cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Cadherin-11 Expression by GSK-3 and β-Catenin in Prostate and Breast Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND The cell-cell adhesion molecule cadherin-11 is important in embryogenesis and bone morphogenesis, invasion of cancer cells, lymphangiogenesis, homing of cancer cells to bone, and rheumatoid arthritis. However, very little is known about the regulation of cadherin-11 expression. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here we show that cell density and GSK-3beta regulate cadherin-11 levels in cancer cells. Inactivation of GSK3beta with lithium chloride or the GSK3 inhibitor BIO and GSK3beta knockdown with siRNA repressed cadherin-11 mRNA and protein levels. RNA Polymerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments showed that inhibition of GSK3 does not affect cadherin-11 gene transcription. Although the cadherin-11 3'UTR contains putative microRNA target sites and is regulated by Dicer, its stability is not regulated by GSK3 inhibition or density. Our data show that GSK3beta regulates cadherin-11 expression in two ways: first a beta-catenin-independent regulation of cadherin-11 steady state mRNA levels, and second a beta-catenin-dependent effect on cadherin-11 3'UTR stability and protein translation. CONCLUSIONS Cadherin-11 mRNA and protein levels are regulated by the activity of GSK3beta and a significant degree of this regulation is exerted by the GSK3 target, beta-catenin, at the level of the cadherin-11 3'UTR.
Design of an Acoustic Transmitter for Temperature-Pressure Dual Sensing in Injection Molding

This paper presents a new sensing method for the simultaneous measurement of temperature and pressure within an injection mold cavity for molding process monitoring. A temperature-dependent oscillator (TSO) was designed to convert changes in the polymer melt temperature into carrier frequency shifts of the TSO by means of a temperature-sensitive capacitor. The frequency shifts are then utilized to modulate ultrasonic pulses generated by an ultrasonic transmitter. The ultrasonic transmitter is powered by energy extracted from the melt pressure by means of a piezoceramic stack. The transmitter and the TSO were represented by an equivalent circuit, and its Mason's model was analyzed to assist in the parametric design and function simulation of the transmitter. Results of simulation were experimentally verified and a good agreement was found.
Dual-Polarized Coupled Sectorial Loop Antennas for UWB Applications

In this letter, we present two compact dual-polarized UWB antennas based on the coupled sectorial loops antenna (CSLA) concept. The first antenna is a directional dual-polarized cavity-backed asymmetric CSLA for radar and communications applications. The antenna has the added ad vantage of easily controllable gain compared to conventional dual-polarized antennas. The second antenna design is a planar CSLA in a crossed dipole configuration that offers both polarization and pattern diversities. Its dimensions are 0.44λm × 0.44λm, where λm is the wavelength at the lowest operating frequency. These dimensions are about 20% higher than those of the original CSLA, but with the advantage of providing an extra polarization. This antenna is fabricated with an integrated balun feed and measured. The measurements and the simulations agree well and show good matching over more than two octaves of bandwidth and isolation better than 25 dB between the two polarization ports.
0.50-μm pitch metal integration in 0.18-μm technology

As metal pitch requirements for 0.18 micrometer generation logic shrink to 0.50 micrometer pitch and below, the capability of 248 nm deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography is challenged, especially for isolated narrow lines. Standard illumination methods and binary masks do not give acceptable performance on both dense and isolated 0.25 micrometer structures simultaneously. Two methods available to reliably pattern isolated structures with enough depth of focus (DOF) for high volume manufacturing are Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) techniques such as scattering bars and serifs or the addition of a selective size adjust that sizes all isolated narrow leads up to a width with acceptable DOF. The present work will discuss a manufacturable 0.50 micrometer pitch metallization scheme for leading edge logic applications incorporating DUV lithography, an inorganic silicon oxy- nitride (SION) anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer and standard etch chemistries, with a comparison of the performance of scattering bars and selective size adjusts on isolated lines. Results were characterized by SEM cross sections and electrical data extracted from parametric test structures. Also discussed will be a general methodology of implementing elements of OPC with an eye towards robustness, manufacturability and simplicity of implementation.
Direct demonstration of insulin-like growth factor-I-induced nitric oxide production by endothelial cells

