cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An MBoC favorite: identification of novel principles of keratin filament turnover in living cells.

This study examines the attributes of keratin intermediate filaments in single, live, nonmotile epithelial cells under steady-state conditions. From their substantive findings, the authors proposed a spatially and temporally defined “keratin cycle” that accounts for the genesis, maturation, and turnover of keratin filaments in the setting of live epithelial cells in culture. I suspect that, just like me, many researchers did not expect that the process of assembly to turnover of keratin filaments would be so vectorial and spatially well-defined, even if it ultimately applies only to a cell culture setting. The “keratin cycle” also provided a conceptual framework from which to examine the relationships among keratin filaments, F-actin, microtubules, and adhesion complexes. The model has been refined since, and several of the predictions it originally generated have been upheld through subsequent experimentation. Finally, this study provided an alternative view of intermediate filament dynamics at steady state, complementing similar efforts from other researchers.
Dislocation stress fields for dynamic codes using anisotropic elasticity: methodology and analysis

Abstract A numerical methodology to incorporate anisotropic elasticity into three-dimensional dislocation dynamics codes has been developed, employing theorems derived by Lothe [J. Lothe, Philos. Mag. 15 (1967) 353], Brown [L.M. Brown, Philos. Mag. 15 (1967) 363], Indenbom and Orlov [V.L. Indenbom, S.S. Orlov, Sov. Phys. Crystallogr. 12 (6) (1968) 849], and Asaro and Bamett [R.J. Asaro, D.M. Barnett, in: R.J. Arsenault, J.R. Beeler Jr., J.A. Simmons (Eds.), Computer Simulation for Materials Applications, Part 2. Nuclear Metallurgy, Vol. 20, p. 313]. The formalism is based on the stress field solution for a straight dislocation segment of arbitrary orientation in three-dimensional space. The general solution is given in a complicated closed integral form. To reduce the computation complexity, look-up tables are used to avoid heavy computations for the evaluation of the angular stress factor ( Σ ij ) and its first derivative term ( Σ ij ′). The computation methodology and error analysis are discussed in comparison with known closed form solutions for isotropic elasticity. For the case of Mo single crystals, we show that the difference between anisotropic and isotropic elastic stress fields can be, for some components of the stress tensor, as high as 15% close to the dislocation line, and decrease significantly away from it. This suggests that short-range interactions should be evaluated based on anisotropic elasticity, while long-range interactions can be approximated using long-range elasticity.
Escape from Stalingrad: Soviet Nationals with the German Sixth Army

This article specifically documents the experiences of a number of Ukrainians and Russian ethnic Germans who served with the German Sixth Army during the Stalingrad campaign and encirclement and who eventually returned to German lines during the spring and summer of 1943. Their collective narrative is placed in the context of the increasing reliance of the Wehrmacht, and of the Sixth Army in particular, on Soviet nationals in a variety of noncombatant and combat roles.
Antisense transcript long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR is transcriptionally induced by estradiol

HOTAIR (HOX antisense intergenic RNA) is a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) that is transcribed from the antisense strand of homeobox C gene locus in chromosome 12. HOTAIR coordinates with chromatin-modifying enzymes and regulates gene silencing. It is overexpressed in various carcinomas including breast cancer. Herein, we demonstrated that HOTAIR is crucial for cell growth and viability and its knockdown induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells. We also demonstrated that HOTAIR is transcriptionally induced by estradiol (E2). Its promoter contains multiple functional estrogen response elements (EREs). Estrogen receptors (ERs) along with various ER coregulators such as histone methylases MLL1 (mixed lineage leukemia 1) and MLL3 and CREB-binding protein/p300 bind to the promoter of HOTAIR in an E2-dependent manner. Level of histone H3 lysine-4 trimethylation, histone acetylation, and RNA polymerase II recruitment is enriched at the HOTAIR promoter in the presence of E2. Knockdown of ERs and MLLs downregulated the E2-induced HOTAIR expression. Thus, similar to protein-coding gene transcription, E2-induced transcription of antisense transcript HOTAIR is coordinated via ERs and ER coregulators, and this mechanism of HOTAIR overexpression potentially contributes towards breast cancer progression.
ROLE OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IN THE FORMATION OF DNA ADDUCTS IN HL-60 CELLS TREATED WITH BENZENE METABOLITES

Abstract We have investigated the influence of peroxides on DNA adduct formation in HL-60 cells treated with polyphenolic metabolites of benzene. Treatment of HL-60 cells with 50 μM hydroquinone (HQ), 500 μM catechol (CAT) or 200 μM 1,2,4-benzenetriol (BT) resulted in adduct levels of 0.27, 0.21 and 0.21 × 10−7, respectively. Addition of 50–250 μM H2O2or 250 μM cumene hydroperoxide to HL-60 cells increased DNA adduct formation 2.7–10-fold following treatment with HQ or CAT but had no effect on adduct formation by BT. Treatment of HL-60 cells with the combinations of HQ plus either BT or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) potentiated DNA adduct formation by 2.5–4-fold. Significant elevations of cellular H2O2levels occurred after treatment of HL-60 cells with either PMA, CAT or BT. These results indicate that cellular levels of H2O2regulate the peroxidase dependent activation of benzene metabolites to form DNA adducts.
The Evolving Role of Interventional Pulmonary in the Interdisciplinary Approach to the Staging and Management of Lung Cancer. Part III: Diagnosis and Management of Malignant Pleural Effusions

