cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicity and accumulation of arsenic in green sunfish,Lepomis cyanellus, exposed to arsenate in water

The purpose of the study was to determine to what extent green sunfish, an active freshwater fish, was affected by short-term exposures to high concentrations of a less potent arsenical, sodium arsenate. Acute or short-term effects of this arsenical were assessed on the basis of mortality; lethal time for 50 percent mortality (LT/sub 50/) and lethal dosage for 50 percent mortality (LD/sub 50/) were calculated by straight line graphic interpolation. Arsenic accumulation in whole fish at the time of death was measured using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and these values were compared with arsenic exposure, time before mortality, and fish condition. Cumulative percent mortality for all fish in the triplicate experiment increased with increasing exposure concentrations. Lethal times for 50 percent mortality for 100, 500, and 1000 ppM arsenic were 46, 17, and 12 hr, respectively. This effect was also observed at lower exposure levels: at 30 and 60 ppM arsenic and 20/sup 0/C, LT/sub 50/ decreased from 527 to 210 hr for green sunfish (SORENSEN 1974). Other metals produced the same effects. Time of death was compared to total arsenic accumulation. Fish exposed 10 100 ppM arsenic appear to be more successful in removing arsenic from the body overmore » short periods of time. Arsenic retention in organs of L cyanellus appeared to be short in duration. The high and variable arsenic accumulation before mortality of fish exposed to 500 and 1000 ppM arsenic seems to indicate that mortality might be caused by a second mechanism (perhaps mucous-clogging of the gills due to metallic irritation) at these levels. A lack of a correlation between various specimen parameters and fish weight might be due, in part, to the fact that nonessential elements such as arsenic (LIEBSCHER and SMITH 1968) are merely contaminations of tissue and have no significant function.« less
On the transport capacity of a broadcast Gaussian channel

The main question addressed in this paper is the problem of maximizing the "trans- port capacity" of a broadcast network in a Gaussian power-law channel, where by transport capacity we mean a generalization of the bandwidth-distance product as a means of assigning value to the information delivered by a communication network. This problem arises in areas such as cellular network coverage and ad-hoc network design, where the distance or area covered by a transmission is a critical consideration in the system design process. In the process of addressing this issue we also derive a transport-capacity maximizing resource allocation scheme for a general set of reward and channel penalty functions. The behavior of transport capacity for a very large network of receivers in a Gaussian power-law channel is also examined and a "large-scale" view of the optimal power allocation scheme for a given distance-payo function is provided. 1. Introduction and Problem Setup. In this paper we consider and general- ize the notion of transport capacity of a single-transmitter ad-hoc network. Transport capacity was originally defined in the work of Gupta and Kumar (5),(6) as the total bandwidth-distance product that a communication network is capable of supporting in a given area. In this paper we generalize this definition of the transport capacity to include more general payo functions and consider the resulting "transport capacity"
Monte Carlo modeling of epidemiological studies

Abstract As epidemiologists search for smaller and smaller effects, the statistical uncertainty in their studies can be dwarfed by biases and systematic uncertainty. We here suggest that Monte Carlo techniques are very useful to estimate some of these biases and uncertainties, and perhaps to avoid them entirely. We illustrate this by two simple Monte Carlo simulations. First, we show how often false positive findings, and sometimes false negative findings, can result from 33 differential misclassification of the exposure status. Secondly, we show how a bias, that we call “the binning bias,” can be caused if the investigator chooses bin boundaries after he has seen the data. We show how an allowance might be made for such a bias by increasing the uncertainty bounds. This would put the presentation of the results on a par with the presentation in physical sciences where a quantitative estimate of systematic errors is routinely included with the final result. Finally, we suggest how similar Monte Carlo simul...
Radical intermediates during degradation of lignin-model compounds and environmental pollutants: an electron spin resonance study

1. I discuss the following aspects of Phanerochaete chrysosporium ligninase, the enzyme that has been shown to degrade a number of lignin-model compounds, and environmentally significant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated phenols.2. The primary mode of oxidation involves formation of a cation radical, which undergoes either hydrolysis or carbon—carbon bond cleavage.3. In the presence of reducing substrate such as oxalic acid, ligninase has reductive activity that has been shown to be responsible for radical-mediated degradation of halogenated chemicals.4. Electron spin resonance technique can be used to monitor the cation radical and other radical formation during ligninase-mediated degradation of lignin-model compounds and other chemicals.
FRAGMENTATION FUNCTIONS FOR BARYONS IN A QUARK-DIQUARK MODEL ∗

A perturbative QCD calculation of heavy flavor quark fragmentation into heavy flavor baryons is developed along the lines of corresponding heavy meson models. The nonperturbative formation of the baryon is accomplished by implementing the quark-diquark model of the baryons. Diquark color form factors are used to enable the integration over the virtual heavy quark momentum. The resulting spin-independent functions for charmed and bottom quarks to fragment into charmed and bottom baryons with spin 1/2 and 3/2 are compared with recent data. Predictions are made for the spin-dependent fragmentation functions as well, particularly for the functions $g{\^{}}_{1}$ and $h{\^{}}_{1}$ in the case of spin 1/2 baryons.
Immunological relationship of the fish-pathogenic oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica to other oomycetes and unrelated fungi.

