cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Michelle Obama: Redefining the (White) House-wife

This paper seeks to understand how Michelle Obama's race and gender were invoked and deployed in her public appearances throughout the 2008 US presidential election. It aims to introduce a new conversation about the construction of Michelle Obama’s rhetorical campaign persona in relationship to race and gender, with an emphasis on viewing her as another carefully-scripted presidential campaign production created to bolster her husband's candidacy. Through keyword analyses of four speeches, this piece also examines the ways in which Michelle Obama employs or excludes biographical and historical formations of race and gender when presenting herself to diverse audiences.
Classes of codes from quadratic surfaces of PG(3,q)

We examine classes of binary linear error correcting codes constructed from certain sets of lines defined relative to one of the two classical quadratic surfaces in $PG(3,q)$. We give an overview of some of the properties of the codes, providing proofs where the results are new. In particular, we use geometric techniques to find small weight codewords, and hence, bound the minimum distance.
CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF FORAGE FINISHED BEEF

Consumer acceptance of Choice, grain-finished beef has been attested in millions of American homes. Abundant feed grain and feeder calf supplies has made it possible for almost all Americans to purchase and consume feedlot beef. Consumer acceptance of any product, however, can be changed when input substitutions in production are made. For various reasons, livestock producers may feel justified in changing inputs before analyzing an effect on the product or its demand. An example of input substitution occurred in mid-1974, when some beef producers began to market beef for slaughter directly from forage (or limited-grain) diets rather than after normal full-grain feeding. Consumer acceptance of forage-finished and limited-grain finished beef was uncertain at that time, particularly among customers of large supermarkets accustomed to Choice grade beef.
"Am I at Peace"?: A Deeper Look Into Identity Formation and Integration

This holistic case study exploring the identity formation of a multicultural female college student stemmed from a previous study. Understanding the process of cultural integration is vital for counselors and educators to recognize because the confusion in integrating cross-cultural experiences and culture groups can be part of the reason an individual seeks counseling. Observation, five in-depth interviews, and a photo journal composed of ten pictures were used to gather information over a span of six months. Furthermore, six themes identified in the initial study were explored to see how they appear in the participant’s everyday life. The six themes were language, race, religion, cultural appreciation, education, and dominant culture. Findings in the areas of cultural integration are presented. Keywords: case study, counseling , cultural identity, critical race feminism, education, integration process, Saudi Arabian
Information technologies as instruments of social transformation: the computerization of classical scholarship

Computer-based technologies are often seen as instruments that effect radical transformation within workplaces; these transformations are expressed through utopian or dystopian visions of empowered knowledge workers or electronic sweatshops. Visions, however, do little to examine the evidence for and the nature of such transformations. In what ways do new computer-based technologies re-form and re-shape the nature, structure, and organization of work? In particular, how do these technologies affect a domain of work which is abstract in nature and consists of the evaluation and amalgamation of many diverse information sources? This dissertation reports on an empirical study of the impact of information technologies on a specific class of knowledge workers, classical scholars. My goal is to understand the phenomenon of change due to increased use of information technologies from the point of view of the members of this social world. In order to do this; I will follow the procedures for data collection and analysis of the grounded theory approach as developed by Anselm Strauss and his associates. I employ the social worlds perspective as an organizing framework. In subsequent chapters, I consider the diffusion of a particular set of computer-based research tools within the discipline and subsequent changes to individuals' work patterns, task definition and interactions within and without the discipline. I further evaluate changes in the accessibility of information and the attendent impact on social and organizational structures. Finally, I describe the emergence of electronic communities and new domains of work as information and communication technologies become more prevalent.
Supervisory control for industrial systems with saturation decisions

In industrial production-distribution systems, production and purchasing rates, associated inventories, and sales are very critical in contributing to the profits of each component. The objective of this study is to investigate an effective information control for a production-distribution system by automatic feedback control techniques. A discrete-time ISFF dynamic control scheme is applied for the perturbed multiechelon production-distribution systems described by the capacity of available factory space and capital equipment, and the supervisory control is carried out to avoid reset windup and deterioration of system performance. Numerical example is illustrated to depict the efficiency of supervisory control for the dynamic controlled perturbed multiechelon production-distribution systems with saturating production capacity.
Product safety program planning — From prescriptive to hazard-based safety

The goal of a product safety program is to eliminate mishaps. To accomplish this goal we must design to eliminate energy hazards or reduce the probability of uncontrolled energy release to zero. In reality, neither of these ideals can be realized. Therefore, it is incumbent on product safety engineering to identify the energy sources, determine the energy transfer mechanisms, and establish adequate control, thereby minimizing the risk of a mishap. To be most effective, this effort cannot be ad hoc, but it must be accomplished in a planned process. Unfortunately, because of the nature of prescriptive standards, this ad hoc approach is more the rule than the exception. The advent of hazard-based safety standards reveals that a planned product safety program is essential. This paper presents the rudiments of a Product Safety Planning Program. It explains the basics of a risk assessment process and presents a product safety program outline that can be tailored to each product development project.
Preliminary trials of a specific gravity technique in the determination of early embryo growth potential

