cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defective TiO2-supported Cu nanoparticles as efficient and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction in alkaline media

Nanocomposites based on TiO2-supported copper nanoparticles were prepared by a hydrothermal method where copper nanoparticles with or without the passivation of 1-decyne were chemically grown onto TiO2 nanocolloid surfaces (and hence denoted as CuHC10/TiO2 and Cu/TiO2, respectively). Transmission electron microscopy measurements showed that the size of the hybrid nanoparticles was 5–15 nm in diameter with clearly defined lattice fringes for anatase TiO2(101) and Cu(111). The formation of anatase TiO2 nanoparticles was also observed by X-ray diffraction measurements. FTIR measurements confirmed successful attachment of alkyne ligands onto the surface of the copper nanoparticles via Cu−C interfacial bonds in CuHC10/TiO2. XPS measurements suggested the formation of CuO in both samples with a higher concentration in Cu/TiO2, and interestingly Ti3+ species were found in CuHC10/TiO2 but were absent in Cu/TiO2 or TiO2 nanoparticles. Electrochemical studies demonstrated that both Cu/TiO2 and CuHC10/TiO2 exhibited a markedly improved electrocatalytic performance in the oxygen reduction reaction, as compared to TiO2 nanocolloids alone, in the context of the onset potential, the number of electrons transferred and the kinetic current density. Importantly, among the series, CuHC10/TiO2 exhibited the best ORR activity with a high current density, an almost four-electron reduction pathway and long-term stability after 4000 cycles at high potentials, which may be ascribed to the defective TiO2 structures in combination with surface ligand engineering.
Computer-assisted analysis demonstrates that polypeptides induced by natural and recombinant human interferon-α are the same and that some have related primary structures

Abstract The biological effects on diploid and trisomy 21 human fibroblasts of pure human interferon IFLrA, a single IFN-α species produced from cloned DNA, were compared with those of partially purified natural IFN-α. Twelve interferon-induced polypeptides were visualized by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Seven of these were shown to have related primary structures and are therefore products of related genes or are related through post-translational modification. Qualitative visual comparisons and computer-aided quantitation of autoradiograms revealed to differences in the patterns of polypeptide induction following treatment with the two types of IFN-α, and the two interferons also induced (2′–5′) oligoisoadenylate synthetase equally. By these criteria, the activities of the two interferons are qualitatively and quantitatively indistinguishable. In addition, the effects of trisomy 21 on IFLrA-induced polypeptide synthesis and on antiviral response were similar to those previously demonstrated with natural IFN-α.
Embedded contact homology and Seiberg–Witten Floer cohomology II

This is a sequel to four earlier papers by the author that construct an isomorphism between the embedded contact homology and Seiberg‐Witten Floer cohomology of a compact 3‐manifold with a given contact 1‐form. These respective homology/cohomology theories carry additional structure; this sequel proves that the isomorphism that is constructed in the first four papers is compatible with this extra structure.
Entero-Pouch Fistula: A Rare Complication of Right Colon Continent Urinary Diversion

AbstractPurpose: Entero-conduit fistulas have been reported in patients with ileal and jejunal conduit urinary diversions, and entero-pouch fistulas have been reported in those with Kock pouch and other ileal neobladders. We now report that entero-pouch fistula is a rare complication of continent urinary diversion using the right colon.Materials and Methods: A review of the charts of 146 patients who had undergone right colon urinary diversion during the last 6 years revealed that entero-pouch fistula developed in 3. A total of 36 patients had had previous pelvic radiation, including the 3 with entero-pouch fistulas. Two patients presented with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, and 1 presented with diarrhea and food particles in the urine. Hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis was present in 2 of the patients and radiography of the pouch confirmed the diagnosis in all 3.Results: Conservative therapy, which included a low residue diet and continuous drainage of the pouch, was successful in 2 of the 3 patien...
Altruism, ideological entrepreneurs and the non-profit firm

Ideology and altruism are central to understanding the non-profit charitable sector. This paper addresses three questions. Why do people make charitable gifts? Why do they usually give to non-profit organisations? When can non-profits run by committed ideologues compete with profit-oriented entrepreneurs in the provision of services? the altruistic motives of individuals and the ideological commitments of entrepreneurs come together to support charitable organisations. The non-profit form provides a weak guarantee that gifts are not being syphoned off as profits. Furthermore, independent non-profits can often better reflect donors' desires than public agencies constrained by majoritarian claims, and ideological entrepreneurs can use the non-profit form to reify their beliefs without being accountable to profit-seeking investors. A non-profit organisation can only survive, however, if it can attract money and customers. Sometimes its ideological character will facilitate both tasks. Non-ideological customers may, nevertheless, patronise an ideological non-profit if the entrepreneur's commitment helps to guarantee high quality.
Evaluation of a High-Accuracy MacCormack-Type Scheme Using Benchmark Problems

