cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Value-Based Assessment of DoD Acquisitions Programs☆

Abstract Large-scale programs developed by government entities have a reputation for both costing more and delivering less than was originally intended. In recognition of that, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) began in 2003 to develop and present to Congress a series of status reports and cost audits of selected large acquisitions programs, including data showing changes in projected cost, the development schedule, and the number of units to be acquired. This data represents a publicly-available source of information on how the value of government programs can change over time; a preliminary model was developed for this study that uses GAO data to assess that change in value. Current findings using this technique are expressed in terms of projected program-end net present value (NPV), percentage change in NPV, and an aggregate daily estimated change in NPV over all programs. All results reveal a skew towards loss in value; less than 20% of programs in the set show a positive projected net present value, but those programs comprise less than 2% of the aggregate NPV. When scaled to the FY2012 acquisitions budget, the aggregate daily loss over DoD programs is approximately $208 million. Work to improve and extend these findings using more detailed public-domain data is ongoing at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
An in situ-hybridization study of the localization of retinol-binding protein and transthyretin messenger RNAs during fetal development in the rat

The patterns, and the cellular sites, of expression of the genes for retinol-binding protein (RBP) and transthyretin (TTR) were studied during early- to mid-stages of rat embryogenesis. In situ hybridization of single-stranded RNA probes to rat embryo sections revealed specific sites at which RBP messenger RNA (mRNA) and TTR mRNA were localized in rat conceptuses from 7 to 13 days of gestation. RBP and TTR mRNAs were both observed in the visceral endoderm as early as at 7 days of gestation. The transcripts were not expressed in the parietal endoderm. At 9 days of gestation, TTR mRNA was strongly detected in the visceral extraembryonic endoderm and in the foregut endoderm, whereas RBP mRNA was detected only in the visceral extraembryonic endoderm. From the 10th day to the 13th day of gestation, both transcripts were increasingly expressed in the visceral yolk sac endoderm and in the developing fetal liver, and gradually decreased in the foregut. At 11 days of gestation, TTR mRNA was first detected in the tela choroidea of the fourth ventricle in the brain; and at 13 days, the TTR mRNA was strongly evident in the developing choroid plexus of the fourth and lateral ventricles. These in situ hybridization studies with embryos at different developmental stages show that RBP and TTR mRNAs are transcribed quite early during embryogenesis. The protein products of these transcripts may play important roles in vitamin A and thyroid hormone metabolism, and in the functions that these regulatory compounds play, in the developing rat embryo.
87 LEFT VENTRICULAR FALSE TENDONS (BANDS): ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC AND ANGIOCARDIOGRAPHIC DELINEATION

87 LEFT VENTRICULAR FALSE TENDONS (BANDS): ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC AND ANGIOCARDIOGRAPHIC DELINEATION
An object-oriented system for 3D medical image analysis

As part of a European Commission-funded research project on medical image analysis, we have developed a system aimed at solving a real clinical problem: the outlining of the target volume and organs at risk for three-dimensional conformal radiation treatment planning. The clinical requirement is to make this process less tedious and time-consuming. We show how object-oriented design techniques can be used to good effect in a collaborative project such as this, so that image segmentation and other algorithms from a number of different partners in the consortium can be integrated into one system, for comparative evaluation by the clinical partners. We describe in some detail two of these algorithms, one a straightforward region and volume grower, in which particular attention has been paid to adapting the user interface to suit clinical needs, and the other an interactive tool using b-spline surface patches for direct three-dimensional segmentation. We report on the clinical feedback we have received, which indicates that the most technically advanced algorithms are not necessarily the most useful from a clinician's point of view.
Is neonatal circumcision clinically beneficial? Argument in favor.

The issue of neonatal circumcision is highly controversial. In this Viewpoint, Austin discusses why he considers neonatal circumcision to be beneficial. He assesses the evidence for a protective effect of circumcision from genital cancer, urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections, and also the evidence for minimal adverse events associated with circumcision in neonates.
Performance of coded-sequence self-encoded spread spectrum under pulsed-noise jamming

In recent work, we proposed coded-sequence self-encoded spread spectrum (CS-SESS) as an extension to self-encoded spread spectrum (SESS) by increasing the modulation memory without a spreading bandwidth expansion. In this paper, we study the performance of CS-SESS under pulsed noise jamming and show that iterative detection can improve the bit-error rate (BER) performance significantly. The time diversity detection of CS-SESS can completely mitigate the effect of jamming by taking advantage of the inherent temporal diversity. Furthermore, iterative detection with multiple iterations is also developed to combine the correlation and time diversity detections effectively. Simulation results demonstrate that multiple iterations can not only eliminate the jamming completely but also achieve the additional coding gain of around 3.5 dB at 10−3 BER when compared to BPSK system under AWGN.
Combinatorial Modulation of Signaling Pathways Reveals Cell-Type-Specific Requirements for Highly Efficient and Synchronous iPSC Reprogramming

