cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of reverse transformation agents on α-aminoisobutyric acid uptake in transformed and non-transformed cells

Abstract It has been reported that dibutyryl cyclic AMP plus testololactone, agents which restore normal morphological properties and contact inhibition of movement to transformed cells, stimulate the net uptake of α-aminoisobutyric acid. In those experiments, cells were pre-incubated with the agents for 90 min; using similar conditions we have confirmed this observation and have shown that the effect is accounted for by a 2.8-fold increase in the VMAX of influx with no change in KM. We have also shown that these “reverse transformation agents” cause an increase in the net uptake of α-aminoisobutyric acid in non-transformed cells as well as in transformed cells.
MAID: manufacturing aware IC design

Design tools should take manufacturing foibles into account, on this everyone agrees. But specifically, which DFM issues should IC design software take into account, and how should they be conveyed from the fab to the design tools? Here we examine an approach that expresses four of the most pressing DFM concerns - point defect densities, via yield, lithographic process windows, and cell yield - in a way design tools can easily understand. We show these data types can be combined, they can be read quickly, and that they allow designs to be analyzed (and potentially optimized) with speeds commensurate with other existing algorithms that run on large designs. The major concern that remains is getting useful DFM data from the manufacturing firms. Without this, for example, IC design tools cannot trade off one effect against another.
Vapor-liquid equilibrium for R-32 and R-410A mixed with a polyol ester: non-ideality and local composition modeling

Abstract Vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data were obtained over a wide range of mixture compositions and saturation conditions for difluoromethane (R-32) mixed with a polyol ester oil (POE). These data were correlated using the following local-composition models from the literature: Wilson, Heil, Wang and Chao, Tsuboka and Katayama, NRTL and UNIQUAC. The results were used to evaluate the suitability of these models in predicting the saturation behavior of the R-32/POE mixture. The Heil model had the best performance, with a 2− σ error of 4.81% in the predicted saturation pressure. UNIQUAC was the worst, with a 2− σ error of more than 12%. Using VLE results from the literature for pentaflouroethane (R-125) mixed with the same oil and model parameters for that mixture, an effort was made to make a priori predictions of the p-T-x behavior of a blend containing 50% R-32+50% R-125 (R-410A) and the POE. Data were obtained for this blend, and the results indicate that the Heil model can make such predictions with a 2− σ error of about 11% in pressure.
P-Type diluted magnetic III–V semiconductors

Abstract Diluted magnetic III–V semiconductors In 1 −xMn x As with p-type conduction have been successfully grown by molecular beam epitaxy under the specific growth conditions of substrate temperatures above 275°C with Mn compositions 0.001 ⪅ × ⪅ 0.03. No MnAs second phase was detected in these films in which the Mn ions serve the dual purpose of providing conduction holes and local spins. Hole concentrations fall in the range of 5 × 10 17 to 10 20 cm −3 depending on the Mn composition, and they can be varied with donor impurities such as Sn. Magnetotransport at low temperatures exhibits striking hysteretic characteristics, suggesting the occurrence of ferrogmagnetic order induced by the presence of holes.
What Makes Mondragon Work

It is commonly argued that over the course of economic history producer cooperatives have either failed or been modified to the extent that their structures were no longer consistent with a strict interpreta? tion of cooperative philosophy. The Basque city of Mondragon in north? ern Spain is the geographic nucleus of a group of producer cooperatives that after 28 years stand as a spectacular exception to this generaliza? tion. A total of 70 factories employing over 15,000 cooperative workers, a cooperative bank with 84 branch offices and 300,000 account holders, 43 education cooperatives with 26,000 students, 35 consumer coopera? tives with 70,000 members, plus cooperatives in agriculture (three), industrial services (two), research and development (one), and social security (one) made up the Mondragon group as of 1979. [Thomas, 1982] Mondragon's success is well documented. [See Oakeshott, 1978; Jones and Svejnar, 1982; Thomas and Logan, 1982] At issue here are the reasons behind that success.
Cytochemical studies of adenosine triphosphatases in skeletal muscle fibers.

