cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in voluntary quadriceps activation predict changes in quadriceps strength after therapeutic exercise in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Abstract Introduction Recent rehabilitation paradigms have suggested that improving voluntary muscle activation may optimize strength outcomes related to resistance training. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in voluntary quadriceps activation could predict changes in quadriceps strength following a 4 week therapeutic exercise regimen. Method Thirty-six participants with tibiofemoral osteoarthritis volunteered for this study, while 30 participants (14 males, 16 females, 58±11.8years, 172.2±9.2cm, 87.1±18.5kg) finished the 4 week supervised therapeutic exercise protocol and were used in the final analysis. Demographics, quadriceps strength and voluntary quadriceps activation using the burst superimposition technique were evaluated prior to the intervention. Following the therapeutic exercise program, quadriceps strength and voluntary activation were assessed. Simple correlations were performed to determine covariates in a multiple regression equation to evaluate if changes in voluntary quadriceps activation could predict changes in quadriceps strength. Results There was a significant moderate simple correlation between participant height and change in MVIC (r=−0.44, P=0.01). Both height and changes in voluntary quadriceps activation significantly predicted changes in MVIC (R 2 =0.66, P 2 =0.47, P Discussion Changes in voluntary quadriceps activation predicted 47% of variance in the change in quadriceps strength. These results suggest that interventions aimed at manipulating quadriceps activation may be helpful for improving quadriceps strength in patients with tibiofemoral osteoarthritis. Level of evidence 2b.
X-ray and density measurements on “early-late” transition metal glasses: consistency with “soft-sphere” structural models☆

Abstract X-ray measurements on glassy alloys (TE)1−x(TL)x formed between transition metals occurring “early” (TE) and “late” (TL) in the Periodic Table show that (a) the first-broad-peak scattering vector Qp increases approximately linearly with atomic concentration x, (b) the very approximate average nearest-neighbor separation d1 as simply d 1 ≾4π Q p −1 increases approximately linearly with 2
Flexibility in Bilingual Infants' Word Learning.

The present experiments tested bilingual infants' developmental narrowing for the interpretation of sounds that form words. These studies addressed how language specialization proceeds when the environment provides varied and divergent input. Experiment 1 (N = 32) demonstrated that bilingual 14- and 19-month-olds learned a pair of object labels consisting of the same syllable produced with distinct pitch contours (rising and falling). Infants' native languages did not use pitch contour to differentiate words. In Experiment 2 (N = 16), 22-month-old bilinguals failed to learn the labels. These results conflict with the developmental trajectory of monolinguals, who fail to learn pitch contour contrasts as labels at 17–19 months (Hay, Graf Estes, Wang, & Saffran, 2015). Bilingual infants exhibited a prolonged period of flexibility in their interpretation of potential word forms.
Radial Motion of a Spinning Test Body in the Field of a Black Hole

The gravitational radiation emitted by a test particle falling radially into a Schwarzchild black hole has been analyzed by Zerilli. Here we investigate the effect of assigning spin to both the test particle and the source. We find that more (less) gravitational radiation is emitted if the spins are antiparallel (parallel).
In situ sulfur isotope analysis of sulfide minerals by SIMS: Precision and accuracy, with application to thermometry of ∼ 3.5 Ga Pilbara cherts

Abstract Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurement of sulfur isotope ratios is a potentially powerful technique for in situ studies in many areas of Earth and planetary science. Tests were performed to evaluate the accuracy and precision of sulfur isotope analysis by SIMS in a set of seven well-characterized, isotopically homogeneous natural sulfide standards. The spot-to-spot and grain-to-grain precision for δ 34 S is ± 0.3‰ for chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite, and ± 0.2‰ for pyrite (2SD) using a 1.6 nA primary beam that was focused to 10 µm diameter with a Gaussian-beam density distribution. Likewise, multiple δ 34 S measurements within single grains of sphalerite are within ± 0.3‰. However, between individual sphalerite grains, δ 34 S varies by up to 3.4‰ and the grain-to-grain precision is poor (± 1.7‰, n = 20). Measured values of δ 34 S correspond with analysis pit microstructures, ranging from smooth surfaces for grains with high δ 34 S values, to pronounced ripples and terraces in analysis pits from grains featuring low δ 34 S values. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) shows that individual sphalerite grains are single crystals, whereas crystal orientation varies from grain-to-grain. The 3.4‰ variation in measured δ 34 S between individual grains of sphalerite is attributed to changes in instrumental bias caused by different crystal orientations with respect to the incident primary Cs + beam. High δ 34 S values in sphalerite correlate to when the Cs + beam is parallel to the set of directions uuw >, from [111] to [110], which are preferred directions for channeling and focusing in diamond-centered cubic crystals. Crystal orientation effects on instrumental bias were further detected in galena. However, as a result of the perfect cleavage along {100} crushed chips of galena are typically cube-shaped and likely to be preferentially oriented, thus crystal orientation effects on instrumental bias may be obscured. Test were made to improve the analytical precision of δ 34 S in sphalerite, and the best results were achieved by either reducing the depth of the analysis pits using a Kohler illuminated primary beam, or by lowering the total impact energy from 20 keV to 13 keV. The resulting grain-to-grain precision in δ 34 S improves from ± 1.7‰ to better than 0.6‰ (2SD) in both procedures. With careful use of appropriate analytical conditions, the accuracy of SIMS analysis for δ 34 S approaches ± 0.3‰ (2SD) for chalcopyrite, pyrite and pyrrhotite and ± 0.6‰ for sphalerite. Measurements of δ 34 S in sub-20 µm grains of pyrite and sphalerite in ∼ 3.5 Ga cherts from the Pilbara craton, Western Australia show that this analytical technique is suitable for in situ sulfur isotope thermometry with ± 50 °C accuracy in appropriate samples, however, sulfides are not isotopically equilibrated in analyzed samples.
Reducing cyber harassment through de jure standards: a study on the lack of the information security management standard adoption in the USA