Direct demonstration of insulin-like growth factor-I-induced nitric oxide production by endothelial cells. Several lines of evidence indicate that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is a potent mediator of vasodilation. To elucidate the mechanism and site of action of IGF-I, we performed continuous monitoring of nitric oxide (NO) release from endothelial cells using a highly-sensitive amperometric NO-sensor. Two types of cultured cells were used: human umbilical vein endothelial cells and immortalized rat renal interlobar artery endothelial cells. In separate experiments, [Ca 2+ ] i changes in response to IGF-I were measured spectrofluorometrically in fura-2-loaded cells. Stimulation with IGF-I resulted in a rapid, dose-dependent increase in [NO] as detected by the NO-probe positioned 1mm above the monolayers, followed by a sustained elevation lasting for at least five minutes. The effect of IGF-I was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with anti-IGF-I antibody, suggesting that it was specific for IGF-I. N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, an inhibitor of NO synthesis, significantly blunted responses to IGF-I, but dexamethasone preincubation did not reduce the IGF-I-induced release of NO. These results indicate that the observed IGF-I-induced release of NO is a result of activation of the constitutive, rather than the inducible type of NO synthase in endothelial cells. Genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, resulted in a profound suppression of the IGF-I-induced release of NO. IGF-I did not affect [Ca 2+ ] i in either type of cells. Therefore, IGF-I-induced NO production by both types of endothelial cells is mediated via a tyrosine kinase-dependent mechanism. IGF-I may be an important regulator of vascular tone in vivo through NO release from the vascular endothelium, and may contribute to the regulation of renal blood flow under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
Long-term numerical recording of very small oxygen consumptions under sterile conditions

Abstract A coulometric microrespirometer is described. A differential manometer detects the volume variation in the respiratory chamber; its manometric liquid, a copper sulfate solution, rises until the solution touches a platinum electrode inside the limb connected to the respiratory chamber. Then a capacitor is discharged through the copper sulfate solution and a constant amount of oxygen is set free by electrolysis. The capacitor is automatically recharged and discharged as long as the liquid remains in contact with the electrode. The number of discharges necessary to replace the consumed oxygen is recorded at regular time intervals. The volume of oxygen released per discharge may be continuously adjusted from 0.001 to 0.05 μl so that the relative counting error is kept constant (± 1 %) over a wide range of oxygen consumptions (0.05 to 50μlh −1 ). The production of oxygen within the respiratory chamber permits a sterile maintenance of precise partial pressures of oxygen during long-term experiments.
Communities of design practice in electronic government

As we move towards more online governmental services-electronic government or e-government-our information technology (IT) and human-computer interaction (HCI) designs must both broaden and deepen. In Georgia, we have fostered communities of design practice (CDPs) that focus on IT and HCI design at the statewide enterprise level through the Georgia Digital Academy (GDA). In this study, we utilized observational methods and a participatory analysis of the CDP formation in the GDA. Our findings and conclusions converge with the growing body of knowledge on HCI communities of practice. We report our results and recommendations on how CDPs might be utilized to build effective e-government.
Neutron diffraction study of the temperature factors of LaSn/sub 3/

Neutron-diffraction techniques have been used to study in detail the intensities of the superlattice reflections in La${\mathrm{Sn}}_{3}$. We find that the thermal motion of the Sn atoms is highly anisotropic, in agreement with lattice-dynamical calculations. Analysis of the experimental results by the introduction of fourth-order anharmonic terms suggests that such higher-order terms may be of importance in determining the temperature factors of the Sn atoms in La${\mathrm{Sn}}_{3}$.
THE VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE PURSUIT OF SURVIVAL

Knowledge requires more than mere true belief, and we also tend to think it is more valuable. I explain the added value that knowledge contributes if its extra ingredient beyond true belief is tracking. I show that the tracking conditions are the unique conditions on knowledge that achieve for those who fulfill them a strict Nash Equilibrium and an Evolutionarily Stable Strategy in what I call the True Belief Game. The added value of these properties, intuitively, includes preparedness and an expectation of survival advantage. On this view knowledge is valuable not because knowledge persists but because it makes the bearer more likely to maintain an appropriate belief state—possibly nonbelief— through time and changing circumstances. When Socrates concluded that knowl- edge of the road to Larissa was no more valuable than true belief for the purpose of getting to Larissa, he did not take into account that one might want to be prepared for a possible meeting with a misleading sophist along the way, or for the possibility of road work.
The parallel plane wave time domain algorithm-accelerated marching on in time solvers for large-scale electromagnetic scattering problems

The plane wave time domain (PWTD) algorithm permits the fast evaluation of transient wave fields generated by like sources and thereby constitutes the extension to the time domain of the frequency domain fast multipole method. When coupled to classical marching on in time (MOT) solvers, it drastically accelerates the solution of time domain integral equations (TDIE) pertinent to the analysis of electromagnetic scattering problems while minimizing their memory requirements. This paper describes a parallel implementation of a multilevel PWTD kernel and associated MOT scheme that solves a combined field integral equation (CFIE) pertinent to the analysis of transient scattering from three-dimensional perfect electrically conducting (PEC) objects. The described solver executes on a distributed-memory parallel cluster and uses the message passing interface (MPI) paradigm to communicate data between processors. A "space/direction partitioning" scheme is adopted to divide the computational tasks involved and achieve reasonable load balancing among the available processors. The performance of the parallel solvers is verified by a numerical example.
Changes in soil organic matter pools and carbon mineralization as influenced by fire severity.