Mitochondrial ATPase and myosin ATPase have been localized in the muscle fibers of the rat diaphragm. The principal fiber type possesses a structure favorable for making this cytochemical separation with the light microscope. This small red fiber has numerous large, nearly spherical, mitochondria (ca. 1.5 µ) which are aggregated beneath the sarcolemma. In the interior of the fiber, smaller paired filamentous mitochondria (ca. 0.2 µ diameter) are aligned with the I band. Distribution of mitochondria was determined by sudanophilia, succinic dehydrogenase activity, and by direct examination with the electron microscope. ATPase activity at pH 7.2 is located in the large peripheral mitochondria and in the smaller mitochondria associated with the I band. The alignment of the small mitochondria results in a discrete cross-striated appearance in fibers stained for this enzymic activity. This mitochondrial ATPase does not cleave adenosine diphosphate or adenosine monophosphate; it is not sulfhydryl dependent and, in fact, is enhanced by the mercurial, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. It requires magnesium ion and is stimulated by dinitrophenol. It is inhibited after formol-calcium fixation, but the residual activity is demonstrable by lengthening the incubation time. At pH 9.4 the ATPase is myofibrillar in origin and is located in the A bands. This myosin ATPase activity is sulfhydryl-dependent. Mercurial at this high pH has an interesting dual effect: it suppresses myosin ATPase but evokes mitochondrial ATPase activity. A third type of ATPase activity can be demonstrated, especially in the large white fibers. This activity occurs at pH 7.2 in the presence of cysteine. Its position is manifested cytochemically as a fine reticular pattern which surrounds individual myofibrils. The distribution suggests that it may originate in the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
Dynamical Behaviour of Cryogenic Helium in a Partially Filled Dewar in Microgravity

The temporal evolution of a spherically shaped bubble sitting to one side of a dewar at rest initially, and subsequently spun up to a constant angular velocity, is investigated. The time-dependent deformation of the bubble, which starts to elongate from a spherical shape, to wrap around the inner dewar wall, and finally to complete encirclement of the dewar wall, is numerically studied and simulated. Some similarity parameters are considered to study the bubble wrapping around the dewar wall. Examples are given to illustrate this problem which is important in the understanding of how surface tension, rotation speed, fluid density, contact angle, etc. affect the bubble deformation for the case of cryogenic helium II in a microgravity environment.
A quantitative assessment of limited joint mobility in patients with diabetes. Goniometric analysis of upper extremity passive range of motion.

Objective. The syndrome of limited joint mobility is a common but not widely recognized musculoskeletal complication of diabetes. The purpose of this study was to further characterize this syndrome using quantitative goniometric measures. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of a sample population was performed to establish the prevalence, location, and severity of limited joint mobility and to determine its relationship to extraarticular manifestations and complications of diabetes. Passive range of motion of both upper extremities was measured by goniometry in 70 adult patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 70 nondiabetic controls who were group-matched for age, sex, and general activity level. Joint mobility was assessed by both individual joint motions and a composite scoring technique. Results. Analysis of individual joints and composite scores revealed significant differences between dominant and nondominant extremities in both the control and the diabetic groups. Diabetic patients were generally less flexible than nondiabetic subjects throughout the arm, especially in shoulder and finger joints. In the full study population, multivariate analysis revealed that advanced age, male sex, and the presence of diabetes were associated with decreased passive range of motion for a majority of joints (P < 0.05). In the diabetes group, passive range of motion was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with age, sex, duration of diabetes, and to a variable extent, glucose control, but was not correlated with the presence of clinically significant neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, or peripheral vascular disease, with activity level, or with hand dominance. Stepwise regression analysis failed to identify single key joint motion(s) to serve as possible screening tests in predicting generalized limited joint mobility of the upper extremity. Finally, the effect of limb usage on range of motion in flexion may differ in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. Conclusion. Limited joint mobility is a generalized phenomenon occurring throughout the upper extremities of many diabetic patients. It is significantly related to age, sex, and to a variable extent duration of diabetes and glucose control. It is not related to the standard complications of diabetes as defined in this study.
SU-E-I-89: Real-Time Information and Decision Support for Radiological Emergency Response

Purpose: Emergency response and medical preparedness for radiological incidents is one of the critical cornerstones for Homeland Security, along with biological and chemical incidents. The recent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant incidents underscore the paramount importance of such preparedness and response capability. Such needs are wide‐spread as many nations employ nuclear plants for energy generation. In this work, we focus on development and deployment of a real‐time simulation and decision support system, RealOpt‐CRC, along with the knowledge data bank that can be used by regional/local radiation/public health administrators to prepare for and deal with radiological emergency situations. Methods: Large‐scale simulator for modeling systems operations and performance, computer graphics for mouse‐click facility design and optimization for resource allocation are designed and implemented into a web‐base secured system. The RealOpt system offers operations capability to i)rapidly setup shelters to house the displaced/at‐risk population, ii)determine optimal resource allocation and operations for rapid screening and decontamination; iii)recommend and facilitate practical steps to minimize exposure risk; iv)perform effective population registry for long‐term health monitoring; and v)service the displaced population on day‐to‐day needs. Results: Comparison of current planning versus plans from our system shows a 5‐fold efficiency improvement. This translates to more people being screened and decontaminated within limited time and resources and thus improve safety and health monitoring for the affected population. Further, workers are more confident and operations are smoother and more organized, thus ensuring public confidence and team‐morale. Conclusions: The system has real‐time computation capability and can be used by emergency management administrators for actual strategic and operational planning and execution; to educate and train current and future personnel on decision making under uncertainties; and to simulate responses to catastrophic events through systematic analysis of numerous scenarios, including worst‐case, to learn of erratic as well as efficient response strategies. Real‐time data‐feeds allow re‐configuration on‐the‐fly as the event unfolds. National Science Foundation
Entertaining our way to engagement? Climate change films and sustainable development values

