprograms. Since the GAP subprograms are transparent to the user, knowledge of the FORTRAN language is not needed. GAP provides an easy mechanism to obtain, among other things, values from a number of standard statistical distributions, permits the loading of MSAVEVALUEs and other SNAs using data cards and provides statistical analysis of the GPSS model output.
Signal subspace-based non-iterative exact inverse scattering of point targets

This work investigates, within exact scattering theory, signal subspace approaches for the inverse scattering in a known but rather arbitrary embedding background medium of an unknown total scatterer composed of a collection of M small (point-like) scattering centers (targets) that are located at unknown positions X/sub m/,m = 1,2,... ,M and have unknown scattering strengths. This problem is investigated within the context of source-field systems describable in the frequency domain by the inhomogeneous Helmholtz equation. Multiple scattering between the targets is modeled in this research within exact scattering theory which for point targets takes the form of the Foldy-Lax equations. Envisaged applications of this nonlinear signal processing include target detection in clutter.
Energy efficiency and allometry of movement of swimming and flying animals

Which animals use their energy better during movement? One metric to answer this question is the energy cost per unit distance per unit weight. Prior data show that this metric decreases with mass, which is considered to imply that massive animals are more efficient. Although useful, this metric also implies that two dynamically equivalent animals of different sizes will not be considered equally efficient. We resolve this longstanding issue by first determining the scaling of energy cost per unit distance traveled. The scale is found to be M2/3 or M1/2, where M is the animal mass. Second, we introduce an energy-consumption coefficient (CE) defined as energy per unit distance traveled divided by this scale. CE is a measure of efficiency of swimming and flying, analogous to how drag coefficient quantifies aerodynamic drag on vehicles. Derivation of the energy-cost scale reveals that the assumption that undulatory swimmers spend energy to overcome drag in the direction of swimming is inappropriate. We derive allometric scalings that capture trends in data of swimming and flying animals over 10–20 orders of magnitude by mass. The energy-consumption coefficient reveals that swimmers beyond a critical mass, and most fliers are almost equally efficient as if they are dynamically equivalent; increasingly massive animals are not more efficient according to the proposed metric. Distinct allometric scalings are discovered for large and small swimmers. Flying animals are found to require relatively more energy compared with swimmers.
Extrinsic calibration of a camera and laser range finder (improves camera calibration)

We describe theoretical and experimental results for the extrinsic calibration of sensor platform consisting of a camera and a 2D laser range finder. The calibration is based on observing a planar checkerboard pattern and solving for constraints between the "views" of a planar checkerboard calibration pattern from a camera and laser range finder. We give a direct solution that minimizes an algebraic error from this constraint, and subsequent nonlinear refinement minimizes a re-projection error. To our knowledge, this is the first published calibration tool for this problem. Additionally we show how this constraint can reduce the variance in estimating intrinsic camera parameters.
Toward a Social Framework for Information Seeking

Since the increasing spread of the Internet across the population at large, there has been much commentary about how we live in an information age (Castells, 1996). The idea that we live in a knowledge society predates the 1990s mass diffusion of information technologies (IT) and has been of interest to social scientists for decades (Bell, 1976; Reich, 1992). However, it is only recently that a myriad of IT have spread across all segments of the population, branching to every imaginable daily activity, putting them in the forefront of academic and popular discussions and debates alike (Howard & Jones, 2003; Katz & Rice, 2002; Wellman & Haythornthwaite, 2002). Given this wide-ranging significance and relevance, it is of utmost importance to focus research on the specifics of how people seek, search for, access, find and make use of information, or human information behavior (HIB) (Spink & Cole, in press). Undoubtedly, the rapid spread of IT to an increasing portion of the population has made more information readily available to people than ever before. This aspect of IT prompted early commentators to express much enthusiasm for these technologies (Barlow, 1997; Dizard, 1997). Concurrently, however, others expressed concern that the riches provided by the new resources would not be distributed equally among different segments of the population (Anderson et al., 1995; DiMaggio et al., 2004). These concerns are related to the idea that mere availability of information does not equal accessibility, nor does it necessarily provide a realistic chance that people may come across the types of information of most interest or use to them (Hargittai, 2000). Consequently, to ensure equal access and that people find the information they need, library and information science (LIS) researchers must strive for a better understanding of how people are accessing information and how this may differ across populations. HIB broadens our understanding of how people react to information by focusing in on specific groups and trying to understand the social framework of their information condition. In this chapter, we then focus on new directions in the development of a social framework for understanding the information behavior of well-targeted groups in society. That is, we explore how one’s social positioning influences one’s information behavior which, in turn, influences the information-seeking behavior of the populations studied. We concentrate especially on HIB through IT, but base our discussion in a more general
Hypoxia-Mediated Expression of 5-Lipoxygenase–Activating Protein Involves HIF-1α and NF-κB and MicroRNAs 135a and 199a-5p

