cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intestinal adaptation occurs independent of transforming growth factor-alpha

Abstract Background/Purpose: Signal transduction via the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is critical for intestinal adaptation after massive small bowel resection (SBR). Although it has been assumed that the major ligand for the EGFR during adaptation is EGF, the role for transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α), another major ligand for the EGFR is unknown. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that TGF-α is an important ligand for the EGFR during intestinal adaptation. Methods: Wild-type mice (C57BI/6) underwent a 50% proximal SBR or sham operation (bowel transection or reanastomosis) and were then assigned randomly to receive either intraperitoneal TGF-α or placebo. In a separate experiment, SBR or sham operations were performed in mice lacking TGF-α (Waved-1). After 3 days, adaptation was measured in the ileum. Results: Exogenous TGF-α enhanced intestinal adaptation in the wild-type mice after SBR as shown by increased ileal wet weight and DNA content. Normal adaptation occurred in the mice lacking TGF-α as shown by increased ileal wet weight, protein and DNA content, proliferation, villus height, and crypt depth. Conclusions: Although exogenous TGF-α enhanced adaptation after massive SBR, adaptation was preserved in TGF-α—absent mice. These results refute TGF-α as an essential ligand for EGFR signaling during intestinal adaptation. J Pediatr Surg 35:365-370. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Looming Maladaptive Style as a Moderator of Risk Factors for Anxiety

Previous efforts to identify risk factors for anxiety have focused on individual differences in the prediction and experience of threatening events. More recently, the looming vulnerability model has emphasized that in order to understand the determinants of anxiety, researchers need to expand their focus on information processing biases to include variability in the tendency to perceive threatening stimuli as rapidly approaching and intensifying (Riskind Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 685–702, 1997). This tendency is known as a looming maladaptive style (LMS). We examined the interaction of traditional risk factors with LMS in predicting change in anxiety symptoms over one month. Participants’ tendency to view threatening outcomes as likely was predictive of change in symptoms of anxiety and this predictive relationship was stronger for participants with a greater LMS. Likewise, experiences of threatening events were predictive of change in anxiety and this predictive relationship too was stronger for participants with a greater LMS. Additional analyses suggested that LMS may be particularly important to the course of symptoms of anxiety, as compared to depressive symptoms.
A new criterion for the pairing of control and manipulated variables

A criterion is developed for the selection of the best pairing of the control and manipulated variables of a multiloop control system. This criterion is based on the difficulty caused by the interaction terms (the off-diagonal elements) in finding the inverse of the steady state gain matrix. From an analysis based on the proposition that the most desired or best pairing is that one for which the system most closely resembles a set of independent single-loop systems, a quantitative measure of the best pairing is obtained. Although the development of the pairing criterion is based on purely algebraic principles, the validity of the pairing criterion is evident from analogous developments obtained within the control framework. Furthermore, it is shown that the pairing criterion may be used to determine the stability of a multiloop control system, thus enhancing the value of the criterion presented.
Blimp-1-Dependent Repression of Pax-5 Is Required for Differentiation of B Cells to Immunoglobulin M-Secreting Plasma Cells

B-cell lineage-specific activator protein (BSAP), encoded by the Pax-5 gene, is critical for B-cell lineage commitment and B-cell development but is not expressed in terminally differentiated B cells. We demonstrate a direct connection between BSAP and B-lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp-1), a transcriptional repressor that is sufficient to drive plasmacytic differentiation. Blimp-1 binds a site on the Pax-5 promoter in vitro and in vivo and represses the Pax-5 promoter in a binding-site-dependent manner. By ectopically expressing Blimp-1 or a competitive inhibitor of Blimp-1, we show that Blimp-1 is both necessary and sufficient to repress Pax-5 during plasmacytic differentiation of primary splenic B cells. Blimp-1-dependent repression of Pax-5 is sufficient to regulate BSAP targets CD19 and J chain and is necessary but not sufficient to induce XBP-1. We further show that repression of Pax-5 is required for Blimp-1 to drive differentiation of splenocytes to immunoglobulin M-secreting cells. Thus, repression of Pax-5 plays a critical role in the Blimp-1-dependent program of plasmacytic differentiation.
Adolescents: their futures and their contraceptive decisions.