Due to their inherent dissipation and stability, the MacCormack scheme and its variants have been widely used in the computation of unsteady flow and acoustic problems. However, these schemes require many points per wavelength in order to propagate waves with a reasonable amount of accuracy. In this work, the linear wave propagation characteristics of MacCormack-type schemes are shown by solving several of the CAA Benchmark Problems.
On the Bernstein Constants of Polynomial Approximation

Assume \(\alpha >0\) is not an integer. In papers published in 1913 and 1938, S.~N.~Bernstein established the limit $$\Lambda _{\infty ,\alpha }^{\ast }=\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty }n^{\alpha}E_{n}[ \vert x\vert ^{\alpha };L_{\infty }[ {-}1,1]] .$$ Here \(E_{n}[ \vert x\vert ^{\alpha };L_{\infty }[ -1,1] ] \) denotes the error in best uniform approximation of \(\left\vert x\right\vert ^{\alpha }$ on $\left[ {-}1,1\right] \) by polynomials of degree \(\leq n\). Bernstein proved that \(\Lambda _{\infty ,\alpha }^{\ast} \) is itself the error in best uniform approximation of \(\left\vert x\right\vert ^{\alpha }\) by entire functions of exponential type at most 1, on the whole real line. We prove that the best approximating entire function is unique, and satisfies an alternation property. We show that the scaled polynomials of best approximation converge to this unique entire function. We derive a representation for \(\Lambda _{\alpha ,\infty }^{\ast }\), as well as its \(L_{p}\) analogue for \(1\leq p<\infty \).
MicroRNA miR-21 Regulates the Metastatic Behavior of B16 Melanoma Cells

MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is overexpressed in many human tumors and has been linked to various cellular processes altered in cancer. miR-21 is also up-regulated by a number of inflammatory agents, including IFN, which is of particular interest considering the close relationship between inflammation and cancer. Because miR-21 appears to be overexpressed in human melanoma, we examined the role of miR-21 in cancer development and metastasis in B16 mouse melanoma cells. We found that miR-21 is a member of an IFN-induced miRNA subset that requires STAT3 activation. To characterize the role of miR-21 in melanoma behavior, we transduced B16 cells with lentivirus encoding a miR-21 antagomir and isolated miR-21 knockdown B16 cells. miR-21 knockdown or IFN treatment alone inhibited B16 cell proliferation and migration in vitro, and in combination they had an enhanced effect. Moreover, miR-21 knockdown sensitized B16 cells to IFN-induced apoptosis. In B16 cells miR-21 targeted tumor suppressor (PTEN and PDCD4) and antiproliferative (BTG2) proteins. To characterize the role of miR-21 in vivo, empty vector- and antagomiR-21-transduced B16 melanoma cells were injected via tail vein into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. Although empty vector-transduced B16 cells produced large lung metastases, miR-21 knockdown cells only formed small lung lesions. Importantly, miR-21 knockdown tumor-bearing mice exhibited prolonged survival compared with empty vector tumor-bearing mice. Thus, miR-21 regulates the metastatic behavior of B16 melanoma cells by promoting cell proliferation, survival, and migration/invasion as well as by suppressing IFN action, providing important new insights into the role of miR-21 in melanoma.
Increased medial degradation with pseudo-aneurysm formation in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice deficient in tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1.

Background— The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) is expressed in atherosclerotic lesions, where it may play a critical role in regulating the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Several MMPs are overexpressed in the atherosclerotic plaque, and they are believed to contribute to the expansion and rupture of the lesion. Methods and Results— The Timp-1–knockout mouse model (Timp-1−/−) was crossed into the apolipoprotein E–knockout (apoE0) background. A study population of male apoE0 mice, half of them deficient in TIMP-1, was fed an atherogenic diet. After 10 weeks of the diet, the mean lesion sizes of the two groups of animals were not significantly different, and the average content of fibrillar collagen and macrophages in the lesions was similar. There was no sign of plaque hemorrhage, even after 22 weeks of high-fat diet, indicating that deficiency in TIMP-1 does not predispose to luminal rupture. However the atherosclerotic lesions of the Timp-1−/0 mice developed more aortic m...
On sectionally dense summability fields

we say x has the property TK (T-sectional convergence) in E and if every element of E has TK, we say E has the property TK. If E has the property TK, then ~t "x~ is an approximate identity for E. Clearly, the existence ~l n = l of such an approximate identity implies AD. If {t n x},~=~ is a bounded subset of E, we say x has the property TB (T-sectional boundedness) and if every element of E has TB, we say E has the property TB. If T= S = (Cnk), where C,,k=I for k n , then TK and TB correspond to AK (sectional convergence) and AB (sectional boundedness) investigated by Zeller in [16]. Let A be an infinite matrix with real or complex entries and let CA = { X : A Z Xk -lina Z a,k Xk exists} denote the summability field of A.
Complexes of Neutral Molecules and Cyclophane Hosts

Synthetic cyclophane hosts with apolar binding sites form highly structured complexes with aromatic substrates in aqueous and organic solutions. In this report, the stabilities of the complexes of a variety of neutral and charged arenes are reviewed. Complexation in aqueous solution is largely driven by a strong enthalpic hydrophobic effect, and the nature of this effect is discussed. Multiple host-guest interaction modes can lead to enzyme-like selectivity in binding. The progress in the development of optically active cyclophane hosts for chiral molecular recognition in aqueous solution is described. The selective functionalization of cyclophane hosts has generated water-soluble, enzyme-like catalysts for redox processes, benzoin condensations, and the cleavage of activated carboxylic esters.
The potential of stem cell-based therapy for retinal repair.

