cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An octamer motif contributes to the expression of the retinoic acid-regulated zinc finger gene Rex-1 (Zfp-42) in F9 teratocarcinoma cells.

Abstract The message for the zinc finger gene Rex-1 (Zfp-42) is expressed in undifferentiated murine F9 teratocarcinoma cells and embryonic stem cells. Expression of Rex-1 is reduced at the transcriptional level when F9 cells are induced by the addition of retinoic acid (RA) to differentiate. We have isolated genomic DNA for the Rex-1 gene (Zfp-42), characterized the gene's structure, and mapped the gene to mouse chromosome 8. Promoter elements contributing to the regulation of the Rex-1 promoter in F9 cells have been identified. A region required for Rex-1 promoter activity in F9 stem cells contains an octamer motif (ATTTGCAT) which is a binding site for octamer transcription factor members of the POU domain family of DNA-binding proteins. Rex-1 reporter plasmids including this octamer site also exhibited reduced expression in F9 cells treated with RA. Thus, the octamer motif is a regulatory element required for the activity of the Rex-1 promoter in F9 stem cells, and this motif contributes to the negative regulation by RA of the transcription of the Rex-1 gene. As an initial confirmation of the in vivo relevance of the isolated fragment, a larger Rex-1 promoter fragment, also containing the octamer site, was able to promote expression of the bacterial lacZ gene in mouse embryos at the morula stage.
Assumptions and the levelized cost of energy for photovoltaics

Photovoltaic electricity is a rapidly growing renewable energy source and will ultimately assume a major role in global energy production. The cost of solar-generated electricity is typically compared to electricity produced by traditional sources with a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) calculation. Generally, LCOE is treated as a definite number and the assumptions lying beneath that result are rarely reported or even understood. Here we shed light on some of the key assumptions and offer a new approach to calculating LCOE for photovoltaics based on input parameter distributions feeding a Monte Carlo simulation. In this framework, the influence of assumptions and confidence intervals becomes clear.
The copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase from Escherichia coli: molecular weight and stability.

Abstract The periplasmic Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu,ZnSOD) from Escherichia coli has been shown by sedimentation equilibrium to be a monomer with a molecular weight of ∼17,000. The enzyme suffered a reversible inactivation when heated to 70°C. This was minimized by added Cu(II) or Zn(II). Heat lability was greater in phosphate than in Tris buffer. The enzyme exhibited a time-dependent inactivation by Hg(II) and this too was greater in phosphate than in Tris. This behavior can be explained by a modest affinity of the enzyme for Cu(II) and Zn(II) which results in a dissociation/association equilibrium. Elevation of the temperature shifts this equilibrium toward dissociation and phosphate sequesters the released metals making them less available for reinsertion at the active site. Hg(II) competes for occupancy of the active site and there were more unoccupied sites in phosphate than in Tris. A parallel was drawn between the E. coli Cu,ZnSOD and FALS varients of human Cu,ZnSOD, which are also relatively unstable and exhibit low affinity for Cu(II).
The α-TIF (VP16) Homologue (ETIF) of Equine Herpesvirus 1 Is Essential for Secondary Envelopment and Virus Egress

The equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) alpha-trans-inducing factor homologue (ETIF; VP16-E) is a 60-kDa virion component encoded by gene 12 (ORF12) that transactivates the immediate-early gene promoter. Here we report on the function of EHV-1 ETIF in the context of viral infection. An ETIF-null mutant from EHV-1 strain RacL11 (vL11deltaETIF) was constructed and analyzed. After transfection of vL11deltaETIF DNA into RK13 cells, no infectious virus could be reconstituted, and only single infected cells or small foci containing up to eight infected cells were detected. In contrast, after transfection of vL11deltaETIF DNA into a complementing cell line, infectious virus could be recovered, indicating the requirement of ETIF for productive virus infection. The growth defect of vL11deltaETIF could largely be restored by propagation on the complementing cell line, and growth on the complementing cell line resulted in incorporation of ETIF in mature and secreted virions. Low- and high-multiplicity infections of RK13 cells with phenotypically complemented vL11deltaETIF virus resulted in titers of virus progeny similar to those used for infection, suggesting that input ETIF from infection was recycled. Ultrastructural studies of vL11deltaETIF-infected cells demonstrated a marked defect in secondary envelopment at cytoplasmic membranes, resulting in very few enveloped virions in transport vesicles or extracellular space. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ETIF has an essential function in the replication cycle of EHV-1, and its main role appears to be in secondary envelopment.
A model reference adaptive control based method for actuator delay estimation in real-time testing