Abstract Purpose Pregnancy prevention counseling addresses future goals as a motivator for contraceptive use, but this is often unsuccessful. This study investigated how adolescent females define success and whether they believe teen childbearing will be a barrier to their success. Methods A racially and ethnically diverse group of 84 nulliparous, high-risk adolescent females in teen clinics completed a survey asking about how they define success, future plans, and barriers to their success and future plans. Results Most respondents defined a successful person as one who has a higher education (73%) and/or a good job (73%). Most saw themselves finishing high school (70%), in college (62%), or working at a job (75%) in 3-5 years. Participants who left with a prescription contraceptive method were not more likely to feel that education/career were important for success. Most reported that having a child would have no (52%) or a positive effect (30%) on their education. The majority felt childbearing would have a negative impact on many aspects of their life. But feeling their finances would be negatively affected was the only predictor of obtaining contraception. Conclusions We found that high-risk adolescents did not differ in conventional goals and aspirations regardless of their contraceptive choice. Although most girls felt that education/career was important, many of them felt that childbearing would not be a barrier to or may even improve their educational attainment. This challenges counseling that uses conventional goals as a motivator to remain non-pregnant. Further study of novel motivators for contraceptive use is needed.
Discriminative Reranking for Natural Language Parsing

This article considers approaches which rerank the output of an existing probabilistic parser. The base parser produces a set of candidate parses for each input sentence, with associated probabilities that define an initial ranking of these parses. A second model then attempts to improve upon this initial ranking, using additional features of the tree as evidence. The strength of our approach is that it allows a tree to be represented as an arbitrary set of features, without concerns about how these features interact or overlap and without the need to define a derivation or a generative model which takes these features into account. We introduce a new method for the reranking task, based on the boosting approach to ranking problems described in Freund et al. (1998). We apply the boosting method to parsing the Wall Street Journal treebank. The method combined the log-likelihood under a baseline model (that of Collins [1999]) with evidence from an additional 500,000 features over parse trees that were not included in the original model. The new model achieved 89.75% F-measure, a 13% relative decrease in F measure error over the baseline model's score of 88.2%. The article also introduces a new algorithm for the boosting approach which takes advantage of the sparsity of the feature space in the parsing data. Experiments show significant efficiency gains for the new algorithm over the obvious implementation of the boosting approach. We argue that the method is an appealing alternative—in terms of both simplicity and efficiency—to work on feature selection methods within log-linear (maximum-entropy) models. Although the experiments in this article are on natural language parsing (NLP), the approach should be applicable to many other NLP problems which are naturally framed as ranking tasks, for example, speech recognition, machine translation, or natural language generation.
Preadipocyte factor-1 levels are higher in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea and are associated with bone mineral content and bone mineral density through a mechanism independent of leptin.

Context: Preadipocyte factor 1 (pref-1) is increased in anorexia nervosa and is associated negatively with bone mineral density (BMD). No previous studies exist on pref-1 in women with exercise-induced hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA), which similar to anorexia nervosa, is an energy-deficiency state associated with hypoleptinemia. Objective: Our objective was to evaluate whether pref-1 levels are also elevated and associated with low BMD and to assess whether leptin regulates pref-1 levels in women with HA. Design: Study 1 was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of metreleptin administration in women with HA. Study 2 was an open-label study of metreleptin administration in low physiological, supraphysiological, and pharmacological doses in healthy women volunteers. Setting and Patients: At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 20 women with HA and leptin levels higher than 5 ng/ml and nine healthy control women participated in study 1, and five healthy women participated in study 2....
Measurement of Bioelectric Potentials With Microelectrodes and Neutralized Input Capacity Amplifiers

The biological aspects of bioelectric potentials are reviewed, equivalent electric circuits of the bioelectric generator derived, and grid current magnitude deleterious to a living cell evaluated. The pipette microelectrode is superior to the metallic microelectrode for simultaneous recording of resting and action potentials. However, the low-pass circuit formed by the high electrode resistance (1 to 100 megohms) and the amplifier input capacity causes distortion of the action potential waveform. The distortion can be reduced by amplifier equalization, capacity reduction, and capacity neutralization. Some of the limitations of these methods are: 1) Compensation for waveform distortion due to the low-pass circuit results in an increase of the amplifier noise, approximately as the inverse characteristic of the low-pass circuit. A filter for improving the signal-to-noise ratio is considered. 2) Neutralization is accomplished with a generated negative capacity which approximates a pure capacity only over a limited bandwidth. This limitation may be evaluated with a six-element synthetic circuit closely approximating a realizable negative capacity. 3) The accuracy of neutralization adjustment is inherently limited by the difficulty of inserting a calibrating voltage in place of the bioelectric generator. Moreover, the distributed capacitance of the microelectric cannot be exactly neutralized by a pure negative capacity. Despite these limitations, neutralization is the most applicable of the methods discussed, and highly successful neutralized input capacity amplifiers have been designed and used in several laboratories. Vacuum tube and transistorized versions of neutralized amplifiers are briefly described.
Carbon dynamics in trees: feast or famine?