Fire transforms soil organic matter (SOM) to recalcitrant forms of C. The degree to which SOM is altered is dependent on fire severity. This study investigated changes in SOM composition and mineralization by controlling the fire severity of laboratory burns on reconstructed soil profiles (O, Al [0-1 cm], and A2 [1-2 cm] horizons). Burning simulated low-, moderate-, and high-severity fires. Organic and mineral soils were incubated for 180 d and CO 2 production was measured with soda lime traps. Soils were analyzed for SOM composition pre- and post-incubation using an alkaline extraction. Higher severity burning resulted in lower O horizon decomposition rates on a C basis. Fulvic acid C in the control and low-severity O horizons was reduced by 13% by incubation, which was negatively correlated with cumulative C mineralized (r = -0.564). After incubation, the SOM composition of the burned O horizons remained different from the control. Higher severity burning caused mineral soil to initially have higher C mineralization rates, which disappeared by the end of the incubation. Fulvic acid concentration was reduced by 61 and 38% during incubation of the Al and A2 horizons, respectively, returning the SOM composition to control levels. The sum of alkaline insoluble forms (e.g., humin) of SOM accounted for 74 and 61% of total soil C and N, respectively, which was not significantly different between treatments. The fire severities examined show that the major impacts to SOM occurred to the O horizon and any fire-related changes to the mineral soil were not persistent.
ALIENATION, MEMBERSHIP, AND POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

This study will especially interest students of public opinion formation, social learning, and the mass society. Of special significance are findings regarding the relation to learning of the sense of powerlessness and reliance on experts. This demonstration of compatability between mass society and learning theories on a comparative basis presents many promising research cues. Dr. Melvin Seeman is Professor of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles.
Sincerely Asserting What You Do Not Believe

I offer examples showing that, pace G. E. Moore, it is possible to assert ‘Q and I don't believe that Q’ sincerely, truly, and without any absurdity. The examples also refute the following principles: (a) justification to assert p entails justification to assert that one believes p (Gareth Evans); (b) the sincerity condition on assertion is that one believes what one says (John Searle); and (c) to assert (to someone) something that one believes to be false is to lie (Don Fallis).
Control of linear systems according to the minimal variance criterion--A new approach to the disturbance problem

The problem of minimizing the ensemble average of a performance index in the presence of control noise has received substantial attention in the literature. This work considers a generalization of viewpoint, in which the index variance is minimized while its expectation is constrained. Necessary and sufficient relations are derived for linear, time-invariant systems and disturbances having rational spectra. The open-loop, optimal-feedback solution is specified by its characteristic equation and boundary conditions for Gaussian noises and plants with distinct eigenvalues. The canonic structure of a noise-free plant incorporating covariance data from the disturbance process is shown to have fundamental significance in the optimal solution. Several examples are presented.
Structural models for the metal centers in the nitrogenase molybdenum-iron protein

Structural models for the nitrogenase FeMo-cofactor and P-clusters are proposed based on crystallographic analysis of the nitrogenase molybdenum-iron (MoFe)-protein from Azotobacter vinelandii at 2.7 angstrom resolution. Each center consists of two bridged clusters; the FeMo-cofactor has 4Fe:3S and 1Mo:3Fe:3S clusters bridged by three non-protein ligands, and the P-clusters contain two 4Fe:4S clusters bridged by two cysteine thiol ligands. Six of the seven Fe sites in the FeMo-cofactor appear to have trigonal coordination geometry, including one ligand provided by a bridging group. The remaining Fe site has tetrahedral geometry and is liganded to the side chain of Cys alpha 275. The Mo site exhibits approximate octahedral coordination geometry and is liganded by three sulfurs in the cofactor, two oxygens from homocitrate, and the imidazole side chain of His alpha 442. The P-clusters are liganded by six cysteine thiol groups, two which bridge the two clusters, alpha 88 and beta 95, and four which singly coordinate the remaining Fe sites, alpha 62, alpha 154, beta 70, and beta 153. The side chain of Ser beta 188 may also coordinate one iron. The polypeptide folds of the homologous alpha and beta subunits surrounding the P-clusters are approximately related by a twofold rotation that may be utilized in the binding interactions between the MoFe-protein and the nitrogenase Fe-protein. Neither the FeMo-cofactor nor the P-clusters are exposed to the surface, suggesting that substrate entry, electron transfer, and product release must involve a carefully regulated sequence of interactions between the MoFe-protein and Fe-protein of nitrogenase.
Time Series Analysis of Monte Carlo Fission Sources—II: Confidence Interval Estimation

The performances of autoregressive processes and the autoregressive moving average process of order two and one [ARMA(2,1)] have been investigated concerning the confidence interval estimation in Monte Carlo eigenvalue calculation. Two reasons exist for these model choices. First, the Wold decomposition states that any zero-mean stationary stochastic process can be expressed as the sum of a deterministic process and a moving average process of infinite order. This justifies the application of autoregressive fitting and autoregressive moving average fitting to a centered k-effective series from stationary iteration cycles. Second, ARMA(2,1) fitting is a logically natural refinement of first-order autoregressive fitting since the noise propagation in iterated source methods can be reduced to an autoregressive moving average model of orders p and p - 1 [ARMA(p, p - 1)]. Numerical results are presented for the "k-effective of the world" problem. The results indicate that ARMA(2,1) fitting performs much better than the autoregressive fitting of low orders. Also presented are some related theoretical results; MacMillan's formula to confidence limits can be derived from theARMA(p, p-1) representation of source distribution; and the multiplicity of higher eigenmodes can make the decay of the autocorrelation of source distribution much different than predicted by the sum of exponential terms. The latter result indicates poor performance that time series methods would exhibit for the confidence interval estimation of the fission rate distribution in the critical reactor with symmetric component placement.
A structural model of first-grade outcomes for an urban, low socioeconomic status, minority population.

