cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A role for sustained MAPK activity in the mouse ventral telencephalon

The MAPK pathway is a major growth signal that has been implicated during the development of progenitors, neurons, and glia in the embryonic brain. Here, we show that the MAPK pathway plays an important role in the generation of distinct cell types from progenitors in the ventral telencephalon. Our data reveal that phospho-p44/42 (called p-ERK1/2) and the ETS transcription factor Etv5, both downstream effectors in the MAPK pathway, show a regional bias in expression during ventral telencephalic development, with enriched expression in the dorsal region of the LGE and ventral region of the MGE at E13.5 and E15.5. Interestingly, expression of both factors becomes more uniform in ventricular zone (VZ) progenitors by E18.5. To gain insight into the role of MAPK activity during progenitor cell development, we used a cre inducible constitutively active MEK1 allele (RosaMEK1DD/+) in combination with a ventral telencephalon enriched cre (Gsx2e-cre) or a dorsal telencephalon enriched cre (Emx1cre/+). Sustained MEK/MAPK activity in the ventral telencephalon (Gsx2e-cre; RosaMEK1DD/+) expanded dorsal lateral ganglionic eminence (dLGE) enriched genes (Gsx2 and Sp8) and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) markers (Olig2, Pdgfrα, and Sox10), and also reduced markers in the ventral (v) LGE domain (Isl1 and Foxp1). Activation of MEK/MAPK activity in the dorsal telencephalon (Emx1cre/+; RosaMEK1DD/+) did not initially activate the expression of dLGE or OPC genes at E15.5 but ectopic expression of Gsx2 and OPC markers were observed at E18.5. These results support the idea that MAPK activity as readout by p-ERK1/2 and Etv5 expression is enriched in distinct subdomains of ventral telencephalic progenitors during development. In addition, sustained activation of the MEK/MAPK pathway in the ventral or dorsal telencephalon influences dLGE and OPC identity from progenitors.
Adolescent cortisol and DHEA responses to stress as prospective predictors of emotional and behavioral difficulties: A person-centered approach.

Abstract Background Well-orchestrated cortisol and DHEA stress responsivity is thought to support efficacious stressor management (i.e., coping) and reduce risk for psychopathology during adolescence. Evidence of these relations, however, is lacking empirically. This longitudinal investigation had three aims: 1) to identify within-adolescent profiles of joint cortisol-DHEA responsivity, 2) examine profiles as prospective predictors of adolescents’ later emotional and behavioral difficulties, and 3) examine whether distraction coping helped buffer such prospective risk in each profile. Method At Time 1, boys (n = 110) and girls (n = 105) between 11 and 16 years of age with varied levels of risk for psychopathology completed a lab-based socio-evaluative stressor and questionnaires (e.g., coping, internalizing and externalizing problems). Emotional and behavioral adjustment was assessed again at Time 2 (2 years later). Results Multi-trajectory modeling of adolescents’ cortisol and DHEA within the context of the stressor revealed three groups: Normative (n = 107; 49.8%), Hyperresponsive (n = 64; 29.8%), Hyporesponsive (n = 44; 20.5%). Relative to Normative, Hyperresponsive and Hyporesponsive adolescents were more and less advanced in pubertal status, respectively. Hyperresponsive adolescents, but not Hyporesponsive, reported greater emotional and behavioral problems at Time 2, relative to Normative adolescents. Links between distraction coping and Time 2 adjustment varied across the groups. Specifically, distraction coping was associated with fewer Time 2 emotional and behavioral problems for Normative adolescents. However, the converse was true for Hyporesponsive adolescents, with distraction associated with greater Time 2 emotional and behavioral problems. Distraction was not associated with Time 2 emotional and behavioral problems for Hyperresponsive adolescents (i.e., elevated levels irrespective of distraction coping utilization). Conclusion Our results strengthen inference about the role neuroendocrine coordination plays in risk for psychopathology. Findings also help to clarify inconsistent distraction coping–psychopathology linkages, illustrating different patterns of cortisol-DHEA responsivity that support as well as thwart the use of this potentially efficacious strategy.
Machine learning reinforced microstructure-sensitive prediction of material property closures

Abstract This study addresses a machine learning (ML)-reinforced strategy to build both linear and non-linear property closures for metallic materials. A property closure is a closed space of material properties that contains all possible values of the closure variables. The material properties of metals are significantly dependent on the underlying microstructure texture. Here, the polycrystalline material is expressed by the Orientation Distribution Function (ODF) that relates to the volume densities of the crystallographic orientations. Theoretically, the property closures of volume-averaged material properties can be derived using single-crystal microstructure solutions; however, this theory is not valid for non-linear properties. Therefore, we use an ML-reinforced strategy to generate both linear and non-linear material property closures using the Linear Regression (LR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) method with Bayesian Regularization. The closures for material properties, such as the elastic stiffness parameters and critical buckling load, are generated for Titanium, Magnesium, and Aluminum. The outcomes of the ML surrogate models for these properties are compared to each other. The results demonstrate that the ANN model with Bayesian regularization is capable of predicting both linear and non-linear material properties with almost 100% accuracy. However, the linear regression algorithm is found to be not as accurate as of the Bayesian inference for the non-linear property even though it provides similar accuracy as ANN for the linear property. Therefore, ANN with Bayesian regularization is utilized for predicting the property closure of critical buckling load, which is a non-linear property.
Survey of Word Sense Disambiguation Approaches

Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD) is an important but challenging technique in the area of natural language processing (NLP). Hundreds of WSD algorithms and systems are available, but less work has been done in regard to choosing the optimal WSD algorithms. This paper summarizes the various knowledge sources used for WSD and classifies existing WSD algorithms according to their techniques. The rationale, tasks, performance, knowledge sources used, computational complexity, assumptions, and suitable applications for each class of WSD algorithms are also discussed. This paper will provide users with general knowledge for choosing WSD algorithms for their specific applications or for further adaptation.
Platelet survival in patients with a Beall valve. Relation to low incidence of thromboembolism.

Abstract Recent investigations demonstrating short platelet survival time in patients with prosthetic heart valves have suggested that platelets contribute to thromboembolism in this group. New prostheses have proved less thrombogenic than those previously employed, but platelet survival studies in patients with these valves are lacking. In this study, the Beall mitral prosthesis, known to be infrequently associated with thromboembolism, was used as a model, and platelet survival time and its relation to hemolysis, thrombosis and the surface area of the disc were determined in 9 patients. Platelet survival time was normal in 6 of 9 patients, and mean survival time (6.5 ± 0.29 days) did not differ significantly from normal (6.73 ± 0.21 days; P > 0.50). Platelet survival time was inversely related to increasing disc surface area but did not correlate with the presence or degree of hemolysis. The fact that platelet abnormalities were not demonstrable in patients with Beall valves may explain the low incidence of thromboembolism in this group. Platelet survival studies may be useful for determining the thrombogenic potential of valvular prostheses and for evaluating newer prosthetic materials and designs.
The incidence and outcome of asymptomatic herpes simplex genitalis in an obstetric population

In a prospective study of an obstetric population, 28 of 488 (4%) routine asymptomatic patients had positive cultures for herpes simplex virus from their genital tract. Cesarean section was carried out if the virus was present in the genital tract at the time of delivery. In one instance, a culture which had reverted to negative became positive again. No cases of neonatal herpes were reported in the time of the study. As yet, the infectivity of these subclinical cases is unclear, and the incidence of neonatal herpes is not as high as would be expected from the study. Further studies need to be carried out to evaluate the exact risk of the asymptomatic herpesvirus shedder to the infant at birth.
Automated design of multidimensional clustering tables for relational databases

The ability to physically cluster a database table on multiple dimensions is a powerful technique that offers significant performance benefits in many OLAP, warehousing, and decision-support systems. An industrial implementation of this technique for the DB2® Universal DatabaseTM (DB2 UDB) product, called multidimensional clustering (MDC), which co-exists with other classical forms of data storage and indexing methods, was described in VLDB 2003. This paper describes the first published model for automating the selection of clustering keys in single-dimensional and multidimensional relational databases that use a cell/block storage structure for MDC. For any significant dimensionality (3 or more), the possible solution space is combinatorially complex. The automated MDC design model is based on what-if query cost modeling, data sampling, and a search algorithm for evaluating a large constellation of possible combinations. The model is effective at trading the benefits of potential combinations of clustering keys against data sparsity and performance. It also effectively selects the granularity at which dimensions should be used for clustering (such as week of year versus month of year). We show results from experiments indicating that the model provides design recommendations of comparable quality to those made by human experts. The model has been implemented in the IBM® DB2 UDB for Linux®, UNIX® and Windows® Version 8.2 release.
Abstract P257: Common Genetic Variations in the Vitamin D Pathway in Relation to Blood Pressure

Background: Vitamin D is involved in the regulation of blood pressure (BP) through multiple mechanisms. Genetic variation may influence the effect of vitamin D on BP, but data from epidemiologic studies remain limited. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive genetic association study to investigate the variants in an expanded vitamin D metabolism and signaling pathway in relation to BP. Analyses were conducted in the Women’s Genome Health Study (WGHS) with genome-wide genotype data among 23,294 women of European ancestry and in the International Consortium of Blood Pressure (ICBP) with published genome-wide meta-analysis results from 69,395 men and women of European ancestry. Results: Analyses were conducted in three stages. First, among 5 candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the vitamin D related genes that were previously found associated with BP, none was associated with systolic (SBP) or diastolic BP (DBP) in the WGHS or ICBP. Second, in an expanded set of 61 SNPs involved in vitamin D me...
Building a large annotated corpus of English: the penn treebank

Abstract : As a result of this grant, the researchers have now published oil CDROM a corpus of over 4 million words of running text annotated with part-of- speech (POS) tags, with over 3 million words of that material assigned skeletal grammatical structure. This material now includes a fully hand-parsed version of the classic Brown corpus. About one half of the papers at the ACL Workshop on Using Large Text Corpora this past summer were based on the materials generated by this grant.
Site dependent factors affecting the economic feasibility of solar powered absorption cooling

