cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of wildfire severity on geomorphic features and riparian vegetation of forested streams of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA

Fires are a common feature of many landscapes, with numerous and complex ecological consequences. In stream ecosystems, fire can strongly influence fluvial geomorphic characteristics and riparian vegetation, which are structural components of stream–riparian ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, the effects of fire severity on stream–riparian ecosystems in California’s Sierra Nevada region (USA) are not well described, yet critical for effectively informing fire management and policy. At 12 stream reaches paired by fire severity (one high-severity burned, one low-severity burned), no significant differences were found in riparian plant community cover and composition or stream geomorphic characteristics 2–15 years following wildfire. In addition, minimal changes in riparian vegetation and stream geomorphic properties were observed in the first summer following the extensive and severe Rim Fire. However, an upstream-to-downstream influence of multiple fire occurrences was observed over the previous 81 years within each catchment on stream geomorphic metrics, including sediment size, embeddedness and channel geometry, at our study reaches. The inconsistent effects of wildfire on stream–riparian vegetation and geomorphic characteristics over space and time may be related to time since fire and precipitation.
Reviews and syntheses: Ironing out wrinkles in the soil phosphorus cycling paradigm

Abstract. Soil phosphorus (P) management remains a critical challenge for agriculture worldwide, and yet we are still unable to predict soil P dynamics as confidently as that of carbon (C) or nitrogen (N). This is due to both the complexity of inorganic P (Pi) and organic P (Po) cycling and the methodological constraints that have limited our ability to trace P dynamics in the soil-plant system. In this review we describe the challenges to building parsimonious, accurate, and useful P models and to explore the potential of some new techniques to advance modeling efforts. To advance our understanding and modeling of P biogeochemistry, research efforts should focus on the following: 1) update the McGill and Cole (1981) model of Po mineralization by clarifying the role and prevalence of “biochemical” and “biological” Po mineralization which we hypothesize are not mutually exclusive and may co-occur along a continuum of Po substrate stoichiometry; 2) further understand the dynamics of phytate, a 6-C compound that can regulate the poorly understood stoichiometry of soil P; 3) explore the effects of C and Po saturation on P sorption and Po mineralization; and 4) resolve discrepancies between hypotheses about P cycling and the methods used to test these hypotheses.
Programmed cell death ligand‐1 and cytotoxic T cell infiltrates in metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

BACKGROUND Metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) carries a poor prognosis. Increased numbers of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells are associated with a favorable prognosis and programmed cell death receptor-1 is a suppressor of the CD8+ cytotoxic T cell response. We aim to define their expression in metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS Cytotoxic T cell infiltrates and tumoral PD-L1 expression in lymph node metastases from patients with cSCC of the head and neck were analyzed. RESULTS High tumoral PD-L1 expression, intratumoral and peritumoral CD8+ cell density in metastases were significantly associated with poor primary tumor differentiation. Low PD-L1 expression, intratumoral and peritumoral CD8+ density were associated with lower grade primary tumor differentiation. Low PD-L1 expression correlated with disease progression. CONCLUSIONS Increased expression of PD-L1 correlates with increased CD8+ cell density. Increased expression of PD-L1 in poorly differentiated tumors may be more likely to benefit from anti PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.
Interrogation of highly structured RNA with multicomponent deoxyribozyme probes at ambient temperatures.

Molecular analysis of RNA through hybridization with sequence-specific probes is challenging due to the intrinsic ability of RNA molecules to form stable secondary and tertiary structures. To overcome the energy barrier towards the probe-RNA complex formation, the probes are made of artificial nucleotides, which are more expensive than their natural counterparts and may still be inefficient. Here, we propose the use of a multicomponent probe based on an RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme for the analysis of highly structured RNA targets. Efficient interrogation of two native RNA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae - a transfer RNA (tRNA) and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) - was achieved at ambient temperature. We achieved detection limits of tRNA down to ~0.3 nM, which is 2 orders of magnitude lower than that previously reported for molecular beacon probes. Importantly, no probe annealing to the target was required, with the hybridization assay performed at 37o C. Excess of non-specific targets did not compromise the performance of the probe, and high interrogation efficiency was maintained by the probes even in complex matrices, such as cell lysate. A linear dynamic range of 0.1-150 nM tRNA was demonstrated. The probe can be adapted for differentiation of a single mismatch in the tRNA-probe complex. Therefore, this study opens a venue toward highly selective, sensitive, robust, and inexpensive assays for the interrogation of biological RNA.
Measurements of Absolute Branching Fractions for Exclusive D0 Semileptonic Decays and Determinations of Vcs and Vcd

