cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intervention Effects on Morning and Stimulated Cortisol Responses Among Toddlers in Foster Care.

Toddlers in child welfare often have a dysregulated stress response. We tested whether toddlers with caregivers randomized to a 10-week attachment-based intervention, Promoting First Relationships (PFR; J.F. Kelly, D. Sandoval, T.G. Zuckerman, & K. Buehlman, 2008) would show postintervention change in stimulated salivary cortisol patterns during a research home visit involving a separation-reunion procedure, as compared to a condition including child development and resource advice, but no attachment strategies. At baseline and postintervention, toddlers with a caregiver change within 7 weeks of enrollment (n = 48, age 10-25 months) provided four saliva samples during a 1 1 hr research visit, and samples the next morning. The categorical dependent variable was the pattern of cortisol activity during the course of the postintervention research visit: flat, decreasing, or increasing. Multinomial logistic regression was used to test for postintervention group differences in cortisol patterns, controlling for time of day, child's age, morning cortisol level, and baseline cortisol pattern. At baseline and postintervention, 92% of children demonstrated atypicall yl ow morning cortisol (<.21 ig/dL); postintervention, flat, decreasing, and increasing patterns were exhibited by 70, 15, and 15% of the sample, respectively. Significantly more children in the PFR condition showed an increasing pattern. This may signal an intervention effect on separation-based stress response physiology. Abstracts translated in Spanish, French, German, and Japanese can be found on the abstract page of each article on Wiley Online Library at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/imhj.
Transoral robotic assisted resection of the parapharyngeal space.

© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Background. Preliminary case series have reported clinical feasibility and safety of a transoral minimally invasive technique to approach parapharyngeal space masses. With the assistance of the surgical robotic system, tumors within the parapharyngeal space can now be excised safely without neck incisions. A detailed technical description is included. Methods. After developing compressive symptoms from a parapharyng-eal space lipomatous tumor, the patient was referred by his primary oto-laryngologist because of poor open surgical access to the nasopharyngeal component of the tumor. Results. Transoral robotic assisted resection of a 54-3 46-mm paraphar-yngeal space mass was performed, utilizing 97 minutes of robotic surgical time. Pictorial demonstration of the robotic resection is provided. Conclusion. Parapharyngeal space tumors have traditionally been approached via transcervical skin incisions, typically including blunt dissection from tactile feedback. The transoral robotic approach offers magnified 3D visualization of the parapharyngeal space that allows for complete and safe resection.
Spatial and temporal aspects of Wnt signaling and planar cell polarity during vertebrate embryonic development

Wnt signaling pathways act at multiple locations and developmental stages to specify cell fate and polarity in vertebrate embryos. A long-standing question is how the same molecular machinery can be reused to produce different outcomes. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin branch modulates target gene transcription to specify cell fates along the dorsoventral and anteroposterior embryonic axes. By contrast, the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) branch is responsible for cell polarization along main body axes, which coordinates morphogenetic cell behaviors during gastrulation and neurulation. Whereas both cell fate and cell polarity are modulated by spatially- and temporally-restricted Wnt activity, the downstream signaling mechanisms are very diverse. This review highlights recent progress in the understanding of Wnt-dependent molecular events leading to the establishment of PCP and linking it to early morphogenetic processes.
Interrelationships of lactation and postpartum anovulation in suckled and milked cows

Abstract Reproduction is a major factor limiting efficiency of beef and dairy cattle production. Onset of lactation and reestablishment of postpartum estrous cycles are energy-competing processes, with lactation having a greater priority for dietary nutrients and body reserves through homeorhetic controls. Prolonged postpartum anestrus or anovulation limits reproductive efficiency by delaying or preventing conception. Suckling or milking frequency (> 4 × daily) delays first ovulation longer than 2 × milking. However, mere presence of a calf (own or foster) to which the cow (udder-intact or mastectomized) is bonded delays onset of postpartum ovulation. Furthermore, anovulation was prolonged when cows maintained a bond with their own calves while their milk is harvested by an unrelated suckling calf, but not when removed by 2 × milking. Although continuous presence of a nonsuckling calf prolongs anovulation only slightly, yield and composition of milk for cows milked 2 × daily are greater due to increased synthesis or ejection of milk associated with calf presence. When lactation is interrupted 13 to 18 days after calving and normal suckling, cows ovulated during the next 4 weeks while neither milked nor suckled. When these cows were reunited with their calves after 4 weeks to provide ad libitum suckling, milk secretion was reinitiated successfully. Suckling plus milking increases milk yield beyond milking alone at similar harvest frequencies. Greater milk yield in milked cows, associated with increased energy deficits and increased milking frequency, inhibits estrual expression to a greater extent than the onset of postpartum ovulation. Energy balance is the key to the timing of first postpartum ovulation in milked cows. Acute, dynamic changes in energy balance during early lactation or at weaning, rather than absolute magnitude of energy balance, provide the cow information about its metabolic status. Cows respond to positive changes in energy balance by resuming ovarian cycles during energy deficiency. Ovarian follicular development and resumption of follicular waves in suckled and milked cows do not limit early ovulation but rather the failure of dominant follicles to ovulate in the face of inadequate LH pulse frequency. Further work is needed to elucidate which metabolic signals serve as effectors of increased pulsatile LH secretion and their pivotal role in reinitiating first postpartum follicular maturation and ovulation in cattle.
Formation of central and peripheral myelin sheaths in the rat: an electron microscopic study.

