cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A method for visualizing and quantifying the total complement of free and membrane-bound ribosomes in rat liver

Abstract A method is described for both visualization and quantification of the total complement of rat liver free and membrane-bound ribosomes, undegraded by nucleolysis and unaggregated by pelleting. The method involves: (a) differential centrifugation of liver homogenate which separates free and membrane-bound ribosomes; (b) treatment of the fractions with detergents to solubilize membranes and remove nuclei; (c) centrifugation of a portion of each fraction to remove all the ribosomes; (d) sedimentation of the samples and blanks on sucrose gradients; and (e) difference photometric scanning of the gradients, sample minus ribosome-free blank, to detect the ribosomes free of interference from nonribosomal materials. The use of the SW 56 rotor in the initial centrifugation and of a high Mg 2+ concentration (20 m m ) in the medium used to suspend the bound fraction prior to detergent treatment were found to be essential in obtaining bound polysomes of large size (∼19-somes). The difference scanning technique is shown to be a sensitive, accurate, and reproducible means of eliminating interference from nonribosomal materials, principally detergents and protein, and of quantifying ribosomes in both fractions. The method is rapid (3.5 h), simple to perform, and well suited for the analysis of multiple liver samples. It can be used to assess the concentration, distribution, organization, and average size of the total complement of rat liver free and membrane-bound ribosomes in a single experiment.
Another Perspective on the "Proper Number of Factors" and the Appropriate Number of Steps.

We examine some of the positions put forth in various arguments related to the proper number of factors and proper number of steps when using structural equation models. Although we agree with Hayduk and Glaser (2000) on a number of points, we do disagree on the nature of determining the number of factors in a model and in the use of the 2-step strategy. We see the issue in estimating structural equation models as fundamentally a problem of appropriately specifying a model based on our theoretical concerns, then appropriately diagnosing ills in our models in a manner that is least likely to lead us astray. We report summary results from sets of simulations and provide a detailed discussion of 1 attempt to respecify a model. Our conclusions point to the inherent difficulty in respecifying models that do not fit, the similarity in results regardless of using 1-step or 2-step strategies when estimating models with only minor misspecifications, and the value of the 2-step procedure to provide slightly better ...
Dual Mode Reflectance and Fluorescence Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy for In Vivo Imaging Melanoma Progression in Murine Skin

A system was designed and developed for simultaneous fluorescence and reflectance contrast in vivo confocal imaging of murine skin using 488 nm (fluorescence mode) and 830 nm (reflectance mode) laser light sources. B16 melanoma cells and B16-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) cells were inoculated intradermally into transgenic C57BL/6-TgN (ACTbEGFP) 10sb and non-transgenic C57BL/6 mice, respectively. The inoculation sites were imaged sequentially over a 20 d period. The in vivo confocal images were correlated with ex vivo conventional microscopy. The combined modality system provided single-cell resolution and adequate image registration. In fluorescence mode, B16 melanoma cells appeared as dark objects in the bright background of the GFP expressing murine cells of the C57BL/6 transgenic mouse, and the B16-EGFP melanoma cells had a bright signal within a dark background in C57BL/6 mice. In the C57BL/6 transgenic mouse, a population of fluorescent dendritic cells was observed in the vicinity of the tumor cells. The reflectance images provide a useful reference for those areas in the dermal tissues lacking a fluorescent signal. Combined reflectance/fluorescence in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy holds significant promise for studies of tumor progression in murine skin.
Vitellogenesis by the American cockroach: Haemolymph and follicle protein patterns during vitellogenin synthesis

Abstract Radioactive 14 C-leucine is removed from the blood within 4 hr of injection during the first 2 days of the vitellogenic cycle. Injections during the 3rd to 6th day result in leucine retention and a rise in labelled protein. Label appears in the follicle by day 3 with most of the protein being incorporated during day 5. Comparison of haemolymph and follicle proteins suggests that fat body synthesis, subsequent haemolymph transport and follicle uptake all occur primarily on days 4 and 5 of the cycle. In vivo follicle incubations reveal 14 C-leucine uptake during the last 4 days of the cycle. During days 4, 5, and 6, leucine is incorporated into protein by the follicle. Injections of 14 C-haemolymph proteins into 6 day females result in the incorporation of label into the terminal oocytes.
Low-temperature dielectric susceptibility of Li, Na, K, and Ag β-alumina

