cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taste-Evoked Responses to Sweeteners in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Differ between C57BL/6ByJ and 129P3/J Mice

C57BL/6ByJ (B6) and 129P3/J (129) mice have different alleles of Tas1r3, which is thought to influence gustatory transduction of sweeteners, but studies have provided conflicting results regarding differences in sweetness perception between these strains. Single-unit taste-evoked activity was measured in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) in anesthetized B6 and 129 mice to address this controversy and to provide the first electrophysiological characterization of this nucleus in mice. Neurons had properties similar to those of NST cells in other species, including mean breadth-of-tuning of 0.8 +/- 0.0. There were no strain differences in neural responses at 600 or 900 ms after onset, but, with a 5 s evoked period, responses to the sweeteners sucrose, maltose, acesulfame-K, SC-45647, and D-phenylalanine were significantly larger in B6 relative to 129 mice. The strains did not differ in their mean response to NaSaccharin, but it evoked an across-neuron pattern of activity that was more similar to that of sucrose and less similar to that of NaCl in B6 mice compared with 129 mice. Neurons were classified as sucrose, NaCl, or HCl responsive, with the former more common in B6 than 129 mice. Relative to other neurons, sucrose-responsive cells had delayed but more sustained sweetener responses in both strains. The results suggest that B6 mice perceive some sweeteners as more intense, but NaSaccharin as sweeter and less salty, relative to 129 mice. Furthermore, activity evoked by sweeteners includes a phasic response sent to different NST cells than a later tonic response, and only the latter differs between B6 and 129 mice.
What Determines the Diversity Order of Linear Equalizers

Diversity techniques are important in combating the deleterious effects of channel fading. To enjoy diversity, both transmitter and receiver have to be designed appropriately. Many existing designs have exploited different flavors of diversity by employing maximum likelihood (ML) or near-ML detectors at the receiver, which is of high complexity. On the other hand, empirical results have shown that linear equalizers (LEs) offer inferior performance but come with low complexity. Unfortunately, the diversity collected by general LEs has not been quantified, which reduces the attraction of LEs in theoretical and practical aspects. In this paper, we reveal a fundamental yet simple condition that determines whether LEs can achieve the same diversity order as an ML equalizer does. The condition is based on the orthogonal deficiency (od) of channel matrix. Based on the distribution of the channel od, we propose a framework of hybrid equalizers which guarantees maximum diversity while trading off complexity for coding gains. The theoretical findings are verified by simulation results.
Grabber-holder dynamics and network effects in technology innovation

Abstract Economists and marketing researchers have examined how network effects can have an impact on the adoption of technology and products, and how an intrinsic inferior product or technology may dominate the market. However, their studies have not explained how a producer could create network effect for a new product and how, after successfully creating the network effect for this product, the producer could lose it in a short period of time. While these studies provide insight into technology innovation after it happened, they fail to shed light on understanding many of the surprises that we experience in the process. The objective of this paper is to present a fundamental framework that helps us understand most of the surprising outcomes that we have seen in technology innovation processes, especially the winners and losers in an innovation process. The framework is built on a grabber–holder dynamic model that captures how all the intelligent agents involved in an innovation shape the forces that either induce a strong network effect or destroy a network effect that is already in place. The model can be used to explain many surprising events that have happened in technology innovation. In this paper, I apply the model to the Personal Computer innovation.
Antibiotic-based selection for bacterial genes that are specifically induced during infection of a host

Abstract We have recently described a genetic system, termed in vivo expression technology (IVET), that uses an animal as a selective medium to identify genes that pathogenic bacteria specifically express when infecting host tissues. Here, the potential utility of the IVET approach has been expanded with the development of a transcriptional-fusion vector, pIVET8, which uses antibiotics resistance as the basis for selection in host tissues. pIVET8 contains promoterless chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) and lacZY genes. A pool of Salmonella typhimurium clones carrying random cat-lac transcriptional fusions, produced with pIVET8, was used to infect BALB/c mice that were subsequently treated with intraperitoneal injections of chloramphenicol. Strains that survived the selection by expressing the cat gene in the animal were then screened for those that had low-level lacZY expression on laboratory medium. These strains carry operon fusions to genes that are specifically induced in vivo (ivi genes). One of the ivi genes identified (fadB) encodes an enzyme involved in fatty acid oxidation, suggesting that this enzyme might contribute to the metabolism of bactericidal or proinflammatory host fatty acids. The pIVET8-based selection system was also used to identify S. typhimurium genes that are induced in cultured macrophages. The nature of ivi gene products will provide a more complete understanding of the metabolic, physiological, and genetic factors that contribute to the virulence of microbial pathogens.
Clostridium perfringens infection following carpal tunnel release

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common compression neuropathy in the extremities. Surgical decompression or carpal tunnel release is effective in over 90 % of cases. Complications are unusual, and infection is very rare, occurring in less than 0.5 % [2, 3]. When infection occurs, Staphylococcus aureus is the most commonly recovered organism [4]. We report a case of postoperative infection caused by Clostridium perfringens following carpal tunnel release. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed C. perfringens infection following routine open carpal tunnel release.
Track me to track us: Leveraging short range wireless technologies for enabling energy efficient Wi-Fi-based localization