A procedure was developed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of combining an absorption cycle chiller with a solar energy system. A basic assumption of the procedure is that a solar energy system exists for meeting the heating load of the building, and that the building must be cooled. The decision to be made is to either cool the building with a conventional vapor compression cycle chiller or to use the existing solar energy system to provide a heat input to the absorption chiller. Two methods of meeting the cooling load not supplied by solar energy were considered. In the first method, heat is supplied to the absorption chiller by a boiler using fossil fuel. In the second method, the load not met by solar energy is net by a conventional vapor compression chiller. In addition, the procedure can consider waste heat as another form of auxiliary energy. Commercial applications of solar cooling with an absorption chiller were found to be more cost effective than the residential applications. In general, it was found that the larger the chiller, the more economically feasible it would be. Also, it was found that a conventional vapor compression chiller is a viable alternative for the auxiliary cooling source, especially for the larger chillers. The results of the analysis gives a relative rating of the sites considered as to their economic feasibility of solar cooling.
Ozone Depletion During Solar Proton Events in Solar Cycle 21

We have analyzed ozone profile data from the Solar Backscattered Ultraviolet Instrument on Nimbus 7 from 1979 to the present and have found clear cases of ozone destruction associated with five SPEs: on June 7, 1979, August 21, 1979, October 13–14, 1981, July 13, 1982, and December 8, 1982. During the SPE on July 13, 1982, the largest of this solar cycle, we observed no depletion at all at 45 km, but a 15% ozone depletion at 50 km increasing to 27% at 55 km, all at a solar zenith angle of 85°. We find a strong variation of the observed depletion with solar zenith angle, with maximum depletion occurring at the largest zenith angles (near 85°) decreasing to near zero for angles below about 70°. The observed depletion is short lived, disappearing within hours of the end of the SPE.
Corruption and Policy Reform

Policies designed to improve the quality of life for the poor and to spur economic growth often fail. A program that succeeds in one country or even in one village may not work in another. Promising experiments may not be capable of replication and may be impossible to scale up to cover an entire country. Reformers are told: “One size does not fit all.” Yet, problems of poor health, low educational attainment, degraded natural environments, and violence and crime are widespread. Why shouldn't similar policies work in various settings? We argue that, over and above substantive differences, a key reason for cross-country differences in policy efficacy is the quality of government and the ubiquity of corruption and related forms of self-dealing by politicians, civil servants, and the private individuals and business interests with whom they interact. A policy that works quite well in one country may fail or be coopted in another with lower-quality governance. Understanding the incentives for corruption and self-dealing is a precondition for making progress on the other challenges facing the world. A beautifully designed policy that seems to have high net benefits may fail in the face of weak institutions. One response is to urge a crackdown by law-enforcement authorities, but that strategy will seldom be sufficient. Those seeking to further economic development need to understand the institutional origins of corruption and take them into account in designing policies. Certain policies may simply be infeasible because they are riddled with incentives for illicit self-dealing. Others may need to be combined with programs explicitly designed to reduce the incentives for corruption built into existing institutions.
Josephson current noise above T c in superconducting tunnel junctions

Tunnel junction between two superconductors is considered in the vicinity of the critical temperature. Superconductive fluctuations above ${T}_{c}$ give rise to the noise of the ac Josephson current although the current itself is zero in average. As a result of fluctuations, current noise spectrum is peaked at the Josephson frequency, which may be considered as precursor of superconductivity in the normal state. Temperature dependence and shape of the Josephson current noise resonance line is calculated for various junction configurations.
Slow, fast and arbitrary growth conditions for renewal-reward processes when both the renewals and the rewards are heavy-tailed

Consider M independent and identically distributed renewal-reward processes with heavy-tailed renewals and rewards that have either finite variance or heavy tails. Let W * (Ty,M),y∈[0,1] , denote the total reward process computed as the sum of all rewards in M renewal-reward processes over the time interval [0,T]. If T→∞ and then M→∞, Taqqu and Levy have shown that the properly normalized total reward process W * (T⋅,M) converges to the stable Levy motion, but, if M→∞ followed by T→∞, the limit depends on whether the tails of the rewards are lighter or heavier than those of renewals. If they are lighter, then the limit is a self-similar process with stationary and dependent increments. If the rewards have finite variance, this self-similar process is fractional Brownian motion, and if they are heavy-tailed rewards, it is a stable non-Gaussian process with infinite variance. We consider asymmetric rewards and investigate what happens when M and T go to infinity jointly, that is, when M is a function of T and M=M(T)→∞ as T→∞. We provide conditions on the growth of M for the total reward process W * (T⋅,M(T)) to converge to any of the limits stated above, as T→∞. We also show that when the tails of the rewards are heavier than the tails of the renewals, the limit is stable Levy motion as M=M(T)→∞, irrespective of the function M(T).
Preoperative evaluation. Medical obstacles to surgery.

