cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultraviolet irradiation represses TGF-β type II receptor transcription through a 38-bp sequence in the proximal promoter in human skin fibroblasts

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a major regulator of collagen gene expression in human skin fibroblasts. Cellular responses to TGF-β are mediated primarily through its cell surface type I (TβRI) and type II (TβRII) receptors. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation impairs TGF-β signaling largely due to reduced TβRII gene expression, thereby decreasing type I procollagen synthesis, in human skin fibroblasts. UV irradiation does not alter either TβRII mRNA or protein stability, indicating that UV reduction of TβRII expression likely results from transcriptional or translational repression. To understand how UV irradiation regulates TβRII transcription, we used a series of TβRII promoter-luciferase 5′-deletion constructs (covering 2kb of the TβRII proximal promoter) to determine transcriptional rate in response to UV irradiation. We identified a 137bp region upstream of the transcriptional start site that exhibited high promoter activity, and was repressed 60% by UV irradiation. Whereas, all other TβRII promoter reporter constructs exhibited either low promoter activities or no regulation by UV irradiation. Mutation of potential transcription factor binding sites within the promoter region revealed that an inverted CCAAT box (−81bp from transcription start site), is required for promoter activity. Mutation of the CCAAT box completely abolished UV irradiation regulation of the TβRII promoter. Protein binding assay, as determined by EMSA using the inverted CCAAT box as probe (−100/−62), demonstrated significantly enhanced protein-binding in response to UV irradiation. Super shift experiments indicated that nuclear factor Y (NFY) is able to binding to this sequence, but NFY binding was not altered in response to UV irradiation, indicating additional protein(s) are capable of binding this sequence in response to UV irradiation. Taken together, these data indicate that UV irradiation reduces TβRII expression, at least partially, through transcriptional repression. This repression is mediated by a 38bp sequence in TβRII promoter, in human skin fibroblasts.
Parole as Institutional Control: A Test of Specific Deterrence and Offender Misconduct

The use of parole as an institutional control mechanism is designed to reward inmate conformity with early release and punish nonconformity with continued confinement. Although much research has ex...
The Quality and Effectiveness of Care Provided by Nurse Practitioners

Abstract Evidence regarding the impact of nurse practitioners (NPs) compared to physicians (MDs) on health care quality, safety, and effectiveness was systematically reviewed. Data from 37 of 27,993 articles published from 1990-2009 were summarized into 11 aggregated outcomes. Outcomes for NPs compared to MDs (or teams without NPs) are comparable or better for all 11 outcomes reviewed. A high level of evidence indicated better serum lipid levels in patients cared for by NPs in primary care settings. A high level of evidence also indicated that patient outcomes on satisfaction with care, health status, functional status, number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations, blood glucose, blood pressure, and mortality are similar for NPs and MDs.
BCG immunotherapy of lung cancer.

The importance of immunologic factors in the progression of cancer is well-recognized, and the relationship between host immunocompetence and prognosis has been well-defined. In addition, there is evidence that suggests that lung tumors as well as other human tumors contain antigens which are capable of evoking an immune response in the host. Therefore, while human tumors may contain tumor antigens, cancer is associated with immunosup-pression and a diminished capacity of the host to respond to these antigens.
Environmental and chemical dissociation of antibody-dependent phagocytosis from lysis mediated by macrophages: stimulation of lysis by sulfhydryl-blocking and esterase-inhibiting agents and depression by trypan blue and trypsin

Peritoneal exudate cells and RAW264 macrophage tumor culture line were tested for antibody-dependent effector activity to sheep red blood cells (RBC). Assay in tissue culture dishes showed mostly lysis of targets while tubes promoted phagocytosis. The kinetics suggested that these were independent processes. At concentrations inhibiting ingestion, sulfhydryl-blocking agents iodoacetate, N-ethylmaleimide, and p-chloromercuribenzoate, and esterase inhibitors tosyl-lysine chloromethyl ketone, and diisopropyl fluorophosphate stimulated lysis of RBC. Pretreatment of effector cells but not targets also augmented the lytic reaction. Three other macrophage cell lines with very weak killing activity were stimulated by iodoacetate, but two lymphoid cell lines showed no cytotoxicity with or without the drug. In contrast to these enzyme inhibitors, trypan blue blocked peritoneal exudate and cell line lysis with no effect on phagocytosis. Trypsin pretreatment also inhibited RAW264 but not peritoneal cell cytotoxicity. There was little effect of these agents on macrophage Fc receptors as measured by EA rosettes, or on cell viability or production of lysozyme and β-glucuronidase. We conclude that the two macrophage effector mechanisms are independent, can be inversely modulated by environmental conditions (assay vessel), and are regulated by enzymes or proteins specific for each process.
Dual language and literacy development of Spanish-speaking preschool children