Real-time testing provides a viable experimental technique to evaluate the performance of structural systems subjected to dynamic loading. Servo-hydraulic actuators are often utilized to apply calculated displacements from an integration algorithm to the experimental structures in a real-time manner. The compensation of actuator delay is therefore critical to achieve stable and reliable experimental results. The advances in compensation methods based on adaptive control theory enable researchers to accommodate variable actuator delay and achieve good actuator control for real-time tests. However, these adaptive methods all require time duration for actuator delay adaptation. Experiments show that a good actuator delay estimate can help optimize the performance of the adaptive compensation methods. The rate of adaptation also requires that a good actuator delay estimate be acquired especially for the tests where the peak structural response might occur at the beginning of the tests. This paper presents a model reference adaptive control based method to identify the parameter of a simplified discrete model for servo-hydraulic dynamics and the resulting compensation method. Simulations are conducted using both numerical analysis and experimental results to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed estimation method.
Complex Trait Analysis of the Hippocampus: Mapping and Biometric Analysis of Two Novel Gene Loci with Specific Effects on Hippocampal Structure in Mice

Notable differences in hippocampal structure are associated with intriguing differences in development and behavioral capabilities. We explored genetic and environmental factors that modulate hippocampal size, structure, and cell number using sets of C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) mice; their F1 and F2 intercrosses ( n = 180); and 35 lines of BXD recombinant inbred (RI) strains. Hippocampal weights of the parental strains differ by 20%. Estimates of granule cell number also differ by ∼20%. Hippocampal weights of RI strains range from 21 to 31 mg, and those of individual F2 mice range from 23 to 36 mg (bilateral weights). Volume and granule cell number are well correlated ( r = 0.7–0.8). Significant variation is associated with differences in age and sex. The hippocampus increases in weight by 0.24 mg per month, and those of males are 0.55 mg heavier (bilateral) than those of females. Heritability of variation is ∼50%, and half of this genetic variation is generated by two quantitative trait loci that map to chromosome 1 ( Hipp1a : genome-wide p Hipp5a , p Hipp1a and Hipp5a individually modulate hippocampal weight by 1.0–2.0 mg, an effect size greater than that generated by age or sex. The Hipp gene loci modulate neuron number in the dentate gyrus, collectively shifting the population up or down by as much as 200,000 cells. Candidate genes for the Hipp loci include Rxrg and Fgfr3 .
Themes of resilience and growth in survivors of politically motivated violence

The experiences of 19 Israeli civilian survivors of politically motivated violence (PMV) between 2001 and 2003 were examined using in-depth interviews to elicit resonating narratives. The narratives were informed by demographic data and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale (PSS) self-report surveys. Four meaningful groupings or patterns of change emerged, reflecting various ways to experience the trauma of PMV: little or no growth, living the attack, resilience, and posttraumatic growth. Twelve descriptive themes of resilience and growth emerged from the data. The findings provide evidence that a positive psychological impact (PPI) can result from exposure to the trauma of PMV and provide deeper insights into posttraumatic growth, in particular: the primacy of the domains of new possibilities and personal strength; the focus on action growth; and the critical role of the integration of cognition and affect.
Exploiting graphics processing units for computational biology and bioinformatics

Advances in the video gaming industry have led to the production of low-cost, high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) that possess more memory bandwidth and computational capability than central processing units (CPUs), the standard workhorses of scientific computing. With the recent release of generalpurpose GPUs and NVIDIA’s GPU programming language, CUDA, graphics engines are being adopted widely in scientific computing applications, particularly in the fields of computational biology and bioinformatics. The goal of this article is to concisely present an introduction to GPU hardware and programming, aimed at the computational biologist or bioinformaticist. To this end, we discuss the primary differences between GPU and CPU architecture, introduce the basics of the CUDA programming language, and discuss important CUDA programming practices, such as the proper use of coalesced reads, data types, and memory hierarchies. We highlight each of these topics in the context of computing the all-pairs distance between instances in a dataset, a common procedure in numerous disciplines of scientific computing. We conclude with a runtime analysis of the GPU and CPU implementations of the all-pairs distance calculation. We show our final GPU implementation to outperform the CPU implementation by a factor of 1700.
Erosion Study of Radial Flow Compressor With Splitters

Gas turbine engines operating in areas where the atmosphere is polluted by small solid particles are examples of machines operating under particulate two phase flow conditions. The presence of solid particles in the working media leads to erosion and loss of engine power. In the present paper, particle trajectories are calculated by direct integration of the particle equations of motion through a compressor impeller with two different size splitters. Particle collisions with the blade, hub and casing surfaces are determined. Erosion caused by the particle collisions with the compressor surfaces are calculated.Copyright © 1986 by ASME
A new Hamiltonian formulation for fluids and plasmas. Part 3. Multifluid electrodynamics

The Hamiltonian structure underlying ideal multifluid electrodynamics is formulated in a way that simplifies Hamiltonian perturbation calculations. We consider linear and lowest-order nonlinear theory, and the results in Part 1 of this series of papers are generalized in a satisfactory way. Thus the Hermitian structure of linearized dynamics is derived, and we obtain the coupling coefficients for resonant three-wave interaction in symmetric form, giving the Manley–Rowe relations.
Gas‐phase reactions of C3Hn+ ions

