cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of IFN-β expression by a viral mRNA through RNase L and MDA5.

IFNs play a critical role in innate immunity against viral infections. Melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), an RNA helicase, is a key component in activating the expression of type I IFNs in response to certain types of viral infection. MDA5 senses noncellular RNA and triggers the signaling cascade that leads to IFN production. Synthetic double-stranded RNAs are known activators of MDA5. Natural single-stranded RNAs have not been reported to activate MDA5, however. We have serendipitously identified a viral mRNA from parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) that activates IFN expression through MDA5. We provide evidence that the signaling pathway includes the antiviral enzyme RNase L. The L mRNA of PIV5 activated expression of IFN-β. We have mapped the RNA to a region of 430 nucleotides within the L mRNA of PIV5. Our results indicate that a viral mRNA, with 5′-cap and 3′-poly (A), can activate IFN expression through an RNase L-MDA5 pathway.
Adolescent cognitive control and reward processing: Implications for risk taking and substance use

Adolescence is a unique, transitional period of human development. Once hallmark of this period is progressive improvements (relative to children) in cognitive control, core mental abilities enabling the 'top-down', endogenous control over behavior. However, as adolescents transition to more mature (adult) levels of functioning, limitations still exist in the ability to consistently and flexibly exert cognitive control across various contexts into the early twenties. Adolescence is also marked by peaks in sensation, novelty, and reward seeking behaviors thought to stem from normative increases in responsiveness in limbic and paralimbic brain structures, beginning around the onset of puberty. Asynchronous maturation in these systems during the adolescent period likely contributes to immature decision-making, strongly influenced by 'bottom-up' reward processes, and may help explain noted increases in risk taking behavior during adolescence. In this paper, structural and functional maturation in brain systems supporting reward and cognitive control processing are reviewed as a means to better understand risk taking. Particular emphasis is placed on adolescents' experimentation with drugs as a specific example of a risky behavior.
NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF TURBULENT BUBBLY FLOW UNDER BREAKING WAVES

We establish a framework for describing the spatial and temporal distribution of entrained air bubbles under breaking surface waves. The computational framework is based on a large eddy simulation (LES) in 3-D together with a VOF treatment of the air-water interface. An Eulerian multiphase approach is used in order to track the entrained bubbles as a number density distribution. Examples of numerical results for breaking periodic surf zone waves are illustrated.
Subclinic Hypothyroidism in Infants. Therapeutical and Diagnosis Considerations 7

The high response of TSH to the TRH is the first sign that is described in the impaired of the thyroid function, which is present with normal levels of thyroidal hormones (TH) and that is defined as subclinic hypothyroidism (ScH). There are some controversies about their ethiopathogenic mechanism, their related clinical aspects, response limit values of TSH to TRH, evolution and therapeutic conduct to be adopted. In order to try to bring some answers to these questions it was evaluated the behavior of 33 infants (CA 01·1.5y) 9 males and 24 females, hyperresponsives to the TRH test (30' cut-off level: 35 μUI/ml). Those patients were treated with LT4 (mean dose: 3.10 μg/kg/daily) in a variable period until obtaining the minimal age of 2 years old. The therapeutical support was stopped in 18 of 33 patients (54%) in order to evaluate persistence of ScH.
Effects of Climate on the Active Layer and Permafrost on the North Slope of Alaska, U.S.A.

Thermal regimes of the active layer and permafrost and their relations to the present-day climatic conditions on the north slope of Alaska, U.S.A. were investigated by using data collected over six years and by numerical modelling. The thickness of the active layer increases from the Arctic coast to the foothills of the Brooks Range and is directly proportional to summer air temperatures and thawing index. Within about 120 km from the Arctic coast, mean annual air temperature for the period from 1987 through 1992 was nearly constant at about −12.4±0.4°C, while the mean annual ground surface and permafrost surface temperatures increased more than 4°C. Variations in the length of thaw season and thawing index are the major factors which influence permafrost temperatures during the summer. Interactions of wind, microrelief, vegetation and seasonal snow cover and variations of physical (such as density and structure) and thermal properties of snow are the major factors affecting permafrost temperatures during the winter. The insulating effect of the seasonal snow cover could be either positive or negative on a daily basis depending upon the synoptic weather processes and on a monthly basis depending upon the time of year. On an annual basis, seasonal snow cover could increase the mean annual ground surface temperature by 2 to 7°C. Over a decade, snow cover also shows a strong effect on permafrost temperatures. Modelling results show that the depth hoar fraction of the seasonal snow cover varies from about 0.31 along the coast to about 0.57 inland. Higher permafrost temperatures along the foothills of the Brooks Range are the results of warm winters due to the impact of less strong atmospheric temperature inversion. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incidence and clinical course of hemorrhagic radiation proctitis after iodine-125 prostate brachytherapy.