Abstract Marine polyclonal antibodies produced against Saprolegnia parasitica ATCC 52719 (formerly known as S. diclina; ATCC = American Type Culture Collection), a common oomycete pathogen of fishes, recognized most S. parasitica isolates in an indirect immunofluorescence assay. However, two of the six isolates had lower titers than did S. parasitica ATCC 52719. There was considerable cross-reactivity among other taxa, which was inversely related to their taxonomic relationship to S. parasitica. Saprolegnia parasitica ATCC 52719 antigen collected from an experimentally inoculated dead fish produced the same titer as the cultured S. parasitica ATCC 52719 antigen. These findings suggest that, with further specificity refinements, these immunological assays may eventually be useful in identifying oomycete infections in clinical cases.
Identification of a novel phosphorylation site in adipose triglyceride lipase as a regulator of lipid droplet localization.

Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), the rate-limiting enzyme for triacylglycerol (TG) hydrolysis, has long been known to be a phosphoprotein. However, the potential phosphorylation events that are involved in the regulation of ATGL function remain incompletely defined. Here, using a combinatorial proteomics approach, we obtained evidence that at least eight different sites of ATGL can be phosphorylated in adipocytes. Among them, Thr372 resides within the hydrophobic region known to mediate lipid droplet (LD) targeting. Although it had no impact on the TG hydrolase activity, substitution of phosphorylation-mimic Asp for Thr372 eliminated LD localization and LD-degrading capacity of ATGL expressed in HeLa cells. In contrast, mutation of Thr372 to Ala gave a protein that bound LDs and functioned the same as the wild-type protein. In nonstimulated adipocytes, the Asp mutation led to decreased LD association and basal lipolytic activity of ATGL, whereas the Ala mutation produced opposite effects. Moreover, the LD translocation of ATGL upon β-adrenergic stimulation was also compromised by the Asp mutation. In accord with these findings, the Ala mutation promoted and the Asp mutation attenuated the capacity of ATGL to mediate lipolysis in adipocytes under both basal and stimulated conditions. Collectively, these studies identified Thr372 as a novel phosphorylation site that may play a critical role in determining subcellular distribution as well as lipolytic action of ATGL.
Light-Controlled Molecular Switches Modulate Nanocrystal Fluorescence

Spiropyran dyes were attached to fluorescent core−shell CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals via thiol-containing linkers. Photoisomerization of the dye to its merocyanine form by UV irradiation caused a dramatic loss in the intrinsic nanoparticle fluorescence, which was regained upon reversing the isomerization with visible light. The fluorescence quenching efficiency increased with increasing spectral overlap of fluorescence emission and merocyanine adsorption bands, consistent with FRET as the quenching mechanism. Typically, complete quenching required at least 80 bound dye molecules per particle.
Transient Effects of Ionizing Radiation in Photodiodes

We report here on photodiode structures designed and fabricated to reduce the amplitude of unwanted, noise current induced during exposure to ionizing-radiation environments, without significantly reducing the desired photodiode signal current. For the optical wavelength range from .7 ?m to 1.4 ?m, we have studied three types of photodiode structures fabricated from AlGaAs, AlGaSb, and InGaAsP compound semiconductor materials. We also have tested and compared these specially fabricated, radiation insensitive photodiodes with commercially available photodiodes in an ionizing-radiation environment.
Stimulation of Endothelial Cell Production of Vasoconstrictive Substances by Hypertensive Sera

The endothelial cell regulates vessel tone by elaborating a number of vasoactive substances such as thromboxane and endothelin, both of which are highly vaosconstrictive, and prostacyclin and nitric oxide, both of which are vasodilatory. The current study examines the postulate that one of the mechanisms responsible for the increased vessel tone found in hypertension is the presence of substances in the sera of patients with this disorder that stimulates selectively the endothelial cell production of thromboxane and endothelin. Sera from ten patients with mild hypertension and from 11 age-matched controls were incubated with human umbilical arterial endothelial cells and the concentrations of endothelin, thromboxane, prostacyclin, and nitric oxide produced by the cells was measured in the supernatant. The results of the assays showed that the amounts of thromboxane and endothelin produced by endothelial cells in response to stimulation by hypertensive sera were significantly higher than the amounts produced in response to control sera; in comparison, the amounts of prostacyclin and nitric oxide produced by the cells in response to either hypertensive sera or control sera were not significantly different. The findings suggest that a mechanism that may be responsible for the increased vascular tone found in hypertension is the presence of substances in hypertensive sera that stimulate endothelial cells selectively to produce increased amounts of the vasoconstrictive hormones, endothelin and thromboxane.
Ambiguity measure feature-selection algorithm

