cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced in vitro growth of murine fibroblast cells and preimplantation embryos cultured in medium supplemented with an amphipathic peptide

Preliminary studies on the proliferative effects of lytic peptides were carried out using NIH 3T3 murine fibroblast cells and human lymphocytes. Cells were cultured in various concentrations of three different amphipathic peptides (SB-37, Shiva-1, and Vishnu), and enhanced proliferation was determined by uptake of 3Hthymidine with treated cells compared with control cultures. Enhanced proliferation of 3T3 cells was observed in cultures containing 50 μM or less SB-37. The primary study consisted of 263 four-cell- to eight-cell-stage mouse embryos from naturally bred mice and incubated in Whitten's medium containing 0.2, 1, or 10 μM of the amino terminus of an amphipathic cecropin B analog (Vishnu) or in Whitten's medium alone. Embryos were cultured to the hatched blastocyst stage, and effect of treatment was determined by the rate of growth to that stage of development. Statistical analysis revealed that culture in all three levels of Vishnu significantly accelerated in vitro growth of these stages of preimplantation embryos compared with controls. These results indicate that Vishnu promotes increased cleavage rates of embryos in vitro. A growth factor receptor clustering mechanism of action is proposed. This peptide may have some potential as an embryo culture medium additive to enhance in vitro growth rate.
A static exciter for aircraft A-C generators

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, most aircraft a-c generators in this country have obtained their field excitation from a conventional d-c rotating exciter. This type of exciter is characterized by rotating windings and commutators to produce direct current. Slip rings are used to carry excitation current to the rotating field of the a-c generator.
Post-sexual cycle regrowth and grain yield in Thinopyrum elongatum × Triticum aestivum amphiploids

With 4 tables Abstract Perennial wheat is emerging as a potential long-term response to agroecological problems resulting from soil erosion. We conducted field scale trials of 31 F5 (2005–2006) and five F6 (2006–2007) amphiploid breeding lines derived from Thinopyrum elongatum/Triticum aestivum (cv. ‘Chinese Spring’)//T. aestivum (cv. ‘Madsen’) crosses. Here, we report results on post-sexual cycle regrowth (PSCR) and grain yield in the amphiploid lines and two annual wheat cultivars from three locations in Washington State, USA. Per cent plants per plot exhibiting PSCR varied significantly among genotypes and ranged from 18% to 81% (μ = 45%) in the amphiploids, with no PSCR apparent in the annual cultivars. The mean grain yields of the amphiploid lines were 632, 2086 and 2226 kg/ha at each location; approximately 44% (range = 20–93%) of the annual wheat. Absence of genotype × environment interactions for PSCR suggests that selection for broad adaptation of the PSCR trait across locations and years would be possible. No relationship existed between grain yield and regrowth among the lines exhibiting PSCR, indicating potential for simultaneous selection of these traits.
Effects of caffeine on the contractility and membrane potentials of rat atrium.

Der Einfluss von Coffein auf Kontraktion und Membranpotential des Atriums der Ratte ergibt: Verkurzung der Dauer des Aktionspotentials und Beschleunigung der Geschwindigkeit von Repolarisation und Depolarisation. Ein moglicher Zusammenhang dieser Anderungen mit der erhohten Kontraktilitat wird diskutiert.
Sympathy for the Lawyer: A Source for "Bartleby" and Nineteenth-Century Prison Reform

(2008). Sympathy for the Lawyer: A Source for 'Bartleby' and Nineteenth-Century Prison Reform. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 24-30.
Quality of Commercial Buttermilks

Abstract Buttermilks from ten regional dairies were judged for flavor and analyzed for acetaldehyde, diacetyl, volatile acidity, and microbial quality. Large variations in flavor score and in concentration of acetaldehyde, diacetyl, and volatile acidity were observed. In none of the samples was the diacetyl:acetaldehyde ratio near the 4:1 value reported to be necessary for a good flavor balance. In contrast to the objective chemical data, the microbial quality of these buttermilks was good.
How State Taxes and Policies Targeting Soda Consumption Modify the Association between School Vending Machines and Student Dietary Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Background Sodas are widely sold in vending machines and other school venues in the United States, particularly in high school. Research suggests that policy changes have reduced soda access, but the impact of reduced access on consumption is unclear. This study was designed to identify student, environmental, or policy characteristics that modify the associations between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors. Methods Data on school vending machine access and student diet were obtained as part of the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) and linked to state-level data on soda taxes, restaurant taxes, and state laws governing the sale of soda in schools. Regression models were used to: 1) estimate associations between vending machine access and soda consumption, fast food consumption, and lunch source, and 2) determine if associations were modified by state soda taxes, restaurant taxes, laws banning in-school soda sales, or student characteristics (race/ethnicity, sex, home food access, weight loss behaviors.) Results Contrary to the hypothesis, students tended to consume 0.53 fewer servings of soda/week (95% CI: -1.17, 0.11) and consume fast food on 0.24 fewer days/week (95% CI: -0.44, -0.05) if they had in-school access to vending machines. They were also less likely to consume soda daily (23.9% vs. 27.9%, average difference = -4.02, 95% CI: -7.28, -0.76). However, these inverse associations were observed primarily among states with lower soda and restaurant tax rates (relative to general food tax rates) and states that did not ban in-school soda sales. Associations did not vary by any student characteristics except for weight loss behaviors. Conclusion Isolated changes to the school food environment may have unintended consequences unless policymakers incorporate other initiatives designed to discourage overall soda consumption.
A nuclear grading system is a strong predictor of survival in epitheloid diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma

Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most prevalent subtype of diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma in which only staging is prognostic for survival. In this study of epithelioid diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma, we investigate the prognostic utility of nuclear features. The slides of 232 epithelioid diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma patients (14 stage I, 54 stage II, 130 stage III, and 34 stage IV) from a single institution were reviewed for the following seven nuclear features: nuclear atypia, nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, chromatin pattern, intranuclear inclusions, prominence of nucleoli, mitotic count, and atypical mitoses. MIB-1 immunohistochemistry was performed using tissue microarray, and MIB-1 labeling index was recorded as the percentage of positive tumor cells. Median overall survival of all patients was 16 months and correlated with nuclear atypia (P<0.001), chromatin pattern (P=0.031), prominence of nucleoli (P<0.001), mitotic count (P<0.001), and atypical mitoses (P<0.001) by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed nuclear atypia (P=0.012) and mitotic count (P<0.001) as independent prognostic factors, and these two factors were utilized to create a three-tier nuclear grade score. The resulting nuclear grade stratified patients into three distinct prognostic groups: grade I (n=107, median overall survival=28 months), grade II (n=91, 14 months), and grade III (n=34, 5 months). Not only was nuclear grade an independent predictor of overall survival (P<0.001), but it was also a stronger discriminator of survival than all currently available factors. Furthermore, nuclear grade was associated with time to recurrence (P=0.004) in patients who underwent complete surgical resection (n=159). MIB-1 labeling index correlated with mitotic count (P<0.001) and nuclear atypia (P=0.037) and stratified overall survival (P<0.001) and time to recurrence (P=0.048), confirming the prognostic value of the nuclear grade. Nuclear grading in epithelioid mesothelioma provides a simple, practical, and cost-effective prognostic tool that better stratifies clinical outcome and time to recurrence than currently available clinicopathologic factors.
The complexity and entropy of literary styles

Since Shannon's original experiment in 1951, several methods have been applied to the problem of determining the entropy of English text. These methods were based either on prediction by human subjects, or on computer-implemented parametric models for the data, of a certain Markov order. We ask why computer-based experiments almost always yield much higher entropy estimates than the ones produced by humans. We argue that there are two main reasons for this discrepancy. First, the long-range correlations of English text are not captured by Markovian models and, second, computerbased models only take advantage of the text statistics without being able to \understand" the contextual structure and the semantics of the given text. The second question we address is what does the \entropy" of a text say about the author's literary style. In particular, is there an intuitive notion of \complexity of style" that is captured by the entropy? We present preliminary results based on a non-parametric entropy estimation algorithm that o er partial answers to these questions. These results indicate that taking long-range correlations into account signi cantly improves the entropy estimates. We get an estimate of 1.77 bits-per-character for a onemillion-character sample taken from Jane Austen's works. Also comparing the estimates obtained from several di erent texts provides some insight into the interpretation of the notion of \entropy" when applied to English text rather than to random processes, and the relationship between the entropy and the \literary complexity" of an author's style. Advantages of this entropy estimation method are that it does not require prior training, it is uniformly good over di erent styles and languages, and it seems to converge reasonably fast. This paper was submitted as a term-project for the \Special Topics in Information Theory" class EE478 taught by Prof. Tom Cover (EE Dept., Stanford Univ.) during Spring 1996. This work was supported in part by grants NSF #NCR-9205663, JSEP #DAAH04-94-G-0058, ARPA #J-FBI-94-218-2. I. Kontoyiannis is with the Information Systems Laboratory Durand Bldg 141A, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305. Email: yiannis@isl.stanford.edu
A forced sampled execution approach to kernel rootkit identification

