cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2105:miR-125bpromotes the tumor growth of prostate cancer cells in intact and castrated male nude mice

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) negatively regulate protein-coding genes, and aberrant expression of certain miRNAs has been reported to play a key role in the pathogenesis of human cancer including prostate cancer. Our previous studies have shown that miR-125b was highly expressed in a majority of clinical prostate cancer tissues we examined and ectopic expression of miR-125b stimulated the in vitro growth of LNCaP cells in the absence of androgens. In this study, we performed in vivo experiments to further determine whether this miRNA promotes prostatic xenograft growth. To this end, a miR-125b lentiviral vector (lenti-miR-125b) that expresses a ∼500-base pre-miR-125b was used to infect androgen-dependent PC-346C prostate cancer cells that have a limited ability to form tumors in intact nude mice and fail to grow in castrated nude mice. Quantitative RT-PCR exhibited a 39-fold increase in miR-125b level in lenti-miR-125b infected cells compared to that in lenti-vector control cells. The effect of miR-125b on xenograft tumor growth was then evaluated in intact and castrated male nude mice. After inoculation with lenti-miR-125b cells or control cells, tumors formed in all intact mice. However, the palpable lenti-miR-125b tumors appeared in approximately 7 days, while the vector control tumors took 15-20 days. The volume of xenograft tumor was markedly enlarged in all lenti-miR-125b mice compared to that in control mice. Surgery castration was performed when the tumor volume reached ∼0.5 cm3. Castratation resulted in temporary growth regression of miR-125b tumors followed by rapid growth of these tumors. To understand the molecular mechanism by which miR-125b promotes tumor growth in intact and castrated nude mice, xenograft tumors were examined by Western blot analyses of the expression of p53, Puma and Bak1 that have been validated to be the direct targets of miR-125b. Marked reduction of these three pro-apoptotic molecules was observed in miR-125b tumors compared to that in control tumors. Our data indicate that miR-125b acts as an oncogenic molecule, and overexpression of miR-125b stimulates the in vivo growth of prostate cancer cells as well as promotes the progression of prostate cancer cells to an androgen-independent status. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2105.
Kinesins to the core: The role of microtubule-based motor proteins in building the mitotic spindle midzone.

Abstract In mammalian cultured cells the initiation of cytokinesis is regulated – both temporally and spatially – by the overlapping, anti-parallel microtubules of the spindle midzone. This region recruits several key central spindle components: PRC-1, polo-like kinase 1 (Plk-1), the centralspindlin complex, and the chromosome passenger complex (CPC), which together serve to stabilize the microtubule overlap, and also to coordinate the assembly of the cortical actin/myosin cytoskeleton necessary to physically cleave the cell in two. The localization of these crucial elements to the spindle midzone requires members of the kinesin superfamily of microtubule-based motor proteins. Here we focus on reviewing the role played by a variety of kinesins in both building and operating the spindle midzone machinery during cytokinesis.
Maternal obesity and breast-feeding practices among white and black women.

Despite the increase in obesity among women of reproductive ages, few studies have considered maternal obesity as a risk factor for breast-feeding success. We tested the hypothesis that women who are obese (BMI = 30–34.9) and very obese (BMI ≥35) before pregnancy are less likely to initiate and maintain breast-feeding than are their normal-weight counterparts (BMI = 18.5–24.9) among white and black women. Data from 2000 to 2005 South Carolina Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) were used. The overall response rate was 71.0%; there were 3,517 white and 2,846 black respondents. Black women were less likely to initiate breast-feeding and breast-fed their babies for a shorter duration than white women. Compared to normal-weight white women, very obese white women were less likely to initiate breast-feeding (odds ratio: 0.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.42, 0.94) and more likely to discontinue breast-feeding within the first 6 months (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.39, 2.58). Among black women, prepregnancy BMI was neither associated with breast-feeding initiation nor with breast-feeding continuation within the first 6 months. Because very obese white women are less likely to initiate or continue breast-feeding than other white women, health professionals should be aware that very obese white women need additional breast-feeding support. Lower rates of breast-feeding among black women suggest that they should continue to be the focus of the programs and policies aimed at breast-feeding promotion in the United States.
Provincial fiscal positions and business cylce synchronization across China

Abstract This paper examines to what extent Chinese provinces with similar fiscal policies have synchronous business cycles. Following Darvas, Rose, and Szapary (2007) , we create a measure of fiscal policy divergence between provinces i and j and see if it is associated with the correlation of output movements between i and j . To examine this relation, we use the correlation model of Frankel and Rose (1998) . Since causation can run from both fiscal policy to output fluctuations and from output fluctuations to fiscal policy, we instrument for fiscal policy using government expenditure on cultural activities which remains steady across the business cycle. Results show that provinces with similar budgetary positions tend to have similar business cycle movements.
On the computation of steady‐state compressible flows using a discontinuous Galerkin method