The diagnosis and management of a malignant pleural effusion can be one of the most vexing problems faced by physicians and their patients. Lung cancer is the most common primary tumor of origin with a prognosis that is limited, but variable and correlated with performance status (PS). Therefore, with a poor PS and known advanced lung cancer, establishing whether or not an effusion is malignant might not be necessary. Conversely, identifiable subsets of patients will have a much better survival, and establishing a definitive diagnosis could be of critical importance. In the great majority of cases, a diagnosis can be determined by serial thoracenteses with or without closed pleural biopsy. However, thoracoscopy is increasingly being utilized and can expedite the workup by obviating the need for repeated thoracenteses and/or closed pleural biopsy, while in the same setting providing definitive palliative treatment. Although studies comparing diagnostic and treatment strategies are limited, we will present the available data with the intention of providing the practicing oncologist with a practical strategy for the diagnosis and management of malignant pleural effusions due to lung cancer. The interventional pulmonologist can play an important role from diagnosis to palliation, greatly facilitating the care of patients with malignant pleural effusions.
How Domestic Public Policy Goes Global: Immigrants’ Transnational Allocations of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

This exploratory study examines the ways in which immigrants in the USA utilize a domestic public policy, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), for transnational purposes. We analyzed semi-structured qualitative interviews with 32 immigrants in the Boston area to investigate whether and how they spend the refund transnationally. Our analysis showed that most immigrant EITC recipients do not explicitly use their refunds for transnational purposes but about 2/3 of families we analyzed used some form of family income to send cash remittances and gifts to the country of origin, as well as purchase goods and services in, or travel to the country of origin. The 12 study participants who explicitly stated using the EITC for transnational purposes most commonly used it for economic smoothing, with a few using the refund to build assets in the country of origin. We also found evidence of EITC-specific expenditures for travel to the country of origin and the sending of gifts. Based on these descriptive findings, we find that the amounts of money being spent transnationally are generally quite small, with less than a $1,000 being sent to the country of origin annually in most cases. We argue that domestic social policy appears to play a transnational role, albeit a small one, and could potentially impact the economic development of immigrant sending countries and even alter immigrant flows from those countries. However, a larger study is necessary to draw definitive conclusions.
Destabilization of vapor film boiling around spheres

Abstract Energy transfer and vapor film destabilization processes have been studied in an experiment where a sphere traveling with a constant velocity of 1.52 m/s was quenched in distilled water. Data were obtained for the instantaneous heat flux and the transient vapor film behavior over a range of sphere temperatures from 260 to 538 C and water subcoolings from 24 to 77 C. The nature of the transient vapor film behavior was studied with high-speed photography during quenching. All experiments were performed at atmospheric pressure. Two distinctive mechanisms for the destabilization of a stable vapor film were identified. One, a precipitous collapse and the other, progressive instability. The precipitous collapse occurs very rapidly, on the order of 0.25 ms, while the progressive instability requires from 50 to 100 ms for completion. The progressive instability is triggered by small bubble-like irregularities that move on the liquid-vapor interface. Precipitous instability appears to be dependent on heat flux rather than sphere temperature.
Color change and color-dependent behavior in response to predation risk in the salamander sister species Ambystoma barbouri and Ambystoma texanum

Although many organisms show multiple types of trait responses to predation risk (e.g., shifts in behavior, morphology, color, chemistry or life history), relatively few studies have examined how prey integrate these multiple responses. We studied the joint expression of color and behavioral responses to predation risk in two sister species of salamander larvae that live in habitats with different selection pressures. We examined responses to predation risk in three situations that differed in availability of refuge and substrate color heterogeneity, and thus availability of behavioral options for reducing risk. Relative to Ambystoma texanum, A. barbouri larvae were darker in color and showed a greater range of color change. With no variation in background color or refuge available, both species exhibited color change to better match the available background. The degree of color change showed by both species, however, did not depend on predation risk. Given the option to choose between light and dark substrates, A. texanum exhibited behavioral background matching (i.e., they preferred substrates that matched their own body color), while A. barbouri's substrate preferences did not depend on their initial body color. Instead, A. barbouri responded to risk by showing a strong preference for dark substrates, followed by a change to a darker body color. With refuge available, A. texanum's refuge use was color-dependent; larvae that were well camouflaged spent less time in refuge. In contrast, A. barbouri showed strong refuge use in response to risk, regardless of their body color. Overall, these results reflect how conflicting selection pressures (predation risk, habitat ephemerality, risk of UV damage) and species differences in mean color and ability to change color can govern the interplay of complementary and compensatory behavioral and color responses to predation risk.
A Minor Anthocyanin Pigment of Sweet Cherry