Kernel rootkits are considered one of the most dangerous forms of malware because they reside inside the kernel and can perform the most privileged operations on the compromised machine. Most existing kernel rootkit detection techniques attempt to detect the existence of kernel rootkits, but cannot do much about removing them, other than booting the victim machine from a clean operating system image and configuration. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a kernel rootkit identification system for the Windows platform called Limbo, which prevents kernel rootkits from entering the kernel by checking the legitimacy of every kernel driver before it is loaded into the operating system. Limbo determines whether a kernel driver is a kernel rootkit based on its binary contents and run-time behavior. To expose the execution behavior of a kernel driver under test, Limbo features a forced sampled execution approach to traverse the driver's control flow graph. Through a comprehensive characterization study of current kernel rootkits, we derive a set of run-time features that can best distinguish between legitimate and malicious kernel drivers. Applying a Naive Bayes classification algorithm on this chosen feature set, the first Limbo prototype is able to achieve 96.2% accuracy for a test set of 754 kernel drivers, 311 of which are kernel rootkits.
Acute otitis media in early infancy : recurrence and prophylaxis

. During a four-year period, two groups of patients were observed for recurrences of bouts of acute otitis media (AOM) after initial episodes of AOM in early infancy. Of 19 infants with a first bout of AOM before 3 months of age, all had at least one recurrence within eight months, of them 15 (79%) within four months. All members of a second group of 37 infants with two bouts of AOM before 12 months of age had a third bout within 14 months, and 28 of them (76%) had a recurrence within four months. During the ensuing two years (phase two), a group of 6 infants with one bout of AOM before 3 months of age (group one) and a group of 25 infants with two bouts of AOM before 12 months of age (group two) were treated for four months with 25 mg/kg/day aminopenicillin as a single oral daily dose. There were no episodes of AOM in these infants during the prophylactic period. During a third phase lasting two years, patients were assigned to treatment or no treatment regimens for four-month periods. Patients in treatment regimens received aminopenicillin or erythromycin ethylsuccinate-sulfamethoxazole (EES-SMZ) once daily. In infants with one bout of AOM before 3 months (Group 1) there were seven bouts of AOM in 9 untreated vs. one bout in 13 treated patients. In the group of infants with two bouts of AOM before 12 months (Group 2), 13 untreated infants had six bouts of AOM vs. no bouts in 19 treated patients.
Airborne laser altimeter survey of Long Valley, California

SUMMARY Airborne laser altimetry has proved useful in recent years in examining volcanic landforms and glacial ice sheets. With the advent of accurate differential GPS aircraft tracking, we believe that airborne lasers will also prove useful in monitoring timevarying topographic uplift, with rates as low as several centimetres of vertical motion per year. The Long Valley, California, caldera provides an excellent testing ground for this new technology. The region has a history of extensive volcanism, and its central dome has recently been undergoing resurgent uplift of up to 4 cm per year. In September 1993 we conducted three aircraft topographic surveys over the caldera and resurgent dome, utilizing a NASA T39 jet aircraft outfitted with a nadir-profiling altimetric laser (ATLAS), two P-code GPS receivers, a Litton LTN92 inertial unit for attitude, and aerial cameras. In addition, we operated two base-station GPS receivers for post-flight differential navigation and conducted a kinematic automobile survey of roads crossing the dome. The aircraft flew at a mean altitude of 500m above ground, and at speeds of 80-100 m s-'. The laser had a divergence of 1.7 mrad, and output 50 pulses per second, yielding footprints of 0.9 m diameter separated by about 2 m along track. Precision flying yielded multiple profiles along nearly identical paths, including crossing profiles over the resurgent dome, off the dome, and along a nearby highway. The surveys included daily flights over Mono Lake for roll and pitch bias calibrations, and over the well-surveyed Lake Crowley to provide an independent check of estimated elevations. Much progress has been made in developing analysis procedures for the laser timing and attitude corrections. Crossover points from repeated profiles over the dome and the lake indicate that although some profiles contain relative bias errors of up to 10 cm, most are substantially more accurate. The accuracy of the measurements will increase as the various sources of error are better defined and dealt with. Even with the present analysis level, the distribution of crossovers near the centre of the dome is roughly Gaussian, with a mean of 2.6 cm and a standard deviation of 11 cm. The standard error of the mean is low (1 cm), due to the high number of crossover points, which holds promise for measuring systematic changes in the dome height from year to year. Also, comparison of laser heights of Lake Crowley to tidal gauge heights yields only a 1-4 cm difference in absolute height. These encouraging results serve to confirm further the concept of using aircraft laser surveys for geodetic tectonic monitoring.
Social Dominance Orientation, Gender, and Increasing Educational Exposure1

Using a large panel sample of undergraduates, we measured the social dominance orientation (SDO) scores of men and women once a year across a 4½-year period. Employing repeated-measures ANOVAs, we found that, even after controlling for the character of students' academic majors (hierarchy enhancing or hierarchy attenuating), males showed significantly higher SDO scores than did females across the entire college career. The data are discussed in terms of the invariance hypothesis within social dominance theory.
Threaded cognition: An integrated theory of concurrent multitasking

