cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Project-Based Learning to Develop Teachers for Leadership

Developing teachers for leadership is an important step needed to build strong instructional programs in our schools. As a method for developing leadership, project-based learning (PBL) has incredi...
Antimycin A increases bronchopulmonary C-fiber excitability via protein kinase C alpha

Inflammation can increase the excitability of bronchopulmonary C-fibers leading to excessive sensations and reflexes (e.g. wheeze and cough). We have previously shown modulation of peripheral nerve terminal mitochondria by antimycin A causes hyperexcitability in TRPV1-expressing bronchopulmonary C-fibers through the activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Here, we have investigated the PKC isoform responsible for this signaling. We found PKCβ1, PKCδ and PKCe were expressed by many vagal neurons, with PKCα and PKCβ2 expressed by subsets of vagal neurons. In dissociated vagal neurons, antimycin A caused translocation of PKCα but not the other isoforms, and only in TRPV1-lineage neurons. In bronchopulmonary C-fiber recordings, antimycin A increased the number of action potentials evoked by α,β-methylene ATP. Selective inhibition of PKCα, PKCβ1 and PKCβ2 with 50 nM bisindolylmaleimide I prevented the antimycin-induced bronchopulmonary C-fiber hyperexcitability, whereas selective inhibition of only PKCβ1 and PKCβ2 with 50 nM LY333531 had no effect. We therefore conclude that PKCα is required for antimycin-induced increases in bronchopulmonary C-fiber excitability.
A light-touch routing optimization tool (RoOT) for vaccine and medical supply distribution in Mozambique.

Planning vaccine distribution in rural and urban poor communities is challenging, due in part to inadequate vehicles, limited cold storage, road availability, and weather conditions. The University of Washington and VillageReach jointly developed and tested a user-friendly, Excel spreadsheet based optimization tool for routing and scheduling to efficiently distribute vaccines and other medical commodities to health centers across Mozambique. This paper describes the tool and the process used to define the problem and obtain feedback from users during the development. The distribution and routing tool, named route optimization tool (RoOT), uses an indexing algorithm to optimize the routes under constrained resources. Numerical results are presented using five datasets, three realistic and two artificial datasets. RoOT can be used in routine or emergency situations, and may be easily adapted to include other products, regions, or logistic problems.
Hummingbird: Efficient Performance Prediction for Executing Genomic Applications in the Cloud.

Motivation A major drawback of executing genomic applications on cloud computing facilities is the lack of tools to predict which instance type is the most appropriate, often resulting in an over- or under- matching of resources. Determining the right configuration before actually running the applications will save money and time. Here, we introduce Hummingbird, a tool for predicting performance of computing instances with varying memory and CPU on multiple cloud platforms. Results Our experiments on three major genomic data pipelines, including GATK HaplotypeCaller, GATK MuTect2, and ENCODE ATAC-seq, showed that Hummingbird was able to address applications in command line specified in JSON format or workflow description language (WDL) format, and accurately predicted the fastest, the cheapest, and the most cost-efficient compute instances in an economic manner. Availability Hummingbird is available as an open source tool at: https://github.com/StanfordBioinformatics/Hummingbird. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Case report of unusual cause of trigeminal neuralgia: Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to enlarged suprameatal tubercle.

Abstract Background Classic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is caused by vessels compressing the trigeminal nerve root entry zone. The cause is usually impingement of the superior cerebellar artery, anterior inferior cerebellar artery, or a vein. Other rare causes have been reported including aneurysmal compression, skull base tumors, and vascular malformations. An enlarged suprameatal tubercle (EST) as a cause of TN has not yet been described. Case presentation We report the first case of 37 year old female patient presented with severe TN involving the three branches of trigeminal nerve who failed medical treatment and underwent multiple balloon compression for left TN with minimal improvement. The severity of pain was assessed using Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity score. Patient had brain MRI with CISS sequence and CT scan for the brain. After careful revision of her imaging studies, patient found to have prominent and heavily calcified left supra meatal tubercle. Her preoperative BNI score was 5. Patient had left retrosigmoid craniotomy and drilling of left suprameatal tubercle. No other structures were seen in contact with left trigeminal nerve root entry zone. Patient had significant improvement on her pain, postoperative BNI score was 1 until the last follow-up 4 years. Conclusion EST is a rare cause of TGN and should be suspected as the offending compressing structure when no other causes seen on imaging studies.
Kinetic multi-layer model of film formation, growth, and chemistry (KM-FILM): Boundary layer processes, multi-layer adsorption, bulk diffusion, and heterogeneous reactions.

