cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrins and the Myocardium

Abstract—Extracellular matrix provides a structural, chemical, and mechanical substrate that is essential in cardiac development, growth, and responses to pathophysiological signals. Transmembrane receptors termed integrins provide a dynamic interaction of environmental cues and intracellular events. Integrins orchestrate multiple functions in the intact organism including organogenesis, regulation of gene expression, cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and death. They are expressed in all cellular components of the cardiovascular system, including the vasculature, blood, cardiac myocytes and nonmuscle cardiac cells. The focus of this review will be on the role of integrins in the myocardium. We will provide background on integrin structure and function, discuss how the expression of integrins is critical to the form and function of the developing and postnatal myocardium, and review the known data on integrins as signaling molecules in the heart. Finally, we will offer insights to the future ...
Gender and Emotion: Beyond Stereotypes

Stereotypes about gender and emotional expression tend to be imprecise and misleading. They fail to acknowledge situational, individual, and cultural variations in males' and females' emotional expressiveness. They also tend to generalize across emotional intensity and frequency, as well as across different modalities of emotional expression, e.g. verbal vs. behavioral modalities. Moreover, they tend to exaggerate the extent of gender differences in emotional expression. I argue that when gender differences in emotional expression do occur, they can be traced to social processes such as dissimilar gender roles, status and power imbalances, and differing socialization histories of males and females. These processes may predispose some males and females to express emotions differently in some cultures and in some contexts. To support this argument, I present data from two studies, one showing that the amount of time fathers spend with their children relates to the gender stereotypic nature of their children's emotional expressiveness; and the other showing that gender differences in emotional expressiveness are culturally specific in a sample of Asian international, Asian-American, and European-American college students. Finally, I note the potentially destructive limitations imposed by stereotypes on males' and females' interpersonal functioning as well as on their mental and physical health.
Cotton embryogenesis: The sperm

The sperm of cotton were observed in the pollen tube in the style. They are true cells but relatively simple in organization. The nuclei are small and each contains a single, very small nucleolus. Nuclear pores are common and heterochromatin lines the nuclear membrane. The plastids and mitochondria are so reduced in internal structure that it is impossible to separately identify them. The suggestion is put forward that only mitochondria are present in the sperm. Dictyosomes are few but appear to be producing large numbers of vesicles. Single membrane vesicles of a large range of sizes are common. ER is scarce but polysomes are numerous.
Phase relations in the Fe-Si-Mn-Ni system

By additions of Mn, Ni, and C, steels can be formulated with silicon contents up to 10 pct whose microstructures contain an appreciable proportion of austenite. With austenite contents of at least 40 pct, alloys are generally hot workable. With austenite contents much higher, the alloys can be cold rolled, although all of these alloys have high hardnesses. By the use of Schaeffler-type diagrams, a basis is given for the design of chromium-free or chromium-lean steels.
Beowulf and Folktale Morphology: God as Magical Donor

A major advance in our understanding of the 'folktale elements' of Beowulf was begun a few years ago with an article by T. A. Shippey in which he analyzed the poem through the use of the folktale morphological system of the Russian Formalist, Vladimir Propp.' Propp's major work, Morphology of the Folktale, was first published in 1928 but not made available in English until 1958. Unlike most comparative folktale research, his studies were aimed not at locating analogues or motifs2 but at isolating what made all tales what they were the 'deep structure,' or underlying form. Using 100 Russian folktales from the Afanasyev collection, Propp determined inductively that their form was in each instance governed by thirty-one functional ingredients. He further found that although no one tale contained all the functions, the order of those present was the same for all tales.3
Mass transfer mechanism in hydrophilic interaction chromatography

Abstract The mass transfer mechanism in HILIC was investigated in depth. The reduced heights equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP) of five low molecular weigh compounds with retention factors of −0.05 (slight exclusion from the surface due to the presence of a water-rich layer in which naphthalene is insoluble) to 3.64 were measured at room temperature for a 4.6 mm × 100 mm column packed with 3.5 μm 140 A XBridge HILIC particles in a wide range of flow velocities. The mobile phase was a buffered acetonitrile–water mixture (92.5/7.5, v/v). Using a physically reliable model of effective diffusion in binary composite media (Torquato's model), the longitudinal diffusion and solid–liquid mass transfer resistance reduced HETP terms were measured. The reduced short-range eddy dispersion HETP was taken from the literature data. The long-range reduced HETP was directly measured from the subtraction of these HETP terms to the overall HETP measured from moment analysis. In contrast to RPLC, the plots of the reduced HETP versus the reduced velocity depend weakly on the retention factor, due to the constant, low intra-particle diffusivity observed in HILIC. So, the reduced longitudinal diffusion HETP is smaller and the reduced solid–liquid mass transfer resistance HETP is larger in HILIC than in RPLC. Whereas border effects can be concealed in RPLC for retained analytes due to fast radial equilibration across the column diameter, a residual long-range eddy dispersion term persists in 4.6 mm I.D. HILIC columns, even at very slow flow rates. Experiments show that the minor differences in the long-range eddy dispersion term between analytes having different retention factors is directly correlated to the reciprocal of their bulk diffusion coefficient. The performance of HILIC columns packed with fine particles is then more sensitive to the inlet sample distribution and to the outlet sample collection than RPLC columns due to the relatively poor radial mixing controlled by lateral diffusion.
Evidence for a high and specific concentration of (Na+,K+)ATPase in the plasma membrane of the osteoclast.