Crystalline Na, K, Li, and Ag $\ensuremath{\beta}$-alumina show glasslike variations of the dielectric susceptibility with temperature and frequency provided the measuring field is directed along the conducting planes. Only Li $\ensuremath{\beta}$-alumina shows variations of the dielectric susceptibility perpendicular to the conducting planes. The data are discussed in terms of the tunneling-states model of amorphous materials. The estimated average tunneling distances are \ensuremath{\lesssim} 0.3 \AA{}.
A phase I–II trial of intraperitoneal cisplatin and α-lnterferon in patients with persistent epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract A toxicity, dose, and schedule study of intraperitoneal (ip) cisplatin and α-interferon was conducted as a salvage therapy for patients with persistent, advanced epithelial ovarian cancer after primary systemic therapy with cisplatin-combination chemotherapy. Twenty-four patients were entered into this prospective, nonrandomized phase I–II trial conducted at two institutions following a uniform protocol. Cisplatin doses were escalated from 45 to 90 mg/m 2 , and α-interferon doses were escalated from 10 to 50 × 10 6 IU. At protocol entry, 4 (16%) patients had microscopic residual disease at second-look laparotomy, 5 (21%) had minimal residual disease 20 mm. Toxicity was acceptable overall. Hematopoietic toxicity included a grade 3 total white cell count in 12% of courses when the cisplatin dose was equal to or >60 mg/m 2 . Renal toxicity was modest with grade 2 toxicity in 20% of courses with a cisplatin dose >60 mg/m 2 . Gastrointestinal toxicity, especially nausea and vomiting was seen in most courses; however, it was grade 3 and dose-limiting in >30% of courses with cisplatin 75–90 mg/m 2 . General malaise, fever, flu-like symptoms, chills, and myalgias were seen in most courses, but it was dose-limiting (grade 3) toxicity in 6–11% of cycles when the dose of interferon was 25–50 × 10 6 IU. There was no grade 4 toxicity. Thus, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the combination is 60 mg/m 2 cisplatin and 25 × 10 6 IU interferon. Eighteen patients were evaluable for response, 15 of whom had responded to prior cisplatin therapy and 3 had not. Of the 10 patients evaluable for clinical response, one patient (10%) achieved a complete response (CCR), and one (10%) had a partial response (PCR). The progression free interval (PFI) and survival were 11 months and 19 months, respectively, for the CCR patient, 6 and 11 months, respectively, for the PCR patient, and the mean survival for nonresponders was 8 months. The other 8 patients underwent a reassessment laparotomy: 2 (25%) achieved a complete pathologic response (CPR), and 3 (38%) had a partial pathologic response (PPR). Both pathologic responses were in patients with minimal residual disease 6 IU of α-interferon and 60 mg/m 2 cisplatin.
Evaluation 101: How One Department Embraced the Process.

An evaluation system was designed and implemented by a faculty support department to measure the value, identify gaps, and improve the quality of their training at a midsize community college. The Targeted Evaluation Process (Combs & Falletta, 2000) was selected as the evaluation framework because of its applicability to training and nontraining interventions. Gilbert's (2007) Behavior Engineering Model was used to identify possible solutions to post-training performance gaps identified during the evaluation.
In-depth proteomic analysis of human tropomyosin by top-down mass spectrometry

Tropomyosins (Tms) are a family of highly conserved actin-binding proteins that play critical roles in a variety of processes, most notably, in the regulation of muscle contraction and relaxation. It is well known that different Tm isoforms have distinct functions and that altered expression of Tm isoforms could lead to changes in cardiac structure and function. To precisely define Tm isoform expression in the human heart, towards a better understanding of their functional roles, we have employed top-down mass spectrometry for in-depth proteomic characterization of Tm isoforms. Using a minimal amount of human heart tissue from rejected donor organs, we confirmed the presence of multiple Tm isoforms including α-Tm, β-Tm and κ-Tm in the human heart, with α-Tm being the predominant isoform, followed by minor isoforms of β-Tm and κ-Tm. Interestingly, our data revealed regional variations of Tm isoforms and post-translational modifications in the human heart. Specifically, the expression level of κ-Tm was highest in the left atrium but nearly undetectable in the left ventricle. The phosphorylation level of α-Tm (pα-Tm) was significantly higher in the atria than it was in the ventricles. The sequences of all Tm isoforms were characterized and the sites of post-translational modifications were localized. Clearly, top-down mass spectrometry is an attractive method for comprehensive characterization of Tm isoforms and post-translational modifications since it can universally detect and quantify all types of protein modifications without a priori knowledge and without the need for specific antibodies.
NF-κB as a target for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease: comparative efficacy of bortezomib and PS-1145

NF-κB is a transcription factor that controls the expression of a number of genes important for mediating immune and inflammatory responses. In this study, we examined whether bortezomib and PS-1145, each of which inhibits NF-κB, could protect mice from lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which is characterized by immune activation and proinflammatory cytokine production. When administered within the first 2 days after transplantation, bortezomib and PS-1145 both protected mice from fatal GVHD, did not compromise donor engraftment, and effected marked reduction in the levels of serum cytokines that are normally increased during GVHD. Extending the course of bortezomib administration or delaying the initiation of this agent for as few as 3 days after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), however, significantly exacerbated GVHD-dependent mortality because of severe pathological damage in the colon. In contrast, prolonged administration of PS-1145, which, unlike bortezomib, is a selective inhibitor of NF-κB, caused no early toxicity and resulted in more complete protection than that observed with an abbreviated PS-1145 treatment schedule. These results confirm a critical role for NF-κB in the pathophysiology of GVHD and indicate that targeted inhibition of NF-κB may have a superior therapeutic index and may constitute a viable therapeutic approach to reduce GVHD severity. (Blood. 2006;107:827-834)
Randomized controlled trial lifestyle interventions for Asian Americans: a systematic review.