Large surface area-to-volume ratios indoors cause heterogeneous interactions to be especially important. Semi-volatile organic compounds can deposit on impermeable indoor surfaces forming thin organic films. We developed a new model to simulate the initial film formation by treating gas-phase diffusion and turbulence through a surface boundary layer and multi-layer reversible adsorption on rough surfaces, as well as subsequent film growth by resolving bulk diffusion and chemical reactions in a film. The model was applied with consistent parameters to reproduce twenty-one sets of film formation measurements due to multi-layer adsorption of multiple phthalates onto different indoor-relevant surfaces, showing that the films should initially be patchy with the formation of pyramid-like structures on the surface. Sensitivity tests showed that highly turbulent conditions can lead to the film growing by more than a factor of two compared to low turbulence conditions. If surface films adopt an ultra-viscous state with bulk diffusion coefficients of less than 10-18 cm2 s-1 , a significant decrease in film growth is expected. The presence of chemical reactions in the film has the potential to increase the rate of film growth by nearly a factor of two.
Integrating human dimensions within the LTAR Network to achieve agroecological system transformation

On the Ground • Agroecosystem research often focuses on biophysical processes and productivity without incorporating human dimensions research and/or stakeholder engagement. • Connecting individual and community well-being to agro-innovation research is required for agro-ecological transformation to sustainable intensification. • Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network sites have historically had varied degrees of human dimensions research within their research plan; however, LTAR's human dimensions capacity has grown. • To capitalize on this capacity, we propose a four-step framework for the LTAR Network to evolve a cohesive human dimensions strategy that brings together the social and ecological. • Continued institutional support is required to maintain and further pursue research that will support stakeholder co-developed science that facilitates agroecosystem transformations benefiting society.
Specificity of Prohormone Processing

Cells that use peptides as intercellular messengers employ a biosynthetic strategy that differs substantially from the biosynthesis of other chemical messengers. Most neuropeptides are initially synthesized as larger precursor proteins (prohormones) that are cleaved enzymatically to produce the bioactive peptides. The primary structures of many prohormones have been established in recent years, largely due to the advent of recombinant DNA technique (for review, see Douglas et al., 1984). In many prohormones, two or more bioactive domains will overlap, with a potential proteolytic processing site occurring within the sequence of a bioactive peptide. Differential cleavage of such internal sites can give rise to peptides with marked differences in both potency at a particular receptor and/or selectivity for various receptors, yielding products with substantial differences in biological function. Thus, a fundamental question of neuropeptide biosynthesis concerns the control of the specificity of cleavage of the precursor.
Organization and training of a cyber security team

The Cyber Defense Exercise (CDX), an annual competition between students at the five U.S. Service Academies has developed into an extraordinary educational experience for the cadets and midshipmen who take part in the exercise. It provides an excellent capstone exercise for these students during which their skills in protecting and defending information assurance concepts and their skills in protecting and defending information systems are assessed in the context of realist, true-to-life scenario. During the three years that this exercise has been conducted two additional significant benefits, neither of which had been anticipated by the exercise developers, have been realized. In particular, as the manner in which cadet prepare for and participate in the CDX has evolved it has become clear that it is an excellent leader development experience for all of the exercise participants. Finally, since the skill and the knowledge levels of the participants has improved so dramatically over the past three years the CDX has become an excellent testing ground for new emerging concepts in information assurance.
Cation Selectivities Shown by Cyclic Polyethers and Their Thia Derivatives

The first multidentate macrocyclic compound with proven ability to form stable alkali metal complexes was prepared in 1962 by Pedersen (1967, 1977). This compound, 2,3,11,12-dibenzo-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadeca-2, 11-diene, was nicknamed dibenzo-18-crown-6 (Figure l:IIb) by its discoverer, and was the precursor of several hundred synthetic macro-cyclic compounds of the cyclic polyether type which have since been prepared (Christensen et al., 1974; Bradshaw, 1977). The nomenclature here is taken from that proposed by Pedersen (1967). The original fibrous crystals of dibenzo-18-crown-6 were relatively insoluble inmethanol, but the solubility was markedly increased in the presence of NaOH, or any soluble sodium salt. This result was unexpected; but following the further discovery that the compound was cyclic, it was deduced that its solubility in methanol was related to its complexation with Na+. The ability to complex alkali metal cations was the first of many interesting properties these compounds have been found to have. Their novel reactions with cations have led to their use in a steadily increasing number of interesting ways (Ovchinnikov et al., 1974; Izatt et al., 1973; Pedersen and Frensdorff, 1972) including the following: ion detection in devices such as cation selective electrodes; phase transfer catalysis; selective complexation of given cations in studies of reaction mechanisms; elucidation of biological transport mechanisms; study of solvation and ion pairing effects; solubilization of salts in solvents of low polarity by complexation of the cation and formation of an ion-pair leading to new or improved organic synthesis and increased reaction yields; separation of different cations from one another; separation of Ca isotopes; development of novel electrochemical cells; development of carrier membrane systems with possible application in the removal of heavy metal ions from wastes; and use as drugs to remove cations from or introduce them into living systems. In addition to these applications involving metallic cations, Cram and his co-workers (Cram and Cram, 1974; Helgeson et al., 1974) have been instrumental in developing the area of host-guest chemistry which involves complexes of organic cations, and have demonstrated the feasibility of using macrocyclic compounds for chiral recognition. It is evident from these examples that differentiation among cations, organic as well as inorganic, is of interest in many industrial and academic areas.
Productive Efficiency of the Swine Industry in Hawaii: Stochastic Frontier vs. Data Envelopment Analysis

