cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A screen for sleep and starvation resistance identifies a wake-promoting role for the auxiliary channel unc79

The regulation of sleep and metabolism are highly interconnected and dysregulation of sleep is linked to metabolic diseases that include obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Further, both acute and long-term changes in diet potently impact sleep duration and quality. To identify novel factors that modulate interactions between sleep and metabolic state we performed a genetic screen for their roles in regulating sleep duration, starvation resistance, and starvation-dependent modulation of sleep. This screen identified a number of genes with potential roles in regulating sleep, metabolism or both processes. One such gene encodes the auxiliary ion channel UNC79, which was implicated in both the regulation of sleep and starvation resistance. Genetic knockdown or mutation of unc79 results in flies with increased sleep duration, as well as increased starvation resistance. Previous findings have shown that unc79 is required in pacemaker for 24-hour circadian rhythms. Here, we find that unc79 functions in the mushroom body, but not pacemaker neurons, to regulate sleep duration and starvation resistance. Together, these findings reveal spatially localized separable functions of unc79 in the regulation of circadian behavior, sleep, and metabolic function.
Characterization of an O-GlcNAc-binding protein (1007.3)

O-linked-β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a dynamic post-translational modification of nuclear, cytoplasmic, and mitochondrial proteins. While O-GlcNAc has been demonstrated to modulate numerous cellular processes, the molecular mechanisms by which O-GlcNAc mediates protein function are not well defined. One mechanism by which O-GlcNAc may regulate protein function is by promoting protein-protein interactions. In this study we have investigated whether the intracellular hyaluronan-binding protein p32 binds proteins in an O-GlcNAc-dependent manner. Using ELISA and dot blotting techniques we have demonstrated that p32 binds GlcNAc-conjugates preferentially to other sugar-conjugates in vitro. Suggesting that p32 interacts with O-GlcNAc in vivo, p32 enriches O-GlcNAc-modified proteins similar to the O-GlcNAc-specific antibody RL2. Finally, our data demonstrate that overexpression of p32 fused to the biotin ligase BirA results in a biotinylation pattern that can be modulated by manipulating O-GlcNAc levels....
Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) captive propagation to promote recovery of declining populations.

The Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) is endemic to the eastern United States with local distributions restricted to rocky habitats within deciduous forests. Over the last 40 years, woodrats have declined precipitously due to an array of human-mediated pressures. There is growing interest in the captive propagation of woodrats as a tool to promote in situ conservation, but their solitary social structure, territorial behavior, and low fecundity present challenges for the attainment of levels of ex situ reproduction sufficient to support reintroduction programs. In 2009 we established a captive breeding program with 12 wild-caught individuals (4.8) collected from Indiana and Pennsylvania. Restricting breeding to wild-caught individuals, over 26 months we produced 19 litters comprised of 43 pups (26.17), of which 40 (24.16) survived to weaning. In sum, wild-caught individuals readily habituated to the captive environment and the low fecundity of woodrats was offset by high survival rates for both adults and juveniles. Therefore, when managed appropriately, captive Allegheny woodrat populations should be capable of supporting the release of surplus individuals to augment in situ conservation measures. Zoo Biol. 33:29–35, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Challenges for quantitative psychology and measurement in the 21st century.

Quantitative researchers exist in the exciting nexus where knowledge is created from raw data. Through quantitative study of the human condition, we hope to gain insight into basic, fascinating questions that humans have pondered for millennia. We (and the quantitative psychologists that have preceded us) are therefore optimists above all else. We believe that through systematic, rigorous study, we are able to gain insight into behavior, psychological processes, and important outcomes that ultimately can benefit the world and its inhabitants. Yet the promise of quantitative study of psychology is also one of its greatest challenges: demonstrating in a convincing way that quantification of behavioral, cognitive, biological, and psychological processes is valid, and that the analyses we subject the numbers to are honest efforts at elucidation rather than obfuscation.
Electrochemical Processing, Introduction

Electrochemical systems convert chemical and electrical energy through charge-transfer reactions. These processes, which may be electrolytic or galvanic, are introduced. Basic definitions and terminology are given. The fundamental principles of thermodynamics, kinetics, and transport as applied to electrochemical systems, the relevance of these principles to the design of electrochemical systems are discussed. Keywords: Electrochemical processing; Introduction; Thermodynamics; Electrochemical cells; Kinetics; Transport; Corrosion; Membranes
The relationship between Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Abstract The final Workshop of the meeting focused on cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) in combination with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), either T, B, or anaplastic large cell (ALC) type. The cases selected for this session fell into five categories: nodular lymphocyte-predominance Hodgkin's disease (NLPHD) with NHL, B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with HD-like transformation, follicular lymphoma (FL) with HD or anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) (composite or discordant), HD following mycosis fungoides (MF), and HD following ALCL. Taken together, these cases left the participants with the distinct impression that there is likely to be some biological relationship between HD and a variety of T cell and B cell NHL.
Quo Vadis Printed (Circuit) Board