Abstract Purpose Hemorrhagic radiation proctitis (HRP) is a potential complication of prostate brachytherapy. We sought to determine the incidence and clinical course of hemorrhagic radiation proctitis after iodine-125 (125I) prostate brachytherapy. Patients and Methods Between 1995 and 2003, 221 consecutive patients were treated at the Barrett Cancer Center with permanent 125I seed implantation for presumed localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate. No patients received EBRT. All cases of HRP were confirmed by colonoscopy. Median follow-up was 52 months. All patients were evaluated for HRP using a 5-grade rectal bleeding scale developed by the Radiation Therapeutic Oncology Group. Results Thirty-three patients experienced grade ≤ 1 toxicity at some point after treatment. Twenty patients developed grade 2 toxicity, 9 developed grade 3, and 2 developed grade 4. The median time to onset of symptoms of HRP was 14 months. The incidence of HRP had a bimodal temporal onset, with a peak seen at 4 months and a second larger peak at 16 months. Peak toxicity occurred at 18 months after the onset of rectal bleeding, after which there was a sharp decline in toxicity. Conclusion This study demonstrates tolerable rectal morbidity after transperineal prostate brachytherapy of the prostate. Hemorrhagic radiation proctitis occurring after brachytherapy for prostate cancer is usually self-limiting and frequently resolves without treatment or with minor medical treatment. Patients develop HRP soon after treatment or after a delay in treatment. Symptoms appear to peak 18 months after the onset of HRP.
Pseudodifferential Operators on Modulation Spaces

Abstract We establish a connection between certain classes of pseudodifferential operators and Hille–Tamarkin operators. As an application, we find the conditions that guarantee compactness and summability of the eigenvalues of pseudodifferential operators acting on the modulation spaces M p , p .
Reduction of the volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area by in utero ethanol exposure in male rats

Ethanol consumption during pregnancy has been demonstrated to result in alterations in central nervous system structure and function. Albino female rats were given either a liquid diet containing ethanol (5% w/v), a liquid diet which contained maltose-dextrin substituted isocalorically for the alcohol, or laboratory chow and water throughout pregnancy and for 14 days following birth. The volumes of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) and the nucleus accumbens septi (ACN) were measured in adult male rats exposed in utero and postnatally to these diets. Adult male rats exposed to ethanol in utero exhibit significantly smaller SDN-POA volumes (P less than 0.02) when compared to those of animals which received the control diets during the gestational period and postnatally. Ethanol treatment did not significantly influence the volume of the ACN. The results indicate that maternal ethanol consumption during pregnancy retards or inhibits SDN-POA development in fetal ethanol exposed male rats when compared to the nuclear volume in rats whose mothers were not exposed to ethanol during pregnancy.
Pharmacokinetic aspects of biotechnology products

In recent years, biotechnologically derived peptide and protein-based drugs have developed into mainstream therapeutic agents. Peptide and protein drugs now constitute a substantial portion of the compounds under preclinical and clinical development in the global pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacokinetic and exposure/response evaluations for peptide and protein therapeutics are frequently complicated by their similarity to endogenous peptides and proteins as well as protein nutrients. The first challenge frequently comes from a lack of sophistication in various analytical techniques for the quantification of peptide and protein drugs in biological matrices. However, advancements in bioassays and immunoassays--along with a newer generation of mass spectrometry-based techniques--can often provide capabilities for both efficient and reliable detection. Selection of the most appropriate route of administration for biotech drugs requires comprehensive knowledge of their absorption characteristics beyond physicochemical properties, including chemical and metabolic stability at the absorption site, immunoreactivity, passage through biomembranes, and active uptake and exsorption processes. Various distribution properties dictate whether peptide and protein therapeutics can reach optimum target site exposure to exert the intended pharmacological response. This poses a potential problem, especially for large protein drugs, with their typically limited distribution space. Binding phenomena and receptor-mediated cellular uptake may further complicate this issue. Elimination processes--a critical determinant for the drug's systemic exposure--may follow a combination of numerous pathways, including renal and hepatic metabolism routes as well as generalized proteolysis and receptor-mediated endocytosis. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) correlations for peptide and protein-based drugs are frequently convoluted by their close interaction with endogenous substances and physiologic regulatory feedback mechanisms. Extensive use of pharmacokinetic and exposure/response concepts in all phases of drug development has in the past been identified as a crucial factor for the success of a scientifically driven, evidence-based, and thus accelerated drug development process. Thus, PK/PD concepts are likely to continue and expand their role as a fundamental factor in the successful development of biotechnologically derived drug products in the future.
BASELINE STUDIES OF THE CLAY MINERALS SOCIETY SOURCE CLAYS: INTRODUCTION

