cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Counter-propagating waves enhance maneuverability and stability: A bio-inspired strategy for robotic ribbon-fin propulsion

Weakly electric knifefish, Eigenmannia, are highly maneuverable swimmers. The animals rely on a long, undulating ribbon fin to generate propulsive force. During closed-loop control of hovering and station keeping, knifefish partition their fin to produce two inward counter-propagating waves, enabling them to hover and rapidly change direction. In response to moving objects or changes in ambient flow speed, the fish can actively modulate the nodal point where the two waves meet. During hovering, this nodal point is somewhere in the middle, but it can be moved forward or backward changing the relative force generated by the front and back portions of the fin. Although this strategy for thrust generation may be energetically inefficient, we show here that it enables rapid switching of swimming direction and produces a linear drag-like force that confers passive stability. Robotic results and simple computational simulations reveal that the net force generated by counter-propagating waves changes linearly with respect to the nodal position. Another strategy for reversing swim direction would be to completely reverse the direction of a single traveling wave. We show why full wave reversal (and similar strategies) may be ineffective for low-speed swimming — a regime where counter-propagating waves may simplify control.
Measuring performance in entrepreneurship research

Abstract Accurate performance measurement is critical to understanding new venture and small business success and failure. The first phase of this study surveys the entrepreneurship literature from 1987–1993 and evaluates the dimensions and measures of performance used. Little consistency in performance measurement across studies was found; rather, a wide diversity of measures are relied upon. Moreover, 60% of the studies used only one or two dimensions of performance, generally without justification for selection. The second phase examines relationships between performance variables and illustrates the extent to which dimensions of performance exist. We argue that research in the entrepreneurial context could benefit by: (1) explicitly stating the specific performance dimension(s) under investigation, (2) providing a theorybased rationale for examining the given dimension(s), (3) including multiple dimensions of performance where possible, and (4) including consideration of several critical control variables such as industry, age, and size of the firm.
A cladistic analysis of chloroplast DNA restriction site variation and morphology for the genera of the Juglandaceae.

The phylogenetic relationships of the genera of the Juglandaceae re examined with cladistic analyses of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) restriction site variation and morphology. Rates of evolution of the chloroplast genome are slower than in many other groups of plants, enabling the entire genome to be utilized at the intergeneric level. The trees resulting from the two independent analyses were completely congruent. The combined analysis of the two data sets produced a tree completely congruent with the cladogram from the two data sets analyzed independently. The cladogram is compared with previous classifications, cladistic analyses, and fossil history for the family. Although the topology resulting from the cladistic analyses of this study was strongly congruent with previous estimates of relationships within the family, the fossil record indicates that the basal-most lineages in the cladistic trees arose later than the more terminal lineages. This reversed order of origin indicates that perhaps the rooting of the trees is erroneous.
GenomeHistory: a software tool and its application to fully sequenced genomes

We present a publicly available software tool (http://www.unm.edu/~compbio/software/GenomeHistory) that identifies all pairs of duplicate genes in a genome and then determines the degree of synonymous and non-synonymous divergence between each duplicate pair. Using this tool, we analyze the relations between (i) gene function and the propensity of a gene to duplicate and (ii) the number of genes in a gene family and the family's rate of sequence evolution. We do so for the complete genomes of four eukaryotes (fission and budding yeast, fruit fly and nematode) and one prokaryote (Escherichia coli). For some classes of genes we observe a strong relationship between gene function and a gene's propensity to undergo duplication. Most notably, ribosomal genes and transcription factors appear less likely to undergo gene duplication than other genes. In both fission and budding yeast, we see a strong positive correlation between the selective constraint on a gene and the size of the gene family of which this gene is a member. In contrast, a weakly negative such correlation is seen in multicellular eukaryotes.
GENETIC DIVERSITY IN LOCAL BORO RICE ( Oryza sativa L.) GENOTYPES OF BANGLADESH

Genetic diversity in 40 traditional boro rice genotypes was studied under irrigated condition through Mahalanobis D 2 statistic for grain yield and yield contributing characters. The genotypes were grouped into five clusters. The inter-cluster distances were higher than intra-cluster distances indicating wider genetic diversity among the clusters. The intra-cluster distances were lower in all the cases reflecting homogeneity of the genotypes within the clusters. The cluster IV contained the highest number of genotypes (22) and the cluster II and V contained the lowest (1). The highest intra-cluster distance was noticed for the cluster III and lowest for cluster II and V. The highest inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster II and III followed by cluster II and V, cluster I and II and the lowest between cluster I and IV. Regarding inter-cluster distance, the genotypes of cluster II showed high genetic distance from all other clusters. The genotypes from cluster II could be hybridized with the genotypes of other clusters for producing transgressive segregants. Based on positive value of vector 1 and vector 2, panicle/hill had maximum contribution towards genetic divergence. The highest cluster means for yield, flag leaf length and grain length breadth ratio were obtained from cluster IV. The highest 1000-grain weight, shortest growth duration and grain breadth were found in cluster II while the lowest mean value for yield, flag leaf length, filled grains and 1000 grain weight were found in cluster V. Therefore, more emphasis should be given on cluster II, III and cluster IV for selecting genotypes as parents for crossing with the genotypes of cluster V which would be used to produce new recombinants with desired traits. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpbg.v26i1.19980
Short-Term Memory, Parsing, and the Primate Frontal Cortex