Printed (circuit) boards have been used in the electronics industry for the past 25 years and more. The technology used to design and manufacture PCBs is well known and accepted. Recently, however, designers of electronic equipment have shown that the use of newer materials and systems, such as flexible and moulded circuits, hybrid circuits, or a combination of these, can significantly improve the cost/performance ratio for electronic interconnects. This paper examines some of the many possibilities open to electronics designers and how these new opportunities can improve the economics and performance of electronic equipment.
Information extraction, real-time processing and DW2.0 in operational business intelligence

In today’s enterprise, business processes and business intelligence applications need to access and use structured and unstructured information to extend business transactions and analytics with as much adjacent data as possible. Unfortunately, all this information is scattered in many places, in many forms; managed by different database systems, document management systems, and file systems. Companies end up having to build one-of-a-kind solutions to integrate these disparate systems and make the right information available at the right time and in the right form for their business transactions and analytical applications. Our goal is to create an operational business intelligence platform that manages all the information required by business transactions and combines facts extracted from unstructured sources with data coming from structured sources along the DW2.0 pipeline to enable actionable insights. In this paper, we give an overview of the platform functionality and architecture focusing in particular in the information extraction and analytics layers and their application to situational awareness for epidemics medical response.
Anaerobic oxidation of [1,2-14C]dichloroethene under Mn(IV)-reducing conditions

ABSTRACT Anaerobic oxidation of [1,2-14C]dichloroethene to14CO2 under Mn(IV)-reducing conditions was demonstrated. The results indicate that oxidative degradation of partially chlorinated solvents like dichloroethene can be significant even under anoxic conditions and demonstrate the potential importance of Mn(IV) reduction for remediation of chlorinated groundwater contaminants.
Segregation into and Replication of Plasmid Deoxyribonucleic Acid in Chromosomeless Segregants of Escherichia coli

The progeny cells of Escherichia coli strain P678-54, which normally do not contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), were found to carry DNA when the parental cell carried colicin factor E1 (Col E1). The DNA found in the normally DNA-less segregants was shown to be Col E1 DNA, which is present primarily as a covalently closed circular molecule that can undergo more than one complete cycle of replication.
Ethanol-Associated Behaviors of Mice Lacking Norepinephrine

Although norepinephrine (NE) has been implicated in animal models of ethanol consumption for many years, the exact nature of its influence is not clear. Lesioning and pharmacological studies examining the role of NE in ethanol consumption have yielded conflicting results. We took a genetic approach to determine the effect of NE depletion on ethanol-mediated behaviors by using dopamine beta-hydroxylase knockout (Dbh -/-) mice that specifically lack the ability to synthesize NE. Dbh -/- males have reduced ethanol preference in a two-bottle choice paradigm and show a delay in extinguishing an ethanol-conditioned taste aversion, suggesting that they drink less ethanol in part because they find its effects more aversive. Both male and female Dbh -/- mice are hypersensitive to the sedative and hypothermic effects of systemic ethanol administration, and the sedation phenotype can be rescued pharmacologically by acute replacement of central NE. Neither the decreased body temperature nor changes in ethanol metabolism can explain the differences in consumption and sedation. These results demonstrate a significant role for NE in modulating ethanol-related behaviors and physiological responses.
Soft-switched MCT/IGBT inverter for motor drive applications

The use of MCTs in a soft switched PWM inverter application is presented. The MCTs are power devices that are capable of handling high di/dt and high dv/dt. Their weak point is high turn-off switching losses. A topology of the MCT/IGBT inverter is proposed. To minimize the switching losses, the devices are soft switched on at zero voltage switch (ZVS) conditions and turned off at zero current switch (ZCS) conditions. An auxiliary resonant commutated pole (ABCP) inverter is presented and analyzed for soft switching of MCT/IGBT modules of a PWM inverter for motor drive applications. A novel ARCP control technique is presented that is based on pre-calculated gating times. It reduces the cost of the ARCP controller with no need for high speed sensing devices.
From food databases to dietary assessment: A beginning to an end approach for quality nutrition data

Aim: This paper reviews the historical basis of modern assessment of nutrient composition—from food composition tables and the transition to nutrient databases. Method: A narrative review was formed beginning with the first, very crude printed food composition tables, to electronic food databases and continuing to how dietary assessment is currently impacted by state-of-the-art techniques and what that means for food composition. Results: A plethora of studies, especially international studies, have utilised information from food composition via nutrient databases and software designed to extract food composition data into relevant files for dietary assessment. The United States Department of Agriculture's nutrient data bank is widely used, even internationally, and concerns about its appropriateness in other locales needs to be addressed. A number of countries have developed food composition databases unique to the foods of their population. International studies realised a number of problems related to inconsistencies between countries. Essentially, high-quality food composition data requires up-to-date information on food supply, supplement use and potential food contaminants. Food composition tables form the basis for data published on nutrient intakes of individuals via food diaries, food recalls and surveys and, in addition, nutrient claims for some food products; thus, accuracy and reliability are paramount. New tools in dietary assessment, such as food photography, make nutrient assessment more widely available, requiring even more attention paid to the accuracy of food composition databases. Conclusions: The globalisation of food sources and the need for continuity regarding dietary data present challenges needing reconciliation. International concepts for food composition tables have evolved to address these problems.
Surface flow structure of the Gulf Stream from composite imagery and satellite-tracked drifters

