cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of embryonic cell surface and cytoskeleton with extracellular matrix

Evidence for cell-matrix in vitro and in the embryo is briefly reviewed, and more detailed observations are presented on the reactions of corneal epithelium and mesenchyme to extracellular matrix (ECM). The basal surface of embryonic corneal epithelium blebs when the underlying ECM is removed. If the epithelium is cultured on top of the lens capsule or collagen gel, the basal surface flattens and the cortical cytoskeleton reorganizes to resemble that present in vivo. The basal surface also responds to soluble matrix molecules (types I-IV collagens, laminin, fibronectin), and the cells step up synthesis of corneal stroma as measured by incorporation of proline into collagen. When embryonic corneal fibroblasts are placed on top of hydrated gels they tend to burrow into the gel rather than sitting on top as does epithelium. When grown inside collagen gels, these mesenchymal cells elongate and the entire cell surface and cytoskeleton organize in response to matrix. Stress fibers and ruffling membranes characterize the cells grown on glass. When embryonic lens or corneal epithelial are place within, instead of on top of, collagen gels, they give rise to mesenchyme-like cells from their apical surfaces. In vivo, these epithelia do not give rise to mesenchyme. The rules for epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in vivo are discussed in relation to these observations on cell-matrix interaction.
1188 THYROID FUNCTION IN NEONATES OF DIABETIC MOTHERS

Infants born to diabetic mothers have decreased activity of many metabolic pathways which might be regulated by thyroid hormone. This study was designed to define thyroid function in neo-nates born to diabetic mothers. Serum TSH, T4, and T3 levels were measured in 19 term infants of diabetic mothers and in 7 normal term babies at 2,12,24, and 72 hrs. of age, as well as in maternal and cord sera. Mean TSH levels did not differ between diabetic and normal mothers or infants. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM. Maternal T4 and T3 levels are decreased at delivery in diabetics as compared to normals. Neonates of diabetics have significantly decreased serum levels of T3, suggesting decreased gland secretion or peripheral synthesis. These data lead to the speculation that decreased thyroid hormone levels may explain some metabolic alterations seen in neonates born to diabetic mothers.
Diverse student teachers making sense of difference through engaging in Boalian theater approaches

A diverse group of student teachers in an alternative certification program participated in seminars integrating Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed (TO) activities. Participants created images and enacted scenes that recreated interactions with their students and also rehearsed ideas for taking action in the classroom. The research, analyzing video and photo-elicitation interviews, showed student teachers engaging in empathic reflection and perspective-taking as they engaged in the theatrical activities. The study illuminated the potential of TO activities for supporting bilingual immigrant teachers, teachers of color, and white, middle class teachers in making sense of difference in the context of multicultural classrooms.
Hands-on interaction with virtual environments

In this paper we describe the evolution of a whole-hand interface to our virtual-environment graphical system. We present a set of abstractions that can be used to implement device-independent interfaces for hand measurement devices. Some of these abstractions correspond to known logical device abstractions, while others take further advantage of the richness of expression in the human hand. We describe these abstractions in the context of their use in our development of virtual environments.
Sorption of Labeled Chlorobutanol-14C by Nylon and Polyethylene

Labeled chlorobutanol-14C was synthesized and the degree of sorption by polyamide (Nylon 6,6) and polyethylene was determined using scintillation spectroscopy. Sorption studies were conducted at four concentrations and temperatures and from these experiments the magnitude and rate of sorption were determined, as well as the standard chemical potentials, heats of sorption, and standard entropy values. The sorption data were applied to the Freundlich and Langmuir absorption isotherms with some degree of success.
Russia says no: Power, status, and emotions in foreign policy

Abstract Since 2003, Russian foreign behavior has become much more assertive and volatile toward the West, often rejecting U.S. diplomatic initiatives and overreacting to perceived slights. This essay explains Russia's new assertiveness using social psychological hypotheses on the relationship between power, status, and emotions. Denial of respect to a state is humiliating. When a state loses status, the emotions experienced depend on the perceived cause of this loss. When a state perceives that others are responsible for its loss, it shows anger . The belief that others have unjustly used their power to deny the state its appropriate position arouses vengefulness. If a state believes that its loss of status is due to its own failure to live up to expectations, the elites will express shame . Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has displayed anger at the U.S. unwillingness to grant it the status to which it believes it is entitled, especially during the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, and most recently Russia's takeover of Crimea and the 2014 Ukrainian Crisis. We can also see elements of vengefulness in Russia's reaction to recognition of Kosovo, U.S. missile defense plans, the Magnitsky act, and the Snowden affair.
A Review of Alloy 800H for Applications in the Gen IV Nuclear Energy Systems