Organisational members constantly fall prey to social-engineering attacks divulging sensitive information, which could be used as a basis for cyber harassment. Such harassment could include corporate website defacement, negative campaign through social media, or even corporate sabotage. The potential threat of cyber-harassment is real and can be damaging for an organisation impacting its business performance. These information risks confronting organisations can be mitigated by the implementation of information security standards. In this study, we investigated the lacking adoption of the Information Security Management System (ISMS) standard in the USA. We argued that the primary cause for the low adoption level is the failure to financially justify ISMS related investments. Using the event study method, we examined whether organisations that have adopted the ISMS standard have realised any financial gains. Our results indicate that the adoption of the ISMS standard actually does not create financial value for certified organisations.
Note on Confidence Regions in Multiple Assays

This note is in continuation of the author's results on ’classical‘ confidence regions for relative potencies in multiple assays (Bennett, 1987). It is shown by the use of a Bonferroni inequality (e.g. Miller, ch. 2, 1980) that approximate confidence regions for the relative potencies {Mi} i = 1, …, p may also be obtained directly. A comparison with the classical regions is made for the case: p = 2 using Finney's example (1978, ch. 2).
PIFT: efficient dynamic information flow tracking using secure page allocation

Dynamic information flow tracking (DIFT) has been an effective security countermeasure for both low-level memory corruptions and high-level semantic attacks. However, many software approaches suffers from large performance degradation and hardware approaches have great logic and storage overhead. In this paper, we propose a flexible, efficient, and light-weight approach to perform DIFT based on secure page allocation, PIFT. Instead of associating each data value with a taint tag, we aggregate data according to their taints, i.e., putting data with different attributes in different types of memory pages. Our approach is a compile-aided process that allows the compiler to allocate trusted/untrusted information into different memory pages. Our implementation and analysis show that the memory overhead is little, and the approach can protect critical information, like return address, indirect jump address, and system call arguments, from being overwritten by malicious data.
Twisted arrays of resonant particles

Periodic arrays of resonant particles are found in multiple areas of electromagnetics engineering. Their ability to support guided traveling waves makes them attractive options for small-scale filters, couplers, and antennas. Resonant arrays that are sensitive to the polarization of the input signal could extend these functionalities. Such a structure would offer an additional dimension of control, allowing selective filtering and coupling of circularly polarized signals of different handedness. We propose and simulate a “twisted” linear periodic array in which the resonant elements are sequentially rotated about the array axis by a constant angle. This sense of twist also characterizes liquid crystal media and helical waveguiding structures [1–2], but twisted arrays retain the properties of general periodic arrays, exhibiting stopbands and diffraction modes. Furthermore, the distinct resonances along different dimensions of each particle lead to unusually high anisotropy, enhancing polarization sensitivity. Twisted arrays extend the functionalities of resonant arrays to include polarization control and selectivity.
Reversibility of acid denaturation of recombinant interferon-γ

It has been shown that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) loses activity after acid treatment and this property can be used to distinguish it from other types of interferons. Therefore, reversibility of acid denaturation of IFN-gamma was examined using the recombinant human protein. The fluorescence spectra showed that conformation of the protein is similar before and after acid treatment, suggesting reversibility of the acid denaturation. The antiviral activity of the protein was also identical in the same treatment. However, the antiviral activity was significantly reduced when it was determined by directly diluting the acidic samples into the assay medium containing high salts and serum proteins. Similar results were obtained with the recombinant murine IFN-gamma. This observation demonstrates that acid denaturation of the IFN-gamma is dependent on the way the protein is renatured, and hence that the difference in response to acid treatment between IFN-gamma and other interferons is quantitative rather than qualitative.
Mammal faunal change in the zone of the Paleogene hyperthermals ETM2 and H2

