cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulating nitric oxide signaling in the CNS for Alzheimer’s disease therapy

Nitric oxide (NO)/solube GC (sGC)/cGMP signaling is important for modulating synaptic transmission and plasticity in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, which are critical for learning and memory. Physiological concentrations of NO also elicit anti-apoptotic/prosurvival effects against various neurotoxic challenges and brain insults through multiple mechanisms. Depression of the NO/sGC pathway is a feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), attributed to amyloid-β neuropathology, and altered expression and activity of NOS, sGC and PDE enzymes. Different classes of NO-releasing hybrid drugs, including nomethiazoles, NO-NSAIDs and NO-acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were designed to deliver low concentrations of exogenous NO to the CNS while targeting other underlying disease mechanisms, such as excitotoxicity, neuro-inflammation and acetylcholine deficiency, respectively. Incorporating a NO-donating moiety may also reduce gastrointestinal and liver toxicity of the parent drugs. Progress has also been made in targeting downstream sGC and PDE enzymes. The PDE9 inhibitor PF-04447943 has completed Phase II clinical trials for AD. The search for effective NO-donating hybrid drugs, CNS-targeting sGC stimulators/activators and selective PDE inhibitors is an important goal for pharmacotherapy that manipulates NO biochemical pathways involved in cognitive function and neuroprotection. Rigorous preclinical validation of target engagement, and optimization of pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles are likely to advance more drug candidates into clinical trials for mild cognitive impairment and early stage AD.
Evaluating Ecological, Behavioral, and Process Consultation Interventions.

Abstract The present study evaluated the differential effectiveness of conceptually distinct consultation programs (ecological, behavioral, and process) in inner-city elementary schools. Program children, evidencing acting-out problems, were monitored through baseline, treatment, and follow-up phases, using an observational format incorporating behavioral, process, and ecological dimensions. Significant reductions in observed and rated behavioral problems occurred only in classes provided behavioral consultation. Significant increases in achievement scores were noted for children provided process consultation. Few consistent changes were noted for those in the ecological and control classes. The teachers rated the behavioral and process consultation approaches as most beneficial and helpful.
Effect of dietary marine lipids on female white bass ova compositions and progeny survival

We evaluated white bass ovum fatty acid composition as well as embryonic and larval survival after varying n-3 and n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) concentrations in maternal diets. Diets containing graded levels (0, 33, 66, or 100%) of squid to menhaden oils were fed daily to apparent satiation to female white bass for 8 weeks prior to spawning. Embryonic survival was negatively related to maternal squid oil intake (P = 0.015, R2 = 0.970). Squid oil-fed broodstock produced ova with decreased 20:5n-3 and increased C18 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations, largely reflecting the fatty acid profile of squid oil. Within ovum phospholipid, accumulation of 18:2n-6 may have altered biological function resulting in the lower embryonic survival among ova produced from the squid oil-fed broodstock. Our data suggest the importance of feeding white bass broodstock diets high in total n-3 LC-PUFA (at least 4.0% dry matter), and 20:5n-3-rich lipid sources such as menhaden oil can be effectively utilized by female white bass to produce quality ova.
Activities of olivine and plagioclase components in silicate melts and their application to geothermometry

The activity of a given mineral component in a silicate melt can be calculated from the compositions of coexisting melt and crystals, provided that 1) the component is an independently variable component of the crystal, and 2) appropriate thermodynamic data for the component are known. This approach is used to calibrate the compositional dependence of the activities of forsterite, fayalite, anorthite, and albite from experimental data on natural mafic-to-intermediate melts. The natural logarithms of the activities of forsterite and anorthite can be closely approximated as second-degree polynomial functions of the melt composition (r 2=0.99 and 0.97, respectively); corresponding fits for fayalite and albite are significantly poorer (r 2=0.81 and 0.87, respectively). The shapes of the fitted activity surfaces yield information about speciation in silicate melts. The activity models for forsterite and anorthite provide excellent geothermometers with standard deviations of temperature residuals of approximately 10° C. These geothermometers, when combined with the activity models for fayalite and albite, can be used to predict the temperature at which olivine or plagioclase will crystallize from a melt, along with the composition of the crystals.
Abstract LB-34: 3-Dimensional air-liquid interface organoid culture of primary human tumor biopsies