The authors propose the idea of threaded cognition, an integrated theory of concurrent multitasking-that is, performing 2 or more tasks at once. Threaded cognition posits that streams of thought can be represented as threads of processing coordinated by a serial procedural resource and executed across other available resources (e.g., perceptual and motor resources). The theory specifies a parsimonious mechanism that allows for concurrent execution, resource acquisition, and resolution of resource conflicts, without the need for specialized executive processes. By instantiating this mechanism as a computational model, threaded cognition provides explicit predictions of how multitasking behavior can result in interference, or lack thereof, for a given set of tasks. The authors illustrate the theory in model simulations of several representative domains ranging from simple laboratory tasks such as dual-choice tasks to complex real-world domains such as driving and driver distraction.
Scalable clustering: a distributed approach

The ever-increasing size of data sets and poor scalability of clustering algorithms has drawn attention to distributed clustering for partitioning large data sets. In this paper we propose an algorithm to cluster large-scale data sets without clustering all the data at a time. Data is randomly divided into almost equal size disjoint subsets. We then cluster each subset using the hard-k means or fuzzy k-means algorithm. The centroids of subsets form an ensemble. A centroid correspondence algorithm transitively solves the correspondence problem among the ensemble of centroids. The centroids are combined to form a global set of centroids. Experimental results show that most of the time the pattern of clusters generated by our algorithm is similar to the pattern of clusters generated by clustering all the data at a time. We have shown that the disputed examples between the clusters generated by our algorithm and clustering all the data at a time lay on the spatial border of clusters.
Synthesizing evidence-based strategies and community-engaged research: A model to address social determinants of health

Addressing social determinants of health (SDH) requires multileveled intervention designs. Increasingly, organizations and coalitions face pressure to use evidence-based strategies when seeking to address SDH. Evidence-based strategies, however, must be locally relevant and integrated into existing systems to function efficiently. We propose the incorporation of an effective rapid assessment technique, Rapid Assessment, Response, and Evaluation (RARE), with evidence-based strategies, findings, and recommendations embedded in community-engaged research to increase the likelihood of success in addressing SDH. Our RARE project--a partnership among a community health center, a nonprofit funding agency, and academic faculty researchers--resulted in community- and policy-level interventions for the prevention of childhood obesity in a Southwestern U.S. city.
Longitudinal measurement models in evaluation research: Examining stability and change

Abstract This article provides an introduction to the use of Confirmatory Factor Analysis to test measurement invariance and stability in longitudinal research. The approach is illustrated through examples representing: (a) one construct, two measurement waves; (b) one construct, three waves; (c) two constructs, two waves; and (d) comparison of treatment and control groups in pre-post designs. Basic issues in establishing measurement invariance over time, across treatment groups, and within measurement waves are discussed. Estimates of the stability coefficients that are corrected for measurement error and method variance associated with each specific measured variable are provided. Establishing measurement invariance is a critical requirement for making inferences about treatment effects and changes in constructs over time.
Cournot Prices Considering Generator Availability and Demand Uncertainty

When electricity becomes deregulated, the price of electricity is not determined by a regulatory authority but by market demand, supply conditions, and strategic behavior. Several oligopoly models have been proposed for representing strategic behavior in electricity markets, notable among which is the Cournot model. The literature on this model has for the most part provided a deterministic treatment of the demand and supply side quantities. The market, however, is subject to both supply and demand side uncertainties. This paper provides analytical models and procedures based on generation system and load data for probabilistically representing two different market competition models-one is based on perfect competition and the other based on asymmetric oligopoly (Cournot). We account for the availability of generating units and show its effects on market prices. We also study the effects on a firm's expected profit when generator availabilities are neglected in the offers decisions. A numerical example is given for an electricity market for which the expected duration curve of the Nash-equilibrium electricity price as well as the mean of the individual firms' profits are calculated. The effects of unit commitment, transmission congestion, and transmission outages are not considered
The Use of Self-Generation Procedures Facilitates Verbal Memory in Individuals with Seizure Disorders

The efficacy of a self-generation encoding procedure in facilitating the encoding and retrieval of verbal memories was compared with the didactic presentation of information in individuals with seizure disorders. Through a within-subject design, 87 patients (25 left temporal seizure onset, 29 right temporal, 8 frontal, and 25 psychogenic nonepileptic seizures) received a self-generation learning condition and a didactic learning condition and were subsequently tested for verbal paired associate free recall, cued recall, and recognition memory. All patient groups benefited from the use of the self-generation condition relative to the didactic condition. Better performance occurred with the self-generation procedure for cued recall and recognition memory test performance, but not free recall. Individuals with a left temporal seizure onset (patients with the poorest memory performance on the didactic condition) benefited the most from the self-generation condition. A memory encoding strategy that actively involves patient participation enhances memory performance.
BIM Standard in Off-Site Construction