Thedifferentiatedstateofsomaticcellsprovidesbarriersfor thederivation of inducedpluripotentstemcells(iPSCs).Toaddresswhysome cell types reprogrammore readily than others, we studied the effect of combined modulation of cellularsignaling pathways. Surprisingly, inhibitionof transforminggrowthfactorb(TGF-b)together withactivation ofWntsignalinginthepresenceofascorbicacidallows>80% of murinefibroblaststo acquirepluripotency after1 weekof reprogrammingfactorexpression.In contrast, hepaticandbloodprogenitors predominantly required only TGF-b inhibitionor canonical Wnt activation, respectively, to reprogramat efficiencies approaching 100%. Strikingly, blood progenitors reactivated endogenous pluripotency loci in a highly synchronous manner, and we demonstrate that expression of specific chromatin-modifying enzymes and reduced TGF-b/mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity are intrinsic properties associated with the unique reprogramming response of these cells. Our observations define cell-type-specific requirements for the rapid and synchronous reprogramming of somatic cells.
Distinct and Dynamic Requirements for mTOR Signaling in Hematopoiesis and Leukemogenesis

Signaling involving PI3K and AKT regulates cell growth, partly through the mTOR kinase complexes 1 and 2. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell , Kalaitzidis et al. and Magee et al. reveal unique requirements for mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling during blood development and leukemogenesis induced by loss of PTEN .
Magnetically insulated plasma sheath in coaxial transmission lines with an external magnetic field

A relativistic Brillouin flow equilibrium model is assumed for the plasma sheath and a cylindrical analytic solution including a uniform external magnetic field is obtained. A free parameter appearing in all previous magnetic insulation theories is shown to be accurately determined by maximizing the transmitted power flow. The theory is supported by particle‐in‐cell simulations.
What’s wrong with be(com)ing queer? Biological determinism as discursive queer hegemony:

This article analyzes the current dichotomy in American political and popular culture between pro-gay biological determinism, which is used to argue for LGBTQ rights, and anti-gay social constructi...
Azithromycin increases survival and reduces lung inflammation in cystic fibrosis mice

Objective and design Azithromycin (AZM) has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly those with chronic infection with P. aeruginosa (PA). To investigate mechanisms associated with the beneficial effects of AZM in CF, we examined bacterial load, cytokine levels, and clearance of inflammatory cells in CF mice infected with mucoid PA and treated with AZM.
Evidence that arachidonic acid influences hen granulosa cell steroidogenesis and plasminogen activator activity by a protein kinase C-independent mechanism.

We recently proposed that arachidonic acid serves as a second messenger within granulosa cells from the largest preovulatory follicle of the hen. The present studies were conducted to determine whether the inhibitory effects of arachidonic acid on LHinduced cAMP accumulation and on the ability of cells to convert 25-hydroxycholesterol to progesterone are mediated via the protein Idnase C pathway. Furthermore, we determined the effects of arachldonic acid on plasminogen activator activity in granulosa cells. In the first experiment, the putative protein kinase C inhibitor, staurosporine, completely reversed the inhibitory effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on LH-promoted cAMP formation, but failed to overcome the inhibitory effects of arachidonic acid. Prolonged pretreatment (18 h) wIth 1.6 �tM PMA depleted granulosa cells of both cytosolic and membraneassociated protein kinase C, and subsequently attenuated the inhibitory effects of PMA on LH-induced progesterone production; however, such depletion did not alter the inhibitory effects of phospholipase A, (PLA2; an agent that Increases intracellular levels of arachidonic acid). PMA, but not arachidonic acid, caused a rapid (within 2 miii) translocation of protein kinase C from the cytosol to the membrane (a characteristic of agents that activate protein kinase C). Finally, both arachidonic acid and PLA, inhibit plasminogen activator (PA) activity in a dose-dependent fashion, whereas activation of protein kinase C with PMA stimulates PA activity. Taken together, the data suggest that the effects of arachidonic acid in granulosa cells can occur independently of protein kinase C activation. Since arachidonic acid also inhibits progesterone production in granulosa cells after lonophore (A23 187)induced calcium mobilization, we propose that the modulatory actions of arachidonic acid on steroid production may be mediated by an interaction with the calcium/calmodulin second messenger pathway.
Polyamines and the synthesis of estradiol-regulated growth factors in rat mammary cancer in culture.