The kinetics and reactivity of linear C3H+ and cyclic and linear isomers of C3H2+ and C3H3+ were studied in a tandem flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube (FA-SIFT). The C3Hn+ ions represent possible ionic precursors to neutral cyclopropenylidene, c-C3H2, a molecule that has been found to be one of the most common species in interstellar space. Accordingly, rate coefficients and product branching ratios were measured for reactions of each ion with a variety of organic and inorganic compounds, with particular (but not exclusive) attention to neutral species likely to be present in the interstellar medium. The chemistry of C3H+ is found to be dominated by oxygen abstraction reactions to produce the relatively stable HC3O+ ion, and by reactions in which C2H2 or CO are eliminated. Cyclic and linear isomers of C3H2+ readily abstract H atoms to produce the stable cyclic or linear C3H3+ ions, presumably the ionic precursors to interstellar C3H2. C3H3+ ions react predominantly by clustering with the neutral reagent in three-body association reactions. C3H3+ also proton transfers to several species to produce directly neutral C3H2.
Cardiac nitric oxide synthases are elevated in dietary copper deficiency.

Dietary copper (Cu) deficiency leads to cardiac morphological and functional defects suggestive of heart failure. However, simultaneous cytoprotective events also appear to occur. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this complex alteration of cardiac function by Cu deficiency have not been elucidated. Because prior work has implicated altered nitric oxide (NO) metabolism in this altered function, we have examined this pathway in further detail. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed diets that were either Cu adequate (6 mg Cu/kg diet) or Cu deficient (<0.5 mg Cu/kg diet) for 5 weeks. Endothelial NO synthase (NOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) protein expressions, as measured by Western blot analysis, were 58% and 40% higher, respectively, in Cu-deficient than in Cu-adequate rat hearts. Cardiac NOS activity, as measured by conversion of 3H-arginine to 3H-citrulline, was 130% higher in Cu-deficient than in Cu-adequate rats. NFκB is a known transcription factor for iNOS. Activation of NFκB, determined by an ELISA for the p65 subunit, was found to be 33% higher in Cu-deficient than in Cu-adequate rats. Coupled with prior evidence of elevated cardiac nitrate/nitrite production in Cu-deficient rats, these data suggest multiple pathways for enhanced NO production that may contribute to altered cardiac function under dietary Cu deficiency.
Novel association of rectal evacuation disorder and rumination syndrome: Diagnosis, comorbidities, and treatment

BackgroundPatients with disorders of gastrointestinal function may undergo unnecessary treatment if misdiagnosed as motility disorders.ObjectiveTo report on clinical features, medical, surgical, an...
A Bidimensional Model of Acculturation for Examining Differences in Family Functioning and Behavior Problems in Hispanic Immigrant Adolescents

This study examined the relationships of adolescent acculturation orientations to adolescent and parent reports of family functioning and behavior problems in a sample of 338 Hispanic families. Acculturation orientations are derived from the model proposed by Berry. Results indicate that integrated adolescents, who both maintain heritage culture practices and adopt receiving culture practices, reported the highest levels of parental involvement, positive parenting, and family support and that assimilated adolescents, who adopt receiving-culture practices and do not retain heritage culture practices, reported the greatest levels of aggressive behavior. Implications for intervention, as well as benefits of using a bidimensional model to evaluate the relationships of acculturation to individual and family functioning, are discussed.
Morphological Evolution of Newly Metamorphosed Sea Urchins—A Phylogenetic and Functional Analysis

Synopsis Newly metamorphosed juvenile sea urchins are highly variable across taxa. This contribution documents and illustrates structural, functional, and phylogenetic variation among newly metamorphosed juvenile sea urchins for 31 species from 12 ordinal or familial lineages. The classic juvenile with five primary podia, 20 interambulacral spines, and variable numbers of juvenile spines is found commonly among new metamorphs across lineages, but there are many examples, which depart from this pattern and most likely reflect adaptation to settlement habitats. At metamorphosis juveniles can have 5–25 functional podia. They can have 0–65 spines, 0 or 5 sphaeridia (balance organs). They may have zero or up to eight pedicellariae. While competent larvae that delay metamorphosis may continue to develop juvenile structures, variation across species is much greater than within species and there are strong phylogenetic and functional differences among juveniles. Heterochronic changes in expression of these structures can account for differences among taxa. Based on this sample, juvenile characters such as spines, podia, and larval pedicellariae are expressed in ways that suggest they are developmental modules whose expression can be readily changed relative to one another and to the time of metamorphosis.
Short-Term Operational Sea Ice Forecasting for Arctic Shipping

The Arctic sea ice is declining in extent, volume and thickness. With this decline comes an increased interest in the two main Arctic shipping routes: Canada’s Northwest Passage (NWP) and Russian Northern Sea Route (NSR). The NWP is the most direct route between Asia and the East coast of North America. Some routes are up to 40% shorter than those using the Suez Canal.With commercial and contractual implications, Arctic shipping route access needs to be predictable with sufficient lead time to allow optimization. This paper presents a methodology for forecasting the timing and length of the open-water season (by determining freeze-up and break-up dates) on regional scales at key locations in the NWP along with examples of applications.A suite of statistical models were developed to forecast the timing and length of the open-water season at key locations within the NWP, using a multi-node based quadratic discriminant (QD) approach. Forecasts are feasible up to four weeks in advance. Ensembles of QD models were built for key regions using a feature selection method to select an optimized set of input parameters to better discriminate between two states (i.e., ice or open-water). The set of available features used included observed and modeled environmental, oceanographic and atmospheric parameters. Results of models with a 28-day forecast horizon show that over 59% of predictions for break-up and 79% of predictions for freeze-up fall within a ±4-day range, which is the error on the reference dates derived from the weekly CIS ice charts.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Functional Targeting of Bacteria: A Multimodal Construct for PDT and Diagnostics of Drug-Resistant Bacteria

