cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Ca impurity segregation on the TiO2(110) surface

TiO 2 (110) single crystals with trace amounts of Ca impurities were investigated by ISS, XPS, LEED, and STM. After initial cleaning and with increasing annealing temperature, ISS and XPS clearly show the segregation of Ca to the surface of fresh TiO 2 (110) crystals. As revealed by LEED and STM, a [ 60 ] structure is formed as an overlayer, with row-like features along the substrate [001] direction. In line with the Ca 2p 3/2 peak position of 347.4 eV, we propose the formation of a CaTiO 3 -like compound, oriented with its (110) face parallel to the substrate. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Prevalent vertebral fracture and the risk of incident vertebral fracture.

To the Editor: In their study of long-term risk of incident vertebral fractures, Dr Cauley and colleagues concluded that older women with a prevalent vertebral fracture had a substantially increased absolute risk of an incident fracture, particularly if they had osteoporosis diagnosed by bone mineral density assessment. In this study, it appears that both symptomatic and asymptomatic women with a prevalent vertebral fracture at baseline were combined. Only about one-third of vertebral fractures are clinically recognized. Because of this, it would be valuable to know the absolute risk of an incident fracture for symptomatic and asymptomatic women separately. Symptomatic women with a prevalent fracture at baseline may have had more opportunity to receive medication for osteoporosis than asymptomatic women who were diagnosed only by radiographs. This might result in a lower absolute risk of incident fracture among symptomatic women. In addition, the odds ratio (OR) for incident fracture in asymptomatic women with a prevalent fracture at baseline compared with those without a prevalent fracture might be higher than the overall risk reported in the study (OR, 4.21; 95% confidence interval, 3.33-5.34).
Thermocapillary migration of a bubble normal to a plane surface

Abstract The influence of a plane solid or fluid surface on the thermocapillary migration of a gas bubble moving normal to it in a space laboratory is investigated in the quasi-static limit. Results are presented for a suitably defined “interaction” parameter Ω as a function of the scaled distance of the bubble from the plane surface, and compared with similar predictions for buoyant migration.
Sparse equalization for real-time digital underwater acoustic communications

Due to the very long reverberation time of many ocean channels, the size of the adaptive filters required for conventional equalization becomes large, rendering the computational complexity of the adaptive receiver unacceptable for many cases of practical interest. To overcome this problem we exploit the natural sparseness of the reverberation pattern. By focusing only on those intervals which contain a significant portion of the signal energy, the sparse equalization method provides data detection using a minimum complexity adaptive receiver subject to an upper bound on the signal estimation error. Experimental results demonstrate an order of magnitude reduction in computational complexity with a negligible loss in performance.
Knowledge-based simulation

Knowledge engineering has been successfully applied in many domains to create knowledge-based "expert" systems. We have applied this technology to the area of large-scale simulation and have implemented ROSS, a Rule-Oriented Simulation System, that simulates military air battles. Alternative decision-making behaviors have been extracted from experts and encoded as object-oriented rules. Browsing of the knowledge and explanation of events occur at various levels of abstraction.
Analyzing the propagation of influence and concept evolution in enterprise social networks through centrality and latent semantic analysis

Understanding the propagation of influence and the concept flow over a network in general has profound theoretical and practical implications. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to ranking individual members of a real-world communication network in terms of their roles in such propagation processes. We first improve the accuracy of the centrality measures by incorporating temporal attributes. Then, we integrate weighted PageRank and centrality scores to further improve the quality of these measures. We valid these ranking measures through a study of an email archive of a W3C working group against an independent list of experts. The results show that time-sensitive Degree, time-sensitive Betweenness and the integration of the weighted PageRank and these centrality measures yield the best ranking results. Our approach partially solves the rank sink problem of PageRank by adjusting flexible jumping probabilities with Betweenness centrality scores. Finally the text analysis based on Latent Semantic Indexing extracts key concepts distributed in different time frames and explores the evolution of the discussion topics in the social network. The overall study depicts an overview of the roles of the actors and conceptual evolution in the social network. These findings are important to understand the dynamics of the social networks.
Coancestry in Apparently Sporadic Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Objective To examine sporadic cases of primary pulmonary hypertension for coancestry. Design An epidemiologic study of families of patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. Setting A university-affiliated referral population. Participants Family members of 13 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. Measurements Family pedigrees involving grandparents, parents, siblings, and children were supplemented by genealogic records. Coefficients of kinship (CK) were calculated for the patients with primary pulmonary hypertension who demonstrated coancestry and compared with 500 sets of controls drawn at random from genealogic records. Results Two patients with sporadic primary pulmonary hypertension demonstrated coancestry. The great-great grandfather and great-great grandmother of one patient were the great-grandfather and great-grandmother of the other patient. No other cases of primary pulmonary hypertension were identified in these two families. The CK of the affected individuals (CK=10.02×10 −5 ) suggests strongly that the observed relationship did not occur by chance alone. Among 500 random sets of matched controls, only two sets yielded CK of 10.02×10 −5 or greater (p=0.004). Coancestry could not be identified for the other five families of patients with sporadic primary pulmonary hypertension for whom genealogic records were available. Conclusions: The finding of coancestry in patients with sporadic primary pulmonary hypertension suggests that a genetic basis exists for some patients with apparently sporadic primary pulmonary hypertension. Familial primary pulmonary hypertension may be more common than previously recognized.
Evaluating Peer-Led Team Learning across the two semester General Chemistry sequence

Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) is a widely disseminated pedagogical reform that employs previously successful undergraduate students, peer leaders, to lead sessions of structured group work in the target class. Numerous studies have evaluated the impact of this reform in various post-secondary chemistry classes. Results from these studies suggest that PLTL may be effective at improving student success in these classes, either through improved performance on common exams or reduced student attrition in the classes. This study seeks to take a broader picture at measuring the impact, by examining the role PLTL plays across a two semester General Chemistry sequence. This includes an analysis of PLTL on students' decision to progress through the two semester sequence, and on PLTL impact on the algorithm-heavy second-semester General Chemistry. The findings suggest that the PLTL implementation is robust in improving student success directly in terms of the target class. However, PLTL had little to no effect on students' decision to continue in the General Chemistry sequence. Additionally, PLTL had little effect on student performance in subsequent courses where the pedagogy returned to lecture-only instruction. The results suggest that PLTL implementation on one course within a sequence would have limited impact, and in order to improve student progress toward graduation, PLTL implementation may have to be curricular wide.
Some conditions under which hierarchical verification is O(N)

Before manufacturing, each chip design must be inspected for possible errors. For example, design rule checking is used to check for adherence to the physical manufacturing rules, and static timing analysis is used to verify that the design has adequate performance. Although modern chip designs are invariably specified hierarchically, verification algorithms can treat this hierarchy in different ways. The most straightforward way to verify a hierarchical design is to expand (or flatten) the hierarchy, then do the test. Since most verification algorithms involve at least sorting the data, such algorithms are at least O(N log N), where N is the size of the flattened hierarchy. Alternatively, a verification tool can try to use the hierarchy rather than flattening it. One form of hierarchical verification involves verifying each cell, generating a model (also called an abstract) for each cell, and then checking all interactions between cells by using their abstracts. Under some conditions, this may be more efficient than flattening the hierarchy and then verifying. In particular, if the size of the abstract is O(n/sup a/) for a cell containing n primitives, and the time to verify a cell and generate the abstract is O(n/sup b/), then the complete verification of all levels of the hierarchy is O(N), provided ab<1.
Quantification and Verification of Automobile Interior Textures by a High Performance Tactile-Haptic Interface

This paper presents the development of a tactile-haptic interface for quantifying surface texture properties such as roughness, veins, and softness of automobile interior. This interface will assist the designer to quantify and classify the comfort index of automobile interior design for quality control, as well as provide customers a sensory experience of surface textures so as to determine the desired surface characteristics for each individual customer. To realize this purpose, a high resolution optical tactile sensor for accurately capturing interior surface textures is developed. Based on the intensity information of the achieved 2-D tactile image, the contact area map and the 3-D shape of the surface texture is recovered. In addition, a high performance haptic electrotactile array device was fabricated for rendering the tactile sensation of surface texture in the fingertip of the designer/customer. Calibration and experimental results verified the high performance of the developed tactile haptic interface. This interface can be further developed to be an effective and efficient knowledge based evaluation system for improving automobile interior design.
A Re-Examination of Generic Concepts of Baeomycetoid Lichens Based on Phylogenetic Analyses of Nuclear ssu and Lsu Ribosomal Dna

Abstract Abstract: The lichen symbiosis has evolved several times within the fungal kingdom, although the total number of lichenization events leading to extant taxa is still unclear. Two lichenized families, the Icmadophilaceae and Baeomycetaceae have been classified in the Helotiales. Because the Helotiales are predominantly non-lichenized, this suggests that these families represent independent evolutionary episodes of lichenization from the Lecanorales. As a first step towards understanding the evolution of the lichen symbiosis within this order, we tested recent hypotheses concerning the segregation of lichen genera between the two lichen families. Specifically, we used phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequence data from nuclear small-subunit and large-subunit ribosomal DNA to test the morphology-based hypotheses that Dibaeis is a distinct genus from Baeomyces and that Dibaeis is a member of the Icmadophilaceae rather than the Baeomycetaceae . Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear SSU rDNA and combined SSU and LSU rDNA data support the hypothesis that Dibaeis is more closely related to Icmadophila than it is to Baeomyces . Therefore, these data support the resurrection of Dibaeis from its previous synonymy with Baeomyces based on the characters of ascocarp colour and ascus morphology. The recognition of two distinct genera is also consistent with character state distribution of unique lichen acids.
Cycloheximide Protects HepG2 Cells from Serum Withdrawal-Induced Apoptosis by Decreasing p53 and Phosphorylated p53 Levels

