cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain-Targeted Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Overexpression Attenuates Neurogenic Hypertension by Inhibiting Cyclooxygenase-Mediated Inflammation

Overactivity of the renin-angiotensin system, oxidative stress, and cyclooxygenases (COX) in the brain are implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension. We previously reported that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) overexpression in the brain attenuates the development of deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertension, a neurogenic hypertension model with enhanced brain renin-angiotensin system and sympathetic activity. To elucidate the mechanisms involved, we investigated whether oxidative stress, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling and cyclooxygenase (COX) activation in the brain are modulated by ACE2 in neurogenic hypertension. Deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertension significantly increased expression of Nox-2 (+61±5%), Nox-4 (+50±13%), and nitrotyrosine (+89±32%) and reduced activity of the antioxidant enzymes, catalase (-29±4%) and superoxide dismutase (-31±7%), indicating increased oxidative stress in the brain of nontransgenic mice. This increased oxidative stress was attenuated in transgenic mice overexpressing ACE2 in the brain. Deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced reduction of neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression (-26±7%) and phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase/total endothelial nitric oxide synthase (-30±3%), and enhanced phosphorylation of protein kinase B and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in the paraventricular nucleus, were reversed by ACE2 overexpression. In addition, ACE2 overexpression blunted the hypertension-mediated increase in gene and protein expression of COX-1 and COX-2 in the paraventricular nucleus. Furthermore, gene silencing of either COX-1 or COX-2 in the brain, reduced microglial activation and accompanied neuroinflammation, ultimately attenuating Deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertension. Together, these data provide evidence that brain ACE2 overexpression reduces oxidative stress and COX-mediated neuroinflammation, improves antioxidant and nitric oxide signaling, and thereby attenuates the development of neurogenic hypertension.
Rapid Synthesis of Nanostructural Intermetallics and their Bulk Properties

A rapid physical vapor deposition process (PVD) utilizing a high speed rotating substrate and small substrate-to-source spacing has been used to produce bulk sheet of Ti-Al alloys in the compositional range Ti-12% Al to Ti-75% Al at a rate of 1--3 {micro}m/minute. Microstructural architectures produced by the method comprise of either fully homogeneous phase mixtures of nano-grains, or nanolaminated material, depending on the substrate rotational rate, with lower rotational rate producing a layered microstructure. Defect populations within the as-deposited material are characterized by TEM and SEM, and hot pressing consolidation of the as-deposited material, which retains a grain size < 1,000 nm, has been investigated. While indentation hardness of {alpha}{sub 2} + {gamma} (2 phase) alloys exceeded 7 GPa, brittle failure occurred in the elastic regime at nominally lower tensile stress than that for conventionally produced alloys containing Nb and Cr as solute elements. {alpha}{sub 2} + {gamma} alloys can exhibit tensile elongation of more than 100% at 850 C with retention of fine grain size. Elevated temperature failure occurs by the formation of voids in regions of compositional variability in the composite where single phase {alpha}{sub 2}-Ti{sub 3}Al structure was present.
Polydiacetylene Liposomes Attached to Glass Fibers for Fluorescent Bioassays

Polydiacetylene (PDA) is a conjugated polymer that changes its fluorescent state in response to environmental changes and can act as a transducer to convert molecular interactions into a discernable output measurable in the macroscopic world. Energy transfer to fluorophores can further enhance the fluorescent signal. Diacetylene liposomes can be prepared with phospholipids and other cell membrane components in the liposomes, and photopolymerized. PDA liposomes have been used for absorbance based detection of biological targets; however, moving to fluorescence detection gives increased sensitivity and also allows sensing from PDA structures deposited on opaque membranes. Unfortunately, PDA liposomes are prone to aggregation, particularly in the presence of divalent cations. Many enzymes require divalent cations such as Mg2+, Mn2+, Ca2+, etc., as co-factors; the tendency of PDA liposomes to aggregate in the presence of these cations limits their use as a platform for detection of enzymatic activity. We have developed methods for attaching PDA liposomes to glass fiber membranes, via thiol-epoxide coupling chemistry, for use in bio-assays and have seen that these materials can be used in place of PDA liposome solutions. We present here the attachment of PDA liposomes to glass fiber membranes in 96-well format, cryogenic TEM scans of the attached liposomes and the use of these materials in fluorescence assays to detect the activity and inhibition of phospholipase A2.
‘Mother's Little Helper’: The Crisis of Psychoanalysis and the Miltown Resolution

In the 1960s and 1970s, psychopharmacological medications seemed to burst onto the American scene. Popularised and problematised in the notion that these drugs were ‘Mother’s Little Helpers’, the pills became known as the treatments of choice for the pressures of motherhood, singlehood and other historically specific forms of essentialised womanhood. ‘Doctor please/Some more of these’ sang the Rolling Stones in the song ‘Mother’s Little Helper’. 1 Jaqueline Susann suggested that psychopharmaceuticals were a ‘woman’s best friend’ when it came to dealing with the pressures of working in a man’s world, while Barbara Gordon informed ‘millions of Americans’ about the untoward effects of a woman’s treatment with, addiction to, and withdrawal from Valium. 2 And most important, nearly all of the research supporting the notion that psychopharmacological medications were over-prescribed to mothers was conducted during the benzodiazepine craze between 1965 and 1979. 3
Individual, social environmental and physical environmental barriers to achieving 10 000 steps per day among older women