AbstractBuilding information modeling (BIM) is rapidly gaining acceptance as the preferred method of communicating the design professional’s intent to the owner and various stakeholders. These data-rich models can be used effectively by other members of the design team to coordinate the fabrication of a building’s different systems. This has innumerable advantages in off-site construction domain including speed, economy, sustainability, and safety. However, the ultimate success of BIM will in part depend on the ability to capture all relevant data in the BIM model and to successfully exchange data between different project participants. This demand plus a desire to avoid claims have indicated the need for a common standard to enable BIM to be the legal construction model. This standard forms the foundation for accurate and efficient communication and commerce that are required by the off-site construction industry. This study reviews the current state of BIM standards and its impact on off-site constructi...
Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in mammals.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in mammalian cells generally degrades mRNAs that terminate translation more than 50-55 nucleotides upstream of a splicing-generated exon-exon junction (reviewed in [Maquat, 2004a][1]; [Nagy and Maquat, 1998][2]). Notably, dependence on exon-exon junctions
Simulating vegetational and hydrologic responses to natural climatic variation and GCM-predicted climate change in a semi-arid ecosystem in Washington, U.S.A.

Abstract An ecosystem process model was used to assess likely ecosystem responses to natural climatic variation and GCM-predicted climatic change in the semi-arid north-western U.S.A. Simulated equilibrium conditions between soil water availability and leaf area were compared to long-term natural variations for annual grass and mixed sagebrush/bunchgrass communities subjected to 2°C increases in daily temperature, coupled with 10% increases and decreases in precipitation. Equilibrium simulations suggested that a less productive, invasive grass community would tolerate climate change, whereas a native sagebrush community would not survive the increased temperatures predicted by GCMs. High air temperatures, and the subsequent increases in vapor pressure deficit, caused decreased stomatal conductance, and hence decreased net photosynthesis. High air temperatures also increased maintenance respiration, leading to decreases in net primary production. As the productivity of this community declined, substantial increases in soil water storage occurred. When natural variation of annual weather is incorporated into simulations, both community types were able to survive by adjusting levels of biomass production. Soil water storage was not significantly affected when the vegetation adapted to increased or decreased precipitation through proportional adjustments to leaf area, which in turn dictates evapo-transpiration and soil water drawdown.
Sociopolitical Networks for Police Role-Making

This paper reviews three cases illustrating how police roles are shaped by the interactions of variably powerful actors in ramified local networks. It focuses attention on the influence of the rank-and-file and police unions on the outcomes of these interactions, and on related tendencies to professionalize and bureaucratize the police; and it posits as a result of these interactions both a normative emphasis in police circles on law enforcement components of the police role and the preservation of police officer discretion in its performance.
Measuring Value From the Patient's Perspective

With growing calls for scaling back medical spending in the United States, cardiac treatments in general, and revascularization procedures in particular, are receiving scrutiny. The American Heart Association estimates that in 2009, $93 billion in direct cost of care was attributed to ischemic heart disease in the United States.1 Much of this expense was due to an estimated 7 million cardiac procedures performed in the United States in 2006. These procedures include >1.3 million percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs), and when coupled with a typical hospital charge of $45 000, it is clear that spending on PCI is a significant financial burden for the US healthcare system. Article see p 46 One of the drawbacks of PCI as a method of revascularization is the need for repeat procedures due to restenosis. This process is gradual and rarely life threatening, but often leads to symptoms of worsening angina, reduced quality of life, and significant expense for evaluation and treatment. The development of drug-eluting stents (DES) has been a major advance in the quest to reduce the restenosis rate, and they are now used in >70% of PCI procedures despite their higher initial cost of $1600 to $3200 compared with a bare-metal stent procedure.2 This rush to use a new technology, though not uncommon in United States, has led many to wonder whether this gain in quality of life is worth the added expense. A recently publicized case of overutilization of stenting has highlighted the skepticism that these procedures are appropriately used.3 To determine value of eliminating restenosis (eg, with DES), we have …
You say reference, I say pointer: a clarification

This article discusses a common confusion between references and pointers that will be familiar to many faculty members teaching programming courses. It does so in the guise of a conversation between a faculty member and a student. In this conversation, the faculty member resolves the confusion in a manner that is somewhat different from the resolution commonly heard, at least by the author. More importantly, this article attempts to illustrate how important programming concepts can become obscured by the language used in a curriculum, and how such confusions can be leveraged to encourage the student to think beyond the bounds of the language that is being used, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of programming languages in general.
Future carbon dioxide concentration decreases canopy evapotranspiration and soil water depletion by field‐grown maize