Cycloheximide (CHX), an inhibitor of protein synthesis, has been reported to prevent cell death in a wide variety of cell types and produced by different apoptotic stimuli. However, the mechanisms by which CHX protects cells from apoptosis are still unclear. In this study, we investigated whether p53 plays a role in the protection by CHX against serum withdrawal-induced apoptosis. Deprivation of serum from the culture medium causes apoptosis in HepG2 cells, and CHX dramatically protects cells from death. p53, p21, and Bax protein levels were elevated, and cell cycle arrest was produced after serum withdrawal. CHX abolished this elevation of p53, p21, and Bax as well as the cell cycle arrest induced by serum deprivation. The p53 inhibitor pifithrin-alpha protects HepG2 cells against apoptosis induced by serum withdrawal. HepG2 cells expressing a dominant negative form of mutant p53 and Hep3B cells lacking p53 were resistant to serum withdrawal-induced apoptosis. Lowering of p53 by small interfering RNA protects HepG2 cells from serum withdrawal-induced apoptosis. p53 phosphorylation was induced by serum withdrawal and other chemotherapeutic reagents such as actinomycin D, doxorubicin, and etoposide. CHX decreases the levels of phosphorylated p53 (pp53) even in the presence of a proteasome inhibitor, which maintains the total p53 levels, whereas it does not affect the dephosphorylation of pp53. These results suggest the possibility that kinases that phosphorylate p53 might be affected by CHX administration. In summary, CHX protects HepG2 cells from serum withdrawal-induced apoptosis through inhibiting the synthesis of p53 and the phosphorylation of p53.
Preventing an unholy alliance

For years, arguments have raged over the relative importance of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aggregates of both proteins, Aβ in the form of amyloid plaques and tau as neurofibrillary tangles, are the pathological hallmarks of AD. Although Aβ plaques
Cognition in the Head and in the World: An Introduction to the Special Issue on Situated Action

This issue of Cognitive Science contains a debate among proponents of two distinct approaches to the study of human cognition. One approach, the tradition upon which cognitive science was founded, is that of symbolic processing, represented in the article by Alonso Vera and Herbert Simon. The other more recent approach, emphasizing the role of the environment, the context, the social and cultural setting, and the situations in which actors find themselves, is variously called situated action or situation cognition. It is represented by four articles written in response to Vera and Simon: James Greeno and Joyce Moore; Philip Agre; Lucy Suchman; and WilIiam Clancey. The debate was triggered by Vera and Simon's article, which takes note of the work in situated action and its attacks on the role of symbolic processing, and argues that the new approach could easily be incorporated within the old. The respondents take issue with this characterization. To understand the nature and importance of this debate, it is necessary to reflect a bit upon the social and personal nature of the scientific enterprise. In this introductory essay, I provide some background information and scope to the discussion that follows. The study of human cognition has matured. In the early days-not that long ago-the development of formal methods for the analysis of cognitive processes unleashed a vast uprising of research, all wildly optimistic about the promises of these methods for the study of cognition. Informationprocessing models of cognition developed rapidly. Studies of symbolic representation and what was called "the representation-of-knowledge problem" dominated the field. Progress was made on many fronts, including planning, problem solving, reasoning, and language. But after the initial flurry of activity, progress slowed. The problems of understanding human cognition still loomed large. At first, it looked like all was within our grasp, now it appears that no matter how far we have come, we still have an equal distance to go. There are several reasons for the difficulties.
Uncertainties in Ice-Sheet Altimetry From a Spaceborne 1064-nm Single-Channel Lidar Due to Undetected Thin Clouds

In support of the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat)-II mission, this paper studies the bias in surface-elevation measurements caused by undetected thin clouds. The ICESat-II satellite may only have a 1064-nm single-channel lidar onboard. Less sensitive to clouds than the 532-nm channel, the 1064-nm channel tends to miss thin clouds. Previous studies have demonstrated that scattering by cloud particles increases the photon-path length, thus resulting in biases in ice-sheet-elevation measurements from spaceborne lidars. This effect is referred to as atmospheric path delay. This paper complements previous studies in the following ways: First, atmospheric path delay is estimated over the ice sheets based on cloud statistics from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System onboard ICESat and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Terra and Aqua. Second, the effect of cloud particle size and shape is studied with the state-of-the-art phase functions developed for MODIS cirrus-cloud microphysical model. Third, the contribution of various orders of scattering events to the path delay is studied, and an analytical model of the first-order scattering contribution is developed. This paper focuses on the path delay as a function of telescope field of view (FOV). The results show that reducing telescope FOV can significantly reduce the expected path delay. As an example, the average path delays for FOV = 167 ?rad (a 100-m-diameter circle on the surface) caused by thin undetected clouds by the 1064-nm channel over Greenland and East Antarctica are illustrated.
Morphology control of segmented polyurethanes by crystallization of hard and soft segments

