cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transfection of SSTR-1 and SSTR-2 inhibits Panc-1 cell proliferation and renders Panc-1 cells responsive to somatostatin analogue.

Background Somatostatin inhibits cell proliferation through interaction with its cellular receptor, somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). We have previously demonstrated that overexpression of individual SSTR-1 or SSTR-2 genes in receptor-negative pancreatic cancer cells inhibited cell proliferation. We hypothesize that reintroduction of SSTR genes back into pancreatic cancer cells might be an effective gene therapy strategy for pancreatic cancer. Study design We transfected human pancreatic cancer cell line (Panc-1) with human SSTR-1 and SSTR-2 genes and examined the expression by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. Panc-1 cell proliferation was determined by [ 3 H]-thymidine incorporation assay. Activation of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and cytokine secretion after SSTR-1 and SSTR-2 transfection were detected by Bio-Plex 4-plex phosphoprotein assay and cytokine assay. Results Panc-1 cells did not express SSTR-1 or SSTR-2, although Panc-1 cells transfected with SSTR-1 and SSTR-2 genes showed a significant amount of SSTR expression. Cell growth rate in Panc-1 cells transfected with SSTR-1 and SSTR-2 was inhibited about 41%, and the cell proliferation of Panc-1 expressing SSTR-1 and SSTR-2 was further reduced about 12% on treatment with somatostatin analogue as compared with the control group. SSTR-1 and SSTR-2 cotransfected Panc-1 cells activated phosphorylation of JNK and increased secretion of interferon-γ and interleukin-5. Conclusions These findings suggest, for the first time, a synergistic inhibitory effect of multiple SSTRs in response to a somatostatin analogue in Panc-1 cells. These studies may improve our understanding of the mechanism by which SSTR inhibits cell growth and lead to novel gene therapies for pancreatic cancer.
Magnetic Confinement of Spin-Polarized Atomic Hydrogen

Magnetic confinement is used to obtain spin-polarized atomic hydrogen (H\ensuremath{\uparrow}) in an openended helium-coated chamber, at densities up to 0.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{17}$ atoms/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. At a field of 10 T and temperature of 0.3 K, confinement times as long as 4 h are achieved. A quantitative study of the confinement times as a function of magnetic field is in excellent agreement with the expected escape from the magnetic potential well accompanied by a very slow loss process. Heat transport measurements confirm that the H\ensuremath{\uparrow} is a gas and an upper limit is placed on the three-body recombination rate.
Comparative analysis between laparoscopic (UCL) and open (UCO) technique for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in pediatric patients

The aim of this study is to compare laparoscopic with open approach in the surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) Between July 1991 and August 2009, 32 consecutive unselective patients with UC received surgical treatment. The population analyzed was divided into three groups: subtotal colectomy + ileocolostomy (Group 1), proctectomy + ileoanal pouch (Group 2), one-step proctocolectomy + ileoanal pouch (Group 3). We analyzed the mean operating time, postoperative oral intake, use of opiates, the length of hospital stay and postoperative morbidity in each group. Open and laparoscopic approaches were compared in each group retrospectively. In Group 1 the mean operating time was longer for the laparoscopic group (301 vs. 197 min; p < 0.01). The length of postoperative stay was longer for the open group (8 vs. 19 days; p < 0.05) and the oral intake started earlier in the laparoscopic group (3, 5 vs. 6, 2 days; p = 0.05). No significant difference was found in the use of opiates (p = ns). A total of four major complications occurred in the laparoscopic group and another four in the open approach. In Group 2, there was no significant difference in operating time between laparoscopic and open approach. The laparoscopic group started earlier to tolerate (p < 0.05) and there were significantly differences in the use of narcotics and hospital stay (p < 0.05). General complications were related to the pouch. In Group 3 the mean operating time was longer for the laparoscopic group (470 vs. 330 min p < 0.05). Patients with a laparoscopic approach had a shorter hospital stay (5, 6 vs. 10 days; p < 0.05) and postoperative narcotic use and they started earlier to tolerate (p < 0.05). One major complication was presented in the laparoscopic procedure and two in the open approach. Of the 165 patients with UC in our hospital, 32 underwent surgery. The laparoscopic approach seems feasible and safe. A single staged approach (Group 1 + Group 2) remains the most reasonable choice for most patients. One-step approach was done only in selected cases (Group 3). The advantages of laparoscopy, such as improved cosmetic aspects, shorter postoperative ileus and hospital stay, were observed in the laparoscopic colectomy, proctectomy and ileoanal pouch in our study.
Gene expression analysis at the intersection of ploidy and hybridity in maize