This study tested a social context, longitudinal model of the early schooling process on three first-grade outcomes for 1,539 ethnic minority children (1,470 were Black and 69 were Hispanic)
The fracture toughness of a fiber reinforced polymeric film

Introduction Fracture toughness is a material parameter that quantifies the ability of a material to resist the growth of a flaw such as a preexisting tear in balloon film. As a true material property, fracture toughness should be independent of geometric effects such as the initial length of the tear and the test specimen gage length. Earlier work at Texas A&M, based on the J-integral, has established fracture toughness as a material property for the homogeneous polyethylene films currently used for the envelope of scientific balloons. The long duration balloons (LDB) now being developed require a film with higher modulus and yield strength. Anticipating that a fiber reinforced film will be employed in LDB applications, a fracture toughness study was conducted on a candidate film, Tyvek QC (DuPont). This paper describes the test procedures and results of investigating the effects of initial tear length, gage length, and orientation on the fracture toughness of Tyvek QC at room temperature.
Dimethylacetamide sorption kinetics in a urethane/urea/ether block copolymer

Polymer solvent interactions in a block polyurethane/urea/ether polymer belonging to the spandex family are considered in this article. Independent analysis of the sorption isotherms for dimethylacetamide (DMAc) in the spandex spandex polymer as a function of vapor activity and temperature were presented in a previous article. A second aspect in understanding solvent/polymer interactions is the kinetics of desorption. Characterization of the solvent devolatilization is an important aspect of the drying procedure to guide processing protocols to eliminate residual solvent in the final spandex products, especially for medical applications [E. Hicks, A. Ultee, and J. Drougas, Science, 147, 373 (1965); J. W. Boretos and W. S. Pierce, J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 2, 121 (1968); P. M. Knight and D. J. Lyman, J. Membr. Sci., 17, 245 (1984)]. This article reports data for desorption kinetics under nominally isothermal conditions to provide diffusion coefficients as a function of polymer phase concentration and temperature. Desorption curves were found to be Fickian at least up to the half-time of desorption. Diffusion coefficients were therefore calculated using a half-time method. Temperature effects upon sorption or desorption were measured to obtain corrected diffusion coefficients and found to be singificantly different than the apparent diffusion coefficient measured from a conventional McBain sorption cell. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Magnetic Structures of Holmium. I. The Virgin State

Neutron-diffraction measurements have been made on single-crystal specimens of holmium at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Below the N\'eel temperature of 133\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, the moments order in a helical structure in which the $c$ axis is the screw axis. The interlayer angle varies from about 50\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} per layer at ${T}_{N}$ to 30.0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} per layer at 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Below about 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K the structure is a conical configuration in which there is a net moment of $1.7{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ parallel to the $c$ axis. The configuration of moments in the basal plane at 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K is a distorted helical one in which moments of $9.5{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ are bunched around the easy $b$ directions in the plane.
Aerospace design optimization using a compound repulsive particle swarm

This study shows the benefits of using a compound repulsive particle swarm optimizer (RPSO) for use in aerospace design applications. A new hybrid optimizer has been developed for this study involving a separate particle swarm imbedded within the standard RPSO. The engineering design problems for this study include the development of a desired solid rocket motor grain, a solid motor sounding rocket, and a single stage solid propellant missile system. The methods are used independently to match a prescribed set of parameters defining the propellant characteristics and/or the missile's geometry. The design study was conducted using both the standard RPSO and the newly developed compound RPSO. The algorithms are compared based on their speed and effectiveness in solving the design problem, with the figure of merit being a factor based on a set of desired performance goals.
PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS OF FETAL/MATERNAL LYMPHOCYTE TRANSFER

