cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endogenous Aldosterone Contributes to Acute Angiotensin II-Stimulated Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 and Preproendothelin-1 Expression in Heart But Not Aorta

To test the hypothesis that angiotensin (Ang) II induces profibrotic gene expression through endogenous aldosterone, we measured the effect of 4 h infusion (600 ng/kg x min) of Ang II on tissue mRNA expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), preproendothelin-1 (ppET-1), TGF-beta, and osteopontin in wild-type (WT), aldosterone synthase-deficient (AS(-/-)), and AS(-/-) mice treated with aldosterone (either 500 ng/d for 7 d or 250 ng as a concurrent 4 h infusion). Ang II increased aldosterone in WT (P < 0.001) but not in AS(-/-) mice. Aldosterone (7 d) normalized basal aldosterone concentrations in AS(-/-) mice; however, there was no further effect of Ang II on aldosterone (P = NS). Basal cardiac and aortic PAI-1 and ppET-1 expression were similar in WT and AS(-/-) mice. Ang II-stimulated PAI-1 (P < 0.001) and ppET-1 expression (P = 0.01) was diminished in the heart of AS(-/-) mice; treatment with aldosterone for 4 h or 7 d restored PAI-1 and ppET-1 mRNA responsiveness to Ang II in the heart. Ang II increased PAI-1 (P = 0.01) expression in the aorta of AS(-/-) as well as WT mice. In the kidney, basal PAI-1, ppET-1, and TGF-beta mRNA expression was increased in AS(-/-) compared with WT mice and correlated with plasma renin activity. Ang II did not stimulate osteopontin or TGF-beta expression in the heart or kidney. Endogenous aldosterone contributes to the acute stimulatory effect of Ang II on PAI-1 and ppET-1 mRNA expression in the heart; renin activity correlates with basal profibrotic gene expression in the kidney.
Microfluidic valves made from polymerized polyethylene glycol diacrylate

Abstract Pneumatically actuated, non-elastomeric membrane valves fabricated from polymerized polyethylene glycol diacrylate (poly-PEGDA) have been characterized for temporal response, valve closure, and long-term durability. A ∼100 ms valve opening time and a ∼20 ms closure time offer valve operation as fast as 8 Hz with potential for further improvement. Comparison of circular and rectangular valve geometries indicates that the surface area for membrane interaction in the valve region is important for valve performance. After initial fabrication, the fluid pressure required to open a closed circular valve is ∼50 kPa higher than the control pressure holding the valve closed. However, after ∼1000 actuations to reconfigure polymer chains and increase elasticity in the membrane, the fluid pressure required to open a valve becomes the same as the control pressure holding the valve closed. After these initial conditioning actuations, poly-PEGDA valves show considerable robustness with no change in effective operation after 115,000 actuations. Such valves constructed from non-adsorptive poly-PEGDA could also find use as pumps, for application in small volume assays interfaced with biosensors or impedance detection, for example.
A system of differential equations modeling the G1 phase of the cell cycle

Abstract The G 1 phase is the most variable part of the cell cycle. Transit through G 1 is regulated by a chain of syntheses of specific substances (probably proteins), promoted by extracellular “growth factors”. When the last substance of the chain reaches the threshold concentration, DNA synthesis can be initiated. We propose a model in the form of a chain of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. When all the constants representing extracellular growth factors are nonzero, the system proceeds towards a unique equilibrium. Moreover, in a special case it is demonstrated that the concentration of the last element of the chain is an increasing time function. When one or more of the “growth factor” constants are set equal to zero, part of the system becomes extinct while the remaining subsystem does not possess an equilibrium. Biological relevance of this model is discussed.
Chronic stress impairs collateral blood flow recovery in aged mice.

Chronic stress is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Aging is also associated with vascular dysfunction. We hypothesize that chronic stress accelerates collateral dysfunction in old mice. Mice were subjected to either chronic social defeat (CSD) or chronic cold stress (CCS). The CSD mice were housed in a box inside an aggressor’s cage and exposed to the aggressor. The CCS group was placed in iced water. After chronic stress, mice underwent femoral artery ligation (FAL) and flow recovery was measured. For the CSD group, appearance and use scores of the foot and a behavioral test were performed. CSD impaired collateral flow recovery after FAL. Further, stressed mice had greater ischemic damage, impaired foot function, and altered behavior. The CCS mice also showed impaired collateral flow recovery. Chronic stress causes hind limb collateral dysfunction in old mice, a conclusion reinforced by the fact that two types of stress produced similar changes.
Serving Constituencies In Business Schools: M.B.A. Program Versus Research Performance

Business schools strive to meet two goals: knowledge exploration through research and knowledge exploitation through instruction. Our results indicate that research performance (pages published in ...
Ultra Resolution Direct Imaging Optical Microscope