STUDY QUESTION Can a modified specific gravity technique be used to distinguish viable from nonviable embryos? SUMMARY ANSWER Preliminary data suggests a modified specific gravity technique can be used to determine embryo viability and potential for future development. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Single embryo transfer (SET) is fast becoming the standard of practice. However, there is currently no reliable method to ensure development of the embryo transferred. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A preliminary, animal-based in vitro study of specific gravity as a predictor of embryo development using a mouse model. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS After a brief study to demonstrate embryo recovery, experiments were conducted to assess the ability of the specific gravity system (SGS) to distinguish between viable and nonviable embryos. In the first study, 1-cell mouse embryos were exposed to the SGS with or without previous exposure to an extreme heat source (60°C); measurements were repeated daily for 5 days. In the second experiment, larger pools of 1-cell embryos were either placed directly in culture or passed through the SGS and then placed in culture and monitored for 4 days. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In the first experiment, viable embryos demonstrated a predictable pattern of descent time over the first 48 h of development (similar to previous experience with the SGS), while embryos that were heat killed demonstrated significantly altered drop patterns (P < 0.001); first descending faster. In the second experiment, average descent times were different for embryos that stalled early versus those that developed to blastocyst (P < 0.001). Interestingly, more embryos dropped through the SGS developed to blastocyst than the culture control (P < 0.01). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION As this is a preliminary report of the SGS technology determining viability, a larger embryo population will be needed. Further, the current in vitro study will need to be followed by fecundity studies prior to application to a human population. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS If proven, the SGS would provide a noninvasive means of assessing embryos prior to transfer after assisted reproductive technologies procedures, thereby improving fecundity and allowing more reliable SET. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding support of the U.S. Jersey Association, the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant through the Undergraduate Science Education Program to Texas Tech University. None of the authors have any conflict of interest regarding this work. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER none.
Positive plant spatial association with Eriogonum ovalifolium in primary succession on cinder cones: seed-trapping nurse plants

Cinder cones in Craters of the Moon National Monument in southcentral Idaho, USA were formed over 2200 yr B.P., but are still covered by large, relatively barren areas containing a sparse assemblage of plants. The spatial associations among 6 plant species on these sparsely vegetated areas were examined. All species were positively associated with the canopy region of Eriogonum ovalifolium var. depressum, an initial colonizer. All species were negatively associated with Pinus flexilis, a later-successional species.
Advanced techniques for characterization of Qatari coral physiology and health under variable environmental conditions

Background: Research at ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ) includes studies on sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs, which are a key component of Qatar's marine environment. Understanding the potential impacts from industrial activities and changes in the natural environment, as well as the development of effective monitoring technologies are needed for environmental management of these resources. Using conventional monitoring techniques it can be difficult to identify changes in coral health at early stages, or to obtain objective quantitative data for use in predicting and possibly managing impacts. EMRQ is conducting research to advance a cutting-edge technology - Pulse Amplitude Modulation fluorometry (PAM) that determines health of coral by analyzing the photosynthetic efficiency of algae that live within the coral. EMRQ has shown this technology to be effective for use in the Qatar marine environment through field missions and is currently validating and expanding understanding and application of ...
An ant-diversionary secretion of ticks: First demonstration of an acarine allomone

Abstract To determine whether the secretion of the large wax glands of ticks deters predators, we examined the responses of predatory ants to diverse ticks, to their secretions and to analogs of these secretions. Large wax glands ornament the surface of metastriate, but not Ixodes ticks, and secrete copiously when the tick is disturbed. Ticks that secrete this material are not attacked by ants; they become vulnerable after the secretion has been exhausted or if they are immobilized. Although such metastriate ticks are consumed by certain beetles, ants tend to consume the beetle before it can consume a nearby tick. Secretion harvested from pressure-stimulated metastriate ticks as well as squalene, its principal component, protect against ants. Their ant-diversionary properties protect metastriate ticks from predation where ants are abundant. Prostriate Ixodes ticks, however, are vulnerable to predation by ants because they lack the allomonal defensive secretion produced by the large wax glands of metastriate ticks.
On the Solution of Linear Diffusion Problems With Variable Boundary Condition Parameters

A method of solution is presented for the treatment of a class of boundary value problems of linear diffusion theory for finite homogeneous media which have applications in transient heat conduction (or mass diffusion) in a finite medium subjected to convective type boundary condition with time and space dependent coefficient, in the processes of neutron slowing in a finite medium with absorbing boundaries that exhibit energy-dependent cross sections, and in many related areas.
The Politics of Pure Land Buddhism in India