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA The application of primary organoid cultures to cancer modeling holds promise for combining the accurate multilineage differentiation and physiology of in vivo systems with the facile in vitro manipulation of transformed cell lines. We have previously described a single air-liquid interface culture method that can be used to engineer oncogenic mutations into primary epithelial/mesenchymal organoids from mouse colon, stomach, and pancreas (Ootani et al., Nature Medicine 15(6):701-6 (2009); Li et al., in press). We have recently modified this methodology to allow the robust long-term 3-dimensional culture of a wide variety of primary neoplasms from human biopsy samples. These primary tumor organoids accurately recapitulate the architecture and histopathology of the tumors from which they were derived, including epithelial and mesenchymal compartments. These tumor organoids can be further passaged into 96-well format to enable a variety of genetic and pharmacologic manipulations with the overall goal of enabling mechanistic studies of tumorigenesis and obtaining clinically actionable information regarding chemosensitivity and resistance to therapy. Citation Format: James T. Neal, Michael Cantrell, Paul Rack, Calvin J. Kuo. 3-Dimensional air-liquid interface organoid culture of primary human tumor biopsies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-34. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-LB-34
The Effect of Hepatic Radiofrequency Ablation on Stem Cell Trafficking in the Rat Model

Purpose To determine whether radiofrequency (RF) ablation causes increased hepatic embryonic stem cell trafficking in the rat liver model. Materials and Methods Right hepatic lobe RF ablation was performed in rats for 5 minutes at 15 minutes ( n = 2) and 48 hours ( n = 2) before administration of rat hepatic embryonic stem cells (rhESCs). Green fluorescent protein–labeled rhESCs were injected intravenously, and all rats were killed 5 days after rhESC injection. Tissue was removed from RF ablation areas and untreated liver, the latter of which served as control. Slides were evaluated with fluorescent microscopy, and software fluorescence count was performed for evaluation of rhESC distribution. Regions of rhESC destination were divided into inner coagulation (zone A), periablational (zone B), and peripheral (zone C) zones. Fluorescence comparison was additionally performed between RF ablation areas and corresponding control tissues of the left hepatic lobe (segment II). Kruskal-Wallis testing was used for evaluations. Results Fluorescent pixel count was significantly higher in RF ablation areas than in respective controls: mean at 15 minutes, 10,471 ± 3,830 (SD) versus 1,889 ± 1,427 ( P P P Conclusions RhESCs administered after RF ablation are trafficked to the periablational margin in significantly greater numbers than the remaining liver.
Measurement of coronal X-ray emission lines from Capella

The Einstein Observatory's Focal Plane Crystal Spectrometer has detected X-ray emission lines due to O VIII, Fe XVII, and Fe XX, from the binary star system Capella. Line luminosities are well fitted by an emitting plasma at a single temperature of 6.29 + or - 0.01 - 0.03 million K, and a volume emission measure of about 8.6 x 10 to the 52nd/cu cm, corresponding to the low temperature component previously observed. A high temperature component is undetectable, since the observed lines are not produced in plasma at temperatures above about 20 million K. Nearly isothermal plasma would be expected if many of the magnetically confined coronal loops have similar sizes and pressures, and a second population of longer loops would be required to account for the hotter component. An alternative interpretation of the observed X-ray line emission and upper limit is that the plasma contains a continuous distribution of emission measure versus temperature that rises sharply to 3 million K and then falls by nearly a decade to 16 million. An extrapolation of the loop sizes suggested by this alternative to hotter, longer loops may also account for the higher temperature emission.
Turbulent scales in a fan-stirred combustion bomb

Turbulent scales were investigated in a fan-stirred combustion bomb. Two-dimensional particle velocimetry measurements were used to evaluate flow fields and scales for the Reynolds number range Rel = 37 - 711, the subscript l referring to the integral scale. The Taylor scale λ is correlated with the electrical power input Π for the fans producing turbulence. It is found that the integral scale remains unchanged and λΠ1/6 = constant for Rel > 100. When electrical power input is assumed to be a measure for turbulent production, dimensional arguments based on a volume-averaged large-scale estimate for viscous dissipation lead to the foregoing correlation for homogeneous turbulence.
Metabolic fate and turnover rate of hemolymph free fatty acids in adult Manduca sexta

The transport, concentration, turnover rate and metabolic fate of free fatty acids (FFA) in adult Manduca sexta were analyzed. FFA are transported exclusively by lipophorin, in either of its two forms, HDLp or LDLp, and no evidence was found for a FFA-protein complex similar to the vertebrate FFA-albumin complex. The half-life of hemolymph FFA is about 2 min. In whole adult insects most of the hemolymph FFA (75%) are (re)esterified into phospholipid (PL), diacylglycerol (DG), and triacylglycerol (TG), while the remaining 25% is oxidized to CO2 with a small amount (2.5%) converted to ketones. In the hemolymph of adults, the major product derived from FFA was DG. Resting M. sexta adults oxidize about 0.35 mg of FFA/h. During the initial stages of flight, the rate of hemolymph FFA utilization does not increase significantly. In order to account for the high rates of lipid utilization in flying adults, approx. 8 mg/h [Ziegler and Schulz (1986) J. Insect Physiol. 32, 903–908], there must be a dramatic increase in DG utilization. We suggest that fatty acids are transported from the fat body to flight muscle in the form of DG, instead of FFA, because the very rapid metabolism of FFA in all tissues, but especially in fat body, would limit the amount of fatty acid reaching flight muscle; whereas with DG, the delivery of fatty acids can be targeted to flight muscle by the presence of a lipophorin lipase in flight muscle. Based on these studies, it is concluded that, in resting adult M. sexta, hemolymph-FFA represent an important route for distribution of fatty acids among tissues. However, it remains to be determined which tissues, in addition to fat body, utilize hemolymph-FFA.
Surfactant-polymer nanoparticles: a novel platform for sustained and enhanced cellular delivery of water-soluble molecules.