Removal of the frontal cortex of primates resulted earlier in a psychological deficit usually classified in terms of short-term memory. This classification is based on impairment in performance of delayed-response or alternation-type tasks. We report an experiment in which the classical 5-seconddelay right-left-right-left (R-L-R-L) altenation task was modified by placing a 15-seconid interval between each R-L couplet: R-L . . . R-L . . . R-L . . . . This mnodification made it possible for monkeys with frontal lesions, which had failed the classical task, to perform with very few errors. The result suggests that proper division, parsing of the stream of stimuli to which the organism is subjected, is a more important variable in the mechanism of short-term memory than is the maintenance of a neural trace per se.
Stress, coping, and alcohol expectancies in rural African-American women.

African-American women report less alcohol and other drug (AOD) use compared with Caucasian women. However, health care professionals cannot afford to dismiss AOD use as a significant problem for some African-American women. Although we know much more about AOD problems in women in general, we still lack information on AOD disorders and associated factors among rural African-American women. This article focuses on examining rural African-American women (n = 142) with and without AOD disorders on the following variables: stressors, uplifts, coping, and alcohol expectancies.
X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS AND CHARACTERIZATIONS OF THREE MIXED ANIONIC HEXACYANO COMPLEXES

Abstract The mixed anionic complexes, Cd3 1l[(CrIII/IrIII)(CN)6]2 13H2O, Co3 11[(CoIII/IrIII)(CN)6]2-13H2O, and Pd3 II[(CrIII/IrIII)(CN)6]2 13H2O, crystallize in the cubic centrosymmetric space group Fm3m (No. 225) with αo= 10.884(1), 10.396(1), and 10.455(2)A, respectively. The disordered structures contain 11/3 molecules in the unit cell. Full-matrix least-squares refinements yielded final reliability (R) index factors of 0.040, 0.050, and 0.069 with ‚goodness-of-fit‘ (GOF, ∑2) values of 1.26, 1.25, and 1.11, respectively. All metal atoms in each compound are six-coordinate octahedral and the cationic divalent metal atoms are linked to the (1:1) mixed trivalent metal atoms by cyanide bridging. Networks of hydrogen-bonding are setup within cavities of the crystal lattices (created by molecular disordering). Characterization of each hexacyano complex includes physical property determinations, conoscopic studies, I. R. spectroscopic identifications, and thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA). Selective bond di...
Response of an ecological indicator to landscape composition and structure: Implications for functional units of temperate rainforest ecosystems

Abstract We evaluated the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons), a known associate of key habitat features and processes of old-growth forest, for its capacity as a broad-scale ecological indicator of temperate rainforest ecosystem condition in southeastern Alaska, USA. We utilized a spatially explicit, resource-selection function to evaluate its distribution relative to landscape composition and structure at local (within home-range) and broad (home-range selection) spatial scales, followed by a moving-window analysis to model patch occupancy across this landscape. We found strong support for the influence of type, size, and compositional elements: large, old-growth patches were selected at both spatial scales, and regenerating forest patches ≤40 yrs old were selected against at the broader scale. More importantly, we found that occupancy was related to critical thresholds in composition: patches required ≥73% old-growth forest cover or a minimum total area of 73 ha of old-growth forest to be occupied by flying squirrels. A non-uniform pattern of selection for patches with higher structural connectivity at the local scale, but not at the broader scale, was likely a result of the “empty forest” phenomenon, in which remnant patches were inaccessible in this fragmented landscape. These results are consistent with recent studies of this and related species and suggest that occurrence of northern flying squirrels in southeastern Alaska is influenced by a number of landscape structure and compositional variables that relate critically to late-seral forest conditions. These findings shed new light on the utility of this species as an ecological indicator and its functional relevance to the resilience of fragmented forest ecosystems.
The amino acid composition of the zinc-induced metallothionein isoforms in rat brain

Recent investigation from this laboratory has identified in the rat brain a zinc-inducible and actinomycin D-inhibited metallothionein with an elution volume (Ve/Vo) of 2.08 and a molecular weight of smaller than 10,000 daltons. Furthermore, purification of the zinc-induced metallothionein by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-25 columns produced two isoforms, eluting, respectively, at 68 and 130 mM of Tris-acetate buffer, pH 7.5. In this paper, we report that zinc-induced metallothionein produces also two distinct isoforms on reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography that exhibit retention times of 17.23 and 18.53 minutes, respectively. Brain metallothionein was characterized further by studies showing that the zinc-induced metallothionein incorporated a large quantity of [35S]cysteine and that isoforms I and II contain 17 and 18 cysteine residues, respectively, while being devoid of any arginine, histidine, leucine, phenylalanine or tyrosine. The precise functions of the brain metallothionein isoforms, which may be related to the transport and homeostasis of essential elements such as zinc and copper, remain to be elucidated.
An experimental high-temperature thermal equation of state bypassing the Grüneisen parameter