Like injured neurons in the brain or spinal cord, neurons in the retina are incapable to regenerate following injury and ultimately would lead to irreversible neuronal loss and vision impairment. Over decades, extensive effort has been made to develop strategies to protect retinal neurons from death; however, the outcome is limited (Pettmann and Henderson, 1998; Bahr, 2000; Lagali and Picketts, 2011). Replacing the degenerated retinal neurons by newly generated and functional neurons would be an ideal scenario. The rapid development of stem cell biology has recently demonstrated that stem cells could be a potential source of cells for cell replacement therapy because these cells have the self-renewal capacity and could be differentiated into many cell types. This review will discuss the therapeutic potential of stem cell-based therapy to retinal degenerative diseases.
Failure of beta-amyloid protein fragment 25–35 to cause hippocampal damage in the rat

Considerable excitement has been generated as of late over reports that fragments of the amyloid precursor protein can be neurotoxic both in vivo and in vitro. In this brief report we study the neurotoxicity of the fragment corresponding to amino acids 25-35 of the beta-amyloid protein in the hippocampus in vivo. Under the conditions studied, we do not observe any evidence of consistent, dose-related damage above that seen with vehicle alone.
Representing lexicons by modified trie for fast partial-string matching

A fast lexicon search based on trie is presented. Traditionally, a successful trie retrieval requires each element of the input string to find an exact match on a particular path in the trie. However, this approach cannot verify a garbled input string, which is generated due to imperfect character segmentation and recognition of an OCR. The string may contain multiple candidates for a character position or no candidate due to segmentation error. The proposed representation scheme, an extension of trie, allows lexicon look-up even with only some of the string elements specified. An input string is presented as a regular expression and all the paths in the trie that satisfy the expression will be considered as word candidates. The candidates can then be ranked based on character classifier decisions. Confusion in character recognition can be handled by allowing an expression component to have more than one character candidate while segmentation error can be overcome by postulating a word region to contain a certain number of unknown characters. Three extensions have been made to trie data structures for position independent access and fast exhaustive search of all valid paths: (1) bidirectional linkage between two nodes at adjacent levels to enable trie traversal in either direction, (2) the nodes with the same letter at the same word position are linked so that all the words which have the same letter at a specific position can be located immediately, and (3) an index table which records the entry points of letters at specific word positions in the trie in order to facilitate trie access at an arbitrary letter position. This representation scheme has been tested on postal address field recognition. The trie represents 11,157 words, the average access time is 0.02 sec on a SUN SPARC2 and with an average of 3 candidates.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Iterative Approach to the Discovery of Novel Degarelix Analogues: Substitutions at Positions 3, 7 and 8. Part II

Degarelix (FE200486, Ac-d-2Nal1-d-4Cpa2-d-3Pal3-Ser4-4Aph(l-Hor)5-d-4Aph(Cbm)6-Leu7-ILys8-Pro9-d-Ala10-NH2) is a potent and very long acting antagonist of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) after subcutaneous administration in mammals including humans. Analogues of degarelix were synthesized, characterized, and screened for the antagonism of GnRH-induced response in a reporter gene assay in HEK-293 cells expressing the human GnRH receptor. The duration of action was also determined in the castrated male rat assay to measure the extent (efficacy and duration of action) of inhibition of luteinizing hormone (LH) release. Structurally, this series of analogues has novel substitutions at positions 3, 7, and 8 and Nα-methylation at positions 6, 7, and 8 in the structure of degarelix. These substitutions were designed to probe the spatial limitations of the receptor's cavity and to map the steric and ionic boundaries. Some functional groups were introduced that were hypothesized to influence the phamacokineti...
Forecasting Presidential Elections: A Comparison of Naive Models

Our primary aim is to forecast, rather than explain, presidential election results, using aggregate time series data from the post-World War II period. More particularly, we seek prediction of the presidential winner well before the election actually occurs. After comparing the performance of several naive blvariate models based on economic performance, international involvement, political experience, and presidential popularity, we go on to formulate a multivariate model. This economy-popularity regression model rather accurately forecasts the winner 6 months in advance of the election, by employing spring measures of presidential popularity and the growth rate in real GNP per capita. Furthermore, the model's performance, both ex post facto and prior to the election, compares favorably with the Gallup final preelection poll taken only a few days before the election.
Warranties of a compounding pharmacist.

