cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermoregulation and energetics in hibernating black bears: metabolic rate and the mystery of multi-day body temperature cycles

Black bears overwintering in outdoor hibernacula in Alaska decrease metabolism to as low as 25 % basal rates, while core body temperature (T(b)) decreases from 37 to 38 °C to a mid-hibernation average of 33 °C. T b develops cycles of 1.6-7.3 days length within a 30-36 °C range, with no circadian component. We do not know the mechanism or function underlying behind the T(b) cycles, although bears avoid T(b) of <30 °C and shorter cycles are predicted from higher rates of heat loss in colder conditions. To test this we manipulated den temperatures (T(den)) of 12 hibernating bears with body mass (BM) from 35.5 to 116.5 kg while recording T(b), metabolic rate (M), and shivering. T b cycle length (0.8-11.2 days) shortened as T den decreased (partial R(2) = 0.490, p < 0.001). Large bears with low thermal conductance (TC) showed more variation in T b cycle length with changes in T(den) than did smaller bears with high TC. Minimum T b across cycles was not consistent. At low T(den) bears shivered both during rising and decreasing phases of T(b) cycles, with minimum shivering during the fastest drop in T(b). At higher T den the T b pattern was more irregular. Mean M through T(b) cycles was negatively correlated to T den below lower critical temperatures (1.4-10.4 °C). Minimum M (0.3509 W/kg ± 0.0121 SE) during mid-hibernation scaled to BM [M (W) = 1.217 × BM (kg)(0.6979), R(2) = 0.855, p < 0.001]. Hibernating thermal conductance (TC) was negatively correlated to BM (R(2) = 0.721, p < 0.001); bears with high TC had the same T(b) cycle length as bears with low TC except at high T(den), thus not supporting the hypothesis that cooling rate alone determines T(b) cycle length. We conclude that T(b) cycling is effected by control of thermoregulatory heat production, and T(b) cycling may not be present when hibernating bears use passive thermoregulation. More intense shivering in the rising phase of cycles may contribute to the prevention of muscle disuse atrophy. Bears hibernating in cold conditions use more energy during hibernation than in warmer conditions. At T den below lower critical temperature, no extra energy expenditure results from T b cycling compared to keeping a stable T(b.)
Remarks on a Theorem of Amitsur

Amitsur proved the following theorem for an uncountable field k: Let A be a k-algebra, then any finite-dimensional nil subspace of A has bounded index, and any finite dimensional algebraic subspace of A has bounded degree. Here we give a new proof of Amitsur's theorem, a proof which is more elementary and direct, than Amitsur's original proof.
A survey of social gaze

Based on a synthesis of eight major studies using six robots involving social gaze in robotics, this research proposes a novel behavioral definition as a mapping G = E(C) from the perception of a social context C to a set of head, eye, and body patterns called gaze acts G that expresses the engagement E. This definition places social gaze within the behavior-based programming framework for robots and agents, providing a guide for principled future implementations. The research also identifies five social contexts, or functions, of social gaze (Establishing agency, Communicating social attention, Regulating the interaction process, Manifesting interaction content and Projecting mental state) along with six discrete gaze acts for social gaze functions (Fixation, Short glance, Aversion, Concurrence, Confusion, and Scan) that have been employed by various robots or in simulation for these contexts. The research contributes to a computational understanding of social gaze that bridges psychological, cognitive, and robotics communities.
Sex education in the home: An empirical task analysis

Abstract Data from several studies have indicated that direct parental involvement in sex education is not occurring frequently. One hypothesis advanced to explain the lack of parental involvement is the poor sex education of parents themselves. Response acquisition training programs have been used to improve parents' skill and comfort in this parenting task. To improve the generalizability of such training programs, direct interviews with 59 parents were conducted to determine what types of sexually‐oriented situations occur in the home. Transcriptions of these interviews provided a set of 392 sex education situations which were categorized into 21 topic areas. Analysis of these situations revealed no difference in number or type of sexual situations occurring as a function of the child's sex, but there were significant differences as a function of the child's age. Preadolescent children tended to present more sexual situations to their parents than did adolescent children. Home‐based situations also sho...
Serotonergic function in diabetic rats: psychotherapeutic implications.

