cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geographic isolates of Glomus increase root growth and whole-plant transpiration of Citrus seedlings grown with high phosphorus

Four Glomus species/isolates from arid, semi-arid and mesic areas were evaluated for their effects on growth and water use characteristics of young Citrus volkameriana (′Volkamer′ lemon) under well-watered conditions, followed by three soil-drying episodes of increasing severity (soil moisture tensions of –0.02, –0.06, and –0.08 MPa) and recovery conditions. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) plants were also compared to non-AM plants given extra phosphorus (P) fertilizer. AM plants and non-AM plants had similar shoot size (dry weight and canopy area), but all AM fungus treatments stimulated root growth (dry weight and length). Leaf P concentrations were 12–56% higher in AM plants than non-AM plants. Enhanced root growth was positively correlated with leaf P concentration. In general, AM plants had greater whole-plant transpiration than non-AM plants under well-watered conditions, under mild water stress and during recovery from moderate and severe soil drying. This suggests a faster recovery from moisture stress by AM plants. AM plants had lower leaf conductance than non-AM plants when exposed to severe soil drying. Although the greatest differences were between AM and non-AM plants, plants treated with Glomus isolates differed in colonization level, leaf P concentration, root length, transpiration flux and leaf conductance.
Low-pressure microwave plasma nucleation and deposition of diamond films

Low-pressure microwave plasma nucleation and deposition of diamond films were investigated in the pressure range 10-mtorr to 10 torr, at substrate temperatures 400-750 C and with CH4 and O2 concentrations in H2 plasma of 2-15 percent and 2-10 percent, respectively. The experiments were performed in a microwave plasma system consisting of a microwave plasma chamber, a downstream deposition chamber, and an RF induction heated sample stage. Scanning electron microscopy of diamond films deposited at 600 C with 5 percent CH4 and 5 percent O2 in H2 plasmas showed high-quality well faceted crystallites of 1/2 micron size. Cathodoluminescence measurements of these films showed very few nitrogen impurities and no detectable silicon impurities.
An elastic/viscoplastic model for transient creep of rock salt

Abstract Using the true triaxial test results on Gorleben rock salt, a new elastic/viscoplastic model for transient creep is formulated. Both yield function and viscoplastic potential are determined from experimental data. Singularity and asymptotic properties of the yield surfaces and viscoplastic potential are considered. A new procedure to determine the viscoplastic potential is proposed. The model prediction is matching quite well the experimental data. The present model is an improvement of previous ones (Cristescu and Hunsche, 1992; Cristescu, 1994a). The model is not only in a better agreement with the data but also could be easily incorporated into a finite element program. Incorporated in a finite element program the model has given good agreement with the data. As an example the stress distribution around a vertical cylindrical cavity is analyzed.
Lipopolysaccharide‐induced production of tumour necrosis factor and interleukin‐1 is differentially regulated at the receptor level: the role of CD14‐dependent and CD14‐independent pathways

Cytokine production induced via CD14-dependent and CD14-independent pathways was investigated in mouse peritoneal macrophages incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or lipid A. Different LPS receptors appear to be responsible for production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and IL-1 beta. TNF-alpha production is essentially CD14 dependent, both in the presence or absence of plasma. In the presence of plasma, endotoxin-induced IL-1 production is mediated by CD14-dependent mechanisms, while in its absence both CD14-dependent and CD14-independent pathways are involved. Lipid A stimulates cytokine synthesis through both CD14-dependent and CD14-independent mechanisms, but its action is weaker than that of LPS, indicating that the polysaccharide moiety may be necessary for proper stimulation of mouse macrophages by endotoxin.
Pain and Suffering in Seriously Ill Hospitalized Patients

BACKGROUND: Previous studies had suggested a high prevalence of pain in hospitalized patients but had not specifically evaluated pain and other symptoms in seriously ill and older hospitalized patients. OBJECTIVE: The SUPPORT and HELP studies were designed to (1) assess the frequency and severity of pain and other symptoms during hospitalization 2 and 6 months later, and before death; (2) identify factors associated with pain and other symptoms; and (3) test an intervention to improve pain. DESIGN: An observational cohort and randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Five major teaching hospitals in the US. PATIENTS: Hospitalized patients aged 80 years and older or with one of nine serious illnesses. INTERVENTION: Education of patients and family members about pain control, monitoring of patients' pain, and feedback about pain with treatment suggestions to nurses and physicians. MEASUREMENTS: Data from the medical record and interview-based information about pain and other symptoms and preferences for care and symptom control from patients and family members. RESULTS: Pain and other symptoms were frequent and often severe in seriously ill and older patients during hospitalization, at follow-up, and before death, even in those with diseases not traditionally associated with pain. There was wide variation in symptom experience across hospitals. Patients' preference for pain control was not associated with symptom experience. The intervention did not improve pain control. CONCLUSIONS: Control of pain and other symptoms remains an important medical and ethical issue. Routine monitoring of pain and other symptoms should be linked to treatment strategies aimed at combinations of symptoms and tested to assuage concerns about side effects.
Cystic fibrosis newborn screening and detection of carriers.