Abstract Objective Asian Americans are the fastest-growing race in the United States. However, they are largely underrepresented in health research, particularly in lifestyle interventions. A systematic review was conducted to analyze the characteristics and quality of lifestyle intervention literature promoting changes in physical activity (PA), diet, and/or weight management targeting Asian Americans. Method A systematic electronic database search identified randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs), involving lifestyle interventions for Asian Americans, published from 1995 to 2013 conducted in the US. Data extraction was conducted from August through December 2013. Results Seven RCTs met the review criteria. Cross-study comparisons were difficult due to diversity in: RCT intervention designs, cultural appropriateness, outcome measures, sample size, and race/ethnic groups. Overall, risk of bias and cultural appropriateness scores were moderate to low. Five out of seven RCTs showed significant between group differences for PA, diet, and weight. In general, sample sizes were small or lacked sufficient power to fully analyze intervention efficacy. Conclusion Evidence of the efficacy for lifestyle interventions among Asian Americans was mixed. Recommendations include: more rigorous RCT designs, more objective measures, larger Asian American sample sizes, culturally appropriate interventions, individual tailoring, maintenance phase with support, and providing education and modeling of lifestyle behaviors.
Factors Associated with Army Obstetricians-Gynecologists’ Practice of HIV Prevention Education during Routine Gynecologic Care

The authors evaluate obstetricians-gynecologists' (OB-GYNs') anxiety about clinical uncertainty and patient, physician, and organizational factors associated with their selection of HIV-related educational activities for high-risk and low-risk written case simulations. A total of 117 U.S. Army OB-GYNs completed a mailed, anonymous questionnaire. Overall, informants were much less likely to educate in response to the low-risk simulation; however, more informants who were anxious about uncertainty were more likely to do so in a model that included supportive institutional policies, willingness to educate despite patient barriers, and comfort with the topic. OB-GYNs were more likely to educate in response to the high-risk simulation given greater willingness to discuss HIV despite organizational barriers, supportive policies, and comfort. Findings suggest a need to better understand the role that anxiety about uncertainty plays in HIV prevention and the need to promote organizational policies that support and remove barriers to clinically based education.
Learning Character-level Representations for Part-of-Speech Tagging

Distributed word representations have recently been proven to be an invaluable resource for NLP. These representations are normally learned using neural networks and capture syntactic and semantic information about words. Information about word morphology and shape is normally ignored when learning word representations. However, for tasks like part-of-speech tagging, intra-word information is extremely useful, specially when dealing with morphologically rich languages. In this paper, we propose a deep neural network that learns character-level representation of words and associate them with usual word representations to perform POS tagging. Using the proposed approach, while avoiding the use of any handcrafted feature, we produce state-of-the-art POS taggers for two languages: English, with 97.32% accuracy on the Penn Treebank WSJ corpus; and Portuguese, with 97.47% accuracy on the Mac-Morpho corpus, where the latter represents an error reduction of 12.2% on the best previous known result.
Introduction to Continuum Biomechanics

This book is concerned with the study of continuum mechanics applied to biological systems, i.e., continuum biomechanics. This vast and exciting subject allows description of when a bone may fracture due to excessive loading, how blood behaves as both a solid and fluid, down to how cells respond to mechanical forces that lead to changes in their behavior, a process known as mechanotransduction. We have written for senior undergraduate students and first year graduate students in mechanical or biomedical engineering, but individuals working at biotechnology companies that deal in biomaterials or biomechanics should also find the information presented relevant and easily accessible. Table of Contents: Tensor Calculus / Kinematics of a Continuum / Stress / Elasticity / Fluids / Blood and Circulation / Viscoelasticity / Poroelasticity and Thermoelasticity / Biphasic Theory
Racial Crossover Voting and the Election of Black Officials

Little is known about the voting behavior of blacks aside from the observation that they are likely to vote in blocs for black candidates. In this study, we analyze fifty-two Atlanta area elections in which black and white candidates opposed each other. While Atlanta voters usually vote for candidates of their own race, this practice is more varied and less extensive than in the rural southern communities which others have analyzed. The extent to which voters support candidates not of their race varies greatly. Multivariate models can explain about 75 percent of the variance in black crossover voting and almost 60 percent of the variance in white crossovers. Incumbency and newspaper endorsements are especially important in attracting crossover votes. Three models, derived from differing expectations about the degree of prejudice, for estimating the share of votes cast for black candidates were tested. Ninety percent of the variance in election outcomes in Atlanta can be explained by the crossover model wh...
Technology and the Modern World-System: Some Reflections:

This article represents a preliminary attempt to conceptualize the relationship between technology and global inequality, using a political economy of the world-system perspective. Despite the cruc...
An HTS insert for phase 2 of a 3-phase 1-GHz LTS/HTS NMR magnet

As a component of Phase-2 LTS/HTS NMR magnet of a 3-phase program to complete a 1-GHz LTS/HTS NMR magnet by 2009, an HTS insert magnet has been assembled from 48 double-pancake (DP) coils, each wound of high-strength Bi-2223/Ag/stainless steel composite tape. The paper describes the design and actual parameters; and preliminary performance results of the insert. The results include: 1) voltage vs. current data of double pancakes; and 2) splice resistances between adjacent double-pancake coils.
The Intersections of Work, Health, Diversity, and Social Justice Helping People Living With HIV Disease

Although counseling psychology has discussed vocational issues, health concerns, diversity, and social justice, discussion of these topics has typically been narrowly focused. This article uses the example of persons with HIV (PWHIV) to demonstrate how these areas can be intertwined. The counseling psychology literature is also examined to determine the degree to which direction has been provided regarding clients facing health concerns, disabilities, confusion regarding career issues, or possible discrimination. Because HIV is now considered to be a chronic illness for many people, there is an increased likelihood that PWHIV will be faced with employment issues, as well as significant barriers to beginning work, returning to work, or keeping a job. After highlighting characteristics of PWHIV, we review the degree to which the vocational literature addresses the needs and issues of PWHIV. We also examine the role of social justice in relation to PWHIV who are considering work.
Radiofrequency Ablation: Variability in Heat Sensitivity in Tumors and Tissues

Purpose To characterize the thermal dosimetry (ie, heating profile) of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in multiple ex vivo tissues and in vivo tumor models. Materials and Methods RFA was performed for 3–24 minutes in ex vivo bovine livers ( n = 20), porcine kidneys ( n = 20), and turkey muscles ( n = 20) and in vivo canine venereal sarcomas ( n = 8). RFA was performed by using 1 and 3-cm long tips internally cooled electrodes. In addition, RFA was performed in in vivo R3220 rat mammary adenocarcinomas ( n = 36) and human renal cell carcinomas in nude mice ( n = 6) by using 1-cm monopolar electrodes. Continuous temperature monitoring was performed at multiple depths to calculate thermal dosimetry, reported as the area under the curve (AUC). Cumulative equivalent minutes at 43°C (CEM 43 ) were used for the critical ablation margin. Data were compared with analysis of variance and regression analysis. Results For each tissue and/or tumor type, statistically significant temperature differences (up to 14°) were observed at the ablation margin ( P P P R 2 = 0.85–0.95). The CEM 43 demonstrated an extreme range of values (10 11 ). Conclusion The results of the study demonstrate a wide range of thermal sensitivity to RFA among commonly investigated tissues and tumor models, suggesting that further characterization of tissue-specific end points (ie, the duration and end temperature of ablation) is likely warranted. The AUC showed good correlation with ablation sizes, but the CEM 43 proved unworkable given an extreme range of values for RFA.
Editorial Board Thoughts: "India Does Not Exist."

Often, I find myself trolling online forums, searching for and praying I find a bona-fide solution to a technical problem. Typically, my process begins with the annoying discovery that many others are running into the same, or very similar, difficulty. Many others. Once I get over my initial frustration ("Why isn't this problem fixed by now?"), I proceed to read, to attempt to determine which of the often conflicting and even contradictory suggestions for fixing the problem might actually work. I thought it would be instructive to step back for a moment and examine this experience. To do so, I want to use as my example, as my straw man, not a technical question, but a more generic question, the sort of question anyone might conceivably ask. I'll ask this question, then I'll list what I think might be answers, in form and substance, from the technical forums had it been asked there: "I want to go to India. Howbest to get there?" Why would you want to go there? You could fly. You could take a ship. Why go to India? Iceland is much better. I went to India once and it wasn't that great. You never specify where in India you want toga We can't help you until you tell us where in India you want toga I am sick and tired of these people who don't read the forums. Your query has been answered before. The only way to get there is to fly first class on Continental. You could ride a mule to India. New Zealand is much better. You should go there instead. It is impossible to go to India. You can get from India to anywhere in Europe very easily via India Air. You should read A Passage to India, I forget who wrote it. I read it as an undergraduate. It was very good. You are an idiot for wanting to go to India. India does not exist. I think it's safe to say that the signal to noise ratio here is high. If we truly want to answer a question, we don't want to add noise. Pontificating, posturing, and automatically posing as a mentor in a mentor/protege relationship will typically be construed as adding nothing but noise to the signal. In most cases, we who answer such questions are not here to educate, except insofar as we provide a clear and concise answer to a technical query issued by one of our peers. What should we assume? First off, we should assume that the person writing the question is sincere: He truly does want to go to India. We need not question his motives. The best way to think about this is that the query is a hypothetical: If he were to want to go to India, how best to do it? If you were to want to go to India, how best to do it? …
The Impact of Cotton Land Distribution on the Antebellum Economy

