cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longer Ischemic Time is Associated with Increased Ventricular Stiffness as Measured by Pressure-Volume Loop Analysis in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between clinical factors and cardiac function as measured by pressure–volume loops (PVLs) in a pediatric heart transplant cohort. Patients (age < 20 years) who underwent heart transplantation presenting for a clinically indicated catheterization were enrolled. PVLs were recorded using microconductance catheters (CD Leycom®, Zoetermeer, Netherlands). Demographic data, serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), time from transplant, ischemic time, presence of transplant coronary artery disease, donor-specific antibodies, and history of rejection were recorded at the time of catheterization. PVL data included contractility indices: end-systolic elastance and preload recruitable stroke work; ventricular–arterial coupling index; ventricular stiffness constant, Beta; and isovolumic relaxation time constant, tau. Associations between PVL measures and clinical data were investigated using non-parametric statistical tests. A total of 18 patients were enrolled. Median age was 8.7 years (IQR 5–14 years). There were ten males and eight females. Six patients had a history of rejection and ten had positive donor-specific antibodies. There was no transplant coronary artery disease. Median BNP was 100 pg/mL (IQR 46–140). Time from transplant to PVL obtained during catheterization procedure was 4.1 years (IQR 1.7–7.8 year). No single clinical characteristic was statistically significant when correlated with PVL data. However, longer ischemic time was associated with worse Beta (r = 0.49, p = 0.05). Our study found that longer ischemic times are associated with increased left ventricular stiffness. No other single clinical variable is associated with cardiac dysfunction as determined by PVL analysis.
Who counts as a writer? Examining child, teacher, and parent perceptions of writing

The current study used a mixed method design with 245 preschool children, 255 teachers, and 156 parents. Researchers interviewed children and surveyed teachers and parents about their perceptions o...
Consistent hypersocial behavior in mice carrying a deletion of Gtf2i but no evidence of hyposocial behavior with Gtf2i duplication: Implications for Williams-Beuren syndrome and autism spectrum disorder.

Introduction Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a developmental disorder caused by hemizygous deletion of human chromosome 7q11.23. Hypersocial behavior is one symptom of WBS and contrasts with hyposociality observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Interestingly, duplications of 7q11.23 have been associated with ASD. The social phenotype of WBS has been linked to GTF2I or general transcription factor IIi (TFII-I). Duplication of GTF2I has also been associated with ASD. Methods We compared mice having either a deletion (Gtf2i+/- ) or duplication (Gtf2i+/dup ) of Gtf2i to wild-type (Gtf2i+/+ ) littermate controls in a series of behavioral tasks including open-field activity monitoring, olfactory probes, a social choice task, social transmission of food preference, habituation-dishabituation, and operant social motivation paradigms. Results In open-field observations, Gtf2i+/- and Gtf2i+/dup mice demonstrated normal activity and thigmotaxis, and surprisingly, each strain showed a significant preference for a stimulus mouse that was not observed in Gtf2i+/+ siblings. Both Gtf2i+/- and Gtf2i+/dup mice demonstrated normal olfaction in buried food probes, but the Gtf2i+/- mice spent significantly more time investigating urine scent versus water, which was not observed in the other strains. Gtf2i+/- mice also spent significantly more time in nose-to-nose contact compared to Gtf2i+/+ siblings during the open-field encounter of the social transmission of food preference task. In operant tasks of social motivation, Gtf2i+/- mice made significantly more presses for social rewards than Gtf2i+/+ siblings, while there was no difference in presses for the Gtf2i+/dup mice. Discussion Results were remarkably consistent across testing paradigms supporting a role for GTF2i in the hypersocial phenotype of WBS and more broadly in the regulation of social behavior. Support was not observed for the role of GTF2i in ASD.
Remote sensing of aerosols with small satellites in formation flight

Abstract. Determination of aerosol optical properties with orbital passive remote sensing is a difficult task, as observations often have limited information. Multi-angle instruments, such as the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and the POlarization and Directionality of the Earth's Reflectances (POLDER), seek to address this by making information-rich multi-angle observations that can be used to better retrieve aerosol optical properties. The paradigm for such instruments is that each angle view is made from one platform, with, for example, a gimballed sensor or multiple fixed view angle sensors. This restricts the observing geometry to a plane within the scene bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) observed at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). New technological developments, however, support sensors on small satellites flying in formation, which could be a beneficial alternative. Such sensors may have only one viewing direction each, but the agility of small satellites allows one to control this direction and change it over time. When such agile satellites are flown in formation and their sensors pointed to the same location at approximately the same time, they could sample a distributed set of geometries within the scene BRDF. In other words, observations from multiple satellites can take a variety of view zenith and azimuth angles and are not restricted to one azimuth plane as is the case with a single multi-angle instrument. It is not known, however, whether this is as potentially capable as a multi-angle platform for the purposes of aerosol remote sensing. Using a systems engineering tool coupled with an information content analysis technique, we investigate the feasibility of such an approach for the remote sensing of aerosols. These tools test the mean results of all geometries encountered in an orbit. We find that small satellites in formation are equally capable as multi-angle platforms for aerosol remote sensing, as long as their calibration accuracies and measurement uncertainties are equivalent. As long as the viewing geometries are dispersed throughout the BRDF, it appears the quantity of view angles determines the information content of the observations, not the specific observation geometry. Given the smoothly varying nature of BRDF's observed at the TOA, this is reasonable and supports the viability of aerosol remote sensing with small satellites flying in formation. The incremental improvement in information content that we found with number of view angles also supports the concept of a resilient mission comprised of multiple satellites that are continuously replaced as they age or fail.
Effect of 5,7-dimethoxyflavone on Bcrp1-mediated transport of sorafenib in vitro and in vivo in mice