Formation of the myelin sheath in peripheral nerve of the newborn rat is compared with its formation in postnatal cerebral white matter. The unmyelinated central axon is bare and myelination begins by the spiral wrapping of an oligodendrocytic process around the axon. The paired membranes of this process fuse on their inside surfaces, lengthen, and spiral around the axon to make a loose sheath of major dense lines. Compact myelin results after fusion of the outside surfaces to form the intraperiod line. Cytoplasm is sparse in developing central myelin, usually being restricted to inner and outer tongues. Unmyelinated peripheral axons are enclosed within a mesaxon formed by the invagination and fusion of the outside surfaces of the Schwann cell plasma membranes. Loose myelin is produced by lengthening and spiralling of the mesaxon (intraperiod line) around the axon. As Schwann cell cytoplasm is extruded from between the spirals, the major dense line forms and compact myelin results. Trapped cytoplasm, a characteristic of developing peripheral myelin, is found in the internodal compact myelin sheath as the inner and outer collars and the Schmidt-Lanterman clefts.
Effects of bearing and shaft asymmetries on the instability of rotors operating at near-critical speeds

Information about the stability of vibratory motions becomes essential for ensuring safer designs of rotor-bearing systems and the operational safety. In particular, the influences of shaft and bearing parameters on the stability characteristics have to be quantified for design and diagnostic purposes. Such an analytical investigation is the objective of the present paper. Expressions for amplitude and phase modulation functions that quantify the effects of slowly varying the rotational speed on the motion characteristics are derived. Based on the modulation functions, stability regions in the parameter space are determined. The effects of bearing and shaft asymmetries on the stability of the rotor are illustrated.
AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF ORTHOGONAL MACHINING OF GLASS

Abstract An experimental study of machining glass with a geometrically defined cutting tool is presented. Orthogonal cutting conditions are employed to permit a focus on the fundamental modes of chip and surface formation. Analysis of the machined surfaces under an optical microscope identifies four regimes that are distinctly different with respect to either chip formation or surface formation. For a very small target uncut chip thickness, one on the order of the cutting edge radius, pure rubbing of the edge with no chip formation is observed. Edge rubbing imparts light scuffmarks on the machined surface giving it a frosted appearance. At a larger uncut chip thickness, ductile-mode chip formation occurs ahead of the cutting edge and a scuffed surface remains after the subsequent rubbing of the edge across the freshly machined surface. A further increase in uncut chip thickness maintains a ductile-mode of chip formation, but surface damage initiates in the form of surface cracks that grow down into the ma...
Withaferin A Inhibits the Proteasome Activity in Mesothelioma In Vitro and In Vivo

The medicinal plant Withania somnifera has been used for over centuries in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine to treat a wide spectrum of disorders. Withaferin A (WA), a bioactive compound that is isolated from this plant, has anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-cancer properties. Here we investigated malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) suppressive effects of WA and the molecular mechanisms involved. WA inhibited growth of the murine as well as patient-derived MPM cells in part by decreasing the chymotryptic activity of the proteasome that resulted in increased levels of ubiquitinated proteins and pro-apoptotic proteasome target proteins (p21, Bax, IκBα). WA suppression of MPM growth also involved elevated apoptosis as evidenced by activation of pro-apoptotic p38 stress activated protein kinase (SAPK) and caspase-3, elevated levels of pro-apoptotic Bax protein and cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP). Our studies including gene-array based analyses further revealed that WA suppressed a number of cell growth and metastasis-promoting genes including c-myc. WA treatments also stimulated expression of the cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory protein (CARP)-1/CCAR1, a novel transducer of cell growth signaling. Knock-down of CARP-1, on the other hand, interfered with MPM growth inhibitory effects of WA. Intra-peritoneal administration of 5 mg/kg WA daily inhibited growth of murine MPM cell-derived tumors in vivo in part by inhibiting proteasome activity and stimulating apoptosis. Together our in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that WA suppresses MPM growth by targeting multiple pathways that include blockage of proteasome activity and stimulation of apoptosis, and thus holds promise as an anti-MPM agent.
High-resolution cross section measurement for 236U(n, f)

Abstract The cross section for neutron-induced fission of 236 U has been measured in the region of the fission threshold, with 7 keV resolution, for neutrons in the energy range 0.5 to 2.6 MeV. Cross-section maxima are observed at 0.75, 0.95, 1.15, and 1.4 MeV. It is possible that these peaks correspond to collective levels in the second minimum of the potential-energy barrier for fission.
Catenated circular DNA molecules in HeLa cell mitochondria.