Abstract A method for computing the isochore thermal equation of state (EOS) is described which does not depend upon the use of the theoretical Mie-Gruneisen EOS. The method involves the use of integral calculus, equations being soluble using experimentally obtainable data, obviating the necessity of computing the general Gruneisen parameter. Effects of anharmonicity are studied and found to be slight in the case of well packed minerals, hence these effects are ignored in the interpretation of data for Al 2 O 3 and MgO, which are used to illustrate the method. Results of experiments on thermal pressures for Al 2 O 3 and MgO at one atmosphere are extrapolated to core-mantle temperatures. The parameter αK T is defined and shown to be independent of any variable dependent on V and T .
Structural and Functional Studies of CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein ε

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) e is a critical transcription factor for differentiation of myeloid cells. Structural and functional relationships of C/EBPe were explored by recombinant protein studies, gene mutation, and transactivation assays. Evidence strongly suggested that C/EBPe does not have disulfide bonds. Transactivation analysis of C/EBPe having mutations of each of three conserved cysteines (C345, C148S, and C280S) indicated that the three mutant proteins had almost the same activity as the wild type. Dimer formation of C/EBPe was not detected using both reducing and non-reducing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with Western blot analysis from either bacterial or mammalian expressed C/EBPe. Furthermore, C/EBPe mutant C280S gave a gel band similar to that for wild type, suggesting that this C-terminal, conserved cysteine is not involved in disulfide bond formation in vivo, even though previous data for C/EBPβ suggested that dimers may formin vitro utilizing this conserved cysteine residue. Mutational studies of conserved residues in the activating domain 1 (ADM1) and ADM2 of the amino region of the gene indicated that negative charge is critical for transactivational activity of C/EBPe. Mutational analyses of hydrophobic amino acids in ADM1 suggested that these residues do not play a key role in transactivational activity. Further mutational studies indicated that, although the N-terminal 32-amino acid peptide of C/EBPe isoform p32 did not greatly influence the transactivation activity compared with p30 isoform, this peptide does modulate transactivation activity. Domain swapping experiments substituting the ADM1 domain of various C/EBPs for C/EBPe showed that the C/EBPα and -δ but not -β ADM1 markedly enhanced the chimeric C/EBPe transcriptional activity. Based on mutational data and possible mRNA structure, we hypothesized about the effect of mRNA structure on translation of the two major C/EBPe isoforms: p32 and p30. The data suggested a very stable 8-base pair double helical structure with one strand sequence including the initial codon for p32 and complementary strand with the initial codon for p30.
Advancing Inverse Sensitivity/Uncertainty Methods for Nuclear Fuel Cycle Applications

The inverse sensitivity/uncertainty quantification (IS/UQ) method has recently been implemented in the Inverse Sensitivity/UnceRtainty Estimator (INSURE) module of the AMPX cross section processing system [M.E. Dunn and N.M. Greene, “AMPX-2000: A Cross-Section Processing System for Generating Nuclear Data for Criticality Safety Applications,” Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc. 86, 118–119 (2002)]. The IS/UQ method aims to quantify and prioritize the cross section measurements along with uncertainties needed to yield a given nuclear application(s) target response uncertainty, and doing this at a minimum cost. Since in some cases the extant uncertainties of the differential cross section data are already near the limits of the present-day state-of-the-art measurements, requiring significantly smaller uncertainties may be unrealistic. Therefore, we have incorporated integral benchmark experiments (IBEs) data into the IS/UQ method using the generalized linear least-squares method, and have implemented it in the INSURE module. We show how the IS/UQ method could be applied to systematic and statistical uncertainties in a self-consistent way and how it could be used to optimize uncertainties of IBEs and differential cross section data simultaneously. We itemize contributions to the cost of differential data measurements needed to define a realistic cost function.
Translingual information retrieval: learning from bilingual corpora

Abstract Translingual information retrieval (TLIR) consists of providing a query in one language and searching document collections in one or more different languages. This paper introduces new TLIR methods and reports on comparative TLIR experiments with these new methods and with previously reported ones in a realistic setting. Methods fall into two categories: query translation and statistical-IR approaches establishing translingual associations. The results show that using bilingual corpora for automated extraction of term equivalences in context outperforms dictionarybased methods. Translingual versions of the Generalized Vector Space Model (GVSM) and Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) perform well, as does translingual pseudo-relevance feedback (PRF) and Example-Based Term-in-context translation (EBT). All showed relatively small performance loss between monolingual and translingual versions, ranging between 87–101% of monolingual IR performance. Query translation based on a general machine-readable bilingual dictionary—heretofore the most popular method—did not match the performance of other, more sophisticated methods. Also, the previous very high LSI results in the literature based on “mate-finding” were superseded by more realistic relevance-based evaluations; LSI performance proved comparable to that of other statistical corpus-based methods.
Reproducibly synthesize gold nanorods and maintain their stability