Based on a data sample of 60 pb-1 collected at the ψ(3770) resonance with the CLEO-c detector at CESR, we present improved measurements of absolute branching fractions for exclusive D0 semileptonic decays into K-e+ν, π-e+ν and K*-e+ν, and the first observation and measurement of D0 → ρ-e+ν. The determinations of the CKM matrix elements Vcs and Vcd are reviewed.
The Enablers: How Team Trump Flunked the Pandemic and Failed America

The COVID-19 pandemic will forever be remembered as a pivotal event in American history. Written by one of the world's foremost experts on leadership and followership, this book centers on the first six months of the pandemic and the crises that ran rampant. The chapters focus less on the former president, Donald Trump, than on his followers: on people complicit in his miserable mismanagement of the crisis in public health. Barbara Kellerman provides clear and compelling evidence that Trump was not entirely to blame for everything that went wrong. Many others were responsible including his base, party, administration, inner circle, Republican elites, members of the media, and even medical experts. Far too many surrendered to the president's demands, despite it being obvious his leadership was fatally flawed. The book testifies to the importance of speaking truth to power, and a willingness to take risks properly to serve the public interest.
Being (almost) like a State: Challenges and Opportunities of Transnational Non-Governmental Activism

International NGOs become viable “global players” when they selectively emulate states and their desire for autonomy as a prerequisite for influence. Actors in the global system are drawn towards similar forms of organization and mimic others to increase their own legitimacy. States are characterized by their exclusive control over a territory, a population, the means of violence, and their right to representation in international affairs. Many transnational NGOs eschew exclusive control over a territory or the monopoly of violence, but they use specific strategies to mimic the state model. Non-governmental organizations often create a membership base (“population”), a hierarchical and professional governance structure (“government”), independent research capabilities (“intelligence”), a coherent set of goals pursued against other state and non-state entities (“foreign policy”), and an often contentious repertoire of activism (“diplomacy”).
Measurement and analysis of neighborhood congestion: Evidence from sidewalk pedestrian traffic and walking speeds

Regional scientists and planners are interested in congestion, both vehicular and pedestrian. This paper examines pedestrian congestion on sidewalks in the tourism district of Bar Harbor, Maine, with a focus on the effects of cruise passengers. The analysis considers pedestrian counts and the effects of passengers on walking speeds. Cruise passengers increase sidewalk pedestrian traffic overall, but the effects on walking speeds are mixed. For both indicators of sidewalk congestion, cruise passenger impacts decrease at greater distances from the passenger point‐of‐entry into Bar Harbor. The methods presented in the paper can be applied to sidewalk congestion related to a wide range of facilities and events (e.g., transportation hubs, museums and concert halls, sporting events, large pilgrimage events).
EBNEO commentary: Should we abandon therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal encephalopathy in low- and middle-income countries?

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the standard of care in neonates with moderate and severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) as it lowers the rates of mortality, cerebral palsy, hearing and visual impairment, and neurodevelopmental delay1, 2 . The majority of evidence towards the effectiveness and safety of TH has been pooled out from data of well-designed randomized controlled trials which were conducted in high-income countries3-7 .
Precedente y Teorías de Interpretación en la Justicia Constitucional (Stare Decisis and Interpretation Theories in the Constitutional Justice)

El trabajo explora la relacion existente entre el precedente judicial y las las distintas teorias de interpretacion constitucional. Argumenta que el tratamiento del precedente depende the la teoria de interpretacion particular. Utilizando el debate constitucional de Estados Unidos, el autor sugiere algunas lecciones para el debate chileno sobre el precedente.The paper explores the relation between stare decisis and different theories of constitutional interpretation. It argues that the precedent treatment depends on the particular interpretation theory. Using the constitutional american debate, the author suggests some lessons for the Chilean discussion about stare decisis.
Initiated decoy states in quantum key distribution protocol by 3 ways channel

After decades of research, computer scientists have in recent years come close to reaching substantive results which prove the usability of quantum key distribution (QKD). Several QKD protocols and different schemes have surfaced since the last century. Additionally, some of these protocols were created in new algorithms and up until now, have been proven to be secure; however, other scientists only made modifications to previous original protocols. This paper seeks to create a new scheme in QKD that will communicate between two parties and will give them a high level of security against any well-known attacks while handling both of parties in a manner that will reduce their dependency on both classic communication and the classical channel.
Re-Examining the Price Effects of Assumption Financing: The Case of Above-Market Interest Rates

Although previous research addresses the price effects of below-market loan assumptions in housing transactions, no evidence exists regarding the price effects of above-market loan assumptions. This study develops a hypothesis of strictly non-negative price effects in assumption financing and empirically documents a positive impact in housing transactions involving above-market loan assumptions. Based on a switching regimes regression analysis of 2594 single-family house transactions, we find evidence of a significant price premium in moderately priced homes involving above-market loan assumptions, but no evidence for a financing premium for more expensive homes. The results suggest that the source of the premium in the moderately priced home market is the assuming buyer's desire to avoid lenders' qualification criteria.
Solving Integral Equations on Surfaces in Space

