cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical Fiber Position Sensor Using A Frequency Modulated Semiconductor Laser

The method for measuring non-contactly the position of an object using an optical fiber and a frequency modulated semiconductor laser is proposed. This method uses the coherent FM heterodyne principle of the Michelson interferometer. The optical fiber gives the flexibility to the system. The maximum detection range was limited to several meters by the speckle effects to the diffuse targets and the dependence of the semiconductor laser.
Dense perovskite membrane reactors for partial oxidation of methane to syngas

The partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas (syngas, CO + H2) was performed in a mixed-conducting perovskite dense membrane reactor at 850°C, in which oxygen was separated from air and simultaneously fed into the methane stream. Steady-state oxygen permeation rates for La1-xA′xFe0.8 Co0.2O3-δ perovskite membranes in nonreacting air/helium experiments were in the order of A′x = Ba0.8 > Ba0.6 > Ca0.6 > Sr0.6. Deep oxidation products were obtained from a La0.2 Ba0.8 Fe0.8 Co0.2 O3–δ disk-shaped membrane reactor without catalyst, with a 4.6% CH4 inlet stream. These products were further reformed to syngas when a downstream catalytic bed was added. Packing the 5% Ni/Al2O3 catalyst directly on the membrane reaction-side surface resulted in a slow fivefold increase in O2 permeation, and a fourfold increase in CH4 conversion. XRD, EDS, and SEM analyses revealed structure and composition changes on the membrane surfaces. Oxygen continuously transported from the air side appeared to stabilize the membrane interior, and the reactor was operated for up to 850 h.
Molecular Ordering in Thin Liquid Films of Polydimethylsiloxanes

X-ray reflectivity has been used for investigations of molecular ordering in thin liquid films of polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) of low molecular weights deposited on a polished silicon wafer. The liquid films we studied were ∼40−90 A thick. Evidence of molecular layering induced by geometrical confinement by a hard wall is obtained for thin films of lowest molecular weight PDMS. The positions of the secondary maxima in the Patterson functions, P(z), for these samples reveal a periodicity of about 10 A, consistent with the size of PDMS molecules. Further increasing the molecular weight leads to suppression of P(z) oscillations, causing the electron density profile to become more uniform. For higher molecular weight PDMS, a flatlike conformation of molecules absorbed on a solid surface is observed.
Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline nickel produced by electrodeposition

Abstract Nickel foils with nano-size grains were produced by electrodeposition using a sulfamate-based electrolyte. The pH of the electrolyte was varied within the 2.8 to 5.1 range. The crystallite size showed a minimum around pH = 4.8. As grain size was reduced, the strength and strain hardening rate increased and the (100) texture became less prominent. In this paper results of tensile testing at room temperature and −196°C are discussed in terms of dislocation generation and motion.
A realistic design of three-dimensional full cloak at terahertz frequencies

This paper presents a realistic design of a three-dimensional invisibility full cloak device at Terahertz frequency, consisting of radially arranged polymer slabs covered with III-V semiconductor materials featuring Drude-like resonance. By applying high order optical transformation, it is possible to constrain the semiconductor layer of constant thickness for the convenience in practical fabrication. The anisotropic and spatially variant material constants are realized by adjusting the filling ratio of the polymer slabs. Such a structure can be readily fabricated using high-aspect ratio three-dimensional microfabrication of polymeric slabs in combine with conformal deposition of the semiconductor cladding layer.
Logophors, variable binding and the interpretation of have

Abstract The unavailability of the experiencer reading of English have when its subject is coindexed with a logophor in the complement is shown to be the result of a particular licensing condition on the experiencer and locative readings of have . The experiencer or location subject of have must bind a [+R] variable in its complement. Logophors, while variables, are not [+R] in the binding theory as presented in Reinhart and Reuland (1993); hence the experiencer or location reading is not licensed. More broadly, the result supports the proposals of Ritter and Rosen (1997) and Belvin (1993, 1996) that have is a predicate whose interpretation depends upon the nature of and relations between its arguments.
An analysis of the hemodynamics of the opening of aortic valves

Abstract The present study makes use of a mathematical model to investigate hemodynamic characteristics during the incipient period of the aortic flow. The analysis provides numerical results which not only support the data of Bellhouse on the pressure/flow relationship through the valve but also give a further insight into the effects of the speed and shape of the leaflet, and of the temporal variations of discharge on the flow processes. It is demonstrated that four types of discharge coefficients are needed for the hydrodynamic evaluation of pulsatile flow through both natural and prosthetic heart valves.
The impact of education and selected traits on sex-role related goals and attitudes

Abstract Questionnaires that assessed educational goals, career goals, preferred and expected career commitment, sex-role attitudes, age, college class, height, and weight were completed by 884 male and female undergraduates representing two racial groups and two age groups. Age, size, and college class were unrelated to women's goals and attitudes, whereas men chose more traditional careers as their education progressed. Technical college students tended to be more traditional than university students. Implications for related research are discussed.
Variability of early diagenesis in lake sediments: Evidence from the sedimentary geolipid record in an isolated tarn