THE sweet cherry contains an anthocyanin, keracyanin, the rhamnoglucoside of cyanidin, which was first isolated by Willstatter and Zollinger1. Robinson and Robinson2 indicated the presence of a cyanidin-3-monoside in the skins of small black cherries. The complete picture of the anthocyanin pigments of any one species of sweet cherry, however, has not been reported.
Intention to Commit Online Music Piracy and Its Antecedents: An Empirical Investigation

Online piracy of copyrighted digital music has become rampant as Internet bandwidth and digital compression technologies have advanced. The music industry has suffered significant financial losses and has responded with lawsuits, although online music piracy remains prevalent. This article developed a research model to study the determinants of individual intentions to commit online music piracy. The model was derived from the theories of planned behavior and deterrence. A survey questionnaire of 216 respondents was used to test the model. Consistent with the theory of planned behavior, the results showed that attitude toward online music piracy, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are significant antecedent factors of intention to commit online music piracy. Concerning deterrence theory, the results suggest that the effect of perceived punishment severity on attitude was highly significant for females, and the effect of perceived certainty of punishment on attitude was not significant for ...
The biogeochemistry of nitrogen in freshwater wetlands

The biogeochemistry of N in freshwater wetlands is complicated by vegetation characteristics that range from annual herbs to perennial woodlands; by hydrologic characteristics that range from closed, precipitation-driven to tidal, riverine wetlands; and by the diversity of the nitrogen cycle itself. It is clear that sediments are the single largest pool of nitrogen in wetland ecosystems (100's to 1000's g N m-2) followed in rough order-of-magnitude decreases by plants and available inorganic nitrogen. Precipitation inputs (< 1–2 g N m-2 yr-1) are well known but other atmospheric inputs, e.g. dry deposition, are essentially unknown and could be as large or larger than wet deposition. Nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) is an important supplementary input in some wetlands (< < 1–3 g N m-2 yr-1) but is probably limited by the excess of fixed nitrogen usually present in wetland sediments. Plant uptake normally ranges from a few g N m-2 yr-1 to ∼ 35 g N m-2 yr-1 with extreme values of up to ∼ 100g N m-2 yr-1 Results of translocation experiments done to date may be misleading and may call for a reassessment of the magnitude of both plant uptake and leaching rates. Interactions between plant litter and decomposer microorganisms tend, over the short-term, to conserve nitrogen within the system in immobile forms. Later, decomposers release this nitrogen in forms and at rates that plants can efficiently reassimilate. The NO3 formed by nitrification (< 0.1 to 10 g N m-2 yr-1 has several fates which may tend to either conserve nitrogen (uptake and dissimilatory reduction to ammonium) or lead to its loss (denitrification). Both nitrification and denitrification operate at rates far below their potential and under proper conditions (e.g. draining or fluctuating water levels) may accelerate. However, virtually all estimates of denitrification rates in freshwater wetlands are based on measurements of potential denitrification, not actual denitrification and, as a consequence, the importance of denitrification in these ecosystems may have been greatly over estimated. In general, larger amounts of nitrogen cycle within freshwater wetlands than flow in or out. Except for closed, ombrotrophic systems this might seem an unusual characteristic for ecosystems that are dominated by the flux of water, however, two factors limit the opportunity for N loss. At any given time the fraction of nitrogen in wetlands that could be lost by hydrologic export is probably a small fraction of the potentially mineralizable nitrogen and is certainly a negligible fraction of the total nitrogen in the system. Second, in some cases freshwater wetlands may be hydrologically isolated so that the bulk of upland water flow may pass under (in the case of floating mats) or by (in the case of riparian systems) the biotically active components of the wetland. This may explain the rather limited range of N loading rates real wetlands can accept in comparison to, for example, percolation columns or engineered marshes.
The Coulomb gap and the transition to Mott hopping

Resistivity data are presented which confirm a Coulomb gap in the single particle density of states in two dimensional variable range hopping. For large hopping lengths the Coulomb interaction is screened by a metallic gate. A universal crossover to Mott hopping is observed at low temperatures. Excellent agreement with theory is achieved with a single parameter fit.
Digital Ocular-Fundus Stereophotogrammetry

Optic-disc topography respresents a major parameter for assessing optic-nervehead damage in patients with glaucoma. For example, Kirsch and AndersonI have found that glaucoma patients generally evidence a totally cupped optic disc, a cup that extends upward or downward to touch the margin of the disc, or a cup that is vertically oval. By contrast, they note that normal discs have cups that are round or horizontally oval, with a rim of tissue along the entire disc circumference. Similarly, Kolker and Obstbaum have found an asymmetry in the cup/disc ratio in patients with asymmetric intraocular pressure. According to Kolker and Obstbaum, these findings suggest that progressive cupping may precede the development of field lo3ss in openangle glaucoma. Finally, Armaly has studied the correlation between opticcup appearance and visual function, and concluded the importance of using quantitative parameters to analyze opticcup configuration.© (1974) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
pH Dependence of the Folding of Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein

Abstract The folding of a mostly β-sheet protein, intestinal fatty acid binding protein, was examined over a pH range of 4 to 10 in the presence of urea. At pH values ranging from 5 to 10, folding was reversible at equilibrium by circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence. No significant concentrations of intermediates accumulated at equilibrium, and the stability of the protein was similar over this range. However, at pH 4 and low concentrations of urea (1 to 3 M) significant time-dependent aggregation occurred. High salt concentrations increased the rate and degree of aggregation. Although higher final concentrations of urea (4 to 6 M) resolubilized these aggregates, the fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra of the protein under these conditions were not those of either the native or the unfolded protein. This state was molten globule-like, showing a more intense β-sheet CD signal and a reduced fluorescence intensity with a redshifted emission wavelength maxima compared to the native protein. Higher concentrations of urea (7 to 8 M) unfolded this molten globule form in a cooperative transition. The kinetics of unfolding and refolding were examined by stopped-flow fluorescence. The mechanism of folding and unfolding did not change over the pH range from 6 to 9, with intermediate states observed during both processes. At pH 10 additional phases were observed during both folding and unfolding. The spectral properties of these kinetic intermediates were not similar to those of the molten globule form at pH 4.0. As such, the equilibrium molten globule observed at low pH and high ionic strength does not appear to be on the folding path for this protein.
Spatial and seasonal distributions of leafhopper vectors of peach X-disease in Connecticut.

Adults of 6 leafhopper vectors of peach X-disease were captured on yellow sticky traps hung on peach trees and on wild host plants at 18 sites including 16 peach orchards in Connecticut. They were Scaphytopius acutus (Say) (comprising 61.7% of the total leafhoppers; n = 13131), Colladonus clitellarius (Say) (18. 1%), Paraphlepsius irroratus (Say) (15.8%), Gyponana lamina DeLong (3.7%), Norvellina seminuda (Say) (0.4%), and Fieberiella florii (Stal.) (0.3%). The seasonal distributions of these leafhoppers indicated that G. lamina and F. florii are univoltine, that S. acutus, C. clitellarius and N. seminuda are bivoltine, and that P. irroratus is trivoltine. The trapping period during which the greatest number of leafhoppers was caught occurred at least 2 wks earlier on wild host plants at the orchard edge than on peach trees even though leafhoppers matured simultaneously on both. On wild hosts, fewer leafhoppers were trapped in autumn than in summer while on peach trees more were trapped in autumn than in summer. These data indicate that leafhopper vectors invade the peach orchard from bordering wild host plants. Orchards that had ground cover comprised of wild host plants had the largest populations of leafhoppers and the highest incidence of X-disease. The percent of peach trees showing disease symptoms was correlated with leafhopper densities which indicates the role of wild host plants in the epidemiology of peach X-disease.
Preliminary Studies for Interfacing Countercurrent Chromatography (CCC) with Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectrometry

Abstract High speed countercurrent chromatography (CCC) and its use as an interface to a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer are described. In this preliminary study the high solute-to-solvent ratios attainable with CCC are investigated, and infrared spectra are recorded of CCC fractions of aromatic components. The resulting infrared spectra of mg/mL concentration CCC fractions have very high signal-to-noise ratios, and no interference bands from the stationary phase (water/methanol) can be seen. Chloroform was used as the mobile phase. This study clearly demonstrates that a CCC/FT-IR spectrometry interface is feasible.
Selective use of RAI for ablation and adjuvant therapy after total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer: a practical approach to clinical decision making.

Summary Objectives: For the past 40 years, many clinicians have recommended RAI remnant ablation for essentially all differentiated thyroid cancer patients with a primary tumor size greater than 1.5 cm or with any evidence of even microscopic disease outside the thyroid capsule. This “one size fits all” approach exposes many low risk thyroid cancer patients to the risks of ionizing radiation with little potential benefit. Current thyroid cancer management guidelines call for a far more risk adapted approach to the selection of patients for post-operative RAI treatment. Materials and Methods: We will review the current selective use of RAI ablation recommendations and provide a practical approach to implementation of a risk adapted approach to post-operative RAI administration. Results and Conclusions: We will show how thoughtful integration of pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative clinico-pathologic factors allows the clinician to accurately identify patients most likely to benefit from RAI administration. This approach ensures that patients most likely to experience a clinical benefit are selected for RAI ablation while avoiding unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation in the majority of low to intermediate risk thyroid cancer patients.
Etiologies underlying sex differences in Autism Spectrum Disorders

The male predominance of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is one of the best-known, and at the same time, one of the least understood characteristics of these disorders. In this paper we review genetic, epigenetic, hormonal, and environmental mechanisms underlying this male preponderance. Sex-specific effects of Y-linked genes (including SRY expression leading to testicular development), balanced and skewed X-inactivation, genes that escape X-inactivation, parent-of-origin allelic imprinting, and the hypothetical heterochromatin sink are reviewed. These mechanisms likely contribute to etiology, instead of being simply causative to ASD. Environments, both internal and external, also play important roles in ASD's etiology. Early exposure to androgenic hormones and early maternal immune activation comprise environmental factors affecting sex-specific susceptibility to ASD. The gene-environment interactions underlying ASD, suggested here, implicate early prenatal stress as being especially detrimental to boys with a vulnerable genotype.
Arrhythmic and Antiarrhythmic Effects of Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium Salts and of Glucose Injected into Coronary Arteries of Infarcted and Normal Hearts