With the increasing number of digital documents, the ability to automatically classify those documents both efficiently and accurately is becoming more critical and difficult. One of the major problems in text classification is the high dimensionality of feature space. We present the ambiguity measure (AM) feature-selection algorithm, which selects the most unambiguous features from the feature set. Unambiguous features are those features whose presence in a document indicate a strong degree of confidence that a document belongs to only one specific category. We apply AM feature selection on a naive Bayes text classifier. We favorably show the effectiveness of our approach in outperforming eight existing feature-selection methods, using five benchmark datasets with a statistical significance of at least 95p confidence. The support vector machine (SVM) text classifier is shown to perform consistently better than the naive Bayes text classifier. The drawback, however, is the time complexity in training a model. We further explore the effect of using the AM feature-selection method on an SVM text classifier. Our results indicate that the training time for the SVM algorithm can be reduced by more than 50p, while still improving the accuracy of the text classifier. We favorably show the effectiveness of our approach by demonstrating that it statistically significantly (99p confidence) outperforms eight existing feature-selection methods using four standard benchmark datasets. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Age and task efficiency in the ant Pheidole dentata : young minor workers are not specialist nurses

Age-related task performance, or temporal polyethism, is a prominent characteristic of labour organization in most social insects. In many species, including almost all ants, young workers perform within-nest tasks such as brood rearing and queen attendance and transition to tasks outside the nest as they age. We examined temporal polyethism in the ant Pheidole dentata by constructing single-age cohort subcolonies and directly determining the ability of young and old minor workers to care for the queen and developing brood. In contrast to the predictions of most temporal polyethism models, larvae reared by old workers gained significantly more mass than those reared by young workers, and did not differ significantly in mass from larvae reared by groups of workers of intermediate age. Additionally, old workers were more responsive to brood care and queen care needs than young workers: old workers approached, cared for and retrieved brood more frequently than young workers, and engaged in more queen-directed behaviours even though young workers tended to remain in closer proximity to the queen. These results do not support the traditional characterization of young workers as a discrete temporal caste specialized to respond to queen and brood needs. Although brood and queen care are performed earlier in development than foraging, older workers retain the ability to perform these tasks and do so with high efficiency. Our study suggests that the apparent specialization of young P. dentata minor workers on nursing may be an artefact of their age-related repertoire expansion and development of task proficiencies.
Cutting Edge: Hematopoietic-Derived APCs Select Regulatory T Cells in Thymus

Recognition of self-peptide–MHC complexes by high-affinity TCRs and CD28 signaling are critical for the development of forkhead-winged helix box transcription factor 3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in thymus. However, the type of APCs that are responsible for selecting Tregs has remained unclear. To dissect the role of hematopoietic-derived APCs (HCs) and thymic epithelial cells (TECs) in Treg selection, we constructed bone marrow chimeras with disrupted CD28/B7 signaling in the HC or TEC compartment and analyzed the generation of Tregs in the thymus. We found that both HCs and TECs were independently able to fully reconstitute the Treg population in the thymus of bone marrow chimeras. In addition, Treg selection requires the TCR signal and CD28 costimulation presented in cis on the same APC type in vivo. This study demonstrates a new role, to our knowledge, for HCs in the development of Tregs in thymus.
The Design of Middleware Support for Real-Time SOA

Service-oriented architectures (SOA) provide application systems the flexibility and cost-savings of dynamically composing workflows from reusable services. However, current SOA frameworks do not provide support for real-time workflow planning and execution. The goal of the RT-Llama SOA middleware framework is to address these new requirements. It works both at the service-level, by enhancing existing SOA middleware with service execution reservation capabilities, and at the end-to-end workflow-level, by creating a distributed component infrastructure for deadline-based workflow composition. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of the Virtual CPU (VCPU) resource scheduling scheme in RT-Llama to achieve predictable process executions. We have created a prototype implementation of RT-Llama using Sun Real-time JVM running on Solaris OS. Experiments consisting of real world service applications show that requests with end-to-end deadlines can be admitted and completed before deadlines with the VCPU scheme. We also show that service class differentiation can be achieved.
Successive generations of vitamin E-low rats

SummaryFour generations of vitamin E-low rats were observed as to growth and reproductive behavior. In the female there was a delay in maturity in each successive generation. Growth was also affected.The males in each generation were sterile but fertility was maintained in the fourth generation by the prophylactic administration of wheat germ oil.Coarse, sparse, yellowish fur and dystrophy that appear in rats maintained on vitamin E-low diets appeared progressively earlier in each successive generation.
A new framework for computer science and engineering

To realize the compelling future of computing studies, researchers and analysts must rethink the traditional way of partitioning and structuring computer science and engineering. A framework that USC is already partially implementing combines an explicitly interdisciplinary academic focus with a systems-oriented perspective. A more efficient organization for computer science and engineering (CSE) - and one that helps point the way toward its promising future - requires an intrinsically interdisciplinary framework that combines academic and systems-oriented computing perspectives. A virtual organization must be able to access information through interfaces that facilitate rather than interfere with getting the job done in time-critical situations.
Viral ssRNA induces first trimester trophoblast apoptosis through an inflammatory mechanism.