Consider solving the integral equation $$\lambda {\text{f(P) - }}{\smallint _{\text{s}}}{\text{K(P,Q)f(Q)dS = g(P),P}} \in {\text{S,}}$$ (1.1) where S denotes a surface in space. Such equations occur in a number of situations, and very often the integral operator is compact from C(S) into itself. We will consider a collocation method for numerically solving (1.1), with the approximating solution a function that is piecewise quadratic in a parameterization of the surface. The numerical method is of independent interest, but we have chosen the method as a means to focus on the problems of solving integral equations on piecewise smooth surfaces in space. Unlike the case for functions of one variable with domain an interval, the use of surfaces S leads to the problem of approximating the domain. This makes the solution of (1.1) more than a simple generalization of the theory for integral equations of one variable.
Guilt, Greed, and Furniture: Using Mel Brooks’s The Twelve Chairs to Teach Dying Declarations

Nothing beats a good story. We understand our own lives through story. Whether relating the story of our day to friends or family, or reflecting on a lifetime spanning many years, humans use stories to help understand and make sense of our experiences of living in the world. In the legal arena, the best accepted theory explaining how jurors decide a case is the Story Model, which identifies story construction as the cognitive process central to juror decision making. And of course, we know that good lawyers have to be good storytellers (words are our tools, and our craft involves becoming master wordsmiths). What’s true in life, and in law, is also true in learning. Learning the law through the case method involves what James Boyd White describes as an “imaginative reconstruction of the process by which the text was made,” a process of reading a story and imagining oneself participating in its telling and re-telling.4 The process of teaching and learning statutory law (such as the Federal Rules of Evidence) in particular requires the use of stories. A skeletal outline of a hearsay exception only acquires meaning in the context of a story.When I teach the dying declarations hearsay exception in my Evidence course, I always show the opening scene from Mel Brooks’ darkly comedic film, The Twelve Chairs. A film clip is a particularly dense piece of storytelling, in that it presents story information in a visually and aurally rich manner (including such varied aspects as images, colors, tone, soundtracks, special effects, edits, montage, etc.). Yet, we are able to take in and process a whole series of nuanced and complex messages in a film clip in a relatively efficient manner. Simply put, we are good at “reading” visual stories from television and film. Further, showing the excerpt from The Twelve Chairs not only is fun, it’s good learning pedagogy. This short scene enhances class discussion in three principal ways. First, the scene serves as an engaging mini-review of the elements of the hearsay exception for dying declarations. Second, it serves as a springboard for the class to think critically and articulate some unspoken assumptions underpinning the rationale for the rule (the short scene raises issues about our assumptions governing family dynamics, gender, class, politics, and religion, among other matters) and consider the possibility of drafting a different (and perhaps better) rule. Third, the nature of the example (a film clip, and a comedic one at that), surprises and delights the students who are used to the usually bleak and violent fact patterns in many evidence casebooks. Thus, their attention level is high and they are very engaged in the analysis. A more full discussion of each of these three aspects follows.
A Generic Model of Financial Repression

The paper develops a growth model in an overlapping generations framework of a financially repressed small open economy, and analyzes the effects of financial liberalization. The following observations are made: An increase (decrease) of interest rate (reserve requirements) reduces (increases) the steady-state stock of capital and the trade balance, but improves (deteriorates) the level of foreign exchange reserves. However, financial liberalization, in any form, is always welfare-improving. The paper, thus, advocates financial liberalization policies to be oriented towards reduction of reserve requirements rather than interest rate deregulation, if foreign reserve holding is not in a critical position.
Asymmetric relationships in networked agricultural innovation processes

Purpose – In innovation networks, asymmetric relationships are both considered as an opportunity and a threat for the enhancement of innovation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how much asymmetry Flemish farmers perceive in their relationships for innovation with colleagues, suppliers and buyers. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 86 farmers active in four different agricultural subsectors in Flanders were consulted, of which 38 via in-depth interviews and 48 in seven focus groups. Data were analysed using NVivo. Findings – The authors found that across subsectors, different players in innovation networks play different roles. Furthermore, the authors observed that the majority of farmers see their relationships more as a necessity for the farm to be able to function, than as an opportunity for innovation. If they collaborate for innovation, they often prefer symmetric relationships with similar companies on horizontal level. Vertical collaboration for innovation is not very popular in th...
The Literal Versus Figurative Dichotomy

