cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Snail1 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor initiating stem cell characteristics

Tumor initiating stem-like cells (TISCs) are a subset of neoplastic cells that possess distinct survival mechanisms and self-renewal characteristics crucial for tumor maintenance and propagation. The induction of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) by TGFβ has been recently linked to the acquisition of TISC characteristics in breast cancer. In HCC, a TISC and EMT phenotype correlates with a worse prognosis. In this work, our aim is to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which cells acquire tumor initiating characteristics after EMT. Gene and protein expression assays and Nanog-promoter luciferase reporter were utilized in epithelial and mesenchymal phenotype liver cancer cell lines. EMT was analyzed with migration/invasion assays. TISC characteristics were analyzed with tumor-sphere self-renewal and chemotherapy resistance assays. In vivo tumor assay was performed to investigate the role of Snail1 in tumor initiation. TGFβ induced EMT in epithelial cells through the up-regulation of Snail1 in Smad-dependent signaling. Mesenchymal liver cancer post-EMT demonstrates TISC characteristics such as tumor-sphere formation but are not resistant to cytotoxic therapy. The inhibition of Snail1 in mesenchymal cells results in decreased Nanog promoter luciferase activity and loss of self-renewal characteristics in vitro. These changes confirm the direct role of Snail1 in some TISC traits. In vivo, the down-regulation of Snail1 reduced tumor growth but was not sufficient to eliminate tumor initiation. In summary, TGFβ induces EMT and TISC characteristics through Snail1 and Nanog up-regulation. In mesenchymal cells post-EMT, Snail1 directly regulates Nanog expression, and loss of Snail1 regulates tumor growth without affecting tumor initiation.
Dynamical Evolution of a Gas with Short-Range Repulsive Forces

To develop from first principles the kinetic theory for a dense gas with short-range potentials, Boltzmann's collision integral must be generalized to include interactions among more than two bodies. This generalization requires knowledge of the behavior of the $s$-particle distribution functions for times long compared with the duration of a collision. For a spatially homogeneous gas, we obtain the asymptotic formula for the $s$-particle distribution functions expanded in powers of density. The functions are obtained for arbitrary order $\ensuremath{\mu}$ in the expansion. Mild restrictions are imposed on the initial distributions, but strong restrictions are needed on the repulsive interparticle potential. This expansion is in many respects the nonequilibrium analog of the virial expansion of Ursell and Mayer for equilibrium. We prove that the asymptotic behavior of the $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{th}$-order distribution function is given by a polynomial in time whose leading power is $\ensuremath{\mu}$. The constant term in the asymptotic expression can be interpreted in terms of reversible evolution in the gas. The growing (or "secular") terms of the polynomial are directly responsible for the irreversible evolution, since the secular terms describe changes that occur during the relaxation to equilibrium. The lowest secularity for the one-particle distribution function coincides with a result of Bogoliubov and generates the Boltzmann collision integral. This secular term corresponds to the phase mixing of two particles that have undergone a completed collision. The coefficient of time can be expressed as a scattering cross section averaged over the velocity distribution. We show that the higher secularities describe the phase mixing of two particles that have undergone a number of interactions, and their coefficients can also be expressed as averaged cross sections. A major technical result that follows is a complete classification of the secularities that arise in any distribution function and their physical interpretation. The collisional contributions that are required for the construction of the higher-order kinetic equations are thereby isolated.
The Trend of Economics, as Seen by Some American Economists

Knight on the limited scope of scientific method in economics, 156. — Wolfe on functional economics, 159. — Bye's defence of pure science, 161. — Clark's pragmatic views, 161. — Mills on the logic of statistics, 163. — Weld and Mills's canons, 167. — Tugwell on experimental thinking, 168. — Slichter's indictment of the competitive system, 171. — Mitchell's position on the relation of psychology to economics, 173. — The postulates of economics, 179. — Institutional economics, 182.
Estimation of Urban Imperviousness and its Impacts on Storm Water Systems

Imperviousness is an important indicator of the impact of urbanization on storm water systems. A hydrologic analysis was performed to evaluate long-term impacts from an apartment area in Miami. The result shows that the directly connected impervious area (DCIA), which covers 44% of the catchment, contributes 72% of the total runoff volume during 52 years. Few studies have actually measured the DCIA with a high level of accuracy for residential areas that constitute the largest proportion of urban land. A detailed analysis of urban imperviousness was performed using geographic information systems and field investigations on a 5.81 ha residential area in Boulder, Colo. For this study area, the total impervious area is 35.9% and the DCIA is 13.0%. Transportation-related imperviousness comprises 97.2% of the DCIA. Hydrologic modeling of this area shows about a 265% difference in estimates of peak discharge with imperviousness measured at five different levels of accuracy. These results suggest the need to foc...
Separation of fatty acid binding protein by high-performance mixed-mode chromatography