Citation Aldo PB, Mulla MJ, Romero R, Mor G, Abrahams VM. Viral ssRNA induces first-trimester trophoblast apoptosis through an inflammatory mechanism. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 64: 27–37 Problem Infection during pregnancy represents a significant cause of mobility and mortality. While viruses pose a major threat, little is known about their effect on early pregnancy, or the mechanisms involved. The objective of this study was to characterize the trophoblast response following exposure to viral ssRNA. Method of study First trimester trophoblast cells were treated with or without viral ssRNA. Cytokine production was measured using multiplex analysis and ELISA. Apoptosis was determined using Hoechst staining, cell viability, and caspase activity assays. Results Treatment of trophoblasts with viral ssRNA increased their secretion of IL-8, IL-6, and IFNβ. However, the ssRNA also induced trophoblast apoptosis. To test whether the viral ssRNA-induced inflammatory response was responsible for this induction of apoptosis, conditioned media (CM) from trophoblasts were added to a fresh culture of cells. The CM from viral ssRNA-treated induced higher levels of trophoblast apoptosis than the control CM. Moreover, recombinant IFNβ induced trophoblast apoptosis. Conclusion We demonstrate that viral ssRNA induces a pro-inflammatory and type I interferon response in the trophoblast and this inflammatory process may indirectly induce trophoblast apoptosis. These results provide a novel mechanism by which certain viral infections might compromise placental integrity and function, and therefore, pregnancy outcome.
Production of arterial lesions by a humoral factor in parabiotic rats.

The experimental production of arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis by RES blocking agents such as colloidal carbon and thorium dioxide has implicated the RES as a factor in the etiology of these diseases. Holtzman strain male rats each received a single intravenous injection of colloidal carbon (5 mg/100 g animal body wt). Three days later the injected animals were united by parabiosis to non-injected animals of the same sex, weight and genetic strain. Carbon granules were found in the RES of injected rats, but few or no granules were found in Kupffer cells of their non-injected parabiotic partners. Coronary arteries of both injected and non-injected animals showed thickening and fragmentation of the internal elastic membrane after two months. After four to six months the lesions included degenerative changes of muscle cells just external to the internal elastic membrane and thickening of the intima. Hyperplasia of the thyroid was found in both parabionts. Addition of 1% cholesterol-5% fat to the diet ca...
Reliable data collection in highly disconnected environments using mobile phones

Over four and a half billion people live in the developing world and require access to services in the financial, agricultural, business, government and healthcare sectors. Due to constraints of the existing infrastructure (power, communications, etc), it is often difficult to deliver these services to remote areas in a timely and efficient manner.The CAM framework has found success as a flexible platform for quickly developing and deploying high-impact applications for these environments. Many of the applications built with CAM have relied on a model where a field worker with a mobile phone regularly returns from a disconnected environment to one with connectivity. In this connected state, the phone and a centralized server can exchange information and get the collected data backed up on reliable media.We propose extending CAM's networking model to enable continual operation in disconnected environments. Using a set of heterogeneous paths made available through social and geographic relationships naturally present among workers, we describe a system for asynchronously routing data in a best-effort manner.
Development and Validation of an Index for Scoring Baseline Respiratory Disease in the Very Low Birth Weight Neonate

An accurate description of the population at risk for neonatal chronic lung disease is clearly of prime importance for comparative studies and the planning of interventions. Attempts to explain variations in chronic lung disease rates in such studies have been compromised by lack of a way of estimating the severity of the initial pulmonary disease as a risk factor. Therefore, a severity index was developed for use in very low birth weight (less than 1501 g) neonates. Special emphasis was placed on applicability of the index in the multicenter observational setting. Development followed a clinician panel approach, with the resulting index designed to capture clinical judgment of severity. The index was validated prospectively on neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit, and retrospectively using charts from nine hospitals nationwide. Correlations of the index with clinical judgment in the two samples were .95 and .93, respectively. In an additional validation the index combined with birth weight correctly predicted oxygen dependence status at 30 days in 36 of 42 neonates consecutively admitted to five neonatal intensive care units (P = .002). Birth weight and the severity index contributed about equally to the prediction, and therefore they seem to represent partly independent components of baseline propensity for prolonged oxygen dependence.
Long-term results for limb salvage with osteoarticular allograft reconstruction.