Hypoxia occurs in a number of pathological states, such as pulmonary, hematological, and cardiovascular disorders. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanism by which hypoxia contributes to increased leukotriene formation. Our studies showed hypoxia augmented the expression of 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP), a key enzyme in leukotriene formation, in both human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and a transformed human brain endothelial cell line. Hypoxia-induced FLAP mRNA expression involved activation of NADPH-oxidase, PI-3 kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, NF-kappaB, and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha. Hypoxia-induced FLAP promoter activity was attenuated on mutation of hypoxia-response elements (HREs) and NF-kappaB binding motif in the FLAP promoter. Hypoxia also augmented binding of HIF-1alpha to HREs in FLAP promoter as demonstrated by EMSA with nuclear extracts. Furthermore, chromain immunoprecipitation analysis showed HIF-1alpha bound to HREs in native chromatin obtained from hypoxia-treated cells. Next, we examined the role of HIF-1alpha regulated microRNAs on FLAP expression. Our studies showed decreased expression of miR-135a and miR-199a-5p in response to hypoxia. However, overexpression of anti-miR-135a and anti-miR-199a-5p oligonucleotides led to a several fold increased FLAP mRNA and protein expression. These studies demonstrate for the first time that hypoxia-mediated FLAP expression is regulated by HREs and NF-kappaB site in its promoter, and negatively regulated by miR-135a and miR-199a-5p, which target the 3'-UTR of FLAP mRNA. An understanding of these regulatory pathways provides new avenues to ameliorate leukotriene formation and hence reactive airway disease, and inflammation in individuals who have sickle cell disease.
Regulation of Candida albicans Morphogenesis by Fatty Acid Metabolites

Candida albicans is an opportunistic dimorphic fungus that inhabits various host mucosal sites. Conversion from the yeast to the hyphal form has been associated with increased virulence and mucosal invasiveness. C. albicans morphogenesis is regulated by multiple signals and signaling pathways. However, signals that control morphogenesis in vivo are unknown. We investigated the effects of host long chain fatty acids, eicosanoids, and bacterial short chain fatty acids on control of germination. None of the C18 or C20 fatty acids tested had an effect on enhancing germ tube formation (arachidonic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, or γ-linolenic acid). Among the different eicosanoids, both prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 significantly enhanced serum-induced germination by C. albicans. Addition of antiprostaglandin or antithromboxane antibodies to serum alone inhibited germ tube formation by almost 30%, while control antibody had no effect, indicating that these eicosanoids are major morphogenic factors in the serum. Since these molecules also bind to albumin, this may also explain the hyphal transforming activity in serum that associates with albumin. Interestingly, short chain fatty acids (butyric acid), the product of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), inhibited germination. In addition, LAB culture supernatants as well as live LAB also inhibited C. albicans morphogenesis. Overall, these results indicate that fatty acid metabolites and fatty acid pathways can up-regulate and down-regulate germination in C. albicans.
Clonogenic inactivation of colon cancer-derived cells treated with 5-fluorouracil and indomethacin in hybrid spheroids.