Given the success of outdoor tracking via GPS and the rise of real-time context-aware services, users will soon rely on applications that require higher granularity indoor localization. This need is further manifested in countries like Qatar, where various social and business activities occur indoors. Wi-Fi-based indoor localization is one of the most researched techniques due to its ubiquitous deployment and acceptable accuracy for a wide range of applications. However, we do not witness such techniques widely deployed mainly due to their high demand on energy, which is a precious commodity in mobile devices. We propose an energy-efficient indoor localization system that leverages peoples' typical group mobility patterns and short-range wireless technologies available on their devices. Our system architecture, shown in the figure, is designed to be easily integrated with existing Wi-Fi localization engines. We first utilize low-energy wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, to detect and cluster individuals moving together. Our system then assigns a group representative to act as a designated cluster head that would be constantly tracked. The location of other group members can be inferred so long as they remain within proximity of the cluster heads. Afterwards, cluster heads continue to send the periodic received signal strength indicator (RSSI) updates, while the remaining members turn off their Wi-Fi interface relying on the cluster head to be localized. Our system is responsible for dynamically handling the merger or splitting of clusters as a result of mobility. We implement a prototype of the system, and evaluate it at scale using the QualNet simulator. Our results show that we can achieve up to 55% energy reduction with a relatively small degradation in localization accuracy averaging 2 meters. This accuracy reduction is non-impactful given the typical applications expected to leverage our system.
Emerging drugs for renal cell carcinoma.

Importance of the field: The treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has evolved significantly over the past 5 years and targeted therapy has become the standard of care. However, complete and lasting responses to these drugs are still uncommon. Currently, novel agents are being tested in clinical trials.Areas covered in this review: We discuss approved targeted agents in RCC and emphasize on emerging therapies. We searched the US National Library of Medicine (PubMed) using the terms ‘renal cell carcinoma’, ‘targeted therapy’ and ‘novel agents’, from 1990 to the present. We also searched for abstracts from the meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and Genitourinary Cancers Symposium from 2007 to the present.What the reader will gain: This paper provides understanding of the approved treatments for advanced RCC as well as the novel agents and their targeted biological pathways.Take home message: Despite dynamic and recent advances in the management of metastatic RCC much about th...
Underlayer work function effect on nucleation and film morphology of chemical vapor deposited aluminum

The dependence of early stage of dimethylaluminum hydride (DMAH)-sourced aluminum chemical vapor deposition on underlayer material was investigated. Identical process conditions were used to deposit the aluminum on TiN, TaN and Ti-W surfaces. Surface coverage and particle densities of aluminum deposited on TiN were much greater than those deposited on Ti-W or TaN. Work function measurements performed on the three metal surfaces suggest that the difference in nucleation rate on TiN compared to TaN and Ti-W is due its increased ability to donate electrons to the DMAH decomposition process.
Phage display selection and characterization of single-chain recombinant antibodies against Eimeria tenella sporozoites.

A single-chain antibody library against Eimeria tenella sporozoites was constructed by phage display. Antibody-displaying phage was selected in five panning rounds against cryopreserved E. tenella sporozoites. A 1000-fold increase in phage output and a 3000-fold enrichment were obtained after three rounds of panning, as the binding clones became the dominant population in the library. Ten clones were randomly selected from the last selection round, and their nucleotide sequences were aligned and compared to chicken germ-line sequences. Analysis of the light chain variable regions revealed possible donor pseudogenes which act as donors in gene conversion events, and contribute to the diversification of the VL immune repertoire. Possible somatic hypermutation events, a consequence of affinity maturation, were also identified. Soluble antibody was produced in a non-suppressor E. coli strain, purified by nickel affinity chromatography, and characterized by immunoblotting. In an immunofluorescence assay, this recombinant antibody showed specific binding to E. tenella sporozoites.
Neurodegeneration: Good riddance to bad rubbish

Autophagy — cellular ‘self-eating’ — can be induced by stress, but it also acts continuously in a housekeeping role, disposing of unwanted proteins. Can it protect against neurodegenerative diseases? Two papers this week suggest that the process of protein degradation and clearance of cellular components may be more important in maintaining the health of the nervous system than was thought. Both groups show that inhibition of autophagy in mouse brain cells results in neurodegeneration and early death. Autophagy, the protein degradation and recycling of cellular components, is important for the normal growth and development of a cell. The finding that the continual clearance of cellular components is essential for maintaining neuronal health should open up new avenues of research into the nature of neurodegenerative diseases.
White-light promoted degradation of leucopterin and related pteridines dissolved in seawater, with evidence for involvement of complexation from major divalent cations of seawater