The primary curative therapy for colorectal cancer is surgical resection. In addition, surgery is the mainstay for palliative therapy in most patients with more advanced colorectal cancer. Medical problems may have an impact on the decisions of when to operate and what procedure to do. Postoperative morbidity and mortality are affected by preoperative medical conditions. These medical problems may be secondary to the carcinoma, such as obstruction, perforation with sepsis, or malnutrition, or may be a result of underlying disorders, especially cardiopulmonary diseases
Resonance Raman effect in MnO−4 with 5145 Å laser excitation

Abstract Resonance Raman scattering of the MnO − 4 ion in H 2 O and D 2 O solutions is reported. Several overtones of the ν 1 (A 1 ) mode of this ion (T d symmetry) and combination tones n ν 1 (A 1 ) + ν 3 (F 2 ) are observed. From the wavenumbers of the overtones of ν 1 the dissociation energy of the MnO − 4 ion has been estimated.
Weak-field anions displace the histidine ligand in a synthetic heme peptide but not in N-acetylmicroperoxidase-8: possible role of heme geometry differences.

We have recently reported that aquo and thioether complexes of the ferric cytochrome c heme peptide N-acetylmicroperoxidase-8 (FeIII-1) exhibit greater low-spin character than do the corresponding complexes of a synthetic, water-soluble, monohistidine-ligated heme peptide (FeIII-2; Cowley, A. B.; Lukat-Rodgers, G. S.; Rodgers, K. R.; Benson, D. R. Biochemistry 2004, 43, 1656−1666). Herein we report results of studies showing that weak-field ligands bearing a full (fluoride, chloride, hydroxide) or partial (phenoxide, thiocyanate) negative charge on the coordinating atom trigger dissociation of the axial His ligand in FeIII-2 but not in FeIII-1. We attribute the greater sensitivity of His ligation in FeIII-1 to weak-field anionic ligands than to weak-field neutral ligands to the following phenomena: (1) anionic ligands pull FeIII further from the mean plane of a porphyrin than do neutral ligands, which will have the effect of straining the His−Fe bond in FeIII-2, and (2) heme in FeIII-2 is likely to under...
Inductive modeling using causal studies in neuroeconomics: brains on drugs

This paper introduces a new approach to economic analysis. We show how to move from deductive to inductive modeling and thereby reunite economics with approaches used in the natural sciences. This paper presents the empathy-generosity-punishment model as an example of research based on observation, experimentation, and the elimination of alternatives. Inductive modeling in neuroeconomics allows the identification of the physiologic mechanisms that produce behavior. Unlike most neuroeconomics studies, we show how to establish causation by using drugs to manipulate brain activity. This approach is demonstrated using three experiments that circumscribe the brain processes behind prosocial behavior.
Chemical composition of volatiles from cortical oleoresin of Pseudotsuga menziesii

Abstract Pseudotsuga menziesii cortical oleoresin was found to contain 1·7% of oxygenated terpenoids and compounds of similar volatility composed of linalool, methylsalicylate, bornyl acetate, citronellol, geranyl acetate, methylthymol, citronellyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol, borneol, isopulegol, anethole, terpinen-4-ol acetate, camphor, geraniol, neryl acetate, and nerol. Sesquiterpenoid hydrocarbons were low (only 0·07%) and contained sibirene and longifolene as main constituents, with β-caryophyllene, γ-muurolene, γ-cadinene (identified by IR), and 20 additional compounds in small amounts. p -Cymen-8-ene was identified in monoterpene hydrocarbon fraction.
Stiffness Optimization and Comparison of Tensile Trusses With Constant Envelope and Cable Material

We evaluate and compare the stiffness properties of 6 different configurations of tensile trusses. More specifically, given a constant structural envelope and amount of homogeneous isotropic linear elastic cable material, the stiffness properties of the configurations are analyzed with constant cross-sectional area cables. The configurations include: (1) a Stewart platform, (2) Stewart platform with full spine, 3 cable tie-offs, and slip joint, (3) 6-loop dual-reeved system with partial spine, (4) 4-node/4-loop dual-reeved system, (5) double Stewart platform, and (6) 3D extension of a 2D 2 cable system. In each case, we use analytical results for the evaluation of the stiffness matrix, with some new stiffness matrix results being presented. Of the 6 competing configurations considered, no one configuration was uniformly better than all others, but both the double Stewart platform and the Stewart platform with full spine, 3 cable tie-offs, and slip joint performed quite well, of course given free, massless, rigid body material.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Measurements and Axisymmetric Model of Spatial Correlations in Turbulent Pipe Flow

The structure of fully developed turbulent water pipe flow is investigated using data from two hot film x probes to evaluate two-point, two-component (axial and radial) space and space-time velocity correlations. Measurements are made with one probe fixed at F//? = 0.35 from the pipe wall and the other a moveable probe translated, with combined axial and radial separations, to give net probe separations in planes inclined at 0, 10, 20, 40, 65, and 90 deg in both upstream and downstream directions with respect to the mean flow. Departure of these two-point correlations from isotropic behavior is modeled in terms of axisymmetric tensor forms in which the turbulence is characterized by two scalar quantities related to the correlation length scales.
Predicting relative low-temperature tolerance of non-acclimatized buffalograss using calorimetric data