The size of the smallest detail visible in conventional microscopy is determined by the wavelength of the light used to image a specimen. For state-of-the-art optical imaging, this diffraction limit is 200-300 nm, leaving a considerable ‘blind spot’ between the angstrom-scale molecular details visible by X-ray crystallography and the those accessible by visible light microscopy. Recently, a number of developments have been reported that allow fluorescence imaging of samples with resolutions of an order of magnitude below the diffraction limit.One such method makes use of the stochastic fluorescence emission of individual molecules. Massive oversampling of the fluorescence emission of these particles allows the determination of their positions with high accuracy and, thus, the construction the image of a fluorescently labeled, biological sample with a resolution below the diffraction limit. This and related techniques, however, are limited to the imaging of fixed samples and require many minutes or hours to construct a single image. Another approach is making use of certain photophysical properties of fluorophores and a combination of illumination lasers to decrease the size of the excitation focus in confocal microscopy. Disadvantages of this method include the need for sophisticated laser equipment, very specific requirements for the fluorescent labels, and long times to obtain images. In general, live cell imaging at the timescales required to study the dynamics of intracellular processes is impractical with these newly developed super-resolution techniques.Here, we present a drastically different approach to sub-diffraction-limited imaging that utilizes a propagating, nanoscopic beam of visible light with a diameter of a few 10s of nm. This phenomenon relies on the resonance of surface plasmons with the photons at the dielectric/metal interface. The width of the transmitted photon beam is independent of wavelength remains constant over length scales of 100s of nm.
Dust grain processing in the Orion nebula.

Dust grains in central regions of the Orion nebula are solid fossils of molecular cloud material dispersed during episodes of OB star formation. Here, a grain model in which the nebular dust has a silicate and carbon composition and a bimodal size spectrum characterized by a division into large and small particles is considered. The large grains consist of porous aggregates of silicate subgrains, whereas small grains consist of silicate and amorphous carbon particles and a smaller population of amorphous carbon particles graphitized by OB stellar radiation. It turns out that large carbon grains are absent in the size spectrum because they are subjected to chemical attacks by gas-phase H and O atoms.
Dilatant center-crack tip interaction effects

In this paper the authors consider the toughening effects of a collection of discrete particles, acting as dilatant centers, in the vicinity of a crack tip. The results are compared with those of continuum treatments in which the material is treated as a homogeneous continuum with a constitutive relation that mimics the macroscopic constitutive behavior of the material containing discrete, transformable particles. In terms of the force on the crack tip, J, there is no difference between the predictions of the two approaches but, in terms of R, the energy dissipation rate, additional terms emerge in the discretized picture. The additional terms are associated with the supply of interaction energy between the crack tip and transformed particle as the crack tip and its attendant zone of transformed particles advance and due to far-field contributions.
Getting to Less

Chrisoula Andreou's “No Avail Thesis” states that many environmentally-harmful conveniences and luxuries do not significantly contribute to human happiness, making the costs they incur largely a waste. The first half of this short paper affirms the ethical importance of this thesis, with special reference to global climate change. Growing evidence suggests that implementing efficiency measures will not be sufficient to allow humanity to avoid catastrophic climate change and that such measures will have to be supplemented by reductions in consumption itself. Convincing people that they can reduce consumption without harming their wellbeing could open up the political space needed to successfully mitigate climate change. The second half of the paper explores the implications of Andreou's “shallow” route to accepting the “No Avails Thesis,” grounded in empirical research that suggests people's sense of material wellbeing is largely set through interpersonal comparisons. Psychological evidence for this shallo...
Compact and behavioral modeling of transistors from NVNA measurements: New flows and future trends

This paper reviews three modern transistor modeling flows enabled by large-signal waveform and/or X-parameter1 measurements from a commercially available nonlinear vector network analyzer (NVNA) instrument. NVNA transistor characterization more safely exercises the device over a wider operating domain than is possible with conventional DC and linear S-parameter measurements, is more indicative of the device large-signal response in actual use conditions, provides data at much faster timescales than pulsed I–V methods, and provides large-signal model validation as a free additional benefit. In the first flow considered, NVNA waveform data is used as a target to extract and tune compact model parameter values and for model validation under large-signal conditions. In the second flow, NVNA waveform data is used to directly construct the multi-variate nonlinear current-source and charge-based nonlinear capacitor functions of an advanced electrothermal and trap-dependent compact model suitable for GaAs and GaN FETs, effectively bypassing the need for explicit model constitutive relation formulation. The final approach is based on the X-parameter measurement and behavioral modeling framework supported by the NVNA, producing nonlinear transistor models directly in the frequency domain. Recent advances in X-parameter methods for transistors, including simple scalability with geometry, show early potential for useful device models, under certain conditions, without the requirement of specifying an internal topology or equivalent circuit at all.
Infertility Associated with Luteal Phase Defect