Closed circular mitochondrial DNA molecules which are catenated, or connected like the links in a chain, have been identified in extracts of HeLa cells.
Ultrastructure of the ovary and oogenesis in the jellyfish Linuche unguiculata and Stomolophus meleagris, with a review of ovarian structure in the Scyphozoa

Ovarian structure and oogenesis has been examined in six scyphozoan species including the semaeostome Diplumularis antarctica Maas, 1908 (collected in 1987 in McMurdo Sound, Antarctic), the rhizostomes Cassiopea xamachana Bigelow, 1892 (collected in Belize in 1988), and Stomolophus meleagris L. Agassiz, 1862 (collected in Ft. Pierce Inlet in 1988), and the coronates Periphylla periphylla (Peron and Lesueur, 1810), Nausithoe atlantica Broch, 1914 (both collected in the Bahamas in 1988), and Linuche unguiculata (Schwartz, 1788) (collected in Nassau Harbor, Bahama Islands in 1989). Based on these findings and information on five other scyphozoan species from additional literature sources, at least two fundamentally different types of ovaries exist in the Scyphozoa. In semaeosotome and rhizostome species, oocytes develop in close association with specialized gastrodermal cells called trophocytes which may serve a nutritive function. However, coronate species lack trophocytes and oocytes develop freely in the mesoglea. The ovaries of S. meleagris and L. unguiculata are used as models to represent the ultrastructural events occurring during oogenesis in species having trophocytes and those lacking them, respectively. In both L. unguiculata and S. meleagris, the ovaries arise as evaginations of the gastrodermis in the floor of interradial pouches. Germ cells appear to originate from endodermally-derived gastrodermal cells and migrate into the mesoglea prior to vitellogenesis. In L. unguiculata, the oocytes develop freely within the mesoglea throughout vitellogenesis, while in S. meleagris each oocyte maintains contact with specialized gastrodermal cells called trophocytes. In the vitellogenic oocytes of both species, numerous invaginations of the oolemma result in the formation of intraooplasmic channels throughout the ooplasm. These channels are intimately associated with cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and may play some role in yolk precursor uptake by substantially increasing the surface area of the oocyte. Vitellogenesis is similar in both species and involves the autosynthetic activity of the Golge complex and rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the heterosynthetic incorporation of yolk precursors through receptor-mediated endocytosis. However, in the oocytes of S. meleagris, the trophocytes probably play a role in the transfer of nutrients from the gastrovascular cavity to the oocyte. The present study suggests that scyphozoans were among the first metazoans to develop ovarian accessory cells during their reproductive evolution. The trophocyte-oocyte association observed in some scyphozoans is similar to but structurally less complex than the trophonema-oocyte association described from anthozoans. Scyphozoan ovarian morphology helps support the view that the Scyphozoa share a closer phylogenetic relationship with the Anthozoa than with the Hydrozoa.
Chemical characterization of size-fractionated humic and fulvic materials in aqueous samples

Abstract Humic and fulvic acids have been shown to be potentially important transport agents for inorganic and organic contaminants, including radionuclides, in surface and groundwaters. In this work, the possibility of characterizing humic and fulvic materials in the colloidal and macromolecular size ranges (i.e., between 3000 molecular weight (1 nm) and 0.45 μm) after size fractionation and collection with hollow-fiber ultrafilters has been investigated. Three surface waters have been examined as test cases. Using ultrafiltration, sized samples of humic and fulvic acids were chemically characterized with 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) using diffuse reflectance, and pyrolysis/gas chromatography (GC). These test cases demonstrate that sufficient material can be obtained by ultrafiltration with minimal or no alteration to the materials. In addition, inorganic analyses performed on the size fractions show that ultrafiltration can also allow the binding capacity of the humic materials in each fraction to be measured. Substantial variability among the different humic and fulvic fractions demonstrates the importance of sizing submicron materials in attempts to understand the mechanisms of pollutant transport by natural humic materials.
Tool wear monitoring by using the imaginary part of the transfer function of the cutting dynamics

Abstract A new index for tool wear monitoring, the imaginary part of the inner modulation transfer function of the cutting process, is introduced. As a methodology to identify and isolate the factors related to wear from other effects, the time-series method is utilized to formulate a general model for the three-dimensional cutting dynamics. This model is first reduced to a multi-input single-output model and subsequently to a single-input single-output model, which is implemented fof on-line tool wear monitoring. A newly developed dual computer system in which one computer performs measurements while the other estimates the parameters by the batch least squares methods is developed and used for the verification of the feasibility of the proposed concept.
Microglial morphology and dynamic behavior is regulated by ionotropic glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission.

