cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hormone Responsiveness of a Transplantable Rat Chondrosarcoma. II. Evidence for in Vivo Hormone Dependence

We have previously demonstrated that the Swarm rat chondrosarcoma responds to GH-dependent serum factors in vitro by increasing amino acid transport and macromolecular synthesis. The question of in vivo hormone dependence was evaluated by studying the growth of the tumor in hypophysectomized rats. Tumor-bearing hypophysectomized rats were treated with saline, T4, cortisone, bovine GH (bGH), or combinations of these hormones. Tumor growth was assessed in terms of tumor weight. Histological appearance was studied to ascertain the viability of the tumors and the relative contributions of cellularity vs. cartilage matrix to the weight of the chondrosarcoma. The weight of tumors grown in saline-treated hypophysectomized rats was less than 10% of the weight attained by tumors grown in normal rats for a comparable period of time. There was a greater relative cellularity in tumors grown in normal and hormone-treated hypophysectomized rats compared to that in tumors grown in saline-treated hypophysectomized rats. ...
Composition and Ethanol Production Potential of Cotton Gin Residues

Cotton gin residue (CGR) collected from five cotton gins was fractionated and characterized for summative composition. The major fractions of the CGR varied widely between cotton gins and consisted of clean lint (5–12%), hulls (16–48%), seeds (6–24%), motes (16–24%), and leaves (14–30%). The summative composition varied within and between cotton gins and consisted of ash (7.9–14.6%), acid-insoluble material (18–26%), xylan (4–15%), and cellulose (20–38%). Overlimed steam-exploded cotton gin waste was readily fermented to ethanol by Escherichia coli KO11. Ethanol yields were feedstock and severity dependent and ranged from 58 to 92.5% of the theoretical yields. The highest ethanol yield was 191 L (50 gal)/t, and the lowest was 120 L (32 gal)/t.
Forum Shopping on the Internet

Elementary school children are familiar with the phrase, "If I bring the ball, I make the rules." But who decides what rules apply on the Internet? Laws aren't the same in each country, and the Internet goes everywhere.
Presynaptic inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid release in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis by kappa opioid receptor signaling.

Background The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) and its endogenous agonist, the neuropeptide dynorphin, are a critical component of the central stress system. Both dynorphin and KOR are expressed in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a brain region associated with anxiety and stress. This suggests that KOR activation in this region may play a role in the regulation of emotional behaviors. To date, however, there has been no investigation of the ability of KOR to modulate synaptic transmission in the BNST. Methods We used whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from acutely prepared mouse brain slices to examine the actions of KOR on inhibitory transmission in the BNST. Additionally, we used neurochemical and pathway-specific optogenetic manipulations to selectively stimulate gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic fibers from the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) to the BNST. Results We found that activation of KOR reduced GABAergic transmission through a presynaptic mechanism. Furthermore, we examined the signal transduction pathways that mediate this inhibition and provide the first functional information implicating extracellular signal-regulated kinase in KOR-mediated presynaptic modulation. Moreover, we found that at KOR signaling robustly reduced inhibitory synaptic transmission in the CeA to BNST pathway. Conclusions Together, these results demonstrate that KOR provides important inhibitory control over presynaptic GABAergic signaling within the BNST and provides the first direct functional demonstration of KOR-sensitive long-range GABAergic connections between the CeA and the BNST.
Embeddings of Bornological Universes

A bornological universe 〈X, τ, ℬ〉 is a topological space 〈X, τ〉 equipped with a bornology ℬ, that is, a cover of X that is hereditary and is closed under finite unions. In this paper, we give three different sets of necessary and sufficient conditions for the universe to be both topologically and bornologically embeddable in ℝY for some index set Y. When this is possible, Y can be chosen to be a family of continuous coercive functions on X.
Single trial P3 epoch recognition in a virtual environment

Abstract Most visual evoked potential (EP) experiments require a subject to sit still and stare at a computer screen. Virtual reality (VR) can provide more natural-like experimental environments while maintaining environmental control, however subjects are more likely to move and create other artifacts while immersed in a VR environment. We show that a P3 evoked potential (EP) is obtained when subjects stop/go at stoplights in a virtual town and that this potential can be reliably detected on a single trial basis in spite of the extra artifacts generated by subjects in VR. We describe the use of a robust Kalman filter for recognition and note that an average recognition rate of 84.5% is obtained using this filter. The benefits and drawbacks of working in an immersive VR environment are described and future directions suggested.
Inoculation of vector cell monolayers with potato yellow dwarf virus