Infertility, either primary or secondary, affects approximately 15% of the population of childbearing age. Luteal phase defect, a deficiency of corpus luteum progesterone steroidogenisis, is noted in cases of primary infertility and in approximately 35% of couples who have experienced recurrent miscarriage. Supplemental progesterone therapy before implantation and continued into early pregnancy helps these couples to achieve a successful pregnancy outcome. The nurse can function as a pivotal member of the health-care team by providing the couple with appropriate education, counseling, and emotional support. Clinical manifestations of luteal phase defect and nursing interventions used in a case study are presented.
Life Course Transitions, the Generational Stake, and Grandparent-Grandchild Relationships

Drawing on past research and prominent theoretical orientations, this research note suggests new approaches to intergenerational dynamics. For 316 grandparent-grandchild pairs, we found that the transition of grandchildren to higher education, controlling for other transitions, improves the quality of the grandparent-grandchild relationship. For grandparent mentoring, however, we see evidence of a generational stake, with grandparents overestimating their mentoring role, compared to grandchildren, during this transition. This generational stake reflects the importance of grandparent education, with increased mentoring for the college-going grandchildren of college-educated grandparents. These findings indicate that the intergenerational literature can be significantly advanced by taking a long-term perspective, incorporating multiple points of view, and examining contextual variation. Moreover, greater understanding of these intergenerational ties will benefit research on families and individual development.
Streaming of DivX AVI movies

In recent years the MPEG-4 ISO compression standard has gained much attention. With its high compression ratio it promises to make broadband streaming more feasible. However, currently there are only a limited number of fully ISO standard compliant MPEG-4 systems widely available (Apple's Quicktime 6 is one of the first). Some partial implementations, such as the MPEG-4 style codec "DivX" are popular for encoding video content into AVI (Audio Video Interleave) files. The AVI file format was originally not intended for streaming. In this report we document our efforts to enable streaming of DivX AVI files across broadband IP based networks. This will allow the large number of existing AVI files to be made available in streaming applications.
Self-consistent simulation of corrugated layered structures

Abstract An efficient self-consistent 2-D Schrodinger/Poisson solver, including shifted periodic boundary conditions, is used to obtain the wavefunctions and energy levels in the quantum wires formed at the corners of periodic saw-tooth structures consisting of layers of Al 1− x Ga x As and GaAs materials. We find that the formation of a quantum wire at the corners of the GaAs layer is very sensitive to the physical parameters of the neighboring Al 1− x Ga x As layers. Simple potential models yield solutions which are qualitatively very different from self-consistent results. Electron population build-up in the GaAs region between the corners can be better controlled by using asymmetric doping. A direct consequence of the asymmetry is that in most cases there is electron confinement only at every other corner.
Effects of artificial illumination on turkey sperm viability.

Abstract The effects of direct exposure of turkey semen to artificial lighting on the quality of the spermatozoa were investigated. Undiluted (neat) and diluted semen were exposed to light or dark treatments for 4 or 6 hr while held at 5, 15, or 25 C. The percentage of normal, abnormal and dead sperm, and the percent fertility was determined after various light and dark treatments. Neat semen held in light at 5, 15, and 25 C, and dilute semen held at 5 and 25 C, contained significantly greater numbers of normal spermatozoa than semen exposed to the dark. A significant rise in the number of abnormal and dead spermatozoa was seen in treated samples held in the dark. Both neat and extended semen exposed to blue light (peak 450 nm) contained significantly greater numbers of normal spermatozoa and fewer abnormal spermatozoa than semen treated with red light (peak 650 nm) after both 4 and 6 hr of treatment. The fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa exposed to light was greater than that of spermatozoa exposed to dark. Artificial insemination of hens with semen exposed to light or darkness for 6 hr resulted in an initial percentage of fertile eggs of about 40% and 24% from the light and dark treated semen, respectively. It was concluded that light resulted in improved quality of turkey semen during a short-term holding period.
Interference by unstable nucleotides in the study of enzymes that cleave N-glycoside bonds in nucleic acids

Abstract The guanylation of tRNA involves the excision of a base from within the polynucleotide chain by cleavage of the N -glycoside bond. The excised base is replaced by guanine. During studies using chemically tritiated tRNA to study the guanylation reaction, spurious radioactivity was released from tRNA. We have identified the substance released as the hypermodified compound known as Y base. Our report (i) warns workers, who are studying enzymes that excise bases at the polynucleotide level, against this pitfall; (ii) indicates how to determine if counts released from RNA or DNA are spurious; and (iii) describes methods that avoid release of spurious counts while studying enzymes that cleave N -glycoside bonds in polynucleotides.
Prolonged General Anesthesia in MR Studies of Rats