Detection of carriers can be managed A decision to introduce nationwide cystic fibrosis (CF) newborn screening in the United Kingdom has now been taken, although the exact procedure is still being determined, except in Scotland where screening began in February 2003. In Scotland, as well as in a number of regions in England and Wales where ad hoc newborn screening was started some time ago, an immune reactive trypsin (IRT)/DNA system of newborn screening is used, DNA analysis being undertaken on those above a cut off point of IRT. The multiplex DNA arm covers about 86% of the most common mutations in the native UK population.1 There is evidence that the more severe mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene are the ones most likely to cause an increase in IRT.2 There are a number of advantages of IRT/DNA programmes: earlier full diagnosis within the first few weeks of life becomes possible for those in whom both mutations are found; there is a reduction in sweat testing and in the uncertainty that may follow inadequate sweat collection; also many fewer couples need to be faced with the worry that their baby might have CF than when IRT is used alone.3,4 In those from ethnic minorities where the mutation spectrum is largely unknown, one has no choice other than to proceed to sweat test in those with a persistently raised IRT. The disadvantage of the IRT/DNA method is that the genetic analysis step results in the discovery of some healthy carrier infants, with the spectre of CF raised for the parents before the situation is resolved by negative sweat test. Two or three carrier newborns are discovered for each child diagnosed with CF.3,4 One issue that has concerned some is that one might …
Massively parallel quantum chromodynamics

Quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of the strong nuclear force, can be numerically simulated on massively parallel supercomputers using the method of lattice gauge theory. We describe the special programming requirements of lattice QCD (LQCD) as well as the optimal supercomputer hardware architectures for which LQCD suggests a need. We demonstrate these methods on the IBM Blue Gene/L™ (BG/L) massively parallel supercomputer and argue that the BG/L architecture is very well suited for LQCD studies. This suitability arises from the fact that LQCD is a regular lattice discretization of space into lattice sites, while the BG/L supercomputer is a discretization of space into compute nodes. Both LQCD and the BG/L architecture are constrained by the requirement of short-distance exchanges. This simple relation is technologically important and theoretically intriguing. We demonstrate a computational speedup of LQCD using up to 131,072 CPUs on the largest BG/L supercomputer available in 2007. As the number of CPUs is increased, the speedup increases linearly with sustained performance of about 20% of the maximum possible hardware speed. This corresponds to a maximum of 70.5 sustained teraflops. At these speeds, LQCD and the BG/L supercomputer are able to produce theoretical results for the next generation of strong-interaction physics.
The symmetric Sinc-Galerkin method yields ADI model problems

Abstract We show that when a symmetric Sinc-Galerkin method is used to solve a Poisson problem, the resulting Sylvester matrix equation is a discrete ADI model problem. We employ a new alternating direction scheme known as the alternating-direction Sinc-Galerkin (ADSG) method on illustrative partial differential equation boundary-value problems to document the exponential convergence rate that can be achieved. Unlike classical ADI schemes, direct numerical application of ADSG avoids the computation of iteration parameters, matrix eigenvalues and eigenvectors, as well as the use of the Kronecker product and sum.
Parametric analysis of cerebellar LTD in eyelid conditioning

The goal of this study is to use a detailed computer simulation of the cerebellum to intercandidate for the eligibility delay and the duration of LTD at the granule to Purkinje synapses. Experimental studies suggest that these synapses are responsible for learning and timing of the conditioned response in eyelid conditioning. The results indicate that there is an abrupt change in conditioning for eligibility delays varying between 100 and 200ms. Moreover, the results predict that an eligibility delay of 125ms and a LTD duration of 100 ms show no conditioning for a 50ms interstimulus interval. Although the existence of the eligibility delay has not been shown experimentally, this prediction is in agreement with suggestions provided by studies related to adaptation in the vestibular-ocular reflex.
Learning impotence and the Peter Pan fantasy.

The syndrome of learning impotence is a useful description for children who underachieve in school because of ineptitude, concealment of their knowledge, immature behavior with peers, and helpless dependency on adults. This study of 14 of these children identifies key factors in school behavior, personal attributes, and family relationships that contribute to a pathological fantasy life of magical powers epitomized by the Peter Pan theme.
Haglund's Syndrome: Diagnosis and Treatment Using Sonography

Haglund's syndrome is a cause of retrocalcaneal pain. The clinical diagnosis of Haglund's syndrome is often confusing as the clinical picture may mimic other causes of hindfoot pain such as isolated retrocalcaneal bursitis or hindfoot involvement from more systemic arthropathies such as Reiter's syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis. With the increasing frequency of employing sonography as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of foot and ankle pathology, recognition of the sonographic appearance of Haglund's complex is important. We report a case of Haglund's syndrome diagnosed and treated with sonography.
Potential uses of the differential propagation phase constant to estimate raindrop and hailstone size distributions