We have recently provided evidence to suggest that the polyamine pathway plays an essential role in the expression of the growth-promoting effect of estradiol (E2) regulated growth factors in the N-nitrosomethylurea (NMU) induced rat mammary tumor culturedin vitro in the soft agar clonogenic assay. To further explore the interaction between the polyamine pathway and autocrine control of tumor growth by E2, we tested whether, in our system, polyamines play a role in the synthesis of E2-regulated growth factors. Conditioned medium (CM) obtained from tumors treated with E2 and the polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor α-difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO) (1 mM) no longer exhibited the colony-stimulating effect which was consistently observed with E2-CM. Such growth promoting activity was restored in a dose-dependent fashion with CM obtained from tumors treated with E2, DFMO, and increasing concentrations of spermidine (from 1 to 100µM). Conditioned medium obtained from tumors treated with DFMO with and without spermidine in the absence of E2 had no discernible effects on colony formation. The colony stimulating effect of the CM employed could not be accounted for by the contaminating presence in the media of E2, DFMO, or polyamines. These results indicate that, in our system, the polyamine pathway plays an important role in the synthesis of E2-regulated growth factors.
Influence of functionalized fullerene structure on polymer photovoltaic degradation

Abstract The time dependence of device performance has been measured for photocells using blends containing the conjugated polymer, poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) with two different functionalized C 60 electron acceptor molecules: commercially available [6,6]-phenyl C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) or [6,6]-phenyl C 61 butyric acid octadecyl ester (PCBOD) produced in this laboratory. Performance was characterized by the short-circuit current output of the devices, with the time dependence of PCBM samples typically degrading exponentially. Variations in the characteristic lifetime of the devices were observed to depend on the molar fraction of the electron acceptor molecules (calculated with respect to the MEH-PPV monomer fraction). In comparison to the PCBM samples, the stability of the PCBOD blends was significantly enhanced, with a one or two order of magnitude improvement. Corresponding spectroscopic data with similar time evolution as the transport measurements suggest an independent means for determining and understanding degradation mechanisms.
Use of anthropogenic radioisotopes to estimate rates of soil redistribution by wind I: Historic use of 137Cs

Abstract Wind erosion is increasingly scrutinized as a causative factor in soil degradation and fugitive dust emissions. Although models have been developed to predict wind erosion and dust emissions, they are not accurate in all locations. The temporal and spatial variability of aeolian processes makes local estimates of long-term average erosion costly and time consuming. Atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the 1950s and 1960s resulted in anthropogenic radioisotopes that had not previously existed being injected into stratospheric global circulation and subsequently deposited on the Earth’s surface. Many of these radioisotopes are strongly adsorbed to soil particles and their movement on the landscape is a powerful method for investigating soil redistribution by wind, water, and tillage. 137Cs is the most commonly used anthropogenic radioisotope used to assess soil redistribution rates. Models have been developed to equate differences of radioisotope inventories with rates of soil redistribution and these models have been employed globally to assess soil redistribution on agricultural and natural landscapes. The radioisotope method for assessing soil redistribution rates has many advantages, but also a few limitations. One of the major limitations occurs when local sources of radioisotope contamination, particularly 137Cs, mask the pulse from global fallout, making temporal estimates of redistribution difficult or impossible. In this paper, I explore the importance, history, and applications of the radioisotopic technique using 137Cs, particularly as it applies to soil redistribution by wind.
Characterization and Mitigation of the MGT-Based Aurora Protocol in a Radiation Environment

The radiation test results of the Aurora protocol operating on an FPGA with Multi-Gigabit Transceivers are reported. An FPGA mitigation circuit was also developed and tested to repair SEU-induced faults seen in radiation testing.
Fraud, ethics, and the disciplinary contexts of science and scholarship

This article argues that the disciplinary context is the locus of illegitimate—fraudulent and deviant—as well as legitimate activity in science and scholarship. It discusses the structural features of disciplines that condition variation in rates and types of malpractice. These features include levels of: research activity, replication and replicability, coauthorship, locus of creativity in publication (compared to the research process), and intellectual fragmentation.
Synthesis and deposition of TiB2-containing materials by arc spraying☆

Abstract Wear-resistant coatings containing TiB 2 have been previously synthesized and deposited using the plasma spray synthesis process. The technique consists of plasma spraying micropellets comprising the reagents (ferrotitanium and boron or ferroboron) and depositing the as-reacted products on a substrate. In order to facilitate the deposition of the materials, to lower the cost and to increase the spray rate, a different approach has been tried. It consists of depositing TiB 2 -containing material by using the flexible arc-spraying technology. Coatings containing TiB 2 have been synthesized and deposited by arc spraying core wires containing the reagents mentioned above. Even though the process appears simpler, it was found that the wire fabrication as well as its deposition must be carefully controlled in order to obtain the desired coatings.
Optimizing inclusion shapes and patterns in periodic materials using Discrete Object Projection

