cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of a mitochondrial apoptosis pathway induced by calcitriol in combination with ketoconazole and dexamethasone in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells

4041 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (calcitriol) has significant antiproliferative activity in vitro and in vivoin a number of tumor models. We demonstrated that ketoconazole, an inhibitor of CYP24, the enzyme that catalyzes calcitriol catabolism, synergizes with calcitriol and dexamethasone (dex) as measured by the median dose effect using the human prostate cancer PC-3 cell line. This combination also demonstrates significantly greater in vivo activity in the PC-3 model as compared to any agent alone. To examine enhanced apoptotic effects, we examined the caspase-8/caspase-6 and the caspase-9/caspase-3/PARP pathways. Immunoblot analyses show no significant changes in cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3 and the downstream effector PARP in the cells treated with calcitriol/ketoconazole/dex. Cytochrome c was present in the mitochondria with the combination and each agent alone, however, no cytochrome c was detected in the cytosolic fraction. Increased expression of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) was observed when cells were treated with the calcitriol, ketoconazole and dex three -drug combination as compared to any agent alone in both the cytosol and nuclear extract fraction. The release of AIF from the mitochondria without detectable increase in cytosolic cytochrome c suggests that the caspase-9/caspase-3/PARP pathway is not likely involved in apoptosis. Treatment of PC-3 cells with calcitriol/ketoconazole/dex was associated with a significant increase in the cleavage/activation of caspase-8, caspase-6 and cleavage of Bid to form tBid. An increase in cleavage of nuclear lamin A, a major target of caspase-6 was also observed with calcitriol/ketoconazole/dex as compared to any agent alone. In addition, cleavage of nuclear lamin A activated the process of nuclear condensation and apoptosis. Therefore, these data demonstrated the involvement of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway through over-expression of apoptosis-inducing factor during calcitriol/ketoconazole/dex-induced apoptosis of the PC-3 prostate cancer cell line. This work supported by NIH grants CA67267, CA95045 and CA85142.
Meta-analytic relations between thinking styles and intelligence

Abstract Objective The current meta-analysis sought to examine the relations of individual differences in intelligence with individual differences in reflective (or rational or analytic) thinking style and intuitive thinking style. Method Using multiple search strategies, we located 8,425 data sources that we considered for inclusion in the current meta-analysis. The screening of the data sources resulted in 58 independent non-clinical samples with adult participants (N = 15,569). Results Using Schmidt and Hunter's (2015) meta-analytic procedures, we found a significant positive meta-analytic relation between reflective thinking style and intelligence (ρ = 0.274, 95% CI = 0.114 to 0.340) and a nonsignificant negative relation between intuitive thinking style and intelligence (ρ = −0.095; 95% CI = −0.203 to 0.013). In addition to the main effects, we reported the results of publication bias tests and moderator analyses. Conclusion We discussed the results in terms of their contribution and future research directions. Given our results, an important future research direction involves examining the additive (i.e., incremental) and interactive effects of thinking styles and intelligence on important decision-making outcomes (e.g., job performance, health behavior).
Control of synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability in the parabrachial nucleus

Abstract The parabrachial nucleus (PB) is a hub for aversive behaviors, including those related to pain. We have shown that the expression of chronic pain is causally related to amplified activity of PB neurons, and to changes in synaptic inhibition of these neurons. These findings indicate that regulation of synaptic activity in PB may modulate pain perception and be involved in the pathophysiology of chronic pain. Here, we identify the roles in PB of signaling pathways that modulate synaptic functions. In pharmacologically isolated lateral PB neurons in acute mouse slices, we find that baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist, suppresses the frequency of miniature inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs and mEPSC). Activation of µ-opioid peptide receptors with DAMGO had similar effects, while the k-opioid peptide receptor agonist U-69593 suppressed mIPSC release but had no consistent effects on mEPSCs. Activation of cannabinoid type 1 receptors with WIN 55,212-2 reduced the frequency of both inhibitory and excitatory synaptic events, while the CB1 antagonist AM251 had opposite effects on mIPSC and mEPSC frequencies. AM251 increased the frequency of inhibitory events but led to a reduction in excitatory events through a GABAB mediated mechanism. Although none of the treatments produced a consistent effect on mIPSC or mEPSC amplitudes, baclofen and DAMGO both reliably activated a postsynaptic conductance. Together, these results demonstrate that signaling pathways known to modulate nociception, alter synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability in the lateral parabrachial nucleus and provide a basis for investigating the contributions of these systems to the development and maintenance of chronic pain. Highlights The parabrachial nucleus (PB) is a hub for processing interoceptive and exteroceptive noxious stimuli, including pain. Synaptic activity in PB is abnormal in chronic pain. Synaptic activity in PB is regulated by presynaptic and postsynaptic GABAB, opioid µ and k, and cannabinoid CB1 receptors. GABAergic presynaptic terminals are most potently regulated by these receptors. Changes in the strength of these modulatory pathways may contribute to increased PB excitability and, consequently, chronic pain.
Graduate nursing student stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted graduate nursing students at work, home, and school. Stress can influence the ability to focus, study, and may delay continuation in graduate school. Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the stressors of graduate nursing students during the pandemic. Method A prospective, descriptive, online survey design was used to identify graduate nursing student stressors during the pandemic at one educational institution in the United States. Questions related to employment, COVID-19 exposure, institutional support, future graduate plans were summarized for the total sample and stratified by program (MS, DNP, PhD). Changes in a total stress score were evaluated pre and post onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results A total of 222 graduate nursing students completed the survey. The vast majority of students were employed before the pandemic and a significant decrease in employment occurred during the pandemic (97.3% to 90.1%, p Conclusions Nursing schools need to address graduate student concerns during the pandemic, including having clear communication platforms and offering support services.
Inequality, concentrated disadvantage, and homicide: towards a multi-level theory of economic inequality and crime