Abstract Extracellular serotonin in striatum was studied in untreated streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and in untreated nondiabetic rats that served as age-, food-, and sex-matched controls. Extracellular serotonin was studied under anesthesia in vivo and dynamically with voltammetry. The results showed that an early and significant increase in extracellular serotonin occurred in striatum in the untreated acutely (3 days) diabetic rat. In untreated long-term (3–7 weeks) diabetic rats, however, the increase in serotonin in extracellular fluid in striatum decreased and returned to normal. The findings show a change in serotonergic function in acutely diabetic rats. The serotonergic alteration may have psychotherapeutic implications.
PKC signaling in CF/T43 cell line: regulation of NKCC1 by PKC-δ isotype

Cystic fibrosis (CF) airway epithelial cells have a reduced mass of ether-linked diacylglycerols which might alter protein kinase C (PKC)-regulated Cl secretion. PKC regulation of basolateral Na-K-2Cl cotransport (NKCC1) was investigated in CF nasal polyp epithelial cells and a CF/T43 cell line to ascertain whether PKC signaling was altered in CF. NKCC1 was detected as bumetanide-sensitive (86)Rb influx. Methoxamine, a alpha(1)-adrenergic agonist, increased PKC activity in cytosol and a particulate fraction for a prolonged time period, as predicted from previous studies on the generation of diglycerides induced with methoxamine. Short-term stimulation of CF/T43 cells for 40 s promoted a shift in PKC-delta and -zeta to a particulate fraction, increased activity of immune complexes of cytosolic PKC-delta and of particulate PKC-zeta and increased activity of NKCC1. Pretreatment with antisense oligonucleotide to PKC-delta blocked methoxamine-stimulated PKC-delta activity, reduced PKC-delta mass by 61.4%, and prevented methoxamine-stimulated activity of NKCC1. Sense and missense oligonucleotide to PKC-delta and antisense oligonucleotide to PKC-zeta did not alter expression of PKC-delta or the effects of methoxamine. These results demonstrate that PKC-delta-dependent activation of NKCC1 is preserved in CF cells and suggest that regulation of NKCC1 is independent of low ether-linked diglyceride mass.
Comparison of intracranial computed tomographic (CT) findings in pediatric abusive and accidental head trauma

Background. Child abuse specialists rely heavily on diagnostic neuroimaging. Objectives. Study objectives were: (1) to compare the frequencies of six specific intracranial CT abnormalities in accidental and non-accidental pediatric head trauma, and (2) to assess interobserver agreement regarding these CT findings. Materials and methods. Three pediatric radiologists blindly and independently reviewed cranial CT scans of pediatric patients who sustained closed head trauma between 1991 and 1994. All patients were less than 4 years of age. Study cases included thirty-nine (50 %) with non-accidental head trauma and thirty-nine (50 %) with accidental head trauma. Each scan was evaluated for the presence or absence of the following six intracranial findings: (1) interhemispheric falx hemorrhage, (2) subdural hemorrhage, (3) large (non-acute) extra-axial fluid, (4) basal ganglia edema, (5) posterior fossa hemorrhage, and (6) frontal-parietal shearing tear(s). Interobserver agreement was calculated as the percentage of total cases in which all reviewers agreed a specific CT finding was present or absent. Diagnosis required independent agreement by all three pediatric radiologists. The frequencies of these six intracranial CT abnormalities were compared between the two study groups by Chi-square analysis and Fisher's exact test. Results. Interobserver agreement between radiologists was greater than 80 % for all lesions evaluated, with the exception of frontal-parietal shearing tear(s). Interhemispheric falx hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage, large (non-acute) extra-axial fluid, and basal ganglia edema were discovered significantly more frequently in non-accidental trauma (P≤ .05). Conclusion. Although not specific for child abuse, discovery of these intracranial CT abnormalities in young patients should prompt careful evaluation of family and injury circumstances for indicators of non-accidental trauma.
Stimulated Emission Effects in Particle Creation Near Black Holes

It has recently been shown that if a black hole is formed by gravitational collapse, spontaneous particle creation will occur and a thermal spectrum of all species of particles will be emitted to infinity if the quantum matter was initially in the vacuum state. In this paper we investigate the stimulated-emission effects which occur if particles are present initially. We show in general that for a Hermitian scalar field in an external potential or in curved, asymptotically flat spacetime, stimulated-emission effects can occur precisely in those modes for which there is spontaneous particle creation from the vacuum. For the case of a Schwarzschild black hole, this result appears paradoxical, since spontaneous emission occurs at late times but there is no classical analog of stimulated emission at late times. The resolution of this paradox is that in order to induce emission of particles which emerge at late times one must send in particles at early times, so that they reach the black hole very near the instant of its formation. However, enormous energy is required of these incoming particles in order to stimulate emission of particles which emerge at late times. Thus, for a Schwarzschild black hole, even if particles aremore » initially present (with limited energy) they will induce emission only at early times; at late times one will see only the spontaneously emitted blackbody thermal radiation. For the case of a Kerr black hole stimulated emission can be induced by particles sent in at late times with the appropriate frequencies and angular dependence. If the number of incoming particles is large, this quantum stimulated emission just gives the classical superradiant scattering. (AIP)« less
Electronically reconfigurable reverberation chambers

The idea of an electronically reconfigurable reverberation chamber (ERRC) is introduced, whose purpose is to support over-the-air (OTA) testing in a compact and cost-effective way. In contrast to mechanically stirred chambers, the ERRC operates by randomly varying reconfigurable loads placed on the walls of the chamber. An idealized two-dimensional structure is analyzed revealing that the fading distribution, spatial correlation, frequency selectivity, and multipath directivity can be controlled by proper specification of the random loads.
The NADP-linked aldehyde reductase of Leishmania donovani