It has become commonplace in American commerce to expect that a purchased commodity will bring with it a warranty, in the absence of an expressed disclaimer. A warranty indicates that a commodity is free of defect and that statements made about the commodity are complete and truthful. A breach of
Spatial variability in dissolved organic matter and inorganic nitrogen concentrations in a semiarid stream, San Pedro River, Arizona

[1] We performed synoptic sampling of a 95-km reach of the San Pedro River, Arizona, to identify the effects of regional hydrology and land use on dissolved carbon and nitrogen concentrations. Six synoptic surveys, two before, two during, and two after the 2002 monsoon season, encompassed periods of both low and high stream discharge. Chloride concentrations and δ18O values during low-flow periods indicated the river was divided into three hydrologically distinct reaches each roughly 30 km long. Upper and lower reaches were characterized by areas of localized groundwater input followed by downstream evapo-concentration gradients, limited downstream solute transport, and highly variable carbon and nitrogen concentrations. In contrast, the middle reach was characterized by widespread groundwater input, continuous downstream hydrologic connectivity, and less variable carbon and nitrogen concentrations. During the monsoon season, base flow discharge increased five- to ten-fold, dissolved organic matter and inorganic N increased two- to ten-fold, Fluorescence Index (FI) values indicated a large input of terrestrial solutes, and both chloride concentrations and δ18O values indicated that stream water and alluvial groundwater were well mixed along the entire 95 km reach. Concurrently, the middle reach that exhibited continuous hydrologic connectivity during the nonmonsoon season was a net sink for N, while the reaches characterized by limited hydrologic connectivity during the low-flow season exhibited net N export. Our data suggest that instream biogeochemical cycling during the monsoon season is influenced by antecedent conditions, specifically hydrologic connectivity, during the dry season.
An Economic Model for Distributed Energy Prosumers

In order to optimally schedule energy, consumers need to understand their energy utility function. The traditional utility function must be modified when consumers acquire production capabilities and become prosumers. This paper presents a formal economic model for prosumers, appropriately integrating distributed generation, storage and demand response capabilities. We identify the limitations of existing prosumer-like models. Finally, we demonstrate how the proposed prosumer model is applied to energy evaluation to distributed prosumer decisions regarding environmental objectives.
Numerical aperture invariant focus shaping using spirally polarized beams

The concept of spiral polarization is proposed as an extension of the generalized cylindrical vector beam. The focusing properties of this spatially variant polarization under high NA are studied. It can be shown that with one such polarization, the focus maintains a flat-top intensity shape independent of NA from NA = 0.82 up to NA = 0.95.
Thermal Management in High-Density, Stacked-Die, Multi-chip Modules

Very high density multi-chip modules are being manufactured by tiling an alumina substrate with IC chips and passive components, laminating a film of Kapton over them, laser drilling vias to their I/O pads, and interconnecting them with photo patterned, copper metallization. Additional layers of components and interconnects are added on top of the base layer, as needed, to allow greater integration of large circuits. Current products are typically two layers of chips and seven layers of interconnect. As higher power applications have emerged and the power density of IC chips has increased, thermal management has become a significant factor impacting module design. We have been conducting a thermal modeling effort to map the design space for this technology. Our principal objective is to define and evaluate low thermal impedance (heat removal) configurations for a given chip set. A second objective is to determine what gains in module performance might be realized by improvements in material properties or changes in the relative thicknesses of dielectric and metal layers.
398. Extracellular Matrix Identity and Surface Density Alter Transfection by Complexes Delivered from a Cell-Adhesive Substrate

Top of pageAbstract The application of gene delivery to gene therapy, tissue engineering and functional genomics applications requires efficient delivery systems that overcome significant extracellular and intracellular barriers. Substrate-mediated delivery aims to overcome barriers in localized gene transfer by immobilizing preformed DNA complexes in the cellular microenvironment to reduce the amount of DNA delivered, prevent aggregation and distribute vector to adhered cells. We investigated the cellular quantities and distribution of DNA in the cellular population to identify how influencing the interactions between substrate and vector in substrate-mediated delivery enhances either transgene expression or the number of transfected cells. Relative to non-coated substrates, coating of polystyrene substrates with serum proteins yielded enhancement in transgene expression up to 1500 fold for immobilized polyplexes. Increase in total transgene expression paralleled an increase in association of polyplexes with the cells, however increased quantities of DNA associated with cells did not always result in enhanced expression. Substrate coating also increased the number of transfected cells up to 12-fold with both polyplexes and lipoplexes. Coating the substrate with serum proteins increased the number of cells that internalized polyplexes and lipoplexes, better distributing the DNA in the cell population. The identity and density of the extracellular matrix (ECM) component used for substrate coating significantly affects transgene expression. Collagen IV and fibrinogen yielded polyplex expression levels similar to or less than coating by fetal bovine serum (FBS), however, fibronectin coating enhanced gene expression up to 20-fold over FBS coating. Coating the substrate with 6 |[mu]|g/cm2 of fibronectin yielded maximal expression and higher or lower amounts of fibronectin on the surface reduced expression. Enhancement in gene expression did not result from differences in the amount of DNA that bound to the substrate or associated with cells, suggesting that fibronectin enhances intracellular trafficking of polyplexes. For bolus transfection, the identity of the ECM component mediating cell adhesion did not influence gene expression. These studies demonstrate that maximal expression will be obtained when substrates are designed to bind DNA complexes with the appropriate affinity and also stimulate intracellular trafficking of complexes. Understanding the mechanisms in substrate-mediated delivery will enhance the application of gene delivery in vitro and in vivo.
LENGTH OF TEXTUAL RESPONSE AS A CONSTRUCT‐IRRELEVANT RESPONSE STRATEGY: THE CASE OF SHELL LANGUAGE