Abstract A 0.5-m-long core of sediment from Coburn Mountain Pond, Maine, U.S.A., has provided a virtually undisturbed and continuous record of sediment deposition for the last 200 yr in this small, essentially pristine tarn. Organic carbon concentrations, C/N ratios, carbon isotopic compositions and extractable hydrocarbon molecular compositions indicate subtle differences in the sources of organic matter between sediments deposited before and after ca. 1950 but are otherwise constant. In contrast, total concentrations and molecular distributions of n-fatty acids and n-alkanols vary considerably. The fatty acid and alkanol geolipid fractions are both sensitive to early diagenetic alteration, yet the two fractions react differently. Concentrations and compositional parameters such as long/short, even/odd and branched/unbranched ratios fluctuate with sediment depth, and reflect amounts of microbial reworking which have varied repeatedly over the depositional history. n-Alkane distributions are relatively unaffected by the short-term changes and therefore better preserve the history of biolipid sources to the sediments.
Going to market: A commentary

Abstract The commentary identifies 10 major generic turnaround strategies that firms commonly use. Then it addresses each of the strategies separately, as well as how these strategies are combined, under the specific Romanian and Russian circumstances, to formulate an appropriate recovery strategy. The commentary points out that in a severe cash crisis both Romanian and Russian managers should use, first and foremost, cash-generation strategies such as asset reduction and debt restructuring. These strategies must also be supported by very tight financial control procedures, which both Russian and Romanian managers are reluctant to follow.
Fabrication of a GaN lateral polarity junction by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

A fabrication process for growth of GaN lateral polarity junctions consisting of Ga-polar and N-polar domains grown simultaneously side-by-side on c-plane sapphire was developed using the polarity control scheme. An ammonia-annealing step following deposition and patterning of a thin low-temperature AIN nucleation layer played a crucial role in avoiding mixed-polarity growth of the remaining AIN nucleation layer, as well as in nitriding the bare sapphire surface to facilitate growth of N-polar GaN. The achievement of both polar domains, free from inversion domains within a contiguous domain, led to Ga-polar domain exhibiting featureless morphology with highly resistive characteristics, while N-polar domains exhibited hexagonally faceted morphology and were highly conductive.
Accuracy of ultrasonography in acute right lower quadrant problems in children

The ultrasonographic findings in 139 consecutive children examined for right lower quadrant pain were prospectively documented. The following diagnoses were offered: (1) normal, (2) appendicitis, (3) mesenteric adenitis-enteritis, (4) adnexal problems, and (5) other. These diagnoses were then compared to the final operative or nonoperative clinical diagnoses in each case and overall percent accuracy was determined. The overall percent accuracy was 98 %, and with this result ultrasound of the acute abdomen, especially the right lower quadrant, can be placed into the forefront of primary care imaging of patients with right lower quadrant pain. Ultrasound provides more useful information, quicker, and more consistently than do clinical or laboratory evaluations. Consideration should be given to the performance of this study early in the work-up of these patients.
A numerical method for suspension flow

Abstract Peskin's ( J. Comput. Phys. 25 , 220, 1977) immersed boundary technique is modified to give a new numerical method for studying a fluid with suspended elastic particles. As before, the presence of the suspended particles is transmitted to the fluid through a force density term in the fluid equations. As a result, one set of equations holds in the entire computational domain, eliminating the need to apply boundary conditions on the surface of suspended objects. The new method computes the force density by discretizing the stress-strain constitutive equations for an elastic solid on a grid, using data provided by clusters of Lagrangian points. This approach clearly specifies the material properties of the suspended objects. A simple data structure for the Lagrangian points makes it easy to model suspended solids with arbitrary shape and size. The method is validated by comparing numerical results for elastic vibrations and particle settling in viscous fluids, with theory and analysis. The capability of the method to do a wide range of problems is illustrated by qualitative results for lubrication and cavity flow problems.
Oligomers of prostaglandin B1 inhibit in vitro phospholipase A2 activity

