cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 3734: Expression of serine synthetic enzymes alters the sensitivity of ER-positive breast cancer cells to tamoxifen

Estrogen receptor positive breast cancer (ER+BC) is the most common form of breast cancer accounting for 65-75% of all diagnoses, yet, due to the availability of targeted therapies, has the best overall survival outcomes. However, it is estimated that up to 30% of all patients develop resistance to these therapies, resulting in recurrence or disease progression. Phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1), which is an enzyme within the serine synthetic pathway (SSP), has previously been implicated in endocrine resistance. Therefore, we sought to determine if there was a functional correlation between expression of PSAT1 or other serine synthetic enzymes and sensitivity to 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) treatment. To investigate the correlation between PSAT1, another SSP enzyme phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), and endocrine resistance, we examined clinical data from ER+ patients who received tamoxifen as their sole endocrine therapy. Using two separate cohorts, we confirmed that higher PSAT1 and PHDGH expression negatively correlates with poorer outcomes in tamoxifen treated ER+ BC patients. Next, we found that SSP enzyme expression and serine synthesis are elevated in tamoxifen resistant compared to tamoxifen-sensitive ER+ BC cells in vitro. To determine relevance to endocrine sensitivity, we modified the expression of both PSAT1 or PHGDH in each cell type. While overexpression of PSAT1 in tamoxifen-sensitive MCF-7 cells diminished 4-OHT inhibition, conversely, silencing of PSAT or PHGDH resulted in decreased proliferation in tamoxifen-resistant LCC9 treated with 4-OHT. Taken together, we postulate that overexpression of SSP enzymes appear to contribute to tamoxifen resistance in ER+BC and indicate a potential combinatorial therapeutic option. Citation Format: Stephanie Metcalf, Traci Kruer, Susan Dougherty, James L. Wittliff, Carolyn M. Klinge, Brian F. Clem. Expression of serine synthetic enzymes alters the sensitivity of ER-positive breast cancer cells to tamoxifen [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 3734.
Altered pattern of circulating miRNAs in HIV lipodystrophy perturbs key adipose differentiation and inflammation pathways

We identified a microRNA (miRNA) profile characterizing HIV lipodystrophy and explored the downstream mechanistic implications with respect to adipocyte biology and the associated clinical phenotype. miRNA profiles were extracted from small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) of HIV-infected individuals with and without lipodystrophic changes and individuals without HIV, among whom we previously showed significant reductions in adipose Dicer expression related to HIV. miR-20a-3p was increased and miR-324-5p and miR-186 were reduced in sEVs from HIV lipodystrophic individuals. Changes in these miRNAs correlated with adipose Dicer expression and clinical markers of lipodystrophy, including fat redistribution, insulin resistance, and hypertriglyceridemia. Human preadipocytes transfected with mimic miR-20a-3p, anti-miR-324-5p, or anti-miR-186 induced consistent changes in latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 2 (Ltbp2), Wisp2, and Nebl expression. Knockdown of Ltbp2 downregulated markers of adipocyte differentiation (Fabp4, Pparγ, C/ebpa, Fasn, adiponectin, Glut4, CD36), and Lamin C, and increased expression of genes involved in inflammation (IL1β, IL6, and Ccl20). Our studies suggest a likely unique sEV miRNA signature related to dysregulation of Dicer in adipose tissue in HIV. Enhanced miR-20a-3p or depletion of miR-186 and miR-324-5p may downregulate Ltbp2 in HIV, leading to dysregulation in adipose differentiation and inflammation, which could contribute to acquired HIV lipodystrophy and associated metabolic and inflammatory perturbations.
MUTATIONS ELIMINATING THE PROTEIN EXPORT FUNCTION OF A MEMBRANE-SPANNING SEQUENCE

Individual membrane protein spanning sequences can promote protein export. To help define the sequence features necessary for this action, we identified mutations disrupting export mediated by the first spanning sequence (TM1) of the Escherichia coli serine chemoreceptor. Mutant spanning sequences were generated and characterized using beta-galactosidase and alkaline phosphatase gene fusions. The protein export function of TM1 was remarkably tolerant of single charged residues, and the introduction of pairs of charged amino acids was necessary to eliminate export. The results are accommodated by a model in which export requires a stretch of uncharged residues whose summed hydrophobicity exceeds a particular threshold value. This threshold approximates the minimum hydrophobicity required for cleavable signal sequence function. In addition, the threshold was near the minimum hydrophobicity observed for wild-type spanning sequences in a collection of topologically characterized membrane proteins.
Inhibition of sphingolipid biosynthesis by fumonisins. Implications for diseases associated with Fusarium moniliforme.

