cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robert Frost and the American Landscape

Toward the end of the millennium, our attachment to the land returns, if not exactly according to earlier modes. In literary and philosophic circles, nature writing undergoes a renaissance while explorations of environmental ethics and aesthetics confront both the virus of development and the possibility that nature calendars, featuring say a gorgeous red barn, are examples of "eco porn." In the broader population, "ecotourism" brings intense visitation to national parks, which in turn stirs debates about how to keep nature lovers from loving fragile sites to death. As iconic as the landscape itself, Robert Frost looks bemused in the late photographs, his hair white, his face lined, posed in baggy clothes before a pasture or barn. The poet in his inevitable setting evokes ruggedness, authen ticity, and a trace of our origins. However, in a century dominated by avant garde experimentation, we have also become suspicious of the rural, and Frost has suffered from identification with old fashioned pastoral conventions. "Landscape," "Nature," and "Pastoral" have become signifiers with little left to signify, quaint references to past ideals in a world strung on the virtual spaces of the internet. Consequently, we may rethink our image of Frost as a farmer poet and poet farmer, for which reason I wish to look again at notions attached to the poet and to his privileged neighborhood, the dilapidated farm, before return ing to passages from North of Boston, the 1914 volume that tied him so closely to rural New England. Paradoxical antitheses exist in past and present re sponses to Frost, a poet "simple" in his presentation and unfathomable in his indirections. These antitheses not only direct our reading of Frost but delimit our understanding of landscape and of the rural.
Structural variation in mitochondrial DNA.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the structural diversity of mitochondrial chromosomes, particularly the variations of size and structure resulting from rearrangements in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The observed diversity reflects both functional constraints and mechanisms of genetic variation that underlie the divergent paths taken by these unusual organelle genomes. In a wide variety of genomes, replication mechanisms and regions that can serve as replication origins appear to be highly variable. In animal mtDNA, the region of the replication origin for the H strand is the most variable part of the genome. In yeast and fungi, several replication origins must exist to explain the diversity of self-replicating molecules and to account for the number of autonomously replicating sequences (ars) assayed by stable transformation of yeast plasmids. In addition to unitary mitochondrial chromosomes, many additional or supernumerary DNA elements, such as plasmids and plasmid-like molecules, are found in mitochondrial genomes. These additional DNA elements are extremely diverse, are found in mtDNA of widely different groups, and may be important in the organization and evolution of mitochondrial genomes. The comparison of these diverse systems is directed toward a better understanding of the evolution of mtDNA and toward suggesting directions for future research.
Sleep Disorders in Children

While there are a variety of behavioral patterns and medical issues that can disturb sleep in children, the most common sleep disorders are bedtime resistance, also referred to as bedtime settling problems, and night waking. While transient sleep disturbances of this nature are normative, a significant portion of children experience frequent and persistent disruptions in their sleep. In fact, up to 40% of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and up to 15% of school-aged children experience one or both of these difficulties. We review the literature on the prevalence, demographic features, and diagnostic criteria for the most common sleep disorders in children and then describe psychological/behavioral interventions for the most common sleep disturbances. Practice parameters developed by a task force commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine serve as the foundation for the review of intervention research. Extant data indicate that several empirically supported interventions exist. Extinction-based and parent education interventions have the most robust empirical support. Limitations of current evidence include reliance on small sample sizes and little attention to variables that affect treatment effectiveness, few treatment comparisons, virtually nonexistent analysis of treatment of sleep disturbances in children over the age of 5, and a dearth of intervention studies including children with chronic health and developmental conditions, despite higher rates of sleep disturbance among these populations. Despite these limitations, ample research exists to guide practitioners in the selection and use of behaviorally-based interventions for the most common sleep disorders in young children. Keywords: bedtime resistance; night waking; extinction; behavioral treatment; practice parameters
Power and Energy Requirements for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

In this chapter, the power and energy requirements (both electricity and gasoline) for battery-powered electric and hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hybrid vehicle, are assessed. The influence of the vehicle design parameters (weight, frontal area, drag coefficient, and tire rolling resistance) on vehicle performance (range, speed, and acceleration) is determined based on simulations of several classes of vehicles. The power and energy requirements were calculated for both parallel and series powertrain arrangements using the Advisor vehicle simulation computer program. The simulations were performed for several driving cycles (FUDS, Highway, and the US06) for vehicle and component characteristics expected to be appropriate for 2015–2045. The simulation results indicated that large reductions in fuel consumption and energy use can be expected in future with the various advanced technologies. The magnitudes of the reductions depend on the baseline used in the comparisons. The energy savings (gasoline plus electricity including powerplant efficiency) are about 60% for all the hybrid technologies considered using the 2007 ICE vehicle baseline and about 30% using the 2030 ICE baseline. The energy savings (electricity) for the EV are smaller than for the hybrids especially compared with the advanced ICE and HEV technologies. The primary advantage of the EV is the substitution of electricity for a liquid fuel. Keywords: battery pack; energy stored; peak power; fuel economy; plug-in hybrid; lithium battery; vehicle simulations
A panel: unpaved road between hardware verification and software testing techniques

