cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Policy-basiertes Management: State-of-the-Art und zukünftige Fragestellungen

1. Einleitung Im Systemmanagement werden Policies als ein zentrales Werkzeug angesehen, um die kontinuierlich steigende Komplexitat und Dynamik verteilter Systeme zu bewaltigen und derzeit uberwiegend manuell durchgefuhrte Aufgaben zukunftig maschinell zu erledigen. Durch die Verwendung von Policies erhofft man sich eine signifikante Automatisierung der Managementprozesse, da ein Administrator im Sinne eines „Management by Objectives“ Verhaltensregeln definiert, die ein Managementsystem in die Lage versetzen sollen, anhand dieser vorgefertigten Regeln selbstandig zu entscheiden, wie es sich beim Eintreffen bestimmter Ereignisse verhalt. Durch die Verwendung von Policies ist ein Managementsystem in der Lage, auf unterschiedlichste Ereignisse korrekt zu reagieren, ohne das seine zugrundeliegende Programmlogik modifiziert werden mus [39]. Die folgende allgemein akzeptierte Definition von Policies spiegelt dieses Prinzip wieder: „Policies are rules governing the choices in behaviour of a system“ [35]. Eine Policy beschreibt ublicherweise eine Kombination aus Bedingung(en) und Aktion(en), die durch das Eintreffen eines Ereignisses getriggert werden. Ferner sind Policies persistent und beschreiben wiederholbare Verhaltensmuster; eine einmalig bzw. ad-hoc durch einen Administrator oder ein Managementsystem ausgefuhrte Aktion wird nicht als Policy betrachtet.
Optical preamplifier and receiver module for multichannel applications

A compact packaged receiver containing an optical pre-amplifier has been assembled and tested as a component for multi-wavelength applications. The increase in the number of channels that can be supported in a broadcast star network using such a component is estimated from experimental results, and directions for further improvements are proposed.
AN ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED INDIUM(I) TETRAMER

Abstract The first indium(I) alkyl, [InC(SiMe3)3]4 (1), has been prepared by treatment of InCl with LiC(SiMe3)3·2 THF in Et2O solution. Compound 1 crystallizes in the space group Pnma with a=30.465(2), b=13.855(2), c=17.824(2)A, and Z=4. Individual molecules of 1 feature a tetrahedral In4 core with an average indium-indium distance of 3.09(2)A.
Spirituality and Spiritual Self-Care Expanding Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory

The authors propose an integration of the concepts of spirituality and spiritual self-care within Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory as a critical step in theory development. Theoretical clarity is needed to understand the contributions of spirituality to health and well-being. Spirituality is the beliefs persons hold related to their subjective sense of existential connectedness including beliefs that reflect relationships with others, acknowledge a higher power, recognize an individual's place in the world, and lead to spiritual practices. Spiritual self-care is the set of spiritually-based practices in which people engage to promote continued personal development and well-being in health and illness.
On Herbrand's Theorem

We firstly survey several forms of Herbrand's theorem. What is commonly called “Herbrand's theorem” in many textbooks is actually a very simple form of Herbrand's theorem which applies only to ℬ∃-formulas; but the original statement of Herbrand's theorem applied to arbitrary first-order formulas. We give a direct proof, based on cut-elimination, of what is essentially Herbrand's original theorem. The “nocounterexample theorems” recently used in bounded and Peano arithmetic are immediate corollaries of this form of Herbrand's theorem. Secondly, we discuss the results proved in Herbrand's 1930 dissertation.
N-methyl-D-aspartate Receptor Subtypes: Multiple Roles in Excitotoxicity and Neurological Disease

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are the major mediator of excitotoxicity. Although physiological activation of the NMDA receptor is necessary for cell survival, overactivation is a signal for cell death. Several pathways are activated through NMDA receptor stimulation, most of which can contribute to excitotoxicity. These include events leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, activation of calcium-dependent enzymes, and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Understanding the role of these mechanisms is important in developing agents that block excitotoxicity without inhibiting functions necessary for survival. NMDA receptor subtypes may be responsible for mediating separate pathways, and subtype-specific inhibition has shown promising results in some neurological models. This review examines the roles of NMDA receptor subtypes in excitotoxicity and neurological disorders.
Toward adaptation and reuse of advanced robotic software

As robotic software systems become larger and more complex, it is increasingly important to reuse existing software components to control development costs. For a broad class of relatively simple components, ranging from sensor and actuation interfaces to many simple perception and navigation algorithms, this can be a reasonably straightforward process, and many excellent frameworks have been developed in recent years that support reuse of such components in novel systems. However, there is also a class of more advanced software components, such as for modeling and interacting with complex environments, for which reuse can be a much more challenging problem. In particular, many advanced robotic algorithms can be highly sensitive to the perception and actuation capabilities of the specific robots they are deployed on, in turn requiring significant and invasive modifications to accommodate the specific capabilities of a different robotic system. This work examines the nature of this sensitivity and proposes a novel design methodology for isolating a stable, reusable “core” algorithm from any platform-specific enhancements, or “supplemental” effects. Modern software engineering techniques are used to encapsulate these supplemental effects separately from the core algorithm, allowing platform-specific details to be accommodated by modular substitution instead of direct modification of the “core” component. This methodology is experimentally evaluated on existing software for autonomous driving behaviors, yielding useful insights into the creation of highly adaptable robotic software components.
Wavy magnetodisk in Saturn's outer magnetosphere