Culture materials and grains contaminated with certain isolates of Fusarium moniliforme cause equine leucoencephalomalacia, porcine pulmonary edema syndrome, and liver cancer in rats. The causative agents are thought to be a family of compounds called fumonisins, which bear considerable structural similarity to the long-chain (sphingoid) base backbones of sphingolipids. Incubation of rat hepatocytes with fumonisins inhibited incorporation of [14C]serine into the sphingosine moiety of cellular sphingolipids with an IC50 of 0.1 microM for fumonisin B1. In contrast, fumonisin B1 increased the amount of the biosynthetic intermediate sphinganine, which suggests that fumonisins inhibit the conversion of [14C]sphinganine to N-acyl-[14C]sphinganines, a step that is thought to precede introduction of the 4,5-trans double bond of sphingosine (Merrill, A.H., Jr. and Wang, E. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 3764-3769). In agreement with this mechanism, fumonisin B1 inhibited the activity of sphingosine N-acyltransferase (ceramide synthase) in rat liver microsomes with 50% inhibition at approximately 0.1 microM and reduced the conversion of [3H]sphingosine to [3H]ceramide by intact hepatocytes. As far as we are aware, this is the first discovery of a naturally occurring inhibitor of this step of sphingolipid metabolism. These findings suggest that disruption of the de novo pathway of sphingolipid biosynthesis may be a critical event in the diseases that have been associated with consumption of fumonisins.
Multifaceted intervention to improve rheumatologists' management of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention to improve the management of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). Methods Of 21 rheumatologists, 11 were randomly assigned to a 3-part intervention consisting of a lecture and discussion regarding optimal management of GIOP, a confidential doctor-specific audit regarding management of GIOP, and a reminder mailing including concise pharmacologic recommendations. The remaining 10 rheumatologists received no special education. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking oral glucocorticoids seen in the 2 months after the intervention were followed for 6 months. Medical records were assessed to determine the proportion undergoing bone mineral density testing or receiving pharmacologic interventions for GIOP during the 6 months before and 6 months after the intervention. Results There were 373 patients with RA taking oral glucocorticoids whose records were assessed. Patients in both arms of the trial were similar with respect to age, sex, menopausal status, glucocorticoid dosage and duration, duration of RA, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug use, and the proportion with comorbid conditions. At baseline, there was no significant difference between the patients with respect to osteoporosis medication use (intervention 32% versus control 34%) or bone densitometry use (intervention 9% versus control 5%). After the intervention and a 6-month followup period, there were no differences in treatment (intervention 33% versus control 38%) or bone densitometry use (intervention 8% versus control 8%). Adjusting for patient and physician characteristics did not significantly change these results. Conclusion A multifaceted intervention for GIOP, including doctor education, practice audit, and treatment suggestions, had no significant benefit on testing or treatment by rheumatologists over a 6-month followup period. Other intervention approaches need to be tested.
An expert system dispatcher's aid for distribution feeder fault diagnosis

A description is given of an expert system designed to serve as a dispatcher's aid for locating sources of outages on electric power distribution feeders. Normally, a dispatcher is responsible for evaluating information received from both customers and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) sources. The goal of using an expert-system approach is to speed up the search for the cause of the disturbance by applying a heuristic strategy based on past operating experience, the probability associated with a possible event and the configuration of the feeder. Potential contingencies are identified through the use of a hybrid strategy that has both heuristic and algorithmic components. The authors provide an introduction to the distribution fault identification problem, a discussion on the heuristic aspects of this problem, and a description of how such a system can be implemented. Examples are included to illustrate the viability of this approach. >
TRAIL--A TOKAMAK RAIL GUN LIMITER*†

An attractive new limiter concept is investigated. The TRAIL (Tokamak Rail Gun Limiter) system impacts a stream of moderate velocity pellets (100 to 200 m/sec through the plasma edge region to absorb energy and define the plasma boundary. The pellets are recycled, after cooling, to the injector in an E-M mass accelerator. Heat fluxes of approx. 30,000 W/cm/sup 2/ can be readily accommodated by the pellets, with very low recirculating power requirements (approx. 0.1%) for the accelerator. The mass accelerator velocity requirements are well within the present state-of-the-art (several km/sec). Accelerators injecting pellets at approx. 1 km/sec can be used to control local plasma temperature and current profiles and to act as energy absorbers to shut down the plasma without damage to the first wall if a plasma disruption occurs.
Optimizing the output impedance of a power delivery network for microprocessor systems

This paper presents a systematic design oriented frequency domain analysis of a multi-stage power distribution network. (PDN) of a microprocessor system with the power source represented as,a close-loop small-signal model of a dc to dc, converter. Generalized analytical expressions are derived for the output impedance including voltage sensing at different, stages. of, the multistage PDN. The affect of optimally selecting the ESR, ESL and capacitance of the decoupling capacitors at different stages of the PDN is described in terms of the converter's loop gain, crossover frequency, phase margin and their impact on realizing the flat output impedance at the microprocessor core. Simulation results are presented to support the validity of the novel design oriented analysis.
NONLINEAR TRANSFORMATIONS OF INTEGRATED TIME SERIES:A RECONSIDERATION