Nanoparticles, drug carriers in the sub-micron size range, can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated drug by increasing and sustaining the delivery of the drug inside the cell. However, the use of nanoparticles for small molecular weight, water-soluble drugs has been limited by poor drug encapsulation efficiency and rapid release of the encapsulated drug. Here we report enhanced cellular delivery of water-soluble molecules using novel Aerosol OT™ (AOT)-alginate nanoparticles recently developed in our laboratory. AOT-alginate nanoparticles were formulated using emulsion-crosslinking technology. Rhodamine and doxorubicin were used as model water-soluble molecules. Kinetics and mechanism of nanoparticle-mediated cellular drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticle-encapsulated doxorubicin were evaluated in two model breast cancer cell lines. AOT-alginate nanoparticles demonstrated sustained release of doxorubicin over a 15-day period in vitro. Cell culture studies indicated that nanoparticles enhanced the cellular delivery of rhodamine by about two–tenfold compared to drug in solution. Nanoparticle uptake into cells was dose-, time- and energy-dependent. Treatment with nanoparticles resulted in significantly higher cellular retention of drug than treatment with drug in solution. Cytotoxicity studies demonstrated that doxorubicin in nanoparticles resulted in significantly higher and more sustained cytotoxicity than drug in solution. AOT-alginate nanoparticles significantly enhance the cellular delivery of basic, water-soluble drugs. This translates into enhanced therapeutic efficacy for drugs like doxorubicin that have intracellular site of action. Based on these results, AOT-alginate nanoparticles appear to be suitable carriers for enhanced and sustained cellular delivery of basic, water-soluble drugs.
The construction and stewardship of responsible yet precarious subjects: Punitive ideology, rehabilitation, and ‘tough love’ among parole personnel:

This article examines how the diverse goals (promoting public safety, rehabilitation, and reentry) of the California parole agency function collectively, focusing on how field agents and supervisors make sense of and instantiate the agency’s mission. While these goals display fracture and can compete, the parole system displays an incorporative capacity as field personnel integrate these elements together into what they see as a coherent project. I argue that this fusion is both made possible and structured by a ‘punitive ideology’ common among field personnel that is undergirded by the construction of paroled subjects as always precarious and as responsible for their own reformation. Following this, parole personnel privilege a ‘tough love’ approach that emphasizes surveillance, sanctioning perceived misconduct, and utilizing (or threatening to utilize) reimprisonment. Yet, rather than entailing the abandonment or delegitimation of the goal of offender assistance, this approach keeps rehabilitation – as ...
Ultrastructural Aspects of the Somatic Cortex and Contractile Vacuole of the Ciliate, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Fouquet

The trophont stage in the life cycle of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis was studied in the electron microscope. Surface ridges contain up to 24 ridge microtubules, disposed as a ribbon. Kinetosomes show the classic morphology of 9 triplets of microtubules. Associated with each kinetosome is a kinetodesmal fibril, originating in proximity to triplets 5, 6, and 7, and having a 30 nm periodicity; 3 to 5 postciliary microtubules, originating between triplets 8 and 9; and up to 3 transverse microtubules, originating at triplet 4, as well as a parasomal sac. Each cell is partially enclosed by a system of 3 “unit” membranes: the outer limiting membrane, and the outer and inner alveolar membranes. The last two membranes define the alveolar sac. Mucocysts, each with a dense core, are present in large numbers. The contractile vacuole system includes the contractile vacuole, associated tubules and vesicles, injection canals, a discharge canal, and a pore. Microtubules abound in the walls of the contractile vacuole, injection and discharge canals, and in the region of the pores, where both ring and radial microtubular arrangements are noted. The ultrastructure suggests that I. multifiliis is more closely related to Tetrahymena pyriformis than to Paramecium aurelia.
Life history model of adaptation to disability: the case of a 'congenital amputee'.

Abstract Life histories can be used to describe (1) adaptation over time to disabling conditions and (2) the context and meaning of disabilities. Data from the life history of Diane DeVries, a 33-year old woman born with quadralateral limb deficiencies (upper extremity hemimelia , lower extremity amelia ) illustrate a model for eliciting, presenting and interpreting life histories of persons with disabilities. Substantively, the life history of Diane DeVries indicates, at this time, survival within a niche of institutional supports that include marriage, church membership, and government for the disabled. Her life history is also characterized by choices that support independent living in the community and a cognitive orientation toward her own cultural normality.
Fasciola hepatica: site of resistance to reinfection in cattle.