Abstract During bone resorption, the osteoclast actively acidifies a limited extracellular compartment. We hypothesized that, like other cells engaged in ion transport and proton translocation, the osteoclast's membrane might be highly enriched in sodium pumps. Using monoclonal antibodies to both the α and the β subunits, immunoblot analysis, and [3H]ouabain binding, we have demonstrated that the osteoclast plasma membrane is both highly and specifically enriched in (Na + ,K + )ATPase, compared with other bone cells, monocytes, macrophages, and other blood and bone marrow cells. The density of binding sites on the osteoclast is equivalent to that of kidney tubule cells. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that the (Na + ,K + )ATPase plays a role in the mechanism of bone resorption, possibly coupled with secondary active calcium and/or proton transport. Monoclonal antibodies against the (Na + ,K + )ATPase can therefore be used as specific markers for the osteoclast in bone and bone marrow preparations.
Prediction of Unit Test Grades within a College Course

Prediction of global performance such as semester grade averages, final grades in courses, performance on comprehensive achievement tests, or performance on the job may have particular utility in determining screening criterion. However, such predic tion rarely affords diagnostic insight. The selection of special instructional techniques which may forestall globally predicted failure demands that the specific areas in which a student may experience difficulty must be identified. Of course, if failure were predicted in all areas of a curriculum it would be unwise to at tempt to salvage the potentially failing student. Just as the specific area of the course curriculum in which failure is likely must be identified, so also will it be useful to use a multifactor battery which consists chiefly of aptitudes not in themselves readily manipulatable. The aptitudes identified may suggest compensating instructional activities which could be used to prevent predicted failures. In a review of research on the prediction of academic per formance, Lavin (1965) characterizes the use of a multi-factor battery to predict specific areas of achievement as type D predic tion and suggests that correlations averaging .50 may be expected at the college level. He suggests that the best predictor at the college level is the high school academic record, that prediction is enhanced for females when they are separated from males, that few studies are longitudinal, and that linearity is often as sumed for predictors which in reality may be curvilinear or threshold predictors. Research on the prediction of academic performance has also been characterized by the use of regression analysis which merely yields the multiple R and standard error of estimate but is not carried through to individual predictions which may be checked against categorizations of levels of success and failure. Discrim inant function analysis, however, enables the researcher to ana lyze from the beginning in terms of practical categories of per formance and to seek optimum weighting of the predictors to classify individuals into the practical categories which may be useful for purposes of counseling and special instruction.
Sparse matrix computations: implications for cache designs

High-performance cache designs are studied for the class of sparse matrix computations, which are often excluded from the general programs used in previous cache studies. In particular, the data that should be stored in the cache are identified, and the cache organization is studied in terms of associativity, size, write operation, write policy, block size, and number of read and write ports. Simulation results demonstrate that a 1-kword or 8-kbyte (one word is equal to 64 b), direct-mapped cache produces good results with almost all of the misses occurring from first time accesses. This cache size can easily fit on a chip, with plenty of room to spare for other components. >
Bottom water production and its links with the thermohaline circulation

For more than a century it has been known that the abyssal basins of the world ocean are primarily occupied by relatively cold and fresh waters that originate in the Southern Ocean. Their distinguishing characteristics are acquired by exposure of surface and shelf waters to ‘ventilation’ by the polar atmosphere and to the melting and freezing of ice over and near the Antarctic continental shelf. Subsequent mixing with deep water over the continental slope results in ‘Bottom Water’ that forms the southern sinking limb of the global ‘Thermohaline Circulation.’ Over recent decades, oceanographers have wrestled with a variety of bottom water and thermohaline circulation problems, ranging from basic definitions to forcing and formation sites, source components and properties, generation processes and rates, mixing and sinking, pathways and transports. A brief review of these efforts indicates both advances and anomalies in our understanding of Antarctic Bottom Water production and circulation. Examples from ongoing work illustrate increasing interest in the temporal variability of bottom water in relation to climate change.
Interactions of the yeast mitochondrial RNA polymerase with the +1 and +2 promoter bases dictate transcription initiation efficiency