Abstract Lymphocyte cultures were prepared from peripheral-blood samples taken from thirty pregnant women. In twenty-one cultures one or more euploid metaphase figures with 5 small acrocentric chromosomes interpreted as 46/" XY " were found. Nineteen of the twenty-one women gave birth to male infants, and two gave birth to females (P=0·0001). The two "false-positive" results were in women in whom only 1 cell with 5 small acrocentric chromosomes had been found, whereas all ten patients in whom 2 or more cells were found gave birth to males. Artefact or chimaerism for fetal 46/XY cells persisting from an earlier pregnancy may account for the two false-positive results. In nine other women, no " XY " cells were found. Six gave birth to female infants while three gave birth to males. Cells with 46/XY karyotype in the maternal circulation were detected as early as the 14th week of gestation (the earliest age studied). The data suggest that the fetomaternal transfer of lymphocytes is common, happens at least as early as the 14th week of gestation, and may be a consequence of transplacental migration of circulating fetal lymphoid cells, as well as leakage of blood. The antenatal diagnosis of a male fetus can be made by karyotypic analysis of lymphocytes in maternal blood. Similarly, it should be possible to identify fetal chromosome abnormalities by this procedure. Transfer of fetal lymphocytes to the mother may play a part in the acceptance of the fetus as a homograft.
An examination of the linearity and reliability of the electromyographic amplitude versus dynamic constant external resistance relationships using monopolar and bipolar recording methods.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the linearity and reliability of the electromyographic (EMG) amplitude versus dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) relationships for monopolar and bipolar recording techniques during concentric and eccentric muscle actions. Nineteen healthy men (mean ± SD age = 22.9 ± 2.5 years) performed a series of randomly ordered, submaximal to maximal, unilateral DCER muscle actions of the dominant forearm flexors on two occasions separated by at least 48 h. Specifically, the subjects lifted and lowered weights corresponding to 10–100% of the one repetition maximum (1-RM) in 10% increments. During each muscle action, monopolar and bipolar surface EMG signals were detected simultaneously from the biceps brachii. For the monopolar and bipolar methods, the coefficients of determination for the EMG amplitude versus DCER relationships ranged from 0.64–0.98 and 0.38–0.98 for the concentric muscle actions and 0.45–0.98 and 0.45–0.98 for the eccentric muscle actions, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and corresponding standard errors of measurement (SEM) for the linear slope coefficients for the EMG amplitude versus DCER relationships were 0.682 (18.4%) and 0.594 (21.8%) with the monopolar method and 0.810 (25.6%) and 0.774 (17.6%) with the bipolar method for the concentric and eccentric muscle actions, respectively. These findings indicated that monopolar and bipolar recording techniques may be used with a similar degree of linearity and reliability for the EMG amplitude versus concentric and eccentric DCER relationships.
Identification of a mating population, Gibberella nygamai sp. nov., within the Fusarium nygamai anamorph.

Isolates of Fusarium nygamai were mated and produced fertile perithecia of Gibberella nygamai sp. nov., on carrot agar. Female-fertile tester strains were recovered from random ascospore progeny and two were identified as more reliable female parents in the detection of other members of this population. The formation of microconidia in short chains and the formation of chlamydospores in anamorph prog- eny cultures are suitable characters for species iden- tification of F nygamai. Fusarium nygamai is predom- inantly soilborne.
Nurse productivity measures for the 21st century

The concept and measurement of nurses' productivity ranges from traditional economic interpretation of nurses as labor costs to human capital theory interpretation of nurses as intellectual capital assets.
Parent–Child Emotional Communication and Children's Coping in Middle Childhood

Parent–child communication regarding children's negative emotions and coping were examined in a sample of 75 5th graders (53% boys) and their mothers and fathers. We predicted that emotionally open communication between a parent and his or her child would be related to children's use of constructive coping strategies. Parents reported on how they react to their child's negative emotions, and children reported on how much they share their negative feelings with each parent. Additionally, emotional communication was measured during a parent–child discussion task involving an event that was upsetting to the child. The results indicated that emotional communication, as reported by mothers, fathers, and children, as well as mother–child observed communication, were related to children's coping strategies. The findings point to a need to assess emotional communication using multiple measures that tap both the child's and the parents’ perspectives and that use different methodologies.
Public Policy and Price Discrimination in Favor of Nonprofit and Against Profit Seeking Organizations

In this article the author presents an evaluation of public policy and price discrimination vis-a-vis non-profit and profit seeking organizations. The author attempts to find out the circumstances under which a non-profit organization enjoys price discrimination advantages over a profit seeking organization. He notes that the larger policy issue following directly from this issue concerns the adjustment of the market place to favor the growth of non-profit organizations at the expense of capitalist organizations and other profit-seeking sectors of the economy.
Secreted Frizzled-related Protein-1 Binds Directly to Wingless and Is a Biphasic Modulator of Wnt Signaling *

Abstract Secreted Frizzled-related protein-1 (sFRP-1) contains a cysteine-rich domain homologous to the putative Wnt-binding site of Frizzleds. To facilitate the biochemical and biological analysis of sFRP-1, we developed a mammalian recombinant expression system that yields ∼3 mg of purified protein/liter of conditioned medium. Using this recombinant protein, we demonstrated that sFRP-1 and Wg (wingless) interact in enzyme-linked immunosorbent and co-precipitation assays. Surprisingly, a derivative lacking the cysteine-rich domain retained the ability to bind Wg. Cross-linking experiments performed with radioiodinated sFRP-1 provided definitive evidence that sFRP-1 and Wg bind directly to each other. Besides detecting a cross-linked complex consistent in size with 1:1 stoichiometry of sFRP-1 and Wg, we also observed a larger complex whose size suggested the presence of a second sFRP-1 molecule. The formation of both complexes was markedly enhanced by an optimal concentration of exogenous heparin, emphasizing the potential importance of heparan-sulfate proteoglycan in Wnt binding and signaling. sFRP-1 exerted a biphasic effect on Wg activity in an armadillo stabilization assay, increasing armadillo level at low concentrations but reducing it at higher concentrations. These results provide new insights about the Wnt binding and biological activity of sFRPs.
Photodegradation of roxarsone in poultry litter leachates