Much of the federally owned public lands in the American South to the west of the Appalachians was sold to private interests between 1820 and 1860. Land sales' policy remained a great political issue during the nineteenth century because of its perceived effects on the distribution of wealth, sectoral economic growth, and the geographic location of political power. In this essay we consider the marginal impact of Southern land sales on national income. Like all models, our model is only as good as its underlying assumptions. Our aim is less to provide the last word on an important historical issue than to place the problem in a context in which analytical tools can be employed.
An adjustable model reference adaptive control reconfiguration of self-tuning pole replacement

An adjustable model reference adaptive control strategy is proposed where both the controller and reference model parameters are adapted. Adaptive control laws for this new structure implementing pole cancellation and replacement and avoiding the zero cancellation usually required by model reference adaptive control are developed from self-tuning adaptive algorithm modification.
Toward using δ13C of ecosystem respiration to monitor canopy physiology in complex terrain

In 2005 and 2006, air samples were collected at the base of a Douglas-fir watershed to monitor seasonal changes in the δ13CO2 of ecosystem respiration (δ13CER). The goals of this study were to determine whether variations in δ13CER correlated with environmental variables and could be used to predict expected variations in canopy-average stomatal conductance (Gs). Changes in δ13CER correlated weakly with changes in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) measured 0 and 3–7 days earlier and significantly with soil matric potential (ψm) (P value <0.02) measured on the same day. Midday Gs was estimated using sapflow measurements (heat-dissipation method) at four plots located at different elevations within the watershed. Values of midday Gs from 0 and 3–7 days earlier were correlated with δ13CER, with the 5-day lag being significant (P value <0.05). To examine direct relationships between δ13CER and recent Gs, we used models relating isotope discrimination to stomatal conductance and photosynthetic capacity at the leaf level to estimate values of stomatal conductance (“Gs–I”) that would be expected if respired CO2 were derived entirely from recent photosynthate. We compared these values with estimates of Gs using direct measurement of transpiration at multiple locations in the watershed. Considering that the approach based on isotopes considers only the effect of photosynthetic discrimination on δ13CER, the magnitude and range in the two values were surprisingly similar. We conclude that: (1) δ13CER is sensitive to variations in weather, and (2) δ13CER potentially could be used to directly monitor average, basin-wide variations in Gs in complex terrain if further research improves understanding of how δ13CER is influenced by post-assimilation fractionation processes.
Large-Scale Movement and Migration of Northern Saw-Whet Owls in Eastern North America

Abstract We used information compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey's Bird Banding Laboratory and geographic information systems (GIS) analysis to identify trends in annual Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) movement across eastern North America. Analysis of 81,584 Northern Saw-whet Owl banding events revealed a southbound annual fall migration front with peak banding activity occurring progressively later in the season as latitude decreases. Northbound owls comprised 100 km from banding location. There was no relationship between banding latitude and adult-to-juvenile ratio. However, the proportion of adults versus juveniles banded was not uniform among banding stations, suggesting age-differentiated migration patterns may exist. Information from multiyear foreign recaptures revealed that 72% of owls banded and subsequently recaptured at the same latitude in different years were recaptured <100 km f...
Using occurrence properties of defect report data to improve requirements

Defect reports generated for faults found during testing provide a rich source of information regarding problematic phrases used in requirements documents. These reports indicate that faults often derive from instances of ambiguous, incorrect or otherwise deficient language. In this paper, we report on a method combining elements of linguistic theory and information retrieval to guide the discovery of problematic phrases throughout a requirements specification, using defect reports and correction requests generated during testing to seed our detection process. We found that phrases known from these materials to be problematic have occurrence properties in requirements documents that both allow the direction of resources to prioritize their correction, and generate insights characterizing more general locations of difficulty within the requirements. Our findings lead to some recommendations for more efficiently and effectively managing certain natural language issues in the creation and maintenance of requirements specifications.
Hazard Avoidance for High-Speed Mobile Robots in Rough Terrain

Unmanned ground vehicles have important applications in high speed rough terrain scenarios. In these scenarios, unexpected and dangerous situations can occur that require rapid hazard avoidance man ...
Involvement of AMP-activated protein kinase in beneficial effects of betaine on high-sucrose diet-induced hepatic steatosis

Although simple steatosis was originally thought to be a pathologically inert histological change, fat accumulation in the liver may play a critical role not only in disease initiation, but also in the progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. Therefore, prevention of fat accumulation in the liver may be an effective therapy for multiple stages of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Promising beneficial effects of betaine supplementation on human NAFLD have been reported in some pilot clinical studies; however, data related to betaine therapy in NAFLD are limited. In this study, we examined the effects of betaine on fat accumulation in the liver induced by high-sucrose diet and evaluated mechanisms by which betaine could attenuate or prevent hepatic steatosis in this model. Male C57BL/6 mice weighing 20 ± 0.5 g (means ± SE) were divided into four groups (8 mice per group) and started on one of four treatments: standard diet (SD), SD+betaine, high-sucrose diet (HS), and HS + betaine. Betaine was supplemented in the drinking water at a concentration of 1% (wt/vol) (anhydrous). Long-term feeding of high-sucrose diet to mice caused significant hepatic steatosis accompanied by markedly increased lipogenic activity. Betaine significantly attenuated hepatic steatosis in this animal model, and this change was associated with increased activation of hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and attenuated lipogenic capability (enzyme activities and gene expression) in the liver. Our findings are the first to suggest that betaine might serve as a therapeutic tool to attenuate hepatic steatosis by targeting the hepatic AMPK system.
The Intima: Soil for Atherosclerosis and Restenosis