Oligomers of prostaglandin B 1 inhibited phospholipase A 2 extracted from human neutrophils in a dose-dependent manner (IC 50 = 5 μM), while the monomer was not inhibitory at concentrations of 10 μM or less. The inhibitory activity of PGB 1 oligomers increased with increasing polymer size; PGB dimer had approximately one-half the maximal inhibitory activity of PGBx, while a trimer was almost as inhibitory as a tetramer and PGBx ( n = 6). PGBx as an oil or as a water-soluble sodium-salt-inhibited Ca 2+ -dependent phospholipase A 2 from snake venom, bovine pancreas, human neutrophil and platelet, human synovial fluid, and human sperm with IC 50 values ranging from 0.5–7.5 μM. Inhibition was independent of added Ca 2+ and was independent of substrate phospholipid concentration. Interaction of purified snake venom phospholipase A 2 ( Naja mocambique ) with PGBx resulted in dose-dependent quenching of the enzyme's tryptophan fluorescence; 50% quench was noted with a molar ratio of PGBx/enzyme of 1.5. Inhibition of phospholipase A 2 activity by PGBx was relieved in a dose-dependent manner by either defatted or untreated bovine serum albumin. PGBx is a potent in vitro inhibitor of a wide spectrum of phospholipases A 2 , and as illustrated in the accompanying paper, has profound inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid mobilization in human neutrophils and vascular endothelial cells. Modulation of cellular and extracellular phospholipases A 2 , and the bioactive transmitters generated by this catalytic event, may be a basic mechanism by which oligomers of prostaglandin B 1 exert their reported membrane-protective effects.
Uniform lasing characteristics of 1.3-µm multiple quantum-well Fabry-Perot laser diodes over a 2-in.-diameter wafer with excellent high-temperature operation

Currently, 1.3-μm double heterostructure (DH) Fabry-Perot (FP) laser diodes (LD's) are becoming widely used for optical fiber communication systems. However, multiple-quantum-well (MQW) LD's look more promising than DH LD's with respect to low-threshold-current,1 high-quantum-efficiency,2 high temperature, and high-bit-rate operation. Here we report on fabrication and characterization of 1.3-μm MQW-FP LD's with uniform lasing characteristics over a 2-in. (5.1-cm) diameter wafer as well as excellent high-temperature operation.
Large contribution of deep inelastic processes to reactions of40Ar and48Ca with238U

Differential recoil range distributions have been measured for heavy-reaction products ranging from Te(Z=52) to quasielastic transfer products near the charge and mass of the targets for the reactions of 276 MeV48Ca+238U, 237MeV and 250 MeV40Ar+238U, and 259 MeV40Ar+197Au. The measured recoil range distributions for the40Ar+197Au reaction agree with range distributions calculated from the known projectile-like fragment angular distributions for this reaction. The angular distributions of recoil products formed in the uranium target reactions are deduced and show that the products in the75Re to83Bi region have backward peaked angular distributions characteristic of deep inelastic reactions. The heavy product angular distributions smoothly vary from a (1/sinθ) shape to an exponential shaped backward peak as the atomic number of the product increases from 52 to 83. The trend in the deduced angular distributions for those elements for which recoil range distributions were determined in the40Ar+197Au reaction and the 250 MeV40Ar+238U reaction is similar, suggesting that just as for the Ar+Au system the composite system for the uranium target reaction is also not fully equilibrated along the mass asymmetry coordinate. These conclusions show that the fraction of the total reaction cross section resulting in complete fusion must be re-evaluated for the40Ar+238U reaction and similar heavy-target reactions.
Therapeutic approaches to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the elderly patient.

The incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is increasing among all age groups, with a median age at diagnosis of 67 years. With the increase in the geriatric population, there is a need for the development and validation of treatment strategies for NHL for these patients. Therapy in elderly patients is affected by multiple factors, especially comorbidities. Over the past decade, some treatment trials have included older patients. The disease incidence, characteristics and treatment approaches for both follicular and diffuse aggressive NHL histologies in elderly patients are reviewed, as well as the impact of aging on the care of these patients.
The demise of user services

“Structurally, the most important thing about a network is that each individual is at the center …”J. Naisbitt, MegatrendsFor many years, providing user services through university computer centers has meant providing workshops, documentation, consultation, and a newsletter. These strategies for sharing information, teaching, and solving problems have been the accepted ways to serve the end-user community for many years. For as many years, speakers and attendees of this meeting have discussed how to organize and deliver a workshop program, how to write better documentation, how to select and train consultants, or how to publish a better newsletter. While the systems to be taught and users to be informed may have changed, our menu of strategies has remained pretty much the same.For example, consider the advent (or onslaught) of microcomputers on campuses over the past two to three years. How did User Services respond? In some cases, they provided some documentation on micros. They taught workshops on selecting and using microcomputer hardware and software. Some provided special microcomputer consultation (often in a Demonstration or Evaluation Lab). And, finally, some published specialized microcomputer newsletters or included “microcomputer” columns in their regular newsletters. The song was still the same, though—variations on the theme of workshops, documentation, consultation, and newsletters.It would be nice to believe that simply adapting what we know how to do already and providing more of it will solve the problems we will face in the next five years in supporting computing on campus. It won't. To examine why not, it may help to consider the near-future computing community.
Inhibition and acclimation of C3 photosynthesis to moderate heat: a perspective from thermally contrasting genotypes of Acer rubrum (red maple)