The Haifa verification conference was created to foster assimilation of knowledge and tools between software testing and hardware verification. On the second day of the conference, the tool day, we held a panel discussion on achieving this goal. The panel was moderated by Shmuel Ur, the chair of the first Haifa Verification Conference, who works in the industry and publishes both in software testing and in hardware verification.
A cost-effective way to expand the scope of FPGA based projects

FPGA is widely used in Computer Engineering and related curricula. However, most lab exercises are performed and constrained largely in a self-contained FPGA board. A serial interface is a simple, cost-effective way to connect FPGA board to outside systems. It can be used to control a robot platform, to communicate with desktop computers, to interact with Android devices, to establish a ZigBee wireless link, and to connect to internet. This greatly expands the scope of FPGA based experiments and projects and makes them more interesting and versatile.
American Justice at a Crossroads: Remarks of Thomas J. Stipanowich

Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/drlj Part of the Civil Law Commons, Civil Procedure Commons, Courts Commons, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Commons, Judges Commons, Jurisprudence Commons, Law and Economics Commons, Law and Society Commons, Legal History, Theory and Process Commons, Legal Profession Commons, Litigation Commons, and the Other Law Commons
Recent plate motions and crustal deformation

Reports by U.S. workers on geodetic measurements of recent plate motions or crustal deformation published in 1987-1990 are reviewed. The review begins with global plate motions, proceeds through plate boundaries in California, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest, and finishes with volcanic phenomena, monument stability and longevity, and GPS relative position measurements. 184 refs.
The expression and localization of synaptic vesicle antigens at neuromuscular junctions in vitro.

To examine the biochemical differentiation of presynaptic nerve terminals in vitro, we studied the expression and localization at synapses of two synaptic vesicle-specific antigens, synapsin I and protein p65. We purified these proteins from brain and raised a rabbit antiserum against each of them. Chick synapsin I had a slightly smaller molecular weight than its mammalian homologue, although the two share several properties. With the anti-p65 serum, the protein p65 could be detected consistently in presynaptic terminals at the neuromuscular junction in vivo, as had been previously shown for synapsin I. These antisera proved sufficiently sensitive to allow a study of the developmental expression of the antigens in embryonic chick brain, using protein blots. The two antigens are not coordinately regulated; protein p65 was detected substantially sooner in development that was synapsin I. Both synapsin I and protein p65 are expressed by ciliary ganglion neurons in vitro, as assessed by immunofluorescence using the affinity-purified antisera. The two antigens co-localized at all times in culture. Neurons grown alone were reliably stained only after 4 to 5 days in culture, but comparable levels of staining were found after 1 day when neurons were co-cultured with embryonic myotubes. In the co- cultures, staining was initially high in growth cones and neurites, but the brightest staining became confined to sites of nerve-muscle contact over 4 to 5 days in culture. In mature cultures, patches of bright staining for the vesicle antigens coincided with patches of acetylcholine receptors, suggesting that the antigens had become localized at synapses. The time course of this localization process suggests that it corresponds to the morphological maturation of synapses. It should be possible to exploit this system to obtain information about the molecules and processes involved in the induction of presynaptic differentiation.
Binding of 1-nitro[14C]pyrene to DNA and protein in cultured lung macrophages and respiratory tissues

Abstract Binding of 1-nitro[ 14 C]pyrene (1-NP) or its metabolites to cellular DNA and protein in cultures of rabbit alveolar macrophages and lung and tracheal tissues was examined. DNA binding was highest in tracheal tissue (136.9 ± 18.3 pmol 1-NP/mg DNA). DNA binding in macrophages and lung tissue was one-fifth of the level observed in tracheal tissue. Also, 1-NP was bound to cellular protein in tracheal and lung tissues, and at a lower level in macrophages. Co-cultivation of the macrophages with lung and tracheal tissues decreased the DNA binding in tracheal tissue and increased the protein binding in macrophages. This study shows that lung cells and tissue are capable of binding 1-NP or its metabolites to DNA and protein.
Proper efficiency and cardinal utilities in multicriteria decision making

Abstract The concept of proper efficiency has been characterized in several ways in the Multicriteria Decision Making (MCDM) literature. Geoffrion has optimized a positively weighted sum of the multicriteria value functions, and Choo and Atkins have used an extended form of the generalized Tchebycheff norm. This paper investigates proper efficiency in MCDM when it is possible to represent the decision maker's risk attitudes and preferences by cardinal (especially additive cardinal) utilities. Proper efficiency is characterized by optimizing associated utility-related scalar optimization problems. More detailed relationships among proper efficiency, measure of risk aversion and allocation strategies are discussed in an asset allocation context.
Screening for Drug Abuse Among College Students: Modification of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test.