Abstract The effective site of resistance to reinfection of cattle with Fasciola hepatica was examined by recovery of challenge flukes from either the liver or body cavity. Calves infected 18 or 26 weeks previously with F. hepatica showed levels of resistance to reinfection of 56 and 94%, respectively, as assessed by recovery of flukes from the liver 15–16 weeks after challenge. Plasma glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3; GLDH) enzyme activity estimations revealed only a marginal increase in these latter resistant calves compared with previously naive controls, indicating minimal liver damage as a result of migrating flukes. By comparison, when immature challenge flukes were recovered from the body cavity 4 or 14 days after infection of corresponding previously infected or naive calves, there was no significant difference in numbers. It appears, therefore, that, in cattle, resistance mechanisms are effective against challenge flukes at or soon after penetration of the liver.
Systemic therapy for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage, at which point systemic therapy becomes the primary modality of treatment. Although gemcitabine monotherapy has remained the standard of care for the past decade, a number of large studies conducted over the past several years have suggested that some advantages may be derived from the use of combination therapy, such as the addition of a platinum agent to gemcitabine. The application of pharmacokinetic principles to drug delivery may confer additional benefit as well. Furthermore, with an increasing understanding of the cellular and stromal events that govern pancreatic tumor maintenance, molecularly targeted agents are under active investigation and may prove to serve a critical role in our therapeutic armamentarium. The combination of standard cytotoxic agents and these newer targeted compounds offers promise that we will be able to make significant inroads in improving clinical outcomes for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Probabilistic text understanding

We discuss a new framework for text understanding. Three major design decisions characterize this approach. First, we take the problem of text understanding to be a particular case of the general problem of abductive inference. Second, we use probability theory to handle the uncertainty which arises in this abductive inference process. Finally, all aspects of natural language processing are treated in the same framework, allowing us to integrate syntactic, semantic and pragmatic constraints. In order to apply probability theory to this problem, we have developed a probabilistic model of text understanding. To make it practical to use this model, we have devised a way of incrementally constructing and evaluating belief networks. We have written a program,wimp3, to experiment with this framework. To evaluate this program, we have developed a simple ‘single-blind’ testing method.
Exercise Radionuclide Assessment of Left Ventricular Function Before and After Coronary Bypass Surgery

The effects of elective saphenous vein coronary artery bypass surgery on left ventricular ejection fraction were assessed by using exercise first-pass radionuclide angiography in 66 consecutive patients. All patients with left main coronary artery or concomitant valvular disease were eliminated from the study. Before surgery, 7 patients had normal postexercise left ventricular function (Group 1), 33 had normal resting left ventricular function with an abnormal response to exercise (Group 2), and 26 had an abnormal resting left ventricular ejection fraction with an abnormal response to exercise (Group 3). Following surgery, patients in all three groups had no change in mean resting left ventricular ejection fraction; however, patients in Groups 2 and 3 had significant improvement in mean postexercise left ventricular ejection fraction (p less than 0.0001 and p less than 0.0054 respectively), whereas patients in Group 1 did not. Previous studies reported improvement in postexercise ejection fraction in patients with reduced resting left ventricular function and with an ischemic response to exercise (Group 3). But this is the first study to confirm improvement in postexercise function in patients with normal resting function and an ischemic response to exercise (Group 2).
Fast approximation algorithm for minimum cost multicommodity flow

Minimum-cost multicommodity flow problem is one of the classical optimization problems that arises in a variety of contexts. Applications range from finding optimal ways to route information through communication networks to VLSI layout. In this paper, we describe an efficient deterministic approximation algorithm, which given that there exists a multicommodity flow of cost $B$ that satisfies all the demands, produces a flow of cost at most $(1+\delta)B$ that satisfies $(1-\epsilon)$-fraction of each demand. For constant $\delta$ and $\epsilon$, our algorithm runs in $O^*(kmn^2)$ time, which is an improvement over the previously fastest (deterministic) approximation algorithm for this problem due to Plotkin, Shmoys, and Tardos, that runs in $O^*(k^2m^2)$ time.
Regional versus general anesthesia in high-risk surgical patients: The need for a clinical trial