Arsenic compounds have been used extensively in agriculture in the US for applications ranging from cotton herbicides to animal feed supplements. Roxarsone (3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid), in particular, is used widely in poultry production to control coccidial intestinal parasites. It is excreted unchanged in the manure and introduced into the environment when litter is applied to farmland as fertilizer. Although the toxicity of roxarsone is less than that of inorganic arsenic, roxarsone can degrade, biotically and abiotically, to produce more toxic inorganic forms of arsenic, such as arsenite and arsenate. Experiments were conducted on aqueous litter leachates to test the stability of roxarsone under different conditions. Laboratory experiments have shown that arsenite can be cleaved photolytically from the roxarsone moiety at pH 4-8 and that the degradation rate increases with increasing pH. Furthermore, the rate of photodegradation increases with nitrate and natural organic matter concentration, reactants that are commonly found in poultry-litter-water leachates. Additional photochemical reactions rapidly oxidize the cleaved arsenite to arsenate. The formation of arsenate is not entirely undesirable, because it is less mobile in soil systems and less toxic than arsenite. A possible mechanism for the degradation of roxarsone in poultry litter leachates is proposed. The results suggest that poultry litter storage and field application practices could affect the degradation of roxarsone and subsequent mobilization of inorganic arsenic species.
Benign müllerian papilloma of childhood.

Benign mullerian papilloma of the female reproductive tract is a rare childhood tumor that can easily be mistaken by those unfamiliar with the entity for botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma. Ultrastructural findings have been mentioned only in two individual case reports, and these both were issued many years ago. The aim of this update is to familiarize the reader with the clinical, light, and electron microscopic features associated with this distinctive entity, and thereby hopefully preclude the risk of making a serious diagnostic error. Two cases are illustrated, one very typical in its presentation and the other less so.
Systemic perfluorocarbons suppress the acute lung inflammation after gastric acid aspiration in rats.

UNLABELLED Perflurocarbons (PFCs) are used during liquid ventilation and as hemoglobin substitutes. PFCs reduce free radical generation and damage to the lung during liquid ventilation. Thus, we examined the effects of parenteral administration of PFCs on lung injury after acid aspiration. Rats were treated with intraperitoneal injection of either FC-77 or IV injection of Fluosol. Controls received intraperitoneal or IV normal saline (NS) before or at the time of injury and then were injured by instillation of NS + HCl (pH = 1.25) into their lungs via a tracheotomy. The animals were exposed to air or 98% oxygen, breathing spontaneously. The rats were injected with 0.05 microCi of (125)I-albumin (bovine serum albumin) before injury. The extent of lung injury was assessed 5 h postinjury by compliance and lung albumin permeability index measurement. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and histologic examination were used to assess neutrophilic infiltration. Both FC-77 and Fluosol decreased the permeability index compared with controls (1.05 +/- 0.08; 1.08 +/- 0. 12, respectively, versus 1.34 +/- 0.21) and improved lung compliance after intratracheal instillation of 1.2 mL/kg of HCl/NS, pH = 1.25 + hyperoxia injury (P < 0.05). Lung MPO activity decreased in the FC-77 group and was associated with a concomitant decrease in neutrophil infiltration. MPO activity of the spleen increased after FC-77 treatment. The administration of FC-77 decreased the severity of lung permeability changes associated with acid in the presence or absence of hyperoxia exposure. These data suggest that attenuation of neutrophilic infiltration by PFCs decreases lung injury. IMPLICATIONS Intraperitoneally administered perfluorocarbons in rats attenuate the neutrophilic infiltration in the lung after acid aspiration, thereby decreasing the alveolar protein leakage and improving pulmonary compliance.
Raman Studies of Phase Transformations In Pulse Laser Irradiated Dielectric Films

Sputter deposited TiO2 and ZrO2 films on silica have been characterized with regard to thickness, phase purity, and residual film stress using nondestructive Raman spectroscopic techniques. Irradiated anatase coatings exhibit vibrational features that irreversibly shift to higher frequencies, suggesting an increase in localized stress. Catastrophic damage is manifested by the appearance of a higher density rutile phase. Rutile coatings examined after irradiation show only intensity changes, while amorphous coatings were found to rapidly crystallize under high-pulse energy irradiation. Results of these studies are compared with equilibrium Raman measurements of thermally-induced transformations in these materials.
Distortion Analysis of Subband Adaptive Filtering Methods for fMRI Active Noise Control Systems