This study examined the determinants of attaining/not attaining 10 000 steps per day among older women. Methods: Daily step counts over 7 days were measured using accelerometry. Self-reported environmental characteristics, self-efficacy, social support and functional limitations were assessed in 128 older women. The presence of areas for activity within 1 km of each participant’s residence was assessed using Geographic Information Systems. Multivariate analysis of variances were used to examine the degree to which these groups differed on measured constructs, and discriminant analysis was used to determine the profiles that discriminate among those who did not attain 10 000 steps per day and those who did. Results: Participants who did not attain 10 000 steps per day reported lower selfefficacy (P < 0.05), greater functional limitations (P < 0.05), had significantly fewer walking paths (P < 0.05) within 1 km of their home and reported significantly less street connectivity (P < 0.05) and safety from traffic (P < 0.05) than those who achieved 10 000 steps per day. Conclusion: Lack of perceived and actual environmental supports for walking, more functional limitations and lower self-efficacy are barriers to achieving 10 000 steps per day. The absence of these individual and environmental characteristics inhibits walking behavior in older women and should be considered in campaigns to promote a physically active lifestyle.
Comparative analysis of overwintering physiology in nine species of semi‐aquatic bugs (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha)

In semi-aquatic bugs (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha), the strategies of overwintering in a cryothermic state (i.e. at body temperatures below the equilibrium freezing point) remain largely unexplored. The present study provides an analysis of the ecophysiological aspects of overwintering in nine gerromorphan species. All nine species avoid ice formation by means of a more or less extensive supercooling of their body fluids. There is a tight correlation between the supercooling point (SCP) and the lower lethal temperature. Different species use different physiological adjustments to increase the likelihood of survival in a supercooled state. These include stabilization of the supercooled state by active antifreeze factors that cause thermal hysteresis between equilibrium melting and freezing points, the accumulation of low-molecular weight sugars and polyols with putative cryoprotective functions, or by having a relatively high body fluid osmolality, combined with a low level of hydration. The majority of species under study overwinter only as adults, whereas Velia caprai Tamanini can overwinter either as an adult or in the egg stage. The supercooling capacity of V. caprai adults is insufficient to prevent the risk of lethal freezing. The adults therefore survive only opportunistically in suitable microhabitats, and/or during mild winters. The survival of V. caprai in winter is assured by extensive supercooling and having overwintering eggs that are highly cold tolerant.
Spike train metrics.

Quantifying similarity and dissimilarity of spike trains is an important requisite for understanding neural codes. Spike metrics constitute a class of approaches to this problem. In contrast to most signal-processing methods, spike metrics operate on time series of all-or-none events, and are, thus, particularly appropriate for extracellularly recorded neural signals. The spike metric approach can be extended to multineuronal recordings, mitigating the ‘curse of dimensionality’ typically associated with analyses of multivariate data. Spike metrics have been usefully applied to the analysis of neural coding in a variety of systems, including vision, audition, olfaction, taste and electric sense.
Refinements in Adaptive Quantization for Images Using the New Universal Quality Index

This paper expands new research in adaptive DCT quantization for images using perceptual distortion control and the newly defined universal quality index with the goal of reducing blocking artifacts at low bit-rates. Results obtained show that this method converges and it does not need carefully calibrated viewing conditions.
Numerical Modeling of an Orographically Enhanced Precipitation Event Associated with Tropical Storm Rachel over Taiwan

Abstract An orographic rainfall event that occurred on 6–7 August 1999 during the passage of Tropical Storm (TS) Rachel over Taiwan is investigated by performing triply nested, nonhydrostatic numerical simulations using the Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) model. By examining both observational data and numerical model output, it is found that this orographic rainfall event may be separated into three distinct stages. During the first stage (0000–1200 UTC 6 August), TS Rachel was located in the South China Sea and tracked northeastward to Taiwan. Meanwhile, TS Paul was steered by the subtropical high over southwest Japan. During the second stage (1200 UTC 6 August–0000 UTC 7 August), the southwesterly monsoon current as well as the circulation of TS Rachel over southwest Taiwan strengthened and formed a low-level jet (LLJ) with high equivalent potential temperature when TS Rachel moved closer to Taiwan. In comparing the control and sensitivity...
IEP Team Decision-Making for More Inclusive Assessments: Policies, Percentages, and Personal Decisions