Mitochondrial promoters of Saccharomyces cerevisiae share a conserved −8 to +1 sequence with +1+2 AA, AG or AT initiation sequence, which dictates the efficiency of transcription initiation by the mitochondrial RNA polymerase Rpo41 and its initiation factor Mtf1. We used 2-aminopurine fluorescence to monitor promoter melting and measured the kcat/Km of 2-mer synthesis to quantify initiation efficiency with systematic changes of the +1+2 base pairs to matched and mismatched pairs. We show that AA promoters are most efficient, followed by AG and then AT promoters, and the differences in their efficiencies stem specifically from differential melting of +1+2 region without affecting melting of the upstream −4 to −1 region. Inefficient +1+2 melting increases the initial NTPs Kms of the AG and AT promoters relative to AA or singly mispaired promoters. The 16–100-fold higher catalytic efficiency of AA initiation sequence relative to AG and AT, respectively, is partly due to Rpo41-Mtf1 interactions with the +1+2 non-template adenines that generate a stable pre-transcribing complex. We propose a model where the +2 base pair regulates the efficiency of initial transcription by controlling multiple steps including downstream promoter opening, +1+2 NTPs binding, and the rate of 2-mer synthesis.
Stem Cells Use Distinct Self-renewal Programs at Different Ages

Stem cells expand in number during development and persist throughout life by undergoing self-renewing divisions. The question of how stem cells self-renew throughout life is a fundamental problem in cell biology, with broad implications for understanding development, tissue regeneration, cancer, and aging. Recent insights demonstrate that self-renewal programs depend on key transcriptional regulators that are often shared among stem cells in different tissues but that often change between stem cells at different stages of life: Embryonic, fetal, young adult, and old adult stem cells are maintained by different self-renewal programs. Self-renewal programs change over time to contend with changes in tissue growth and repair demands as well as the increasing risk of malignant transformation during aging. The downstream mechanisms by which these programs regulate the cell cycle, developmental potential, and timing of differentiation are just starting to be elucidated. One key requirement for self-renewal is repression of the p16(Ink4a) and p19(Arf) tumor suppressors. This is accomplished by overlapping transcriptional regulators whose expression and function change with age, so as to maintain self-renewal potential throughout life while allowing increased expression of p16(Ink4a) and p19(Arf) in aging stem cells. This reduces stem cell function in aging tissues but also reduces cancer incidence.
CONTACT-INHIBITED REVERTANT CELL LINES ISOLATED FROM SV40-TRANSFORMED CELLS II. Ultrastructural Study

The ultrastructural appearances of normal 3T3, SV40-transformed 3T3 (SV-3T3), and F1A revertant cell lines are compared. Both confluent and subconfluent cultures are described after in situ embedding of the cells for electron microscopy. There is striking nuclear pleomorphism in F1A revertant cells, with many cells having large nuclei compared to the less variable nuclear morphology of both normal 3T3 and SV-3T3 cells. Under the culture conditions used, deep infoldings of the nuclear envelope are prominent in growing cells, e.g., subconfluent normal 3T3 and confluent SV-3T3 cells. Such infoldings are infrequently seen in cultures which display contact inhibition of growth, e.g., normal 3T3 or F1A revertant cells grown just to confluence. In confluent cultures, the cytoplasmic organelles in revertant cells closely resemble those of normal 3T3 cells. In both normal and revertant cells in confluent culture, the peripheral cytoplasm (ectoplasm) has many 70 A filaments (alpha filaments), which are frequently aggregated into bundles. Alpha filaments are also abundant in the ectoplasm near regions of cell-to-cell apposition and in the motile cell processes (filopodia). The abundance and state of aggregation of alpha filaments correlates with contact inhibition of movement and growth in these cell lines since fewer bundles of alpha filaments are seen in growing cells than in contact-inhibited cells. This observation suggests that these filaments may be an important secondary component in the regulation of contact inhibition of movement and, possibly, of growth in normal and revertant cells.
Research Note: Isolation of Two Filamentous Bacteria Associated with Enteritis in Turkey Poults

Two microaerophilic filamentous bacteria have been isolated from the intestines of turkey poults exhibiting signs of enteritis. These two filamentous bacteria, denoted as F-1 and F-2, were reinoculated into 4-day-old poults and those poults have shown a reduction in rate of gain when compared with aged-matched controls. Weight reduction was 14% for F-1 and 11% for F-2, respectively, at 21 days of age.
Evaluation of Vitek MS for rapid classification of clinical isolates belonging to Mycobacterium avium complex

We evaluated the ability of the Vitek MS system to classify clinical pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex isolates compared to multilocus sequence analysis. Vitek MS accurately identified 55% of the isolates as M. avium and 18% as M. intracellulare, but misidentified 24 (27%) Mycobacterium chimaera isolates as Mycobacterium intracellulare.
Fault zone regulation, seismic hazard, and social vulnerability in Los Angeles, California: Hazard or urban amenity?