Osteoarticular allograft reconstruction after extremity tumor resection has been shown to have a high rate of complications. Although good functional results have been seen, long-term outcomes have not been well studied. We performed a retrospective review of 20 patients who underwent primary osteoarticular allograft reconstruction after extremity sarcoma resection. All postoperative complications related to the allograft reconstruction were recorded. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society 1993 and Toronto Extremity Salvage Score scores were used for functional evaluation at last followup. Minimum followup was 10 years (mean, 16 years; range, 10–21 years). Seventy percent of patients experienced an event during the followup period. Recorded events were fracture (nine patients), progressive arthritis (five), nonunion (four), and infection (two). Sixty percent of allografts were removed at a mean of 5.2 years. Progressive arthritis led to total joint arthroplasty in five patients (25%). Mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society and Toronto Extremity Salvage Score functional scores were 25 of 30 and 95% for patients who retained their original allograft. Osteoarticular allograft reconstruction for extremity sarcomas had a high rate of adverse events (70%) and allograft removal (60%) at long-term followup. Functional outcomes of patients with intact grafts were comparable to outcomes with segmental replacement prostheses reported in the literature.
Complications and death among elderly patients undergoing pituitary tumour surgery

Summary Background Preoperative determinants of surgical risk in elderly patients with pituitary tumour are not fully defined. The aim of this study was to quantify operative risk for these patients. Design and methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (1998–2005), a database containing discharge information from a stratified, random sample of 20% of all non-federal hospitals in 37 states. Patients >65 years old who underwent pituitary tumour resection were identified by ICD-9 coding. Primary outcome was inpatient death. Other outcomes included post-operative complications, length of stay (LOS) and total charges. Results A total of 8400 patients (53·7% male) were identified. Mean age was 72·2. Mean co-morbidity score was 5·3. A majority were white (82·0%) admitted to academic hospitals (69·5%) for elective procedures (55·7%). Inpatient mortality was 3·8%. The most common complication was fluid and electrolyte abnormalities (14·3%). Mean LOS was 8·5 days. In multivariate analysis, patients >80 years old had 30% greater odds of death, relative to 65–69 year old counterparts. Each complication increased LOS by an average of at least 4 days. These associations were statistically significant (P-values <0·05). Conclusions New clinically relevant risk stratification information is now available to assist clinicians in operative decision-making for elderly patients with pituitary tumour considering operative intervention.
An auditing protocol for spreadsheet models

Errors are prevalent in spreadsheets and can be extremely difficult to find. A number of audits of existing spreadsheets have been reported, but few details have been given about how the audits were performed. We developed and tested a new spreadsheet auditing protocol designed to find errors in operational spreadsheets. Our work showed which auditing procedures, used in what sequence and combination, were most effective across a wide range of spreadsheets. It also provided useful information on the size and complexity of operational spreadsheets, as well as the frequency with which certain types of errors occur.
Literacy and Risk: an Analysis of One Middle-Class Parent’s Taken-Forgranted Understandings of Independence and Freedom:

Alexis de Tocquevile (1969: 506) predicted that Americans would be prone to isolation and increasing individualism, ‘which disposes each citizen to isolate himself from the mass of his fellows and withdraw into the circle of family and friends; with this little society formed to his taste; he gladly leaves the greater society to look after itself’. While literacy and literacy education in this country do not have a monopoly on Tocquevile’s prophesy, his conclusions do have implications for both early literacy practice and policy. In this article I demonstrate how prevailing literacy practices and ideologies in middle-class school systems both depend on and reinforce notions of personal autonomy and independence that conform to the needs of late-modern capitalism. In order to convince or coerce middle-class parents, teachers, and students to embrace these ideologies of personhood and literacy, there must be some kind of scary ‘Other’ against which the positive image of autonomy and independence is compared...
Increased left ventricular mass is a risk factor for the development of a depressed left ventricular ejection fraction within five years: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Abstract Objectives Our aim in this study was to determine whether increased left ventricular mass (LVM) is a risk factor for the development of a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Background Prior studies have shown that increased LVM is a risk factor for heart failure but not whether it is a risk factor for a low LVEF. Methods As part of the Cardiovascular Health Study, a prospective population-based longitudinal study, we performed echocardiograms upon participant enrollment and again at follow-up of 4.9 ± 0.14 years. In the present analysis, we identified 3,042 participants who had at baseline a normal LVEF and an assessment of LVM (either by electrocardiogram or echocardiogram), and at follow-up a measurable LVEF. The frequency of the development of a qualitatively depressed LVEF on two-dimensional echocardiography, corresponding approximately to an LVEF Results Baseline quartile of echocardiographic LVM indexed to body surface area was associated with development of a depressed LVEF (4.8% in quartile 1, 4.4% in quartile 2, 7.5% in quartile 3, and 14.1% in quartile 4 [p Conclusions Increased LVM as assessed by electrocardiography or echocardiography is an independent risk factor for the development of depressed LVEF.
On the Early History of the Earth