A unique set of coutemporaneous satellite-tracked drifters and five-day composite Advanced Very High Resolution Radionmeter (AVHRR) satellite imagery of the North Atlantic has been analyzed to examine the surface flow structure of the Gulf Stream. The study region was divided into two sections, greater than 37° N and less than 37° N, in order to answer the question of geographic variability. Fractal and spectral analyses methods were applied to the data. Fractal analysis of the Lagrangian trajectories showed a fractal dimension of 1.21 + 0.02 with a scaling range of 83 - 343 km. The fractal dimension of the temperature fronts of the composite imagery is similar for the two regions with D = 1.11 + 0.01 over a scaling range of 4 - 44 km. Spectral analysis also reports a fairly consistent value for the spectral slope and its scaling range. Therefore, we conclude there is no geographic variability in the data set. A suitable scaling range for this contemporaneous data set is 80 - 200 km which is consistent with the expected physical conditions in the region. Finally, we address the idea of using five-day composite imagery to infer the surface flow of the Gulf Stream. Close analyses of the composite thermal fronts and the Lagrangian drifter trajectories show that the former is not a good indicator of the latter.
Homeboy Industries: An Incubator of Hope and Businesses

This case presents the story of Homeboy Industries, which was founded by Father Greg Boyle, S.J. to offer employment opportunities to former gang members in East Los Angeles. Homeboy Industries has successfully launched several businesses to hire and train “homies” who otherwise may not have found jobs. Michael Baca, the new operations director, is faced with the decision of whether to pursue expansion of the promising merchandising division. Complicating the decision is the need to balance both the social and business objectives of Homeboy Industries while dealing with the organization's extreme shortage of managerial and financial resources. This depiction of an unusual entrepreneurial environment also illustrates several organizational challenges and philosophical dilemmas that are common among social ventures.
A comprehensive flow for transfer of designs between technologies

In this work we present an approach based on device level parameters where the biasing of the circuits is predetermined from the source design properties thereby ensuring biasing conditions of the remapped circuit. This approach allows the designer to have complete control over the electrical properties of the design enabling fast and accurate convergence to design target requirements. The computational complexity is linear with design size and is therefore suited for large circuits.
The Role of TLR2 in Infection and Immunity

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are recognition molecules for multiple pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. TLR2 forms heterodimers with TLR1 and TLR6, which is the initial step in a cascade of events leading to significant innate immune responses, development of adaptive immunity to pathogens and protection from immune sequelae related to infection with these pathogens. This review will discuss the current status of TLR2 mediated immune responses by recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPS) on these organisms. We will emphasize both canonical and non-canonical responses to TLR2 ligands with emphasis on whether the inflammation induced by these responses contributes to the disease state or to protection from diseases.
Nanoparticles facilitate gene delivery to microorganisms via an electrospray process

In this study, we developed a technique for delivering genes to microorganisms via electrospray of gold nanoparticles. During the electrospray process, charged monodisperse nano-droplets (a mixture of pET30a-GFP plasmid and nano-sized gold particles) were accelerated and deposited on a thin layer of non-competent Escherichia coli cells. Via antibiotic selection, transformed cells containing green fluorescent protein appeared on the agar plates. PCR amplification and restriction enzyme analysis further confirmed that pET30a-GFP plasmid had successfully been delivered into the non-competent E. coli cells. The transformation efficiencies were optimized under different electrospray conditions. Among several electrospray buffer solutions, CaCl(2) (0.01M) was found to be the best for gene delivery. Furthermore, gold nanoparticles (NPs, 50 nm diameter) significantly improved plasmid transformation efficiency by 5-7 fold (up to 2×10(6) CFU/μg plasmid) compared with that obtained using naked plasmid. Electronic microscopy images and gel electrophoresis showed that the morphology of plasmids remained unchanged during the electrospray process, but cellular membrane integrity was reduced after being electrosprayed with gold NPs and CaCl(2) buffer solutions. This gene delivery method has the potential to work for many other microorganisms.
Prospects for Vaccines for Allergic and Other Immunologic Skin Disorders