Abstract Rationale and Objectives Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of laboratory animals may require general anesthesia to minimize body movements over many hours. The anesthetization technique should allow physiologic parameters to remain as close to normal as possible, permit fast recovery, allow safe, repeated use, and avoid attachment of ferrous metal components to the animal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an anesthetization technique that was developed to meet each of these qualifications. Materials and Methods In 15 rats (280–483-g body weight), general anesthesia was induced (with intramuscular ketamine hydrochloride, xylazine hydrochloride, acepromazine maleate, and atropine), a tail vein catheter was inserted, and preimaging surgical procedures were performed. A face mask was applied, the animal was positioned in a dorsal recumbent position on an acrylic board, and an isothermal heating pad was placed on the ventral aspect of the abdominal wall. The rat, on the board, was then inserted into a trough that contained a custom-built, linearly polarized birdcage head coil and placed in the bore of a 4.7-T horizontal-bore magnet. The face mask was connected to a non-rebreathing gaseous anesthetic system, and anesthesia was maintained with 1.5–2.0 L/min oxygen and 0.25%–1.50% isoflurane. Oxygen saturation, heart rate, and rectal temperature were continuously monitored. Results The duration of intramuscular anesthesia was 110 minutes ± 12, and the duration of gaseous anesthesia was 106 minutes ± 43. The monitoring equipment permitted display of vital signs. Conclusion The method appeared safe, was easy to perform, maintained a stable physiologic state for the parameters monitored, and could be used for repeated anesthesia in the same animal.
The Psychological Appeal of Personalized Content in Web Portals: Does Customization Affect Attitudes and Behavior?

Internet technology has made possible the widespread dissemination of individualized media messages, but we know very little about their psychological import. A between-subjects experiment (N =60) with three levels of customization (low, medium, high) was designed to examine whether greater levels of personalized content engender more positive attitudes. The results not only confirm this hypothesis but also reveal the mediating role played by users’ perceptions of relevance, involvement, interactivity, and novelty of portal content. In addition, customization has behavioral effects in that it affects users’ browsing activity.
Effect of Various Sugars on Browninga

SUMMARY The rate of browning of 20 sugars or sugar derivatives was followed by reflectance measurements of cookies and spectrophotometric measurements of browning of dilute buffered solutions of the sugars and glycine or lysine, heated at 114°C in an autoclave. Both in cookies and in solution, the order of decreasing reactivity for the pentoses was: ribose, xylose, and arabinose. Among the hexoses, galactose was the most reactive and rhamnose the least. Because the conditions of pH and presence of amino acids were varied, no over-all order of reactivity could be established for the other hexoses. Disaccharides with reducing groups, except melibiose, showed little reactivity. Sugars without reducing groups failed to exhibit browning.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum Using a Simple Motor Paradigm

Activation of cortical and subcortical motor areas of the brain, including primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, basal ganglia and cerebellum, were successfully investigated in seven right-handed, normal volunteers during a simple, rapid, thumb flexion-extension task using functional magnetic resonance imaging. A multi-slice echo-planar imaging sequence was used to cover the entire brain. A signal increase varying from 2% to 6% was observed for the different regions involved in the motor task. Moving the non-dominant thumb was associated with a more bilateral activation pattern in both putamen and cerebellar regions. This study demonstrates the capability of functional magnetic resonance imaging to delineate simultaneously many activated brain areas that are commonly thought to be involved in the performance of motor tasks.
Prognostic factors from the fine-needle aspirate: breast carcinoma nuclear grade

Two of the most important microscopically derived morphologic prognostic factors for breast carcinoma patients are histologic type of tumor and nuclear grade. The recent literature stresses the importance of including these parameters in the surgical pathology report, yet there is little information in the cytology literature regarding the reporting of the nuclear grade of breast carcinomas from fine-needle aspirate biopsies (FNAB). In this retrospective study, we examined 104 ductal carcinomas of the breast in order to determine whether the FNAB derived nuclear grade and morphologic aspects of histological grading such as tubule formation and mitoses could accurately correlate with the same parameters on the tissue specimens. There was a correlation of 87% between the nuclear grade assigned by FNAB and the nuclear grade assigned to the tissue sample. Both the Diff-Quik and the Papanicolaou staining methods were assessed in this study and both gave comparable nuclear grade results. Tubule formation was difficult to assess on the cytologic samples and mitoses showed no correlation between cytologic and tissue specimens. The FNAB sample was not representative of the tissue nuclear grade in only 4.8% of the cases. Nuclear grade is especially important in patients treated with chemotherapy prior to definitive therapy for breast carcinoma. We conclude that the nuclear grading of breast carcinomas is performed with ease, correlates well with tissue nuclear grade, and, as a fundamental cytologic parameter, should be included in the fine-needle aspirate biopsy report whenever possible. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The diagnostic value of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and detection of pepsin and bile acids in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and exhaled breath condensate for identifying lung transplantation patients with GERD-induced aspiration