Current topology optimization methodologies assume a monolithic, free form approach to design. Many engineered materials and structures, however, are composed of discrete, non-overlapping objects such as fiber or particle-based materials. Application of the topology optimization methodology to these types of materials therefore requires controlling the shape and interaction of designed features to ensure solutions are meaningful and physically realizable. Achieving such control on continuum domains is challenging as features form via the union of elements of like phase. A topology optimization approach is proposed herein for optimizing the size, shape, and layout of inclusion-like features in a continuum domain. The technique is based on the Heaviside Projection Method and uses multiple regularized Heaviside functions whose interaction is tailored so that the designer may restrict the minimum and maximum length scale of inclusions, and minimum spacing between inclusions. The technique is demonstrated on the design of material microstructures with enhanced elastic stiffness.
Social Constructionism and the Pragmatic Standard Revisited: A Reply to Botschner

The argument that only a weak version of social constructionism allows for a generative psychology and therefore honors the pragmatic standard is challenged by Botschner, who claims that the proposed advantages of weak constructionism are not clear. Botschner's comments seem to stem from a number of misconceptions about the original argument and from some points of divergence in the reading of Wittgenstein and James. These misconceptions are addressed and the original argument is clarified.
Analysis of liquid fuels using a gas sensor array

Abstract We describe a sensor array technique for the qualitative analysis of motor and turbine fuels. A selected array of chemical sensors produces unique signatures for many chemical species. In testing some aviation fuels we have found that their signatures are unique and sufficiently reproducible to be readily identified by visual inspection and also by a PC-based neural network simulator. With automotive fuels we have tested, gasohol mixtures have strikingly different signatures from pure gasoline. The differences among fuels with different octane ratings are subtle but perceptible. The sensor array and the signature identification system make up the components of a testbed from which parameters can be determined for a specific application. All testbed components can ultimately be miniaturized in application-specific hardware for use in battery-operated, on-site inspection instruments.
Activity patterns of Community Residential Unit residents in Victoria, Australia

This study investigated the activity patterns of four individuals living in a Community Residential Unit (CRU). They were systematically observed from Monday to Friday for eight weeks for a total time of 215 hours. Time of observation on Weekdays was from 4pm, and on Saturdays from 11am, until the residents retired for the night. Personal/domestic activities engaged between 35 per cent (Saturdays) and 47 per cent (Weekdays) of residents’ time. Sedentary activities (such as snoozing and doing nothing) were the next most time consuming (18–25%). Social interaction and indoor recreation were low time consumers, occupying less than 9 per cent of non-work time. Antisocial activity was frequent with one resident (23%) but relatively infrequent with the others (2–9%). Outdoor and social activities both accounted for approximately 7 per cent of non-work time. The data suggest that social interaction and indoor recreational pursuits should be encouraged and steps taken to reduce sedentary activities in this settin...
Computation of Time-Resolved EPR Spectra of Systems Exhibiting Electron Spin Polarization Complicated by Magnetization Transfer

In order that chemically induced dynamic electron polarization (CIDEP) can provide a means to explore dynamics in arbitrary systems such as inclusion compounds or sequential chemical reactions, the Bloch equations are extended for use with a system exhibiting electron spin polarization (ESP). Since CIDEP depends on time and external magnetic field and in this paper is observed by time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (TREPR), an algorithm for the general calculation of EPR signals that display ESP is presented. In particular, processes inducing magnetization transfer between hyperfine (hf) states are described by means of a kinetic matrix that is incorporated into the Bloch relaxation matrix. The utilized approach takes into account the complete set of hyperfine states of all involved species and can be applied to such different phenomena as chemical exchange, electron transfer, and secondary radical generation that affect the time dependence of the observed signal. Solutions to the linear differential equations are found numerically. Hence, other than the normal restrictions on the Bloch equations, no additional approximations are assumed, rendering the algorithm more generally applicable than previous analytical treatments. Only chemical diffusion is not included. Specific examples are discussed. The TREPR spectra of p-benzoquinone are analyzed in terms of magnetization transfer. Excellent agreement between the experimental data and the computations using the numerical method is achieved. With rate constants depending on pH and solvent, chemical exchange between the neutral and/or anionic semiquinones is found present in the signals of the radicals generated by laser flash photolysis.
Compressive Spectrum Sensing Using a Bandpass Sampling Architecture