Abstract The photochemical instability of several related pteridines in seawater was investigated by aseptic incubation of solutions at 20–22°C under illumination from cool-white light of intensity 6 kerg cm−2 sec−1, and the chemical changes were spectrophotometrically monitored. All the pteridines showed markedly accelerated degradation from this illumination relative to their behaviour in total darkness. Pterin and lumazine were degraded very slowly with zero-order reaction kinetics, while the other pteridines photolysed rapidly (according to first-order kinetics) with decomposition rates increasing in the order dioxylumazine (2,4,6,7-tetrahydroxypteridine) The photolysis of the 6-hydroxylated pteridines (xanthopterin, oxylumazine) proceeded via intermediate formation of their corresponding 7-hydroxylated derivatives (leucopterin, dioxylumazine).
Space exploration: Life on Mars

Jim Bell welcomes a detailed blueprint for colonizing the red planet from Apollo 11 veteran Buzz Aldrin.
Solitary Confinement in Education

(2009). Solitary Confinement in Education. Arts Education Policy Review: Vol. 110, No. 2, pp. 29-32.
A commutator identity for basic p-groups

The consequences of the law (Ga(1), hellip, Ga(n)) = 1 in a basic p-group are examined. The principal tools are a combinatorial analysis of the lattice of n-tuples of positive integers and a theorem of the author about higher-commutator subgroups.Subject classification (Amer. Math. Soc. (MOS) 1970): 20 D 15.
Multiperipheral description of clustering in charged-particle production in the central plateau

A two-channel Chew-Pignotti-type model is constructed which describes the two-charged-particle correlations and the rapidity-gap distribution for the nondiffractive component of the hadronic cross section at high energies.
A26-Week Open-Label Study of Quetiapine in Children with Conduct Disorder

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the long-term safety and effectiveness of quetiapine in conduct disorder (CD). Methods: This was an 18-week outpatient follow-up study of an acute trial that enrolled aggressive children ages 6–12 years with a primary diagnosis of CD. To be enrolled into this study, subjects had to have successfully completed participation in the initial 8-week, openlabel, outpatient quetiapine trial. Psychometric measures included the Rating of Aggression Against People and/or Property Scale (RAAPP), the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (NCBRF), the Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-48), the Clinical Global Impressions Scale of Severity (CGI-S), and the Children's Global Assessment Scale. Results: Nine males with a mean age of 8.9 (SD = 1.2) years were treated. The median quetiapine dose at end of study was 150 mg/day (range 75–350). Mean psychometric scores did not change substantively from baseline. No patients experienced extrapyramidal side effects. Three subjects ...
Comparison of Various Animal Protein Sources for Growth, Feed Efficiency, and Body Composition of Juvenile Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

A laboratory study was conducted to compare different animal protein sources in diets containing 32% protein for channel catfish Ictalurus punrtatus. The experimental diets were practical-type diets and formulated to meet or exceed all known nutrient requirements for channel catfish. Twenty juvenile channel catfish (initial weight: 6.4 g/fish) were stocked into each of 25 110-L flow-through aquaria (five aquaria/treatment). Fish were fed twice daily to approximate satiation for 9 wk. Fish in each aquarium were counted and weighed collectively every 3 wk. No significant differences were observed in feed consumption, weight gain, feed efficiency, survival, percentages visceral fat and fillet yield, or proximate composition of fillets among channel catfish fed diets containing either 5% menhaden fish meal, meat and bone/blood meal, catfish by-product meal, poultry by-product meal, or hydrolyzed feather meal with supplemental lysine. The data indicate that these animal protein sources can be used interchangeably in diets for channel catfish without affecting fish growth, feed efficiency, or body composition.
Hydride addition to and reduction of Cp★Ir(η6-BT)2+ and Cp★Ir(η6-DBT)2+, where BT benzo[b]thiophene and DBT dibenzothiophene

Abstract The benzo[b]thiophene (BT) complexes Cp★Ir(η 6 -BTs) 2+ , where BTs is BT ( 1a ), 2-MeBT ( 1b ), 3-MeBT ( 1c ) or 2,3-Me 2 BT ( 1d ), react with H 2 Al(OCH 2 CH 2 OMe) 2 − to add two H − to the coordinated arene ring of the BTs to give the cyclohexadiene complexes Cp★Ir(η 4 -BTs·2H), 2a–d . The dibenzothiophene complex Cp★Ir(η 6 -DBT) 2+ ( 3 ) reacts similarly to give Cp★Ir(η 4 -DBT·.2H) ( 4 ). Both of these reactions can be reversed by adding Ph 3 C + . Two-electron reductions of 1c and 3 give the η 4 -arene complexes Cp★Ir(η 4 -3-MeBT) ( 5 ) and Cp★Ir(η 4 -DBT) ( 6 ). Compounds 2c and 4 have been characterized by X-ray diffraction.
Epigenetics and the IRFs: A complex interplay in the control of immunity and autoimmunity

Effective immune responses require the coordinated activation and differentiation of several cell types, including T-cells, B-cells and myeloid cells. Abnormalities in the appropriate regulation of these processes underlie the pathogenesis of many autoimmune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recent studies have revealed that, in addition to sequence-specific DNA-binding factors, the chromatin landscape of a cell can play a pivotal role in controlling these processes and in regulating the onset of autoimmunity. Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are emerging as critical regulators of the activation and differentiation of immune cells and deregulation in the expression and/or function of members of the IRF family has increasingly been linked to the pathogenesis of lupus. In this review, we will provide a brief overview of the role of different IRFs in immune responses and SLE development and discuss studies, which highlight the intricate relationship of this family of transcription factors with the epigenetic machinery.
Developmental expression of alloantigen systems in the chicken.