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is thought to lead to aspiration and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation. Unfortunately, the identification of patients with GERD who aspirate still lacks clear diagnostic indicators. The authors hypothesized that symptoms of GERD and detection of pepsin and bile acids in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) are effective for identifying lung transplantation patients with GERD-induced aspiration. From November 2009 to November 2010, 85 lung transplantation patients undergoing surveillance bronchoscopy were prospectively enrolled. For these patients, self-reported symptoms of GERD were correlated with levels of pepsin and bile acids in BAL and EBC and with GERD status assessed by 24-h pH monitoring. The sensitivity and specificity of pepsin and bile acids in BAL and EBC also were compared with the presence of GERD in 24-h pH monitoring. The typical symptoms of GERD (heartburn and regurgitation) had modest sensitivity and specificity for detecting GERD and aspiration. The atypical symptoms of GERD (aspiration and bronchitis) showed better identification of aspiration as measured by detection of pepsin and bile acids in BAL. The sensitivity and specificity of pepsin in BAL compared with GERD by 24-h pH monitoring were respectively 60 and 45 %, whereas the sensitivity and specificity of bile acids in BAL were 67 and 80 %. These data indicate that the measurement of pepsin and bile acids in BAL can provide additional data for identifying lung transplantation patients at risk for GERD-induced aspiration compared with symptoms or 24-h pH monitoring alone. These results support a diagnostic role for detecting markers of aspiration in BAL, but this must be validated in larger studies.
High-speed digital microwave transmitter utilizing optical modulation

A novel solid-state microwave transmitter which is capable of high-speed digital modulation at high RF power levels, and yet is a simple single-stage design, has been realized. This has been accomplished by illuminating a TRAPATT diode with a stream of optical pulses from a GaAlAs laser diode.
Stokes flow past a smooth cylinder

Ranger's solution of the two-dimensional Stokes flow past a smooth body is analyzed in detail. The body can be made convex or concave depending on the choice of its two parameters and concavity is found to be necessary but not sufficient for separation to occur. A relationship exists between the formation of a Stokesian wake and the curvature at the concave end of the body. Particular attention is given to the case when the body degenerates to a circular arc. The two-dimensional Stokes flow past a circular arc is strikingly similar to the axisymmetric Stokes flow past a spherical cap.
The measurement and cost of removing unexplained gender differences in faculty salaries

Abstract In the assessment of damages for sex discrimination suits, most of the debate between plaintiffs and defendants concerns the type and number of variables to include in a single equation model of the salary determination process. Even within a restrictive single equation framework there are alternative methods available for calculating damages, and these different methods can result in substantially different costs when based on semilogarithmic earnings equations. Here we consider both single and multiple equation models in damage calculations. We provide thirty-six different damage calculations and show that, at least for data from the University of Minnesota, the cost of equalization depends greatly on the combinations of models, methods, and estimators.
The Envios of San Pablo Huixtepec, Oaxaca: Food, Home, and Transnationalism

Transnationalism has been a major organizing theme for hundreds of immigration related studies, many of which have targeted Mexican migration to the United States economic remittances, and entrepreneurism. This case study is based on research carried out in Oaxaca with immigrants from the community of San Pablo Huixtepec and the flow of “remittance” from South to North. This study focuses on home to California sociocultural activities that serve to maintain family, community and cultural connections between the two. The major focus is on the business/entrepreneurial practice of envios, or family scale package services that move food and other cultural remittances from South to North. The system is not only economic but reflects transnational sociocultural activities that directly impact the immigrants’ ties back to home and life in California. This case study of the system of envios illustrates a unique dimension of transnational migration and living.
Error Prone Translesion Synthesis Past γ-Hydroxypropano Deoxyguanosine, the Primary Acrolein-derived Adduct in Mammalian Cells

Abstract 8-Hydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrimido[1,2-a]purin- 10(3H)-one,3-(2′-deoxyriboside) (1,N 2-γ-hydroxypropano deoxyguanosine, γ-HOPdG) is a major DNA adduct that forms as a result of exposure to acrolein, an environmental pollutant and a product of endogenous lipid peroxidation. γ-HOPdG has been shown previously not to be a miscoding lesion when replicated in Escherichia coli. In contrast to those prokaryotic studies, in vivo replication and mutagenesis assays in COS-7 cells using single stranded DNA containing a specific γ-HOPdG adduct, revealed that the γ-HOPdG adduct was significantly mutagenic. Analyses revealed both transversion and transition types of mutations at an overall mutagenic frequency of 7.4 × 10−2/translesion synthesis. In vitro γ-HOPdG strongly blocks DNA synthesis by two major polymerases, pol δ and pol e. Replicative blockage of pol δ by γ-HOPdG could be diminished by the addition of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, leading to highly mutagenic translesion bypass across this adduct. The differential functioning and processing capacities of the mammalian polymerases may be responsible for the higher mutation frequencies observed in this study when compared with the accurate and efficient nonmutagenic bypass observed in the bacterial system.
Employment Discrimination Based on Immigration Status: Recent Cases Involving H-1B Visas