Substances that have not exhibited properties as excitants of ectopic activity by intracoronary injection into normal hearts often produce rapid ectopic activity and sometimes ventricular fibrillation upon slow injection through the vascular bed of an infarcted area, particularly upon the first one or two injections. Sodium lactate has reduced and stopped ectopic activity for brief periods. Excesses of both potassium and calcium have increased ectopic activity in infarction and produced it in normal hearts. No antagonism between these two ions, with respect to ectopic activity, has been demonstrated.
A comparison of 24-h average blood pressures and blood pressure load following exercise

Abstract Although the use of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has been recommended in the study of blood pressure and exercise, consistent results have not been found for average 24-h systolic or diastolic blood pressures. Systolic load and diastolic load (the percentage of pressures >140/90 mm Hg during daytime hours and >120/80 mm Hg during sleep) have recently been identified as an important variable, but has had limited use with exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare the average systolic and diastolic pressures to systolic and diastolic loads from 24-h data recorded after a 50-min treadmill walk at 50% VO2max to data from a nonexercise control day. Subjects were 36 normotensive (116.9 ± 10.7/77.0 ± 8.9 mm Hg) and 25 hypertensive (141.0 ± 13.7/96.6 ± 9.0 mm Hg) adults. No significant differences were found for systolic and diastolic pressures or loads between the control and exercise days for normotensives. Even though no significant changes were found for any of the average systolic and diastolic pressures between the control and exercise days for the hypertensives, significant reductions were found in systolic load for 24-h (−25.7%), day (6 am to 10 pm , −23.1%), work (6 am to 5 pm , −22.9%), and leisure (5 pm to 10 pm , −26.7%) periods; and in diastolic load for the work (−22.5%) period. Thus, the measurement of systolic and diastolic load may be more sensitive than average systolic and diastolic blood pressures for the detection of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure changes with exercise in borderline hypertension.
Thermomechanical behavior and microstructural evolution of SiNx/Al bimaterial microcantilevers

Bimaterial microcantilevers are used in numerous applications in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for thermal, mechanical, optical, tribological and biological functionalities. Unfortunately, the residual stress-induced curvature and combined effects of creep and stress relaxation in the thin film significantly compromises the performance of these structures. To fully understand the themomechanical deformation and microstructural evolution of such microcantilevers, SiNx/Al bilayer cantilever beams were studied in this work. These microcantilevers were heated and subsequently cooled for five cycles between room temperature and 250 °C, with the peak temperature in each successive cycle increased in increments of 25 °C using a custom-built micro-heating stage. The in situ curvature change was monitored using an interferometric microscope. The general behavior of the bimaterial microcantilever beams can be characterized by linear thermoelastic regimes with (dκ/dT)ave = 0.079 mm−1 °C−1 and inelastic regimes. After thermal cycling with a maximum temperature of 225 °C, upon returning to room temperature, the bimaterial microcantilever beams were flattened and the curvature decreased by 99%. The thermoelastic deformation during thermal cycling was well described by the Kirchhoff plate theory. Deformation of bimaterial microcantilevers during long-term isothermal holding was studied at temperatures of 100 °C, 125 °C and 150 °C with a holding period of 70 h. The curvature of bimaterial microcantilever beams decreased more for higher holding temperatures. Finite element analysis (FEA) with power-law creep in Al was used to simulate the creep and stress relaxation and thus the curvature change of the bimaterial microcantilever beams. The microstructure evolutions due to isothermal holding in SiNx/Al microcantilevers were studied using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The grain growth in both the vertical and lateral directions was present due to isothermal holding. As the isothermal holding temperature increased, the surface roughness of the film increased with more prominent grain structures.
Optimizing Google's warehouse scale computers: The NUMA experience

Due to the complexity and the massive scale of modern warehouse scale computers (WSCs), it is challenging to quantify the performance impact of individual microarchitectural properties and the potential optimization benefits in the production environment. As a result of these challenges, there is currently a lack of understanding of the microarchitecture-workload interaction, leaving potentially significant performance on the table. This paper argues for a two-phase performance analysis methodology for optimizing WSCs that combines both an in-production investigation and an experimental load-testing study. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this two-phase approach, and to illustrate the challenges, methodologies and opportunities in optimizing modern WSCs, this paper investigates the impact of non-uniform memory access (NUMA) for several Google's key web-service workloads in large-scale production WSCs. Leveraging a newly-designed metric and continuous large-scale profiling in live datacenters, our production analysis demonstrates that NUMA has a significant impact (10-20%) on two important web-services: Gmail backend and web-search frontend. Our carefully designed load-test further reveals surprising tradeoffs between optimizing for NUMA performance and reducing cache contention.
BIOLOGIC TITRATION OF DIETHYLSTILBESTROL AGAINST ACTIVITY OF PROSTATIC CANCER: EFFECT ON SERUM ALDOLASE*