A reconsideration of the standard questions concerning literal and nonliteral language and thought, from the point of view of conceptual integration theory. The study of figure has been sidetracked from basic conceptual issues since the Greeks, with the surprising and humbling result that the study of figure, one of the oldest bodies of knowledge in the human sciences, remains in our age still in its infancy.
Visible and near-infrared absorption coefficients of montmorillonite and related clays

Abstract : Estimates of the optical absorption coefficients for montmorillonite, hectorite, nontronite, metabentonite, illite, and attapulgite clay minerals were made by the application of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the spectral region from 0.4 to 2.4 micrometers. These clay minerals are weak absorbers over this spectral range, with the primary absorption occurring in the 1.4-micrometers and 1.9-micrometer water bands. Values of the absorption coefficients were on the order of 10 to 20/cm in the 1.4-micrometer band and 20 to 30/cm in the 1.9-micrometer band with the exception of the metabentonite, which gave an absorption coefficient of about 80/cm in the 1.9-micrometer band. The absorption coefficient increased rapidly as the near-ultraviolet region was approached. (Modified author abstract)
The New Politics of Diversity Lessons From a Federal Technical Assistance Grant

In 2009, the U.S. Department of Education distributed $2,500,000 via a competitive grant program, the Technical Assistance for Student Assignment Plans, to 11 school districts. The grants and their local effects provide an opportunity to examine the new politics of diversity in public education. Participants cited a wide range of conceptions of diversity, most of which were race-neutral. Some districts enacted policies deemphasizing their original diversity goals. Even in Technical Assistance for Student Assignment Plans (TASAP) districts, whose leaders presumably value diversity, diversity was not always a compelling goal when competing with priorities such as fiscal austerity, school improvement, and neighborhood school demands. Future federal efforts to increase students’ exposure to diverse peers should recognize that local conditions might create contrary political pressures for local policymakers.
An Analysis of the Influence of Technology Training on Teacher Stages of Concern Regarding the Use of Instructional Technology in Schools

AbstractThis study examined how PK–12 teachers’ concerns about instructional technology relate to the technology training they have received. Teachers’ concerns were measured using the Stages of Concern Questionnaire and were examined in relation to the types and amounts of training they received and demographic information. The study used quantitative components with descriptive and correlational research designs. The three of the highest levels of concern: Management, Consequence, and Collaboration have strong relationships with technology integration training. Significantly, no other aspect of technology training showed a relationship to teacher stages of concern regarding the use of instructional technology. Findings also indicated that the longer teachers work with technology, the more comfortable they appear to be with that technology and, therefore, more likely they will be to use it effectively.
Seeing the History of the Earth in the Cliffs at Møn: The Interaction between Landscape Painting and Geology in Denmark in the First Half of the 19th Century

During the first part of the nineteenth century, geologists developed a history of the earth so different from that accepted in previous centuries that it encouraged a rethinking of the relationship between man and nature. In this article I will argue that painters followed these changes closely and that some of them let the narratives and images of geology inform the way they depicted nature. In arguing my point, I will focus on images and descriptions of the chalk cliffs on the Danish island of Mon by both geologists and painters. I will follow the scientific advances in geology by referring to the texts and images of Soren Abildgaard, Henrich Steffens, Johan Georg Forchhammer, and Christopher Puggaard, and discuss how their changing theories correspond with paintings of the cliffs by four artists: Christopher Wilhelm Eckersberg, Frederik Sodring, Louis Gurlitt, and Peter Christian Skovgaard.
Evaluation of a Prototype Decision Support System for Selecting Trench Cap Designs

A computer-based prototype decision support system (PDSS) to assist the risk manager in selecting an appropriate trench cap design for waste disposal sites is evaluated. The selection of the {open_quotes}best{close_quotes} design among feasible alternatives requires consideration of multiple and often conflicting objectives. The methodology used in the selection process consists of. selecting and parameterizing decision variables, using data, simulation models, or expert opinion; selecting feasible trench cap design alternatives; ordering the decision variables and ranking the design alternatives. The simulation models incorporated in the PDSS are the Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model which is used to simulate the trench cap water balance and the Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosion from Agricultural Management Systems (CREAMS) erosion component that is used to simulate trench cap erosion. The decision model is based on multi-objective decision theory and uses a unique approach to order the decision variables and rank the design alternatives. The PDSS is evaluated using the Hill Air Force Base landfill cover demonstration project. The water balance and surface erosion of four alternative landfill cover designs were monitored for a 4-yr period. Two of the cover designs were used to calibrate and test the simulation models. The results of the PDSS,more » using both data from all four designs and long-term simulations from two of the designs, illustrate the relative advantages of each of the cover designs and which cover is the {open_quotes}best{close_quotes} alternative for a given set of criteria and a particular importance order of those decision criteria. 22 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.« less
First-order amorphous-amorphous transformation in silica