Alloy 800H is currently under consideration for applications in the Next Generation Nuclear Plant at operational temperatures above 750°C. To provide supporting information in this paper at the attempt to facilitate the consideration, service requirements of the nuclear system for structural materials is first described; and then an extensive review of Alloy 800H is given on its codification with respect to development and research history, mechanical behavior and design allowables, metallurgical aging resistance, environmental effect considerations, data requirements and availability, weldments, as well as many other aspects relevant to the intended nuclear application; an finally further research and development activities to support the materials qualification are suggested.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Structural properties and vibrational modes of Si 34 and Si 46 clathrates

The structural and vibrational properties of the silicon clathrates ${\mathrm{Si}}_{34}$ and ${\mathrm{Si}}_{46}$ are studied using the $O(N)$ tight-binding density-matrix method of Li, Nunes, and Vanderbilt. The elastic moduli are found to be similar to those of cubic-diamond silicon. The large unit cells lead to complex Raman and infrared spectra which are obtained by calculating the full dynamical matrix directly. Certain modes are identified as molecularlike. Dispersion relations as well as the vibrational density of states are computed. The latter shows an unusual gap at approximately 16.5 THz for both clathrates. The mode-Gr\"uneisen parameters are also calculated.
Survey of synchrotron radiation devices producing circular or variable polarization

We review the properties and operating principles of the new types of synchrotron radiation devices that produce circular polarization or polarization that can be modulated in arbitrary fashion. 1.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Efficient Abstract Data Type Components for Distributed and Parallel Systems

One way of improving software system's comprehensibility and maintainability is to decompose it into several components, each of which encapsulates some information concerning the system. These components can be classified into four categories, namely, abstract data type, functional, interface, and control components. Such a classfication underscores the need for different specification, implementation, and performance-improvement methods for different types of components. This article focuses on the development of high-performance abstract data type components for distributed and parallel environments.
Multiple-degrees-of-freedom electroelastomer roll actuators

Electroelastomers (electroactive elastomers) such as the 3M VHB 4910 acrylic adhesive films have exhibited up to 380% strain in area expansion at 5?6?kV when they are highly prestrained. By rolling highly prestrained electroelastomer films around a compression spring, we have demonstrated multifunctional electroelastomer rolls (MERs, or spring rolls) that combine load bearing, actuation, and sensing functions. We extended the design to two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) and 3-DOF spring rolls by patterning the electrodes to align radially on two and four circumferential spans of the rolls, respectively. Multiple-DOF spring rolls retain the linear actuation of 1-DOF spring rolls with additional bending actuation. Mathematical equations are derived to correlate the bending angle and lateral force of the rolls with the actuated stroke in one of the electroded spans. Two-DOF spring rolls with a 1.4?cm outside diameter, 6.8?cm axial length, and 11?g weight have been fabricated; these rolls have a 90? maximum actuation bending angle, 0.7?N maximum lateral force, and up to 15?N blocked axial force. Three-DOF spring rolls with a 2.3?cm outside diameter, 9.0?cm axial length, and 29?g weight exhibit a 35? maximum bending angle and 1.0?N maximum lateral force. These specifications can be modified by variations in roll parameters according to the equations. Multi-DOF spring rolls are easy to fabricate, compact, multifunctional, and mechanically robust. They represent a radically new actuation technology and may enable a number of unique applications. We have demonstrated a small walking robot, MERbot, with one 2-DOF spring roll as each of its six legs. The robot's speed is as high as 13.6?cm?s?1 or two-thirds of its length per second. 'Sushi rolls' have also been fabricated: these consist of six 2-DOF springs connected in series and monolithic in structure. The sushi rolls can be driven so as to generate wavelike or serpentine motion.
LONO1 Encoding a Nucleoporin Is Required for Embryogenesis and Seed Viability in Arabidopsis

Early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) is distinguished by a predictable pattern of cell divisions and is a good system for investigating mechanisms of developmental pattern formation. Here, we identified a gene called LONO1 (LNO1) in Arabidopsis in which mutations can abolish the first asymmetrical cell division of the zygote, alter planes and number of cell divisions in early embryogenesis, and eventually arrest embryo development. LNO1 is highly expressed in anthers of flower buds, stigma papilla of open flowers, and embryo and endosperm during early embryogenesis, which is correlated with its functions in reproductive development. The homozygous lno1-1 seed is not viable. LNO1, a homolog of the nucleoporin NUP214 in human (Homo sapiens) and Nup159 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), encodes a nucleoporin protein containing phenylalanine-glycine repeats in Arabidopsis. We demonstrate that LNO1 can functionally complement the defect in the yeast temperature-sensitive nucleoporin mutant nup159. We show that LNO1 specifically interacts with the Arabidopsis DEAD-box helicase/ATPase LOS4 in the yeast two-hybrid assay. Furthermore, mutations in AtGLE1, an Arabidopsis homolog of the yeast Gle1 involved in the same poly(A) mRNA export pathway as Nup159, also result in seed abortion. Our results suggest that LNO1 is a component of the nuclear pore complex required for mature mRNA export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, which makes LNO1 essential for embryogenesis and seed viability in Arabidopsis.
Anatomical evidence for the interaction of sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons in the cardiac ganglion of Necturus.