An enzyme that oxidizes ethanol to acetaldehyde in the presence of NADP (but not NAD) and reduces acetaldehyde to ethanol in the presence of NADPH (but not NADH) is present in Leishmania donovani promastigotes. The activity is present only in the supernatant fraction obtained from sonication of the cells and high speed centrifugation. The Km and Vm values were evaluated for propanol and propionaldehyde as well as for ethanol and acetaldehyde in cells obtained from late log and 3-day stationary phase cultures. There was no significant change in Km or Vm values for any of these four substrates with culture age. Since the Km values for ethanol and propanol are much higher than for the corresponding aldehydes and higher than any physiological range of alcohol concentration likely to be encountered, this enzyme is considered to function as an aldehyde reductase.
Covalently Attached Monolayers of Oligo(dimethylsiloxane)s on Silica: A Siloxane Chemistry Approach for Surface Modification

This work describes the synthesis of oligo(dimethylsiloxane) [−Si(CH3)2O−]n monolayers supported on silica. The fundamental properties of siloxane (Si−O−Si) backbones, for example, high flexibility and high thermal stability, set siloxane monolayers apart from self-assembled monolayers derived from long-chain alkylsilanes, alkylthiols, and so forth and provide attractive features for using “siloxane chemistry” for the modification of surfaces. Oligo(dimethylsiloxane) surfaces were prepared by reaction of low molecular weight α,ω-dichloro-dimethylsilane/oligo(dimethylsiloxane)s [Cl[Si(CH3)2O]n−Si(CH3)2Cl, n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4] with mesoporous precipitated silica (pore diameter 15 nm). Reactions with silicas of different degrees of hydration (dried at 200 °C in a vacuum, “as received”, and saturated with water vapors) were studied under two conditions: (1) in the vapor phase and (2) in solution. Reactions of Cl[Si(CH3)2O]n−Si(CH3)2Cl with dry silicas yield surfaces with bonding densities of 2.35 ± 0.15 [Si(CH...
Regulation of intermediate filament gene expression

Members of the intermediate filament protein family exhibit complex patterns of development-specific and tissue-specific expression. Studies exploring the mechanisms of gene regulation are underway and key regulatory factors are currently being described and isolated for certain genes encoding intermediate filament proteins. Selected systems from this diverse group of about 50 genes will be discussed.
Communication as a Dynamical Self-Sustaining System: The Importance of Time-Scales and Nested Context

This article examines the utility of modeling communication as dynamic nesting of self-sustaining embodied contexts functioning at multiple time-scales simultaneously. We begin with van Orden and Holden's (2002) assertion that an individual's cognitive work emerges in generative, dynamic fashion out of the ongoing synergistic interaction between processes taking place at multiple time-scales. We apply this notion to communication via Lemke's (2000) application of heterochronic interactions to the social realm, and utilize Jordan and Ghin's (2006) conceptualization of the "body" as a self-sustaining embodiment of contexts playing themselves out at different, nested time-scales. We examine multiple interpersonal interactions involving the owner of an autoshop, and focus on how embodiments such as foot movements constrain and contextual i ze multiple time-scales of context simultaneously.
Supporting queries and analyses of large-scale social media data with customizable and scalable indexing techniques over NoSQL databases

Social media data analysis demonstrates two special characteristics in Big Data processing. First, most analyses focus on data subsets related to specific social events or activities instead of the whole dataset. Second, analysis workflows consist of multiple stages, and algorithms applied in each stage may use different computation and communication patterns depending on processing frameworks. This paper presents our efforts in supporting the data storage and processing requirements for such characteristics. To achieve efficient queries about target data subsets, we propose a general customizable and scalable indexing framework that can be built over distributed NoSQL databases. This framework allows users to define suitable customized index structures for their query patterns against social media data, and supports scalable indexing of both historical and streaming data. We implement this framework on HBase, and name it IndexedHBase. Starting from IndexedHBase, we build a distributed analysis stack based on YARN to support analysis algorithms using different processing frameworks, such as Hadoop MapReduce, Harp, and Giraph. This analysis stack is used to host the Truthy social media data observatory, and we have applied the customized index structures in supporting both query evaluation and sophisticated analysis algorithms. Performance tests show that our solutions outperform implementations using both direct raw data scans and current indexing mechanisms in existing NoSQL databases.
An Iterative Approach to Placing Counterions Around DNA

Abstract An iterative approach, in which the effect of placing counter ions around DNA influences the electrostatic potential that the other subsequently approaching ions feel, has been used to place sodium ions around polynucleotides. The main focus of this report is to study the sequence and structure dependence on the distribution of ions around DNA, particularly that of tightly bound ions. The interesting results of the calculations are that there is significant sequence dependence on the electrostatic potentials in the B form of DNA, whereas relatively less difference in A form. In the case of Z form, the cations bridge the inter-stand phosphates along the minor groove.
Three-Week Re-Education to Koreanness