Since the 2001–2002 school year, the accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001) have shaped much of the work of public school teachers and administrators in the United States. NCLB required each state to develop content and achievement standards in several subjects, to administer tests to measure students’ attainment of those standards, to develop targets for student performance on those tests, and to impose a series of sanctions on schools and districts that did not meet the targets. Together, the standards, assessments, and consequences constitute a standards-based accountability system. State assessments are the mechanism for determining whether schools have been successful in teaching students the knowledge and skills defined by the content standards. The accountability provisions ensure that schools are held accountable for educational results. Many states had such a system in place before NCLB took effect, but since 2001–2002, every state in the United States has had to develop and implement a standards-based accountability system that meets the requirements of the law. This mandate has affected every public school student, every public school, and every district in the nation.
Glycemic and insulinemic responses to energy bars of differing macronutrient composition in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND This study investigated how energy bars of differing macronutrient composition affect postprandial glycemia and insulinemia in normal subjects compared with white bread and chicken breast controls. MATERIAL/METHODS A total of 20 healthy adult subjects were recruited to participate in this randomized block protocol. After an overnight fast, subjects were fed 60-g portions of one of 5 meals, which were as follows: low carbohydrate bar (Atkins Advantage Bar, LC), moderate carbohydrate bar (Balance Bar, MC), high carbohydrate bar (Power Bar, HC), white bread (WB), and chicken breast (CHI). Capillary fingerstick and venous blood samples were analyzed for glucose and insulin concentrations, respectively, at baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after start of the test meal. RESULTS Compared with WB, plasma glucose area under the curve (AUC) for the meals was: 71% (P<0.001) lower for the LC bar, 50% (P<0.001) lower for MC bar, 4% (P=0.996) higher for the HC bar, and 83% (P<0.001) lower for the CHI. Serum insulin AUC, again compared with WB, was: 26% (P=0.497) lower for the LC bar, 35% (P=0.210) higher for the MC bar, 73% (P<0.001) higher for the HC bar, and 78% (P<0.001) lower for the CHI. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that substitution of other macronutrients for carbohydrate is effective for reducing postprandial glycemia. However, the insulin response may not decrease to the same degree and, for some bars, may actually be elevated compared with white bread.
Who Says "I Do"? Reviewing Judith Butler & Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Who Sings the Nation-State? Language, Politics, Belonging (2007)

This Book Review offers an analogy between two forms of resistance to legal discrimination by marginalized minorities: singing the national anthem in Spanish on the streets of Los Angeles in the spring of 2006 by undocumented immigrants, and possible future public marriage ceremonies by LGBT people and other marriage outlaws. Based on the conceptual grounds laid by Judith Butler and Gayatri Spivak, and earlier by Hannah Arendt, the Review uses an analogy to the public singing of the anthem in Spanish in order to argue that the performance of public marriage ceremonies by LGBT people and other marriage outlaws may achieve two significant political goals: performative contradiction and political speech acts. IN TRODUCTION 246 I. WHO SINGS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM? 247 A. Singing the Anthem as Performative Contradiction 249 B. Hannah Arendt: Freedom, Action, Speech 252 II. W HO DECLARES M ARRIAGE? 255 A. Saying "I Do" As Performative Contradiction 256 B. Saying "I Do" As Political Speech Action 257 1. Distinguishing Political Action From the Economy 257 2. Reclaiming the Public Sphere 258 C O N CLU SION 259 Associate-in-Law, Columbia Law School. LL.B., 1999, Bar-Ilan University School of Law; LL.M., 2001, NYU School of Law; J.S.D., 2006, NYU School of Law. For helpful discussions of this Review I thank Samuel Bray, Ariela Dubler, Elizabeth Emens, Katherine Franke, Janet Halley, Joseph Landau, Jessica Roberts, Bertrall Ross, Mo Siedor, Anna Marie Smith, and Max Symuleski. I also thank Zachary Herz for an insightful editing process. Copyright Q 2009 by the Yale Journal of Law and Feminism Yale Journal of Law and Feminism With word and deed we insert ourselves into the human world, and this insertion is like a second birth, in which we confirm and take upon ourselves the naked fact of our original physical appearance. This insertion is not forced upon us by necessity, like labor, and it is not prompted by utility, like work . . . . [I]ts impulse springs from the beginning which came into the world when we were born and to which we respond by beginning something new on our own initiative. Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition 1
FO2PH: A quickBASIC program to calculate mineral stabilities and sulphur isotope contours in log f02-pH space

FO2PH is a quickBASIC program that should be of primary interest to geochemists and economic geologists concerned with the physicochemical conditions of ore-forming fluids. It allows the stability of minerals in the system Cu-Fe-S-0-H, calcite, barite and values of δ34S of sulfdes and sulfates to be plotted in log fO2-pH space up to 300°C. A companion quickBASIC program, CONSTANT, is included and calculates equilibrium constants for reactions utilized in FO2PH and other reactions commonly plotted as functions of fO2-pH (e.g. K-feldspar-muscovite-kaolinite equilibria, aqueous species in the system Te-O-H). A 40 page program manual describing the algorithms used in the program, a line-by-line description of the program, a tutorial, tables of thermodynamic data used in various calculations, and examples of program outputs are available to assist the interested user.
Thyroid disease in the elderly

