cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Targeting the vasopressin type-2 receptor for renal cell carcinoma therapy

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and its type-2 receptor (V2R) play an essential role in the regulation of salt and water homeostasis by the kidneys. V2R activation also stimulates proliferation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines in vitro. The current studies investigated V2R expression and activity in human RCC tumors, and its role in RCC tumor growth. Examination of the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database, and analysis of human RCC tumor tissue microarrays, cDNA arrays and tumor biopsy samples demonstrated V2R expression and activity in clear cell RCC (ccRCC). In vitro, V2R antagonists OPC31260 and Tolvaptan, or V2R gene silencing reduced wound closure and cell viability of 786-O and Caki-1 human ccRCC cell lines. Similarly in mouse xenograft models, Tolvaptan and OPC31260 decreased RCC tumor growth by reducing cell proliferation and angiogenesis, while increasing apoptosis. In contrast, the V2R agonist dDAVP significantly increased tumor growth. High intracellular cAMP levels and ERK1/2 activation were observed in human ccRCC tumors. In mouse tumors and Caki-1 cells, V2R agonists reduced cAMP and ERK1/2 activation, while dDAVP treatment had the reverse effect. V2R gene silencing in Caki-1 cells also reduced cAMP and ERK1/2 activation. These results provide novel evidence for a pathogenic role of V2R signaling in ccRCC, and suggest that inhibitors of the AVP-V2R pathway, including the FDA-approved drug Tolvaptan, could be utilized as novel ccRCC therapeutics.
Supplied Functions. Statement Functions

With this section we conclude the study of all the FORTRAN statements necessary to perform calculations like those programmed in Figure 1–5. (We still have not studied output statements such as on lines 15,16,17,31 and 32. But the simplified output instructions at the end of Section 2 enable us to output the essential results.) Here we discuss two ways in which functions occur in FORTRAN programs. In the first, the programmer uses a function whose definition is supplied as part of the software. FLOAT and IFIX (Section 2) are examples of such supplied functions. We discuss others below. In the second, the programmer writes a definition of the function into his program as on line 7 of Figure 1–5.
The Sarviews Project: Automated Processing Of Sentinel-1 Sar Data For Geoscience And Hazard Response

This paper describes the SARVIEWS processing system, a cloud-based hazard monitoring system that provides near real-time information from Sentinel-1 SAR for hazard events related to severe weather, earthquakes, and volcanic unrest.Work conducted within the SARVIEWS project includes (1) the development of hardened fully-automatic processing algorithms for the generation of hazard information products from Sentinel-1 SAR acquisitions; (2) the design of a cloud-based production pipeline to automatically produce these products in near real-time over hazard-affected regions; (3) the implementation of data distribution mechanisms; and (4) the application of SARVIEWS to a range of natural disasters.In this paper, we describe the main goals of the SARVIEWS hazard monitoring system and provide information about its implementation. We showcase the benefits of SARVIEWS for a range of geophysical hazard events and discuss the contributions SARVIEWS made to these events.
I know what you're probably going to say: Listener adaptation to variable use of uncertainty expressions.

Abstract Pragmatic theories of utterance interpretation share the assumption that listeners reason about alternative utterances that a speaker could have produced, but didn't. For such reasoning to be successful, listeners must have precise expectations about a speaker's production choices. This is at odds with the considerable variability across speakers that exists at all levels of linguistic representation. This tension can be reconciled by listeners adapting to the statistics of individual speakers. While linguistic adaptation is increasingly widely attested, semantic/pragmatic adaptation is underexplored. Moreover, what kind of representations listeners update during semantic/pragmatic adaptation – estimates of the speaker's lexicon, or estimates of the speaker's utterance preferences – remains poorly understood. In this work, we investigate semantic/pragmatic adaptation in the domain of uncertainty expressions like might and probably. In a series of web-based experiments, we find 1) that listeners vary in their expectations about a generic speaker's use of uncertainty expressions; 2) that listeners rapidly update their expectations about the use of uncertainty expressions after brief exposure to a speaker with a specific usage of uncertainty expressions; and 3) that listeners' interpretations of uncertainty expressions change after being exposed to a specific speaker. We present a novel computational model of semantic/pragmatic adaptation based on Bayesian belief updating and show, through a series of model comparisons, that semantic/pragmatic adaptation is best captured by listeners updating their beliefs both about the speaker's lexicon and their utterance preferences. This work has implications for both semantic theories of uncertainty expressions and psycholinguistic theories of adaptation: it highlights the need for dynamic semantic representations and suggests that listeners integrate their general linguistic knowledge with speaker-specific experiences to arrive at more precise interpretations.
Plasma-free Anisotropic Etching of GaN

We demonstrate doping and growth dependent photo-enhanced metal-assisted chemical etching of homoepitaxial n-GaN on HVPE GaN substrates. Etch rate is comparable to or better than using RIE and there is no degradation of band-edge emission.
W&M's Memorials to Benjamin S. Ewell