Abstract Evidence of a direct interaction between sympathetic and parasympathetic elements in a cardiac parasympathetic ganglion is presented in this study. Experiments were done using acutely dissected or organ cultured parasympathetic cardiac ganglion preparations from Necturus maculosus (mudpuppy). The glyoxylic acid-induced fluorescence technique was used to visualize catecholamine-containing cells and fibers. Numerous long brightly fluorescent varicose fibers form a complex network over clusters of parasympathetic ganglion cells and strands of cardiac muscle. In addition to these fibers, there are numerous small brightly fluorescent interneurons (SIF cells) interspersed between individual parasympathetic ganglion cells. Long fibers and processes from the interneurons join to form bundles which arborize over groups of parasympathetic cells. In peripherally located smaller groups of ganglion cells there are no interneurons, but some of these parasympathetic cells appear to receive innervation from the long continuous fluorescent axons. Two experimental procedures were applied to support the conclusion that these long fibers were indeed sympathetic postganglionic axons: (a) explants of cardiac ganglia were maintained for varying times to produce degeneration of any severed axons: (b) chemical sympathectomy was produced by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine. The intrinsic SIF cells were apparently unaffected by both procedures. After 8 days in culture or after 6-OH dopamine treatment, all of the long continuous brightly fluorescent fibers, which normally intermingle with clusters of ganglion cells or innervate cardiac muscle, were absent. This indicates their extra-ganglionic origin. All of the isolated groups of parasympathetic ganglion cells not containing SIF cells were totally devoid of any catecholamine-containing fibers.
Comment on "Energy balance for a dissipative system"

In a recent paper [Phys. Rev. E 48, 1547 (1993)] Li, Ford, and O'Connel argue that the power lost through dissipation by a system in equilibrium with a thermal reservoir is compensated by the action of a fluctuation force that the reservoir exerts on the system. Their analysis is quantum mechanical and their expression for the power supplied by the reservoir remains positive definite even at absolute zero. This Comment outlines an analysis of a harmonic oscillator coupled to a loss mechanism and shows how the quantum-mechanical formalism should be interpreted to avoid unphysical conclusions. An explicit distinction is made between thermal and zero-point fluctuations, and the physical significance of the latter is discussed.
A classification of the deciduous forest of eastern North America

Data from 300 forest stands, scattered over 29 states within the eastern North American deciduous forest, were subjected to detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) in an effort to identify classifiable units. Most species are widespread which provide a great deal of continuity in the vegetation. The deciduous forest can be divided into three forest regions: (1) northern, (2) central and (3) southern. The northern region corresponds to the hemlock-white pine-northern hardwood forest of Braun (1950). The central region includes the beech-maple and oak-hickory forests. The beech-maple as identified here includes the mixed mesophytic, beech-maple, maple-basswood and about half of the western mesophytic forests of Braun (1950). The oak-hickory includes Braun's oak-hickory, oak-chestnut and about half of the western mesophytic forests. The southern region coincides with the southern mixed hardwood forests.
Nitric oxide does not modulate the increases in blood flow, O2 consumption, or contractility during CaCl2 administration in canine hearts.

Objective: Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) has been shown to have vascular, metabolic, and contractile effects in the heart. We evaluated these effects during intracoronary (i.c.) administration of CaCl2 in dogs. Methods: The left anterior descending coronary artery of nine anesthetized, open-chest dogs was perfused at controlled pressure (80 mm Hg) with arterial blood. Coronary blood flow (CBF) was measured with a Doppler transducer and segmental shortening (SS) with ultrasonic crystals. Myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) and oxygen extraction (EO2) were calculated. Responses were assessed during i.c. infusions of CaCl2 (5, 10, 15 mg min−1) before and after administration of the NO synthase inhibitor N G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; 300 μg min−1 for 15 min, i.c.). Results: Before l-NAME, CaCl2 caused dose-dependent, proportional increases in SS and MVO2. Although CBF also increased, these responses were less than proportional to those in MVO2, and thus EO2 increased. l-NAME did not alter the cardiac effects of CaCl2. Conclusions: (1) CaCl2 had direct inotropic and coronary vasoconstricting effects. (2) The vasoconstricting effect impaired coupling of CBF to the augmented metabolic demands by local vasodilating mechanisms. (3) EDNO did not modulate the increases in CBF, MVO2, or SS during administration of CaCl2.
Disposition of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG, NSC-32946) in man