Abstract Results from inoculation of two vector-specialized forms of potato yellow dwarf virus (PYDV) on cell monolayers derived from their vectors and related nonvectors indicate that the effect of pH on inoculation is mediated through the virus, not through the host. The optimum pH for sanguinolenta yellow dwarf virus (SYDV) inoculation on cell monolayers is near 5.9; the optimum pH for inoculation of constricta yellow dwarf virus (CYDV) on cell monolayers is near 5.3. Forty-five minutes is sufficient for inoculation of PYDV on leafhopper cell monolayers. A pH of 7.0 is better than 6.5 or 7.5 for inoculating leaves of Nicotiana rustica with SYDV. Use of histidine-MgCl2 (His-MgCl2) solution for inoculation of SYDV on N. rustica gave better results than did phosphate buffer at the same pH. In His-MgCl2 buffer SYDV is most stable near pH 6.4 at 0° and pH 6.5 at 30°; CYDV is most stable near pH 6.9 at 0° and pH 5.9 at 30°. Near the optimal pH for inoculation of cell monolayers with SYDV at 30°, namely pH 5.9, the half-life of the virus in the His-MgCl2 solution is 21.4 min. The corresponding half-life for CYDV near its optimal pH for inoculation, namely 5.3, is 7.7 min. Both SYDV and CYDV reached peak concentrations in N. rustica about 10 days after the appearance of the first systemic symptom. After reaching such a peak about 30% of the infectious SYDV was lost by day 12, but thereafter the concentration remained almost constant up to day 24. Similarly, about 70% of peak CYDV infectivity was lost by day 12, and more than 80% by day 14 and day 16. Purified sterile infectious inocula were obtained by harvesting infected N. rustica plant tissue at the time of peak virus concentration. SYDV can be stored at −80° for as long as 3 years without appreciable loss of infectivity. CYDV, similarly prepared and stored, seriously deteriorated in infectivity between 6 and 12 months after storage.
Effects of feed restriction and realimentation on mohair fiber growth and tissue gain by growing Angora goats

Abstract Angora wethers (48), approximately 6 months of age and 15.7 kg initial BW (SEM = 0.38), were used to determine the effects of the level of feed intake and realimentation on mohair fiber growth and tissue gain. There were two 12 weeks phases in which dehydrated alfalfa pellets (18% CP and 48% NDF, DM basis) were fed. In phase 1, feed amounts were intended to provide ME adequate for 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 g/day of tissue (non-fiber) gain and 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, and 7.5 g/day of clean mohair fiber growth, respectively (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, and L6, respectively), although actual levels were slightly greater; intake was ad libitum in phase 2. DM intake in both phases increased linearly (P m ) in phase 1 was not affected by treatment. In phase 2, ME m was greater than in phase 1 (mean = 431 kJ/kg BW 0.75 ) and increased linearly (P 0.75 for L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, and L6, respectively; SEM = 97.5). The phase difference and unrealistically high values for some treatments may have resulted from a greater requirement than assumed for tissue gain in phase 2. This may have been because levels of fat and energy in tissue gained was greater in phase 2 than 1 and increased in phase 2 as the level of feed offered in phase 1 increased. In summary, with levels of intake above maintenance, growing Angora goats partition nutrients to mohair fiber growth at the expense of tissue gain. Realimentation likewise does not affect mohair fiber growth but can increase tissue gain, the magnitude of which depends on the severity of previous intake restriction.
Polynomial universal traversing sequences for cycles are constructible

The paper constructs the first polynomial universal traversing sequences for cycles, solving an open problem of S. Cook and R. Aleliunas, R. Karp, R. Lipton, L. Lovasz, C. Rackoff (1979) [2] in the case of 2-regular graphs. The existence of universal traversing sequences of size O(d2n3logn) for n-vertex d-regular graphs was established in [2] by a probabilistic argument, which was inherently non-constructive. For the cycles, the non-constructive upper bound was improved to O (n3) by Janowsky (1983) [13] and Cobham (1986) [8]. Previously, the best explicit constructions for cycles were due to Bridgland (1986) and A. Bar-Noy, A. Borodin, M. Karchmer, N. Linial, and M. Werman (1986), and have size O(nlog n).Our universal traversing sequence has size O(n4.76), and can be constructed in log-space.
Decomposition of turmeric curcuminoids as affected by light, solvent and oxygen

Turmeric curcuminoids are important natural pigments but their instability limits their use in many foods. This study was conducted to examine light-induced degradation of turmeric curcumin as affected by solvent system and oxygen. The rate constants and half-lives were determined for purified curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bis-demethoxycurcumin exposed to 1450 lux using reversed-phase HPLC. Rates of degradation of each pigment followed first-order kinetics. Differences in rate constants and half-lives between the individual pigments were minor in an acetic acid-NaCl solution; however, in methanol, large differences in stability to light of the individual pigment were observed. Stability of all the pigments to light was several fold greater in methanol than in acid brine. In methanol sparged with air, stability to photooxidation was curcumin > demethoxycurcumin > bis-demethoxycurcumin. In methanol, curcumin was more stable than the other curcuminoids when sparged with air than when sparged with nitrogen. In methanol sparged with nitrogen, demethoxycurcumin was the most stable pigment. All of the pigments were stable in the dark.
Surface modification of bisphenol-A-polycarbonate by far-UV radiation. Part I: In vacuum