Abstract Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are a novel and target-specific class of anticancer drugs. One drawback of TKI therapy is cancer resistance to TKI. An important TKI resistance mechanism is enhanced efflux of TKI by efflux transporters, such as Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP), in cancer cells. 5,7-Dimethoxyflavone (5,7-DMF) is a natural flavonoid which was recently reported to be a potent BCRP inhibitor. In the current study, the effect of 5,7-DMF on the disposition of sorafenib, a TKI which is a good substrate of BCRP, was investigated both in vitro in efflux transporter expressing cells and in vivo in mice. 5,7-DMF significantly inhibited Bcrp1-mediated sorafenib efflux in a concentration dependent manner in MDCK/Bcrp1 cells, with EC50 value of 8.78 μM. The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of sorafenib (10 mg/kg) with and without co-administration of 75 mg/kg 5,7-DMF were determined. With 5,7-DMF, the AUC of sorafenib in plasma was 47,400 ± 4790 ng·h/mL, which was significantly higher than 27,300 ± 2650 ng·h/mL in sorafenib alone group. In addition, compared to sorafenib alone group, great increase in sorafenib AUC was observed in most tissues collected when sorafenib was given with 5,7-DMF. Our results indicated that 5,7-DMF may represent a novel and very promising chemosensitizing agent for BCRP-mediated anticancer drug resistance due to its low toxicity and potent BCRP inhibition.
High-sensitivity optical to microwave comparison with dual-output Mach-Zehnder modulators

We demonstrate the use of two dual-output Mach-Zehnder modulators (DO-MZMs) in a direct comparison between a femtosecond (fs) pulse train and a microwave signal. Through balanced detection, the amplitude-to-phase modulation (AM-PM) conversion effect is suppressed by more than 40 dB. A cross-spectrum technique enables us to achieve a high-sensitivity phase noise measurement (−186 dBc/Hz above 10-kHz offset), which corresponds to the thermal noise of a +9 dBm carrier. This method is applied to compare a 1-GHz fs monolithic laser to a 1-GHz microwave signal generated from photodetection of a free-running 500 MHz mode-locked laser. The measured phase noise is −160 dBc/Hz at 4-kHz, −167 dBc/Hz at 10-kHz, and −180 dBc/Hz at offset frequencies above 100-kHz. The measurement is limited by the free-running 500-MHz laser’s noise, the flicker noise of the modified uni-traveling carrier photodiode and the thermal noise floor, not by the method itself. This method also has the potential to achieve a similar noise floor even at higher carrier frequencies.
Interplay effect on a 6-MV flattening-filter-free linear accelerator with high dose rate and fast multi-leaf collimator motion treating breast and lung phantoms

Purpose Using a new linear accelerator with high dose rate (800 MU/min), fast MLC motions (5.0 cm/s), fast gantry rotation (15 s/rotation), and 1 cm wide MLCs, we aimed to quantify the effects of complexity, arc number, and fractionation on interplay for breast and lung treatments under target motion. Methods To study lung interplay, eight VMAT plans (1-6 arcs) and four-nine-field sliding-window IMRT plans varying in complexity were created. For the breast plans, four-four-field sliding-window IMRT plans were created. Using the Halcyon 1.0 linear accelerator, each plan was delivered five times each under sinusoidal breathing motion to a phantom with 20 implanted MOSFET detectors; MOSFET dose (cGy), delivery time, and MU/cGy values were recorded. Maximum and mean dose deviations were calculated from MOSFET data. The number of MOSFETs with at least 19 of 20 detectors agreeing with their expected dose within 5% per fraction was calculated across 106 iterations to model dose deviation as function of fraction number for all plan variants. To put interplay plans into clinical context, additional IMRT and VMAT plans were created and delivered for the sites of head and neck, prostate, whole brain, breast, pelvis, and lung. Average modulation and interplay effect were compared to those from conventional linear accelerators, as reported from previous studies. Results The mean beam modulation for plans created for the Halcyon 1.0 linear accelerator was 2.9 MU/cGy (two- to four-field IMRT breast plans), 6.2 MU/cGy (at least five-field IMRT), and 3.6 MU/cGy (four-arc VMAT). To achieve treatment plan objectives, Halcyon 1.0 VMAT plans require more arcs and modulation than VMAT on conventional linear accelerators. Maximum and mean dose deviations increased with increasing plan complexity under tumor motion for breast and lung treatments. Concerning VMAT plans under motion, maximum, and mean dose deviations were higher for one arc than for two arcs regardless of plan complexity. For plan variants with maximum dose deviations greater than 3.7%, dose deviation as a function of fraction number was protracted. Conclusion For treatments on the Halcyon 1.0 linear accelerator, the convergence of dose deviation with fraction number happened more slowly than reported for conventional linear accelerators. However, if plan complexity is reduced for IMRT and if tumor motion is less than ~10-mm, interplay is greatly reduced. To minimize dose deviations across multiple fractions for dynamic targets, we recommend limiting treatment plan complexity and avoiding one-arc VMAT on the Halcyon 1.0 linear accelerator when interplay is a concern.
Canonical extensions of bounded archimedean vector lattices

