cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanistic insights into folate supplementation from Crooked tail and other NTD-prone mutant mice.

Despite two decades of research since Smithells and colleagues began exploring its benefits, the mechanisms through which folic acid supplementation supports neural tube closure and early embryonic development are still unclear. The greatest progress toward a molecular-genetic understanding of folate effects on neural tube defect (NTD) pathogenesis has come from animal models. The number of NTD-associated mouse mutants accumulated and studied over the past decade has illuminated the complexity of both genetic factors contributing to NTDs and also NTD-gene interactions with folate metabolism. This article discusses insights gained from mouse models into how folate supplementation impacts neurulation. A case is made for renewed efforts to systematically screen the folate responsiveness of the scores of NTD-associated mouse mutations now identified. Designed after Crooked tail, supplementation studies of additional mouse mutants could build the molecular network maps that will ultimately enable tailoring of therapeutic regimens to individual families. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Phorbol esters enhance basal and stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a pituitary cell line.

We reported in anterior pituitary cells that hormone stimulation of cyclic AMP levels is amplified by agents that activate protein kinase C (e.g., phorbol esters). We utilized the 235-1 pituitary cell line to explore the mechanism of this response. PGE1- and forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation and adenylate cyclase activity are enhanced by exposing viable cells to phorbol esters. Adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of PGE1 demonstrated a biphasic stimulatory, then inhibitory response to increasing GTP concentrations; phorbol esters attenuated this inhibition. These data support the hypothesis that protein kinase C can covalently change the functional state of the adenylate cyclase holoenzyme, amplifying its response to certain hormones.
Forward scattering probe of edge-state coupling in the quantum Hall regime

We report on magnetoconductance measurements of a submicrometer-wide constriction in a two-dimensional electron gas with a tunable central gate. For negative central gate biases, an edge channel loop forms around the central-gate potential hump and couples to reflected edge channels, opening a forward scattering pathway. From the conductance contribution of this pathway we deduce that the transmission probability for tunneling between adjacent edge channels of different Landau levels is 0.5, corresponding to the strong-coupling limit, for a coupling region of only a few hundred nanometers in length.
Light transport in planar luminescent solar concentrators: the role of matrix losses.

The role of trapped radiation transport losses on the performance of dye doped PMMA planar luminscent solar concentrators has been studied. A simple method has been devised to separate experimentally transport losses from the initial conversion losses in the collector, and it was shown that transport losses presently prevent luminscent solar concentrators from achieving useful intensity concentrations. An experimental and theoretical study of individual transport losses showed that matrix absorption and scattering and imperfect total internal reflection are the dominant transport losses at present. It was concluded that intensity concentrations of 100 for AM1 solar radiation should be possible in the near future and that the theoretical limit on intensity concentration was ∼1000.
Podiatric physicians' perspectives on their role in promoting self-care in high-risk patients with diabetes.

Abstract Self-foot care is key in preventing morbidity in high-risk diabetic patients. Motivational interviewing (MI) is an approach to encouraging behavioral change by patients that can be utilized in medical settings. Our goal was to explore how podiatrists promote self-care in such patients and if they use MI techniques. A 19 question online survey of US-based practicing podiatrists. Most answers were on a 5 point scale. MI index was the sum of answers to 5 relevant questions. Of 843 podiatrists, 86% considered foot self-care to be very important for high-risk diabetic patients and 90% felt it was their role to discuss self-foot care with them; 49% felt that they had training and were successful in promoting behavioral change, but the majority were definitely (38%) or possibly (46%) interested in learning more. Only 24% scored >15 / 20 on the MI index. Higher MI scores were associated with more face time and more time discussing foot self-care, but were not related to the podiatrist's age, gender, geographic location, % time in surgery, or years in practice. Reported barriers to counseling were lack of reimbursed time and poor patient engagement. Most podiatrists view self-care behavior among high-risk diabetic patients and their role in promoting it as very important; most feel already proficient but only a minority demonstrate MI skills; fortunately the majority are willing to learn more. Success in behavioral counseling, such as MI, is likely to require more time and may be encouraged by a move from fee-for-service to outcome based reimbursement.
Characterization of DNA damage induced by a natural product antitumor antibiotic leinamycin in human cancer cells