Today, international adoptees are welcomed to South Korea by the government, adoption agencies and different associations. These institutions organise educational programmes called 'cultural programmes'. Relatively cheap, these programmes generally include a tour of South Korea, visits to welfare facilities, and classes related to Korean culture: music, language, history, cuisine, martial arts. International adoptees are seen as Koreans of the diaspora, and as such need re-education to discover their true identity. When they return to their adoptive countries, they will be able to represent their birth country accurately and therefore contribute to Korea's successful globalisation. However, what is at stake in these programmes is less political and economical than social. I argue that most of the activities can be viewed as rites of passage and that the entire programme is constructed according to that logic. As a problematic category, international adoptees must be redefined by ritualised actions inside South Korean society. Recent studies considered these ceremonies as mock rituals; however, this article aims to show that these rituals have a valid purpose although they lead not to integration but to separation: defining the diaspora continues to rely on defining what is outside the national territory.
On the order of growth of convergent series of independent random variables.

For independent random variables, the order of growth of the convergent series Sn is studied in this paper. More specifically, if the series Sn converges almost surely to a random variable, the tail series is a well-defined sequence of random variables and converges to 0 almost surely. For the almost surely convergent series Sn, a tail series strong law of large numbers (SLLN) is constructed by investigating the duality between the limiting behavior of partial sums and that of tail series.
Trend-following hedge funds and multi-period asset allocation

Abstract Selected hedge funds employ trend-following strategies in an attempt to achieve superior risk-adjusted returns. We employ a lookback straddle approach for evaluating the return characteristics of a trend-following strategy. The strategies can improve investor performance in the context of a multi-period dynamic portfolio model. The gains are achieved by taking advantage of the funds' high level of volatility. A set of empirical results confirms the advantages of the lookback straddle for investors at the top end of the multi-period efficient frontier.
Simple and fast annealing synthesis of titanium dioxide nanostructures and morphology transformation during annealing processes.

Wire- and belt-like single-crystalline titanium dioxide nanostructures were synthesized by using a simple thermal annealing method, which has often been avoided for the synthesis of metal oxide nanostructures from high melting point metals such as Ti. The synthesis method requires neither high reaction temperature nor complicated reaction processes, and can be used for producing dense nanomaterials with relatively short reaction time at temperatures much lower than the melting point of titanium and titanium dioxide. Key synthesis factors including the choice of eutectic catalyst, growth temperature, and annealing time were systematically investigated. The synthesis reaction was promoted by a copper eutectic catalyst, producing long nanostructures with short reaction times. For example, it was observed that only 30 min of annealing time at 850 °C was enough to produce densely grown ~10 µm long nanowires with diameters of ~100 nm, and longer reaction time brought about morphology changes from wires to belts as well as producing longer nanostructures up to ~30 µm. The nanostructures have the crystalline rutile structure along the growth direction. Finally, our simple and effective method for the synthesis of TiO2 nanostructures could be utilized for growing other metal oxide nanowires from high melting temperature metals.
Computerized discrimination of microemboli in extracorporeal circuits.

Abstract A computerized ultrasonic particle detection system is capable of identifying microemboli in the 10 to 350 μ range. Data show that appropriate computer analysis of the reflected signals allows discrimination of size and type of emboli. All extracorporeal circuits have microemboli with a large variation in size and number, depending upon the apparatus and how it is run.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Dark-adapted Rhodopsin in an Explicit Membrane Bilayer: Coupling between Local Retinal and Larger Scale Conformational Change

The light-driven photocycle of rhodopsin begins the photoreceptor cascade that underlies visual response. In a sequence of events, the retinal covalently attached to the rhodopsin protein undergoes a conformational change that communicates local changes to a global conformational change throughout the whole protein. In turn, the large-scale protein change then activates G-proteins and signal amplification throughout the cell. The nature of this change, involving a coupling between a local process and larger changes throughout the protein, may be important for many membrane proteins. In addition, functional work has shown that this coupling occurs with different efficiency in different lipid settings. To begin to understand the nature of the efficiency of this coupling in different lipid settings, we present a molecular dynamics study of rhodopsin in an explicit dioleoyl-phosphatidylcholine bilayer. Our system was simulated for 40 ns and provides insights into the very early events of the visual cascade, before the full transition and activation have occurred. In particular, we see an event near 10 ns that begins with a change in hydrogen bonding near the retinal and that leads through a series of coupled changes to a shift in helical tilt. This type of event, though rare on the molecular dynamics time-scale, could be an important clue to the types of coupling that occur between local and large-scale conformational change in many membrane proteins.
Crisis counseling: An overview