Canonical extensions of Boolean algebras with operators were introduced in the seminal paper of Jonsson and Tarski. The two defining properties of canonical extensions are the density and compactness axioms. While the density axiom can be extended to the setting of vector lattices of continuous real-valued functions, the compactness axiom requires appropriate weakening. This provides a motivation for defining the concept of canonical extension in the category $$\varvec{ bav }$$ of bounded archimedean vector lattices. We prove existence and uniqueness theorems for canonical extensions in $$\varvec{ bav }$$ . We show that the underlying vector lattice of the canonical extension of $$A\in \varvec{ bav }$$ is isomorphic to the vector lattice of all bounded real-valued functions on the Yosida space of A, and give an intrinsic characterization of those $$B \in \varvec{ bav }$$ that arise as the canonical extension of some $$A \in \varvec{ bav }$$ .
Compulsory Schooling, the Family, and the "Foreign Element," Evidence from the United States, 1880-1900

This paper uses exogenous variation in family schooling decisions induced by compulsory schooling laws to study the intra-family allo- cation of education among children. Using both administrative and self-reported data from the census, evidence is given that compulsory schooling laws increased attendance between 1880 and 1900, partic- ularly for the children of immigrants who were a special target of attendance laws. The effect of the compulsory schooling law on the individual is then compared to the in uence of the average number of children in the home affected by a law. Evidence is given that some increased attendance came at the cost of siblings' attendance, with family allocation of schooling determining the ultimate impact of the law. The family effects of the law are strongest on the children of immigrants.
Contributions of innate type 2 inflammation to adipose function

A critical contributor to the health consequences of the obesity epidemic is dysregulated adipose tissue (AT) homeostasis. While white, brown, and beige AT function is altered in obesity-related disease, white AT is marked by progressive inflammation and adipocyte dysfunction and has been the focus of extensive "immunometabolism" research in the past decade. The exact triggering events initiating and sustaining AT inflammation are still under study, but it has been shown that reducing inflammation improves insulin action in AT. Scientific efforts seeking interventions to mitigate obesity-associated AT inflammation continue, and many groups are now determining how lean healthy AT homeostasis is maintained in order to leverage these mechanisms as therapeutic targets. Such studies have revealed that an elaborate network of immune cells, cytokines, and other cellular mediators coordinate AT function. Recent studies elucidated the involvement of the innate immune system in AT homeostasis (e.g., beiging and insulin sensitivity), including M2-like macrophages, eosinophils, innate lymphoid type 2 cells, and several others. In this review, we summarize the existing literature on innate type 2 inflammation in AT; additionally, we draw attention to areas of debate where seemingly conflicting data promises to yield more surprising and elegant biology as studies continue to dissect AT physiology.
A Design Procedure of Functionally Graded Thermoelectric Materials

A computational design procedure of a thermoelectric power device using Functionally Graded Materials (FGM) is presented. A model of thermoelectric materials is presented for transport properties of heavily doped semiconductors, electron and phonon transport coefficients are calculated using band theory. And, a procedure of an elastic thermal stress analysis is presented on a functionally graded thermoelectric device by two-dimensional finite element technique. First, temperature distributions are calculated by two-dimensional non-linear finite element method based on expressions of thermoelectric phenomenon. Next, using temperature distributions, thermal stress distributions are computed by two-dimensional elastic finite element analysis.
Fracture mechanism of high impact strength polypropylene containing carbon nanotubes

Abstract In our earlier contribution, it was shown that with the addition of 1 wt% functionalized multiwall carbon nanotube (f-MWNT), an unprecedented 152% increase in PP impact strength without a significant loss in stiffness and ductility can be achieved. In the context of these observations, this work examined the impact fracture mechanism of such PP/f-MWNT nanocomposite, in which the PP interphase was tailored by the same co-solvent solution process. The nanotube-matrix stress transfer efficacy in PP/f-MWNT as compared to that of PP/pristine MWNT (p-MWNT) was determined by Raman spectroscopy. The calculated interfacial shear strength (τi) is 17.8 MPa in PP/f-MWNT and 2.2 MPa in PP/p-MWNT, suggesting improved matrix-CNT adhesion in the former. This strong interfacial adhesion allows CNTs to bridge the opening crack, absorb fracture energy and promote local plastic deformation of the polymer matrix. Such process was demonstrated using SEM fractography where breakage/pull out of the CNTs, microcracks, and the intensive fibril formation accompanied with the extension of the PP matrix were captured at the impact fracture surface. Both the interfacial shear strength and the SEM fractography supported the hypothesis that better matrix-CNT adhesion can be achieved through interphase engineering.
Dry matter yield of dryland and irrigated mixtures of Caucasian clover, white clover and perennial ryegrass over 5 years at Lincoln University