Maize, in rotation with soybean, forms the largest continuous ecosystem in temperate North America, therefore changes to the biosphere-atmosphere exchange of water vapor and energy of these crops are likely to have an impact on the Midwestern US climate and hydrological cycle. As a C4 crop, maize photosynthesis is already CO2-saturated at current CO2 concentrations ([CO2]) and the primary response of maize to elevated [CO2] is decreased stomatal conductance (gs). If maize photosynthesis is not stimulated in elevated [CO2], then reduced gs is not offset by greater canopy leaf area, which could potentially result in a greater ET reduction relative to that previously reported in soybean, a C3 species. The objective of this study is to quantify the impact of elevated [CO2] on canopy energy and water fluxes of maize (Zea mays). Maize was grown under ambient and elevated [CO2] (550 lmol mol � 1 during 2004 and 2006 and 585 lmol mol � 1 during 2010) using Free Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE) technology at the SoyFACE facility in Urbana, Illinois. Maize ET was determined using a residual energy balance approach based on measurements of sensible (H) and soil heat fluxes, and net radiation. Relative to control, elevated [CO2] decreased maize ET (7–11%; P < 0.01) along with lesser soil moisture depletion, while H increased (25–30 W m � 2 ; P < 0.01) along with higher canopy temperature (0.5–0.6 °C). This reduction in maize ET in elevated [CO2] is approximately half that previously reported for soybean. A partitioning analysis showed that transpiration contributed less to total ET for maize compared to soybean, indicating a smaller role of stomata in dictating the ET response to elevated [CO2]. Nonetheless, both maize and soybean had significantly decreased ET and increased H, highlighting the critical role of elevated [CO2] in altering future hydrology and climate of the region that is extensively cropped with these species.
TOR: a new orphan receptor expressed in the thymus that can modulate retinoid and thyroid hormone signals.

Vitamin A and other fat-soluble hormones and vitamins have important roles as modulators of essential biological processes such as homeostasis, development, differentiation, and oncogenesis and also as regulators of the immune system. The active form of vitamin A, retinoic acid, as well as vitamin D3 and thyroid hormones exert their actions by binding to specific nuclear receptors that represent one subfamily of the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily. To identify new members of the retinoid/thyroid hormone receptor subfamily that could play a role in the immune system, a screening of a T cell cDNA library was performed using a retinoid X receptor probe. A clone was isolated encoding a novel nuclear receptor expressed mainly in the thymus and T cell lines. This new receptor, TOR (thymus orphan receptor), is most closely related in both its DNA-binding domain and ligand-binding domain, 90% and 53%, respectively, to ROR alpha/RZR alpha and clusters with these two receptors and RZR beta in a phyloge...
HDACs Regulate miR-133a Expression in Pressure Overload–Induced Cardiac Fibrosis

Background—MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) serve a significant role in the pathogenesis of a variety of cardiovascular diseases. The transcriptional regulation of miRNAs is poorly understood in cardiac hypertrophy. We investigated whether the expression of miR-133a is epigenetically regulated by class I and IIb HDACs during hypertrophic remodeling. Methods and Results—Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was performed in CD1 mice to induce pressure overload hypertrophy. Mice were treated with class I and IIb HDAC inhibitor (HDACi) via drinking water for 2 and 4 weeks post TAC. miRNA expression was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and post TAC end points for structural and functional assessment. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to identify HDACs and transcription factors associated with miR-133a promoter. miR-133a expression was downregulated by 0.7- and 0.5-fold at 2 and 4 weeks post TAC, respectively, when compared wit...
Cooperative development of antimicrobials: looking back to look ahead

As foundations and governments mobilize to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), several experiments in academic-industrial collaboration have emerged. Here, I examine two historical precedents, the Penicillin Project and the Malaria Project of the Second World War, and two contemporary examples, the Tuberculosis Drug Accelerator programme and the Tres Cantos Open Lab. These and related experiments suggest that different strategies can be effective in managing academic-industrial collaborations, and that such joint projects can prosper in both multisite and single-site forms, depending on the specific challenges and goals of each project. The success of these strategies and the crisis of AMR warrant additional investment in similar projects.
Tetrahymena basal bodies

Tetrahymena thermophila is a ciliate with hundreds of cilia primarily used for cellular motility. These cells propel themselves by generating hydrodynamic forces through coordinated ciliary beating. The coordination of cilia is ensured by the polarized organization of basal bodies (BBs), which exhibit remarkable structural and molecular conservation with BBs in other eukaryotes. During each cell cycle, massive BB assembly occurs and guarantees that future Tetrahymena cells gain a full complement of BBs and their associated cilia. BB duplication occurs next to existing BBs, and the predictable patterning of new BBs is facilitated by asymmetric BB accessory structures that are integrated with a membrane-associated cytoskeletal network. The large number of BBs combined with robust molecular genetics merits Tetrahymena as a unique model system to elucidate the fundamental events of BB assembly and organization.
Disparities in Gynecological Malignancies.