Abstract. In this paper I reconsider two of the questions raised by Granger and Hallman (Nonlinear transformations of integrated time series. J. Time Ser. Anal. 12 (1991), 207–24):(i) If Xt is I(1) and Zt=h(Xt), is Zt also I(1)? (ii) Can Xt and h(Xt) be cointegrated? The distinction between I(1) and I(0) processes is replaced by the distinction between long memory and short memory processes, where for short memory I mean strong mixing. By exploiting the fact that random walks (with positive trend component) are martingales (submartingales) and are also first-order Markov, I show that (a) unbounded convex (concave) and strictly monotonic transformations of random walks are always long memory processes, (b) polynomial, strictly convex (concave) transformations of random walks display a unit root component, but the first differences of such transformations need not be short memory, and (c) Xt and h(Xt), with h an unbounded convex (concave) or strictly monotonic function, can never be cointegrated.
The imposter phenomenon, achievement dispositions, and the five factor model

Abstract This study investigated the imposter phenomenon (IP) in relation to common achievement dispositions and the Five Factor Model (FFM). A total of 129 college students were administered measures of achievement including the Harvey Imposter Phenomenon, Cooperation, Debilitating Anxiety, Hypercompetitive Attitude, Personal Development Competition, and Self-handicapping scales, in addition to the NEO-PI-R. IP scores were related to all achievement constructs, but were best predicted by Fear of Failure (+) and Self-handicapping (+). Consistent with previous findings [Chae, J. H., Piedmont R., Estadt, B., & Wicks, R. (1995). Personal evaluation of Clance’s impostor phenomenon scale in a Korean sample. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65(3), 468–485.] the IP was related to Neuroticism (+), Extraversion (−), and Conscientiousness (−). However, Neuroticism accounted for the vast majority of variance in the FFM predicting IP scores. In addition, a pattern of correlations was found for the IP and facet scales of the NEO-PI-R that is highly similar to those reported by Chae et al. Taken together, these findings expand our understanding of the IP in achievement and confirm earlier findings for the FFM.
Theoretical and Experimental Study of Controls on CO2 Dissolution and CH4 Outgassing Rates

Abstract Understanding CO 2 dissolution is significant to the development of CO 2 geological storage. It allows us to more accurately predict the extent of the CO 2 plume. It also provides a better estimate of the trapping mechanisms to assist in interpreting the monitoring observations and to assess the risk of CO 2 leakage. When CO 2 is injected into methane-saturated brine aquifers, the dissolution process has been observed to be accompanied by CH4 outgassing from the pore water, which affects the properties of the gas phase and in turn CO 2 migration. Currently available commercial and academic multiphase flow simulators (such as CMG-GEM and TOUGH2) assume instantaneous equilibrium of CO 2 dissolution within a single grid cell, which introduces the maximum amount of dissolution and methane outgassing. The incomplete mixing due to the presence of a porous media and subsurface heterogeneity reduces CO 2 dissolution rates by orders of magnitude compared to the well-mixed case. In this study, we investigate the effects of mixing-controlled CO 2 dissolution and of methane outgassing on CO 2 migration in the subsurface with the help of numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. We first developed numerical pore-scale models to demonstrate that the mass transfer rate of CO 2 depends on the gas saturation and the aqueous CO 2 concentration and that the mass transfer rate can be written as a power-law function of the CO 2 saturation. Based on the mass transfer rate obtained from the pore-scale models, we then simulated the two-phase Darcy's flow in a column test considering the dynamic dissolution process. Results show that the CO 2 migration is affected by the mass transfer rate into the aqueous phase. Even within a small scale of several meters, which is the typical grid size used in simulation of carbon storage in the field, the assumption of instantaneous equilibrium may not be valid. When the mass transfer time scale is much larger than the advection time scale, the CO 2 -water flow acts as an immiscible flow, and the amount of CO 2 dissolved within the advection time scale is negligible. As the mass transfer rate increases, the flow approaches the scenario with instantaneous equilibrium. Modeling and experiment presented here confirm the well-known observations that CO 2 dissolution into pore water introduces a retardation effect on CO 2 breakthrough. When the mass transfer rate of CO 2 into pore water increases, the CO 2 breakthrough is delayed, decreasing the extent of the CO 2 plume.
Tensile properties of engineered cartilage formed from chondrocyte- and MSC-laden hydrogels.