How we communicate about climate change shapes our response to the most complex and challenging issue society currently faces. In this paper, we conduct a discursive analysis and ideological critique of stereotypical representations in three climate change films: The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy (2008) and An Inconvenient Truth (2006). We argue that these films situate their treatment of climate change in a narrative context that reiterates troubling stereotypes about race/ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. These representations do not align with key sustainable development goals such as equity, freedom, and shared responsibility. Our essay demonstrates how the stories we consume about climate change as we entertain ourselves potentially influence our sense of the world, guide our relationships to one another and impact our collective abilities to create a sustainable future. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: McGreavy, B. and Lindenfeld, L. (2014) 'Entertaining our way to engagement? Climate change films and sustainable development values', Int. J. Sustainable Development, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp.123-136.
Incorporating Variation in Occupation Span into Settlement-Pattern Analysis

Settlement patterns recovered by archaeologists differ fundamentally from synchronic settlement patterns analyzed by geographers since they are a static record of occupations that may often have had differing periods of use in the past. Many maps of the “settlement pattern” of prehistoric phases show more occupations than were ever simultaneously occupied. After discussing some of the problems this can cause, I describe a way of characterizing past settlement dynamics and a method for estimating (1) the mean number of likely simultaneous occupations for a region and (2) phase-to-phase differences in mean occupation span. The method is illustrated by the analysis of settlement data from the Ixtapalapa region in the Basin of Mexico.
Mining a Lexicon of Technical Terms and Lay Equivalents

We present a corpus-driven method for building a lexicon of semantically equivalent pairs of technical and lay medical terms. Using a parallel corpus of abstracts of clinical studies and corresponding news stories written for a lay audience, we identify terms which are good semantic equivalents of technical terms for a lay audience. Our method relies on measures of association. Results show that, despite the small size of our corpus, a promising number of pairs are identified.
Near optimal multi-application allocation in shared sensor networks

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of shared sensor networks as integrated infrastructure for multiple applications. It is important to allocate multiple applications in a shared sensor network, in order to maximize the overall Quality of Monitoring (QoM) subject to resource constraints (e.g., in terms of memory and network bandwidth). The resulting constrained optimization problem is a difficult and open problem since it is discrete, nonlinear, and not in closed-form. This paper makes several important contributions towards optimal multi-application allocation in shared sensor networks. (1) We formulate the optimal application allocation problem for a common class of distributed sensing applications whose QoM can be modeled as variance reduction functions. (2) We prove key theoretical properties of the optimization problem, including the monotonicity and submodularity of the variance reduction functions and the multiple knapsack structure of constraints; (3) By exploiting these properties, we propose a local search algorithm, which is efficient and has a good approximation bound, for application allocation in shared sensor networks. Simulations based on both real-world datasets and randomly generated networks demonstrate that our algorithm is competitive against simulated annealing in term of QoM, with up to three orders of magnitude reduction in execution times, making it a practical solution towards multi-application allocation in shared sensor networks.
Toward greater objectivity: Formal production standards for processing units in libraries

AbstractThe role of evaluator is virtually universal among technical services librarians. The extent to which political elements intrude in the evaluation process is not always recognized, but any perceptions of unequal bias will erode motivation and organizational effectiveness. Various studies suggest that elective inflation to ratings is more prevalent than conscious deflation. Formal standards, when carefully maintained, can clarify management expectations; enable employees to selfmonitor production; render the evaluation event more predictable and the task of giving negative feedback more impersonal; reduce perceptions of political or personal bias; forestall frivolous litigation by employees; and increase productivity and morale. Formal standards require careful monitoring of work flow and of factors influencing production, and revisions to standards at times may be required. Consistency in the application of standards among staff is essential. The costs of maintaining standards should be weighed ag...
New Records of Mosses from Pennsylvania

Abstract. Dicranella schreberiana var. robusta, Barbula indica, and Tortella inclinata are newly reported for the bryoflora of Pennsylvania. The occurrences of Andreaea crassinervia and Seligeria pusilla in the Commonwealth are confirmed.
Psychotropics regulate Skp1a, Aldh1a1, and Hspa8 transcription — Potential to delay Parkinson's disease