Abstract Segmented polyurethanes (SPUs) have been designed with controlled hard to soft segment ratios. The confinement effect of the SPU blocks is induced by phase separation of the SPU segments and has been harnessed to selectively control crystallization. Hard segment (HS) concentrations greater than 50 wt.% allowed for the study of morphological changes and mechanical properties associated with confinement of the soft segment (SS). It was observed that crystallization temperature and normalized percent crystallinity were reduced with increasing HS content, creating a largely amorphous PEG SS at ambient temperature. High temperature annealing further confined the SS because the HS had more time to crystallize, which increased confinement. Considerable insight has been gained through the manipulation and characterization of the SS and HS, in an SPU, towards the design of impact absorbing and structural materials.
Differentiating natural and anthropogenic cloud condensation nuclei in the California coastal zone

Aerosol samples were collected and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations at five supersaturations were measured along and off the central California coast within the cloud-topped, marine boundary layer from aircraft flights during August 2007. Receptor modelling has been applied to estimate the natural versus anthropogenic source contribution of cloud condensation nuclei in this region, a region of climatically important marine stratocumulus. The results suggest that anthropogenic CCN accounted for about 50% of the CCN active at 0.3% supersaturation in this region during the measurement period.
Interactions between Procedural Learning and Cocaine Exposure Alter Spontaneous and Cortically Evoked Spike Activity in the Dorsal Striatum.

We have previously shown that cocaine enhances gene regulation in the sensorimotor striatum associated with procedural learning in a running-wheel paradigm. Here we assessed whether cocaine produces enduring modifications of learning-related changes in striatal neuron activity, using single-unit recordings in anesthetized rats 1 day after the wheel training. Spontaneous and cortically-evoked spike activity was compared between groups treated with cocaine or vehicle immediately prior to the running-wheel training or placement in a locked wheel (control conditions). We found that wheel training in vehicle-treated rats increased the average firing rate of spontaneously active neurons without changing the relative proportion of active to quiescent cells. In contrast, in rats trained under the influence of cocaine, the proportion of spontaneously firing to quiescent cells was significantly greater than in vehicle-treated, trained rats. However, this effect was associated with a lower average firing rate in these spontaneously active cells, suggesting that training under the influence of cocaine recruited additional low-firing cells. Measures of cortically-evoked activity revealed a second interaction between cocaine treatment and wheel training, namely, a cocaine-induced decrease in spike onset latency in control rats (locked wheel). This facilitatory effect of cocaine was abolished when rats trained in the running wheel during cocaine action. These findings highlight important interactions between cocaine and procedural learning, which act to modify population firing activity and the responsiveness of striatal neurons to excitatory inputs. Moreover, these effects were found 24 hours after the training and last drug exposure indicating that cocaine exposure during the learning phase triggers long-lasting changes in synaptic plasticity in the dorsal striatum. Such changes may contribute to the transition from recreational to habitual or compulsive drug taking behavior.
On a Class of Higher-Order Pseudo-Rigid Bodies:

A simple extension of the theory of pseudo-rigid bodies is proposed to allow for spatially inhomogeneous deformations of polynomial type. The kinematics of the admissible constrained motions and the corresponding balance laws are presented and discussed. A simple steady motion of such a higher-order elastic pseudo-rigid body is analyzed in detail to illustrate the applicability of the extended theory.
Population and temperature effects on Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) body size and minimum development time.

Understanding how ecological conditions influence physiological responses is fundamental to forensic entomology. When determining the minimum postmortem interval with blow fly evidence in forensic investigations, using a reliable and accurate model of development is integral. Many published studies vary in results, source populations, and experimental designs. Accordingly, disentangling genetic causes of developmental variation from environmental causes is difficult. This study determined the minimum time of development and pupal sizes of three populations of Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae; from California, Michigan, and West Virginia) at two temperatures (20°C and 33.5°C). Development times differed significantly between strain and temperature. In addition, California pupae were the largest and fastest developing at 20°C, but at 33.5°C, though they still maintained their rank in size among the three populations, they were the slowest to develop. These results indicate a need to account for genetic differences in development, and genetic variation in environmental responses, when estimating a postmortem interval with entomological data.
Some experimental results on placement techniques