Regional anesthesia is often preferred over general anesthesia for patients with cardiovascular disease because of presumed decreased risk of perioperative myocardial ischemia. However, few studies have addressed this issue directly. To determine whether the type of anesthesia is independently associated with myocardial ischemia, records of 134 patients undergoing peripheral vascular grafting under general or regional anesthesia were examined. There were no significant differences preoperatively between groups in ASA class, age, sex, or prevalence of angina, diabetes, or hypertension. Twelve patients developed myocardial ischemia or infarction within 7 days of operation; 11 of these 12 patients had received regional anesthesia (p less than 0.015). The association between anesthetic approach and perioperative myocardial ischemia or infarction remained after adjustment for preoperative factors associated with ischemia or with type of anesthesia. General anesthesia does not appear to be associated with increased risk of myocardial ischemia, and stringent recommendations to avoid it in this population may be unfounded. A clinical trial is needed to define more clearly the risks and benefits of different types of anesthesia in high-risk patients.
A no-reference image content metric and its application to denoising

A no-reference image metric based on the singular value decomposition of local image gradients is proposed in this paper. This metric provides a quantitative measure of true image content, and reacts reasonably to both blur and random noise, so that it can be used in the automatic selection of parameters for image restoration algorithms, especially for denoising filters. Compared with GCV or SURE based approaches, this metric costs a small amount of computation, and does not require the noise to be Gaussian. Simulated and real data experiments demonstrated that our metric can capture the trend of quality change during the denoising process, and can yield parameters that show excellent visual performance in balancing between denoising and detail preservation.
The electronic structure of singlet cyclopentadienylidene

We have carried out ab initio multiconfigurational self-consistent field calculations on the lowest singlet state of the carbene C5H4. We find that there are, along a restricted geometry deformation coordinate, two local energy minima corresponding to localized and delocalized π bonds having 4π and 6π electrons, respectively. The role of 4n + 2 resonance in determining the nature of the electronic structure and reactivity of this carbene is analyzed and compared with that of other carbenes.
Elevated serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus☆

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is a subset of lupus erythematosus which is characterized by unique cutaneous manifestations and immunological abnormalities. Soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2 R) is the shed product of membrane Il-2 R, a product of T cell activation. It is measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and has been found to correlate well with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The objective of the present work was to determine whether there is a correlation between sIL-2 R levels and disease activity in SCLE. Serum samples were obtained from 25 SCLE patients and then measured for sIL-2 R levels of ELISA. Fifteen of 25 SCLE patients tested had normal levels of sIL-2 R, while 10 of 25 SCLE patients had elevated sIL-2 R levels. The serum sIL-2 R level in SCLE patients correlated well with disease activity and the number of American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE. These findings indicate that sIL-2 R levels can be used as a valuable laboratory parameter in managing SCLE patients.
Spider Populations: Extraordinarily High Densities on Islands Without Top Predators

Distributions and densities of orb spiders on small islands are extremely variable. Species occurrences are far more irregular for spiders than vertebrates on the same islands. Much variation in spider density is explainable by distance from the presumed source of colonists and presence or absence of vertebrate predators. As has been predicted for passive dispersers, densities decline exponentially with distance. For a given distance, spider densities are about ten times greater on islands without vertebrate predators than on those with such predators.
Vegetation of roadcut slopes in the tundra of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Abstract Eight study-sites were chosen on road margins in the alpine tundra of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Seven of the sites were located about the middle of slopes created by filling, below the roads. The remaining site was above the road, and flat on bedrock. Mosaics of pioneer vegetation types are present on roadcut slopes. These appear to be correlated with altitude, exposure, substrate texture, and degree of slope. Forty to fifty years after denudation, succession plays only a minor role on roadcut slopes. Plant coverage after that time is approximately one-half that of cushion-plant communities on natural tundra. The most important pioneer plants under these conditions are ‘bunch type’ Gramineae, especially Agropyron scribneri and Poa fendleriana .
Single-Phase Systems With Sinusoidal Waveforms

This chapter contains sections titled: The Resistance The Inductance The Capacitance The R - L - C Loads The Apparent Power The Concept of Power Factor and Power Factor Correction Comments on Power Factor Other Means of Reactive Power Control and Compensation Series Compensation Reactive Power Caused by Mechanical Components that Store Energy Physical Interpretation of Instantaneous Powers by Means of Poynting Vector Problems References
Computer Education in Developing Countries: Facing Hard Choices.

Computer use in education is fraught with a myriad of complex, interconnected issues, especially within the context of developing countries. The paper analyzes three issues related to the adoption of computers. The first issue involves criteria for technology adoption. In developing countries, adoption of computers must meet more rigorous criteria than in wealthier countries and be based on considerations of costs and effectiveness. The second issue concerns the various meanings attached to the concept of computer literacy, according to a country's level of economic, industrial and educational development. Third, scarcity of resources dictates making hard choices based on a country's commitment to a given concept of computer literacy. Computer adoption policies should include selective, yet flexible, appropriate strategies for software development and adequate organizational support, especially teacher involvement. Overall, the paper provides a critical formula for determining whether, how and to what extent computer use should be adopted in education.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of colloid-stabilizer systems☆