Purpose Microglia represent the primary resident immune cells in the CNS, and have been implicated in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. Under basal or “resting” conditions, microglia possess ramified morphologies and exhibit dynamic surveying movements in their processes. Despite the prominence of this phenomenon, the function and regulation of microglial morphology and dynamic behavior are incompletely understood. We investigate here whether and how neurotransmission regulates “resting” microglial morphology and behavior.
A randomized cross-over study for evaluation of the effect of image optimization with contrast on the diagnostic accuracy of dobutamine echocardiography in coronary artery disease The OPTIMIZE Trial.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the addition of a contrast agent to dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) improves its diagnostic accuracy for coronary artery disease (CAD) and to determine the effect of image quality on the diagnostic impact of contrast agent use in this setting. Background Contrast agents can improve endocardial border definition. To date, however, there are no randomized trials that have evaluated the impact of contrast agent use on the accuracy of DSE. Methods Patients referred for stress testing with dobutamine echocardiography underwent 2 DSE studies: 1 with and 1 without a contrast agent, at least 4 h apart in a randomized order and within a 24-h period. Results A total of 101 patients underwent both DSE studies. Similar hemodynamics were achieved during the 2 stress testing sessions. The use of a contrast agent improved the percentage of segments adequately visualized at baseline (from 72 ± 24% to 95 ± 8%) and more so at peak stress (67 ± 28% to 96 ± 7%); both p Conclusions During dobutamine stress echocardiography, contrast agent administration improves endocardial visualization at rest and more so during stress, leading to a higher confidence of interpretation and greater accuracy in evaluating CAD. The lesser the endocardial border visualization, the higher the impact of contrast echocardiography on accuracy.
Incidence of perihepatic adhesions in ectopic gestation

Abstract Objective: To compare the incidence of perihepatic adhesions in patients undergoing surgery for ectopic pregnancy with the incidence in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic sterilization. Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome is a perihepatitis that usually occurs as a complication of pelvic inflammatory disease. Perihepatic adhesions may be an aftereffect of the acute hepatic episode, and because the cause of ectopic gestation is thought to be salpingitis, women with an ectopic gestation may also have a higher prevalence of coexisting perihepatic adhesions. Methods: We reviewed charts of 97 women who had undergone laparoscopy or laparotomy for ectopic pregnancy (study group) and 116 women who had laparoscopic sterilization (control group). We recorded all perihepatic, pelvic, or abdominal adhesions that were documented at the time of surgery. Medical histories and sites of adhesions in the two groups were compared. Results: The incidence of perihepatic adhesions was 14% in the study group compared with 3% in the control group (P Conclusion: Compared with control subjects, significantly more women with ectopic pregnancies had perihepatic adhesions. In women who have history of pelvic infection or ectopic pregnancy, physicians should inquire about long-term right upper quadrant pain. The inclusion of lysis of perihepatic adhesions in the preoperative consent form may be useful.
Correlations among polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and furans in humans.

Background Correlations among human levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans potentially complicate interpretation of studies of their individual health effects. Outcomes attributed to one may, in fact, be due to another. Methods We present correlations among dioxins, furans, and PCBs in blood collected in 1991–1992 from 44 American Vietnam veterans from Michigan. Results Correlations among specific dioxins and furans ranged from 0.26 to 0.80, with the higher-chlorinated congeners being more highly correlated. Correlations among PCBs ranged from 0.06 to 0.94, with those occurring at highest concentrations being more highly correlated. Correlations of PCBs with dioxins and furans ranged from -0.09 to 0.59. Correlations of individual chemicals with total dioxin toxic equivalents ranged from 0.31 to 0.76. Discussion/Conclusions If confirmed in other populations, such correlations may allow the use of simpler assays but may also raise issues of confounding and calibration. Am. J. Ind. Med. 35:15–20, 1999. Published 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Low-angle light-scattering studies on alkali- and heat-denatured DNA.

The molecular weight of native DNA is shown to decrease by at least a factor of two on denaturation by heat or alkali. This result is obtained only if low-angle ( 30°) do not reveal a decrease in molecular weight on denaturation due to the incorrect value for native DNA. The dn/dc value for both native and denatured DNA is 0.166 ml/g ± 0.003 ml/g. Methods are described for the clarification of native and denatured DNA solutions for light scattering by the use of membrane filters.
SU-E-T-124: Assessing Quality Assurance of Proton Scattering Nozzles Using Monte Carlo

Purpose: This study simulated regular QA procedures in order to examine relationships between offsets in beam‐shaping devices and delivered dose. The goal was to provide insight into the cause of potential QA irregularities, and to investigate whether current QA procedures are adequate to detect equipment misalignments. Methods: The Monte Carlo package Topas, based on Geant4, was used to simulate scattering nozzle QA procedures. Scoring volumes in the nozzle geometry mimic online treatment verification devices including ion chambers and a multi‐layer faraday cup range verifier, as well as weekly and monthly measurements of SOBP depth‐dose curves and beam profiles. The study then examined the relationship between geometric perturbations to the Monte Carlo model and changes in scoring outputs. Small movements of equipment including scatterers, ion chambers, and range modulators were considered. Results: A number of different insights have come from our investigation. Of particular note, we found that the measurement of beam profile skewness in an upsteam ion chamber is inadequate to use for beam steering to correct for asymmetries in the delivered dose. Skewness alone cannot distinguish between an asymmetric beam due to scatterer misalignment and a simple offset in the ion chamber location. For misalignments in the range modulator, typically no significant change is seen in online measurements before a change occurs in the output factor or modulation width, reinforcing the need for regular measurement of standard beams to verify these quantities. Comparing simulation and measurement can give hints at actual misalignments of nozzle hardware. Conclusion: Monte Carlo techniques can give useful insight into potential QA pitfalls. Through simulation we found that while ion chamber skewness can detect beamline asymmetries, it is inadequate to use for beam steering to correct a tilted beam profile. Standard online measurements have difficulty detecting longitudinal dose abnormalities compared to frequent direct measurement.
A radioimmunoassay method for urinary catechol estrogens