Leinamycin is a structurally novel Streptomyces-derived natural product that displays very potent activity against various human cancer cell lines (IC(50) values in the low nanomolar range). Previous in vitro biochemical studies have revealed that leinamycin alkylates DNA, generates apurinic (AP) sites and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and causes DNA strand breaks. However, it is not clear whether these events occur inside cells. In the present study, we have determined the endogenous amount of AP sites and DNA strand breaks in genomic DNA and the amount of oxidative stress in a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line, MiaPaCa, treated with leinamycin by utilizing the aldehyde-reactive probe assay, the comet assay, and fluorescent probes, respectively. We demonstrated that AP sites are formed rapidly following exposure to leinamycin, and the number of AP sites was increased up to seven-fold in a dose-dependent manner. However, only 25-50% of these sites remain 2 h after media containing drug molecules were aspirated and replaced with fresh media. We also observed leinamycin-induced ROS generation and a concomitant increase in apoptosis of MiaPaCa cells. Because both AP sites and ROS have the potential to generate strand breaks in cellular DNA, the comet assay was utilized to detect damage to nuclear DNA in leinamycin-treated MiaPaCa cell cultures. Both alkaline and neutral electrophoretic analysis revealed that leinamycin produces both single- and double-stranded DNA damage in drug-treated cells in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, the results suggest that rapid conversion of leinamycin-guanine (N7) adducts into AP sites to produce DNA strand breaks, in synergy with leinamycin-derived ROS, accounts for the exceedingly potent biological activity of this natural product.
Thermal conductivity of crude oils

Abstract The thermal conductivity of three typical crude oils, composed predominantly of aromatic and paraffinic compounds, was measured using the transient hot-wire method. The accuracy of the measurement technique for binary mixtures was proved by measuring the thermal conductivity of water-glycerol mixtures and comparing the results to accepted correlations for binary mixtures. Thermal conductivity for the crude oils is rather insensitive to changes in temperature for temperatures from 273 to 323 K. For two of the oils, the thermal conductivity is approximately 120 mW/(m K), while for the other it is approximately 130 mW(m K) over the quoted 50 K temperature range. The crude oils are approximated as binary mixtures of aromatic and paraffinic components, and the measured data are least-square-error fit to the approximation that the mixture thermal conductivity is a log-mean average of the thermal conductivities of the pure components to establish effective thermal conductivities for the aromatic and paraffinic fractions of crude oils. These “pure component” thermal conductivities can be used to predict the thermal conductivity of crude oils of known aromatic and paraffinic content.
Density Functional Vertical Self-Consistent Reaction Field Theory for Solvatochromism Studies of Solvent-Sensitive Dyes

On the basis of the Franck-Condon principle, a density functional vertical self-consistent reaction field (VSCRF) solvation model for vertical excitation and emission processes is established. The principles and implementation of the VSCRF model are presented. The predicted blue shifts of the vertical excitation energies of diazines in different solvents from n-heptane to water solutions are compared with the corresponding time dependent density functional calculations and are in very good agreement with experiment. We have also applied this method to predict the blue shifts and the vertical excitation and emission energies of Brooker’s merocyanine dye with increasing solvent polarities from CHCl3 to H2O solutions. Overall, our calculations predicted the relative excitation and emission energy orderings for Brooker’s merocyanine in different solvents with different polarities. Also, the calculated Stokes shift is fairly well represented for different solvents, and the calculations correctly show that the absorption energies have a much stronger solvent dependence than the emission energies. The importance of both relaxation of the molecular structures and consideration of explicit H-bonding H2O and CH3OH molecules in water and methanol solvents in predicting the solvatochromic shifts is also discussed.
Lymphoproliferative disorder with Auer rod–like inclusions

![Figure][1] The patient is a 92-year-old woman who presented to the hematology clinic 3 years earlier for evaluation of persistent lymphocytosis. At that time, her white blood cell count was 15 200/µL, hemoglobin was 12.8 g/dL, and platelets were 245 000/µL. Her absolute lymphocyte
Expression of novel splice variants of the G protein subunit, Goα, is tissue-specific and age-dependent in the rat

Heterotrimeric G proteins play an essential role in coupling numerous surface membrane receptors to intracellular signal transduction pathways. Relatively little is known about the splice variants of G proteins, including whether they undergo differential expression as a function of aging. We screened for splice variants of the alpha subunit of the dominant inhibitory G protein family member G(o) in a variety of tissues from rat and examined the expression of these splice variants during development. The splice variants were characterized using specific primers for G(o)alpha1 and G(o)alpha2 in conjunction with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and subsequently sequenced. G(o)alpha1 expression dominated over G(o)alpha2 in all neuronal tissues screened, including cerebral cortex, pituitary, spinal cord, colon myenteric plexus, dorsal root ganglion, and prenatal cortex. The sequence data of G(o)alpha1 supports the presence of three splice variants: G(o)alpha1a, G(o)alpha1b, G(o)alpha1c. The G(o)alpha1a variant was reported previously [J. Biol. Chem. 262 (1987) 14241], whereas G(o)alpha1b and G(o)alpha1c represent novel variants. The G(o)alpha1b splice variant demonstrates a 94 bp deletion using a cryptic donor site in exon 10. The G(o)alpha1c variant demonstrates a complete deletion of exon 10. A protein product with a molecular weight of approximately 34 kDa consistent with that expected for G(o)alpha1c was identified using Western blot analysis and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The expression of G(o)alpha1a decreased postnatally, supporting a potential physiological role during fetal development, whereas G(o)alpha1c expression increased postnatally. The age-dependent and tissue-specific expression of the G(o)alpha1 splice variants presage a broader functional role than has been observed historically with G(o).
“Improving and Embellishing the Wilderness”: Spreading the Gospel of Proper Land Use, New Harmony, Indiana, 1814–1824