Heterosis and polyploidy are two important aspects of plant evolution. To examine these issues, we conducted a global gene expression study of a maize ploidy series as well as a set of tetraploid inbred and hybrid lines. This gene expression analysis complements an earlier phenotypic study of these same materials. We find that ploidy change affects a large fraction of the genome, albeit at low levels; gene expression changes rarely exceed 2-fold and are typically not statistically significant. The most common gene expression profile we detected is greater than linear increase from monoploid to diploid, and reductions from diploid to triploid and from triploid to tetraploid, a trend that mirrors plant stature. When examining heterosis in tetraploid maize lines, we found a large fraction of the genome impacted but the majority of changes were not statistically significant at 2-fold or less. Non-additive expression was common in the hybrids, and the extent of non-additivity increased both in number and magnitude from duplex to quadruplex hybrids. Overall, we find that gene expression trends mirror observations from the phenotypic studies; however, obvious mechanistic connections remain unknown.
A most unusual occurrence — the lanthanide expansion

Abstract The lanthanide expansion (as opposed to the lanthanide contraction) which had earlier been observed to occur in some of the rare-earth-containing ThCr 2 Si 2 -type phases has been examined and is compared with the normal lanthanide contraction behavior which is observed in most of these phases. It is shown that the lanthanide expansion is due to a geometric factor. That is, the c axis will expand if a small lanthanide atom is substituted for a large lanthanide atom provided that the SiSi and SiM (where M is a non-rare-earth transition metal atom) distances are conserved. Electron transfer, which also occurs in the formation of these compounds, is found to be more important in the majority of the cases and accounts for the fact that the lanthanide expansion only occurs in the RM 2 Si 2 (M ≡ Cu, Ag) and RCu 2 Ge 2 phases and partially so in the RPt 2 Si 2 series.
Effects of specific fatty acids on prolactin-induced NB2 lymphoma cell proliferation

Nb2 rat lymphoma cells are dependent on prolactin (PRL) for growth. Membrane lipid composition of Nb2 cells undergoes rapid modification when these cells are grown in culture media supplemented with specific fatty acids. Since the actions of PRL are mediated through specific membrane receptors, the following studies were conducted to characterize the lipid-dependent events involved in fatty acid modulation of PRL-induced cell proliferation. Nb2 cells were grown in suspension cultures in control or fatty acid-supplemented media, in the presence of various doses of PRL. PRL-induced cell growth was significantly enhanced by arachidonate, but significantly attenuated by stearate supplementation of the culture media. A direct relationship was observed between the concentration of specific fatty acid added to the culture media and the magnitude with which this fatty acid was incorporated into Nb2 cell membranes, as determined by gas chromatography. Acute treatment with phorbol ester enhanced Nb2 cell growth in control media and reversed the attenuating effects of membrane stearic acid enrichment. However, PRL-induced Nb2 cell growth was similar with or without the presence of phorbol ester, when cells were grown in media supplemented with arachidonate. Addition of protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors to control and fatty acid-supplemented media resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of PRL-induced Nb2 cell proliferation. These results suggest that lipid modulation of Nb2 mitogenic-responsiveness to PRL is mediated through alterations in PKC activation.
Active stiffness modulation of fins using macro fiber composites

Studies on the role of body flexibility in propulsion suggest that fish have the ability to control or modulate the stiffness of the fin for optimized propulsive performance. Fins with certain stiffness might be efficient for a particular set of operating parameters but may be inefficient for other parameters. Therefore active stiffness modulation of a fin can improve the propulsive performance for a range of operating conditions. This paper discusses the preliminary experimental work on the open loop active deformation control of heaving flexible fins using Macro Fiber Composites (MFCs). The effect of important parameters such as oscillation frequency, flexibility of the fin, applied voltage and the phase difference between applied voltage and heaving on propulsive performance are studied and reported. The results indicate that propulsive performance can be improved by active control of the fins. The mean thrust improved by 30- 38% for the fins used in the experiments. The phase difference of ~90° is found to be optimal for maximized propulsive performance for the parameters considered in the study. Furthermore, there exists an optimal voltage magnitude at which the propulsive performance is a maximum for the range of operating conditions.
A Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR) L Band Low Noise Oscillator for Digital Communications

This paper describes the design and measured performance of a low-noise L band oscillator based on Agilent's Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR) for applications in digital communication systems. This experimental oscillator demonstrated at 1951 MHz with a phase noise of - 115 dBc/Hz at 10KHz from the carrier represents the first example of a low noise Si-Bipolar FBAR oscillator.
A simple model of the tropical atmosphere with circulation dependent heating and specific humidity

Abstract A shallow water equations model of the tropical atmosphere is developed and tested. The model includes a simple parameterization of convective rainfall so that the model heating is a function of fixed sea surface temperatures and model dependent circulation. To achieve quasi-steady states the model is iterated a number of steps. For equatorial sea temperature perturbations imposed on an idealized Pacific Ocean, the model shows two distinct modes of response. In one mode local evaporation is slightly more important than moisture convergence. This results in a relatively weak, equatorially trapped perturbation circulation. In the other mode moisture convergence is dominant and the associated circulation is stronger and less equatorially trapped. The necessary condition for the second “enhanced” mode is that the positive sea temperature perturbations overlap sufficiently with the climatologically warm waters of the western ocean. Subtropical sea temperature perturbations generally result in a steady...
Spontaneous appearance of an optic disk melanocytoma in an adult.