Recently, the genes p19 S-phase kinase-associated protein 1A (SKP1), huntingtin interacting protein-2 (UBE2K), aldehyde dehydrogenase family 1 subfamily A1 (ALDH1A1), 19 S proteasomal protein PSMC4, and heat shock 70-kDa protein 8 (HSPA8) have been found to predict the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). These findings prompted a review of the effects of commonly prescribed psychiatric medicines, drugs that are used in treating PD, on the expression of these genes. Findings in the published medical literature were reviewed and gene expression data in the Gene Expression Omnibus Profiles database were analyzed. The results indicate that fluoxetine upregulated the risk-attenuating genes Skp1a and Aldh1a1 and olanzapine downregulated risk-enhancing Hspa8 while also downregulating Aldh1a1. Less conclusive evidence suggested that fluoxetine might also downregulate Hspa8 and clozapine might downregulate risk-enhancing Ube2k, but that olanzapine might upregulate Ube2k. Together, the present findings suggest that these psychotropics may delay PD onset (fluoxetine, olanzapine, and perhaps clozapine) and progression (fluoxetine, clozapine, and perhaps olanzapine). These gene expression findings should be replicated by RT-PCR studies in humans and, if confirmed, these drugs should then be studied in animal models and PD patients.
Trichinella spiralis: expression of rapid expulsion in rats exposed to an abbreviated enteral infection.

Abstract Rats infected with Trichinella spiralis for the first week of the enteral infectious cycle displayed a strong rapid expulsion reaction during a challenge infection. The response was induced with equal facility in animals given low or high immunizing doses of infectious larvae (500 to 5000 larvae). Large challenge infections resulted in a 10–15% reduction in the efficiency of rejection as assessed 24 hr after challenge. Rats became primed to express rapid expulsion within the first week of primary infection whether the infection remained patent or not. However, maximum effectiveness was not realized until the second week after the initial infection. Once induced, the capacity to express rapid expulsion persisted for 6 weeks after the primary infection. Immunized hosts were capable of resisting two challenge infections spaced by periods of from 12 to 72 hr. This finding suggests that a mediator is not consumed by the initial response.
APPLICATION OF DISPERSION RELATIONS TO NUCLEON STRUCTURE

The dispersion relations derived by Chew et al. are used to carry out a covariant calculation of the form factors for the charge and magnetic moment of the proton. Root-mean-square radii of 0.64\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm for the charge distribution and 0.45\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm for the magnetic moment distribution are found on the assumption that the proton has a point core and that the coupling constant is ${f}^{2}=0.08$. Recoil terms tend to reduce the rms radii obtained from the static model. The higher-order mesonic corrections do not alter the qualitative behavior of the perturbation results.
Taking Account of the Hostile Native: Plausible Deniability and the Production of Conventional History in the Iran-Contra Hearings

This paper examines the video record of a segment of Oliver North s testimony before joint Congressional committees investigating the Iran-Contra Affair during the summer of 1987 and analyzes the constitutive relationship between the testimony and an emergent “master narrative” being assembled by committee investigators from a mass of documents and prior testimonies. The details of North's testimony display the witness's biographical relations to events in the past as well as his moral entitlements to speak about those events in the present circumstance. In contrast, the committees' conventional historical account is written in an anonymous voice as a chronology of objective events, validated testimony, and certified documents. The paper argues that analytic differences between conversational stories and conventional histories are used systematically in the generation of testimony. The paper first describes some of the discursive methods the interrogator uses to assimilate the witness's stories to a conventional historical account and then goes on to discuss how the witness is able to resist the movement from biography to history by embedding his stories within a set of local entitlements that resist translation into a generalized narrative.
Diagnosis and Laryngeal Complications of Bordatella pertussis Infection in the Ambulatory Adult Population

Bordatella pertussis infection leads to a chronic, debilitating, and paroxysmal cough that can last for months to years. Incidence of B pertussis in the immunized adult population is rising nationwide, but many otolaryngologists are unfamiliar with the diagnosis and management of this disease. Adults often present late in the disease process when traditional diagnostic testing is ineffective and without the classic pediatric symptoms of whooping cough. As a result, B pertussis infections in adults are often overlooked or misdiagnosed as asthma exacerbations or viral bronchitis, leading to increased morbidity, unnecessary testing, and additional exposure of vulnerable populations to the pathogen. This commentary describes 3 adult cases of B pertussis confirmed with serum testing in the ambulatory population and describes varied presentations based on time from initial infection. Specific emphasis is presented on the physical manifestations of the disease in laryngeal structures, methods of diagnosis, and recommendations for treatment.
Blue-Collar Public Servants: How Union Membership Influences Public Service Motivation