Pure Land Buddhism achieved its primary influence in East Asia because it supplied a nonmonastic, autonomous source of religious authority and practice to middle elites in those cultural regions. In contrast Pure Land failed to achieve any success in India. The explanation for the marginalization of Indian Pure Land is probably sociopolitical: Pure Land teachings tended to bypass not only the authority of the Hindu brahmins, but even the authority of Buddhist renunciate orders. Indian social history did not produce any significant middle elites concerned with such non-gurucentric religious authority. As a result, Buddhist India did not produce any innovations in the upâya of religious institutionalization in Buddhism.
Gramicidin Channels Are Internally Gated

Gramicidin channels are archetypal molecular subjects for solid-state NMR studies and investigations of single-channel or cation conductance. Until now, the transitions between on and off conductance states have been thought, based on multichannel studies, to represent monomer ↔ dimer reactions. Here we use a single-molecule deposition method (vesicle fusion to a planar bilayer) to show that gramicidin dimer channels do not normally dissociate when conductance terminates. Furthermore, the observation of two 13C peaks in solid-state NMR indicates very stable dichotomous conformations for both the first and second peptide bonds in the monomers, and a two-dimensional chemical exchange spectrum with a 12-s mixing time demonstrates that the Val1 carbonyl conformations exchange slowly, with lifetimes of several seconds. It is proposed that gramicidin channels are gated by small conformational changes in the channel near the permeation pathway. These studies demonstrate how regulation of conformations governing closed ↔ open transitions may be achieved and studied at the molecular level.
Size effect on strength and lifetime probability distributions of quasibrittle structures

Engineering structures such as aircraft, bridges, dams, nuclear contain- ments and ships, as well as computer circuits, chips and MEMS, should be designed for failure probability < 10 −6 -10 −7 per lifetime. The safety factors required to ensure it are still determined empirically, even though they represent much larger and much more uncertain corrections to deterministic calculations than do the typical errors of modern computer analysis of structures. The empirical approach is sufficient for perfectly brittle and perfectly ductile structures since the cumulative distribution func- tion (cdf) of random strength is known, making it possible to extrapolate to the tail from the mean and variance. However, the empirical approach does not apply to structures consisting of quasibrittle materials, which are brittle materials with inho- mogeneities that are not negligible compared to structure size. This paper presents a refined theory on the strength distribution of quasibrittle structures, which is based on the fracture mechanics of nanocracks propagating by activation energy controlled small jumps through the atomic lattice and an analytical model for the multi-scale transition of strength statistics. Based on the power law for creep crack growth rate and the cdf of material strength, the lifetime distribution of quasibrittle structures under constant load is derived. Both the strength and lifetime cdfs are shown to be size- and geometry-dependent. The theory predicts intricate size effects on both the mean structural strength and lifetime, the latter being much stronger. The theory is shown to match the experimentally observed systematic deviations of strength and lifetime histograms of industrial ceramics from the Weibull distribution.
Integrated deterministic and stochastic simulation of electronic circuits: Application to large signal–noise analysis

The ability to model the effect of non-negligible levels of white noise superimposed on a carrier is investigated when this signal–noise combination is fed to the input of an MMIC power amplifier. Transient simulation using stochastic differential equations is introduced here to handle large levels of noise of arbitrary frequency characteristics. The effectiveness of the modelling is ascertained by looking at measured gain-compression plots at the output of the amplifier and comparing these with simulated results. It is found that increasing levels of noise introduce increased compression of the output power characteristic. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
John Kitsuse: A Sociologist in Everyday Life

As I try to pinpoint how John Kitsuse became an unending inspiration, I keep reflecting on my sense that John seemed to find the sociological career, not so much as something to become but as a vehicle for expressing who he was. He was a careful, sensitive man, and, while his publications mounted up to an impressive body of work, he was the rare sociologist whose contributions were significant in quality far more than what they measured in quantity. I don't recall any fluff in my reading of his work, and everything I absorbed from John, both from his writings and from the times I shared with him, penetrated deeply. Even his sense of humor was sociological. If Goffman wrote about the dramaturgy of social life, John Kitsuse enacted it. People were always "laying" identities "on" others, a matter he noted with gestures and prosody that readily put people's expres sions in 'scare' quotation marks. No doubt this came from disturbing experiences of finding himself to be taken to be a kind of person he did not recognize or embrace. I never pushed to find out what those experiences were; I assumed some were results of the racism he lived in his early years while others were more idiosyncratic. Maybe, were he not my senior, I would have asked him about the relationship between his intellectual sensibility and his biography, but I don't think so. I loved the delicate balance of his personality and would have hated to do anything to risk upsetting it even slightly. Some memory flashes:
Human penile ossification