Abstract A radioimmunoassay method for urinary catechol estrogens is described. The specific nature of the antisera allows direct analyses of acid hydrolyzed urine. A LH-20 Sephadex column chromatography can be employed for individual determinations of 2-hydroxyestrone and 2-hydroxyestradiol. The excretion of catechol estrogens during menstrual cycles ranged from 14.48 to 50.15 μg per 24 hours, whereas, during the last trimester of pregnancies, the values ranged from 129.30 to 1758.20 μg per 24 hours.
Community psychology, drug use, and AIDS

Intravenous drug users may hold the key to the future epidemic of AIDS in the United States. Although gay men have changed their social norms to lower the risk of AIDS, such change will be more difficult to bring about in drug users. Several intervention efforts have been developed and are being evaluated. The psychoeducational workshops developed by the authors have shown promise in random-assignment trials with drug abusers in residential treatment, methadone maintenance, and outpatient detoxification. By orientation and training, community psychologists are uniquely qualified to develop, evaluate, and disseminate AIDS prevention programs to change community norms among drug users.
Developing a framework for protection for the African child: the basic rights

Abstract Over the last 15 years, the Great Lakes Region in Africa has become characterized increasingly by small, internal armed conflicts. Many of these conflicts begin in one country but spill over to neighbouring countries as a result of their interwoven history, socio-economic conditions and cultural factors. Grounded in complex disagreements, these internal wars create a culture of sustained violence, putting children at high risk for abduction, rape and slavery, as well as recruitment into the military. All children, even those in areas of armed conflict, should have equal rights. This paper will consider the rights of children in the Great Lakes Region of Africa in light of United Nations laws on the rights of children and the responsibilities of the international community to ensure human rights for all citizens.
Lateral Interactions and Vibrational Lifetimes

Abstract In this work I will consider three related topics, namely (A) Lateral interactions between adsorbed molecules (§1–7); (B) Optical properties of two-dimensional systems of small metallic particles (§8–10); (C) Damping of excitations at surfaces (§11–13). None of these topics will be treated in great detail. I hope to be able to show, however, that topics (A)-(C) are closely related and that they constitute a unified body of knowledge, which should be useful in gaining insight into such diverse fields as the optical properties of solar energy absobers, heterogeneous catalysis and photosynthesis.
Propeller Design Point Calculation Method for Comparing Turbofan/Propfan Engine Performance

This paper presents a method to calculate the design point performance of both single rotation and dual contra-rotation propellers. Major propeller variables such as, power loading (shaft horsepower/prop diameter2), propeller efficiency (Prop Thrust × Acft Veloc/shaft horsepower), propeller tip speed and propeller adiabatic compression efficiency are accounted for and correlated. The resulting propeller performance is then combined with given shaft power producer (engine) performance to yield propfan engine performance. The performance trades between power loading, propeller efficiency, propeller tip speed and propeller adiabatic compression efficiency are presented. Resulting performance, with a given engine, are presented in the form of Figs 7 and 8 for both single and dual contra-rotation propellers. These engine performances can then be compared to advanced turbofan engines that utilize identical technology shaft power producer engines.Copyright © 1985 by ASME
Lipid Concentration and Size Variation of Bythotrephes (Cladocera: Cercopagidae) from Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan

Lipid concentrations of Bythotrephes cederstroemi were compared among three Great Lakes, Erie, Huron, and Michigan, in an effort to investigate the phenotypic plasticity in size displayed among the lakes. Four developmental stages were measured in Lakes Erie and Huron and two stages were studied in Lake Michigan. With a gravimetric extraction method, the total lipid concentration range (μg lipid μg dry weight−1, expressed as percent) for Bythotrephes was estimated to be 10–19%. Statistically significant differences were found in lipid concentrations of Bythotrephes among lakes and developmental stages. Lake Erie had significantly higher lipid concentration values than Lake Huron for stages 2 through 4, and had similar values to Lake Michigan for the analyzed stages 1 and 4. The first instar had indistinguishable lipid concentrations among Lakes Erie, Huron,and Michigan. Even though animals from Lake Erie were significantly smaller, the data suggest that they were not less well nourished. We hypothesize that selective mortality imposed by visual predators on larger Bythotrephes and the lack of deep water refuges in Lake Erie has encouraged the smaller size of Bythotrephes found there in comparison to those found in Lakes Huron and Michigan.
SU‐FF‐T‐396: Analytical Derivation of 6 MV Radiosurgery Cone Factors