Improving productive efficiency is an increasingly important determinant of the future of the swine industry in Hawaii. This paper examines the productive efficiency of a sample of swine producers in Hawaii by estimating a stochastic frontier production function and the constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) output-oriented DEA models. The technical efficiency estimates obtained from the two frontier techniques are compared. The scale properties are also examined under the two approaches. The industry's potential for increasing production through improved efficiency is also discussed.
Comprehensive approach to endoscopies in children and adolescents

For children, endoscopies are very unpleasant and difficult to cope with. Endoscopies require a very good teamwork. The objective of the endoscopic team is to perform endoscopic procedures skillfully, safely, quickly, and as painlessly for children as possible. To perform a good endoscopic procedure, good preparation of the child and parents is essential. They should all be actively involved in all phases of the procedure, including during the endoscopy. We have to provide children holistic care. We have to abide physiological, developmental, social and cultural aspects of the child. Sedation of children during endoscopy minimizes bad experience for them, and allows better performance of the procedure or intervention. We perform gastroscopy under sedation in children younger than ten years of age, with rare exceptions. Colonoscopies are always performed under sedation. Capsule endoscopy is a newer diagnostic method in gastroenterology that enables examination of the whole small bowel. In children, it is an important and safe diagnostic method that is being successfully used in young children as well. A child scheduled for capsule endoscopy receives nursing care from admission onwards. The primary care nurse and graduate nurse work together in all phases of the diagnostic procedure: in the preparation of the child for the procedure, and in the introduction of capsule (with or without an endoscope). The nurse is responsible for the child’s safety during the procedure, for his correct timing of feeding, his well-being, regular defecation, and for monitoring the child for any side effects following the procedure. The child’s parents, when necessary, are included in all these activities. The aim of nursing care is good preparation of the child for the procedure, inclusion of his parents and teamwork to provide a safe, child-friendly and well-performed procedure.
How is the ocean filled

[1] The ocean surface rapidly exchanges heat, freshwater, and gases with the atmosphere, but once water sinks into the ocean interior, the inherited properties of seawater are closely conserved. Previous water-mass decompositions have described the oceanic interior as being filled by just a few different property combinations, or water masses. Here we apply a new inversion technique to climatological tracer distributions to find the pathways by which the ocean is filled from over 10,000 surface regions, based on the discretization of the ocean surface at 2° by 2° resolution. The volume of water originating from each surface location is quantified in a global framework, and can be summarized by the estimate that 15% of the surface area fills 85% of the ocean interior volume. Ranked from largest to smallest, the volume contributions scaled by surface area follow a power-law distribution with an exponent of −1.09 ± 0.03 that appears indicative of the advective-diffusive filling characteristics of the ocean circulation, as demonstrated using a simple model. This work quantifies the connection between the surface and interior ocean, allowing insight into ocean composition, atmosphere-ocean interaction, and the transient response of the ocean to a changing climate.
Uniqueness of the infinite cluster and related results in percolation

We present the following results for independent percolation: a) continuous differentiability (in the natural parameters) of the free energy function (mean number of clusters per site), b) uniqueness of the infinite cluster, c) continuity of the connectivity functions. As a corollary of a) and previous results of van den Berg and Keane, there follows d) continuity of the percolation density, except possibly at the critical point. These results are valid for both site and bond percolation on d-dimensional lattices with arbitrary d and for translation-invariant long range bond models (satisfying a natural irreducibility condition).
Unraveling the effect of genes and environment in the transmission of parental antisocial behavior to children’s conduct disturbance, depression and hyperactivity

Background: A critical issue in devising effective interventions for the treatment of children’s behavioral and emotional problems identifying genuine family environmental factors that place children at risk. In most twin and family studies, environmental factors are confounded with both direct genetic risk from parents and the indirect effect of genes influencing parents’ ability to provide an optimal rearing environment. The present study was undertaken to determine whether parental psychopathology, specifically parental antisocial behavior (ASP), is a genuine environmental risk factor for juvenile conduct disturbance, depression and hyperactivity, or whether the association between parental ASP and children’s behavioral and emotional problems can be explained as a secondary consequence of the intergenerational transmission of genetic factors. Methods: An extended children of twins design comprised of data collected on 2,674 adult female and male twins, their spouses, and 2,454 of their children was used to test whether genetic and/or family environmental factors best accounted for the association between parental antisocial behavior and children’s behavioral problems. An age-matched sample of 2,826 juvenile twin pairs from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development was also included to examine developmental differences in gene expression by partitioning child-specific transmissible effects from those effects that persist into adulthood. The fit of alternative models was evaluated using the statistical program Mx. Results: We found distinct patterns of transmission between parental antisocial behavior and juvenile conduct, depression and hyperactivity. Genetic and family environmental factors accounted for the resemblance between parents’ ASP and children’s conduct disturbance. Family environmental factors alone explained the association between child depression and parental ASP, and the impact of parental ASP on hyperactivity was entirely genetic. Conclusions: These findings underscore differences in the contribution of genetic and environmental factors on the patterns of association between parental antisocial behavior and juvenile psychopathology, having important clinical implications for the prevention and amelioration of child behavioral and emotional problems.
Distinct Pathways Generate Peptides from Defective Ribosomal Products for CD8+ T Cell Immunosurveillance