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) provide unique optical features due to their surface electrons. They have become one of the most rapidly developed optical nanomaterials in recent years. The seed-mediated growth method is the most common approach for the synthesis of gold nanorods (AuNRs). However, the reproducibility for making AuNRs with the same absorption wavelength has proven to be a challenge. In addition, the stability of the produced AuNRs is also a concern. To reproducibly synthesize AuNRs and maintain their stability, in this work a number of factors that affect the reproducibility of AuNRs in the seed-mediated growth method were studied systematically. Particularly, the effect of L-ascorbic acid during the synthesis of AuNRs was studied in detail. The effects of other factors, such as the amount of NaBH4 in the gold seed preparation and reaction temperature, were studied as well. Our results showed that the aspect ratio of produced AuNRs was affected by several factors. The amount of L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) played an important role among these factors. Afterwards, the long term and the short term stability of AuNRs in various conditions were studied. Under the optimum conditions, the AuNR samples were stable for at least nine months.
Obese male mice (ob/ob) are normally sensitive to the satiating effect of CCK-8

Abstract The ob/ob mouse has a defect in short-term satiety mechanisms because ob/ob mice eat larger meals than leans and have abnormal postprandial behaviors. We suggested that this defect involved a failure to release CCK normally in response to ingested nutrients and/or decreased receptor sensitivity to CCK [7]. McLaughlin and Baile [3] reported that female obese mice were less sensitive to the satiating effect of CCK-8, a result consistent with the hypothesis of decreased receptor sensitivity. To investigate this possibility further, we determined the sensitivity to exogenous CCK-8 of obese and lean male mice. Adult male C57B1/6J ob/ob and male +/+ controls were injected with CCK-8 (1,2,4 and 8 μg/kg, IP) 15 min prior to the presentation of solid food (Noyes pellets) after 4.5 hr food deprivation in the dark. Food intake (FI) was measured at 30 min and 150 min. CCK-8 decreased FI during the first 30 min in both obese and lean mice ( p
RECYCLING BISULFITE BRINES USED IN SWEET CHERRY PROCESSING

Recycling was evaluated as a means of alleviating pollution from cherry processing brines. Brines were reclaimed by filtration, treatment with activated carbon, and addition of SO2 and lime. Cherries processed with reclaimed brine were similar in composition, color, and firmness to controls. The capacity of the reclamation system was estimated. Reclaimed brine became discolored if iron exceeded 30–40 ppm. SO2 losses were higher in full strength brines than in weaker brines. Brined cherries repacked in water lost more SO2 than did brined controls and became discolored during storage. Maraschino cherries prepared from water-packed cherries were less firm than controls. Design and engineering studies based on these data are in progress.
PP2A-Mediated Dephosphorylation of p107 Plays a Critical Role in Chondrocyte Cell Cycle Arrest by FGF

FGF signaling inhibits chondrocyte proliferation, a cell type-specific response that is the basis for several genetic skeletal disorders caused by activating FGFR mutations. This phenomenon requires the function of the p107 and p130 members of the Rb protein family, and p107 dephosphorylation is one of the earliest distinguishing events in FGF-induced growth arrest. To determine whether p107 dephoshorylation played a critical role in the chondrocyte response to FGF, we sought to counteract this process by overexpressing in RCS chondrocytes the cyclin D1/cdk4 kinase complex. CyclinD/cdk4-expressing RCS cells became resistant to FGF-induced p107 dephosphorylation and growth arrest, and maintained significantly high levels of cyclin E/cdk2 activity and of phosphorylated p130 at later times of FGF treatment. We explored the involvement of a phosphatase in p107 dephosphorylation. Expression of the SV40 small T-Ag, which inhibits the activity of the PP2A phosphatase, or knockdown of the expression of the PP2A catalytic subunit by RNA interference prevented p107 dephosphorylation and FGF-induced growth arrest of RCS cells. Furthermore, an association between p107 and PP2A was induced by FGF treatment. Our data show that p107 dephosphorylation is a key event in FGF-induced cell cycle arrest and indicate that in chondrocytes FGF activates the PP2A phosphatase to promote p107 dephosphorylation.
Case Processing and Interorganizational Knowledge: Detecting the “Real Reasons” for Referrals

Research on referrals in social control decision-making has focused on referral sources and outcomes, neglecting actual processes of making and accepting referrals. This article highlights referral processes by analyzing receiving agents' use of interorganizational knowledge of the decision-making tendencies and concerns of sending agents to assess the meaning and import of referrals. Such interorganizational knowledge includes both general background knowledge of the aggregate patterning of referrals and specific knowledge of the likely “real reasons” for particular referrals from sending agencies. These forms of knowledge provide critical resources allowing receiving agents to infer “what is really going on” in any particular referral, and hence to assess the import and implications of the alternative possible responses to referrals.
Transmission Potential and Design of Adequate Control Measures for Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever

Marburg hemorrhagic fever is rare yet among the most severe diseases affecting humans, with case fatality ratio even higher than 80%. By analyzing the largest documented Marburg hemorrhagic fever epidemic, which occurred in Angola in 2005 and caused 329 deaths, and data on viral load over time in non-human primates, we make an assessment of transmissibility and severity of the disease. We also give insight into the control of new Marburg hemorrhagic fever epidemics to inform appropriate health responses. We estimated the distribution of the generation time to have mean 9 days (95%CI: 8.2-10 days) and standard deviation 5.4 days (95%CI: 3.9-8.6 days), and the basic reproduction number to be R(0) = 1.59 (95%CI: 1.53-1.66). Model simulations suggest that a timely isolation of cases, starting no later than 2-3 days after symptoms onset, is sufficient to contain an outbreak. Our analysis reveals that Marburg hemorrhagic fever is characterized by a relatively small reproduction number and by a relatively long generation time. Such factors, along with the extremely high severity and fatality, support the rare occurrence of large epidemics in human populations. Our results also support the effectiveness of social distancing measures--case isolation in particular--to contain or at least to mitigate an emerging outbreak. This work represents an advance in the knowledge required to manage a potential Marburg hemorrhagic fever epidemic.
Fermi surface and many-body enhancement in Pd

A Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker phase-shift parametrization of the Fermi-surface geometry and Fermi velocities in Pd is presented based on new measurements of cyclotron orbital areas and effective masses using the de Haas--van Alphen effect in fields up to 13.2 T and temperatures down to 0.35 K. We report accurate symmetry direction areas on all four sheets of the surface and new mass and area measurements on the open-hole sheet and L pockets. Comparison is made to band-theory radii and velocities, and enhancement effects due to electron-phonon, electron-electron, and electron-paramagnon interactions are discussed.
Quantitative trait locus analysis of nonverbal communication in autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental syndrome marked by impairments in social interactive functioning and communication skills, and the presence of repetitive and restrictive behaviors. Twin and linkage studies provide evidence that ASD is heritable and genetically complex. Genetic analyses of familial quantitative traits in those with ASD may help to reveal underlying risk genes. We report a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of nonverbal communication (NVC) in 228 families from the autism genetics resource exchange (AGRE) ascertained for at least two siblings with ASD. QTL at 1p13–q12, 4q21–25, 7q35, 8q23–24, and 16p12–13 indicate that genes at these loci may contribute to the variation in NVC among those with ASD. Using the criteria of Lander and Kruglyak, the QTL at 1p13–q12 is ‘suggestive’, while the other four are ‘possible’. To assess whether these QTL are likely to harbor genes contributing specifically to the deficits in NVC, linkage analysis of ASD sibships with the most severe NVC scores was conducted. The sibships were identified by ordered-subset analyses (OSA), and families with the most severe NVC scores displayed lod scores of 3.4 at 8q23–24 and 3.8 at 16p12–13, indicating that these two regions are likely to harbor gene(s) contributing to ASD by predisposing to deficits in NVC.
Morphine alters astrocyte growth in primary cultures of mouse glial cells: evidence for a direct effect of opiates on neural maturation

Abstract To determine whether exogenous opiate drugs with abuse liability directly modify neural growth, the present study investigated the effects of morphine on astrocyte proliferation and differentiation in primary cultures of murine glial cells. The results indicate that morphine decreases glial cell production in a dose-dependent, naloxone-reversible manner. Most notably, gliogenesis virtually ceased in the presence of 10 −6 M morphine during the first week in cultures, whereas 10 −8 M or 10 −10 M morphine caused an intermediate suppression of growth compared to control or 10 6 M morphine treated cultures. Moreover, morphine treatment inhibited [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactive, flat (type 1) astrocytes, suggesting that the decrease in glial cell production was due in part to an inhibition of astrocyte proliferation. Morphine also caused significant increases in both cytoplasmic area and process elaboration in flat (type 1) astrocytes indicating greater morphologic differentiation. In the above experiments, morphine-dependent alterations in astrocyte growth were antagonized by naloxone, indicating that morphine action was mediated by specific opioid receptors. These observations suggest that opiate drugs can directly modify neural growth by influencing two critical developmental events in astrocytes, i.e., inhibiting proliferation and inducing morphologic differentiation.
Non-inhibited miRNAs shape the cellular response to anti-miR