The paper applies a natural language computational tool to study a potential construct-irrelevant response strategy, namely the use of shell language. Although the study is motivated by the impending increase in the volume of scoring of students responses from assessments to be developed in response to the Race to the Top initiative, the data for the study were obtained from the GRE® Analytical Writing measure. The functioning of the shell detection computational tool was first evaluated by applying it to a corpus of over 200,000 issue and argument essays and by means of a study to evaluate whether the shell language score agreed with the characterization of shell by two scoring experts. It was concluded that the computational tool worked well. The tool was then used to select essays for rescoring to determine whether the presence of shell language had had an effect on the operational scores they received. We found no evidence that such an effect was present. However, we did find a leniency effect in the operational scores. That is, the essays that were rescored as part of this project received a lower score compared to the operational score. The validity implications of these results are discussed.
Community Psychology: Where Do We Go from Here?

Following a developmental analogy, community psychology may be experiencing a “mid-life crisis” as it enters “middle age.” The field needs to determine where to go from here. This paper argues that the field should attempt to expand. Expansion can best be accomplished by celebrating the diversity of orientations within the field (e.g., those emphasizing prevention, empowerment, and the ecological perspective) and the wide range of human problems of interest to community psychologists. To promote expansion of the field, community psychologists need to seek out relationships with diverse groups, such as the international community, those working in applied settings, ethnic minorities, and students and early-career professionals.
The effect of gastric hypothermia on splanchnic hemodynamics in the dog

Summary Blood flow has been measured in the gastric, hepatic and mesenteric arteries as well as the portal vein of dogs during gastric hypothermia. A reduction in gastric flow of 58%, a reduction in hepatic flow of 51.6%, a reduction in portal flow of 36% and a reduction in mesenteric artery flow of 23% were observed. Resistance was greatly increased across both gastric and intestinal beds. Hepatic temperature was observed to decrease during gastric hypothermia.
The Temporalis Muscle Flap for Reconstruction After Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery

Objective: To explain the applications, technique, and potential complications of the temporalis muscle flap used for immediate or delayed reconstruction of head and neck oncologic defects. Study Design: Fresh cadaver dissection and 5-year retrospective chart review. Methods: A fresh cadaver dissection was performed to illustrate the surgical anatomy of the temporalis muscle flap with attention to specific techniques useful in avoiding donor site morbidity (facial nerve injury and temporal hollowing). A chart review was performed for 13 consecutive patients from the last 5 years who underwent temporalis muscle flap reconstruction after oncologic resection of the lateral and posterior pharyngeal wall, hard and soft palate, buccal space, retromolar trigone, and skull base. Results: Patient follow-up ranged from 2 to 45 months. Nine patients had radiation therapy. There were no cases of flap loss. Resection of the zygomatic arch followed by wire fixation facilitates flap rotation and minimizes trauma to the flap during placement into the oropharynx. Preservation of the temporal fat pad attachment to the scalp flap decreases temporal hollowing and protects the facial nerve. Replacing the zygoma and preserving the anterior third of the temporalis muscle in situ further diminishes donor-site hollowing. Conclusions: Compared with other regional flaps, such as the pectoralis myocutaneous flap, the temporalis muscle flap is associated with low donor-site esthetic and functional morbidity and offers great flexibility in reconstruction. The temporalis muscle flap is a useful, reliable flap that belongs in the armamentarium of surgeons who are involved with reconstruction of head and neck tissue defects.
Characterization of the grown-in defects in Zn-doped InP☆

Abstract Studies of the effect of low temperature thermal annealing (170 °C) and laser annealing on grown-in defects in LEC grown Zn-doped InP have been made using the DLTS technique. One hole trap with energy of E v +∅.52 eV and density of 1.8×10∅ 15 cm −3 was observed in these InP samples. The potential well for this hole trap was determined by comparing the calculated field dependent emission rates with the field enhanced emission rate data obtained from the DLTS measurements. The results show that the potential well for this hole trap may be due to either a Dirac well or a square well, and hence the physical origin for this hole trap is attributed to either a phosphorus vacancy or a phosphorus interstitial related defect.
Field demonstration of a scanning lidar and detection algorithm for spatially mapping honeybees for biological detection of land mines