Purpose: To derive cone factors analytically for 6 MV radiosurgery beams Method and Materials: Lack of lateral electronic equilibrium and finite detector size make experimental measurements of stereotactic radiosurgery cone factors a difficult task. In this work, cone factors for 6 MV radiosurgery beams of various cross sections are determined using an analytical model for absorbed dose in narrow photon beams and validated by means of experimental measurements in water. The model allows one to calculate absorbed dose under electronic disequilibrium conditions using measured broad‐beam data. For each cone ranging from 4 mm to 20 mm in diameter, cone factor is derived analytically and compared to that measured in water experimentally using a high resolution diode and a computerized data acquisition system. Results: The agreement between the analytical and measured cone factors is within 2.5 % of local value. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study for 6 MV x‐rays, the analytical method described here can be employed to determine radiosurgery cone factors. It provides a viable alternative to experimental methods where measurements in water are arduous. It can be used as an independent method or to validate experimental results.
Speciation and Release Kinetics of Cadmium in an Alkaline Paddy Soil under Various Flooding Periods and Draining Conditions

This study determined Cd speciation and release kinetics in a Cd-Zn cocontaminated alkaline paddy soil, under various flooding periods and draining conditions, by employing synchrotron-based techniques, and a stirred-flow kinetic method. Results revealed that varying flooding periods and draining conditions affected Cd speciation and its release kinetics. Linear least-squares fitting (LLSF) of bulk X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra of the air-dried, and the 1 day-flooded soil samples, showed that at least 50% of Cd was bound to humic acid. Cadmium carbonates were found as the major species at most flooding periods, while a small amount of cadmium sulfide was found after the soils were flooded for longer periods. Under all flooding and draining conditions, at least 14 mg/kg Cd was desorbed from the soil after a 2-hour desorption experiment. The results obtained by micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) spectroscopy showed that Cd was less associated with Zn than Ca, in most soil samples. Therefore, it is more likely that Cd and Ca will be present in the same mineral phases rather than Cd and Zn, although the source of these two latter elements may originate from the same surrounding Zn mines in the Mae Sot district.
On the Knaster-Kuratowski-Mazurkiewicz-Shapley theorem

1. It is well known that the celebrated K-K-M theorem (Knaster et al. [4]) on closed coverings of a simplex is equivalent to Brouwer’s fixed-point theorem. Recently, Shapley [8] used the “pathfollwing” technique of Lemke and Howson [5] and Scarf [6,7], to establish a generalization of the K-K-M theorem. The generalized result is here called the K-K-M-S theorem, which is interesting in its own right. The purpose of the present note is to show that the K-K-M-S theorem is a simple consequence of a theorem of Ky Fan on a generalization of Kakutani’s fixed-point theorem. The present author would like to acknowledge that the essential idea of this note is borrowed from Kannai [ 3 ].
ABCG2: determining its relevance in clinical drug resistance.

Multidrug resistance is a major obstacle to successful cancer treatment. One mechanism by which cells can become resistant to chemotherapy is the expression of ABC transporters that use the energy of ATP hydrolysis to transport a wide variety of substrates across the cell membrane. There are three human ABC transporters primarily associated with the multidrug resistance phenomenon, namely Pgp, MRP1, and ABCG2. All three have broad and, to a certain extent, overlapping substrate specificities, transporting the major drugs currently used in cancer chemotherapy. ABCG2 is the most recently described of the three major multidrug-resistance pumps, and its substrates include mitoxantrone, topotecan, irinotecan, flavopiridol, and methotrexate. Despite several studies reporting ABCG2 expression in normal and malignant tissues, no trials have thus far addressed the role of ABCG2 in clinical drug resistance. This gives us an opportunity to critically review the disappointing results of past clinical trials targeting Pgp and to propose strategies for ABCG2. We need to know in which tumor types ABCG2 contributes to the resistance phenotype. We also need to develop standardized assays to detect ABCG2 expression in vivo and to carefully select the chemotherapeutic agents and clinical trial designs. This review focuses on our current knowledge about normal tissue distrubution, tumor expression profiles, and substrates and inhibitors of ABCG2, together with lessons learned from clinical trials with Pgp inhibitors. Implications of SNPs in the ABCG2 gene affecting the pharmacokinetics of substrate drugs, including many non-chemotherapy agents and ABCG2 expression in the SP population of stem cells are also discussed.
Variation in state unintended pregnancy rates in the United States.