Abstract Research on the degree to which carbon (C) availability limits growth in trees, as well as recent trends in climate change and concurrent increases in drought-related tree mortality, have led to a renewed focus on the physiological mechanisms associated with tree growth responses to current and future climate. This has led to some dispute over the role of stored non-structural C compounds as indicators of a tree's current demands for photosynthate. Much of the uncertainty surrounding this issue could be resolved by developing a better understanding of the potential functions of non-structural C stored within trees. In addition to functioning as a buffer to reconcile temporal asynchrony between C demand and supply, the storage of non-structural C compounds may be under greater regulation than commonly recognized. We propose that in the face of environmental stochasticity, large, long-lived trees may require larger C investments in storage pools as safety margins than previously recognized, and that an important function of these pools may be to maintain hydraulic transport, particularly during episodes of severe stress. If so, survival and long-term growth in trees remain a function of C availability. Given that drought, freeze-thaw events and increasing tree height all impose additional constraints on vascular transport, the common trend of an increase in non-structural carbohydrate concentrations with tree size, drought or cold is consistent with our hypothesis. If the regulated maintenance of relatively large constitutive stored C pools in trees serves to maintain hydraulic integrity, then the minimum thresholds are expected to vary depending on the specific tissues, species, environment, growth form and habit. Much research is needed to elucidate the extent to which allocation of C to storage in trees is a passive vs. an active process, the specific functions of stored C pools, and the factors that drive active C allocation to storage.
Quantifying the potential of ultra-permeable membranes for water desalination

In the face of growing water scarcity, it is critical to understand the potential of saltwater desalination as a long-term water supply option. Recent studies have highlighted the promise of new membrane materials that could desalinate water while exhibiting far greater permeability than conventional reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, but the question remains whether higher permeability can translate into significant reductions in the cost of desalinating water. Here, we address a critical question by evaluating the potential of such ultra-permeable membranes (UPMs) to improve the performance and cost of RO. By modeling the mass transport inside RO pressure vessels, we quantify how much a tripling in the water permeability of a membrane would reduce the energy consumption or the number of required pressure vessels for a given RO plant. We find that a tripling in permeability would allow for 44% fewer pressure vessels or 15% less energy for a seawater RO plant with a given capacity and recovery ratio. Moreover, a tripling in permeability would result in 63% fewer pressure vessels or 46% less energy for brackish water RO. However, we also find that the energy savings of UPMs exhibit a law of diminishing returns due to thermodynamics and concentration polarization at the membrane surface.
Baby Altruists? Examining the Complexity of Prosocial Motivation in Young Children

The contributions of these studies to our understanding of early prosocial motivation are discussed in the context of the broader research literature in this field. We consider first whether different forms of prosocial behavior (e.g., helping, sharing, and empathic assistance) reflect a core prosocial disposition in the early years. The methodological challenges of assessing prosocial behavior in very young children are considered next. We then discuss the origins of prosocial motivation in the early years, focusing on developing understanding of others' goals and intentions, the emergence of sensitivity to equity, emotion understanding, and other conceptual advances. We conclude with suggestions for future research directions for this exciting field of study.
José Aguilar: "Curso de filosofía dictado en Lima: III. Presentación y defensa de nuestra conclusión".

Tercera subseccion del Cursus philosophicus dictatus Limae de Jose de Aguilar (Sevilla, 1701), en donde el autor defiende su posicion sobre la naturaleza de la probabilidad. Traduccion de Walter Redmond.
Effect of turning strategy on maneuvering ability using the treadport locomotion interface

Turning strategies on the Sarcos Treadport, a linear treadmill locomotion interface, are developed and compared in a tight maneuvering task. A rate control strategy employing sidestep is compared to a proportional control strategy employing head gaze and torso trigger. The maneuvering task involves walking down a narrow corridor and avoiding obstacles that are placed at different separations to change the task difficulty. The performance metric was the number of times a subject collided with the obstacles or the corridor's walls. Traversal time and traversal distance were also characterized. The proportional control strategy was clearly found to permit more-precise maneuvering.
Prediction of MHC class I binding peptides using profile motifs

Peptides that bind to a given major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule share sequence similarity. Therefore, a position specific scoring matrix (PSSM) or profile derived from a set of peptides known to bind to a specific MHC molecule would be a suitable predictor of whether other peptides might bind, thus anticipating possible T-cell epitopes within a protein. In this approach, the binding potential of any peptide sequence (query) to a given MHC molecule is linked to its similarity to a group of aligned peptides known to bind to that MHC, and can be obtained by comparing the query to the PSSM. This article describes the derivation of alignments and profiles from a collection of peptides known to bind a specific MHC, compatible with the structural and molecular basis of the peptide-MHC class I (MHCI) interaction. Moreover, in order to apply these profiles to the prediction of peptide-MHCI binding, we have developed a new search algorithm (RANKPEP) that ranks all possible peptides from an input protein using the PSSM coefficients. The predictive power of the method was evaluated by running RANKPEP on proteins known to bear MHCI K(b)- and D(b)-restricted T-cell epitopes. Analysis of the results indicates that > 80% of these epitopes are among the top 2% of scoring peptides. Prediction of peptide-MHC binding using a variety of MHCI-specific PSSMs is available on line at our RANKPEP web server (www.mifoundation.org/Tools/rankpep.html). In addition, the RANKPEP server also allows the user to enter additional profiles, making the server a powerful and versatile computational biology benchmark for the prediction of peptide-MHC binding.
A 20 W/Channel Class-D Amplifier With Near-Zero Common-Mode Radiated Emissions