This study examines whether the norms and values of labor unions contradict public service motivation (PSM). Using Perry and Wise’s conceptualization of (PSM) this article tests four hypotheses by ...
Characterization of ZnO films prepared by reactive sputtering at different oxygen pressures

Abstract The piezoelectric qualities of ZnO films are characterized by their high resistivity and polycrystalline structure which is preferentially textured in perpendicular to the substrate, both of them were studied as a function of sputtering parameters. This paper deals with the formation of ZnO thin films successfully deposited onto glass substrate by sputtering. The films feature plane (0 0 2) preferential orientation. The effects of the sputtering pressure, sputtering power and sputtering in an O 2 +Ar gas mixture on the preferential orientation of the ZnO films are studied. The results show that a lower sputtering pressure is conducive to the formation of the (0 0 2) plane.
Deletion of Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase-1 Does Not Alter Ozone-induced Airway Hyper-responsiveness

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ameliorate pain and fever by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) and suppressing prostanoid formation. Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) catalyzes formation of PGE2 from the COX product PGH2 and has emerged as a therapeutic target. Inhibition of mPGES-1, however, renders the PGH2 substrate available for diversion to other PG synthases. To address the possibility that substrate diversion augments formation of PGs that might modulate bronchial tone, we assessed the impact of mPGES-1 deletion in a mouse model of ozone-induced airway hyper-responsiveness. Ozone exposure increased total lung resistance to inhaled methacholine in wild-type mice. Deletion of mPGES-1 had little effect on total lung resistance in either naive or ozone-exposed animals. The carbachol-induced narrowing of luminal diameter in intrapulmonary airways of lung slices from acute ozone-exposed mice was also unaltered by mPGES-1 deletion. Likewise, although concentrations of PGE2 were reduced in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, whereas 6-keto-PGF1α, PGD2, and PGF2α, all were increased, deletion of mPGES-1 failed to influence cell trafficking into the airways of either naive or ozone-exposed animals. Despite biochemical evidence of PGH2 substrate diversion to potential bronchomodulator PGs, deletion of mPGES-1 had little effect on ozone-induced airway inflammation or airway hyper-responsiveness. Pharmacologically targeting mPGES-1 may not predispose patients at risk to airway dysfunction.
Laser beam shaping and mode conversion in optical fibers

A new class of all-fiber beam shaping devices has been realized by inverse etching the end face of single mode and multimode fibers to form a concave cone tip. Concave tip fiber can convert a Gaussian beam profile to a flat top beam profile with a uniform intensity distribution. A flat top beam with intensity variation of approx. 5% and flat top diameter to spot diameter ratio of 67% has been achieved. This device can also change the beam shape from a Gaussian to a donut by moving the observation plane. A flat top multimode fiber beam delivery is attractive for applications which require high power and uniform intensity distribution. In single mode fiber, concave tips could be used to reduce the beam spot size diameter, enabling efficient light coupling from a single mode fiber to an integrated optical waveguide.
1973 Evaluation of the Shielding Properties of Cable Trays for Use in an Industrial Environment

The proper shielding of control cables in an industrial control system is an important part of the system's design. With the advent of direct digital and analog process control in large industrial facilities such as steel mills and power plants, the minimumization of interference induced in the communication link between the in-plant transducers and analog or digital controller becomes an important problem. The communication link may be very short, or run for several miles, depending upon the installation. In most cases, this link is a pair of electrical conductors. It is often necessary to shield these control and instrumentation cables. This paper describes a series of tests that were developed to determine the shielding efficiency of cable trays made of various types of material. Tests are described for both electromagnetic and electrostatic fields. As in most engineering decisions, the final choice of material must be the result of a compromise.
The impact of climate change on tribal communities in the US: displacement, relocation, and human rights

Tribal communities in the United States, particularly in coastal areas, are being forced to relocate due to accelerated rates of sea level rise, land erosion, and/or permafrost thaw brought on by climate change. Forced relocation and inadequate governance mechanisms and budgets to address climate change and support adaptation strategies may cause loss of community and culture, health impacts, and economic decline, further exacerbating tribal impoverishment and injustice. Sovereign tribal communities around the US, however, are using creative strategies to counter these losses. Taking a human rights approach, this article looks at communities’ advocacy efforts and strategies in dealing with climate change, displacement, and relocation. Case studies of Coastal Alaska and Louisiana are included to consider how communities are shaping their own relocation efforts in line with their cultural practices and values. The article concludes with recommendations on steps for moving forward toward community-led and government-supported resettlement programs.
Object oriented modeling of a multiple-input multiple-output flyback converter in Dymola

Modeling of power electronic converters does not lend itself to many traditional circuit simulators such as SPICE. The state equations of a converter change with switching behavior, also called events, which must be determined using an iterative solution. Diode commutation is a prime example that occurs in nearly all complex power electronic circuits. The language examined in this paper, Modelica, was developed for solution of systems with discrete events such as switching. A multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) flyback converter has been used as an example, and compared to experimental results.
Physiologically achievable doses of resveratrol enhance 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation.