To understand better the endogenous sources of MHC class I peptide ligands, we generated an antigenic reporter protein whose degradation is rapidly and reversibly controlled with Shield-1, a cell-permeant drug. Using this system, we demonstrate that defective ribosomal products (DRiPs) represent a major and highly efficient source of peptides and are completely resistant to our attempts to stabilize the protein. Although peptides also derive from nascent Shield-1–sensitive proteins and “retirees” created by Shield-1 withdrawal, these are much less efficient sources on a molar basis. We use this system to identify two drugs—each known to inhibit polyubiquitin chain disassembly—that selectively inhibit presentation of Shield-1–resistant DRiPs. These findings provide the initial evidence for distinct biochemical pathways for presentation of DRiPs versus retirees and implicate polyubiquitin chain disassembly or the actions of deubiquitylating enzymes as playing an important role in DRiP presentation.
PATHWAYS FOR THE PROCESSING AND PRESENTATION OF ANTIGENS TO T CELLS

Two pathways exist within vertebrate cells to generate peptides for recognition by T cells. The "en- dogenous" pathway provides peptides to MHC class I molecules for presentation to CD8� T cells. These pep- tides are derived from proteins synthesized or residing in the cytoplasm or nucleus, and involves proteasomes and the ubiquitin pathway of protein degradation, as well as a specific peptide transporter (TAP) that allows these pep- tides access to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. The exogenous pathway provides peptides to MHC class II molecules for presentation to CD4� T cells. These pep- tides are derived from extracellular antigens taken up by endocytosis and degraded in the endosomal/lysosomal pathway. Peptide loading of MHC class H molecules re- quires the presence of a molecule (H-2M in mouse, HLA- DM in humans) that is structurally related to MHC class II molecules, but the mechanistic basis of this require- ment is unknown. The class II region of the MHC con- tains a cluster of genes encoding proteins involved in an- tigen processing, including genes for two proteasome subunits (LMP2 and LMP7), the peptide transporter heterodimer (TAP! and TAP2), and the H-2M/HLA-DM molecule (Ma and Mb, or DMA and DMB). J. Leukoc. Biol. 57: 543-547; 1995.
Physiological Importance of Quinoenzymes and the O-Quinone Family of Cofactors

O-quinone cofactors derived from tyrosine and tryptophan are involved in novel biological reactions that range from oxidative deaminations to free-radical redox reactions. The formation of each of these cofactors appears to involve post-translational modifications of either tyrosine or tryptophan residues. The modifications result in cofactors, such as topaquinone (TPQ), tryptophan tryptophylquinone (TTQ), lysine tyrosylquinone (LTQ) or the copper-complexed cysteinyl-tyrosyl radical from metal-catalyzed reactions. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) appears to be formed from the annulation of peptidyl glutamic acid and tyrosine residues stemming from their modification as components of a precursor peptide substrate. PQQ, a primary focus of this review, has invoked considerable interest because of its presence in foods, antioxidant properties and role as a growth-promoting factor. Although no enzymes in animals have been identified that exclusively utilize PQQ, oral supplementation of PQQ in nanomolar amounts increases the responsiveness of B- and T-cells to mitogens and improves neurologic function and reproductive outcome in rodents. Regarding TPQ and LTQ, a case may be made that the formation of TPQ and LTQ is also influenced by nutritional status, specifically dietary copper. For at least one of the amine oxidases, lysyl oxidase, enzymatic activity correlates directly with copper intake. TPQ and LTQ are generated following the incorporation of copper by a process that involves the two-step oxidation of a specified tyrosyl residue to first peptidyl dopa and then peptidyl topaquinone to generate active enzymes, generally classed as "quinoenzymes." Limited attention is also paid to TTQ and the copper-complexed cysteinyl-tyrosyl radical, cofactors important to fungal and bacterial redox processes.
Mean square stability analysis for uniformly circulant networked consensus with stochastic link failures