One of the most consistent findings in the cross-national literature is the association between economic inequality and homicide rates. However, recent research has raised doubts concerning causali...
Military Adaptation in War: With Fear of Change

Preface 1. Introduction: the background to military adaptation 2. The historical framework of adaptation 3. Complex adaptation: the Western front 1914-1918 4. Flawed adaptation: German adaptation and the opening battles of World War II 5. The battle for the British Isles: June 1940-May 1941 6. Adaptation in the air war: RAF bomber command and Luftwaffe's air defenses (15 May 1940 to 7 May 1945) 7. The 1973 Yom Kippur War 8. Conclusion: adaptation and the future.
New prospects for clocking synchronous and quasi-asynchronous systems

Summary form only given. Global clock distribution faces increasing challenges in distributing low-jitter clocks in the presence of power-supply noise. Resonant clocking techniques, which resonate the clock capacitance with on-chip inductance, promise to ease these constraints. Topologies that act as either resonant loads or free-running oscillators are described. Asynchronous techniques promise to eliminate clocks entirely. Proponents may argue that this eliminates issues associated with clock skew, jitter and power. We argue a more realistic viewpoint that recognizes that asynchronous systems must still distribute "control signals." Variation in the delay of these signals (skew and jitter) presents the same synchronization overhead as clock skew and jitter in synchronous systems. While fully asynchronous high-speed processors do not seem imminent, there is a growing opportunity for significant benefit from GALS (globally asynchronous locally synchronous) concepts on multiprocessor chips. Robust low-latency asynchronous interfaces could give us many of the benefits of asynchronous design while still leveraging the huge investment in synchronous processor design, methodology, and experience.
Up in the Rocky Mountains: Writing the Swedish Immigrant Experience

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Jennifer Eastman Attebery Year: 2007 Pages: 232 Publisher: University of Minnesota Press ISBN: 978-0-8166-4768-2 (soft cover). Prices: $20.00 USD(soft cover).
Biofilms in fish processing.

: The seafood industry is expanding to include traditional wild-caught species, as well as farm-raised species (aquaculture). With this expansion comes different growing and processing technologies. Biofilm formation has been problematic in the aquaculture industry from farm (preharvest) through the processing plant (post harvest). This chapter discusses the three product groups, mollusk, crustacean and finfish, with regard to possible biofilm formation. Of concern is the possibility that the biofilm may contain pathogenic microorganisms, i.e. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp., Bacillus spp., Aeromonas and Pseudomonas spp. These microbes are known to form biofilms and information of their involvement in biofilm formation in the seafood industry is discussed. In the aquaculture industry water is a major source of carrying these microbes from one operation to another. Methods of preventing and cleaning/disinfecting to remove the biofilm, which possibly harbors pathogens, are discussed. Future areas of investigation include the improving of the effluent water system for ponds, filtration/disinfection steps for the recirculating systems and processing plant sanitization.
On transitive simple groups of degree $3p$

Let Q be the set of symbols 1, 2,…, 3 p, where p is an prime number greater than 3. Let be a transitive permutation group on Ω, which is simple and in which the normalizer of a Sylow p-subgroup has order 2 p.
Victimization and Vilification of Romani Children in Media and Human Rights Organizations Discourses

Through an analysis of European newspapers, human rights organization reportage, and United Nations documents and websites, this article examines how public discourse regarding education, human rights, poverty, child rearing, and child labour manufactures a dangerous, implausible childhood for Romani children. These discourses, perpetrated by human rights organizations and news media, leverage the languages of intervention, cultural difference, nationalism, and social justice to simultaneously victimize and vilify Romani children, rendering them incapable of experiencing humane childhoods. Employing critical discourse analysis and systemic functional grammar analysis, the proposed article seeks to disentangle the discourses of human rights for Roman children from the assimilationist arguments aimed at compulsory schooling and Eurocentric family and labour practices rooted in access to middle class dominant labor markets.
Does Assisted Living Capacity Influence Case Mix at Nursing Homes