Abstract True human penile ossification is rare. We report such a case with roentgenologic evidence and histologic confirmation, and we offer some comments concerning etiology.
Structural evolution during electrocrystallization: deposition of Tl on Ag(100) from monolayer to bilayer and to bulk crystallites

Abstract The structure of Tl overlayers deposited at underpotentials and the structure of bulk deposited Tl on Ag(100) in perchloric acid have been determined using surface X-ray scattering. Thallium forms a c( p × 2) close-packed monolayer which compresses uniaxially ( p decreasing from 1.185 to 1.168) with decreasing potential. Upon deposition of the second layer, the first layer expands slightly along the incommensurate direction and both layers form a c(1.2 × 2) structure. Bulk deposition at potentials negative of the Nernst potential results in the formation of well aligned hcp Tl crystallites atop the c(1.2 × 2) bilayer. The stability of the bilayer structure in the presence of bulk deposits and its pronounced effects on subsequent epitaxial growth are discussed in terms of strain and interface energies.
Microporous carbon derived from boron carbide

Materials with high specific surface area (SSA) and controlled pore size distribution are of great importance because of their potential applications in molecular sieves, gas storage, catalyses, absorbents, battery electrodes, supercapacitors, water/air filters and medical devices. Carbide derived carbons (CDCs) represent a new class of microporous carbons produced by selective thermo-chemical etching of the carbide-forming element from metal carbide in which control over the pore size distribution is possible. The synthesis of microporous carbons done by chlorination of boron carbide at various temperatures (400–1200 °C) is presented in this work. Analysis of carbon powders which were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that the structure obtained can be controlled by varying the chlorination temperature. The resultant carbon demonstrated high specific surface area close to 2000 m2/g (for argon adsorption) at the moderately low chlorination temperature of 800–900 °C.
Postoperative Examination of the Biceps Femoris Muscle Sling Used in Excision of the Femoral Head and Neck in Dogs

Twenty-four dogs underwent unilateral excision of the femoral head and neck. An adjunctive biceps femoris muscle sling procedure was done in 16 dogs. In eight dogs (controls), the flap was dissected and returned to its original position. Four dogs with muscle slings were euthanatized on days 2, 5, 30, and 60, respectively. Four control dogs were euthanatized on day 2 and four dogs on day 5. Limb function did not differ consistently between dogs with muscle slings and control dogs. There was marked swelling and edema of the affected limb in half the dogs with muscle slings but not in the controls. Postoperative temperature elevations were significantly higher in dogs with muscle slings on days 1 and 2 (p less than 0.05). Infection was documented in four dogs with muscle slings. Flaps from control dogs had only minor gross and histologic abnormalities. On days 2 and 5, flaps from dogs with muscle slings appeared congested and swollen beneath and distal to the ostectomy site, with infarction involving 50 to 90% of the muscle mass. On days 30 and 60, the muscle slings were atrophic and fibrous, and by day 60 a synovial membrane covered the surfaces of all slings within the pseudarthrosis. Muscle fiber loss was attributed to infarction, necrosis, and disuse atrophy.
Field dependent central cell correction in germanium in a magnetic field

Abstract We report calculations of the energies of 1s and 2s donor levels in Ge as functions of magnetic field. The Ge 1s and 2s donor eigenstates in fields along the (111) and (100) directions were studied in the effective mass approximation by using variational wave functions. We have made none of the artificial assumptions invoked by previous authors for simplifyingsuch effective mass calculations. To account for the central cell shifts of these levels we generalize to the case of donors in Ge, in a model which has been very successful in predicting the magnetic field dependence of donor central cell corrections in GaAs. Our results cast some doubt on certain recent transition assignments of Gershenzon and Gol'tsman.
Size of the BCS ratio in strongly underdoped high-T c cuprates

An explanation is proposed of the huge (over 20) BCS ratio 2\ensuremath{\Delta}(0)/${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{c}}$ discovered recently in strongly underdoped ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$ ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$ ${\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}$ ${\mathrm{O}}_{8\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ . Since no marked shrinking of the Fermi surface was found, our explanation is based on the idea of disruption of the connection between ${\mathrm{CuO}}_{2}$ bilayers due to reduction of localized centers providing resonant tunneling between the layers. An increase of phase fluctuations of the order parameter, mostly due to spontaneous vortex formation, leads to a possibility of a drastic reduction of ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{c}}$, which practically coincides with ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{BKT}}$, the temperature of the Berezinsky-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. At the same time, the local energy gap is likely to undergo no major changes. An argument is given why at not too small concentrations of the localized centers the critical temperature can remain rather stable, despite strong variations in the normal c-axis conductivity.
Recent studies of rotorcraft blade-vortex interaction noise