Thirty years ago, John French wrote a seminal review describing the unique properties of the arterial intima.1 His major point was that the smooth muscle cells of the intima have a unique morphology (Fig 1⇓). French also pointed out that intimal formation appeared during normal development and aging as well as in the response of arteries to almost any imaginable injury, including atherosclerosis. Figure 1. Top left, Histology of intima vs media. Coronary artery is from an adult patient with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. In the absence of atherosclerosis, there remains diffuse intimal hyperplasia. The intima is several cell layers thick and composed of smooth muscle cells and is separated from the distinct media by the internal elastic lamina (arrows) (hematoxylin and eosin, original magnification ×200). Top right, Advanced atherosclerosis of the left circumflex coronary artery. This lesion was treated by percutaneous balloon angioplasty 23 days before the patient’s death. Note the complex nature of the lesion with a distinct fibrous cap (FC), intimal hyperplasia (IHP), intramural hemorrhage (H), and a necrotic core (NC) composed of inflammatory cells and accumulated lipid (hematoxylin and eosin, original magnification ×100). Bottom left, Myxomatous tissue. Directional coronary atherectomy specimen from a restenotic lesion shows stellate-shaped smooth muscle cells. Smooth muscle cells with this appearance are often regarded as evidence of proliferation. Note the homogeneity of these cells and the absence of inflammatory and endothelial cells in this region (hematoxylin and eosin, original magnification ×200). Bottom right, Directional coronary atherectomy specimen from a primary lesion. Again, note the presence of stellate-shaped smooth muscle cells but a denser connective tissue matrix (hematoxylin and eosin, original magnification ×200). This article attempts to update French’s review. We will discuss the developmental origins of the intima and suggest that the arterial intima is a distinct tissue with a long and …
Low complexity algorithms for heart rate and epileptic seizure detection

Algorithm design for low power platforms is constrained by memory and computational limitations, and real-world applications demand robust performance. This paper presents two algorithms that were designed with the view that simplicity can translate to robustness. The first algorithm processes electrocardiogram (ECG) signals to detect QRS complexes reliably in the presence of significant noise. The second algorithm is a low-cost approach to detecting seizure onset from electro-corticogram (ECoG) data. The ECG algorithm was implemented on a TI MSP430-based platform and the ECoG algorithm was implemented (in simulation) on a Cortex M3 based ultra-low power device.
FLATULENCE IN RATS FOLLOWING INGESTION OF COOKED AND GERMINATED BLACK GRAM AND A FERMENTED PRODUCT OF BLACK GRAM AND RICE BLEND

The extent of hydrogen production by cooked black gram (Phaseolus mungo L.) seeds and cotyledons, germinated black gram seeds (24 hr), and a black gram and rice (Oryza sativa L.) fermented steamed product (Idli) was investigated with rat bioassay method. Whole black gram seeds had 3.4% verbascose, 0.9% stachyose, traces of raffinose, and 1.5% sucrose, while black gram cotyledons contained 4.0% verbascose, 0.7% stachyose, traces of raftinose, and 1.5% sucrose on dry weight basis. Maximum hydrogen production was obtained with 60% cooked black gram cotyledons in the diet. Germinated black gram seeds and fermented steamed product significantly produced lower flatus than the cooked black gram products. A positive significant correlation (r = 0.90) was found between oligosaccharides of the raffinose family of sugars of black gram and hydrogen production by rats.
Against the New Patriotism and Other Essays on Social Justice, 2001–2009, Omar Swartz

This volume consists of a unique genre that is compiled from Omar Swartz’s previously published “online and otherwise small print periodicals during the years of 2001–2009” (ix). The book consists ...
Principles of Planetary Climate: The surface energy balance

OVERVIEW This results of this chapter are pertinent to a planet with a distinct surface, which may be defined as an interface across which the density increases substantially and discontinuously. The typical interface would be between a gaseous atmosphere and a solid or liquid surface. In the Solar System, there are only four examples of bodies having both a distinct surface and a thick enough atmosphere to significantly affect the surface temperature. These are Venus, Earth, Titan, and Mars; among these, the present Martian atmosphere is so thin that it only marginally affects the surface temperature, though this situation was probably different early in the planet's history when the atmosphere may have been thicker. Although thin atmospheres have little effect on the surface temperature, the atmosphere itself can still have interesting behavior, and the flux of energy from the surface to the atmosphere provides a crucial part of the forcing which drives the atmospheric circulation. This is the case, for example, for the thin nitrogen atmosphere of Neptune's moon Triton. Apart from the examples we know, it is worth thinking of the surface balance in general terms, because of the light it sheds on the possible nature of the climates of extrasolar planets already detected or awaiting discovery. The exchange of energy between the surface and the overlying atmosphere determines the surface temperature relative to the air temperature.
Factors influencing primary treatment of midline vulvar cancers.