Summary Objective The objective of this study was to determine the capacity of chondrocyte- and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-laden hydrogel constructs to achieve native tissue tensile properties when cultured in a chemically defined medium supplemented with transforming growth factor-beta3 (TGF-β3). Design Cell-laden agarose hydrogel constructs (seeded with bovine chondrocytes or MSCs) were formed as prismatic strips and cultured in a chemically defined serum-free medium in the presence or absence of TGF-β3. The effects of seeding density (10 vs 30 million cells/mL) and cell type (chondrocyte vs MSC) were evaluated over a 56-day period. Biochemical content, collagenous matrix deposition and localization, and tensile properties (ramp modulus, ultimate strain, and toughness) were assessed biweekly. Results Results show that the tensile properties of cell-seeded agarose constructs increase with time in culture. However, tensile properties (modulus, ultimate strain, and toughness) achieved on day 56 were not dependent on either the initial seeding density or the cell type employed. When cultured in medium supplemented with TGF-β3, tensile modulus increased and plateaued at a level of 300–400kPa for each cell type and starting cell concentration. Ultimate strain and toughness also increased relative to starting values. Collagen deposition increased in constructs seeded with both cell types and at both seeding densities, with exposure to TGF-β3 resulting in a clear shift toward type II collagen deposition as determined by immunohistochemical staining. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that the tensile properties, an important and often overlooked metric of cartilage development, increase with time in culture in engineered hydrogel-based cartilage constructs. Under the free-swelling conditions employed in the present study, tensile moduli and toughness did not match that of the native tissue, though significant time-dependent increases were observed with the inclusion of TGF-β3. Of note, MSC-seeded constructs achieved tensile properties that were comparable to chondrocyte-seeded constructs, confirming the utility of this alternative cell source in cartilage tissue engineering. Further work, including both modulation of the chemical and mechanical culture environment, is required to optimize the deposition of collagen and its remodeling to achieve tensile properties in engineered constructs matching the native tissue.
Librarian and Faculty Collaborative Instruction: A Phenomenological Self-Study

Abstract Several models of librarian and faculty collaboration are found in the professional librarian literature. The literature on collaborative self-study research in university settings suggests collaborative self-study research can improve interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to teaching and research and facilitate the transfer of knowledge. A research librarian and professor of education conducted a phenomenological self-study to examine their multiple roles as researchers and instructors who collaborated to develop, implement, and evaluate distance-delivered instructional services for public school teachers who live and work in remote, rural, and Alaska Native communities throughout the state of Alaska. Several themes emerged from this phenomenological self-study: (a) our interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts resulted in increased opportunities to team teach and conduct future collaborative research; (b) we struggled to communicate effectively with our students via audio-conference; and (c) our beliefs and practices were transformed by our participation in this phenomenological self-study. We believe our collaborative approach to phenomenological self-study research can promote intense self-reflection, stimulate creativity, and facilitate open and honest communication between academic librarians and teaching faculty who engage in collaborative instruction and collaborative research; furthermore, we believe our collaborative approach to phenomenological self-study research can increase the instructional effectiveness of academic librarians and teaching faculty collaborating to teach in distance-delivered higher education.
Spatial and Attitudinal Gradients of Climate in the Cairngorms — Observations from Climatological and Automatic Weather Stations

(1996). Spatial and Attitudinal Gradients of Climate in the Cairngorms — Observations from Climatological and Automatic Weather Stations. Botanical Journal of Scotland: Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 31-49.
A molecular theory of the charge dependence of competitive adsorption

Abstract The adsorption of neutral molecules from solution is calculated theoretically as a function of the field strength in the electric double layer. The basis of the treatment is molecular competition determined by the field interactions of solvent and solute at the interface. The general case is developed in which the solvent dipoles may have field and lateral interactions which differ for different orientations taken up as the double-layer field changes direction. It is suggested that lateral interactions between adsorbed solute molecules may be neglected. The theory is tested with data, obtained on mercury electrodes both from capacitance and electrocapillary measurements, on the adsorption of butanol and phenol as solutes from two different solvents, water and methanol. The change in adsorption behaviour when going from water to methanol, in particular with respect to the shape of the coverage/charge-density relationship and the position of the point of maximum adsorption, is explained consistently for the four system, using independently known data on molecular properties. It is shown that such an explanation is not possible with a recent theory proposed by Devanathan and Tilak.
Deoxyglucose analysis of retinotopic organization in primate striate cortex

We have anatomically analyzed retinotopic organization using the 14C-labeled 2-deoxy-D-glucose method. The method has several advantages over conventional electrophysiological mapping techniques. In the striate cortex, the anatomical substrate for retinotopic organization is surprisingly well ordered, and there seems to be a systematic relationship between ocular dominance strips and cortical magnification. The 2-deoxyglucose maps in this area appear to be largely uninfluenced by known differences in long-term metabolic activity. This method should prove useful in analyzing retinotopic organization in various visual areas of the brain and in different species.
Using words as lexical basis functions for automatically indexing face images in a manner that correlates with human perception of similarity

To facilitate collaboration between computers and people, computers should be able to perceive the world in a manner that correlates well with human perception. A good example of this is face image retrieval. Mathematically-based face indexing methods that are not based primarily on how humans perceive faces can produce retrievals that are disappointing to human users. This raises the question "Can human faces be automatically indexed in a manner that correlates well with human perception of similarity?" Humans use words to describe faces - words such as braided, graybearded, bearded, bespectacled, bald, blondish, blond, freckled, blue eyed, mustached, pale, Caucasian, brown eyed, dark skinned, or black eyed. Such words represent dimensions that span a shared concept space for faces. Therefore they might provide a useful guide to indexing faces in an intuitive manner. This paper describes research that uses descriptive words such as these to index faces. Each word guides the design of one feature detector that produces a scalar coefficient, and those coefficients collectively define a feature vector for each face. Given these feature vectors, it is possible to compute a similarity measure between pairs of faces, and to compare that computed similarity to the similarity, as perceived by humans.
The Distribution of Thiamine and Ascorbic Acid in the Potato Tubera