This article examines the westward imposition of specific kinds of land use by focusing on the Harmony Society's transformation of Posey County, Indiana. The German pietistic society carried their vision of proper land use from Europe to Pennsylvania and, in 1814, to what was then considered the West: Indiana Territory. During their decade in Indiana, the Harmonists attempted to exploit, control, and beautify the natural environment. The goal of “improving and embellishing the Wilderness”—as well as survival and profit—provided the justification for clearing forests, draining wetlands, mining subsoil, planting crops, creating pastures, altering waterways, and hunting local fauna; all of these activities greatly transformed the ecosystems of southwestern Indiana. Ultimately, the Harmonists’ notions of land use were transmitted, learned, and, eventually, codified.
Characterization of ribonuclease P RNAs from thermophilic bacteria

The catalytic RNA component of bacterial RNase P is responsible for the removal of 5' leader sequences from precursor tRNAs. As part of an on-going phylogenetic comparative characterization of bacterial RNase P, the genes encoding RNase P RNA from the thermophiles Thermotoga maritima, Thermotoga neapolitana, Thermus aquaticus, and a mesophilic relative of the latter, Deinococcus radiodurans, have been cloned and sequenced. RNAs transcribed from these genes in vitro are catalytically active in the absence of other components. Active holoenzymes have been reconstituted from the T.aquaticus and T.maritima RNAs and the protein component of RNase P from Escherichia coli. The RNase P RNAs of T.aquaticus and T.martima, synthesized in vitro, were characterized biochemically and shown to be inherently resistant to thermal disruption. Several features of these RNAs suggest mechanisms contributing to thermostability. The new sequences provide correlations that refine the secondary structure model of bacterial RNase P RNA.
The Role of Stem Cell Factor and Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor in Brain Repair during Chronic Stroke

Chronic stroke is a highly important but under-investigated scientific problem in neurologic research. We have reported earlier that stem cell factor (SCF) in combination with granulocytecolony stimulating factor (G-CSF) treatment during chronic stroke improves functional outcomes. Here we have determined the contribution of bone marrow-derived cells in angiogenesis and neurogenesis, which are enhanced by SCF + G-CSF treatment during chronic stroke. Using bone marrow tracking, flow cytometry, 2-photon live brain imaging, and immunohistochemistry, we observed that the levels of circulating bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) (CD34 + /c-kit + ) were significantly increased by SCF + G-CSF treatment. In addition, live brain imaging revealed that numerous bone marrow-derived cells migrate into the brain parenchyma in the treated mice. We also found that bone marrow-derived cells, bone marrow-derived endothelial cells, vascular density, and bone marrow-derived neurons were significantly augmented by SCF + G-CSF. It is interesting that, in addition to the increase in bone marrow-derived endothelial cells, the number of bone marrow-derived pericytes was reduced after SCF + G-CSF treatment during chronic stroke. These data suggest that SCF + G-CSF treatment can enhance repair of brain damage during chronic stroke by mobilizing BMSCs, and promoting the contribution of bone marrow-derived cells to angiogenesis
A combined delay and throughput proportional scheduling scheme for differentiated services

The proportional differentiation model is a service differentiation approach for differentiated services networks that includes several desirable features such as controllability and predictability. This paper proposes and evaluates a scheduling mechanism for the combined control of delay and throughput metrics, within the context of the proportional differentiation model. The scheme is based on the well known Little's Law, and always exercises average delay differentiation, while it implements throughput differentiation only during overload periods, and if certain conditions as satisfied. A moving window averaging mechanism and an active queue management scheme are simultaneously, and, respectively, used to achieve control over the relative throughput values as well as the relative delay values between classes. The scheme does away with measurement of the actual packet delays, and state information is minimized. Some feasibility bounds are presented under the assumption of Poisson arrivals, and a simulation study shows the effectiveness of this scheme.
Association of IL10 and other immune response- and obesity-related genes with prostate cancer in CLUE II.