Seven placement algorithms - one constructive-initial placement algorithm and six iterative-improvement algorithms - were programmed and run on six problems ranging in size from 60 to 1300 modules. These problems included placing IC packs on a card, cards on a board and circuits on an LSI chip. It was found that the new force-directed pairwise relaxation algorithm was the best algorithm for the larger problems and was competitive with the other algorithms for the smaller problems. Other questions relating to placement strategies (such as, what are the advantages of constructive - initial start vs. random start and what is the best transformation of the placement problem to an associated quadratic assignment problem) are also answered.
The hatching enzyme of Fundulus heteroclitus

The chorionase (hatching enzyme) of Fundulus heteroclitus digests the chorion by producing water soluble peptide fragments. The chorion may be labeled with 14C-iodoacetamide so that the soluble products of digestion are also labeled. We used this labeled substrate as the basis for a quantitative assay for chorionase. Chorionase was found to be quite stable at temperatures below 30°C and had a Q10 of 2.2 between 15 and 30°C. The pH optimum for enzymatic activity was between pH 8.0 and pH 8.5, and an ionic strength optimum was found between 0.1M and 0.2M. The enzyme was inhibited at ionic strengths similar to those found in sea water. Chorionase was also inhibited by divalent cations, EDTA, and PMSF. These results suggest that divalent cations are necessary for activity even though they are inhibitory at concentrations above 10mM.
A Reevaluation of the New York Court of Appeals: The Home, the Market, and Labor, 1885-1905

Closely examining a range of New York Court of Appeals police-power cases during the period 1885 to 1905, this article demonstrates that the New York Court had a long history of accepting and continually expanding the police power. In these police-power cases, one finds the court grappling with an evolving sense of how to balance the concept of and need for a well-regulated society against the rights of an individual in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, as well as a tenacious refusal to abandon Victorian bourgeois norms regarding the dichotomy between the home and workplace. By contextualizing and historicizing New York Court of Appeals cases, the article challenges the dominant historiographical interpretations about late-nineteenth-century law. Moving away from a paradigm that labels the court conservative or liberal, formalist or realist, it argues that the court participated in creating a regulatory state while also employing a reasoning that adopted a sharp distinction between the market and the site of the domestic.
Is it even worth it? The effect of loss prospects in the outcome distribution of a public goods dilemma

Contributions to public goods are premised on the expectation that the collective will realize benefit in excess of the value of required contributions. However, past research has focused on public goods of fixed and known value, for which the added value of the produced public good is obvious. Research has largely ignored public goods whose eventual value is uncertain at the time contribution decisions are made. Two studies explored the effects of outcome variance on individuals’ contributions to a public good and their reasons for contributing. Contributions were negatively affected by loss prospects in the distribution of possible outcomes. Further, loss prospects directly discouraged contributions because of loss aversion, and indirectly discouraged contributions by fueling fears that others would not contribute. The negative effects of loss prospects were stronger when social uncertainty was low. Implications for social dilemma research and the effective management of collective action are discussed.
Amino acid uptake and fatty acid esterification by intestinal mucosa from patients with Whipple's disease and nontropical sprue.

Summary 1)The uptake of C 14 -L-arginine, C 14 -Llysine, C 14 -DL-ornithine, and C 14 -L-phenylalanine by duodenal mucosa from 3 patients with Whipple's disease, 2 patients with nontropical sprue, and 10 control patients with normal intestinal mucosal morphology has been determined. In most experiments the ability of similar mucosal tissue to incorporate C 14 -labeled palmitic acid into triglyceride was obtained concomitantly. 2)The uptake of C 14 -L-arginine, C 14 -lysine, and C 14 -DL-ornithine by duodenal mucosa from patients with Whipple's disease and nontropical sprue was consistently lower than corresponding values obtained in control patients and healthy volunteers.1o The mucosal uptake of C 14 -L-phenylalanine was more variable, and a definite reduction in the uptake of this amino acid was apparent only in two patients with untreated Whipple's disease, and one patient with severe nontropical sprue. With the exception of one determination in a patient with Whipple's disease, the rate of incorporaton of C 14 -labeled palmitic acid into triglyceride was uniformly lower in Whipple's disease and nontropical sprue than values obtained from similar measurements in control patients and healthy volunteers. 3)The similarity in amino acid uptake and lipid esterification values by duodenal mucosa from patients with Whipple's disease and nontropical sprue has been discussed in light of the recognized lack of morphological alteration in the mucosal epithelial cell of patients with Whipple's disease as contrasted with the consistent epithelial cell changes seen in nontropical sprue.
Abstract 4716: Chronic alcohol consumption activates the LiTAF pathway in melanoma-bearing mice.