One of the Doppler radars operated by the National Severe Storms Laboratory can measure the difference between propagation phase constants K/sub Dp/ at horizontal and vertical polarization. This study examines the use of this parameter K/sub Dp/ in addition to the reflectivity factor Z/sub H/ and the differential reflectivity Z/sub DR/, to obtain information about rain and hail. It is shown from theory and experiments that a third parameter of the drop size distribution, obtained from K/sub DP/, can be used to support Z/sub DR/ measurement and/or to point out mixed-phase hydrometeors. Quantitative information on hail size distribution can be obtained for small hailstones when their major axes are nearly vertically aligned, giving rise to negative Z/sub DR/ and K/sub DP/ values. >
Acoustic evidence for diachronic sound change in Korean prosody: A comparative study of the Seoul and South Kyungsang dialects

Abstract This paper examined the acoustic properties of the pitch accent of South Kyungsang Korean, focusing on generational differences. Kyungsang Korean has lexical pitch accents, whereas standard Seoul Korean does not. However, whether the pitch accents are maintained by younger Kyungsang speakers is questionable given the influence of Seoul Korean. Through comparisons between older and younger speakers and between Seoul and South Kyungsang speakers, this study tested if and how sound change occurs in the pitch accent system of the regional dialect, and if the prosody of Kyungsang Korean shifts towards that of non-tonal Seoul Korean. We examined F0 scaling and alignment of pitch accents for the data collected from 40 female Korean speakers (10 younger and 10 older speakers each for Seoul and South Kyungsang dialects). Clear acoustic differences between generations provided evidence for diachronic sound change in the lexical pitch accent of South Kyungsang Korean. First, the differences in F0 scaling and alignment across accent contrasts are less distinct for younger Kyungsang speakers than for older speakers. Second, the F0 peak occurs later for younger Kyungsang speakers across all accent classes, resulting in a final rising accent pattern in disyllables similar to Seoul Korean. Third, despite the similarity with Seoul Korean, results from longer words revealed that Kyungsang Korean is still distinct from Seoul in terms of its maintenance of the lexical pitch accent. Based on these findings, we conclude that the sound change in lexical pitch accent is in progress by satisfying the prosodic properties of both Seoul and South Kyungsang Korean.
Magnetic resonance imaging of hyperbaric oxygen treated rats with spinal cord injury: preliminary studies.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been performed to assess the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment on experimental spinal cord injury in a rat animal model. A moderately severe injury, similar to Type III injury seen in humans (Kulkarni et al. Radiology 164:837; 1987) has been chosen for these studies. An improvement in the neurologic recovery (based on Tarlov scale) has been observed following HBO treatment over a period of 72 hr. Based on MRI, HBO treatment appears to arrest the spread of hemorrhage and resolve edema.
Complete methane-to-methanol catalytic cycle: A DFT study of oxygen atom transfer from N2O to late-row (MNi, Cu, Zn) β-diketiminate CH activation catalysts

Abstract DFT calculations indicate methane C H activation and functionalization is thermodynamically and kinetically feasible using N 2 O as an oxidant and a β-diketiminate (L n ) supported catalyst [M] = L n M, when the metal M = Ni, Cu or Zn. Further studies of previously investigated Ni-oxo methane functionalization systems, which undergo hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA), radical rebound (RR), and catalyst regeneration via N 2 O oxygen atom transfer (OAT) have yielded energetically accessible methane-to-methanol cycles. Methane activation and functionalization is found to be the highest rate limiting step for the cycle (Ni 2 O in the metal inner coordination sphere, [M]–N 2 O undergoes either monometallic or bimetallic OAT to regenerate the [M] O active species. For both Ni and Cu, the latter pathway is most favorable, whilst as anticipated Zn systems struggle to reform the [M] O active species. In terms of overall energetics, [Ni] O species are promising targets not merely for HAA/RR, but for the entire methane-to-methanol cycle, although over oxidation of the methanol product is unfortunately also feasible.
Learning and matching multiscale template descriptors for real-time detection, localization and tracking

We describe a system to learn an object template from a video stream, and localize and track the corresponding object in live video. The template is decomposed into a number of local descriptors, thus enabling detection and tracking in spite of partial occlusion. Each local descriptor aggregates contrast invariant statistics (normalized intensity and gradient orientation) across scales, in a way that enables matching under significant scale variations. Low-level tracking during the training video sequence enables capturing object-specific variability due to the shape of the object, which is encapsulated in the descriptor. Salient locations on both the template and the target image are used as hypotheses to expedite matching.
Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus occurs in mice ectopically expressing the human Axl tyrosine kinase receptor.