Public perception and regulation of environmental hazards are important factors in the development and configuration of cities. Throughout California, probabilistic seismic hazard mapping and geologic investigations of active faults have spatially quantified earthquake hazard. In Los Angeles, these analyses have informed earthquake engineering, public awareness, the insurance industry, and the government regulation of developments near faults. Understanding the impact of natural hazards regulation on the social and built geography of cities is vital for informing future science and policy directions. We constructed a relative social vulnerability index classification for Los Angeles to examine the social condition within regions of significant seismic hazard, including areas regulated as Alquist-Priolo (AP) Act earthquake fault zones. Despite hazard disclosures, social vulnerability is lowest within AP regulatory zones and vulnerability increases with distance from them. Because the AP Act requires building setbacks from active faults, newer developments in these zones are bisected by parks. Parcel-level analysis demonstrates that homes adjacent to these fault zone parks are the most valuable in their neighborhoods. At a broad scale, a Landsat-based normalized difference vegetation index shows that greenness near AP zones is greater than the rest of the metropolitan area. In the parks-poor city of Los Angeles, fault zone regulation has contributed to the construction of park space within areas of earthquake hazard, thus transforming zones of natural hazard into amenities, attracting populations of relatively high social status, and demonstrating that the distribution of social vulnerability is sometimes more strongly tied to amenities than hazards.
Anatomical Distal Biceps and Triceps Tendon Repairs

Distal biceps and triceps tendon ruptures are amongst some of the most important tendon ruptures encountered by the orthopaedic surgeon. Recent clinical and basic science studies have improved our understanding of both these injuries. In contrary to classical thinking, the distal biceps tendon appears to remain as 2 distinct anatomical and physiological tendons. The short head subunit of the distal biceps tendon inserts further distal and anterior on the radial tuberosity and functions as the more efficient elbow flexor. In comparison, the long head inserts more proximal and posterior as it wraps around the tuberosity. This distinct insertion site positions the long head subunit in a way that allows it to be the more efficient supinator of the 2 as the forearm is supinated. To closely replicate native anatomy and function, surgical repair of the ruptured distal biceps tendon should restore both unique footprints of the distal short and long head tendons, the “dual-head” repair. The native triceps tendon encompasses a broad insertion site along the proximal ulna; it also expands laterally as it incorporates into the anconeus. This allows an expansive transmission of force for elbow-extension power. A “dual-row” triceps tendon repair closely duplicates this broad native footprint and contact area in attempts to better restore elbow function. This article discusses modern anatomical-based techniques for surgical repair of both the distal biceps and triceps tendons.
Methodology for collision risk assessment of flow corridor concept

This paper presents a methodology for the safety analysis of the flow corridor concept. The flow corridor is one of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) concepts to reduce congestion and increase traffic throughput under en-route airspace. The collision risk analysis is a hybrid approach that combines Monte Carlo simulation with an analytical approach. Monte Carlo simulation is used to estimate the frequency of occurrence of events that may lead to a collision. Dynamic event trees and fault trees are used to calculate collision probabilities given these events occur — namely, that two aircraft are on course for a near-mid-air collision in the flow corridor. The focus of this paper is on the dynamic event trees and fault trees. A sensitivity analysis shows the relative impact of component failure probabilities on collision risk.
Multi-Cell Cooperative System with Inaccurate Channel Knowledge

The impact of inaccurate channel knowledge on the system performance of a cooperative multi-cell system is studied. Using optimization theory, we investigate the performance degradation due to optimizing the collaborative downlink transmit signals of multiple base stations (BSs) based on inaccurate channel knowledge. Two important sources of channel knowledge inaccuracy are considered: quantization and delay. Based on mathematical analysis, multi-cell systems with different levels of cooperation are numerically evaluated and compared.
How Safe Is Unilateral Nephrectomy

See related article, pp 1458–1463 In this issue of Hypertension , Rodriguez-Gomez et al1 report on their studies of the long-term consequences of uninephrectomy (UNx) in male and female rats. This is an excellent study with very interesting implications to science, as well as clinical practice. The investigators studied the effects of UNx over 18 months, a long period of time given the relatively short life span of the rat. They noted that the males appeared to be more sensitive to the UNx as evidenced by earlier salt-sensitive hypertension, as well as greater pathological changes when animals were studied at the 18-month time point. We point out that the methods used by the authors to determine salt sensitivity were quite clever. Both acute and chronic salt loading were used to assess the relationships between blood pressure and natriuresis, the Guytonian renal function curves. Interestingly but not surprisingly, the authors observed that the presence of salt-sensitive hypertension corresponded quite well with renal pathology in the …
Cytotype Regulation by Telomeric P Elements in Drosophila melanogaster: Interactions With P Elements From M′ Strains