This article describes oral language and early literacy skills in Spanish and English for a sample of 319 bilingual children in Massachusetts and Maryland (ECS) and a comparison group of 144 monolingual Spanish-speaking children in Puerto Rico (PRC). Children were assessed as they entered and exited pre-kindergarten programs. Data collection included four subtests of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery and a researcher-developed phonological awareness task. Results show that, on average, children in the ECS sample performed below average in both English and Spanish when compared to monolingual norms and, despite some early literacy and oral language gains during their pre-kindergarten year, continue to lag behind monolingual children of the same age. Children in the ECS sample performed better in the early literacy tasks than in the oral language tasks in both English and Spanish. On average, the PRC sample scored significantly better than the ECS sample in Spanish oral language skills, but lower in phonological awareness skills. Educational implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Assessing the impact of refactoring activities on the JHotDraw project

Refactoring is a well-known technique for improving the maintainability of software products. However, it is not easy to justify the time and effort needed to refactor code as the benefits are difficult to quantify, especially the perception of improved maintainability. In this paper, we highlight some results of a retrospective case study undertaken to shed light on how refactoring affects maintainability of a software product. There are several findings. First of all, refactoring affects the amount of subsequent changes. Furthermore, refactoring has a positive impact on the coupling relationships with dependent software applications.
Molecular modeling of isomer effects in naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract The vapor pressure and liquid density of 12 aromatic and 11 naphthenic hydrocarbons are studied to characterize transferable step potential models. Discontinuous molecular dynamics simulations are combined with thermodynamic perturbation theory to provide the basis for molecular modeling. Since the attractive forces appear as perturbations in this approach, their characterization can be varied continuously, without re-simulating, to obtain optimal results in minimal time. A generalized grid search is used to optimize the attractive steps for multiple compounds and multiple site-types simultaneously. In general, the vapor pressure is correlated to 10% average absolute deviation (%AAD) and the liquid density to 4%AAD. These are slightly larger than the errors encountered in characterizing straight chain hydrocarbons, ethers, and alcohols. One complicating factor that may explain the larger errors in this instance is the subtle variability in molecular structure caused by the consideration of isomers with branching in different positions around the ring. The transferable potentials account for this variability in a configurational sense, but not in a quantum mechanical sense. A detailed study reveals the extent to which the vapor pressure of several isomers can be correlated qualitatively and quantitatively. A preliminary study suggests one manner in which quantum mechanical corrections can be implemented.
Efficient synthesis of deoxyribonucleotide phosphorothioates by the use of DMT cation scavenger1

Abstract Triethylsilane in the presence of dichloroacetic acid in dichloromethane is an efficient DMT cation scavenger during the synthesis of deoxyribonucleotide phosphorothioates and leads to increased overall yields.
Turning Elliptic Orbital Planes via Intermediate Thrust Spherical Arcs

Analytical solutions of the canonical equations for the variational problem of determining optimal spacecraft motion in a central Newtonian  eld are obtained. The solutions describe motion on a sphere with intermediate thrust and can satisfy necessary conditions for optimality. It is shown that such classes of intermediate thrust arcs can be used in the problem of minimizing the characteristic velocity of a maneuver to turn an elliptic orbit plane with respect to a given line having a known angle to the line of nodes. Computations show that, from the point of view of fuel expenditure, the turning maneuver via an intermediate thrust spherical arc is comparable to the cases of one, two, or three impulsive maneuvers.
Selective Inhibition of Class Switching to IgG and IgE by Recruitment of the HoxC4 and Oct-1 Homeodomain Proteins and Ku70/Ku86 to Newly Identified ATTT cis-Elements

