cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contextual determinants of female–female mounting in laboratory rats

Abstract Female–female mounting is widespread among mammalian species, but little is known about the proximal function of this behaviour. While such mounting is often regarded as a ‘masculine’ trait, its widespread occurrence may indicate that it serves specific functions within the context of female–female social behaviour. We valuated female mounting behaviour in Long–Evans rats in standard observation chambers and in a seminatural enclosure. Under these conditions, we examined a number of potential factors that might influence mounting, including the oestrous cycle, social hierarchy, familiarity and male presence. The female’s mounting was not influenced by her own oestrous cycle, but did vary with the oestrous cycle of the stimulus female. Socially dominant females mounted significantly more than subordinate females, and mounting by the dominant female was most frequent when the subordinate female was sexually receptive. Females mounted (and fought with) unfamiliar females significantly more than they did with familiar cagemates. Female–female mounting was dramatically reduced when males were present. Further testing showed that female mounting did not affect the induction of the progestational state of pregnancy, suggesting that female mounting does not function as a pseudomale behaviour that can substitute for genital stimulation provided by the male. Based on these data, female mounting does not appear to function as a sexual behaviour per se, but may serve as a form of female social behaviour related to maintenance of the female’s social status within female groups. In this regard, the results of this study suggest that female mounting is part of the normal female’s complex behavioural repertoire and does not necessarily reflect masculinization of some underlying neural substrate.
The Influence of Black Mayors on Police Officers Killed: A Comment on Kaminski and Stucky

In a recent publication Kaminsky and Stucky (2009) claim our finding that the presence of a black mayor reduces killings of police officers (see Jacobs & Carmichael 2002) does not hold after they correct an error I made in the 2002 publication. Kaminsky and Stucky, however, ignore our most comprehensive models, which included a nonlinear specification with considerable explanatory power. They instead confine their reanalysis to a simplified and initial less exhaustive model in our paper that did not include the nonlinear specification without mentioning this and other omissions. After I correct my error, and retain the nonlinear specification that was in our definitive models, multiple versions of this model continue to support our hypothesis that the presence of a black mayor reduces killings of police officers. This comment concludes by outsome problems in Kaminski and Stucky’s analysis of later data.
Syntheses of nanostructured Cu- and Ni-based micro-assemblies with selectable 3-D hierarchical biogenic morphologies

A combined layer-by-layer (LbL) surface amine amplification and electroless deposition process has been developed to convert biologically replicable three-dimensional (3-D) nanostructured micro-assemblies (such as siliceous diatom frustules) into freestanding Cu-bearing or Ni-bearing structures that retain the starting biogenic microscale 3-D shapes and nanoscale patterns. After reacting the hydroxyl-bearing surfaces of these biotemplates with an aminosilane, a LbL polyacrylate/polyamine deposition process was used to dendritically amplify the surface amine concentration. Subsequent binding of metal chloride catalysts to these amine-enriched surfaces enabled the rapid electroless deposition of thin, conformal, continuous, and nanocrystalline or amorphous metallic coatings on the 3-D biotemplates. Selective removal of the underlying templates then yielded freestanding Cu-bearing or Ni-bearing structures. The conformality and continuity of the thin coatings, and the fidelity with which the biogenic shape and fine features were preserved in the freestanding structures, were significantly enhanced by the amplification of surface amines (and the associated enrichment of catalytic sites) resulting from the LbL polyacrylate/polyamine treatment. Monolithic and multicomponent structures (e.g., Cu, multilayer Au/Cu, CuO, and Ni–P alloy) with bio-derived morphologies have been synthesized utilizing this approach. This readily-scalable process may be used to convert self-assembled rigid templates (of biological or synthetic origin) into nanostructured transition metal-based micro-assemblies with a wide variety of selectable 3-D hierarchical morphologies for use in numerous functional and structural applications.
On the Mössbauer parameters of barium stannate

Abstract The Mossbauer parameters of barium stannate(IV) (BaSnO3) have been studied in the temperature range 80 to 300°K and show that this material provides a suitable source matrix for 119Sn spectroscopy. The zero-thickness line width for BaSnO3 absorbers at 295°K is 0·33 mm/sec. The recoil-free absorption fraction is 0·58 ± 0·02 calculated from line width measurements at 295°K and 0·53 ± 0·02 calculated from temperature dependence measurements. The room temperature isomer shift of BaSnO3 is identical (within the experimental error of ±0·03 mm/sec) to that of SnO2. No chemical after-effects of the 65 keV isomeric transition in 119Sn have been observed using these sources.
Psychotherapy Outcome, as Measured by the OQ-45, in African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino/a, and Native American Clients Compared with Matched Caucasian Clients