[1] A simple wavy magnetodisk model can explain periodicities in energetic charged particles observed in Saturn's outer magnetosphere (>20 RS). The model's free parameters are the tilt of magnetodisk in inner magnetosphere (~1.8°), speed of outgoing spiral wave (~8 RS/h), critical radius (~10 RS), and period of rotation (10.64 h). The fidelity of the model is not judged by a least squares fit to the actual data, but rather by the model's accuracy in reproducing the Lomb periodogram of the periodicities. The model accurately simulates the main spectral feature near ~10.7 h plus a secondary (“dual”) period near ~10.95 h. The ability of the wavy magnetodisk with one period to produce the observed dual periodicity in the observations suggests that models having “dual” periods need not be invoked to explain some of the periodicities in Saturn's outer magnetosphere.
A note on the behaviour of the log rank permutation test under unequal censoring

This note studies the extent to which the type I error of the permutation test based on the log rank score departs from its nominal value in the presence of unequal right censoring. For the asymptotic case, situations are identified that lead to conservative and to nonconservative behaviour, and the amount of conservatism is computed for some specific constant hazard situations. A small Monte Carlo study is used to support the relevance of the asymptotic results in a finite sample setting. That the log rank permutation test is not exact in the presence of unequal right censoring is clearly indicated.
A Parallel, Multi-Resolution Sensing Technique for Multiple Antenna Cognitive Radios

A parallel, multi-resolution spectrum sensing technique that is amenable to multiple-antenna cognitive radios is introduced. The authors show that for energy-detector-type spectrum sensors, the total sensing time due to FFT latency is reduced by 100 times using the proposed method versus the fixed-resolution, serial detection method employed in single-antenna systems. System-level tradeoffs such as the number of antennas, sensing bandwidth, and FFT size are also explored.
Performance analysis of binary code protection

Software protection technology seeks to prevent unauthorized observation or use of applications. Cryptography can be used to provide such protection, but imposes a potentially significant additional computation load. This paper examines the performance impact of two software protection techniques. We develop an analytic model and validate it using a detailed discrete-event simulator applied to memory reference traces of well-known benchmark programs. We find that even though the added workload may be large, that impact is often dominated by inherent costs of disk activity.
Trends in thin film photovoltaic technology development [for space application]

This paper presents recent developments in thin film photovoltaic technology. Thin film solar cells, though less efficient than single crystal multijunction cells, may hold significant advantages in both cost and weight. For example, a typical thin film cell may weigh about 0.1 kg/m/sup 2/, compared to more than 1 kg/m/sup 2/ for an encapsulated single crystal silicon cell. It is anticipated that as thin film blanket efficiencies increase, these significant weight savings will translate into large cost savings for certain space applications. In particular, small satellites with low power requirements (<5 kW) will benefit most from thin film technology. Cost advantages hold promise for terrestrial applications as well. For terrestrial use, however, the critical metric is cost per watt, while for space other issues, such as radiation resistance, strength and stability under temperature cycling are important. Two promising materials currently being investigated as candidates for higher-efficiency (12-15%) manufacturable blanket photovoltaics are copper indium diselenide on both polymer and thin stainless steel substrates, and amorphous silicon. One or both of these materials may soon reach the cost and efficiency goals necessary for thin film terrestrial cells to compete well in terms of dollars per watt with single crystal technology. Space applications would become feasible even before this threshold, however. Recent progress in the processing and manufacturability of these materials is reviewed, and anticipated developments and trends discussed.
Digital generation of continuous filtered Gaussian noise

Filtered white noise may be represented as a train of impulse responses of the noise filter. Use is made of Campbell's theorem to show that the probability density function of the noise amplitude is Gaussian when the number of impulse responses becomes large, and the impulse responses are equally likely positive or negative and are Poisson distributed along the time axis. By taking advantage of the property [Equation] it will be shown that the output of a simple RC filter can be represented as [Equation] This result is easily extended to include any linear filter.
High-repetition-rate coherent femtosecond pulse amplification with an external passive optical cavity

We demonstrate a general technique for enhancement of femtosecond pulses from a pulse train through their coherent buildup inside a high-finesse cavity. Periodic extraction of the intracavity pulse by means of a fast switch provides a net energy gain of 42 to >70 times for 38-58-fs pulse durations. Starting with an actively stabilized but otherwise standard mode-locked laser system, we demonstrate pulses of >200-nJ energy.
Mx-rMx, a Family of Interacting Transposons in the Growing hAT Superfamily of Maize