Objectives: Health disparities and inequalities in access to care among different socioeconomic, ethnic, and racial groups have been well documented in the U.S. healthcare system. In this review, we aimed to provide an overview of barriers to care contributing to health disparities in gynecological oncology management and to describe site-specific disparities in gynecologic care for endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancer. Methods: We performed a literature review of peer-reviewed academic and governmental publications focusing on disparities in gynecological care in the United States by searching PubMed and Google Scholar electronic databases. Results: There are multiple important underlying issues that may contribute to the disparities in gynecological oncology management in the United States, namely geographic access and hospital based-discrepancies, research-based discrepancies, influence of socioeconomic and health insurance status, and finally the influence of race and biological factors. Despite the reduction in overall cancer-related deaths since the 1990s, the 5-year survival for Black women is significantly lower than for White women for each gynecologic cancer type and each stage of diagnosis. For ovarian and endometrial cancer, black patients are less likely to receive treatment consistent with evidence-based guidelines and have worse survival outcomes even after accounting for stage and comorbidities. For cervical and endometrial cancer, the mortality rate for black women remains twice that of White women. Conclusions: Health care disparities in the incidence and outcome of gynecologic cancers are complex and involve biologic factors as well as racial, socioeconomic and geographic barriers that influence treatment and survival. These barriers must be addressed to provide optimal care to women in the U.S. with gynecologic cancer.
β-catenin nuclear translocation in colorectal cancer cells is suppressed by PDE10A inhibition, cGMP elevation, and activation of PKG.

// Kevin Lee 1 , Ashley S. Lindsey 1 , Nan Li 2 , Bernard Gary 1 , Joel Andrews 3 , Adam B. Keeton 1 , Gary A. Piazza 1 1 Drug Discovery Research Center, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA 2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA 3 Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA Correspondence to: Kevin Lee, e-mail: kjlee@health.southalabama.edu Keywords: β-catenin, PKG, PKA, PDE10A, colon cancer Received: September 09, 2015 Accepted: December 07, 2015 Published: December 21, 2015 ABSTRACT Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10) is a cGMP and cAMP degrading PDE isozyme that is highly expressed in the brain striatum where it appears to play an important role in cognition and psychomotor activity. PDE10 inhibitors are being developed for the treatment of schizophrenia and Huntington’s disease and are generally well tolerated, possibly because of low expression levels in most peripheral tissues. We recently reported high levels of PDE10 in colon tumors and that genetic silencing of PDE10 by siRNA or inhibition with small molecule inhibitors can suppress colon tumor cell growth with a high degree of selectivity over normal colonocytes (Li et al., Oncogene 2015). These observations suggest PDE10 may have an unrecognized role in tumorigenesis. Here we report that the concentration range by which the highly specific PDE10 inhibitor, Pf-2545920 (MP-10), inhibits colon tumor cell growth parallels the concentration range required to increase cGMP and cAMP levels, and activates PKG and PKA, respectively. Moreover, PDE10 knockdown by shRNA reduces the sensitivity of colon tumor cells to the growth inhibitory activity of Pf-2545920. Pf-2545920 also inhibits the translocation of β-catenin to the nucleus, thereby reducing β-catenin mediated transcription of survivin, resulting in caspase activation and apoptosis. PDE10 mRNA was also found to be elevated in colon tumors compared with normal tissues. These findings suggest that PDE10 can be targeted for cancer therapy or prevention whereby inhibition results in cGMP elevation and PKG activation to reduce β-catenin-mediated transcription of survival proteins leading to the selective apoptosis of cancer cells.
Inequality and Intimacy between Sister Communities in El Salvador and the United States

In this article I consider the desires of participants in a particular sister-community relationship. I suggest that experiences of Illinois parishioners who have been visiting, and assisting, rura...
Ghromodacryorrhea and Parasympathetic Action of Cyclopropane

SummaryThe phenomenon of chromodacryorrhea produced by cyclopropane in eserinized white rats indicates that acetylcholine is liberated in mammalian tissues and supports the contention that the drug is a parasympathetic stimulant.
One-Pot Synthesis of Pt Nanocubes and Nanopods via Burst Nucleation and Controlled Secondary Growth

We report a one-pot solution-phase synthesis of Pt nanocubes and nanopods by adjusting the reaction time between 1 and 15 min. The nanocubes were synthesized in 1 min by controlled burst nucleation of Pt in the presence of low boiling point solvents hexane and acetone, while nanopods were obtained in 15 min via the secondary growth of polyhedral particles on the vertices of the existing Pt nanocubes in the presence of N-methylpyrrolidone. The Pt nanostructures were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and cyclic voltammetry. The nanocubes are dominated by (100) facets while the nanopods have more (111) character. The burst nucleation and secondary growth mediated by hexane/acetone and N-methylpyrrolidone may lead to new, or more easily synthesized, morphologies of Pt and other transition metal nanostructures.
Antifeedant Activity of Limonin Against the Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The antifeedant activity of limonin against fourth-instar Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), was evaluated in choice and no-choice laboratory feeding assays with coated potato leaf disks. Foliage consumption was reduced 19.5, 64.4, and 67.4%, respectively, by limonin dosages of 10, 31.7, and 100 μg/cm2 in the choice tests. Consumption reduction of 64.6, 89.5, and 96.0%, respectively, with the same dosages in the no-choice tests, demonstrated increased sensitivity of the latter test condition. Conversions of the amount of foliage consumed to amount of limonin ingested indicated that greater antifeedant activity in the no-choice situation was directly related to increased limonin ingestion.
What is $\Delta m^2_{ee}$ ?