P strains of Drosophila are distinguished from M strains by having P elements in their genomes and also by having the P cytotype, a maternally inherited condition that strongly represses P-element-induced hybrid dysgenesis. The P cytotype is associated with P elements inserted near the left telomere of the X chromosome. Repression by the telomeric P elements TP5 and TP6 is significantly enhanced when these elements are crossed into M′ strains, which, like P strains, carry P elements, but have little or no ability to repress dysgenesis. The telomeric and M′ P elements must coexist in females for this enhanced repression ability to develop. However, once established, it is transmitted maternally to the immediate offspring independently of the telomeric P elements themselves. Females that carry a telomeric P element but that do not carry M′ P elements may also transmit an ability to repress dysgenesis to their offspring independently of the telomeric P element. Cytotype regulation therefore involves a maternally transmissible product of telomeric P elements that can interact synergistically with products from paternally inherited M′ P elements. This synergism between TP and M′ P elements also appears to persist for at least one generation after the TP has been removed from the genotype.
Term project user interface specifications in a usability engineering course: challenges and suggestions

Term projects in an undergraduate Usability Engineering (UE) course provide opportunities for students to put the abstract ideas of what they have learned in class into practice. Projects provide students with opportunities to learn that the process of usability engineering is rarely as smooth as it would seem in the abstract. Moreover, term projects give students the opportunity to learn about specific methodologies and notations.One critical phase of the term project is the user interface specification; in our undergraduate UE course we have found the specification phase to be a significant pedagogic challenge. Key elements to that challenge are: 1) Presenting the project requirements in such a way that the students can generate a specification, 2) Defining the form and format for student work, 3) Teaching the process of specification and 4) Assessing the students' work. In this paper, we describe our approach to each of these four challenges. Since 1996, we have had good success with our approach; however, student data suggests that students still find the UE specification process difficult. In Spring 2003, we added some extra steps in our process that seem to lead to greater student understanding and success.
Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and incidence in the Horn of Africa sub-region of the Middle East and North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), hepatitis C virus (HCV) distribution appears to present a wide range of prevalence. The scale and nature of HCV disease burden is poorly known in the Horn of Africa sub-region of MENA including Djibouti, Somalia, and Sudan in addition to Yemen at the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula. The aim of this review is to provide a systematic review and synthesis of all epidemiological data on HCV prevalence and incidence among the different population groups in this sub-region of MENA. A second aim of the study is to estimate the national population-level HCV prevalence for each of these four countries. The systematic review will be conducted based on the items outlined in the PRISMA statement. PubMed, Embase, and the World Health organization (WHO) regional databases will be searched for eligible studies without language or date restrictions. Observational and intervention studies reporting data on the prevalence or incidence of HCV in any population group in Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, or Yemen will be included. Additional sources will be obtained through the database of the MENA HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Synthesis Project, including international organizations’ reports and country-level reports, and abstracts of international conferences. Study and population characteristics will be extracted from eligible publications, with previously agreed pro formas; and entered into a computerized database. We will pool prevalence using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models after a Freeman-Tukey transformation to stabilize variances. We will conduct meta-regression analysis to explore the effect of study-level characteristics as potential sources of heterogeneity. This proposed systematic review and meta-analysis aims to better describe HCV infection distribution across countries in the Horn of Africa sub-region of MENA; and between sub-population groups within each country. The study will provide empirical evidence necessary for researchers, policy-makers, and public health stakeholders to set research, policy, and programming priorities for HCV prevention, control, and treatment. PROSPERO CRD42014010318
Moment analysis of ambient noise dominated by local shipping

The stationarity and local Gaussianity of ambient shipping noise recorded during an experiment conducted in the San Diego port area is investigated. First through fourth order moments are used to identify time periods of nonstationarity in the noise. Comparison of the shipping data with colored Gaussian noise indicates that the third order moments deviate from Gaussianity more than the fourth order moments. The local Gaussianity is quantified using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. While the shipping noise at the deeper depth appears somewhat non-Gaussian during certain time periods, the shallower depth data appears Gaussian.
A Low-Power ASIC Signal Processor for a Vestibular Prosthesis

A low-power ASIC signal processor for a vestibular prosthesis (VP) is reported. Fabricated with TI 0.35 $\mu$ m CMOS technology and designed to interface with implanted inertial sensors, the digitally assisted analog signal processor operates extensively in the CMOS subthreshold region. During its operation the ASIC encodes head motion signals captured by the inertial sensors as electrical pulses ultimately targeted for in-vivo stimulation of vestibular nerve fibers. To achieve this, the ASIC implements a coordinate system transformation to correct for misalignment between natural sensors and implanted inertial sensors. It also mimics the frequency response characteristics and frequency encoding mappings of angular and linear head motions observed at the peripheral sense organs, semicircular canals and otolith. Overall the design occupies an area of 6.22 mm $^{{{2}}}$ and consumes 1.24 mW when supplied with ${\pm} 1.6$ V.
Synthesis and Characterization of Two Unsymmetrical Indenofluorene Analogues: Benzo[5,6]-s-indaceno[1,2-b]thiophene and Benzo[5,6]-s-indaceno[2,1-b]thiophene