We previously reported that chronic alcohol consumption increases myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and compromises melanoma-specific CD8+ T cells in B16BL6 melanoma-bearing mice; however, the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. Activation of LPS-induced TNF-α factor (LiTAF) gene leads to up-regulation in the expression of various cytokines, chemokines and growth factors such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and VEGF, which are inducers of MDSC. Alcohol consumption is associated with the leakage of LPS into the blood. However, it is not known whether alcohol consumption modulates the expression of LiTAF. Herein, we examined the effects of alcohol and subcutaneous inoculation of melanoma in mice on the expression of LiTAF and its downstream cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Female C57BL/6 mice were given 20% (w/v) alcohol for three to six months followed by subcutaneous inoculation of 2x105 B16BL6 melanoma cells. Two weeks after tumor inoculation, the expression of LiTAF and related cytokine genes in the spleen were examined by RT-PCR. Chronic alcohol consumption dramatically up regulated the expression of LiTAF in the spleen of melanoma-bearing mice; however, expression was almost undetectable in the spleen of corresponding water-drinking mice. The expression of IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α, CCL5, and VEGF-β was also significantly up regulated by alcohol. These results indicate that chronic alcohol consumption activates the LiTAF pathway and up regulates the expression of the downstream cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. The up regulation of these cytokines could contribute to the induction of MDSC and inhibition on CD8+ T cells. (Supported by funds received from the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, from NIH grants R01 AA07193 and K05AA017149, and from funds provided for medical and biological research by the State of Washington Initiative Measure No. 171). Citation Format: Andrew Marron, Hui Zhang, Zhaohui Zhu, Gary G. Meadows. Chronic alcohol consumption activates the LiTAF pathway in melanoma-bearing mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4716. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4716
The Mechanism of Feather Replacement during Natural Molt

MOST ornithological reference books state that natural molt is a twopart process entailing loss of old feathers, "ecdysis," and subsequent growth of new feathers, "endysis" (Stresemann, 1927; Mayaud, 1950; Wing, 1956; Van Tyne and Berger, 1959). Furthermore, investigators who have studied molt in penguins, cassowaries, and emus state or imply that they are aberrant, since, in these birds, the old feathers are pushed out attached to the tips of the feathers of the incoming generation and are later abraded or are pulled off by the bird (Bartlett, 1879; Lowe, 1933; Friedmann, 1949; Rand, 1950). The evidence to be presented in this paper, very briefly reported earlier by Watson (1963), indicates, however, that this latter mechanism of feather replacement is more widespread among birds than previously believed and that natural molt is actively concerned only with the incoming generation. This finding is of significance for relating molts to plumages, especially in view of the current controversy over their nomenclature (Humphrey and Parkes, 1959, 1963; Miller, 1961, 1962; Stresemann, 1963). During the course of early development in birds, the natal downs are carried out on the tips of the incoming juvenal feathers in the first molt, but are soon abraded. For this reason, some authors have maintained that down should not be considered a separate generation, but merely the modified tips of the juvenal feathers (Jones, 1907). Furthermore, plucking a definitive feather usually stimulates regeneration (Lillie and Juhn, 1932; but see Morton, 1962). The distal portion of the papilla is torn away in plucking but the papilla begins healing over at once and usually an entire new feather is grown (Cohen and 'Espinasse, 1961). The regeneration of plucked feathers has received much attention, especially from developmental biologists interested in regulation and morphogenesis (see review by Lillie, 1942). Their findings have been interpreted to reinforce the view that loss of feathers in molt stimulates growth of the new feathers. The mechanism of replacement of feathers during natural molt, however, has been little investigated.
Research on Fall Risk Related Kinesthetic Position Sense of Knee and Ankle of Female Elderly

Objective:The present research was to investigate the risk factors related to falls in kinesthetic position sense(KPS) on the knee and ankle,and the related training methods for its improvement.Methods:29 female elderly(age:65 or above) were classified into fallers and non-fallers according to their fall histories,and their KPS in the knee and ankle,Fall Risk Index(FRI) and Time Up and Going(TUG) time were quantitatively measured and statistically analyzed.Results: Compared to non-fallers,female elderly with fall history showed higher fall risk index,lower accuracy in knee's active and passive KPS,and ankle's passive KPS as well.The accuracy of knee's active KPS and ankle's passive KPS had a significant positive relation with one's ability in TUG measurement.Furthermore,joint angle reproduction under the condition of knowledge of results(KR)tended to increase the accuracy of knee movement.Conclusion: The kinesthetic function deteriorations in the lower joints characterized with lower accuracy in knee's active and passive KPS and ankle's passive KPS are the important contributors to fall risk of female elderly.Active exercise with appropriate load and goal-oriented repetitive practice could be effective ways to improve the KPS in the lower extremity.
Intraluminal Device Pressures in 3-Piece Inflatable Penile Prostheses: The “Pathophysiology” of Mechanical Malfunction