A modified version of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Modified MAST) was anonymously given to 245 college students on two Midwestern university campuses (A and B). The questionnaire consists of twenty-five yes-no questions which can be easily and quickly administered with the cutoff score for suspected drug abuse set at five points. The modification was performed empirically to observe how the subjects would respond to a questionnaire similar to one with a well-established format. Twenty-five per cent of the students in the Campus A sample and 22 per cent of the Campus B sample scored five or more points.
The Oleander Project: Monitoring the Variability of the Gulf Stream and Adjacent Waters between New Jersey and Bermuda

Abstract An overview of the first 4.5 years of operation of a program to monitor the structure and variability of the Gulf Stream (GS) is presented. A container vessel that operates on a weekly schedule between Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Hamilton, Bermuda, is equipped with a 150-kHz narrowband acoustic Doppler current profiler to measure currents from the surface to ∼300 m depth. A major objective of the multiyear program is to study the annual cycle and interannual variations in velocity structure and transport by the GS. In this survey the focus is on the transport and lateral structure of the current at 52-m depth. The velocity maximum is constant at 2.07 ± 0.24 m s−1 (4 kt) with a seasonal range of ∼0.1 m s−1. Seasonal and interannual variations in total transport are observed but appear to be limited to the edges of the current, apparently reflecting low-frequency variations in the intensity of the recirculating waters adjacent to the stream. The transport by the central core of the current, def...
Reading in mathematics: Middle school mathematics teachers’ beliefs and practices

Abstract The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate mathematics teachers’ beliefs about the role reading plays in mathematics learning and about their role in helping students deal with the reading of mathematics. Ninety‐nine middle grades mathematics teachers responded to the Mathematics and Reading Questionnaire designed to address these issues. Results indicated that the mathematics teachers who participated in the study were generally undecided in their beliefs about the role reading plays in mathematics learning and about the role they should play in helping students deal with the reading of mathematics. Their undeddedness is consistent with the fact that the teachers tended not to view their reading in the content area courses as being beneficial to mathematics teachers.
The effect of deposition and processing variables on the oxide structure of MCrAl coatings

Abstract The protection afforded by a high temperature coating is known to be strongly influenced by the structure of the surface oxide. In a previous study of cast alloys and MCrAl coatings applied by electron beam physical vapor deposition a marked effect of the structure, the type and location of the “active element” and the substrate on the oxide structure and the protection afforded by the coating was found. This study has been continued and expanded to include the additional deposition techniques of plasma spraying and sputtering. Extensive use of the deep etching technique is made to characterize the oxide and to determine the presence and morphology of “pegs”. A description of the technique and the results of the study are presented.
Effect of surface conformity on friction

Abstract The usefulness of microtribological theories depends on their application to interfaces of a larger scale. Contact conditions over a large area, however, are not uniform but are a consequence of the geometry of each interface as well as the deformation of the supporting materials on either side of the interface. As a result, surfaces which have statistically uniform topography on the microscale may still exhibit non-uniform sliding friction behavior. In this study, we measure periodic friction force variation during slow speed sliding of a ceramic slider on a lubricated, carbon-overcoated aluminum disk. Using a phase-shifting interference microscope, we measure the geometry of the entire sliding track. Together with the slider geometry, this information can be used to characterize the surface conformity of the sliding interface at every point along the track. We calculate a “conformity index” and correlate it to the friction.
The nature of cumulative impacts on biotic diversity of wetland vertebrates

There is no longer any doubt that cumulative impacts have important effects on wetland vertebrates. Interactions of species diversity and community structure produce a complex pattern in which environmental impacts can play a highly significant role. Various examples show how wetlands maintain the biotic diversity within and among vertebrate populations, and some of the ways that environmental perturbations can interact to reduce this diversity. The trophic and habitat pyramids are useful organizing concepts. Habitat fragmentation can have severe effects at all levels, reducing the usable range of the larger habitat generalists while threatening the genetic integrity of small, isolated populations. The complexity of trophic interactions, and the propensity, or necessity, of vertebrates to switch from one food source to another—something we know little about—makes using food chain support as a variable for predicting environmental impacts very questionable. Historical instances illustrate the effects of the accumulation of impacts on vertebrates. At present it is nearly impossible to predict the result of three or more different kinds of perturbations, although long-range effects can be observed. One case in point is waterfowl; while their ingestion of lead shot, harvesting by hunters during migration, and loss of habitat have caused waterfowl populations to decline, the proportional responsibility of these factors has not been determined. Further examples show multiplicative effects of similar actions, effects with long time lags, diffuse processes in the landscape that may have concentrated effects on a component subsystem, and a variety of other interactions of increasing complexity. Not only is more information needed at all levels; impacts must be assessed on a landscape or regional scale to produce informed management decisions. I conclude that a system of replicate wetland reserves that are allowed to interact naturally with the surrounding landscape will be more effective in preserving biotic diversity than isolated sanctuaries.
Inflammation and Cancer III. Somatostatin and the innate immune system