SUMMARY Two zones that together approximate the cortical layer of two varieties of stored potatoes were compared in thiamine and total ascorbic acid content with the center region. In both varieties the cortical layer contained a slightly higher concentration of thiamine than the center. In Sebago but not in Russet Burbank, total ascorbic acid was higher in the cortical region. The components of total ascorbic acid were determined separately in the Russet Burbank variety. The biologically active fraction (reduced and dehydroascorbic acid together) constituted 90-970% of the total ascorbic acid.
The ratio of cross sections for double to single ionization of helium by high energy photons and charged particles

Data and analysis for the ratio of double to single ionization in helium is reviewed for impact by photons and charged particles. In the case of photoionization there are two processes, namely, (i) photoionization where the photon is annihilated, and (ii) Compton scattering where the photon is inelastically scattered. In the case of charged particle scattering the ratio of total cross sections tends toward an asymptotic high energy value of 0.26% which is well below the value observed for photons of 1.7% at photon energies between 2 and 12 keV. Theoretical relations between various ratios have been predicted and to some extent confirmed by observations.
A UHV-compatible ΔE−E gas telescope for depth profiling and surface analysis of light elements

Abstract We have developed a compact ΔE−E gas telescope that can easily be incorporated into a standard ultrahigh vacuum ion scattering chamber. If energetic, heavy ions are available as a primary beam, the gas telescope can be used to detect light elastic recoils scattered from the surface region of a sample. The detector consists of a gas ionization chamber in front of a surface-barrier detector. The energy loss signal in the gas (ΔE) is taken in coincidence with the energy signal in the surface-barrier detector (E) to identify both the atomic number and the total energy of the elastic recoil. The design parameters of the detector have been chosen to allow detection of elements from H to O with good depth resolution (
Lumbosacral dorsal root terminations in the nucleus gracilis of the cat. Some observations on terminal degeneration in other medullary sensory nuclei.

Following lumbosacral dorsal rhizotomies (L1, L5, L6 and S1), fiber degeneration could be traced throughout three rostro-caudal regions of nucleus gracilis by utilizing the Nauta method. In rostral region, fiber degeneration was less dense and localized with greater intersegmental overlap than in middle region, where roots terminated in fairly specific cell clusters. Little could be stated about the caudal region because of sparsity of terminal degeneration. Fiber degeneration in rostral region appeared to be distributed primarily in the dendritic fields while that in the middle region terminated on both cell somata and dendrites. Overlap of dermatomes in periphery and centrally in nucleus parallel each other. Throughout the nucleus, greatest overlap of root distribution was encountered in more ventral regions. A root supplying a more distal dermatome (e.g. L6) compared to a more proximal one (e.g. L1), terminates more densely and dorsally in the nucleus. An occasional degenerated fiber passed into the contralateral gracile nucleus at obex level. Root degeneration proceeded, ipsilaterally, into rostro-dorsal regions of lateral cuneate, cuneate, and caudo-lateral regions of 2 nuclei. Bilateral degeneration from all roots, excepting S1, was noted in rostral pole of subnucleus caudalis and the subnucleus interpolaris of spinal trigeminal complex and nucleus reticularis parvicellularis. The pathway to the spinal trigeminal and parvicellular nuclei was undetermined. The concept of the non-homogenous organization of the gracile nucleus was supported.
Direct Oxidation of Methanol on Pt Nanostructures Supported on Electrospun Nanofibers of Anatase

This letter reports an electrocatalytic study of electrospun anatase nanofibers decorated with Pt catalysts in the form of nanoparticles or nanowires. We decorated the surface of nanofibers with Pt through a polyol process, in which nanoparticles of 2−5 nm in size were formed with different densities depending on the reaction time. By adding Fe(III) ions to the polyol process, we also obtained Pt nanowires of ∼7 nm in diameter and up to 125 nm in length. We then studied the effects of both the coverage and morphology of the Pt nanostructures on the methanol oxidation reaction. Nanofibers with a submonolayer of Pt nanoparticles were found to display improved catalytic durability over commercial Pt/C as determined by chronoamperometry owing to a synergistic effect of the underlying anatase surface and the Pt nanostructures with well-defined facets. Improvement in catalytic activity and durability were also observed for Pt nanowires, indicating that the additional catalytic facets on the nanowires can enhanc...
Cognitive Neuroscience and Moral Decision-making: Guide or Set Aside?