Identification of primary microRNA (miRNA) gene targets is critical for developing miRNA-based therapeutics and understanding their mechanisms of action. However, disentangling primary target derepression induced by miRNA inhibition from secondary effects on the transcriptome remains a technical challenge. Here, we utilized RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) combined with competitive binding assays to identify novel primary targets of miR-122. These transcripts physically dissociate from AGO2-miRNA complexes when anti-miR is spiked into liver lysates. mRNA target displacement strongly correlated with expression changes in these genes following in vivo anti-miR dosing, suggesting that derepression of these targets directly reflects changes in AGO2 target occupancy. Importantly, using a metric based on weighted miRNA expression, we found that the most responsive mRNA target candidates in both RIP competition assays and expression profiling experiments were those with fewer alternative seed sites for highly expressed non-inhibited miRNAs. These data strongly suggest that miRNA co-regulation modulates the transcriptomic response to anti-miR. We demonstrate the practical utility of this ‘miR-target impact’ model, and encourage its incorporation, together with the RIP competition assay, into existing target prediction and validation pipelines.
Adaptive intra block update for robust transmission of H.263

An adaptive block based intra refresh algorithm for increasing error robustness in an interframe coding system is described. The goal of this algorithm is to allow the intra update rates for different image regions to vary according to various channel conditions and image characteristics. The update scheme is based on an "error-sensitivity metric," accumulated at the encoder, representing the vulnerability of each coded block to channel errors. As each new frame is encoded, the accumulated metric for each block is examined, and those blocks deemed to have an unacceptably high metric are sent using intra coding as opposed to inter coding. This approach requires no feedback channel and is fully compatible with H.263. It involves a negligible increase in encoder complexity and no change in the decoder complexity. Simulations performed using an H.263 bitstream corrupted by channel errors demonstrate a significant improvement in terms of error recovery time over nonadaptive intra update strategies.
Characterization of polysilicon-encapsulated local oxidation

Device isolation has been most commonly achieved through the use of local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) or LOCOS derivatives. LOCOS is a highly dependable, low-defect isolation technique, which explains its continued extensive use. Unfortunately, the inherently large oxide encroachment associated with LOCOS is not compatible with 0.8- mu m design rules. Many alternative isolation techniques designed to reduce oxide encroachment have been proposed. These alternatives often result in an increase in defectivity and/or process complexity. Polysilicon-encapsulated local oxidation (PELOX) utilizes a polysilicon-filled cavity self-aligned to the nitride edge to achieve oxide encroachment reduction. The physical (scanning electron and transmission electron micrographs) and electrical (electrical channel width, diode leakage, and gate oxide integrity) characterization of PELOX isolation are reported. >
Dependence of the sheet resistance of indium-tin-oxide thin films on grain size and grain orientation determined from X-ray diffraction techniques

Abstract ITO thin films (100–200 nm) are deposited on glass and plastic (PET and polycarbonate) substrates by r.f. sputtering. Process parameters such as oxygen partial pressure, r.f. power, and post deposition annealing parameters are varied to determine the dependence of the sheet resistance on process parameters. The microstructure of these thin films is determined using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The experimentally observed dependence of the sheet resistance on the grain size and grain orientation of these films is correlated to the dependence of the electron mobility on grain boundary scattering. Larger grain sizes (≈25 nm) in ITO films result in lower sheet resistance (250 Ω/□). This type of large grain size microstructure is produced with moderate r.f. power (≈100 W) and low oxygen partial pressure (≈10%). There is a unique correspondence between grain size and grain orientation. ITO films with a strong peak intensity ratio of (400) orientation to all other orientations (≈0.35) have the largest grain size (≈25 nm) resulting in the lowest sheet resistance (250 Ω/□) and high transmission (≈86.7%) at λ=550 nm .
ET-1 in the myocardial interstitium: relation to myocyte ECE activity and expression.

Increased plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) have been identified in congestive heart failure (CHF), but local myocardial interstitial ET-1 levels and the relation to determinants of ET-1 synthes...
The Impact of Channel Variations on Wireless Distributed Computing Networks

Wireless distributed computing has several unique problems compared with currently well investigated wireless sensor networks. These problems include the impact of channel variation on power allocation, different traffic pattern with higher utilization, and more restricted delay constraints. This paper investigates the impact of communication channel condition on the average execution time of the computing task within wireless distributed computing networks (WDCN). It has been found that the delay performance of wireless distributed computing is influenced by both the average channel condition and the variation of channels. In addition, the impact of channel heterogeneity is also investigated to show the possibility of the optimal workload distribution for energy saving and robustness. Finally, a workload distribution approach combined with a power allocation scheme exploiting the spatial heterogeneity of the channel condition is proposed to balance energy efficiency and robustness.
Diffusive uptake in passive and active adsorbent sampling using thermal desorption tubes