BACKGROUND Chronic intra-prostatic inflammation and obesity are thought to influence prostate carcinogenesis. Thus, variants in genes in these pathways could be associated with prostate cancer risk.
Immersion with robots in large virtual environments

This paper presents a mixed reality system for combining real robots, humans, and virtual robots. The system tracks and controls physical robots in local physical space, and inserts them into a virtual environment (VE). The system allows a human to locomote in a VE larger than the physically tracked space of the laboratory through a form of redirected walking. An evaluation assessed the conditions under which subjects found the system to be the most immersive.
IMPACT OF THE UPDATED 2009 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY/ AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NUCLEAR CARDIOLOGY APPROPRIATENESS CRITERIA FOR SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION IMAGING

In 2009 the American College of Cardiology/ American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ACC/ASNC) updated the 2005 appropriateness criteria categorizing the various indications for the performance of Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (SPECT MPI). We sought to
First-principles calculations of the stability and incorporation of helium, xenon and krypton in uranium

Abstract While metallic fuels have a long history of reactor use, their fundamental physical and thermodynamic properties are not well understood. Many metallic nuclear fuels are body-centered cubic alloys of uranium that swell under fission conditions, creating fission product gases such as helium, xenon and krypton. In this paper, helium, xenon, and krypton point defects are investigated in the α and γ phases of metallic uranium using first principles calculations. A density functional theory (DFT) framework is utilized with projector augmented-wave (PAW) pseudopotentials. Formation and incorporation energies of He, Xe, and Kr are calculated at various defect positions for the prediction of fission gas behavior in uranium. In most cases, defect energies follow a size effect, with helium incorporation and formation energies being the smallest. The most likely position for the larger Xe and Kr atoms in uranium is the substitutional site. Helium atoms are likely to be found in a wide variety of defect positions due to the comparable formation energies of all defect configurations analyzed. This is the first detailed study of the stability and incorporation of fission gases in uranium.
A prospective, randomized trial of phenytoin in nonepileptic subjects with reduced HDL cholesterol.

Abstract Observational studies have demonstrated a positive association between phenytoin use and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C). Our goal was to determine whether phenytoin raises HDL-C in nonepileptic subjects at risk for coronary artery disease. We performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in 41 subjects with reduced levels of HDL-C. Subjects were placed on an American Heart Association Step I diet and were randomized to receive either phenytoin or placebo for 3 months. Serum levels of phenytoin were monitored and adjusted to between 7.5 and 15 μg/mL. Fasting levels of lipids and lipoproteins were determined twice at baseline (weeks −2 and −1) and during the treatment phase of the study (weeks 11 and 12). Compared with dietary baseline, phenytoin-treated subjects experienced significant paired percent increases in total HDL-C (12.4%; P <.01), an effect confined to the HDL2 subfraction (137%; P <.01). The paired percent increases in HDL-C and HDL2 levels remained significant after adjustment for placebo ( P <.05, P <.025, respectively). There were no significant differences in the paired percent changes from dietary baseline in total cholesterol, triglyceride, or LDL cholesterol levels between placebo and phenytoin-treated groups. The significant paired percent increases in total HDL-C and HDL2 from dietary baseline suggest a potential role for phenytoin in subjects with reduced levels of HDL-C.
Sex differences in cortisol response to Corticotropin Releasing Hormone challenge over puberty: Pittsburgh Pediatric Neurobehavioral Studies

Summary Objective Consistent sex differences in regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis have been shown in animal models and emerge over puberty. However, parallel work in humans is lacking despite implications for elucidating the emergence of sex differences in depression over puberty. We investigated sex differences in HPA response to corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) challenge over puberty in a carefully screened normative sample. Methods Participants were 68 healthy children (41% girls), ages 6–16, with no personal or family history of psychiatric disorder. Pubertal maturation was determined by Tanner staging. Following 24 h of adaptation, 9–10 plasma cortisol samples were collected over 30–40 min pre-infusion baseline, 1 μg/kg CRH infusion, and 90–180 min post-infusion recovery. Thirty-seven participants completed 2+ CRH challenges allowing inclusion of cross-sectional and longitudinal data in all analyses. The influence of gender and pubertal maturation on parameters of cortisol response to CRH challenge was investigated using nonlinear mixed model methodology. Results Girls showed increasing total cortisol output following CRH challenge over puberty, while boys showed little change in total cortisol output over puberty. Increased cortisol output in girls was explained by slower reactivity and recovery rates leading to prolonged time to reach peak cortisol and delayed return to baseline over puberty. Girls also showed increasing baseline cortisol over puberty, while boys showed declining baseline over puberty. Conclusion Results reveal subtle normative sex differences in the influence of pubertal maturation on HPA regulation at the pituitary level. This normative shift may tip the balance towards stress response dysregulation in girls at high risk for depression, and may represent one potential mechanism underlying elevated rates of depression among pubescent girls.
The effects of hindered mobility and depletion of particles in near-wall shear flows and the implications for nanovelocimetry