The human skin hosts a variety of immune response-associated components that together form the skin immune system. Any abnormality in the functioning of the skin immune system leads to a variety of dermatologic complications, including dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema. Exposure to antigens/allergens can lead to allergic skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, urticaria, and allergic contact dermatitis. Recent investigations have provided new insights into the immunologic processes leading to the development of skin diseases. T cells play a central role in the activation and regulation of immune responses by recognizing antigen and inducing cytokine production. Despite advances in the understanding of the immunologic events leading to the development of skin diseases, no effective prevention measure exists. Current therapeutic treatments are based on either alleviating the symptoms or suppressing the immune system with immunosuppressive drugs. Allergen-specific immunotherapy is expected to induce specific T cells that abolish allergen-induced proliferation of T helper cells, as well as their cytokine production. Recent approaches using recombinant protein, polycytosine guanine oligonucleotides, and plasmid DNA for vaccination suggest the possibility of protection against these skin disorders. The involvement of T cells in psoriasis indicates that the development of a T-cell receptor peptide vaccine may be beneficial. Dendritic cell-based vaccines using tolerogenic dendritic cells that can induce T-cell tolerance have been shown to be useful in dealing with autoimmune disorders and allergic conditions. In the light of these developments, this article presents the current status and prospects of developing vaccines for allergic and other immunologic skin disorders.
Additional Through Lanes at Signalized Intersections

One method for increasing the capacity at a signalized intersection is to provide an additional through lane on the approaches to and beyond the intersection. If an additional lane is provided, the question arises as to how far to extend the lane beyond the intersection. The current design procedure, and the theoretical and practical considerations relative to the problem are considered, and an example is presented.
Unbalanced, capacitated p-median problems on a chain graph with a continuum of link demands

This article is concerned with the problem of locating p capacitated facilities on a chain graph and simultaneously determining the allocation of their supplies in order to satisfy a continuum of demand. The demand is characterized by some weighted probability density functions defined on the chain graph. The objective is to minimize the total (expected) trnasportation cost. This location-allocation problem is also referred to as the capacitated p-median problem on a chain graph. Two unbalanced cases of this problem are considered, namely, the overcapacitated case when total supply exceeds total demand and the deficit capacity case when total supply is less than total demand. Both these problems are nonconvex and are shown to be NP-hard even if the demand density function is piecewise uniform and positive. We provide a first-order characterization of optimality for these two problems and prescribe an enumerative algorithm based on a partitioning of the dual space in order to optimally solve these problems. An extension of these algorithms for solving the unbalanced, capacitated 2-median problem on a tree graph is also given.
Heat Transfer and Film Cooling Following Injection Through Inclined Circular Tubes

Film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer are measured downstream of injection through discrete holes into a turbulent mainstream boundary layer. Air is injected through both a single hole and a row of holes spaced at three-diameter intervals and inclined at an angle of 35 deg to the main flow. There is little difference between the heat transfer coefficient with blowing and without blowing at low blowing rates (mass flux ratios). In fact, at low blowing rates, injection is found to decrease somewhat the heat transfer coefficient from that measured without blowing. As the mass flux ratio increases past unity, the heat transfer coefficient increases, especially with injection through a row of holes. The peak heat transfer is usually found at the edge of the spreading jets (i.e., between two holes). At a blowing rate near two, the lateral average of the heat transfer is as much as 27 percent higher than the heat transfer with no blowing. The increase in heat transfer is attributed to the interaction between the jets and the free stream, causing high levels of turbulence.
Plasmodium berghei: electron spin resonance and lipid analysis of infected mouse erythrocyte membranes

Red blood cells from mice infected with Plasmodium berghei and from uninfected mice were labeled with stable, free radical derivatives of stearic acid. Electron spin resonance spectra of these samples showed that the degree of molecular order in these membranes decreased, and the rate of motion of the probe increased, with increasing levels of parasitemia. Parasitemia increased the ratio of unsaturated to saturated 18-carbon fatty acids, and decreased the percentage of arachidonic acid and of cholesterol. The effects of parasitemia on the membrane properties correlated with decreases in cholesterol/fatty acid ratios.
The Dynamic Structure of the Deep Earth: An Interdisciplinary Approach

The interior of the Earth is largely inaccessible to direct observation; the deepest drill holes are only .1% of the Earth's radius. One might call it the undiscovered country. The mysteries of the interior have spanned a great deal of scientific and non-scientific literature. Most of what we know about the interior comes from seismological observations, our most informative probe of the deep Earth. Seismology reveals the variations of seismic velocities both laterally and at depth. Converting that information into knowledge about the structure, composition, and dynamical state of the Earth's interior requires other disciplines, high-pressure mineral physics, and geodynamics in the broadest sense. Without mineral physics, it would be impossible to properly translate the seismic information into knowledge of composition and dynamics.
Identification of an Essential Signaling Cascade for Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activation by Angiotensin II in Cultured Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells POSSIBLE REQUIREMENT OF Gq-MEDIATED p21ras ACTIVATION COUPLED TO A Ca2+/CALMODULIN-SENSITIVE TYROSINE KINASE

In cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells, angiotensin II (Ang II) induced a rapid increase in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity through the Ang II type 1 receptor, which was insensitive to pertussis toxin but was abolished by the phospholipase C inhibitor, U73122. The Ang II-induced MAPK activation was not affected by the protein kinase C inhibitor, GF109203X, and was only partially impaired by pretreatment with a phorbol ester, whereas both treatments completely prevented MAPK activation by the phorbol ester. Intracellular Ca2+ chelation by TMB-8, but not extracellular Ca2+ chelation or inhibition of Ca2+ influx, abolished Ang II-induced MAPK activation. The calmodulin inhibitor, calmidazolium, and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, completely blocked MAPK activation by Ang II as well as by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Ang II caused a rapid increase in the binding of GTP to p21ras, and this was inhibited by genistein, TMB-8, and calmidazolium but not by pertussis toxin or GF109203X. These data suggest that Ang II-induced MAPK activation through the Ang II type 1 receptor could be mediated by p21ras activation through a currently unidentified tyrosine kinase that lies downstream of Gq-coupled Ca2+/calmodulin signals.
PLMAP — A piecewise linear MOS circuit analysis program

Abstract In this paper we describe a MOS circuit simulation program PLMAP ( P iecewise L inear M OS Circuit A nalysis P rogram) which performs efficient time domain simulation of LSI MOS circuits. PLMAP uses a piecewise linear model for MOS transistors. It uses a relaxation method to analyze the piecewise linear circuit at one time point after another. The relaxation method consists of a 2-level decomposition which partitions the whole circuit into 2-level subcircuits and a scheduling method which determines the sequence of analysis of subcircuits. At each time point, the subcircuits are analyzed sequentially and iteratively by using Gauss-Seidel iteration together with a prediction formula to determine the initial guess of solution. Experiences have shown that PLMAP is more efficient in MOS circuit analysis than spice .
What we really do when we test

In order to understand what we really do when we use selection tests we must realize that all tests are achievement tests. Such tests measure the results of past learning and in part reflect past opportunities for learning. This is true of IQ tests, non-verbal tests, psychomotor tests and probably clerical tests, even of personality tests. All tests are unfair to those who have had other than an average chance to acquire the skills sampled by the tests. But it isn't the function of a test to be fair; its function is to give an accurate assessment of the presently developed skill level of the subject. The fairness must come in the use and interpretation of the test.
Cell-Specific Signal Transduction of Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)-Related Protein Through Stably Expressed Recombinant PTH/PTHrP Receptors in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells*

PTH-related protein activates a G protein-coupled PTH/PTHrP receptor in many cell types and produces diverse biological actions. To study the signal transduction events associated with biological activity of the PTH/PTHrP receptor in vascular smooth muscle, a principal PTHrP-responsive tissue, rat aortic smooth muscle cells (A10) were stably transfected with a plasmid encoding a PTH/PTHrP receptor and tested for ligand binding, PTHrP-(1-34)-induced cAMP levels, inositol phosphate production, and cytosolic calcium transients. Of nineteen G418-resistant lines recovered, all exhibited high affinity binding [approximately dissociation constant (Kd) > 10(-10)) of iodinated [Tyr36]hPTHrP(1-36)NH2 and ligand-induced cAMP accumulation (2- to 100-fold), which was directly proportional to PTH/PTHrP receptor number (range 4 x 10(3) to 7 x 10(7) sites/cell]. PTHrP had no effect on intracellular calcium or inositol phosphate formation in any cell line regardless of receptor number despite the presence of detectable G alpha q). Transient overexpression of individual G alpha q proteins (G alpha q, G alpha 11 or G alpha 14) into PTH/PTHrP receptor-expressing A10 cells conferred the ability of PTHrP to increase intracellular calcium and inositol phosphate formation. Ligand activation of the recombinant PTH/PTHrP receptor elicited appropriate downstream biological effects in A10 cells including inhibition of DNA synthesis and osteopontin messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. Thus, a single PTH/PTHrP receptor, though capable of coupling to different G proteins, signals exclusively through a cAMP-dependent pathway in vascular smooth muscle.
Identification and characterization of a novel nonsecosteroidal vitamin D receptor ligand

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its ligands play important roles in mineral/skeletal homeostasis, cell proliferation/differentiation, and modulation of immune responses. VDR ligands make attractive candidates for the treatment/prevention of osteoporosis, psoriasis, and cancer. The major issue with current analogs is hypercalcemia. As nonsteroidal therapeutic agents with fewer side effects have been made for androgen and estrogen receptors, nonsecosteroidal VDR ligands possessing beneficial effects may also be possible. Here we present a novel podocarpic acid-based nonsecosteroidal VDR ligand (VDRL-1). VDRL-1 bound to VDR with a Ki of ∼1.3 µM in competition binding assays. Data from binding and molecular docking suggest that VDRL-1 interacts with the same binding pocket as 1α,25-(OH)2 vitamin D3 (1,25-D3). In cell-based transcription assays, VDRL-1 reached the same maximal activity as 1,25-D3, albeit with an EC50 ∼1.0 µM. Likewise, VDRL-1 was a full agonist in suppressing proliferation of several human cancer cells. Microarrays demonstrated that VDRL-1 exerted a near identical expression pattern to that of 1,25-D3 in several human cancer cells. Taqman analysis of known and novel VDR-regulated genes showed that VDRL-1 was a full agonist on osteocalcin (OC), CYP24A1, and other genes. It exerted partial agonist activity on G0/G1 switch gene 2 (G0S2). Furthermore, VDRL-1 could be a full or partial agonist of calcium transporter 1 (TRPV6) expression and partially antagonized 1,25-D3 in cells where it partially regulated TRPV6. Thus, the current study describes a novel nonsecosteroidal VDR ligand that behaves mostly like 1,25-D3, but possesses unique characteristics. Drug Dev Res 68:51-60, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The spatial characteristics of the B helical mode for a choked axisymmetric nozzle