THE concentration of a number of oxidative enzymes is reduced in various tumors. Greenstein (1) has indicated that catalase is absent in transplanted hepatoma. Other investigators (2, 3, 4) have shown amino acid oxidase, cytochrome C reductase and xanthine dehydrogenase to be present in decreased amounts in cancer. Schneider and Potter (5) reported that succinic acid dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase activities of rat hepatoma were only 22 to 30 per cent of those found in normal liver. There are only fragmentary data concerning the relationship of endocrine function to activity of these enzymes. Observations in this area are of particular interest as the endocrine control of cancer of the breast and prostate and certain of the leukemias becomes more apparent. Warburg's (6) studies on tumor metabolism disclosed a quantitative difference between normal and cancer tissue which as yet remains unexplained. Malignant cells have a high and characteristic rate of aerobic glycolysis. Warburg and Christian (7) a...
Excellent liver retransplantation outcomes in hepatitis C-infected recipients

Survival outcomes for liver retransplantation (LRTx) after graft loss in HCV patients (HCV-LRTx) are generally considered inferior to those after non-HCV-LRTx. Between January 1, 2005 and June 30, 2011, our center performed 663 LTx, including 116 (17.5%) LRTx, 41 (35.3%) of which were more than 90 d after the LTx. Twenty-nine (70.7%) LRTx were performed in HCV antibody-positive individuals. We compared patient demographics, baseline characteristics and outcomes of our HCV-LRTx group with the HCV-LRTx patients from the most recent OPTN database covering the same time period. Our Kaplan-Meier HCV-LRTx one-, three-, and five-yr HCV-LRTx patient survival rates were 86.2%, 79.0%, and 72.4%, respectively compared with the OPTN one-, three-, and five-yr HCV-LRTx survival rates of 73.3%, 59.0%, and 51.3% respectively. Likewise, our graft survival rates were higher than OPTN rates at all time points studied. We performed a higher percentage of HCV-LRTx as simultaneous liver/kidney transplants (SLK) (37.9% vs. 21.8%) and recorded shorter warm (30 ± 4 vs. 45 ± 23 min) and cold ischemic times (5:44 ± 1:53 vs. 7:36 ± 3:12 h:min). Conclusion: In our experience, HCV-LRTx patient and graft survival rates are comparable to LTx survival rates and are higher than the rates described by OPTN.
Language Development and the Integrationist.

Despite the growing body of integrationist literature on the study of language and on a wide range of language-related fields of inquiry, there is as yet no integrationist investigation of the field of language acquisition. This paper argues for the need of an integrationist study of what children learn about language and of how they learn it. What children come to know of language—its forms, content, and properties, its powers and its uses—is largely a culturally defined product of commonplace metadiscursive practices, in much the same way as what children come to know about other sociocultural, moral, and psychological domains is an outcome of their increasingly competent participation within the discursive practices of their developmental environment.
Mixed isoparametric elements for saint-venant torsion

Mixed isoparametric elements are presented for the Saint-Venant torsion problem of laminated and anisotropic bars. Both triangular and quadrilateral elements are considered. The 'generalized' element stiffness matrix is obtained by using a modified form of the Hellinger-Reissner mixed variational principle. Group-theoretic techniques are used in conjunction with computerized symbolic integration to obtain analytic expressions for the stiffness coefficients. The accuracy of the mixed isoparametric elements developed is demonstrated by means of numerical examples, and their advantages over commonly used stress and displacement elements are discussed.
Pathologic Findings in Explanted Pulmonary Allografts

Purpose The most common causes of pulmonary graft failure are rejection and infections. There are few pathologic studies of pulmonary allografts that were explanted for re-transplant. Methods and Materials We performed histopathologic analysis of a series of explanted pulmonary allografts over a 7-year period. Results Of 168 explanted lungs, 10 were previously transplanted allografts (6%). The indications of initial transplant were idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (6), emphysema (2), primary arterial hypertension (1), and Hermansky-Pudlak fibrosis (1). The duration of transplant was 1 month in 7 (range 1.5 - 48 months). The causes of graft failure in the early graft failure group was acute lung injury in all cases, with 2 showing arterial thrombosis with pulmonary infarcts. All three patients died after second transplant (7 days - 5 months). The causes of graft failure in the lateral group were chronic rejection with obliterative bronchiolitis (4), cellular rejection (2), and bronchial stenosis (1). Vascular lesions were prominent in three cases, with arterial intimitis with focal thrombosis in two cases (one each with acute and chronic rejection), and diffuse polymer embolization in one case. Incidental lesions included acute and fibrinous organizing pneumonia, aspergilloma, and focal alveolar proteinosis. In the lateral group, two patients died (both at 4 months), and the remainder were alive at last follow up (mean 22 months, 4-48 months). Conclusions The major cause of early graft failure is acute lung injury, and late graft failure is acute or chronic rejection. Vascular disease is common in both groups. In this small study, survival was poor in patients re-transplanted within one month of initial transplant.
INTERACTIONS OF SUBSTRATE AND PRODUCT WITH CYTOCHROME P4502B4