Far-UV radiation (<250 nm) is totally absorbed by solid bisphenol-A-polycarbonate (PC) in the first 100 nm of the surface. Exposure, in vacuum, to radiation from a deuterium lamp with an intensity of 0·33 mW/cm2 at <250 nm (i.e. approximately twice the solar far-UV radiation beyond the shielding effects of the atmosphere), results in rapid deoxygenation of the surface (initial quantum yield for carbonyl loss c. 0·05 mol/Einstein) and photoablation (initial quantum yield for phenylene loss c. 0·04 mol/Einstein). On increasing exposure, a cross-linked protective ‘skin’ is formed, and the quantum yields are reduced by an order of magnitude. Volatiles produced on irradiation in vacuum are largely substituted phenols and aromatic fragments of PC. While typical photo-Fries reaction products such as substituted benzophenones are detected, main-chain scission reactions appear to dominate the degradation mechanism. The relevance of these results to the long-term stability of spacecraft materials, and to photolithographic processes, is discussed.
Standardizing the Raster display for medical images using a fixed set of frame buffer primitives

Two major difficulties associated with medical image processing are the diverse image formats that must be dealt with because of the differences in image sources and the number of incompatible display systems available for viewing images both before and after processing. We describe a very small set of primitives that need to be defined to utilize any raster display. When these primitives have been implemented for a particular device, then a standard set of image display programs can be compiled and images and the results of image processing can be displayed. The main purpose of this paper is to describe what a raster display looks like from the point of view of the programmer and to define the specific hardware and software data about the raster display that must be known in order to implement the small set of primitives.
Signal Processing In Digital Recording: The Delayed Decision Feedback Sequence Estimation Algorithm

Signal Processing in Digital Recording:The Delayed Decision Feedback Sequence Estimation AlgorithmAlexandra Duel -Hallen and Chris HeegardSchool of Electrical Engineering, Cornell UniversityIthaca, New York, 14853AbstractDelayed Decision Feedback Sequence Estimation (DDFSE) is a new signal processing algorithm for the detectionof signals in the presence of noisel. This paper describes the role of DDFSE in digital recording. The potentialperformance and complexity advantages of this algorithm are demonstrated by comparison to existing, alternativetechniques.Channel models
The Neuroimmunology of Tumour Necrosis Factor-α

Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of a number of systemic diseases. Its involvement in neuroimmunology has recently been highlighted.
Processing of sol-gel derived PZT coatings on non-planar substrates

Sol-gel derived lead zirconate titanate (PZT) coatings were prepared on flat substrates and substrates with elevated surface features similar to those found in some microelectromechanical devices. Crystalline PZT coatings with thicknesses ranging from 0.058 to were fabricated on substrates with features of height ( rise). Coatings were prepared by spin coating alkoxide solution, drying at , and then heating at and . Thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction were used to characterize structural evolution of PZT coatings on flat substrates. For substrates with surface features, the distribution of PZT after spin coating depended on feature height and spinning rate. The thickness of the coating on top of the step was less than that on the surrounding substrate surface; distribution was particularly non-uniform for features with smaller lateral dimensions and for coatings that were thin with respect to the feature height. Coatings on substrates with surface features had a greater tendency to crack and delaminate, particularly after the high temperature () heating. Cracking was more severe when the ratio of coating thickness to step height was low (< 0.35). To best accommodate surface features, multilayer deposition was used to build up the coating thickness prior to the higher temperature processing steps.
Thermocapillary convection in zone-melting crystal growth - An open-boat physical simulation

Thermocapillary convection in a molten zone of NaNO3 contained in a boat with a free horizontal surface, that is heated from above by a centered wire heater, was studied to simulate flow in zone-melting crystal growth. Using a laser-light-cut technique and fine SiO powder as a tracer, convection in the melt zone was visualized in two different cases. In the first case, the entire melt surface was free, while in the second the melt surface was free only in the immediate vicinity of one vertical wall and was covered elsewhere, this wall being to simulate the melt/crystal interface during crystal growth. It was observed that thermocapillary convection near this wall prevailed in the first case, but was reduced significantly in the second. Since thermocapillary rather than natural convection dominated in the melt, the effect of the partial covering of the melt surface on thermocapillary convection in the melt observed in this study is expected to be similar under microgravity.
Duplex Scanning of Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Dialysis Shunts: Impact on Patient Management and Graft Survival

The steady decline with time in patency of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) dialysis shunts led to a trial protocol of postimplantation surveillance to identify those grafts at risk for thrombosis. Duplex scanning is a noninvasive, reproducible method of monitoring anatomic and hemodynamic aspects of graft function that provides the surgeon with an opportunity for early operative intervention. The data from this randomized prospective study suggest that early intervention based on surveillance findings is more successful in terms of access site salvage and morbidity reduction than intervention prompted by graft thrombosis or malfunction is. Duplex scanning appears to be the preferred modality that, together with timely reoperation, impacts favorably on functional graft survival.
Seismic Design and Performance of Self-Centering Steel Plate Shear Walls

The self-centering steel plate shear wall (SC-SPSW) is a new seismic load-resisting system that combines the strength and stiffness properties of the SPSW with the recentering capabilities of postt...
Abdominal-B neurons control Drosophila virgin female receptivity.