Clay minerals share a basic set of structural and chemical characteristics (e.g. they are largely aluminosilicates with layer structures) and yet each clay mineral has its own unique set of properties that determine how it will interact with other chemical species. The variation, in both chemistry and structure, among the clays leads to their applications in extremely diverse fields. Common and important industrial applications of clays are in the manufacture of paper, paint, plastics and rubber. One of their more recent and most economically important applications is in the pet-litter industry where their adsorptive and deodorizing properties are used. Specialty uses include clay additive to chicken feed to boost nutritional uptake by the chicken, and in using clay as fillers and major ingredients in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Clays are used for their catalytic properties and for their ability to adsorb greases, fats and other organic materials. Those who exist with scarce resources frequently collect clays from local deposits and ingest them as a source of dietary minerals. It is difficult for a day to go by without using a product incorporating clay minerals, as we all use ceramics such …
Computational challenge - Euler solution for ellipses

The present treatment of the inviscid flow past an ellipse via the numerical solution of the Euler equations yields a lifting solution for any combination of grid and/or angle of attack which is nonsymmetric, in order to illustrate the CFD challenge posed by this unusual flow behavior. The results obtained call into question the general capability and validity of numerical Euler results in the realm of conventional difference methods; specifically, the mechanism generating lifting results is not understood, and the problem's resolution is not yet in sight.
Preparation and biological properties of biotinylated PhTX derivatives.

Abstract We report the synthesis of several highly functionalized biotinylated philanthotoxin (PhTX) analogues ( 7 , 8 , 10 , 13 – 16 ) designed on the basis of earlier structure–activity relationship studies. Despite the extensive modifications, the binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is in the low micromolar range according to an inhibition assay using 3 H-thienylcyclohexyl-piperidine (TCP). A patch clamp functional assay gave comparable results. Compounds exemplified by 16 , which consists of a biotinylated ligand linked to a bifunctional photoaffinity probe (BPP), represent a new type of probe which should find use in photo-cross-linking studies of ligand–receptor interactions.
Hydrothermal degradation of polybenzimidazole coating

The usefulness of a room-temperature film-forming polybenzimidazole (PBI) resin as a high-temperature anti-corrosion coating for carbon steel in geothermal environments was evaluated. PBI displayed thermal stability at temperatures up to 600 °C. However, when its film was exposed to 300 °C brine, it underwent hydrolysis, which causes the opening and breakage of imidazole rings in the PBI structure, followed by the formation of two hydrolysate derivatives, biphenyl tetra-amine and benzodicarboxylic acid. This shortcoming lowered the film's maximum effectiveness in minimizing the rate of transportation through it of corrosive electrolytes in hydrothermal environments. As a result, the PBI coating film was hydrothermally degraded, and it delaminated from the underlying steel substrates after a 14-day exposure.
Unravelling the effects of the environment and host genotype on the gut microbiome

To what extent do host genetics control the composition of the gut microbiome? Studies comparing the gut microbiota in human twins and across inbred mouse lines have yielded inconsistent answers to this question. However, candidate gene approaches, in which one gene is deleted or added to a model host organism, show that a single host gene can have a tremendous effect on the diversity and population structure of the gut microbiota. Now, quantitative genetics is emerging as a highly promising approach that can be used to better understand the overall architecture of host genetic influence on the microbiota, and to discover additional host genes controlling microbial diversity in the gut. In this Review, we describe how host genetics and the environment shape the microbiota, and how these three factors may interact in the context of chronic disease.
Identification of a tRNA nucleotidyltransferase and its substrates in virions of avian RNA tumor viruses

Abstract Purified preparations of avian RNA tumor viruses contain a nucleotidyltransferase which catalyzes the addition of adenosine monophosphate and cytosine monophosphate at the 3′-end of certain transfer RNAs, probably in the sequence pCpCpAoh. The reaction can be carried out with physically intact virions treated with a low concentration of nonionic detergent. Under these circumstances, a number of the distinct tRNAs associated with virions of RSV, but not those associated with the viral genome, serve as substrate for the enzyme. Disruption of the virions with higher concentrations of nonionic detergent permits the transferase to utilize exogenously added tRNA as substrate.
Estimating software component reliability by leveraging architectural models

Software reliability techniques are aimed at reducing or eliminat-ing failures in software systems. Reliability in software systems istypically measured during or after system implementation. How-ever, software engineering methodology lays stress on doing the"correct things" early on in the software development lifecycle inorder to curb development and maintenance costs. In this paper, wepropose a framework for reliability estimation of software compo-nents at the level of software architecture.
Mental health of Asian American and Pacific Islander military veterans: brief review of an understudied group.