Abstract Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) front silver and gold colloids stabilized by poly(vinyl alcohol) PVA, poly(ethylene glycol), carbowax, and poly(vinyl pyridine), PVP, has been observed. From the bands observed in the SERS of the PVA stabilized sols it is concluded that the PVA adsorbs on the metal through unhydrolyzed acetate groups. Carbowax adsorbs on the metal through the COC groups. PVP adsorbs through the pyridine π system which leads to a flat lying ring conformation on the metal.
Analysis and evaluation of covert channels over LTE advanced

In this paper, we have investigated Covert Channels in 3GPP LTE-A (Long Term Evolution-Advanced) for identifying headers and extension fields where covert data can be hidden in covert communications. We also discuss the covert channel capacity for LTE-A where the specific fields in the headers of the MAC (Medium Access Control), RLC (Radio Link Control) and PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) layers are analyzed. We review different scenarios of channel coding rate, modulation schemes and channel bandwidths and present our results.
Cost-Sharing Arrangements under Sharecropping: Moral Hazard, Incentive Flexibility, and Risk

This paper explains the rationale and describes the characteristics of cost sharing arrangements in rural developing economies, focusing on the risk and incentive properties of alternative cost contracts and on their flexibility—their ability to adapt to environmental changes. It is shown that where labor inputs are difficult to monitor, the rule that cost shares and output shares be equalized will not hold and is not "constrained pareto efficient," and that cost-sharing contracts have a decided advantage over contracts which specify the level of inputs whenever there are asymmetries of information regarding production technology between the landlord and the tenant.
Metabolism of crufomate (4-tert-butyl-2-chlorophenyl methyl methylphosphoramidate) administered topically to a sheep.

Abstract A sheep dosed topically with C‐crufomate (4‐tert‐butyl‐2‐chlorophenyl methyl methylphosphoramidate) excreted 45.5% of the 14C dose in the urine within 9 days. The feces contained 1.2% and the carcass 40.4% (this included the 37.7% of the dose remaining on the skin in the dosing area) of the dose. At sacrifice, the fat, liver, kidney, lung, and skin (where the dose was applied) contained the highest concentrations of 14C. Fourteen urinary metabolites were isolated and characterized by mass spectrometry. The metabolic reactions involved were oxidations of the t‐butyl moiety, O‐demethylation, replacement of the H‐N‐CH3 moiety with a hydroxyl group, oxidation of the N‐methyl group to yield N‐formyl phosphoramidates, hydrolysis of the phosphoramidate moiety to yield phenols, conjugation with glucuronic acid and combinations of these reactions.
Pangeaic Orogenic System

The term “Pangeaic Orogenic System” is proposed for the cluster of orogenic events, which occurred between 250 and 650 m.y. ago, that forms a continuous network of belts in Pangea. Comparison thus far between plate tectonic versus ensialic processes of origin suggests that both have been operative.
Asps: Do They Work?

Abstract Application service providers (ASPs) offer and manage outsourcing application services to many organizations via the Internet. Organizations outsource applications to ASPs to reduce upgrade and maintenance costs and to focus their efforts on core competencies. To that end, it is essential for CIOs and senior IT executives to understand the dynamics of the ASP market, services provided, and outsourcing trends within their particular industries. This study identifies the critical success factors (CSFs) for ASPs to sustain the fierce competition in the outsourcing market. the CSFs include delivery of applications, efficiency in responding to demands, management of resources, assurance of 24/7 access, meeting IT needs, and economic distribution of applications. Moreover, the study highlights issues of concern involved in outsourcing internal applications via the Internet, such as security, reliability, quality of service, employees' concerns, and existing infrastructure, and provides managers with an...
Evaluation of Subgrade Strength and Pavement Designs for Reliability

Reliability is an important factor in flexible pavement design to consider the variability associated with the design inputs. In this study, subgrade strength variability and flexible pavement designs are evaluated for reliability. Six existing pavement section's design data are studied using probabilistic, AASHTO, and mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG). Parameters such as mean, maximum likelihood, median, coefficient of variation, and density distribution function of subgrade strength (R value) are determined. Design outputs are compared in terms of reliability and thickness using these design procedures. It is shown that the AASHTO provides higher reliability values compared to the probabilistic procedure. All the existing pavements fail in the MEPDG distress reliability such as rutting and top-down cracking reliabilities. Currently, New Mexico Department of Transportation uses a single design R value to deal with variability associated with subgrade strength in flexible pavement design. It is shown in this study that single design R value for a roadway section does not yield an effective design regarding target reliability, while the subsectioning procedure based on coefficient of variance of R value is a better way to deal with the subgrade variability. An assessment of minimum R value for making the decision of subexcavation is also presented. It is shown that increasing the minimum R value for subexcavation is not always the proper solution to meet design reliability; rather it yields an inefficient design for requiring higher frequencies of subexcavation. Finally, the reliability of the flexible pavement design is evaluated by varying hot mix asphalt properties. Alternative designs are recommended for the existing pavement thicknesses by modifying material and subgrade properties to mitigate different distresses.
Gene selection and cancer type classification of diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma using a bivariate mixture model for two-species data