The different allelic forms of nine non-Mhc alloantigen systems of the chicken were examined for developmental expression on erythrocytes isolated from embryos and young chicks. Polyclonal alloantisera raised against the different antigens were used to detect these antigens on the cell surface by hemagglutination as well as by indirect immunofluorescence. The developmental stage of initial expression on erythrocytes for each of the genetic systems investigated (i.e., A, E, C, D, H, I, K, L and P) varied from day 4 to day 14 of incubation. The different antigens of each system appeared simultaneously at a particular stage of development except for those of the I system, where the I8 allelic form appeared earlier than I2.
The effects of target attractiveness on men's sexual arousal in response to erotic auditory stimuli.

Abstract Previous research on sexual arousal resulting from auditory stimuli indicates that visual imagery acts as a mediator between stimulus input and resulting arousal. This leads to the question of whether imagery, and subsequent arousal, can be manipulated by providing differing information to hold in semantic memory. This research hypothesizes that attractive images, held within semantic memory and pattern matched with an erotic auditory stimulus, facilitate higher and more rapid self-reported arousal than do unattractive images. Participants in an unattractive condition experienced slower rates and lower mean levels of arousal in response to an auditory stimulus compared with participants in an attractive or no picture condition. No differences existed between groups in maximum arousal scores or the tendency to visualize the target during the listening task. Implications for the role of imagery in sexual response, possible measurement issues, and suggestions for future research are addressed in the...
Optimization of Nuclear Reactor Fuel Recycle via Linear and Quadratic Programming

The possibility of applying Linear or Quadratic Programming to the problem of optimizing nuclear reactor fuel recycle, is investigated. It is demonstrated, that the methods mentioned, may be applied successfully to a simplified model of a nuclear reactor. An appropriate representation of the fuel recycle as a feedback control system is proposed. An iterative algorithm to establish the refueling times, which are unknown a priori, is formulated and implemented to some specific examples. The convergence of the algorithm, proposed in this paper, has been established numerically.
Importance of temperature-dependent optical properties for Raman-temperature measurements for silicon

A standard relation of Raman scattering in the resonant regime is that the Raman matrix element R is well represented by K depsilon/dE, where epsilon is the dielectric function, E is the photon energy, and K is a constant. However, the only experimental check of this relationship in silicon (Renucci et al., Phys. Rev. B 11, 3885 (1975)) concluded that it was only approximately valid. In this paper it is shown for silicon in the resonant regime that the agreement between the measured values of the Raman matrix element squared, sigma = Vertical BarRVertical Bar/sup 2/ and K/sup 2/Vertical Bardepsilon/dEVertical Bar/sup 2/, is very good indeed, if accurate values of the dielectric function are used. With the use of recently obtained temperature-dependent optical functions of silicon, the absorption coefficient, the Raman matrix element squared, the index of refraction, and the normal-incidence reflectivity are determined and shown to be strong functions of temperature in the resonant regime. The Stokes to anti-Stokes intensity ratio is calculated and found to compare favorably with values found in the literature for samples held at constant temperature. It is concluded that the temperature dependence of the optical properties must be included in any interpretation of measurementsmore » to determine the temperature from the Stokes to anti-Stokes intensity ratio.« less
COMMENT COMPUTER‐MEDIATED WORK: THE EMERGING MANAGERIAL CHALLENGE

The progress of industrialism has meant, in human terms, the development of an acute behavioral discipline at work. This discipline has involved the close monitoring of the body's physical efforts in the course of industrial production and extends to the demands imposed by the standards of civilite in the white collar bureaucracy. The quid pro quo that organized labor has extracted in return for work discipline has included shortened working hours and better wages — the dollars to make mass consumption possible and the time to enjoy the fruits of one's purchases.
A Comment on 'A Comment on the Damping of Magnetohydrodynamic Waves' by Bibhas R. De

We point out that in the case of sunspots, when Coulomb collisions are included, the reduction in lundqvist number due to anisotropic conductivity is several orders of magnitude less than the reduction estimated by De. This result suggests that, contrary to De's conclusion, sunspot conditions do permit efficient MHD wave propagation.
Nanomechanical Properties of Hydrated Carious Human Dentin