The behaviour of spherical Brownian particles in a near-wall shear flow is explored using Langevin simulations and experimental measurements, focusing on the effects of anisotropic hindered particle mobility and the formation of a particle depletion layer due to repulsive forces. The results are discussed in the context of particle velocity distributions obtained by near-wall image-based velocimetry. It is observed that the shear force and dispersion dominate at high Peclet number (Pe > 3), and the asymmetric shapes of particle velocity distributions are attributed to broken symmetry due to the presence of the wall. Furthermore, the excursions outside the observation depth between image acquisitions and the shear-induced slowdowns of tracer particles cause significant measurement bias for long and short inter-frame time intervals, respectively. Also impeding the measurement accuracy is the existence of a near-wall particle depletion layer that leads to an overestimation of the fluid velocity. An analytical protocol to infer the correct fluid velocity from biased measurements is presented.
Less exploring by mouth occurs in newborns of depressed mothers

Vingt-quatre nouveaux-nes (M âge = 12 jours) de meres deprimees ont ete evalues pour la perception orale d'une texture lisse et noueuse. Les deux groupes de nouveaux-nes ont etabli une distinction entre ces textures et ont prefere sucer la texture lisse. Cependant, les nouveaux-nes de meres deprimees ont passe plus de la moitie du temps a explorer oralement les stimuli, un tiers moins de temps a explorer la texture noueuse plus nouvelle et 59% moins de temps a mettre a la bouche la texture lisse. Les nouveaux-nes de meres deprimees ont peut-etre des differences qui affectent leur eveil emotionnel et l'autoregulation emotionnelle (c'est-a-dire la capacite de se calmer soi-meme).
Quality control and the preparative purification of low antibody concentrations for radiolabelling using bifunctional chelates

The conjugation of antibodies (Ab) with DTPA in the presence of contaminating low molecular weight proteins is inefficient. The selective precipitation of Ab with 18% Na2SO4 as a preparative purification method for small aliquots of low Ab concentrations is successful in eliminating all contaminants as monitored by high performance liquid chromatography at 214 nm and in allowing IgG recoveries greater than 94%. Subsequently, this allows efficient conjugation and radiolabelling of Ab.
Combined Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy Using a Flexible Fiberoptic Bronchoscope

A method is described for the performance of combined bronchoscopy and esophagoscopy using a simple modification of the standard flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope. This technique allows safe, simple, and effective examination of the esophagus after the completion of bronchoscopy in patients in whom this examination is indicated.
An improved method for the preparation of [14C]pyridoxal 5′-phosphate

Abstract [14C]Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate was synthesized by first oxidizing [14C]pyridoxine to [14C]pyridoxal with MnO2. [14C]Pyridoxal, isolated by cation-exchange chromatography, was then reacted with ATP in the presence of rat liver pyridoxal kinase to form [14C]pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. The rat liver enzyme was used instead of the Escherichia coli pyridoxal kinase because the latter is strongly inhibited by pyridoxal. [14C]Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate was purified by Sephadex G-10 chromatography. The yield of the present method is 75%. The radiochemical purity of [14C]pyridoxal 5′-phosphate produced is ≥95%.
Composition and origin of serpentinites from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 24° and 30° North Latitude

Serpentinites occur in transverse fracture zones and adjacent areas in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 24° and 30° N. In two fracture zones, about 700 km distant from each other, serpentinites show practically the same trend and range of variation in chemical composition. Their CaO content ranges from 2.05 to 0.07% by weight. Serpentinites relatively high in CaO content contain pargasite, whereas those relatively low in CaO do not. Serpentinites relatively high in CaO are chemically similar to high-temperature peridotites which are widely believed to have been derived from the upper mantle. With a decrease in CaO, the Al2O3, TiO2, K2O and FeO contents and the Fe/Mg ratio tend to decrease, whereas the H2O+ content tends to increase. This compositional variation is probably due partly to heterogeneity of uper mantle peridotite from which the serpentinites were derived, and partly to chemical migration during serpentinization. The interior of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge may be mainly made up of serpentinites. Alternatively, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge Serpentinites may have been formed by serpentinization of peridotites that were intruded into fracture zones from a great depth.
Electrochemical deposition of metal ions as a low energy alternative to conventional methods

Electrochemical infiltration of copper in porous graphite and silicon carbide is reported. A theoretical model based on Butler-Volmer equation was made to predict reaction rates across the porous preforms. Electrolytic infiltration was carried out on laser sintered graphite and silicon carbide parts using a flow through set up. The operating parameters of the laser sintering process were changed to increase porosity. Results of infiltration experiments were compared with electrolytic infiltration of graphite felt under same conditions. Triton X-100 was used as a wetting agent to improve the wettability of the porous parts with the electrolyte. It was found that a high conductivity electrolyte is required for uniform distribution of copper inside the pore network of the porous graphite and silicon carbide. Electrodeposition was carried out at small currents to avoid high potential drop and hydrogen evolution reaction during the deposition process. The electrolyte was flowed through the porous parts to achieve steady state conditions. The electrolytic infiltration process resulted in reduction of porosity fraction in graphite felt by 26% and 14% in 84% porous graphite. This study shows that electrochemical deposition of metals in the pore network of a highly porous material is possible.
Catalytic oxidation of groundwater stripping emissions