Abstract Objectives Advanced vulvar cancers involving midline structures pose a therapeutic challenge. Our objectives were to review the management and outcomes, and identify factors influencing primary treatment modality. Methods Patients with midline vulvar cancers diagnosed from 1985 to 2012 were included in the analysis. Medical records were abstracted for demographics, clinico-pathological findings, treatment, and outcomes. Groin node status was defined by clinical findings or pathology. Survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and differences by log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. Factors influencing treatment modality were evaluated using stepwise logistic regression. Results Forty-two patients were identified. Twenty-one underwent primary radical vulvectomy and 21 underwent primary radiation. Median tumor diameter was 3.4cm (range 2–9cm) for primary radical vulvectomy and 5cm (range 2.3–15cm) for primary radiation. Primary radiation was significantly associated with a tumor diameter ≥5cm (p=0.02), or when 2 or more midline (p=0.008) or 1 or more mucosal structures (p=0.03) were involved. On multivariate analysis, age and tumor diameter were predictors of progression-free survival (PFS) (p=0.02 and p=0.0004, respectively) and overall survival (OS) (p=0.03 and p=0.0005, respectively). Thirty-month OS for primary surgery and primary radiation was 74% and 71% (p=0.78), respectively. There were no differences in PFS or recurrence rates between the two treatment groups. Conclusions Clinical tumor diameter and the number of midline or mucosal structures involved influence selection of primary treatment modality. Survival outcomes and recurrence rates did not differ between treatment groups. Age and tumor diameter are important prognostic factors for survival.
Epidemiological Investigation on An Outbreak of Hand,Foot and Mouth Disease in A Kindergarten

[Objective]To analyze the cause and processing results of the outbreak of hand,foot and mouth disease in a kindergarten,and provide scientific evidence for completing the control measures.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiological method was adopted for investigation.Throat swabs,anus swabs and blood sample of acute phase were collected for laboratory test and separation of pathogen.[Results]Totally 30 cases were reported in this kindergarten,most cases were children aged 2~4 years,with 1 severe case,14.1% of attack rate,18 days of epidemic stage.The main clinical symptoms were herpes of mouth and roseola on hands and feet.Enterovirus EV71 strains were found out in laboratory examination.[Conclusion]Absence of morning and noon inspection and parents' weak protective consciousness are main reasons leading to the outbreak of hand,foot and mouse disease in the kindergarten.The key measures to control the outbreak of hand,foot and mouse disease were to carry out morning and noon inspection,to separate suffered infants at early stage,to propose cultivation of good health habit of infants and enhance the disinfection of object surfaces.
The heats of formation of SiCln+, for n = 1–4

Abstract The heats of formation of SiCln and SiCln+, for n = 1–4, have been determined using the G2(B3LYP/MP2/CC) approach. The results for the neutral systems are in very good agreement with previous work. High level calibration calculations allow us to refine the G2(B3LYP/MP2/CC) values. While the computed and experimental IPs of SiCl4 agree, the calculations show that the adiabatic IP is about 7 kcal/mol smaller than the accepted value. The temperature dependence of the heat of formation, heat capacity, and entropy are computed for 300 to 4000 K and fit to a polynomial.
Aerothermodynamic and thermal protection system instrumentation reference guide

The hypersonic regime of planetary entry combines the most severe environments that an entry vehicle will encounter with the greatest amount of uncertainty as to the events unfolding during that time period. This combination generally leads to conservatism in the design of an entry vehicle, specifically that of the thermal protection system (TPS). Each planetary entry provides a valuable aerodynamic and aerothermal testing opportunity; the utilization of this opportunity is paramount in better understanding how a specific entry vehicle responds to the demands of the hypersonic entry environment. Previous efforts have been made to instrument entry vehicles in order to collect data during the entry period and reconstruct the corresponding vehicle response. The purpose of this paper is to cumulatively document past TPS instrumentation designs for applicable planetary missions, as well as to list pertinent results and any explainable shortcomings.
N-Myc Differentially Regulates Expression of MXI1 Isoforms in Neuroblastoma