A multimodal construct that targets functionality unique to pathogens, but typically absent in mammals, is the focus of this chapter. A brief overview of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) and targeting strategies is provided for context only, followed by the development of the functional targeting that is the substance of this chapter. Deeper reviews on PDT and antimicrobial PDT are topics of other chapters in this book, and other publications. The constructs termed β-lactamase enzyme-activated photosensitizer (β-LEAP)/β-lactamase enzyme-activated fluorophore (β-LEAF) and their potential applications and significance are described in the context of existing technologies. The conclusions with the current state of the art is that this methodology may provide a practical and rapid test for establishing the utility of antibiotics to specific infections, thus reducing the empirical use of these drugs and lowering the incidence of development of drug-resistant pathogens. A less developed aspect of the chapter is the potential for the use of these same constructs in PDT, where they can be used to eradicate lactamase-based drug-resistant bacteria that survive conventional antibiotic treatments, in addition to drug-sensitive bacteria. The chapter ends with a perspective on the broader potential of this platform in microbiology and parasitology.
Moving Past Individual and "Pure" Autonomy: The Rise of Family-Centered Patient Care.

Since the 1970s, various factors have generated a shift in medical culture from the prioritization of individual autonomy to relational autonomy.
Management of the behavioural manifestations of Hunter syndrome

This article reviews the behavioural manifestations of, and the strategies for managing, Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type II), a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme iduronate-2-sulphatase. Hunter syndrome is generally considered to have two manifestations: an attenuated form and a severe form; in the latter, the person has pronounced cognitive decline. Infants with either phenotype usually appear normal at birth, but may show some somatic signs. Children with the severe phenotype show developmental delay and changes in behaviour patterns at about 18 months to 4 years of age. To varying degrees, patients with the severe form manifest behavioural disorders such as hyperactivity, aggression, impulsivity, anxiety and sleep disturbances. Medications, such as antipsychotics, benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants, have been tried with varying degrees of success. Behavioural management strategies may be a worthwhile approach, although published data are lacking. For sleep disturbances, behavioural modification plus melatonin or benzodiazepine may be effective treatments.
Military 2.0: Ethical Blowback from Emerging Technologies

The military is a major driver of technological, world-changing innovations, such as the Internet. Ethical and policy concerns arising from such technologies, therefore, are not limited to military affairs, but they can have great implications for society at large. This paper will focus on two technology areas making headlines today and in the future: human enhancement technologies and robotics, representing both biological and technological upgrades to the military. The concerns we will raise are about (1) the unintended effects that these technologies could have on society and (2) the possible self-defeatingness of these military programs. Given that society also can influence military programs, e.g., through civil protests, it is important for the military to attend to such concerns.
Experimental verification of the model for formation of double Shockley stacking faults in highly doped regions of PVT-grown 4H–SiC wafers

Abstract We recently reported on the formation of overlapping rhombus-shaped stacking faults from scratches left over by the chemical mechanical polishing during high temperature annealing of PVT-grown 4H–SiC wafer. These stacking faults are restricted to regions with high N-doped areas of the wafer. The type of these stacking faults were determined to be Shockley stacking faults by analyzing the behavior of their area contrast using synchrotron white beam X-ray topography studies. A model has been proposed to explain the formation mechanism of the rhombus shaped stacking faults based on double Shockley fault nucleation and propagation. In this paper, we have experimentally verified this model by characterizing the configuration of the bounding partials of the stacking faults on both surfaces using synchrotron topography in back reflection geometry. As predicted by the model, on both the Si and C faces, the leading partials bounding the rhombus-shaped stacking faults are 30° Si-core and the trailing partials are 30° C-core. Using high resolution transmission electron microscopy, we have verified that the enclosed stacking fault is a double Shockley type.
Dimethylsulfoxide prevents chemoattractant-induced leukocyte adherence

The objective of this study was to determine whether dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) influences chemoattractant-induced leukocyte adherence in the intestinal microcirculation. The distal colon of Sprague-Dawley rats was prepared for intravital microscopic observation of 25-35 microns diameter venules located in the muscularis externa. The number and average velocity of rolling leukocytes and the number of leukocytes adherent to the venular endothelial surface were determined from recorded video images. After a control period of observation, either N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) or leukotriene B4 (LTB4) was added to the serosal superfusion solution. Both FMLP (1 microM) and LTB4 (1 microM) consistently caused leukocytes to adhere to venular endothelium. DMSO, at concentrations ranging between 2.5 and 140 mM, inhibited FMLP-induced leukocyte adherence in a dose-related manner. LTB4-induced leukocyte adherence was also significantly attenuated by DMSO. Leukocyte rolling velocity and leukocyte flux were not affected by DMSO. These results indicate that DMSO significantly inhibits leukocyte adherence at concentrations commonly used for its hydroxyl radical scavenging properties.
An Integrated Sublimator Driven Coldplate