Most restorative materials are bonded to caries-affected dentin that has altered structure. We tested the hypothesis that hydrated dentin of the transparent zone did not have increased hardness or elastic modulus. Nanoindentation by modified AFM was used to determine site-specific elastic modulus and hardness for components of hydrated dentin from 8 carious and non-carious human teeth. Indentations in intertubular dentin were made at intervals from pulp through the affected layers (subtransparent, transparent, and discolored zones). The values of intertubular dentin increased slightly from near the pulp into the transparent zone, then remained constant or decreased slightly through transparent dentin (E, 18.3 GPa; H, 0.8 GPa; confirming the hypothesis), and decreased markedly through the discolored region. Peritubular dentin values were unaltered in transparent dentin, and intratubular mineral had values between those of normal peritubular and intertubular dentin. Superficial areas contained distorted tubules without peritubular dentin or intratubular mineral.
Bandwidth Shaping of Parametric Frequency Combs via Dispersion Engineering

We investigate experimentally and theoretically the role of higher-order-dispersion on the bandwidth of microresonator-based parametric frequency combs. Our results demonstrate that fourth-order dispersion plays a critical role in determining the spectral bandwidth.
Topological graphs with no self-intersecting cycle of length 4

Let G be a topological graph on n vertices in the plane, i.e., a graph drawn in the plane with its vertices represented as points and its edges represented as Jordan arcs connecting pairs of points. It is shown that if no two edges of any cycle of length 4 in G cross an odd number of times, then |E(G)|=O(n8/5).
The relation of diabetes to the severity of acute myocardial infarction and post-myocardial infarction survival in Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites. The Corpus Christi Heart Project.

The effect of diabetes on survival after myocardial infarction (MI) was examined in a prospective population-based study of individuals hospitalized with MI in a bi-ethnic community of Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites. Among Mexican-Americans, 54% (331 of 610) had diabetes compared with 33% (192 of 589) of non-Hispanic whites (P 75%) was higher (P < 0.001). The peak creatine phosphokinase and creatine phosphokinase myocardial isoenzyme (CK-MB) levels were similar in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. Despite a similar infarct size, diabetic subjects had a higher incidence of congestive heart failure (relative ratio = 2.2, 95% CI 1.7-2.8), more adverse indexes of short-term and long-term prognosis, and a longer average hospital stay (12.1 vs. 8.9 days, P < 0.01). After adjustment for age, sex, and ethnicity, the cumulative risk for total mortality, over 44 months of follow-up, was 37.4% among diabetic compared with 23.3% among nondiabetic subjects (P < 0.001). Diabetic subjects had a higher 28-day case-fatality rate post-MI as well as higher long-term mortality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Public Capital Investment and National Industrial Policy

Public capital investment by state and local governments will be necessary to support a national policy of industrial revitalization. But over the last decade and a half capital spending in the state and local sector has been displaced by other budget commitments. This article describes the impact of the investment lag on public capital conditions and assesses the ability of state-local governments to upgrade their infrastructure without major federal assistance.
Experimental Study of Incompressible Jets with Different Initial Swirl Distributions: Mean Results

Incompressible swirling jets with Reynolds numbers of 1.0 × 10 5 have been studied using a miniature five-hole probe. The jet facility in which these measurements have been made has been specifically designed to produce a highly conditioned, swirling jet flow. To provide a comprehensive investigation of the effect of low-to-moderate swirl (well below vortex breakdown) on jet growth rate, two tangential velocity profiles, a solid-body type and a q-vortex type with swirl numbers of both 0.10 and 0.23, have been investigated and compared with a nonswirling jet
The socialist face of the GDR: Eastern Germany's landscape— past, present and future☆

Abstract The eastern German landscape was significantly transformed by socialism during the past 40 years. Colletivization created expansive field subdivision in contrast to smaller, sometimes fragmented, western German farmsteads. Villages with historic architecture are badly in need of reconstruction. The Bezirk capital cities benefitted from their function of centralized authority, and the concentration of commercial, administrative, cultural and industrial activities. Although they reflect central planning for communal services, they lack the vitality resulting from central city residential and retail activity. Large city-center open spaces offer anticing development opportunities. Decades of unabated pollution and lack of advertising have muted the urban scene, but changes are already evident. West Berlin is no longer confined, and its population is enjoying a more normal regional relationship. Berlin is rapidly assuming a major role as an international hub city for central Europe.
Castleman’s disease in a patient with melanoma: the role of VEGF

Castleman’s disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder characterised by lymph node follicular hyperplasia with abnormal interfollicular vascular growth. The authors report a female patient presenting with erythematous and pruritic skin lesion. A shave biopsy of the lesion revealed a Clark level III melanoma and sentinel lymph node biopsy revealed a microscopic focus. Staging positron emission tomography scan revealed an abnormal soft tissue mass with increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation in the anterior mediastinum, raising suspicions of malignancy. The patient underwent an elective resection of the mass and histological sections revealed features of Castleman’s disease of the hyaline vascular type. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been associated with the increased vessel density in this condition. VEGF secretion by tumour cells in solid tumours such as melanomas could be a predisposing factor for Castleman’s disease. Future research is needed to find an association between VEGF-secreting solid tumours and the development of lymphoproliferative tumours such as Castleman’s disease.
Unmanned ground vehicles and EO-IR sensors for border patrol