A class-D amplifier that employs a new modulation scheme and associated output stage to achieve true filter-less operation is presented. It uses a new type of BD modulation that keeps the output common-mode constant, thereby removing a major contributor to radiated emissions, typically an issue for class-D amplifiers. The amplifier meets the FCC class B standard for radiated emissions without any LC filtering. It can accomplish this without any degradation to audio performance and while retaining high efficiency. THD+N is 0.19% at 1 kHz while supplying 5 W to an 8 Ohm load from a 12 V supply. Efficiency is 90% while providing 10 W under the same supply and load conditions. The new output stage occupies 1.8 mm2 per channel using the high voltage devices of a 0.25 ?m BCD process.
Regulation of MHC Class I Expression by Foxp3 and Its Effect on Regulatory T Cell Function

Expression of MHC class I molecules, which provide immune surveillance against intracellular pathogens, is higher on lymphoid cells than on any other cell types. In T cells, this is a result of activation of class I transcription by the T cell enhanceosome consisting of Runx1, CBFβ, and LEF1. We now report that MHC class I transcription in T cells also is enhanced by Foxp3, resulting in higher levels of class I in CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells than in conventional CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells. Interestingly, the effect of Foxp3 regulation of MHC class I transcription is cell type specific: Foxp3 increases MHC class I expression in T cells but represses it in epithelial tumor cells. In both cell types, Foxp3 targets the upstream IFN response element and downstream core promoter of the class I gene. Importantly, expression of MHC class I contributes to the function of CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells by enhancing immune suppression, both in in vitro and in vivo. These findings identify MHC class I genes as direct targets of Foxp3 whose expression augments regulatory T cell function.
Fatigue crack propagation behavior of the Ni-Ni3Cb eutectic composite

The experimental procedures used in the investigation are considered, taking into account solidification and heat treatment, fatigue testing, questions of test specimen and loading fixture design verification, metallographic techniques, and electron microscopy techniques. Attention is given to the characteristics of the microstructure, aspects of fatigue crack propagation (FCP) in the Ni-Ni3Nb composite, the effect of test variables on FCP, the effect of metallurgical variables on FCP, and fatigue fracture mechanisms. Fractographic and metallographic observations are discussed.
Treatment planning and delivery of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for primary nasopharynx cancer.

Abstract Purpose: To implement intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for primary nasopharynx cancer and to compare this technique with conventional treatment methods. Methods and Materials: Between May 1998 and June 2000, 23 patients with primary nasopharynx cancer were treated with IMRT delivered with dynamic multileaf collimation. Treatments were designed using an inverse planning algorithm, which accepts dose and dose–volume constraints for targets and normal structures. The IMRT plan was compared with a traditional plan consisting of phased lateral fields and a three-dimensional (3D) plan consisting of a combination of lateral fields and a 3D conformal plan. Results: Mean planning target volume (PTV) dose increased from 67.9 Gy with the traditional plan, to 74.6 Gy and 77.3 Gy with the 3D and IMRT plans, respectively. PTV coverage improved in the parapharyngeal region, the skull base, and the medial aspects of the nodal volumes using IMRT and doses to all normal structures decreased compared to the other treatment approaches. Average maximum cord dose decreased from 49 Gy with the traditional plan, to 44 Gy with the 3D plan and 34.5 Gy with IMRT. With the IMRT plan, the volume of mandible and temporal lobes receiving more than 60 Gy decreased by 10–15% compared to the traditional and 3D plans. The mean parotid gland dose decreased with IMRT, although it was not low enough to preserve salivary function. Conclusion: Lower normal tissue doses and improved target coverage, primarily in the retropharynx, skull base, and nodal regions, were achieved using IMRT. IMRT could potentially improve locoregional control and toxicity at current dose levels or facilitate dose escalation to further enhance locoregional control.
The Forest and the Trees: Pathways and Proteins As Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers

tiveness trial of cognitive behavior therapy compared with treatment as usual for persistent insomnia in patients with cancer. J Clin Oncol 26:4651-4658, 2008 17. Fiorentino L, McQuaid JR, Liu L, et al: Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled crossover study. Sleep 31:A295, 2008 18. Berger AM, Kuhn BR, Farr LA, et al: One-year outcomes of a behavioral therapy intervention trial on sleep quality and cancer-related fatigue. J Clin Oncol 27:6033-6041, 2009
Erythropoiesis in the absence of adult hemoglobin