Fast and reliable detection of available channels (i.e., those temporarily unoccupied by primary users) is a fundamental problem in the context of emerging cognitive radio networks, without an adequate solution. The (mean) time to detect idle channels is governed by the front-end bandwidth to be searched for a given resolution bandwidth. Homodyne receiver architectures with a wideband radio-frequency front-end followed by suitable channelization and digital signal processing algorithms, are consistent with speedier detection, but also imply the need for very high speed analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that are impractical and/or costly. On the other hand, traditional heterodyne receiver architectures consist of analog band-select filtering followed by down-conversion that require much lower rate ADCs, but at the expense of significant scanning operation steps that constitute a roadblock to lowering the scan duration. In summary, neither architecture provides a satisfactory solution to the goal of (near) real-time wideband spectrum sensing. In this work, we propose a new compressive spectrum sensing architecture based on the principle of under-sampling (or bandpass sampling) that provides a middle ground between the above choices, i.e., our approach requires modest ADC sampling rates and yet achieves fast spectrum scanning. Compared to other compressive spectrum sensing architectures, the proposed method does not require a high-speed Nyquist rate analog component. A performance model for the scanning duration is developed based on the mean time to detect all idle channels. Numerical results show that this scheme provides significantly faster idle channel detection than the conventional serial search scheme with a heterodyne architecture.
Reversed-Phase Separation of the Major Deoxyribonucleosides and Their Mononucleotides Using Tetrabutylammontum Hetaerons

Abstract Simultaneous separation of the four major deoxyribonucleosides and their monophosphate nucleotides was achieved using tetrabutyl ammonium phosphate hetaerons with a reversed-phase (C8) packing material. Baseline resolution for all eight solutes was achieved within 48 minutes, using a 7.5% methanol mobile phase, 2.0 mM in TBA, buffered with 50 mM phosphate at pH 4.8. The effect of methanol and TBA concentrations upon the retention of neutral and anionic solutes was studied in detail. It was determined that changes in solute k' with increasing methanol could be explained by essentially independent phenomena. These are: 1) a decrease in the partition coefficient of the TBA cation with increasing organic concentration, resulting in lower surface charge densities, and 2) a decrease in the hydrophobic interactions of the solutes with the reversed-phase HPLC. The overall effect was a log-linear decrease in k' with increasing methanol concentration. An empirical equation was derived for the above model w...
New interdisciplinary initiative combines water, earth and biota

Hydrologic science was defined as a distinct interdisciplinary geoscience in 1991 through a report of the National Research Council, “Opportunities in Hydrologic Sciences.” As a result of this publications new funding program in hydrologic sciences was established at the National Science Foundation within the Division of Earth Sciences. This program nurtures a research community focused on building the science of hydrology Advances in science and technology are now laying the foundation for a more holistic intellectual framework supported by systematic measurement and data compilation at multiple time and space scales, particularly larger scales.
Effect of Flow Rates on Localized Corrosion Behavior of 304 Stainless Steel in Ozonated 0.5 N NaCl

Abstract The effect of flow rates on the corrosion behavior of 304 stainless steel in a solution of 0.5 N NaCl containing 0, 0.02, and 1.2 mg/L dissolved ozone was studied at room temperature. Flow...
Pitfalls of Using R2 to Evaluate Goodness of Fit of Accident Prediction Models

In developing statistical models of traffic accidents, flow, and roadway design, the R2 goodness-of-fit measure has been used for many years to (a) determine the overall quality and usability of the model, (b) select covariates for inclusion in the model, (c) make decisions as to whether it would be worthwhile to collect additional covariates, and (d) compare the relative quality of models developed from different studies. The pitfalls of using R2 to make these decisions and comparisons are demonstrated through computer simulations of commonly used accident prediction models, including the Poisson and negative binomial regression models. Because accident prediction models are nonnormal and functional forms are typically nonlinear, it is shown that R2 is not an appropriate measure to make any of the decisions and comparisons mentioned. Also, three properties are identified as desirable for any alternative measure to appropriately evaluate these models: (a) it should be bounded between 0 and 1—a value of 0 ...
Marginal leakage of dental restorations subjected to thermal stress

Abstract The effects of thermal stress on the microleakage of dental restorations of varying ages were measured with radioisotope. Microleakage around one-week amalgam restorations was increased when the restorations were subjected to 500 temperature cycles. Three-month specimens exhibited good sealing ability which was not affected by the thermal cyclin. Amalgam restorations, which were inserted into cavities coated with a varnish, showed little or no marginal penetration at any time period, and the sealing qualities of these restorations were not impaired by thermal stressing. Silicate cement and the two types of restorative resins sealed the cavities with a considerable degree of efficacy over the three-month period of the study. The marginal adaptation was not impaired by thermal stress of the magnitude employed in this study.
Who Can Determine What the Natural Law Is