This experiment investigated the effects of Caucasian clover (CC), white clover (WC), perennial ryegrass (RG) and their mixtures on dry matter (DM) yield under dryland and irrigated conditions over 5 years (1st July-30th June) at Lincoln University. Seven mixtures of the three species (three pure, three binary and one ternary) were sown in November 1999, grown with and without irrigation, and grazed by sheep. Total annual DM yield in Years 2-6 (2000/2001-2004/2005) was analysed. Clover-RG mixtures yielded more than the average monoculture yields of their constituent species (over-yielding). This diversity effect was 1.8-7.0 t DM/ha for WC-RG over all 5 years and 2.7-4.6 t DM/ ha for CC-RG in Years 3-6. There was no additional yield benefit from the three-species mixture. Diversity effects were due to synergistic interactions between the clovers and RG, which were similar for CC and WC once established. The interspecific interactions persisted despite changes in botanical composition across irrigation levels and years.
Opioid abuse in children: An emerging public health crisis!

Introduction–Opioid abuse by adults is widely perceived as a major health hazard in the USA. National estimates of Opioid abuse by children are relatively unknown. We sought to estimate the burden of opioid dependence/abuse(OD/OA) in children who visited the emergency department(ED) for any cause in the United States. We hypothesize that there is an increasing trend of OD/OA in children who visited the ED during the study period. Methods–The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample for the years 2008 to 2013 was used. All ED visits with diagnoses codes for Opioid dependence/abuse amongst those aged up …
Controlled Freeze ZoneTM Technology for Enabling Processing of High CO2 and H2S Gas Reserves

Controlled Freeze Zone™ is a technology for the single step separation of CO2 and H2S from natural gas. The economic commercialization of natural gas fields with high CO2 and H2S content in an environmentally sound fashion is enabled by the Controlled Freeze ZoneTM technology since it greatly facilitates the geosequestration of CO2 and other acid gases. Developed by ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, CFZTM is being brought to commercial-readiness in a commercial demonstration plant being built in Wyoming, USA.
Informing Multi-Modal Planning with Synergistic Discrete Leads

Robotic manipulation problems are inherently continuous, but typically have underlying discrete structure, e.g., whether or not an object is grasped. This means many problems are multi-modal and in particular have a continuous infinity of modes. For example, in a pick-and-place manipulation domain, every grasp and placement of an object is a mode. Usually manipulation problems require the robot to transition into different modes, e.g., going from a mode with an object placed to another mode with the object grasped. To successfully find a manipulation plan, a planner must find a sequence of valid single-mode motions as well as valid transitions between these modes. Many manipulation planners have been proposed to solve tasks with multi-modal structure. However, these methods require mode-specific planners and fail to scale to very cluttered environments or to tasks that require long sequences of transitions. This paper presents a general layered planning approach to multi-modal planning that uses a discrete "lead" to bias search towards useful mode transitions. The difficulty of achieving specific mode transitions is captured online and used to bias search towards more promising sequences of modes. We demonstrate our planner on complex scenes and show that significant performance improvements are tied to both our discrete "lead" and our continuous representation.
Spontaneous δ- to β-Globin Switching in K562 Human Leukemia Cells

Previous analysis of the hemoglobin phenotype of the K562 human erythroleukemia cell line showed regulated expression of the ∊-, ζ-, γ-, α-, and δ-globin genes. Expression of the β-globin genes has not been previously detected in this cell line. In this report, we describe the isolation of a variant of the K562 cell line that actively expresses β-globin messenger RNA (mRNA) and polypeptide and shows greatly reduced expression of the δ-globin genes. This phenotype developed spontaneously in culture while two other K562 isolates grown under the same culture conditions have not undergone the same δ- to β-globin switch. Analysis of this unique K562 variant shows that a construct containing a β-globin promoter is quite active upon transient transfection into these cells. This finding suggests that the activation of the endogenous β-globin genes results from changes in the trans-acting environment of these cells. The regulation of the β-globin genes in this variant is characterized by a paradoxical decrease in the level of β-globin mRNA after exposure to hemin. Other globin genes of this variant are appropriately regulated and show increased expression after hemin induction. Further study of this variant may shed light on mechanisms of gene regulation that are involved in hemoglobin switching.© 1992 by The American Society of Hematology. 0006-4971/92/7903-0138$3.00/0
Comment on “A Tuning-Free Robust and Efficient Approach to High-Dimensional Regression”

We congratulate the authors on a very exciting and timely piece of work. The use of a penalized dispersion score function for high-dimensional linear regression is extremely innovative, as it moves...
The Credit Card Act of 2009 — What is It, and What Does It Do?