Abstract Fatty acid binding protein (FABP) (14 kDa), can regulate the levels of tissue free fatty acids by binding them with high affinity. Since free fatty acids are known to accumulate in the ischemic myocardium, it is likely that FABP has a significant role in regulating their concentration in ischemic heart. FABP has recently been purified from other proteins, but the method requires several hours and special techniques. In this report, we describe a rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method for separating and isolating the FABP from myocardial tissue biopsies. About 25–50 μg of rat heart cytosol was incubated with 2 nmol of the potassium salt of [9,10- 3 H]oleate (25 000 cpm) for 10 min at 37°C. This was then injected onto a Bio-Rad (Richmond, CA, U.S.A.) TSK-125 column. The sample was run using a low-salt isocratic mobile phase containing 10 m M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7) and 1 m M dithiothreitol, and at a flow-rate of 0.8 ml/min. The heart cytosol, when incubated with isotopic oleate, was resolved into two radioactive peaks, one eluting in the area of serum albumin (retention time 9.6 min) and the other corresponding to a retention time of 12.9 min. The sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic profile of the later peak revealed a major protein band of ca. 14 kDa. Rat heart FABP purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography coeluted with the second radioactive peak. When increasing concentrations of cytosol were incubated with radioactive oleate and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, a linear increase in the radioactive oleate-bound FABP peak (retention time 12.9 min) was obtained. These results suggest that FABP was separated from other proteins using the TSK-125 column, and hence this method can be used for a rapid recovery of FABP from biological tissues.
High-frequency losses in tin Josephson tunnel junctions

The losses associated with the excitation of surface plasma oscillations in Fiske modes in tin Josephson junctions, at frequencies from 20 to 270 GHz, were measured by studying the current-voltage characteristics as a function of magnetic field. Our results generally support Economou and Ngai's theory of surface plasma oscillations and Miller's calculation of the conductivity of superconductors. At lower temperatures, discrepancies that include an anomalous peak in the frequency dependence of the loss may reflect a small disagreement with Miller's results.
On-chip metal/polypyrrole quasi-reference electrodes for robust ISFET operation

To operate an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFETs) it is necessary to set the electrolyte potential using a reference electrode. Conventional reference electrodes are bulky, fragile, and too big for applications where the electrolyte volume is small. Several researchers have proposed tackling this issue using a solid-state planar micro-reference electrode or a reference field-effect transistor. However, these approaches are limited by poor robustness, high cost, or complex integration with other microfabrication processes. Here we report a simple method to create robust on-chip quasi-reference electrodes by electrodepositing polypyrrole on micro-patterned metal leads. The electrodes were fabricated through the polymerization of pyrrole on patterned metals with a cyclic voltammetry process. Open circuit potential measurements were performed to characterize the polypyrrole electrode performance, demonstrating good stability (±1 mV), low drift (∼1 mV h(-1)), and reduced pH response (5 mV per pH). In addition, the polypyrrole deposition was repeated in microelectrodes made of different metals to test compatibility with standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Our results suggest that nickel, a metal commonly used in semiconductor foundries for silicide formation, is a good candidate to form the polypyrrole quasi-reference electrodes. Finally, the polypyrrole microelectrodes were used to operate foundry fabricated ISFETs. These experiments demonstrated that transistors biased with polypyrrole electrodes have pH sensitivity and resolution comparable to ones that are biased with standard reference electrodes. Therefore, the simple fabrication, high compatibility, and robust electrical performance make polypyrrole an ideal choice for the fabrication of outstanding microreference electrodes that enable robust and sensitive operation of multiple ISFET sensors on a chip.
Self-Inhibition in Amiloride-sensitive Sodium Channels in Taste Receptor Cells