An acoustic near-field study was performed for an axisymmetric conical nozzle operated at a fully expanded Mach number of 1.3. The acoustic measurements were performed in the nozzle exit plane using multiple sensors arranged around the periphery of the nozzle. The acquired data were simultaneously digitized. The acoustic spatial characteristics, describing the large scale structure associated with the preferred shear layer instability mode, were determined for the dominant B screech mode. The nozzle was fitted with a lip thickening device to determine the effect of this geometric variable on the spatial structure of the jet. For the thin-lipped configuration, the flapping structure of the B screech mode was found to precess in a time-dependent manner about the jet axis. An increasing of the nozzle exit lip thickness altered the spatial characteristics of this mode from a flapping to a time-dependent flapping or spinning. Using the auto-bicoherence spectrum, frequency dependencies were found to exist in the acoustic data of the thick-lipped configuration. These dependencies may be related to the nonlinearity of the jet and/or the time-dependent nature of the B mode spatial structure.
Digital video steganalysis exploiting collusion sensitivity

In this paper we present an effective steganalyis technique for digital video sequences based on the collusion attack. Steganalysis is the process of detecting with a high probability and low complexity the presence of covert data in multimedia. Existing algorithms for steganalysis target detecting covert information in still images. When applied directly to video sequences these approaches are suboptimal. In this paper, we present a method that overcomes this limitation by using redundant information present in the temporal domain to detect covert messages in the form of Gaussian watermarks. Our gains are achieved by exploiting the collusion attack that has recently been studied in the field of digital video watermarking, and more sophisticated pattern recognition tools. Applications of our scheme include cybersecurity and cyberforensics.
The Incorporation of Dietary Iodine into Thyroglobulin Increases Its Immunogenicity

Experiments were performed to analyze one mechanism by which elevated levels of dietary iodine may induce thyroglobulin (Tg) autoantibodies. We tested the hypothesis that highly iodinated Tg synthesized by animals fed a high iodine diet is significantly more immunogenic than Tg containing fewer iodine atoms. Cornell strain (CS) chickens, genetically susceptible to iodide-induced thyroiditis, were fed either a high or a low iodine diet. They were killed, and their thyroidal Tg was analyzed for iodine; the high iodine Tg (HI-Tg) had at least 60 and the low iodine Tg (LI-Tg) had less than 13 atoms/molecule of Tg. To determine if the degree of Tg iodination affected its immunogenicity, these Tg preparations were administered iv to normal chickens without adjuvants. Their sera were tested for antibodies by direct binding radioassays and RIAs. HI-Tg stimulated the synthesis of antibodies that reacted well with HI-Tg and the thyroid hormones T3 and T4, but only weakly with LI-Tg. The birds immunized with LI-Tg produced very little antibody to LI-Tg, T3, or T4, but a modest amount to HI-Tg. In other experiments, Tg autoantibodies found in chickens maintained on a high iodine diet similarly demonstrated enhanced binding to HI-Tg. The present studies show that HI-Tg is more immunogenic than LI-Tg and supports the hypothesis that a high iodine diet induces Tg autoantibodies by increasing the immunogenicity of the Tg molecule. In marked contrast with iodide-induced Tg antibodies, the Tg antibodies accompanying the severe and early-onset thyroiditis of obese strain chickens are to a large degree independent of dietary iodine intake.
Reactive control of an unsteady separating flow

Robert E. Montividas,* Mukund Acharya,t and Metwally H. Metwally$ Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616 -0.15 for both unsteady separation resulting from a flap rise and unsteady reattachment caused by a flap drop. When the threshold was crossed, a command signal activated the flowcontrol jet at the set frequency. The pressure signal was monitored continuously and the solenoid valve was either deactivated or reactivated, in the event that the threshold was crossed in either direction. The control strategy or goal in these experiments was to obtain a reduction in the reattachment length of the separated region formed behind the flap. Details of the experiment can be found in Ref. 1.
An environmental instrument for measuring creep and stress relaxation in polymers

The construction and operation of an instrument for measuring tensile stress relaxation and creep, particularly of polymers, is described. The instrument is comparatively inexpensive to build and enables measurements to be carried out in vacuo or in a controlled atmosphere of gas or vapor. The design is based on principles used for some earlier stress relaxometers modified to enable characterization of samples having a very wide range of moduli either as stress relaxation or, additionally, as creep measurements. The instrument can therefore be used to evaluate material properties of hard plastics or of soft rubbers when exposed to selected environments.
Positioning, price and profit: Lessons from the American cigarette war and elsewhere