The original Sublimator Driven Coldplate (SDC) design sought to provide significant mass savings over a traditional pumped fluid loop by combining the functions of a coldplate and a sublimator so that the fluid loop could be eliminated. The Integrated Sublimator Driven Coldplate (ISDC) builds on the original SDC concept by adding coolant layers so that it can be integrated with the pumped fluid loop on a vehicle. The ISDC can function as both a standard flow-through coldplate and an SDC. In this work, an ISDC test article was designed, assembled, and tested in a vacuum chamber. The testing results demonstrate proof of concept for the ISDC. The outstanding agreement and consistency among the analytical predictions, Thermal Desktop model, and test results demonstrates a thorough understanding of the unique aspects of the ISDC performance. This understanding provides a strong foundation for further development and refinement of the ISDC design.
Infrared matrix isolation study of the thermal and photochemical reactions of ozone with trimethylgallium.

The thermal and photochemical reactions of (CH3)3Ga and O3 have been explored using a combination of matrix isolation, infrared spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations. Experimental data using twin jet deposition and theoretical calculations demonstrate the formation of multiple product species after deposition, annealing to 35 K, and UV irradiation of the matrices. The products were identified as (CH3)2GaOCH3, (CH3)2GaCH2OH, (CH3)(CH3O)Ga(OCH3), (CH3)2GaCHO, and (CH3)Ga(OCH3)(CH2OH). Product identifications were confirmed by annealing and irradiation behavior, 18O substitution experiments, and high level theoretical calculations. Merged jet deposition led to a number of stable late reaction products, including C2H6, CH3OH, and H2CO. A white solid film was also noted on the walls of the merged (flow reactor) region of the deposition system, likely due to the formation of Ga2O3.
Effets of soil potash treatment and storage temperature on blackspot bruise development in tubers of fourSolanum tuberosum cultivars

Plots of Russet Burbank, Nampa, Targhee, and A6371-2 received O, 250, and 500 lb of potash (K2O/A as KC1 or K2SO4). Tubers were bruised following harvest. Potash treatment had no significant effect in reducing blackspot development when there was no yield response to K fertilization. On soil that tested low for K, potash treatment significantly reduced blackspot development for all four cultivars. Tuber subsamples were bruised after 6 mo in storage at either 1.7 or 10 C. Differences in blackspot bruise development between low and high K were maintained for those tubers stored at 10 C; differences were not maintained and little discoloration developed in tubers stored at 1.7 C, due perhaps to less enzyme activity and less substrate. The Nampa cultivar was significantly more resistant to blackspot than the other three cultivars.
EFFECT OF SOLVENT ON AFLATOXIN CONTENT IN EXTRACTS OF VIRGINIA TYPE PEANUT SKINS

Peanut skins are currently a waste product that may be a potential source of flavonoid rich compounds. In or­der to make use of these compounds, an extract would need to be produced. One of the potential issues with a peanut skin extract could be that any aflatoxins in the whole skins may be concentrated by solvent extraction. A multistep peanut skin extraction (PSE) method (100% water) and a methanol-water method (30:70 and 80:20) were used to extract proanthocyanidins from natural peanut skins samples and from peanut skin sam­ples treated with an aflatoxin standard to determine the recovery by each extraction procedure. Liquid Chroma­tography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) detection was employed for the determination and quantitation of af­latoxins G2, G1, B2, and B1 in the extracts from each of the samples. No aflatoxins of interest were detected in the PSE, 30% methanol aqueous (aq.), and 80% methanol aq. extract of un-spiked peanut skin samples. For aflatoxin spiked standard (G2, G1, B2, B1) sam­ples, the PSE method (100% water) recovered the least aflatoxin with mean recoveries of 1-2%. The 30% methanol aq. procedure yielded mean recoveries of 17-36%. The 80% methanol aq. extraction method recov­ered the most aflatoxin, with mean recoveries of 35-63%. Statistical analysis revealed significant differ­ences in aflatoxin recovery between the three extraction methods, indicating that both concentration and type of extraction solvent play significant roles in extraction of aflatoxin. This study provides evidence that if aflatox­ins are present in the starting material for a flavonoid rich extract, the aflatoxins will carryover and concen­trate in the resultant extract, especially if a high per­centage of methanol is used as the major extraction sol­vent.
The Shaping of Research Design in Large-Scale Group Research