Electrophysiological recording techniques were used to study the Na+ dependence of currents through amiloride-sensitive sodium channels (ASSCs) in rat taste cells from the fungiform and vallate papillae. Perforated patch voltage clamp recordings were made from isolated fungiform and vallate taste receptor cells (TRCs) and Na+ transport was measured across lingual epithelia containing fungiform or vallate taste buds in a modified Ussing chamber. In isolated fungiform TRCs that contain Na+ currents sensitive to the diuretic amiloride, Na+ ions inhibit their own influx through ASSCs, a process known as sodium self-inhibition. Due to the interaction between self-inhibition and the driving force for Na+ entry, self-inhibition is most evident in whole-cell recordings at Na+ concentrations from 50 to 75 mM. In amiloride-sensitive cells, the Na permeability is significantly higher in extracellular solutions containing 35 mM Na+ than in 70 or 140 mM Na+. Compared with the block by amiloride, the development of self-inhibition is slow, taking up to 15 s to become maximally inhibited. Approximately one third of fungiform TRCs and all vallate TRCs lack functional ASSCs. These amiloride-insensitive TRCs show no signs of self-inhibition, tying this phenomenon to the presence of ASSCs. The sulfhydryl reagent, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (p-HMB; 200 microM), reversibly removed self-inhibition from amiloride-sensitive Na+ currents, apparently by modifying cysteine residues in the ASSC. Na+ currents in amiloride-insensitive TRCs were unaffected by p-HMB. In sodium transport studies in fungiform taste bud-containing lingual epithelia, approximately 40% of the change in short-circuit current (Isc) after addition of 500 mM NaCl to the mucosal chamber is amiloride sensitive (0.5 mM). p-HMB significantly enhanced mucosal NaCl-induced changes in these epithelia at mucosal Na+ concentrations of 50 mM and above. In contrast, the vallate-containing epithelia, which are insensitive to amiloride, showed no enhancement of Isc during p-HMB treatment. These findings suggest that sodium self-inhibition is present in ASSCs in taste receptor cells where it may play a crucial role in performance of salt-sensitive pathways in taste tissue during sodium stimulation. This phenomenon may be important in the process of TRC adaptation, in the conservation of cellular resources during chronic sodium exposure, or in the gustatory response to water.
“Out-of-Pocket” Cost in Railroad Freight Rates

I. Introduction: significance of the problem, 546. — II. Meaning of the term, 547. — Usage in Commission opinions, 549. — Additional specific traffic, 550. — Additional traffic of specific type, 551. — Additional general traffic, 551. — III. Applications of the principle, 552. — IV. Theoretical analysis, 555. — V. Conclusion, 559.
Functional outcomes of chemoradiation in patients with head and neck cancer.

ObjectiveConcurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has become the treatment of choice for oropharyngeal and hypopharyngolaryngeal cancers in many centers. Although it has increased the rates of organ preservation, there has also been an increase in treatment-related complications. We aimed to evaluate the functional outcomes of CCRT in head and neck cancer.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingTertiary cancer center.Subjects and MethodsA retrospective study of patients treated with CCRT at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences was performed. Demographic data and treatment outcomes were extracted, specifically feeding tube and tracheotomy dependence and number of esophageal dilatations.ResultsOf the 243 patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (5-flourouracil + cysplatin and radiotherapy), 152 patients received a feeding tube. The median percutaneous gastrostomy tube (PEG) use was 9 months (range, 1-96 months). More than 70% of the patients who had a PEG more than 6 months had a T3...
On the Complexity of Power Minimization Schemes in Data Center Networks

In this paper, we consider migration of virtual machines in a data center to minimize network power consumption. Network power is consumed when switches are turned on, and conserved when they are turned off; the optimization problem then is to site virtual machines within the data center to achieve connectivity and desired bandwidth while turning on as few switches as possible. Depending upon specifics of the permissible optimization, and topology considerations within the data center, this optimization problem can be easy, or hard. We fully taxonomize the suite of optimization problems in this general space, showing that the most complex problem (placement and routing of virtual machines in a topologically-rich data center network) is NP- hard. We offer a placement technique based on a classic VLSI placement algorithm, and demonstrate efficacy on a trace set derived from a production data center.
Response training in young children’s discrimination shift learning

A passive responding procedure, pointing at the correct stimulus, was used to determine whether preschool children would test hypotheses from the relevant attribute in a discrimination shift task. Some children were administered the initial task in the usual manner, with positive or negative feedback. About half of these children did not reach criterion. Other children were told which stimulus to point at. These children were then given positive feedback, but were not told why the response was correct. All children then received a reversal or a nonreversal shift. The children who were told which stimulus to choose learned both shifts in the same manner that the children who attained criterion on their own did. The children who did not attain criterion, who failed to learn, performed on a nonreversal shift like the learners did on the reversal (the nonlearners’ reversal performance was like the learners’ nonreversal performance). The results show that a simple directed response can limit the sample of hypotheses that young children test in discrimination learning even when the purpose of the response is ambiguous.
Cardiac Myosin Binding Protein-C Phosphorylation and Sarcomere Function