AbstractThe role of intraluminal device pressures in the development of mechanical failures in 3-piece inflatable penile prostheses was investigated in a 2-part study. An in vitro study was performed in which mean intraluminal device pressures were recorded in Mentor IPP, Mentor Alpha-1, AMS 700 CX and AMS Ultrex devices. At maximum inflated volumes mean intraluminal device pressures exceeded 600 and 1,000mm.Hg at rest, and 850 and 1,300mm.Hg following external loading in Mentor and AMS products, respectively. The AMS 700 CX was associated with the highest mean intraluminal device pressure, with values approaching 1,400mm.Hg following external loading.A 4-year clinical review at our institution was performed comparing the mechanical malfunctions in 51, 3-piece implants with connectors between the pump and cylinders (AMS 700 CX) to the mechanical malfunctions of 50, 3-piece implants with pre-connected tubing between the pump and cylinders (Mentor Alpha-1). Fluid leaks were identified in 16% of the former a...
The Basal Transcription Apparatus

Research on gene expression tends to focus on the factors which bind to enhancers and upstream promoter elements to provide specific regulation of a given gene. It is unclear, however, how any of these factors exert their influence to either activate or repress the target gene. The downstream target for all of these specific activators and repressors is the basal transcription apparatus, a set of proteins which is capable of mRNA synthesis from any RNA polymerase II promoter. In this review the functions of the individual basal transcription factors will be described, as well as the way upstream activating factors may influence the basal apparatus. The basal apparatus can be found in a pre-assembled complex, known as the RNA polymerase II holoenzyme, which contains other bridging factors that may link upstream activators to the basal machinery. Chromatin–remodeling proteins, which may be part of a holoenzyme, will be discussed in a holistic model of activator interactions with the basal transcription apparatus on chromatin templates.
Growth rate, root development and nutrient uptake of 55 plant species from the Great Plains Grasslands, USA

Empirical and theoretical studies have highlighted that plantcompetition and species diversity are substantially affected by interactionsamong plant growth and nutrient uptake rates, root lateral spread, rootplasticity, and small scale soil nutrient heterogeneity. This study wasdesignedto (a) experimentally estimate parameters regarding rootscaling patterns, root biomass allocation, growth rates, nutrient productivity,and root nutrient influx rates of 55 plant species common to Great Plainsgrasslands; and (b) determine if grasses and forbs can beclassified into statistically distinct groups based on these characteristics.Wefound that: (1) In all species root lateral spread, rootlength, and root surface area had significant allometric scaling relationshipswith root biomass, but that the relationships were unaffected by Navailability.(2) Reductions in the supply of N increased the root:shootratio in 62% of the species. (3) The frequency distributionandmean values of maximum relative growth rates were very similar for grasses andforbs/shrubs, but mid successional grasses had a higher relative growth ratethan late successional ones. (4) In 78% of the species tested,N productivity was increased by reductions in the N supply.(5)When subjected to a high N supply, the N and P productivity of grasses was, onaverage, higher than that of forbs/shrubs, and the N and P productivity ofC4 grasses was, on average, higher than that of C3grasses. No differences were found under a low N supply. (6)Nodifferences on the average maximum N and P influx rates per unit of rootsurfacearea were found between grasses and forbs or between C3 andC4 grasses, but both were correlated with maximum relative growthrate. (7) The set of parameters we measured were able toseparate grasses and forbs/shrubs into statistically distinct groups that tendto follow in broad terms the “coarse” vs. “fine” scaleforaging strategies hypothesis.
The Revolution of the 1920s and the Interwar Years

As career paths in academic life began to be open to sociology Ph.D.s in the 1920s, the discipline began to change. Reformist topics still predominated, but the mix of topics gradually changed, and began to reflect such concerns as measurement. The Rockefeller philanthropies, whose aims were ultimately reformist, stressed the need for more realistic studies and objective knowledge, an emphasis that conflicted with the reformers’ notion that enough was known and what was needed was public education. But the issues over objectivity remained in flux, and at the end of the 1930s Robert Lynd published an influential attack on this model of sociology, Knowledge for What?, which called for research to be assessed and performed for immediate social impact.
Current Technology Trends and Issues among Health and Physical Education Professionals