An account of Benjamin Ewell respecting his attitudes towards race and slavery, especially after the Civil War.
A Novel Technique Using Ultrasonic Shears Versus Traditional Methods in Labiaplasty: A Retrospective Case-Control Study

Study Objective To compare the clinical outcomes of bilateral labia minora hypertrophy reduction using ultrasonic shears versus traditional methods. Design In this retrospective study, we evaluate the surgical outcomes of 11 women who underwent bilateral labia minora hypertrophy reduction using ultrasonic shears to 14 women who underwent the same procedure using various traditional methods between January 1, 2015, and February 29, 2020, in a single center. Setting Outpatient surgery at a single center. Patients or Participants Out of 25 patients, 11 underwent labiaplasty procedures using ultrasonic shears and 14 women who underwent the same procedure using various traditional methods. Interventions N/A. Measurements and Main Results The primary outcomes evaluated are total operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), and post-operative pain. Secondary outcomes include post-operative complications and total admission time. The statistical analyses used were exact Wilconxon Rank and Fisher's exact test. The mean reduction operative time for the ultrasonic shears technique when compared with traditional methods was 43.25 minutes (22.82 minutes versus 66.07 minutes, p=.0002). A statistically significant but non-clinically significant difference in EBL was noted. No statistically significant differences existed with post-operative pain score, total admission time, or post-operative complications. Conclusion Ultrasonic shears significantly reduce the time needed for reduction of bilateral labia minora hypertrophy and therefore should be considered by surgeons as a useful tool in increasing the efficiency of this procedure.
Where are We Going? The Ice Core — Paleoclimate Inverse Problem

Significant progress has been made recently (e.g. Bales and Choi, this volume; Neftel this volume) toward understanding the transfer functions that describe how stable isotopes, chemical species, and other impurities get from the polar atmosphere into deep polar ice. This research is motivated by the reverse process, i.e., a need to derive quantitative paleo-climate information from ice core data. Even when the transfer functions from atmosphere to ice are known, the Inverse Problem,i.e. inference of concentrations in the paleo-atmosphere from concentrations in ice cores, may be neither straightforward nor simple. The need to solve Inverse Problems in many different fields has lead to the creation of Inverse Theory. Inverse Methods (a) provide a conceptual framework in which to understand the limitations common to all efforts that use data to infer properties of physical systems, (b) determine how much information can be obtained from the data, and (c) assess the reliability of that information. The ability of Inverse Methods to assess the Resolving Power of the data (i.e. to determine how well the Inverse Problem can be solved) is a key feature of great value to the ice core Inverse Problem, Inverse Theory takes many forms; this paper outlines a few concepts to show how Inverse Methods can provide a useful focus for ice core - atmosphere paleoclimate studies.
Scaling of heat transport near onset in rapidly rotating convection

Abstract We consider the scaling of heat transport in the geostrophic regime of rotating Rayleigh–Benard convection near onset for small Ekman number Ek from the perspective of weakly nonlinear theory. We show that available heat transport data from numerical simulation [1] for Ek 10 − 5 for Pr = 1 are consistent with weakly nonlinear theory for ϵ = Ra / Ra c − 1 1 . In particular, we show that the numerical data are consistent with Nu − 1 = a ϵ + b ϵ 2 with a ≈ 2 and b ≈ 3 with weak dependence of the coefficients on Ek. The coefficient a is consistent with calculations of weakly nonlinear theory and with experimental data at much higher Ek. The positive sign of b is also suggested by those experimental data. The magnitude and trend of the numerical data for larger Ra are consistent with experimental data with similar Pr ∼ 1 . The steep scaling of Nu ∼ ( Ra / Ra c ) 3 noted elsewhere for Ra / Ra c 2 is shown to be an artifact of being close to onset where the effective power-law slope depends sensitively on the magnitude of the coefficients a and b. Similar arguments apply to Pr = 7 numerical data although the weakly nonlinear expansion appears valid for a smaller range of ϵ than in the Pr = 1 case.
The Politics of Identity in Indonesia: Results from Campaign Advertisements

Despite the many benefits of democracy, a number of scholars have cited the dangers of introducing democratic elections in ethnically divided states. One of the biggest fears is the politicization of identity. However, very little research has systematically studied the particular conditions that compel politicians to make identity appeals. Taking the case of an ethnically diverse new democracy, Indonesia, this paper attempts just that. To measure identity appeals it takes the novel approach of drawing on political campaign posters. Between 2009 and 2011 over 4,000 political campaign posters were gathered from legislative and executive elections across hundreds of electoral districts in Indonesia. These posters were then individually coded for identity and non-identity related symbols, messages, and appeals. This methodological approach takes the form of a natural experiment. Because elections in Indonesia use different electoral rules (PR, Semi-PR, and Plurality), it allows us to compare the kinds of appeals made under different electoral rules while holding the region constant. Findings show that identity appeals are much more common under plurality electoral rules compared to PR rules; religious appeals were most common in districts where there are two-to-three large religious groups; and nationalist appeals are least common in regions that have had historical rebellions against the state. Beyond that, this research shows how political parties, urbanization, and the sex of a candidate can influence identity appeals.
Falling Tax Compliance and the Rise of the Virtual Budget in Russia