Delayless subband filtering structure, as a high performance frequency domain filtering technique, is used for canceling broadband fMRI noise (8 kHz bandwidth). In this method, adaptive filtering is done in subbands and the coefficients of the main canceling filter are computed by stacking the subband weights together. There are two types of stacking methods called FFT and FFT-2. In this paper, we analyze the distortion introduced by these two stacking methods. The effect of the stacking distortion on the performance of different adaptive filters in FXLMS algorithm with non-minimum phase secondary path is explored. The investigation is done for different adaptive algorithms (nLMS, APA and RLS), different weight stacking methods, and different number of subbands.
GABAergic neuroactive steroids and resting-state functional connectivity in postpartum depression: A preliminary study

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 1 in 8 women. The early postpartum period is characterized by a downward physiological shift from relatively elevated levels of sex steroids during pregnancy to diminished levels after parturition. Sex steroids influence functional brain connectivity in healthy non-puerperal subjects. This study tests the hypothesis that PPD is associated with attenuation of resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) within corticolimbic regions implicated in depression and alterations in neuroactive steroid concentrations as compared to healthy postpartum women. Subjects (n = 32) were prospectively evaluated during pregnancy and in the postpartum with repeated plasma neuroactive steroid measurements and mood and psychosocial assessments. Healthy comparison subjects (HCS) and medication-free subjects with unipolar PPD (PPD) were examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) within 9 weeks of delivery. We performed rs-fc analysis with seeds placed in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and bilateral amygdala (AMYG), hippocampi (HIPP) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFCs). Postpartum rs-fc and perinatal neuroactive steroid plasma concentrations, quantified by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, were compared between groups. PPD subjects showed attenuation of connectivity for each of the tested regions (i.e. ACC, AMYG, HIPP and DLPFC) and between corticocortical and corticolimbic regions vs. HCS. Perinatal concentrations of pregnanolone, allopregnanolone and pregnenolone were not different between groups. This is the first report of a disruption in the rs-fc patterns in medication-free subjects with PPD. This disruption may contribute to the development of PPD, at a time of falling neuroactive steroid concentrations.
Thermomechanical Properties of Hydrogen Silsesquioxanes

Using Si and GaAs substrates, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the bi-axial modulus of thin hydrogen silsesquioxanes (HSQ) films are deduced by means of wafer curvature measurement. The same properties of plasma-enhanced CVD oxide are also reported.
FIR digital filter with sigma-delta modulated input and impulse response

A method is suggested for implementing finite impulse response (FIR) digital filters where both the input signal and the impulse response are encoded using sigma-delta modulation. This filter structure can be built using simple hardware and hence can lead to efficient implementations. The error spectrum due to the encoding/decoding processes in the filter structure is derived. The implementation issues for this filter structure are also discussed. >
Role of Potassium Channels in Cerebral Blood Vessels

Background Hyperpolarization of vascular muscle in response to activation of potassium channels is a major mechanism of vasodilatation. In cerebral blood vessels, four different potassium channels have been described: ATP-sensitive potassium channels, calcium-activated potassium channels, delayed rectifier potassium channels, and inward rectifier potassium channels. Summary of Review Activation of ATP-sensitive and calcium-activated potassium channels appears to play a major role in relaxation of cerebral arteries and arterioles in response to diverse stimuli, including receptor-mediated agonists, intracellular second messengers, and hypoxia. Both calcium-activated and delayed rectifier potassium channels may contribute to a negative feedback system that regulates tone in large cerebral arteries. The influence of ATP-sensitive and calcium-activated potassium channels is altered in disease states such as hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Conclusions Activation of potassium channels is a major me...
Diagnostic and therapeutic spinal interventions Diskography

Diskography (provocation diskography, disk stimulation) is an invasive diagnostic test performed to confirm or exclude internal disk disruption as the cause of axial spine pain. Diskography involves injecting fluid into the nucleus of the disk under manometric control; a positive response is reproduction of typical pain. Extensive but indirect literature validates diskography in the lumbar spine; it is less well-supported in the cervical or thoracic spine. Risks include rare instances of infection and neural injury; lumbar diskography may be associated with accelerated disk degeneration. Diskography has utility in establishing a diagnosis of diskogenic pain. When negative, it prevents inappropriate interventions directed at the disk; when positive, it prevents interventions directed at other axial pain generators. Its role in selecting patients for therapies directed at diskogenic pain is limited by the lack of available validated treatments.
Thomas's All All and All the Dry Worlds Lever

(1988). Thomas's All All and All the Dry Worlds Lever. The Explicator: Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 37-40.
“Double whammy”: anomalous pulmonary and systemic venous drainage in a patient with scimitar syndrome

Anomalously draining right pulmonary veins are expected with scimitar syndrome, but systemic venous abnormalities are rare. We present an unusual case of a female patient with scimitar and an interrupted inferior vena cava.
The Unsolvability of the Gödel Class with Identity