Abstract Concern about the effects of counseling on ethnic minority clients has been repeatedly raised. Before embarking on a formal course of multicultural counseling sensitivity for counseling center staff, baseline client outcome data were sought as a method for evaluating the effects of this intervention. Archival data from a university counseling center were analyzed to assess the treatment outcome for four ethnic minority groups. Clients who identified themselves as Native American, Latino/a, African American, or Asian/Pacific Islander and who had both pre- and post-test scores on the Outcome Questionnaire-45 were selected for study. Each ethnic group member was matched with a Caucasian client based on initial level of disturbance, gender, marital status, and age. Every group of clients improved from intake to the termination of therapy. However, no differences in outcome were found between any ethnic group and its matched control group of Caucasians. Surprisingly, Native American clients (N = 50) h...
Sinus anatomy associated with inadvertent cerebrospinal fluid leak during functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

Objectives/Hypothesis: Anatomic variations in skull base anatomy may predispose the surgeon to inadvertent skull base injury with resultant cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak during functional endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Our objective was to compare preoperative sinus imaging of patients who underwent FESS with and without CSF leak to elucidate these variations. Study Design: In this retrospective case-control study, 18 patients with CSF leak following FESS for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) from 2000 to 2011 were compared to 18 randomly selected patients who underwent preoperative imaging for FESS for CRS. Methods: Measurements were obtained from preoperative computed tomography images with specific attention to anatomic differences in cribriform plate and ethmoid roof heights in the coronal plane, and the skull base angle in the sagittal plane. Mean values of measured variables were compared using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney test. Results: When compared to controls, patients with CSF leak demonstrated a greater angle of the skull base in the sagittal plane (P < .001) and a greater slope of the skull base in the coronal plane (P < .006). A lower cribriform height relative to ethmoid roof height was also noted in cases of CSF leak as compared to controls (P < .04). Conclusions: A steep skull base angle in the sagittal plane, a greater slope of the skull base in the coronal plane, and a low cribriform height relative to the ethmoid roof predispose the patient to CSF leak during FESS. Preoperative review of imaging with specific attention paid to these anatomic variations may help to prevent iatrogenic CSF leak. Laryngoscope, 2012
Excitatory cortical neurons form fine-scale functional networks

The specificity of cortical neuron connections creates columns of functionally similar neurons spanning from the pia to the white matter. Here we investigate whether there is an additional, finer level of specificity that creates subnetworks of excitatory neurons within functional columns. We tested for fine-scale specificity of connections to cortical layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in rat visual cortex by using cross-correlation analyses of synaptic currents evoked by photostimulation. Recording simultaneously from adjacent layer 2/3 pyramidal cells, we find that when they are connected to each other (20% of all recorded pairs) they share common input from layer 4 and within layer 2/3. When adjacent layer 2/3 neurons are not connected to each other, they share very little (if any) common excitatory input from layers 4 and 2/3. In contrast, all layer 2/3 neurons share common excitatory input from layer 5 and inhibitory input from layers 2/3 and 4, regardless of whether they are connected to each other. Thus, excitatory connections from layer 4 to layer 2/3 and within layer 2/3 form fine-scale assemblies of selectively interconnected neurons; inhibitory connections and excitatory connections from layer 5 link neurons across these fine-scale subnetworks. Relatively independent subnetworks of excitatory neurons are therefore embedded within the larger-scale functional architecture; this allows neighbouring neurons to convey information more independently than suggested by previous descriptions of cortical circuitry.
Expression, purification and crystallization of enterococcus faecium streptogramin A acetyltransferase.

The streptogramin A acetyltransferase from Enterococcus faecium (SWISS-PROT P50870) has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. Crystallization conditions were screened using the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method and resulted in two distinct crystal forms. Form I crystals diffract to 2.5 A and belong to space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 68.6, b = 102.6, c = 107.5 A. Form II crystals diffract to 2.7 A and belong to space group F222, with unit-cell parameters a = 185.8, b = 185.8, c = 186.5 A. Rotation-function and packing analyses for both crystal forms indicate that the asymmetric unit may contain one and two copies of the trimeric enzyme for crystal forms I and II, respectively.
A change in seismicity near the Mid-America Trench following the Oaxaca earthquake

Immediately after the Oaxaca earthquake of November 29, 1978, the rate of occurrence of earthquakes (magnitude mb ⩾ 4.9) increased all along the Mid-America Trench, and stayed above the average level for the area for five months. The highest rate was recorded in the month just after the Oaxaca earthquake, after which the rate gradually declined for five months. No aftershocks of the Oaxaca earthquake are included in the counts. The past seismicity history of the area suggests that it is unlikely that the simultaneous timing is a simple matter of coincidences. These observations suggest that motion of the Cocos plate is episodic, and that stress changes are rapidly transmitted throughout the plate.
Differential regulation of neuropeptide and proto-oncogene mRNA content in the hippocampus following recurrent seizures