Summary Effects of moderate heat on growth and photosynthesis were investigated in two clonal genotypes of Acer rubrum L., originally collected from the thermally contrasting habitats of Florida and Minnesota, USA, and known in the horticultural trade for sensitivity and insensitivity to heat, respectively. Under both common garden and warm greenhouse conditions (day/night temperature of 33/25 °C), the Florida genotype exhibited more growth than the Minnesota genotype. To determine the physiological parameters associated with this response, plants were acclimated to ambient (27/25 °C) or moderately elevated (33/25 °C) temperatures for 21 days before measurement of net photosynthesis at temperatures ranging from 25 to 48 °C. In vivo measurements of gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence of ambient-acclimated plants revealed that, compared with the Minnesota genotype, the Florida genotype maintained a higher photosynthetic rate, higher stomatal conductance, more open PSII reaction centers, a greater PSII quantum yield and a lower quantum requirement for photosystem II (! PSII ) per mole of CO2 fixed (! CO 2 ) throughout the measurement temperature range. When both genotypes were acclimated at 33/25 °C and measured at 33 °C, analysis of the response of net photosynthesis to calculated intercellular CO2 concentration indicated that the maximal rate of Rubisco carboxylation (Vcmax) decreased more in the Minnesota genotype than in the Florida genotype in response to elevated temperature. Additionally, ! PSII /! CO 2 at 33 °C was markedly higher for Minnesota plants under photorespiratory conditions, but similar to Florida plants under non-photorespiratory conditions. The results indicate that the higher net photosynthetic rate at 33/25 °C of the Florida genotype compared with the Minnesota genotype could be a result of several mechanisms, including the maintenance of a higher Vcmax and a more efficient quantum requirement of PSII per mole of CO2 fixed, which is likely the result of lower photorespiration.
Women's Rights and Foreign Direct Investment: An Empirical Assessment

Though women play an increasingly active role in the global economy, the prospective impact of gender upon the global economy has been largely ignored. Towards better understanding the role of gender in shaping the global economy, we assess the impact of women's rights upon a key facet of economic globalization, foreign direct investment (FDI). Much of the growth of global FDI has been in "pink collar" jobs in services and light manufacturing industries, and the prospective relationship between the rights of women and foreign investment has been contentious. In particular, it is often argued that investors may value women as a source of inexpensive and compliant labor, and may thus seek to locate to host countries where the rights of women are constrained. However, to the extent that the protection of women's rights signifies a higher level of human capital and societal participation, such rights may serve to attract investors who seek a more skilled labor force. We thus empirically assess the linkage between women's rights and FDI, specifically how the economic, educational, and political rights of women influence FDI, and how this impact varies across different industrial sectors.
Statistically accurate low-order models for uncertainty quantification in turbulent dynamical systems

A framework for low-order predictive statistical modeling and uncertainty quantification in turbulent dynamical systems is developed here. These reduced-order, modified quasilinear Gaussian (ROMQG) algorithms apply to turbulent dynamical systems in which there is significant linear instability or linear nonnormal dynamics in the unperturbed system and energy-conserving nonlinear interactions that transfer energy from the unstable modes to the stable modes where dissipation occurs, resulting in a statistical steady state; such turbulent dynamical systems are ubiquitous in geophysical and engineering turbulence. The ROMQG method involves constructing a low-order, nonlinear, dynamical system for the mean and covariance statistics in the reduced subspace that has the unperturbed statistics as a stable fixed point and optimally incorporates the indirect effect of non-Gaussian third-order statistics for the unperturbed system in a systematic calibration stage. This calibration procedure is achieved through information involving only the mean and covariance statistics for the unperturbed equilibrium. The performance of the ROMQG algorithm is assessed on two stringent test cases: the 40-mode Lorenz 96 model mimicking midlatitude atmospheric turbulence and two-layer baroclinic models for high-latitude ocean turbulence with over 125,000 degrees of freedom. In the Lorenz 96 model, the ROMQG algorithm with just a single mode captures the transient response to random or deterministic forcing. For the baroclinic ocean turbulence models, the inexpensive ROMQG algorithm with 252 modes, less than 0.2% of the total, captures the nonlinear response of the energy, the heat flux, and even the one-dimensional energy and heat flux spectra.
Akt-dependent regulation of NF-κB is controlled by mTOR and Raptor in association with IKK

While NF-κB is considered to play key roles in the development and progression of many cancers, the mechanisms whereby this transcription factor is activated in cancer are poorly understood. A key oncoprotein in a variety of cancers is the serine–threonine kinase Akt, which can be activated by mutations in PI3K, by loss of expression/activity of PTEN, or through signaling induced by growth factors and their receptors. A key effector of Akt-induced signaling is the regulatory protein mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). We show here that mTOR downstream from Akt controls NF-κB activity in PTEN-null/inactive prostate cancer cells via interaction with and stimulation of IKK. The mTOR-associated protein Raptor is required for the ability of Akt to induce NF-κB activity. Correspondingly, the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin is shown to suppress IKK activity in PTEN-deficient prostate cancer cells through a mechanism that may involve dissociation of Raptor from mTOR. The results provide insight into the effects of Akt/mTOR-dependent signaling on gene expression and into the therapeutic action of rapamycin.
Transpiration of urban forests in the Los Angeles metropolitan area