More than half a century after the discovery of transposable elements, the number of genetically defined autonomous elements that have been isolated and characterized molecularly in any one species remains surprisingly small. Because of its rich genetic history, maize (Zea mays) is, by far, the plant with the largest number of such elements. Yet, even in maize, a maximum of only two autonomous elements have been characterized in any transposon superfamily. This article describes the isolation and molecular and genetic characterization of Mx (for mobile element induced by x-rays), a third autonomous member of the hAT transposon superfamily in maize. Mx is 3731 bp long, ends in 13-bp terminal inverted repeats (TIRs), and causes an 8-bp duplication of the target site. Mx and rMx (for responder to Mx), its 571-bp nonautonomous partner, define a classical family of interacting transposable elements. Surprisingly, the TIRs of Mx and rMx are only 73% identical, and the subterminal sequences are even less so, suggesting that Mx and rMx may represent diverging transposable elements still capable of mobilization by the same transposase. Sequences that are closer to the ends of either Mx or rMx are present in the maize genome. Mx is predicted to encode a 674–amino acid protein that is homologous to the Ac transposase. Although Mx and Ac are closely related, they do not interact. Other data suggest that maize may possess at least five families of hAT transposons that do not interact with each other. The possible origin of noninteracting transposon families within the same superfamily is discussed.
Improved Adhesion for SiO2 Particles on Silica Substrates using Helium-Ion Irradiation

We have examined the effects of irradiation with 200 keV helium ions on the adhesion and optical transmission properties of 220 nm thick antireflective, optical coatings that consisted of layers of spherical, 20 nm diameter silica particles. In the as-deposited state these sol-gel coatings have very low adhesion to the fused silica subtrates. Results for adhesion and optical transmission have been obtained for doses of 1013–1017 He/cm2. Significant improvement in adhesion was found for doses exceeding about 2×1014 He/cm2. Optical transmission measurements for wavelengths of 200–1200 nm showed increasing absorption with dose. We have evidence that the helium ions decompose various contaminants in the coating into two types of degradation products. One is volatile and the other remains in the coating as optically absorbing species. UV/oxidative-gas treatment effectively removes the absorbing species.
Level 3 Assets: Booking Profits, Concealing Losses

Fair value accounting forces institutions to revalue their inventory whenever a new transaction price is observed. An institution facing a balance sheet constraint can have incentives to suspend trading in Level 3 assets (traded on opaque over-the-counter markets) to avoid such marking-to-market. This way the asset’s book valuation can be kept artificially high, thereby relaxing the institution’s balance sheet constraint. But, the institution loses direct control of its asset holdings, leading to possible excessive risk exposure. Solving this ’real options’ problem, the institution will report profits as they occur, but will delay reporting losses. A regulator trying to reign in risk-taking faces ambiguous tools in fines for balance sheet manipulation and capital requirements: somewhat counter-intuitively, they can increase risk-taking and balance sheet manipulation. Audits in general decrease risk-taking but may be costly to the regulator. Outside investors, who do not know at what price the asset would trade, reduce their valuation of the bank’s balance sheet the longer the asset has not traded. Their expected discount from reported book value is convex in time since last trade. The model provides predictions on the distribution of a bank’s trading gains in illiquid markets and the impact of regulatory policy.
Recurrent Atherosclerotic Obstruction of the Internal Carotid Artery Five Years After Endarterectomy

A patient is described in whom an obstructive atherosclerotic plaque recurred in the cervical portion of the internal carotid artery five years after endarterectomy. The lesion appeared to be a new formation of atheromatous material contiguous to the site of the previous arteriotomy and resulted in neurological symptoms almost identical to those experienced by the patient five years before. This case suggests that the treatment of cerebral ischemia by surgical removal of stenotic lesions in the extracranial cerebral arteries may produce only temporary relief of symptoms and emphasizes the need, following endarterectomy, for medical therapy of the underlying atherosclerotic disease.
Single unit studies on the dorsal and intermediate acoustic striae

Studies were made of the fiber compositon and of single unit dischage characteristics in the dorsal and intermediate acoustic straie. Counts of fibers and cells revealed more than twice as many fibers as cochlear nucleus cells of the types known to contribute axons to these tracts. Recordings were made in the striae to confirm the classes of discharge patterns which are transmitted from the posterior cochlear nucleus to more central structures and to seek evidence for descending activity entering the cochlear nucleus through the striae. Discharge patterns of the majority of units resembled those seen in previous studies when recordings were made from regions of the cochlear nucleus which are known to contribute fibers to the striae. Some patterns, however, were unlike any which have been reported in the cochlear nucleus on the same side as the recording site, but resembled activity of other auditory structures, suggesting that these were descending inputs. To confirm the presence of descending activity, recordings were made in the dorsal acoustic stria at a point medial to where the stria had been completely severed. Recordings made under these conditions demonstrated the presence of descending activity. The physiological findings help explain the disparity between the counts of fibers and cells, and point out a need for more detailed descriptions of the origins of descending inputs through the striae.
Impacts of wildfire on runoff and sediment loads at Little Granite Creek, western Wyoming