It is by now a well-supported hypothesis in cognitive neuroscience that there exists a functional network for the moral appraisal of situations. However, there is a surprising disagreement amongst researchers about the significance of this network for moral actions, decisions, and behavior. Some researchers suggest that we should “uncover those ethics [that are “built into our brains”], identify them, and live more fully by them,” while others claim that we should often do the opposite, viewing the cognitive neuroscience of morality more like a science of pathology. To analyze and evaluate the disagreement, this paper will investigate some of its possible sources. These may include theoretical confusions about levels of explanation in cognitive science, or different senses of ‘morality’ that researchers are looking to explain. Other causes of the debate may come from empirical assumptions about how possible or preferable it is to separate intuitive moral appraisal from moral decisions. Although we will tentatively favor the ‘Set Aside’ approach, the questions outlined here are open areas of ongoing research, and this paper will be confined to outlining the position space of the debate rather than definitively resolving it.
Ethnicity and Populist Mobilization: Political Parties, Citizens and Democracy in South India

This book examines how the interactions of party and society continually reshape ethnic identities and redirect ethnic politics. It is the first comprehensive study in two decades which explores the activities of the Dravidian parties of South India. The author traces the shift of the Dravidian parties through the course of the century from an emphasis on heresy to the promotion of tolerance. The book uses methods drawn from political science, sociology and historical anthropology
Effects of Biot Number on Temperature and Heat-Flux Distributions in a TBC-Coated Flat Plate Cooled by Rib-Enhanced Internal Cooling

Advanced turbines are designed to operate at near the material’s maximum allowable temperature. Thus, there is very little room for mistakes in the design of cooling strategies. Since the heat-transfer coefficient varies significantly about ribs and pin fins in internal-cooling passages, different parts of the turbine material exposed to the hot gas are cooled at different rates by internal cooling, and this could produce substantial temperature variations within the material, including hot spots. For a given hot-gas temperature and a given coolant temperature, the amount of temperature variation within the material depends on the Biot number. In this study, conjugate heat-transfer analysis were performed to investigate the effects of Biot number on the temperature and heat flux in a TBC-coated flat plate exposed to hot gas on one side and rib-enhanced internal cooling on the other side. The Biot numbers (Bi) examined range from 0.4 to 6 if the length scale in Bi is based on the thickness of the TBC-coated plate (L) and 0.2 to 3 if based on L/2. This computational study uses 3-D steady RANS closed by the realizable k-e turbulence model for the gas phase (wall functions not used) and the Fourier law for the solid phase. Results obtained show that for two geometrically similar TBC-coated plates exposed to the same hot-gas and coolant temperatures, if Bi is nearly the same, then the magnitude of the temperature will be nearly the same and contours of the temperatures will be nearly geometrically similar. The contours of heat flux, however, will be geometrically similar but have very different magnitudes because the gradients are different. Also, though the variations in temperature from the hot-gas to the coolant side of the TBC-coated plate decrease with decreasing Bi, the variation in temperature in the spanwise direction can actually increase with decreasing Bi. When the Bi based on L is between 0.4 to 1, that temperature variation in the super alloy next to the TBC can differ by as much as 25 K along the spanwise direction because of the large variations in the local heat-transfer coefficients induced by the ribs in the spanwise direction.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Effective versions of Ramsey's theorem: avoiding the cone above 0 ′

Ramsey's Theorem states that if P is a partition of [ω]k into finitely many partition classes, then there exists an infinite set of natural numbers which is homogeneous for P. We consider the degrees of unsolvability and arithmetical definability properties of infinite homogeneous sets for recursive partitions. We give Jockusch's proof of Seetapun's recent theorem that for all recursive partitions of [ω]2 into finitely many pieces, there exists an infinite homogeneous set A such that ∅′ ≰TA. Two technical extensions of this result are given, establishing arithmetical bounds for such a set A. Applications to reverse mathematics and introreducible sets are discussed.
International Cooperation, Spoiling, and Transnational Terrorism

Do interstate relations influence the sources and targets of transnational terrorism? A considerable body of recent research suggests that the answer to this question is yes, and that one state may...
Rituals in Dating Relationships: The Development and Validation of a Measure

Rituals have been widely studied in interpersonal communication research, but no instrument measures perceived ritual use in dating relationships. The purpose of this study, through surveying 590 individuals in dating relationships, was to create and validate the Rituals in Dating Relationships (RDR) measure. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling resulted in a 5-factor measure, reinforcing previous research (Bruess & Pearson, 1997): couple-time rituals, everyday talk, idiosyncratic rituals, daily routines and tasks, and intimacy expressions. Ritual use was positively related to both perceived relational quality and perceived relational intimacy, demonstrating the concurrent and predictive validity of the RDR measure. The usefulness of the instrument in extending scholarship about rituals in dating relationships is explored.
UBV photometry of Iapetus - Results from five apparitions

Measurements of the brightness and B-V color index of the leading and trailing hemispheres of Iapetus during the past five apparitions of Saturn are presented. The dependence of brightness on solar phase angle is determined for the two faces of the satellite. After correction for solar phase angle and distance effects, the brighter trailing hemisphere of Iapetus was found to be constant in brightness and color index throughout the interval covered by the observations. The brightness of the dark leading hemisphere, however, decreased by about 0.2 mag over the same period, and its B-V color index reddened by 0.05 mag. These changes are interpreted as evidence for the existence of a bright southern pole cap on Iapetus.
Afocal coupled etalons. DEM: a high-resolution double-etalon modulator spectrometer