During erythropoiesis, hemoglobin (Hb) synthesis increases from early progenitors to mature enucleated erythrocytes. Although Hb is one of the most extensively studied proteins, the role of Hb in erythroid lineage commitment, differentiation, and maturation remains unclear. In this study, we generate mouse embryos and embryonic stem (ES) cells with all of the adult α and β globin genes deleted (Hb Null). While Hb Null embryos die in midgestation, adult globin genes are not required for primitive or definitive erythroid lineage commitment. In vitro differentiation of Hb Null ES cells generates viable definitive proerythroblasts that undergo apoptosis upon terminal differentiation. Surprisingly, all stages of Hb Null-derived definitive erythroblasts develop normally in vivo in chimeric mice, and Hb Null erythroid cells undergo enucleation to form reticulocytes. Free heme toxicity is not observed in Hb Null-derived erythroblasts. Transplantation of Hb Null-derived bone marrow cells provides short-term radioprotection of lethally irradiated recipients, whose progressive anemia results in an erythroid hyperplasia composed entirely of Hb Null-derived erythroblasts. This novel experimental model system enables the role played by Hb in erythroid cell enucleation, cytoskeleton maturation, and heme and iron regulation to be studied.
Sexual Functioning in Cancer Patients

Controversy exists regarding the extent and nature of sexual problems in cancer patients. The incidence of sexual problems varies in published studies irrespective of the cancer site. Most of the studies are retrospective and descriptive in design and many do not take into account the preexisting physical, psychosocial, sexual, and marital problems. However, it is clear that sexual problems are common in cancer patients and may be caused by all the available treatment options. Management of sexual problems in this patient population has not been systematically studied. This article reviews prevalence of sexual problems that result from various treatment modalities (such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) and describes guidelines for management of sexuality related issues in cancer survivors.
Near Real-Time Service Monitoring Using High-Dimensional Time Series

We demonstrate a near real-time service monitoring system for detecting and diagnosing issues from high-dimensional time series data. For detection, we have implemented a learning algorithm that constructs a hierarchy of detectors from data. It is scalable, does not require labelled examples of issues for learning, runs in near real-time, and identifles a subset of counter time series as being relevant for a detected issue. For diagnosis, we provide efflcient algorithms as post-detection diagnosis aids to flnd further relevant counter time series at issue times, a SQL-like query language for writing flexible queries that apply these algorithms on the time series data, and a graphical user interface for visualizing the detection and diagnosis results. Our solution has been deployed in production as an end-to-end system for monitoring Microsoft's internal distributed data storage and computing platform consisting of tens of thousands of machines and currently analyses about 12000 counter time series.
Structural features of algebraic quantum notations

Examination of the structural features of common notation systems in quantum mechanics and their effect on student reasoning.
The Geographic Distribution of Land Trust Activities in the United States: An Analysis Based on 2005 National Land Trust Census Report Data

This study is concerned with the geographic patterns of land conservation strategies employed by the 1,667 land trusts included in the Land Trust Alliance’s 2005 National Land Trust Census. The spatial distribution of land trusts, the number of acres owned, acreage under conservation easement, and the total number of acres protected by all means by the various land trusts are considered, and these are in turn mapped, analyzed, and discussed: this is done first by utilizing sum totals and then again by using location quotients to find patterns of concentration relative to the United States. Possible causal factors for the spatial distribution patterns found such as per capita income and population are also examined. Several three-dimensional visualizations are presented to offer a unique perspective as well as to facilitate an increased understanding of certain patterns of concentration than could be achieved from traditional mapping techniques and location quotient tables alone.
“There are Two People at Work That I'm Fairly Certain are Black”: Uncertainty and Deliberative Thinking in Blind Race Attribution

Geneticists, biologists, social scientists, and humanist scholars have powerfully critiqued race as a stable set of biological categories. Despite this, in everyday life, race is consistently assumed to be visually available in physical features. Racial categories also continue to be used in scientific and social scientific research as if they were self-evident and real. In this study, I examine the role of visual perception in the construction of racial categories and their recalcitrance in everyday thought and interaction. My observations are based on in-depth interviews with 25 blind people, which highlight the unique features of their nonvisual, non-appearance-based experiences of race.
High Temperature Exposure to Deuterium of Optical Fibers with Bragg gratings

Germanium doped fibers written with fiber Bragg gratings were treated with deuterium. Based on our experimental results, we conclude that deuterium passivation is not a feasible approach for improving fiber loss stability at 150 °C.
Immunohistochemistry of Fresh-frozen Lymphoid Tissue with the Direct Immunoperoxidase Technic