Abstract. "Hyperthermals" are past intervals of geologically rapid global warming that provide the opportunity to study the effects of climate change on existing faunas over thousands of years. A series of hyperthermals is known from the early Eocene (~ 56–54 million years ago), including the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and two subsequent hyperthermals (Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 – ETM2 – and H2). The later hyperthermals occurred during warming that resulted in the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO), the hottest sustained period of the Cenozoic. The PETM has been comprehensively studied in marine and terrestrial settings, but the terrestrial biotic effects of ETM2 and H2 are relatively unknown. Two carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) have been described in the northern part of the Bighorn Basin, WY, USA, and related to ETM2 and H2. An ~ 80 m thick zone of stratigraphic section in the extraordinarily dense, well-studied terrestrial mammal fossil record along the Fifteenmile Creek (FC) in the south–central part of the basin spans the levels at which the CIEs occur in the northern Bighorn Basin. High-resolution, multiparameter paleoecological analysis of this part of the FC section reveals two episodes of significant faunal change – faunal events B-1 and B-2 – characterized by significant peaks in species diversity and turnover and changes in abundance and relative body size. Faunal events B-1 and B-2 are hypothesized to be related to the CIEs in the northern part of the basin and hence to the climatic and environmental change of ETM2 and H2. In contrast with the PETM, change at faunal events B-1 and B-2 is less extreme, is not driven by immigration and involves a proliferation of body sizes, although abundance shifts tend to favor smaller congeners. The response at faunal events B-1 and B-2 is distinctive in its high proportion of species losses, potentially related to heightened species vulnerability in response to changes already underway in the lead-up to the EECO. Faunal response at faunal events B-1 and B-2 is also distinctive in that it shows high proportions of beta richness, suggestive of increased geographic dispersal related to transient increases in habitat (floral) complexity and/or precipitation or seasonality of precipitation.
Extra dimension with X-rays

Materials science has benefited from X-ray imaging at the micrometre scale, but imaging has been restricted to two dimensions. A clever modification takes us into the third dimension.
Differences in adherence and virulence gene expression between two outbreak strains of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 : H7

The Escherichia coli O157 : H7 TW14359 strain was implicated in a multi-state outbreak in North America in 2006, which resulted in high rates of severe disease. Similarly, the O157 : H7 RIMD0509952 (Sakai) strain caused the largest O157 : H7 outbreak to date. Both strains were shown to represent divergent phylogenetic lineages. Here we compared global gene expression patterns before and after epithelial cell exposure, as well as the ability to adhere to and invade epithelial cells, between the two outbreak strains. Epithelial cell assays demonstrated a 2.5-fold greater adherence of the TW14359 strain relative to Sakai, while whole-genome microarrays detected significant differential expression of 914 genes, 206 of which had a fold change ≥1.5. Interestingly, most locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) genes were upregulated in TW14359, whereas flagellar and chemotaxis genes were primarily upregulated in Sakai, suggesting discordant expression of these genes between the two strains. The Shiga toxin 2 genes were also upregulated in the TW14359 strain, as were several pO157-encoded genes that promote adherence, including type II secretion genes and their effectors stcE and adfO. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the expression differences detected in the microarray analysis, and expression levels were lower for a subset of LEE genes before versus after exposure to epithelial cells. In all, this study demonstrated the upregulation of major and ancillary virulence genes in TW14359 and of flagellar and chemotaxis genes in Sakai, under conditions that precede intimate bacterial attachment to epithelial cells. Differences in the level of adherence to epithelial cells were also observed, implying that these two phylogenetically divergent O157 : H7 outbreak strains vary in their ability to colonize, or initiate the disease process.
Reversible histone modifications and the chromosome cell cycle.

During the eukaryotic cell cycle, chromosomes undergo large structural transitions and spatial rearrangements that are associated with the major cell functions of genome replication, transcription and chromosome condensation to metaphase chromosomes. Eukaryotic cells have evolved cell cycle dependent processes that modulate histone:DNA interactions in chromosomes. These are; (i) acetylations of lysines; (ii) phosphorylations of serines and threonines and (iii) ubiquitinations of lysines. All of these reversible modifications are contained in the well-defined very basic N- and C- terminal domains of histones. Acetylations and phosphorylations markedly affect the charge densities of these domains whereas ubiquitination adds a bulky globular protein, ubiquitin, to lysines in the C-terminal tails of H2A and H2B. Histone acetylations are strictly associated with genome replication and transcription; histone H1 and H3 phosphorylations correlate with the process of chromosome condensation. The subunits of histone H1 kinase have now been shown to be cyclins and the p34CDC2 kinase product of the cell cycle control gene CDC2. It is probable that all of the processes that control chromosome structure:function relationships are also involved in the control of the cell cycle.
What Makes an “Effective” Leader: The Application of Leadership

This article is based on the premise that leadership is leadership, whatever the profession. A number of “leaders” from various enterprises are discussed to determine the basic tenets of leadership. The nine tenets of leadership are:(1) Think and Act Strategically.(2) Understand and Demonstrate the Elements of Teams and Teamwork.(3) Master Small Group Decision Making.(4) Clearly Define Roles and Relationships.(5) Establish and Abide by a Leader-Subordinate Partnership.(6) Implement Systematic Evaluation of Policy.(7) Allocate Leader Time/Energy Appropriately.(8) Set Clear Rules and Procedures for Meetings.(9) Learn and Develop Continuously as a Leader.
Jumps and Stochastic Volatility: Exchange Rate Processes Implicit in Thephlx Deutschemark Options