Unmanned ground vehicle technology with integrated EO-IR Sensors and payloads play a key role in border surveillance and security. In recent years, unmanned ground vehicle such as iRobot's PackBot have been a critical tool in providing situational awareness to combat terrorist operations around the world. There is increased recognition of the importance of unmanned ground vehicles with sensor suites as a force multiplication for the infantry and special forces units in future combat or reconnaissance missions and perimeter and border security and first responders. They function as the "eyes, ears, and hands" of the unit and can be remotely deployed without placing the observer's unit in harm's way in risky environments. Evolving unmanned ground vehicle technology produces significantly lighter, more maneuverable, greater endurance UGVs with improved EO, IR and other sensors for reconnaissance, surveillance and situational awareness. They dramatically reduce the risk for soldiers in MOUT operations, relay evidence of booby traps, hidden enemy, and other dangers in caves, tunnels, buildings, vehicles and other areas where the soldier(s) may be at risk. They have expanded mobility in debris fields, stairs, and rugged terrain with IR and visible video and audio links. New sensor technology enables new tactics to be developed and tethers allow secure operation. These UGVs are extremely rugged withstanding the harshest military use. They have high reliability as demonstrated in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are easy to operate with a short set-up time and battery change out time of less than one minute.
Negative chemical ionization mass spectrometric study on the electron attachment to CFxCl4−x(x=1,2) and CBryCl4−y(y=1,2)

Abstract The temperature dependence of the formation of negative ions from CFCl 3 , CF 2 Cl 2 , CBrCl 3 , and CBr2Cl2 was studied using negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry. For CFxCl4−x(x=1,2), chloride ion was observed and the activation energy agreed with previous data. For CBryCl4−y(y=1,2), Cl− and Br− were observed when the concentration of the sample was 0.01 mol%. The branching ratio of Cl− increases and that of Br− decreases with increasing temperature for CBrCl3. Otherwise, the temperature dependence of the branching ratio was lower for CBr2Cl2. For the higher concentrations of CBrCl3, BrCl− was observed. Not only BrCl− but also Br2− was observed for CBr2Cl2. CBrCl2− and CCl3− or CBr2Cl−, whose production path is electron attachment to the radicals produced from electron attachment to the parent molecules were also observed. Based on these results, the relative ratio of the electron attachment reactions can be estimated.
Efficacy of health education efforts in hospitalized patients with serious cardiovascular illness: Can teaching succeed?

This investigation was designed to assess the effectiveness of a team approach to education for hospitalized patients with serious cardiovascular illnesses. No significant immediate increases in knowledge resulted from the educational program regardless of the patient's previous educational achievements. Modest, late posthospital gains were seen. The investigators question whether the anxiety associated with hospitalization for cardiac surgery or other acute life-threatening events may render ineffective educational efforts undertaken at times of physical and psychological stress.
Effects of extracellular calcium and magnesium on cytosolic calcium concentration in Fura-2-loaded bovine parathyroid cells.

A newly developed calcium-sensitive dye, Fura-2, was employed in dispersed bovine parathyroid cells to study the effects of extracellular calcium and magnesium on cytosolic calcium concentration and parathyroid hormone (PTH) release. In comparison with control cells, Fura-2-loaded parathyroid cells showed the same maximal rate of PTH release, set-point for extracellular Ca++ (the calcium concentration producing half of the maximal inhibition of PTH release), and maximal inhibition of PTH release (71.6%) by high extracellular Ca++. At an extracellular Mg++ concentration of 0.5 mM, raising extracellular Ca++ in a stepwise fashion from 0.5 mM to 2.0 mM produced a dose-dependent, statistically significant (p < 0.01) increase in cytosolic Ca++ from 198 ± 24 nM (0.5 mM Ca++) to 411 ± 21 nM (2.0 mM Ca++) which closely paralleled the concomitant decrease in PTH release. An elevation of extracellular Mg++ from 0.5 mM to 5 mM, at an extracellular Ca++ of 0.5 mM, resulted in a transient spike of cytosolic Ca++ which lasted for approximately 30 seconds, followed by a small but stable increase in the cytosolic Ca++ concentration (174 ± 7 nM vs. 237 ± 10 nM, n = 4, p < 0.01). Prior removal of extracellular calcium by addition of an excess of EGTA did not abolish the transient spike induced by high extracellular magnesium concentrations in Fura-2-loaded cells, suggesting that this rapid increase in cytosolic Ca++ arises, at least in part, from intracellular stores of Ca++. This is supported by the observation that pretreating cells with ionomycin resulted in disappearance of the magnesium-induced spike. In parallel experiments, the values for cytosolic calcium concentration at high and low extracellular calcium and magnesium concentrations in cells loaded with Fura-2 were comparable to those in cells loaded with Quin-2. These results show that Fura-2 may be employed to measure the cytosolic Ca++ concentration in dispersed bovine parathyroid cells and that extracellular Ca++ and Mg++ produced sustained increases in cytosolic Ca++ in cells loaded with this dye which are comparable to those seen with Quin-2-loaded cells. In addition, however, probably because of the lower loading concentrations possible with Fura-2, cells loaded with this dye show Mg++-induced spikes in intracellular Ca++, resulting, in part, from release of intracellular Ca++. These Ca++ transients support other data suggesting the possibility of an extracellular divalent cation receptor on parathyroid cells, which may produce some of its effects on parathyroid function by mobilizing intracellular Ca++.
Psychometric properties of the reduced Horne and Ostberg questionnaire