Despite its importance for urban planning, landscape management, and water management, there are very few in situ estimates of urban-forest transpiration. Because urban forests contain an unusual and diverse mix of species from many regions worldwide, we hypothesized that species composition would be a more important driver of spatial variability in urban-forest transpiration than meteorological variables in the Los Angeles (California, USA) region. We used constant-heat sap-flow sensors to monitor urban tree water use for 15 species at six locations throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area. For many of these species no previous data on sap flux, water use, or water relations were available in the literature. To scale sap-flux measurements to whole trees we conducted a literature survey of radial trends in sap flux across multiple species and found consistent relationships for angiosperms vs. gymnosperms. We applied this relationship to our measurements and estimated whole-tree and plot-level transpiration at our sites. The results supported very large species differences in transpiration, with estimates ranging from 3.2 +/- 2.3 kg x tree(-1) x d(-1) in unirrigated Pinus canariensis (Canary Island pine) to 176.9 +/- 75.2 kg x tree(-1) x d(-1) in Platanus hybrida (London planetree) in the month of August. Other species with high daily transpiration rates included Ficus microcarpa (laurel fig), Gleditsia triacanthos (honeylocust), and Platanus racemosa (California sycamore). Despite irrigation and relatively large tree size, Brachychiton populneas (kurrajong), B. discolor (lacebark), Sequoia sempervirens (redwood), and Eucalyptus grandis (grand Eucalyptus) showed relatively low rates of transpiration, with values < 45 kg x tree(-1) x d(-1). When scaled to the plot level, transpiration rates were as high as 2 mm/d for sites that contained both species with high transpiration rates and high densities of planted trees. Because plot-level transpiration is highly dependent on tree density, we modeled transpiration as a function of both species and density to evaluate a likely range of values in irrigated urban forests. The results show that urban forests in irrigated, semi-arid regions can constitute a significant use of water, but water use can be mitigated by appropriate selection of site, management method, and species.
Anti-Semitism in Europe before the Holocaust

It is commonly accepted that the years 1899-1939 represent a highpoint in anti-Semitism in western societies. What factors account for the wave of extraordinary anti-Semitism after 1899? Was the rise of anti- Semitism between 1899 and the Holocaust uneven? Did anti-Semitism vary in content and intensity across societies? Did Germans embrace anti- Semitism differently from French, Italian, Romanian, and British citizens? Data drawn from the annual volumes of the American Jewish Year Book are used to examine these questions systematically. Pooled time- series analyses suggest that variation in anti-Semitism over time and across countries was largely a function of economic conditions and Jewish immigration, and to a limited extent of the rise of leftist parties.
A hydraulic support for free-flight simulation with the Saturn-V Apollo vehicle.

Hydraulic support system for free-flight simulation with Saturn V-Apollo vehicle, discussing stability requirements, upper bounds of system design, conversion from nonlinear to linear model, etc
A Maximum Likelihood Method for Determining DaPQ and R for Sets of Dipolar Coupling Data

Abstract The algorithms available today that use dipolar coupling data for macromolecular structure determination require the independent determination of two parameters, DaPQ and R. Methods exist for obtaining these parameters when the set of dipolar couplings available is large and the orientations of the interatomic vectors on which they report is isotropically distributed. These methods are less satisfactory when the set is small and anisotropic. Described here is a maximum likelihood method that extracts accurate values for DaPQ and R from small, anisotropic data sets. Also demonstrated is a procedure for estimating the errors associated with the values of DaPQ and R obtained and for incorporating these errors into refinement protocols.
EFFECTS OF PARA AMINOBENZOIC ACID AND THIOURACIL ON THYROID FUNCTION AND RESISTANCE TO LOW PRESSURES

MUCH ATTENTION has been focussed recently on the effects of thiourea. and thiouracil on thyroid structure and function. These drugs have been found to induce the formation of an enlarged hyperplasti thyroid gland in the mammal, bird, amphibian and fish.This state is associated with a condition of functional hypothyroidism due to the interference by the drugs with the production of normal thyroid principle. Recently it has been reported that rats treated with these drugs display an increased resistance to lowered barometric pressures (Gordon, Goldsmith and Charipper, 1944a; Leblond, 1944; Hughes and Astwood, 1944) which results, at least partly, from the ability of these agents to interferewith thyroid function. The aminobenzoic acids also have been found to produce a goitrogenic effect in rats (the Mackenzies, 1943). This is of considerable interest since para aminobenzoic acid (PABA), a naturally occurring food factor, is the most effective of the three (Astwood, 1943.
Genetic modification of chondrocytes with insulin-like growth factor-1 enhances cartilage healing in an equine model.