Abstract PURPOSE: To report a melanocytoma of the optic disk in an adult who had prior photographic documentation that the affected disk was entirely normal. METHODS: Clinical evaluation and fundus photography. RESULTS: An asymptomatic 45-year-old woman was found on routine ocular examination to have a typical melanocytoma in her right optic disk. Fundus photographs made 13 years earlier showed a normal right optic disk with no sign of melanocytoma or other pigmented lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Although optic disk melanocytoma is generally believed to be a congenital lesion, it can apparently develop spontaneously in adulthood.
Nonlinearities in Spindle Bearings and Their Effects

Summary It is shown, both computationally and experimentally, that preloaded roller and ball bearings exhibit characteristics of “softening” sorings with a change of stiffness at a deflection surpassing the preload in a ratio of about 1/0.5. In combination with the flexibility of the spindle itself the softening may then amount, in the various spindle modes, to ratios from 1/0.5 to about 1/0.8. This is also confirmed by comparing Transfer Functions measured on a spindle with roller bearings and another with angular contact ball bearings with simulated responses of models with softening springs. However, it was found that for a better match simultaneously a varying damning coefficient increasing with the displacement must be considered. Finally, stability against chatter was analyzed and it was found that for a higher limit of stability the double stiffness of the preloaded is essential but, beyond the limit the softening spring and increasing damping both contribute to decreasing the magnitude of the vibrations.
Thermal expansion and thermal expansion anisotropy of SiC polytypes

The principal axial coefficients of thermal expansion for the (3C), (4H), and (6H) polytypes of SiC are considered to identify the structural role of the stacking layer sequence as it affects the thermal expansion. A general equation based on the fractions of cubic and hexagonal layer stacking is developed that expresses the principal axial thermal expansion coefficients of all of the SiC polytypes. It is then applied to address the thermal expansion anisotropy of the noncubic SiC structures.
Improved synthesis of a highly fluorinated boronic ester as dual functional additive for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract The electrolyte additive 2-(pentafluorophenyl)-tetrafluoro-1,3,2-benzodioxaborole (PFPTFBB, 1) was found to have a reversible redox potential at 4.43 V vs. Li+/Li. This compound can function as an overcharge protection additive as well as anion receptor for lithium-ion batteries. It has drawn a great deal of interest from industry, but its use in relatively large quantities is limited by the production challenges of tetrafluorocatechol (TFC, 3), which is the key starting chemical for the synthesis of PFPTFBB. As part of a continuous effort in our research toward improving the safety of lithium-ion batteries, we have performed the synthesis of TFC and optimized its synthesis process. The X-ray single-crystal structures of TFC and the intermediate product 5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,4-benzodioxane (4) during the process of PFPTFBB synthesis are reported for the first time. Also presented is the lithium ion cell performance of PFPTFBB as redox shuttle in various electrolyte systems.
Characterization, generation, and management of household solid waste in Tulsipur, Nepal

Abstract Solid waste management in Tulsipur, Nepal has been very rudimentary and disorganized. For 11 years, the city practiced direct discharge of waste on a riverbank followed by the current disposal of waste in a creek with no soil cover or leachate treatment in place. The city's allocation of resources for waste management is also among the lowest in Nepal with 3474 residents per solid waste worker and 14.39 Nepalese Rupees or US $0.19 per person. Tulsipur collects less than one-half of the waste it generates and the waste frequently contaminates water sources. Nearly 100 Tulsipur Municipality households were investigated using cluster sampling techniques in an effort to characterize household solid waste and survey waste management practices. The waste composition study found that household solid waste is made up of 46% organic wastes, 11% dirt and construction debris, 10% plastics, 7% glass, 6% paper and paper products, 5% metals, and 5% rubber and leather. The balance included textiles (1%), hazardous wastes (1%), and other wastes (8%). Tulsipur generates 330.4 g capita −1 day −1 of household solid waste. The waste composition suggests that while organic wastes is still the largest component, recyclable items have emerged in recent years. The significant share of dirt and construction debris uncovered was an indication of urbanization in Tulsipur. Hazardous wastes rates were also higher than other Nepalese municipalities of similar size. It is recommended that Tulsipur adopt composting with a high degree of source separation for organic wastes, promote waste recovery or recycling at the local level to capture valuable items, use dirt and construction debris as a road filling substance and exchange material for new construction. Hazardous wastes also need special care. These practices will ensure that only residual wastes are deposited in landfill.
Nonparametric Modeling Auxiliary Covariates in Random Coefficient Models

Random coefficient model (RCM) is a powerful statistical tool in analyzing correlated data collected from studies with different clusters or from longitudinal studies. In practice, there is a need for statistical methods that allow biomedical researchers to adjust for the measured and unmeasured covariates that might affect the regression model. This article studies two nonparametric methods dealing with auxiliary covariate data in linear random coefficient models. We demonstrate how to estimate the coefficients of the models and how to predict the random effects when the covariates are missing or mismeasured. We employ empirical estimator and kernel smoother to handle a discrete and continuous auxiliary, respectively. Simulation results show that the proposed methods perform better than an alternative method that only uses data in the validation data set and ignores the random effects in the random coefficient model.
Super-resolution optical microscopy: multiple choices.