In the stomach, somatostatin is secreted from D cells and is a potent inhibitor of gastrin-induced acid secretion. During bacterial infection, somatostatin expression and release are suppressed. As a result, gastric infection often induces hypergastrinemia that, in turn, stimulates gastric acid secretion, the stomach's most important antimicrobial agent. There are an abundance of data showing that inflammatory cytokines regulate somatostatin in immune and neural cells. However, it was not until recently that the immunoregulation of gastric somatostatin was studied in vivo. This theme article discusses the role of somatostatin as an immunoregulatory peptide during gastritis.
Interlacing properties of roots of certain biorthogonal polynomials

In this paper we consider the biorthogonal polynomials with respect to the measure e^-^x^^^4^-^y^^^2^+^2^@t^x^ydxdy, and show that their roots interlace. The proof involves showing total nonnegativity of matrices related to Jacobi type matrices.
Advanced Distribution Management System

This paper proposes an advanced distribution management system (DMS) that a) monitors each component and performs protection functions using a dynamic state estimation, b) the estimated states are transmitted to the DMS where the real time model of the entire feeder is synthesized, c) uses the real time model to perform upper level optimization (operations planning) and lower level optimization (real time control) via a hierarchical optimization procedure; and d) applies proper controls to operate the system at optimal points. The proposed approach for protection, operations planning, and real time control of the system provides the infrastructure for additional important applications. As an example, the paper presents a novel application for monitoring available reserves from all resources in the system. We propose the concept of Reserve-O-Meter that monitors in real time the available reserves from all resources (utility and customer owned).
Process variation aware data management for STT-RAM cache design

The spin-transfer torque random access memory (STT-RAM) has gained increasing attentions for its high density, fast read access, zero standby power, and good scalability. The recently proposed retention-relax design further improves STT-RAM write access performance and makes it even more promising as an on-chip memory technology. Nevertheless, the process variations could affect the writability of STT-RAM cells. The situation for retention-relax design is even more severe. In this paper, we comprehensively study the impact of process variations, including those from both CMOS and magnetic technologies, on key STT-RAM design parameters. Furthermore, we propose process variation aware nonuniform cache access (PVA-NUCA) technique for large STT-RAM cache design. Besides the varying interconnect latencies determined by memory locations, PVA-NUCA compensates write time variations of STT-RAM cells resulted by process variations. Two algorithms, namely, conservative promotion and aggressive prediction, have been introduced and evaluated. A conflict-reduction mechanism is utilized to degrade the data access miss rate caused by conflicts of access-intensive data blocks. Compared to the traditional STT-RAM dynamic nonuniform cache access (DNUCA), our proposed dynamic PVA-NUCA can improve 25.29% of IPC performance and reduce 26.4% of STT-RAM cache energy consumption, with
A heterogeneous set of urea-insoluble proteins in dividing PC12 pheochromocytoma cells is passed on to at least the generation of great-granddaughter cells.

About 5% of the total cellular protein synthesized in exponentially dividing PC12 phenochromocytoma cells remains insoluble after extractions with aqueous buffer, nonionic detergent, and a strong denaturant, 6 M urea. Single- and double-radiolabel pulse-chase labeling experiments with radioactive leucine indicate that for much of the 6 M urea-insoluble protein there is either a lag between its synthesis and deposition in a urea-insoluble compartment and/or the urea-insoluble protein is comparatively stabilized from destruction. Given the doubling time of PC12 cells, much of the long-lived and urea-insoluble protein of PC12 cells is passed on for at least three generations. Electrophoretic analyses show there are many species of long-lived proteins in the 6 M urea-insoluble fraction, displayed as a near continuum of subunit molecular weights.
The late-phase reaction: role of IgE, its receptor and cytokines

Late phase IgE-mediated reactions (LPR) likely play a major role in the pathogenesis of chronic allergic diseases. Although a number of cellular and humoral alterations in LPR sites have been described recently, the pathogenesis of the LPR is still unclear. LPR follow IgE-mediated but not opiate-induced mast-cell activation suggesting different patterns of mast cell mediator release and/or additional effects of the antigen-IgE interaction. Granulocyte accumulation in developing LPR is accompanied by altered expression of adhesion molecules on local vascular endothelium. Lymphocytes and the cytokines they produce play an important role in developing and perpetuating LPR. These findings point to the likely complex pathogenesis of LPR with implications for the therapy of allergic diseases.
Prognostic factors and scoring systems in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: a retrospective analysis of 213 patients