Summary Background Female sexual receptivity offers an excellent model for complex behavioral decisions. The female must parse her own reproductive state, the external environment, and male sensory cues to decide whether to copulate. In the fly Drosophila melanogaster , virgin female receptivity has received relatively little attention, and its neural circuitry and individual behavioral components remain unmapped. Using a genome-wide neuronal RNAi screen, we identify a subpopulation of neurons responsible for pausing, a novel behavioral aspect of virgin female receptivity characterized in this study. Results We show that Abdominal-B ( Abd-B ), a homeobox transcription factor, is required in developing neurons for high levels of virgin female receptivity. Silencing adult Abd-B neurons significantly decreased receptivity. We characterize two components of receptivity that are elicited in sexually mature females by male courtship: pausing and vaginal plate opening. Silencing Abd-B neurons decreased pausing but did not affect vaginal plate opening, demonstrating that these two components of female sexual behavior are functionally separable. Synthetic activation of Abd-B neurons increased pausing, but male courtship song alone was not sufficient to elicit this behavior. Conclusions Our results provide an entry point to the neural circuit controlling virgin female receptivity. The female integrates multiple sensory cues from the male to execute discrete motor programs prior to copulation. Abd-B neurons control pausing, a key aspect of female sexual receptivity, in response to male courtship.
Complex of myoglobin with phenol bound in a proximal cavity.

Sperm whale myoglobin (Mb) has weak dehaloperoxidase activity and catalyzes the peroxidative dehalogenation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) to 2,6-dichloroquinone. Crystals of Mb and of its more active G65T variant were used to study the binding of TCP, 4-iodophenol (4-IP) and phenol. The structures of crystals soaked overnight in a 10 mM solution of phenol revealed that a phenol molecule binds in the proximal cavity, forming a hydrogen bond to the hydroxyl of Tyr146 and hydrophobic contacts which include interactions with Cβ and Cγ of the proximal histidine His93. The phenol position corresponds to the strongest xenon binding site, Xe1. It appears that the ligand enters the proximal cavity through a gate formed by the flexible loops 79–86 and 93–103. TCP and 4-­IP do not bind to Mb in this manner under similar conditions; however, it appears to be likely that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which was used at a concentration of 0.8 M to facilitate 4-IP dissolution, binds in the phenol/Xe1 binding site. In this structure, a water molecule coordinated to the heme iron was replaced by an oxygen molecule, reflecting the reduction of the heme. Crystals of Mb and G65T Mb soaked for 5–10 min did not show bound phenol. Kinetic studies of TCP dechlorination showed that phenol has a dual effect: it acts as a competitive inhibitor that is likely to interfere with TCP binding at the heme edge and as a weak activator, likely through binding in the proximal cavity. The lack of phenol bound at the heme edge in the crystal structures suggests that its inhibitory binding only takes place when the heme is activated by hydrogen peroxide.
Sub-Half Micrometer Resist Processes For The Aeble-150

Recent results in the development of positive and negative resist processes for use with the AEBLE-150 electron beam lithography system are discussed, detailing techniques used for the evaluation and modeling of resist performance. Specific results for RD-2000N, a negative resist available commercially from the Hitachi Corporation, are presented demonstrating processes suitable for use with the AEBLE-150 for feature sizes below 0.5μm. In addition, results of processes with high resolution imaging in thick layers of PMMA are presented.
Evaluation of fatigue performance of a fillet rolled diesel engine crankshaft

Abstract This paper summarizes an investigation of the effect of fillet rolling on fatigue behavior of a ductile cast iron crankshaft used in diesel engine applications. Based on the staircase test methodology, resonant bending fatigue tests were conducted to obtain stress versus number of cycles curves and to evaluate the fatigue endurance limits of ductile iron crankshaft under fillet rolled and un-rolled conditions. The corresponding stress levels on the fillet region by the applied test moments were calculated by the finite element modeling of the crankshaft test rig. Test data was analyzed by Dixon–Mood method to calculate the endurance limits. Fracture surface examination was conducted macroscopically and by scanning electron microscope. Fatigue endurance limits measured for un-rolled and rolled crankshafts are 201 MPa and 811 MPa respectively, emphasizing a significant fatigue endurance limit improvement by fillet rolling process.
Case study and efficient modelling for variational chemical-mechanical planarisation