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to begin the process of establishing psychometric soundness of the reduced Horne and Ostberg questionnaire (rH&O, Adan & Almirall (1991) . Horne and Ostberg morningness–eveningness questionnaire: a reduced scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 12 , 241–253.). In the first stage of the study a total of 1882 students from the University of North Dakota were administered the original H&O questionnaire ( Horne & Ostberg (1976) . A self- assessment questionnaire to determine morningness–eveningness in human circadian rhythms. International Journal of Chronobiology, 4 , 97–110. 19-items). Five items that constitute the rH&O were extracted from the original 19 items questionnaire and the relationship between the total scores of both questionnaires, and between the circadian types determined by H&O and rH&O was measured by computing appropriate correlation coefficients. In the second stage of the study the original H&O questionnaire and the rH&O (5-items) questionnaire were administered to another group of college students ( n =150). The results from both parts of the present study indicate that the rH&O has adequate inter-item correlations as well as high coefficient alpha. Furthermore, the rH&O questionnaire is sufficiently sensitive with respect to the results of the original H&O questionnaire and it reliably classifies research participants across the “morningness–eveningness” dimension. Working with the rH&O could save both the researchers and the participants time and effort, especially if large samples of populations are to be studied. Conclusions and limitations are discussed as well as the directions for future studies.
Theory and Operation of a Proton-Spin Refrigerator

By rotating a crystal of (Yb, Y) ${({\mathrm{C}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{5}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{O}}_{4})}_{3}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}9${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O (abbreviated as Yb: YES) at 60 rps in a magnetic field of 10 kOe at 1.4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, nuclear polarizations as large as 19% are observed for the protons in the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O and ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{5}$ groups. This comes about because the ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ ions have both an anisotropic $g$ factor (${g}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=3.35,{g}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}\ensuremath{\approx}0$) and an anisotropic spin-lattice relaxation rate $\ensuremath{\propto}{cos}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}{sin}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}$, allowing the ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ polarization at $\ensuremath{\theta}={45}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ to be transferred to the protons by cross relaxation at $\ensuremath{\theta}={90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$; cyclic repetition of this is a "spin refrigerator," which can, in principle, maintain a nuclear-spin polarization comparable to an electron-spin polarization. The paramagnetic and relaxation properties of Yb: YES are discussed in detail. Proton relaxation is studied and found to agree approximately with theoretical expectations. A general rate-equation theory of spin refrigerators is developed and used to interpret the measurements in Yb: YES. Although the present polarizations are limited by insufficient rotation speed and multiple spin flips, it is apparent that Yb: YES is a favorable substance, and that polarizations of \ensuremath{\sim}50% might be achieved at higher fields and higher speeds; application to polarized targets is suggested.
Abstract 2776: Inhibition of Nek2 by novel small molecules affects proteasome activity

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Nek2 is a serine/threonine kinase that has been associated with centrosome function and cell cycle progression. Nek2 overexpression has been reported in several tumor types including breast and lung cancers. We have previously shown that elevated expression of Nek2 in clinical samples of multiple myeloma (MM) correlates with bortezomib resistance. Furthermore, the overexpression of Nek2 in MM cell lines decreases sensitivity to bortezomib and knockdown with RNAi sensitizes bortezomib resistant cells. Due to the proteaseome inhibitory activity of bortezomib, we hypothesized that Nek2 overexpression may increase proteasome activity. 26S proteasomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation from stably transfected Hela cells (+Nek2 or +GFP) and Nek2 was shown to be involved in the 26S proteasome complex by western blot. Proteasome activity assays were performed both biochemically and in cell culture demonstrating that proteasome activity in Hela+Nek2 is significantly higher than in Hela+GFP. Furthermore, the isolated 26S proteasomes were incubated with novel Nek2 inhibitors (HCI-2184 and HCI-2389) resulting in a significant reduction in proteasome function when used as single agents or in combination with bortezomib. HCI-2184, a reversible inhibitor of Nek2, demonstrated an IC50 value in the range of 13-38 nM, and HCI-2389, an irreversible inhibitor of Nek2, showed an IC50 value between 8-26 nM. Similarly, both compounds significantly increased the efficacy of bortezomib in inhibiting the proteasome activity. These results were confirmed in multiple cancer cell lines, including ARP1 (human MM cell line), H299 (human lung cancer cell line) and K28 (mouse Leydig tumor cell line). The effect of inhibiting Nek2 on cell cycle was also investigated. The expression levels of cyclinB1 and cdc2, proteins degraded by the proteasome for cells to exit mitosis, were increased in HCI-2389 treated Hela+Nek2 and to a lesser extent Hela+GFP treated cells. While Nek2 overexpression leads to the down-regulation of cyclinB1 and cdc2, HCI-2389 treatment successfully rescued this effect. Flow cytometry data showed that both treatments of HCI-2184 and HCI-2389 significantly arrested Hela+Nek2 and Hela+GFP in G2/M phase after 24 hours at concentration as low as 10nM. In conclusion, we have discovered a novel biological function of Nek2 related to elevated proteasome activity. We also demonstrated that our novel Nek2 inhibitors efficiently inhibit Nek2 function, resulting in reduced proteasome activity. These Nek2 inhibitors have the potential to be applied clinically for treatment of the MM patients resistant to bortezomib. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2776. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2776
Conditioned place preference behavior in zebrafish