Recent evidence suggests that immunofluorescence is superior to immunohistochemistry for the study of lymphomas, since the latter procedure often results in identification of polyclonal cytoplasmic immunoglobulins or negative immunostaining in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas marking monoclonal with immunofluorescence. However, immunohistochemical studies are usually applied to paraffin-embedded tissues. A modified direct immunoperoxidase procedure using fresh-frozen cryostat tissue sections, short incubation with peroxidase-labeled antikappa and antilambda antisera, and chromogens chemically unrelated to benzidine was developed. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas previously characterized by direct immunofluorescence showed monoclonal surface membrane-associated light chains outlining each neoplastic cell. Follicular (nodular) lymphomas were characterized by monoclonal light chains in neoplastic nodules with compressed negative or polyclonal rims. Diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphomas demonstrated diffuse individual cellular monoclonal staining. Five normal lymph nodes showed polyclonal immunostaining of follicular centers. The immunostained slides resulting from this procedure are permanent preparations amenable to counterstaining.
Abstract 431: Laminin-511 regulates melanoma cell function and tumor growth

Laminin family proteins are major non-collagenous components of basement membranes and have been found to be involved in modulating cell behavior. Laminin-511, composed of α5, β1, γ1 chains, is a major component of basement membrane of epithelia and blood vessels. Our lab has recently found increased expression of laminin-511 in malignant tumors. It has been found that tumor cells can synthesize and secrete laminin matrix to modify cellular environment and promote cell invasion. To explore the potential role of laminin-511 in melanoma, we blocked the expression of laminin-511 in human melanoma cell line SK-Mel-28 using RNA silencing strategy by transducing cells with lentiviral vector carrying laminin α5 chain specific shRNA (Lenti-Lα5 shRNA). Our data demonstrated that blocking the expression of laminin-511 significantly inhibited melanoma cell proliferation, attachment, migration and invasion in vitro, as well as tumor growth in vivo. In melanoma cells transduced with Lenti-Lα5 shRNA, compared with control melanoma cells, in cell proliferation analysis the total viable cells were 34.49% and 26.28% reduced on day 3 and day 5, respectively; in cell attachment assay the cell binding ability was decreased by 36.4%, 37.65% and 36.2% at 15, 30 and 60 minutes, respectively; in a chamber migration assay the cell migratory rate was dramatically down 90% at 24 hours; and in a Metrigel invasion assay the cell invasive capacity was markedly reduced by 89% at 24 hours. Furthermore, blocking laminin-511 expression significantly reduced tumor growth in vivo in nude mice. 18 tumors grew out of 20 injections with average volume 206 mm 3 8 weeks post injection in cells tranduced with Lenti-Lα5 shRNA compared with 20 tumors out of 20 injections with average volume 590 mm 3 in control cells. These findings revealed that laminin-511 plays important roles in melanoma cell function and tumor growth. In addition, our results strongly indicate laminin-511 a potential target for melanoma therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 431. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-431
A complementary examination of author characteristics of finance journals

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a complementary analysis of finance journals that are often being overlooked in prior studies. Specifically, the authors examine the Australian Business Dean Council’s (ABDC’s) C-ranked journals in terms of their authors’ affiliations with US colleges, US colleges with Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditations, and US colleges with AACSB doctoral program accreditations. Design/methodology/approach – A list of C-ranked journals is downloaded from the ABDC’s website. Full-text articles of these journals are downloaded from library databases for the five-year period of 2009-2013. Author affiliations are collected from the corresponding articles. Journal histories, journal editor locations, Cabell’s journal rankings, and acceptance rates are collected from the ABDC’s database, Cabell’s Directory, journal websites, and library databases. The final sample consists of 28 finance journals. Findings – The authors find that these j...
Emerging contaminant or an old toxin in disguise? Silver nanoparticle impacts on ecosystems.

The use of antimicrobial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer-products is rising. Much of these AgNPs are expected to enter the wastewater stream, with up to 10% of that eventually released as effluent into aquatic ecosystems with unknown ecological consequences. We examined AgNP impacts on aquatic ecosystems by comparing the effects of two AgNP sizes (12 and 49 nm) to ionic silver (Ag+; added as AgNO3), a historically problematic contaminant with known impacts. Using 19 wetland mesocosms, we added Ag to the 360 L aquatic compartment to reach 2.5 mg Ag L–1. Silver treatments and two coating controls were done in triplicate, and compared to four replicate controls. All three silver treatments were toxic to aquatic plants, leading to a significant release of dissolved organic carbon and chloride following exposure. Simultaneously, dissolved methane concentrations increased forty-fold relative to controls in all three Ag treatments. Despite dramatic toxicity differences observed in lab studies for these ...
Pieces of Civic Intelligence: Towards a Capacities Framework