The Godel class with identity (GCI) is the class of closed, prenex quantificational formulas whose prefixes have the form ∀∀∃ … ∃ and whose matrices contain arbitrary predicate letters and the identity sign “ = ”, but do not contain function signs or individual constants. The ∀∀∃ … ∃ class without identity was shown solvable over fifty years ago ([4], [12], [17]); slightly later, that class was shown to possess the stronger property of finite controllability ([5], [18]). (A class of formulas is solvable iff it is decidable for satisfiability; it is finitely controllable iff every satisfiable formula in it has a finite model.) At the end of [5], Godel claims that the finite controllability of the GCI can be shown “by the same method” as he employed to show this for the class without identity. This claim has been questioned for nearly twenty years; in §1 below we give a brief history of investigations into it. The major result of this paper shows Godel to have been mistaken: the GCI is unsolvable. §2 contains the basic construction, which yields a satisfiable formula in the GCI that lacks finite models. This formula may easily be exploited to encode undecidable problems into the GCI.
A practical approach to the use of prone therapy in acute respiratory distress syndrome

In this article we propose a practical approach to the use of prone therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We have attempted to provide information to improve the understanding and implementation of prone therapy based on the literature available and our own experience. We review the basic physiology behind ARDS and the theoretical mechanism by which prone therapy can be of benefit. The findings of the most significant studies regarding prone therapy in ARDS as they pertain to its implementation are summarized. Also provided is a discussion of the nuances of utilizing prone therapy, including potential pitfalls, complications, and contraindications. The specific considerations of prone therapy in open abdomens and traumatic brain injuries are discussed as well. Finally, we supply suggested protocols for the implementation of prone therapy discussing criteria for initiation and cessation of therapy as well as addressing issues such as the use of neuromuscular blockade and nutritional supplementation.
Optimizing phosphorus characterization in animal manures by solution phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

A procedure involving alkaline extraction and solution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was developed and optimized for the characterization of P in animal manures (broiler, swine, beef cattle). Inclusion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in the alkaline extraction solution recovered between 82 and 97% of the total P from the three manures, which represented a significant improvement on recovery in NaOH alone. Low concentrations of paramagnetic ions in all manure extracts meant that relatively long delay times (> 5 s) were required for quantitative analysis by solution 31P NMR spectroscopy. The manures contained inorganic orthophosphate, orthophosphate monoesters, orthophosphate diesters, and inorganic polyphosphates, but results were markedly influenced by the concentration of NaOH in the extractant, which affected both spectral resolution and the apparent P composition of the extracts. For example, extraction of swine manure and broiler litter with 0.5 M NaOH + 50 mM EDTA produced remarkable spectral resolution that allowed accurate quantification of the four signals from phytic acid, the major organic P compound in these manures. In contrast, more dilute NaOH concentrations produced considerable line broadening that obscured individual signals in the orthophosphate monoester region of the spectra. Spectral resolution of cattle manure extracts was relatively unaffected by NaOH concentration. Improvements in spectral resolution of more concentrated NaOH extracts were, however, compromised by the disappearance of phospholipids and inorganic polyphosphates, notably in swine and cattle manure extracts, which indicated either degradation or a change in solubility. The optimum extraction conditions will therefore vary depending on the manure type and the objectives of the study. Phytic acid can be accurately quantified in swine manure and broiler litter by extraction with 0.5 M NaOH + 50 mM EDTA, while a more dilute NaOH concentration should be used for complete P characterization or comparison among different manure types.
Constructing sexuality and identity in an online teen chat room.

In this article, we propose that adolescents’ online interactions are both a literal and a metaphoric screen for representing major adolescent developmental issues, such as sexuality and identity. Because of the public nature of Internet chat rooms, they provide an open window into the expression of adolescent concerns. Our study utilizes this window to explore how issues of sexuality and identity are constructed in a teen chat room. We adapt qualitative discourse methodology to microanalyze a half-hour transcript from a monitored teen chat room, comparing it, where relevant, to a second transcript, used in a prior study [Greenfield, P.M., Subrahmanyam, K., 2003. Online discourse in a teen chat room: New codes and new modes of coherence in a visual medium. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 24, 713–738.]. Our microanalysis reveals that participants use the online space of teen chat to air adolescent concerns about sexuality and to develop creative strategies to exchange identity information with their peers. This exchange is critical to the activity of bpairing offQ, an important teenage expression of emerging sexuality. Developmental issues from adolescents’ offline lives are reconstructed online with some important differences. The virtual world of teen chat may offer a safer environment for exploring emerging sexuality than the real world. Through the verbally explicit exchange of identity information, participants are able to bpair offQ with partners of their choice, despite the disembodied nature of chat participants.
Jackknifing in Unbalanced Situations

Both the standard jackknife and a weighted jackknife are investigated in the general linear model situation. Properties of bias reduction and standard error estimation are derived. and the weighted jackknife shown to be superior for unbalanced data. There is a preliminary discussion of robust regression fitting using jackknife pseudo-values.