A bivariate mixture model utilizing information across two species was proposed to solve the fundamental problem of identifying differentially expressed genes in microarray experiments. The model utility was illustrated using a dog and human lymphoma data set prepared by a group of scientists in the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. A small number of genes were identified as being differentially expressed in both species and the human genes in this cluster serve as a good predictor for classifying diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients into two subgroups, the germinal center B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and the activated B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The number of human genes that were observed to be significantly differentially expressed (21) from the two-species analysis was very small compared to the number of human genes (190) identified with only one-species analysis (human data). The genes may be clinically relevant/important, as this small set achieved low misclassification rates of DLBCL subtypes. Additionally, the two subgroups defined by this cluster of human genes had significantly different survival functions, indicating that the stratification based on gene-expression profiling using the proposed mixture model provided improved insight into the clinical differences between the two cancer subtypes.
Photodetachment of NO−2; experimental evidence for a new isomer

Abstract The relative cross section for the gas phase photodetachment of electrons has been determined for nitrite ions in the wavelength region 280–740 nm (4.43-1.68 eV). The vertical detachment energy for ONO − has been determined to be ≈ 2.8 eV. Evidence is presented for a new isomer of NO − 2 .
Maternal Early Pregnancy Serum Metabolites and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Context: Significant gaps remain in the understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors, and related mechanisms that contribute to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Objectives: To investigate early pregnancy maternal serum metabolites and subsequent risk of GDM. Design: Information on participant characteristics and GDM diagnosis was collected using in-person interviews and medical record abstraction, respectively. Early pregnancy serum samples were used for non-targeted metabolite profiling using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry platform. Lasso regression was used to select a set of metabolites that are jointly associated with GDM case-control status. We evaluated the predictive performance of the set of selected metabolites using a receiver operating characteristics curve and area under the curve (AUC). Participants: A total of 178 GDM cases and 180 controls who participated in a pregnancy cohort study. Results: A set of 17 metabolites (linoleic acid, oleic acid, myristic acid, d-galactose, d-sorbitol, o-phosphocolamine, l-alanine, l-valine, 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan, l-serine, sarcosine, l-pyroglutamic acid, l-mimosine, l-lactic acid, glycolic acid, fumaric acid, and urea) differentiated GDM cases from controls. Fold changes of relative abundance of these metabolites among GDM cases compared to controls ranged from 1.47 (linoleic acid) to 0.78 (5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan). Addition of these selected metabolites to a set of well-known GDM risk factors improved the AUC significantly from 0.71 to 0.87 (p-value=3.97e-07). Conclusions: We identified combinations of metabolites in early pregnancy that are associated with subsequent risk of GDM. Replication of findings may improve understanding of GDM pathogenesis and may have implications for the design of GDM prevention and early diagnosis protocols. (Resume d'auteur)
Moral Boundaries and Dilemmas: A Call for Applied and Clinical Research

We ask a single question: How do we, through our customs, laws, religion, and common practice, go about justifying the violation of these deeply important, perhaps universal, moral imperatives, all...
Investigation of exposure to nickel and lung cancer mortality: case control study at aircraft engine factory.

A case-control mortality study was performed at an aircraft engine factory to assess the possible association between exposure to nickel-containing compounds and death from lung cancer. Forty-two non-salaried male workers who died of lung cancer from 1966 to 1976 were identified from a chronological registry of death certificates that has been maintained by the company's medical department. Each of the decendents was matched with the next two non-salaried decendents in the registry who were of the same sex and comparable age (+- 10 years), and who died of causes other than cancer. Without knowledge of the workmen's identities or causes of death, one of the authors classified the deceased workmen as exposed or non-exposed to nickel compounds during their employment. The proportion of workmen who died of lung cancer and were exposed to nickel (11/42) was found to be equal to the proportion of workmen who died of non-cancerous causes and were exposed to nickel (22/84). This study indicates that workers in an aircraft engine factory who were chronically exposed to low atmospheric concentrations of presumably weakly carcinogenic nickel compounds did not have any apparent increase in the relative risk of mortality from lung cancer prior to treatment.
The PGC-1α-related coactivator promotes mitochondrial and myogenic adaptations in C2C12 myotubes

The transcriptional coactivator PGC-1α is a potent regulator of skeletal muscle metabolism. Less is known about the structurally similar PGC-1α-related coactivator (PRC) that is enriched in myoblas...
A gibberellin-regulated xyloglucan endotransglycosylase gene is expressed in the endosperm cap during tomato seed germination