The recent invention of super-resolution optical microscopy enables the visualization of fine features in biological samples with unprecedented clarity. It creates numerous opportunities in biology because vast amount of previously obscured subcellular processes now can be directly observed. Rapid development in this field in the past two years offers many imaging modalities that address different needs but they also complicates the choice of the ‘perfect’ method for answering a specific question. Here I will briefly describe the principles of super-resolution optical microscopy techniques and then focus on comparing their characteristics in various aspects of practical applications.
Strong selection on a gene that influences reproductive competition in a social insect

COMPETITION among nestmate females for reproductive opportunities is a fundamental property of insect societies, the outcome of which defines the form of colony social organization and the nature of subsequent social evolution1–3. Several factors influencing the outcome of competition among potential reproductives have been identified in eusocial Hymenoptera, including age4, size5–7 and degree of ovary or exocrine gland development7–10. In no case is the genetic basis of traits associated with success in these social contests understood, although there is a heritable component to their expression in laying worker honey bees11. I report here the existence of a single mendelian factor that strongly influences success in reproductive competition in multiple-queen societies of an ant, and I also propose a mechanism by which variation is maintained at this gene despite the presence of strong directional selection.
Devaluation: Levels versus rates

Abstract In a context of infinitely-lived families a la Sidrauski, where consumers are lump-sum compensated for the inflation tax, and there is no capital mobility, it is shown that a devaluation improves while an increase in the rate of devaluation deteriorates the balance of payments.
Variations on the electron gas

Abstract The one-component Coulomb plasma is studied with variational wavefunctions. The ground-state wavefunction is calculated by an optimization procedure, which leads, at the same time, to the construction of effective interactions and the single-particle spectrum, and to a systematic way to determine the dynamic response function.
A NOVEL STRUCTURE TYPE FOR ISOLATED RARE-EARTH-METAL CLUSTERS CENTERED BY TRANSITION METALS : CS4R6I13Z (R = CE, PR; Z = CO, OS)

The research reported here has been focused on the introduction of alkali-metal atoms into rare-earth-metal cluster structures in order to expand the variety of quaternary compounds with discrete rare-earth-metal clusters centered by transition metals. This direction was encouraged by other recent results with isolated clusters centered only by small main-group elements, such as Cs{sub 4}Pr{sub 6}I{sub 13}C{sub 2} and Cs{sub 4}Sc{sub 6}I{sub 13}C,{sup 11} and by any examples in the chemistry of reduced zirconium halides.
Robopedia: Leveraging Sensorpedia for web-enabled robot control

There is a growing interest in building Internet-scale sensor networks that integrate sensors from around the world into a single unified system. In contrast, robotics application development has primarily focused on building specialized systems. These specialized systems take scalability and reliability into consideration, but generally neglect exploring the key components required to build a large scale system. Integrating robotic applications with Internet-scale sensor networks will unify specialized robotics applications and provide answers to large scale implementation concerns. We focus on utilizing Internet-scale sensor network technology to construct a framework for unifying robotic systems. Our framework web-enables a surveillance robot's sensor observations and provides a web-interface to the robot's actuators. This lets robots seamlessly integrate into web applications. In addition, the framework eliminates most prerequisite robotics knowledge, allowing for the creation of general web-based robotics applications. The framework also provides mechanisms to create applications that can interface with any robot. Frameworks such as this one are key to solving large scale mobile robotics implementation problems. We provide an overview of previous Internet-scale sensor networks, Sensorpedia (an ad-hoc Internet-scale sensor network), our framework for integrating robots with Sensorpedia, two applications which illustrate our frameworks ability to support general web-based robotic control, and offer experimental results that illustrate our framework's scalability, feasibility, and resource requirements.
Driving Issues in Epilepsy: Past, Present, and Future

Driving restrictions for people with seizure disorders are intended to ensure the public's safety, but driving is of such great importance in the United States that the imposed restrictions also may unduly harm the welfare of these individuals. Because driving restrictions historically have been based more on expert opinion than sound scientific evidence, the appropriateness and application of standards for licensing drivers with seizures continue to raise questions and concerns, as does the role physicians should have in the process. Driving is an important and complex practical concern for physicians who care for people with epilepsy or who may serve as consultants to regulatory authorities, requiring them to be well informed about the relevant issues to properly manage their patients and to protect themselves against lawsuits.
THE influence of local and regional oceanographic processes on phytoplankton distribution in continental shelf waters off north-western ireland