Abstract No information is available regarding the usefulness of calorimetry in assessing freeze tolerance, cold hardiness and associated mechanisms in turfgrass. In this study, isothermal and scanning microcalorimetric techniques were used to determine relative low-temperature tolerance and freezing points of leaf and root segments of three, non-acclimatized buffalograss ( Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.) genotypes. Based on isothermal microcalorimetric data, genotype NE91-118 (cultivar now known as ‘Prestige’) was less affected by low temperatures than either genotype 609 or UCD 95 in the −5 to −15 °C range suggesting greater cold hardiness for ‘Prestige’. Among the three genotypes tested, leaf and root segments of ‘Prestige’ froze at the lowest temperature, 609 was intermediate, and UCD 95 froze at the highest temperature. Scanning microcalorimetry showed that the freezing points of root segments were 7.5–8.8 °C higher than leaf segments for all three genotypes. Our results suggested that the lower freezing temperatures and the greater ability to maintain metabolic stability after exposure to low temperatures contributed to the higher degree of freezing tolerance of ‘Prestige’. Results indicated that calorimetry was an effective tool for determining low-temperature tolerance.
Promoting National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health Resources to Industry: Developing a Wellness Outreach Toolkit

The goal of this project was to determine effective ways for a library to partner with corporate employee benefits staff in order to promote National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health resources to participants in employee wellness programs. After meeting with a corporate partner, Preston Medical Library developed a series of newsletter pieces, biometric screening-specific handouts, “Your Wellness Moment” video files, and a LibGuide of Internet resources. A Toolkit for librarians was also developed which outlines the process of identifying and contacting appropriate corporate personnel and creating outreach materials. The Toolkit includes sample outreach materials that are available for download. This article will introduce the reader to the process of developing outreach for a corporate partner and how that development relates to a standardized, theoretical model to planning and evaluating health information outreach.
Sex roles and type a behavior

Examined relationships between sex-role identification and Type A behavior. Based on Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) scores, Ss (N = 64) were categorized as Androgynous, Masculine, Feminine, or Undifferentiated; the extent of Type A behavior was assessed via the Behavior Activity Profile. After biological sex had been covaried out, it was found that the Masculine group had significantly higher Type A scores than any of the other three groups. Also, Type A behavior correlated significantly with both the Masculinity and Femininity scales of the BSRI even though the scales themselves were statistically independent. It is suggested that identification with masculine but not feminine traits, while perhaps conducive to psychological health, may be dysfunctional in terms of long-term medical consequences.
Labels and hangtags: tool for consumer empowerment and education

Advertisers use social marketing to inform and convince consumers of the available products. The most casual apparel like jeans also comes in several brands ranging from designer names with status appeal to economical choices. Labels and hangtags serve as the first connection between the consumers and the apparel product. They address both intrinsic and extrinsic traits. Consumers use labels for social identification, information acquisition and care instructions. The threefold purpose of the reported study was (1) to determine the compliance of the information on the labels of men's jeans with the federal requirements of permanent care labelling; (2) to examine the content and significance of information on the hangtags; and (3) to determine if the weight/unit of the men's jeans varied across various brands used for the study. A content analysis of the information on the labels and hangtags of 26 men's jeans was conducted. The information was tabulated and examined for compliance with federal regulations as well as additional information provided to convince the consumer of the products’ authenticity and performance for the intended use. The findings revealed that labels and hangtags had useful information for persuading the consumer of the longevity of the company and authenticity of the product. The analysed jeans varied for price, style, and weight to meet the satisfaction of a broad spectrum of consumers who could be price conscious, status-driven, and/or just information-seekers. The results support the role of social marketing in reaching a variety of consumers by offering choices. This work can be further extended to determine the impact of labels and hangtags on decision-making across various consumer markets for jeans as well as other apparel categories.
Effect of Commercial Antifungal Compounds on the Performance of Broiler Chickens

Abstract The effect of various dietary antifungal compounds on the performance of broiler chickens reared under field conditions was investigated. Dietary gentian violet (8 or 16 μg./g.) propionic acid (300 or 500 μg./g.) or a product containing certain enzymes and antioxidants had no beneficial or adverse effect on body weight, feed consumption or feed conversion efficiency of the chickens. At no time during the 6 week study was there evidence of obvious mold growth or mycotoxin formation in any of the rations.
How Wild Do We Want It? “Wiley” Coyote Versus Fluffy

AbstractHuman relationships with companion animals (cats) and nondomestic, wilder animals (coyotes) are explored in terms of domestic and nondomestic spaces in urban and nonurban settings. What companion animals contribute to and mean to human well-being is considered alongside the perceived need to protect companion animals from wilder animals while allowing them to live naturally, a contested category. Questions related to companion animal/human relationships are explored: do humans romanticize their relationships with their companion animals? Is that to the detriment of other animals’ well-being?
Lung surfactant in elastase induced emphysema