In this paper we consider a distributed consensus problem over a d-dimensional network whose each dimension is connected in the same circulant pattern. We call this network as a d-dimensional uniformly circulant network (UCN). All the communication links in a UCN are modeled as erasure channels and our objective is to analyze the mean square (MS) stability of this system. Generally speaking, the complexity of checking the MS stability does not scale nicely with the system's size and dimension. Previous work has shown that for systems with spatially invariant structures, their MS stability indices can be calculated in a closed form. In this paper, we further exploit the structures of UCN-based distributed consensus systems and obtain a more efficient result for their MS stability analysis. Moreover, further discussions gives us an insight into how system parameters will affect the MS stability. Simulations are provided to illustrate our results.
A critical role of the PTEN/PDGF signaling network for the regulation of radiosensitivity in adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Purpose Loss or mutation of the phosphate and tensin homologue (PTEN) is a common genetic abnormality in prostate cancer (PCa) and induces platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGF D) signaling. We examined the role of the PTEN/PDGF axis on radioresponse using a murine PTEN null prostate epithelial cell model. Methods and Materials PTEN wild-type (PTEN +/+ ) and PTEN knockout (PTEN −/− ) murine prostate epithelial cell lines were used to examine the relationship between the PTEN status and radiosensitivity and also to modulate the PDGF D expression levels. PTEN −/− cells were transduced with a small hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentiviral vector containing either scrambled nucleotides (SCRM) or sequences targeted to PDGF D (shPDGF D). Tumorigenesis and morphogenesis of these cell lines were evaluated in vivo via subcutaneous injection of male nude mice and in vitro using Matrigel 3-dimensional (3D) culture. Effects of irradiation on clonogenic survival, cell migration, and invasion were measured with respect to the PTEN status and the PDGF D expression level. In addition, apoptosis and cell cycle redistribution were examined as potential mechanisms for differences seen. Results PTEN −/− cells were highly tumorigenic in animals and effectively formed foci in 3D culture. Importantly, loss of PDGF D in these cell lines drastically diminished these phenotypes. Furthermore, PTEN −/− cells demonstrated increased clonogenic survival in vitro compared to PTEN +/+ , and attenuation of PDGF D significantly reversed this radioresistant phenotype. PTEN −/− cells displayed greater migratory and invasive potential at baseline as well as after irradiation. Both the basal and radiation-induced migratory and invasive phenotypes in PTEN −/− cells required PDGF D expression. Interestingly, these differences were independent of apoptosis and cell cycle redistribution, as they showed no significant difference. Conclusions We propose that PDGF D represents a potentially promising target for PCa treatment resistance in the absence of PTEN function, and warrants further laboratory evaluation and clinical study.
Assembly of a Ternary Complex by the Predicted Minimal Coiled-coil-forming Domains of Syntaxin, SNAP-25, and Synaptobrevin: A CIRCULAR DICHROISM STUDY

The assembly of target (t-SNARE) and vesicle-associated SNAP receptor (v-SNARE) proteins is a critical step for the docking of synaptic vesicles to the plasma membrane. Syntaxin-1A, SNAP-25, and synaptobrevin-2 (also known as vesicle-associated membrane protein, or VAMP-2) bind to each other with high affinity, and their binding regions are predicted to form a trimeric coiled-coil. Here, we have designed three peptides, which correspond to sequences located in the syntaxin-1A H3 domain, the C-terminal domain of SNAP-25, and a conserved central domain of synaptobrevin-2, that exhibit a high propensity to form a minimal trimeric coiled-coil. The peptides were synthesized by solid phase methods, and their interactions were studied by CD spectroscopy. In aqueous solution, the peptides were unstructured and showed no interactions with each other. In contrast, upon the addition of moderate amounts of trifluoroethanol (30%), the peptides adopted an α-helical structure and displayed both homomeric and heteromeric interactions. The interactions observed in ternary mixtures induce a stabilization of peptide structure that is greater than that predicted from individual binary interactions, suggesting the formation of a higher order structure compatible with the assembly of a trimeric coiled-coil.
EFFECT OF DECOLORIZATION AND LACTOSE INCORPORATION ON THE EMULSIFICATION CAPACITY OF SPRAYDRIED BLOOD PROTEIN CONCENTRATES

Blood protein concentrates were prepared from the serum and decolorized hemoglobin fractions of bovine blood. The emulsifying capacity of the concentrates was dependent on protein concentration and was not affected by spray drying. However, when the serum protein fraction was subjected to the decolorization treatment, its emulsifying capacity was reduced. Lactose, when added to the serum proteins prior to spray drying, prevented this reduction.
Biological preparedness and evolutionary explanation.