The properties of a spectroscopic device consisting of two etalons coupled by an afocal system, and which behaves as a high-luminosity single-etalon single-aperture Fabry-Perot spectrometer, have been investigated. Although the high-luminosity behavior is one of the many states in which a coupled dual-etalon system can exist, mainly the high-luminosity condition has been studied in detail here. This condition is reached when the orders of the etalons comprising the device are related by no1 = no2η−2, where the coupling constant is defined as η=μ1μ2−1f1f2−1 and μi and fi are the indices of refraction and coupling lens focal length associated with the ith etalon. In high-luminosity conditions, one of the etalons serves as a multiple annuli mask for the other thus making it possible to use many of these annuli to achieve the desired high throughput. The limitation on the number of orders usable is given by the (small) nonlinearity in the matching of these orders, because of the different etalon gaps. The results of the study show that luminosity gains near 100 (when compared with a single-etalon single-aperture Fabry-Perot spectrometer) are possible at high resolving powers. This occurs when the coupling constant η is not too far from unity. It is also shown that this device, or double-etalon modulator (DEM), is a compensated spectrometer since the gain increases with increasing resolving power. Other practical limitations, such as the beam walk-off from the edges of finite size etalons, are discussed.
Binge Ethanol-induced Neurodegeneration in Rat Organotypic Brain Slice Cultures: Effects of PLA2 Inhibitor Mepacrine and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

Using rat organotypic hippocampal-entorhinal cortical (HEC) slice cultures, we examined whether phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity is involved in binge alcohol (ethanol)-induced neurodegeneration, and whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3), a fish oil-enriched fatty acid that is anti-inflammatory in brain damage models, is neuroprotective. Assessed with propidium iodide and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, neurodamage from ethanol (6 days 100 mM ethanol with four withdrawal periods) was prevented by the PLA2 pan-inhibitor, mepacrine. Also, ethanol-dependent neurodegeneration-particularly in the entorhinal region-was significantly ameliorated by DHA supplementation (25 microM); however, adrenic acid, a 22:4n-6 analog, was ineffective. Consistent with PLA2 activation, [(3)H] liberation was approximately fivefold greater in [(3)H]arachidonic acid-preloaded HEC slice cultures during ethanol withdrawal compared to controls, and DHA supplementation suppressed [(3)H] release to control levels. DHA might antagonize PLA2 activity directly or suppress upstream activators (e.g., oxidative stress); however, other DHA mechanisms could be important in subdueing ethanol-induced PLA2-dependent and independent neuroinflammatory processes.
Quantitative detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef by the polymerase chain reaction

Abstract A method for quantitative detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed. The method used the NIH Image 1·61 software program to quantitatively analyse the intensity of the fluorescent image of the amplified PCR product. Based on the PCR with SLT1 and SLT2 primers used separately, a log-linear relationship between the numbers of cfu of E. coli O157:H7 inoculated into ground beef and the intensity of the PCR products was achieved with and without enrichment. Without enrichment, 150 cfu of E. coli O157:H7 per gram of ground beef were detected. In contrast, the detection limit decreased to 1·2 cfu g −1 of ground beef using SLT1 and SLT2 primers after 4·5 h of enrichment using modified EC broth with 20 μg ml −1 of novobiocin.
Coprecipitation and adsorption of Mn(II) with mackinawite (FeS) under conditions similar to those found in anoxic sediments

The metastable iron sulfide mineral mackinawite commonly forms in anoxic sediments in the region where elevated concentrations of dissolved Mn2+ are also observed. There is, consequently, a potential for significant interactions between dissolved Mn and mackinawite. We have experimentally investigated adsorption of Mn2+ on mackinawite and its coprecipitation with mackinawite using chemostat techniques. The very fine-grained nature of mackinawite results in adsorption being quantitatively (generally > 90%) much more important than coprecipitation. Adsorption of Mn2+ follows a Langmuir-type isotherm and decreases substantially with increasing salinity. The partition coefficient for Mn2+ with mackinawite, in low ionic strength solutions at 25°C extrapolated to zero reaction rate, is 4.8 (±0.5) × 103. It approximately doubles for every 20°C increase in temperature, and, over the range of conditions investigated, was found to be close to independent of pH and the mole fraction of MnS. The partition coefficient is 1.8 (±0.35) × 10−3 in seawater of S = 35 at 25°C at a slow reaction rate (0.5 μmol L−1 min.−1). It also decreases by about a factor of 3 at high precipitation rates, possibly because of the formation of a greater proportion of amorphous-FeS rather than mackinawite or an inability of the sorption reaction to keep up with the rate of formation of new surfaces.
Self-organized novel morphologies of lamellar aluminophosphates