Gene therapy with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increases matrix production and enhances chondrocyte proliferation and survival in vitro . The purpose of this study was to determine whether arthroscopically-grafted chondrocytes genetically modified by an adenovirus vector encoding equine IGF-1 (AdIGF-1) would have a beneficial effect on cartilage healing in an equine femoropatellar joint model. A total of 16 horses underwent arthroscopic repair of a single 15 mm cartilage defect in each femoropatellar joint. One joint received 2 × 107 AdIGF-1 modified chondrocytes and the contralateral joint received 2 × 107 naive (unmodified) chondrocytes. Repairs were analysed at four weeks, nine weeks and eight months after surgery. Morphological and histological appearance, IGF-1 and collagen type II gene expression (polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry), collagen type II content (cyanogen bromide and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), proteoglycan content (dimethylmethylene blue assay), and gene expression for collagen type I, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, aggrecanase-1, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and TIMP-3 were evaluated. Genetic modification of chondrocytes significantly increased IGF-1 mRNA and ligand production in repair tissue for up to nine weeks following transplantation. The gross and histological appearance of IGF-1 modified repair tissue was improved over control defects. Gross filling of defects was significantly improved at four weeks, and a more hyaline-like tissue covered the lesions at eight months. Histological outcome at four and nine weeks post-transplantation revealed greater tissue filling of defects transplanted with genetically modified chondrocytes, whereas repair tissue in control defects was thin and irregular and more fibrous. Collagen type II expression in IGF-1 gene-transduced defects was increased 100-fold at four weeks and correlated with increased collagen type II immunoreaction up to eight months. Genetic modification of chondrocytes with AdIGF-1 prior to transplantation improved early (four to nine weeks), and to a lesser degree long-term, cartilage healing in the equine model. The equine model of cartilage healing closely resembles human clinical cartilage repair. The results of this study suggest that cartilage healing can be enhanced through genetic modification of chondrocytes prior to transplantation.
Support for data-intensive, variable-granularity grid applications via distributed file system virtualization - a case study of light scattering spectroscopy

A key challenge faced by large-scale, distributed applications in grid environments is efficient, seamless data management. In particular, for applications that can benefit from access to data at variable granularities, data management can pose additional programming burdens to an application developer. This work presents a case for the use of virtualized distributed file systems as a basis for data management for data-intensive, variable-granularity applications. The approach leverages on-demand transfer mechanisms of existing, de-facto network file system clients and servers that support transfers of partial data sets in an application-transparent fashion, and complement them with user-level performance and functionality enhancements such as caching and encrypted communication channels. The paper uses a nascent application from the medical imaging field (light scattering spectroscopy -LSS) as a motivation for the approach, and as a basis for evaluating its performance. Results from performance experiments that consider the 16-processor parallel execution of LSS analysis and database generation programs show that, in the presence of data locality, a virtualized wide-area distributed file system setup and configured by grid middleware can achieve performance levels close (13% overhead or less) to that of a local disk, and superior (up to 680% speedup) to nonvirtualized distributed file systems.
Selective Inhibition of HDAC1 and HDAC2 as a Potential Therapeutic Option for B-ALL.

Purpose: Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) have recently emerged as efficacious therapies that target epigenetic mechanisms in hematologic malignancies. One such hematologic malignancy, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), may be highly dependent on epigenetic regulation for leukemia development and maintenance, and thus sensitive to small-molecule inhibitors that target epigenetic mechanisms. Experimental Design: A panel of B-ALL cell lines was tested for sensitivity to HDACi with varying isoform sensitivity. Isoform-specific shRNAs were used as further validation of HDACs as relevant therapeutic targets in B-ALL. Mouse xenografts of B-cell malignancy–derived cell lines and a pediatric B-ALL were used to demonstrate pharmacologic efficacy. Results: Nonselective HDAC inhibitors were cytotoxic to a panel of B-ALL cell lines as well as to xenografted human leukemia patient samples. Assessment of isoform-specific HDACi indicated that targeting HDAC1-3 with class I HDAC-specific inhibitors was sufficient to inhibit growth of B-ALL cell lines. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated knockdown of HDAC1 or HDAC2 resulted in growth inhibition in these cells. We then assessed a compound that specifically inhibits only HDAC1 and HDAC2. This compound suppressed growth and induced apoptosis in B-ALL cell lines in vitro and in vivo , whereas it was far less effective against other B-cell–derived malignancies. Conclusions: Here, we show that HDAC inhibitors are a potential therapeutic option for B-ALL, and that a more specific inhibitor of HDAC1 and HDAC2 could be therapeutically useful for patients with B-ALL. Clin Cancer Res; 1–11. ©2015 AACR.
Automated mapping of Hammond's landforms