Rationale: Cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) has three phosphorylatable serines at N-terminus (Ser-273, Ser-282, and Ser-302) and phosphorylation states of these serines may alter the thick filament structure and function. Phosphorylation of these serines in cMyBP-C may also alter sarcomere length-dependent modulation of contractile force development (LDA), which would be expected to modulate the Frank-Starling Law of the Heart.Objective: To analyze length dependent activation in cMyBP-C for nonphosphorylated and phosphomimetic states of serines 273, 282, 302 and to study the contribution of cMyBP-C in regulating cardiac contraction at different sarcomere lengths.Methods & Results: We studied the force-Ca2+ relationship in skinned myocytes isolated from (a) nonphosphorylated alanine transgenic mice (cMyBP-CAAA), (b) phosphomimetic aspartic acid transgenic mice (cMyBP-CDDD), and normal cMyBP-CWT mice at 2.0 and 2.3 μm sarcomere length (SL).At short SL, Ca2+ sensitivity was similar in all groups. However, Ca2+ sensitivity was increased in the cMyBP-CAAA group compared to either the WT or the cMyBP-CDDD group. Similar results were obtained for maximum force development. As a consequence, LDA was blunted (∼40%) in cMyBP-CAAA myocardium. There were no differences in the level of cooperativety as indexed by the Hill coefficient in any group.Conclusion: Phosphorylated cMyBP-C has been shown to contribute to regulation of cardiac sarcomere function via modulation of the cMyBP-C-actin interaction as well as the disposition of the cross-bridges in relation to the thin filament. Moreover removal of cMyBP-C results in blunted LDA, and a cardiac dysfunction that can be prevented by cMyBP-CDDD but not cMyBP-CAAA. Our data showed that lack of cMyBP-C phosphorylation results in blunted LDA, similar to that found previously in the absence cMyBP-C. We conclude that cMyBP-C phosphorylation modulates myofilament length dependent activation, possibly via modulation of the cMyBP-C interaction with actin.
Assessment of platelet growth factors in supernatants from rehydrated freeze-dried equine platelets and their effects on fibroblasts in vitro.

Objective—To determine whether platelet growth factors are preserved in supernatants obtained from rehydrated trehalose-stabilized, freeze-dried (lyophilized) equine platelets and whether those growth factors stimulate fibroblast proliferation and migration and enhance fibroblast-associated contraction in a collagen gel assay. Animals—6 clinically normal adult horses. Procedures—Blood samples were obtained from 6 horses, and washed platelets were prepared via differential centrifugation. Washed platelets were freeze-dried in a physiologic buffer with a mixture of trehalose and polyethylene glycol 4000. Rehydrated platelet supernatants and releasates prepared from fresh washed platelets stimulated with thrombin or platelet-activating factor were evaluated for transforming growth factor β1 and platelet-derived growth factor-BB by use of ELISAs. Effects of rehydrated freeze-dried platelet supernatants on fibroblast proliferation, migration, and collagen gel contraction were compared with effects of 1%, 2.5%,...
The rise and decline of homicide--and why

A dramatic rise in homicide in the latter half of the 1980s peaked during the 1990s and then declined at an equally dramatic rate. Such trends in homicide rates can be understood only by examining rates in specific age, sex, and racial groups. The increase primarily involved young males, especially black males, occurred first in the big cities, and was related to the sudden appearance of crack cocaine in the drug markets of the big cities around 1985. This development led to an increased need for and use of guns and was accompanied by a general diffusion of guns into the larger community. The decline in homicide since the early 1990s has been caused by changes in the drug markets, police response to gun carrying by young males, especially those under 18 years old, the economic expansion, and efforts to decrease general access to guns, as well as an increase in the prison population and a continued decline in homicide among those over age 24. The lessons learned from the recent homicide trends and the factors associated with them have important implications for public health and the criminal justice system.
Image compression using stochastic neural networks

Image compression using stochastic artificial neural networks (SANNs) is studied. The ideal is to store an image in a stable distribution of a stochastic neural network. Given an input image f epsilon F, one can find a SANN t epsilon T such that the equilibrium distribution of this SANN is the given image f. Therefore, the input image, f, is encoded into a specification of a SANN, t. This mapping from F (image space) to T (parameter space of SANN) defines the SANN transformation. It is shown that the compression ratio R of the SANN transformation is R=O(n/(K (log n)/sup 2/)) where n is the number of pixels. To complete a SANN transformation, SANN equations must be solved. Two SANN equations are presented. The solution of SANN is briefly discussed. >
Streptococcus parasanguis Fimbria-Associated Adhesin Fap1 Is Required for Biofilm Formation

The sanguis streptococci are primary colonizers of the tooth surface and thus form the foundation for the complex multiple species biofilm known as dental plaque. In addition, these bacteria can colonize native and prosthetic heart valves and are a common cause of endocarditis. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms governing multiple or single species biofilm development within this group of organisms. Using an in vitro assay for biofilm formation, we determined that (i) Streptococcus parasanguis FW213 can form biofilms on inert surfaces such as polystyrene and (ii) environmental and nutritional factors, such as glucose, affect S. parasanguis biofilm formation. Several isogenic mutants of FW213 were tested in the biofilm assay. Strains containing mutations in fap1, a gene encoding a protein required for assembly of fimbriae, were deficient in biofilm formation. Mutants defective in recA, PepO endopeptidase activity, or the production of a fimbriae-associated protein, FimA, were still capable of biofilm formation. Phase-contrast microscopy was used to follow biofilm development by wild-type and fap1 mutant strains on plastic coverslips over time. Wild-type FW213 attached to the surface, formed aggregates of cells, and eventually formed a dense layer of cells that included microcolonies. In contrast, few fap1 mutant cells were observed attached to the surface, and no cell aggregates or microcolonies were formed. These results suggest that the long peritrichous fimbriae of FW213 are critical for the formation of biofilms on solid surfaces.
Performance by design: The systematic selection, design, and development of performance technologies that produce useful results