Air stripping has been shown to be an efficient and cost effective method of removing volatile organic contaminants from groundwater and soil. The removal of dissolved fuel fractions and chlorinated solvents at efficiencies in excess of 95% has been demonstrated on several occasions. Unfortunately, these contaminants are transferred to the air where they may continue to pose an environmental and health threat. Regulation of such emissions has already been considered in many states including Michigan and California. However, few options are available for their control. Vapor phase carbon adsorption and thermal incineration are the two treatment methods which have been applied most often. These technologies have some disadvantages. Adsorption merely transfers the contaminant to a solid phase, which in turn requires disposal or regeneration. Thermal incineration may be expensive, since it requires a substantial energy input to destroy dilute gas phase contaminants. A new alternative is appearing in the form of catalytic oxidation. Like thermal incineration, it is an ultimate disposal method, but since it operates at much lower temperatures, the energy costs are also lower. This paper reviews the applicability of catalytic oxidation to control groundwater air stripping gaseous effluents with special attention given to system designs and case histories. The variety of contaminants and catalyst poisons encountered in stripping operations are also reviewed.
Low power repeaters driving RLC interconnects with delay and bandwidth constraints

Interconnects play an increasingly important role in deep submicrometer VLSI technologies. Multiple design criteria are considered in interconnect design, such as delay, power, and bandwidth. The effects of inductance on the delay, bandwidth, and power of an RLC interconnect with repeaters are analyzed. A repeater insertion methodology is presented for achieving the minimum power in an RLC interconnect while satisfying delay and bandwidth constraints. By including inductance, the minimum interconnect power under a delay and/or bandwidth constraint decreases as compared with an RC interconnect.
ClassX: an open source interactive lecture StreamingSystem

The ClassX open source project is a free experimental interactive video streaming platform designed for educators, researchers and software developers. With minimal infra-structure set-up, ClassX offers educational communities a cost-effective solution for online lecture delivery. Our goal is to encourage contributions from other researchers, developers and educators in building an open, cost-effective and state-of-the-art online education video viewing system for the general public.
Resources for pre-university power engineering outreach

An aging workforce and the need to modernize the electric power system are significant challenges facing many nations, and in particular the United States. This complex problem requires a multi-faceted solution that starts with outreach to pre-university students. The aim of these outreach programs is to introduce students to power engineering concepts and to encourage them to choose power engineering as an area of future study and vocation. Outreach activities may also be targeted at guidance counselors, teachers, parents and the general public to the increase the awareness and image of the power engineering profession. This paper identifies pre-university power engineering outreach resources. Funding sources and organizations involved with engineering outreach are also identified. Specific on-line multimedia and in-person, experiential learning lesson plans and activities are discussed. These resources are intended to be used by power engineering faculty and other interested individuals.
The craft of movement in interaction design

Interaction designers don't often discuss the aesthetics of movement in digital media. There is no vocabulary nor method---as there is for color and typography---to use in the generation or evaluation of digital compositions. Dewey offers us a philosophical aesthetic towards the communicative experience of art. His abstract theory provides the inspiration to create a practical method for designers of interactive media in a realistic design context. To build the bridge from abstraction to application I have turned to literature that analyzes the aesthetics of movement in visual arts, particularly for vocabularies of both formal and expressive movement qualities. Both vocabularies explore how we map our 3-D kinetic experience to make sense of 2-D qualities in artifacts. Isolated sets of kinetic qualities, as single mappings between experience and formal and expressive movement qualities, are identified. Communication design is comprised of large clusters of these mappings. This method of movement analysis provides the designer with a set of tools to control movement through the manipulation of its properties, both formal and expressive, thereby acting as a conduit that generates the link between designer, artifact, and viewer experience. Building blocks needed to create a communicative system and provide a method for practitioners to analyze and apply movement appropriately in digital compositions are presented. I conclude by briefly sketching how integration might be plausibly gauged by applying the vocabularies to examples of both static and kinetic compositions.
Longitudinal variation in muscle protein expression and contraction kinetics of largemouth bass axial muscle.

Summary The present study investigates muscle protein caudal muscle had a lower total parvalbumin content than expression in largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides rostral muscle. Since troponin T and parvalbumin have through intra- and intermyomeric comparisons of white been implicated in the regulation of skeletal muscle muscle. Using denaturing SDS-polyacrylamide gel kinetics, longitudinal variation in muscle contraction electrophoresis, muscle protein expression in the arm and kinetics was predicted. Subsequent experiments revealed cone regions of sequential myomeres was compared for that bass rostral white muscle showed faster rates of three bass. Low percentage (4.75 %) polyacrylamide-SDS activation and relaxation than more caudal muscle, as has gels and cyanogen bromide (CNBr) peptide mapping been observed in white muscle of other fish species. revealed no obvious intramyomeric differences between Rostral–caudal variations in white muscle protein the myosin heavy chains of the arm and cone regions. composition and contractile properties are predicted to Electrophoresis of myofibrils and muscle homogenates on affect patterns of power production during fast, unsteady higher percentage gels also failed to demonstrate any swimming. significant differences between arm and cone regions in either the myosin light chains or any of the major
Addressing tensions when popular media and evidence-based care collide