Computation of compressible steady-state flows using a high-order discontinuous Galerkin finite element method is presented in this paper. An accurate representation of the boundary normals based on the definition of the geometries is used for imposing solid wall boundary conditions for curved geometries. Particular attention is given to the impact and importance of slope limiters on the solution accuracy for flows with strong discontinuities. A physics-based shock detector is introduced to effectively make a distinction between a smooth extremum and a shock wave. A recently developed, fast, low-storage p-multigrid method is used for solving the governing compressible Euler equations to obtain steady-state solutions. The method is applied to compute a variety of compressible flow problems on unstructured grids. Numerical experiments for a wide range of flow conditions in both 2D and 3D configurations are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the developed discontinuous Galerkin method for computing compressible steady-state flows.
High-Frequency and -Field EPR Investigation of a Manganese(III) N-Confused Porphyrin Complex, [Mn(NCTPP)(py)2]

We report the first high-frequency and -field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR) study of a Mn(III) N-confused porphyrin (NCP) complex (NCP is also known as inverted porphyrin or 2-aza-21-carbaporphyrin). We have found a striking variation in the electronic properties of the S = 2 Mn(III) ion coordinated by NCP compared to other Mn(III) porphyrinoid complexes. Thus, inversion of a single pyrrole ring greatly changes the equatorial ligand field exerted and leads to large magnitudes of both the axial and rhombic zero-field splitting [respectively, D = −3.084(3) cm-1, E = −0.608(3) cm-1], which are unprecedented in other Mn(III) porphyrinoids.
Phosphorylation of the stress-activated protein kinase, MEKK3, at serine 166

Much effort has focused on the identification of MAPK cascades that are activated by the MEKK family of protein kinases. However, direct phosphorylation and regulation of the MEKK proteins has not been shown. To address this question, we have expressed recombinant (His)6FLAG.MEKK3 in Sf9 insect cells and tethered the purified protein to Ni-Sepharose so that we could precipitate interacting proteins and then identify such proteins by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We identified 14-3-3 proteins as interacting with MEKK3, which suggested that (His)6FLAG.MEKK3 was phosphorylated on serine since 14-3-3 proteins are known to associate with phosphorylated proteins. We identified two phosphorylated amino acids at Ser166 and Ser337 of tryptic peptides derived from (His)6FLAG.MEKK3 by using LC-MS. Antibodies were developed that recognize the specific phosphorylated amino acid and with these antibodies, we demonstrate that various stimuli (tumor necrosis factor, arsenite, forskolin, and serum) promote phosphorylation of Ser166 and Ser337. However, neither of these phosphorylated amino acids is required for association with 14-3-3 protein or regulation of MEKK3-dependent ERK and JNK activity. Nonetheless, these results suggest that MEKK3 is a convergence point of multiple upstream signaling pathways.
Possible involvement of adenylyl cyclase-cAMP-protein kinase A pathway in somatostatin inhibition of growth hormone release from chicken pituitary cells

Somatostatin (SRIF) reduces growth hormone releasing hormone (GRF)-stimulated growth hormone (GH) release from avian and mammalian adenohypophyseal cells. The present studies examined the intracellular mechanisms mediating SRIF inhibition of GRF-stimulated GH release from chicken pituitary cells. Increases (P < 0.05) in GH release were observed in the presence of (1) GRF; (2) the adenylyl cyclase stimulator, forskolin; (3) a cAMP analog, 8-bromo-cAMP; (4) the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine (IBMX) combined with GRF; (5) a tumor-promoting phorbol ester and protein kinase C activator, phorbol 12-myristrate, 13-acetate (PMA); (6) a diacylglycerol analog, 1,2-dioctanoyl-glycerol (DiC8); and (7) a calcium ionophore, A23187, alone and in combination with PMA. Somatostatin (10 ng/ml) reduced the release of GH stimulated by GRF, forskolin, and 8-bromo cAMP and the GRF-provoked release of GH in the presence of IBMX (P < 0.05). Somatostatin, however, did not influence GH release in the presence of the protein kinase C activators, PMA or DiC8, or the calcium ionophore A23187. These data suggest that SRIF inhibits GRF-provoked GH release by reducing the ability of the cAMP-protein kinase A but not of the calcium or protein kinase C intracellular message pathways to stimulate GH release.
Linguistic Processing and Reaction Time Differences in Stutterers and Nonstutterers

Linguistic processing by the left and right cerebral hemispheres was investigated in 10 adult male stutterers and l0 matched nonstutterers. Subjects performed a lexical decision task in which nonword and real-word stimuli were presented tachistoscopically to the right and left visual hemifields. Vocal and manual reaction times to real words were measured to assess hemispheric participation in processing linguistic information and to determine differences between response modes. The stuttering group exhibited a left visual field efficiency or right hemisphere preference for this task and were slower in both vocal and manual reaction times. Ramifications for hemispheric processing theories and laryngeal dysfunction hypothesis are discussed.
Affirming the self through online profiles: beneficial effects of social networking sites