The current ‘American cigarette war’ has afforded an opportunity to re-examine the extent to which premium pricing practices may have strained to breaking point the ability of marketing positioning to sustain consumer loyalty. Questions have been raised regarding the possibility that consumers no longer will suspend disbelief in the differentiated qualities of brands in all sorts of product categories.
A simplified plethysmographic system for the measurement of systemic arterial pressure and peripheral blood flow

Abstract A mercury strain-gauge plethysmographic system which employs an inexpensive, battery-powered, transistorized DC amplifier and a portable electrocardiographic recorder for the measurement of systolic arterial pressure and blood flow in the limbs is described. The accuracy of the plethysmographic method for determining systemic arterial pressure was demonstrated by comparing it with methods which simultaneously determined direct arterial pressures. The applicability to a variety of clinical problems of both the DC and AC amplifying systems was discussed. The technique has been found to be particularly useful in the preoperative and postoperative study of patients with coarctation of the aorta, in the study of newborn infants and older infants, and in patients of all ages who are in shock or in whom vasoconstriction is marked. It is also anticipated that the plethysmographic system utilizing the transistorized DC amplifier will simplify the measurement of blood flow in the limbs of patients with peripheral vascular disease.
Remote sensing of woody shrub cover in desert grasslands using MISR with a geometric-optical canopy reflectance model

Abstract A new method is described for the retrieval of fractional cover of large woody plants (shrubs) at the landscape scale using moderate resolution multi-angle remote sensing data from the Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and a hybrid geometric-optical (GO) canopy reflectance model. Remote sensing from space is the only feasible method for regularly mapping woody shrub cover over large areas, an important application because extensive woody shrub encroachment into former grasslands has been seen in arid and semi-arid grasslands around the world during the last 150 years. The major difficulty in applying GO models in desert grasslands is the spatially dynamic nature of the combined soil and understory background reflectance: the background is important and cannot be modeled as either a Lambertian scatterer or by using a fixed bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). Candidate predictors of the background BRDF at the Sun-target-MISR angular sampling configurations included the volume scattering kernel weight from a Li–Ross BRDF model; diffuse brightness (ρ0) from the Modified Rahman-Pinty-Verstraete (MRPV) BRDF model; other Li–Ross kernel weights (isotropic, geometric); and MISR near-nadir bidirectional reflectance factors (BRFs) in the blue, green, and near infra-red bands. The best method was multiple regression on the weights of a kernel-driven model and MISR nadir camera blue, green, and near infra-red bidirectional reflectance factors. The results of forward modeling BRFs for a 5.25 km2 area in the USDA, ARS Jornada Experimental Range using the Simple Geometric Model (SGM) with this background showed good agreement with the MISR data in both shape and magnitude, with only minor spatial discrepancies. The simulations were shown to be accurate in terms of both absolute value and reflectance anisotropy over all 9 MISR views and for a wide range of canopy configurations (r2 = 0.78, RMSE = 0.013, N = 3969). Inversion of the SGM allowed estimation of fractional shrub cover with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.03 but a relatively weak correlation (r2 = 0.19) with the reference data (shrub cover estimated from high resolution IKONOS panchromatic imagery). The map of retrieved fractional shrub cover was an approximate spatial match to the reference map. Deviations reflect the first-order approximation of the understory BRDF in the MISR viewing plane; errors in the shrub statistics; and the 12 month lag between the two data sets.
Family stressors and adolescent functioning: A consideration of models for early and middle adolescents

The purpose of this study was to consider two possible mediational variables (parent communication skills and adolescent perception of the mother-adolescent relationship) in the relationship between family stressors and adolescent functioning. One hundred and eighty-four (97 male, 87 female) adolescent subjects, their mothers, and their social studies teachers participated; eighty-four of the subjects were from recently divorced families, and 100 were from intact families. Family stressors considered were marital conflict, marital status, and maternal depression. Areas of adolescent functioning assessed were cognitive and social competence. In order to assess the influence of age, subjects were divided into a group of early adolescents (n=88) and a group of middle adolescents (n=96). It was expected that the perception of relationship would serve as a mediator variable in the stressor-functioning connection and that models would vary by age of the adolescent. Path analytic techniques were used, and results demonstrated that, for the early adolescents, perception of the mother-adolescent relationship was a significant mediator variable between interparental conflict and cognitive competence. For the middle adolescents, parent communication skills and perception of the relationship were highly related and, thus, could not be well differentiated. Parent communication skills did not serve as a mediator in either group, but did have a direct relationship to cognitive competence for middle adolescents. Other direct paths emerged as well. Research and clinical implications of these data are discussed.
Avocado shoot culture, plantlet development and net CO2 assimilation in an ambient and CO2 enhanced environment