Chemical-mechanical planarisation (CMP) is an enabling technique to achieve wafer planarity in backend manufacturing processes of integrated circuits. However, CMP also causes variations in metal and dielectric thicknesses because of the non-uniformity of metal feature density. The authors first conducted a case study of CMP-induced variations using an industrial CMP simulator together with a widely used microprocessor hardcore fabricated in a 90 nm technology with eight metal layers and a system-on-chip design fabricated in a 65 nm technology with four metal layers. They revealed a few interesting characteristics on thickness variations and, particularly, vertical and horizontal correlations between variations, although such correlations have been virtually ignored by the existing study on layout optimisation. These characteristics may lead to better modelling and design optimisation for CMP variations. As an example, the authors then proposed a stochastic CMP model to efficiently incorporate CMP variations estimation in the design flow and developed two algorithms to reduce the CMP simulation runs by 7x and 3x , respectively, when compared with generating the stochastic CMP model by detailed CMP simulations.
Perturbations in the vibration-rotation-torsion energy levels of an ethane molecule exhibiting internal rotation splittings

Abstract Various examples of perturbations in the vibration-rotation-torsion energy levels of an ethane molecule exhibiting internal rotation splittings are discussed, both from the point of view of the point group D 3 d , appropriate when internal rotation tunneling effects cannot be observed, and from the point of view of the group G 36 † , appropriate when internal rotation tunneling in ethane leads to observable splittings in the spectrum. It is found, for perturbations allowed in both D 3 d and G 36 † , that each of the two torsional components of the perturbed D 3 d vibration-rotation level can in principle interact with a “corresponding” torsional component in the perturbing vibration-rotation level. It is found for perturbations forbidden in D 3 d but allowed in G 36 † , which all occur between D 3 d vibrational levels of different g , u parity, that only one of the two torsional components of the perturbed D 3 d vibration-rotation level can interact with a corresponding torsional component in the perturbing vibration-rotation level. Some of the perturbations examined give intensity to otherwise forbidden transitions in such a way that perturbation-induced transitions can be used in conjunction with normally allowed transitions to determine the sum of the internal rotation splittings for two rotational levels differing in K by three units.
The social landscape of planning: Integrating social and perceptual research with spatial planning information

During the past decades, there have been tremendous strides in the sophistication and power of analyzing, displaying, and interpreting spatial information, particularly Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The vast majority of this work has focused on the physical landscape where increasingly complex models are able to predict, describe, and assess the implications of future planning issues related to watersheds, urban growth, and other planning issues. However, this increasing sophistication in the power of landscape modeling remains disconnected from the sociopolitical realities of the communities and regions which are the subject of these studies. There is a research need to integrate public perceptions and attitudes with the type of information typically found in a landscape assessment. This essay reviews the different types of social and perceptual research that landscape planners have conducted and concludes with recommendations for research avenues that are necessary to describe the social landscape in spatial terms. Landscape planners in the future will need to know as much about the social landscape as they do the physical landscape before embarking on planning actions.
Attitudes of healthcare professionals and parents regarding genetic testing for violent traits in childhood

Objectives: Although no genetic tests for violent behaviour are currently available, research is ongoing to isolate genes related to a propensity for violence. We explored the attitudes of parents and healthcare professionals toward behavioural genetic testing for violence. Design: The attitudes of healthcare professionals and the lay public about genetic testing of children were elicited for a range of conditions through interviews with healthcare professionals and focus groups with parents. All participants were informed that behavioural genetic testing was the only hypothetical genetic test in our script and it was presented as the last condition. Participants: The healthcare professionals included both genetic professionals and paediatricians. Focus group participants were recruited through various community institutions in the southside of Chicago and nearby suburbs. Results: The healthcare professionals tended to medicalise behavioural genetics, and were opposed to testing unless treatment was available. They were also uniformly concerned about the potential harms of this information, including unintentional adverse effects from environmental changes. In contrast, parents wanted genetic testing for behavioural traits to be available even in the absence of proved medical treatments. Not all parents wanted to test their own children, and some parents were concerned about self-fulfilling prophecies. Some parents, however, felt the information was important for their understanding, and could be used to support environmental changes. Conclusions: While healthcare professionals medicalised behavioural genetics, parents focused on environmental causes and influences. Consequently, healthcare professionals do not want to offer testing if there is no clear treatment, while parents may want this information to shape environmental influences.
A Modified Unit Commitment and Generation Control for Utilities with Large Wind Generation Penetrations

A modified unit commitment is proposed in this paper that would be updated on three different cycles (daily, quarter-hourly and every minute). The 24 hour updated unit commitment would include the effects of load and slow trend wind power change that could be predicted 24 hours ahead. The quarter- hourly updated unit commitment would handle the fast trend and cyclic change in wind power that could be predicted one hour ahead and would commit peaking, regulation, and quick pickup and possibly economic units to handle these wind power changes.
Neural Stem Cells Rescue nervous Purkinje Neurons by Restoring Molecular Homeostasis of Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Downstream Targets