Abstract Baseline data on rates of sediment transport provide useful information on the inherent variability of stream processes and may be used to assess departure in channel form or process from disturbances. In August 2000, wildfire burned portions of the Little Granite Creek watershed near Bondurant, WY where bedload and suspended sediment measurements had been collected during 13 previous runoff seasons. This presented an opportunity to quantify increases in sediment loads associated with a large-scale natural disturbance. The first three years post-fire were warm and dry, with low snowpacks and few significant summer storms. Despite relatively low flows during the first runoff season, the estimated sediment load was about five times that predicted from regression of data from the pre-burn record. Increased sediment loading occurred during the rising limb and peak of snowmelt (54%) and during the few summer storms (44%). While high during the first post-fire year, total annual sediment yield decreased during the next two years, indicating an eventual return to baseline levels. The results from this sediment monitoring lacked some of the more dramatic responses that have been observed in other watersheds following fire. In other environments, moderate-to-high intensity rainstorms caused significant flooding, widespread debris flows and channel incision and aggradation. A few moderate intensity storms (
Retinoic acid stimulates placental hormone secretion by choriocarcinoma cell lines in vitro.

Retinoic acid (RA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, is an important mediator of cellular differentiation and has been shown to stimulate human CG (hCG) secretion by JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells in vitro. In order to determine whether RA stimulates the hCG secretion by other trophoblastic cell lines, we evaluated the effect of RA on hCG, hCG-α subunit (hCG-α), and progesterone secretion in three choriocarcinoma cell lines: JEG-3, JAR, and BeWo. RA stimulated hCG and hCG-α secretion in a dose-dependent fashion by each of the three cell lines. The time required to give a statistically significant increment of hCG and hCG-α over control cells was 48 h. The addition RA to cholera toxin (10 μg/ ml) resulted in an additive or synergistic stimulation of hCG and hCG-α secretion by the three cell lines. Cycloheximide (1 μM) abolished the effect of RA on hCG and hCG-α secretion in the BeWo cell line. Progesterone secretion in response to RA was inconsistent. Progesterone secretion by both JEG-3 and BeWo cell lines...
Analysis of quorum sensing-deficient clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces multiple virulence factors and causes different types of infections. Previous clinical studies identified P. aeruginosa isolates that lack individual virulence factors. However, the impact of losing several virulence factors simultaneously on the in vivo virulence of P. aeruginosa is not completely understood. The P. aeruginosa cell-to-cell communication system, or quorum sensing (QS), controls the production of several virulence factors. Animal studies using constructed QS mutants indicated that loss of the QS system severely impacts the virulence of P. aeruginosa. In this study, we tried to determine if deficiency within the QS system compromises the ability of P. aeruginosa to establish infections in humans. We have identified five QS-deficient strains through screening 200 isolates from patients with urinary tract, lower respiratory tract and wound infections. These strains lacked LasB and LasA activities and produced either no or very low levels of the autoinducers N-(3-oxododecanoyl) homoserine lactone and N-butyryl homoserine lactone. PCR analysis revealed that three isolates contained all four QS genes (lasI, lasR, rhlI and rhlR) while two isolates lacked both the lasR and rhlR genes. We also examined the five isolates for other virulence factors. The isolates produced variable levels of exotoxin A and, with one exception, were deficient in pyocyanin production. One isolate produced the type III secretion system (TTSS) effector proteins ExoS and ExoT, two isolates produced ExoT only and two isolates produced no TTSS proteins. The isolates produced weak to moderate biofilms on abiotic surfaces. Analysis of the patients’ data revealed that two of the isolates represented a single strain that was isolated twice from the same patient within a 1 month interval. One QS-deficient clinical isolate (CI-1) lacked all tested virulence factors and produced a weak biofilm. These results suggest that naturally occurring QS-deficient strains of P. aeruginosa do occur and are capable of causing infections; and, that besides the known virulence factors, additional factors may contribute to the ability of certain strains such as CI-1 to establish an infection.
A single-base change at a splice site in a β0-thalassemic gene causes abnormal RNA splicing

We have studied the structure and transcription of a cloned human beta-globin gene from a fetus diagnosed for beta 0 thalassemia. The sequence of the beta 0 gene differs from that of a normal beta-globin gene at positions 1 and 74 of the second intervening sequence (IVS2). The position 1 change alters the GT dinucleotide conserved at 5' splice sites, while the position 74 change is a common sequence polymorphism. When the cloned beta 0 gene is introduced into HeLa cells by use of an SV40-derived plasmid vector, two abnormally spliced cytoplasmic beta-globin RNAs are detected. The predominant RNA differs from normal beta-globin mRNA by the insertion of the first 47 nucleotides of IVS2 between exons 2 and 3. The less abundant RNA comprises the normal first exon spliced directly to the third. Analysis of nuclear RNA suggests that the beta 0 transcript is inefficiently spliced and that the removal of the two intervening sequences is coupled.
LABORATORY TESTING TO SIMULATE VAPOR SPACE CORROSION IN RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE TANKS