Psychologists working in schools are often the first contacts for children experiencing a potentially traumatizing event or change in status. This article reviews basic concepts in crisis counseling and describes the components of psychological first aid. This form of counseling must be developmentally and culturally appropriate as well as individualized. Effective intervention can prevent post-traumatic stress syndrome and facilitate normal mourning processes associated with any losses experienced. These prevention activities are also discussed. Some children may need resources beyond those that the school can provide, and appropriate referrals can link children and adults to a variety of treatments such as psychotherapy and medication, also briefly outlined. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Magnetic susceptibility of CfCl3 and its dependence on crystal structure

Abstract Magnetic measurements are presented for polycrystalline samples of californium trichloride in both a hexagonal (UC1 3 type; californium(III) CN = 9) and an orthorhombic (PuBr 3 type; californium(III) CN = 8) crystal form. In the Curie-Weiss temperature regions (orthorhombic, 100–340 K, hexagonal, 60–340 K) the Weiss constant θ p is significantly larger for the orthorhombic form. As the temperature decreases, the susceptibility of the orthorhombic form begins to deviate from Curie-Weiss behavior at a higher temperature than the hexagonal form indicating a larger crystal-field splitting in the orthorhombic form. At temperatures below 15 K a field-dependent transition is observed. In a field of 5 kG an antiferromagnetic maximum in the susceptibility is observed at 7 K and 13 K for the hexagonal and orthorhombic forms respectively. For 30 kG both types exhibit monotonically increasing susceptibilities with decreasing temperature and the hexagonal form shows saturation behavior in the susceptibility vs . temperature plots with a saturation moment of about 6 μ B atom −1 .
Abstract 1364: Design, synthesis and evaluation of potent antiproliferative and cytotoxic antifolates with selective FRs and PCFT transport over RFC and potent GARFTase inhibition

Lack of selectivity for folate transporters is one of the major causes of toxicity and chemotherapy failure with clinically used antifolates. Three folate transporters, the reduced folate carrier (RFC), folate receptors (FR) and the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT), account for most of the folate influx activity in mammalian cells. We recently reported potent inhibition of cell proliferation by a classical 2-amino-4-oxo-6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine with a thienoyl for benzoyl-substituted side chain and a 4-carbon bridge (AG71). AG71 was selective for transport by FRs and PCFT over RFC and inhibited glycinamideribonucleotide formyl transferase (GARFTase) in de novo purine biosynthesis. In SCID mice with KB tumors, AG71 was highly active against both early and advanced stage tumors. A series of five thienoyl regioisomers of AG71 with [1,3] (AG117 and AG118) and [1,2] (AG114, AG115, AG116) thienoyl substitutions by the 4-carbon bridge and the L-glutamate were synthesized. Analogs were evaluated for anti-proliferative activities in engineered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing RFC, FR, or PCFT to determine the optimum structures for selective transport by FRs and/or PCFT. Additional studies were performed in KB and IGROV1 tumor cells, using inhibition of cell proliferation or colony formation as metrics. Like AG71, none of the novel thienyol regioisomers were substrates for RFC. AG117 and AG118 were potently active toward FR- and PCFT-expressing CHO cells and toward KB and IGROV1 tumor cells, equivalent or exceeding levels for AG71. In colony-forming assays in KB cells, AG117 and AG118 were cytotoxic. AG114, AG115, and AG116 were substantially less active or completely inert. AG117 and AG118, like AG71, were high affinity ligands for FRα by competitive ligand binding with 3 H-folic acid, and were potent substrates for PCFT by direct competition 3 H-methotrexate transport. By protection assays, AG71 and AG117 preserved potent anti-proliferative activity even in the presence of 50 nM leucovorin; adenosine and 5-imidazole-4-carboxamide were completely protective, establishing the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway and GARFTase as the principal intracellular targets. GARFTase inhibition was confirmed by in situ GARFTase metabolic assays with 14 C-glycine as a radiotracer. Our results identify 6-subsituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine thienoyl regioisomers of AG71 as potent anti-proliferative and cytotoxic antifolates, reflecting selective transport by PCFT and FR over RFC and inhibition of GARFTase. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1364. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1364
Two Mather Biographies: Life and Death: And, Parentator

The first modem edition of Increase Mather's seventeenth-century biography of his father, Richard, and Cotton Mather's eighteenth-century biography of his father, Increase. Characteristic of New England Puritan biographies, both convey religious instruction about the conduct of one's life on earth.
Methylation analysis of extracellular polysaccharides from suspension-cultured cells of Nicotiana tabacum

Abstract The soluble extracellular polysaccharides (ECP) of suspension-cultured tobacco cells were fractionated by DEAE-Sephadex CC into seven sub-fractions. Su
Gender, race, and formal court decision-making outcomes: Chivalry/paternalism, conflict theory or gender conflict?