The axl tyrosine kinase receptor is aberrantly expressed on myeloid cells of many individuals afflicted with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and other myeloid leukemias. Although previous studies demonstrated this kinase to have oncogenic potential, it is not known whether axl actively participates in the onset and/or progression of CML. We addressed this question by generating transgenic mice possessing constitutive ectopic expression of human axl throughout cells of the myeloid hematopoietic lineage through the use of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) receptor promoter. The transgenics did not exhibit hematopoietic malignancies, but did exhibit phenotypic characteristics associated with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) including hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, severe insulin resistance, progressive obesity, hepatic lipidosis, and pancreatic islet dysplasia. The obese-diabetes phenotype was similar to that observed in the agouti and melanocortin-4(-/-) mutants, however the axl transgenics were not hyperphagic. Axl transgenic animals expressed elevated serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha levels that were further enhanced upon in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of peripheral blood. Administration of the axl ligand, gas6, to peripheral transgenic blood samples eliminated excessive TNF-alpha production in response to LPS stimulation. As a means to better understand axl-gas6 biology, transgenic animals were produced which systemically expressed the gas6-binding axl proteolytic cleavage product. A more severe NIDDM phenotype occurred in these mice. The observed phenotypes may be related to the axl receptor or proteolytic cleavage product competing with related axl family receptors for binding of the gas6 ligand. We conclude that axl expression in myeloid cells in itself does not lead to the onset or progression of leukemia and suggest that ectopic axl expression affects endogenous modulation of TNF-alpha production indirectly resulting in the NIDDM phenotype.
25-Hydroxydihydrotachysterol3-stimulation of bone resorption in tissue culture

Summary Dihydrotachysterol 3 produces only minimal stimulation of bone resorption in tissue culture at 150 μg/ml, but its hepatic transformation product, 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol 3 produces graded stimulation of resorption in concentrations of 0.03 to 3.0 μg/ml. This potency is similar (on a weight basis) to that of parathyroid hormone and the active metabolite of vitamin D 3 , 25-hydroxycholecalciferol.
Noise effect on the miss distance of a closed-loop neural-network-based radar homing missile for a tail-chase engagement

In recent years, parallel distributed processing has provided a new paradigm for algorithms, such as in missile guidance, which requires a high degree of computational efficiency as well as reliability and smaller size hardware. A problem of particular interest to the guidance literature is the closed-loop optical solutions that can be achieved on-board the missile. Furthermore, a desirable guidance scheme should be robust to low signal-to-noise conditions that generally arise in long-range applications. In this paper we shall present a neural network- based guidance scheme which provides a real-time optimal control on-board the missile with the inclusion of noise in the LOS angular rate data. The neural network is trained in an off-line session using optimal solutions obtained from an optimal control software resulting in a real- time closed-loop guidance method. The performance of the proposed scheme is then evaluated for different levels of SNR of the Line-Of-Sight (LOS) angular rate in a tail-chase engagement. In doing so, similar tests were conducted for the currently used closed-loop proportional navigation method and the potentially available technique of iterative optimal open-loop control with and without the presence of noise in the LOS angular rate. Although we did not include the noise in the missile/target dynamical model, the results indicate that the neural network-based scheme shows more robustness to low signal-to-noise situations as compared with traditional proportional navigation methods. This superiority is due, among other things, to the elimination of some of the restrictive, and in many cases unrealistic assumptions made in the derivation of most current guidance laws in use such as, for instance, unbounded control, simplified dynamics and/or aerodynamics, and non-maneuvering targets, to name a few.
Hepatic ATGL mediates PPAR-α signaling and fatty acid channeling through an L-FABP independent mechanism

Adipose TG lipase (ATGL) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in TG hydrolysis in most tissues. We have shown that hepatic ATGL preferentially channels hydrolyzed FAs to β-oxidation and induces PPAR-α signaling. Previous studies have suggested that liver FA binding protein (L-FABP) transports FAs from lipid droplets to the nucleus for ligand delivery and to the mitochondria for β-oxidation. To determine if L-FABP is involved in ATGL-mediated FA channeling, we used adenovirus-mediated suppression or overexpression of hepatic ATGL in either WT or L-FABP KO mice. Hepatic ATGL knockdown increased liver weight and TG content of overnight fasted mice regardless of genotype. L-FABP deletion did not impair the effects of ATGL overexpression on the oxidation of hydrolyzed FAs in primary hepatocyte cultures or on serum β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in vivo. Moreover, L-FABP deletion did not influence the effects of ATGL knockdown or overexpression on PPAR-α target gene expression. Taken together, we conclude that L-FABP is not required to channel ATGL-hydrolyzed FAs to mitochondria for β-oxidation or the nucleus for PPAR-α regulation.
Parallel Practices and the Dialectics of Open Creative Production

For over a decade, design culture portals have hosted online resources such as tutorials, examples of compelling design and links to other design-related websites. Although now surpassed by other social media, portals can be viewed as signifi cant communication centres and virtual gathering spaces. These design-culture community websites have also exposed the tensions between production and consumption, professional and amateur practices, work and play and expression/exploration and service. Evolving practices, enabled by networked technologies, have supported a reputation-based system of knowledge building and resource distribution that allow for modest, open creative cultural production to grow outside the commercial realm. While this parallel practice has promoted an expansion of our notion of creative production, it has also been fed in part by corporate mythologies that contribute to the precarious nature of contemporary creative work. The community’s designed artefacts, including shared resources and tools such as the portal itself, have subsequently revealed struggles over cultural production in the early Web design era and, perhaps, a more nuanced view of the creative knowledge worker.
Tracking the Arctic's shrinking ice cover: Another extreme September minimum in 2004