Radioactive liquid waste has been stored in underground carbon steel tanks for nearly 70 years at the Hanford nuclear facility. Vapor space corrosion of the tank walls has emerged as an ongoing challenge to overcome in maintaining the structural integrity of these tanks. The interaction between corrosive and inhibitor species in condensates/supernates on the tank wall above the liquid level, and their interaction with vapor phase constituents as the liquid evaporates from the tank wall influences the formation of corrosion products and the corrosion of the carbon steel. An effort is underway to gain an understanding of the mechanism of vapor space corrosion. Localized corrosion, in the form of pitting, is of particular interest in the vapor space. CPP testing was utilized to determine the susceptibility of the steel in a simulated vapor space environment. The tests also investigated the impact of ammonia gas in the vapor space area on the corrosion of the steel. Vapor space coupon tests were also performed to investigate the evolution of the corrosion products during longer term exposures. These tests were also conducted at vapor space ammonia levels of 50 and 550 ppm NH{sub 3} (0.005, and 0.055 vol.%) in air. Ammonia was shown to mitigate vapor space corrosion.
Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns Across the Continuum of Care for Children Hospitalized With Community-acquired Pneumonia

The aim of this study was to describe the variation in antibiotic prescribing practices for uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia across the continuum of care for hospitalized pediatric patients to better inform future efforts at standardizing antibiotic therapy throughout a single hospitalization. This is a retrospective cohort study involving 4 hospitals caring for children aged 3 months to 18 years, hospitalized between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012, with diagnosis of uncomplicated pneumonia and without complex chronic medical conditions. Data collected include antibiotics prescribed before hospitalization, at the emergency department (ED) encounter, during hospitalization, and at hospital discharge. Six hundred nine children met inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 5.3 years and median length of stay of 2 days. Emergency department providers prescribed narrow-spectrum therapy 27% of the time, whereas discharging providers prescribed narrow-spectrum therapy 56% of the time. Third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins were less often prescribed in the preadmission setting and at discharge but were more often prescribed in the ED and inpatient setting. There was an association between inpatient prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics when a blood culture was obtained, when broad-spectrum antibiotics were prescribed in the ED, and with increasing length of stay. Broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia, especially third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, often originates in the ED. When initiated in this setting, it is likely to be continued in the inpatient setting.
Tuning in by tuning out distractions.

Working memory is a limited workspace for temporarily holding information in mind, and it is critical for thinking and problem solving. A person’s ability to perform a variety of complicated intelligent behaviors, such as abstract reasoning, mathematics, and acquiring new languages, depends greatly on his or her specific working memory capacity. Those with a high capacity perform better on measures of fluid intelligence and scholastic aptitude than their low-capacity counterparts (1, 2). For the past 15 years, much of the work on individual differences in capacity has indicated that differences between people are largely because of attentional control, which allows one to focus on relevant information and ignore distractions (3, 4). However, it has always been unclear whether the advantages of high-capacity individuals are due to their ability to “tune in” the important stuff or to their ability to “tune out” the unimportant stuff. In PNAS, Gaspar et al. (5) provide exciting new evidence that the main benefit of a high-capacity mind is the ability to quickly and effectively suppress distracting information.
Workstation Designs for a Cis-Lunar Deep Space Habitat

Using the International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) system, a suite of workstations required for deep space missions have been proposed to fill out habitation functions in an International Space Station (ISS) derived Cis-lunar Deep Space Habitat. This paper introduces the functional layout of the Cis-lunar habitat design, and describes conceptual designs for modular deployable work surfaces, General Maintenance Workstation (GMWS), In-Space Manufacturing Workstation (ISMW), Intra-Vehicular Activity Telerobotics Work Station (IVA-TRWS), and Galley / Wardroom.
Pesticide Processing Potential in Prairie Pothole Porewaters

Prairie pothole lakes (PPLs) are located within the extensively farmed Great Plains region of North America, and many are negatively impacted by nonpoint source pesticide pollution. To date, the environmental fate of pesticides in these lakes remains largely unknown. In this study, two PPLs in the Cottonwood Lake area of North Dakota were sampled, and transformations of four chloroacetanilide pesticides in sediment porewaters were examined. The reduced sulfur species in the porewaters, such as bisulfide (HS–) and polysulfides (Sn2–), readily transformed the target pesticides into sulfur-substituted products. Although HS– and Sn2– played a dominant role, other reactive constituents in PPL porewaters also contributed to the transformation. Results from this study revealed that abiotic reactions with reduced sulfur species could represent an important removal pathway for pesticides entering PPLs.
Juvenile Hormone Effects on the Sub-cellular Distribution of Acid Phosphatase in the Large Milkweed Bug

Newly ecdysed 5th-instar male milkweed bugs (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) were treated with a juvenile hormone mimic or with acetone (control). At selected intervals after treatment, ca. 1 g samples of the bugs were homogenized and subjected to differential centrifugation. Assays of acid phosphatase activity on the nuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal, and soluble fractions showed no statistical differences between the JH- and acetone-treated bugs. The lysosomal fraction of the JH-treated bugs showed an increase in acid phosphatase activity over the control bugs during the middle portion (ca. 30–60%) of the stadium.
Abstract 3001: The expression of HER2 in human breast cancer cells leads to massive alteration of RNA polymerase II binding and gene activation