Abstract A significant body of research examines the influence of offender gender on court-related decision making and typically finds that women deemed “worthy of protection” are afforded greater leniency than other offenders. There is a less developed effort to uncover the influence of victim characteristics, particularly victim gender and the interaction between offender and victim gender on formal criminal justice outcomes. Drawing from the chivalry/paternalism hypotheses, conflict theory, and gender conflict frameworks, the present research used data on a nationally representative sample of convicted homicide defendants to examine the effects of gender and race dyads on sentencing outcomes. Policy implications and future research directions are discussed.
Melanoma biology and the promise of zebrafish.

Abstract Advantageous organismal and technical attributes of the zebrafish are being increasingly applied to study cancer biology. Along with other tumor models, zebrafish that develop melanomas have been generated. In both genetics and phenotype, zebrafish melanomas are strikingly similar to their human counterparts. For this reason, studies in the zebrafish are poised to make significant contributions to melanoma biology. In this review, we summarize important features of human melanoma and discuss how the zebrafish can be used to address many questions that remain unanswered about this devastating disease.
Intra-aural reflexes elicited by a cochlear prosthesis in monkeys

Objective audiological tests are needed for pre- and postsurgical evaluation of cochlear prosthesis patients who are unable to give reliable subjective responses. In this study we demonstrated that contralateral intra-aural reflexes were elicited by a cochlear prosthesis in the monkey. Reflex variables measured include threshold, latency and amplitude. These findings indicate that the electrically elicited intra-aural reflex response may be useful to evaluate the peripheral auditory system in subjects with sensory deafness.
Capital Budgeting when Managers Value both Honesty and Perquisites

It has long been recognized that padding of budgets is a concern that can complicate the practice of resource allocation. At the same time, experimental evidence suggests budget padding is somewhat restrained by a managerial preference for honesty. This paper models the confluence of these two incentives and considers the effect on optimal budgeting policies. In the model, budgetary transfers are established so as to reduce the manager's gain from padding which, in turn, forces the manager to think twice before seeking more funds. An effect of this optimal contract is that when facing a manager whose preference for honesty is uncertain, the firm encourages honesty but is resigned to the fact that padding may appear. Contrary to casual intuition, the extent of equilibrium budget padding is not necessarily monotonic in either the extent of information asymmetry or the prevalence of managers who value honesty.
Current and wave measurements in support of shallow water environmental modeling

In support of development and validation of a wave and current model for the coastal zone off Massachusetts in the United States of America, two deployments of a small tripod were made in 15m depth in Buzzards Bay. The tripod bore an upward looking Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and, on one deployment, a Modular Acoustic Velocity Sensor (MAVS) current meter 1.5m above the bottom. From burst measurements acquired every two hours by these two instruments, a pattern of tidally and wind-driven flow with vertical shear was captured. Measurements of near-bottom current and wave orbital motion with MAVS extended the ADCP measurements from near the surface to the bottom region where interaction with the sediment is episodically important. In the September-October, 2008 deployment, the net flow north of Naushon Island was out of Buzzards Bay in alignment with the mean alongshore wind, which was mostly northeast (out of the bay) during this period. The water leaving the bay near Naushon Island must be made up somewhere else in the bay. Upwelling is also the dominate process north of Naushon Island, even when the winds measured at buoy BUZM3 at the SW opening of Buzzards Bay are near zero velocity. Waves are short period, typically broadband but with a peak near 5 seconds, fetch limited but still restricted to the along axis direction in Buzzards Bay. The longest fetch is in the ENE direction and the greatest wave event was from that direction with a significant wave height of 1.3m and frequency of 0.2Hz, from a 16m/s NE wind. When conditions were calm, a consistent swell from the southwest of 22cm significant wave height and 14s period could be observed propagating in from the open Atlantic at the mouth of Buzzards Bay.
Relationship Between Multiple Predictor Variables and Normal Knee Torque Production

The purpose of this study was to develop predictive models relating isokinetic knee testing performance to anthropometric and demographic variables. The subjects were 134 healthy volunteers (70 female, 64 male) between the ages of 10 and 80 years. The investigators measured subjects' peak knee flexion and extension torque production at two angular velocities. Stepwise regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between each torque-dependent variable and the following potential predictor variables: age, sex, side of lower extremity dominance, height, weight, percentage of body fat, and thigh girth. The investigators generated two sets of models designed to predict preinjury knee strength. Clinicians can use one set of models by assessing predictor variables before or immediately following injury. The second set of models involves the assessment of predictor variables postinjury, excluding an assessment of percentage of body fat and thigh girth. The results indicated that peak knee torque production can be predicted with statistically significant accuracy (multiple R = .78-.87). The predictive models generated in this study can be used to establish muscle strength goals for patient rehabilitative programs.
Relative proportionate NLMS: Improving convergence for acoustic channel identification