ABSTRACTThe mental health of American military soldiers and veterans is of widespread concern; yet, there has been no prior review of studies on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) veterans. This article provides a brief, but comprehensive review of the mental health of AAPI veterans. An exhaustive literature search was conducted using the major medical and mental health literature databases. Of 13 identified articles, nine were empirical studies on either post-traumatic stress disorder among AAPI Vietnam veterans or health functioning of AAPI veterans based on national veteran surveys. Findings from these studies showed that some AAPI veterans who served during the Vietnam War encountered racism from fellow soldiers and race-related stressors were associated with more severe post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. As a group, AAPI veterans were found to be physically healthier than other veterans, but reported poorer mental health and were less likely to use mental health services. However, th...
Quantitative color variation within and across morphs of the polymorphic White-throated Sparrow

ABSTRACT Coloration has evolved to serve diverse functions, including communication. In species with discrete color polymorphisms, the extent to which color variation exists within morphs and communicates multiple messages often remains unclear. We employed reflectance spectrometry to study variation in coloration in the dimorphic White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), which exhibits a “white” and “tan” morph in both sexes. We explored whether distinct color traits distinguish between morph and sex classes, and whether color variation exists within classes that might reflect differences in individual quality. Further, we asked whether sexual dichromatism is more pronounced in the white morph, in which males display greater promiscuity and aggression and, thus, may be under stronger sexual selection for conspicuous coloration. Distinct aspects of crown plumage coloration differentiated the two morphs versus the two sexes and multiple types of coloration were associated with a morph, suggesting bo...
Pt-SO2−4-ZrO2 Catalysts: The Impact of Water on Their Activity for Hydrocarbon Conversion

A series of experiments were conducted to determine the effect of water on the activity of platinum promoted sulfated zirconia catalysts. The initial set of experiments showed that the catalyst exposed to various water partial pressures generated a Type II adsorption isotherm. The activity measurements, as defined by hexadecane conversions, showed that a ratio of approximately 0.5 mol H{sub 2}O absorbed per sulfate molecule the water was functioning as a poison. A second set of experiments was designed to generate water in situ by alcohol dehydration for lower ratios of H{sub 2}O to sulfate than 0.5. These activity measurements showed that water was acting as a poison at these lower ratios and the resulting decline in activity was approximately zero order in water. In addition, the data indicate that the active site for hexadecane conversation is not a Broensted acid site that is generated by an interaction with added water. 39 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.
Constructing Cultural Competence: Perspectives of Family Therapists Working with Latino Families

This article focuses on developing an understanding of how nine therapists working with Latino families construct the idea of cultural competence in the counseling room. In-depth interviews were conducted and analyzed yielding five themes in cultural competence from the therapists' perspectives: the use of language in therapy; the impact of social class, gender, and power on the therapeutic relationship; immigration and culture clash; definitions of family; and unique constructions of cultural competence. The therapists'narratives in this study are best understood through a postmodern paradigm suggesting that the field of psychotherapy needs to move beyond a “checklist” modernistic approach to developing cultural competency.
Noninvasive imaging of biological tissue with dual-wavelength optical coherence tomography

We demonstrate the potential of dual-wavelength optical coherence-domain tomography (OCT) for noninvasive imaging of biological tissue in vivo. A prototype mono-mode fiber-optic coherence tomographic scanner is described, capable of providing rapid 2-D and 3-D images of biological tissues. The advantages of employing a dual-wavelength method for enhancing OCT image contrast, particularly in highly scattering tissue, are discussed. In the current OCT system, a long-wavelength superluminescence diode (SLD) emitting at 1.3-micrometer and a shorter-wavelength SLD emitting at 0.83-micrometer are used as light sources. Because of the optical configuration of dual-wavelength system, we can image the biological tissue at these two wavelengths simultaneously while avoiding the 'mode hopping' effects in the optical fibers. The experimental results demonstrate good correlation between tissue microstructures at these two wavelengths and show that image registration can effectively reduce speckle effects, suggesting that the dual-wavelength OCT has the potential for image contrast enhancement in highly scattering tissue.
Development of formulated reference sediments for freshwater and estuarine sediment testing

Sediments collected at various field locations may have chemical and physical constituents that influence test results and may contain organisms that cannot be readily removed. Thus, reference sediments are needed that can be formulated to match diverse freshwater and estuarine sediments encountered in comprehensive testing programs. This research evaluated formulated reference sediments in terms of (a) their ability to match field-collected sediments both chemically and physically; (b) their suitability as habitant (survival and reproduction) for typical invertebrate toxicity testing species (Hyalella azteca Saussure, Chironomus tentans Fabricius, and Daphnia magna Straus) during chronic exposures; and (c) their suitability as a substrate for Hyalella azteca, Chironomus tentans, Daphnia magna, Ceriodaphnia dubia Richard, and Pimephales promelas Rafinesque in 14-d whole-sediment exposures. Formulated reference sediments were prepared to match naturally occurring sediments with respect to particle-size distribution, organic matter, organic carbon, pH, solids, CEC, but not redox potential. After preparation, a conditioning period of at least 7 d was required for pH stabilization of formulated reference sediments. In culture experiments, formulated reference sediments was suitable for Hyalella azteca, Chironomus tentans, and Daphnia magna survival and reproduction for 56,40, and 28 d, respectively. Hyalella azteca, Chironomus tentans, Daphnia magna, Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas survival more » was [>=] 88% in 14-d exposures to formulated reference sediment. Formulated reference sediments may reduce some unexplained physical, chemical, or biological toxicity'' of field-collected sediments (e.g., organic matter) that may influence toxicity testing results. « less
On the use of interpretive structural modeling for worth assessment