A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method was utilized to determine the concentration of the antileukemic agent methylgloxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG, NSC-32946) in tissue samples obtained at autopsy from patients who received MGBG. In a patient with cholangiocarcinoma who received one course of MGBG (500 mg/m2), the highest drug concentration was found in normal liver tissue. However, the drug concentration in intrahepatic tumor tissue was only 10% of that found in uninvolved liver. In a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) who received 12 courses of MGBG therapy, highly infiltrated lymph node tissue was found to contain the highest concentration of MGBG. High concentrations of the drug were also found in liver, spleen, kidney, adrenal, and thyroid. The drug penetrated well into normal brain tissue. After repeated administration, high drug concentrations were found in cerebral and cerebellar gray matter. These studies suggest that there is no selective uptake of MGBG into solid tumors early after drug administration and provide a pharmacologic rationale for testing this agent against endocrine and intracerebral tumors in man.
Mechanisms of hypoandrogenemia in healthy aging men.

The systemic availability of testosterone is now firmly established to fall by 35% to 50% after the sixth decade of life in healthy men and may contribute to decreased muscular and bone strength and physical frailty. The mechanistic bases and their relative importance for relative hypoandrogenemia remain poorly defined. This article explores the mechanisms of hypoandrogenemia in aging men.
Antenatal Corticosteroids and Placental Histology in Preterm Birth

To assess the effects of antenatal corticosteroid use on placental histopathology, we have reviewed a database of 463 consecutive non-anomalous singleton liveborns delivered at less than 32 weeks between April 1988 and December 1994, of which 280 received one or more doses of corticosteroids for promotion of fetal lung maturation. Patients were grouped by the number of corticosteroid doses received (analyzed as none, 1, 2 and 3 or more doses). Clinical and demographic factors were recorded prospectively. Placental histopathology was reviewed blinded to clinical factors except gestational age, and 42 distinct placental lesions were examined and scored for severity. Data were analyzed by contingency tables, one-way analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis. Among clinical variables, univariate analysis showed that the number of corticosteroid doses was significantly related to presence of labour prior to delivery, pre-eclampsia, premature rupture of membranes and clinical suspicion or diagnosis of chorioamnionitis. Using linear regression analysis with these clinical variables as confounders, increased number of doses of antenatal corticosteroids was related to increased severity of villous fibrosis and stromal mineralization, and fewer villous infarcts.
Manipulation of ruminal fermentation with organic acids: a review

The dicarboxylic acids aspartate, fumarate, and malate stimulate lactate utilization by the predominant ruminal bacterium, Selenomonas ruminantium. Malate stimulates lactate uptake by S. ruminantium more than does aspartate or fumarate, and it seems that malate and sodium are involved in stimulating lactate utilization by this bacterium. Based on the ability of S. ruminantium to grow on malate in the presence of extracellular hydrogen and produce succinate, malate may be acting as an electron sink for hydrogen in the succinate-propionate pathway used by S. ruminantium. Incorporation of DL-malate into soluble starch and cracked corn fermentations with mixed ruminal microorganisms changed final pH, CH4, and VFA in a manner analogous to ionophore effects. When compared with either dicarboxylic acids or monensin alone, dicarboxylic acid plus monensin addition to cracked corn incubations stimulated the mixed ruminal microorganism fermentation to produce more propionate, less lactate, and increased final pH. Reduced lactate concentrations in dicarboxylic acid- and monensin-treated incubations most likely represents an additive effect of decreased lactate production by monensin-sensitive bacteria (i.e., Streptococcus bovis) and increased lactate utilization by the monensin-resistant S. ruminantium. The inclusion of malate as a feed additive into the diets of ruminants is currently not economically feasible; however, forages rich in organic acids might serve as vehicles for providing malate to ruminants. When five alfalfa varieties and three bermudagrass hay varieties were surveyed for malate content, the concentration of malate in both plant species declined as maturity increased. However, after 42 d of maturity, the concentration of malate in both forages ranged between 1.9 and 4.5% of the DM. These results suggest that the incorporation of forage varieties that are high in malate may include malate economically into the diet and reduce losses associated with ruminal acidosis.
Cervical spine dural arteriovenous fistula with coexisting spinal radiculopial artery aneurysm presenting as subarachnoid hemorrhage: case report.

Background and importance We present a patient with a cervical spine dural arteriovenous fistula associated with a radiculopial artery aneurysm at the same vertebral level presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Clinical presentation A 45-year-old Native American man presented with sudden-onset severe headache, lethargy, and right hemiparesis. Computed tomography (CT) of the head showed subarachnoid hemorrhage and hydrocephalus. A subsequent CT of the neck showed an anterior spinal subdural hematoma from C2 to C4 causing mild cord compression. Carotid and vertebral angiography failed to demonstrate an intracranial aneurysm, but showed a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula originating from the right vertebral artery at the C5 neuroforamen. The severity of the patient's symptoms, atypical for rupture of a dural arteriovenous fistula, prompted more thorough angiographic evaluation. Thus, injection of the right thyrocervical trunk was performed, demonstrating a 4-mm spinal radiculopial artery aneurysm. Following ventriculostomy, a hemilaminectomy from C4 to C7 was performed with disconnection of the fistula from its drainage system. Subsequent resection of the aneurysm, which was determined to be the cause of the hemorrhage, was accomplished. The patient improved neurologically and was discharged to rehabilitation. Conclusion Spinal cord aneurysms from a separate vascular distribution may coexist with spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas. In the setting of spinal hemorrhage, especially in situations with an atypical clinical presentation, comprehensive imaging is indicated to rule out such lesions.
Network models of the basal ganglia