The worldwide economic downturn has seen a reversal in previous trends toward offshore staffing and an increase in protectionism toward home country labor. However, employers in the U.S. face potential legal liability if they favor American citizens over authorized foreign guest workers in layoffs, pay decisions, and other such actions. Thus far, employers have succeeded in defending most discrimination claims involving citizenship or immigration status—which often are made by out-of-work plaintiffs unable to afford legal representation—on technical grounds such as faulty pleading, failure to exhaust administrative remedies, filing with the wrong administrative agency, or mischaracterizing immigration claims as ones involving national origin status. These results notwithstanding, a closer reading of the cases suggests that substantive liability may be a matter of growing concern as plaintiffs or their counsel learn to correct such errors. The issues are important to both sides of the employment relationship in today's global labor market; foreign guest workers will want to better understand their responsibilities and rights, while businesses will want to better manage their legal risks. Because little if any scholarly research has addressed these matters, an exploratory case law review is presented in an effort to identify trends in fact patterns that have generated such issues. Based on the results, practical recommendations are offered for improving the management of U.S. employment relationships that involve foreign guest workers.
Wilms' tumor 1 silencing decreases the viability and chemoresistance of glioblastoma cells in vitro: a potential role for IGF-1R de-repression

Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1) is a transcription factor with a multitude of downstream targets that have wide-ranging effects in non-glioma cell lines. Though its expression in glioblastomas is now well-documented, the role of WT1 in these tumors remains poorly defined. We hypothesized that WT1 functions as an oncogene to enhance glioblastoma viability and chemoresistance. WT1’s role was examined by studying the effect of WT1 silencing and overexpression on DNA damage, apoptosis and cell viability. Results indicated that WT1 silencing adversely affected glioblastoma viability, at times, in synergy with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and cisplatin. To investigate other mechanisms through which WT1 could affect viability, we measured cell cycle distribution, senescence, and autophagy. WT1 silencing had no effect on these processes. Lastly, we examined WT1 regulation of IGF-1R expression. Counterintuitively, upregulation of IGF-1R was evident after WT1 silencing. In conclusion, WT1 functions as a survival factor in glioblastomas, possibly through inhibition of IGF-1R expression.
Phenotype–Genotype Integrator (PheGenI): synthesizing genome-wide association study (GWAS) data with existing genomic resources

Rapidly accumulating data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and other large-scale studies are most useful when synthesized with existing databases. To address this opportunity, we developed the Phenotype–Genotype Integrator (PheGenI), a user-friendly web interface that integrates various National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) genomic databases with association data from the National Human Genome Research Institute GWAS Catalog and supports downloads of search results. Here, we describe the rationale for and development of this resource. Integrating over 66 000 association records with extensive single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), gene, and expression quantitative trait loci data already available from the NCBI, PheGenI enables deeper investigation and interrogation of SNPs associated with a wide range of traits, facilitating the examination of the relationships between genetic variation and human diseases.
From Zebrafish to Mammal: Functional Evolution of Prestin, the Motor Protein of Cochlear Outer Hair Cells

Prestin is the motor protein of cochlear outer hair cells. It belongs to a distinct anion transporter family called solute carrier protein 26A, or SLC26A. Members of this family serve two fundamentally distinct functions. Although most members transport different anion substrates across a variety of epithelia, prestin (SLC26A5) is unique, functioning as a voltage-dependent motor protein. Recent evidence suggests that prestin orthologs from zebrafish and chicken are electrogenic divalent/chloride anion exchangers/transporters with no motor function. These studies appear to suggest that prestin was evolved from an anion transporter. We examined the motor and transport functions of prestin and its orthologs from four different species in the vertebrate lineage, to gain insights of how these two physiological functions became distinct. Somatic motility, voltage-dependent nonlinear capacitance (NLC), and transporter function were measured in transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells using voltage-clamp and anion uptake techniques. Zebrafish and chicken prestins both exhibited weak NLC, with peaks significantly shifted in the depolarization (right) direction. This was contrasted by robust NLC with peaks left shifted in the platypus and gerbil. The platypus and gerbil prestins retained little transporter function compared with robust anion transport capacities in the zebrafish and chicken orthologs. Somatic motility was detected only in the platypus and gerbil prestins. There appears to be an inverse relationship between NLC and anion transport functions, whereas motor function appears to have emerged only in mammalian prestin. Our results suggest that motor function is an innovation of therian prestin and is concurrent with diminished transporter capabilities.
Impact of a short-term heat event on C and N relations in shoots vs. roots of the stress-tolerant C4 grass, Andropogon gerardii