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by wide heterogeneity of clinical presentation and course. CMML shares myelodysplastic characteristics with features of myeloproliferative disorders. No treatment has proven effective in modifying the natural course of the disease. To improve the prognostic assessment of clinical outcome, the associations of patient and disease characteristics with survival times of 213 patients with CMML was investigated retrospectively. Median survival was 12 months. Univariate analysis identified low hemoglobin level; low platelet count; high white blood cell, monocyte, and lymphocyte counts; presence of circulating immature myeloid cells, high percentage of marrow blasts, low percentage of marrow erythroid cells, abnormal cytogenetics, and high levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase and beta(2)-microglobulin as characteristics associated with shorter survival. Hemoglobin level below 120 g/L (12 g/dL), presence of circulating immature myeloid cells, absolute lymphocyte count above 2.5 x 10(9)/L, and marrow blasts 10% or more were independently associated with shorter survival by multivariate analysis and were used to generate a prognostic score. The model identified 4 subgroups of patients with median survival of 24, 15, 8, and 5 months for low, intermediate-1, intermediate-2, and high risk, respectively. Researchers could not confer objective evidence suggesting that arbitrary divisions of CMML by white blood cell counts into "dysplastic" and "proliferative" categories reflect clinical entities differing in the risk of acute leukemia development, although a trend of shorter survival in patients with leukocytosis was observed. The prognostic model was compared with 6 previously published scoring systems for myelodysplastic syndrome/CMML. The reported results should provide an improved assessment of prognosis in CMML.
Self-Presentational Motivations and Personality Differences in Self-Esteem

ABSTRACT This article discusses the interpersonal motivations associated with different levels of self-esteem. Although self-esteem literally refers to an intrapsychic attitude, we propose that self-esteem scales often measure a self-presentational orientation. High self-esteem scores are associated with a tendency to present oneself in a self-enhancing fashion that is characterized by willingness to accept risks, focus on outstandingly good qualities, strategic ploys, and calling attention to self. Low self-esteem scores are associated with a tendency to present oneself in a self-protective fashion that is characterized by unwillingness to accept risks, focus on avoiding outstandingly bad qualities, avoidance of many strategic ploys, and reluctance to draw attention to self. Considerable evidence shows that most people rate themselves as above average on self-esteem scales; relatively few people score below any self-esteem scale's conceptual midpoint. Review of past literature yields the following conclusions: (a) Low scores on self-esteem scales are typically the result of neutral and intermediate rather than self-derogatory responses to scale items; (b) behavioral correlates of measured self-esteem sometimes depend on self-presentational variables such as audience presence; and (c) many past findings with self-esteem scales may be interpretable in self-presentational terms.
Anti-tumor activity of an anti-DR5 monoclonal antibody, TRA-8, in combination with taxane/platinum-based chemotherapy in an ovarian cancer model.

Abstract Objective Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) mediates apoptosis via binding to death receptors and enhances the anti-tumor effect of conventional cancer therapies. We evaluated the efficacy of TRA-8, an agonistic antibody to DR5, combined with docetaxel and carboplatin in vitro in an intraperitoneal (IP) ovarian cancer model. Methods Luciferase positive ES2 cells (ES2H) were treated in 96 well plates with TRA-8, carboplatin, docetaxel, and combination therapy. Cell viability was assessed using ATP-lite assay. Apoptosis was confirmed via Western blot analysis. ES2H cells were injected IP into female athymic nude mice. Animals were sorted based on bioluminescent signal with the following treatments: 1) untreated; 2) TRA-8 alone; 3) docetaxel+carboplatin; and 4) docetaxel+carboplatin+TRA-8. Animals receiving TRA-8 antibody were injected IP with 200μg of TRA-8 twice weekly until death. Animals receiving docetaxel+carboplatin were injected IP with 5mg/kg and 15mg/kg respectively every 3weeks until death. Animals were assessed for tumor burden using bioluminescence imaging and overall survival. Results Combination therapy reduced viability of ES2H cells in vitro over single agent therapy. Tumor burden was lowest in the chemotherapy+TRA-8 group at days 23 (p Conclusion Conventional chemotherapy combined with TRA-8 reduced cell-viability via activation of apoptotic pathways, reduced tumor burden and improved survival in this ovarian cancer model.
TGF-β Promotes the Establishment of Renal Cell Carcinoma Bone Metastasis

Bone metastases develop in ˜30% of patients with RCC, and the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are unknown. We found that TGF-β1 stimulation of RCC bone metastasis cells promotes tumor growth and bone destruction possibly by stimulating paracrine interactions between tumor cells and the bone. Introduction: Bone metastasis is a frequent complication and causes marked morbidity in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Surprisingly, the specific mechanisms of RCC interaction with bone have been scarcely studied despite the inability to prevent or effectively treat bone metastasis. Bone is a reservoir for various growth factors including the pleiotropic cytokine TGF-β1. TGF-β1 has been shown to have tumor-supportive effects on advanced cancers and evidence suggests its involvement in promoting the development of breast cancer bone metastasis. Here, we studied the potential role of TGF-β1 in the growth of RCC bone metastasis (RBM). Materials and Methods: To inhibit TGF-β1 signaling, RBM cells stably expressing a dominant-negative (DN) TGF-βRII cDNA were generated. The in vivo effect of TGF-β1 on RBM tumor growth and osteolysis was determined by histological and radiographic analysis, respectively, of athymic nude mice after intratibial injection of parental, empty vector, or DN RBM cells. The in vitro effect of TGF-β1 on RBM cell growth was determined after TGF-β1 treatment by MTT assay. Results: TGF-β1 and the TGF-β receptors I and II (TGF-βRI/II) were consistently expressed in both RBM tissues and cell lines. Inhibition of TGF-β1 signaling in RBM cells significantly reduced tumor establishment and osteolysis observed in vivo after injection into the murine tibia, although no effect on tumor establishment was observed after injection of RBM cells subcutaneously or into the renal subcapsule. Treatment of five RBM cell lines with TGF-β1 in vitro either had no effect (2/5) or resulted in a significant inhibition (3/5) of cell growth, suggesting that TGF-β1 may promote RBM tumor growth indirectly in vivo. Conclusions: TGF-β1 stimulation of RBM cells plays a role in promoting tumor growth and subsequent osteolysis in vivo, likely through the initiation of tumor-promoting paracrine interactions between tumor cells and the bone microenvironment. These data suggest that inhibition of TGF-β1 signaling may be useful in the treatment of RBM.
Assessing fluctuating asymmetry of white-tailed deer antlers in a three-dimensional context