Ryan Watkins is associate professor of educational technology at George Washington University in Washington, DC. He designs and teaches courses on instructional design, systems analysis and design, research methods, and technology management for online and classroom delivery. He has written several books and more than 60 articles and book chapters on strategic planning, return-on-investment analysis, and evaluation. Performance by Design (ISBN: 0–87425–949–5) is published by HRD Press and ISPI (price: $19.95). The publisher may be reached online at http://www.hrdpress.com or by phone at 800-822–2891.
Audio-visual event classification via spatial-temporal-audio words

In this paper, we propose a generative model-based approach for audio-visual event classification. This approach is based on a new unsupervised learning method using an extended probabilistic latent semantic analysis (pLSA) model. We represent each video clip as a collection of spatial-temporal-audio words, which are generated by fusing the visual and audio features using the pLSA model. Each audio-visual event class is treated as the latent topic in this model. The probability distributions of the spatial-temporal-audio words are learnt from training examples, which include a sequence of videos that represent different types of audio-visual events. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Downregulation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase-1 activity in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle of diabetic rabbits

Increased guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), induced by nitric oxide release, is crucial for corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM) relaxation within the penis. This CCSM relaxation (nece...
Longitudinal Changes in Disabled Husbands’ and Wives’ Receipt of Care

Purpose of the Study: This study contrasts 2-year adjustments in disabled husbands’ and wives’ amount of received care following both worsening and recovery in personal (activities of daily living [ADLs]) and routine care (instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs]) disability. Design and Methods: Using longitudinal data on 789 husbands and 778 wives from the Health and Retirement Study (2000 and 2002), changes in marital partners’ monthly hours of spousal and nonspousal care were jointly modeled using bivariate Tobit models. In addition, asymmetry in the magnitude of responses to worsening and improvement of function was examined. Results: Disabled husbands receive more hours of spousal and nonspousal care following worsening in ADL function than wives. Conversely, disabled wives lose more spousal and nonspousal care hours following improvements in ADL disability than husbands. Moreover, wives recovering in ADL function lose more hours of spousal care than they receive following worsening in personal care disability. There is no evidence of corresponding gender differences in the dynamics of assistance received following changes in IADL function. Implications: Compared with husbands, disabled wives are disadvantaged in the adjustment of their personal care hours. Although disabled married community residents receive more hours of care than their unmarried counterparts, there are important gender differences in the advantages offered by marriage.
Antidepressant Response in Patients With Major Depression Exposed to NSAIDs: A Pharmacovigilance Study

Coexisting general medical illness accounts for much of the previously reported association between use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and nonremission of treated depression. A modest but smaller relationship for NSAIDs remained when analyses included the comorbidity of patients in a large health care system and in the STAR*D study of antidepressant effectiveness. Resistance to antidepressant treatment is related to long-term NSAID use but not to intermittent use or to use of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors and salicylates.
Lithospheric evolution of the Andean fold-thrust belt, Bolivia, and the origin of the central Andean plateau

We combine geological and geophysical data to develop a generalized model for the lithospheric evolution of the central Andean plateau between 188 and 208 S from Late Cretaceous to present. By integrating geophysical results of upper mantle structure, crustal thickness, and composition with recently published structural, stratigraphic, and thermochronologic data, we emphasize the importance of both the crust and upper mantle in the evolution of the central Andean plateau. Four key steps in the evolution of the Andean plateau are as follows. 1) Initiation of mountain building by ~70 Ma suggested by the associated foreland basin depositional history. 2) Eastward jump of a narrow, early fold–thrust belt at 40 Ma through the eastward propagation of a 200–400-km-long basement thrust sheet. 3) Continued shortening within the Eastern Cordillera from 40 to 15 Ma, which thickened the crust and mantle and established the eastern boundary of the modern central Andean plateau. Removal of excess mantle through lithospheric delamination at the Eastern Cordillera–Altiplano boundary during the early Miocene appears necessary to accommodate underthrusting of the Brazilian shield. Replacement of mantle lithosphere by hot asthenosphere may have provided the heat source for a pulse of mafic volcanism in the Eastern Cordillera and Altiplano at 24–23 Ma, and further volcanism recorded by 12–7 Ma crustal ignimbrites. 4) After ~20 Ma, deformation waned in the Eastern Cordillera and Interandean zone and began to be transferred into the Subandean zone. Long-term rates of shortening in the fold–thrust belt indicate that the average shortening rate has remained fairly constant (~8–10 mm/year) through time with possible slowing (~5–7 mm/year) in the last 15–20 myr. We suggest that Cenozoic deformation within the mantle lithosphere has been focused at the Eastern Cordillera–Altiplano boundary where the mantle most likely continues to be removed through piecemeal delamination. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Investigation of Acoustic Signals During W1 Tool Steel Quenching