The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (“the Credit CARD Act”) is a promising answer to the problem of implementing reforms that protect credit card users. The Credit CARD Act seeks to protect consumers from misleading and unfair techniques such as high interest rates, improvident extensions of credit, exorbitant fees, charges for methods of payment, incomprehensible card agreements, double-cycle billing, deceptive introductory and promotional rates, and techniques increasing the likelihood of late payment. The Credit CARD Act implements stricter guidelines on credit card issuers. It requires them to provide written notice of any increase in annual percentage rate, restricts the issuance of cards to persons under the age of twenty-one, and requires many other provisions. The reforms under the Credit CARD Act look promising, but future implementation and enforcement will determine its success.
Why do children show racial biases in their resource allocation decisions

Abstract Young children often prefer people high in status and with access to resources. Children also favor fairness and equality, especially when it comes to sharing. Two studies examined how children (N = 185; age range = 4.0–6.9 years, Mage = 5.49 years; 45% White, 12% Asian, 11% Black, 7% Hispanic, 24% other or undisclosed) reconcile these conflicting preferences by investigating the relation between children’s social preferences and resource allocations to White and Black children. Race provides an important case to examine how children resolve this conflict given that children show preferences for stereotypically high-status (White) people but also show awareness of systemic racial inequality that disadvantages Black people. In a costly sharing resource allocation task (i.e., Dictator Game) where participants were asked how much of a limited resource they wanted to share with a Black child and a White child, Study 1 revealed that participants sometimes chose to share more with a White child compared with a Black child but that biased giving was unrelated to children’s biased feelings of warmth toward White children. Study 2 confirmed that biased giving was unrelated to children’s feelings of warmth and instead implicated children’s beliefs about race and wealth; children who expected White people to have more wealth showed more pro-White bias in their giving behavior. Together, these results suggest that cultural stereotypes about wealth might shape children’s economic decision making in a way that perpetuates disadvantage, but they also indicate that the processes underlying resource allocation decisions warrant further study.
Thoughts on Legal Writing from the Greatest of Them All: William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White—Part I

This two-part article -- about Strunk and White's contributions to writing -- continues the series on what the greatest writing teachers can teach lawyers about writing.
Business Leadership for the Management Consulting Industry: A New Model for the Greater Good

The article advances a new management consultancy competency model. It identifies five critical enterprise capabilities that make growth possible – that professional services firms need to strategically build, nurture, deploy and renew in order to gain a competitive edge. Besides, the darker side of the consulting field is addressed. Fundamentally, management consultancies should not only create value for themselves and their clients, but they should be a force for good in the world and bring about positive change benefiting all humankind.
Prediction of mechanical properties of PWR vessel steel heads containing residual carbon macrosegregation using Artificial Neural Networks

Abstract Forged Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) heads are manufactured from large ingots that are more than a hundred tonnes in weight, although the forging industry has implemented important measures to reduce carbon macrosegregation in these components, residual chemical inhomogeneities may still be present in the final product. Such remaining chemical inhomogeneities, along with other manufacturing variables, will translate into mechanical properties differences within the part. The present paper describes the development of predictive models that can be used to assess the effect of carbon macrosegregation on some of the most conventional mechanical properties of nuclear RPV heads. The particularity of these models is the use of a Machine Learning method to create them, in this case the neural networks technique built within a Bayesian framework was used to develop tensile property models (UTS, YS and Elongation). A first attempt was also performed to create models for more complex properties such as the Charpy impact toughness and the fracture toughness. The results show that the tensile property models, and to a less extent the Charpy impact and fracture toughness models seem to have captured reasonably well the variable interactions describing the problem involved, this was observed in spite of the reduced number of input variables used to create the models. This is because neural network models can cope with complex input variable interactions more efficiently than conventional linear relationships. The models can therefore be used to explore the effect of specific individual manufacturing variables, as well as variable interactions on the mechanical properties of nuclear RPV heads of steel 16MND5 (equivalent to SA-508 cl 3 steel).
Effects of pterostilbene and resveratrol on brain and behavior

Age is the greatest universal risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. During aging, these conditions progress from minor loss of function to major disruptions in daily life, loss of independence and ultimately death. Because approximately 25% of the world population is expected to be older than age 65 by 2050, and no treatments exist to halt or reverse ongoing neurodegeneration, the need for effective prevention strategies is more pressing that ever before. A growing body of research supports the role of diet in healthy aging, particularly diets rich in bioactive phytochemical compounds. Recently, stilbenes such as resveratrol (3, 5, 4'-trans-trihydroxystilbene) and its analogue, pterostilbene, have gained a significant amount of attention for their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. However, evidence for the beneficial effects of stilbenes on cerebral function is just beginning to emerge. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of resveratrol and pterostilbene in improving brain health during aging, with specific focus on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory signaling and behavioral outcomes.
Modeling the effect of heatsink performance on high-peak-power laser-diode-bar pump sources for solid state lasers