Recent results are presented from several research efforts aimed at the understanding of rotorcraft blade-vortex interaction (BVI) in terms of the noise generation, directivity, and control. The results are based on work performed by NASA Langley Research Center researchers, both alone and in collaboration with other research organizations. Based on analysis of a simplified physical model, the critical parameters controlling BVI noise generation have been identified. The detailed mapping of the acoustic radiation field of a model rotor in a wind tunnel has revealed the extreme sensitivity of directivity to rotor advance ratio and disk attitude. The control and reduction of BVI noise through the use of higher harmonic pitch control is discussed.
Switching Hats: Transitioning from the Role of Clinician to the Role of Researcher in Social Work Doctoral Education.

One of the most problematic issues in the field of social work is the gap between practice and research. This paper describes the roles of the social work clinical practitioner and the social work researcher, and explores the role discontinuity that occurs as social work doctoral students' transition between these roles. A model illustrating the three possible routes that are taken during this role transition is introduced. Understanding the process of change that occurs as social work doctoral students shift roles has important implications for social work. Investigating these two roles can help doctoral programs support students during the difficult transition. Discovering how doctoral students bridge the gap between practice and research in their own experience may provide insight into how the field of social work as a whole can successfully address this gap.
Peppermint and spearmint production

A prescription for the production of peppermint based on the known data would be as follows. Mint requires a normally fertile soil with high water holding capacity or irrigation available if rainfall is not sufficient. It requires an area having a day length of 15 to 16 hours, as much sunlight as possible, clean planting stock, and disease control measures which have not yet been fully developed.
Upper Lethal Temperature Range of Lahontan Cutthroat Trout in Waters of Different Ionic Concentration

Abstract Upper lethal temperature ranges for two strains of Lahontan cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki henshawi) were 18.5–20.2 C in Pyramid Lake water (bicarbonate alkalinity, 1,487 mg/liter), 20.2–21.1 C in Dunn Hatchery well water (357 mg/liter), and 21.8–23.0 C in Truckee River water (69 mg/liter). Within each lethal temperature range, the Summit Lake strain was slightly more resistant to heat death than the Marble Bluff strain.
Nongenomic Action of Progesterone Inhibits Oxytocin-Induced Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis and Prostaglandin F2α Secretion in the Ovine Endometrium

Experiments were conducted to characterize the nongenomic effects of progesterone (P4) on binding of oxytocin (OT) to its receptor and signal transduction in the ovine endometrium. The dose-response relationship of P4 to OT binding was examined. Membranes from endometrial tissue of ovariectomized hormone-treated ewes were preincubated in the presence of P4 for 1 h followed by OT receptor analysis. P4 interfered with the binding of OT in a dose-dependent manner. Endometrium was then recovered from cyclic ewes and divided into explants. Treatment consisted of two dosages of P4 and two dosages of OT. Explants were analyzed for total inositol monophosphate, bisphosphate (IP(2)), and trisphosphate (IP(3)) content. Preincubation with P4 for 10 min significantly interfered with OT stimulation of IP(2) and IP(3) synthesis. Oxytocin increased monophosphate production, but there was no detectable effect of P4. In the next experiment, endometrial explants were cultured in the absence or the presence of arachidonic acid. Explants were then exposed for 1 h to medium containing vehicle or P4. After incubation, explants were challenged with OT and the media were collected and analyzed for 13,14 dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F(2alpha) by RIA. Treatment of explants with AA increased PGF(2alpha) content compared with that of controls. Brief exposure to P4 significantly decreased OT-induced PGF(2alpha) secretion from explants previously exposed to medium or AA. Collectively, these data are interpreted to indicate that the observed reduction in OT-induced IP(2) and IP(3) production and OT-induced PGF(2alpha) secretion was due to P4 inhibition of OT binding to its receptor.
Radioactivity: Distribution from Cratering in Basalt

Samples of airborne and ground-deposited debris produced by an experiment in nuclear excavation were analyzed to determine the fate of various radioactive nuclides. A few tenths percent of the nonvolatile species and 10 to 20 percent of the volatile species escaped beyond the immediate vicinity of the crater.
Abstract 150: Combined treatment effects of γ-tocotrienol with PPARγ agonists and antagonists on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell growth in culture