Neural stem cells (NSCs) offer special therapeutic prospects because they can be isolated from the CNS, expanded ex vivo, and re-implanted into diseased CNS where they not only migrate and differentiate according to cues from host tissue but also appear to be capable of affecting host cells. In nervous (nr) mutant mice Purkinje neuron (PN) mitochondria become abnormal by the second postnatal week, and a majority of PNs die in the fourth to fifth weeks. We previously identified in nr cerebellum a 10-fold increase in tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) as a key component of the mechanism causing nr PN death. Here we report that undifferentiated wild-type murine NSCs, when transplanted into the newborn nr cerebellar cortex, do not replace host PNs but contact imperiled PNs and support their mitochondrial function, dendritic growth, and synaptogenesis, subsequently leading to the rescue of host PNs and restoration of motor coordination. This protection of nr PNs also is verified by an in vitro organotypic slice model in which nr cerebellar slices are cocultured with NSCs. Most importantly, the integrated NSCs in young nr cerebellum rectify excessive tPA mRNA and protein to close to normal levels and protect the mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel and neurotrophins, downstream targets of the tPA/plasmin proteolytic system. This report demonstrates for the first time that NSCs can rescue imperiled host neurons by rectifying their gene expression, elevating somatic stem cell therapeutic potential beyond solely cell replacement strategy.
N,N′‐Dimethyl‐N,N′‐bis[2‐(2‐pyridyl)ethyl](p‐phenylenedimethylene)diammonium bis(perchlorate)

In the title compound, C24H32N42+·2ClO4−, the two N atoms of the amine are protonated. The H atoms of the protonated amine form hydrogen bonds with the pyridyl N atoms (intramolecular) and O atoms of adjacent perchlorate anions. In addition, there are weak C—H⋯O inter­actions which link the formula units into chains along [101]. Each perchlorate anion is disordered over three conformations, with occupancy factors of 0.482 (2), 0.331 (2) and 0.187 (4), and 0.532 (8), 0.324 (4) and 0.133 (7).
The Perfect Family: Decision Making in Biparental Care

Background: Previous theoretical work on parental decisions in biparental care has emphasized the role of the conflict between evolutionary interests of parents in these decisions. A prominent prediction from this work is that parents should compensate for decreases in each other’s effort, but only partially so. However, experimental tests that manipulate parents and measure their responses fail to confirm this prediction. At the same time, the process of parental decision making has remained unexplored theoretically. We develop a model to address the discrepancy between experiments and the theoretical prediction, and explore how assuming different decision making processes changes the prediction from the theory. Model Description: We assume that parents make decisions in behavioral time. They have a fixed time budget, and allocate it between two parental tasks: provisioning the offspring and defending the nest. The proximate determinant of the allocation decisions are parents’ behavioral objectives. We assume both parents aim to maximize the offspring production from the nest. Experimental manipulations change the shape of the nest production function. We consider two different scenarios for how parents make decisions: one where parents communicate with each other and act together (the perfect family), and one where they do not communicate, and act independently (the almost perfect family). Conclusions/Significance: The perfect family model is able to generate all the types of responses seen in experimental studies. The kind of response predicted depends on the nest production function, i.e. how parents’ allocations affect offspring production, and the type of experimental manipulation. In particular, we find that complementarity of parents’ allocations promotes matching responses. In contrast, the relative responses do not depend on the type of manipulation in the almost perfect family model. These results highlight the importance of the interaction between nest production function and how parents make decisions, factors that have largely been overlooked in previous models.
Method to Determine the Effect of Clinical Education on Production in a Health Care Facility

Regression analysis was used to assess the effect of a clinical education program on production, that is, on provision of services, in a health care facility. This method enables one to determine the effect of students on the “quantity of patient care” provided by using data, which were readily available, on number of treatments. Application of this method to a physical therapy department in a 650-bed teaching hospital in suburban New York revealed that students contributed positively to the facility's capacity to provide patient care.
Evaluation of stimulated raman scattering microscopy for identifying squamous cell carcinoma in human skin

Background and Significance: There is a need to develop non-invasive diagnostic tools to achieve early and accuratedetectionofskincancerinanon-surgicalmanner. In this study, we evaluate the capability of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, a potentially noninvasive optical imaging technique, for identifying the pathological features of s squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tissue. Study design: We studied ex vivo SCC and healthy skin tissues using SRS microscopy, and compared the SRS contrast with the contrast obtained in reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and standard histology. Results and Conclusion: SRS images obtained at the carbon-hydrogen stretching vibration at 2945cm 1 exhibit contrast related protein density that clearly delineates the cell nucleus from the cell cytoplasm. The morphological features of SCC tumor seen in the SRS images show excellent correlation with the diagnostic features identified by histological examination. Additionally, SRS exhibits enhancedcellularcontrastincomparisonto thatseenin confocal microscopy. In conclusion, SRS represents an attractive approach for generating protein density maps with contrast that closely resembles histopathological contrast of SCC in human skin. Lasers Surg. Med. 45:496–502, 2013. 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Categories of (ℓ, ℛ)-systems