Quenching is an important part of the heat treatment process for strengthening medium and high carbon steels. In the heat treatment cycle, the metal is heated to a desired temperature (above the eutectoid temperature) in the furnace and then cooled in a fluid medium such as water, brine, oil or air. Depending on the cooling rate, the mechanical and metallurgical properties of the metal can be altered in order to achieve the specific design parameters that are required by the part. The process in which the metal is cooled rapidly is termed the quenching process. Due to rapid cooling in a medium, such as water, brine, or oil, the quenching process produces an audible sound signature, as well as, acoustic emissions. In this paper, W1 tool steel is investigated through the use of a beam former that is equipped with 32 microphones. Using this device, it is demonstrated that the audible sounds that are produced when quenching depend on the heat treatment temperature and the size of the specimen.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The construct and measurement of spontaneous attention to a number

AbstractThe Spontaneous Attention to a Number (SAN) construct serves a different purpose than Hannula-Sormunen and colleagues’ Spontaneous Focus on Number (SFON) construct. As an extension of Eleanor J. Gibson’s differentiation theory, the premise of SAN is that children’s step-wise construction of small number concepts enables them to perceptually differentiate among increasingly larger numbers—to distinguish reliably between “oneness” or “twoness” and larger numbers, then between “threeness” and “larger numbers,” and eventually between “fourness” and larger numbers. In contrast, SFON refers to the tendency to attend to numbers in general—an attentional process that, unlike SAN, is separate from enumeration skill. Not surprisingly, then, although the prototype for both the SAN and SFON tasks is Nancy C. Jordan and colleagues’ non-directive nonverbal number task, the independent development of the SAN and SFON tasks resulted in key differences in how they are administered and scored and to whom they are a...
Does a Change in Customer Loyalty Occur When a New Car Agency is Sold

Marketing theorists have assumed that changes in market structure variables could affect consumer loyalty behavior. This report presents supportive evidence from an ex post facto experiment showing...
Porous carbon protected magnetite and silver hybrid nanoparticles: morphological control, recyclable catalysts, and multicolor cell imaging.

A simple and facile synthetic strategy is developed to prepare a new class of multifunctional hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) that can integrate a magnetic core with silver nanocrystals embedded in poro...
Adaptive Estimation of Nonlinear Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics with Time-Varying Moments of Inertia Using On-Board Sensors

For spacecraft conducting on-orbit operations, changes to the structure of the spacecraft are not uncommon. These planned or unanticipated changes in structural properties tightly couple with the spacecraft’s attitude dynamics and require estimation. For dynamic systems with time-varying parameters, multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE) routines can be utilized to provide a probabilistic parameter and state estimate. This research applies MMAE routines that employ a parallel bank of unscented attitude filters to analytical models of spacecraft with time varying moments of inertia (MOI). The objective of this new application of adaptive estimation to the attitude determination problem is to estimate the time-varying MOI of the spacecraft and also to probabilistically classify spacecraft behavior. The results presented in this work use on-board three-axis magnetometers and gyroscopes for measurements and investigate the extension of sensor boom. This work lays the foundation for future research using ground-based measurements to estimate time-varying MOI and spacecraft behavior to further enhance the toolbox of the space situational awareness mission.
Drifting in a shrinking future: living with advanced heart failure.

Background Patients with advanced heart failure (HF) have an uncertain prognosis and low rates of advance care planning and hospice use. The purpose of this study was to describe how patients view and plan for their future. Methods Twenty-four (N = 24) patients took part in a semistructured interview in which they were asked to describe their experiences in living with heart disease and their understanding and planning for their future. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative method to generate a grounded theory. Results The core category, "Living with HF," encompassed the subcategories of "My Experience of HF," "Help with HF," and "My Future with HF." This article reports on "My Future with HF." Patients wanted to discuss how HF affected their future with their providers, but initiation of these discussions was difficult and the absence of discussion led to frustration. Patients did not find specific life expectancy estimates helpful in coping or planning their future care. Conclusions Patients with advanced HF do not plan well for end-of-life care and tend to drift along while vaguely hoping for the best. End-of-life care in advanced HF should address difficulties in decision making and provider communication.
Cholesterol in some hematologic disorders: a comparison of findings in serum and tissues; with special reference to lymphoma.