The synthesis and characterization of two benzo-indaceno-thiophene compounds (anti-BIT and syn-BIT) are described. Two sequential Suzuki cross-couplings utilizing the halogen selectivity of this reaction permit modular assembly of unsymmetrical indeno[1,2-b]fluorene analogues. Analysis of their cyclic voltammetry and UV–vis spectra reveal that the optical and electrochemical properties of the BITs lie between those of indeno[1,2-b]fluorenes and indacenodithiophene.
The effects of aspirin on megakaryocyte prostaglandin production.

SummaryAspirin inhibits the enzyme cyclooxygenase in platelets by irreversibly acetylating it. Since platelets are derived from the fragmentation of megakaryocyte cytoplasm and contain similar organelles and enzymes, we attempted to study the inhibitory effect of aspirin on the prostaglandin synthesis of isolated rat megakaryocytes. Megakaryocytes were isolated from rat bone marrow using cellular velocity sedimentation in an isokinetic Ficoll gradient. The isolated megakaryocytes were found capable of significant prostaglandin E synthesis as measured by radioimmunoassay when exposed to N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Aspirin pretreatment in vivo abolished the ability of rat megakaryocytes to synthesize prostaglandin E. It seems likely that aspirin can also acetylate irreversibly the megakaryocyte cyclooxygenase enzyme and that this defect is carried over to the newly formed platelets. The implications of these results may significantly influence the dose schedules of antiplatelet drugs currently being used in cli...
Morphometric analysis of graphoglyptid trace fossils in two dimensions: implications for behavioral evolution in the deep sea

Abstract. Graphoglyptids are deep-marine trace fossils, often found preserved as casts in positive relief on the base of turbidites. Previous analyses of the behavioral evolution of graphoglyptids suggested they were slowly diversifying, becoming optimized, and getting smaller over time until the Late Cretaceous, when a sudden increase in diversification occurred. This current study quantifies the morphology of approximately 400 different graphoglyptid specimens, ranging in age from the Cambrian to the present, in order to evaluate the behavioral evolutionary interpretations made previously. Results from this study indicate that although some general evolutionary patterns can be discerned, they are not as straightforward as previously reported. Different topological categories of trace fossils represent organisms' responses to evolutionary pressures in unique ways. While burrow widths of meandering traces were becoming smaller over time, as predicted by previous workers, the burrow widths of the network t...
What's in a Title? Predictors of the Productivity of Publications

This paper examines the impact of titles and other characteristics of published economics articles on the ultimate success of these articles, as measured by their cumulative citations over the six year period following their publication. Interestingly, poetic titles are pivotal to the productivity of published empirical papers, but detrimental to that of theoretical papers. Another finding of general interest is that the reputation of authors and their institutions counts much more toward the success of empirical papers than toward that of theoretical papers.
Perturbing gene expression with oligodeoxynucleotides : Research and potential therapeutic applications

The ability to block gene function with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides has become an important tool in many research laboratories. Because activation and aberrant expression of proto-oncogenes seems to be an important mechanism in malignant transformation, targeted disruption of these genes and other molecular targets with oligodeoxynucleotides could have significant therapeutic utility as well. In this regard, the potential therapeutic usefulness of oligodeoxynucleotides has been demonstrated in many systems and against several different targets including viruses, oncogenes, proto-oncogenes and an increasing array of cellular genes. These studies in aggregate suggest that synthetic oligomers have the potential to become an important new therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer in humans. Nevertheless, it is clear that considerable optimization will be required before antisense oligonucleotides will emerge as an effective agent for treating disease in humans. Progress will need to occur on several fronts. Included are issues related to the chemistry of the molecules used: for example, how chemical modification has an impact on uptake, stability, and hybridization efficiency of the synthetic DNA molecule. A clearer understanding of the mechanism of antisense-mediated inhibition, including where such inhibition takes place, will also be required. Finally, cellular "defense" mechanisms, such as increasing transcription of the targeted message, may also be factors to consider in planning effective treatment strategies with these agents. Finally, choice of target is also obviously an important issue.
Development of a Coarse-Grained Model of Chitosan for Predicting Solution Behavior