one in which the task of integration is overburdened with extraneous affect. I hope no one will assume that I imagine these benefits are inevitably forthcoming simply as a consequence of mechanical rule of procedure. It seems to me that this device allows for the evolution of an indispensable and impalpable aid to interdisciplinary research: an atmosphere in which irrelevant anxieties are reduced and intellectual mutuality fostered. This sanguine air of high intellectual expectation seems to characterize the most successful and productive interdisciplinary research projects, and its absence is strikingly noticeable in those which are unsuccessful. Above all, and what must be especially stressed, is the gradualness of the process I have been describing and the great tax it places on patience and good will to be successful. Creativity cannot be coerced, and the attempt to be creative in a group is proportionally more complex than the sum of the difficulties faced by the individual scholars acting alone. The successful conduct of an interdisciplinary research enterprise imposes on its members and leadership the need to synchronize moods, feelings, and social relationship as well as their pattern of ideas and inquiry. Such a project, as I have defined its limits, must undertake to evolve the smaller teams in which cooperation can be carried on; it must help the participants define and fill a special role in which they can function both as specialists and non-specialists; and, finally, the group as a whole must be a tolerant one and seriously undertake the task of going beyond the safe, esteemed limits of specialization into the more difficult and uncertain terrain of synthesis. All this calls for a great hopefulness in the capacity of scholars to rise above the obstacles which stand in the way of such research; and interdisciplinary social science research is essentially an act of faith continually renewed by the hopeful.
Culture of type II pneumocytes on a type II cell-derived fibronectin-rich matrix

Recent evidence suggests that during primary culture, type II pneumocytes synthesize and deposit components of an extracellular matrix. The present study investigated the response of freshly isolat...
Effect of Maca Polysaccharide on Life Span and Antioxidative Ability of Drosophila melanogaster

Objective: To investigate the effect of Maca polysaccharide on the life span and antioxidative ability of Drosophila melanogaster. Method: Eight hour eclosion unmated D. melanegaster were collected. Male and female were separated, D. melanogaster were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, Maca polysaccharide group( 0. 03,0. 08,0. 24 g·L- 1). The life span,the survival time in paraquat and hydrogen peroxide treatment,the activities of superoxide dismutase( SOD),catalase( CAT) and the content of lipofuscin were determined. Result: Compared with the control group,the high dose group extends the maximum life span and mean life span of D. melanogaster( P 0. 05 or P 0. 01),exhibiting a dosage effect. The middle dose group and the high dose group can improve the survival time in paraquat and hydrogen peroxide treatment. The activities of SOD and CAT increase,meanwhile the content of lipofuscin decreases in the experiment. Conclusion: Maca polysaccharide might have a satisfactory effect on life span and anti-oxidant.
Impact of residential neighborhood environment on residents' physical activity

Objective To explore the impact of residential neighborhood environmental factors on physical activity of residents in Minhang district,Shanghai city.Methods Multi-stage stratified cluster sampling was employed to collect information in 1 099 residents aged 15 to 69 years,using a questionnaire combining Abbreviated Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale(ANEWS) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire(IPAQ).Descriptive statistics,t test,χ2test and logistic regression model were used in data analyses.Results Among the residents 83.9% were active in physical activity.After adjusting for demographics,physical activity was associated with residential density(odds ratio [OR]= 0.996,95% confidence interval[95% CI] = 0.994-0.997) and neighborhood surroundings(OR = 1.98,95% CI = 1.48-2.66).Low residential density(OR = 0.996,95% CI = 0.994-0.997),easy access to services(OR = 1.70,95% CI = 1.17-2.46),beautiful neighborhood surroundings(OR = 1.30,95% CI = 1.03-1.64) and safety from traffic and crime(OR = 1.30,95% CI = 1.03-1.64) were associated with walking for active transportation.Easy access to services(OR = 1.79,95% CI = 1.21-2.65) and safety from traffic and crime(OR = 1.52,95% CI = 1.07-2.15) were associated with walking for active leisure.Conclusion The residential neighborhood environment influences the physical activity of the residents,especially walking behavior.Physical activity could be promoted through improving residential density,aesthetics,access to services,and safety from traffic and crime.
Quantifying climate change impacts on hydropower generation and implications on electric grid greenhouse gas emissions and operation

Abstract Here we translate the impacts of climate change on hydropower generation, and discuss implications on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and operation in California. We integrate a model of major surface-water reservoirs with an electric grid dispatch model, and perturb it by projected runoff based on representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Results show that climate change and variability is expected to decrease the average annual hydropower generation by 3.1% under RCP4.5, but have negligible impact under the RCP8.5. Model simulations indicate more inflow, caused by more future extremes, in the future that does not necessarily translate to more energy production because of reservoir spillage of water. While overall volume of future available water for energy production may be similar or higher, the delivery of this volume is expected to be significantly more variable in the future climate than the historical average, which has many implications for hydropower generation. Our results show that the expected changes in future climate leads to increases in grid GHG emissions, load-following capacity, fuel usage, and costs for the RCP4.5 due to generation shortfall, and very slight increases in the same metrics for the RCP8.5 case due to variability causing decreased efficiencies in load-following power plants.
cAMP stimulates protein kinase C activity in cultured renal LLC-PK1 cells.