Abstract In this research, we examine the use of interpretive structural modeling in worth assessment. Interpretive structural modeling is a tool which permits identification of structure within a system. The system may be technical, social, medical or any system which contains identifiable elements which are related to one another in some fashion. The system may be large or small in terms of numbers of elements; and it is the larger, complex systems which benefit the most from interpretive structural modeling. We present a tutorial discussion of the underlying theory for interpretive structural modeling by discussing nets, relations, and digraphs. In our explanation of Warfield's partitioning techniques, we clarify some of the theoretical concepts used in structural modeling; and we present an alternate algorithm for realizing the structural model without determining the adjacency matrix. We define the concept of order in a structural model and prove a theorem useful in determining the type of order. We also define a special type of structural model, the single sink digraph tree, and prove a theorem useful in determining whether a given structural model is a single sink digraph tree. We apply interpretive structural model to the worth assessment problem and describe a procedure which is useful in determining the worth assessment hierarchy. Computer implementation of the structural modeling and worth assessment procedure is discussed.
Additional studies on the effects of neonatal thymectomy and lactate dehydrogenase virus infection on mice

Die gegebenen Befunde lassen vermuten, dass neonatale Thymektomie und/oder Infektion mit LDH-Virus einen Effekt auf eine Anzahl von Faktoren wie LDH-Plasma-Spiegel, Gewichtserhohung und Lebensdauer in Mausen hervorrufen konnen. Der Virustiter im Plasma ist vom Zeitpunkt der Infektion abhangig.
Protective immunity against enteric septicaemia in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), following controlled exposure to Edwardsiella ictaluri

Protective immunity against enteric septicaemia of catfish (ESC) following immunization with Edwardsiella ictaluri bacterins and exposure to live E. ictaluri was investigated. Mean cumulative percentage survival was significantly higher (P 0.05) in controlled live vaccinates (100%) than in immersion and oral bacterin vaccinates (68.3% and 50.0%, respectively). Bactericidal activity against E. ictaluri by peritoneal macrophages from controlled live vaccinates (85.9%) was significantly greater (P 0.05) than bactericidal activity of macrophages from immersion bacterin vaccinates (71.4%) or non-vaccinates (68.1%). No significant (P > 0.05) difference was found in the bactericidal activity of macrophages from oral bacterin vaccinates and macrophages from controlled live vaccinates. The E. ictaluri-specific antibody response of controlled live (0.08 OD) and immersion bacterin vaccinates (0.11 OD) was significantly higher (P 0.05) than that of oral bacterin vaccinates and non-vaccinates (0.01 OD) 15 days post-vaccination. A significantly higher antibody response was seen in controlled live vaccinates (0.17 OD), when compared to other vaccinates or non-vaccinates 33 days after vaccination. Neither immersion nor oral bacterins protected the vaccinates against ESC. Controlled live E. ictaluri immunization of channel catfish resulted in production of specific antibodies, increased macrophage bactericidal activity and protection against ESC.
The Home-School Partnership: Learning to Share Accountability

(1984). The Home-School Partnership: Learning to Share Accountability. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 57, No. 7, pp. 315-317.
The effect of various vitamin D supplementation regimens in breast cancer patients

Vitamin D deficiency in the patients treated for breast cancer is associated with numerous adverse effects (bone loss, arthralgia, and falls). The first aim of this study was to assess vitamin D status, determined by 25-OH vitamin D levels, among women diagnosed with breast cancer according to demographic/clinical variables and bone mineral density (BMD). The second aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of daily low-dose and weekly high-dose vitamin D supplementation on 25-OH vitamin D levels. This retrospective study included 224 women diagnosed with stage 0-III breast cancer who received treatment at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Total 25-OH vitamin D levels (D(2) + D(3)) were determined at baseline for all participants. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25-OH vitamin D level < 20 ng/ml, insufficiency as 20-31 ng/ml, and sufficiency as ≥32 ng/ml. BMD was assessed during the period between 3 months before and 6 months following the baseline vitamin D assessment. Based on the participants' baseline levels, they received either no supplementation, low-dose supplementation (1,000 IU/day), or high-dose supplementation (≥50,000 IU/week), and 25-OH vitamin D was reassessed in the following 8-16 weeks. Approximately 66.5% had deficient/insufficient vitamin D levels at baseline. Deficiency/insufficiency was more common among non-Caucasians, women with later-stage disease, and those who had previously received radiation therapy (P < 0.05). Breast cancer patients with deficient/insufficient 25-OH vitamin D levels had significantly lower lumbar BMD (P = 0.03). Compared to the no-supplementation group, weekly high-dose supplementation significantly increased 25-OH vitamin D levels, while daily low-dose supplementation did not significantly increase levels. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were common among women with breast cancer and associated with reduced BMD in the spine. Clinicians should carefully consider vitamin D supplementation regimens when treating vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in breast cancer patients.
An empirical analysis of the optimal overbooking policies for US major airlines