The distribution of phytoplankton is related to local and regional oceanographic features off the north-western coast of Ireland. A thermohaline front known as the Irish Shelf Front (ISF) that separates coastal and oceanic water was observed in the study area. Phytoplankton biomass levels, as indicated by chlorophyll concentrations, were higher on the coastal side of the frontal boundary. Inshore of the front the phytoplankton species composition was dominated by diatoms such as Leptocylindrus danicus , Guinardia flaccida and Pseudo -nitzschia cf seriata . The flora of the shelf region between the ISF and the outer shelf was characterised by the presence of Halosphaera minor , Oscillatoria sp., Ptychodiscus noctiluca , Ceratium fusus and Amphidoma caudata . Further offshore along the margins of the continental shelf the floral assemblage was characterised by Gonyaulax polygramma, Ceratium furca, Oxytoxum scolopax, Podolampes palmipes , Prorocentrum compressum and Prorocentrum dentatum. The presence of Gonyaulax polygramma, an indicator species for North Atlantic Current (NAC) slope waters, indicates the presence of this current at the shelf edge. The highest Karenia mikimotoi cell concentrations were found in close proximity to bottom density fronts located inshore. The biological observations presented here further highlight the potential role of local processes such as the presence of strong, jet-like, density-driven coastal flows in transporting potentially harmful phytoplankton populations northwards along the western coast of Ireland.
Absorption of Inorganic Phosphate in the Human Jejunum and its Inhibition by Salmon Calcitonin

Abstract The jejunal absorption of inorganic phosphate (P) was studied under basal conditions and during the intravenous infusion of synthetic salmon calcitonin (SCT) in normal subjects. Net P absorption increased as the intraluminal P concentration was raised. At intraluminal P concentrations equal to or above the plasma P level P absorption manifested first order kinetics. At intraluminal P concentrations below the plasma P level, net P absorption was non-linear presumably due to the movement of P from plasma to the lumen down a chemical gradient. A net secretion of water and electrolytes occurred in six normal subjects given SCT (250 ng/kg/hr) while saline infusion instead of SCT had no effect on jejunal absorption. Along with the secretory effect SCT reduced calcium and P absorption by 58% and 62% respectively, without any significant fall in the serum levels of calcium or P. The jejunal response to SCT was reproduced twice in a hypoparathyroid subject showing that endogenous parathyroid hormone was n...
Limited diversity in natal origins of immature anadromous fish during ocean residency

Variable migration patterns can play a major role in promoting diverse life history traits among populations. However, population and stage-specific movement patterns are generally unknown yet cruc...
Mirtazapine associated with recurrent pancreatitis — a case report:

Pancreatitis can be a rare but serious side-effect of Mirtazapine. There are very few case reports worldwide that highlight this. We present a case of recurrent pancreatitis which demonstrates this potential clinical association.
The repeated dose toxicity of a zinc oxide/hexachloroethane smoke.

Mice, rats and guinea pigs were exposed to the smoke produced by ignition of a zinc oxide/hexachloroethane pyrotechnic composition, 1 h/day, 5 days/week, at three different dose levels, together with controls. The animals received 100 exposures except for the high dose guinea pigs, which underwent 15 exposures, because of high death rate during the first few days of exposure. The test material had very little effect on weight gain, but there was a high rate of early deaths in the top dose of mice. A variety of incidental findings was seen in both decedents and survivors, but organ specific toxicity was, with one exception, confined to the respiratory tract. The most important of these findings was a statistically significant increase in the frequency of alveologenic carcinoma in the high dose group mice (p<0.01) and a statistically significant trend in the prevalence of the same tumour over all dose groups and the controls. A variety of inflammatory changes was seen in the lungs of all species and some appeared to be treatment-related. Fatty change in the mouse liver was more common in the middle and high dose groups than the controls. The aetiology of the tumour incidence is discussed and it is pointed out that hexachloroethane and zinc, as well as carbon tetrachloride, which may be present in the smoke, may be animal carcinogens in appropriate circumstances. Carbon tetrachloride is a known human carcinogen.
High-Pressure Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Apparatus:

Important interfacial processes in disciplines ranging from medicine to the separations sciences occur over a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and time scales. In this paper we report a new high-pressure total internal reflection fluorescence (HP-TIRF) apparatus that allows rapid fluorescence measurements of sub-monolayers in contact with liquids and supercritical fluids between 293 K and 353 K and up to 250 bar with picosecond time resolution. We use the HP-TIRF system to study the in-plane rotational reorientation dynamics of the fluorescent probe BODIPY 494/503 (C2v symmetry) covalently attached to silica surfaces that have been silanized with n-propyltrimethoxysilane (C3-TMOS) or 3,3,3-trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane (CF3-TMOS) when the interface is subjected to pure supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). The in-plane BODIPY 494/503 rotational reorientation dynamics are assessed by using the Debye–Stokes–Einstein expression. As the scCO2 density increases the local microviscosity surrounding the tethered BODIPY 494/503 molecule decreases. The terminal group (CH3 versus CF3) within the silane monolayer governs the onset and absolute magnitude of the observed viscosity changes. The results are explained in terms of the wellknown solubility of fluorine-containing species in scCO2.
Effects of repetitive and non-repetitive rat rDNA enhancer elements on in vivo transcription by RNA polymerases I and II.