CONTEXT: Newly available data show large differences in rates of unintended pregnancy across states. Because key policy and program decisions that could affect these rates are made by state governments it is important to assess whether characteristics of the states are associated with this variation. METHODS: Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between the variation in state unintended pregnancy rates in 2006 and state-level aggregate measures of demographic composition socioeconomic conditions contraceptive use and funding of and access to family planning services. RESULTS: State unintended pregnancy rates were positively associated with the proportion of resident women who were black or Hispanic. However these associations were almost entirely accounted for by differences in the age and marital status of women the proportion without health insurance and the proportion receiving Medicaid. In addition these last two measures were strongly associated with state unintended pregnancy rates after the other measures were controlled for: An increase in the proportion of women uninsured was associated with elevated unintended pregnancy rates and an increase in the proportion receiving Medicaid coverage was associated with reduced rates. CONCLUSIONS: State programs and policies should pay particular attention to increasing support for family planning services for minority groups. Findings also suggest that insurance coverage and receipt of Medicaid among women of reproductive age deserve further exploration as potentially important mechanisms for reducing state unintended pregnancy rates. Copyright (c) 2012 by the Guttmacher Institute.
Internalization of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in plants: A review

Extensive research efforts have been devoted in the last decade to providing insight into understanding the factors that have contributed to the increase in the number of outbreaks of Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 involving fresh produce, including leafy greens, fruits, and nuts. Many studies have shown that both Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 can internalize within a variety of tissue types and that there are numerous factors that can influence the extent of internalization. In this review, a compilation of the studies that have been performed to examine internalization, as well as various techniques that have been developed to identify the plant organs and tissues that harbor internalized bacteria are presented. In addition, the various routes of internalization into the plant, survival following internalization, and interactions between internalized bacteria and the plant as well as associated microbes are also addressed.
Dominant negative FTase (DNFTα) inhibits ERK5, MEF2C and CREB activation in adipogenesis

Abstract We recently demonstrated that dominant negative FTase/GGTase I α-subunit-inhibited (DNFTα-inhibited) insulin-stimulated adipocytes differentiation. DNFTα interferes with Ras prenylation whereby ERK1/2, CREB and the differentiation cascade are downregulated. To further investigate prenylation in adipogenesis, we examined DNFTα's ability to inhibit activation of ERK5, MEF2C and CREB. DNFTα-inhibited insulin-stimulated expression, activation and nuclear translocation of ERK5. Inhibition was associated with decreased activation of MEF2C and CREB by 80 and 78%, respectively. PD98059 did not block activation of ERK5 and MEF2C, but inhibited CREB phosphorylation by 90%. ERK5 siRNA-inhibited MEF2C activation, whereas it reduced CREB phosphorylation only 50%. Pre-adipocytes expressing DNFTα or treated with PD98059 were unable to differentiate to mature adipocytes, whereas pre-adipocytes transfected with ERK5 siRNA showed moderate inhibition of insulin-induced adipogenesis. Taken together, these data suggest that prenylation plays a critical role in insulin-stimulated adipogenesis, and that the ERK5 plays an important, but less crucial role in adipogenesis as compared to ERK1/2.
Pathway modeling of microarray data: A case study of pathway activity changes in the testis following in utero exposure to dibutyl phthalate (DBP)

Pathway activity level analysis, the approach pursued in this study, focuses on all genes that are known to be members of metabolic and signaling pathways as defined by the KEGG database. The pathway activity level analysis entails singular value decomposition (SVD) of the expression data of the genes constituting a given pathway. We explore an extension of the pathway activity methodology for application to time-course microarray data. We show that pathway analysis enhances our ability to detect biologically relevant changes in pathway activity using synthetic data. As a case study, we apply the pathway activity level formulation coupled with significance analysis to microarray data from two different rat testes exposed in utero to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP). In utero DBP exposure in the rat results in developmental toxicity of a number of male reproductive organs, including the testes. One well-characterized mode of action for DBP and the male reproductive developmental effects is the repression of expression of genes involved in cholesterol transport, steroid biosynthesis and testosterone synthesis that lead to a decreased fetal testicular testosterone. Previous analyses of DBP testes microarray data focused on either individual gene expression changes or changes in the expression of specific genes that are hypothesized, or known, to be important in testicular development and testosterone synthesis. However, a pathway analysis may inform whether there are additional affected pathways that could inform additional modes of action linked to DBP developmental toxicity. We show that Pathway activity analysis may be considered for a more comprehensive analysis of microarray data.
A new class of interconnection networks based on the alternating group

This paper introduces a new class of interconnection scheme based on the Cayley graph of the alternating group. It is shown that this class of graphs are edge symmetric and 2-transitive. We then describe an algorithm for (a) packet routing based on the shortest path analysis, (b) finding a Hamiltonian cycle, (c) ranking and unranking along the chosen Hamiltonian cycle, (d) unit expansion and dilation three embedding of a class of two-dimensional grids, (e) unit dilation embedding of a variety of cycles, and (f) algorithm for broadcasting messages. The paper concludes with a short analysis of contention resulting from a typical communication scheme. Although this class of graphs does not possess many of the symmetry properties of the binary hypercube, with respect to the one source broadcasting, these graphs perform better than does a hypercube, and with respect to the contention problem, these graphs perform better than do the star graphs and are close to the hypercube. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
GIS versus the community