Self-affirmation is the process of bringing to awareness important aspects of the self, such as values, goals, and treasured characteristics. When affirmed, individuals are more open-minded and less defensive. This study examines whether social networking tools, such as Facebook, have self-affirming value. Participants were asked to either spend time on their own Facebook profiles, or on a stranger's profile. Afterwards, they were given negative feedback on a task. Participants who spent time on their own profiles were more accepting of the feedback, and less likely to engage in ego-protective mechanisms, such as derogating the task or the evaluator. In fact, they behaved identically to participants who completed a classic self-affirmation manipulation. The theoretical contributions of this paper include (1) identifying intrapersonal effects of online self-presentation and (2) extending self-affirmation theory to include social media use.
Assembly language program development on the Macintosh

The purpose of this talk is to present a progress report on the conversion of the teaching of assembly language at Ohio State from the IBM System/370 mainframe to the Apple Macintosh microcomputer. Earlier reports on this subject appear in the proceedings of the 1987 and 1988 Computer Science Conferences.
An intermetallic Fe–Zr catalyst used for growing long carbon nanotube arrays

Abstract Metallic nanoparticles containing single and binary components have been known for their catalytic properties to grow carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays. In this paper, an intermetallic catalyst consisting of iron and zirconium was used to grow millimeter long, well aligned arrays. The Fe–Zr catalysts enabled the growth of 1.7 mm-long carbon nanotube arrays in 45 min. A comparison with pure iron catalyst indicated that adding Zr to iron can stabilize the Fe catalyst at the CNT growth temperature and moderate its reactivity. SEM images showed the different growth behaviors for Fe–Zr and Fe catalysts. The long, uniform CNT arrays grown here have potential applications in many advanced composites.
Arrested 1,2-Hydrogen Migration from Silicon to Nickel upon Oxidation of a Three-Coordinate Ni(I) Silyl Complex

Reaction of the dimeric Ni(I) chloride complex [(dtbpe)NiCl]2 (1) with dimesitylsilyl potassium affords the three-coordinate Ni(I) silyl complex (dtbpe)Ni(SiHMes2) (2). Alternatively, 2 can be prepared by an oxidative-addition reaction of Mes2Si(H)OTf (Tf = CF3SO3) with the nickel(0) complex [(dtbpe)Ni]2(μ-C6H6) (3), with (dtbpe)Ni(OTf) (4) formed as an easily separable byproduct. The one-electron oxidation of 2 by ferrocenium affords diamagnetic [(dtbpe)Ni(μ-H)SiMes2][BArF4] (5), a Ni(II) complex formed by partial 1,2-H migration from silicon to nickel and featuring an unusual 3-center, 2-electron bonding motif between Ni, Si, and the bridging H. Complex 5 was also obtained from Mes2SiH2 activation by the neopentyl complex salt [(dtbpe)Ni(CH2CMe3)][BArF4] (6) with elimination of neopentane.
A two-hit model for developmental defects in Gorlin syndrome

Many birth defects that are rare in the general population cluster in families. A two-hit mechanism, similar to Knudson's model for neoplasia1, could explain both sporadic and familial anomalies2, but molecular evidence is lacking. Gorlin syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by both cancer predisposition and a variety of malformations including pits of the palms and soles, bifid ribs, spina bifida occulta and keratocysts of the jaw3. The gene maps to chromosome 9q22 and probably functions as a tumour suppressor based on deletion of this region in many neoplasms related to the syndrome4. Some of the associated developmental defects might also arise through a two-hit mechanism5. Like neoplasms in cancer predisposition syndromes, the jaw cysts in Gorlin syndrome are multiple and appear in a random pattern, but similar isolated defects are seen occasionally in the general population. They might result from homozygous inactivation of the Gorlin syndrome gene in an early progenitor cell of the relevant tissue. We have examined a series of chromosome 9 polymorphisms in jaw cysts and matched constitutional tissue and found that the cyst lining loses the normal copy of the Gorlin syndrome region while retaining the mutant copy. These results suggest that a somatic mutation of a relevant gene in an embryonic or fetal cell leads to abnormal migration or differentiation or perhaps failure to undergo programmed cell death, manifested later as a developmental defect.
Integration of clinical and imaging data to predict the presence of coronary artery disease using neural networks