Abstract We have studied the properties of lung surfactant (LS) solutions, obtained by lavage of lungs from normal hamsters as well as from those with enzymatically induced emphysema (EIE). In the EIE group, LS contains less lipid and the same amount of protein as the control group, but there are more low-molecular-weight molecules among the proteins. The surface properties of the EIE samples are somewhat changes from the control group as expected from the different composition. However, in both control and EIE samples, when the slope of the π- A isotherm increases, the area intercept decreases. These changes in the composition and the surface properties lead to changes in the surface elasticity that appear to compensate for the decrease in the structural elasticity.
In-situ ellipsometry on sputtered dielectric and magneto-optic thin films

Abstract A four-gun magnetron sputtering chamber incorporating in-situ real-time spectroscopic ellipsometric analysis was used to grow magneto-optic memory structures. Data were taken at 44 wavelengths simultaneously from 410 nm to 750 nm, allowing the study of SiC/TbFeCo SiC depositions on quartz in real time. These data were used to determine the sputter rates, optical constants, and the thicknesses of the films. The SiC data were taken at 1 min time intervals during growth, and the TbFeCo deposition was monitored continuously. Data were taken during the deposition of the entire structure without subjecting the sample to destructive analysis techniques or an oxidizing or reactive atmosphere.
Presence of subgenomic mRNAs in virions of coronavirus IBV.

Abstract The presence of subgenomic mRNAs in virions of IBV was examined by probing Northern blots of RNA extracted from virions using as a probe a cDNA of the 3′-terminal nucleocapsid protein (N) gene. This detects all five mRNAs because of the 3′-coterminal, nested-set arrangement of coronavirus mRNAs. The mRNAs were readily detected even after extensive purification of virions and after RNase A treatment of virions. In sucrose gradients the peaks of virus particles, genomic RNA (gRNA), and mRNAs were coincident. Cellular mRNA was not detected in virions. The molar ratio of gRNA to each mRNA ranged from about 10 to 30 for IBV-Beaudette and 25 to 800 for IBV-M41. The molar ratio of genomic to intracellular viral mRNAs was also determined. From this it was estimated that the efficiency of incorporation of gRNA into virions was at least 20- to 100-fold greater, depending on the mRNA species, for IBV-Beaudette and 100- to 500-fold for IBV-M41. It is concluded that most virions contain only gRNA or contain only one species of mRNA on average in addition to gRNA.
Intransitive preferences in hoarding gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis)

Decision makers are often assumed to assign stable fitness-based values to foraging options. Under this assumption, the tendency to prefer the more valuable of two simultaneously available options should be transitive. For example, if option a is preferred when paired with b, and b is preferred when paired with c, then a should be preferred when paired with c. According to the principle of strong stochastic transitivity, the preference for a over c should be at least as strong as the stronger of the other two preferences (i.e., p(a,c)≥max[p(a,b), p(b,c)]). Gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis) collecting food for storage violated this principle, and failed to support even weaker forms of transitivity. All subjects preferred option a (one raisin, 28 cm into a tube) over b (two raisins, 42 cm), and b over c (three raisins, 56 cm), but none of the subjects preferred a over c. Such paradoxical preferences are often interpreted as evidence for simple heuristics rather than complex decision mechanisms. According to bounded rationality, intransitive choice is a suboptimal byproduct of heuristics that usually perform well in real-world situations. Alternatively, intransitive choice could be a byproduct of selection favoring a complex decision process involving context-dependent assessment of each the fitness-related value of each option. From this perspective, the decision maker's subjective valuation of each option is not fixed, but rather depends on the context (i.e., the specific pairing of options). In the experiment, the subjective value of option a was apparently lower in option set {a,c} than in {a,b}. A model of context-dependent choice is used to explore conditions under which adaptive choice based on a complex decision process can lead to intransitivity.
Abstract C61: A macrophage autonomous α4β1integrin-Syk-Rac2 signaling axis controls macrophage differentiation, tumor growth, and metastasis