Background Health care news stories have the potential to inform and educate news consumers and health-care consumers about the tradeoffs involved in health-care decisions about treatments, tests, products, and procedures. These stories have the potential to influence not only individual decision making but also the broader public dialogue about health-care reform. For the past 7 years, a Web-based project called http://HealthNewsReview.org has evaluated news stories to try to improve health-care journalism and the quality and flow of information to consumers.
Neoadjuvant chemoradiation compared to neoadjuvant radiation alone and surgery alone for Stage II and III soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities.

Background Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NCR) prior to resection of extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS) has been studied, but data are limited. We present outcomes with NCR using a variety of chemotherapy regimens compared to neoadjuvant radiation without chemotherapy (NR) and surgery alone (SA).
Fatigue and Strength Evaluation of Two Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Bridge Decks

The use of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bridge decks is appealing for applications where minimizing dead load is critical. This paper describes fatigue and strength testing of two types of GFRP decks being considered for use in the retrofit of an aging steel arch bridge in Snohomish County, Washington, where a roadway expansion is necessary and it is desirable to minimize the improvements to the arch superstructure. Each test used a setup designed to be as close as practicable to what will be the in situ conditions for the deck, which included a 2% cross slope for drainage. The fatigue testing consisted of a single 116 kN (26 kip) load applied for 2 million cycles, which corresponds to an AASHTO HS-25 truck with a 30% impact factor, and the strength testing consisted of multiple runs of a monotonically applied minimum load of 347 kN (78 kips). Results from the fatigue testing indicated a degradation of the stiffness of both deck types; however, the degradation was limited to less than 12% over the duration of loading. Further, the results showed both deck types accumulated permanent deck displacement during fatigue loading and one deck type used a detail with poor fatigue performance. That detail detrimentally impacted the overall deck performance and caused large permanent deck deformations. It was also found that degradation of composite behavior between the deck and girders occurs during fatigue loading and should be included in design.
Optimum 10-Gb/s NRZ receiver bandwidths for ultradense WDM transmission systems

Reports the results of an experimental and numerical simulation study on optimum 10-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero receiver bandwidths for ultradense wavelength-division-multiplexing (UDWDM) transmission systems. It is found that as channel spacing is scaled down to UDWDM dimensions from 50 to 25 GHz, the,optimum receiver bandwidth increases. Moreover, an UDWDM system with 25-GHz channel spacing offers the opportunity to improve receiver performance by taking advantage of the optical matched filter concept. A 25-GHz channel spacing optical filter, designed to approach the performance of an optical matched filter, shows a /spl sim/1.3 dBQ advantage compared to a 50-GHz channel spacing optical filter when receiver bandwidth is optimized.
A preliminary diversity-divergence model for North American arvicolid rodents

North American arvicolid rodent diversity is compared with global arvicolid diversity in a new phylogenetic model incorporating the possibility that the Arvicolidae as presently constituted is polyphyletic. It is likely that many early Pleistocene arhizodont arvicolinins (e.g. Arvicola, Microtus, Victoriamys) evolved from different Mimomys ancestors. North American phylogenetic patterns indicate successive waves of dispersal from Asia, coupled with endemic radiation of the Plophenacomyinae from an ancestral Promimomys, such as P. mimus.
Speakers' Overestimation of Their Effectiveness

Successful communication depends in part on an ability to anticipate miscommunication. We investigated speakers' ability to gauge their addressees' understanding. Participants in our experiments were asked to say ambiguous sentences while attempting to convey a specific intention to their addressee. When they estimated the addressee's understanding of the intended meaning, they showed a consistent tendency to overestimate their effectiveness. They expected the addressee to understand more often than the addressee actually did. In contrast, overhearers who were informed about the speakers intention did not systematically overestimate the speakers' effectiveness. Our findings suggest that when speakers monitor their own utterances, they do not act as unbiased observers. Instead, they underestimate the ambiguity of their own utterances and overestimate the extent to which their disambiguating cues make their intention transparent. Such overestimation could be a systematic source of miscommunication in natural conversation, and should be accounted for by any theory of language production.
PQR: Predicting Query Execution Times for Autonomous Workload Management