The clonogenic hybrid spheroid assay has been used to determine the toxicity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), alone or in combination with indomethacin, in LoVo cells (a human colon adenocarcinoma line). The principal finding was that 5-FU toxicity, determined as loss of colony-forming ability, increased as a function of dose (concentration x duration of exposure). and that indomethacin causes a generalized alleviation of 5-FU toxicity, but only if given concurrently with 5-FU. The implications of these findings in the control of cancer cells by 5-FU are discussed.
Trade-Offs in Plant Defense Against Pathogens and Herbivores: A Field Demonstration of Chemical Elicitors of Induced Resistance

Two signaling pathways, one involving salicylic acid and another involving jasmonic acid, participate in the expression of plant resistance to pathogens and insect herbivores. In this study, we report that stimulation of systemic acquired resistance in field-grown tomato plants with the salicylate mimic, benzothiadiazole: (1) attenuates the jasmonate-induced expression of the antiherbivore defense-related enzyme polyphenol oxidase, and (2) compromises host-plant resistance to larvae of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. Conversely, treatment of plants with jasmonic acid at concentrations that induce resistance to insects reduces pathogenesis-related protein gene expression induced by benzothiadiazole, and partially reverses the protective effect of benzothiadiazole against bacterial speck disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. We conclude that effective utilization of induced plant resistance to the multiple pests typically encountered in agriculture will require understanding potential signaling conflicts in plant defense responses.
A parametric study of laser induced thin film spallation

We report parametric studies of elastic wave generation by a pulsed laser and associated spalling of thin surface films by the corresponding high stresses. Two different substrate materials, single crystal Si (100) and fused silica, are considered. Spallation behavior of Al thin films is investigated as a function of substrate thickness, film thickness, laser energy, and various parameters governing the source. Surface displacement due to the stress wave is measured by Michaelson interferometry and used to infer the stresses on the film interface. Consistent with previous studies, the maximum stress in the substrate and at the film/substrate interface increases with increasing laser fluence. For many of the conditions tested, the substrate stress is large enough to damage the Si. Moreover, the maximum interface stress is found to increase with increasing film thickness, but decrease with increasing substrate thickness due to geometric attenuation. Of particular significance is the development of a decompression shock in the fused sillica substrates, which results in very high tensile stresses at the interface. This shock enhances the failure of thin film interfaces, especially in thicker samples.
Control of nonlinear time-varying systems

Consider the time-varying nonlinear system of the form x(t) = f(x,t) + ?i=1 mui(t)gi(x,t), with f, g1,...,gm being l? vector fields on Rn+1. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for this system to be transformable to a time-invariant controllable linear system. In order to control the nonlinear system, we map to the linear system, choose a desired control there, and return to the nonlinear system by the inverse of the transformation.
Real-time analysis of molecular interaction of retinoid receptors and receptor-interacting protein 140 (RIP140).

Receptor interacting protein 140 (RIP140) is a coregulator for a large number of transcription factors. RIP140 interacts with retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) with or without ligands. The C-terminal domain of RIP140 (RIP-C′) contains a novel sequence (1063–1076, LTKTNPILYYMLQK) and has been shown to interact with RAR and RXR ligand dependently in two-hybrid interaction and pull-down assays. To examine the kinetic characteristics of molecular interaction of RIP-C′ with RAR and RXR, a surface plasmon resonance technology (BIAcore) was applied for real-time analyses of this molecular interaction with highly purified proteins. A modified pull-down assay using purified proteins was also conducted to obtain supporting data. The effect of retinoid ligands on this type of interaction was addressed. By using receptor mutants, it was demonstrated that the activation function-2 domain and the ability to form dimers of the receptors are required for an efficient interaction of receptor with ...
Impact of scanning parameters and breathing patterns on image quality and accuracy of tumor motion reconstruction in 4D CBCT: a phantom study