Amplification of the MYCN proto-oncogene is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with metastatic neuroblastoma (NB). MYCN encodes the N-Myc protein, a transcriptional regulator that dimerizes with the Max transcription factor, binds to E-box DNA sequences, and regulates genes involved in cell growth and apoptosis. Overexpression of N-Myc leads to transcriptional activation and an increase in NB cell proliferation. Mxi1, a member of the Myc family of transcriptional regulators, also binds to Max. However, Mxi1 is a transcriptional repressor and inhibits proliferation of NB cells, suggesting that Mxi1 functions as an N-Myc antagonist. Our laboratory previously identified Mxi1-0, an alternatively transcribed Mxi1 isoform. Mxi1-0 has properties distinct from those of Mxi1; in contrast to Mxi1, Mxi1-0 is unable to suppress c-Myc-dependent transcription. We now show that Mxi1-0 expression increases in response to MYCN overexpression in NB cells, with a positive correlation between MYCN and MXI1-0 RNA levels. We also show that N-Myc expression differentially regulates the MXI1 and MXI1-0 promoters: Increased MYCN expression suppresses MXI1 promoter activity while enhancing transcription through the MXI1-0 promoter. Finally, induction of Mxi1-0 leads to increased proliferation, whereas expression of Mxi1 inhibits cell growth, indicating differential roles for these two proteins. These data suggest that N-Myc differentially regulates the expression of MXI1 and MXI1-0 and can alter the balance between the two transcription factors. Furthermore, MXI1-0 appears to be a downstream target of MYCN-dependent signaling pathways and may contribute to N-Myc-dependent cell growth and proliferation.
Research Subject, Objectives, and Hypotheses

The purpose of this theoretical and empirical study is to help find answers to some of these fundamental questions. Specifically, my objectives are threefold: (1) to contribute to the conceptual development of historical consciousness research by introducing an eighth dimension to Pandel’s model that encompasses individual or societal determination to engage in peace and freedom-preserving actions and that I will label action consciousness or, in German terms, Aktionsbewusstsein;1 (2) to explore the current state of knowledge and attitudes with specific focus on Aktionsbewusstsein in regard to twentieth-century Germany’s dictatorships and their crimes, and assess the impact of the forms or Formen der geschichtskulturellen Sozialisation on knowledge, attitudes, and Aktionsbewusstsein; and (3) to synthesize the implications and develop a set of recommendations for the further development of history didactics.
Quality of Life After Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implantation

ObjectiveAssess psychometric properties of the Comprehensive Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (CCIQ) as a tool for assessing changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after receiving a second...
Mitigating effect of EUK-207 on radiation-induced cognitive impairments.

The brain could be exposed to irradiation as part of a nuclear accident, radiological terrorism (dirty bomb scenario) or a medical radiological procedure. In the context of accidents or terrorism, there is considerable interest in compounds that can mitigate radiation-induced injury when treatment is initiated a day or more after the radiation exposure. As it will be challenging to determine the radiation exposure an individual has received within a relatively short time frame, it is also critical that the mitigating agent does not negatively affect individuals, including emergency workers, who might be treated, but who were not exposed. Alterations in hippocampus-dependent cognition often characterize radiation-induced cognitive injury. The catalytic ROS scavenger EUK-207 is a member of the class of metal-containing salen manganese (Mn) complexes that suppress oxidative stress, including in the mitochondria, and have been shown to mitigate radiation dermatitis, promote wound healing in irradiated skin, and mitigate vascular injuries in irradiated lungs. As the effects of EUK-207 against radiation injury in the brain are not known, we assessed the effects of EUK-207 on sham-irradiated animals and the ability of EUK-207 to mitigate radiation-induced cognitive injury. The day following irradiation or sham-irradiation, the mice started to receive EUK-207 and were cognitively tested 3 months following exposure. Mice irradiated at a dose of 15 Gy showed cognitive impairments in the water maze probe trial. EUK-207 mitigated these impairments while not affecting cognitive performance of sham-irradiated mice in the water maze probe trial. Thus, EUK-207 has attractive properties and should be considered an ideal candidate to mitigate radiation-induced cognitive injury.
Sequence capture and next-generation sequencing of ultraconserved elements in a large-genome salamander.

Amidst the rapid advancement in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology over the last few years, salamanders have been left behind. Salamanders have enormous genomes—up to 40 times the size of the human genome—and this poses challenges to generating NGS data sets of quality and quantity similar to those of other vertebrates. However, optimization of laboratory protocols is time-consuming and often cost prohibitive, and continued omission of salamanders from novel phylogeographic research is detrimental to species facing decline. Here, we use a salamander endemic to the southeastern United States, Plethodon serratus, to test the utility of an established protocol for sequence capture of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) in resolving intraspecific phylogeographic relationships and delimiting cryptic species. Without modifying the standard laboratory protocol, we generated a data set consisting of over 600 million reads for 85 P. serratus samples. Species delimitation analyses support recognition of seven species within P. serratus sensu lato, and all phylogenetic relationships among the seven species are fully resolved under a coalescent model. Results also corroborate previous data suggesting nonmonophyly of the Ouachita and Louisiana regions. Our results demonstrate that established UCE protocols can successfully be used in phylogeographic studies of salamander species, providing a powerful tool for future research on evolutionary history of amphibians and other organisms with large genomes.