We derive approximate expressions for transient output power and wavelength chirp of high- peak-power laser-diode bars assuming one-dimensional heat flow and linear temperature dependences for chirp and efficiency. The model is derived for pulse durations, 10 < {tau} < 1000 ps, typically used for diode-pumped solid-state lasers and is in good agreement with experimental data for Si heatsink mounted 940 nm laser-diode bars operating at 100 W/cm. The analytic expressions are more flexible and easily used than the results of operating point dependent numerical modeling. In addition, the analytic expressions used here can be integrated to describe the energy per unit wavelength for a given pulse duration, initial emission bandwidth and heatsink material. We find that the figure-of-merit for a heatsink material in this application is ({rho}C{sub p}K) where {rho}C{sub p} is the volumetric heat capacity and K is the thermal conductivity. As an example of the utility of the derived expressions, we determine an effective absorption coefficient as a function of pump pulse duration for a diode-pumped solid-state laser utilizing Yb:Sr{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F (Yb:S-FAP) as the gain medium.
Cytogenetic alterations and their molecular genetic correlates in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a next generation window to the biology of disease

Cytogenetic alterations underlie the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), whether tobacco and alcohol use, betel nut chewing, snuff or human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the disease. Many of the molecular genetic aberrations in HNSCC result from these cytogenetic alterations. This review presents a brief introduction to the epidemiology of HNSCC, and discusses the role of HPV in the disease, cytogenetic alterations and their frequencies in HNSCC, their molecular genetic and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) correlates, prognostic implications, and possible therapeutic considerations. The most frequent cytogenetic alterations in HNSCC are gains of 5p14-15, 8q11-12, and 20q12-13, gains or amplifications of 3q26, 7p11, 8q24, and 11q13, and losses of 3p, 4q35, 5q12, 8p23, 9p21-24, 11q14-23, 13q12-14, 18q23, and 21q22. To understand their effects on tumor cell biology and response to therapy, the cytogenetic findings in HNSCC are increasingly being examined in the context of the biochemical pathways they disrupt. The goal is to minimize morbidity and mortality from HNSCC using cytogenetic abnormalities to identify valuable diagnostic biomarkers for HNSCC, prognostic biomarkers of tumor behavior, recurrence risk, and outcome, and predictive biomarkers of therapeutic response to identify the most efficacious treatment for each individual patient's tumor, all based on a detailed understanding of the next generation biology of HNSCC.
Specimen Size Effects in Charpy Impact Testing

Full-size , half-size, and third-size specimens from several different steels have been tested as part of an ongoing alloy development program. The smaller specimens permit more specimens to be made from small trail heats and are much more efficient for irradiation experiments. The results of several comparisons between the different specimen sizes have shown that the smaller specimens show qualitatively similar behavior to large specimens, although the upper-shelf energy level and ductile-to-ductile transition temperature are reduced. The upper-shelf energy levels from different specimen sizes can be compared by using a simple volume normalization method. The effect of specimen size and geometry on the ductile-to-ductile transition temperature is more difficult to predict, although the available data suggest a simple shift in the transition temperature due to specimen size changes.The relatively shallower notch used in smaller specimens alters the deformation pattern, and permits yielding to spread back to the notched surface as well as through to the back. This reduces the constraint and the peak stresses, and thus the initiation of cleavage is more difficult. A better understanding of the stress and strain distributions is needed. 19 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.
The Specific Inactivation of Trypsin by Ethyl p-Guanidinobenzoate

Abstract Ethyl p-guanidinobenzoate, which is closely related structurally to some aromatic esters split by trypsin, is only a partial substrate for the enzyme. Kinetic evidence was obtained for the formation of a typical enzyme-substrate complex which, however, proceeded to a stable acyl-enzyme derivative, even at a pH normally optimal for tryptic hydrolyses. The stoichiometry of the reaction was established by spectroscopic analysis. Trypsin is consequently inactivated by ethyl p-guanidinobenzoate. Under similar conditions, chymotrypsin is unaffected. Difference spectra appearing during the inactivation indicate a transfer of the p-guanidinobenzoyl group from an aqueous to a hydrophobic environment, concomitant with an analogous shift of tyrosine residues of trypsin. The tyrosine residue or residues may be involved in the hydrophobic binding site of the active center. The failure of p-guanidinobenzoyltrypsin to undergo deacylation is attributed to a distortion of the hydrolytic site of the enzyme.
Recurrent hyperparathyroidism secondary to parathyromatosis: clinical and imaging findings.