As people in our society live longer, it is important for clinicians to know more about problems commonly seen in the elderly. Thyroid problems are especially important to understand because they do occur with rather high frequency, and their mode of presentation is frequently different from those seen in younger patients. The thyroid gland does undergo certain age-related changes in anatomy and physiology, but overall the thyroid is able to produce a normal amount of thyroid hormone throughout the years. Hypothyroidism is frequently difficult to diagnose in the elderly, because many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism can easily be confused with symptoms of aging. When hypothyroidism is looked for in large population studies of elderly patients, the incidence varies from 1% to as high as 17%, with women being more commonly affected than men, and subclinical hypothyroidism being more common than overt hypothyroidism. Virtually all cases of hypothyroidism are due to autoimmune thyroid disease, with most patients having measurable titers of thyroid autoantibodies. The therapy of hypothyroidism is done with extreme caution, as older patients are frequently very sensitive to the effects of excess thyroid hormone. In addition, the metabolism of thyroid hormone slows down with age, making the full replacement dose much less in an older patient than in a younger one. Hyperthyroidism is also quite common, occurring in from 0.5% to 3% of all elderly patients. The presentation is frequently atypical, as patients often lack the hyperdynamic symptomatology and instead have a more sedated, apathetic presentation. Weight loss and cardiac symptoms frequently predominate, and the presence of a goiter is frequently absent, making the diagnosis less obvious than in a younger patient. Therapy is usually radioactive iodine, after an adequate course of antithyroid drugs, to render the patient euthyroid. Thyroid nodules do occur with increasing frequency in the elderly, but most of them are not malignant. Fine-needle aspiration for cytology is very helpful in determining which patients should be referred for surgery. Well-differentiated cancers do predominate, but their course is frequently less predictable than in younger patients. Lymphoma of the thyroid and undifferentiated cancers do occur with increasing frequency in the elderly. Multinodular goiter, usually of longstanding, is frequently seen in elderly patients, and thyroid hormone suppressive therapy not only is not indicated but may contribute to exogenous hyperthyroidism.
Modeling the Precipitation of Polydisperse Nanoparticles Using a Total Interaction Energy Model

A thermodynamic model is presented that can accurately predict, typically within 5%, the average size and size distribution of size-selectively precipitated nanoparticles. A total interaction energy model was developed which accounts for: (1) the interaction of two differently sized ligand-stabilized nanoparticles in a solvent plus antisolvent mixture, (2) the collapsing of the ligand shell as the solvent strength of the mixture decreases, and (3) the variability of the ligand surface coverage of the nanoparticle. A total interaction energy model equates the sum of potential energies for all forces acting on a nanoparticle pair (van der Waals attractive, osmotic repulsive, and elastic repulsive) to that of the Brownian motion energy to predict the nanoparticle size combinations that can be dispersed or would be precipitated under varying solvent conditions. Combining this with simple probabilities describing the frequency of combinations between differently sized nanoparticles leads to average sizes and d...
Fast-Moving and Slow-Moving Institutions

Understanding the conditions for successful economic growth and development is becoming an increasingly central question in economics. It is the same question that Adam Smith was asking in 1776 when he founded the discipline. For many decades, the central question in economics concerned the comparison of markets and hierarchies in the allocation of resources, and was the focus of the entire general equilibrium programme, but its importance in economics receded with the collapse of central planning. More recently, the very diverse performances of various developing countries and countries in the process of transition from socialism to capitalism have revived the ‘Adam Smith question’. For example, why has the growth performance of Russia been so dismal in its first decade of transition, whereas China has been growing at over 8 per cent per year throughout its two decades of transition? Why has the Argentine economy, one of the richest in the world in the early twentieth century, more or less collapsed? Why have the ‘Asian tigers’ experienced a successful economic take-off, whereas the economies of most African countries have been decimated by misery, war, and disease?
Indulgent Sympathy and the Impartial Spectator

Cognitive neuroscience is in the midst of what has been called an ‘affective revolution,’ which places empathy at the center of a core set of moral competencies. While empathy has not been without its critics (Bloom, 2013; Prinz, 2011), both the radicals and the reactionaries routinely cite Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments (TMS) as among the revolution’s vanguard. For Smith, justified moral judgment depends on the ability to sympathize — Smith’s term for the empathetic ability to imaginatively project into, or otherwise simulate the emotions of others. The impartial spectator is good at moral evaluation and the accurate assessment of the ‘fitness or propriety’ of another’s sentiments ‘can be found nowhere but in the sympathetic feelings of the impartial and well-informed spectator’ (TMS VII.II.i.49).
Application of Motivational Interviewing in Working with Psychotic Disorders