An efficient method is developed for pricing American options on combination stochastic volatility/jump-diffusion processes when jump risk and volatility risk are systematic and nondiversifiable, thereby nesting two major option pricing models. The parameters implicit in PHLX-traded Deutschemark options of the stochastic volatility/jump- diffusion model and various submodels are estimated over 1984-91, and are tested for consistency with the $/DM futures process and the implicit volatility sample path. The parameters implicit in options are found to be inconsistent with the time series properties of implicit volatilities, but qualitatively consistent with log- differenced futures prices. No economically significant implicit expectations of exchange rate jumps were found in full-sample estimation, which is consistent with the reduced leptokurtosis of $/DM weekly exchange rate changes over 1984-91 relative to earlier periods.
THE FOURIER TRANSFORM OF VECTOR-VALUED FUNCTIONS

(xeU). It is well-known thata bounded continuous function / on the real line IR is the Fourier transform of anintegrable function on IR if and only if the function = 1, 2,...)s <£„(/, define) (nd bydt, (xeR),form a Cauchy sequence in the spac ££x(U)e (cf. [2]). Such a characterization, which can beextended to functions defined on a locally compact Abelian group more U, genera is l thanbased on the fact that the space ^(R) is complete with respect to convergence in mean.However, as noted in [6], this criterion cannot be extended to characterize theFourier transforms of vector-valued, Pettis integrable functions. This is due to the factthat the space of Pettis integrable functions is not complete with respect to convergence inmean (cf. [8]).The integral introduced in [7] does not surfer from this defect. It leads to a space ofintegrable functions which is complete with respect to convergence in mean. Accordingly,the Fourier transforms of such vector-valued, integrable functions can be characterized bya criterion analogous to that which characterizes the Fourier transforms of scalar-valuedintegrable function. The aim of this note is to present such a criterion.1. The Archimedes integral. Let A be a choice of Haar measure in a locallycompact Abelian group G. Let X be a complex Banach space and X' its dual space.Let Y be a locally convex HausdorfF space into which the space X is continuouslyembedded. A function F: — G» Y is called Archimedes integrable with respect A to i.n thespace X, briefly (X, A)-integrable, if there exists a H.G-+Y, function vectors qeX andBorel subsets
Global Investigation of p53-induced Apoptosis Through Quantitative Proteomic Profiling Using Comparative Amino Acid-coded Tagging

p53-induced apoptosis plays a pivotal role in the suppression of tumorigenesis, and mutations in p53 have been found in more than 50% of human tumors. By comparing the proteome of a human colorectal cancer cell transfected with inducible p53 (DLD-1.p53) with that of the control DLD-1 cell line using amino acid-coded mass tagging (AACT)-assisted mass spectrometry, we have broadly identified proteins that are upregulated at the execution stage of the p53-mediated apoptosis. In cell culturing, the deuterium-labeled (heavy) amino acids were incorporated into the proteome of the induced DLD-1.p53 cells, whereas the DLD-1.vector cells were grown in the unlabeled medium. In high-throughput LC-ESI-MS/MS analyses, the AACT-containing peptides were paired with their unlabeled counterparts, and their relative spectral intensities, reflecting the differential protein expression, were quantified. In addition, our novel AACT-MS method utilized a number of different heavy amino acids as internal markers that significantly increased the peptide sequence coverage for both quantitation and identification purposes. As a result, we were able to identify differentially regulated protein isozymes that would be difficult to distinguish by ICAT-MS methods and to obtain a large dataset of the proteins with altered expression in the late stage of p53-induced apoptosis. The regulated proteins we identified are associated with several distinct functional categories: cell cycle arrest and p53 binding, protein chaperoning, plasma membrane dynamics, stress response, antioxidant enzymes, and anaerobic glycolysis. This result suggests that the p53-induced apoptosis involves the systematic activation of multiple pathways that are glycolysis-relevant, energy-dependent, oxidative stress-mediated, and possibly mediated through interorganelle crosstalks.
3C-SiC Films on Si for MEMS Applications: Mechanical Properties

Single crystal 3C-SiC films were grown on (100) and (111) Si substrate orientations in order to study the resulting mechanical properties of this material. In addition, poly-crystalline 3C-SiC was also grown on (100)Si so that a comparison with monocrystaline 3C-SiC, also grown on (100)Si, could be made. The mechanical properties of single crystal and polycrystalline 3C-SiC films grown on Si substrates were measured by means of nanoindentation using a Berkovich diamond tip. These results indicate that polycrystalline SiC thin films are attractive for MEMS applications when compared with the single crystal 3C-SiC, which is promising since growing single crystal 3C-SiC films is more challenging. MEMS cantilevers and membranes fabricated from a 2 µm thick single crystal 3C-SiC grown on (100)Si under similar conditions resulted in a small degree of bow with only 9 µm of deflection for a cantilever of 700 µm length with an estimated tensile film stress of 300 MPa. Single crystal 3C-SiC films on (111)Si substrates have the highest elastic and plastic properties, although due to high residual stress they tend to crack and delaminate.
β-Amyloid promotes accumulation of lipid peroxides by inhibiting CD36-mediated clearance of oxidized lipoproteins