Abstract It is commonly supposed that evolutionary explanations of cognitive phenomena involve the assumption that the capacities to be explained are both innate and modular. This is understandable: independent selection of a trait requires that it be both heritable and largely decoupled from other ‘nearby’ traits. Cognitive capacities realized as innate modules would certainly satisfy these contraints. A viable evolutionary cognitive psychology, however, requires neither extreme nativism nor modularity, though it is consistent with both. In this paper, we seek to show that rather weak assumptions about innateness and modularity are consistent with evolutionary explanations of cognitive capacities. Evolutionary pressures can affect the degree to which the development of a capacity is canalized by biasing acquisition/learning in ways that favor development of concepts and capacities that proved adaptive to an organism's ancestors.
Lymphocyte Lifetime in Women

The lifetime of the lymphocyte in hematologically normal women is 530 +/- 64 days. This estimate, made from studies on 25 women who had received radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma, is based on the rate of disappearance of lymphocytes with acentric chromosome fragments.
Maraging behavior of an Fe-19.5Ni-5Mn alloy II: Evolution of reverse-transformed austenite during overaging☆

Abstract The evolution of reverse-transformed austenite in a maraging Fe-19.5Ni-5Mn alloy was examined using transmission electron microscopy. The types of reversed austenite observed were determined by the aging temperature and time. It was found that matrix austenite appeared first, followed by lath-like austenite and then by recrystallized austenite, the latter after prolonged aging at higher temperatures. Each evolved at different preferential sites. The first two types of reversed austenite contained dense dislocations that probably contributed to the subsequent recrystallization. The lath austenite was twin-related, and its orientation relationship with the residual martensite films obeyed either Nishiyama (N) or Kurdjumov-Sachs (K-S) relations, depending on the aging temperature. Each individual austenite lath nucleated independently with a habit plane close to {111} f , and constituted a lamellar structure with the residual martensite. Its formation possibly involved a shear mechanism accompanied by element redistribution. The matrix austenite and the lath-like austenite eventually recrystallized to form fine grains of austenite. Part of the recrystallized austenite transformed to martensite after cooling so that the resultant microstructure was a mixture of a few newly formed martensite laths and oval/spherical ferrite particles distributed in the recrystallized austenite matrix. The recrystallized austenite and ferrite particles, rather than the lamellar structure of lath-like austenite, are thought to be the equilibrium phases at 550°C.
A novel representation for planning 3-D collision-free paths

A new scheme for the representation of objects, the successive spherical approximation (SSA), facilitates the rapid planning of collision-free paths in a dynamic, three-dimensional environment. The hierarchical nature of the SSA allows collisions to be determined efficiently while still providing an exact representation of objects. The rapidity with which collisions can be detected, less than one second per environment object per path, makes it possible to use a generate-and-test path-planning strategy driven by human conceptual knowledge to determine collision-free paths in a matter of seconds on a Sun 3/180 computer. A hierarchy of rules, based on the concept of a freespace cell, is used to find heuristically satisfying collision-free paths in a structured environment. >
PortSim-A Port Security Simulation and Visualization Tool

Around the world, there is great concern about the movement of threat materials using seaport shipping containers. The benefit of early detection of weapons of mass destruction is obvious. However, the inspection process needs to be conducted in such a way as to not unreasonably impede normal commerce. Prior to actual deployment of new detection systems, policies, or procedures, it is useful to construct an operational and cost model of the port facility and to run simulations to gage the impact. Using a simulation model beforehand aids decision makers in evaluating tradeoffs. PortSim was developed at ORNL by the author to allow a user to investigate a number of parameters in order to see the impact on port operations and cost. It consolidates a conceptual operations model, cost information, policy and procedures database, a real-time data acquisition capability, and information flow tracking and provides a visualization of port operations in a geospatial environment. This paper describes the use of PortSim to simulate and visualize a typical port.
Research and Development of the Quick Mapping System on Rural Planning

The rural users have little knowledge on the professional planning map. So current many professional mapping systems are not suitable for these users. In order to help the rural users make and use the planning map themselves, a quick mapping system on rural planning and relative mapping methods are proposed in this work. The two core methods are the generation and classification method on the map symbol of the rural features and the visual disposal method on the rural planning flow. These new methods depress the complexity of the mapping and planning disposal. Based on these methods, the users with low computer skills can make digital map and planning. A quick mapping system on rural planning is developed by integrating the new methods. The system provides four core functions, i.e. Protract the planning map of the rural features, Generate map symbol with a wizard, Customize the planning flow and Dispose the planning business by the flow and display the village with 3D scene. Many rural planning maps produced by the software indicates that the software can improve the management efficiency of village theme inform action with certain degree.
An integral membrane green fluorescent protein marker, Us9-GFP, is quantitatively retained in cells during propidium iodide-based cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry.

Abstract Previously, we described GFP-spectrin, a membrane-localized derivative of the green fluorescent protein that can be employed as a marker during the simultaneous identification of transfected cells and cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry (Kalejtaet al., Cytometry29: 286–291, 1997). A membrane-anchored GFP fusion protein is necessary because the ethanol permeabilization step required to achieve efficient propidium iodide staining allows cytoplasmic GFP to leach out of the cell. However, viable cells expressing GFP-spectrin are not as bright as cells expressing cytoplasmic GFP and their fluorescence intensity is further diminished after ethanol treatment. Here, we demonstrate that the fluorescence intensity of cells expressing an integral membrane GFP fusion protein (Us9-GFP) is similar to that of cells expressing cytoplasmic GFP and is quantitatively maintained in cells after ethanol treatment. By allowing an accurate assessment of the expression level of GFP, Us9-GFP allows a more precise analysis of the effects of a cotransfected plasmid on the cell cycle and thus represents an improvement upon the original membrane-associated GFP fusion proteins employed in this assay.
Transhydrogenase activity in mammalian cells in vitro: Its possible physiological significance