Abstract Overbooking in the airline industry has been studied intensively. However, these studies have paid little attention to the future revenue implications of rejecting (bumping) passengers. This paper seeks the optimal overbooking policies for US major airlines by considering how denied-boarding passengers would behave after they are bumped. The results imply that overbooking improves an airline's “current” revenue, but it also reduces the airline's future revenues. The results also imply that, although there is a significant negative overbooking effect, no airline should decrease overbooking levels because the positive side of overbooking is so strong that it more than offsets its negative side.
Junctional complex and focal adhesion rearrangement mediates pulmonary endothelial barrier enhancement by FTY720 S-phosphonate.

Rationale Modulation of pulmonary vascular barrier function is an important clinical goal given the devastating effects of vascular leak in acute lung injury (ALI). We previously demonstrated that FTY720 S-phosphonate (Tys), an analog of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and FTY720, has more potent pulmonary barrier protective effects than these agents in vitro and in mouse models of ALI. Tys preserves expression of the barrier-promoting S1P1 receptor (S1PR1), whereas S1P and FTY720 induce its ubiquitination and degradation. Here we further characterize the novel barrier promoting effects of Tys in cultured human pulmonary endothelial cells (EC).
Survival, Differentiation, and Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Human Stem Cells Complexed With Neurotrophin-3-Releasing Pharmacologically Active Microcarriers in an Ex Vivo Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Stem cell-based regenerative therapies hold great potential for the treatment of degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). We recently reported the repair and functional recovery after treatment with human marrow-isolated adult multilineage inducible (MIAMI) cells adhered to neurotrophin-3 (NT3) releasing pharmacologically active microcarriers (PAMs) in hemiparkinsonian rats. In order to comprehend this effect, the goal of the present work was to elucidate the survival, differentiation, and neuroprotective mechanisms of MIAMI cells and human neural stem cells (NSCs), both adhering to NT3-releasing PAMs in an ex vivo organotypic model of nigrostriatal degeneration made from brain sagittal slices. It was shown that PAMs led to a marked increase in MIAMI cell survival and neuronal differentiation when releasing NT3. A significant neuroprotective effect of MIAMI cells adhering to PAMs was also demonstrated. NSCs barely had a neuroprotective effect and differentiated mostly into dopaminergic neuronal cells when adhering to PAM-NT3. Moreover, those cells were able to release dopamine in a sufficient amount to induce a return to baseline levels. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analyses identified vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stanniocalcin-1 as potential mediators of the neuroprotective effect of MIAMI cells and NSCs, respectively. It was also shown that VEGF locally stimulated tissue vascularization, which might improve graft survival, without excluding a direct neuroprotective effect of VEGF on dopaminergic neurons. These results indicate a prospective interest of human NSC/PAM and MIAMI cell/PAM complexes in tissue engineering for PD.
Ranald MacDonald: Pacific Rim Adventurer

I F YOU ARE a fur trade aficionado, especially of Hudson ' s Bay Company (HBC) lore and lives, you will have heard of Ranald MacDonald. His life, by any measure, was adventurous and his legacy long-lasting, and references to him crop up in many HBC and Pacific Northwest histories. The first son of HBC clerk Archibald McDonald (his children adopted the "Mac" spelling) and Koale'zoa, daughter of the Chinook leader Concomly, Ranald lived a long life (1824-94) during which he spent time as a child and young man at Ft. George and Ft. Vancouver in the Columbia District as well as at Red River in Rupert's Land and St. Thomas, Upper Canada. British as an outcome of the American Revolution and the War of 1812 made a hero of a man who was rejected by a British company and betrayed by rogue Americans. Douglas, striving to maintain British control on a volatile frontier, was perceived to be autocratic by settlers from Upper Canada, who had very recently achieved responsible government.
Singlet oxygen kinetics inside living cells: observation of endogenous quencher consumption and consequences for the spatial resolution in time-resolved measurements

The consumption of singlet oxygen quenchers during illumination of cells incubated with photosensitizers is a serious issue for the determination of singlet oxygen kinetics in cells. Using LNCaP cells incubated with pheophorbide a it will be shown, that already an illumination of 100 nJ/cell dramatically changes the value of the observables. This finding has consequences for the spatial resolution of any time-resolved singlet oxygen measurement, since the radiative rate constant of singlet oxygen in aqueous solutions is very small.
Determination of Mercury-Containing Pharmaceuticals by Vapor Phase Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Abstract A procedure was developed for the determination of mercurials of pharmaceutical interest. Protic acid cleavage of the compound was followed by reduction of the resulting mercuric ion and vapor phase atomic absorption spectroscopy. This procedure was applied to 11 different mercurial compounds in various pharmaceutical preparations and offers excellent sensitivity with respect to presently used compendial assays. Comparative analytical data between this procedure and compendial methodology are presented.
A high-field high-frequency permeance meter for thin-film materials