Background Recent studies suggest that hypercholesterolemia, an established risk factor for atherosclerosis, is also a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The myeloid scavenger receptor CD36 binds oxidized lipoproteins that accumulate with hypercholesterolemia and mediates their clearance from the circulation and peripheral tissues. Recently, we demonstrated that CD36 also binds fibrillar β-amyloid and initiates a signaling cascade that regulates microglial recruitment and activation. As increased lipoprotein oxidation and accumulation of lipid peroxidation products have been reported in Alzheimer's disease, we investigated whether β-amyloid altered oxidized lipoprotein clearance via CD36.
Luminescence and Energy Transfer Characteristics of TbOCl

Luminescence and energy transfer properties of the system Gd1–xTbxOCl (0 < x ≦ 1) are reported, with special stress on those of TbOCl. Concentration quenching occurs above x = 0.15 at 300 K. Transfer from intrinsic Tb3+ ions to extrinsic Tb3+ ions and to rare earth ion impurities are observed. The emission spectra of TbOCl are dominated by trap emission, which makes a quantitative analysis of the intrinsic Tb3+ luminescence properties in TbOCl cumbersome. Es wird uber die Lumineszenz und die Energieubertragungseigenschaften des Systems Gd1–xTbxOCl (0 0,15 bei 300 K. Energieubertragung von Tb3+ intrinsic-Ionen auf fehlgeordnete Tb3+-Ionen und auf Seltenerdfremdionen wird beobachtet. Die Emissionsspektren des TbOCl werden von Haftstellenemission bestimmt, was eine quantitative Analyse der Lumineszenzeigenschaften der Tb3+-Ionen auf Eigenstellen in TbOCl schwer macht.
Relation between Elevated Ambient Temperature and Mortality: A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

The effect of elevated temperature on mortality is a public health threat of considerable magnitude. Every year, a large number of hospitalizations and deaths occur in association with exposure to elevated ambient temperatures (1, 2). An average of 400 deaths annually are counted as directly related to heat in the United States, with the highest death rates occurring in persons aged 65 years or more (3). The actual magnitude of heat-related mortality may be notably greater than what has been reported, since we do not have widely accepted criteria for determining heat-related death (4, 5–7), and heat may not be listed on the death certificate as causing or contributing to death. Persons living in urban environments may be at particularly increased risk for mortality from ambient heat exposure, since urban areas typically have higher heat indexes (combinations of temperature and humidity (8)) than surrounding suburban or rural areas, a phenomenon known as the “urban heat island effect” (9). Moreover, urban areas retain heat during the night more efficiently (10). Thus, as the US population becomes more urbanized and the number of elderly people continues to increase (11), the threat of heat-related mortality will probably become more severe. Many of these deaths may be preventable with adequate warning and an appropriate response to heat emergencies, but preventive efforts are complicated by the short time interval that may elapse between high temperature exposure and death. Thus, prevention programs must be based around prospective and rapid identification of high-risk conditions and persons. We carried out this review to assess the current epidemiologic evidence available for this purpose.
Bone Metabolism in Obesity and Weight Loss

Excess body weight due to obesity has traditionally been considered to have a positive effect on bone; however, more recent findings suggest that bone quality is compromised. Both obesity and caloric restriction increase fracture risk and are regulated by endocrine factors and cytokines that have direct and indirect effects on bone and calcium absorption. Weight reduction will decrease bone mass and mineral density, but this varies by the individual's age, gender, and adiposity. Dietary modifications, exercise, and medications have been shown to attenuate the bone loss associated with weight reduction. Future obesity and weight loss trials would benefit from assessment of key hormones, adipokine and gut peptides that regulate calcium absorption, and bone mineral density and quality by using sensitive techniques in high-risk populations.
Resveratrol inhibits tumor growth of human neuroblastoma and mediates apoptosis by directly targeting mitochondria.