The amounts of the mRNAs for the neuropeptide precursor proteins preproenkephalin, preprocholecystokinin and preproneuropeptide Y were measured in the entorhinal cortex of normal rats and rats that had experienced recurrent limbic seizures induced by a small contralateral lesion of the dentate gyrus hilus. Additionally, the amount of mRNAs for preproenkephalin as well as for the cellular proto-oncogenes c-myc, c-fos and c-H-ras, which are thought to be mediators of intracellular signal transduction, was determined in hippocampus in these same animals. It was determined that the hilus lesion led to a dramatic (18-fold) increase in the content of preproenkephalin mRNA in the entorhinal cortex whereas only a modest increase in preproneuropeptide Y mRNA content and no change in preprocholecystokinin mRNA was detected in this same brain region. In hippocampus a large and very rapid increase in c-fos mRNA was observed to precede the previously reported increase in preproenkephalin mRNA following hilus lesion-induced seizures. Like the increase in opioid peptide mRNA, the increase in c-fos mRNA began early in the period of seizure activity and could be blunted by maintaining the animals under anesthesia with the anticonvulsant sodium pentobarbital. Messenger RNA for c-H-ras was not altered at any time following the lesion and c-myc mRNA was not reliably detected in either control or hilus lesioned rats. These data demonstrate that neuropeptide genes within the entorhinal cortex and proto-oncogenes within the hippocampus are differentially regulated by seizure activity and suggest that the c-fos proto-oncogene may be involved in events which mediate the physiological regulation of enkephalin gene expression.
Ultrastructural changes during growth and embryogenesis in carrot cell cultures.

Clumps in suspension cultures of wild carrot have two histological regions; an inner region of highly vacuolate, nondividing cells and a peripheral region of small meristematic cells. Significant ultrastructural features of the meristematic cells include the presence of many starch-filled plastids, a dense background of free ribosomes, rough ER bearing conspicuous polyribosomal aggregates, and numerous multivesicular bodies apparently derived from dictyosomes. Multivesicular bodies fuse with the plasmalemma, releasing their contents into the wall space. Cell enlargement is accompanied by an increase in rough ER, eventual decrease in free ribosomal content, and two types of structural alteration in the walls which eventually cause clump disintegration and release of smaller fragments. Ultrastructural changes accompanying formation of embryos in auxin-free media include a striking increase in free ribosomal content, decrease in ER, loss of polyribosomal aggregates, and appearance of microtubules. The mechanism of embryo polarization is discussed.
Overestimation and Venture Survival: An Empirical Analysis of Development Commitments in International Master Franchising Ventures

Many international master franchising contracts include “development commitments,” clauses specifying a number of units that master franchisees must develop in exchange for exclusive rights to an assigned market, typically their entire home nation. I analyze 142 contracts with development commitments signed by US fast food franchisors and their master franchisees. Several empirical regularities emerge from the analysis: First, the development commitments are large and rarely completely fulfilled. Second, a robust negative relationship exists between survival and development commitment size. Further, ventures with larger commitments exhibit a lower level of investment still productive at the end of the development period. Various explanations for these regularities are considered.
Hydrogen Passivation of Defects in InGaAs/Al x Ga l-x As Quantum Wells

The effect of the diffusion of monatomic hydrogen into InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells has been investigated using photoluminescence (PL) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS). The structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and hydrogenated with a remote plasma. For In0.2Ga0.8As/AlGa1−xAs quantum wells, hydrogenation significant increases the integrated PL intensity from bound excitons at 77 K. The enhancement of the PL is ascribed to removal of nonradiative recombination centers by hydrogen passivation of defects either at the heterojunction interface or within the epilayers. This PL enhancement (and defect passivation) increases as the Al concentration in the AlGaAs layers increases from 0 to 33 at%. A 50% increase of PL intensity is observed for InGaAs/GaAs. For 33 at%, the increase is a factor of 9. We also diffused deuterium into these InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells. The enhancement of the PL by deuteration was similar to that by hydrogenation. The isotopic substitution permits the determination of the depth distribution of deuterium in the multilayered structure by SIMS. SIMS results support the conclusion that more defects are passivated in the higher Al concentration samples.
The effect of fasting on glucose utilization in the isolated perfused rat liver.

Abstract Livers of fed and fasted rats were perfused with varying concentrations of glucose. The maximum decrease in glucose utilization occurred during the first day of starvation and was not significantly depressed by further fasting, up to 4 days. In all cases glucose utilization was increased by increasing the initial glucose concentrations in the medium from 75 to 600 mg. 100 ml. These results suggest that hepatic glucose phosphorylation during fasting and with elevated blood sugar may be mediated by the pyrophosphate may be mediated by the pyrophosphate glucose phosphotransferase reaction rather than by hexokinase or glucokinase.
Fine structural features of developing leg discs of the blowfly, Sarcophaga bullata (Parker)