Inductors using thin-film magnetic cores are attractive for high-frequency power converters. For developing accurate loss models for these inductors complex permeability measurements of the thin-film core materials have to be made at high magnetic fields and high frequencies. We describe a high-field high-frequency permeance meter capable of measuring complex permeability of thin-film materials in the 50 MHz frequency range with applied fields up to about 100 Oe.
Implementation of NQS effects in large-signal BJT models

Large-signal implementation of non-quasistatic (NQS) effects in bipolar transistors is reviewed. An approach strategy is proposed that allows bilateral translation between small- and large-signal equivalent circuits. The approach is illustrated by translating simple small-signal equations commonly used in BJT modeling, as well as more complicated ones proposed in the literature. The present approach extends the state of art by considering arbitrary bias dependence of small-signal time constants.
Continuous Tunable Delays at 10-Gb/s Data Rates Using Self-Phase Modulation and Dispersion

We demonstrate all-optical tunable delays in optical fiber at communication data rates via dispersion and wavelength conversion using nonlinear spectral broadening and filtering. A second wavelength-conversion stage is implemented such that the output wavelength of the delay generator is the same as the input wavelength. With this scheme, we achieve continuously tunable delays over a range of 250 ps for 5.4-ps-long pulses at a data rate of 10 Gb/s. The delay generator does not exhibit any measurable pulse distortion and offers potential scalability to data rates as high as 60 Gb/s. The reconfiguration rate of the delay generator is limited by the tuning speed of the bandpass filter used in the wavelength-conversion stage.
Growth of Tetragonal Zirconia Coatings by Reactive Sputter Deposition

Zirconia coatings were produced by reactive dc magnetron sputter deposition, using a system with multiple sputter sources and a biased substrate stage. Tetragonal zirconia with either a random orientation or a highly (111) preferred orientation was formed by applying a substrate bias. Coating grown with no substrate bias had the equilibrium monoclinic structure. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that bias sputtering could effectively decrease crystalline size in the as-deposited coating, which resulted in room-temperature stabilization of the tetragonal phase. The fraction of tetragonal phase, the desired phase for transformation-toughening behavior, was strongly dependent on the substrate bias and post-deposition annealing temperature.
Extracellular protease activation and unraveling of the myocardial interstitium: critical steps toward clinical applications

Congestive heart failure is a complex pathophysiological process in which a significant biological underpinning is left ventricular (LV) failure. Part of the natural advancement to failure is myocardial remodeling, most commonly from adaptation to a pathological stimulus. LV remodeling can be
Connecting academic and student services

The reality of educating students often at risk in an elite research university setting has forced academic and student affairs professionals to think creatively.
Relationship between mineralogy and porosity in seals relevant to geologic CO2 sequestration

Porosity and permeability are key petrophysical variables that link the thermal, hydrological, geochemical, and geomechanical properties of subsurface formations. The size, shape, distribution, and connectivity of rock pores dictate how fluids migrate into and through micro- and nano-environments, then wet and react with accessible solids. Three representative samples of cap rock from the Eau Claire Formation, the prospective sealing unit that overlies the Mount Simon Sandstone, a potential CO2 storage formation, were interrogated with an array of complementary methods. neutron scattering, backscattered-electron imaging, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and mercury porosimetry. Results are presented that detail variations between lithologic types in total and connected nano- to microporosity across more than five orders of magnitude. Pore types are identified and then characterized according to presence in each rock type, relative abundance, and surface area of adjacent minerals, pore and pore-throat diameters, and degree of connectivity. We observe a bimodal distribution of porosity as a function of both pore diameter and pore-throat diameter. The contribution of pores at the nano- and microscales to the total and the connected porosity is a distinguishing feature of each lithology observed. Pore:pore-throat ratios at each of these two scales diverge markedly, being almost unity at the nanoscale regime (dominated by illitic clay and micas), and varying by one and a half orders of magnitude at the microscale within a clastic mudstone. Individual minerals, primarily illite and glauconite, have unmistakable pore and pore-throat signatures and contribute disproportionately to connected reactive surface area. The pore types created or evolved during diagenesis mediate profound differences between bulk and pore-network-accessible mineral associations in the mudstones. Results of this study can ultimately be used to inform reactive-transport simulations of effective reactive surface area.
Path-by-path optimal control of switched and Markovian jump linear systems

A receding-horizon-type LQG control problem for switched linear systems is proposed and applied to the case of Markov switching. The objective is to determine a linear dynamic output feedback control law that minimizes a finite-horizon quadratic cost over all admissible future switching paths subject to almost sure uniform stability of the closed-loop system. A solution is determined by running a series of semidefinite programs offline until a saturation in achievable performance is reached.
Coherent manipulation of quadrupole biexcitons in cuprous oxide by 2D femtosecond spectroscopy