The decline in cash revenue in Russia has been the key macroeconomic policy failure of the transition. During 1994-98, a sharp deterioration in cash compliance was offset by a rise in non-cash revenue, as the government increasingly financed its spending through mutual arrears write-offs. This paper argues that the fall in cash compliance emerged when money printing was replaced with a method of budget financing that did not, in the short run, compromise the government's goals of low inflation, a stable exchange rate, and low interest rates, but which ultimately has led the government into a low cash revenue trap. Copyright 2002, International Monetary Fund
IMPAIRED PERIPHERAL NERVE REGENERATION IN A MUTANT STRAIN OF MICE (ENR) WITH A SCHWANN CELL DEFECT

Schwann cell-axon interactions in the development, maintenance, and regeneration of the normal peripheral nervous system are complex. A previously described transgene-induced insertional mutation (BPFD#36), now referred to as Enervated (Enr), results in disrupted Schwann cell- axon interactions. In this report, after a crush or transection injury to Enr peripheral nerves, we demonstrate impaired nerve regeneration. There are fewer myelinated fibers per mm2 and thinner myelin sheaths surrounding regenerating axons in the nerves of homozygous mutant mice compared to wild type mice at 28 d after crush injury to the sciatic nerve. Abnormal Schwann cell-axon interactions remain in Enr/Enr animals as evidenced by the relatively frequent ultrastructural finding of unmyelinated large diameter axons in the regenerating nerves. Additionally, nerve graft experiments indicate that the impairment in regeneration is due to a Schwann cell defect. Morphologic and morphometric findings in conjunction with molecular analysis of regenerating nerves suggest that the Enr defect causes a disruption in the ability of “early ” Schwann cells to differentiate to a more mature phenotype. In mutant homozygous and wild type nerves at 7 d after crush injury there are similar levels of mRNA for the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor, but in the mutant homozygous regenerating nerves there is 11-fold less mRNA for glial fibrillary acidic protein, a more mature phenotypic marker of Schwann cells. This Schwann cell differentiation defect likely accounts for both the peripheral neuropathy and impaired nerve regeneration observed in Enr mice.
An Interdisciplinary Account of Martyrdom as a Religious Practice

The role of religious practices in cultural evolution and the interrelations of religious and other cultural practices are the topics of this paper. In that regard, religious and non-religious practices interact in a variety of ways and may be important or necessary for the maintenance of each. The preservation of particular practices by the deliberate manipulation of these interrelations is commonplace. Presumably, the motivation of authorities with the power to manipulate practices is centered on the value of outcomes produced. That value, explicitly or implicitly, is group survival or cultural survival. This paper provides a descriptive analysis of the socio-economic and historical conditions which generate religious practices associated with martyrdom. This analysis draws upon interdisciplinary contact between behavior analysis and social sciences such as sociology and anthropology by utilizing concepts of metacontingency and macrocontingency. We address the significance of this interaction to the role of religious practices such as martyrdom in group survival or cultural survival and conclude with a discussion of the challenges facing behavior analysts as cultural engineers.
Analysis of detectors for support vector machines and least square support vector machines

This paper discusses the performance capabilities of the support vector machine (SVM) and the least squares SVM (LS-SVM) for a two hypothesis detection problem. We consider a Bayesian framework where there are priors associated with each hypothesis and costs for making decisions. We examine how the SVM and the LS-SVM compare with the optimal Bayesian solution. We also discuss other merits for the SVM and the LS-SVM including practical implementation.
Grothendieck--Lefschetz type theorems for the local Picard group

We propose a strengthening of the Grothendieck--Lefschetz hyperplane theorem for the local Picard group, prove some special cases and derive several consequences to the deformation theory of log canonical singularities. Version 2: Main conjecture changed, following recent results of Bhatt and de Jong. Small changes to the proofs.
Acute interstitial nephritis related to cimetidine therapy

Abstract A biopsy-proved case of acute interstitial nephritis related to the use of cimetidine in duodenal ulcer disease is presented. The biopsy findings support a strong clinical impression of a hypersensitivity nephritis.
Obstetric anesthesia for the obese and morbidly obese patient: an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of treatment