Purpose: Neuroblastoma is an aggressive childhood disease of the sympathetic nervous system. Treatments are often ineffective and have serious side effects. Because resveratrol, a natural plant product, has been reported to have limited toxicity at chemotherapeutic levels, we investigated its efficacy in the treatment of neuroblastoma as well as its underlying mechanism of action. Experimental Design: Resveratrol was tested in mouse xenograft models of human neuroblastoma and in vitro using human cell lines. Results: Resveratrol inhibited the outgrowth of tumors by as much as 80%. The bioavailability of the drug in serum was in the low micromolar range (2-10 μmol/L) and no accumulation was observed in tumor tissue. When resveratrol levels were increased by peritumor injection, rapid tumor regression occurred. Resveratrol decreased tumor cell viability in vitro by 75% to 90%, resulting from an inhibition of cell proliferation and an induction of apoptosis. Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential was an early response to resveratrol. In addition, resveratrol treatment of isolated mitochondria also led to depolarization, suggesting that the drug may target mitochondria directly. Following depolarization, resveratrol caused the release of cytochrome c and Smac/Diablo from the mitochondria and subsequently the activation of caspase-9 (4- to 8-fold) and caspase-3 (4- to 6-fold). Conclusions: These studies indicate that, despite low bioavailability, resveratrol is effective at inhibiting tumor growth. Elevated levels of resveratrol enhance its antitumor potency leading to tumor regression, associated with widespread tumor cell death, the underlying mechanism of which involves the direct activation of the mitochondrial intrinsic apoptotic pathway.
From Bridges to Beyond: A Perspective of Special Education's Future

Special education, as with most fields of study, is in a constant state of flux. This paper explores the changes that special education will likely experience during the 21st century. Specifically, the possible evolution in how transition will be viewed as well as implications for practice are discussed.
Recessive alleles found at R and C loci in maize stocks showing aberrant ratio at the A locus.

ABSTRACT Corn stocks showing virus-induced aberrant ratio (AR) at the "A"locus were iound to have recessive alleles at the Rand/or C loci. Since by the known pedigree these loci should be homozygous dominant, the results suggest an inactivation of maize genes by a mechanism as yet unknown. The presence of recessive alleles at these additional loci can explain the segregation ratios obtained in these particular stocks.
AMP-activated protein kinase and nitric oxide regulate the glucose sensitivity of ventromedial hypothalamic glucose-inhibited neurons

The mechanisms by which glucose regulates the activity of glucose-inhibited (GI) neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) are largely unknown. We have previously shown that AMP-activated prot...
Radioactive Decay in Core-Collapse Supernovae

High energy emission from supernovae provide a direct window into the quantity and distribution of radioactive elements produced in these explosions. This information has proven to be of tremendous importance in inferring details of the shock evolution in core-collapse supernovae. This chapter highlights the theoretical advances in core-collapse explosion simulations which have been motivated by the many surprises in γ-ray observations. In particular, the presence of asymmetries in the explosion, as inferred from the high energy spectra, are emphasized. Recent simulations combining supernova explosion calculations with 3D Monte Carlo γ-ray transport are presented. The diagnostic capability of the high energy emission to distinguish mild explosion asymmetries is demonstrated.
Does Hip Arthroscopy Affect the Outcomes of a Subsequent Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Hip arthroscopy utilization is on the rise in the United States. Thus, determining the impact of prior hip arthroscopy on subsequent total hip arthroplasty (THA) is important to understand. Methods A retrospective review of a high-volume orthopedic surgery practice's billing database yielded 42 hip arthroscopies that underwent subsequent THA. An age-, sex-, and body mass index (2:1)–matched cohort of primary THAs was used for comparison. Results No difference was observed in the postoperative Harris Hip Score between groups (92.1 ± 10.9 vs 90.1 ± 6.6, P = .20); however, there was greater overall improvement in Harris Hip Score in the control group (40.4 ± 18.4 vs 45.1 ± 8.7, P = .05). There were no differences observed in the complication ( P = .5) or revision rates ( P = .4). Conclusion With the numbers available, prior hip arthroscopy does not appear to have an impact on the functional outcomes of a subsequent THA.
Comparison of clinical features in pathologically confirmed PSP and MSA patients followed at a tertiary center.

The clinical diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) remains challenging due to heterogeneity of the diseases. Here we compared the clinical features of PSP and MSA to gain insight into their diagnosis and prognosis, particularly the prognostic value of down-gaze palsy latency in PSP progression. We reviewed clinical features of pathologically confirmed 10 PSP and 13 MSA patients, incidentally matched in age-at-onset, gender, and disease duration, followed at Columbia University Medical Center during 1994–2009. The final antemortem diagnosis was incorrect in 30% of PSP (all lacking down-gaze palsy) and 23% of MSA patients. Falls in the first year of the disease, pyramidal involvement and freezing of gait during the course were similar between PSP and MSA. Ataxia and apraxia were in 50% of the PSP patients. Parkinsonism responsive to levodopa treatment was in 30% of the PSP (all with resting tremor) and 50% of the MSA patients. Dysautonomia in MSA could occur as early as 3 years preceding the motor symptoms, with 46% within the first year of the motor onset, but 15% did not have dysautonomia in life. The latency of down-gaze palsy and urogenital dysfunction and MMSE scores at first visit in PSP, and the latency of falls and wheelchair confinement in MSA were all associated with the disease progression. We confirmed most of the previously published characterizations, and identified for the first time the prognostic value of down-gaze palsy latency in PSP progression. An investigation into the features of two hard-to-diagnose neurological diseases has revealed a novel prognostic marker for one of them. A study led by Tao Xie at the University of Chicago Medicine, United States, reviewed symptoms in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) or multiple system atrophy (MSA), as confirmed by autopsy. The researchers found that while the absence of symptoms considered to be hallmarks of the conditions had led to misdiagnosis in 30% of patients with PSP and 23% of patients with MSA, they were still able to confirm many reported diagnostic features of both conditions. They also showed for the first time that early development of down-gaze palsy — the hallmark symptom of PSP — reliably predicts rapid progression of the disease.
Individual Sensitivity to the Frequency of Socially Meaningful Linguistic Cues Affects Language Attitudes