Over the past year, a number of conceptual and mathematical models of the basal ganglia and their interactions with other areas of the brain have appeared in the literature. Even though the models each differ in significant ways, several computational principles, such as convergence, recurrence and competition, appear to have emerged as common themes of information processing in the basal ganglia. Simulation studies of these models have provoked new types of questions at the many levels of inquiry linking biophysics to behavior.
Phase-based Cache Locking for Embedded Systems

Since caches are commonly used in embedded systems, which typically have stringent design constraints imposed by physical size, battery capacity, real-time deadlines, etc., much research focuses on cache optimizations, such as improved performance and/or reduced energy consumption. Cache locking is a popular cache optimization that loads and retains/locks selected memory contents from an executing application into the cache to increase the cache's predictability. Previous work has shown that cache locking also has the potential to improve cache performance and energy consumption. In this paper, we introduce phase-based cache locking, which leverages an application's varying runtime characteristics to dynamically select the locked memory contents to optimize cache performance and energy consumption. Experimental results show that our phase-based cache locking methodology can improve the data cache's miss rates and energy consumption by an average of 24% and 20%, respectively.
E pluribus unum: From Complexity, Universality

In this brief survey, I discuss some examples of the fascinating phenomenon of universality in complex systems, in which universal macroscopic laws of nature emerge from a variety of different microscopic dynamics. This phenomenon is widely observed empirically, but the rigorous mathematical foundation for universality is not yet satisfactory in all cases.
Development and evaluation of RapTAT

Annotation can identify critical information within clinical notes.A key annotation step is mapping phrases to concepts of interest.We assess the impact of including token order as a feature on mapping performance.Including token order improves precision and recall over a bag-of-words classifier.The algorithm is scalable and should support near-real-time, automated annotation. Rapid, automated determination of the mapping of free text phrases to pre-defined concepts could assist in the annotation of clinical notes and increase the speed of natural language processing systems. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a token-order-specific naive Bayes-based machine learning system (RapTAT) to predict associations between phrases and concepts. Performance was assessed using a reference standard generated from 2860 VA discharge summaries containing 567,520 phrases that had been mapped to 12,056 distinct Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) concepts by the MCVS natural language processing system. It was also assessed on the manually annotated, 2010 i2b2 challenge data. Performance was established with regard to precision, recall, and F-measure for each of the concepts within the VA documents using bootstrapping. Within that corpus, concepts identified by MCVS were broadly distributed throughout SNOMED CT, and the token-order-specific language model achieved better performance based on precision, recall, and F-measure (0.95?0.15, 0.96?0.16, and 0.95?0.16, respectively; mean?SD) than the bag-of-words based, naive Bayes model (0.64?0.45, 0.61?0.46, and 0.60?0.45, respectively) that has previously been used for concept mapping. Precision, recall, and F-measure on the i2b2 test set were 92.9%, 85.9%, and 89.2% respectively, using the token-order-specific model. RapTAT required just 7.2ms to map all phrases within a single discharge summary, and mapping rate did not decrease as the number of processed documents increased. The high performance attained by the tool in terms of both accuracy and speed was encouraging, and the mapping rate should be sufficient to support near-real-time, interactive annotation of medical narratives. These results demonstrate the feasibility of rapidly and accurately mapping phrases to a wide range of medical concepts based on a token-order-specific naive Bayes model and machine learning.
Characterization of the murine epidermal 12/15-lipoxygenase.

Abstract The murine lipoxygenase (LO) family consists of at least seven members classified according to the HETE (hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid) metabolite generated during arachidonic acid metabolism and the site of tissue expression. At present there are four 12-lipoxygenases that are functionally distinct, vary in cell and tissue distribution, catalytic activity and each are products of separate, linked genes. They are “platelet-type” 12-LO (P-12LO), “leukocyte-type” 12-LO (L-12LO), “epidermal-type” 12-LO (e-12LO) and the most recently discovered 12(R)-LO. In this report we characterize e-12LO, which was overexpressed in the baculovirus/insect cell expression system. The enzyme functions as a dual specificity 12/15-lipoxygenase with a 12-HETE/15-HETE product ratio of ≈6:1 with arachidonic acid as substrate. Several other polyunsaturated fatty acids served as substrates for e-12LO such as γ-linolenic, dihomo-γ-linolenic and eicosapentaenoic acids. A green fluorescent protein/e-12LO fusion protein was localized to the cytosol of transfected HEK 293 cells. The e-12LO gene was expressed in mouse oocytes and early embryos. Western blot analysis revealed high level expression in postnatal day 3 mouse epidermal lysates. Together these data suggest that e-12LO plays a role in normal epidermal function and as yet an undiscovered role in early development.
A post-processor for the PEST code