Transhydrogenase (NADH:NADP oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.1.1.) activity has been demonstrated in mammalian cells cultured in vitro. Levels of activity of this enzyme were 10- to 20-fold higher in H4-II-E-C3 cells derived from the minimal deviation Reuber hepatoma than in three other cell lines tested. H4 cells lack the abibility to reduce nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate by the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase reaction. This raised the question of the physiological significance of transhydrogenase in these cells.
Evolutionary conservatism in arrangement of genetic material. A comparative analysis of chromosome banding between the rhesus macaque (2n equals 42, 84 arms) and the African green monkey (2n equals 60, 120 arms).

The diploid number of the Rhesus macaque, Macaca mulatta, is 42. All chromosomes are biarmed and all constitutive heterochromatins are centromeric. The diploid number of the African Green monkey, Cercopithecus aethiops, is 60. Again all chromosomes are biarmed, but seven pairs possess very short second arms which are heterochromatic. The heterochromatins of remaining chromosomes are centromeric. Using G-banding and deleting the heterochromatic short arms, the chromosomes of the African Green monkey can be artificially fused to reconstruct a karyotype of the Rhesus with only one pair of unmatched small metacentrics. In addition to the Robertsonian type of translocations, several sets of centromere-telomere translocations were found. The latter type of translocation reduced three arms into two. Thus the fundamental number can be changed by two mechanisms: growing extra heterochromatic arms and the centromere-telomere fusions.
Increased Leucocyte Glycogen in Down's Syndrome

LEUCOCYTE glycogen content and leucocyte alkaline phosphatase activity (LAP) usually vary in parallel. Both are increased in acute infections and polycythaemia vera1,2, in pregnancy3,4 and after administration of oestrogen5. Similarly, there is little of either glycogen or LAP in chronic granulocytic leukaemia1,2. There is known to be more LAP than normal in Down's syndrome6, and so we have measured leucocyte glycogen to find out whether the situation is the same.
The effect of builders on the sorption of sodium myristyl sulphate on cotton and on carbon

In the case of sorption on cotton there was an approximately linear increase in sorption of the detergent with increasing builder concentration. The effectiveness of the builders in this respect increased with increasing anionic charge and decreasing pH of the builder. In the case of sorption on carbon the addition of builder again led to an increase in sorption, but in this case the sorption was an exponential function of the builder concentration. The differences in effectiveness of the various builders in increasing sorption was less clear-cut than in the case of sorption on cotton, and there did not appear to be any consistent correlation between the amount of detergent sorbed and either the pH or the anionic charge of the builder.
Areal and lateral changes in a major trailing margin turbidite—The Black Shell Turbidite

The Black Shell Turbidite on the Hatteras Abyssal Plain covers at least 50,000 km2, with a volume over 100 km3. It was initiated by failure on the upper continental slope and was channeled southeast through Hatteras Canyon to the plain. Provenance related shape studies indicate that on the plain the current separated into a sandy Phase which flowed S-SE and a lutitic phase, which traveled E-SE and then veered to the south. A change in the direction of slope caused the sandy phase to be deflected to the SE, where it merged with the lutitic phase on the eastern margin of the plain.
A novel CRM1-dependent nuclear export signal in adenoviral E1A protein regulated by phosphorylation

Adenoviral E1A is a versatile protein that can reprogram host cells for efficient viral replication. The nuclear import of E1A is mediated by a nuclear localization signal; however, whether E1A can be actively exported from the nucleus is unknown. We first reported a CRM1-dependent nuclear export signal (NES) in E1A that is conserved in the group C adenoviruses. We showed that CRM1 and E1A coimmunoprecipitated and that blockage of CRM1 function by leptomycin B or small interfering RNA resulted in the nuclear localization of E1A. Through mutational analyses, we identified an active canonical NES element within the E1A protein spanning amino acids 70–80. We further demonstrated that phosphorylation of adjacent serine (S)89 resulted in the cytoplasmic accumulation of E1A. Interestingly, coincident with the accumulation of cells in the S/G2/M phase and histone H1 phosphorylation, E1A was relocated to the cytoplasm at the late stage of the viral cycle, which was blocked by the CDC2/CDK2 inhibitor roscovitine. ...
Social aspect of sustainable packaging