Background: This study tests the hypothesis that a computer-based artificial intelligence method capable of integrating clinical, exercise and imaging data can determine the presence or absence of coronary artery disease (CAD) with predictive accuracy equal to that of standard, expert reader clinical interpretation using imaging, clinical and stress test data. Methods: Patients (Pts; n=102) underwent rest, stress (1 day protocol) gated SPECT technecium-99m-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and were selected based on availability of high quality MPI and coronary angiography done an average of 60 days after the stress test (range 0–257). All Pts had standard Bruce protocol. Objective parameters (total =20) describing each Pt's stress responses (eg; ST segments, HR, BP, symptoms), clinical status (eg; gender, BMI) and image parameters (eg; SSS,SDS, LV mass, LVEF by Siemens 4DM program;) were used to train an artificial neural network (ANN). Pt's with prior myocardial infarction (N=19) were analyzed separately and since results were unchanged included in the totals. Classification accuracy (CAD, yes vs no) of ANN was compared with that of expert-readers. Extent and location of CAD by ANN also was compared to that of expert readers. A more limited ANN using imaging data only (ANNi) was compared to ANN using all imaging, clinical and stress test parameters (ANNt). Results: Pts were 65+11 yrs, 68% male and 75% had at least one 70% stenosis and so defined as CAD present. ANNt had sensitivity 88% and specificity 65% for CAD vs 80% and 69%, respectively by expert readers (P=ns for sens and spec). Predictive accuracy (PA= TP+TN/all Pts) was comparable (ANNt=81% v experts =77%, p=0.07). However, PA of ANNt (81%) was superior to ANNi (68%, z=2.26, P<0.05) for CAD diagnosis. ANNt and humans were comparable for detecting extent and location of CAD (83,93,92% of 1,2, 3 VD vs 78,82,83%, respectively). Conclusion: The data confirm the hypothesis that an ANN, with training using a probabilistic algorithm, is capable of integrating imaging, clinical and stress test data to predict CAD with accuracy equal to expert humans and superior to images only.
Development of nondestructive method for prediction of crack instability

A method to characterize the deformation zone at a crack tip and predict upcoming fracture under load using white light interference microscopy was developed and studied. Cracks were initiated in notched Ti-6A1-4V specimens through fatigue loading. Following crack initiation, specimens were subjected to static loading during in-situ observation of the deformation area ahead of the crack. Nondestructive in-situ observations were performed using white light interference microscopy. Profilometer measurements quantified the area, volume, and shape of the deformation ahead of the crack front. Results showed an exponential relationship between the area and volume of deformation and the stress intensity factor of the cracked alloy. These findings also indicate that it is possible to determine a critical rate of change in deformation versus the stress intensity factor that can predict oncoming catastrophic failure. In addition, crack front deformation zones were measured as a function of time under sustained load, and crack tip deformation zone enlargement over time was observed.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Disorders: Three Case Studies Exemplifying a Unified Treatment Protocol

Abstract Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an innovative acceptance-based behavior therapy that has been applied broadly and successfully to treat a variety of clinical problems, including the anxiety disorders. Throughout treatment ACT balances acceptance and mindfulness processes with commitment and behavior change processes. As applied to anxiety disorders, ACT seeks to undermine excessive struggle with anxiety and experiential avoidance––attempts to down-regulate and control unwanted private events (thoughts, images, bodily sensations). The goal is to foster more flexible and mindful ways of relating to anxiety so individuals can pursue life goals important to them. This article describes in some detail a unified ACT protocol that can be adapted for use with persons presenting with any of the major anxiety disorders. To exemplify this approach, we present pre- and posttreatment data from three individuals with different anxiety disorders who underwent treatment over a 12-week period. The results showed positive pre- to posttreatment changes in ACT-relevant process measures (e.g., reductions in experiential avoidance, increases in acceptance and mindfulness skills), increases in quality of life, as well as significant reductions in traditional anxiety and distress measures. All three clients reported maintaining or improving on their posttreatment level of functioning.
Simultaneous determination of total C, total N, and 15N on soil and plant material

Abstract Availability of labor and laboratory instrumentation has frequently limited use of isotopes in N management research. Recent innovations in laboratory instrumentation have made it possible to simultaneously determine total C, total N, and 15N concentrations in plant, soil, and water samples. An automatic C and N analyzer was interfaced with a continuous‐flow mass spectrometer for purposes of routine analytical determinations. Compared to manual procedures, the automated procedure was rapid, accurate, and gave reproducable results both over time and between adjacent samples. Ball‐mill preparation of samples greatly increased precision of determinations and is recommended to improve sample homogeneity.
Simple worksheet method to evaluate emergency vehicle preemption and its impacts on safety

Providing safe and efficient public safety services is a primary function and obligation of local governments. Rapid growth and congestion coupled with the increasing need to provide safe and efficient arterial access to first responders have challenged public officials seeking to make budget decisions that support higher levels of fire and rescue service quality. Emergency vehicles (EVs) operating in higher congestion levels are at risk for involvement in crashes and delays in reaching the scene of a fire or accident. One means to offset the effects of congestion is installation of emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) equipment at signalized intersections. This intelligent transportation system technology provides a special green interval to the EV approach while providing a special red interval on all conflicting approaches. The effects of EVP are a reduction in exposure to active conflict points, thereby reducing crash potential, and dispersion of the queues, thereby allowing the EV to maintain higher average operating speeds along the response route. The problem faced by local policy makers and by transportation and public safety officials is that there are no national guidelines or methods to aid in the evaluation of intersections and corridors under consideration for EVP deployment. One element of this issue is addressed: the need for a method to evaluate the safety benefits of EVP for one intersection or corridor over another in relative terms. It proposes a simple tool, usable in safety audits and engineering studies, to determine which intersections or corridors would benefit most from EVP.
Rorschach diagnosis of homosexuality: Schafer's content analysis.