A new post-processor has been developed for use with output from the PEST tokamak stability code. It allows us to use quantities calculated by PEST and take better advantage of the physical picture of the plasma instability which they can provide. This will improve comparison with experimentally measured quantities as well as facilitate understanding of theoretical studies.
Learning to Drive the Transportation System: Study of Training Needs of Metropolitan Planning Organization Participants in Florida

Members of a key set of players in the transportation planning process achieve positions of influence, not by virtue of training or experience in the field, but by virtue of popular election. These individuals often begin their service on metropolitan planning organization (MPO) governing boards with little or no background in transportation planning. What would it take to provide these "lay" governing board members with the knowledge they need to be effective decision makers in the transportation planning process? A study of MPO planning participants in Florida sought to answer this question. A combination of focus groups and survey research was used to develop a priority ranking of broad subject areas and a critical short list of key concepts for training MPO governing board members. While MPO structures and practices vary from state to state, MPO staff and other transportation professionals from across the country will find the research results described in this paper valuable when considering the prob...
Increased expression of T-bet in circulating B cells from a patient with multiple sclerosis and celiac disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and celiac disease (CD) are considered to be T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. We describe a woman affected by a relapsing-remitting demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and occult CD (MS-CD), who showed during neurologic exacerbations a strong increased expression of T-bet, the key transcription factor for the development of Th1 cells, in circulating T, B cells and monocytes. Conversely, no difference of T-bet expression was observed in B cells from relapsing-remitting MS patients, either in relapse or in remission, and in controls. In the MS-CD patient, the interaction between MS- and CD-related inflammatory processes may result in an amplification of Th1 immune response.
Structural Layer Coefficient for Flexible Pavement

In order to design flexible pavements employing the AASHO Interim Guide, one must know the layer coefficients of pavement materials. The results of a study to derive structural layer coefficients of several Mississippi pavement materials—surface mixture and base mixture of asphalt concrete, soilcement, and soil‐lime—are presented. Fatigue cracking is the criterion employed in deriving the structural layer coefficients. A model is developed to estimate fatigue life or performance or both of pavements treating traffic, material characteristics, and environmental effects as stochastic variables. Material characteristics that govern the pavement performance include resilient modulus and fatigue sensitivity. Although the inputs are probabilistic, the resulting model equation is deterministic and amenable to direct solution for the analysis/design of flexible pavements. Using this model with the stipulation that fatigue cracking in the wheel paths be less than 45%, the researcher establishes equivalent pavement...
Validity of the bi‐axial dependence concept: a test in the US general population

According to the "bi-axial" concept of alcohol dependence, the Alcohol Dependence Syndrome (ADS) constitutes an axis or dimension of alcohol difficulties, while other alcohol-related problems (social, legal, etc.) constitute one or more separate dimensions. The validity of the bi-axial distinction was investigated in a stratified probability sample of 3212 US current drinkers who were interviewed in their households. Indicators of the Alcohol Dependence Syndrome and potentially distinct alcohol-related problems were covered in a structured interview administered by carefully trained interviewers. This interview provided extensive coverage of drinking patterns and problems. Aspects of the ADS covered included narrowing, salience, tolerance, withdrawal, withdrawal relief/avoidance and compulsion/control. Other alcohol problems included difficulties with work, health, the law, general social difficulties and problems in marriage/home life. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were used to determine whether a single factor (dimension) or two or more factors fit the data best. Using all methods, we found that one general factor explained the structure of the data better than a two-factor model or other models for males, females, blacks and whites. Thus, the utility of this approach to distinguishing between types of alcohol problems was challenged, raising some questions about abuse/dependence distinctions in various nomenclatures.
Policy: Regulate embryos made for research

As technical barriers fall, the United States should adapt existing measures to govern the generation of human embryos for research, says Insoo Hyun.
Calculation of the Cross-Section for Optical Transitions of an Electron Bubble to D States

The optical transitions of an electron bubble (negative ion) in liquid helium from the ground state to the 1P and 2P states have been studied in a number of experiments. For an ideal spherical bubble electric-dipole transitions can occur only to P states. Thermal or quantum fluctuations in the bubble shape make other transitions possible. In this paper we calculate the cross-sections for transitions from the 1S ground state to the 1D and 2D states. The cross-section for the 1S to 1D transition is approximately two orders of magnitude less than the cross-section for the 1S to 1P.
The erythromycin breath test reflects P-glycoprotein function independently of cytochrome P450 3A activity.