Background: The incidence of obesity has been dramatically increasing across the globe. Anesthesiologists, are increasingly faced with the care for these patients. Obesity in the pregnant woman is associated with a broad spectrum of problems, including dramatically increased risk for cesarean delivery, diabetes, hypertension and pre-eclampsia. A thorough understanding of the physiology, associated conditions and morbidity, available options for anesthesia and possible complications is therefore important for today's anesthesiologist. Methods: This is a personal review in which different aspects of obesity in the pregnant woman, that are relevant to the anesthesiologist, are discussed. An overview of maternal and fetal morbidity and physiologic changes associated with pregnancy and obesity is provided and different options for labor analgesia, the anesthetic management for cesarean delivery and potential post-partum complications are discussed in detail. Results and conclusion: The anesthetic management of the morbidly obese parturient is associated with special hazards. The risk for difficult or failed intubation is exceedingly high. The early placement of an epidural or intrathecal catheter may overcome the need for general anesthesia, however, the high initial failure rate necessitates critical block assessment and catheter replacement when indicated.
T‐lymphocytes escape membrane defect in paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria

Erythrocytes, granulocytes and platelets from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) are abnormally sensitive to lysis by complement. We studied T-lymphocytes from PNH patients for abnormal complement lysis sensitivity. T-lymphocytes free of other contaminating blood cells were prepared by sedimentation, nylon wool filtration, and density gradient centrifugation. The lymphocytes were then labelled with 51Cr and lysis induced by antithymocyte globulin and rabbit complement. PNH lymphocytes were no more susceptible to complement-mediated lysis than lymphocytes from normal individuals. The unusual sensitivity of PNH erythrocytes could still be demonstrated when rabbit serum was a source of complement so the lack of any difference in the sensitivity of normal and PNH lymphocytes was probably not attributable to the inability of rabbit serum to elicit the membrane defect. PNH erythrocytes and granulocytes also acquire more membrane-bound C3 when human complement is activated. Therefore we also searched for increased membrane C3 binding on PNH lymphocytes using anti-I antibody and human serum as a complement source. C3 binding was measured using 125I labelled monoclonal mouse anti-human C3. While we verified increased membrane C3 binding on PNH granulocytes during complement activation we were unable to show similar differences between PNH and normal T-lymphocytes. Thus PNH T-lymphocytes do not share the membrane abnormalities of PNH-erythrocytes and granulocytes.
Mourning dove ( Zenaida macroura ) wing-whistles may contain threat-related information for con- and hetero-specifics

Distinct acoustic whistles are associated with the wing-beats of many doves, and are especially noticeable when doves ascend from the ground when startled. I thus hypothesized that these sounds may be used by flock-mates as cues of potential danger. To test this hypothesis, I compared the responses of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to audio playbacks of dove 'startle wing-whistles', cardinal alarm calls, dove 'nonstartle wing-whistles', and sparrow 'social chatter'. Following playbacks of startle wing-whistles and alarm calls, conspecifics and heterospecifics startled and increased vigilance more than after playbacks of other sounds. Also, the latency to return to feeding was greater following playbacks of startle wing-whistles and alarm calls than following playbacks of other sounds. These results suggest that both conspecifics and heterospecifics may attend to dove wing-whistles in decisions related to antipredator behaviors. Whether the sounds of dove wing-whistles are intentionally produced signals warrants further testing.
Vibration of a Mistuned Bladed-Disk Assembly Using Structurally Damped Beams

A model of a mistuned bladed disk is created and then analyzed for both free and forced vibrations. The model consists of structurally damped, Euler ‐Bernoulli beams connected at one end using springs. The model is useful in the prediction of the response of a turbine engine bladed disk in which only some of the blades have added damping. (This situation arises in the experimental analysis of damping treatments. ) The natural frequencies and eigenfunction sets are obtained by assuming harmonic motion and imposing the boundary conditions. The eigensolution was verie ed using a small NASTRAN model. The forced response due to phased, harmonic tip loads is obtained by modalizing the equations using a technique recently developed by Turcotte (Turcotte, J. S., “ An Analytical Model for the Forced Response of Cyclic Structures,” Journal of Sound and Vibration , Vol. 209, No. 3, 1998, pp. 531 ‐536). The physical response is obtained as a function of forcing frequency by truncation and summation of the modal responses. The results are in general agreement with those of existing discrete models but have much greater detail.
Thermoanalysis and Emission Properties of Eu3+/Eu2+ in Eu3+-Doped Xerogels

A series of Eu3+-doped silica sol−gels are prepared under various conditions: (1) pH values of the sols are controlled at 3.0, 5.5, and 7.5; (2) the counterions of dopants are selected from acetate, chloride, and nitrate of europium (III) compounds; (3) two chelating agents, namely ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylenediaminetriacetic (HEDTA) are used for complexing the europium (III) dopants; (4) a sol−gel matrix containing low O−H functionality is synthesized by using deuterated solvents (D2O and C2D5OD) and under an extremely dry N2 environment; and (5) a mixture of 1% of aluminum or antimony alkoxide and 99% of silicon alkoxide is adopted as precursors. The conditions that these differences have on the network structures of a gel matrix are examined in order to determine the optimal conditions for the creation of structural defects in an SiO2 network, generation of electron−hole centers and utilization of them to reduce Eu3+ to Eu2+ during the sol−gel processing. Both differential scann...
Specific volume studies of γ‐irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene from 40 to 150°C