The current short baseline reactor experiments, Daya Bay and RENO (Double Chooz) have measured (or are capable of measuring) an effective $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}^{2}$ associated with the atmospheric oscillation scale of $0.5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{km}/\mathrm{MeV}$ in electron antineutrino disappearance. In this paper, I compare and contrast the different definitions of such an effective $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}^{2}$ and argue that the simple, L/E independent definition given by $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}_{ee}^{2}\ensuremath{\equiv}{\mathrm{cos}}^{2}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{12}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}_{31}^{2}+{\mathrm{sin}}^{2}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{12}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}_{32}^{2}$, i.e. ``the ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ weighted average of $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}_{31}^{2}$ and $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{m}_{32}^{2}$,'' is superior to all other definitions and is useful for both short baseline experiments mentioned above and for the future medium baseline experiments JUNO and RENO-50.
Shared Decision Making for Urolithiasis: The Use of a Patient Decision Making Aid

Abstract Introduction Patients desire an active role in health care decisions. We evaluated whether a patient decision making aid is useful when considering surgical treatment for urolithiasis. Methods Patients with a history of urolithiasis were recruited for study. They were asked to consider a hypothetical case of an asymptomatic 10 mm proximal ureteral stone for which elective surgical intervention was recommended. Shock wave lithotripsy and ureteroscopy were presented as potential options. A patient decision making aid was developed to explain and compare the options. A urologist presented the information to the patients, once using the patient decision making aid and then without the aid. We assessed participant satisfaction with each format, and invited comments about the aid and its content, design and clarity. Results Mean ± SD age of the 4 male and 10 female participants was 61 ± 9 years. Of the participants 86% found the patient decision making aid helpful but identified areas for improvement. Specifically, patients wanted more information on stent placement, stent discomfort, long-term effects and cost. Of the participants 79% reported that the aid improved their understanding of the treatment options compared to the session without the aid. While 8 of 14 participants preferred hearing surgeon recommendations, most still reported value in the patient decision making aid. Conclusions Patient decision making aids are increasingly used in the management of several diseases and they require patient input into development. In our study the aid improved patient self-reported understanding of surgical options for ureteral stone removal. Notably, most participants still preferred to make decisions based on the surgeon recommendation. Modification of the patient decision making aid based on patient suggestions will enhance its usefulness and applicability in the clinical setting.
Method Based on Fuzzy Entropy-Entropy Weight for Hybird Multi-attribute Decision Making

For the problem of the hybrid MADM for interval number,intuitionistic fuzzy numbers and linguistic variables,this paper proposes a method to determine the attribute weight based on fuzzy entropy. This method changes the interval number to the intuitionistic fuzzy number by standardized method,and unites the information of the decision in the same framework by building the relationship between the intuitinistic fuzzy numbers and the linguistic variables. Then it uses the model of the entropy weight to determine the objective weights range of the attributes,gets the objective weights by the liner programming model of the minimum of the fuzzy entropy,and gets the combined weights by combining subjective weight method. At last it gets the ranking results by the method of the relative entropy. A numerical example illustrates the validity and applicability of the proposed method.
Peer Communication Through Blogging

With the emergence of mobile technologies, students’ access to computing devices is omnipresent, as is their ability to collaborate through multiple modalities. This 21stcentury affordance has generated a shift in the way preservice teachers are prepared to use, understand. and interact with social media (e.g., blogs) during their academic years. This paradigmatic shift involves a movement toward a participatory culture using Web 2.0 technologies—dynamic environments that are not limited to the interactions of academic classrooms. These changes present both new types of challenges and vast opportunities for teacher educators. Based on repeated observation of minimal interaction amongst members of a peer cohort, a research study was conducted to analyze the interactions of three students who consistently posted comments on each other’s blogs in contrast to the trends found in their cohort. Analysis of their posts and comments illuminated preservice teacher expectations for science teaching roles and how preservice teachers applied their expectations when commenting on their peers. These interactions were professional in nature and revealed that previously established interpersonal relationships did not alter the type of interactions that occurred.
Gisela F. Ritchie, Caroline Schlegel-Schelling in Wahrheit und Dichtung: Bonn: Bouvier, 1968. Pp. 335.

(1969). Gisela F. Ritchie, Caroline Schlegel-Schelling in Wahrheit und Dichtung. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 310-312.
Shutdowns and start-ups

What is the meaning of ceremonies that take place when major pieces of scientific equipment are shut down? Robert P Crease investigates.