Low flow active sampling techniques collecting vapors and gases using thermally desorbable adsorbents are now feasible and desirable in many applications as they permit long integration times, the potential for miniaturized sampling configurations, and other advantages. At very low air flow rates (<1 ml min−1), diffusive uptake on adsorbents in conventional sorbent tubes may equal or exceed the active (pumped) uptake rate, and even at low flow rates (1–4 ml min−1), diffusive uptake may significantly bias measurements. Thus, corrections to account for the diffusive flux or means to limit the diffusive uptake are needed in low flow applications. This paper presents (1) a theoretical analysis of the role of diffusive and advective uptake for several sampling geometries of tube-type samplers; (2) experimental confirmation using both laboratory and field studies; (3) estimates of the tortuosity and porosity of the glass wool packing used to retain the adsorbent, parameters needed to estimate diffusive fluxes in passive and active sampling; (4) a demonstration that orifice-equipped low flow active samplers can reduce diffusive uptake and improve precision, and (5) a model predicting the saturated adsorbent layer that helps to account for the gradual decline in uptake rates seen in passive sampling. Diffusive uptake will depend on the tube configuration and diffusion coefficient of the substance of interest, but for conventional sampling tubes (0.4–0.5 cm id, 1.5 cm air gap), sample flow rates should be maintained above 1 to 4 ml min−1 to keep errors below 5%. Laboratory experiments showed close agreement with theoretical calculations, and the field study using 1 to 4 d sampling periods and 0.3 ml min−1 flows demonstrated that the orifice-equipped samplers essentially eliminated diffusive uptake. No significant practical difficulties are encountered using orifices, e.g., pressure drop is minimal. Experimental estimates of tortuosity (0.79 ± 0.02) and porosity (0.92 ± 0.10) of the glass wool packing (0.3 cm length) represent relatively little resistance to diffusion; however, variation in the packing and adsorbent placement can degrade the precision achievable by passive samplers. Diffusion barriers, consisting most simply of an orifice, may be used to lower the diffusive uptake. A needle-type orifice permits flows below 0.1 ml min−1 and is suitable for sampling periods as long as several weeks, and it provided greater precision than conventional open-ended sampling tubes (8% compared to 13%). Finally, the gradual decrease in diffusive fluxes often seen in passive sampling is attributed to additional resistance posed by a saturated adsorbent layer, in agreement with a simple model based on total VOCs and specific adsorptivity of the adsorbent.
An improved numerical simulation of electromagnetic scattering from perfectly conducting random surfaces

Numerical simulation of electromagnetic scattering from a one-dimensional perfectly conducting random surface is of interest, primarily for its application as a benchmark for evaluation of approximate theoretical models. Since rough surfaces are targets of infinite extent, approximations to the geometry or the formulation of the problem must be considered to make the numerical solution tractable. The standard method to suppress the edge effects of a finite surface sample is the tapered illumination approximation. This approximation is numerically inefficient because the effective illuminated width of the sample surface is much smaller than the physical surface width. The effect of the edges of the surface samples is minimized by controlling the conductivity of the surface near each edge by adding an appropriate tapered resistive sheet. It is shown that the scattering simulation based on the new technique is more efficient than the standard method. Also the backscattering coefficient predicted by the new technique is accurate for incidence angles as high as 80/spl deg/ while the angular validity range of the standard method is limited to 60/spl deg/.
Kava chalcone, flavokawain A, inhibits urothelial tumorigenesis in the UPII-SV40T transgenic mouse model.

Flavokawain A (FKA) is the predominant chalcone identified from the kava plant. We have previously demonstrated that FKA preferentially inhibits the growth of p53 defective bladder cancer cell lines. Here we examined whether FKA could inhibit bladder cancer development and progression in vivo in the UPII-SV40T transgenic model that resembles human urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) with defects in the p53 and the retinoblastoma (RB) protein pathways. Genotyped UPII-SV40T mice were fed orally with vehicle control (AIN-93M) or FKA (6 g /kg food; 0.6%) for 318 days starting at 28 days of age. More than 64% of the male mice fed with FKA-containing food survived beyond 318 days of age, whereas only about 38% of the male mice fed with vehicle control food survived to that age (p= 0.0383). The mean bladder weights of surviving male transgenic mice with the control diet versus the FKA diet were 234.6 ± 72.5 versus 96.1±69.4 mg (P=0.0002). FKA was excreted primarily through the urinary tract and concentrated in the urine up to 8.4 μmol/L, averaging about 38 times (males) and 15 times (females) more concentrated than in the plasma (P=0.0001). FKA treatment inhibited the occurrence of high-grade papillary UCC, a precursor to invasive urothelial cancer, by 42.1%. A decreased expression of Ki67, survivin and XIAP and increased expression of p27 and DR5 and number of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells were observed in the urothelial tissue of FKA-fed mice. These results suggest a potential of FKA in preventing the recurrence and progression of non-muscle invasive UCC.
Absence of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in neoplastic lesions induced in the liver of male F-344 rats by di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, a peroxisome proliferator

Male F-344 rats were fed a diet containing 2% di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) for 95 weeks. Liver nodules and/or hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) developed in 6/10 rats fed DEHP and none were found in controls (P less than 0.005 by chi 2 test). All the nodules and HCC were negative for gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. In the non-tumorous portions of liver, the hepatocytes contained an increased number of peroxisomes and extensive accumulation of lipofuscin. By immunocytochemical analysis, the liver peroxisomes in rats treated chronically with DEHP had visually detectable decrease in the H2O2-degrading catalase and increase in H2O2-producing fatty acyl-CoA oxidase. These results show that higher dietary level of DEHP, which causes substantially greater degree of peroxisome proliferation than the 1.2% dietary level used in the National Toxicology Program bioassay (1982, Publication no. NTP-80-37, Tech. Report Series No. 217), can induce liver tumors in male rats.
LEARNING THE CHINESE SCRIPT CAN BE EASY1