According to current astrophysical models of the sun, solar luminosity has increased with time at a rate depending on the nature of the model and the “zero-age” of the sun. The determination of the earliest occurrence of running water on the earth9s surface may establish a calibration point on the luminosity curve. Our investigation of the nature and age of the oldest rocks suggests that erosion by running water occurred at least 4 billion years (b.y.) ago. Calculation of the evolution of terrestrial surface temperatures based on the most favorable solar model and current estimates of the composition of the early atmosphere indicate that either some revision of the model is necessary or that the earth and sun must be older than 4.5 and 5 b.y., respectively. The rate of weathering of bedrock and resulting erosion vary directly with temperature, atmospheric moisture content, and organic acids from vegetation. Since these all increased with geologic time, it is suggested that the rate of bedrock erosion, which would have been slow initially, must also have accelerated. If the presumption of an interaction between sedimentary load and geologic activity is correct, the duration of geosynclinal cycles should have decreased with time. The oldest rocks dated so far (about 3.5 b.y.) are pegmatites, granites, and granite gneiss complexes, all of which represent terminal processes in respective geologic cycles, the beginnings of which are inferred at about 4 b.y. ago. The presence of a substantial sialic crust at this time is indicated by the compositions of both igneous rocks and meta-sedimentary rocks. The origin of the continents is examined in the light of these geologic data and inferences, and on the assumption of an accumulation of the earth by accretion from cold, solid objects, probably in the form of whiskerlike crystals. Theories of origin of continents by segregation from the mantle cannot be reconciled with the time scale provided by calculations from the thermal history of the earth and the currently accepted age of 4.5 b.y. An alternative hypothesis according to which the continents originated by impact of extra-terrestrial material with subsequent modification by geological processes and mantle admixture is reconsidered.
The centralizer of a set of group automorphisms

Let A be a set of automorphisms of a finite group G. The structure of the near-ring C(A) of identity preserving functions which commute with every element of A is investigated.
Timing-driven pathfinder pathology and remediation: quantifying and reducing delay noise in VPR-pathfinder

We show that, with the VPR implementation of Pathfinder, perturbations of initial conditions may cause critical paths to vary over ranges of 17-110%. We further show that it is not uncommon for VPR/Pathfinder to settle for solutions that are >33% slower than necessary. These results suggest there is room for additional innovation and improvement in FPGA routing. As one step in this direction, we show how delay-targeted routing can reduce delay noise to 13% for our worst-case design and below 1% for most designs. Anyone who uses VPR as part of architecture or CAD research should be aware of this noise phenomena and the techniques available to reduce its impact.
Limits on legitimacy: Moral and religious convictions as constraints on deference to authority.

Various versions of legitimacy theory predict that a duty and obligation to obey legitimate authorities generally trumps people's personal moral and religious values. However, most research has assumed rather than measured the degree to which people have a moral or religious stake in the situations studied. This study tested compliance with and reactions to legitimate authorities in the context of a natural experiment that tracked public opinion before and after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case that challenged states' rights to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Results indicated that citizens' degree of moral conviction about the issue of physician-assisted suicide predicted post-ruling perceptions of outcome fairness, decision acceptance, and changes in perceptions of the Court's legitimacy from pre- to post-ruling. Other results revealed that the effects of religious conviction independently predicted outcome fairness and decision acceptance but not perceptions of post-ruling legitimacy.
Synthesis methodology for transimpedance amplifier with bit error rate constraint

In this paper, we present a new knowledge based synthesis methodology that facilitates the automatic design of maximum bandwidth transimpedance amplifier (TIA) for optical communications under the constraint of a specific bit error rate. Our synthesis methodology is based on newly developed models that characterize the input referred noise and bandwidth. Our technique predicts the required optimum transimpedance parameter values to maximize the bandwidth. These optimum parameters are mapped to some circuit parameters for automatically sizing the TIA. Our methodology is characterized by its fast design convergence compared to conventional design techniques. We apply our synthesis methodology to design a TIA for optical interconnect system and we obtained a five fold increase in the transimpedance gain as compared to the previous work
Altered Patterns of Sucrose Synthase Phosphorylation and Localization Precede Callose Induction and Root Tip Death in Anoxic Maize Seedlings