Background The erythromycin breath test (ERBT) has been widely used as a phenotypic measure of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A activity in individuals, as well as its modulation by inhibitors or inducers. However, it is not entirely clear what this measure actually reflects because, in addition to CYP3A, animal studies suggest that P-glycoprotein is also involved in erythromycin's hepatic disposition. Thus studies were undertaken to determine the effect of tariquidar, a potent P-glycoprotein inhibitor that does not affect CYP3A activity, on the ERBT and on the CYP3A-mediated metabolism of midazolam, a non-P-glycoprotein substrate. Methods A randomized, double-blind, 2-way crossover trial was performed in 8 healthy subjects involving the intravenous administration of either placebo or tariquidar (150 mg over a period of 30 minutes) on 2 study days 2 weeks apart. On both days, a 1-hour ERBT was performed, followed by determination of midazolam's systemic clearance after a 1-mg intravenous dose. Results Tariquidar increased the ERBT 1-hour value in all subjects (median, 2.1% [interquartile range (IQR), 1.9% to 3.3%] versus 5.4% [IQR, 3.7% to 7.8%] for placebo and tariquidar, respectively; P = .012), representing a median 2.3-fold (IQR, 1.9- to 3.0-fold) increase. By contrast, midazolam's systemic clearance after tariquidar was unchanged (median change, −4.6% [IQR, −10.2% to 10.7%]; P = .78). Conclusions Hepatic P-glycoprotein is an important determinant of the ERBT and a potentially confounding factor in interpreting the meaning of the trait measure. In addition, the results demonstrate the dynamic interplay between hepatic drug metabolism and transport of dual CYP3A/P-glycoprotein substrates. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2006) 80, 228–234; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2006.06.002
The effect of a 3-month moderate-intensity physical activity program on body composition in overweight and obese African American college females

Summary This study evaluated body composition outcomes following a 3-month exercise program for overweight/obese Black women. BMI decreased over the 3-month study despite an observed increase in body fat. Enhancements in bone marrow density and muscle density were also observed. Results show promising yet hypothesis-generating findings to explore in future research.
GABA Agonist: Clomethiazole

Neuroprotective agents inhibit reactions in the brain ischaemic injury cascade which lead to neuronal death. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a naturally occurring inhibitory neurotransmitter that increases chloride influx into the neuron and counteracts the toxic effects of glutamate. Clomethiazole is a GABA(A) agonist, which causes membrane hyperpolarization, counteracting depolarization and the subsequent cascade of biochemical events that result in neuronal death. Promising results in animal models resulted in clinical trials conducted in humans. However, large randomized placebo controlled trials in Europe, Canada and North America did not show the superiority of clomethiazole over placebo that was seen in animal models.
A mitochondrial factor that prevents the effects of antimycin A on myogenesis.

Abstract Antimycin A, together with a number of other agents which interfere with or inhibit oxidative phosphorylation in isolated mitochondrial systems, also interferes with normal development of myogenic elements in explanted chick embryos and monolayer cultures of muscle. The effects of these agents are quantitative, both morphological and biochemical indices being used, at millimolar to micromolar concentrations. It is concluded that normal growth and maintenance of myogenic elements initially require structural integrity as well as a balanced oxidative state of membrane elements involved in aerobic phosphorylation. A factor isolated from aqueous extracts of chicken liver mitochondria affords protection against antimycin A. Embryos cultivated in a medium containing as much as 0.035 μg of the inhibitor per milliliter for 6 hours, and transferred to normal medium containing the factor, recover. The factor also prevents the action of antimycin A in monolayer cultures of embryonic skeletal muscle. It does not protect embryos against effects of oligomycin. The factor is isolated and purified by passage through a Sephadex G-200 column, followed by adsorption on hydroxyapatite columns and stepwise elution with phosphate buffer. The protein coming off at a concentration of 0.06 M phosphate, pH 7.3, is active and can be treated with light petroleum ether followed by dialysis against 0.002 M phosphate without loss of activity. Activity is lost in 30 minutes at pH 4 (25°C), but at pH 5.5 no reduction in activity is observed. Activity is destroyed by heating at 60°C for 15 minutes. Neither DNase and RNase affect the activity of the factor; it is not destroyed completely by mild trypsin treatment. The factor is antigenic, and, by means of antibodies made to it in rabbits, it has been shown that the factor occurs normally in the early chick embryo.
Mode of Action analysis of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) tumorigenicity and Human Relevance.