Background. Herceptin, which targets the protein HER2, has poor efficacy as a monotherapy. To better understand the role of HER2, we compared isogenic HER2 expressing and non-expressing cells for the distribution for RNA polymerase II (POL II) on promoters and RNA expression. Methods. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed with anti-RNA polymerase II (POL II) in high HER2-expressing and non-expressing MCF7 cells as well as two breast cancer cell lines with naturally amplified HER2; MDA453 and BT474. Binding of POL II was assessed on Agilent promoter arrays. Gene activation in the same cells was assessed by expression analysis using U133plus2 arrays. Results. De novo expression of HER2 in MCF7 cells causes POLII to interact strongly with 606 genes not bound in empty vector control cells (p 1.4). POL II also interacts 1079 genes that are common between HER2-expressing and control cells. Conversely, 678 genes were bound more tightly by POL II in the control (p off rate and declines with either an increase (stalled) or decrease (not interacting) in binding. 42%, of the HER2-dependent gene interactions and transcription changes occur in both of the human cancer cell lines with naturally amplified HER2. These observations reveal a much expanded role of HER2 in gene regulation and indicate a greatly extended role in gene activation in HER2-positive breast cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3001. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3001
Confessing to be an Indian: Penance and the Creation of a Native Self in José de Acosta's Missiology

In his missionary manual, De procuranda indorum salute (written in 1577; published in 1588), Jose de Acosta singled out penance as the cornerstone of a sacramental practice geared toward the soteri...
The surgical approach to gastrointestinal scleroderma. Report of a case with partial colonic resection.

A case is presented of a woman with scleroderma involving her entire digestive tract in a patchy distribution. Fecal impaction of a long segment of the left colon remained refractory to any treatment and produced partial intestinal obstruction until it was removed surgically. The difficulties of diagnosis and treatment of intestinal scleroderma are discussed. This is the first patient reported to have survived surgical removal of a sclerodermatous colonic segment.
The Carlitz Module

We present here the details of the Carlitz module. This is the simplest of all Drinfeld modules and may be given in a concrete, elementary fashion. At the same time, most essential ideas about Drinfeld modules appear in the theory of the Carlitz module. Thus it is an excellent example for the reader to master and keep in mind when reading the more abstract general theory. Our basic reference is [C1], but see also [Go2].
Nitrogen Form and Solution pH Effect on Organic Acid Content of Cranberry Roots and Shoots

The effect of N form and solution pH on the carboxylic and phenolic acid content of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. cv. Searles) shoots and roots was determined in a greenhouse experiment. The predominant carboxylic acids measured were malate and citrate. Protocatechuic acid was the dominant phenolic acid detected. Total organic acid concentrations were unaffected by N form supplied. In shoots, higher total concentrations of organic acids were found at pH 4.5 than at 6.5 in the shoot, but there was little pH effect in the roots. A unique characteristic of many Erica- ceous plants is their adaptation to ammonium-N nutrition and low soil-pH conditions. Previous work has shown that cranberries respond bet- ter to NH 4-N than to NO3-N (Greidanus et al., 1972), although NO3-N has sometimes been beneficial (Dirr, 1974; Leschyson and Eaton, 1971). Our experiments showed that cran- berry fresh weight accumulation and final dry weight were higher when plants were supplied with either NH 4-N or NH4-N/NO3-N than with NO3-N alone (Rosen et al., 1990). Mechanisms for tolerance of NH4-N by Vaccinium spp. are not known, but may be related to a lower cation requirement or a greater ability to synthesize organic acids in the absence of NO3-N compared to nontolerant plants (Salsac et al., 1987). For most plants, shoot concentrations of carboxylic acids are higher with NO3-N nutrition, due to the re- quirement for charge balance for the cations accompanying nitrate uptake once the nitrate is reduced and assimilated (Haynes and Goh, 1.0; MgSO4·7H2O, 0.75; K2 SO4, 0.5; Ca(H2PO4)2, 0.13; (in µM): FeNaEDTA, 80; H3BO3, 46; MnCl2·4H2O, 9; ZnSO4·7H2O, 0.8; CuSO4·5H2O, 0.3; H2MoO4·H2O, 0.1. Treat- ments were imposed in a randomized com- plete-block design with four replications, with NH 4-N only, NH4/NO3-N and NO3-N only in a factorial combination, with pH treatments of 4.5 and 6.5. All N levels were adjusted to 2 mM using (NH4)2SO4 in the NH4-N only solution, NH4NO3 in the NH4/NO3-N solution, and Ca(NO3)z in the NO3-N only solution. Solu- tions were changed every 14 days and pH adjusted daily. To inhibit nitrification, 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine (nitrapyrin) was added to all solutions at the
Dental Cements and Bioceramics