The mesothoracic leg discs of the blowfly, Sarcophaga bullata (Parker) were studied by electron microscopy during the third larval instar. As the peripodial membrane and separation form, the cells of the disc become elongated and perpendicularly oriented toward the separation. The cellular organelles do not undergo significant changes until the late third instar. At this time, there is a significant increase in the amount of granular endoplasmic reticulum and in the number of inclusions, particularly in those cells located more deeply in the disc. Nucleolar enlargement and an increase in the number of mitochondria are also observed at this time. The cells at the border of the disc form a columnar epithelium whose surface develops microvilli-like projections. These projections. These projections reach their maximum development towards the end of third instar. It is suggested that some of the observed changes may represent a phenotypic expression of secretion of cuticular material.
A quantitative electron microscopic analysis of transcription in sea urchin embryos

In an effort to define stage-specific embryonic patterns of sea urchin transcription, we have examined by electron microscopy the distribution of nascent RNP fibrils in dispersed chromatin from nuclei of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus gastrulae. Detailed analysis of individual embryonic nuclei has revealed several new features of nuclear RNA production. Most (82%) of the active chromatin regions observed were represented by only a single fibril. 11% of the active regions contained multiple RNP fibril arrays with an average RNA polymerase density of 1.7±1.0 polymerases/μm of chromatin and an average contour length of 4.7±2.8 μm chromatin. An analysis of the lengths of RNP fibrils in single vs. multiple fibril arrays indicates that the differential distribution of RNA polymerases is due to different rates of initiation rather than to different lengths of transcription units (assuming the rate of RNA chain elongation to be constant). We discuss these data in relation to various transcriptional parameters measured by other workers and to EM analyses of other embryonic nuclei. Elucidation of transcriptional patterns in gastrula embryos can provide the basis for further comparative studies of transcription at other stages of sea urchin development in which rates of total genomic transcription vary but the rate at individual loci is as yet unknown.
Using sentences to convey spatial information.

Individuals listened to pairwise relationships (e.g., AB, BC, CD) and learned the underlying spatial ordering (e.g., ABCD). Previous work shows that the order in which information is presented strongly affects the success of learning and that these presentation order effects are different when the information occurs in sentences (e.g., “The B is to the left of the C”) instead of pairs (e.g., “B-C”). By using a number of different presentation orders and both kinds of input, the present work reveals that these sentence-pair differences can be attributed to the presence of a stated relationship (e.g., the adjective “left”) in the sentence and the corresponding facilitation of basic processes by linguistic structures. The role of language in the learning of spatial relationships is discussed.
Coefficients of inbreeding and homozygosity in recurrent selection: The case of m linked loci.

Methods of calculating the coefficients of inbreeding and homozygosity in a finite population undergoing recurrent selection (self-select-intercross in succeeding generations) are investigated for the case of m linked loci and effective directional selection. These coefficients are derived in terms of vectors whose components reflect the various possible patterns of genes being identical at a given stage of the recurrent selection breeding program.
Study of A2A adenosine receptor gene deficient mice reveals that adenosine analogue CGS 21680 possesses no A2A receptor-unrelated lymphotoxicity

Cell surface A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR) mediated signalling affects a variety of important processes and adenosine analogues possess promising pharmacological properties. Demonstrating the receptor specificity of potentially lymphotoxic adenosine-based drugs facilitates their development for clinical applications. To distinguish between the receptor-dependent and -independent lymphotoxicity and apoptotic activity of adenosine and its analogues we used lymphocytes from A2AR-deficient mice. Comparison of A2AR-expressing (+/+) and A2AR-deficient (−/−) cells in cyclic AMP accumulation assays confirmed that the A2AR agonist CGS 21680 is indeed selective for A2A receptors in T-lymphocytes. Incubation of A2AR-expressing thymocytes with extracellular adenosine or CGS 21680 in vitro results in the death of about 7–15% of thymocytes. In contrast, no death was induced in parallel assays in cells from A2AR-deficient mice, providing genetic evidence that CGS 21680 does not display adenosine receptor-independent intracellular cytotoxicity. The A2A receptor-specific lymphotoxicity of CGS 21680 is also demonstrated in a long-term (6-day) in vitro model of thymocyte positive selection where addition of A2AR antagonist ZM 241,385 did block the effects of CGS 21680, allowing the survival of T cells. The use of cells from adenosine receptor-deficient animals is proposed as a part of the screening process for potential adenosine-based drugs for their receptor-independent cytotoxicity and lymphotoxicity. British Journal of Pharmacology (2000) 131, 43–50; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0703532
Scalable Rule-Based Gene Expression Data Classification