γ-Tocotrienol (γT3) is a member of the vitamin E family of compounds that displays potent antiproliferative effects against breast cancer cells. Recent studies have shown that combined treatment of subeffective doses of γ-T3 with subeffective doses of statins, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, or EGF receptor inhibitors caused a synergistic inhibition in the highly malignant +SA mammary epithelial cell growth. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), a member of the nuclear receptor family is a ligand activated transcription factor that directly regulates transcription of target genes. The present study investigated the effects of γT3 used in combination with PPARγ agonists and antagonists on breast cancer cell growth in culture. Treatment with 0.5-6μM γT3, 0.4-50μM PPARγ agonist (rosiglitazone or troglitazone) or 0.4-25 PPARγ antagonist (GW9662 or T0070907) alone resulted in a dose-responsive inhibition of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell growth. However, combined treatment with subeffective doses (2-3μM) of γT3 with subeffective doses (3-5μM) or PPARγ agonists was found to increase MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell growth, whereas combined treatment with similar subeffective doses of γT3 with subeffective doses (4-6μM) of PPARγ antagonists was found to significantly inhibited growth of both breast cancer cell lines. Western blot analysis showed that combined treatment with similar subeffective doses of γT3 and PPARγ antagonists resulted in a relatively large decrease in the levels of phosphorylated PPARγ and its heterodimer partner, retinoid X receptor (RXR), in a time-dependent manner. In addition, combined treatment with these agents caused an overexpression of specific PPARγ transcriptional co-activators including, CREB-binding protein H-300 (CBP H-300), CBP C-20, and steroid receptor co-activator-1 (SRC-1). These results indicate that the anti-proliferative effects induced by combined treatment of γT3 with PPARγ antagonists are mediated through a PPARγ-dependent mechanism in these breast cancer cell lines. Additional studies showed that the antiproliferative effects induced by combined treatment with γT3 and PPARγ antagonists was also associated with a reduction in phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/PI3-K-dependent kinase (PDK)/Akt mitogenic signaling in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. In summary, these findings strongly suggest that the antiproliferative effects of combined treatment of γT3 and PPARγ antagonists in breast cancer cells are mediated by suppression in PPARγ-RXR phosphorylation and subsequent reduction in PI3K/PDK/Akt mitogenic signaling. This study was supported by a grant from First Tech International Ltd., and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council. 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 150. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-150
Graphene FET-Based Zero-Bias RF to Millimeter-Wave Detection

We report direct radio-frequency (RF) and millimeter-wave detection of epitaxial graphene field-effect transistors (FETs) up to 110 GHz with no dc biases applied, leveraging the nonlinearity of the channel resistance. A linear dynamic range of >; 40 dB was measured, providing at least 20-dB greater linear dynamic range compared to conventional CMOS detectors at transistor level. The measured noise power of the graphene FETs was ~7.5 × 10-18 V2/Hz at zero bias and without 1/f noise. At a 50-Ω load, measured detection responsivity was 71 V/W at 2 GHz to 33 V/W at 110 GHz. The noise-equivalent power at 110 GHz was estimated to be ~80 pW/Hz0.5. For the first time, we demonstrated graphene FETs as zero-bias ultrawideband direct RF detectors with comparable or better performance than state-of-the-art FET-based detectors without dc biases applied.
Fetal maternal laryngeal papillomatosis in pregnancy:A case report

Although genital condylomata worsen with pregnancy, we are unaware of any reports of fatal maternal laryngeal papillomatosis. A maternal death at 20 weeks' gestation of a patient with chronic laryngeal papillomatosis is described. Pregnant patients with a history of this disorder who have symptoms should be considered candidates for immediate evaluation.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Molecular Pathways and New Therapeutic Targets

Hepatocellular carcinoma is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when it is not amenable to curative therapies. There is no effective chemotherapy. Advances in cancer biology suggest that a limited number of pathways are responsible for initiating and maintaining dysregulated cell proliferation, which is the major cellular alteration responsible for the cancer phenotype. New treatments in development target several of these critical pathways, including agents targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase pathways, the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, the ubiquitin/proteasome degradation pathway, the epigenetic DNA methylation and histone deacetylation pathways, the PI3 kinase/AKT/mTOR pathway, angiogenic pathways, and telomerase. Several of these approaches hold significant promise for improving the long-term outcome of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Because of the high prevalence of liver cirrhosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, these approaches must be coupled with new strategies for halting or reversing the progression of chronic liver disease.
The good and evil of complement activation in HIV-1 infection

The complement system, a key component of innate immunity, is a first-line defender against foreign pathogens such as HIV-1. The role of the complement system in HIV-1 pathogenesis appears to be multifaceted. Although the complement system plays critical roles in clearing and neutralizing HIV-1 virions, it also represents a critical factor for the spread and maintenance of the virus in the infected host. In addition, complement regulators such as human CD59 present in the envelope of HIV-1 prevent complement-mediated lysis of HIV-1. Some novel approaches are proposed to combat HIV-1 infection through the enhancement of antibody-dependent complement activity against HIV-1. In this paper, we will review these diverse roles of complement in HIV-1 infection.
Bein' Womanish: Womanist Efforts in Child Saving During the Progressive Era The Founding of Mt. Meigs Reformatory