Molecular simulations predict that a first-order amorphous-amorphous transformation occurs in ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ under pressure, analogous to the first-order amorphous-amorphous transformation known to occur in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$. At low temperatures the first-order transformation is kinetically hindered, and an amorphous-amorphous transformation occurs instead by gradual spinodal decomposition at higher pressures. We suggest that previous experiments have observed the spinodal decomposition pathway in ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ and that the predicted first-order transformation will be observed in experiments carried out at higher temperatures.
Solubilization of single-component and binary mixtures of hydrocarbons in aqueous micellar solutions

Abstract The solubilization of hydrocarbon molecules in micellar solutions has been investigated by injecting directly in a gas chromatograph the micellar solutions containing solubilizates. This method was used after an evaluation of the techniques already reported in literature showed that none was as satisfactory for multicomponent hydrocarbon solubilizates. In the single component solubilization experiments, the molar solubilization ratio of seven organic molecules in three different surfactant solutions (cetyl pyridinium chloride, dodecyl ammonium chloride, and sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactants, at 0.1 M concentration and at 25°C) have been measured. The data show that the molecular volume of the solubilizate and its polarity play an important role in determining the extent of solubilization. The interfacial tension of the solubilizate against water was chosen as a measure of its polarity. Correlations between the measured molar solubilization ratios and either the molecular volume or the combined molecular volume-polarity parameter have been developed. In general, a solubilizate with smaller molecular volume and some polarity is preferentially solubilized. Solubilization experiments involving binary hydrocarbon mixtures show that selective solubilization of benzene over hexane occurs in all the five surfactant systems examined. The selectivity ratio for benzene increases with decreasing concentrations of benzene in the bulk solubilizate phase which is in equilibrium with the aqueous micellar solution. A selectivity ratio as large as 7 occurs in dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride solution. However, the systems exhibiting high selectivity ratios do so only at the cost of a decrease in the total solubilization capacities for the different solubilizates. Binary solubilization experiments involving the solubilizate pairs benzene + hexane, benzene + cyclohexane and cyclohexane + hexane suggest that the order of selectivity follows that which would be expected from the corresponding pure component molar solubilization ratios. Pairs of solubilizates that have widely different pure component solubilization ratios have the largest selectivity ratio when solubilized as binary mixtures. Finally, the measured molar solubilization ratio for hexane in all the mixed solubilization experiments exhibits an interesting synergistic behavior in the presence of small amounts of benzene. This suggests that surface solubilization of benzene occurs at low amounts of benzene in the micelles.
Kinetics of the Hydrodenitrogenation of Indole

The hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) reactivity of indole (IND) was determined over a NiMo/Al2O3 catalyst and a CoMo/Al2O3 catalyst using a fixed-bed reactor at 631 K and 3.5 MPa pressure. Conversions and product distribution data were obtained at various feed compositions of indole and space times. The kinetics of the individual steps in the HDN pathways were determined by application of Langmuir−Hinshelwood kinetics to a reaction model proposed by Zhang and Ozkan. All reaction paths were inhibited by indole and three different active sites were required to correlate the data. Under comparable conditions, the CoMo catalyst was more active for the initial conversion of indole, but the NiMo catalyst gave higher HDN conversion. The former catalyst gave higher yields of N-containing intermediates than the latter. An increase in hydrogen sulfide concentration had little effect on the total conversion and decreased the HDN conversion for the NiMo catalyst, whereas total conversion increased while HDN conversion was ...
Marjory Fleming and Child Authors: The Total Depravity of Inanimate Things

Marjory Fleming was a child diarist who wrote during the Romantic period; her diary was published during the Victorian era. Her text and its reception offer a test case for how “thing theory,” as synthesized by Bill Brown, might provide a theoretical approach that productively reconsiders the categories of “the child” and the child author.
1 Systems Engineering On-Time Deliveries

The typical systems engineering application focuses on developing and delivering products which meet an acquirer's specified requirements, with emphasis on performance requirements. As currently practiced, however, systems engineering is not considered as a mechanism for identifying and reducing the amount of development rework – a major cause of project delays and cost overruns. Yet two elements of the systems engineering process, in conjunction with system dynamics analyses, can be used to reduce both the amount of rework required and the time required to identify the need for such rework.
Another Twist to MHC-Peptide Recognition

Foreign peptides are displayed on the cell surface in the binding grooves of MHC Class I and II molecules. A new structure of MHC Class II reported in this issue of Science [Fremont et al. (p. 1001)] reveals how these molecules are loaded into their grooves inside the cell. In his Perspective, Wilson describes the picture that this structure and previous structures of MHC molecules is painting about peptide presentation by cells.
Novel withanolides target medullary thyroid cancer through inhibition of both RET phosphorylation and the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway.