Learning to speak Chinese can be difficult; learning to speak and to read Chinese at the same time is definitely not easy; learning to speak, to read, and to write in Chinese, all three at the same time, is probably what has given Chinese its reputation as a difficult language. The difficulty, however, is not that Chinese is difficult to speak, to read, or to write; rather, it often lies in the way Chinese has been taught. And bad teaching can have many causes. Perhaps the teacher is not able to show the students in what specific area8 Chinese is different from their native language. Sometimes the teache r shows the students the difference but does not drill them enough for them to form the necessary new skills. Often the instructor is teaching endless items in the language inanunorganized manner and therefore the students find it difficult to remember them. Quite frequently the teacher is giving instruction in too many subjects: in speaking, in reading, and in writing simultaneously. Any one of these can give the learner the mistaken impression that the language is difficult. He does not realize that perhaps the techniques are responsible for the difficulties in the learning process. The purpose of this article is to show that learning to write in Chinese can be made easy. Three related points are discussed below. The first one is to make learning to write the sole new thing the students are undertaking. In other words, writing should not be carried on simultaneously with speaking and reading. Students should be taught to speak first. While learning to speak they establish new oral habits. After the new oral habits are established they learn to read. During the reading process, students must no longer be struggling with strange phonological, morphological, or syntactical features.
A nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist affects honey bee sucrose responsiveness and decreases waggle dancing

A nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, imidacloprid, impairs memory formation in honey bees and has general effects on foraging. However, little is known about how this agonist affects two specific aspects of foraging: sucrose responsiveness (SR) and waggle dancing (which recruits nestmates). Using lab and field experiments, we tested the effect of sublethal doses of imidacloprid on (1) bee SR with the proboscis extension response assay, and (2) free-flying foragers visiting and dancing for a sucrose feeder. Bees that ingested imidacloprid (0.21 or 2.16 ng bee(-1)) had higher sucrose response thresholds 1 h after treatment. Foragers that ingested imidacloprid also produced significantly fewer waggle dance circuits (10.5- and 4.5-fold fewer for 50% and 30% sucrose solutions, respectively) 24 h after treatment as compared with controls. However, there was no significant effect of imidacloprid on the sucrose concentrations that foragers collected at a feeder 24 h after treatment. Thus, imidacloprid temporarily increased the minimum sucrose concentration that foragers would accept (short time scale, 1 h after treatment) and reduced waggle dancing (longer time scale, 24 h after treatment). The effect of time suggests different neurological effects of imidacloprid resulting from the parent compound and its metabolites. Waggle dancing can significantly increase colony food intake, and thus a sublethal dose (0.21 ng bee(-1), 24 p.p.b.) of this commonly used pesticide may impair colony fitness.
Endometriosis With Bladder Involvement

Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue is found outside of the uterus. The ectopic endometrial tissue may be found in a variety of places but commonly involves the peritoneal surfaces of the pelvis. Rarely implants of endometriosis can be seen in other areas such as the bladder and urinary tract. When conducting routine transvaginal sonography (TVS) on a woman in her late 40s with pelvic pain, a mass was noted in the bladder that was later confirmed as endometriosis via laparoscopic surgery. This case report demonstrates the appearance of bladder endometriosis on TVS and reviews its clinical presentation as well as pathophysiology.
Persistence and Turnover of Antigen-Specific CD4 T Cells During Chronic Tuberculosis Infection in the Mouse

CD4 T cells are critical for resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, but how effective T cell responses are maintained during chronic infection is not well understood. To address this question we examined the CD4 T cell response to a peptide from ESAT-6 during tuberculosis infection in the mouse. The ESAT-61–20/IAb-specific CD4 T cell response in the lungs, mediastinal lymph nodes, and spleen reached maxima 3–4 wk postinfection, when the bacteria came under the control of the immune response. Once chronic infection was established, the relative frequencies of Ag-specific CD4 T cells were maintained at nearly constant levels for at least 160 days. ESAT-61–20/IAb-specific CD4 T cells that responded in vitro expressed activation markers characteristic of chronically activated effector cells and used a limited Vβ repertoire that was clonally stable in vivo for at least 12 wk. 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation studies indicated a relatively high rate of cell division among both total CD4 and ESAT-61–20/IAb-specific CD4 T cells during acute infection, but the degree of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation by both the CD4 T cells and the Ag-specific cells declined at least 3-fold during chronic infection. The data indicate that the peripheral ESAT-61–20/IAb-specific CD4 T cell response to M. tuberculosis is characterized during the acute phase of infection by a period of extensive proliferation, but once bacterial control is achieved, this is followed during chronic infection by an extended containment phase that is associated with a persistent response of activated, yet more slowly proliferating, T cells.