Abstract Global warming will increase heat waves, but effects of abrupt heat stress on shoot–root interactions have rarely been studied in heat-tolerant species, and abrupt heat-stress effects on root N uptake and shoot C flux to roots and soil remains uncertain. We investigated effects of a high-temperature event on shoot vs. root growth and function, including transfer of shoot C to roots and soil and uptake and translocation of soil N by roots in the warm-season drought-tolerant C 4 prairie grass, Andropogon gerardii . We heated plants in the lab and field (lab = 5.5 days at daytime of 30 + 5 or 10 °C; field = 5 days at ambient (up to 32 °C daytime) vs. ambient +10 °C). Heating had small or no effects on photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, and shoot mass, but increased root mass and decreased root respiration and exudation per g. 13 C-labeling indicated that heating increased transfer of recently-fixed C from shoot to roots and soil (the latter likely via increased fine-root turnover). Heating decreased efficiency of N uptake by roots (uptake/g root), but did not affect total N uptake or the transfer of labeled soil 15 N to shoots. Though heating increased soil temperature in the lab, it did not do so in the field (10 cm depth); yet results were similar for lab and field. Hence, acute heating affected roots more than shoots in this stress-tolerant species, increasing root mass and C loss to soil, but decreasing function per g root, and some of these effects were likely independent of direct effects from soil heating.
APPLICATION OF PERICARDIAL GRAFT IN THE SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF PEYRONIE’S DISEASE

Purpose: We investigated the use of Tutoplast † †Biodynamics International, Parsippany, New Jersey. cadaveric pericardium as an alternative material for grafting the tunica albuginea defect after Peyronie's plaque excision. Materials and Methods: A total of 11 patients with significant penile curvature interfering with sexual intercourse were evaluated after at least 12 months of conservative therapy. Preoperative evaluation in all cases included penile duplex Doppler ultrasound studies. Chemically processed and gamma irradiated pericardium was used to graft the cavernosal defect after surgical excision of the penile plaque. In 3 patients a penile prosthesis was simultaneously placed secondary to documented erectile dysfunction at duplex Doppler ultrasound evaluation. Results: Penile curvature resolved in all patients, allowing for normal sexual function after a mean followup of 14 months (range 9 to 19). No postoperative evidence of tissue rejection or infection was noted. In 1 patient urethro-corporal communication developed and a single penile cylinder was explanted. Another patient had a mild dorsal bulge at the site of graft placement when the prosthesis was fully inflated. Conclusions: Polymeric silicone material used to provide satisfactory results in the surgical treatment of Peyronie's disease but it is no longer available for biomedical use. We demonstrate the effective use of cadaveric pericardium as a graft material for cavernosal defects after Peyronie's plaque excision. Overall patient satisfaction, absence of a second surgical incision, relative low risk and ease of surgical placement make this material ideal for the surgical treatment of this disease process.
Minimal Generators and Injective Modules

Abstract Given a contravariant functor F : &#x1d49e; → &#x1d4ae;ets for some category &#x1d49e;, we say that F (&#x1d49e;) (or F) is generated by a pair (X, x) where X is an object of &#x1d49e; and x ∈ F(X) if for any object Y of &#x1d49e; and any y ∈ F(Y), there is a morphism f : Y → X such that F(f)(x) = y. Furthermore, when Y = X and y = x, any f : X → X such that F(f)(x) = x is an automorphism of X, we say that F is minimally generated by (X, x). This paper shows that if the ring R is left noetherian, then there exists a minimal generator for the functor ℰxt (−, M) : ℰ → &#x1d4ae;ets, where M is a left R-module and ℰ is the class (considered as full subcategory of left R-modules) of injective left R-modules.
The promise and perils of digital currencies

Interest in digital currencies, especially Bitcoin, has exploded over the past year. The cryptocurrency Bitcoin was created in 2009 by an anonymous entity operating under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Using cryptographic primitives to create a digital currency is not particularly new – David Chaum proposed electronic cash nearly thirty years ago. What is different about Bitcoin is its success in gaining adoption. More than $1 billion of Bitcoin currency is in circulation, while Bitcoin startups are attracting tremendous interest from venture capitalists. But not all the attention attracted by digital currencies is positive. In 2011, two U.S. Senators asked that Bitcoin be shut down after they learned that it was used to pay for hard drugs in an underground marketplace called The Silk Road. Recently, the Costa-Rica-based digital currency, Liberty Reserve, was closed down because it allegedly laundered more than $6 billion on behalf of cyber criminals who had turned to the currency as a favored means of exchange. Bitcoin itself is frequently targeted by hackers, who exploit operational security failures to steal from the “wallets” of consumers and firms.
EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATION OF DEGRADING STRUCTURES THROUGH ACTIVE CONTROL

In experimental studies of structural behaviour, it is often desirable, even necessary, to perform tests on a test structure from its undamaged state, through its damaged states, and finally to failure. The fact that experiments of this type are not often done primarily because of its prohibitive cost. In this paper, a testing procedure is proposed in which a test structure is allowed to undergo its degradation in real time yet it is not physically damaged, thus allowing it to be reused. The underlying concept is that of active structural control. Considerable research and development of active structural control in civil engineering has taken place relative to responsive control of structures against damaging environmental loads. While the use of active control systems to simulate damage in an experimental setting as proposed in this paper appears to be new, much of the existing knowledge base in active structural control is directly applicable.
Equivalence of Two Approaches to the Random Chain of Oscillators