In forming an impression of a speaker, listeners are attentive to the frequency of nonstandard language features, using it to calibrate their judgments. We show that the ability to track and socially evaluate nonstandard variant frequency is subject to individual differences. Listeners judged an aspiring newscaster on the standardness of her speech in a series of read-aloud passages that had been manipulated for proportional frequency of a nonstandard pronunciation. Judgments of conditions at the poles of the frequency continuum were predicted by listener sociodemographic factors. For conditions in the middle of the frequency continuum, listener judgments were predicted by Broader Autism Phenotype Questionnaire scores for communication skills. Language attitudes may therefore be affected by both social and cognitive listener attributes, where cognitive attributes are most relevant for ambiguous inputs.
Advancements in Blood Collection Devices

Medical device manufacturers have made substantial improvements toward safer blood collection products. Customers and manufacturers of blood collection devices have emphasized prevention of injury and reduction of bloodborne pathogen exposure. Blood collection involves the use of many types of equipment and devices supplied by several manufacturers. This article discusses advances in and safety features of blood collection devices, as well as differences among evaluated tube types for products sold in the United States.
The International Community, South Sudan, and the Responsibility to Protect

This Article investigates the problem of implementing the Responsibility to Protect doctrine against the backdrop of South Sudan’s dire circumstance. It investigates the problematique of the international community in relation to the doctrine and the imploding new-born country. The international community maintains residual responsibility to implement the doctrine during time of humanitarian crisis internal to states, making the international community a constitutive norm that shapes the language of the Responsibility to Protect. But marshaling international support to confront internal abuse in South Sudan proves difficult because of an elusive understanding of the international community. This Article views the Responsibility to Protect as a rejection of Vatellian pluralism but seeks to understand why a solidarist formulation has forestalled within the growing internal emergency presented by South Sudan, the world’s newest country. Situating the Responsibility to Protect within the context of South Sudan reveals the need to bolster pluralist pathways to solidarist norm construction rather than to abandon pluralist perspectives completely. This Article suggests that the general abandonment of pluralist teachings has hindered the normative reception and development of the Responsibility to Protect and has contributed to the swift turn South Sudan has made in the direction of failed state status.
Extracorporeal Liver Support and Liver Transplant for Patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Recognition of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) as a unique entity is slowly evolving, as are therapies to improve survival of affected patients. Further investigation into its disease process and proper treatments with critical timing are important for improving patient survival. At this time, liver transplant is the only treatment known to improve survival in liver-failure patients. However, liver transplantation has its own disadvantages, such as organ shortage and the need for lifelong immunotherapy. Bridging therapies such as extracorporeal liver-support systems are attractive options to stabilize patients until transplantation or spontaneous recovery. The goals of these liver-support systems are to remove detoxification products, reduce systemic inflammation, and enhance regeneration of the injured liver. These devices have been under development for the past decade; a few are in clinical trials. At this time, there is no proven clearcut survival benefit in these devices, but they may improve the outcome of challenging cases and potentially avoid or postpone liver transplantation in some cases.
Investigation and Analysis of Peripheral Nerve Impairment Induced by Occupational Exposure to Hexane

[Objective]To investigate the occupational hazards of hexane to the exposed workers.[Methods] The hexane levels in the air of the workplace were determined,121 workers in hexane-exposed group and 90 workers in control were given the physical examination according to the national regulation for occupational health surveillance.[Results] Some workers exposed to hexane had the following symptoms or signs,such as headache(23.1%),dizziness(32.2%),fatigue(43.8%), acroanesthesia( 50.4%),decreased muscle strength( 7.4%),decreased or vanished knee jerk( 11.6%),and hand tremor(4.1%). In addition,the concentrations of urinary 2,5-hexanedione were determined in 121 workers,and 86 workers(17.1%)had excessive urinary 2,5-hexanedione. The concentration of hexane in the air of the workplace was 263-385 mg/m3 which was higher than the national health standards.[Conclusion] Hexane could induce the symptoms of peripheral nerve impairment,such as acroanesthesia,decreased muscle strength and the elevated levels of urinary 2,5-hexane,therefore,it is necessary to carry out periodically occupational health examination for the hexane-exposed workers and to monitor the hexane levels in the workplace.
[Occupational noise-induced deafuess diaqnosis analysis in Jiangsu from 2006 to 2009].