Current state-of-the-art association rule-based classifiers for gene expression data operate in two phases: (i) Association rule mining from training data followed by (ii) Classification of query data using the mined rules. In the worst case, these methods require an exponential search over the subset space of the training data set's samples and/or genes during at least one of these two phases. Hence, existing association rule-based techniques are prohibitively computationally expensive on large gene expression datasets. Our main result is the development of a heuristic rule-based gene expression data classifier called Boolean Structure Table Classification (BSTC). BSTC is explicitly related to association rule-based methods, but is guaranteed to be polynomial space/time. Extensive cross validation studies on several real gene expression datasets demonstrate that BSTC retains the classification accuracy of current association rule-based methods while being orders of magnitude faster than the leading classifier RCBT on large datasets. As a result, BSTC is able to finish table generation and classification on large datasets for which current association rule-based methods become computationally infeasible. BSTC also enjoys two other advantages over association rule-based classifiers: (i) BSTC is easy to use (requires no parameter tuning), and (ii) BSTC can easily handle datasets with any number of class types. Furthermore, in the process of developing BSTC we introduce a novel class of Boolean association rules which have potential applications to other data mining problems.
Determining a confidence factor for automatic target recognition based on image sequence quality

For the Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) algorithm, the quality of the input image sequence can be a major determining factor as to the ATR algorithm's ability to recognize an object. Based on quality, an image can be easy to recognize, barely recognizable or even mangled beyond recognition. If a determination of the image quality can be made prior to entering the ATR algorithm, then a confidence factor can be applied to the probability of recognition. This confidence factor can be used to rate sensors; to improve quality through selectively preprocessing image sequences prior to applying ATR; or to limit the problem space by determining which image sequences need not be processed by the ATR algorithm. It could even determine when human intervention is needed. To get a flavor for the scope of the image quality problem, this paper reviews analog and digital forms of image degradation. It looks at traditional quality metric approaches such as peak signal-to-noise ratio. It examines a newer metric based on human vision data, a metric introduced by the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences. These objective quality metrics can be used as confidence factors primarily in ATR systems that use image sequences degraded due to transmission systems. However, to determine the quality metric, a transmission system needs the original input image sequence and the degraded output image sequence. This paper suggests a more general approach to determining quality using analysis of spatial and temporal vectors where the original input sequence is not explicitly given. This novel approach would be useful where there is no transmission system but where the ATR system is part of the sensor, on-board a mobile platform. The results of this work are demonstrated on a few standard image sequences.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ab initio calculations elucidating the complicated dissociation dynamics of dissociative electron attachment to the water molecule, when combined with COLTRIMS experimental results

We describe calculations on fragment angular distributions that complement the COLTRIMS experimental results of A. Belkacem et al. at LBNL on the subject of the coupled electronic and nuclear dynamics of dissociative electron attachment to the water molecule. Angular information from both theory and experiment may be combined to give a revealing view of the polyatomic dynamics by which the anion breaks up into H2 + O−, OH + H−, and the three body channels.
Dietary 1,3-diacylglycerol protects against diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance

To investigate the effect of dietary 1,3-diacylglycerol (DAG) on the development of insulin resistance (IR) and obesity, brown adipose tissue–deficient mice, a model of high-fat diet–induced IR and obesity, were fed Western-type diets (WTD) containing either DAG oil (n = 8) or standard triacylglycerol (TAG) oil (n = 9) for 15 weeks, beginning at 8 weeks of age. Although brown adipose tissue–deficient mice became obese on both TAG- and DAG-enriched WTD (TAG-WTD and DAG-WTD), the mice eating DAG-WTD gained less weight and had less body fat accumulation. The results of glucose tolerance tests conducted after 5 weeks of each WTD were not different. However, after 10 weeks of each WTD, impaired glucose tolerance developed in the TAG-WTD group but was prevented by DAG-WTD. Exploratory analyses of gene expression suggested that consumption of DAG-WTD was associated with reduced phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene expression in liver and increased expression of the genes for peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α, lipoprotein lipase, and uncoupling proteins 2 and 3 in skeletal muscle. There were no effects of the DAG-WTD on fasting and postprandial plasma triglyceride (TG) levels, hepatic TG content, or the rate of secretion of TG from the liver. These findings suggest that diets enriched in 1,3-DAG oil may reduce WTD-induced IR and body fat accumulation by suppressing gluconeogenesis in liver and stimulating fat oxidation in skeletal muscle.
T cell exhaustion: a means or an end?

Repeated antigenic and inflammatory stimulation during chronic infection is thought to produce 'exhausted' T cells. However, persistent viruses also generate PD-1hi CD8+ T cells with proliferative and cytotoxic ability but 'censored' inflammatory function.
Comparative study of mixing elements during twin-screw extrusion of rice flour

The effects of type, position, and spacing of mixing elements on specific mechanical energy, starch breakdown, and extrudate expansion during twin-screw extrusion of rice flour were compared. Specific mechanical energy input and water solubility index were lowest for screw profiles with kneading elements, and increased in the order: kneading elements, reverse screw elements and combination of kneading and reverse screw elements, irrespective of element position in the screw profile. A systematic increase in specific mechanical energy input and water solubility index was observed as the mixing elements were moved farther away from the die and with increased spacing between two elements. Extrudate expansion was highest for kneading elements followed by reverse screw element and combination of kneading and reverse screw elements, irrespective of element position and spacing in the screw profile. For each type, maximum expansion was observed when the element was placed at 200 mm from the die end. Kneading elements seemed to be the element of choice for maximizing extrudate expansion.
Prohibitin Is a Novel Regulator of Antioxidant Response That Attenuates Colonic Inflammation in Mice