Motivational Interviewing (MI) was developed by William R. Miller, and his work in this area was first published in 1983 following experiences in working with alcohol use patients and the difficulties they experienced. This treatment approach was later explained more fully, with Stephen Rollnick, in their publication, Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change (1991), as a combination of strategies aimed at resolving ambivalence in facilitating behavior change across different potential problem areas. This treatment was a patient-centered approach which highlighted the elicitation of a patient’s own intrinsic motivation and ability to change. Prochaska and DiClimente’s Stages of Change model (1983) was also incorporated into Motivational Interviewing (Miller and Rollnick 1991) and this model is commonly referred to as the trans-theoretical model, secondary to its incorporation of different theories of how and why behavior change occurs. Over time, this treatment approach which started with application to alcohol use has grown into application for use with smoking cessation, substance abuse, HIV risk reduction, treatment of sex offenders, eating disorders, self-injury, medication adherence, and a whole host of other health-related issues in which behavior change is a primary aspect of treatment. Miller and Rollnick went on to publish 2nd and 3rd editions of their book, with each discussion of Motivational Interviewing growing in terms of conceptualization and richness of treatment strategies and approaches.
The Effects of Framing and Price on Consumers’ Perceptions of Nonprofit Solicitations

This paper presents the findings of an experiment investigating ways in which nonprofit organizations raise funds through product offerings. Prospect theory is used as a framework for describing two alternative framing scenarios: a product purchase versus a product gift in return for a donation. The study investigates which framing scenario produces a greater likelihood of consumers to engage in a transaction with the organization across different price levels. The findings suggest that price has a greater impact when an exchange is framed as a donation than when it is framed as a purchase.
CH···O Interactions Are Not the Cause of Trends in Reactivity and Secondary Kinetic Isotope Effects for Enzymatic SN2 Methyl Transfer Reactions

Compaction matters: SN2 substitution represents an important class of reaction for both chemical and biological systems. The ability to assess enzymatic transition state structure within this class of reaction remains a major experimental challenge. Here, we comment on and compare the relative impact of compaction along the axis of reaction to the impact of an orthogonal CH···O hydrogen bonding interaction. The latter is concluded to play a limited role in determining relative reaction rates and secondary KIEs derived from experimental structure- activity correlations.
Nucleotide-free kinesin motor domains reversibly convert to an inactive conformation with characteristics of a molten globule.

Nucleotide-free kinesin motor domains from several kinesin families convert reversibly to a refractory conformation that cannot rapidly rebind ADP. In the absence of glycerol, the refractory conformation of Drosophila kinesin motor domains is favored by 50-fold with conversion of the active to the refractory species at ∼0.052 s(-1) and reactivating in the presence of ADP at ∼0.001 s(-1). This reactivation by ADP is due to conformational selection rather than induced fit because ADP is not bound to the refractory species at concentrations of ADP that are sufficient to saturate the rate of reactivation. Glycerol stabilizes the active conformation by reducing the rate of inactivation, while having little effect on the reactivation rate. Circular dichroism indicates a large conformational change occurs on formation of the refractory species. The refractory conformation binds ANS (8-anilino-1-napthalenesulfonic acid) with a large increase in fluorescence, indicating that it has molten globule character. High ANS binding is also observed with the refractory forms of Eg5 (a kinesin-5) and Ncd (a kinesin-14), indicating that a refractory conformation with molten globule characteristics may be a common feature of nucleotide-free kinesin motor domains.
Power Usage Efficiency with a Modular Routing Protocol

Recent years have seen major efforts to contain the environmental footprint of the Internet. The last decade has witnessed revolutionary research to address some of the challenges faced in the Internet. This article describes an investigative framework for determining the energy savings incurred with new routing protocols and routers. The framework is applied to a real ISP network - the AT&T ISP network in the United States. It describes techniques to collect statistics from such large networks and analyze them. The statistics are then used to study the energy consumption in the ISP network both with routers running the current routing protocol, which is Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and also with routers running the new protocol. The cost models and energy savings studies applied to large ISP networks as presented in this article is the first of its kind. As evidenced from this study significant energy benefits and cost savings thereof can be realized with the proposed modular routing protocol.
Biobased High-Performance Rotary Micromotors for Individually Reconfigurable Micromachine Arrays and Microfluidic Applications

In this work, we report an innovative type of rotary biomicromachines by using diatom frustules as integrated active components, including the assembling, operation, and performance characterization. We further investigate and demonstrate unique applications of the biomicromachines in achieving individually reconfigurable micromachine arrays and microfluidic mixing. Diatom frustules are porous cell walls of diatoms made of silica. We assembled rotary micromachines consisting of diatom frustules serving as rotors and patterned magnets serving as bearings in electric fields. Ordered arrays of micromotors can be integrated and rotated with controlled orientation and a speed up to ∼3000 rpm, one of the highest rotational speeds in biomaterial-based rotary micromachines. Moreover, by exploiting the distinct electromechanical properties of diatom frustules and metallic nanowires, we realized the first reconfigurable rotary micro/nanomachine arrays with controllability in individual motors. Finally, the diatom m...
The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibition Is Involved in Hexameric Procyanidins Anti-Colorectal Cancer Action