ideas. The case for a universal rational movement given directly by God is alone fully consonant with these realities. We must not be put off if the inquiry shows that volitional effects bear the marks of originating in a transcendent metaphysical cause, a creative cause. This conclusion may repel the scientist because it carries his inquiry beyond his tangible, measurable world of sensible reality; but his repugnance would not be very scientific. The Determiners of the Content of Natural Law.-At long last we are in a position to answer the question, Who can determine what the natural law is? If there is demonstrated a complete indeterminancy of the will or a complete determinancy of the will whether by finite or infinite causes with no area of freedom, there can be no natural law; and no one can determine it. If, on the other hand, there be demonstrated a universally fixed general direction in the motions of the rational mover, with power in the mover to select particular directions, there is a basis of natural law. There is no absolutely certain answer. In order to further the inquiry indeed, in order to decide when any conduct is right or wrong it is necessary to commit oneself, at least implicitly, to some theory, and to proceed contingently based upon the decision. If the decision be in favor of the theory of a creative direction of volition with freedom as to particular applications (which I believe is the only possible basis of natural law), all those persons can determine natural law who, adopting creativity as the measuring norm of good or bad conduct, are qualified to perceive what befits this norm. It is not at all necessary that these persons prove to themselves that this must be the prime norm if in fact it is so any more than a person must prove that a certain object is a table in order to adjudge it a good or bad table. The starting point can be assumed and adopted by the judge; it suffices that others have demonstrated it. Goodness, then, we decide contingently, is to be found only in the conduct which befits a creative power. In other words, the natural law pattern which we are seeking is precisely that pattern of conduct of which the prin-
Enhanced phosphorylation of p53 by microRNA-26a leading to growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer.

Purpose MicroRNA (miR)-26a has been identified as a tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer cells. Although wild-type p53 controls cell-cycle progression, its mutant form normally present in pancreatic cancer loses this capability. Phosphorylation is known to restore wild-type activity to mutant p53. We, therefore, examined whether miR-26a treatment can restore wild-type functions of mutant p53 via phosphorylation, resulting in inhibition of cell growth. Methods The human pancreatic cancer cell line BxPc-3 harboring mutant p53 was used for colony formation, cell-cycle, and Western blotting assays. Gene profile analysis was conducted after transfection with pre–miR-26a. Results miR-26a expression significantly decreased cell proliferation by 80% along with marked inhibition of colony formation and cell migration. Cell-cycle inhibition at the G 0 /G 1 interface was observed along with enhanced drug retention and increased chemosensitivity to gemcitabine. Mutant p53 was phosphorylated rapidly at its Ser9 and Ser392 residues, but not at Ser15 or Ser20. Gene profile analysis of pre-miR-26a–transfected cells showed a significant increase in gene transcripts promoting apoptosis and p53 activation, with decreased levels of genes involved in cell-cycle progression. Conclusion Delivery of miR-26a may represent a novel strategy for inhibiting pancreatic cancer growth, at least in part by enhancing phosphorylation of mutant p53 to restore its wild-type functions.
PhenotyPic Plasticity in resPonse to short term nutrient availability in Cylindropuntia fulgida (cactaceae)

Abstract Individuals of the cactus Cylindropuntia fulgida, are adapted to long periods of environmental stress with ephemeral periods of resource abundance (e.g., seasonal rains and subsequent nutrient mineralization) which requires this slow-growing cactus to act quickly to acquire nutrients. A short-term phenotypic response to varying levels of a fertilizer pulse was investigated in this species. Phenotypic plasticity could be a mechanism whereby this plant can modify its phenotype to allow for high resource intake during ephemeral nutrient pulses. The phenotype of a clone grown across fertilizer treatments was described for several morphological growth characteristics: root biomass, shoot length growth, weight increase, and number of new stem sprouts. Root concentrations of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) were used to measure plasticity in nitrogen uptake capacity and allocation. Significant differences between clones were found in all response variables except root biomass, when each response variable was...
Which measure of adolescent psychiatric disorder—diagnosis, number of symptoms, or adaptive functioning—best predicts adverse young adult outcomes?

Objective: To test the ability of psychiatric diagnosis, symptom count, and adaptive functioning in adolescence to predict failure to complete secondary school and criminal involvement in young adulthood. Design: Community-based cohort study. Setting: Two counties in upstate New York, USA Participants: 181 adolescents interviewed in 1983 and 1985–86 who were randomly selected in 1975 from a probability area sampling of representative families with 1–10 year old children Main results: Compared with adolescents without psychiatric disorders, adolescents with depressive, anxiety, disruptive, and substance abuse disorders were 2.86–9.21 times more likely to fail to complete secondary school. Compared with adolescents without disruptive disorders, adolescents with disruptive disorders were 4.04 (1.96–8.32) times more likely to get in trouble with police during young adulthood. The positive predictive value of each measure of adolescent psychiatric disorder for school non-completion was higher in the lowest SES stratum and for young adult criminal involvement was higher for boys. Combining knowledge of symptom counts, age, gender, and social class in a logistic regression model yielded 89% sensitivity and 87% specificity for predicting future school non-completion at the p ≥ 0.13 cut off. The optimal cut off value in a model incorporating knowledge of disruptive symptoms and demographic characteristics yielded 75% sensitivity and 76% specificity for predicting future criminal involvement. Conclusions: Screening children and adolescents for psychiatric disorders can identify those at high risk of adverse young adult outcomes. Future school and community adjustment can be predicted as easily and accurately on the basis of a simple count of psychiatric symptoms as by applying more complex diagnostic algorithms. Screening youth for psychiatric symptoms in neighbourhood, school, or primary care settings is a logical first step for early intervention to promote increased school completion and decreased criminal activity in young adulthood.
Maternal fever and neural tube defects