Background & Aims Increased free radicals and/or impaired antioxidant defenses have been shown to play a pathogenetic role in human and animal models of inflammatory bowel disease. Our previous studies showed that prohibitin (PHB) levels are decreased during colitis and that cultured intestinal epithelial cells overexpressing PHB are protected from oxidative stress. This study investigated the effect of intestinal epithelial cell–specific PHB overexpression on oxidative stress associated with experimental colitis and the potential mechanism by which PHB functions as an antioxidant using PHB transgenic mice. Methods Colitis was induced using 2 established mouse models ( Salmonella typhimurium and dextran sodium sulfate) in PHB transgenic mice and wild-type littermates. Oxidative stress was determined by measuring glutathione and protein carbonyl levels in the cecum or colon. Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcriptional regulator of oxidant responses, expression, and activation, was assessed in colon mucosa and cultured intestinal epithelial cells overexpressing PHB. Results Cells overexpressing PHB showed sustained Nrf2 nuclear accumulation and DNA binding during oxidant stress. PHB transgenic mice exhibited decreased oxidative stress and colitis and increased Nrf2 messenger RNA expression, nuclear protein translocation, and DNA binding compared with wild-type littermates during colitis. Conclusions These results show that PHB is a regulator of Nrf2 expression in intestinal epithelial cells during oxidative conditions and prevents inflammation-associated oxidative stress and injury through sustained activation of Nrf2. Our data show that PHB is a novel regulator of antioxidants and suggest that restoration of PHB levels represents a potential therapeutic approach in inflammatory bowel disease.
Renal Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate: An Accurate Index of Parathyroid Function

Measurement of total urine cyclic 3':5'-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) only incompletely discriminates between normal, hyperparathyroid, and nonparathyroid hypercalcemic patients. Only a fraction of total urine cyclic AMP is contributed by parathyroid hormone (PTH) action on the proximal nephron (renal cyclic AMP); the remainder is derived from plasma by glomerular filtration. We dtermined total urine and plasma cyclic AMP and PTH (by carboxy-terminal specific radioimmunoassay) in control, hyperparathyroid, nonparathyroid hypercalcemic, and surgically hypoparathyroid patients. Renal cyclic AMP was calculated as total urine cyclic AMP minus the filtered component. Of these determinations, only renal cyclic AMP segregated normal from hyperparathyroid, and hyperparathyroid from nonparathyroid hypercalcemic patients with complete accuracy. These data suggest that measurement of renal cyclic AMP provides an accurate index of parathyroid activity and allows clinical discrimination and appropriate treatment of the sub-groups of patients with malignancy and nonparathyroid hypercalcemia from those with hyperparathyroidism.
Modeling electromechanical properties of ionic polymers

We present a multi-scale approach to modeling the electro-mechanical behavior of ionic polymers. We start with a detailed elasto-electro-chemical model which allows for finite deformation. We reduce it to one space dimension appropriate for the commonly used sheet configuration, and demonstrate that steady state solutions display an important boundary layer effect. We conclude with a macroscopic model of a strip of ionic-polymer-metal-composite.
The Impact of Making Targeted Dimensions Transparent on Relations With Typical Performance Predictors

The research presented here investigated the impact of making targeted dimensions transparent to participants prior to their performance of a simulation exercise, on the level of dimension ratings and their correlations with typical performance predictors. Results from two studies, both employing between-subjects designs, showed that conceptually matched typical performance predictors were more positively associated with dimension ratings when targeted dimensions were not made transparent than when they were. In addition, only when targeted dimensions were not made transparent did conceptually matched typical performance predictors correlate more positively with dimension ratings than conceptually distinct typical performance predictors. Finally, those who were made aware of targeted dimensions received higher mean ratings in Study 1 but not in Study 2.
Effect of Verb Network Strengthening Treatment (VNeST) on lexical retrieval of content words in sentences in persons with aphasia