Proanthocyanidins (PACs), oligomers of flavan 3-ols, are naturally abundant in fruits and vegetables. Dietary PACs consumption has been associated to a lower risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). We previously demonstrated that hexameric PACs (Hex) interacts with the enterocyte cell membrane in specialized rafts domain. In vitro Hex has antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity in human CRC cell lines. In order to identify the connection between these findings, this work investigated if the anti-CRC actions of Hex are related to its capacity to modulate the lipid raft-located epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR). Without affecting the EGFR localization at lipid rafts, Hex prevented the receptor dimerization upon EGF stimulation and inhibited the EGF-induced activation of the pro-proliferation and antiapoptotic pathways Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling cascades. EGFR immunolocalization studies and ELISA assays showed that Hex acted in part promoting EGFR internalization both in the absence and presence of EGF. Inhibition of the EGFR pathway by Hex was also evidenced by decreased phosphorylation at Tyr 1068, and increased Tyr 1045 phosphorylation. The latter provides a docking site for ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl and promotes EGFR degradation by the proteasome. Inhibition of EGFR activation, promotion of receptor internalization and upregulation of EGFR degradation pathways are evidences that Hex PACs can exert anti-CRC actions at the gastrointestinal tract via the downregulation of the EGFR pro-oncogenic signaling pathway.
Coal mine subsidence—western United States

Subsidence processes above underground mines consist of a gradual down-warping of the overburden into coal extraction panels, causing depressions, or a sudden collapse into individual mine openings, causing pits. Subsidence in surface mining areas is caused by compaction of rehandled overburden material, dewatering of aquifers or stress and strain readjustments. The time between mining and complete subsidence above underground mines in the western US commonly ranges from a few months to a few years, where down-warping occurs above extraction panels, to many years or decades where pillars are not mined. The duration between mining and the occurrence of sinkholes, however, can vary from a few decades to as long as centuries. The time necessary for depressions and pits in surface mining areas apparently depends on such factors as methods of emplacing and grading and rate of wetting the rehandled material, rate of dewatering of aquifers near the mine, and stress-strain readjustments.
Chronic Illness, Placement Stability, and Hospitalizations within Child Welfare: The Role of Initial Living Arrangement

Despite the high prevalence of chronic medical conditions among youth in child welfare, there is a paucity of research examining placement stability and frequency of medically-related hospitalizations for this vulnerable subpopulation. These questions are explored, with an emphasis on understanding the impact of initial living arrangement on each outcome. This study assessed 945 youth (ages 5–17) in out-of-home care within the Illinois child welfare system, using a matched sample of youth with (n = 318) and without (n = 627) a chronic medical illness. Placement stability and number of medically-related hospitalizations were compared between the two groups. Additionally, negative binomial regressions were used to assess the relationship between participant characteristics, type of living arrangement, and both placement stability and medically-related hospitalizations. Placement stability was not associated with having a chronic medical illness. However, stability was associated with initial living arrangement, with youth in kinship care having a lower likelihood of subsequent placement changes than youth in foster care or residential placements. Number of medically-related hospitalizations was significantly associated with having a chronic medical illness. Number of medically-related hospitalizations was also associated with type of initial living arrangement: kinship care showed a lower likelihood of hospitalizations than foster care or residential placements. Results provide preliminary evidence that kinship care should be prioritized for youth with a chronic medical illness over placement in foster care or residential settings, as kinship care showed higher placement stability and lower rates of medically-related hospitalizations for youth with chronic medical illness.
Promising Performance: The Overestimation and Underestimation of Performance Targets

ABSTRACTThis study examines goal setting in the federally funded, state-implemented Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Specifically, using federally determined criteria that states are supposed to use to set expected performance targets, I model the predicted performance targets and compare them against the observed performance targets. The purpose is to examine the determinants of performance target overestimation and underestimation in the WAP. The findings suggest that, where credible commitment to achieving performance targets is important (i.e., when grantees want to show top performance to attract grant money and federal partners), grantee governments are more likely to underestimate goals. However, where the aspirational nature of performance targets is more important than the credible commitment of achieving them (i.e., in an election year or partisan congruence with federal government), grantee governments are more likely to overestimate goals.
An ArcGIS Model for Avalanche Risk Assessment in the North Cascades, Washington

Reports of avalanche-related deaths have increased over the last fifty years in the United States. Although incidents occurring in Washington State and in the North Cascades do not reflect the bulk of avalanche-related casualties in the United States, it remains an annual concern for both recreational safety and transportation. This research seeks to apply and update methods from previous studies to evaluate avalanche risk in the North Cascades. Hazardous areas are identified by naturally occurring avalanche trigger zones. This study involves a mixed-method analysis using predefined geomorphic conditions, such as constant slope and sudden slope change, as well vegetation density, to identify natural avalanche trigger zones using ArcGIS. The outcome of the hazard assessment model is then evaluated using coordinates for reported avalanche debris sites and imagery interpretation. The postprocess evaluation also uses onsite ground photos of avalanche debris, captured by skiers, that help further asses...
Improving Long-Term Outcomes for Patients with Extra-Abdominal Soft Tissue Sarcoma Regionalization to High-Volume Centers, Improved Compliance with Guidelines or Both?