It is known that the proportionate normalized least mean square (PNLMS) algorithm outperforms traditional normalized least mean square(NLMS) algorithm, in terms of fast initial convergence rate. However, the PNLMS has been widely observed to not be optimal. This study presents a new perspective into the “proportionate” gain (step-size) allocation scheme. A relative proportionate scheme is established and shows better performance than the original absolute proportionate scheme. Although the correspondingly derived relative proportional LMS (R-PNLMS) algorithm is similar to PNLMS, it differs greatly in terms of conception and convergence behavior. Simulation results for the problem of acoustic channels identification, show improved performance over existing methods.
Anthropological Professionalization and the Virginia Indians at the Turn of the Century

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Indians of Virginia, like marginalized native communities throughout the Southeast, were enmeshed in struggles over their identity, as "one-drop" rules were increasingly applied and formalized. At that time several scholars, including James Mooney, wrote on the Powhatan tribes in American Anthropologist, the nascent journal of a professionalizing discipline. Previously, most works on the Virginia Indians had been published locally; after a brief florescence on the national scene (roughly corresponding to the 300th anniversary of English settlement in Powhatan territory), that pattern resumed. The works published on Virginia Indians in this period, and the contrast with their relative invisibility in professional journals over the following decades, cast light on U.S. anthropology's development as a profession. This article examines the transition from local to national organizations from the standpoint of ethnographic inclusion of such marginalized peoples. [Keywords: Powhatan Indians, ethnic identity, professionalization, localism, American Anthropologist]
Human regulatory T cells in autoimmune diseases

Human regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a critical role in preventing autoimmunity, and their failure contributes to autoimmune diseases. In recent years, our understanding of human Tregs has been greatly enhanced by improvements in the definition and isolation of pure human Tregs, as well as by the discovery of phenotypically and functionally distinct human Treg subsets. This progress has also yielded a better understanding of the mechanisms of human Treg suppression and the role of human Tregs in autoimmune diseases. An unexpected discovery is that human Tregs have considerable plasticity that allows them to produce the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17 under certain conditions. These recent advances highlight the importance of studying the roles of both mouse and human Tregs in autoimmunity.
Entertainment, Art, and the Social Sorting of Violent or Cruel Images

The adverse social and psychological consequences of media violence have never been conclusively verified, but the risks are troubling. Legal efforts to address those risks have been largely futile, as recently demonstrated by United States v. Stevens, in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal legislation that sought to eliminate “crush” and other animal cruelty videos. The power to regulate these images under existing First Amendment exceptions, or by a new theory, is nonetheless evident. That eight Justices did not more strongly explore the legal possibilities reflects social reality: that the viewing public does not clamor for government regulation of violent or cruel images. This Essay explains the relatively muted social response to the risks of media violence by positing viewers’ unconscious sorting of violent images into three categories: “entertainment;” “art;” or “offense/threat.” Only images perceived as offensive or threatening generate social and moral pressure for stronger legal regulation. Since relatively few images are so perceived, free speech concerns generally trump calls for censorship. But why are so few violent images deemed offensive? What qualities or contexts cause violent images to be perceived as either harmless “entertainment” or as socially valuable “art?” That exploration uncovers deep intertwining of cultural values, artistic appreciation, and moral disengagement. Can and should the law undertake to re-shape cultural values by regulating such images? Have sex and violence become culturally legitimated as artistic expressions of our freedom or humanity? This Essay’s attention to the social and psychological sorting of violent images may sharpen the focus of legal reform efforts. Yet even where public censorship remains unwise, stronger self-awareness of the phenomenon and criteria of the sorting process may make private viewing choices more thoughtful.
Pain and spinal cord imaging measures in children with demyelinating disease

Pain is a significant problem in diseases affecting the spinal cord, including demyelinating disease. To date, studies have examined the reliability of clinical measures for assessing and classifying the severity of spinal cord injury (SCI) and also to evaluate SCI-related pain. Most of this research has focused on adult populations and patients with traumatic injuries. Little research exists regarding pediatric spinal cord demyelinating disease. One reason for this is the lack of reliable and useful approaches to measuring spinal cord changes since currently used diagnostic imaging has limited specificity for quantitative measures of demyelination. No single imaging technique demonstrates sufficiently high sensitivity or specificity to myelin, and strong correlation with clinical measures. However, recent advances in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) measures are considered promising in providing increasingly useful and specific information on spinal cord damage. Findings from these quantitative imaging modalities correlate with the extent of demyelination and remyelination. These techniques may be of potential use for defining the evolution of the disease state, how it may affect specific spinal cord pathways, and contribute to the management of pediatric demyelination syndromes. Since pain is a major presenting symptom in patients with transverse myelitis, the disease is an ideal model to evaluate imaging methods to define these regional changes within the spinal cord. In this review we summarize (1) pediatric demyelinating conditions affecting the spinal cord; (2) their distinguishing features; and (3) current diagnostic and classification methods with particular focus on pain pathways. We also focus on concepts that are essential in developing strategies for the detection, monitoring, treatment and repair of pediatric myelitis.
A novel impaction technique to create experimental articular fractures in large animal joints.