BACKGROUND: Verb Network Strengthening Treatment (VNeST) is a semantic treatment that aims to improve lexical retrieval of content words in sentence context by promoting systematic retrieval of verbs (e.g., measure) and their thematic roles (i.e., agent (doer of the action, e.g., carpenter, chef)) and patient (receiver of the action, e.g., lumber, sugar)). VNeST is influenced by Loverso and colleagues (e.g., Loverso, Selinger, and Prescott, 1979), who used "verb as core" treatment to improve sentence production with encouraging results, and McRae and colleagues, who showed that verbs prime typical agents (e.g., pray-nun) and patients (arrest-criminal) (Ferretti, McRae, & Hatherell, 2001) and vice-versa (McRae, Hare, Elman, & Ferretti, 2005). AIMS: There are four specific questions in this study. Does training a set of verbs using VNeST generalize to the ability to produce 1) an agent (carpenter), trained verb (measure), and patient (stairs) in response to novel picture stimuli and 2) an agent (nurse), untrained semantically related verb (weigh), and patient (baby) in response to novel picture stimuli? 3) Are generalization effects maintained?, and 4) Does VNeST generalize to the ability to retrieve nouns and verbs not directly related to treatment items in single word naming, picture description and connected speech tasks? METHODS #ENTITYSTARTX00026; PROCEDURES: Four participants with aphasia participated. Participants received VNeST, which involves retrieval of agent-patient pairs (e.g., chef/sugar, surveyor/land) related to trained verbs (e.g., measure), two times per week. A single subject, repeated probe, multiple baseline experimental design was used. Generalization to sentence production for sentences containing trained verbs and untrained semantically related verbs was tested weekly. OUTCOMES #ENTITYSTARTX00026; RESULTS: Results demonstrated generalization to lexical retrieval of content words in sentences with trained and untrained verbs across participants. Additionally, pre- to post-treatment generalization was observed on single verb and noun naming and lexical retrieval in sentences across a variety of tasks across participants. Generalization to connected speech was observed for 3 of 4 participants. CONCLUSIONS: Though preliminary, these results indicate that VNeST may be effective in promoting generalization from single word naming to connected speech in persons with moderate aphasia. A number of clinical implications related to treatment efficiency are discussed.
Füllkörperrektifizierkolonnen mit Maldistribution

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine quantitative Theorie der Fullkorperkolonne mit Maldistribution hergeleitet und ihre Aussagen werden diskutiert. Maldistribution in Fullkorperkolonnen verkleinert die Trennstufenzahl um so mehr, je geringer die seitliche Vermischung ist. Sie bewirkt auch eine messbare Aenderung der Zusammensetzung in horizontaler Richtung. Daraus lasst sich, wie an Beispielen gezeigt wird, die Grosse der Maldistribution berechnen.
Of Sophists and Spin-Doctors: Industry-Sponsored Ghostwriting and the Crisis of Academic Medicine

Ghostwriting for medical journals has become a major, but largely invisible, factor contributing to the problem of credibility in academic medicine. In this paper I argue that the pharmaceutical marketing objectives and use of medical communication firms in the production of ghostwritten articles constitute a new form of sophistry. After identifying three distinct types of medical ghostwriting, I survey the known cases of ghostwriting in the literature and explain the harm done to academic medicine and to patients. Finally, I outline steps to address the problem and restore the integrity of the medical literature.
Localized back-side heating for low-temperature wafer-level bonding

A new wafer-level method has been developed for localized heating of the bond region between two wafers. Using this method, one of the two wafers to be bonded is heated from the backside, and the other is cooled from the backside, so that heat flows through the bond regions while the device regions stay relatively cool. In this work, integrated temperature sensors were used to measure the temperature at different distances from the bond region during Si to glass and Si to Si (with a -7 mum SiO2) bonds in order to verify the utility of this bonding technique. The temperature was measured to be only 25% and 37% of the bond ring temperature at 650 mum away from the bond ring for a Si to glass bond and 250 mum away from the bond ring for a Si to Si (with a ~7 mum oxide) bond respectively for bond ring temperatures up to 410degC and 200degC. Furthermore a successful Au-Si eutectic bond was demonstrated using this technique.
Tuberous sclerosis complex gene products, Tuberin and Hamartin, control mTOR signaling by acting as a GTPase-activating protein complex toward Rheb.

Abstract Background: Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder that occurs through the loss of heterozygosity of either TSC1 or TSC2 , which encode Hamartin or Tuberin, respectively. Tuberin and Hamartin form a tumor suppressor heterodimer that inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) nutrient signaling input, but how this occurs is unclear. Results: We show that the small G protein Rheb (Ras homolog enriched in brain) is a molecular target of TSC1/TSC2 that regulates mTOR signaling. Overexpression of Rheb activates 40S ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) but not p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (RSK1) or Akt. Furthermore, Rheb induces phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) and causes 4E-BP1 to dissociate from eIF4E. This dissociation is completely sensitive to rapamycin (an mTOR inhibitor) but not wortmannin (a phosphoinositide 3-kinase [PI3K] inhibitor). Rheb also activates S6K1 during amino acid insufficiency via a rapamycin-sensitive mechanism, suggesting that Rheb participates in nutrient signaling through mTOR. Moreover, Rheb does not activate a S6K1 mutant that is unresponsive to mTOR-mediated signals, confirming that Rheb functions upstream of mTOR. Overexpression of the Tuberin-Hamartin heterodimer inhibits Rheb-mediated S6K1 activation, suggesting that Tuberin functions as a Rheb GTPase activating protein (GAP). Supporting this notion, TSC patient-derived Tuberin GAP domain mutants were unable to inactivate Rheb in vivo. Moreover, in vitro studies reveal that Tuberin, when associated with Hamartin, acts as a Rheb GTPase-activating protein. Finally, we show that membrane localization of Rheb is important for its biological activity because a farnesylation-defective mutant of Rheb stimulated S6K1 activation less efficiently. Conclusions: We show that Rheb acts as a novel mediator of the nutrient signaling input to mTOR and is the molecular target of TSC1 and TSC2 within mammalian cells.
On Finite Delay-Moment Conditions in Queues