A new coarse-grained (CG) model of chitosan has been developed for predicting solution behavior as a function of degree of acetylation (DA). A multiscale modeling approach was used to derive the energetic and geometric parameters of this implicit-solvent, CG model from all-atom simulations of chitosan and chitin molecules in explicit water. The model includes representations of both protonated d-glucosamine (GlcN+) and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) monomers, where each monomer consists of three CG sites. Chitosan molecules of any molecular weight, DA, and monomer sequence can be built using this new CG model. Discontinuous molecular dynamics simulations of chitosan solutions show increased self-assembly in solution with increasing DA and chitosan concentration. The chitosan solutions form larger percolated networks earlier in time as DA and concentration increase, indicating “gel-like” behavior, which qualitatively matches experimental studies of chitosan gel formation. Increasing DA also results in a g...
A Review of Behavioral Interventions for Anxiety-Related Behaviors in Lower-Functioning Individuals with Autism

Anxiety is highly prevalent in persons with autism and affects individuals with higher-functioning autism (HFA) and lower-functioning autism (LFA). Although there is emerging support for the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating anxiety in autism, these findings are largely based on HFA samples. Moreover, CBT may be inappropriate for individuals with LFA who may struggle to grasp the cognitive components of the therapy because of their more limited verbal abilities. Behavior analytic interventions may be better suited to treat anxiety in this population; however, the quantity and quality of the extant literature have yet to be reviewed. Toward this end, the extant behavioral intervention literature was reviewed. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated against quality indicators for within-subject design research. Next, the efficacy of each treatment component was assessed using established criteria for defining empirically supported therapies. Results revealed behavioral interventions to be efficacious, with desensitization and reinforcement emerging as efficacious treatment components, while prompting, modeling, and antianxiety stimuli were established as possibly efficacious. However, given that some of the quality indicators were not met, these results should be interpreted with some caution. Additional research is needed to form a more conclusive evidence base for the treatment of anxiety in individuals with LFA. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
China, Global Ecopolitics and Antarctic Governance: Converging Paths?

In recent years, the People’s Republic of China has made significant investments in Antarctica and has become an active participant in Antarctic governance. What factors are driving China’s interest in the region? Are Antarctic Treaty System institutions, rules and norms influencing Chinese behavior? How does Antarctica fit into larger Chinese foreign policy frameworks, especially those that relate to ‘soft power’ and engagement in global environmental governance? This study finds that Antarctic governance structures do not seem to pose major barriers to China’s pursuit of its larger foreign policy interests and its activities are largely consistent with other major actors on the Continent.
Development of Hypoxia-Selective Trapping Agents for Targeting Prostate Cancer

1193 Objectives Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (BB2r) is overexpressed in various cancers including prostate cancer. Bombesin (BN) peptides as targeting agents for the BB2r-positive cancers have been widely explored. However, one of the challenges of BN based theranostic agents is their fast clearance from tumors. Prostate cancers, like most solid tumors, contain significant regions of hypoxia due to disordered vasculature. We are currently exploring the utility of hypoxia selective trapping agents (HSTA) such as 2-nitroimidazole acetic acid (2-NIAA) and hypoxia activated nitrogen mustards, that irreversibly bind to macromolecules in hypoxic cells, to enhance the residence time of BB2r-targeted therapeutic agents in prostate cancer tumors. Herein, we describe our progress in the synthetic development and mechanistic investigation of HSTA enhanced BN conjugates. Methods An alkylating phosphoramidate HSTA has been designed and synthesized. The key intermediate, N-(2-bromoethyl)prop-2-yn-1-amine (AM),was synthesized from ethanolamine, propargyl bromide as starting materials. The prodrug was achieved by stepwise introduction 2-bromoethylamine, AM and 2-nitroimidazoles to POCl3. To characterize the nitrogen mustard analog, we used 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy or X-ray crystallography. BN-conjugates incorporated with 2-NIAA were synthesized and labeled with either 177/natLuCl3 or Cy5 fluorophore. To investigate adduct formation of these agents, 2-NIAA alone or natLu-conjugates were either mixed with glutathione in the presence of Zn-NH4Cl or with NADPH and cytochrome c, under hypoxic conditions. To explore hypoxia selectivity of BN-conjugates, adjacent tumor sections from PC-3 xenograft mice injected with177Lu Labeled BN-conjugates were stained with pimonidazole and were exposed to generate autoradiograph. To study cell trafficking, endosomes and lysosomes were fluorophore labeled in PC-3 cells. Results A Phosphoramidate analogue containing a nitrogen mustard structure was synthesized. The 2-nitroimidazole incorporated BB2r-targeted conjugates upon reduction formed adducts with free thiols. Based on the analog utilized and the conditions employed, the percentage of adduct formation varied from 8% to 13%. Co-localization of the tumor hypoxia and autoradiography 24h after radio-labeled conjugate injection confirmed the selectivity of BN-conjugate hypoxia trapping ability. Cell trafficking studies showed cellular uptake and travel from early endosomes to lysosomes after 2h incubation. Conclusions The adduct formation of the BB2r-targeted conjugates with free thiols implies the possible trapping mechanism in hypoxic cells. BN-conjugates incorporated with 2-nitroimidazole indeed have hypoxia selectivity.
Status and Needs of In-Situ Real-time Process Particle Detection