Fluctuating asymmetry, random departure from perfect symmetry in bilateral traits, has been proposed as an indirect indicator of individual quality. Sexually selected traits, such as deer antlers, are hypothesized to demonstrate decreasing level of fluctuating asymmetry with increasing trait size and decreasing level of fluctuating asymmetry with increasing age. These hypotheses have been previously tested for antlers using linear measurements to quantify fluctuating asymmetry. However, antlers are complex, 3-dimensional traits making it difficult to quantify all forms of visual asymmetry using traditional, linear measurements. It is this visual asymmetry that would be assessed by potential mates and rivals. Therefore, we created 3-dimensional computer models of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) antlers to measure visual fluctuating asymmetry. Asymmetry measures of various antler traits were computed using the models by measuring distances from the trait to a vertical and horizontal plane created using coordinate points generated within the model. We found no association between degree of fluctuating asymmetry and trait size, nor was any association found between degree of fluctuating asymmetry and age using either the 3-dimensional measures of asymmetry or traditional, linear measures of asymmetry. Examination of these data suggests that fluctuating asymmetry of white-tailed deer antlers is not a reliable indicator of quality. DOI: 10.1644/09-MAMM-A-134R.1.
Ocular motility problems associated with sumatriptan administration

In a 55-year-old woman with classic migraine, paresis of the superior division of the right oculomotor nerve occurred twice after subcutaneous injections of sumatriptan. Each paresis disappeared within 2 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head was normal. Sumatriptan injections were discontinued, and ocular motility problems ceased. Use of sumatriptan for migraine should be considered in the diagnosis of transient, pupil-sparing, oculomotor nerve palsies in the absence of other microvascular risk factors.
Reciprocal regulation of osteocalcin transcription by the homeodomain proteins Msx2 and Dlx5

Osteocalcin (OC) is a small calcium binding protein expressed in bones and teeth undergoing mineralization. OC expression in calvarial osteoblasts and odontoblasts is regulated in part via protein−protein interactions between the homeodomain repressor, Msx2, and components of the cell type-specific basal OC promoter. Recent work suggests that homeodomain proteins form heterodimers that confer transcriptional regulation. Since the homeodomain proteins Dlx5 and Msx2 are both expressed by primary rat calvarial osteoblasts, we examined whether Msx2 and Dlx5 functionally interact to regulate the OC promoter. In both primary rat calvarial and MC3T3E1 mouse calvarial osteoblasts, transient expression of Dlx5 only mildly augments basal OC promoter (luciferase reporter) activity, while Msx2 suppresses transcriptional activity by ca. 80%. However, Dlx5 completely reverses Msx2 repression of the OC promoter. Structure−function analyses using far-Western blot and transient cotransfection assays reveal that (i) Msx2 a...
Negative differential conductance in lateral double-barrier transistors fabricated in strained Si quantum wells

The operation of a laterally patterned negative differential conductance (NDC) device based on hot-electron effects in strained Si quantum wells is demonstrated. The device consists of a small, etch-defined dot region connected to narrow leads on either side via point-contact tunnel barriers. The entire device is fabricated on a high-mobility Si/Si1−xGex heterostructure wafer using electron-beam lithography and low-damage reactive-ion etching. At T=0.4 K (T=1.3 K), the drain characteristic of this device shows a pronounced NDC region with a peak-to-valley ratio (PVR) greater than 600 (100). The PVR is reduced with increasing temperature, with remnants of the NDC observable to 30 K. The NDC is attributed to phonon emission by hot electrons injected into the dot region.
Cyclohexylcyanine: a new aliphatic phthalocyanine analogue

In this report, we present cyclohexylcyanine, a phthalocyanine analogue with two cyclohexane units incorporated into the backbone of the macrocycle; in the free base, the ionizable protons lie on the periphery of the ring, and when metalated with silver the macrocycle binds to the metal via these same mesonitrogen atoms.
Habitat Tracker: Engaging students with scientific inquiry through technology and curriculum support

This poster presents preliminary results from the second year of a three-year project designed to help elementary students learn about scientific inquiry and become active participants in their own science education. Florida State University has developed a set of technologies (an iPad application and website) integrated with a standards-based nature of science and scientific inquiry curriculum called Habitat Tracker. Preliminary analysis of the students' task engagement shows that this project has the potential to support student engagement during field trips to natural wildlife centers. Current results will inform future iterations of the project, and improve support for science teachers integrating museum field trips and classroom activities.
In vitro susceptibilities of Chlamydia pneumoniae (Chlamydia sp. strain TWAR).