The effect of γ-irradiation and post-irradiation heat treatment on the specific volume versus temperature relationships of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) samples (1/2-in. diameter rods) have been studied over the 40–150°C. temperature range for radiation doses up to 8.9 X 108 rad. At low doses the specific volume at any temperature decreased with dose, but above about 108 rad it increased with dose. Similarly, the rate of volumetric expansion initially decreased with dose, while, at very high doses (8.9 X 108 rad) the rate of expansion at temperatures above 100°C. exceeded that of the unirradiated PTFE. Heating at 150°C. for 100 hr. produced a substantial decrease in the specific volume and a decrease in the rate of expansion for the irradiated samples. Irradiation effects in PTFE are considered to be a result of such factors as radiation-induced chain scission, increased crystallinity, and increased void content. Changes resulting from post-irradiation heat treatment can be attributed to increased crystallinity, decreased void content, and weight loss.
Why did John Herschel fail to understand polarization? The differences between object and event concepts

Abstract This paper offers a solution to a problem in Herschel studies by drawing on the dynamic frame model for concept representation offered by cognitive psychology. Applying the frame model to represent the conceptual frameworks of the particle and wave theories, this paper shows that discontinuity between the particle and wave frameworks consists mainly in the transition from a particle notion ‘side’ to a wave notion ‘phase difference’. By illustrating intraconceptual relations within concepts, the frame representations reveal the ontological differences between these two concepts. ‘Side’ is an object concept built on spatial relations, but ‘phase difference’ is an event concept built on temporal relations. The conceptual analyses display a possible cognitive source of Herschel’s misconception of polarization. Limited by his experimental works and his philosophical beliefs, Herschel comprehended polarization solely in terms of spatial relations, which prevented him from replacing the object concept ‘side’ with the event concept ‘phase difference’, and eventually resulted in his failure to understand the wave account of polarization.
Critical lessons: what our schools should teach

, by Nel Noddings, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006, 328 pp., $37 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-521-71000-8 In Critical Lessons: What our Schools Should Teach, Nel Noddings captures the tensions...
On the Oscillation of Solutions of the Liénard Equation

Abstract We give sufficient conditions for the oscillation of solutions of the Lienard equation.
Roles of E3 ubiquitin ligases in cell adhesion and migration

Recent studies have demonstrated that a number of E3 ubiquitin ligases, including Cbl, Smurf1, Smurf2, HDM2, BCA2, SCF(beta-TRCP) and XRNF185, play important roles in cell adhesion and migration. Cbl negatively regulates cell adhesion via alpha integrin and Rap1 and inhibits actin polymerization by ubiquitinating mDab1 and WAVE2. Smurf1 regulates cell migration through ubiquitination of RhoA, talin head domain and hPEM2, while Smurf2 ubiquitinates Smurf1, TGFbeta type I receptor and RaplB to modulate cell migration and adhesion. HDM2 negatively regulates cell migration by targeting NFAT (a transcription factor) for ubiquitination and degradation, while SCF(beta-TRCP) ubiquitinates Snail (a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin) to inhibit cell migration. TRIM32 promotes cell migration through ubiquitination of Abl interactor 2 (Abi2), a tumor suppressor. RNF5 and XRNF185 modulate cell migration by ubiquitinating paxillin. Thus, these E3 ubiquitin ligases regulate cell adhesion and (or) migration through ubiquitination of their specific substrates.
Long non-coding RNAs in cancer and development: where do we go from here?

Recent genome-wide expression profiling studies have uncovered a huge amount of novel, long non-protein-coding RNA transcripts (lncRNA). In general, these transcripts possess a low, but tissue-specific expression, and their nucleotide sequences are often poorly conserved. However, several studies showed that lncRNAs can have important roles for normal tissue development and regulate cellular pluripotency as well as differentiation. Moreover, lncRNAs are implicated in the control of multiple molecular pathways leading to gene expression changes and thus, ultimately modulate cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Consequently, deregulation of lncRNA expression contributes to carcinogenesis and is associated with human diseases, e.g., neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease. Here, we will focus on some major challenges of lncRNA research, especially loss-of-function studies. We will delineate strategies for lncRNA gene targeting in vivo, and we will briefly discuss important consideration and pitfalls when investigating lncRNA functions in knockout animal models. Finally, we will highlight future opportunities for lncRNAs research by applying the concept of cross-species comparison, which might contribute to novel disease biomarker discovery and might identify lncRNAs as potential therapeutic targets.
Public use of digital community information sstems: findings from a recent study with implications for system design