summary Objective: A novel impaction fracture insult technique, developed for modeling post-traumatic osteoarthritis in porcine hocks in vivo, was tested to determine the extent to which it could replicate the celllevel cartilage pathology in human clinical intra-articular fractures. Design: Eight fresh porcine hocks (whole-joint specimens with fully viable chondrocytes) were subjected to fracture insult. From the fractured distal tibial surfaces, osteoarticular fragments were immediately sampled and cultured in vitro for 48 h. These samples were analyzed for the distribution and progression of chondrocyte death, using the Live/Dead assay. Five control joints, in which “fractures” were simulated by means of surgical osteotomy, were also similarly analyzed. Results: In the impaction-fractured joints, chondrocyte death was concentrated in regions adjacent to fracture lines (near-fracture regions), as evidenced by fractional cell death significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than in central non-fracture (control) regions. Although nominally similar spatial distribution patterns were identified in the osteotomized joints, fractional cell death in the near-osteotomy regions was nine-fold lower (P < 0.0001) than in the near-fracture regions. Cell death in the nearfracture regions increased monotonically during 48 h after impaction, dominantly within 1 mm from the fracture lines. Conclusion: The impaction-fractured joints exhibited chondrocyte death characteristics reasonably consistent with those in human intra-articular fractures, but were strikingly different from those in “fractures” simulated by surgical osteotomy. These observations support promise of this new impaction fracture technique as a mechanical insult modality to replicate the pathophysiology of human intraarticular fractures in large animal joints in vivo.
Effects of landscape characteristics on amphibian distribution in a forest-dominated landscape

We investigated the influence of landscape and wetland characteristics on pond-breeding amphibian assemblages in south-central New Hampshire, a relatively low populated and heavily forested region of the northeastern United States. This allowed us to better understand landscape influences in less disturbed areas, and to determine critical landscape disturbance thresholds, above which amphibians are negatively impacted. We sampled 61 wetlands for larval amphibians in 1998 and 1999 to examine the influence of forest cover and road density (at seven buffer distances between 100 and 2000 m) and wetland characteristics on larval amphibian assemblages. Assemblages were influenced primarily by forest cover and wetland hydroperiod. Species richness was most strongly influenced by the proportion of forest cover within 1000 m of the wetland. Several species were also influenced by forest cover, but were differentially influenced by buffer widths. Our study suggests that, at least in the northeast US, wetlands with <40% forest cover within a 1000 m radius may have depauperate larval amphibian assemblages, and forest cover above 60% within a 1000 m radius is likely to ensure species rich and abundant larval amphibian assemblages. Given the above, current federal and state regulations that focus amphibian protection efforts on narrow terrestrial buffers surrounding wetlands are likely to be inadequate.
ERK2-Dependent Activation of c-Jun Is Required for Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae-Induced CXCL2 Upregulation in Inner Ear Fibrocytes

The inner ear, composed of the cochlea and the vestibule, is a specialized sensory organ for hearing and balance. Although the inner ear has been known as an immune-privileged organ, there is emerging evidence indicating an active immune reaction of the inner ear. Inner ear inflammation can be induced by the entry of proinflammatory molecules derived from middle ear infection. Because middle ear infection is highly prevalent in children, middle ear infection-induced inner ear inflammation can impact the normal development of language and motor coordination. Previously, we have demonstrated that the inner ear fibrocytes (spiral ligament fibrocytes) are able to recognize nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae , a major pathogen of middle ear infection, and upregulate a monocyte-attracting chemokine through TLR2-dependent NF-κB activation. In this study, we aimed to determine the molecular mechanism involved in nontypeable H. influenzae -induced cochlear infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells. The rat spiral ligament fibrocytes were found to release CXCL2 in response to nontypeable H. influenzae via activation of c-Jun, leading to the recruitment of polymorphonuclear cells to the cochlea. We also demonstrate that MEK1/ERK2 signaling pathway is required for nontypeable H. influenzae -induced CXCL2 upregulation in the rat spiral ligament fibrocytes. Two AP-1 motifs in the 5′-flanking region of CXCL2 appeared to function as a nontypeable H. influenzae -responsive element, and the proximal AP-1 motif was found to have a higher binding affinity to nontypeable H. influenzae -activated c-Jun than that of the distal one. Our results will enable us better to understand the molecular pathogenesis of middle ear infection-induced inner ear inflammation.
The use of Bayes networks in evaluating structural safety

Abstract The use of probability for structural engineering applications has fallen into disfavour in recent years because of continuing debates about the modelling of human cognition, the assessment of marginal and conditional probabilities, the computational intractability of Bayesianism, and the so-called closed-world assumption. In this paper the validity of these arguments is examined and the use of the causal or Bayes network in estimating the reliability index for existing structures is proposed. The Bayes network was introduced in the artificial intelligence community as a method for propagating uncertainty through an inference network. Specifically, it is postulated that a structure can be modelled as a causal network