Assisted living facilities (ALFs) have grown over the past few decades. If they attract residents with lower care needs away from nursing homes (NHs), NHs may be left with higher case mix residents. We study the relationship between ALF bed market capacity and NH case mix in a state (Virginia) where ALF bed capacity stabilized after a period of growth. Similarly, NH capacity and use had been stable. While it is interesting to study markets in flux, for planning purposes, it is also important to examine what happens after periods of turbulence and adaptation. Our findings show some substitution of ALF for NH care, but the relationship is not linear with ALF market capacity. Communities need to consider the interplay of ALFs and NHs in planning for long-term care services and supports. Policies supporting ALFs may enable care needs to be met in a lower cost setting than the NH.
Optical Hole-Burning and Ground State Energy Transfer in Ruby

A recent application of homogeneous linewidth laser spectroscopy of optical solids is in energy transfer studies[1,2]. This paper describes a high resolution hole-burning study of the R1 line in ruby giving information on the energy transfer mechanism which determines the saturated lineshape. As is well known, the zero phonon R1 lines in ruby at liquid helium temperatures are inhomogeneously broadened due to crystal defects. When the 4A2(±1/2;f)→Ē transition (R1(1/2) hereafter) is saturated by a narrowband laser, the result shown in Figure 1 occurs[3].
Abstract 416: ADAM12 long and short isoforms promote breast tumor growth and metastasis via distinct mechanisms

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Human ADAM12 is expressed as two alternatively spliced forms, a transmembrane form (ADAM12-L), and a secreted form (ADAM12-S). ADAM12 transcript and protein levels are elevated in several types of cancers. We have previously reported that urinary ADAM12 is predictive of disease status in breast cancer patients and that ADAM12 protein levels in urine increase with progression of disease. In this study, our goal was to elucidate the contribution of the isoforms of ADAM12 in breast tumor growth and progression. We engineered stable MCF-7 clones that overexpress ADAM12-L or ADAM12-S and characterized their properties in vitro as well as in an orthotopic breast tumor model. Overexpression of both the transmembrane ADAM12-L and the secreted ADAM12-S isoforms in breast tumor cells resulted in a significantly higher rate of tumor take and increased tumor size. ADAM12-S-expressing tumors also displayed a significantly higher incidence of lymph node and lung metastasis as compared to ADAM12-L and WT MCF-7 tumors respectively. ADAM12-S expression enhanced the ability of tumor cells to migrate and invade in vitro based on its catalytic function, whereas both isoforms conferred estrogen-independent growth capabilities to hormone responsive MCF-7 cells. In ADAM12-L-expressing breast tumor cells, this enhanced proliferation was a direct result of increased EGFR expression and activation and downstream MAPK signaling. This was confirmed when treatment with EGFR inhibitors AG1478 or PD15035 or the MAPK inhibitor U0126 resulted in complete abrogation of estrogen-independent growth in these cells. However, for ADAM12-S-expressing cells, the increased activation of MAPK and proliferation may be due to an alternate mechanism. We have also determined that ADAM12 protein and mRNA expression is elevated in malignant tissue as compared to normal breast tissue via analysis of human breast tissue arrays. Interestingly, there appears to be a differential expression pattern of the transmembrane and secreted isoforms during breast tumor progression. Taken together, our results suggest that ADAM12-S, via its catalytic function enhances the ability of malignant cells to locally invade and form distant metastasis. Expression of both ADAM12 isoforms may confer a proliferative advantage to breast tumor cells in the absence of estrogen stimulation, although via distinct mechanisms, resulting in increased tumor take, tumor size and metastasis in vivo. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting ADAM12, given that hormone independence is a hallmark of aggressive breast cancer. [The authors acknowledge the support of NIH PO1 CA45548, The JoAnn Webb Fund for Angiogenesis Research and The Fortin Foundation] Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 416.
Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease

Abstract Cocoa contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods. Flavonoids, including catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins predominate in antioxidant activity. The tricyclic structure of the flavonoids determines antioxidant effects that scavenge reactive oxygen species, chelate Fe2+ and Cu+, inhibit enzymes, and upregulate antioxidant defenses. The epicatechin content of cocoa is primarily responsible for its favorable impact on vascular endothelium via its effect on both acute and chronic upregulation of nitric oxide production. Other cardiovascular effects are mediated through anti-inflammatory effects of cocoa polyphenols, and modulated through the activity of NF-κB. Antioxidant effects of cocoa may directly influence insulin resistance and, in turn, reduce risk for diabetes. Further, cocoa consumption may stimulate changes in redox-sensitive signaling pathways involved in gene expression and the immune response. Cocoa can protect nerves from injury and inflammation, protect the skin from oxida...
Measurement Error and Statistical Significance of an Independent Variable

Abstract The well-known result that measurement error in an independent variable biases the least-squares estimator of that variable's regression coefficient towards zero is insufficient information to determine the effect of measurement error on the standard t test of the null hypothesis that the coefficient equals zero. This note shows that measurement error tends to lower the probability of rejecting such a null hypothesis by inducing a lower limiting value of the coefficient's t statistic. This result holds despite an ambiguous effect of measurement error on the coefficient's estimated standard error.
FREEWAY INCIDENT DETECTION THROUGH FILTERING