Ordered lamellar aluminophosphates (LAP) display a shell-like shape with novel surface features patterned on the micrometer scale. The resulting materials represent replicas of the architecture of self-assembled organic–inorganic microemulsions, suggesting that the surface patterns arise from the emulsification of the oil-swollen tails and hydrated head groups in DDP (decylammonium dihydrogen phosphate) layers.
Strategy for faster blind reconstruction of tip geometry for scanned probe microscopy

In scanned probe microscopy, it is necessary to know the tip's geometry in order to correct image distortions due to its finite size. Heretofore, methods have focused upon determining the tip shape by erosion of a 'tip characterizer' of known geometry from its image. Three dimensional knowledge of the characterizer with uncertainties small at the size scale of the tip is a prerequisite for this method. The necessary accuracy is often difficult to meet in practice, particularly for characterizers with relief on the order of a micrometer such as are required to measure tips for use with microlithographic specimens A recently proposed alternative, blind reconstruction, permits estimation of the tip shape even with an unknown tip characterizer. The method relies upon the fact that tips which are too blunt are inconsistent with observed image features. For each pixel on a measured image, one may determine a corresponding outer bound on the tip shape. The actual tip must be consistent with the bounds determined for all image points. For well-chosen characterizers, blind reconstruction provides a good estimate of the tip geometry. Although this method eliminates the need for separate calibration of the tip characterizer, it is more computationally intensive than reconstruction by erosion. Blind reconstruction is reviewed, and a strategy for decreasing the computation time is discussed. A factor of three or more may be saved for typical images in an exact calculation, while an additional factor of ten or more may be saved by restoring to approximate methods.
Ascorbic Acid Retention in Orange Juice Stored under Simulated Consumer Home Conditions

Ascorbic acid levels in 13 types of commercially packaged orange juices and a juice drink were monitored over 5–7 days at 4.5°C as stored in the original container. Comparable samples stored in an open plastic container were monitored for comparison. In both cases the average ascorbic acid loss was about 1.5–2% per day. These simulated consumer home conditions showed that juice retained an average of 88% of the original ascorbic acid after 1 wk, and 67% after 2 wk in opened containers stored at typical home refrigerator temperatures.
Alternative splicing and developmental and hormonal regulation of porcine comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) mRNA

The process of lipolysis is essential for regulating the catabolism of cellular fat stores. Therefore, knowledge of lipolysis contributes to improving porcine production, such as reducing back fat, enhancing lean meat, and controlling marbling. Comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) plays an important role in the multi-enzyme-mediated process of lipolysis. It was identified as the co-activator of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), which performs the first step in breaking down triacylglycerol and generating diacylglycerol and NEFA. We cloned and sequenced the CGI-58 cDNA and deduced the AA sequences in 3 breeds of swine (Duroc, Berkshire, and Landrace). Homologies were found with the human, mouse, and chicken for the lipid droplet binding domain, the α/β hydrolase domain, and the lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) domain, which demonstrates conservation of CGI-58 across species. An alternatively spliced isoform with an exon 3 deletion was identified. Interestingly, this unique isoform contains the lipid droplet-binding domain but lacks the LPAAT domain due to an open reading frame (ORF) shift that creates a premature stop codon. Furthermore, porcine CGI-58 is expressed in multiple organs and tissues but is most predominant in adipose tissue. Porcine adipose and stromal-vascular (SV) cell fractionation reveals that CGI-58 and ATGL are highly expressed (P < 0.01) in mature adipocytes. The expressions of both CGI-58 and ATGL mRNA were found to increase (P < 0.05) at d 6 of SV cell culture, confirming their upregulation during adipogenesis and differentiation. Also, the results from in vitro cell culture showed that insulin decreased (P < 0.05) the expressions of both CGI-58 and ATGL in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, these results report the cDNA and AA sequences of porcine CGI-58 with identification of its unique alternatively spliced variant. The results of the study also reveal the developmental and hormonal regulation of porcine CGI-58 gene, which contributes to the understanding of the role of CGI-58 in lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that CGI-58 may be a new target for enhancing the quality of pork products as well as offering the potential of CGI-58 for human obesity treatment.
Which Ruler Do We Use? Theorizing the Division of Domestic Labor

Alberts, Tracy, and Trethewey move theorizing forward by integrating multiple existing theories to render a broader explanatory account of men's and women's typically different investments in domestic labor (2011, this issue). However, Alberts et al. appear to endorse a particular and arbitrary standard for domestic labor when they move from identifying causes of heterosexual partners' typically unequal investment in domestic labor to ascribing value to these differences in behavior based on a standard that is not derived from or endorsed by both partners. From a critical perspective, it seems unwise to assume, without convincing data and argument, that women's typically higher standard of domestic labor is better. Endorsing women's typically higher standard also has potential to reinscribe gender socialization and its impact on many women's identities.
A note on weak operator precedence grammars

Abstract Precedence grammars, operator precedence relations, Wirth–Weber precedence relations, parsing