The in vitro susceptibilities of two clinical isolates of Chlamydia pneumoniae from Brooklyn, N.Y., were determined for tetracycline, erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and three new macrolides--azithromycin, clarithromycin, and roxithromycin. Clarithromycin was the most active drug tested, followed by the other macrolides, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin.
Biomechanical Factors in Osteoarthritis: The Effects of Joint Instability

Osteoarthritis is now appropriately recognized as a joint disease (see the article by Robin Poole in this Supplement), and as such, the biomechanical factors that affect its etiology and progression can best be understood by considering the mechanical function of the whole joint.
Accumulation Of Biomass And Mineral Elements By Peanut: Application Of The Expanded Growth Model

A number of factors influence crop production including crop species, time of planting and sampling, level of fertilizer application, water availability (rainfall or irrigation), plant population, frequency of harvests (for perennials), soil characteristics, insect control, and weed control. A conceptual model is required within which measurements and observations can be interpreted. For this analysis the expanded growth model is used to described biomass accumulation with calendar time. Field data for peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) grown in North Carolina on a sandy loam soil are used for this application. Measurements of biomass and mineral elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium) were reported for whole plant and nuts (kernels + shells). The theory provided reasonable description of the results. It was concluded that the rate limiting process in the system was biomass accumulation by photosynthesis, and that accumulation of mineral elements proceeded in virtual equilibrium.
RecA-ssDNA interaction: induced strand cleavage by hydroxyl radical at a defined distance from the 5' end.

Interaction of the RecA protein with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was analyzed by challenge with the hydroxyl radical, which can cleave the DNA backbone. We found that RecA protein induces cleavage by the radical at a defined distance from the 5′ end. The cleavage was at the 11th nucleotide in many oligodeoxynucleotides. Cleavage may be intermittent since a second cleavage was induced at the 22nd or 21st site. This specific cleavage was observed under optimal conditions for filament formation, homologous pairing and strand exchange. Specificity in cleavage was, however, decreased by replacement of ATP by adenosine 5′-(γ-thio)triphosphate (ATPγS), replacement of RecA protein by a mutant (RecAl) protein, or an increase in Mg2– concentration. We propose that RecA protein induces a special structural alteration, such as bending, perhaps sequentially, on ssDNA and that this altered site plays an important role in homologous pairing and strand exchange.
Chemical Applications of Topology and Group Theory. 29. Low Density Polymeric Carbon Allotropes Based on Negative Curvature Structures1

The construction of graphite and fullerene structures from networks of trigonal sp2 carbon atoms of zero and positive curvature can be extended to a fourth form of carbon, provisionally called schwarzites, consisting of networks of trigonal sp2 carbon atoms decorating infinite periodic minimal surfaces (IPMS's) of negative curvature and topological genus 3 such as the so-called D and P surfaces. The carbon networks of the simplest schwarzite structures contain only six- and seven-membered rings analogous to the fullerene networks containing only six- and five-membered rings. The stable structures of both fullerenes and schwarzites contain enough six-membered rings so that no two five-membered rings in the fullerene structures or no two seven-membered rings in the schwarzite structures share edges leading to unstable pentalene and heptalene units, respectively. The smallest unit cell of a viable schwarzite structure of this type contains 168 carbon atoms and is constructed by applying a leapfrog transforma...
Manganese absorption and retention in rats is affected by the type of dietary fat.

There is evidence that manganese (Mn) metabolism may be altered by the form and amount of dietary fat. Also, iron (Fe) absorption is greater with saturated fats, as compared to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The absorption of Fe and Mn are interrelated in many aspects; therefore, the form of dietary fat may indirectly alter Mn absorption. The reported studies were conducted to determine whether saturated fat, as compared to unsaturated fat, affected Mn absorption, retention, and metabolism. In experiment I, adult rats were fed diets containing either 0.7 or 100.4 µg/g Mn with the fat source as high-linoleic safflower oil or stearic acid. After 2 wk of equilibration, the animals were fed a test meal of 54Mn followed by whole-body counting for 10 d. Manganese absorption was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the stearic acid group (0.9–4.8%) than in the safflower oil group (20–33.8%); however, the biological half-life was shorter in the safflower oil group. Retention of 54Mn and total Mn was always significantly (p<0.05) greater in the safflower oil group when dietary Mn was low, but it was the same when dietary Mn was high. In experiment II, weanling rats were fed 1.3, 39.3, or 174.6 µg Mn/g and either stearate, high-oleic safflower oil or high-linoleic safflower oil for 8 wk. Long-term feeding of the stearate and low Mn-containing diet resulted in a significant (p<0.0001) reduction in heart superoxide dismutase activity and kidney and liver Mn concentrations compared to the other diets. These data show that stearic acid inhibitits Mn absorption, but it may not inhibit Mn retention when dietary Mn is high.
Assessment of Link Reliability as a Function of Congestion Components