A biological detection scheme based on the natural foraging behavior of conditioned honeybees for detecting chemical vapor plumes associated with unexploded ordnance devices utilizes a scanning lidar instrument to provide spatial mapping of honeybee densities. The scanning light detection and ranging (lidar) instrument uses a frequency doubled Nd:YAG microchip laser to send out a series of pulses at a pulse repetition rate of 6.853 kHz. The scattered light is monitored to produce a discrete time series for each range. This discrete time series is then processed using an efficient algorithm that is able to isolate and identify the return signal from a honeybee in a cluttered environment, producing spatially mapped honeybee densities. Two field experiments were performed with the scanning lidar instrument that demonstrate good correlation between the honeybee density maps and the target locations.
TRAINER © – a computer tutorial for end-users of database services: context, content, and results of use*

TRAINER est un programme d'enseignement assiste pour les utilisateurs de DIALOG et d'ORBIT, disponible par les reseaux TELENET et EDUNET. On presente le contenu et les objectifs du programme et les experimentations realisees
The Effects Of Obesity, Smoking, And Drinking On Medical Problems And Costs

This paper compares the effects of obesity, overweight, smoking, and problem drinking on health care use and health status based on national survey data. Obesity has roughly the same association with chronic health conditions as does twenty years’ aging; this greatly exceeds the associations of smoking or problem drinking. Utilization effects mirrors the health effects. Obesity is associated with a 36 percent increase in inpatient and outpatient spending and a 77 percent increase in medications, compared with a 21 percent increase in inpatient and outpatient spending and a 28 percent increase in medications for current smokers and smaller effects for problem drinkers. Nevertheless, the latter two groups have received more consistent attention in recent decades in clinical practice and public health policy.
A checklist of the vascular flora of Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Apache County, Arizona1

Abstract Rink, G. (Northern Arizona University, Department of Biological Sciences, PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86001) J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 132: 510–532. 2005—A total of 243 new species records, 60 new generic records, and 11 new family records were documented for Canyon de Chelly National Monument, bringing the known flora of the Monument to 771 species. This work is part of an inventory carried out throughout the National Park Service as part of the Natural Resource Challenge, a legislative and administrative mandate. Four species are on or proposed for the Navajo Nation Endangered Species List. Additions to the flora include Carex specuicola, a Listed Threatened species, and Zigadenus vaginatus, both on the Navajo Endangered Species List. Astragalus chuskanus, Cirsium chellyense, Lupinus caudatus subsp. cutleri, and a white-flowered form of Mertensia oblongifolia are endemic to the Monument and surrounding area.
Induction of hair growth by skin irritants and its relation to skin protein kinase C isoforms.

Induction of hair growth by skin irritants and its relation to skin protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms were evaluated. Dorsal skin of BALB/c mice was shaved and anthralin (0.1% in corn oil) was applied on one side of the shaved backs in 20 mice daily for 5 days. The corresponding opposite side treated with corn oil served as a control. In another 20 mice, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS, 10% in water) was applied on one side of the shaved backs for 5 days by the same procedure as above and the corresponding opposite side treated with water served as control. Visible acceleration of hair growth on anthralin-treated skin was observed as early as 14 days after the application of anthralin and significant hair growth was observed at about 17-20 days. Enhancement of hair growth on SDS-treated skin was observed at about 3 weeks from the beginning of the treatment. None of the mice showed remarkable hair growth on the control side in either group. Mouse skin PKC isoforms levels detected by Western blot showed a similar pattern in both treatment groups. PKC α was downregulated initially, and was then elevated from 3 days after anthralin treatment and 14 days after SDS application. PKC β was unchanged initially, decreased at 8 and 14 days after anthralin and SDS treatment, respectively, and reverted to the control level at 25 days after anthralin treatment, when it was still lower than the control in SDS-treated skin. PKC δ was also unchanged at first, but was elevated from 3 days after anthralin treatment and 14 days after SDS application. These results suggest that involvement of PKC may be a general phenomenon in irritant-induced hair growth in mice. Considering the stimulatory effect of PKC α and inhibitory effect of PKC δ on cell growth, we postulate that PKC α may be responsible for enhancement of hair growth while PKC δ may inhibit hair growth to keep the hair growth in balance.
Multiscale Analysis of Interfacial Stability and Misfit Dislocation Formation in Layer-By-Layer Semiconductor Heteroepitaxy

A theoretical analysis based on continuum elasticity theory and atomistic simulations is presented of the interfacial stability with respect to misfit dislocation formation, the strain fields, and the film surface morphology during layer-by-layer semiconductor heteroepitaxy. The energetics of the transition from a coherent to a semicoherent interface consisting of a misfit dislocation network, the structure of this semicoherent interface, the resulting strain fields and the morphological characteristics of the epitaxial film surfaces are calculated for InAs/GaAs(111)A. Continuum elasticity is found to describe the atomistic simulation results very well. Our theoretical results are discussed in the context of recent experimental data.
Association between prostate cancer and serum testosterone levels.