Abstract The structure and performance of existing freeway incident detection methods are reviewed and a new method is proposed. The new method reduces the likelihood of false incident decisions that occur during short duration traffic disturbances by smoothing detector occupancies. Temporal smoothing is performed by the statistical mean or median of a data window moved over time. The algorithm considers the smoothed spatial occupancy difference between detector stations, and detects an incident when the difference changes significantly in a short time period. The proposed algorithm and a set of existing algorithms are tested with traffic and incident data from I-35W in Minneapolis. Test results, expressed in terms of detection rate at indicative false alarm rates, demonstrate the improved performance of the new algorithm over previous algorithms.
Transformation of kidney epithelial cells by a quinol thioether via inactivation of the tuberous sclerosis‐2 tumor suppressor gene

Although hydroquinone (HQ) is a rodent carcinogen, because of its lack of mutagenicity in standard bacterial mutagenicity assays it is generally considered a nongenotoxic carcinogen. 2,3,5-Tris-(glutathion-S-yl)HQ (TGHQ) is a potent nephrotoxic metabolite of HQ that may play an important role in HQ-mediated nephrocarcinogenicity. TGHQ mediates cell injury by generating reactive oxygen species and covalently binding to tissue macromolecules. We determined the ability of HQ and TGHQ to induce cell transformation in primary renal epithelial cells derived from the Eker rat. Eker rats possess a germline inactivation of one allele of the tuberous sclerosis-2 (Tsc-2) tumor suppressor gene that predisposes the animals to renal cell carcinoma. Treatment of primary Eker rat renal epithelial cells with HQ (25 and 50 μM) or TGHQ (100 and 300 μM) induced 2- to 4-fold and 6- to 20-fold increases in cell transformation, respectively. Subsequently, three cell lines (The QT-RRE 1, 2, and 3) were established from TGHQ-induced transformed colonies. The QT-RRE cell lines exhibited a broad range of numerical cytogenetic alterations, loss of heterozygosity at the Tsc-2 gene locus, and loss of expression of tuberin, the protein encoded by the Tsc-2 gene. Only heterozygous (Tsc-2EK/+) kidney epithelial cells were susceptible to transformation by HQ and TGHQ, as wild-type cells (Tsc-2+/+) showed no increase in transformation frequency over background levels following chemical exposure. These data indicate that TGHQ and HQ are capable of directly transforming rat renal epithelial cells and that the Tsc-2 tumor suppressor gene is an important target of TGHQ-mediated renal epithelial cell transformation. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors enhances persistent sodium current and rhythmic bursting in main olfactory bulb external tufted cells

Rhythmically bursting olfactory bulb external tufted (ET) cells are thought to play a key role in synchronizing glomerular network activity to respiratory-driven sensory input. Whereas spontaneous ...
Do Longer Games Favor the Stronger Player

Abstract Commentaries are informative essays dealing with viewpoints of statistical practice, statistical education, and other topics considered to be of general interest to the broad readership of The American Statistician. Commentaries are similar in spirit to Letters to the Editor, but they involve longer discussions of background, issues, and perspectives. All commentaries will be refereed for their merit and compatibility with these criteria.
Asymptotic Multiplicity Distributions and Analog of the Central-Limit Theorem

Under the assumption of gentle behavior of higher cumulants or correlation moments, we discuss how the multiplicity distributions approach the Gaussian (normal) or approximately Gaussian distribution at high energy. This is an analog of the central-limit theorem. A detailed comparison with experiment is made based on this formalism and shows that such an approach may be useful. It is pointed out that if the 2-prong inelastic cross section in the $\mathrm{pp}$ reaction is identified with the lower end point of the multiplicity distribution, then a deviation from the Gaussian form is necessary at the present energy. The asymptotic relation $\frac{(\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\ensuremath{\pi}}}){\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{inel}}}{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{m}}=\ensuremath{\gamma}={〈{(n\ensuremath{-}〈n〉)}^{2}〉}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ is well satisfied by experimental data, where ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{m}$ and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ stand for the maximum of the topological cross sections and the width of the limiting Gaussian form, respectively. If the ratio of the width $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and the modal multiplicity $m$ approaches a nonvanishing value at infinite energy, then we obtain a scaling of the distribution function, the scaling function being of approximately Gaussian form with the scaling variable $\frac{n}{m}$.
Budd-Chiari Syndrome in a Patient With Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

A case of Budd-Chiari syndrome developing in a 29-year-old male with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is reported. The patient represents the fifth reported case of proven hepatic vein thrombosis and Budd-Chiari syndrome in a patient with PNH, and is the first person to survive more than 3 years after onset of symptoms.
Institutional uncertainties in international fisheries management