Summary Previous research has suggested that content analysis of the Rorschach may be a useful tool in diagnosing homosexuality. The present study selected three groups of 15 Ss as: Heterosexual, sex-role disturbed, and homosexuals. A content analysis of the Rorschach protocols using Schafer's signs was performed. The results indicated that the signs were highly successful in differentiating the three groups. Implications for further research were discussed.
Effects of polyethyleneimine on endocytosis and lysosome stability

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is shown to destabilize isolated rat liver lysosomes, as indicated by a decrease in the latency of their acid N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase. PEI also inhibited the generation of radiolabeled digestion products from 125I-labeled bovine serum albumin endocytosed by rat visceral yolk sac in vitro. However, PEI did not greatly inhibit the endocytic uptake of a nondigestible fluid-phase substrate, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran. It is hypothesized that PEI inhibits the adsorptive endocytosis of 125I-labeled bovine serum albumin, and thus its subsequent intralysosomal digestion, by competing with and displacing the labeled protein from its binding sites on the visceral yolk sac cell surface. This hypothesis suggests a plausible explanation for the ability of PEI to act as an efficient vector for gene and oligonucleotide transfer into mammalian cells. PEI present in the culture medium is carried into cells by adsorptive endocytosis. Concentrated thus on the endosome membrane, it permeabilizes this membrane and so affords DNA conjugated to the PEI an otherwise unavailable mode of access into the cytoplasm.
Number of alternatives and sequence length in acquisition of a step-function tracking task.

The roles of two task parameters, sequence length (N) and number of alternatives in the population from which the sequence was drawn (K), were examined in a tracking task. The tasks were irregular step-function inputs wherein N was defined as the number of targets (steps) in a repeating sequence and K was defined as the number of alternative target positions. N and K were varied independently in a 3 × 3 factorial design with 9 Ss per cell. The major findings were that tracking performance, as measured by integrated error scores, is affected by increases in N, but not proportionately, while neither K nor the N × K interaction was significant. Relations of the results to verbal learning data are discussed.
Stochastic and Deterministic Trends in State Economies

Nonstationary behavior in regional economies must be recognized and categorized before activity indicators can be properly used in analyses. The nonstationary behavior of gross product by one-digit industry and personal income from all of the 50 states is examined. Tests to discriminate between stochastic and deterministic trends are pursued and the results indicate that the former dominate the latter. State-nation linkages in the presence of stochastic trends are explored and it is shown that stable, long-term relationships between nonstationary state and national outputs are rare at both the industry and aggregate levels.
Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Presence of Nursing Scale

Nursing presence has been conceptualized in the literature. However, no instrument has been developed to measure it. The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure patients’ perceptions of nursing presence and to examine its psychometric properties. A conceptual definition of nursing presence was operationalized and integrated into the 25-item Presence of Nursing Scale and tested on 330 hospitalized patients. Reliability and validity of the Presence of Nursing Scale were supported when tested with this sample. The study represents the first time the phenomenon of nursing presence has been measured.
Kidney organogenesis in the zebrafish: insights into vertebrate nephrogenesis and regeneration

Vertebrates form a progressive series of up to three kidney organs during development—the pronephros, mesonephros, and metanephros. Each kidney derives from the intermediate mesoderm and is comprised of conserved excretory units called nephrons. The zebrafish is a powerful model for vertebrate developmental genetics, and recent studies have illustrated that zebrafish and mammals share numerous similarities in nephron composition and physiology. The zebrafish embryo forms an architecturally simple pronephros that has two nephrons, and these eventually become a scaffold onto which a mesonephros of several hundred nephrons is constructed during larval stages. In adult zebrafish, the mesonephros exhibits ongoing nephrogenesis, generating new nephrons from a local pool of renal progenitors during periods of growth or following kidney injury. The characteristics of the zebrafish pronephros and mesonephros make them genetically tractable kidney systems in which to study the functions of renal genes and address outstanding questions about the mechanisms of nephrogenesis. Here, we provide an overview of the formation and composition of these zebrafish kidney organs, and discuss how various zebrafish mutants, gene knockdowns, and transgenic models have created frameworks in which to further delineate nephrogenesis pathways. WIREs Dev Biol 2013, 2:559–585. doi: 10.1002/wdev.92 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
MICA WEATHERING RATES AS RELATED TO MICA TYPE AND COMPOSITION