The spectrum and localization length of certain one-dimensional disordered systems can be found either by a node-counting technique, or by a recently proposed Green's-function method. We prove here the mathematical equivalence of the two approaches.
HUMAN CYTOSOLIC SULFOTRANSFERASE 2B1: ISOFORM EXPRESSION, TISSUE SPECIFICITY AND SUBCELLULAR LOCALIZATION

Sulfation is an important Phase II conjugation reaction involved in the synthesis and metabolism of steroids in humans. Two different isoforms (2B1a and 2B1b) are encoded by the sulfotransferase (SULT) 2B1 gene utilizing different start sites of transcription resulting in the incorporation of different first exons. SULT2B1a and SULT2B1b are 350 and 365 amino acids in length, respectively, and the last 342 aa are identical. Message for both SULT2B1 isoforms is present in human tissues although SULT2B1b message is generally more abundant. However, to date only SULT2B1b protein has been detected in human tissues or cell lines. SULT2B1b is localized in the cytosol and/or nuclei of human cells. A unique 3′-extension of SULT2B1b is required for nuclear localization in human BeWo placental choriocarcinoma cells. Nuclear localization is stimulated by forskolin treatment in BeWo cells and serine phosphorylation has been identified in the 3′-extension. SULT2B1b is selective for the sulfation of 3β-hydroxysteroids such as dehydroepiandrosterone and pregnenolone, and may also have a role in cholesterol sulfation in human skin. The substrate specificity, nuclear localization, and tissue localization of SULT2B1b suggest a role in regulating the responsiveness of cells to adrenal androgens via their direct inactivation or by preventing their conversion to more potent androgens and estrogens.
The legacy of linguisticism

In recent work on truth and truthmaking, D. M. Armstrong has defended a version of ‘truthmaker necessitarianism’, the doctrine that truths necessitate truthmakers. Truthmaker necessitarianism, he contends, requires the postulation of ‘totality facts’, which serve as ingredients of truthmakers for general truths and negative truths, and propositions, which function as the fundamental truth bearers. I argue that neither totality facts nor propositions need figure in an account of truthmaking, and suggest that both are artifacts stemming, albeit in different ways, from an ontologically shady ‘linguisticizing’ tendency to conflate features of descriptions and features of what is described.
Overview of the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) CFD Consortium for Applications in Propulsion Technology

This paper presents an overview of the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Consortium for Applications in Propulsion Technology (CAPT). The objectives of this consortium are discussed, as is the approach of managing resources and technology to achieve these objectives. Significant results by the three CFD CAPT teams (Turbine, Pump, and Combustion) are briefly highlighted with respect to the advancement of CFD applications, the development and evaluation of advanced hardware concepts, and the integration of these results and CFD as a design tool to support Space Transportation Main Engine and National Launch System development.
The Lanczos algorithm and Hankel matrix factorization

Abstract We explore the connections between the Lanczos algorithm for matrix tridiagonalization and two fast algorithms for Hankel matrix factorization. We show how the asymmetric Lanczos process is related to the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm, and how the symmetrized Lanczos process is related to the Phillips algorithm. We also discuss conditions under which the analysis of Phillips applies.
Cultural, Gender, and Individual Differences in Perceptual and Semantic Structures of Basic Colors in Chinese and English

In this paper we examine the judged similarity among the eight basic focal colors, and their names, among female and male Chinese (n = 68) and English (n = 52) speaking respondents. The major findings are: (1) all respondents share approximately sixty percent of their knowledge of the judged similarity structures of both semantic and perceptual tasks, (2) there are genuine individual differences among respondents that account for about fourteen percent of their knowledge on average, (3) there are small but statistically significant gender differences that come to about three percent on average, (4) there are small but statistically significant differences between Chinese and English respondents of about one-and-a-half percent, (5) there are differences in the semantic structure of the names of colors as compared to the judgments of the color samples that amounts to about five percent, and (6) there is about a three percent difference in the paired comparison task and the triads task. The results place strong constraints on theories relating to individual differences, linguistic relativity, and the relation of perceptual and semantic structures for colors.
Efficiency Improved Turboprop.

Abstract : Renewed attention has been focused on the efficiency of aircraft propulsion as the cost of fuel has risen. Studies conducted by NASA (1) to obtain fuel efficient aircraft have considered relatively highly-loaded turbo-prop systems. The disc loadings of these propellers are as much as four times higher than those on present turboprop aircraft. The higher disc loadings result in greater slipstream swirl and higher energy losses. Of primary importance is the radial distribution of the energy losses across the slipstream due to the tangential and axial velocities. This study presents the results of analysis defining the various sources of energy loss resulting from a swirling slipstream downstream of a propeller. Experimental data are presented demonstrating the presence of such losses and a propeller configuration discussed which offers improved propulsive performance when relatively highly-loaded propellers are employed. (Author)