Abstract Previous study has demonstrated that a far upstream 174-bp spacer sequence of the rat rRNA-encoding (rDNA) gene can function as an enhancer in vitro in an orientation- and distance-independent manner [Dixit et al. J. Biol. Chem. 262 (1987) 11616–11622]. To demonstrate that this element can also function in vivo, two rat rDNA-cat plasmids, one with the 174-bp element and the other without this sequence, were constructed and transfected into CHO cells. Primer extension analysis of the transcripts produced after transfection showed that transcription initiation occurred at the +1 site of the rDNA. The 174-bp sequence stimulated the rat poll promoter activity in cis 4–5-fold over the control (with the promoter alone). This RNA polymerase (poll) enhancer also stimulated the mouse metallothionein-I (MT-I) and SV40 promoter activities in vivo, irrespective of its distance and orientation. Further dissection of the 174-bp element revealed that the stimulatory activity on the RNA polymerase II (polII) promoter resides within the 37-bp and 43-bp domains at the 3' end of the 174-bp element. Unlike this spacer enhancer, the 130-bp repeat element (RE) proximal to the rat promoter [Ghosh et al., Gene 125 (1993) 217–222] was unable to modulate the polII promoter activity in vivo. These data show that while the non-repetitive enhancer sequence of rat rDNA is interchangeable for the poll and polII promoters, the RE is poll-specific.
Dislocation etch pits in silicon iron

Abstract It has been demonstrated that the segregation of carbon to dislocation sites is a necessary pre-requisite to the production of etch pits in slip bands in silicon ferrite. In regions of heavy deformation, etch-pitting may not be observed if the carbon content of the material is too low; in such regions etch pits at dislocation sites may be produced if the carbon content is increased by a low-temperature earburization.
Stenting for in-stent restenosis: A long-term clinical follow-up

We studied the feasibility, safety, and short- and long-term outcomes of treating coronary in-stent restenosis with primary restenting. Thirty-one patients (32 lesions) were treated. Eleven patients had adjunctive rotational atherectomy. Clinical follow-up was obtained in all 31 patients at a mean of 9.1 +/- 5.5 months by direct phone contact with the patients, medical records, and subsequent hospitalization for recurrent symptoms and/or revascularization. There were no cardiac deaths or myocardial infarctions. In native vessels (26 patients), repeat target lesion revascularization was required in eight patients (31%); two other patients (7.7%) had angina and were treated medically. All vein graft lesions had recurrent restenosis. Significant predictors of recurrent clinical events were lesions in vein grafts, multivessel disease, and use of higher poststent deployment inflation pressures. Primary restenting for in-stent restenosis in native vessels is a safe approach with good short-term outcome. Recurrent restenosis remains a problem, as it does with other devices, particularly in vein graft lesions and in patients with multivessel disease. Restenting for in-stent restenosis should probably be used selectively. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 48:143-148, 1999.
Mutations in three of the putative transmembrane helices of subunit a of the Escherichia coli F1F0-ATPase disrupt ATP-driven proton translocation.

Abstract Three missense mutants in subunit a of the Escherichia coli F 1 F 0 -ATPase were isolated and characterized after hydroxylamine mutagenesis of a plasmid carrying the uncB (subunit a ) gene. The mutations resulted in Asp 119 → His, Ser 152 → Phe, or Gly 197 → Arg substitutions in subunit a Function was not completely abolished by any of the mutations. The F 0 membrane sector was assembled in all three cases as judged by restoration of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide sensitivity to the F 1 F 0 -ATPase. The H + translocation capacity of F 0 was reduced in all three mutants. ATP-driven H + -translocation was also reduced, with the response in the Gly 197 → Arg mutant being almost nil and that in the Asp 119 → His and Ser 152 → Phe mutants less severely affected. The substituted residues are predicted to lie in the second, third, and fourth transmembrane helices suggested in most models for subunit a . The Gly 197 → Arg mutation lies in a very conserved region of the protein and the substitution may disrupt a structure that is critical to function. The Asp 119 → His and Ser 152 → Phe mutations also lie in areas with sequence conservation. A further analysis of randomly generated mutants may provide more information on regions of the protein that are crucial to function. Heterodiploid transformants, carrying plasmids with either the wild-type uncB gene or mutant uncB genes in an uncB (Trp 231 → stop) background, were characterized biochemically. The truncated subunit a was not detected in membranes of the background strain by Western blotting, and the uncB + plasmid complemented strain showed normal biochemistry. The uncB mutant genes were shown to cause equivalent defects in either the heterodiploid background configuration, or after incorporation into an otherwise wild-type unc operon. The subunit a (Trp 231 → stop) background strain was shown to bind F 1 -ATPase nearly normally despite lacking subunit a in its membrane.
Can Organized Youth Activities Protect Against Internalizing Problems Among Adolescents Living in Violent Homes