Xyloglucan endotransglycosylases (XETs) modify xyloglucans, major components of primary cell walls in dicots. A cDNA encoding an XET (LeXET4) was isolated from a germinating tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seed cDNA library. DNA gel blot analysis showed that LeXET4 is a single-copy gene in the tomato genome. LeXET4 mRNA was strongly expressed in germinating seeds, was much less abundant in stems, and was not detected in roots, leaves or flower tissues. During germination, LeXET4 mRNA was detected in seeds within 12 h of imbibition with maximum mRNA abundance at 24 h. Tissue prints showed that LeXET4 mRNA was localized exclusively to the endosperm cap region. Expression of LeXET4 was dependent on exogenous gibberellin (GA) in GA-deficient (gib-1 mutant) tomato seeds, while abscisic acid, a seed germination inhibitor, had no effect on LeXET4 mRNA expression in wild-type seeds. LeXET4 mRNA disappeared after radicle emergence, even though degradation of the lateral endosperm cell walls continued. The temporal, spatial and hormonal regulation pattern of LeXET4 gene expression suggests that XET has a role in endosperm cap weakening, a key process regulating tomato seed germination.
Dynamic quality-of-service for mobile ad hoc networks

This paper presents an approach to supporting Quality of Service (QoS) in a dynamic network environment. With this approach, resource reservations represent ranges, and applications adapt to an allocated level of QoS provided by the network at some point within the requested range. To explore this approach, we have implemented a new protocol called dynamic RSVP (dRSVP), which is an extension to RSVP.
In Vivo Regulation of E2F1 by Polycomb Group Genes in Drosophila

The E2F transcription factors are important regulators of the cell cycle whose function is commonly misregulated in cancer. To identify novel regulators of E2F1 activity in vivo, we used Drosophila to conduct genetic screens. For this, we generated transgenic lines that allow the tissue-specific depletion of dE2F1 by RNAi. Expression of these transgenes using Gal4 drivers in the eyes and wings generated reliable and modifiable phenotypes. We then conducted genetic screens testing the capacity of Exelixis deficiencies to modify these E2F1-RNAi phenotypes. From these screens, we identified mutant alleles of Suppressor of zeste 2 [Su(z)2] and multiple Polycomb group genes as strong suppressors of the E2F1-RNA interference phenotypes. In validation of our genetic data, we find that depleting Su(z)2 in cultured Drosophila cells restores the cell-proliferation defects caused by reduction of dE2F1 by elevating the level of dE2f1. Furthermore, analyses of methylation status of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me) from the published modENCODE data sets suggest that the genomic regions harboring dE2f1 gene and certain dE2f1 target genes display H3K27me during development and in several Drosophila cell lines. These in vivo observations suggest that the Polycomb group may regulate cell proliferation by repressing the transcription of dE2f1 and certain dE2F1 target genes. This mechanism may play an important role in coordinating cellular differentiation and proliferation during Drosophila development.
On collaborative detection of TV transmissions in support of dynamic spectrum sharing

The problem of collaborative spectrum sensing by a group of unlicensed devices is considered in this paper. The problem is placed in the specific setting of identifying available TV channels for use by the unlicensed devices. The system model and analysis developed in the paper is applicable to a number of more general dynamic spectrum sharing scenarios. Through analysis and simulations, it is shown in the paper that collaboration among nodes leads to more efficient spectrum utilization from a system-level point of view, while decreasing computational complexity of detection algorithms at the individual sensing nodes
Comparative trait analysis of long-term recovering alcoholics.

Traits of long-term recovering alcoholics were compared with traits of nonalcoholic controls. Subjects were matched on biographic variables and completed a trait measure of social responsibility and measures of self-deception and impression management as strategies for gaining approval. Confirmed hypotheses indicated that recovering alcoholics scored significantly higher on the intrapersonal measure of social responsibility and significantly lower on the intrapersonal measure of self-deception. No confirmation was found for differences on the interpersonal measure of impression management, but support was found for discrimination of recovering alcoholics from controls with combined measures of responsibility and self-deception. Supported hypotheses suggested that recovery may involve a restructuring of traits from low to high responsibility and from high to low self-deception or lack of self-acceptance.
The correlation between obstructive sleep apnea and low gonadotropin secretion in men

OSA patients and controls were of similar age, although body mass index (BMI) was slightly greater in patients (30.6 versus 26.3 kg/m, P 1⁄4 0:1). Four OSA patients had low 07:00 h total testosterone concentrations. All participants had the expected rise in testosterone overnight, but mean and area under the curve (AUC) total testosterone concentrations were significantly lower in the OSA patients. Similarly, mean and AUC LH were reduced in OSA patients versus controls. After adjusting for BMI, the mean LH and total testosterone differences between groups were of marginal statistical significance, although AUC remained different between the groups. RDI was significantly negatively correlated with LH-AUC and total testosterone-AUC, whereas degree of hypoxemia did not correlate.