We show that when we represent (l, ℛ)-systems with fixed genome as automata (sequential machines), we get automata with output-dependent states. This yields a short proof that ((l, ℛ)-systems from a subcategory of automata—and with more homomorphisms than previously exhibited. We show how ((l, ℛ)-systems with variable genetic structure may be represented as automata and use this embedding to set up a larger subcategory of the category of automata. An analogy with dynamical systems is briefly discussed. This paper presents a formal exploration and extension of some of the ideas presented by Rosen (Bull. Math. Biophyss,26, 103–111, 1964;28, 141–148;28 149–151). We refer the reader to these papers, and references cited therein, for a discussion of the relevance of this material to relational biology.
Ligation independent cloning irrespective of restriction site compatibility

Here we report the use of exonuclease to expose complementary DNA between an insert and vector such that annealing becomes independent of restriction site compatibility. We demonstrate that unusual and, in some cases, previously impossible cloning strategies can be readily and efficiently achieved as long as the flanking sequences of the linear vectors are highly related. Furthermore, we show that the bacterial repair system resolves the residual mismatches, overhangs or gaps in a predictable fashion to generate excisable inserts. This approach facilitates cloning regardless of restriction site compatibility and overcomes an important limitation in current cloning techniques.
Test objects and other epistemic things: a history of a nanoscale object

Abstract This paper follows the history of an object. The purpose of doing so is to come to terms with a distinctive kind of research object ? which we are calling a ?test object? ? as well as to chronicle a significant line of research and technology development associated with the broader nanoscience/nanotechnology movement. A test object is one of a family of epistemic things that makes up the material culture of laboratory science. Depending upon the case, it can have variable shadings of practical, mathematical and epistemic significance. Clear cases of test objects have highly regular and reproducible visible properties that can be used for testing instruments and training novices. The test object featured in this paper is the silicon (111) 7?7, a particular surface configuration (or, as it is often called, a ?reconstruction?) of silicon atoms. Research on this object over a period of several decades has been closely bound up with the development of novel instruments for visualizing atomic structures. Despite having little direct commercial value, the Si(111) 7?7 also has been a focal object for the formation of a research community bridging industry and academia. It exhibits a complex structure that became a sustained focus of observation and modelling. Our study follows shifts in the epistemic status of the Si(111) 7?7, and uses it to re-examine familiar conceptions of representation and observation in the history, philosophy and social study of science.
REJECTOR: software for population history inference from genetic data via a rejection algorithm

Summary: We introduce REJECTOR, software for parameter estimation and comparison of alternate models of population history from genetic data via a rejection algorithm. Through coalescent simulation, REJECTOR generates numerous gene genealogies, and hence simulated data, under a model of population history specified by the user. Summary statistics derived from such simulated data are compared with observed statistics, leading to acceptance or rejection of a given set of parameter values. We performed tests of the software using known parameter values in order to assess the inferential power provided by each summary statistic. The tests demonstrate the precision and accuracy of estimation made possible using this approach. Availability: http://www.rejector.org Contact: ude.drofnats@nibojm Supplementary Information: Supplementary data are available at http://www.rejector.org/guide.pdf
Mechanism of Endothelin-1–Induced Contraction in Rabbit Basilar Artery

Background and Purpose —Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is suggested to be a major cause of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, the mechanism of ET-1–induced contraction in cerebral arteries remains unclear. This study was undertaken to demonstrate the possible role of protein tyrosine kinase (PTK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and protein kinase C (PKC) in ET-1–induced contraction. Methods —PD-98059, damnacanthal, wortmannin, AG-490, genistein, calphostin C, and staurosporine were used to inhibit, or relax, the ET-1–induced contraction of basilar artery, studied with an isometric tension system. Immunoprecipitation of MAPK in ET-1–stimultated rings of basilar artery without or with the above inhibitors was studied with Western blot. Results —(1) ET-1 produced concentration-dependent contraction and MAPK immunoprecipitation in rabbit basilar artery by activation of ETA but not ETB receptors. (2) MAPK inhibitors PD-98059 and U-0126 produced dose-dependent inhibition of ET-1–induced contraction. (3) The Src tyrosine kinase inhibitor damnacanthal, the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase inhibitor wortmannin, and the Janus tyrosine kinase2 inhibitor AG-490 abolished ET-1–induced contraction. (4) The PKC inhibitor staurosporine but not calphostin C abolished ET-1–induced contraction, and the PTK inhibitor genistein partially reduced ET-1–induced contraction. (5) In arteries precontracted by ET-1, PD-98059, U-0126, wortmannin, AG-490, genistein, and staurosporine produced concentration-dependent relaxation. (6) ET-1 induced a biphasic and time-dependent MAPK immunoprecipitation. (7) PD-98059, U-0126, genistein, AG-490, and damnacanthal, but not staurosporine or wortmannin, abolished the effect of ET-1 on MAPK immunoreactivity. Conclusions —This study demonstrated that MAPK may be involved in ET-1–induced contraction in rabbit basilar artery. MAPK is downstream of PTK, Src, and Janus tyrosine kinase pathways but may not be downstream of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase pathways. The possible involvement of PKC in ET-1–induced contraction requires further investigation. Inhibition of these pathways may offer alternative treatment for ET-1–induced contraction and cerebral vasospasm.
Dimensionless score function for multiple hypothesis tracking