The Internet has considerably empowered libraries and changed common p erception of what they entail. Public libraries, in particular, are using technological advancements to expand their range of services and enhance their civic roles. Providing community information (CI) in innovative, digital forms via community networks is one way in which public libraries are facilitating everyday information needs. These networks have been lauded for their potential to strengthen physical communities through increasing information flow about local services and events, and through facilitating civic interaction. However, little is known about how the public uses such digital services and what barriers they encounter. This paper presents findings about how digital CI systems benefit physical communities based on extensive case studies in three states. At each site, rich data were collected using online surveys, field observation, in-depth interviews and focus groups with Internet users, human service providers and library staff. Both the online survey and the follow-up interviews with respondents were based on sense-making theory. In our paper we discuss our findings regarding: (1) how the public is using digital CI systems for daily problem solving, and (2) the types of barriers they encounter. Suggestions for improving digital CI systems are provided.
Formal verification of parallel programs

Two formal models for parallel computation are presented: an abstract conceptual model and a parallel-program model. The former model does not distinguish between control and data states. The latter model includes the capability for the representation of an infinite set of control states by allowing there to be arbitrarily many instruction pointers (or processes) executing the program. An induction principle is presented which treats the control and data state sets on the same ground. Through the use of “place variables,” it is observed that certain correctness conditions can be expressed without enumeration of the set of all possible control states. Examples are presented in which the induction principle is used to demonstrate proofs of mutual exclusion. It is shown that assertions-oriented proof methods are special cases of the induction principle. A special case of the assertions method, which is called parallel place assertions, is shown to be incomplete. A formalization of “deadlock” is then presented. The concept of a “norm” is introduced, which yields an extension, to the deadlock problem, of Floyd's technique for proving termination. Also discussed is an extension of the program model which allows each process to have its own local variables and permits shared global variables. Correctness of certain forms of implementation is also discussed. An Appendix is included which relates this work to previous work on the satisfiability of certain logical formulas.
A general test of association for complex diseases with variable age of onset

Analysis of age of onset is a key factor in linkage and association studies of some complex genetic traits. Recent methodological developments are mainly concentrated on binary or quantitative traits, in which age of onset information is ignored. We propose a linkage disequilibrium-based Cox model and a robust score test for testing association between a marker and a disease with variable age of onset. The proposed model is semi-parametric, with an unspecified baseline hazard function. Simulation results indicate that the proposed methods have correct error rates and good statistical power, even in the presence of population admixture. This approach offers a solution to the problem of testing for marker associations when there is a variable age of onset.
Semiconducting layered technetium dichalcogenides: insights from first-principles

The structures and properties of layered technetium dichalcogenides TcX2 (X = S, Se, Te) have been investigated using density functional theory. The equilibrium structures of TcSe2 and TcTe2, adopting distorted Cd(OH)2-type unit cells similar to TcS2, are reported for the first time at the atomic level, along with their electronic properties. In contrast to previous X-ray diffraction analyses, calculations reveal that stoichiometric TcTe2 is not isomorphous to the high-temperature monoclinic phase β-MoTe2. All three compounds are found to be semiconductors with calculated band gaps of 0.9 eV for TcS2, 0.8 eV for TcSe2, and 0.3 eV for TcTe2. The thermal properties of these TcX2 compounds have also been predicted using phonon frequencies calculated with density functional perturbation theory.
Entrepreneurship Education: Attitudes Across Campus

The authors investigated student and faculty attitudes toward entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education. The authors collected data from 317 students and 87 faculty members at a comprehensive 4-year university to examine students' level of interest in entrepreneurial education, perceptions of motivations and barriers to startup businesses, and occupational aspirations. Student and faculty respondents represented a variety of disciplines in and outside colleges of business. Key findings follow: (a) Student and faculty views on entrepreneurship often differ dramatically, particularly in terms of students' occupational aspirations; (b) interest among nonbusiness students suggests a significant opportunity to formally expand entrepreneurship-related education beyond the business school; and (c) in contrast to previous researchers, the authors identified no significant differences between male and female students regarding interest in entrepreneurship.
Square-root filtering in time-sequential estimation of random fields