Objective. Parathyromatosis, a condition in which hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue is distributed throughout the neck, is a rare but challenging cause of recurrent hyperparathyroidism after parathyroidectomy. The purpose of this series is to describe the imaging appearance of parathyromatosis and the potential utility of sonographic localization before resection. Methods. Imaging is routinely performed in an attempt to identify autonomous residual parathyroid glands in patients with recurrent hyperparathyroidism after parathyroidectomy. The sonographic and technetium Tc 99m sestamibi studies and the clinical records of 2 patients with recurrent hyperparathyroidism secondary to parathyromatosis were reviewed. Results. Color Doppler sonography easily identified scattered deep and superficial hypoechoic, hypervascular cervical nodules that did not conform to typical anatomic locations of parathyroid glands; the nodules corresponded to areas of delayed tracer uptake at Tc 99m sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography. Intraoperative mapping of nodules aided the successful resection of widespread parathyromatosis in 1 patient. Conclusions. Although the sonographic appearance of parathyromatosis may mimic disseminated cervical malignancy, a confident diagnosis of this rare entity may be made in the appropriate clinical setting. Sonography may also aid in directing the resection of disseminated parathyroid tissue in selected patients. Key words: head and neck; hyperparathyroidism; parathyroid.
Male mice exhibit better spatial working and reference memory than females in a water-escape radial arm maze task.

The present study examined sex differences in spatial working and reference memory in C57BL/6 mice. Males and females were tested in a version of the spatial 8-arm radial arm maze in which the motivating stimulus was escape from water. To test spatial working memory, four arms were baited with submerged escape platforms, each of which was removed after it was found. Four arms that never contained platforms assessed spatial reference memory. In addition to determining the number of working memory and reference memory errors made in each session, working memory errors made in each trial were analyzed to examine performance as the number of arms to be remembered (i.e. the working memory load) increased. Males committed significantly fewer working memory and reference memory errors than females throughout testing. Within a session, males committed fewer working memory errors than females as the working memory load increased. These sex differences were particularly evident during task acquisition. The data indicate that male C57BL/6 mice learn both the working and reference memory components of a water-escape motivated radial arm maze task better than female mice.
Quantitative studies of peroxidase labeled antibody. I. Indirect staining system analyzed by chessboard titrations

The sensitivity and specificity of immunohistological staining procedures employing horseadish peroxidase labeled antibody were evaluated with the aid of chessboard titrations. Two indirect staining systems, detecting antinuclear antibody and pemphigus intercellular antibody, were examined with reference to indirect immunofluorescence. In both systems, chessboard titration results showed that plateau titers of serum antibodies appeared to be a function of label content. The plateau endpoints reflected the anti-immunoglobulin concentrations of conjgates. With a conjugate of molar enzyme to protein ratio (E/P) of 1.1, the sensitivity of indirect staining appeared to be equivalent to that of immunofluorescent staining performed with a conjugate with molar fluorescein to protein ratio of 4.8. Sensitivity decreased sharply with conjugates of low E/P rations. Three methods of assaying the peroxidase content of conjugates were evaluated for reproducibility and sensitivity in relation to staining properties.
Calibrated models of on-site power and steam production in US manufacturing industries

This paper presents models for on-site electricity and steam generation technologies in the US paper, petroleum, and chemical industries in 1998, calibrated against several federal data sources. Our models of six energy conversion modes provide estimates of energy inputs, thermal and electricity outputs, and recovered waste heat for boilers and for steam turbines, gas turbines and internal combustion prime movers used in these industries. Our results include electric conversion and waste heat recovery efficiencies for each prime mover, and overall conversion efficiencies for on-site power and steam production in these industries.
The Relationship between Airway Responsiveness Measured before and after the Allergen-Induced Late Asthmatic Response

Single blind allergen (Ag) and saline solution bronchial challenges were performed on two successive study days in ten asthmatic subjects. Histamine challenges were performed before, at approximately 2 h (or after resolution of the immediate bronchial response [IR]), and 24 h after saline solution or Ag inhalation. Specific airway conductance (SGaw) was measured after delivery of challenge agents until a 50 percent fall in SGaw was observed. The SGaw was monitored over 8 h for immediate and late asthmatic responses (LAR). Results were expressed as provocative concentrations eliciting a 50 percent decrease in SGaw (SGawPC50HIS). No significant changes from baseline SGaw or SGawPC50HIS were demonstrated after saline solution. Eight subjects (dual reactors) exhibited both an IR and LAR after Ag and two had isolated IRs. Of the eight dual reactors, five had greater than 50 percent decreases in SGawPC50HIS immediately after resolution of the IR and six exhibited such decrements 24 h after Ag provocation. Mean baseline SGawPC50HIS (N = 10) on the Ag challenge day was 3.2 ±4.59 mg/ml and decreased to 0.92 ± 4.56 mg/ml at 102 to 187 minutes after Ag (p = 0.0009) and was significantly decreased from baseline at 1.47 ±3.8 mg/ml 24 h after Ag (p=0.0004). One of the two patients with isolated IR also showed an early onset increase in airway responsiveness (EOR). There was a significant correlation between the percentage of fall from baseline in SGaw-PC50HIS immediately after the IR and that at 24 h after Ag (r=0.811, p=0.005). There was no significant correlation between the decrease in SCawPC50HIS after the IR and the magnitude of the LAR. These data suggest that (1) the early events occurring prior to the LAR may determine changes in airway responsiveness observed at 24 h after Ag challenge, and (2) the EAR to histamine is not exclusively associated with the LAR.
Extra genes, in and out of chromosomes