This chapter deals with the dental cements and bioceramics. The advancements in dental and biomaterials presented here demonstrate that CBPCs have distinct advantages over sintered ceramics. By means of room temperature processing, it has been possible to develop CBPCs that set under biological conditions, mimic bones with carbonate apatite, and are compatible with actual bones. Thus, chemical bonding to produce biomaterials may be a natural way to go. CBPCs may have an important role even in the production of artificial implants. Typically, one may exploit rapid prototyping to produce exact shapes of the implants. From a practical standpoint, formation of a ceramic out of a paste would appear to be most suitable for rapid-prototyping processes. Thus, coupling CBPC with rapid prototyping can lead to artificial body parts that not only match the natural bones in their composition, but in structure as well. Finally, the science of CBPCs paves the way for their use not only as dental cements and bioceramics, but for many other applications as well.
Alternative Methods of Activation of the Stem Cell Niche Reveal a Spatial Localization of Primitive Cells in the Bone Marrow

Abstract 2396 Osteoblasts are key constituents of the murine hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) endosteal niche, evidenced by the fact that increasing their activity leads to an increase in the number of HSCs. However, recent studies have also suggested a role of the bone resorbing osteoclast in the HSC niche. In these studies we wished to examine whether activation of the osteoblast or the osteoclast had differing effects on the primitive hematopoietic cell populations. To achieve this we pharmacologically activated osteoclasts and osteoblasts using receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANK-L) and parathyroid hormone (PTH), respectively. Our in vitro results demonstrated that both PTH and RANK-L treatment of bone marrow stromal cell populations activated osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Yet, RANK-L treatment, which is able to expand the osteoclastic population to a much higher degree, demonstrated enhanced support of primitive hematopoietic cells in cobblestone area forming cell assays. We next examined the effects of in vivo treatment with RANK-L and PTH by performing histological analyses to study the effect of these treatments on bone composition, and examining the effects on different HSC sub-populations. These data suggested that the effects of our treatment regimens were different according to the region of the bone, with RANK-L treatment having no effect or leading to a reduction in trabecular bone in the metaphysis, but an increase in bone remodeling activity at the endosteal surface of the cortical bone in the diaphysis, while PTH treatment increases bone formation and remodeling activity both in the diaphysis and the trabecular bone of the metaphysis. Correlating with this was our observations that LT-HSC frequency was increased following RANK-L and PTH treatment, yet an increased ST-HSC frequency was only observed following PTH treatment. Direct examination of HSCs in specific regions of the bone indicated that RANK-L treatment preferentially increased the LT-HSCs in the diaphysis region of the bone marrow, while PTH treatment specifically increased the ST-HSC population in the metaphysis. These data not only reveal a supportive role for osteoclasts in the HSC niche suggesting that osteoclast interaction with osteoblasts is an essential component for maintaining HSC population in the bone marrow niche, they also suggest a possible structural organization for localization of LT-HSC vs. ST-HSCs in the long bone with LT-HSCs being more localized in the endosteal surface of the diaphysis area of the long bones as oppose to the ST-HSCs having a preference for the metaphysis of these bones. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Rare Case of Macrophage Activation Syndrome in a Neonate

Macrophage activation syndrome is excessive proliferation of macrophages associated with hemophagocytosis in bone marrow. It is characterized by fever >38.5oC for ≥7 days, splenomegaly, cytopenias (≥2 lineages), hypertriglyceridemia/ hypofibrinogenemia & hemophagocytosis. MAS occurying in neonatal period is very rare & only 2 sporadic case reports are available.We report a case of a neonate with MAS who presented with unremitting fever, hepatosplenomegaly, cytopenia, hyperferritinemia, with bone marrow suggestive of Hemophagocytosis.
Comparison of Azithromycin versus Erythromycin for Prolongation of Latency in Pregnancies Complicated by Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes

Objective To assess the impact on the duration of latency to delivery when a single oral dose of azithromycin is substituted for erythromycin in the standard antibiotic regimen used in pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). Study Design A retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM between 23 and 33 6/7 weeks of gestation from January 2012 to June 2016. Patients prior to June 2014 received a standard antibiotic regimen of 7 days of erythromycin and ampicillin/amoxicillin. After this period, patients received a single oral dose of azithromycin 1 g substituted for erythromycin in this regimen. Primary outcome was latency from PPROM to delivery. Results One hundred sixty-two women met the inclusion criteria, 84 in the erythromycin group and 78 in the azithromycin group. There was no difference in the median latency from PPROM to delivery between the groups (erythromycin: 6.37 days, interquartile range [IQR]: 3.59–10.93 vs. azithromycin: 5.86 days, IQR: 3.12–12.05, p = 0.75). There was a higher rate of cesarean delivery (48.8 vs. 29.5%, p = 0.01) and positive neonatal blood cultures (13.6 vs. 4.1%, p = 0.05) in the erythromycin group. Conclusion There is no difference in latency to delivery when a single oral dose of azithromycin 1 g is substituted for erythromycin in the standard antibiotic regimen used in singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM.
Abstract 170: Role of Central GSK-3ß in Mediating Exercise-induced Improvement in Inflammatory Cytokines and Reduction in Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Rats