Root extracts made from maize (Zea mays) seedlings submerged for 2 h showed an increased (32)P-labeling of a 90-kD polypeptide in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. This protein was identified as sucrose synthase (SS) by immunoprecipitation and mutant analysis. Metabolic labeling with (32)P(i) indicated that the aerobic levels of SS phosphorylation were maintained up to 2 h of anoxia. In contrast, during prolonged anoxia the protein was under-phosphorylated, and by 48 h most of the protein existed in the unphosphorylated form. In seedlings submerged for 2 h or longer, a part of SS became associated with the microsomal fraction and this membrane localization of SS was confined only to the root tip. This redistribution of SS in the root tip preceded callose induction, an indicator of cell death. The sh1 mutants showed sustained SS phosphorylation and lacked the anoxia-induced relocation of SS, indicating that it was the SH1 form of the enzyme that was redistributed during anoxia. The sh1 mutants also showed less callose deposition and greater tolerance to prolonged anoxia than their non-mutant siblings. EGTA accentuated anoxic effects on membrane localization of SS and callose accumulation, whereas Ca(2+) addition reversed the EGTA effects. These results indicate that the membrane localization of SS is an important early event in the anoxic root tip, probably associated with the differential anoxic tolerance of the two SS mutants. We propose that beside the transcriptional control of genes encoding SS, the reversible phosphorylation of SS provides a potent regulatory mechanism of sugar metabolism in response to developmental and environmental signals.
Paced Respiration for Vasomotor and Other Menopausal Symptoms: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND Paced respiration has been internationally recommended for vasomotor symptom management, despite limited empirical evidence.
Effects of Bilayer Surface Charge Density on Molecular Adsorption and Transport across Liposome Bilayers

Second harmonic generation (SHG) was used to study both the adsorption of malachite green (MG), a positively charged organic dye, onto liposomes of different lipid compositions, and the transport kinetics of MG across the liposome bilayer in real time. We found that the dye adsorption increased linearly with the fraction of negatively charged lipids in the bilayer. Similarly, the transport rate constant for crossing the bilayer increased linearly with the fraction of charged lipid in the bilayer.
Governance in Multilateral R&D Alliances

In research and development (RD we also find that alliance scope moderates the relationship between the type of alliance and governance structure. Finally, we find that multilateral R&D alliances with predicted (aligned) governance structures perform better, in terms of alliance longevity, than those with misaligned structures.
Damage control: Harnessing prostaglandin E2 as a potential healing factor of tissue injuries

Increasing prostaglandin E2 by knocking out its inhibitor 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PDGH) or administering a compound that inhibits 15-PDGH was recently found to improve healing in hematopoietic stem cell transplants, colitis recovery, and hepatogenesis after transection in mice. These results are suggestive of pharmacologic therapies or even genetic therapy that could improve patient outcomes, especially since the excess PGE2 and the 15-PDGH inhibitor have proven to be non-toxic. However, elevated levels of PGE2 are associated with increased risk of cancer and blood clotting problems. It would be unacceptable to treat a cancer patient with chemotherapy and replenish the hematopoietic stem cells with the help of PGE2, only to have increased expression of PGE2 and induce another cancer. Therefore, to assess the most therapeutic aspects of PGE2, it is important to consider effects that could induce disease.
Abstract 293: Mammalian Target of Rapamycin and Tristetraprolin Regulate Iron Homeostasis in Cardiac Cells

Introduction: Iron is essential for normal heart function, and disruption of iron homeostasis can lead to cardiomyopathy. However, our understanding of iron regulation on a cellular level is incomplete, with a single model involving iron regulatory proteins (IRP) described to date. Here, we report the existence of a parallel iron regulatory pathway by energy sensor mTOR and inflammatory mediator trsitetraprolin (TTP). Results: To examine the role of energy metabolism in the regulation of cellular iron, we used rapamycin to inhibit mTOR pathway in H9c2 cardiac myoblasts and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Rapamycin treatment significantly elevated cellular iron content through a coordinated reduction in iron import (transferrin receptor, TfR1) and iron export (ferroportin, Fpn1), leading to deceleration of iron flux and net iron accumulation. We found that the primary action of rapamycin was to reduce TfR1 through destabilization of its mRNA. Surprisingly, this effect was not mediated by IRP1/2, the “classical” sensors of cellular iron levels, as TfR1 mRNA levels were significantly reduced by rapamycin even in cells with the genetic knockout of IRP1 and IRP2. In yeast, a tandem zinc finger (TZF) protein Cth2 was found to conserve cellular iron in states of deficiency by preferentially degrading mRNA of non-essential iron-containing proteins thus reducing iron requirements and liberating iron for vital functions. We found that the mammalian TZF protein TTP, an established mediator of inflammation, was greatly induced by iron deficiency, enhanced degradation of iron-containing proteins, and complemented Cth2 deletion in yeast, thus establishing TTP as the functional homolog of Cth2 in mammalian iron regulation. Finally, TTP levels were increased by rapamycin in IRP1/2-independent manner, and genetic knockout of TTP in MEFs significantly reversed the effects of rapamycin on TfR1 mRNA levels and stability. These findings establish TTP as the mediator of iron-regulatory effects of mTOR and provide a novel link between energy metabolism, inflammation and iron regulatory pathways. Conclusions: We identified a novel pathway of cellular iron regulation by mTOR and TTP, which complements the “classical” IRP1/2 model.
Exploratory investigation on theoretical predictors of the electronic leash