Using longitudinal data from a subsample of Hispanic, African American, and white youth enrolled in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (N = 1,419), we examined the effects of both parental involvement in domestic violence and youth participation in organized out-of-school-time activities on internalizing symptoms during adolescence. We also examined the extent to which participation in organized activities protected youth against the internalizing consequences of domestic violence. We found that intensive participation in either afterschool programs or extracurricular activities was inversely associated with youth internalizing problems. Moreover, we found that intensive participation in afterschool programs weakened the association between parents' domestic violence and youths' internalizing problems.
Digenic Inheritance of Myocardial Infarction Risk Implicates Dysfunctional Nitric Oxide Signaling

1. Do R, Kathiresan S, Abecasis GR. Exome sequencing and complex disease: practical aspects of rare variant association studies. Hum Mol Genet . 2012;21:R1–R9. 2. Erdmann J, Stark K, Esslinger UB, Rumpf PM, Koesling D, de Wit C, et al. Dysfunctional nitric oxide signalling increases risk of myocardial infarction. Nature . 2013;504:432–436. 3. Altshuler D, Hirschhorn JN. MEF2A sequence variants and coronary artery disease: a change of heart? J Clin Invest . 2005;115:831–833. 4. Schaffer AA. Digenic inheritance in medical genetics. J Med Genet . 2013;50:641–652. 5. Kajiwara K, Berson EL, Dryja TP. Digenic retinitis pigmentosa due to mutations at the unlinked peripherin/RDS and ROM1 loci. Science . 1994;264:1604–1608. 6. Stasch JP, Pacher P, Evgenov OV. Soluble guanylate cyclase as an emerging therapeutic target in cardiopulmonary disease. Circulation . 2011;123:2263–2273. The systematic identification of rare variants and novel pathways associated with myocardial infarction (MI) has introduced next-generation sequencing technology to large clinical cohorts.1 Although this population-wide approach to uncover the full spectrum of rare variation is promising, it has not replaced the smaller scale sequencing of well-phenotyped families with Mendelian disorders. Erdmann and colleagues2 recently presented a thorough evaluation of one such family in which they identified …
Low Self-Esteem in Differentiating Fearful and Self-Conscious Forms of Shyness

Differences between fearfully and self-consciously shy individuals in self-esteem were investigated. Analysis indicated that fearfully (n = 45) compared to self-consciously (n = 40) shy individuals self-reported lower self-esteem. This result suggests that the role of low self-esteem may be different for each shyness subtype. A possible explanation was proffered.
Socialtrust: tamper-resilient trust establishment in online communities

Web 2.0 promises rich opportunities for information sharing, electronic commerce, and new modes of social interaction, all centered around the "social Web" of user-contributed content, social annotations, and person-to-person social connections. But the increasing reliance on this "social Web" also places individuals and their computer systems at risk, creating opportunities for malicious participants to exploit the tight social fabric of these networks. With these problems in mind, we propose the SocialTrust framework for tamper-resilient trust establishment in online communities. SocialTrust provides community users with dynamic trust values by (i) distinguishing relationship quality from trust; (ii) incorporating a personalized feedback mechanism for adapting as the community evolves; and (iii) tracking user behavior. We experimentally evaluate the SocialTrust framework using real online social networking data consisting of millions of MySpace profiles and relationships. We find that SocialTrust supports robust trust establishment even in the presence of large-scale collusion by malicious participants.
Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome and the Risk of Dementia

STRONG links have been described between cognition, gait, and vascular disease in aging (1–3). Slow gait has been reported to predict ischemic strokes in older women (4). Clinical gait abnormalities as well as slow gait also predicts risk of dementia even after accounting for confounders such as age, sex, education, medical illness, or cognitive status (3,5). Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) syndrome walk slower than healthy controls (6). Gait speed was reported to slow a decade before diagnosis of MCI and preceded declines in tests of cognitive function (7). These observations suggest that gait slowing may be an early clinical marker of dementia and provide a novel strategy to identify high-risk individuals independent of cognitive test performance. We proposed to validate a Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome in nondemented older individuals with cognitive complaints but without significant functional impairment building on current operational definitions for MCI (8,9). MCI does not account for all individuals converting to dementia (8). Individuals diagnosed with MCI may remain clinically stable or even revert to normal (9). Hence, further research and alternate strategies are required to expand detection of individuals at high risk for dementia. Establishing this new high-risk MCR syndrome might not only provide a clinical approach to identify a larger pool of high-risk individuals to target preventive interventions but also spur research to discover new pathways leading to dementia.
Representations and Divisors of Monic Operator Polynomials