Background Despite development of current targeted therapies for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), long-term survival remains unchanged. Recently isolated novel withanolide compounds from Solanaceae physalis are highly potent against MTCs. We hypothesize that these withanolides uniquely inhibit RET phosphorylation and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in MTC cells as a mechanism of antiproliferation and apoptosis. Methods MTC cells were treated with novel withanolides and MTC-targeted drugs. In vitro studies assessed cell viability and proliferation (MTS; trypan blue assays), apoptosis (flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI staining; confirmed by Western blot analysis), long-term cytotoxic effects (clonogenic assay), and suppression of key regulatory proteins such as RET, Akt, and mTOR (by Western blot analysis). Results The novel withanolides potently reduced MTC cell viability (half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50], 270–2,850 nmol/L; 250–1,380 nmol/L for vandetanib; 360–1,640 nmol/L for cabozantinib) with induction of apoptosis at Conclusion Novel withanolides from Physalis selectively and potently inhibit MTC cells in vitro. Unlike other MTC-targeted therapies, these compounds uniquely inhibit both RET kinase activity and the Akt/mTOR prosurvival pathway. Further translational studies are warranted to evaluate their clinical potential.
Role of the 3′ splice site consensus sequence in mammalian pre-mRNA splicing

Pre-mRNA splicing has been shown to occur by a two-step pathway. In the first stage, the pre-mRNA is cleaved at the 5' splice site, generating the first exon RNA species and an RNA species composed of the intron and second exon (IVS1-exon 2 RNA species). In the second stage, cleavage at the 3' splice site and ligation of the exons occurs, resulting in the excision of the intact intron. The excised intron and IVS1-exon 2 RNA species are in the form of a lariat in which the 5' end of the intron is joined to an adenosine residue near the 3' end of the intron by a 2'-5' phosphodiester bond. Here we show that although cleavage at the 3' splice site does not occur until the second stage of the splicing reaction, at least a portion of the 3' splice site consensus sequence is necessary for 5' splice site cleavage and lariat formation. Thus, in higher eukaryotes at least three sequence elements participate in the initiation of the splicing reaction: the 5' splice site, 3' splice site consensus sequence and the RNA branchpoint.
Current Options and Practices in Long-Term Ventricular Assist Devices

End-stage heart failure poses a significant problem for patients and a burden on the healthcare system. With a lack of available hearts for transplant, mechanical circulatory support has emerged as a viable treatment option. The first generation ventricular assist device (VAD) showed superior outcomes to optimal medical management. Now with second and third generation continuous-flow VADs available, outcomes have continued to improve. Patients who undergo VAD implantation have superior survival and increased quality of life; however, they also have a significant risk of adverse events. These adverse events are decreasing as newer devices are developed, surgical experience increases, postoperative care improves and patient selection trends toward less critically ill patients. Future progress of the VAD will continue to improve survival and decrease adverse events.
Does the racial/ethnic composition of Medicare Advantage plans reflect their areas of operation?

In 2013, Medicare beneficiaries are being offered a choice of more than 2,000 Medicare Advantage (MA) HMO and preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. As of September 2012, 27 percent of beneficiaries were enrolled in such plans, which operate in locally defined areas (Gold et al. 2012) that are proposed by the MA plans and reviewed and approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). While entire plan service areas are reviewed by CMS to avoid selection for particular demographic groups (2012), this review does not prevent a plan from marketing more heavily in some areas than in others or from designing benefits and/or amenities to differentially attract certain groups of beneficiaries. Medicare Advantage plans have greater participation among certain racial/ethnic minority groups of beneficiaries, suggesting that certain configurations of these benefits, marketing approaches, and amenities may result in disproportionate minority enrollment (Shimada et al. 2009). Conversely, quality-based incentive payments under initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act's Quality Bonus Payments (United States 2010) have the potential to induce MA plans to avoid enrolling beneficiaries who may be perceived as potentially lowering the plans' overall quality scores. Given the long history of poorer care processes, worse outcomes, and lower patient experience scores among some groups of racial/ethnic minority Medicare beneficiaries (Schneider, Zaslavsky, and Epstein 2002; Virnig et al. 2002; Trivedi et al. 2005, 2011; Elliott et al. 2011; Haviland et al. 2012), such programs could potentially incentivize MA plans to avoid enrolling beneficiaries from minority racial/ethnic groups. In this article, therefore, we assess the extent to which the racial/ethnic composition of MA plans reflects the composition of the local areas in which CMS has approved their operation. This allows us to understand the extent to which MA plans systematically underrepresent or overrepresent black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific Islander (API) beneficiaries in their local areas.
CaCl 2 -H 2 O in the supercritical and two-phase ranges