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenolic stilbene widely found in grapes, berries, and other plants. Caloric restriction-like effects of resveratrol have been associated with suppressive and apoptotic effects on adipocyte differentiation in vitro when used at high doses (≥20 µM), which may not be achievable in vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol at physiologically achievable low doses (1 and 10 μM) on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were differentiated into adipocytes using a modified adipogenic cocktail in the presence or absence of resveratrol. Differentiation was determined by lipid accumulation and mRNA expression of marker genes. Activation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) was determined by transcription factor-mediated reporter assays and mRNA expression of target genes. Protein samples were collected for the study of AMPK activation. Resveratrol at physiologically achievable doses (1 and 10 µM) significantly enhanced 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation although the effect was less pronounced compared with that achieved under optimal differentiation cocktail in vitro. Resveratrol (1–50 µM) dose dependently activated or synergized with the synthetic ligand or adipogenic treatment to activate GR and PPARγ. However, resveratrol induced cell death when used at doses above 10 µM in differentiating cells. Our results report for the first time that resveratrol at physiologically achievable doses (1 and 10 µM) enhances 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation, which supports the emerging paradigm that enhanced adipocyte differentiation may be associated with caloric restriction-like metabolic effects for resveratrol.
The Piazza peer data management project

A major problem in today's information-driven world is that sharing heterogeneous, semantically rich data is incredibly difficult. Piazza is a peer data management system that enables sharing heterogeneous data in a distributed and scalable way. Piazza assumes the participants to be interested in sharing data, and willing to define pairwise mappings between their schemas. Then, users formulate queries over their preferred schema, and a query answering system expands recursively any mappings relevant to the query, retrieving data from other peers. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of the Piazza project including our work on developing mapping languages and query reformulation algorithms, assisting the users in defining mappings, indexing, and enforcing access control over shared data.
Ruminations on challenges to prediction with rational choice models

The ultimate test of any social science theory lies in its ability to predict and explain real behavior. Converting formal theory into a form that can be tested against real-time predictions, however, is a difficult and demanding task. The growing literature on applied formal models provides an opportunity to investigate how robust predictions are to the relaxation of specific assumptions. Here I investigate the robustness of applied theories in the light of multiple equilibria and the chaos theorems of McKelvey and Schofield, alternative dimensionality assumptions, modifications of conditions for preference aggregation, and bounded rationality - all with an eye toward their implications for the accuracy of predictions regarding outcomes and decision dynamics. We come to a better understanding of the challenges that remain in converting formal models into practical tools to guide the assessment and making of complex decisions.
Outcomes of Nonmyeloablative HLA-Haploidentical Blood or Marrow Transplantation With High-Dose Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide in Older Adults

Purpose Recent advances in nonmyeloablative (NMA), related HLA-haploidentical blood or marrow transplantation (haplo-BMT) have expanded the donor pool. This study evaluated the effect of age on NMA haplo-BMT outcomes in patients age 50 to 75 years. Patients and Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of 271 consecutive patients with hematologic malignancies, age 50 to 75 years, who received NMA, T-cell–replete haplo-BMT with high-dose post-transplantation cyclophosphamide. Results The median age was 61 years, with 115 patients (42%) age 50 to 59, 129 (48%) age 60 to 69, and 27 (10%) age 70 to 75 years. Overall, 84% of patients had intermediate- or high-/very high–risk disease. The 6-month probabilities of grade 3 or 4 acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) were 3% and 8%, respectively. Patients in their 50s, 60s, and 70s had 6-month NRM probabilities of 8%, 9%, and 7%, respectively (P = .20). With a median follow-up of 4 years, corresponding 3-year progression-free su...
Vegetarian diets are associated with healthy mood states: a cross-sectional study in Seventh Day Adventist adults

Background The physical health status of vegetarians has been extensively reported, but there is limited research regarding the mental health status of vegetarians, particularly with regard to mood. Vegetarian diets exclude fish, the major dietary source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), critical regulators of brain cell structure and function. Omnivorous diets low in EPA and DHA are linked to impaired mood states in observational and experimental studies.
Discharge patterns of hindlimb motoneurons during normal cat locomotion

Long-term recording from single lumbar motoneurons of intact cats revealed activation patterns fundamentally different from those seen in decerebrate preparations. In intact cats, motoneuron bursts showed marked rate modulation without initial doublets. Each unit's frequencygram generally resembled the envelope of the gross electromyogram simultaneously recorded from the corresponding muscle. Average and peak discharge rates increased for faster gaits. These findings suggest that, in cat locomotion, rate modulation is a more important contributor to force regulation than was previously thought.
Life history attributes of white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) in Lake Taneycomo and associated tributaries in Southwestern Missouri