This article highlights the establishment by the Alabama Federation of Colored Women's Clubs in 1907 of Alabama's first and only reform school for African American youths, the Mt. Meigs Reformatory for Juvenile Negro Lawbreakers. Recognizing that the issues of African American women and the larger African American community were inextricably linked, courageous 19th-century African American women worked within a womanist ideological framework and harnessed their resources to develop purposeful agendas and creative responses to pressing problems in the African American community. Sorely neglected, this legacy begs for the attention of scholars who recognize the value of unearthing historical fragments to create enriched wholes.
The effect of repeated vinyl chloride exposure on rat hepatic metabolizing enzymes

Abstract Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 2.8% vinyl chloride for 2 (70 hr), 4 (140 hr), and 6 (210 hr) weeks to determine the sequential biochemical changes related to the oxidation and detoxification ability of hepatic tissue. Glutathione- S -transferase(s) activity using 1,2-epoxy-( p -nitrophenoxy)propane and p -nitrobenzyl chloride as substrates was elevated 17 to 24, 28, and 35 to 42% after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of exposure, respectively, suggesting enzyme(s) induction. Reduced glutathione, the major substrate required to conjugate the toxic metabolites of vinyl chloride, was also consistently elevated. Similarly, the activity of glutathione reductase, the enzyme necessary for the regeneration of reduced glutathione from its oxidized form, was also increased following vinyl chloride exposure. Cytochromes P -450, the major protein involved with vinyl chloride metabolism, was reduced after vinyl chloride exposure, confirming reports of others that vinyl chloride metabolites destroy P -450. No abnormalities of standard clinical biochemical blood tests of liver function were found during 6 weeks of vinyl chloride exposure. The only consistent ultrastructural modification was the dilation of endoplasmic reticulum. The biochemical and ultrastructural alterations could reflect early hepatocellular adaptation to vinyl chloride exposure.
NP -Hardness of Largest Contained and Smallest Containing Simplices for V- and H-Polytopes

The problem of finding a d -simplex of maximum volume in an arbitrary d -dimensional V -polytope, for arbitrary d , was shown by Gritzmann et al. [GKL] in 1995 to be NP-hard. They conjectured that the corresponding problem for H -polytopes is also NP-hard. This paper presents a unified way of proving the NP-hardness of both these problems. The approach also yields NP-hardness proofs for the problems of finding d -simplices of minimum volume containing d -dimensional V - or H -polytopes. The polytopes that play the key role in the hardness proofs are truncations of simplices. A construction is presented which associates a truncated simplex to a given directed graph, and the hardness results follow from the hardness of detecting whether a directed graph has a partition into directed triangles.
Release of Telenomus remus (Hym. Scelionidae) against Spodoptera frugiperda (Lep.: Noctuidae) in Florida, U.S.A.

Telenomus remusNixon, a scelionid egg parasite of Lepidoptera, was released against fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), near Homestead, Florida U.S.A. from May 1975 — May 1977. A small percentage (4.5) of the egg masses collected were parasitized byT. remus, however no recoveries were made in the months following the final release. An egglarval parasite,Chelonus insularis (=texanus) (Cresson), was reared from 50% of the larvae from eggs collected.T. remus apparently was not established in Florida.
1968 in West Germany: the anti-authoritarian revolt

Politics and culture were inextricably linked in the West German “1968,” not only because young avant-gardes drew as much from radical artistic traditions as from political ones, but because in a range of areas – from literature and publishing to music performance and production, to the visual arts to the underground press – the revolt was as much a matter of cultural production as of political organization. Recovering lost traditions from the revolutionary past while drawing on the ideas, texts, and tactics of the global present, activists forged transnational connections while imagining themselves into various forms of global community. Understanding the West German revolt not just in terms of key events, but in terms of underlying principles, this essay sheds new light on a key episode in recent German history while laying out the terms of a broader conversation about “1968” in which scholars of different national cases or disciplines can take part.
Utilizing the convergence of data for expedited evaluations: Guidelines for school psychologists

The purpose of this article is to propose that a combined response to intervention (RTI)-psychoeducational assessment model be used for expedited evaluations required during disciplinary proceedings [Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1415(k)(5)(D)(ii)]. An expedited evaluation would determine if the child had a disability requiring special education or related services prior to considering disciplinary sanctions. The usefulness of the academic and behavioral data generated by RTI in the expedited evaluation is demonstrated. The IDEA requirements for expedited evaluations are overviewed, and case study examples are presented. Guidelines to assist school psychologists and child study teams in converging both RTI and psychoeducational assessment data in the expedited evaluation are offered. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Absolute power factor of air capacitors