Macrophages, a major leukocyte population present in tumors, play an essential role in promoting tumor growth by affecting angiogenesis, immune suppression, invasion and metastasis. Despite considerable research efforts, the signal transduction events within macrophages which encode the complex cascade of events required for tumor growth and polarization of macrophages are poorly understood. Our previous findings demonstrate that α4β1 and αvβ3 integrin directed cell migration on specific extracellular matrices (ECM) requires a specific kinase-GTPase pair, Syk-Rac2. This pathway was shown to regulate the ECM dependent postnatal angiogenic response with no defect in vascular development. Herein, we have linked this ECM dependent signaling pathway in macrophages to the regulation of M2 macrophage differentiation and to the regulation of tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Using mouse genetic models, we provide direct evidence that a macrophage specific, α4β1 integrin dependent Syk-Rac2 signaling axis acts in concert with the p110γ isoform (PTEN-PI-3 kinase pathway) to control HIF1α levels, tumor growth and metastasis. We report a novel proteasome/E3 ligase dependent mechanism by which PI-3 kinase regulates HIF1α levels under hypoxic conditions in the stromal compartment. Moreover, treatment with Syk or PI-3 kinase inhibitors demonstrate potent activity in multiple metastatic models. The results define a novel molecular mechanism for the regulation of HIF1α and a macrophage autonomous signaling pathway that is required for alterations in the ECM and the provisional integrin to regulate tumor metastasis and suggest treatment for metastatic disease targeting this pathway in the M2 macrophage compartment. Citation Format: Shweta Joshi, Alok Ranjan Singh, Muamera Zulcic, Bao Lei, Karen Messer, Donald L. Durden. A macrophage autonomous α4β1integrin-Syk-Rac2 signaling axis controls macrophage differentiation, tumor growth, and metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Invasion and Metastasis; Jan 20-23, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(3 Suppl):Abstract nr C61.
Spreading of thin volatile liquid droplets on uniformly heated surfaces

We develop a mathematical model for the spreading of a thin volatile liquid droplet on a uniformly heated surface. The model accounts for the effects of surface tension, evaporation, thermocapillarity, gravity and disjoining pressure for both perfectly wetting and partially wetting liquids. Previous studies of non-isothermal spreading did not include the effects of disjoining pressure and therefore had to address the difficult issue of imposing proper boundary conditions at the contact line where the droplet surface touches the heated substrate. We avoid this difficulty by taking advantage of the fact that dry areas on the heated solid surface are typically covered by a microscopic adsorbed film where the disjoining pressure suppresses evaporation. We use a lubrication-type approach to derive a single partial differential equation capable of describing both the time-dependent macroscopic shape of the droplet and the microscopic adsorbed film; the contact line is then defined as the transition region between the two
Forest structure, canopy architecture, and light transmittance in tropical wet forests

Identifying factors that influence variation in light availability within forested ecosystems represents an important component in our understanding of the complex determinants of tree seedling regeneration. We assessed the influence of forest structure and canopy tree architecture on spatial heterogeneity of understory light availability in three old-growth and three second-growth forests in lowland Costa Rica. Forest structure and understory light availability were measured within forest types using contiguous 10 × 10 m quadrats along three 130–160 m transects in each stand. Two 20 × 60 m plots in each forest type were sampled more intensively, including vertical profiles of light availability from 1 to 9 m height. Mean diffuse light transmittance increased from 2% at 1 m height to over 10% at 9 m height and did not differ significantly between forest types at any height. However, the relationships among height classes differed between forest types. Second-growth plots showed a negative spatial autocorr...
Reading as an Access to Mathematics Problem Solving on Multiple-Choice Tests for Sixth-Grade Students

The effect of providing middle school students with a video accommodation for a standardized mathematics test was examined. Two hundred forty-seven students were asked to solve 60 word problems. One half of the questions were presented in standard form, while the other half were read by an actor on a video monitor. Students were grouped according to mathematics and reading ability. A test accommodation effect was found for students possessing below-average mathematics skills. The problems were identified as having relatively high reading difficulty according to word count, number of verbs, and word familiarity. Students with above-average mathematics proficiency but low reading skill performed better when the questions were presented in video format. This accommodation may be useful on specific test items for students with certain reading deficiencies.
Cooperation, Peace and (Re-)Construction? A Tale from the Shanties

The catastrophic earthquake of January 2010 deepened the socio-cultural fault lines and disparities that define Haitian society. Even before, the needs of the population and the prioritisation of intervention were managed by international actors. As a result of societal fragilities and the ineffectiveness of the Haitian state in shoring up community relations and basic services, a proliferation of NGOs has arisen in shanties to organise local groups around short-term programmes. Building on surveys and ethnographic research, this article analyses residents' perceptions of such initiatives to foster peace, reconstruction and development in one of Port-au-Prince's poorest and most violent neighbourhoods. Findings suggest that residents remain sceptical about the peace and development impacts of the proliferation of scattered, foreign-driven and unsustainable interventions in Cite Soleil.
An Introduction to “Keeping the ‘Health’ in Health Communication”: A Column Devoted to Interdisciplinary Vocabulary

Health communication research and practice often involve interdisciplinary collaborations. These endeavors include vocabularies associated with the different disciplines and backgrounds of the collaborators. This feature will be devoted to providing glossaries to introduce these vocabularies.
Total Synthesis of (+)-Amphidinolide A. Structure Elucidation and Completion of the Synthesis

The structure elucidation of (+)-amphidinolide A, a cytotoxic macrolide, has been accomplished by employing a combination of NMR chemical shift analysis and total synthesis. The 20-membered ring of amphidinolide A was formed by a ruthenium-catalyzed alkene-alkyne coupling to forge the C15-C16 bond. Using the reported structure 1 as a starting point, a number of diastereomers of amphidinolide A were prepared. Deviations of the chemical shift of key protons in each isomer relative to the natural material were used as a guide to determine the locations of the errors in the relative stereochemistry. The spectroscopic data for the synthetic and natural material are in excellent agreement.
Receptors for Insulin-like Growth Factor II on human fibroblast monolayers