As technology has become an ever-present facet in the lives of young people, they have become reliant on it to form and maintain relationships. It has also helped facilitate negative relationship behaviors. The purpose of this study is to investigate theoretical predictors of negative relationships in a sample of university students. Results indicated that low self-control is a significant predictor of the behavior, but deviant peer association was not significant. Low self-control is a significant predictor of intrusive relationship behaviors.Deviant peer behavior is not a significant predictor of intrusive relationship behaviors.University students are dependent on technology to maintain relationships.
Ion Beam Analysis of Microcrystalline Quartz Artifacts from the Reed Mound Site, Delaware County, Oklahoma

Abstract Ion beam analysis (IBA) has been a powerful, non-destructive tool for archaeological research worldwide for over four decades, yet its full potential is seldom realized in North American archaeology. Herein the potential of particle induced X-ray emission spectrometry (PIXE) as a tool for future Ozarks chert provenance studies is evaluated based on its ability to facilitate (1) discrimination of Ozarks chert materials from different geological formations and (2) identification of discrete groups of artifacts from the same geological formation. In addition, PIXE was also used to evaluate the elemental heterogeneity of Ozarks chert materials. Thirty chert (microcrystalline quartz) artifacts were visually sorted and classified according to macroscopic features characteristic of certain chert resources from particular Ozarks geological formations. The elemental concentrations obtained from PIXE analysis underwent multivariate statistical analyses in order to gain insight from the data. The results indicate that PIXE could be a useful tool for assigning Ozarks chert materials to their respective geological formations, and possibly for determining regional or sub-regional provenance.
ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF MALIGNANT IN RESIDENTS OF FUZHOU FROM 2004 TO 2006

[Objective] To explore the causes and distribution of malignant in residents of Fuzhou,so as to provide basis for prevention and control of malignant neoplasms. [Methods] By in-home investigation,the death condition and reasons of malignant tumor of residents in Fuzhou from 2004 to 2006 were comprehensively analyzed according to the death classification by ICD-10. [Results] From 2004 to 2006,the average mortality due to malignant neoplasms among residents in Fuzhou were 104.94 per 1 000 000. The mortality rates of malignant neoplasms for men were higher than that for women. The top five causes of the death of malignant neoplasms in Fuzhou were malignant neoplasm of stomach,malignant neoplasm of liver,malignant neoplasm of lung,malignant neoplasm of colon,rectum and anus and malignant neoplasm of oesophagus. [Conclusion] Ma-lignant neoplasms is the main cause of death which menaces the inhabitant in Fuzhou. According to the different population and neoplasms,the comprehensive intervention measures should be implemented to prevent or decrease the happen of malignant neoplasms.
Preconditioned Implicit-Exponential (IMEXP) Time Integrators for Stiff Differential Equations

We propose two new classes of time integrators for stiff DEs: the implicit-explicit exponential (IMEXP) and the hybrid exponential methods. In contrast to the existing exponential schemes, the new methods offer significant computational advantages when used with preconditioners. Any preconditioner can be used with any of these new schemes. This leads to a broader applicability of exponential methods. The proof of stability and convergence of these integrators and numerical demonstration of their efficiency are presented.
Tuning the Thermoelectric Properties of a Conducting Polymer through Blending with Open-Shell Molecular Dopants

Polymer thermoelectric devices are emerging as promising platforms by which to convert thermal gradients into electricity directly, and poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is a leading candidate in a number of these thermoelectric modules. Here, we implement the stable radical-bearing small molecule 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (TEMPO–OH) as an intermolecular dopant in order to tune the electrical conductivity, thermopower, and power factor of PEDOT:PSS thin films. Specifically, we demonstrate that, at moderate loadings (∼2%, by weight) of the open-shell TEMPO–OH molecule, the thermopower of PEDOT:PSS thin films is increased without a marked decline in the electrical conductivity of the material. This effect, in turn, allows for an optimization of the power factor in the composite organic materials, which is a factor of 2 greater than the pristine PEDOT:PSS thin films. Furthermore, because the loading of TEMPO–OH is relatively low, we observe th...
Psychosocial support for adults who stutter: Exploring the role of online communities

A mixed-methods approach was used to explore if present-day online communities for people who stutter (PWS) are valuable in their ability to provide psychosocial support. Forty-two PWS provided both numerical and descriptive responses to questions within an anonymous online questionnaire that asked about self-esteem, feelings about being a person who stutters, and levels of support received before and after participating in an online community for PWS. Paired sample t-tests revealed that participants rated their self-esteem and levels of support after interacting in an online community for PWS significantly higher than before. Thematic analysis uncovered five major themes that consisted of (1) worldwide connection, (2) encouragement, (3) liberation, (4) accessibility, and (5) ongoing support. Findings from the data suggest that online communities for PWS are beneficial as a means of psychosocial support, in that they provided members who stutter with a platform to connect with others in order to gain and ...