Four-dimensional, cone-beam CT (4D CBCT) substantially reduces respiration-induced motion blurring artifacts in three-dimension (3D) CBCT. However, the image quality of 4D CBCT is significantly degraded which may affect its accuracy in localizing a mobile tumor for high-precision, image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of scanning parameters hereinafter collectively referred to as scanning sequence) and breathing patterns on the image quality and the accuracy of computed tumor trajectory for a commercial 4D CBCT system, in preparation for its clinical implementation. We simulated a series of periodic and aperiodic sinusoidal breathing patterns with a respiratory motion phantom. The aperiodic pattern was created by varying the period or amplitude of individual sinusoidal breathing cycles. 4D CBCT scans of the phantom were acquired with a manufacturer-supplied scanning sequence (4D-S-slow) and two in-house modified scanning sequences (4D-M-slow and 4D-M-fast). While 4D-S-slow used small field of view (FOV), partial rotation (200°), and no imaging filter, 4D-M-slow and 4D-M-fast used medium FOV, full rotation, and the F1 filter. The scanning speed was doubled in 4D-M-fast (100°/min gantry rotation). The image quality of the 4D CBCT scans was evaluated using contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and motion blurring ratio (MBR). The trajectory of the moving target was reconstructed by registering each phase of the 4D CBCT with a reference CT. The root-mean-squared-error (RMSE) analysis was used to quantify its accuracy. Significant decrease in CNR and SNR from 3D CBCT to 4D CBCT was observed. The 4D-S-slow and 4D-M-fast scans had comparable image quality, while the 4D-M-slow scans had better performance due to doubled projections. Both CNR and SNR decreased slightly as the breathing period increased, while no dependence on the amplitude was observed. The difference of both CNR and SNR between periodic and aperiodic breathing patterns was insignificant (p > 0.48). At end-exhale phases, the motion blurring was negligible for both periodic and aperiodic breathing patterns; at mid-inhale phase, the motion blurring increased as the period, the amplitude or the amount of cycle-to-cycle variation on amplitude increased. Overall, the accuracy of localizing the moving target in 4D CBCT was within 2 mm under all studied cases. No difference in the RMSEs was noticed among the three scanning sequences. The 4D-M-fast scans, free of volume truncation artifacts, exhibited comparable image quality and accuracy in tumor motion reconstruction as the 4D-S-slow scans with reduced imaging dose (0.60 cGy vs. 0.99 cGy) due to the use of faster gantry rotation and the F1 filter, suggesting its suitability for clinical use.
Scabbing the Palouse: agricultural labor replacement and union busting in southeast Washington, 1917–1919

The radical ideologies and socialist overtones of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) made them an easy target for industrialists as nationalistic and patriotic propaganda flooded the pages of American newspapers during World War I. The war in Europe marked the beginning of the end for the rapid growth and labor organizing power of the IWW, especially in the northwestern United States where WWI was used as a means for state governments and regional industrialists to devise methods meant to damage the union beyond repair. After America’s declaration of war, the Washington State Council of Defense was formed in response to the nation’s demand for mobilization of its citizens for increased production of war materiel and to operate the state’s wartime propaganda machine. With an abundance of natural resources, Washington had a profound impact on national war production output. Although it possessed several important extractive industries, it was Washington’s quality grain, especially in the southeast po...
Neutron transport in Eulerian coordinates with bulk material motion

Abstract A consistent, numerically stable algorithm for the solution of the neutron transport equation in the presence of a moving material background is presented for one-dimensional spherical geometry. Manufactured solutions are used to demonstrate the correctness and stability of our numerical algorithm. The importance of including moving material corrections is shown for the r-process in proto-neutron stars.
Link Scheduling in Wireless Cooperative Communication Networks

In this paper, we study the link scheduling problem in wireless cooperative communication networks, in which receivers are allowed to combine copies of a message from different senders to combat fading. We formulate a problem called cooperative link scheduling problem (CLS), which aims to find a schedule of links that uses the minimum number of time slots to inform all the receivers. As a solution, we propose an algorithm for CLS with g(K) approximation ratio, where g(K) is so called diversity of key links. Simulation results indicate that our cooperative link scheduling approaches outperform noncooperative ones.
Book Review: Law School: A Survivor's Guide

Jim Gordon is the funniest person alive (or as alive as legal-academics get) writing about legal education. This review considers Gordon's book of advice to aspiring and perspiring law students.
Abstract 5606: Gallium maltolate inhibits brain tumor volume and blood volume in xenograft model.