Gene Amplification. Edited by Robert T. Schimke. Pp.339. ISBN 0-87969-151-4. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: 1982.) $35 (US), $42 (elsewhere).
From “Ideological Enemies” to “Strategic Partners”: A Rhetorical Analysis of U.S.-China Relations in Intercultural Contexts

By using the theoretical frameworks of rhetorical traditions of both cultures, and realism and post-realism on foreign policy rhetoric, this article examines the dynamics of U.S.-China relations from 1940 to 1990s in historical, political, ideological, and economic contexts as facilitated by media and the discourse of national leaders. It explores the rhetorical construction of U.S.-China relations evolving from “military allies” to “ideological enemies,” and from “moral adversaries” to “strategic partners” in responding to international environment and domestic needs. The author contends that rhetoric on U.S.-China relations is largely shaped by the cultural orientations and national interest of each country. This is particular evident in the interplay of moralistic and pragmatic rhetorical orientation in seeking mutual economic benefits and global cooperation. The article offers implications on international communication from the points of how powerful nations can achieve intercultural understanding an...
Religion and biology beyond conflict

Darwinism and Divinity: Essays on Evolution and Religious Belief. Edited by John Durant. Basil Blackwell: 1985. Pp.210. 15, 24.95.
5-HT2C Receptors in the Basolateral Amygdala and Dorsal Striatum Are a Novel Target for the Anxiolytic and Antidepressant Effects of Exercise

Physical activity reduces the incidence and severity of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. Similarly, voluntary wheel running produces anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in rodent models. The specific neurobiological mechanisms underlying the beneficial properties of exercise, however, remain unclear. One relevant pharmacological target in the treatment of psychiatric disorders is the 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2CR). Consistent with data demonstrating the anxiogenic consequences of 5-HT2CR activation in humans and rodents, we have previously reported that site-specific administration of the selective 5-HT2CR agonist CP-809101 in the lateral/basolateral amygdala (BLA) increases shock-elicited fear while administration of CP-809101 in the dorsal striatum (DS) interferes with shuttle box escape learning. These findings suggest that activation of 5-HT2CR in discrete brain regions contributes to specific anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and may indicate potential brain sites involved in the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of exercise. The current studies tested the hypothesis that voluntary wheel running reduces the behavioral consequences of 5-HT2CR activation in the BLA and DS, specifically enhanced shock-elicited fear and interference with shuttle box escape learning. After 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running or sedentary conditions, the selective 5-HT2CR agonist CP-809101 was microinjected into either the BLA or the DS of adult Fischer 344 rats, and shock-elicited fear and shuttle box escape learning was assessed. Additionally, in-situ hybridization was used to determine if 6 weeks of voluntary exercise changed levels of 5-HT2CR mRNA. We found that voluntary wheel running reduced the behavioral effects of CP-809101 and reduced levels of 5-HT2CR mRNA in both the BLA and the DS. The current data indicate that expression of 5-HT2CR mRNA in discrete brain sites is sensitive to physical activity status of the organism, and implicates the 5-HT2CR as a target for the beneficial effects of physical activity on mental health.
Optically addressed SLM-based holographic display

This research involved the set-up and demonstration of an optically addressed hologram writing experiment. The bulk of the research was devoted to determining the most efficient architecture and optical devices. Results indicate that the overall goal could be accomplished with the right spatial light modulator and the right geometry to allow the spot size needed for holographic recording.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Identification of a repressor of the differentiation of WEHI-3B D- leukemia cells

The WEHI-3B D+leukemia is a near-diploid differentiation-competent cell line that undergoes myeloid differentiation in response to retinoic acid. WEHI-3B D−cells, derived from WEHI-3B D+cells, are near tetraploid and not responsive to the differentiation-inducing properties of the retinoid. To gain information on mechanisms that regulate the maturation of these two cell lines, several multiploid cell lines have been established through fusion of WEHI-3B D+and WEHI-3B D−cells. Studies with the multiploid cell lines have shown that (a) the cellular growth rate decreases with increased DNA ploidy; (b) near-tetraploid D+/+cells, obtained by fusing WEHI-3B D+with WEHI-3B D+cells, remain differentiation-competent, demonstrating that no direct relationship exists between differentiation competency and DNA ploidy; and (c) near-hexaploid D+/−and D−/+cells, formed by fusion of WEHI-3B D+with WEHI-3B D−cells, do not respond to differentiation inducers, suggesting the inhibition of the differentiation machinery of WEHI-3B D+cells by components from maturation-incompetent WEHI-3B D−cells. Thescltranscription factor gene is expressed in WEHI-3B D−cells and is absent in WEHI-3B D+cells. Overexpression ofsclby transfection ofsclcDNA in WEHI-3B D+cells markedly decreased the capacity of retinoic acid to induce differentiation, suggesting that scl functions as a repressor of differentiation in WEHI-3B cell lines.