Civic intelligence is the capacity of collectivities — from small informal groups to humanity as a whole — to equitably and effectively address important shared problems such as poverty, bioterrorism, and natural disasters. It's an abstract concept that can be expressed in policy, art, demonstrations, or conversation. In this article, civic intelligence has been divided into five main capacities: knowledge, attitude and aspiration, organizational capital, relational and social capital, and financial and material resources. The capacities framework is intended to convey a holistic phenomenon in a relatively simple way. While the framework as it currently exists can be useful in both research and practice, it's undoubtedly not the last word. The capacities framework for civic intelligence is more of a springboard for collaboration and action than a strait jacket that imposes inflexible and unalterable discipline.
An improved method for estimating surface fine particle concentrations using seasonally adjusted satellite aerosol optical depth.

Abstract Using satellite observations of aerosol optical depth (AOD) to estimate surface concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a well-established technique in the air quality community. In this study, the relationships between PM2.5 concentrations measured at five monitor locations in the Baltimore, MD/Washington, DC region and AOD from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Multi-Angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) were calculated for the summer of 2004 and all of 2005. Linear regression methods were used to determine the direct quantitative relationships between the satellite AOD values and PM2.5 concentration measurements. Results show that correlations between AOD and surface PM2.5 concentrations range from 0.46 to 0.84 for the analyzed time period. Correlations with AOD from MODIS and MISR were higher than those from GOES, likely because of variations in the algorithms used by the different instruments. To...
Security Architecture of Electric Power Communication Network

Security and stability control and operation of bulk power grid,comprehensive construction of strong and smart grid,enterprise management and IP technology seepage and so on,need to construct security architecture of electric power communication network.The risk of the electric power communication network should be controlled within acceptable levels.The security of the electric power communication network should be safeguarded.In this paper,based on the contrast of information security and communications security,the functional model of the electric power communication network has been established and the security threats have been analyzed.The attack and defense matrix relationship and hierarchical structure of attack-defending electric power communications network are proposed,through summarizing the security system model ISO and ITU security system structure.The security architecture of the electric power communication network has been established,including three dimensions: the security level,the communication network safty engineering and communication network security management.The key points that need to be concerned are indicated,in respect of function level,security mechanism and security service of the electric power communications network.
Analysis on the Determination Results of Preservative and Saccharin Sodium in Pickled Vegetable in Xuanwu District of Beijing City

[Objective]To survey preservative and saccharin sodium in pickled vegetable in Xuanwu District of Beijing City.[Methods]After soaked by water,the samples were extracted though ultrasonic waves,Benzoic acid,Sorbic acid and Saccharin Sodium were determined by HPLC.[Results]The qualified rate of 56 samples was 92.8%.The qualified rate of sorbic acid,benzoic acid and saccharin sodium was 100%,96.4%,and 98.2%,respectively.[Conclusion]The contents of preservative and saccharin sodium in pickled vegetable are basically in line with the national standards.The sanitary quality of pickled vegetable is safety.
Which portosystemic shunt is best

No single shunt operation is ideal for all patients or all circumstances. The selective distal splenorenal shunt is preferred for the majority of patients, because it has the potential to preserve hepatic portal perfusion. Most evidence suggests that the distal splenorenal shunt is followed by a lower frequency of encephalopathy than is any type of nonselective shunt. Although theoretically attractive, the small-diameter interposition portacaval shunt has not yet been subjected to the scrutiny of controlled trials.
Patterns of Adolescent Regulatory Responses During Family Conflict and Mental Health Trajectories

Four distinct patterns of adolescents' behavioral, emotional, and physiological responses to family conflict were identified during mother-father-adolescent (M = 13.08 years) interactions. Most youth displayed adaptively regulated patterns comprised of low overt and subjective distress. Under-controlled adolescents exhibited elevated observable and subjective anger. Over-controlled adolescents were withdrawn and reported heightened subjective distress. Physiologically reactive adolescents had elevated cortisol coupled with low overt and subjective distress. Regulation patterns were associated with unique mental health trajectories. Under-controlled adolescents had elevated conduct and peer problems whereas over-controlled adolescents had higher anxiety and depressive symptoms. Physiologically reactive adolescents had low concurrent, but increasing levels of depressive, anxiety, and peer problem symptoms. Findings underscore the importance of examining organizations of regulatory strategies in contributing to adolescent mental health.
Multichannel ultrasound current source density imaging of a 3-D dipole field