Modern enterprise data warehouses have complex workloads that are notoriously difficult to manage. One of the key pieces to managing workloads is an estimate of how long a query will take to execute. An accurate estimate of this query execution time is critical to self managing Enterprise Class Data Warehouses. In this paper we study the problem of predicting the execution time of a query on a loaded data warehouse with a dynamically changing workload. We use a machine learning approach that takes the query plan, combines it with the observed load vector of the system and uses the new vector to predict the execution time of the query. The predictions are made as time ranges. We validate our solution using real databases and real workloads. We show experimentally that our machine learning approach works well. This technology is slated for incorporation into a commercial, enterprise class DBMS.
Screening Children for Autism in an Urban Clinic Using an Electronic M-CHAT

Background. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is a screening tool for autism spectrum disorders in the clinic. However, the follow-up questions in the M-CHAT are difficult to implement on a paper format. Objective. To compare the effectiveness of the M-CHAT on an electronic format versus paper format in an outpatient clinic setting. Methods. A prospective study used electronic M-CHAT on the iPad. A retrospective review of paper M-CHATs 6 months prior to implementation was used as the comparison group. Results. A total of 176 participants completed the electronic M-CHAT format and 197 paper M-CHATs were retrospectively reviewed. The electronic format (3%) resulted in a significant difference in the frequency of children found to be at risk for autism compared with the paper version (11%); 99% of parents rated the experience as “good” or “excellent.” Conclusion. The electronic format lowered both false at-risk screens and false not-at-risk screens and had higher parental satisfaction.
A spatial augmented beta regression model for periodontal proportion data

Clinical dental research generates large amounts of data with a potentially complex correlation structure from measurements recorded at several sites throughout the mouth. Clinical attachment level (CAL) is one such measure popularly used to assess the periodontal disease (PD) status. We model the proportion of sites for each tooth-type (i.e., incisor, canine, pre-molar and molar) per subject that exhibit moderate to severe PD. Disease free and highly diseased tooth-sites cause these proportion responses to lie in the closed interval [0, 1]. In addition, PD may be spatially referenced, i.e., the disease status of a site is influenced by its neighbours. While beta regression can assess the covariate-response relationship for proportion data, its support in the interval (0, 1) impairs its ability to account for the observed proportions at zero and one. In contrast to ad hoc transformations that confine responses to (0, 1), we develop a framework that augments the beta density with non-zero masses at zero an...
RNA Helicase DDX5 Regulates MicroRNA Expression and Contributes to Cytoskeletal Reorganization in Basal Breast Cancer Cells

RNA helicase DDX5 (also p68) is involved in all aspects of RNA metabolism and serves as a transcriptional coregulator, but its functional role in breast cancer remains elusive. Here, we report an integrative biology study of DDX5 in breast cancer, encompassing quantitative proteomics, global MicroRNA profiling, and detailed biochemical characterization of cell lines and human tissues. We showed that protein expression of DDX5 increased progressively from the luminal to basal breast cancer cell lines, and correlated positively with that of CD44 in the basal subtypes. Through immunohistochemistry analyses of tissue microarrays containing over 200 invasive human ductal carcinomas, we observed that DDX5 was up-regulated in the majority of malignant tissues, and its expression correlated strongly with those of Ki67 and EGFR in the triple-negative tumors. We demonstrated that DDX5 regulated a subset of MicroRNAs including miR-21 and miR-182 in basal breast cancer cells. Knockdown of DDX5 resulted in reorganization of actin cytoskeleton and reduction of cellular proliferation. The effects were accompanied by up-regulation of tumor suppressor PDCD4 (a known miR-21 target); as well as up-regulation of cofilin and profilin, two key proteins involved in actin polymerization and cytoskeleton maintenance, as a consequence of miR-182 down-regulation. Treatment with miR-182 inhibitors resulted in morphologic phenotypes resembling those induced by DDX5 knockdown. Using bioinformatics tools for pathway and network analyses, we confirmed that the network for regulation of actin cytoskeleton was predominantly enriched for the predicted downstream targets of miR-182. Our results reveal a new functional role of DDX5 in breast cancer via the DDX5→miR-182→actin cytoskeleton pathway, and suggest the potential clinical utility of DDX5 and its downstream MicroRNAs in the theranostics of breast cancer.
Third-Body-Driven vs. One-Impulse Plane Changes

Third-body—driven plane changes, i.e., plane change maneuvers that use third-body forces to reduce the cost of the maneuver, are compared to one-impulse plane changes, the only classical approach still applicable in environments strongly perturbed by a third body. It is shown in particular that, although having inherent restrictions, the realizable range of third-body—driven plane changes covers a wide range of initial conditions and is closely related to the existence of ±180° plane changes. The question of the optimal method for performing a given plane change with given initial conditions and the maximal cost of such transfers are addressed semi-analytically to help in the design of such maneuvers in third-body—perturbed environments. It is found that third-body—driven plane changes are more fuel efficient than one-impulse maneuvers for plane changes values larger than ∼45° (exact value depending on the case considered). The examples of Mars and Callisto orbiters have been used to illustrate the theory.