Abstract Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an environmentally persistent chemical used in the manufacturing of a wide array of industrial and commercial products. PFOA has been shown to induce tumors of the liver, testis and pancreas (tumor triad) in rats following chronic dietary administration. PFOA belongs to a group of compounds that are known to activate the PPARα receptor. The PPARα activation Mode of Action was initially addressed in 2003 [9] and further refined in subsequent reviews [92] , [93] , [94] . In the intervening time, additional information on PFOA effects as well as a further refinement of the Mode of Action framework warrants a re-examination of this compound for its cancer induction Mode of Action. This review will address the rodent (rat) cancer data and cancer Mode of Action of PFOA for tumors of the liver, testes and pancreas.
Amine elimination synthesis of a titanium(IV) N-heterocyclic carbene complex with short intramolecular Cl⋯Ccarbene contacts

The reaction of 1,3-dimesitylimidazolium chloride with Ti(NMe2)4 results in the 1,3-dimesitylimadazol-2-ylidene complex of Ti(NMe2)2Cl2 (3); the X-ray crystal structure of 3 evidences short intramolecular Cl⋯Ccarbene contacts.
Discriminant Analysis to Predict Graduation – Nongraduation in a Master's Degree Program in Nursing

Discriminant analysis was used to predict graduation and two categories of nongraduation from readily available admissions data at the University of Kansas nursing master's degree program. The traditional admissions indices, baccalaureate grade point average (GPA) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE)-verbal and -quantitative scores, were used as predictors. Criterion categories were composed of 102 graduates, 103 individuals who dropped out of the program, and 65 individuals who were not accepted. The first discriminant function was, chi 2 (6) = 87.567, p less than .0001, and extracted 98% of the variance of the discriminant space. Follow-up procedures using one-way ANOVA's and Scheffe multiple comparisons indicated that the baccalaureate GPA and GRE-verbal and -quantitative scores independently differentiated the graduate and dropout groups from the not-accepted group at a statistically significant level (p less than .05). Practical significance of the independent contribution of these variables to group differentiation, as measured by omega 2 was 22% for the baccalaureate GPA, 13% for the GRE-verbal scores, and 10% for the GRE-quantitative scores. Implications for future research are discussed.
MicroRNA-34a regulation of endothelial senescence

Endothelial senescence is thought to play a role in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that endothelial microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate endothelial survival and senescence. We found that miR-34a is highly expressed in primary endothelial cells. We observed that miR-34a expression increases in senescent human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and in heart and spleen of older mice. MiR-34a over-expression induces endothelial cell senescence and also suppresses cell proliferation by inhibiting cell cycle progression. Searching for how miR-34a affects senescence, we discovered that SIRT1 is a target of miR-34a. Over-expressing miR-34a inhibits SIRT1 protein expression, and knocking down miR-34a enhances SIRT1 expression. MiR-34a triggers endothelial senescence in part through SIRT1, since forced expression of SIRT1 blocks the ability of miR-34a to induce senescence. Our data suggest that miR-34a contributes to endothelial senescence through suppression of SIRT1.
Against the Odds Matriliny, land and gender in the Shire Highlands of Malawi

■ The people of the Shire Highlands in southern Malawi (with origins in Nyanja, Mang'anja, Yao, and Lomwe-speaking groups) practise a form of matriliny, including matrilineal descent and inheritance and uxorilocal mar riage, that has proven remarkably resilient in the face of direct and indirect chal lenges. These include misperceptions and prejudices about matriliny by Christian missions and European travellers; the promotion of a patriarchal nuclear family by Christian and Islamic missions, by government policies, and by estate tenancy; the attack on matriliny by the agricultural development policies of the 1940s and 1950s; and the privileging of men in extension of agricultural and other services by colonial and post-colonial governments. Today, the con tinued predominance of matriliny in village life provides considerable range for women's authority, especially with respect to land inheritance, and continues to provide the necessary matrix within which 'household' or elementary family based on marriag...
Electrophysiological test of an amphiphilic β-structure in LHRH action

Abstract Micropipettes were used to record electrical activity from single neurons in hypothalamic tissue slices, in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC), and in the periventricular and suprachiasmatic preoptic nuclei (POA). Responses were measured following in vitro application of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), and two analogues: LHRH models 1 and 3. Model 1 (pyroGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Phe-Thr-Ile-Lys-Ile-ThrNH 2) had amino acid substitutions in residues 5–10 designed to form an amphiphilic β-strand structure. Model 3 (pyroGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Phe-Gly-Ile-Lys-Pro-SerNH2) was also designed to possess amphiphilic characteristics, but also more closely to resemble the native peptide. Electrical recording results showed that LHRH was able both to excite or inhibit different hypothalamic neurons, and that it was more effective in the preoptic area than in the arcuate nucleus. Responses to LHRH model 3 were strongly correlated with responses to LHRH, in their occurrence and their direction, for both of the brain regions studied. Moreover, LHRH models 1 and 3 also retained the neuromodulatory effects of LHRH on cellular responses to norepinephrine and serotonin. Thus, LHRH analogues, designed to possess an amphiphilic β-structure, preserved some of the properties of LHRH when tested electrophysiologically in the central nervous system.