We propose using coherent optical spectroscopy to study and control optically-forbidden (dark) biexciton states in crystals of cuprous oxide. These states are revealed in the correlation spectra cross resonances due to coherence with the quadrupole allowed 1S exciton manifold. The signal is obtained by means of sum-over-state formalism and comparing equations of motion for the weakly interacting quadrupole excitons with their analogue of non-interacting quasiparticles. The dephasing mechanisms include rapid Auger relaxation of biexcitons which allegedly impedes the Bose–Einstein condensation of quadrupole excitons. An interesting effect attributed to the deviation of the quadrupole excitons from the ortho–para excitons picture is that the positions of the biexciton resonances are defined by the energy splitting between and excitons and can be tuned by an external perturbation. Possible quantum computing and lasing applications of the quadrupole induced chirality effects of the excitons and biexcitons, and coherence between exciton/biexciton manifolds are discussed.
Vocal activity of tropical dolphins is inhibited by the presence of killer whales, Orcinus orca

Research has suggested killer whale (Orcinus orca) predation may affect cetacean vocal behavior; however, few data exist to test this hypothesis. Data collected during 40,976 km of visual and acoustic shipboard surveys in the tropical Pacific Ocean, including 1,232 detections of 13 species, were examined to determine if changes in dolphin vocal activity could be attributed to the presence of killer whales. Generalized linear models and Random Forest analyses were used to test the hypothesis that dolphin vocal activity was related to the distance and time to the nearest killer whale sighting. Both results show that dolphin vocalizations were inversely correlated with the temporal proximity of killer whales (P < 0.05). Despite the relative rarity of killer whales in the tropics, they appear to influence vocal behavior of nearby dolphin schools. This disruption in communication may not significantly impact interactions necessary for survival in tropical waters where killer whale density is low. However, in temperate climates, where increased productivity supports a greater abundance of killer whales, this interruption in communication may have a greater impact. The lower incidence of whistling dolphins in temperate waters may be related to the greater abundance of killer whales in these areas.
THE CRIME-CONTROL EFFECT OF INCARCERATION: DOES SCALE MATTER?*

Research Summary: Several prominent empirical studies estimate models of a constant proportional effect of prison on crime, finding that effect is substantial and negative. A separate literature argues against the crime-reducing effect of prison but mainly on theoretical grounds. This second literature suggests that the elasticity of the prison/crime relationship is not constant. We provide a model that nests these two literatures. Using data from the United States over 30 years, we find strong evidence that the negative relationship between prison and crime becomes less strongly negative as the scale of imprisonment increases. This revisionist model indicates that (1) at low levels of incarceration, a constant elasticity model underestimates the negative relationship between incarceration and crime, and (2) at higher levels of incarceration, the constant elasticity model overstates the negative effect. Policy Implications: These results go beyond the claim of declining marginal returns, instead finding accelerating declining marginal returns. As the prison population continues to increase, albeit at a slower rate, after three decades of phenomenal growth, these findings provide an important caution that for many jurisdictions, the point of accelerating declining marginal returns may have set in. Any policy discussion of the appropriate scale of punishment should be concerned with the empirical impact of this expensive and intrusive government intervention.
Total body weight and waist circumference associated with chronic periodontitis among adolescents in the United States

Objective To investigate whether measures of obesity are associated with periodontitis. Design A case-control study. Setting A nationally representative sample using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants The sample included 2452 nonsmokers, aged 13 to 21 years, who received a periodontal examination and had complete information for age, sex, and smoking habits. Main Exposures Skinfold thickness, weight, and waist circumference were examined as independent variables in logistic regression models. Final models were adjusted for sex, race/ethnicity, poverty index ratio, last dental visit, and self-reported calcium intake. Main Outcome Measures Cases were subjects with the presence of 1 or more periodontal sites with both a loss of tissue attachment of 3 mm and a probing depth of 3 mm (n = 111). Subjects who did not meet these criteria were classified as controls (n = 2341). Results Total body weight and waist circumference were associated with periodontitis, but the association varied by age. Adolescents aged 13 to 16 years were not at increased risk of chronic periodontitis, while adolescents aged 17 to 21 years had an increased risk per 1-kg increase in body weight (adjusted odds ratio, 1.06 [95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.09]). Similarly, adolescents aged 13 to 16 years were not at increased risk for periodontal disease, while adolescents aged 17 to 21 years were at an increased risk of periodontal disease per 1-cm increase in waist circumference (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05 [95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.08]). Conclusion Periodontitis may follow patterns similar to other chronic conditions that originate early in life and are related to central adiposity.
Scleral Buckle Removal: Indications and Outcomes

Primary scleral buckling has been an effective means to reattach the retina for over 50 years. After surgery, complications may arise that require scleral buckle (SB) removal. The most common indications for SB removal are extrusion, infection, and pain. I review the pertinent literature in an effort to develop guidelines for when to remove a SB.