BACKGROUND The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the presence of prostate cancer altered serum testosterone levels. METHODS Initially, we evaluated both serum total and free testosterone levels in patients with either high-grade (n = 18) or moderate-grade (n = 146) prostate cancer, detected by prostate needle biopsies. Then both serum total and free testosterone levels, before and after prostatectomy, were compared in 79 of the 164 men with prostate cancer. RESULTS In the first setting, serum total and free testosterone levels (307 ± 24 ng/dl and 1.14 ± 0.09 ng/dl) in patients with high-grade prostate cancer were significantly lower than those in patients with moderate-grade prostate cancer (452 ± 12 ng/dl and 1.51 ± 0.04 ng/dl) and those without prostate cancer (451 ± 17 ng/dl and 1.55 ± 0.06 ng/dl). After prostatectomy in 79 patients with prostate cancer, serum levels of both total and free testosterone (511 ± 15 ng/dl and 1.78 ± 0.05 ng/dl) were found significantly elevated when compared with their respective presurgical total and free testosterone levels (450 ± 17 ng/dl and 1.60 ± 0.06 ng/dl). CONCLUSION Our findings show that serum total and free testosterone levels in patients with prostate cancer are altered, supporting the possibility that prostate cancer may inhibit serum testosterone levels. Prostate 53: 179–182, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sliding-mode control in discrete-state and hybrid systems

The sliding-mode control approach is developed for a class of discrete-state systems in a metric space. A concept of trajectory continuity is introduced which allows the use of sliding-mode design techniques similar to that in continuous state systems. This approach is then applied to a class of hybrid systems which consists of a continuous plant, an interface, and a discrete-state controller. The introduction of the sliding-mode concept leads to a design which is invariant to disturbances and also the solution of the stabilization problem.
Mutually Antagonistic Effects of Androgen and Activin in the Regulation of Prostate Cancer Cell Growth

Activin, a member of the TGFβ superfamily, is expressed in the prostate and inhibits growth. We demonstrate that the effects of activin and androgen on regulation of prostate cancer cell growth are mutually antagonistic. In the absence of androgen, activin induced apoptosis in the androgen-dependent human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP, an effect suppressed by androgen administration. Although activin by itself did not alter the cell cycle distribution, it potently suppressed androgen- induced progression of cells into S-phase of the cell cycle and thus inhibited androgen-stimulated growth of LNCaP cells. Expression changes in cell cycle regulatory proteins such as Rb, E2F-1, and p27 demonstrated a strong correlation with the mutually antagonistic growth regulatory effects of activin and androgen. The inhibitory effect of activin on growth was independent of serine, serine, valine, serine motif phosphorylation of Smad3. Despite their antagonistic effect on growth, activin and androgen costimulated the ex...
Sendai Virus Infection Induces Efficient Adaptive Immunity Independently of Type I Interferons

Adaptive immunity in response to virus infection involves the generation of Th1 cells, cytotoxic T cells, and antibodies. This type of immune response is crucial for the clearance of virus infection and for long-term protection against reinfection. Type I interferons (IFNs), the primary innate cytokines that control virus growth and spreading, can influence various aspects of adaptive immunity. The development of antiviral immunity depends on many viral and cellular factors, and the extent to which type I IFNs contribute to the generation of adaptive immunity in response to a viral infection is controversial. Using two strains (Cantell and 52) of the murine respiratory Sendai virus (SeV) with differential abilities to induce type I IFN production from infected cells, together with type I IFN receptor-deficient mice, we examined the role of type I IFNs in the generation of adaptive immunity. Our results show that type I IFNs facilitate virus clearance and enhance the migration and maturation of dendritic cells after SeV infection in vivo; however, soon after infection, mice clear the virus from their lungs and efficiently generate cytotoxic T cells independently of type I IFN signaling. Furthermore, animals that are unresponsive to type I IFN develop long-term anti-SeV immunity, including CD8 + T cells and antibodies. Significantly, this memory response is able to protect mice against challenge with a lethal dose of virus. In conclusion, our results show that primary and secondary anti-SeV adaptive immunities are developed normally in the absence of type I IFN responsiveness.
Completing the circle: a model for effective community review of environmental health research.

While it is well understood that multiple and cumulative environmental stressors negatively impact health at the community level, existing ethical research review procedures are designed to protect individual research participants but not communities. Increasing concerns regarding the ethical conduct of research in general and environmental and genetic research in particular underscore the need to expand the scope of current human participant research regulations and ethical guidelines to include protections for communities. In an effort to address this issue, West Harlem Environmental Action (WE ACT), a nonprofit, community-based environmental justice organization in New York City that has been involved in community–academic partnerships for the past decade, used qualitative interview data to develop a pilot model for community review of environmental health science research.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonists inhibit the activation of microglia and astrocytes: Implications for multiple sclerosis