Travelers’ perception of reliability of a road network is typically based on factors contributing to both recurring and nonrecurring congestion. However, literature documents little research to integrate, estimate and assess congestion using both these disparate congestion components. Integrating recurring and nonrecurring congestion components to estimate congestion helps address questions such as “How reliable are roads in the transportation network?” “Which path is more reliable to reach the destination from an origin within an on-time window during a certain time of the day?” The focus of this paper is to develop and illustrate the working of a methodology to estimate travel time and its variations, travel delay index due to crashes and their severity, congestion score and reliability of each link in the network. Traffic volume, link capacity, travel speed, crashes and their severity, and estimated time taken for normal traffic conditions to restore after a crash are used in the computations. Temporal...
Senescence and the healing rates of venous ulcers

Abstract Objective: Premature cellular senescence has been linked to venous hypertension and may contribute to delayed healing of venous ulcers. We hypothesized that the percentage of senescent cells in in vitro populations of fibroblasts isolated from venous ulcers is directly related to the clinical time-to-healing. Methods: Biopsy specimens were obtained from ulcer margins and unaffected dermal tissue of the ipsilateral thigh of seven patients with active venous ulcers. Using explant culture techniques, we obtained populations of wound fibroblasts and normal fibroblasts. The percentage of senescence in these cell populations was determined with X-Gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl β-D-galactoside), which was used as a stain for B-galactosidase, a biomarker for senescent dermal fibroblasts. The X-Gal stain is a peroxidase stain for B-galactosidase. All patients in the study were treated with compression dressings. On a weekly basis, digital images were taken until ulcers healed. Planimetric healing rates were calculated from these images, and an overall time-to-healing was recorded. All cytologic investigations were performed on first passage cells. Results: The average starting ulcer size was 4.2 cm 2 . Five of the data points represented healed ulcers. The two remaining patients withdrew from the study to pursue other therapies after having been treated with compression dressings for a long time. Linear regression analysis of healed ulcers identified a relationship between percent of senescence and time-to-healing, which was statistically significant ( R 2 = 0.81, P = .037). High percentages of senescent cells also had a correlation with slowed planimetric healing, which was not statistically significant. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a clinical correlation between quantitative in vitro senescence and time-to-healing. A percentage of senescence that is greater than 15% in populations of cells isolated from venous ulcers may identify a "difficult to heal" ulcer. There is no good clinical indicator for determining the likelihood of ulcer healing, but these results indicate that senescence percentage may have potential in this regard. (J Vasc Surg 2001;33:1206-11.)
NOTES ON NEOTROPICAL VACCINIEAE (ERICACEAE). VI. NEW SPECIES FROM THE CORDILLERA VILCABAMBA AND ADJACENT EASTERN PERU

Thibaudia dudleyi var.dudleyi and var.pseudostellata,Demosthenesia cordifolia,D. oppositifolia, andD. vilcabambensis from the Cordillera Vilcabamba, andCavendishia sirensis from the Cerros del Sira in eastern Peru are described and illustrated. The Cordillera Vilcabamba seems to be the center of distribution for the genusDemosthenesia.
Progress along developmental tracks for electronic health records implementation in the United States

The development and implementation of electronic health records (EHR) have occurred slowly in the United States. To date, these approaches have, for the most part, followed four developmental tracks: (a) Enhancement of immunization registries and linkage with other health records to produce Child Health Profiles (CHP), (b) Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) demonstration projects to link together patient medical records, (c) Insurance company projects linked to ICD-9 codes and patient records for cost-benefit assessments, and (d) Consortia of EHR developers collaborating to model systems requirements and standards for data linkage. Until recently, these separate efforts have been conducted in the very silos that they had intended to eliminate, and there is still considerable debate concerning health professionals access to as well as commitment to using EHR if these systems are provided. This paper will describe these four developmental tracks, patient rights and the legal environment for EHR, international comparisons, and future projections for EHR expansion across health networks in the United States.
Carrier Dynamics in Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Probed by Time-Resolved Fluorescence

Time-resolved fluorescence measurements of single-wall carbon nanotubes reveal carrier trapping rates as fast as 0.1ps-1. This rate, combined with the experimental absolute fluorescence quantum efficiency, yields radiative lifetimes of ~100ns. For excitation with multiple electron-hole pairs, Auger recombination dominates the nanotube decay dynamics.