This protocol describes conditioned place preference (CPP) in zebrafish following a single exposure to a substance. In the CPP paradigm, animals show a preference for an environment that has previously been associated with a substance (drug), thus indicating the positive-reinforcing qualities of that substance. The test tank consists of two visually distinct compartments separated by a central alley. The protocol involves three steps: the determination of initial preference, one conditioning session and the determination of final preference. This procedure is carried out in ∼2 d; other reported CPP protocols take up to 2 weeks. An increase in preference for the drug-associated compartment is observed after a single exposure. Establishment of this high-throughput protocol in zebrafish makes it possible to investigate the molecular and cellular basis of choice behavior, reward and associative learning. The protocol is also a tool for testing psychoactive compounds in the context of a vertebrate brain.
Are organisations prepared to rethink principles as well as practice

The article suggests ways in which the concepts contained in best value can be used to review the quality and effectiveness of social care services and in particular those concerned with substance misuse. Examples are given to show how the service to users can be improved or made more accessible.
Regulation of Legal Service Plans

Legal service plans, widely regarded as the key to better availability of legal services for Americans of moderate incomes, have not yet found their proper place in the legal and regulatory framework. Uncertainty about regulatory requirements threatens to hold up progress. This article presents the results of a three-year study of alternative approaches to the regulation of legal service plans. It analyzes the inherent dangers of various types of plans and suggests ways of providing adequate protection for consumers while preserving maximum freedom and flexibility for experimentation with new delivery systems. Specifically, the authors recommend the existing and time-tested system of insurance regulation as the most suitable model for plans having a significant risk-carrying element, subject, however, to appropriate amendments to accommodate the unique features of some kinds of plans, such as bar-sponsored nonprofit organizations, and with special procedures to ensure close cooperation with disciplinary authorities as far as the conduct of lawyers is concerned. A volume containing all the principal and background papers prepared in this study, including a modified version of the present article, will be published by the American Bar Foundation as Legal Service Plans: Approaches to Regulation.
Consideration of Black Carbon and Primary Organic Carbon Emissions in Life-Cycle Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Vehicle Systems and Fuels

The climate impact assessment of vehicle/fuel systems may be incomplete without considering short-lived climate forcers of black carbon (BC) and primary organic carbon (POC). We quantified life-cycle BC and POC emissions of a large variety of vehicle/fuel systems with an expanded Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation model developed at Argonne National Laboratory. Life-cycle BC and POC emissions have small impacts on life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of gasoline, diesel, and other fuel vehicles, but would add 34, 16, and 16 g CO2 equivalent (CO2e)/mile, or 125, 56, and 56 g CO2e/mile with the 100 or 20 year Global Warming Potentials of BC and POC emissions, respectively, for vehicles fueled with corn stover-, willow tree-, and Brazilian sugarcane-derived ethanol, mostly due to BC- and POC-intensive biomass-fired boilers in cellulosic and sugarcane ethanol plants for steam and electricity production, biomass open burning in sugarcane fields, and diesel-powered agricultural equipment for biomass feedstock production/harvest. As a result, life-cycle GHG emission reduction potentials of these ethanol types, though still significant, are reduced from those without considering BC and POC emissions. These findings, together with a newly expanded GREET version, help quantify the previously unknown impacts of BC and POC emissions on life-cycle GHG emissions of U.S. vehicle/fuel systems.
Rapid Assessment Exploring Impediments to Successful Prosecutions of Sex Traffickers of U.S. Minors

Critical psychological, systemic, and legislative barriers to the successful prosecution of child sex traffickers who exploit U.S. citizens were uncovered during a rapid assessment conducted in a U.S. metropolitan region considered a high intensity child prostitution area. Information obtained during 34 face-to-face interviews with criminal justice professionals most likely to encounter child sex trafficking victims was supported by the collection of supplementary quantitative data. Findings revealed complex psychological factors that deter victim participation in prosecutions of traffickers such as child victims’ denial of exploitation, trauma bonding between victims and traffickers, and frequent flight and revictimization. Existing inadequacies within the criminal justice system were found that may contribute to child sex trafficking persisting as a low risk/high reward crime.