Sustainability is one of the ‘buzz’ words that is highly discussed in the area of packaging nowadays. For many product manufacturing business, incorporation of sustainability principles into their business practice can only be visualized by others in the end product through packaging. Besides the criteria, underlying concepts and principles, most discussions towards achieving goals for sustainable packaging are focused on details of models and practices adopted by the industry, and the effectiveness and practicality of these practices in balancing the economic profits and environmental benefits. While the economic and environmental bases of packaging sustainability have been examined and discussed in great detail, the same is not true of social consideration. Although the success of sustainable packaging development actually relies on both technological development and social considerations, many of the social aspects of sustainable packaging are often overlooked. Although many companies have been putting the efforts and initiatives to elevate sustainability from an abstract goal into an immediate priority, relatively little is known about the consumers' insights of packaging sustainability. Recognizing the consumers as the final arbiter of the success of sustainable packaging, this paper will explore consumers' perceptions on the sustainable packaging concept, their perceptions of the impact to the environment and discuss factors that drive consumers' preferences and purchase decision. Discussion and information gathered in this paper is aimed to stimulate understanding on the importance of the social dimension of packaging sustainability and its role in supporting the efforts to improve sustainability practice. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Concentrations and co-occurrence correlations of 88 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the ambient air of 13 semi-rural to urban locations in the United States

Abstract The ambient air concentrations of 88 volatile organic compounds were determined in samples taken at 13 semi-rural to urban locations in Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Louisiana, and California. The sampling periods ranged from 7 to 29 months, yielding a large data set with a total of 23,191 individual air concentration values, some of which were designated “ND” (not detected). For each compound at each sampling site, the air concentrations (ca, ppbV) are reported in terms of means, medians, and means of the detected values. The analytical method utilized adsorption/thermal desorption with air-sampling cartridges. The analytes included numerous halogenated alkanes, halogenated alkenes, ethers, alcohols, nitriles, esters, ketones, aromatics, a disulfide, and a furan. At some sites, the air concentrations of the gasoline-related aromatic compounds and the gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether were seasonally dependent, with concentrations that maximized in the winter. For each site studied here, the concentrations of some compounds were highly correlated one with another (e.g., the BTEX group (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and the xylenes). Other aromatic compounds were also all generally correlated with one another, while the concentrations of other compound pairs were not correlated (e.g., benzene was not correlated with CFC-12). The concentrations found for the BTEX group were generally lower than the values that have been previously reported for urbanized and industrialized areas of other nations.
Blocking performance of time switching in TDM wavelength routing networks

Advances in optical WDM technology have paved the way for high-capacity wavelength channels capable of carrying information at Gb/s rates. However, with current traffic streams requiring only a fraction of a wavelength's bandwidth, it becomes necessary to groom these independent low rate traffic streams on to higher capacity wavelength channels. An all-optical approach to grooming is to allow many connections to time-share a wavelength. Accordingly, in a TDM wavelength routing network, the establishment of a connection requires the assignment of time slots in addition to routing and wavelength assignment. One of the primary challenges in such networks is the need for quick reconfiguration at the routing nodes. In this paper, we investigate the effects of switch reconfigurability, wavelength conversion and time slot interchangers (TSIs) on the blocking performance of connections with multiple rates. Heuristics for time slot assignment that consider constraints imposed by six different node architectures are proposed, and the blocking performance of the TDM wavelength routing network is evaluated through simulations. Results indicate that limited reconfigurability at the nodes is sufficient to attain the performance obtained with full reconfigurability, especially when connections occupy only a small fraction of the wavelength capacity. Furthermore, the blocking performance is not seen to benefit significantly with the introduction of wavelength converters and TSIs, thus signifying that the improvement in blocking is largely dependent on the switch reconfigurability at the nodes.
Anti-tumor activity of sorafenib in a model of a pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract Background Treatment outcome of children with pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma (pHCC) is poor. Therefore, we evaluated the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib in a model of pHCC. Methods Cell viability after treatment with sorafenib was evaluated in HC-AFW1 cells (pHCC) using MTT assay and compared to an adult HCC (aHCC) and two hepatoblastoma (HB) cell lines. ERK, pERK, E-cadherin, and vimentin expression were investigated using Western Blot. Sorafenib (60 mg/kg) was administered orally to NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid-IL2rgtmWjl/Sz mice bearing subcutaneous HC-AFW1-derived tumors. Tumor progression, viability, and vascularization were monitored by tumor volume, AFP levels, and CD31 immunostaining, respectively. Sensitization to sorafenib was evaluated using the β-catenin inhibitor ICG001. Results Sorafenib reduced cell viability in HC-AFW1 (IC50: 8 µM), comparable to HB cells, however less pronounced in aHCC cells (IC50: 23 µM). Sorafenib inhibited ERK signaling in both, HC-AFW1 cells and -xenografts. In vivo, sorafenib treatment only led to a moderate tumor growth inhibition, although significant reduction of vascularization and tumor growth kinetics was observed. Long-term treatment with sorafenib decreased E-cadherin, but showed no induction of vimentin expression. Combining sorafenib with a β-catenin inhibitor led to an additional reduction of cell viability. Conclusion Sorafenib together with inhibitors of the β-catenin pathway might be an effective tool in the treatment of pediatric HCC.