Purpose: There are limited treatment options for glioblastomas (GBM). Tumor cells have a high requirement for iron; the latter is taken up by cells through transferrin receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin-iron. These receptors are highly expressed on GBM cells, which makes them an attractive target for transferrin receptor-directed therapies. Gallium is a group IIIa metal that can function as an iron mimetic by avidly binding to transferrin and incorporating into cells through the transferrin receptor. No studies have been performed to determine the efficacy of gallium-based therapies in brain tumors. Consequently, the goal of this study was to evaluate gallium maltolate in the treatment of a U87 xenograft brain tumor model. Methods: Athymc rats bearing U87 human grade IV astrocytoma cells were studied. Gallium maltolate (50 mg/kg/day, n=5) or saline (n=3) was given intravenously. via an alzet mini pump in the jugular vein. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on days 8 and 18 on a Bruker 9.4 T scanner. Enhancing tumor volumes were determined from the post-contrast T1w images, in all slices showing enhancing tumor. The spin and gradient echo relaxation rate changes were then determined giving estimates of microvascular and total blood volume. ((CBVmicro≈R2=R2MION-R*pre-MION CBVTotal≈ R2* = R2*MION-R2*pre-MION). Results: Gallium maltolate inhibited tumor growth (377132%), as measured by enhancing tumor volume, compared to saline controls (863481%). Treatment shows decrease of CBV micro and CBVTotal compared to the controls. The ratio of R2* /R2, which is a measure of mean vessel diameter, increased in saline treated controls but remained unchanged for the gallium maltolate treated rats. To our knowledge this is the first study performed that uses physiologic MRI measurements to investigate the effects of gallium maltolate on brain tumor xenografts. The differences shown are not statistically significant a result likely due to the small sample sizes, which is being remedied by ongoing additional studies. For the imaging studies included here tissue markers of proliferation (Ki67), hypoxia (HIF1) transferrin receptors, and vascular density (vWF) are being analyzed to provide additional information regarding mechanism of action. In general these results demonstrate, for the first time, that the novel gallium maltolate treatment holds promise for the treatment of malignant brain tumors. Citation Format: Kimberly R. Pechman, Andrew Lozen, Mona Al-Gizawiy, Kathleen Schmainda, Christopher R. Chitambar. Gallium maltolate inhibits brain tumor volume and blood volume in xenograft model. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5606. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5606
A Century of Archaeological Investigations at Ile-Ife, Southwest Nigeria: Looking Backward and Leaning Forward

Since the expedition of Leo Frobenius in Ile-Ife in 1910, the ancient city has witnessed significant archaeological attention. Excavations, coupled with chance discoveries, have produced many artifacts, and in some cases artworks, which demonstrate the significant complexity of the settlement. Artifacts such as the Ife bronzes have made Ile-Ife an important site in the archaeology and art history of Africa. Recent efforts have focused on aspects of the technological know-how at early Ile-Ife, especially the citys glass bead industry. What can these recent studies tell us about the role of Ile-Ife as an urban center in the forest belt and beyond? This is the question at the center of this paper.
Fully automated antithrombin-III assays by synthetic substrate on the Multistat III.

Antithrombin-III assays are performed to assess response to heparin therapy and efficacy of antithrombin concentrate therapy and in diagnosing hereditary thrombophilia, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Synthetic substrate assays for antithrombin-III are the methods of choice; however, most existing assay systems are semiautomated. A fully automated, antithrombin-III assay using the Kabi Chromogenic Synthetic Substrate S-2238 COATEST® on the MULTISTAT III® has been developed. This assay was compared with the Dade Protopath® fluorometric assay. The correlation (r-sq) between the two assay systems was 0.82. Additionally, a three-way assay comparison was also performed, incorporating a new fluorometric substrate for antithrombin-III. The three-way comparative assays revealed correlation as follows: MULTISTAT III fluorometric assay and the MULTISTAT III/Kabi COATEST assay r-sq = 0.90; MULTISTAT III fluorometric assay and the Dade fluorometric assay r-sq = 0.86; and the MULTISTAT III/Kabi COATEST assay and the Dade Protopath fluorometric assay r-sq = 0.95. These automated assays were extremely cost effective and were a fraction of the cost of performing other types of antithrombin-III assays.