It has been proposed that hyperthermia in the pregnant woman is associated with neural tube defects in her offspring. We analyzed retrospective interview data for a maternal history of probable febrile illness during the first trimester of pregnancy among mothers of infants with anencephaly or spina bifida. There were two control groups--mothers of infants with Down syndrome and mothers of infants with cleft lip or palate. With the Down syndrome group serving as controls, the incidence of febrile illness among mothers of all infants with neural tube defects was significantly elevated. With the cleft group as controls, the fever incidence was not significantly increased in the neural tube defect groups. When the combined cleft and Down syndrome controls were used, only mothers of the spina bifida group had an elevated fever incidence. Epidemiology data suggest an association of maternal fever during pregnancy with neural tube defects in the offspring.
Test case selection based on a spectrum of complexity metrics

Quality continues to be a significant issue for software, and testing is a key activity in ensuring the quality of software. Unfortunately, since testing usually is near the end of software development, it is often rushed and frequently not done well. Thus, this dissertation suggests an approach that can address some of these issues and examine ways to reduce the software testing costs by selecting test cases based on a spectrum of complexity metrics. We have developed a comprehensive taxonomy of product metrics based on two dimensions, the product level (class, method, statement) and the characteristics of the product. To evaluate these metrics, we have developed a tool which uses these metrics to target test cases. This tool enables us to find patterns in the entire set of metrics measurements and identify three sample metric combinations. We have conducted a series of experiments based on three applications. The combinations of metrics were applied to test case selection on each of the applications. To investigate the efficiency of our test case selection, we have created a significant number of mutants using MuJava and a series of a significant number of seeded errors inserted independently by a third party. Our experiments show that our test case selections discover 100% of the errors seeded by the third party and at least 60% of the mutants implemented by the automatic mutation testing tool. For further evaluation, we compared our approach to the boundary value analysis. Our experiments indicate that our testing approach is highly effective in the detection of the mutants as well as the seeded errors.
The Impact of Instructional Design on College Students' Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in a Large Food Science and Human Nutrition Course.

The effective design of course materials is critical for student learning, especially for large lecture introductory courses. This quantitative study was designed to explore the effect multimedia and content difficulty has on students’ cognitive load and learning outcomes. College students (n = 268) were randomized into 1 of 3 multimedia groups: text + graphics (Group 1–TG); audio + text + graphics (Group 2–ATG); or video + audio + text + graphics (Group 3–VATG). Participants answered a demographic survey and pretests before viewing 2 food science supplemental lecture materials (i.e., water mobility and amino acid structures) and completing the cognitive load instrument and post-tests within a noncontrolled setting. Cognitive load scores were tabulated and compared using a 3 × 3 ANOVA and Tukey post hoc analysis across multimedia groups and food science supplemental lecture materials. Based on the post hoc, students in Group 1–TG had higher intrinsic cognitive load scores than Group 2–ATG (ANOVA, P < 0.05). Cognitive load and post-test scores were tabulated and compared using a spearman correlation across groups. In Group 1–TG, students that reported less intrinsic cognitive load had higher post-test scores. Also, students that reported more germane cognitive load had higher post-test scores. In Groups 2–ATG and 3–VATG, students that reported less extraneous cognitive load had higher post-test scores (ANOVA, P < 0.05).
Time Domain Panel Method for Wings

A computer algorithm and Fortran code have been developed to simulate a time history of aerodynamic loads on planar lifting surfaces using the subsonic linearized potential integral formulation of Guderley.1'2 This work is intended for application to the simulation of flexible wing motion with active controls. In this article the method is validated by examining the indicial responses of wings. The results are transformed to the frequency domain and compared to the results of a frequency domain doublet-lattice code H7WC.3
Mantle of the Expert: Integrating Dramatic Inquiry and Visual Arts in Social Studies

This article introduces the social studies field to Dorothy Heatchote's Mantle of Expert (MOE). MOE is a dramatic inquiry approach used in several subject areas and can work at all levels in the social studies curriculum. The authors go into the development of using this approach in an elementary and middle teacher education program. After sharing their modeling approach with preservice teachers in an elementary social studies methods course, the authors address what it means for preservice teachers to construct their own MOE social studies lesson plans and how teachers must think of their role as a performing art.
Evidence-based caregiver interventions in geriatric psychiatry.