Abstract Geographic information systems (GIS) are used in siting decisions as an objective, scientific means of arriving at policy. Siting, however, is typically a contested process and GIS may become politicized. Citizens' groups opposed to routeing an electrical transmission line through southern West Virginia argue that federal decision-makers incorporated their agencies' interests into the GIS procedures used to identify potential power-line corridors. On the basis of this case study, the use of GIS in siting decisions can be argued to be explicitly politicized. All parties must be allowed to help define the practice and purpose of GIS in siting decisions.
Juvenile syndecan-1 null mice are protected from carcinogen-induced tumor development

We previously showed that mice with a null mutation in syndecan-1 (Sdc1; CD138) were resistant to Wnt1-induced mammary tumor initiation. The absence of Sdc1 inhibited the increase in the mammary stem cell fraction that is characteristic of preneoplasia in this model. As the tumor precursor cells are recruited from the stem/progenitor cell compartment, tumor development was also inhibited (Liu et al., 2004; PNAS 101, 4158). Although Sdc1−/− mice are grossly normal, they are systemically smaller, suggesting that developmental abnormalities may extend further than their mammary glands. We have therefore evaluated the multi-organ response of Sdc1−/− mice to carcinogen-induced tumor development (7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, DMBA), and find these mice to be resistant to tumorigenesis in all the predominant carcinogen-susceptible lineages. Thus, Sdc1−/− mice administered DMBA during juvenile development are resistant not only to epithelial tumors, including liver (60–80%) and lung tumors (C57BL6 mice, 60–80%), but also to lymphoma (over 70%, depending upon strain and carcinogen dose). We demonstrate that CD138 is expressed (heterogeneously) in the hematopoietic stem cell fraction (and not only in pre-B and plasma cells), and that tumors arise in both myeloid and lymphoid lineages. Furthermore, carcinogen-induced mammary tumors are bilineal, implying a bipotent precursor cell. Both observations imply that the DMBA-induced tumor precursor cells are drawn from the stem/progenitor fraction, and we suggest that pathogenic activation of these cells could be abnormal in Sdc1−/− mice.
Asymptotic stability and quasi-periodicity in form and evolution of model socio-spatial structures

Abstract This paper explores three particular cases of attractors in the three-location one-stock version of a universal map of discrete relative socio-spatial model dynamics. These specific cases are studied because they belong to certain basic families of dynamical motion. They are found in a small neighborhood of the map's parameter space, each resulting from the other by changing a single parameter. Of the three attractors, two belong to the quasi-periodic species, whereas the third identifies a complex point attractor with fractal properties. The cases document the universality of the deterministic map. For example, the Curry-Yorke toroidal flow of a quasi-periodic attractor in absolute dynamics is shown to be present here. Cyclical asymptotic stability, toroidal flow and their transition to chaos are only some of the many events contained in the universal map.
Curable forms of childhood strabismus

Background: The literature on the management of childhood strabismus emphasizes some subtypes while ignoring others, based upon the experience of the author or the popularity of the topic, and are often from single-institution, tertiary-care referral centers. The purpose of this study is to review which forms of childhood strabismus are potentially curable. Methods: This overview identified surgically curable forms of strabismus, defined as a life-long result of orthotropia to small angle strabismus with > 50 seconds or better of stereoacuity and normal ocular motility. Results: Children with a developmental disorder, sensory strabismus, convergence insufficiency, dissociated strabismus and Browns syndrome were excluded. Curable forms of childhood strabismus included some children with partial sixth nerve palsy, accommodative and acquired nonaccommodative estropia and, in rare instances, a small percentage of children with intermittent exotropia. Conclusions: In declining order, some children with partial sixth nerve palsy, accommodative esotropia, acquired nonaccommodative esotropia, and only a handful with intermittent exotropia, can be said to be curable forms of childhood strabismus.
Dielectronic recombination cross sections for Si11+ and S13+

Abstract Cross sections for the resonant-excitation of the 1s electrons accompanied by the capture of an incident electron are estimated for the target ions Si 11+ and S 13+ . When averaged over an energy bin size of ΔE = 1 Ry, the cross sections are typically of the order of 2 × 10 −20 cm 2 .
Individual Differences in Boldness Affect the Interactions Between Fish and Robots

Although many species of robotic animal models have been developed in recent years, their effect on animal behavior is largely unexplored. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of regulating the behavior of golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) engaged in a risk-taking test using a robotic fish displaying characteristics of bold or shy individuals. Fish are characterized according to an individual boldness criterion and their individual interactions with a self-propelled biomimetic robot exhibiting typical bold and shy behaviors are scored. We find that bold individuals are relatively insensitive to the behavior of the robot, while the presence of the robot may embolden shy fish. Specifically, shy fish show affinity for the robotic fish when it displays both bold and shy behaviors. The results of this work may inform the design of engineering methods to regulate fish behavior for the purposes of animal control, conservation, and production.Copyright © 2012 by ASME