Abstract Around the world, many commercial fisheries are in crisis. The failure of the traditional management models, centered on calculations of maximum sustainable yields (MSY) from individual species or stocks has complicated efforts to come to terms with this situation. A growing emphasis both on interdependencies in large marine ecosystems (LMEs) and on the non-linear or chaotic changes that are prominent features of these systems highlights the biophysical uncertainties affecting fisheries management. Less familiar is the proposition that efforts to manage fisheries are affected by institutional uncertainties as well. These uncertainties stem from: (1) contradictions embedded in fisheries regimes as an outgrowth of institutional bargaining, (2) vague or ambiguous formulas arising from the pressures of negotiation processes, (3) the complexity of specific institutional arrangements, (4) gaps between regimes on paper and regimes in practice, (5) compliance problems, (6) linkages between individual fisheries regimes and other international institutions, and (7) limited capacity to forecast how fisheries regimes will evolve over a period of time. Not all institutional uncertainties are bad. The existence of a thick `veil of uncertainty,' for example, may contribute to the development of successful fisheries regimes by giving participants incentives to pay attention to considerations of fairness. But any effort to manage international fisheries effectively must reckon with the existence of institutional as well as biophysical uncertainties in this realm.
Physical and functional interaction between polyoma virus middle T antigen and insulin and IGF-I receptors is required for oncogene activation and tumour initiation.

Physical and functional interaction between polyoma virus middle T antigen and insulin and IGF-I receptors is required for oncogene activation and tumour initiation
From extreme rainfall to drought: 250 years of annually resolved sediment deposition in Santa Barbara Basin, California

Abstract The Mediterranean climate of southern California is marked by droughts and extreme precipitation events. Here we use elemental variations generated by scanning X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to identify droughts and floods in recently deposited (1755–2008) sediments of Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) from box core SPR0901-04BC. The first principal component (PC1) of the scanning XRF elements has high loadings for elements associated with the lithogenic component of SBB laminae couplets, while the second (PC2) is associated with biogenic components. We interpret PC1 as a proxy for river runoff and PC2 as a proxy for marine productivity. High values of PC1 are associated with El Nino events and positive (warm) phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), while low values of PC2 are associated with El Nino events and negative (cool) phases of the PDO. Droughts such as the 1934–40, 1949–56, and 1989–91 events coincide with low PC1 values. In addition to distinguishing interannual and decadal variability in the elemental composition of SBB sediments, several historic floods can be recognized including a gray flood layer associated with the 1861–62 flood, and a peak in PC1 associated with the flood following the St. Francis Dam disaster in 1928.
A Flexible Framework for Developing Mixed-Initiative Dialog Systems

We present a new framework for rapid development of mixed-initiative dialog systems. Using this framework, a developer can author sophisticated dialog systems for multiple channels of interaction by specifying an interaction modality, a rich task hierarchy and task parameters, and domain-specific modules. The framework includes a dialog history that tracks input, output, and results. We present the framework and preliminary results in two application domains.
Endoscopic therapy of bleeding peptic ulcers: a cost-benefit analysis.

Endoscopic hemostatic therapies have become increasingly popular and appear capable of controlling hemorrhage from peptic ulcers and reducing the need for surgery, but many physicians are unsure that the efficacy justifies the cost. In order to study this clinically and economically important issue, we developed a mathematical model to analyze the economics of endoscopic therapy of bleeding peptic ulcers. Endoscopic therapy appears capable of reducing direct hospital costs only when selectively applied to those patients with the highest risk of requiring surgery. Sensitivity analysis identifies efficacy, treatment cost, and the rebleeding rate in untreated patients as the most critical variables affecting the cost of interventional endoscopy. Using neodymium:YAG laser photocoagulation as an example, interventional endoscopy can be cost-effective for treating selected patients with bleeding peptic ulcers. Should other hemostatic devices such as the heater probe and bipolar electrocoagulator prove to be as effective as the laser, even greater cost savings could be achieved.
An unusual cobalt-mediated cleavage of a hindered alkyne

Abstract When 1-(pentaphenylphenyl)-2-phenylacetylene (1) is heated with (η5-cyclopentadienyl)dicarbonylcobalt, 1,2,3,4-tetraphenylfluorene (3) and related minor products are formed rather than the expected tetraarylcyclobutadiene. The formation of 3 requires that a seven-carbon fragment (formally a phenylcarbyne) must be lost. Two minor products, however, result from intramolecular cyclization of the alkyne and these two retain all of the carbons from the starting material.
Light minimal supersymmetric standard model Higgs boson scenario and its test at hadron colliders.