Although exercise has been recommended for the treatment of hypertension (HTN), the precise mechanisms of effects of exercise training (ExT) in HTN remain largely unexplored. Based on our recent unpublished results, here we tested the hypothesis that central increase in GSK-3β activity would cause reversal of effects of ExT in HTN. To increase GSK-3β activity in the brain, we chronically injected Triciribine (TCN) by intracerebroventricular (ICV) route. 90 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into six groups (n=15/group): 1) Sal+Ex+Veh; 2) Sal+Ex+TCN; 3) AngII+Sed+Veh; 4) AngII+Sed+TCN; 5) AngII+Ex+Veh; 6) AngII+Ex+TCN (Sal, saline; Ex, exercise; Veh, vehicle; Sed, sedentary). Rats were given AngII (hypertensive) or Veh (Normotensive) via osmotic minipumps. Groups 1, 2, 5, and 6 received moderate-intensity ExT for 42 days; groups 3 and 4 were sedentary. MAP was measured by radio-telemetry and cardiac function by echocardiography. The PVN tissues were examined for TNF, IL-1β, IL-10, and oxidative stress markers (iNOS, NOX2) levels. ExT delayed the progression of HTN, and improved cardiac hypertrophy and function in hypertensive rats. Chronic ICV infusion of TCN prevented these beneficial changes (Table). TCN prevented exercise-induced improvement in balance between pro- and anti-inflamamtory cytokines as well as exercise-induced reduction in oxidative stress within the PVN of hypertensive rats. These findings provide direct evidence that the beneficial effects of regular moderate-intensity ExT in HTN are mediated, at least in part, by reduced activation of central GSK-3β and potentially via improvement in inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress within the PVN.
Antibacterial Activity and Toxicity of Analogs of Scorpion Venom IsCT Peptides.

Seven analogs of the natural, α-helix peptides IsCT1 and IsCT2—found in the venom of scorpion Opithancatus Madagascariensis—have been synthesized and tested to compare their antibacterial and hemolytic activity against natural peptides. In general, results show that increasing hydrophobicity by substituting positions 5 and 9 of the sequences with alanine, valine, and leucine, enhances antibacterial activity. However, this also increases hemolytic activity. The analog with an increased net positive charge from +1 to +3 produces moderate bacterial growth inhibition but also has high hemolytic activity. On the other hand, the analog with a negative net charge (−1) has low antibacterial properties but also no cytotoxicity under the tested conditions, a similar result was found for five of the seven studied analogs.
MiR-34a regulates the invasive capacity of canine osteosarcoma cell lines

Background Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common bone tumor in children and dogs; however, no substantial improvement in clinical outcome has occurred in either species over the past 30 years. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and play a fundamental role in cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential contribution of miR-34a loss to the biology of canine OSA, a well-established spontaneous model of the human disease. Methodology and principal findings RT-qPCR demonstrated that miR-34a expression levels were significantly reduced in primary canine OSA tumors and canine OSA cell lines as compared to normal canine osteoblasts. In canine OSA cell lines stably transduced with empty vector or pre-miR-34a lentiviral constructs, overexpression of miR-34a inhibited cellular invasion and migration but had no effect on cell proliferation or cell cycle distribution. Transcriptional profiling of canine OSA8 cells possessing enforced miR-34a expression demonstrated dysregulation of numerous genes, including significant down-regulation of multiple putative targets of miR-34a. Moreover, gene ontology analysis of down-regulated miR-34a target genes showed enrichment of several biological processes related to cell invasion and motility. Lastly, we validated changes in miR-34a putative target gene expression, including decreased expression of KLF4, SEM3A, and VEGFA transcripts in canine OSA cells overexpressing miR-34a and identified KLF4 and VEGFA as direct target genes of miR-34a. Concordant with these data, primary canine OSA tumor tissues demonstrated increased expression levels of putative miR-34a target genes. Conclusions These data demonstrate that miR-34a contributes to invasion and migration in canine OSA cells and suggest that loss of miR-34a may promote a pattern of gene expression contributing to the metastatic phenotype in canine OSA.
Assessing the role of reward in task selection using a reward-based voluntary task switching paradigm

People exhibit a remarkable ability to both maintain controlled focus on executing a single task and flexibly shift between executing several tasks. Researchers studying human multitasking have traditionally focused on the cognitive control mechanisms that allow for such stable and flexible task execution, but there has been a recent interest in how cognitive control mechanisms drive the decision of task selection. The present research operationalizes a foraging analogy to investigate what factors drive the decision to either exploit task repetitions or explore task switches. A novel paradigm-reward-based voluntary task switching-ascribes point values to tasks where the overall goal is to accumulate points as quickly as possible. The reward structure generally rewards switching tasks, thereby juxtaposing the motivation to gain increased reward (by exploring task switches) against the motivation to perform quickly (by exploiting task repetitions). Results suggest that people are highly sensitive to changes in both reward and effort demands when making task selections, and that the task selection process is efficient and flexible. We argue that a cost-benefit mechanism might underlie decisions in multitasking contexts, whereby people compute task selections based on both the reward available for selecting a task and the effort necessary to execute a task.