The proliferation and survival of avocado nodal cultures of juvenile origin were affected by the form and concentration of nitrogen. Optimum growth was achieved on modified Murashige and Skoog medium containing 67% KNO3 and 33% NH4NO3 with total N of 40 mM supplemented with 100 mg l−1 myo-inositol, 1 mg l−1 thiamine HCl, 30 g l−1 sucrose, and 4.44 µM BA with a 16-h photoperiod (120–150 µmol m−2 s−1). Proliferating shoots and plantlets were photosynthetically active. Better shoot growth and accumulation of higher biomass occurred in a CO2-enriched environment than under ambient CO2 conditions. CO2 assimilation efficiency, however, was higher under the latter conditions than in a CO2-enhanced environment, e.g., 31±7 and 17±2 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1, respectively. The net CO2 assimilation rates of in vitro grown plantlets were comparable to those of seedlings ex vitro.
1109 LACK OF SEASONAL VARIATION IN SERUM 1, 25-DIHYDROXYVITAMIN D (1,25OH2D) LEVELS DESPITE CHANGES IN 25-HYDROXYVITAMIN D (25OH-D) LEVELS

The concentrations of 25OH-D (n=62) and 1,25OH2D (n=231) were measured in the sera of normal subjects aged 18 months to 35 years. Samples were obtained in all months of the year to assess the effect of the seasons on serum concentration. Serum 25OHD3 was 16.3±7.0 ng/ml (SE) in Jan.-March and rose to 24.4±7.6 in April-June and to 31.2±8.5 in July-Sept., p < .001. In Oct.-Dec. it fell to 20.9±7.2, p < .01. Both total 25OH-D and 25OHD3 are higher during the months April-Sept. No seasonal variation in 250HD2 (x ± SE = 7.3±5.2 ng/ml) or 1,25OH2D (x = 43±2 pg/ml) were found. Age-related differences in 250HD2 and D3 were not apparent. The levels of 1,25OH2D are higher in adolescents and increase from 35±19 pg/ml (SD) at 1.5 to 10 years to 54±21 pg/ml at 10-20 years. In adults, 20-35 years, the levels fall to 28±16 pg/ml. Despite a seasonal variation in the precursor of 1,25OH2D, the levels of this most active metabolite of vitamin D do not vary with the seasons and presumed increased sunlight exposure. The levels of 1,25OH2D are higher during a period of rapid growth. The absence of seasonal variation is further evidence of the tight feedback regulation of the hormonal form of vitamin D.
Rhythmic activity responses of the fiddler crab Uca crenulata to artificial tides and artificial light

The fiddler crab Uca crenulata, from California (USA), was exposed to artificial tides in order to differentiate between the influence of a tidal cycle from that of a light-dark cycle on its locomotor activity. Most crabs could be well synchronized by tides, but the activity patterns of other crabs was merely exogenously reinforced. Under constant conditions, after tidal treatment, crabs showed bimodal or unimodal activity patterns. When a 24 h light-dark cycle and a 12.35 h tidal cycle acted as concurrent stimuli, their effectiveness in synchronizing the crabs' activity was variable, depending on the undividual. It is likely that crabs which tend to exhibit a unimodal activity pattern are more sensitive to a light stimulus, whereas crabs with a bimodal activity pattern respond preferably to the tides. Thus, responses of endogenous activity of U. crenulata to tides and light-dark cycles are similar, suggesting that the basic oscillarory mechanism for circadian and tidal activity may be the same.
Explaining the observed relation between stellar activity and rotation

Observations of late-type main-sequence stars have revealed empirical scalings of coronal activity versus rotation period or Rossby number $Ro$ (a ratio of rotation period to convective turnover time) which has hitherto lacked explanation. For $Ro >> 1$, the activity observed as X-ray to bolometric flux varies as $Ro^{-q}$ with $2\le q \le 3$, whilst $|q| > 1$ regime by constructing an expression for the coronal luminosity based on dynamo magnetic field generation and magnetic buoyancy. We explain the $Ro > 1$ behavior using a dynamo saturation theory based on magnetic helicity buildup and buoyant loss.
Where is ‘Community’?: Engineering education and sustainable community development

Sustainable development initiatives are proliferating in the US and Europe as engineering educators seek to provide students with knowledge and skills to design technologies that are environmentally sustainable. Many such initiatives involve students from the ‘North,’ or ‘developed’ world building projects for villages or communities in the ‘South.’ Sustainable development projects in engineering education are being lauded for meeting multiple educational outcomes and providing students with important international training. This paper argues that such programmes need to educate students to think critically about their role as development professionals, to understand and value the role of community in development projects, and to develop long-term assessment criteria for such projects. It argues that engineering educators need to meaningfully engage the ‘community’ in sustainable community development.
MONITORING AND FOSTERING LEARNING THROUGH GAMES AND EMBEDDED ASSESSMENTS

To reveal what is being learned during the gaming experience, this report proposes an approach for embedding assessments in immersive games, drawing on recent advances in assessment design. Key to this approach are formative assessment to guide instructional experiences and evidence-centered design to systematically analyze the assessment argument (including the claims about the learner and the evidence that supports or fails to support those claims). Elements of this approach that have been applied in a nongame setting are shown and ideas are discussed for applying the approach to an existing immersive game setting. Finally, the report offers suggestions for extending and applying this approach for existing games and the design of new ones.