We show that in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, the possibility for the lightest CP-even Higgs boson to be lighter than Z boson (as low as about 60 GeV) is, contrary to the usual belief, not yet excluded by LEP2 data or any other existing experimental data. The characteristic of the light Higgs boson scenario (LHS) is that the ZZh coupling and the decay branching ratio {\rm Br}(h/A\to b\bar{b}) are simultaneously suppressed as a result of generic supersymmetric loop corrections. Consequently, the W^\pm H^\mp h coupling has to be large due to the sum rule of Higgs couplings to weak gauge bosons. In addition to discussing the potential of the Tevatron and B-factories to test the LHS, we show that the associate neutral and charged Higgs boson production process, pp\to H^\pm h (A), can completely probe LHS at the CERN Large Hadron Collider.
Joint feature selection and classification using a Bayesian neural network with automatic relevance determination priors : potential use in CAD of medical imaging

Bayesian neural network (BNN) with automatic relevance determination (ARD) priors has the ability to assess the relevance of each input feature during network training. Our purpose is to investigate the potential use of BNN-with-ARD-priors for joint feature selection and classification in computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of medical imaging. With ARD priors, each group of weights that connect an input feature to the hidden units is associated with a hyperparameter controlling the magnitudes of the weights. The hyperparameters and the weights are updated simultaneously during neural network training. A smaller hyperparameter will likely result in larger weight values and the corresponding feature will likely be more relevant to the output, and thus, to the classification task. For our study, a multivariate normal feature space is designed to include one feature with high classification performance in terms of both ideal observer and linear observer, two features with high ideal observer performance but low linear observer performance and 7 useless features. An exclusive-OR (XOR) feature space is designed to include 2 XOR features and 8 useless features. Our simulation results show that the ARD-BNN approach has the ability to select the optimal subset of features on the designed nonlinear feature spaces on which the linear approach fails. ARD-BNN has the ability to recognize features that have high ideal observer performance. Stepwise linear discriminant analysis (SWLDA) has the ability to select features that have high linear observer performance but fails to select features that have high ideal observer performance and low linear observer performance. The cross-validation results on clinical breast MRI data show that ARD-BNN yields statistically significant better performance than does the SWLDA-LDA approach. We believe that ARD-BNN is a promising method for pattern recognition in computer-aided diagnosis of medical imaging.
General solution to the equation of the vibrating membrane

Abstract The problem of unsymmetrical, forced vibration of a uniform membrane of arbitrary shape is solved under the influence of an arbitrary distribution of time-dependent excitation and subjected to arbitrary initial conditions and time-dependent boundary conditions. Various forms of the solutions are noted. By specializing the general solution for arbitrary geometry to the geometry of a circular annulus, an example is given for the forced vibration problem of an annular membrane which, when further specialized for the case of symmetrical and source-free vibrations, reduces to the special problem treated recently by Sharp [1] in this journal.
Influence of heme environment structure on dioxygen affinity for the dual function Amphitrite ornata hemoglobin/dehaloperoxidase. Insights into the evolutional structure-function adaptations.

Sea worm, Amphitrite ornata, has evolved its globin (an O(2) carrier) also to serves as a dehaloperoxidase (DHP) to detoxify haloaromatic pollutants generated by competing species. A previous mutagenesis study by our groups on both DHP and sperm whale myoglobin (SW Mb) revealed some structural factors that influence the dehaloperoxidase activities (significantly lower for Mb) of both proteins. Using an isocyanide/O(2) partition constant measurement method in this study, we have examined the effects of these structural factors on the O(2) equilibrium constants (KO2) of DHP, SW Mb, and their mutants. A clear trend of decreasing O(2) affinity and increasing catalytic activity along with the increase in the distal His N(e)-heme iron distance is observed. An H93K/T95H Mb double mutant mimicking the DHP proximal His positioning exhibited markedly enhanced O(2) affinity, confirming the essential effect of proximal His rotation on the globin function of DHP. For DHP, the L100F, T56G and M86E variants showed the effects of distal volume, distal His flexibility and proximal electronic push, respectively, on the O(2) affinity. This study provides insights into how DHP has evolved its heme environment to gain significantly enhanced peroxidase capability without compromising its primary function as an O(2) carrier.
Gasification characteristics of carbon species derived from model reforming compound over Ni/Ce–Zr–O catalysts

Abstract This work addresses a thermogravimetric method for the steam gasification of carbon deposited over ceria–zirconia supported nickel (10% Ni/CZO) catalysts. The carbon deposits, which were obtained from the decomposition of isooctane over 10% Ni/CZO catalyst at 500, 650, and 725 °C, respectively, were used as the model species. Gasification temperature and characteristics of different carbon species have been investigated, and the resulting gaseous products were measured by FT-IR spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy. The carbon species formed at different decomposition temperatures indicated distinctly different ability for gasification. Combined with features of TPO profiles and SEM images, our experiments suggest that the coating carbon, which covers the surface of Ni/CZO catalyst, can be removed by gasification at low temperatures around 600 °C. However, the gasification degree of filamentous carbon species depends on its formation temperature. For filamentous carbon obtained from isooctane decomposition at 500 °C the gasification starts at 690 °C, while filamentous carbon species obtained from isooctane decomposition at temperatures ≥650 °C undergo complete gasification at this temperature.
The Number of Embeddings of Quadratic Z-Lattices