Abstract Spawning season of the white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) in tributaries of Lake Taneycomo, a coldwater reservoir of the White River system in southwestern Missouri, lasted from early April to late May in 1994 and 1995. Collection of fish larvae and spawning activities of adult white sucker indicated that spawning occurred in all tributaries of the lake. We did not observe evidence of spawning in the lake. White suckers began to mature at age 3 and a total length of 275 mm. A larger proportion of males matured at an earlier age and length, but females lived longer and reached larger sizes. Mortality rates were higher for mature males than females. Both sexes exhibited high mortality after age 8. Females were more abundant than males (1.94 to 6.50: 1 F:M) in the upper lake throughout the year, while males were more abundant in Bull Creek (0.27 to 0.30:1 F:M), a major tributary, during the spawning season. Fecundity increased with fish size, ranging from approximately 5,000 to 59,000 eggs. Growth...
Development of HER2-specific chimeric antigen receptor T cells for the treatment of breast-to-brain metastasis

Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells has demonstrated robust and durable clinical efficacy in patients with CD19+ B cell malignancies. Broader application of this approach to brain and other advanced solid tumors is an immediate goal for the field and is presently under intense investigation. In 2014, 40,000 individuals in the U.S. alone succumbed to breast cancer, primarily as a result of metastatic disease. Approximately 30 percent of breast cancer patients carry an amplification of the HER2 gene and/or HER2 over-expression, which confers a particularly poor prognosis. Among the most common sites of HER2-positive breast cancer metastases is the brain. For patients with breast cancer that has metastasized to the brain, the 1-year survival rate is a dismal 20 percent. Despite clinical successes in both preventing relapse and treating systemic disease with HER2-targeted therapies, the currently available agents are only modestly effective in managing brain metastasis. Our group has demonstrated safety and transient anti-tumor responses in two U.S. FDA-authorized Phase I clinical trials evaluating local intracranial adoptive transfer of CAR T cells in glioma patients. Our current project builds on this clinical experience with locally administered CAR T cells that specifically target HER2 for the treatment of breast-to-brain metastasis. Our lab has initiated design and testing of CAR T cell therapy targeting HER2 based on an scFv derived from trastuzumab. We anticipate that local intracranial delivery will enhance therapeutic response, while reducing the likelihood of off-tumor systemic toxicities as previously observed. Importantly, HER2 expression in normal brain tissue is limited, supporting HER2 as a therapeutic target in brain metastasis. Our innovative CAR T cell platform focuses on engineering central memory T cells (Tcm) for therapeutic application, with the intent of improving persistence of T cells after infusion, a critical parameter correlated with ultimate therapeutic success. Herein, we have evaluated several HER2-CAR constructs incorporating either the CD28 or 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain using both in vitro T cell functional assays as well as orthotopic patient-derived xenograft models of breast-to-brain metastasis. While HER2-28z and HER2-BBz CAR T cells similarly kill HER2+ breast cancer cells in vitro, BBz CARs demonstrate lower induction of the exhaustion marker PD-1 and proliferate better compare with 28z CARs. Both HER2-CARs similarly lead to tumor eradication and prolonged survival. Based on these data, we have successfully developed HER2-specific CAR T cells, and plan to clinically develop these CARs for the treatment of HER2+ metastatic disease.
Condition optimization for xylanase production using polyextremophilic bacillus subtilis hx-6 strain

Xylanases , (E.C.3.2.1.8), constitute a group of diverse xylanolytic enzymes with varying specificities and action. Polyextremophilic xylanases are required so as to get maximum activity under industrial process conditions, like high temperature and high pH. Bacillus subtilis HX-6, was isolated from highly alkaline natural environment of Lonar lake, a meteorite crater in India. The organism had optimum growth temperature 60 o C. and optimum pH 9. It produced 3760 U/ml/min xylanase when fermented under optimum conditions of high temperature and high pH, while it produced 2676 U/ml/min at 30 o C. with pH 7. The xylanase production was optimized w.r.t. Carbon and nitrogen sources in the production medium, inoculum size, inoculum age, duration of fermentation, production temperature and hydrogen ion concentration.
O-036 pufs safety and effectiveness outcomes by aneurysm shape