Potassium release rates from micas varying widely in type and composition were measured. A sodium tetraphenylboron solution was used as the extracting agent. Muscovites were found to be two orders of magnitude more stable than a naturally occurring phlogopite and biotite. Synthetic fluorphlogopite was as stable as some muscovites. Lepidolite was the most stable mica. Primary factors affecting mica stability are thought to be: Hydroxyl bond orientation, isomorphous replacement of OH- by F-, the stronger Lewis base, and structural factors that lead to compression or stretching of the K---O bond.
The noise power ratio-theory and ADC testing

This paper develops theory behind the noise power ratio (NPR) testing of ADCs. A mid-riser formulation is used for mathematical simplicity. Simulated results, using DAC generated signals, suggests that the uniformly distributed signal is easier to implement and is more sensitive to amplitude dependent distortions.
PERCEPTIONS OF DESIGN PRACTITIONERS

This study examined differences between perceived personality characteristics of a trained interior designer and of an untrained interior decorator. Subjects were 256 students who read a narrative ...
Material Culture and Cultural Meanings: Current Studies of Archaeological Ceramics and in Ce­ramic Ethnoarchaeology

Pottery and People: A Dynamic Interaction. James M. Skibo and Gary M. Feinman (editors). Founda­tions of Archaeological Inquiry. Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press. 1999. 260 pp. 91 figures. 30 tables. ISBN 0-87480-576-7. $55.00 (cloth); 0-87489-577-5. $25.00 (paperback). Material Meanings: Critical Approaches to the Interpretation of Material Culture. Elizabeth S. Chilton (editor). Foundations of Archaeological Inquiry. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press. 1999.179pp. 35 figures. 11 tables. ISBN 0-87480-632-1. $55.00 (cloth); 087480-633-X. $35.00 (paperback). The description and interpretation of material culture may be regarded as the essence of archaeology, a discipline that seeks to recover, describe, document, and interpret past human culture. More recently, understanding that actions occur in a material world that is constituted symbolically, archaeological explanations are often framed in sociocultural meanings, the analysis of agencies, practices and behaviors. I shall subsequently return to this issue. Because of their longevity in the archaeological record, lithic and ceramic artifacts are crucial to the endeavor to interpret human culture. Objects fashioned from clay and subjected to intentional artificial sources of heat made their initial appearance in the archaeological record more than 26.000 years ago. Ceramic objects have been created in a seemingly endless variety of shapes and forms, varying from fertility figurines. to cooking and food storage vessels. lamps, smoking pipes, medicinal pastilles, tokens, beehives, and coffins to modern whitewares and pyroceramics.
Biclustering and feature selection techniques in bioinformatics

The paper describes several data mining techniques, developed to solve problems which are faced by biologists in Bioinformatics.Several biclustering algorithms which perform clustering on the two dimensions simultaneously are described. Other techniques described in this paper include feature selection methods which help in reducing noise and improving the performance of the classification model.
Neuron-selective changes in RNA transcripts related to energy metabolism in toxic models of parkinsonism in rodents

Dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SNDA neurons) are among the most severely affected in Parkinson's disease (PD). Mitochondrial complex I inhibition by rotenone or MPTP can induce SNDA neurodegeneration and recapitulate motor disability in rodents. We performed a transcriptional analysis of the midbrain response to complex I inhibition focused on selected metabolic transcripts using quantitative real-time RT-PCR in conjunction with laser-capture microdissection (LCM) of immunofluorescently targeted SNDA and ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA neurons. There were DA neuron-selective alterations in metabolic transcripts in response to generalized complex I inhibition dependent on the behavioral response of the animal, and vulnerable SNDA neurons were more dynamic in their metabolic transcriptional response than less vulnerable VTADA neurons. The metabolic transcriptional response of DA neurons may contribute significantly to the ultimate toxicity associated with mitochondrial inhibition, and better understanding of this response may provide insight into potential targets for neuroprotection in PD.
Approximate Bandwidth Allocation for Compositional Real-Time Systems

Allocation of bandwidth among components is a fundamental problem in compositional real-time systems. State-of-the-art algorithms for bandwidth allocation use either exponential-time or pseudo-polynomial-time techniques for exact allocation, or linear-time, utilization-based techniques which may over-provision bandwidth. In this paper, we develop a fully-polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS) for allocating bandwidth for sporadic task systems scheduled by earliest-deadline first (EDF) upon an Explicit-Deadline Periodic (EDP) resource. Our algorithm takes, as parameters, the task system and an accuracy parameter $\epsilon ≫ 0$, and returns a bandwidth which is guaranteed to be at most a factor $(1 + \epsilon)$ more than the optimal minimum bandwidth required to successfully schedule the task system. Furthermore, the algorithm has time complexity that is polynomial in the number of tasks and $1/\epsilon$. Via simulations over randomly-generated task systems, we have observed a several orders of magnitude decrease in runtime and a small relative error when comparing our proposed algorithm with the exact algorithm, even for medium-sized values of $\epsilon$ (e.g., $\epsilon \approx .3$).
Sequential Growth of High Quality Diamond Films from Hydrocarbon and Hydrogen Gases