Critical temperatures (T c ) and densities (πc) for aqueous CaCl2 solutions were measured using two different optical techniques, Measurements ofT c were made using sealed silica capillaries containing 0,3, 0,5, 1,0, and 2,0 molal CaCl2(aq)) solutions. TheT c values from these measurements are 661, 666, 678, and 738 K, respectively. Critical temperatures were also determined from measured homogenization temperatures and the observed mode of homogenization (i.e.. to the liquid or vapor phase or by fading of the meniscus) in synthetic fluid inclusions. Critical temperatures determined by the second method for 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 molal CaCl2(aq) solutions are 680, 739, and 838 K. respectively. TheT c for 4.0 molal CaCl2(aq) was found to be in excess of 933 K, The capillary-tube measurements yield approximate values of the critical density ϱc, but do not give the critical pressureP c Approximate values ofT c ,. are available, however, from other sources.
Contractility of Seminiferous Tubules as Related to Sperm Transport in the Male

The mammalian testes have several mechanisms to propel the nonmotile spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules through the rete testis into the epididymis. These include (a) contractions of the testicular capsule and the seminiferous tubules and (b) fluid flow through the excurrent ducts resulting from active transport of fluids and electrolyte into the seminiferous tubules from the extracellular space. The efflux of fluids and sperm from the testis appears to closely parallel spermiation. An increased output of fluid may result from prostaglandins (PGF2 alpha) and possibly oxytocin (not all species respond to oxytocin) as a result of capsular contractions compressing and expelling the fluid from the tubules. Seminiferous tubular contractions do not result from nervous stimulation but are linked to PGs and cyclic nucleotide generation. They are regulated to some extent by androgens and the lesser response of the tubules to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone compared to testosterone can be explained by their interaction with androgen binding protein and their action on phospholipase A2 activity for PG synthesis.
Radiation cooling and gain calculation for C VI 182-A line in carbon--selenium plasma

A model is developed that is capable of describing the evolution of gain resulting from both rapid radiative and expansion cooling of a recombining, freely expanding plasma. It is demonstrated for the particular case of a carbon–selenium plasma that the cooling rate that leads to optimal gain can be achieved by adjusting the admixture of an efficiently radiating material (selenium) in the gain medium (carbon). Comparison is made with a recent observation of gain in an experiment done by a group from the Naval Research Laboratory and the University of Rochester, with carbon–selenium plasma for the n = 3 → 2 transition in C vi occurring at 182 A. The predicted maximum gain is ~10 cm−1 as compared with the observation of 2–3 cm−1.
Precision Control of Piezoelectric Actuators With an Inversion-Based Approach

The emphasis in this study is on the compensation of the uncertainties associated with piezoelectric actuators for precise nanomanipulation. A cascade model for creep, hysteresis, and vibrational dynamics of the piezoelectric actuator is proposed. The procedure for identifying the model parameters by experimental data is introduced. The identified model is employed to develop an inverse-based feedforward compensator. This study presents a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the proposed method. As a result, this proposed approach can lead to a software-compensated platform for precise nanomanipulation.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A super high rate straw drift chamber

Abstract We have devised a technique to read out a sense wire inside a straw tube in many independent sections without bulky plates between sections, thus reducing the occupancy considerably. Based on this technique, a prototype chamber is constructed, which is suitable for extremely high rate environments.
Performance of a long-wave infrared hyperspectral imager using a Sagnac interferometer and an uncooled microbolometer array

Field and laboratory measurements using an interferometer spectrometer based on the Sagnac interferometer using a microbolometer array detector are presented. Remotely obtained signatures collected with this instrument and with a cryogenic IR spectrometer are compared and shown to closely correspond. Ground-to-ground and air-to-ground image products are presented that demonstrate the image quality of the sensor. Signal-to-noise measurements are presented and compared with a simple parametric performance model that predicts the sensor performance. The performance model is used to predict the performance of this technology when equipped with cooled detectors.
Selective vapor-phase hydrodeoxygenation of anisole to benzene on molybdenum carbide catalysts

Abstract Vapor-phase hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of anisole over Mo 2 C catalysts at low temperatures (420–520 K) and ambient pressure showed (1) remarkable selectivity for C–O bond cleavage, giving benzene selectivity >90% among C 6 + products, (2) high hydrogen efficiency for the HDO reaction as indicated by low cyclohexane selectivity ( 2 /anisole pressure, and the preferential inhibition of benzene synthesis rates upon introduction of CO relative to isotopic HD exchange suggest that catalytic sites for H 2 activation are distinct from those required for the activation of anisole. The involvement of metallic sites on Mo 2 C catalysts for this reaction was demonstrated by the nearly invariant benzene synthesis rate per CO chemisorption site.
Effect of adrenalectomy on amino acid incorporation into protein by cell-free preparation from liver and kidney of rats at various time after the operation