Background and purpose Flow diversion with the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) has been shown to be effective and safe in several trials and registries. The PUFS trial demonstrated over 90% complete occlusion rate and a 5.6% major ipsilateral stroke and neurologic death rate in large and giant internal carotid artery aneurysms. We sought to determine the relationship between aneurysm shape and these primary endpoint outcomes in the PUFS patient population. Materials and methods Ten centers prospectively enrolled and treated 107 patients with 109 aneurysms in the PUFS trial. All centers obtained IRB or EC approval. Prospectively collected information included demographic characteristics, aneurysm size and location, aneurysm neck size, aneurysm shape, number of PEDs used, and any complications (including stroke and death). All complications were reviewed and adjudicated by a Clinical Events Committee. All angiographic images were evaluated by an independent Core Radiology Laboratory. For the purposes of this analysis, fusiform aneurysm were defined as having an aneurysm neck involving ≥50% of the parent artery circumference vs Results Of the 109 aneurysms treated, 46% (50 aneurysms in 49 patients) were fusiform and 54% (59 aneurysms in 58 patients) were saccular. The rate of major ipsilateral ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke was 6.1% (3/49) for patients with fusiform aneurysms and 3.4% (2/58) for patients with saccular aneurysms. The neurologic death rate was 0% (0/49) and 1.7% (1/58) for patients with fusiform and saccular aneurysms, respectively. The combined rate of major ipsilateral stroke and neurological mortality was 6.1% (3/49) for patients with fusiform aneurysms and 5.2% (3/58) for patients with saccular aneurysms. At 5 years post-procedure, the complete aneurysm occlusion rate was 95.8% (23/24) for fusiform aneurysms and 95% (38/40) for saccular aneurysms. Conclusions The PED demonstrates high levels of safety and effectiveness in the treatment of both fusiform and saccular ICA aneurysms. Disclosures T. Becske: 2; C; Covidien proctor. M. Potts: None. W. Brinjikji: None. D. Kallmes: 1; C; Covidien. 2; C; Covidien. M. Shapiro: 2; C; Covidien proctor. P. Nelson: 2; C; Covidien.
The Myths of Choice: Reflections on the Two-Income Trap

This essay is a response to The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Families Are Going Broke by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Tyagi. My focus is different than the reviews published to date. I address Warren and Tyagi's proposal for switching the public education system to vouchers. The substantial legal literature on vouchers focuses primarily on their constitutionality and some on whether they will produce better schools. My concern is different - I examine the rhetoric claiming vouchers are a fair, parent-driven, and easy way to reform public education. I conclude that, although Warren and Tyagi are right that middle-class families are paying a high financial price to escape what they perceive as failing public schools, the voucher solution will neither improve the failing schools nor relieve the middle-class of the expense of escaping them. Vouchers are not even likely to offer choice to parents so much as choice to schools in selecting their students. Vouchers and public education reform remain in the forefront of public debate. As the penalty phases of No Child Left Behind loom ever larger for public school systems, it is likely that the pressure for vouchers or other forms of school choice will build. This essay contributes to that debate by taking a closer look at the common justifications for school choice through vouchers and examining how this solution will impose unexpected and undesired burdens not only on poor families who are supposed to benefit but on middle-class ones as well.
THE FAMILIAL AGGREGATION OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE HLA-DR4 ASSOCIATION

This investigation of the familial aggregation of rheumatoid arthritis in Rochester, Minnesota, was prompted by the considerable variability in previous reports and the need to interpret findings in light of the recently established human lymphocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4 association. The historical cohort methodology was applied to determine the incidence of adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis in 1631 biologic relatives of 78 probands compared with the Rochester population incidence. The ratio of the age- and sex-adjusted rates in first-degree relatives compared with the general population was 1.7 (95% confidence interval 1.0-2.9). The increase was concentrated in the 16- to 40-year-old age group, suggesting some disease heterogeneity. However, the level of familial risk was not significantly affected by the proband's sex, seropositivity, age, or parental disease status. Integrating these findings with prior research in which case ascertainment was complete led to the conclusion that familial aggregation of rheumatoid arthritis is weak. The apparent discrepancy between weak familial aggregation and the known strong HLA-DR4 association with rheumatoid arthritis was resolved by examining the mathematical relationship between the measures of association in the two different types of studies. Results show that to be consistent with weak familial clustering, any putative susceptibility gene must have very low penetrance, and/or there must be a large residual of sporadic cases.
An Introductory Course in the Computational Modeling of Nature

Abstract This introductory course in computational modeling of nature contains the development of three kinds of models of phenomena in nature -- agent-based models and simple finite difference models using the environment of the NetLogo language and complex finite difference models using the language of C + +. No prior programming experience is assumed. The natural phenomena modeled include some standard ones (e.g. ants following pheromone trails, the interaction of sheep and wolves) and some non-standard ones (the creation of the world, 3 dogs playing games, and formation of stripes and spots in the skins of animals). The emphasis of the course is on the modeling process. A distinguishing feature is that students are able to compare and critique these models.