[1] Satellite passive microwave observations document an overall downward trend in Arctic sea ice extent and area since 1978. While the record minimum observed in September 2002 strongly reinforced this downward trend, extreme ice minima were again observed in 2003 and 2004. Although having three extreme minimum years in a row is unprecedented in the satellite record, attributing these recent trends and extremes to greenhouse gas loading must be tempered by recognition that the sea ice cover is variable from year to year in response to wind, temperature and oceanic forcings.
Control of a Column/Pervaporation Process for Separating the Ethanol/Water Azeotrope

The pervaporation process features a liquid feed and retentate and a vapor permeate. The phase change produces a temperature decrease as the retentate flows through the unit. Since flux rates decrease with decreasing temperature, the conventional pervaporation unit consists of several membrane modules in series with interstage heating. The vapor permeate must be condensed for recovery and recycle, and refrigeration is usually required. Hybrid systems of distillation columns and pervaporation units are frequently used in situations where distillation alone is impossible or very expensive. Despite the many papers dealing with pervaporation, the issue of dynamic control seems to be almost completely unexplored. That is the purpose of this paper. A hybrid column/pervaporation process is studied that is designed to produce 99.77 wt % ethanol from a feed stream of ethanol/water mixture with composition near the azeotrope. The control objective is to maintain the purity of the ethanol product retentate stream in...
Secondary hyperalgesia to mechanical but not heat stimuli following a capsaicin injection in hairy skin.

A psychophysical investigation was carried out to examine whether heat hyperalgesia exists within the secondary mechanical hyperalgesia zone surrounding a capsaicin injection site on hairy skin. A non-contact laser stimulator was used to deliver temperature controlled stimuli to sites within and outside the zone of mechanical hyperalgesia. Heat testing was carried out before and after the intradermal injection of 50 μg of capsaicin into the volar forearm. The zones of mechanical hyperalgesia to punctate and stroking stimuli and the region of flare were also mapped after the capsaicin injection. Heat pain thresholds inside the secondary mechanical hyperalgesic zone were not significantly different from thresholds outside the secondary mechanical hyperalgesia zone. In addition, pain ratings to an ascending series of heat stimuli delivered inside the zone of secondary hyperalgesia were not significantly different from pain ratings outside the zone of secondary hyperalgesia. Thus, there was no evidence for heat hyperalgesia within the zone of secondary hyperalgesia to punctate mechanical stimuli. Though the areas of punctate and stroking hyperalgesia were correlated, no correlation existed between the magnitude of capsaicin evoked pain and the areas mechanical hyperalgesia to punctate and stroking stimuli or the area of flare. This suggests that independent mechanisms may mediate evoked pain, central sensitization that leads to mechanical hyperalgesia, and axon reflexive flare.
Reflex inhibition audiometry. A new objective technique.

The reflexive eyeblink, elicited by a tactile stimulus, is inhibited if an auditory stimulus precedes the eliciting stimulus by 100 msec. With adult subjects the threshold for this effect was found to be sufficiently low to suggest that reflex inhibition may be useful in objective audiometry. A preliminary investigation with infants and children showed that the inhibitory process is present, though variable, in children as young as 6 weeks old.
K-Ras Regulates the Steady-state Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 in Fibroblasts

Fibroblasts constitutively express matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), which specifically cleaves type IV collagen, a major structural component of basement membranes. The level of MMP-2 expression was not altered by serum withdrawal, suggesting that MMP-2 expression is regulated by a series of steady-state conditions that impinge on the MMP-2 promoter. Expression of a dominant-negative Ras protein significantly inhibited MMP-2 transcription, thereby suggesting a role for steady-state Ras function in the regulation of MMP-2 expression. Kirsten-Ras (K-Ras) knockout fibroblasts express undetectable basal levels of MMP-2, whereas N-Ras knockout fibroblasts expressed constitutive levels of MMP-2 similar to those observed in wild-type control fibroblasts. Using an MMP-2 promoter-luciferase reporter assay, we demonstrated that the transcription of MMP-2 in K-Ras knockout fibroblasts was partially restored by transient expression of c-K(B)-Ras but not c-K(A)-Ras. A phosphoinositide-3 (PI-3) kinase-specific inhibitor (LY294002) decreased the basal level of MMP-2 in wild-type fibroblasts. Blocking PI-3 kinase signaling by overexpression of the regulatory domain of PI-3 kinase (p85) also down-regulated the steady-state MMP-2 levels. Fibroblasts that fail to express AKT1 also expressed decreased amounts of MMP-2 compared with wild-type fibroblasts. These data suggest that steady-state MMP-2 expression is regulated by c-K(B)-Ras through a PI-3 kinase:AKT-dependent signaling pathway. Because the majority of the MMP-2 assays were performed using conditioned media from serum-starved fibroblasts, these data also highlight our previous observations that Ras proteins have functions in the absence of acute mitogenic stimulations. In addition, this is the first demonstration of a specific steady-state function attributable to K(B)-Ras.
First Workshop on Cyber-Physical Systems Security and PrivaCy (CPS-SPC): Challenges and Research Directions