Health and physical education professionals who implement technology appropriately can contribute to helping students become physically educated individuals (NASPE, 2009). It is imperative that professionals be knowledgeable and resourceful in how to integrate technology effectively, but it is unclear what current challenges professionals face in this regard. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the current trends and issues surrounding technology among health and physical education professionals, as discussed in a professional online forum. This mixed-methods study involved the collection and analysis of technology-related discussion posts from the first year of the SHAPE America Exchange online forum. Researchers collected 110 discussion threads from 241 SHAPE America members about technology topics ranging from pedometers to social media in an attempt to investigate the nature of the discussions and to determine the demographics of the participants. Discussion posts were examined within and across specific technologies, and major themes were established. Quantitative data analysis included descriptive statistics of participant demographics and types of technologies discussed. Results revealed the most commonly discussed technology topics were activity monitors, mobile devices, and social media. Major themes included networking and sharing resources, implementing technology for teaching, technology selection, data collection and management solutions, and logistics issues. Results of this study indicate that professionals are aware of and interested in implementing a variety of technologies into their teaching; however, they are still unsure about selection, management, and implementation. The online forum provided a resource to address these issues.
Constant-Rate-of-Loading (CRL) Consolidation Test

For the past 50 years, the information used to estimate soil settlement characteristics has been obtained using a standard-incremental-loading (STD) consolidation test. Recently, several other test methods have been developed, among them the constant-rate-of-loading (CRL) consolidation test. A versatile CRL apparatus, developed by the Bureau of Reclamation Engineering and Research Laboratory, is described. Test results from the CRL apparatus are compared with results from the STD apparatus. The results show that test completion times for the CRL test are much shorter than for the STD test, that agreement between the results of the CRL and STD tests are within reasonable limits, and that the CRL apparatus and test procedure offer an alternative to the STD test.
TREM1: A Potential Therapeutic Target For Alzheimer’s Disease

Immunity has been suggested to play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM1), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of receptors, is widely expressed in monocytes and microglia. On the other hand, TREM1 variant, rs6910730G, is reported to associate with AD pathology; however, the exact mechanism is not yet clear. Since phagocytosis of Aβ by monocytes enhances Aβ clearance and attenuates AD pathogenesis, Jiang et al. has investigated if TREM1 can modulate Aβ phagocytosis and degradation by monocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). They found that TREM1 facilitates microglial Aβ phagocytosis while rs6910730G impairs this function and exacerbates AD pathogenesis. These findings suggest that TREM1 can be implemented investigated as a potential therapeutic target in AD.
Recognition Memory for the Deep-Structure Propositions of Sentences

This study tested a model concerning the structure underlying the retention of complex sentences; in the model, the deep structure constituent propositions of the multi-proposition sentences are hierarchically related. Latencies and error rated to recognize these constituent propositions as true or false were measured and were the same for all propositions. These results did not confirm the model but showed that for recognition (but not necessarily for other memory tasks), each deep proposition of a sentence is separately or equally accessible. Stated differently, the recognition process does not make use of hierarchical organizations. The findings were obtained while the imagery-arousing capacity of the deep propositions was controlled. In previous research imagery was not controlled and it was found that some propositions and idea-units were better remembered than others; consequently, the suggestion was made that imagery might be related to accessibility, in that high-imagery items might be more accessible than low-imagery items. Closer analysis of other aspects of the findings indicated that another interesting factor might also be operating.
Six-Year Diabetes Incidence After Genetic Risk Testing and Counseling: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Genetics determine only a small proportion of common disease risk, but the potential to motivate health behavior change remains a proposed benefit of genetic susceptibility testing. Evidence supporting this benefit is scant (1), and studies of long-term clinical outcomes are absent. Type 2 diabetes is heritable yet preventable by behavior change. Although genetic scores predict incident diabetes (2), we demonstrated in the Genetic Counseling/Lifestyle Change (GC/LC) Study that learning one’s genetic risk did not impact short-term weight loss or behavior change motivation among participants in a diabetes prevention program (3). Here, we examine 6-year diabetes incidence among participants. The GC/LC Study was a randomized trial of diabetes genetic risk counseling among primary care patients (3). Eligible participants did not have diabetes but were at high phenotypic risk for diabetes in that they were overweight and met at least one other metabolic syndrome criterion. Participants were randomized to undergo genotyping for a diabetes genetic risk score (tested) versus no genotyping (control). Tested participants in …
The Influence of Screening on Outcomes of Clinically Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Screening for colorectal cancer has resulted in declining incidence rates of both colon and rectal cancer and it may influence stage at presentation and improve survival. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of screening on patients diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer. A retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and had an R0-resection for clinical AJCC stage II or stage III disease. All patients received surgery at a single center between 2004 and 2015. Patients diagnosed through screening were compared to patients diagnosed through symptomatic presentation. Three hundred nine patients were included, of whom 43 (13.9%) were diagnosed through screening. Screened patients had more often a white ethnicity, while there were no other differences in baseline characteristics or median household income. Screened patients had a lower rate of disease recurrence in addition to a longer disease free survival and overall survival. Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer diagnosed through screening demonstrated more favorable short and long-term outcomes than patients diagnosed through symptoms. Findings of this study reinforce the need for screening programs in addition to the need for research regarding optimization of screening adherence.