We develop here the notions and properties of spectral pairs and spectral triples for monic operator polynomials. These notions are used throughout the book, and their usefulness is based on the possibility to express the divisibility properties of operator polynomials in terms of spectral pairs and triples.
Soundscapes: Toward a sounded anthropology

A generation of scholars in multiple disciplines has investigated sound in ways that are productive for anthropologists. We introduce the concept of soundscape as a modality for integrating this work into an anthropological approach. We trace its history as a response to the technological mediations and listening practices emergent in modernity and note its absence in the anthropological literature. We then trace the history of technology that gave rise to anthropological recording practices, film sound techniques, and experimental sound art, noting productive interweavings of these threads. After considering ethnographies that explore relationships between sound, personhood, aesthetics, history, and ideology, we question sound's supposed ephemerality as a reason for the discipline's inattention. We conclude with a call for an anthropology that more seriously engages with its own history as a sounded discipline and moves forward in ways that incorporate the social and cultural sounded world more fully.
Effect of different proteins and protein levels on the glycine need of the chick fed purified diets.

Abstract THE glycine requirement of the young chick was reported by Almquist and Mecchi (1942) to be 1.5% of the diet when glycine was furnished by free amino acids and only 1.0% when glycine was supplied by a protein such as gelatin. Wietlake et al. (1954), using casein diets, were unable to demonstrate that supplemental glycine significantly improved chick growth. A glycine requirement in excess of 1.5% of the diet was suggested by Fisher et al. (1955), for both purified and practical diets for optimal growth and feed efficiency of fast-growing chicks. Klain et al. (1960) reported that a dietary requirement for glycine could not be demonstrated with a synthetic amino acid diet even though the diet was devoid of serine. However, Greene et al. (1960) using an improved amino acid mixture, capable of supporting better growth, noted that growth, feed utilization, and nitrogen retention improved with each increment of glycine…
Point-Based Minkowski Sum Boundary

Minkowski sum is a fundamental operation in many geometric applications, including robotics, penetration depth estimation, solid modeling, and virtual prototyping. However, due to its high computational complexity and several nontrivial implementation issues, computing the exact boundary of the Minkowski sum of two arbitrary polyhedra is generally a difficult task. In this work, we propose to represent the boundary of the Minkowski sum approximately using only points. Our results show that this point-based representation can be generated efficiently. An important feature of our method is its straightforward implementation and parallelization. We also demonstrate that the point-based representation of the Minkowski sum boundary can indeed provide similar functionality as mesh-based representations can. We show several applications in motion planning, penetration depth approximation and modeling.
Static Analysis of Business Artifact-centric Operational Models

Business artifacts are the core entities used by businesses to record information pertinent to their operations. Business operational models are representations of the processing of business artifacts. Traditional process modeling approaches focus on the actions taken to achieve a certain goal (verb-centric). Business artifact-centric modeling starts by identifying what is acted upon (noun-centric), and constructs business operational models by identifying the tasks/actions that business actors execute to add business value. In this paper, we identify important classes of properties on artifact-centric operational models. In particular, we focus on persistence, uniqueness and arrival properties. To enable a static analysis of these properties, we propose a formal model for artifact-centric operational models. We show that the formal model guarantees persistence and uniqueness. We prove that, while checking an arrival property is undecidable in general, under a restricted version of the formalism, an arrival property can be checked in EXPTIME.
Smoking cessation: how to advise the patient

Cigarette smoking causes more preventable deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than from any other single disease. Smoking cessation slows disease progression and reduces risk of recurrence and premature death by ∼50% in patients with CVD. Smoking cessation counselling at the time of discharge from hospital for a myocardial infarction is considered a class I mandated behaviour,1 although brief interventions delivered only during hospitalisation may be ineffective.2 3 Observations show that only one third to one half of patients who smoke at the time of myocardial infarction subsequently manage to quit. This indicates that many smokers do not receive optimal medical support for cessation. There is often a gap between hospital discharge and follow-up by the primary care physician. Cardiologists and hospital physicians potentially play a key role in motivating and supporting quitting behaviour and should not assume that primary care physicians will fill the gap. The second European Action on Secondary Prevention through Intervention to Reduce Events (EUROASPIRE) survey found that continued care by a hospital based cardiologist versus another physician was associated with increased quit rates.4 Furthermore, by creating a clinical environment that is supportive of treating tobacco dependence, cardiologists may motivate other clinic staff to engage in cessation promoting activities. The 5 A’s (ask, assess, advise, assist, arrange) have been adopted by the European Society of Cardiology as an effective strategy to promote smoking cessation. Smokers should be identified systematically by hospital and office operating procedures. All notes should include an up to date record of smoking status. When a patient is identified as a smoker, the consultant physician or cardiologist intervenes by: (1) assessing dependence on cigarettes; (2) personalising benefits of cessation; (3) boosting motivation for a quit attempt; (4) recommending and prescribing medication; (5) discussing behavioural changes and setting a quit date; and …