As a time-sequential and Bayesian front-end for image sequence processing, we consider the square root information (SRI) realization of Kalman filter. The computational complexity of the filter due to the dimension of the problem -- the size of the state vector is on the order of the number of pixels in the image frame -- is decreased drastically using a reduced-order approximation exploiting the natural spatial locality in the random field specifications. The actual computation for the reduced-order SRI filter is performed by an iterative and distributed algorithm for the unitary transformation steps, providing a potentially faster alternative to the common QR factorization-based methods. For the space-time estimation problems, near- optimal solutions can be obtained in a small number of iterations (e.g., less than 10), and each iteration can be performed in a finely parallel manner over the image frame, an attractive feature for a dedicated hardware implementation.
Incorporation of [3H]Thmidine into myocardial capillary cells in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Abstract It was the aim of this study to test the hypothesis that abnormal thickening of capillary basal laminae in the diabetic organism may be due to postulated cycles of capillary cell turnover of increasing frequency. The accelerated cell turnover, it was theorized, may lead to laminar thickening through adhesion of basal laminae synthesized by regenerating cells with residual laminae of previously degenerated capillaries. Nine streptozotocin-diabetic rats and six nondiabetic controls were injected ip with tritiated thymidine, 1.0 μCi/g body weight. Three additional controls, for the purpose of identifying a potentially toxic action of streptozotocin which may affect the incorporation of thymidine into DNA, were treated in an identical manner. One hour postinjection, the animals were sacrificed, the heart was excised and sliced transversely. The tissue slices were fixed in 10% neutral buffered Formalin, dehydrated, and embedded in paraffin. Sections 6 μm thick were dipped in Kodak emulsion and were developed following an exposure of 4 weeks. Examination of the autoradiographs revealed distinctly labeled capillary endothelial cells in the myocardium of nondiabetic controls; labeling of these cells was strikingly reduced in the diabetic rats. These results indicate that proliferative activity of capillary endothelial cells is markedly retarded in the diabetic myocardium and that the reduced labeling can be ascribed genuinely to the diabetic environment. This finding does not provide support for the hypothesis that an accelerated cell turnover may be responsible for basal laminar thickning in the diabetic.
Estimation of Regions of Attraction and Ultimate Boundedness for Multiloop LQ Regulators

The closed-loop stability of linear, time-invariant systems controlled by linear quadratic (LQ) regulators is investigated when there are nonlinearities N(?) in the control channels which violate the condition: ? N(?) ? 0.5?2 (i.e., the condition that gains ? ?), either for values of ? away from ?=0, or in a neighborhood of ?=0. Expressions are obtained for the regions of attraction and ultimate boundedness for these cases, which provide methods for selecting the performance function weights to obtain more robust LQ designs.
Evidence of a 125-year solar signal in a 3030-year temperature record from the Sierra Nevada, California, USA

Tree-ring data have been used to reconstruct mean seasonal temperature (June - January) at treeline in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, from 1050 BC to the present. Comparison with a temperature reconstruction from Fennoscandia (A.D. 500 - 1980) indicates that the temperature records are significantly related over the common interval and suggests that both are recording a possible common hemispheric/global temperature signal. The reconstruction shows that temperature has varied in a coherent manner, with alternating periods of warm and cold temperatures over the last 3030-yr. Analysis of the spectral properties of the reconstructed temperature series from the Sierra Nevada indicates that the strongest peak is at 125-yrs, corresponding to a pronounced 127-yr peak found in the 570 B.C. - A.D. 1830 quarter section of the detrended radiocarbon production (Q) record, and an approximately 130- yr peak in auroral observations. The peak also corresponds to the findings of significant power between 123 and 143-yr in six of two climate records reported by Rothlisberger. Analysis of the autocorrelation function of the temperature record for lags up to 2500-years indicates a highly significant peak at 2120-years and a set of related harmonics, similar to the fundamental 2120-yr Hallstattzeit and its harmonics.
Exact finite-range coupled-channels born approximation analysis of C13-induced reactions

Different descriptions of the reaction /sup 28/Si(/sup 13/C, /sup 12/C)/sup 29/Si at 36 MeV leading to the ground and first excited states of /sup 29/Si are examined. Sensitivity of the reaction cross section to various families of optical parameters is investigated and the so-called ''surface transparent potential'' is used as an alternate treatment. Exact finite range distorted-wave Born approximation and coupled-channels Born approximation analyses of the reaction are performed, showing that the coupled-channels Born approximation analysis, even in its presently restricted form, leads to an improvement over the distorted-wave Born approximation predictions. (AIP)
Initial experience with extraperitoneal endoscopic radical retropubic prostatectomy

Abstract Objectives We report our initial experience using laparoscopic instruments and techniques in the performance of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) through an entirely extraperitoneal endoscopic (EE) approach. Methods A 62-year-old man with a Gleason score of 7 and clinical Stage T1c adenocarcinoma of the prostate underwent EERRP. The procedure was evaluated for achievement of removal of the prostate and seminal vesicles and for complete vesicourethral anastomosis. Operative time, blood loss, hospital stay, and pathologic findings were also evaluated. Results Complete endoscopic removal of the prostate and seminal vesicles was achieved. Endoscopic reconstruction of the bladder neck with a watertight anastomosis was successful. Operative time was 5 hours and 45 minutes, with an estimated blood loss of 600 cc. Hospital stay was 2.5 days. Final pathologic evaluation was a Gleason score of 7 and Stage T2 disease with negative margins. Conclusions The initial experience for EERRP is encouraging. Further evaluation to refine the technique and determine its efficacy and role in treating prostate cancer is in order.
Multiple independent pseudogene derivations indicate increased instability of the Mdm2 locus in Mus caroli.