Interactions of the substrate(s) benzphetamine and the product (P) desmethylbenzphetamine with cytochrome P450 2B4 were studied by difference spectrophotometry. A two-sites model in which site 1 binding, causing Type I transition (low- to high-spin) must precede site 2 binding, causing Type II transition (high- to low-spin), gave an acceptable fit to the spectral titration data. The equilibrium association constant of substrate for site 1 (K1) was greater than that for site 2 (K2), and the K2 for the product was greater than K1, indicating that the substrate binds preferentially to site 1 and the product prefers site 2. In addition, competition between P and a strong Type II ligand (1-benzylimidazole) and a noncompetitive type of interaction between S and the same Type II ligand was observed. This indicates that P binds to the same site as the Type II ligand and S binds to a different site. The observed high-spin maxima for both P (EP1HSmax) and S (ES1HSmax) were similar to those calculated using the K1 and K2 values obtained from the curve-fitting procedure, indicating that the equilibrium concentration of the high-spin species is controlled entirely by K1 and K2. Simultaneous presence of the substrate and product decreased K1 of the substrate and K2 of the product, indicating that there is interaction between the substrate-preferred and the product-preferred sites. A possible functional significance of the differences in the site preferences of the substrate and product is discussed.
Hoikuen or Yochien: Past, Present, and Future of Japanese Early Childhood Education

(2011). Hoikuen or Yochien: Past, Present, and Future of Japanese Early Childhood Education. Childhood Education: Vol. 87, No. 4, pp. 239-243.
An evaluation of the Worldwide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) using the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) as ground truth

[1] A performance assessment of the Worldwide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) is presented using the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) as ground truth, over unprecedented time and spatial scales. The study spans 3 years, from 5 April 2006 to 31 March 2009, throughout the contiguous United States. The capabilities of the network are shown to improve greatly from the first to the third year of the study, with an overall detection efficiency of cloud‐to‐ground flashes increasing from 3.88% in 2006 −2007 to 10.30% in 2008−2009. The WWLLN cloud‐to‐ground detection efficiency is found to be strongly dependent on peak current and polarity, attaining values larger than 10% (35%) for currents stronger than ±35 kA (−130 kA) and values less than 2% for currents between 0 and −10 kA. The location accuracy is found to have a northward and westward bias, with average location errors of 4.03 km in the north‐south and 4.98 km in the east‐west directions, respectively. The WWLLN is shown to have strong limitations in capturing the diurnal cycle, missing both the timing of the maximum and minimum lightning activity (around 1600 and 0900 LT, respectively), and the amplitude of the cycle as well. It is found that in 3 h intervals, the number of flashes in the WWLLN has some proportionality to the number of flashes in the NLDN, suggesting that the WWLLN has strong potential for meteorological applications. Citation: Abarca, S. F., K. L. Corbosiero, and T. J. Galarneau Jr. (2010), An evaluation of the Worldwide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) using the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) as ground truth, J. Geophys. Res., 115, D18206,
Biophysical Feedbacks and the Risks of Desertification

The widespread distribution of irreversible degradation in dryland environments (desertification), along with recent studies of complex earth-surface systems, suggests that desertification may be t...
Prevalence of Sleep Disordered Breathing in a Heart Failure Program

Recent data show that a high percentage of patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction have sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), contributing to the incidence of morbidity and mortality in heart failure. This study examines the prevalence of sleep disorders in stable heart failure patients regardless of ejection fraction. On three consecutive days in a heart failure clinic, all patients were asked to participate in a screening for SDB. This screening involved the placement of an outpatient device (ClearPath, Nexan, Inc., Alpharetta, GA), which collects thoracic impedance, oxyhemoglobin saturation, and 2-lead electrocardiogram data. Sixteen patients (42%) had moderate or severe SDB, and 22 patients (55%) had mild or no significant SDB. Fourteen of the 16 patients with moderate or severe SDB subsequently received treatment by confirming SDB and the continuous positive airway pressure in a sleep lab. Forty-two percent of patients with stable heart failure presenting to a heart failure clinic screened positive for SDB, despite receiving optimal standard of care.
Interactions between a DNA-binding transcription factor (COUP) and a non-DNA binding factor (S300-II)

Abstract We have identified previously two transcription factors, COUP (chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter) and S300-II, from HeLa cell nuclear extracts. In this paper, the purine base and the phosphate backbone contact sites for the COUP transcription factor were defined. These studies indicate that the COUP box transcription factor interacts with specific base residues in the major groove of the DNA helix. In addition, we have purlfied the S300-II factor over 100,000-fold. The polypeptide possessing functional transcriptional activity has been identified by SDS-PAGE followed by gel-slice elution and a renaturation assay. It is absolutely required for in vitro function of the ovalbumin promoter. In addition, S300-II stimulates transcription from the MMTV and lysozyme promoters. Kinetic studies probing the interaction of S300-II with COUP factor suggest that it may stabilize COUP-promoter complexes by slowing their rate of dissociation.
Teaching Mathematics to College Students with Mathematics-Related Learning Disabilities: Report from the Classroom