The First International Workshop on Cyber-Physical Systems Security and PrivaCy (CPS-SPC) is being held in conjunction with the 22nd ACM CCS Conference. The workshop was motivated by several observations. First, cyber-physical systems represent the new frontier for cyber risk. The attack surface imposed by the convergence of computing, communications and physical control represents unique challenges for security researchers and practitioners. Second, majority of the published literature addressing the security and privacy of CPS reflect a field still in its infancy. As such, the overall principles, models, and theories for securing CPS have not yet emerged. Third, the organizers of this workshop strongly felt that a premiere forum associated with a premiere conference was needed for rapidly publishing diverse, multidisciplinary in-progress work on the security and privacy of CPS and galvanizing the research community. The set of accepted papers reflect this vision. Papers span cyber and control-theoretic foundations, intrusion detection, forensics management, vulnerability analysis and elimination, and field studies. We have organized an exciting program for this workshop and look forward to active participation in this and future workshops.
Comparison of the van der Waals and Undulation Interactions between Uncharged Lipid Bilayers.

A calculation of the long-range interaction energies between two undulating neutral lipid bilayers was performed. At bilayer spacings above several nanometers, the bilayer interaction can be considered to be composed solely of an attractive van der Waals component plus a repulsive undulation component arising from the entropic confinement of thermally excited out-of-plane motion of the bilayers by neighboring bilayers. The objective of this work was to determine if the long-range swelling behavior that has been observed in neutral multilamellar lecithin systems (e.g., bilayer spacings as large as 150 A), can in fact be explained by the undulation repulsion, which is the currently accepted explanation. It was found that the relative magnitudes of the long-range van der Waals and undulation energies are essentially determined by the magnitude of the dimensionless ratio AHKb/(kT)2, where AH is the Hamaker constant, Kb is the elastic bending modulus of the bilayer, and kT is the thermal energy. When this valu...
Transient cerebral ischemia and brain prostaglandins

Abstract Prostaglandin levels were measured in gerbil brain during cerebral ischemia for up to 2 hours, and during reperfusion after various periods of transient ischemia. The levels of PGF2α and its metabolite (13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2α) were low and did not change during ischemia. However, PGF2α, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2α, PGE2, and thromboxane B2 increased during reperfusion after brief episodes of ischemia. Indomethacin or aspirin inhibited this increase. Animals pretreated with indomethacin recovered more rapidly and were more active during reperfusion than those without treatment.
Reliability Model for Complex Mechanical Component Design

Taking into account the uncertainty in material property and component quality, a complex mechanical component such as a gear should be treated as a series system instead of a component when evaluating its reliability, since there exist many sites of equal likelihood to fail. Besides, conventional system reliability model is not applicable to such a system because of the statistical dependence among the failures of the every element (damage site). The present paper presents a model to estimate complex mechanical component reliability by incorporating order statistic of element strength into load-strength interference analysis, which can deal with multiple failure mechanisms, reflect statistical dependence among element failure events and that among different failure modes.
The nature of the earth's core

The properties of the earth's core are overviewed with emphasis on seismologically determined regions and pressures and seismologically measured density, elastic wave velocities, and gravitational acceleration. Attention is given to solid-state convection of the inner core, and it is noted that though seismological results do not conclusively prove that the inner core is convective, the occurrence and magnitude of seismic anisotropy are explained by the effects of solid-state convection. Igneous petrology and geochemistry of the inner core, a layer at the base of the mantle and contact metasomatism at the core-mantle boundary, and evolution of the core-mantle system are discussed. It is pointed out that high-pressure melting experiments indicate that the temperature of the core is ranging from 4500 to 6500 K, and a major implication of such high temperature is that the tectonics and convection of the mantle, as well as the resulting geological processes observed at the surface, are powered by heat from the core. As a result of the high temperatures, along with the compositional contrast between silicates and iron alloy, the core-mantle boundary is considered to be most chemically active region of the earth.
Pivotal Advance: CTLA-4+ T cells exhibit normal antiviral functions during acute viral infection

Previous studies have shown that T cells, which are genetically deficient in CTLA-4/ CD152 expression, will proliferate uncontrollably, resulting in lethal autoimmune disease. This and other evidence indicate that CTLA-4 plays a criti- cal role in the negative regulation of effector T cell function. In contrast to expectations, BrdU incor- poration experiments demonstrated that CTLA-4 expression was associated with normal or even en- hanced in vivo proliferation of virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells following acute lymphocytic cho- riomeningitis virus or vaccinia virus infection. When compared with CTLA-4 - T cells directly ex vivo, CTLA-4 T cells also exhibited normal anti- viral effector functions following stimulation with peptide-coated cells, virus-infected cells, plate- bound, anti-CD3/anti-CTLA-4, or the cytokines IL-12 and IL-18. Together, this indicates that CTLA-4 does not directly inhibit antiviral T cell expansion or T cell effector functions, at least not under the normal physiological conditions associ- ated with either of these two acute viral infections. J. Leukoc. Biol. 81: 000-000; 2007.
Quantifying targets to manage invasion risk: light gradients dominate the early regeneration niche of naturalized and pre-commercial Miscanthus populations