Ultrasound Current Source Density Imaging (UCSDI) potentially improves 3-D mapping of bioelectric sources in the body at high spatial resolution, which is especially important for diagnosing and guiding treatment for cardiac and neurologic disorders, including arrhythmia and epilepsy. In this study, we report 4-D imaging of a time varying electric dipole in saline. A 3-D dipole field was produced in a bath of 0.9% NaCl solution by injected current ranging from 0 to 140 mA. On the electrode chamber made on a 3D printer, each electrode can be placed anywhere on an XY grid (5mm spacing) and individually adjusted in the depth direction for precise geometry of current sources and recording electrodes. A 1 MHz ultrasound beam was pulsed and focused through a plastic film to modulate the current distribution inside the tank filled with saline. Acoustoelectric (AE) signals were simultaneously detected at a sampling frequency of 15MHz on up to 6 recording electrodes simultaneously. One single recording electrode can effectively provide enough information to form volume images of the dipole. The full-width-half-maximum of the reconstructed current dipole is 3.93mm along x-y plane, and 4.93mm along fast time. The ANR for envelope detection of the current waveform was 46 dB at 500 KPa and a 133mA dipole. Real-time 3-D UCSDI of current flow simultaneously co-registered with anatomy (pulse echo ultrasound) and standard electrophysiology (e.g., ECG) potentially facilitates corrective procedures for cardiac and neural abnormalities.
Metropolis Quantized Consensus

In this chapter we modify the unbiased quantized consensus algorithm introduced in Chap. 3 using Metropolis chains in order to devise a protocol with faster convergence time to the set of consensus points.
Photonic skin-depth engineering: universal spin-momentum locking of light (Conference Presentation)

Here, we surpass the diffraction limit of light by a new class of all-dielectric artificial materials that are lossless. This overcomes one of the fundamental challenges of light confinement in metamaterials and plasmonics: metallic loss. Our approach relies on controlling the optical momentum of evanescent waves as opposed to conventional photonic devices which manipulate propagating waves. This leads to a counterintuitive confinement strategy for electromagnetic waves across the entire spectrum. We introduce two distinct photonic design principles that can ideally lead to sub-diffraction light confinement without metal. They are i) relaxed total internal reflection and ii) photonic skin-depth engineering. We present initial experimental results on a CMOS compatible platform that prove the enhanced confinement of our all-dielectric metamaterial design.
How can you become a software engineer in pretigious companies

This tutorial will present an overview of how to become a software engineer. We introduce how students prepare their career path as a software engineer and interview process and how professors advise their students for their successful future career.
Status of III-V semiconductor thin films and their applications to future OEICs

In the last decade, semiconductor technology has been advanced to a great extent in terms of electronic and photonic discrete devices. One of the main reasons for such a progress, is the result of advancement in the epitaxial growth techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), where device quality films can be grown with great control over composition, uniformity and thickness. MOCVD has proven to be one of the best growth methods for many IH-V semiconductor thin films 1 . Its flexibility and potential to yield a broad range of growth rates resulted in the layers featuring the thicknesses from tens of microns down to several nanometers. Planar structures containing quantum wells with atomically flat interfaces, superlattices, strained or graded-index layers were successfully grown by MOCVD. Furthermore, MOCVD proved its efficiency in producing a laser devices by overgrowth and epitaxy on patterned substrates. The importance of MOCVD is strongly enhanced by the possibility of large-scale production by simultaneous growth on several substrates in one process. Several III-V semiconductor films with bandgaps ranging from infrared to ultraviolet (15 to 0.2 μm) have been successfully grown by MOCVD.
Developmental Neurotoxicity of Organophosphates: A Case Study of Chlorpyrifos

Publisher Summary The chapter addresses the case of chlorpyrifos as a specific example of how knowledge of the systemic toxicity of an organophosphate in adults can be misleading with regard to its potential to act as a developmental neurotoxicant. A case study of the developmental neurotoxicity of chlorpyrifos reveals important lessons for future work, and for the human health relevance of animal and in vitro studies. First, the known mechanisms for systemic toxicity in an adult prove to be inadequate and misleading in evaluating the developmental neurotoxicity of chlorpyrifos, and likely for other organophosphates as well. Second, there is no mechanism for the adverse effects of chlorpyrifos on nervous system development, but, rather, a family of mechanisms, thus attacking multiple stages of brain cell maturation, disparate regions and cell types, and encompassing a wide window of vulnerability. Third, adverse effects on general aspects of cell signaling extend the types of alterations that can be expected to include signals required for peripheral functions so that agents acting as developmental neurotoxicants may also affect cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, or endocrine function as equally relevant end points. Fourth, there may be predisposing factors that create subpopulations that are especially vulnerable to developmental neurotoxicants, including not only obvious genetic polymorphisms, but also prior exposures to drugs and chemicals that target similar processes in brain cell development. Finally, recent work has addressed the essential issue of whether these kinds of studies really relate to the human condition.