This article reports on action research that took place in one section of a college general education mathematics course in which all three students who were enrolled had diagnosed learning disabilities related to mathematics. The project emerged in response to a question about performance in a mathematics course in which making sense of mathematics would be a primary focus, explaining one's work would be expected, and discourse among members would be a routine occurrence. Implications for teaching similar courses to students who have a mathematics- related learning disability are discussed.
Patterns of failure in relation to radiotherapy fields in supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

Abstract Purpose Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) accounts for 2–3% of all pediatric brain tumors. We retrospectively reviewed all supratentorial PNET cases treated with radiotherapy (RT) at our institutions. Methods and materials A total of 25 patients (17 males and 8 females, median age 9 years) were treated with RT between 1980 and 2001. The primary site location was the pineal region in 7 (28%), temporal lobe in 5 (20%), thalamus in 5 (20%), frontal lobe in 4 (16%), parietal lobe in 2 (8%), and suprasellar region in 2 (8%). Five patients (20%) had neuraxis dissemination (M+ disease) at initial diagnosis. The RT treatment volumes were craniospinal (CS) in 17 (68%), whole brain (WB) followed by a boost in 2 (8%), and primary site (PS) alone in 6 (24%). The median dose to the primary site was 54 Gy (range, 31–55.8 Gy). The median dose to patients receiving WB and spinal fields was 36 Gy (range, 23.4–39.6 Gy). Sixteen patients (64%) received chemotherapy; the most common type was the "8 in 1" chemotherapy regimen in 9 children. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 70 months (range, 34–251 months). Results The 5-year and 10-year progression-free survival rate was 36% and 27%, respectively, and the median time to progression was 22 months. The 5-year and 10-year progression-free survival rate was 47.1% and 47.1% for those receiving CSRT and 12.5% and 0% for those receiving WBRT or PSRT, respectively. The 5-year and 10-year progression-free survival rate for those with M0 disease was 40.0% and 30.0%, respectively; for those with M+ disease, the corresponding figures were 20.0% and 0%. On multivariate analysis, only M status ( p = 0.01) and RT volume ( p = 0.02) were statistically significant according to the Cox proportional hazards model. The primary site control rate at 5 and 10 years was 62%. Failure at nontreated neuraxis sites was a common cause of progression in patients receiving WBRT or PSRT, as seen in 6 (75%) of 8 cases. Of the 17 patients undergoing CSRT, 8 had no recurrence. Eight of the nine CSRT relapses had a leptomeningeal component. Four (80%) of 5 M+ children and 4 (33%) of 12 M0 children who underwent CSRT developed recurrence in the neuraxis ( p = 0.1, Fisher's exact test). Conclusion The craniospinal axis is the standard volume that needs to be treated in supratentorial PNET. Leptomeningeal dissemination was the main obstacle for cure even in patients receiving CSRT, regardless of M status.
Two mathematical gestalts for computer theory

Many Computer Science educators have campaigned to increase mathematical content in the computing curriculum. However, mathematical concepts are often presented in a manner that conflicts with the general mental framework, or gestalt, of CS students. Fortunately, there is more than one gestalt in mathematics. In previous research, we developed two scales for measuring mathematical gestalt in books-a Logical Math scale and a Computational Math scale. In this paper, we apply our two scales to current Computer Theory books to assess the relative emphasis these books give to each gestalt. Our findings have relevance in the development of approaches for teaching mathematical topics in computer courses, especially Computer Theory courses.
Evaluation of the Role of Endomyocardial Biopsy in 851 Patients With Unexplained Heart Failure From 2000–2009

Background—Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is often considered when the pathogenesis of heart failure cannot be determined by noninvasive testing. Uncertainty remains about the diagnostic and clinical use of EMB in various clinical scenarios. Methods and Results—We examined the characteristics of a cohort of patients with unexplained heart failure who underwent EMB at a tertiary care medical center. We categorized each patient into a clinical scenario as outlined by the 2007 AHA/ACC/ESC guidelines and determined the number of times EMB provided a diagnosis or altered the clinical course. A total of 851 patients underwent EMB from 2000–2009. Overall, 25.5% of EMBs provided a diagnosis and 22.7% of EMBs changed clinical course. Heart failure associated with unexplained restrictive cardiomyopathy was the most common clinical scenario, comprising 33.6% (286/851) of EMBs, and 84 (29.4%) of these EMBs were diagnostic. EMB for unexplained heart failure of <2 weeks duration had a diagnostic yield at 35% (39/109). The...
Characterization and model of 4-terminal RF CMOS with bulk effect

Special test structures using separated source and bulk contacts with the 3/sup rd/ GSG probe for the substrate bias are described. These test structures allow characterizing 4-terminal MOSFETs with a standard two-port Network Analyzer. The high-frequency behavior of bulk effect in MOSFETs is studied at different bias conditions for a 0.18 /spl mu/m RF CMOS technology. Measurement result of RF NMOSFET shows that a good accuracy of the 4-terminal RF MOSFET modeling is achieved. The validity and accuracy of our approach is verified and analyzed from two-port Y-parameter results.