Under conditions of genomic stress, the Mdm locus in human and in mouse is prone to instability manifested as amplification and oncogenesis. The Mdm2 gene is a known oncogene that is amplified in approximately one-third of sarcomas and whose protein product interacts with the tumor suppressor p53. Concimitant with such gene amplification events is the activation and mobilization of endogenous retroelements, typically through the relaxation of epigenetic controlling mechanisms. Processed pseudogenes, which can be formed through endogenous LINE retroelement activity, may indicate increased genomic instability. We have isolated processed pseudogenes for Mdm2 in Mus caroli DNA, likely formed from independent events in different individuals. This is the first identification and characterization of an Mdm2 pseudogene in any organism. Multiple retrotransposition events are suggested by the variable sequence and genomic structure of the identified pseudogenes across all exons and the 3′UTR. The high degree of similarity between the gene and each pseudogene, as well as the lack of evidence for an Mdm2 pseudogene in several other species of Mus, indicate evolutionarily recent retrotransposition events leading to the formation of the Mdm2 pseudogenes in M. caroli. Previous studies on the Mdm2 locus in Mus caroli showed amplification and overexpression of this gene on double minute chromosomes in a Mus musculus × Mus caroli interspecific hybrid. The identification of an Mdm2 retropseudogene within this species further highlights the predisposition to instability for this region of the genome.
CROSS-LINKING OF PROTEIN S BOUND TO LYMPHOCYTES PROMOTES AGGREGATION AND INHIBITS PROLIFERATION

Recently, we reported that expression of the anticoagulant protein S is IL-4-inducible in primary T cells, and that protein S inhibits lymphoid cell procoagulant activity. Here, using a flow cytometric assay, we demonstrate that protein S binds to the surface of B and T lymphocytes. In addition, we show that cross-linking of protein S bound to lymphocytes induces aggregation and inhibits growth in cultures of primary B and T lymphocytes. Thus, our studies suggest that protein S is an IL-4-inducible T cell product that can affect B and T cell growth and aggregation via a lymphocyte protein S receptor. Interestingly, protein S joins thrombin and factor Xa as coagulation factors that modulate lymphocyte activation, suggesting that the clotting pathway may regulate wound-related inflammatory responses.
Radial basis function networks for predicting power system harmonics

The switching operation of nonlinear electrical loads contributes greatly to harmonic distortion in power systems. Forecasting harmonic distortion levels enables power system operators to respond with the proper corrective action, thereby enhancing system manageability. Neural networks have proved to be viable alternatives in several modeling and prediction applications, including systems in which the dynamics are chaotic. In this paper, power system harmonics are predicted using Radial Basis Function networks. This approach has certain advantages over other conventional schemes, including the potential to track the harmonics in the time-varying power system environment.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interaction of phenylmercuric chloride with thyroxine and related compounds.

Abstract 1. 1. Thyroxine prevents and reverses the phenylmercuric chloride inhibition of ascorbic acid oxidase. 2. 2. Thyroxine and related compounds react with phenylmercuric chloride at relatively low concentrations. These reactions have been observed by the diminution of the thyroxine effect on the cupric-ion-catalyzed oxidation of ascorbic acid. 3. 3. It has also been observed that other compounds such as O -benzyl-3,5-diiodotyrosine, 3,5-diiodothyronine, and cystine complex strongly with cupric ion.
Nanoporous glasses: Controlling crack propagation.

Nanoporous glasses are widely used as low-k dielectrics in microelectronic devices, but are susceptible to fracture, leading to failure of the device. New work shows how reactive fracture in these materials can be controlled by appropriate choice of solution chemistry during device processing.
Ultrastructure of the Tabanidae compound eye: Unusual features for Diptera

Abstract The ultrastructure of non-Muscamorpha Diptera is poorly defined. This study is an ultrastructural investigation of the Tabanidae (Diptera) retina, covering 14 species in five genera. The purpose is to identify differences in ultrastructure between tabanids (suborder Brachycera) and the well-known anatomy of muscamorph flies (suborder Cyclorrhapha). Tabanids are observed to have the following features: (i) corneal nipples; (ii) corneal layers; (iii) axial seven-lobed formations in each ommatidium; (iv) closely apposed rhabdomeres distally; (v) rhabdomere twisting only in the proximal ommatidium and (vi) large tracheal air sacs surrounding each ommatidium. Each of these features is described ultrastructurally and discussed with respect to their proposed function.
Small molecules with potent osteogenic-inducing activity in osteoblast cells.

Abstract A chemical screen of 45,000 compounds from a diverse collection led to the identification of two series of small molecules with potent osteogenic activity in mouse MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. The first chemical group was characterized by an amino benzothiazole core (AMG0892 series) and the second group by a naphthyl amide core (AMG0309 series). Using alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCL) and calcium as markers of osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, both chemical series showed EC 50 s in the 0.01–0.2 μM range and were consistent for all three markers. Compounds inhibited cell proliferation, had no effect on apoptosis and showed evidence for CREB pathway activity. The present compounds represent some of the most potent osteogenic small molecules reported to date and provide new tools for elucidating signaling mechanisms in osteoblasts.