STANDARD air capacitors are used with measuring equipment of high sensitivity for comparison with test capacitors in investigations such as the study of dielectric materials; therefore the absolute power factor of the standard should be known. In the investigation reported in this paper,∗ seven air capacitors of different types of construction were studied. A method of determining the absolute power factor of an air capacitor was developed, and data were obtained on the effects produced by the degree of polish of the electrode surfaces, by the width of gap between the measuring electrode and its guard ring, and by the presence of water films on the plates.
Suppression in experimental autoimmune thyroiditis : the role of unique and shared determinants on mouse thyroglobulin in self-tolerance

Previous studies have shown that T cells from mice genetically susceptible to experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) recognize determinants shared between mouse thyroglobulin (Tg) and heterologous Tgs. Some shared determinants are thyroiditogenic; lymphocytes from mice immunized with mouse Tg (MTg) or human Tg (HTg) and reciprocally restimulated in vitro with either Tg can transfer EAT. Studies on the mechanisms of self-tolerance have shown that pretreatment with soluble MTg suppresses in vitro proliferation to MTg and EAT induction with MTg. To determine the role of share epitopes in maintaining tolerance, mice were pretreated with soluble HTg and immunized with HTg or MTg and adjuvant. Cells from HTg-pretreated. HTg-immunized mice showed suppressed in vitro proliferative response to HTg. Following MTg immunization, the cells showed suppressed in vitro response to MTg. However, in contrast to MTg pretreatment, the subsequent development of EAT in vivo was unaltered in severity following HTg pretreatment. Thus, determinants shared between HTg and MTg can induce suppression of in vitro responses to HTg and MTg, but not inhibit the onset of thyroiditis, suggesting that T cells recognizing MTg-unique epitopes expanded to mediate thyroiditis. We conclude that recognition of both unique epitopes expanded to mediate thyroiditis. We conclude that recognition of both unique and shared epitopes on MTg are essential for the overall maintenance of self-tolerance.
EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY ON THE FORMATION OF STARCH IN PISUM SATIVUM

POTASSIUM IS essential to the normal growth of plants and it has long been assumed that one reason for this is the connection of this element with the carbohydrate supply, either in its formation or in its translocation. The investigations of Briggs (1922) and of Gregory and Richards (1929) indicate that limitation of potassium retards the rate of assimilation of carbon dioxide. Although sugar is rapidly produced by photosynthesis, so much is promptly stored as starch in the leaves that this substance is oftenused as a criterion of the process (Maskell, 1927; James, 1930). Factors that affect the storage of carbohydrates are fully discussed in relation to potassium deficiency by Hartt (1929, 1934a, 1934b), by Nightingale, Schermerhorn, and Robbins (1930), and by Phillips, Smitlh, and Dearborn (1934). It was the aim in the present work to test the plant as soon as the effects of potassium deficiency were definitely established but well before it had died from lack of this element. The Canada field pea was chosen becau.se previous Work (Day, 1935) had shown that this variety responds quickly to modifications in the nutrient solution, and it seemed probable that the leaf might be easily handled in qualitative starch tests similar to those of Maskell (1927). When the plants were harvested, fresh sections of stems and leaves were examined microscopically for differences in the internal structure, and material was fixed in formalinalcohol at that time, but only the starch analyses are reported here. CULTURAL METHODS AND APPEARANCE OF PLANTS.Canada field peas (Pisum sativum L., Idaho grown, lot 94785) were grown from seeds 2 in pure quartz sand in jars of glazed pottery, each with a lateral hole for drainage. This was covered with absorbent cotton to prevent loss of sand during the flushing; the rest of the time the hole was kept corked. The seeds were soaked in 0.25 per cent formalin, washed in distilled water, and then soaked in distilled water several hours before placing them in the sand previously moistened with the proper nutrient solution (table 1).The sand was kept sufficiently moist at all times. After two weeks from the sowing of the seeds, all jars were flushed twice with distilled water, drained for two hours, and then each jar was supplied with its respective solution. No difference was noted in the ability to germinate. The control plants, given the complete nutrient solution, displayed normal appearance of leaves, similar height of stems, and equal length of roots, while the usual characteristics of potassium starvation showed rapidly in the others. The stems were thinner and yellowish, with fewer and shorter internodes, and the
Interactional and Structural Characteristics of Communication and Social Interactions during Computer-Mediated Communication.

THIS STUDY used precepts of social network theory to examine the interactional and structural characteristics of communication in peer-mentoring conferences. Twelve discussion conferences were set up to support students during a teaching practicum experience. The conferences were governed by students with minimal instructor involvement. It was reasoned that because the conferences were established as a support network discussions would exhibit epistolary forms of communication indicative of students aligning with and supporting others. Epistolary discourse types were found. However, discussants posted a high proportion of expository statements or statements characterized by an intention to inform rather than support or engage with others. As dialogue progressed though, epistolary communication emerged.