Particle defects play a major role in yield losses in semiconductor device fabrication. It is generally acknowledged that about 50 percent of all yield losses are due to particles. Processing of devices with 0.35 to 0.5 μm minimum feature sizes will exacerbate the effects of particles due to the large relative abundance of submicron particles. The cleanroom is no longer the major particle contributor because current state-of-the-art cleanrooms have less than 10 particles (<0.5 μm) per cubic foot. Particles in processing equipment now play the dominant role in wafer contamination. An analysis of the status and needs of particle detection techniques for semiconductor processing equipment and processes clearly shows that they are inadequate to meet the requirements of the next generation of devices. Detection limits must be improved both in terms of particle diameter and in the number of particles on a wafer. An experimental laser particle counter was fabricated and used to show that such a detector would be...
Two-Tone Suppression of Simultaneous Electrical and Mechanical Responses in the Cochlea

Cochlear frequency tuning is based on a mildly tuned traveling-wave response that is enhanced in amplitude and sharpness by outer hair cell (OHC)-based forces. The nonlinear and active character of this enhancement is the fundamental manifestation of cochlear amplification. Recently, mechanical (pressure) and electrical (extracellular OHC-generated voltage) responses were simultaneously measured close to the sensory tissue's basilar membrane. Both pressure and voltage were tuned and showed traveling-wave phase accumulation, evidence that they were locally generated responses. Approximately at the frequency where nonlinearity commenced, the phase of extracellular voltage shifted up, to lead pressure by >1/4 cycle. Based on established and fundamental relationships among voltage, force, pressure, displacement, and power, the observed phase shift was identified as the activation of cochlear amplification. In this study, the operation of the cochlear amplifier was further explored, via changes in pressure and voltage responses upon delivery of a second, suppressor tone. Two different suppression paradigms were used, one with a low-frequency suppressor and a swept-frequency probe, the other with two swept-frequency tones, either of which can be considered as probe or suppressor. In the presence of a high-level low-frequency suppressor, extracellular voltage responses at probe-tone frequencies were greatly reduced, and the pressure responses were reduced nearly to their linear, passive level. On the other hand, the amplifier-activating phase shift between pressure and voltage responses was still present in probe-tone responses. These findings are consistent with low-frequency suppression being caused by the saturation of OHC electrical responses and not by a change in the power-enabling phasing of the underlying mechanics. In the two-tone swept-frequency suppression paradigm, mild suppression was apparent in the pressure responses, while deep notches could develop in the voltage responses. A simple analysis, based on a two-wave differencing scheme, was used to explore the observations.
Decisions at the End of Patients’ Lives

End-of-life care with the intense emotions, complex technical treatments, and stark life-or-death implications involved presents some of the most difficult clinical decisions of all. Despite medicine’s recent efforts to explain options for care and to consider patients’ wishes, the methods doctors use to make clinical decisions still baffle most patients, family members, and others who have no medical training. Unfamiliarity with the professional medical culture in general and with basic medical concepts in particular causes some of the bafflement. Yet even doctors sometimes do not recognize the decision-making methods they use. To clarify these methods for all parties, this chapter describes clinical decision-making methods. It does so by addressing topics especially relevant to end-of-life care.
Latina/o Parent Activation in Children’s Mental Health Treatment: The Role of Demographic and Psychological Factors

Patient activation has recently emerged as a critical component of effective health care (Hibbard & Greene, 2013), but Latina/o populations demonstrate lower levels of activation compared to non-Latina/o Whites (Cunningham, Hibbard, & Gibbons, 2011). The current study examined demographic and psychological factors associated with immigrant Latina/o parent activation in parents seeking mental health services for their children. Additionally, the study tested whether psychological factors (parental depressive symptoms, parenting stress, perceived severity of child psychopathology) were associated with the effectiveness of an activation intervention among immigrant Latina/o parents (MEPREPA—short for “me preparo”/I prepare [MEtas, PReguntar, Escuchar, Preguntar para Aclarar/goals, questioning, listening, questioning to clarify]). Results demonstrated that parenting stress and perceived severity of child psychopathology were associated with lower levels of parent activation. Additionally, although there was a treatment effect for all parents, stratified group analyses suggested that parents with higher depressive symptoms and greater parenting stress benefited more from the MEPREPA intervention compared to controls. Stratified analyses also showed that the intervention had a greater positive impact on parent activation in health care among parents whose children had more severe symptoms. Clinical and research implications are discussed.