Prospective bioenergy crops have caused concern about their invasive potential because they often share characteristics with known invasive species. Studies that examine the factors that limit regeneration of these crop species will be crucial for identifying vulnerable habitats and devising management strategies to reduce the likelihood of escape from cultivation. Using a response surface design, we investigated the influence of light availability, soil moisture, and litter cover on recruitment and establishment of a potential biofuel cultivar of Miscanthus as well as an invasive congener. Responses were similar for the two plant types. Light availability had a strong influence on seedling success at both stages, though light limitation prevented establishment only at the lowest light level. Although variation in recruitment rates was low within plant types, establishment varied extensively in response to different light conditions. Low variation in Miscanthus seedling recruitment that led to establishment of a seedling bank under a range of light intensities may facilitate a “sit and wait” situation that raises the likelihood of successful escapes. Therefore, management efforts that restrict seed movement and increase light competition for seedlings will be important for lowering invasion risk. As deliberate introductions of bioenergy crops increase, ecological studies that quantify conditions required for successful escapes will be key to helping agronomists and managers mitigate the risk of unintended invasions.
Ultra-Thin Donor Tissue Preparation for Endothelial Keratoplasty With a Double-Pass Microkeratome

Purpose To quantify and describe practically a novel technique for donor tissue preparation in Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty to approach the superior visual outcomes of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. Design Experimental laboratory investigation. Methods setting: Institutional. study population: Eleven human donor corneas. intervention: Double-pass of microkeratome over donor corneas—first with a thicker cutting depth and subsequently with a thinner cutting depth. Main Outcome Measures Donor tissue profiles and residual bed thicknesses. Results After the first pass of the microkeratome, the average cut thickness using the 250-μm cutting head was 342.5 ± 14.8 μm (range, 332 to 353 μm), that using the 300-μm head was 343.8 ± 39.2 μm (range, 315 to 411 μm), and that with the 350-μm head was 467.7 ± 50.1 μm (range, 419 to 519 μm). We used the 200-μm cutting head only once with a cut depth of 210 μm. For the second pass, when using the 110-μm head, the cutting depth averaged to 167.8 ± 28.8 μm (range, 133 to 203 μm). The 130-μm cutting head yielded a cut depth of 199.7 ± 24.4 μm (range, 180 to 227μm). Two corneas were perforated during the second pass. The average final thickness of the residual bed was 121 ± 32.2 μm (range, 52 to 160 μm). Conclusions Double-pass harvest for ultra-thin Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty could improve optical outcomes by obtaining donor Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty tissue with thinner residual beds. Further studies are needed with larger sample sizes to establish algorithms for appropriate cutting head thickness in each pass. Potential additional endothelial cell loss with the second pass of the microkeratome also should be evaluated.
Technological considerations for packet radio networks

The application of packet-switching techniques to radio channels has provided a solution to many computer-communications problems previously unsolved. For example, a packet radio network can readily be designed to provide area coverage at data rates fast enough to support interactive operations for thousands of users having a variety of terminals such as hand-held devices, TTY-like devices, display devices, computers, and unattended sensors. Since the interconnections are by radio, the users can be fixed or mobile, and the network can be easily moved. Furthermore, it can be readily established in remote or primitive areas where a wired network would be impossible, and total connectivity of users will be provided.
An analysis of constrained robust regression estimators

Multicollinearity and nonnormal errors are problems often encountered in the application of linear regression. Estimators are proposed for dealing with the simultaneous occurrence of both multicollinearity and nonnormality. These estimators are developed by combining biased estimation techniques with certain robust criteria. An iteratively reweighted least-squares procedure is used to compute the estimates. The performance of the combined estimators is studied empirically through Monte Carlo experiments structured according to factorial designs. With respect to a mean-squared-error criterion, the combined estimators are superior to ordinary least-squares, pure biased estimators, and pure robust estimators when multicollinearity and nonnormality are present. The loss in efficiency for the combined estimators relative to least squares is small when these problems do not occur. Some guidelines for the use of these combined estimators are given.
Two New Trypanosomes from California Toads and Lizards

SYNOPSIS Trypanosoma bufophlebotomi n. sp. and T. scelopori n. sp. are described from the California toad Bufo boreas halophilus and the western fence lizard Sceloporus occidentalis, respectively. T. bufophlebotomi occurred in 15% of 39 toads examined and is characterized by a juxtanuclear, bipolar-staining kinetoplast. The parasite may share a common ancestry with another sandfly-transmitted trypanosome of toads from China. T. scelopori occurred in 0.4% of 758 lizards examined for malarial parasites. It may also develop in sandflies.
Validation of the Practice Skills Inventory With Experienced Clinical Social Workers