Abstract The number of inequivalent primitive embeddings of a quadratic lattice M into an indefinite even unimodular Z -lattice L , modulo the action of the orthogonal groups O ( L ), SO ( L ), and O ′( L ), are determined.
Linear theory of a rotating internal part projectile configuration in atmospheric flight

Dynamic modeling of the atmospheric flight mechanics of a projectile equipped with an internal rotating disk is investigated, and a modified projectile linear theory is established for this configuration. To model this type of projectile requires alteration of several of the coefficients of the epicyclic dynamics leading to changes in the fast and slow epicyclic modes. A study of the frequency and damping properties of the epicyclic modes is conducted by the systematic variation of disk orientation, location, mass, and rotational speed. It is shown that the presence of an internal rotating disk can causes substantial changes in the epicyclic dynamics, including instability, in some configurations.
Preconditioning of Human Myocardium With Adenosine During Coronary Angioplasty

Background It is unknown whether adenosine can precondition human myocardium against ischemia in vivo. Methods and Results Thirty patients were randomized to receive a 10-minute intracoronary infusion of adenosine (2 mg/min) or normal saline; 10 minutes later, they underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA; three 2-minute balloon inflations 5 minutes apart). In control patients, the ST-segment shift on the intracoronary ECG was significantly greater during the first inflation than during the second and third inflations, consistent with ischemic preconditioning. In contrast, in adenosine-treated patients, there were no differences in ST-segment shift during the three inflations. The ST-segment shift was significantly smaller in the adenosine-treated group compared with the control group during all three inflations. The reduction in ST-segment shift afforded by adenosine during the first inflation (−72% versus first inflation in control subjects) was greater than that afforded by ischem...
Warburg, me and Hexokinase 2: Multiple discoveries of key molecular events underlying one of cancers’ most common phenotypes, the “Warburg Effect”, i.e., elevated glycolysis in the presence of oxygen

As a new faculty member at The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, the author began research on cancer in 1969 because this frequently fatal disease touched many whom he knew. He was intrigued with its viscous nature, the failure of all who studied it to find a cure, and also fascinated by the pioneering work of Otto Warburg, a biochemical legend and Nobel laureate. Warburg who died 1 year later in 1970 had shown in the 1920s that the most striking biochemical phenotype of cancers is their aberrant energy metabolism. Unlike normal tissues that derive most of their energy (ATP) by metabolizing the sugar glucose to carbon dioxide and water, a process that involves oxygen-dependent organelles called “mitochondria”, Warburg showed that cancers frequently rely less on mitochondria and obtain as much as 50% of their ATP by metabolizing glucose directly to lactic acid, even in the presence of oxygen. This frequent phenotype of cancers became known as the “Warburg effect”, and the author of this review strongly believed its understanding would facilitate the discovery of a cure. Following in the final footsteps of Warburg and caught in the midst of an unpleasant anti-Warburg, anti-metabolic era, the author and his students/collaborators began quietly to identify the key molecular events involved in the “Warburg effect”. Here, the author describes via a series of sequential discoveries touching five decades how despite some impairment in the respiratory capacity of malignant tumors, that hexokinase 2 (HK-2), its mitochondrial receptor (VDAC), and the gene that encodes HK-2 (HK-2 gene) play the most pivotal and direct roles in the “Warburg effect”. They discovered also that like a “Trojan horse” the simple lactic acid analog 3-bromopyruvate selectively enters the cells of cancerous animal tumors that exhibit the “Warburg effect” and quickly dissipates their energy (ATP) production factories (i.e., glycolysis and mitochondria) resulting in tumor destruction without harm to the animals.
The auto-regulation model: a unified concept of how HIV regulates its infectivity, pathogenesis and persistence.

The life cycle of HIV can be divided into two distinct stages: intracellular and extracellular. The prevailing view is that the intracellular stage provides the only locus for regulating the virus in response to physiologic stimuli. Such regulation is accomplished by modulating the rates of transcription, translation and viral assembly. The extracellular stage consists of physical processes such as diffusion, adhesion and penetration of cells by viral particles. These latter processes are commonly thought to be “automatic” and not subject to regulation. For the past several years, we have developed means of more carefully measuring and characterizing the extracellular stage of HIV infection, and we have obtained evidence indicating that novel regulatory processes do, in fact, take place during this extracellular stage. We believe that this extracellular regulation permits HIV to adapt to a wide range of physiologic cell densities, to maintain persistent but slow growing infection, and to defeat the protec...
A potassium channel mutation in weaver mice implicates membrane excitability in granule cell differentiation.