Two types of somatomedin/insulin-like growth factor (SM/IGF) receptors have been defined. Type I receptors have a higher affinity for SM-C/IGF than IGF-II and bind insulin at high concentrations. Type II receptors have a higher affinity for IGF-II than SM-C/IGF I , and do not bind insulin. In this study we have characterized the binding ofIGF-II to human monolayer fibroblast cultures. 125I-IGF-II binds to the human fibroblasts with anaverage specific binding of 12,5% /200,000 cells. The binding of IGF-I was 25% and of insulin was 4,5% of the specific IGF-II binding. The IGF-II was bound to a high affinity receptor. Half maximal displacement was seen with 12 ng/ml IGF-II and 45 ng/ml IGF-I. Insulin at high concentration caused no displacement. The estimated affinity of the IGF-II receptor was 1,2 nM with calculated 400,000 receptor sites/cell. No autoregulation of these IGF-II receptors was seen by homologous hormone. Serum deprivation led to a 50% increase in IGF-II receptor sites. IGF-II binding to human fibroblasts fits the criteria for a type II receptor. There are more receptors for IGF-II on these cells than for either IGF-I or insulin. This suggests an important metabolic role for IGF-II in normal human fibroblasts.
Critical role of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein phosphorylation in mitotic death

Microtubule inhibiting agents (MIAs) characteristically induce phosphorylation of the major anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and although this leads to Mcl-1 degradation, the role of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL phosphorylation in mitotic death has remained controversial. This is in part due to variation in MIA sensitivity among cancer cell lines, the dependency of cell fate on drug concentration and uncertainty about the modes of cell death occurring, thus making comparisons of published reports difficult. To circumvent problems associated with MIAs, we used siRNA knockdown of the anaphase-promoting complex activator, Cdc20, as a defined molecular system to investigate the role, specifically in mitotic death, of individual anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins and their phosphorylated forms. We show that Cdc20 knockdown in HeLa cells induces mitotic arrest and subsequent mitotic death. Knockdown of Cdc20 in HeLa cells stably overexpressing untagged wild-type Bcl-2, Bcl-xL or Mcl-1 promoted phosphorylation of the overexpressed proteins in parallel with their endogenous counterparts. Overexpression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL blocked mitotic death induced by Cdc20 knockdown; phospho-defective mutants were more protective than wild-type proteins, and phospho-mimic Bcl-xL was unable to block mitotic death. Overexpressed Mcl-1 failed to protect from Cdc20 siRNA-mediated death, as the overexpressed protein was susceptible to degradation similar to endogenous Mcl-1. These results provide compelling evidence that phosphorylation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins has a critical role in regulation of mitotic death. These findings make an important contribution toward our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of action of MIAs, which is critical for their rational use clinically.
Kyropolous crystal growth of silicon for solar cell applications

Abstract For the first time, the Kyropolous crystal growth method was used to grow single crystal silicon ingots. The ingots were of relatively low dislocation density ( 4/cm 2 ) . Solar cell efficiency in excess of 13% and comparable to Czochralski single crystal control cells was demonstrated. A novel remelt releasing technique was developed in order to avoid the use of the traditional ingot release agents that tend to interact with the crystal growth process, which in turn leads to the breakdown of the single crystal character.
Small town lead levels: a case study from the homes of pre-schoolers in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

Abstract This study evaluates the relationship between household Pb levels and four variables (home age, distance to road, traffic volume adjacent to the home, and the amount of exposed soil) for 42 homes in a small city. As a whole, Pb levels for the Mt. Pleasant sample were very low compared to large cities. Home age appeared to have the greatest impact on Pb levels as determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The oldest homes (homes >60 years) had the following geometric means: soil = 65 μg g−1, vacuum dust = 620 μg g−1, window sill = 291 μg m−2, indoor play area = 22 μg m−2, and home entrance = 291 μg m−2. The correlation coefficient for increasing home age and soil Pb level was r = 0·63 (p
The differentiation of stereoheterotopic groups.

Constitutionally equivalent groups that occur in a single molecule are classified on the basis of their topic relationships by comparing their environments. The proposed classification extends earlier suggestions of Mislow and Raban. The existence of homotopic groups (those indistinguishable under any conditions) is related to the symmetry properties (gyrosymmetry) of rigid as well as flexible finite molecules. Stereoheterotopic groups (those that are distinguishable but occur in constitutionally equivalent environments) may be associated with various steric elements which will be fully discussed in a second paper. Each of these elements, the center, the axis, the plane and the torsional element, is divided into four mutually exclusive classes: the chiral and achiral elements of stereoisomerism; the prochiral and proachiral elements of prostereoisomerism. Of these classes, only the various centers of stereoisomerism and of prostereoisomerism are discussed in this report. Some modifications in our earlier proposals for the naming of individual stereoheterotopic groups are introduced. The utility of these new and revised terminologies for biochemical discussions is indicated.