Abstract 1.1. Systematic studies of tissue (spleen) and serum cholesterol in various pathologic states indicate that: (a) tissue content of total cholesterol is elevated in pathologic states, especially those involving the spleen. Serum, at the same time, shows low total cholesterol level. Thus, accumulation of cholesterol in the spleen seems typical of disease states, especially those involving the spleen; (b) cholesterol esters are relatively decreased in serum and tissues alike. Thus, percentage of esterified cholesterol is significantly low. 2.2. The defect of esterification of cholesterol remain unexplained at the present time. On the other hand, accumulation of cholesterol in tissue as compared to serum indicates an abnormality of cholesterol transport. It may be due, at least in part and in cases with lymphoma, to the high content of β-globulin in the pathologic splenic (perhaps other) tissue as compared to normal spleen.
Ayn Rand’s Anthem: Self-Naming, Individualism, and Anonymity

Ayn Rand’s dystopian novella Anthem is set in an unspecified future, physically and spiritually desolate, with enforced uniformity and a language bereft of all singular pronouns. Anthem, moreover, is profoundly deficient regarding onomastics in general. The society assigns personal names at birth using a fixed pattern: an abstract word, a single-digit number, a hyphen, and four additional digits. This system befits a society in which one can be condemned for committing the “Sin of Preference,” concerning professions, privacy, or partners. In a world from which most names (for cities, buildings, streets, institutions etc.) have disappeared, the system of assigned anthroponyms is not the source of a problem or the epitome of a problem, but rather, the final downward step of an increasingly nameless culture. The two main characters, in successive episodes of purposeful self-naming, subvert the discourse of the decline and thus reclaim individualism and volition.
The Transmission of Legal Precedent among State Supreme Courts in the Twenty-First Century

Theories of legislative policy diffusion are well formed and extensively tested, but scholars know far less about the diffusion of legal policy and reasoning. Three decades ago, Caldeira’s “The Tra...
A Novel User Profile Learning Approach with Fuzzy Constraint for News Retrieval

This study conducts a novel user profile learning approach based on fuzzy constraints. From the vantage of knowledge representation, a fuzzy constraint network is used not only to present the ambiguity of concepts and the diversity between concepts but also to express a single user profile with dependent multisubjects of interest. From the vantage of problem solving, the construction of a user profile is viewed as a problem of fuzzy constraint satisfaction. The subject of interest is extracted by a spreading activation model. To achieve the information filtering of the retrieved data, fuzzy information gain is employed to reduce unnecessary user feedback for matching the user's retrieval requirements.
From sequential to integrated Bayesian analyses: Exploring the continuum with a Pacific salmon spawner-recruit model

Abstract Stock assessment scientists are faced with decisions regarding how to incorporate fishery information into models. One primary decision revolves around how estimates that are summaries of raw data should be treated (e.g., abundance estimates derived from relative indices). The choice in this case is to either use estimates from a sequence of models as data in a final model (i.e., the model used for setting management goals) or to integrate the raw data into a more complex final model. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages that constitute a suite of trade-offs. These trade-offs are investigated here by comparing two sequential analyses (one that ignores measurement error and one that incorporates it) to an integrated analysis for a stock assessment of Pacific salmon using simulation-estimation, and the Kuskokwim River Chinook salmon stock of western Alaska as a case study. The major difference between approaches was that an abundance reconstruction was estimated separately from the spawner-recruit analysis in the sequential approaches, whereas the integrated approach did so in a single model. Primary findings showed that approaches that addressed the measurement error in the raw data returned very similar estimates of abundance, population dynamics parameters, and management reference points, both in terms of point estimates and uncertainty. When measurement error was ignored, similar point estimates were returned. However, this approach underestimated uncertainty in the spawner-recruit analysis but resulted in more uncertainty in the abundance reconstruction. These findings were consistent for both the Kuskokwim River case study and simulation-estimation analyses. The primary advantage of the integrated analysis was the added realism of sharing calendar year abundance data among brood years, but came at the cost of slow model run times. This exercise showed that while there is a trade-off between sequential and integrated analyses in terms of model complexity and realism, the benefits may not be large enough to warrant an integrated analysis in all cases, given that the terminal model carries forward uncertainty in the input estimates.
Organization of high-level visual cortex in human infants