We automated a method for mapping Hammond's landforms over large landscapes using digital elevation data. We compared our results against Hammond's published landform maps, derived using manual interpretation procedures. We found general agreement in landform patterns mapped by the manual and the automated approaches, and very close agreement in characterization of local topographic relief. The two approaches produced different interpretations of intermediate landforms, which relied upon quantification of the proportion of landscape having gently sloping terrain. This type of computation is more efficiently and consistently applied by computer than human. Today's ready access to digital data and computerized geospatial technology provides a good foundation for mapping terrain features, but the mapping criteria guiding manual techniques in the past may not be appropriate for automated approaches. We suggest that future efforts center on the advantages offered by digital advancements in refining an approach to better characterize complex landforms.
Contesting Ethnicity: Emerging Regional Identity in Vojvodina

This case study of the northern Serbian Province of Vojvodina explores the basis of regional shared group understandings in the absence of ethnic difference between the majority in the region and the center. It addresses the question of whether there is an emerging regional identity in Vojvodina within the political elite discourse at the time of the passage of the Omnibus Law in 2002, which devolved part of autonomy that the Province had lost following the 1991 Constitution. The method of content analysis was employed to uncover the collective sense of social purpose (i.e. desire for greater autonomy) and the shared views toward groups perceived as ‘others’. The findings show that the principal supporters of autonomy are the center-based civic-oriented parties, as well as the regional parties. On the other hand, the opposition to autonomy comes from the center-based nationalist parties.
Roofing Assembly Simulated Heat and Light Test

The goal of this project is to search for a testing procedure for roof covering products that will radiate both heat and light onto a roof covering and then measure the impact that a given roof covering product has on heat transfer through the entire roofing assembly. Identical roof assemblies were built with ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) rubber roof membrane over a wood deck. Sixteen heat lamps were positioned 1.14 m [45 in.] above the roof covering product to provide both heat and light. Thermocouples were placed on the underside of the wood deck and were insulated from outside air. The roofing assembly and the roof covering temperatures were brought to 18°C to 21°C prior to testing. Heat and light were radiated onto the roof coverings for 360 min and the under deck temperature was recorded at 1 min intervals for 600 min. Tested roof coverings included gravel, growing media, coatings, and panels in the form of concrete, ceramic foam, and rubber. The results of the tests have shown data similar to that which were recorded during warm, sunny days. As expected, the highest temperatures were achieved by the uncovered and uncoated black EPDM roof assembly. The temperature of this assembly diminished almost immediately upon the removal of the heat and light source. Thicker layers of growing media and ceramic foam block did not reach the peak temperature until several hours after the heat lamps were turned off. The roof assembly covered with reflective coating showed realistic resistance to the heat and light source. This is a significant advancement in the effort to provide equitable data for all roof coverings. The test provides a standard method of collecting data for traditional roof coverings as well as emerging technology roof covering materials to evaluate a roofing assemblies’ thermal performance from solar heat gain.
Development Of Authentic Assessments For The Middle School Classroom.

This article discusses the rationale for, and explicates the process used in, developing differentiated authentic assessments for middle school classrooms (many of which contain gifted students) that are aligned with state academic standards. The assessments were developed based on learner-centered psychological principles and revised based on a content validation study involving a panel of 46 experts representing a variety of educational professionals. In addition to the content validation study of the assessments, interrater reliability estimates based on Kappa were calculated using student responses to the assessments in classrooms in two states. Results provide evidence that these types of assessments can provide quantifiable information about student learning, as well as inform the instructional process.
Nuclear Envelope Breakdown Is Coordinated by Both Nup358/RanBP2 and Nup153, Two Nucleoporins with Zinc Finger Modules

When higher eukaryotic cells transition into mitosis, the nuclear envelope, nuclear pore complexes, and nuclear lamina are coordinately disassembled. The COPI coatomer complex, which plays a major role in membrane remodeling at the Golgi, has been implicated in the process of nuclear envelope breakdown and requires interactions at the nuclear pore complex for recruitment to this new site of action at mitosis. Nup153, a resident of the nuclear pore basket, was found to be involved in COPI recruitment, but the molecular nature of the interface between COPI and the nuclear pore has not been fully elucidated. To better understand what occurs at the nuclear pore at this juncture, we have probed the role of the nucleoporin Nup358/RanBP2. Nup358 contains a repetitive zinc finger domain with overall organization similar to a region within Nup153 that is critical to COPI association, yet inspection of these two zinc finger domains reveals features that also clearly distinguish them. Here, we found that the Nup358 zinc finger domain, but not a zinc finger domain from an unrelated protein, binds to COPI and dominantly inhibits progression of nuclear envelope breakdown in an assay that robustly recapitulates this process in vitro. Moreover, the Nup358 zinc finger domain interferes with COPI recruitment to the nuclear rim. Consistent with a role for this pore protein in coordinating nuclear envelope breakdown, Nup358-specific antibodies impair nuclear disassembly. Significantly, targeting either Nup153 or Nup358 for inhibition perturbs nuclear envelope breakdown, supporting a model in which these nucleoporins play nonredundant roles, perhaps contributing to COPI recruitment platforms on both the nuclear and cytoplasmic faces of the pore. We found that an individual zinc finger is the minimal interface for COPI association, although tandem zinc fingers are optimal. These results provide new information about the critical components of nuclear membrane remodeling and lay the foundation for a better understanding of how this process is regulated.
Vasovagal syncope as a cause of motor vehicle accidents

Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are the leading cause of death from all accidents in the United States.’ The medical causes include narcolepsy, seizure disorders, alcoholism, carotid sinus syndrome,2 and even tussive syncope.3 Vasovagal syncope has not been reported previously as a cause of MVAs. At North Shore University Hospital-Cornell University Medical College, 68 head-up tilt-table tests have been performed for unexplained syncope. Of those syncopal events, two involved patients who caused MVAs. The following case reports illustrate the importance of this diagnosis and the use of head-up tilt-table tests to determine the diagnosis and to guide therapy. Head-up tilttable tests were performed in the fasting state. Patients were connected to a standard 12-lead electrocardiographic (ECG) recorder for continuous monitoring and to a sphygmomanometer for blood pressure recordings. Baseline measurements of heart rate, blood pressure, and 12-lead ECG were obtained while the patient was in the supine position and after 5 minutes of rest. The table was then tilted to 60 degrees for 30 minutes or until syncope (defined as loss of consciousness). If no syncope occurred during the initial tilt, the patient was lowered to the supine position for 5 minutes. With the patient in the supine position, an intravenous isoproterenol infusion was then initiated at 0.5 pg/min and increased every 2 minutes (by 0.5 pglmin) until the patient’s heart rate increased by 20 % . After this was achieved, the patient was again tilted at 60 degrees for 10 minutes or until syncope occurred. Case 1. A 59-year-old man was admitted to the hospital after an MVA. The patient had no previous cardiac or neurologic history and while driving lost consciousness without preceding symptoms or seizure activity. This resulted in an MVA that fatally injured a pedestrian. The patient awoke with no memory of the MVA and reported no presyncopal symptoms. The patient was not incontinent, and no postictal state was noted. He denied having chest pain, palpitations, or shortness of breath. He was found by the paramedics to be oriented with a blood pressure 120/80 mm Hg, a heart rate of 50 beats/min, and a respiratory rate of 16
Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap

Prior research has demonstrated that summer learning rooted in family and community influences widens the achievement gap across social lines, while schooling offsets those family and community influences. In this article, we examine the long-term educational consequences of summer learning differences by family socioeconomic level. Using data from the Baltimore Beginning School Study youth panel, we decompose achievement scores at the start of high school into their developmental precursors, back to the time of school entry in 1st grade. We find that cumulative achievement gains over the first nine years of children’s schooling mainly reflect school-year learning, whereas the high SES–low SES achievement gap at 9th grade mainly traces to differential summer learning over the elementary years. These early out-of-school summer learning differences, in turn, substantially account for achievement-related differences by family SES in high school track placements (college preparatory or not), high school noncompletion, and four-year college attendance. We discuss implications for understanding the bases of educational stratification, as well as educational policy and practice.
Stratigraphic trends in detrital zircon geochronology of upper Neoproterozoic and Cambrian strata, Osgood Mountains, Nevada, and elsewhere in the Cordilleran miogeocline: Evidence for early Cambrian uplift of the Transcontinental Arch

U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology provides insight into the provenance of the upper Neoproterozoic–lower Cambrian Osgood Mountain Quartzite and the upper Cambrian–lower Ordovician Preble Formation in the Osgood Mountains of northern Nevada (USA). We analyzed 535 detrital zircon grains from six samples of quartz arenite by laser ablation–multicollector–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. The detrital zircon age data of these Neoproterozoic–lower Paleozoic passive margin units record a provenance change within the Osgood Mountain Quartzite. Comparison of these data with the work of others reveals that this change in provenance occurred in correlative strata throughout an east-west transect of the Great Basin. From latest Neoproterozoic through earliest Cambrian time, most grains were shed from the 1.0–1.2 Ga Grenville orogen. After that time, drainage patterns changed and most grains were derived from the 1.6–1.8 Ga Yavapai and Mazatzal provinces; very few grains from the Grenville orogen were found in the younger strata. We suggest that this shift records the uplift, in early Cambrian time, of the Transcontinental Arch. Our data also support our interpretation that the Osgood Mountain Quartzite and the Preble Formation are correlative to other contemporaneous passive margin strata in western Laurentia.