Exposure of intact LLC-PK1 cells to the phorbol ester 4-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) increases basal, arginine vasopressin-stimulated, and forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in LLC-PK1 membranes. This observation suggests that protein kinase C can increase adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in LLC-PK1 cells. To determine whether cAMP regulates protein kinase C activity in LLC-PK1 cells, intact cells were exposed to either forskolin or to soluble cAMP analogues. Acute (5 and 30 min) exposure to either forskolin or cAMP analogues increases protein kinase C activity as observed by two different methods for measuring protein kinase C. Acute exposure to PMA translocates protein kinase C from a soluble to a particulate cell fraction, whereas acute exposure to cAMP increases both soluble and particulate forms of protein kinase C. Longer exposure (18 h) to PMA results in a loss of protein kinase C activity, whereas 18-h exposure to cAMP results in a further increase in protein kinas...
Review of c, b and τ Lifetimes from e+e- Experiments

The current status of lifetime measurements of heavy flavored particles by experiments at e + e - colliders and their implications for the standard model are reviewed. This includes the most recent measurents of lifetimes of the tau lepton, the D mesons and B hadrons. The emphasis is on B hadron lifetimes, since there are several new results contributed to this conference. The first use of the B lifetime to tag and study bƃ events is also discussed.
Gene expression in human meniscal tears has limited association with early degenerative changes in knee articular cartilage

ABSTRACTPurpose/Aim: Meniscus tears are a common injury to the knee associated with the development of osteoarthritis. Gene expression in the injured meniscus may be associated with early degeneration in the articular cartilage. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that gene expression in meniscus tears is associated with early degenerative changes in the articular cartilage at the time of partial meniscectomy. Materials and Methods: Torn meniscus was removed at the time of partial meniscectomy in 68 patients without radiographic osteoarthritis. Meniscal mRNA expression was measured by quantitative PCR for multiple molecular markers of osteoarthritis and cartilage homeostasis. The presence of early degenerative changes in the knee was recorded by X-ray (N = 63), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, N = 48), and arthroscopy (N = 63). Gene expression was tested for correlation with the presence/absence of degenerative changes after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index. Results: Overall ge...
Euripides' Hekabe and the Somatics of Dionysiac Drama

The stage setting of Euripides' Hekabe is a sinister place. Its denizen is an ogre-like king who masquerades as an ally of the Greeks and a friend of the Trojans. He is a host who takes in a xenos (‘stranger/guest’) along with his golden hoard, both of which he promises to keep safe within his house. Site of death, site of thesaurization, Polymestor's locale bears an uncanny and parodic resemblance to the house of Hades and he to the form of that death god called Plouton. Paradoxically, the names of the victims who die there, the one he killed (Polydoros) and the one whom others sacrificed (Polyxena), sound like those ironic and euphemistic epithets of that underworld deity, who both gives and receives. This is also a place haunted by ghosts, one of whom appears on stage and speaks the prologue (Polydoros) and the other, Achilleus, who transmits his demand for the sacrificial gift of a ‘bride of death’ (Polyxena). In the end, there is a ‘house of Hades’, but it will be Hekabe's and not Polymestor's, and it is Polymestor and his children who will be lured into her secluded tent, following a path, as the chorus says, that leads thanasimon pros Haidan (‘to deadly Hades’, 1031f.; cf. 1021f.). He will later call the avengers (Hekabe and her women) Bacchants of Hades (1077).
Stomal maturation does not increase the rate of tracheocutaneous fistulas.

Objectives/Hypothesis To determine the rate of persistent tracheocutaneous fistula (TCF) in pediatric patients managed with stomal maturation at the time of the tracheostomy. Study Design Retrospective chart analysis of all cases of tracheostomy performed at a tertiary pediatric care center between 2001 and 2011. Methods The use of stomal maturation, number of decannulations, number of persistent TCFs, timing of TCF repair, and the overall mortality were assessed. Results A total of 264 patients received tracheostomy between 2001 and 2011. Of the total, 173 (66%) underwent stomal maturation. Of those 173 patients, 89 patients (51% of maturation group) underwent planned decannulation. Forty seven (53%) of the 89 decannulated were found to have a persistent TCF in the stomal maturation group. These were diagnosed an average of 1.3 years (range, 4–43 months) after decannulation. Of the 91 patients (34% of the total) who did not undergo stomal maturation, 44 (48% of nonmaturation group) underwent planned decannulation. Twenty of the 44 patients decannulated (45%) were diagnosed with a residual TCF 8 to 28 months later. Both groups achieved similar rates of decannulation (51% maturation vs. 48% non-maturation [P = .80]) and TCF (27% maturation vs. 22% non-maturation [P = .44]). Overall, mortality rates were (32/173) 18% (matured) versus (26/91) 29% (nonmatured). No mortalities were tracheostomy related. The mean (standard deviation) time from operation to TCF closure among those with TCF was 4.0 (1.9) years. Conclusions Comparable rates of persistent TCF with stomal maturation (27%) and without maturation (22%) were found in this single institution's 10-year experience. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 2016
A Deep Learning Approach for Semantic Segmentation in Histology Tissue Images