We have constructed a novel, sequential DC glow and hot filament CVD reactor, to study the influence of single parameters on the deposition of diamond thin films. This reactor is capable of growing diamond films, with independent excitation of hydrogen and methane. This is achieved by the sequential exposure of the substrate to spatially separated, chemically independent, plasma regions of hydrogen, and methane in helium. The substrate is mounted on a rotating plate above the gas sources at a variable distance, typically 0.5 - 2 mm. The plate is radiantly heated from behind to a desired temperature up to 1300 K. Using the sequential deposition chamber we have been able to deposit good quality diamond up to 8% methane in helium, without the presence of oxygen, by separating a source of atomic hydrogen and a source of methane. These experiments show that methane and atomic hydrogen do not need to be present simultaneously to grow diamond. Our results further indicate that the primary critical parameter for both quality and growth rate, in hot filament deposition of diamond, is the concentration of atomic hydrogen in the system.
Arbitrary terahertz pulse shaping via optical rectification in fanned-out periodically-poled lithium niobate

We demonstrate a novel terahertz (THz) pulse shaping technique, which guarantees ultimate flexibility for arbitrary THz pulse generation. The THz pulse shaper consists of a fanned-out periodically-poled lithium niobate (FO-PPLN) crystal-the domain width of the FO-PPLN crystal varies continuously across the lateral direction-, a spatial mask, and a spherical mirror. Optical pulses are line-focused on the FO-PPLN crystal to generate spatially separated multi-frequency components of THz pulses. The spatial mask is placed in front of the FO-PPLN crystal in order to manipulate the spatial pattern of the incident optical beam, thus to control the amplitudes of the spatially dispersed THz frequency components. Spectral resolution of this method is determined by FO-PPLN bandwidth and mask resolution: estimated practical resolution is a0.01 THz for 1 THz bandwidth. After the spherical mirror assembles the various frequencies into a single collimated beam, a shaped THz pulse can be obtained, with the pulse shape determined by the Fourier transform of the pattern transferred by the mask. As a proof-of-principle experiment, we measured THz waveforms using metal masks. The experiment was performed using 800-nm, 100-fs pulses from a 1-kHz Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier. We used a 5-mm long FO-PPLN sample (width = 10 mm, height = 0.5 mm) continuously tunable from 0.6 to 1.5 THz. We tested the metal masks of three different spatial patterns: low-pass filter, high-pass filter, and double slit. The experimental results show that the THz waveforms are determined by the spatial patterns of the masks.
ERTG: A test generator for error-rate testing

A new concept called intelligible testing has been recently proposed to improve yields for a class of error tolerant systems, including audio, speech, graphics, video, and digital communications. Error rate, defined as the percentage of clock cycles for which the value at a circuit's outputs deviates from the corresponding error-free value, has been identified as a key measure of error severity. In error-rate testing, every fault that causes error rate greater than a threshold specified by the application is called an unacceptable fault; all other faults are called acceptable. The objective of error-rate testing is to detect every unacceptable fault while detecting none, or a minimum number, of the acceptable faults. In this paper we present a test generator for combinational circuits with the objective of detecting every unacceptable fault while minimizing the number of acceptable faults detected. Our test generator embodies new algorithms and cost functions that capture the properties of acceptable and unacceptable faults. Via experiments on several benchmarks we show that our approach can provide coverage of all unacceptable faults (high test quality) while significantly reducing the number of acceptable faults detected (high acceptance rate). In this manner, our approach helps improve yield via error-rate testing.
Review Section : Mediation: An Analysis, Review, and Proposed Research

Mediation is a complex social process which facilitates interpersonal, intergroup, and international negotiations. However, at present, neither the nature nor the potential of mediation is adequately understood because insufficient effort has been devoted to the analysis and study of the process. In order to enhance our understanding and the potential utility of the procedure, this article presents a mediation paradigm which serves as the basis for an analysis of the process and a review of the various techniques. Subsequently, the paradigm and review underpin suggested procedures for future mediation research.
Multinomial-sampling models for random genetic drift.

Three different derivations of models with multinomial sampling of genotypes in a finite population are presented. The three derivations correspond to the operation of random drift through population regulation, conditioning on the total number of progeny, and culling, respectively. Generations are discrete and nonoverlapping; the diploid population mates at random. Each derivation applies to a single multiallelic locus in a monoecious or dioecious population; in the latter case, the locus may be autosomal or X-linked. Mutation and viability selection are arbitrary; there are no fertility differences. In a monoecious population, the model yields the Wright-Fisher model (i.e., multinomial sampling of genes) if and only if the viabilities are multiplicative. In a dioecious population, the analogous reduction does not occur even for pure random drift. Thus, multinomial sampling of genotypes generally does not lead to multinomial sampling of genes. Although the Wright-Fisher model probably lacks a sound biological basis and may be inaccurate for small populations, it is usually (perhaps always) a good approximation for genotypic multinomial sampling in large populations.
Alternative Pathway to Electricity Market Reform: A Risk-Management Approach