Early events in neuronal differentiation are generally considered to be regulated by factors independent of alterations in membrane permeability. Weaver mice harbour a mutation that blocks neuronal differentiation just after cessation of cell division, prior to cell migration and synaptogenesis. Cerebellar granule cells in homozygous weaver mice fail to differentiate, either because intrinsic cues are absent or because the granule cells are unable to respond to those cues. We now report that weaver mice have a missense mutation in a gene encoding a G–protein coupled inward rectifier potassium channel. The mutation alters the putative ion–permeable, pore–forming domain of the protein, suggesting that granule cell differentiation is regulated by changes in membrane permeability.
Removal of nitric oxide from exhaust gas with cyanuric acid

Abstract Addition of gaseous isocyanic acid (HNCO) to the exhaust of combustion systems or chemical process has been proposed as a method for reducing nitric oxide (NO) emissions. The HNCO selectively reduces NO in the exhaust through a multistep chemical reaction mechanism. This article presents an experimental investigation of the proposed NO reduction process using cyanuric acid as the source of HNCO. At elevated temperature cyanuric acid decomposes and forms HNCO. The effects of temperature, exhaust gas composition, cyanuric acid concentration (i.e., HNCO concentration), and surfaces were examined. The experiments were conducted in an electrically heated quartz flow reactor using either exhaust from a diesel engine or simulated exhaust gas. The results demonstrate that gas phase NO reduction approaching 100% can be obtained. The lowest temperature for which gas phase NO reduction is observed is 950 K. The exhaust gas composition is the primary factor in determining the specific temperature range over which the NO reduction occurs, as well as the magnitude of the NO reduction, for a fixed cyanuric acid input. Three species in the exhaust gas that have a strong influence on the NO reduction process are O 2 , H 2 O, and CO. The results also demonstrate the cyanuric acid, HNCO, and N 2 O can be emitted when the NO reduction occurs in the gas phase. Finally, the results show that surfaces can have a major effect, either shifting the NO reduction to lower temperatures or causing a net production of NO.
Playing for peanuts: Why is risk seeking more common for low-stakes gambles?

Abstract Previous research has found that decision makers are more risk seeking for small-stakes gambles than for large-stakes gambles. This “peanuts effect” is not easily explained by Prospect Theory. Two experiments examined the range of circumstances in which peanuts effects occur and tested the hypothesis that anticipated disappointment or anticipated regret explains the peanuts effect. The results suggest that the peanuts effect is related to disappointment, but do not support a connection between the peanuts effect and regret.
Increased somatomedin receptor sites in newborn circulating mononuclear cells.

ABSTRACT To evaluate the potential role of somatomedin as a growth factor in fetal development, we studied somatomedin receptors on circulating mononuclear cells from placental cord blood from 13 normal term newborns. Twelve healthy young adults served as controls. By radioreceptor assay of acid-chromatographed plasma, total somatomedin peptide content of cord blood was 0.30 ± 0.02 U/ml (mean ± SEM) compared to 1.12 ± 0.08 U/ml for adults. Specific binding of [125I]somatomedin C to 50 x 106 mononuclear cells was 11.38 ± 0.74% for newborns and 6.67 ± 0.51% for adults. This increase in specific binding appears to be due to an increased number of receptor sites per cell. These data support a hypothesis of increased fetal sensitivity to somatomedin. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 48: 456, 1979)
Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction studies of nylon–ionomer blends

Blends of nylon 6 with poly(acrylic acid) polyacrylamide, poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol), poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid), and polypropylene were prepared by melt blending. Annealing treatments included treatments in Vacuum, in water, and in 20% formic acid at various temperatures. WAXS (wide-angle X-ray scattering) patterns of melt chips and of undrawn, drawn and textured yarns were obtained. The melt chips of 100% nylon 6 crystallize in the α form while the chips of all the blends exhibit a single diffracton ring. All the blends behave similarly during different annealing treatments. When annealed in 20% formic acid at 102°C, the α structure results. The as-spun fibers of nylon 6 and of the blends with poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) exhibit a broad diffraction maximum in the region 2θ = 19–25°. The α content and its purity increase with increasing severity of the annealing treatment. The as-spun fibers of the blend with poly(acrylic acid), on the other hand, exhibit a highly oriented γ structure which is highly resistant to conversion to the α from during the annealing treatments. Only when treated in 20% formic acid at 102° does the pure α form result. The drawn textured yarns of nylon 6 exhibit both the α and the γ forms. However, the γ content of the textured yarns from the blends varies with the type and concentration of the additives. The textured yarns from the blends with low levels (0.125%) of poly(acrylic acid) have a very high α content. It is very unusual that the as-spun fibers with almost pure γ structure, when drawn, produce a structure with a high α content.
Interplay of spin-orbit and entropic effects in cerium

We perform first-principles calculations of elemental cerium and compute its pressure-temperature phase diagram, finding good quantitative agreement with the experiments. Our calculations indicate that, while a signature of the volume-collapse transition appears in the free energy already at low temperatures, at higher temperatures this signature is enhanced because of the entropic effects, and originates an actual thermodynamical instability. Furthermore, we find that the catalyst determining this feature is---in all temperature regimes---a pressure-induced effective reduction of the $f$-level degeneracy due to the spin-orbit coupling. Our analysis suggests also that the lattice vibrations might be crucial in order to capture the behavior of the pressure-temperature transition line at large temperatures.