Abstract Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ agonists, including thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and 15-deoxy-Δ 12,14 prostaglandin J 2 (15d-PGJ 2 ), have been shown to be effective in the treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to compare the anti-inflammatory actions of three TZDs – rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, and ciglitazone – with those of 15d-PGJ 2 on stimulated mouse microglia and astrocytes. The results show that TZDs and 15d-PGJ 2 are effective in inhibiting production of nitric oxide, the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and the chemokine MCP-1 from microglia and astrocytes. However, 15d-PGJ 2 was a more potent suppressor of pro-inflammatory activity than the TZDs. These studies suggest that PPAR-γ agonists modulate EAE, at least in part, by inhibiting the activation of microglia and astrocytes. The studies further suggest that PPAR-γ agonists may be effective in the treatment of MS.
A modular approach to biomass allocation in an invasive annual (Microstegium vimineum; Poaceae)

The invasive grass Microstegium vimineum grows in low light beneath the canopy of eastern forests in North America by reiteration of modules (phytomers) along a tiller. Basal phytomers are vegetative; terminal phytomers produce a raceme of chasmogamous (CH) spikelets plus an axillary raceme of cleistogamous (CL) spikelets. Additional subterminal phytomers with CL racemes mature basipetally. Allocation to culms, leaves, and CH and CL within phytomers was examined in relation to light conditions for a population in New Jersey, USA. Plants were reared in a greenhouse from seed families of parents in deep shade (2-8% full sun) or sunny, edge habitats. Primary tillers were subdivided into phytomers, dried, and weighed. Tillers from field habitats were similarly treated. For vegetative and subterminal phytomers, allocation to leaves and CH was greatest for the shady habitat. CL allocation decreased from terminal to reproductively immature subterminal phytomers. CH and CL mass was positively correlated with leaf mass, suggesting that reproduction is determined by available photosynthate. CH mass showed a genetic correlation with leaf mass. Developmental plasticity in modular allocation allows Microstegium to maximize fitness when conditions are favorable (e.g., high light along forest edges) by continual maturation of CL caryopses on axillary racemes.
Networked information resource discovery: an overview of current issues

Users need a new class of information retrieval systems to help them utilize effectively the increasingly vast selection of networked information resources becoming available on the Internet. These systems-usually called network information discovery and retrieval (NIDR) systems-must operate in a highly demanding, very large-scale distributed environment that encompasses huge numbers of autonomously managed and extremely heterogeneous resources. The design of successful NIDR systems demands a synthesis of technologies and practices from computer science, computer-communications networking, information science, librarianship, and information management. This paper discusses the range of potential functional requirements for information resource discovery and selection, issues involved in describing and classifying network resources to support discovery and selection processes, and architectural frameworks for collecting and managing the information bases involved. It also includes a survey and analysis of selected operational prototypes and production systems. >
Autoimmunity in 2011

The mechanisms leading to the onset and perpetuation of systemic and tissue-specific autoimmune diseases are complex, and numerous hypotheses have been proposed or confirmed over the past 12 months. It is particularly of note that the number of articles published during 2011 in the major immunology and autoimmunity journals increased by 3 % compared to the previous year. The present article is dedicated to a brief review of the reported data and, albeit not comprehensive of all articles, is aimed at identifying common and future themes. First, clinical researchers were particularly dedicated to defining refractory forms of diseases and to discuss the use and switch of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in everyday practice. Second, following the plethora of genome-wide association studies reported in most multifactorial diseases, it became clear that genomics cannot fully explain the individual susceptibility and additional environmental or epigenetic factors are necessary. Both these components were widely investigated, both in organ-specific (i.e., type 1 diabetes) and systemic (i.e., systemic lupus erythematosus) diseases. Third, a large number of 2011 works published in the autoimmunity area are dedicated to dissect pathogenetic mechanisms of tolerance breakdown in general or in specific conditions. While our understanding of T regulatory and Th17 cells has significantly increased in 2011, it is of note that most of the proposed lines of evidence identify potential targets for future treatments and should not be overlooked.
The Role of the Exocyst in Matrix Metalloproteinase Secretion and Actin Dynamics during Tumor Cell Invadopodia Formation

Invadopodia are actin-rich membrane protrusions formed by tumor cells that degrade the extracellular matrix for invasion. Invadopodia formation involves membrane protrusions driven by Arp2/3-mediated actin polymerization and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) at the focal degrading sites. The exocyst mediates the tethering of post-Golgi secretory vesicles at the plasma membrane for exocytosis and has recently been implicated in regulating actin dynamics during cell migration. Here, we report that the exocyst plays a pivotal role in invadopodial activity. With RNAi knockdown of the exocyst component Exo70 or Sec8, MDA-MB-231 cells expressing constitutively active c-Src failed to form invadopodia. On the other hand, overexpression of Exo70 promoted invadopodia formation. Disrupting the exocyst function by siEXO70 or siSEC8 treatment or by expression of a dominant negative fragment of Exo70 inhibited the secretion of MMPs. We have also found that the exocyst interacts with the Arp2/3 complex in cells with high invasion potential; blocking the exocyst-Arp2/3 interaction inhibited Arp2/3-mediated actin polymerization and invadopodia formation. Together, our results suggest that the exocyst plays important roles in cell invasion by mediating the secretion of MMPs at focal degrading sites and regulating Arp2/3-mediated actin dynamics.