An evolutionary "Third Way" approach for restructuring the electricity industry is proposed, striking a balance between the extremes of vertical integration and direct liberalization of wholesale and retail markets. This approach accepts that retail utilities will need to continue to serve a large contingent of core customers who rely on inter-temporal smoothing of retail rates. Practical aspects of implementing this role within liberalized wholesale markets are also examined.
Transcriptional Regulatory Elements in the Human Genome

The faithful execution of biological processes requires a precise and carefully orchestrated set of steps that depend on the proper spatial and temporal expression of genes. Here we review the various classes of transcriptional regulatory elements (core promoters, proximal promoters, distal enhancers, silencers, insulators/boundary elements, and locus control regions) and the molecular machinery (general transcription factors, activators, and coactivators) that interacts with the regulatory elements to mediate precisely controlled patterns of gene expression. The biological importance of transcriptional regulation is highlighted by examples of how alterations in these transcriptional components can lead to disease. Finally, we discuss the methods currently used to identify transcriptional regulatory elements, and the ability of these methods to be scaled up for the purpose of annotating the entire human genome.
Estimating Patterns of CD4+ Lymphocyte Decline Using Data from a Prevalent Cohort of HIV Infected Individuals

In natural history studies of chronic disease, it is of interest to understand the evolution of key variables that measure aspects of disease progression. This is particularly true for immunological variables among persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The natural time scale for such studies is time since infection. Most data available for analysis, however, arise from prevalent cohorts, where the date of infection is unknown for most or all individuals. As a result, standard curve fitting algorithms are not immediately applicable. Here we propose two methods to circumvent this difficulty. The first uses repeated measurement data to provide information not only on the level of the variable of interest, but also on its rate of change, and is based on the principal curves algorithm of Hastie and Stuetzle. The second uses an external estimate of the expected time since infection. Both methods use locally-weighted linear smoothers, and are applied to data from a prevalent cohort of HIV-infected homosexual men, giving estimates of the average pattern of CD4 lymphocyte decline. These methods apply to natural history studies that use data from prevalent cohorts where the time of disease origin is uncertain, provided availability of certain information from external sources.
Predicting Injury Risk in Adolescent Football Players: The Importance of Psychological Variables

Explored the relationship of anger/aggression, attention, and stressful life events to injury while addressing the methodological limitations of prior studies. An additional objective was to determine whether the relationship of stressful life events to injury is mediated either by anger (directed either inward or outward) or by impaired attention, either vigilant (broad, external) or focused (narrow, internal). At the beginning of summer practice, 120 first-string high school football players completed measures of anger (Framingham Anger Scale), vigilant attention (Symbol Digit Modalities test), focused attention (Pursuit subtest, MacQuarrie Test of Mechanical Ability), and stressful life events (abbreviated form of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale as modified for use with adolescents by Coddington, 1972). Players were then followed through one season to identify those injured. Logistic regression indicated that high anger directed outward (p Language: en
Curcumin protects against A53T alpha-synuclein-induced toxicity in a PC12 inducible cell model for Parkinsonism

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons and the presence of Lewy bodies. The pathogenesis of PD remains incompletely understood, but it appears to involve both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Treatment for PD that prevents neuronal death in the dopaminergic system and abnormal protein deposition in the brain is not yet available. Evidence from human and animal studies has suggested that oxidative damage critically contributes to neuronal loss in PD. Here we test whether curcumin, a potent antioxidant compound, derived from the curry spice turmeric, can protect against mutant A53T α-synuclein-induced cell death. We used PC12 cells that inducibly express A53T α-synuclein. We found that curcumin protected against A53T α-synuclein-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. We further found that curcumin can reduce mutant α- synuclein-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release, and caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation. This study demonstrate that curcumin protected against A53T mutant α-synuclein-induced cell death via inhibition of oxidative stress and the mitochondrial cell death pathway, suggesting that curcumin may be a candidate neuroprotective agent for A53T α-synuclein-linked Parkinsonism, and possibly for other genetic or sporadic forms of PD.
Exact solution approaches for bilevel assignment problems

We consider the bilevel assignment problem in which each decision maker (i.e., the leader and the follower) has its own objective function and controls a distinct set of edges in a given bipartite graph. The leader acts first by choosing some of its edges. Subsequently, the follower completes the assignment process. The edges selected by the leader and the follower are required to constitute a perfect matching. In this paper we propose an exact solution approach, which is based on a branch-and-bound framework and exploits structural properties of the assignment problem. Extensive computational experiments with linear sum and linear bottleneck objective functions are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the developed methods. While the considered problem is known to be NP-hard in general, we also describe some restricted cases that can be solved in polynomial time.