How much of the structure of the human mind and brain is already specified at birth, and how much arises from experience? In this article, we consider the test case of extrastriate visual cortex, where a highly systematic functional organization is present in virtually every normal adult, including regions preferring behaviourally significant stimulus categories, such as faces, bodies, and scenes. Novel methods were developed to scan awake infants with fMRI, while they viewed multiple categories of visual stimuli. Here we report that the visual cortex of 4–6-month-old infants contains regions that respond preferentially to abstract categories (faces and scenes), with a spatial organization similar to adults. However, precise response profiles and patterns of activity across multiple visual categories differ between infants and adults. These results demonstrate that the large-scale organization of category preferences in visual cortex is adult-like within a few months after birth, but is subsequently refined through development. Adult visual cortex is organized into regions that respond to categories such as faces and scenes, but it is unclear if this depends on experience. Here, authors measured brain activity in 4–6 month old infants looking at faces and scenes and find that their visual cortex is organized similarly to adults.
Knowledge attitude and practice of pharmacovigilance among nursing professionals in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Background: Pharmacovigilance deals with identification, assessment and prevention and reporting of adverse drug reaction (ADR), play a pivotal role in ensuring safe use of drugs. However, in spite of having well established ADR reporting system in India and worldwide, the ADR underreporting is a big challenge till date. It is therefore very important to assess the level of awareness of Pharmacovigilance among healthcare professionals to identify the factors affecting ADRs reporting. The objective of the study was to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacovigilance among nursing professionals in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Dehradun, India. Methods: It was a cross sectional observational study conducted at HIMS over a period of 1 year. Nursing professionals who work in internal medicine, Surgery, PAC and intensive care unit (ICU) were included in this study. A self-administered questionnaire comprising of 15 items related to ADRs and Pharmacovigilance programme of India (PvPI) activity was provided to them and sufficient time to fill the questionnaire was given. The completely filled questionnaire was collected and data was analyzed using SPSS ver.20.0. Results: A total of 415 participants were included in the study. The mean age of the participant was 28.52 years. The number of female was more than male participants. Majority of participant (56%) couldn’t answer the meaning of pharmacovigilance. Only 25% participants were aware about ADR reporting process to ADR monitoring centre (AMC). Although majority of the participants understand the necessity of ADR reporting and aware about AMC centre and PvPI, but most of them showed unfamiliarity about ADR reporting form and previous experience of any kind of ADR. The most common reason for not reporting the ADR was difficulty in deciding the nature of adverse effects (AE) (44%) followed by lack of time (30%). Majority of participant (67%) denied any previous pharmacovigilance training and almost all (98%) have shown their interest in PvPI training. Conclusions: Nursing professionals in our hospital may lack adequate knowledge about ADR reporting and may need more education and training on the National Pharmacovigilance System and ADR reporting process.
White matter compromise in autism? Differentiating motion confounds from true differences in diffusion tensor imaging.

Common findings from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) include reduced fractional anisotropy (FA), and increased mean and radial diffusivity (MD, RD) of white matter tracts. However, findings may be confounded by head motion. We examined how group-level motion matching affects DTI comparisons between ASD and typically developing (TD) groups. We included 57 ASD and 50 TD participants, comparing three subsets at increasing levels of motion-matching stringency: full sample (FS); quality-controlled (QC); and quantitatively-matched (QM). Groups were compared on diffusivity measures using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tractography. Two methods for estimating diffusivity were compared: dti-fit and restore. TBSS: In set FS, FA was reduced in the ASD compared to the TD group throughout the right hemisphere. This effect was less extensive in set QC and absent in set QM. However, effect sizes remained stable or increased with better quality-control in some regions. Tractography: In set QM, MD was significantly higher in ASD overall and RD was higher in bilateral ILF. Effects were more robust in QM than in FS or QC sets. Effect sizes in several tracts increased with stringent quality matching. Restore improved tensor estimates, with some increases in effect sizes, but did not fully compensate for reduced quality. Findings suggest that some previously reported DTI findings for ASD may have been confounded by motion. However, effects in the tightly matched subset indicate that tract-specific anomalies probably do exist in ASD. Our results highlight the need for careful quality-control and motion-matching. Autism Res 2017. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantum indistinguishability in chemical reactions.

Quantum indistinguishability plays a crucial role in many low-energy physical phenomena, from quantum fluids to molecular spectroscopy. It is, however, typically ignored in most high-temperature processes, particularly for ionic coordinates, implicitly assumed to be distinguishable, incoherent, and thus well approximated classically. We explore enzymatic chemical reactions involving small symmetric molecules and argue that in many situations a full quantum treatment of collective nuclear degrees of freedom is essential. Supported by several physical arguments, we conjecture a “quantum dynamical selection” (QDS) rule for small symmetric molecules that precludes chemical processes that involve direct transitions from orbitally nonsymmetric molecular states. As we propose and discuss, the implications of the QDS rule include (i) a differential chemical reactivity of para- and orthohydrogen, (ii) a mechanism for inducing intermolecular quantum entanglement of nuclear spins, (iii) a mass-independent isotope fractionation mechanism, (iv) an explanation of the enhanced chemical activity of “reactive oxygen species”, (v) illuminating the importance of ortho-water molecules in modulating the quantum dynamics of liquid water, and (vi) providing the critical quantum-to-biochemical linkage in the nuclear spin model of the (putative) quantum brain, among others.
Arsenic trioxide: Pharmacokinetics in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients.

7055 Background: Arsenic (As) has significantly increased survival for APL patients. As and its metabolites’ effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and methylation, especially long term, remain ...