This paper discusses several theoretical issues related to the score function for the measurement-to-track association/assignment decision in the track-oriented version of the multiple hypothesis tracker (MHT). This score function is the likelihood ratio: the ratio of the probability density function (pdf) of a measurement having originated from a track, to the pdf of this measurement having a different origin. The likelihood ratio score is derived rigorously starting from the fully Bayesian MHT (hypothesis oriented, based on combinatorial analysis of the general multitarget problem), which is shown to be amenable under some (reasonable) assumptions to the track-oriented MHT (TOMHT). The latter can be implemented efficiently using multidimensional assignment (MDA). The main feature of a likelihood ratio is the fact that it is a (physically) dimensionless quantity and, consequently, can be used for the association of different numbers of measurements and/or measurements of different dimension. The explicit forms of the likelihood ratio are discussed both for the commonly used Kalman tracking filter, as well as for the interacting multiple model (IMM) estimator. The issues of measurements of different dimension and different coordinate systems together with the selection of certain MHT design parameters - the spatial densities of the false measurements and new targets - are also discussed.
Historical and current environmental influences on an endemic Great Plains fish.

ABSTRACT Native fishes of the Great Plains are at risk of decline due to disturbances to physical habitat caused by changes in land and water use, as well as shifts in species assemblages driven by the invasion of introduced species with the loss of natives. We used historical and current fish assemblage data in conjunction with current habitat information to assess these influences on an endemic Great Plains stream fish, the plains topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus). Of the 31 sites where the plains topminnow occurred historically (1939–1940), it was found in only seven of those sites in 2003–2005. Our results demonstrate a shift in fish assemblage over time that coincides with the loss of plains topminnow. Changes in fish assemblages were characterized by increases in occurrence of exotic, invasive and generalist species with declines in occurrences of native fishes. An information theoretic approach was used to evaluate candidate models of current fish assemblage and physical/chemical habitat on the presen...
Can hydrogen-bonding donors abstract chloride from LAu(I)Cl complexes: a computational study

Computational study has shown that it is possible to abstract the chloride anion from LAu(I)Cl complexes by well-designed effective chloride receptors. A new receptor with two squaramides and an anthracene spacer was found to be a stronger chloride abstractor than the corresponding receptor with a decalin scaffold.
Plasma IGF-I is inversely associated with colorectal adenoma recurrence

PR-1 The IGF-I axis has been proposed to be a significant factor in the development of certain cancers, including colorectal. However, results from epidemiological studies suggest modest effects on colorectal cancer risk. Using cross-sectional and prospective study designs within the same cohort, we investigated whether plasma IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-3 were associated with colorectal adenoma characteristics at baseline, and whether their levels were related to odds for adenoma recurrence. Plasma levels of each marker were measured at baseline in 299 male participants in the Wheat Bran Fiber Trial who were followed for recurrence of their adenomatous lesions. In cross-sectional analyses, plasma IGF-I was significantly positively associated with the presence of adenomas with any villous features (p=0.04). In contrast, IGF-I levels were inversely associated with odds of colorectal adenoma recurrence, with ORs (95% CIs) of 0.72 (0.37-1.38) and 0.52 (0.27-1.00) for the second and third tertiles of IGF-I, respectively, as compared to the first tertile (p-trend=0.05). The inverse association was stronger for advanced adenoma recurrence (p-trend=0.04) than for non-advanced recurrence (p-trend=0.16). These results suggest that while IGF-I may have adverse effects in existing premalignant lesions of the colorectum, individuals with elevated IGF-I levels are protected from the formation of new lesions in the colorectum.
Histopathologic Evaluation of Adipose Autografts in a Rabbit Ear Model

Injection of autologous adipose tissue removed via liposuction has been used clinically for facial contouring, the aging face, furrows, facial atrophy, acne scars, nasolabial folds, chin, and various other surgical defects. Survival rates for autografts of fat have been quoted anywhere from 30% to 80%. Our study uses a reproducible rabbit animal model for autotransplantation of adipose tissue and examines the histopathologic changes that occur to the graft over time. Autogenous subcutaneous fat was removed from a dorsal scapular donor site, treated to stimulate cannula damage as in liposuction, then reinjected at the base of the ear. Histologic examination of the grafts were made at 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, and 100 days after transplantation. Hematoxylin-eosin sections were graded on degree of fibrosis present (0 to 4+), viable fat (1 to 10), degree of inflammation (0 to 4+), and neovascularization (+ or -). Viability of fat decreased from 8.5 to 10 at 5 days to 2 viability at 40 days. Acute inflammation peaked...