Introduction. Optimization of outcomes of extra-abdominal STS is not clearly understood. We sought to determine whether hospital surgical volume and adherence to NCCN guidelines, or both, are associated with outcomes in the treatment of extra-abdominal soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Methods. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients undergoing surgery for extra-abdominal STS diagnosed from 2003 to 2007. Mean annual hospital volume for STS surgery was divided into volume terciles (1T ≤3, 2T 4–10, and 3T ≥11 cases/year). Adherence to NCCN guidelines was determined. Primary outcome was overall survival. Results. Our study population consisted of 13,684 patients with a median age of 56 years. 3T hospitals were more likely to adhere to NCCN guidelines for stage III patients (63% versus 47%; ) than 1T hospitals. On multivariable analysis, adherence to NCCN guidelines was associated with improved survival (HR = 0.79, CI 0.73–0.87; ), but hospital volume was not (3T versus 1T: HR = 0.92, CI 0.82–1.02; ). Five-year overall survival was comparable for compliant groups at 1T, 2T, and 3T hospitals (72%, 72.4%, and 72.6%, resp.). 3T hospitals were not associated with a lower risk of 30-day mortality (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.44–1.11) compared to 1T hospitals but did have a higher R0 resection rate (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.32–1.54). Conclusions. Adherence to NCCN guidelines, irrespective of hospital volume, is associated with improved overall survival for patients with extra-abdominal STS. High-volume hospitals more often adhere to guidelines, but low-volume hospitals that follow national guidelines may achieve comparable outcomes.
On the Origins, Structures and Functions of Restriction-Modification Enzymes

Typically, restriction-modification (RM) systems consist of two enzymes: an endonuclease that recognizes and cleaves a specific DNA sequence, and a methyltransferase that modifies the same sequence to protect the host chromosome from cleavage. These enzymes also play an important role in genetic engineering and provide insight into the basis of sequence-specific DNA-protein interactions. A growing number of type II restriction endonucleases and methyltransferases are being subjected to biochemical and genetic studies which, when combined with ongoing X-ray crystallographic analyses, promise to provide detailed models for mechanisms of DNA recognition and catalysis. Studies on anti-restriction systems, the repair of DNA single- and double-strand breaks, and the roles of DNA lesions in recombination initiation, suggest RM systems may provoke genome rearrangements and assimilate foreign DNA into the host genome and point towards possible evolutionary sources of this interesting group of DNA metabolizing enzymes.
Sources of variability in nitrogen availability in Iowa cornfields

53 INTRODUCTION 54 THEORY 55 MATERIALS AND METHODS 57 RESULTS 60 LITERATURE CITED 73 SMALL-SCALE CYCLES IN THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF SOIL NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS OF CORNFIELDS 75 ABSTRACT 75 INTRODUCTION 75 MATERIALS AND METHODS 77 RESULTS 81 LITERATURE CITED 106 LARGE-SCALE CYCLES IN THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF SOIL NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS OF CORNFIELDS 109 ABSTRACT 109 INTRODUCTION 110 MATERIALS AND METHODS Ill RESULTS 115 LITERATURE CITED 132 GENERAL SUMMARY 135 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 139
Ion-Irradiation Induced Reduction in Sr 2 Fe 1.5 Mo 0.5 O 6-δ Perovskite

Abstract The incorporation of radioactive elements in fission products (FPs) into complex oxides, where the elements are constrained in the structure and enhanced leaching and radioactive stability can be obtained, is an active research area in the nuclear fuel cycle. Perovskite structured Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6−δ (SFM) has the capability of incorporating several FPs (such as Sr and Mo) into the crystalline network simultaneously while maintaining a stabilized structure. The radiation damage effects on the structure changes of this polycrystalline SFM sample is conducted under various ion irradiations including 200 keV He ions to a fluence of 5 × 1020 ions m−2, 100 keV H to a fluence of 3 × 1021 ions cm−2, and 600 keV Kr ions to a fluence of 2.5 × 1019 ions m−2 at room temperature. Irradiation-induced structural evolution was examined by using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the irradiated SFM sample decomposed into a layered Sr4FeMoO8−δ based phase and a metallic Fe based phase under light ion (He and H) irradiations. Nano-crystallized secondary phase was observed with particle sizes around 7 nm. These results suggest that irradiation-induced reducing atmospheres may affect the stability of crystalline structure in complex oxides. Experiment results also reveal an amorphization in the heavy ion Kr irradiated sample, while no amorphization is observed in He/H irradiated SFM.
Ukraine: Transformation of Economic Structure as the Key to Spatial Development