We review the Kiefer-Wolfowitz conditions for finite delay moments at a GI/G/s queue, which are independent of moment conditions on the arrival process. Through examples, we show that for nonrenewal arrivals, some additional conditions on the arrival process are necessary. We discuss the question of whether some known sufficient conditions for finite delay moments at "downstream" stations in a tandem queue are really necessary. We then show how to decouple conditions on the arrival process from conditions on service times. Finally, we obtain sufficient conditions for queues with regenerative arrivals.
Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulation of the calcium ion in liquid water

Structural and dynamical properties of the Ca 2þ ion in liquid water were studied using Car–Parrinello molecular dynamics. We found that the coordination number of the calcium ion fluctuates between 7 and 8. During a 14-ps simulation, water molecule exchange between the first solvation shell and the bulk was observed. 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The Prevalence of Sleep Disorders in College Students: Impact on Academic Performance.

Abstract Objective: To examine the prevalence of risk for sleep disorders among college students by gender and age, and their associations with grade point average (GPA). Participants: Participants were 1,845 college students at a large, southeastern public university. Methods: A validated sleep disorder questionnaire surveyed sleep data during the 2007–2008 academic year. Students’ GPAs were obtained from the office of the registrar. Results: Twenty-seven percent of students were at risk for at least one sleep disorder. African American and Asian students reported less risk for insomnia and fewer poor sleep practices relative to white and Latino students. Students reported insufficient sleep and a discrepancy between weekday and weekend amount of sleep. Students at risk for sleep disorders were overrepresented among students in academic jeopardy (GPA < 2.0). Conclusions: Many college students are at risk for sleep disorders, and those at risk may also be at risk for academic failure.
Teaching and assessing L2 pragmatics: What can we expect from learners?

This paper starts by giving a rationale for why there is value in explicitly teaching second-language (L2) learners pragmatics in the target language. The importance of a research basis for choosing pragmatic materials to teach is underscored, and the focus is put on sources for materials on pragmatics and the means of data collection. Issues in the teaching of pragmatics are considered, including determining which material to teach, how to prepare teachers to teach it, and the role of teachers in facilitating the learning of pragmatics. Next, L2 pragmatics is viewed from the learners' perspective, in terms of the learning and performance of pragmatics, as well as approaches to assessing what it is that learners are able to do in a pragmatically appropriate way. Finally, consideration is given to the role of technology in making pragmatics accessible to learners, with reference to a website for teachers and curriculum writers and to websites designed for learners of specific languages such as Japanese and Spanish. Recent work on virtual environments for practicing Spanish pragmatics is discussed and preliminary findings from a small-scale study of this effort are reported.
Ion Beam Analysis of Diffusion in Polymer Melts

Two ion beam depth profiling methods have been used to measure the diffusion of polymer chains of molecular weight M into a matrix of polymer of molecular weight P. In the first the displacement xm of Au markers at the original interface of a diffusion couple between polystyrene with P=2×10 7 and a thin film of PS with M 0 5 , where D* the tracer diffusion coefficient of the M chains at 174°C, is found to be D*=O.007M −2 cm 2 /sec, in good agreement with the D*=DR expected for the reptation mechanism. Forward recoil spectrometry, a technique in which the energies of recoiling deuterons are detected, is used to obtain concentration profiles, and hence D*, of deuterated PS M-chains diffusing into a hydrogenated PS P-chain matrix. When P>>M, D*=0.008M −2 , in good agreement with the marker data. When P e 2 /(Mp 3 ) describes the diffusion of the M-chain by release of its topological constraints (by diffusion of the surrounding P-chains) and M e is an entanglement molecular weight. D* for self-diffusion (M=P) is dominated by reptation except for M's close to M e .
Migration and Citizen Rights: The Mexican Case1

This article analyzes Mexican migration to the United States (US), as part of the South to North global migration, and focuses on the access of migrants to citizen rights from the perspective of the sending countries. Studies of citizenship and migration have mostly looked at receiving countries' policies; however, sending countries are also enacting laws that facilitate immigrants' access to rights. The study shows that the restriction of immigrant rights in the US has been paralleled by an extension of rights to emigrants by Mexico. These policies of the Mexican state include the rights to retain nationality when migrants nationalize overseas and the extension of citizen rights to the population abroad. The study describes the efforts on the part of the Mexican state to extend civic, political and social rights to non-resident nationals. It also reveals how the results of these efforts vary substantially, depending on the nature of each one of these types of rights.