Abstract Amino acid incorporation into protein by liver ribonucleoprotein particles and kidney microsomes, obtained from normal and adrenalectomized rats, was investigated. The liver and kidney particles were prepared at various times, ranging from 3 h to 31 days after adrenalectomy. The 14C-incorporating activity of liver particles from adrenalectomized rats was greater than that observed with particles from liver of normal animals up to 15 days after adrenalectomy; at 21 and 31 days after the operation the liver particles showed an activity 60 and 80 %, respectively, of that of the control group. Microsomes from kidney of adrenalectomized rats demonstrated an incorporating activity higher than that of the microsomes from kidney of normal animals at all the times investigated; a sharp increase was observed at 21 and 31 days after adrenalectomy, when the activity of the liver particles was low. A correlation was established between incorporating activity of liver and kidney particles; to an increase or decrease in the activity of the particles from the liver corresponded a decrease or an increase, respectively, in the activity of the kidney microsomes. The 14C-incorporating activity of both liver and kidney particles was directly proportional to the ratio of μg RNA to mg protein in these particles up to 15 days after adrenalectomy, deviations occurring at more prolonged time after the operation.
Errors in Measuring and Interpreting Values of Coupling Constants J from PE.COSY Experiments

Abstract The accuracy of the measured coupling constants J in a PE.COSY experiment is discussed in terms of the linewidth effects and, more importantly, the effect of transverse cross relaxation, which modulates the chemical shift, phase, and linewidth of the multiplet components. The 36° PE.COSY spectra were calculated as a function of the correlation time for a scalar-coupled four-spin system by solving the complete Liouville equation. The interproton distances and J values of the spin system were chosen to model accurately the H1′-H2′ R -H2′ S -H3′ atoms of a typical B-form DNA sugar ring. The results show that cross-relaxation effects modulate the measured coupling constants J H1′-H2′ R and J H1′-H2′ S . Furthermore, the linewidth effect, which may cause unequal cancellation in the PE.COSY cross-peak pattern, also compromises the accuracy of the J (H1′-H2′ R ) measurement, but not that of the J H1′-H2′ S measurement. Conditions for equal cancellation in E.COSY or PE.COSY cross-peak patterns are discussed. The trend in the calculated apparent values of coupling constants for H1′-H2′ R and H1′-H2′ S with increasing correlation time shows that, if the effects of transverse cross relaxation and/or unequal cancellation are ignored in analyzing DNA sugar conformation, either an unrealistically exaggerated N-S dynamic equilibrium or an erroneous static sugar conformation will be inferred using Karplus-type relationships calibrated on small molecules.
Cell elongation in the grass pulvinus in response to geotropic stimulation and auxin application.

Horizontally-placed segments of Avena sativa L. shoots show a negative geotropic response after a period of 30 min. This response is based on cell elongation on the lower side of the leaf-sheath base (pulvinus). Triticum aestivum L., Hordeum vulgare L. and Secale cereale L. also show geotropic responses that are similar to those in Avena shoots. The pulvinus is a highly specialized organ with radial symmetry and is made up of epidermal, vascular, parenchymatous and collenchymatous tissues. Statoliths, which are confined to parenchyma cells around the vascular bundles, sediment towards the gravitational field within 10–15 min of geotropic stimulation. Collenchymatous cells occur as prominent bundle caps, and in Avena, they occupy about 30% of the volume of the pulvinus. Geotropic stimulation causes a 3- to 5-fold increase in the length of the cells on the side nearest to the center of the gravitational field. Growth can also be initiated in vertically-held pulvini by the application of indole-3-acetic acid, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid or 2.4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. 2.3.5.-triiodobenzoic acid interferes with growth response produced by geotropic stimulation as well as with the response caused by auxin application. Gibberellic acid and kinetin have no visible effect on the growth of the pulvinus. Polarization microscopy shows a unique, non-uniform stretching of the elongating collenchymatous cells. Nonelongated collenchymatous cells appear uniformally anisotropic. After geotropic stimulation or auxin application, they appear alternately anisotropic and almost isotropic. Such a pattern of cell elongation is also observed in collenchyma cells of geotropically-stimulated shoots of Rumex acetosa L., a dicotyledon.
Sliding-singlet mechanism revived

It is shown, using a modification of an idea of Sen, that completely realistic supersymmetric grand-unified theories based on SU(6) or larger unitary groups can be constructed using the sliding-singlet mechanism. These models have a simple structure, preserve the successful prediction of sin{sup 2}{theta}{sub W}, and can suppress Higgsino-mediated proton decay to an acceptable level in a simple way. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}