Ukraine’s regions must be considered individually when analysing the countrywide transformation under the new economic conditions. Each region shows both positive and negative features, and these must be clearly evaluated according to the changing situation. Thus one important step in formulating spatially differentiated solutions to the economic, ecological and social problems facing the country is to analyse the different characteristics of the regions and to define spatial categories. Industrialised regions are seen to be particularly weak, and according to some economic indicators they have developed more slowly than balanced industrial-agrarian or agrarian regions. At the same time not all of these regions can be called regions in decline. In view of their long historical development, all industrial regions in the country can be designated “old”, with some structural adjustment to the new economy being necessary. The economic diversity in most industrialised cities and regions is a positive factor in overcoming the crisis. On the other hand, a crisis in any well developed mono-structured industry can lead to the economic destruction of the whole region. Highly developed and diversified regions have inherent advantages which enable them to take a lead in positive restructuring. A study of the relevant factors of restructuring and their interrelations constitutes a second step for a positive development of the Ukraine.
An investigation of effectiveness differences between in-class and online learning: an engineering drawing case study

The use of learning technologies has increased rapidly during the last two decades, primarily for online learning but also for in-class learning. It has become widely accepted that online learning may offer conveniences and cost reductions. However, a comparison of student performance when engaged in online learning versus in-class learning and the corresponding implications have yet to be thoroughly investigated—especially in STEM education. The gap in the current relevant literature motivates this research. In this paper, two key questions are addressed: (1) which learning mode generates a better student performance in STEM education, in-class or online mode? (2) what types of factors affect learning performance for in-class and online modes? To help analyze these questions, the authors designed and implemented an engineering drawing case study. The case investigated whether there exists a significant statistical difference in the performance of two student groups. In one, 32 students were asked to be physically present in a classroom, to listen to a lecture given by an instructor, and to participate in class discussion prior to taking a quiz. In the other, 32 different students received the same content online and were allowed the same time to study as well as post to an online discussion board before taking an identical quiz. A hypothesis test was then used to analyze the performance difference. The results show that there is no significant learning outcome difference between in-class and online learning modes in engineering drawing content. The relevant previous experience has significant impacts on the learning outcomes for both in-class and online learning modes.
Geoacoustic Observations on Drifting Balloon-Borne Sensors

Infrasound microphones on free flying balloons experience very little wind noise, can cross regions that lack ground station coverage, and may capture signals that seldom reach the Earth’s surface. Despite the promise of this technique, until recently very few studies had been performed on balloon-borne acoustic sensors. We summarize the history of free flying infrasound stations from the late 1940s to 2014 and report on results from a series of studies spanning 2014–2016. These include the first efforts to record infrasound in the stratosphere in half a century, the presence of a persistent ocean microbarom peak that is not always visible on the ground, and the detection of distant ground explosions. We discuss the unique operational aspects of deploying infrasound sensors on free flying balloons, the types of signals detected at altitude, and the changes to sensor response with height. Finally, we outline the applications of free flying infrasound sensing systems, including treaty verification, bolide detection, upper atmosphere monitoring, and seismoacoustic exploration of the planet Venus.
Corallivory in the Anthropocene: Interactive Effects of Anthropogenic Stressors and Corallivory on Coral Reefs

Corallivory is the predation of coral mucus, tissue, and skeleton by fishes and invertebrates, and a source of chronic stress for many reef-building coral species. Corallivores often prey on corals repeatedly, and this predation induces wounds that require extensive cellular resources to heal. The effects of corallivory on coral growth, reproduction, and community dynamics are well-documented, and often result in reduced growth rates and fitness. Given the degree of anthropogenic pressures that threaten coral reefs, it is now imperative to focus on understanding how corallivory interacts with anthropogenic forces to alter coral health and community dynamics. For example, coral bleaching events that stem from global climate change often reduce preferred corals species for many corallivorous fishes. These reductions in preferred prey may result in declines in populations of more specialized corallivores while more generalist corallivores may increase. Corallivory may also make corals more susceptible to thermal stress and exacerbate bleaching. At local scales, overfishing depletes corallivorous fish stocks, reducing fish corallivory and bioerosion, whilst removing invertivorous fishes and allowing population increases in invertebrate corallivores (e.g., urchins, Drupella spp.). Interactive effects of local stressors, such as overfishing and nutrient pollution, can alter the effect of corallivory by increasing coral-algal competition and destabilizing the coral microbiome, subsequently leading to coral disease and mortality. Here, we synthesize recent literature of how global climate change and local stressors affect corallivore populations and shape the patterns and effect of corallivory. Our review indicates that the combined effects of corallivory and anthropogenic pressures may be underappreciated and that these interactions often drive changes in coral reefs on scales from ecosystems to microbes. Understanding the ecology of coral reefs in the Anthropocene will require an increased focus on how anthropogenic forcing alters biotic interactions, such as corallivory, and the resulting cascading effects on corals and reef ecosystems.