Family members are an essential resource to older individuals with chronic illness and disability. Without the care and support provided by relatives, it would be difficult and often impossible for persons with disability to remain in the community. Current estimates indicate that more than 40 million Americans provide assistance annually to an adult relative because of illness and disability. There is strong consensus that caring for an individual with disability is burdensome and stressful to most family members and contributes to psychiatric morbidity in the form of elevated rates of depression and anxiety and, in extreme cases, murder-suicide. Research also suggests that the combination of loss, prolonged distress, physical demands of caregiving, and biological vulnerabilities of older caregivers may compromise their physiologic functioning and increase their risk for physical health problems. Findings that document the health effects of elder caregiving have been complemented by scores of intervention studies aimed at addressing the burden, distress, and negative health effects associated with caregiving. Although this research has been subjected to periodic review beginning in 1989 [1–11], assessments of the recent literature in this area are lacking. This article examines critically the caregiver intervention studies published between 1999 and 2005. The primary goal was to identify recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy toread NIMH P30 of psychosocial and
Social Psychology in Crisis: A Study of the References in the Handbook of Social Psychology (2nd Edition)1

References in the Handbook of Social Psychology (2nd Edition) were used to examine the field of social psychology during the period of 1953 to 1967. Measures were developed to indicate the "hotness" and "hardness" of material in the five volumes and in each chapter. The extent to which chapters referenced articles published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology was ascertained. There was no relationship between the "hotness" and "hardness" of an area indicating that social psychology had not become more basic research experimentally oriented. During the period studied, more emphasis was being placed on theory and methodology and less on groups. Data also indicated a variety of changes in more specialized areas. The content of JPSP as reflected in the Handbook emphasized the "harder" areas of social psychology and neglected the applied areas. The views of commentators on the field were discussed.
Is High Self-Esteem a Path to the White House? The Implicit Theory of Self-Esteem and the Willingness to Vote For Presidential Candidates

The implicit theory of self-esteem proposes that individuals with ostensibly higher levels of self-esteem will generally be viewed more positively than those with lower levels of self-esteem. The present studies examined whether the perceived self-esteem levels of the 2008 presidential candidates would influence the willingness of individuals to consider voting for these candidates. Across two studies, participants were generally more willing to consider voting for candidates who were perceived as possessing higher levels of self-esteem. The most interesting exception to this general pattern was that male democrats and female republicans were actually more willing to consider voting for Hillary Clinton when they believed she possessed lower levels of self-esteem. Results will be discussed in the context of the implicit theory of self-esteem.
Oestrogen receptor B-region polymorphism and spontaneous abortion in women with breast cancer

To examine whether a variant human oestrogen receptor gene, which differs from the wild-type gene in the B region, was associated with spontaneous abortion, obstetric histories of breast cancer patients with this variant were compared with those of breast cancer patients with the wild-type gene. In women with the B-variant, 50% of pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortion, compared with 10% for women homozygous for the wild-type gene. B-variant women also had a higher proportion of spontaneous abortions and a higher number of spontaneous abortions per woman than did those with the wild-type gene.
Melatonin affects the metabolism of the β-amyloid precursor protein in different cell types

Melatonin is released in mammals during the dark phase of the circadian cycle, and its production declines with age in animals and humans. Since supplemental administration of melatonin may be beneficial in delaying age-related degenerative conditions, it is necessary to study its effect on neuronal differentiation and the processing of key neuronal proteins, such as beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta APP) and synaptophysin. One of the important pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the cerebrovascular deposition of amyloid plaques. The amyloid in senile plaques is mainly composed of the amyloid beta-peptide (A beta) of 39-43 amino acids derived from a larger beta APP. The proteolytic cleavage by 'alpha-secretase' generate soluble derivatives of beta APP (sAPP), lacking the cytoplasmic tail, transmembrane domain, and a small portion of the extracellular domain. Here levels of sAPP and beta APP were analyzed in cell lines of different origins by Western immunoblot of samples from conditioned media and cell lysates, respectively. Normal levels of secretion of sAPP into conditioned media were severely inhibited by treating different cell lines with a high dose of melatonin. In PC12 cells, levels of the fully matured beta APP forms of the post-Golgi compartment were more drastically decreased than the unglycosylated beta APP of the endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) forms. In other cell types, the unglycosylated ER-bound beta APP derivatives are predominant forms that were marginally affected by melatonin treatment. When the treatment of cells with melatonin was withdrawn, the normal level of secretion of sAPP was restored. Melatonin reduces the secretion of soluble A beta. Melatonin also inhibits the secretion of synaptophysin in PC12 cells. Taken together, these data suggest that melatonin probably affects the secretion of sAPP in the conditioned medium by interfering with its full maturation, and melatonin also affects the presysnaptic terminal marker.