Objective In order to provide the evidence for taking the measures to prevent noise hazards, the condition sand influence factors of occupational noise deafness diagnosis in Jiangsu province from 2006 to 2013 were analyzed. Methods According to the 13 administrating personnel report of noise deafness diagnosed occupational disease prevention and control institutions in Jiangsu province from 2006 to 2013,the diagnosis of occupational noise deafness were retrospectively analyzed. Results By the end of December 31 2013, 297 cases of noise deafness were diagnosis occupational disease within this province. Occupational noise deafness has localized on the machinery industry, textile and light industry. Regional distribution mainly concentrated in Suzhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Nantong. 83.16% in 297 cases were mild noise deafness. Conclusion The distribution of occupational noise deafness cases in jiangsu province hasspecific charateristics.It is not balanced in different regions, and most of them are the mild noise deafness, male, length of service in more than 15 years, the onset age is 40~60 years old, According to characteristics of the occupational noise deafness cases in Jiangsu province, Specific occupational health service will help to reduce the occurrence of occupational noise deafness, and protect the worker's health effectively. Key words: Noise, Occupaional; Deafness; Diagnosis
Forests, Parks, and Wilderness

America’s national park system has been called the best idea the country ever had. Apparently many think so. People are literally loving America’s national parks to death. The number of visitors is expected nearly to double from 275 million in 1992 to 500 million in 2010. Overcrowding brings big city problems to the national parks, including traffic jams, crime, crumbling infrastructure, tacky strip malls, and air, noise, and water pollution. Rangers increasingly find themselves acting as law enforcement officers rather than as ecologists. Wilderness areas and national forests have their own respective sets of problems. While the easy access to the national parks partly accounts for their popularity, overcrowded trails and campsites are damaging even roadless wilderness areas. Meanwhile, critics have labeled the Forest Service the “Tree Farm Service” for allowing huge logging corporations to clear-cut vast and often ancient forests and replant them with rows of identical trees.
Curcumin suppresses growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 1520 The purpose of this study was to determine whether curcumin would trigger cell death in the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines CCL 23 and CAL 27 in a dose-dependent fashion, both in vitro and in vivo . In vitro studies included MTT assay of the HNSCC cells after treatment with curcumin. Control cells were treated with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or saline. CCL23 and CAL27 were plated into 96-well plates, serum starved for 24 hours to synchronize cell cycles, treated with curcumin or DMSO for eight hours, and allowed to incubate in regular growth media for 8 and 15 hours after treatment before analysis of cell viability. MTT results showed that at both eight and fifteen hours after treatment, CCL23 cell lines had the greatest reduction in cell viability at concentrations between 100-300uM, with nearly 100% cell survival at 100uM and less than 5% survival at 300uM. CAL27 cell lines showed an even greater sensitivity to curcumin treatment. Reduction of CAL27 cell viability began at 60uM, and 0% survived at concentrations of 300uM. Fifteen hours after treatment with 100 μM of curcumin, CAL27 cell lines showed continued cell death, with an 83% reduction in cell viability. In vivo studies were done on HNSCC xenograft tumors grown in female nude mice. Curcumin paste was applied topically to each mouse tumor on a daily basis for 4 weeks. Tumors were measured in 3 dimensions each week and growth curves plotted. Blood and organs were harvested from the mice for toxicity studies after completion of the experiment. The xenograft tumors exhibited more than 50% decrease in size with the curcumin/saline paste. Curcumin/DMSO paste had only a modest suppressive effect on tumor growth, while control tumors continued to grow rapidly. In conclusion, curcumin has a direct effect on CCL23 and CAL27, reducing viability in both cell lines in a dose-dependent fashion. Both cell lines showed continued cell death over a period of several hours, suggesting that curcumin triggers the apoptotic pathway in these head and neck cancer cell lines rather than producing a sudden cell necrosis. In addition, curcumin/saline paste had a significant suppressive effect on HNSCC xenograft tumors in female nude mice, confirming curcumin’s antitumor properties in vivo .
FPGA-based pulse parameter discovery for positron emission tomography

Modern Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are capable of performing complex digital signal processing algorithms with clock rates well above 100MHz. This, combined with FPGA's low expense and ease of use make them an ideal technology for a data acquisition system for a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. The University of Washington is producing a series of high-resolution, small-animal PET scanners that utilize FPGAs as the core of the front-end electronics. For these next generation scanners, functions that are typically performed in dedicated circuits, or offline, are being migrated to the FPGA. This will not only simplify the electronics, but the features of modern FPGAs can be utilizes to add significant signal processing power to produce higher resolution images. In this paper we report how we utilize the reconfigurable property of an FPGA to self-calibrate itself to determine pulse parameters necessary for some of the pulse processing steps. Specifically, we show how the FPGA can generate a reference pulse based on actual pulse data instead of a model. We also report how other properties of the photodetector pulse (baseline, pulse length, average pulse energy and event triggers) can be determined automatically by the FPGA.