To make reliable diagnosis, pathologists often need to identify certain special regions in medical images. In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosis via histology tissue image examination, muscle regions are known to have no immune cell infiltration, and thus are ignored by pathologists. Also, messy regions (e.g., due to distortion and poor staining) are low in diagnostic yield. Hence, excluding muscle and messy regions to focus on vital regions is crucial for accurate diagnosis of IBD. In this paper, we propose a novel deep neural network based on fully convolutional networks (FCN) to identify muscle and messy regions, in an end-to-end fashion. First, we address the challenge of having limited medical training data, for training our deep neural network (a common problem for medical image processing, which may impede the application of the powerful deep learning method). Second, to deal with target regions of largely different sizes and arbitrary shapes, our deep neural network explores multi-scale information and structural information. Experimental results on clinical images show that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art FCN for semantic segmentation of muscle and messy regions. Our approach may be readily extended to identify other types of regions in a variety of medical imaging applications.
Experimental Simulation of the ‘Retreat’ of the Seasonal Thermocline by Surface Heating

Towards the end of the winter-cooling period, the seasonal thermocline in bodies of water such as the upper ocean, lakes, fjords and estuaries has, in general, been eroded by the combined action of convection and mechanical mixing to such an extent that the upper mixed layer is rather deep. But with the start of the spring heating period, turbulence in the lower regions of the layer is suppressed by the stabilizing heat flux at the surface and successively shallower mixed layers are often observed to form. The process culminates in a comparatively shallow mixed layer, which as time evolves is then heated and further eroded by the wind and other mixing processes later in the spring and summer. During the winter, the seasonal thermocline advances even more rapidly under the combined action of convection due to surface-cooling and mechanical mixing. In ice-covered bodies such as arctic fjords, salt-extrusion due to ice-growth also contributes to convective erosion. The process of deepening of the thermocline has been studied extensively in recent years (for example, see Kraus, 19 77) but the ‘retreat’ at the beginning of the spring season has not received the attention it deserves since the important contribution of Kraus and Turner (1967). The ‘retreat’ is germane to the problem of the determination of the mixed layer depth and surface temperatures that result later during summer heating and winter cooling because this process establishes the initial conditions for the depth at the start of the erosion cycle.
Homing Efficiency in Two Models of Submyeloablative Conditioning and Correlation with Long-Term Engraftment.

Submyeloblative conditioning regimens for bone marrow transplantation (BMT) are desirable to reduce host toxicity in many settings. We previously demonstrated that hosts conditioned with 160 cGy or with two sequential doses of the antimetabolite 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) displayed ~50% and ~35% donor chimerism 6 months after transplantation of 20 x 10 6 fresh congenic bone marrow (BM) donor cells, respectively. Donor chimerism in 160 cGy- or 5-FU-conditioned mice was proportional to the reduction in host long-term repopulating ability (LTRA) caused by the conditioning regimen (~80–90% vs. ~55%, respectively). In this study, we sought to determine if donor marrow homing efficiency also correlated with long-term engraftment in these models of submyeloablative conditioning. We hypothesized that sequential doses of the cell cycle-specific agent 5-FU (5-FU x 2) may damage the marrow microenvironment less than low-dose radiation, resulting in more efficient homing in 5-FU x 2-conditioned mice. C57Bl6/J (Bl/6) hosts were conditioned with either 5-FU x 2 administered on days -5 and -1 (150 mg/kg IP) or with 160 cGy given the day of transplantation (day 0). Bl/6 (CD 45.2 + ) hosts were transplanted with 20 x 10 6 PKH-26 stained Bl/6 or with Boy J (CD 45.1 + ) whole BM cells via tail vein injection. The percentage of homed cells 20 hours after BMT in 5-FU x 2-conditioned mice was 3.53 % ± 3.1% (n = 13 from 3 independent experiments), while the percentage of homed cells in the 160 cGy group was 8.67 % ± 2.1% (n = 12; p = 0.0375). The fraction of donor cells which homed to the spleen or remained in the peripheral blood after 20 hours was similar between conditioning regimens. This difference in homing efficiency led us to consider other possible explanations as to why BM cells home less efficiently in 5-FU x 2-conditioned hosts than in low-dose irradiated mice. We hypothesized that 5-FU x 2 may have a more injurious effect on the marrow microenvironment than previously thought. Examination of marrow stromal cell potential using a colony-forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) assay revealed that marrow from 5-FU x 2-treated mice (n = 3) contained 1.1 ± 0.4 colonies/marrow femur equivalent (FE), whereas marrow from 160 cGy-treated mice (n = 3) contained 33.8 ± 13.4 colonies/FE. In comparison, marrow from untreated mice (n = 3) averaged 95.6 ± 27.5 colonies/FE. These data suggest that homing efficiency correlates with donor chimerism in these two models of submyeloablative conditioning, and establish at least two potential mechanisms (a lesser reduction of host LTRA, and decreased donor cell homing efficiency) for the lower level of long-term donor chimerism observed in 5-FU x 2- compared to 160 cGy-conditioned hosts. Furthermore, 5-FU x 2 conditioning appears to disrupt the marrow microenvironment to a greater degree than low-dose radiation. Current efforts are aimed at exploring the molecular interactions of homed donor cells with conditioned marrow.