The Practice Skills Inventory (PSI) was developed with MSW students to measure the frequency with which social workers employ specific intervention strategies. Despite initial evidence of validity,...
Surviving post traumatic stress disorder

The treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has often frustrated practitioners, as it is difficult to achieve the goals of treatment, primarily restoration of functioning. Far too often patients are treated unsuccessfully with prescription medications and turn to illicit drugs and alcohol to attempt to self-medicate. There is an ever-present need for more effective agents with fewer side effects. Clearly, there is a significant place for pharmacists in assuring appropriate treatment and monitoring is provided for patients suffering from PTSD.
Role of the GroEL chaperonin intermediate domain in coupling ATP hydrolysis to polypeptide release.

Abstract Modification of the Escherichia colichaperonin GroEL with N-ethylmaleimide at residue Cys138 affects the structural and functional integrity of the complex. Nucleotide affinity and ATPase activity of the modified chaperonin are increased, whereas cooperativity of ATP hydrolysis and affinity for GroES are reduced. As a consequence, release and folding of substrate proteins are strongly impaired and uncoupled from ATP hydrolysis in a temperature-dependent manner. Folding of dihydrofolate reductase at 25 °C becomes dependent on GroES, whereas folding of typically GroES-dependent proteins is blocked completely. At 37 °C, GroES binding is restored to normal levels, and the modified GroEL regains its chaperone activity to some extent. These results assign a central role to the intermediate GroEL domain for transmitting conformational changes between apical and central domains, and for coupling ATP hydrolysis to productive protein release.
Preclinical studies of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a highly lethal neoplasm that is resistant to chemotherapy. Bortezomib is an FDA-approved proteasome inhibitor that is currently under clinical investigation in multiple neoplasms but has not been studied extensively in MPM. In this report, we determine the biological and molecular response of cultured MPM cells to bortezomib alone and in combination with cisplatin or pemetrexed. We used four MPM cell lines (MS589, H28, H2052, JMN), a normal mesothelial cell line (HM3), and a lung cancer cell line (H23) in survival studies utilizing bortezomib, cisplatin, and pemetrexed alone and in combination by administering concurrently or by varying the order of administration. We determined the effect of bortezomib on the cell cycle, apoptosis, and on the expression of cell cycle proteins p21/WAF1 and p27/KIP1 and on apoptosis-related proteins IAP-1, IAP-2, survivin, and XIAP. Bortezomib was highly cytotoxic to MPM cells and induced both G(2)/M and G(1)/S cell cycle arrest. Apoptosis increased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in 3 of 4 MPM cell lines. Bortezomib stabilized or increased protein levels of p21/WAF1 and IAP-1 and to a lesser degree p27/KIP1, IAP-2, XIAP, and survivin. In combination studies with cisplatin, bortezomib was generally synergistic at high concentrations and antagonistic at low concentrations. Bortezomib increased the cytotoxicity of cisplatin and pemetrexed in a concentration-dependent manner when administered prior to either. Bortezomib may improve outcome in MPM patients alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy but the order of administration is likely to be important. This study justifies further evaluation of bortezomib in MPM.
Lamb shift in a light-front Hamiltonian approach

Light-front Hamiltonian methods are being developed to attack bound-state problems in QCD. In this paper we advance the state of the art for these methods by computing the well-known Lamb shift in hydrogen starting from first principles of QED. There are obvious but significant qualitative differences between QED and QCD. In this paper, we discuss the similarities that may survive in a nonperturbative QCD calculation in the context of a precision nonperturbative QED calculation. Central to the discussion are how a constituent picture arises in a gauge field theory, how bound-state energy scales emerge to guide the renormalization procedure, and how rotational invariance emerges in a light-front calculation. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
HOME Measurement of Maternal Responsiveness.

Parental Responsivity subscales from the HOME Inventory relate to various aspects of child behavior and development through the first ten years of life.
DETERMINATION OF FRACTURE TOUGHNESS PARAMETER OF QUASI-BRITTLE MATERIALS WITH LABORATORY-SIZE SPECIMENS.

An experimental technique based on four-point bend specimens has been developed for indirect determination of the tension-softening curve, which is suggested to be a sizeindependent fracture ‘parameter’ for quasi-brittle materials. The technique was applied to fibrereinforced mortar. Good agreement between results from this indirect test and those from the direct tension test was obtained.
Class shares and economies of scope

Abstract This paper examines the allocative role of class shares that pay dividends based upon the performance of the individual activities of multi-activity firms. The firms considered operate under economies of scope and technological uncertainty in an incomplete asset market. Investor unanimity about the choice of production plans and a constrained Pareto optimum are attained when all firms in the economy issue a class of shares for each of their activities. Partial issuance of class shares leads to a Pareto superior allocation if the ensuing changes in production plans are individually rational.