Immunoglobulin (Ig) class switching is central to the maturation of the antibody response as IgG, IgA, and IgE are endowed with more diverse biological effector functions than IgM. It is induced upon engagement of CD40 on B lymphocytes by CD40L expressed by activated CD4+ T cells and exposure of B cells to T cell-secreted cytokines including interleukin-4 and transforming growth factor-β. It begins with germ line IH-CH transcription and unfolds through class switch DNA recombination (CSR). We show here that the HoxC4 and Oct-1 homeodomain proteins together with the Ku70/Ku86 heterodimer bind as a complex to newly identified switch (S) regulatory ATTT elements (SREs) in the Iγ and Iϵ promoters and downstream regions to dampen basal germ line Iγ-Cγ and Iϵ-Cϵ transcriptions and repress CSR to Cγ and Cϵ. This mechanism is inactive in the Cα1/Cα2 loci because of the lack of SREs in the Iα1/Iα2 promoters. Accordingly, in resting human IgM+IgD+ B cells, HoxC4, Oct-1, and Ku70/Ku86 can be readily identified as bound to the Iγ and Iϵ promoters but not the Iα1/Iα2 promoters. CD40 signaling dissociates the HoxC4·Oct-1·Ku complex from the Iγ and Iϵ promoter SREs, thereby relieving the IH-CH transcriptional repression and allowing CSR to unfold. Dissociation of HoxC4·Oct-1·Ku from DNA is hampered by CD153 engagement, a CD40-signaling inhibitor. Thus, these findings outline a HoxC4·Oct-1·Ku-dependent mechanism of selective regulation of class switching to IgG and IgE and further suggest distinct co-evolution and shared CSR activation pathways in the Cγ and Cϵ as opposed to the Cα1/Cα2 loci.
Effect of instructions to simulate a back injury on torque reproducibility in an isometric lumbar extension task.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in test-retest reliability between maximal and “simulated back injury” efforts in an isometric lumbar extension task and to test the hypothesis that voluntary attempts to “simulate” a back injury would yield less consistent torque production than maximal efforts. Twenty subjects were asked to undergo lumbar extensor testing at seven different positions in a lumbar extension machine. Each subject was tested twice in a maximal effort condition and twice with instructions to “simulate” a back injury. The order of the conditions was counterbalanced across subjects so that half of the subjects performed the maximal effort tests first and half performed the “simulated” effort first. Results indicated high test-retest correlations at all angles in both conditions. There were no differences in test-retest reliability between effort conditions. Therapist ratings of consistency did not differ between conditions and therapists could not discriminate between conditions on the basis of effort consistency. In the “simulated” condition subjects produced reliable, submaximal torque plots consistent with previous data indicating similar reliability at submaximal levels. It was concluded that use of test-retest torque consistency as a measure of sincerity of effort is premature and may be misleading.
Placental steroidogenesis in the rat: progesterone production by tissue of the basal zone.

Previous reports suggested that the rat placenta had a rather limited capacity for steroidogenesis, particularly with respect to progesterone production. We found that the basal zone in the rat placenta, which contains the steroidogenic giant cells, can be isolated by simple surgical separation, and using them for in vitro incubations, significant conversion of pregnenolone-7α-3H to progesterone-3H could be demonstrated. The 5α-reduced metabolites of progesterone, as well as compounds of the Δ4 pathway, including 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione and testosterone were also isolated and characterized. When progesterone-7α-3H was added as precursor, most of it remained unmetabolized, but qualitatively identical products were isolated as were found when pregnenoIone-7α-3H was used as precursor. Incubations of the whole placenta and of labyrinth tissue yielded relatively much lower progesterone-3H from pregnenolone-7α-3H. Our results have thus established that the rat placenta is a steroidogenic organ,...
High‐pressure viscosity of polystyrene solutions in toluene + carbon dioxide binary mixtures

High-pressure viscosity of polystyrene (Mw = 50,000, Mw/Mn ≤ 1.06) solutions in toluene and in mixtures of toluene + carbon dioxide was measured using a falling cylinder-type viscometer at 320, 340, and 360 K, and up to 35 MPa. Solutions with polystyrene concentrations of 3, 5, and 7 wt % were investigated. Carbon dioxide levels in the range from 0 to 14.7 wt % were evaluated. Viscosity was observed to vary linearly with pressure at the temperatures and polymer concentrations investigated. Viscosity of the polymer solutions decreased as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the mixture was increased. The largest viscosity reduction was observed at the lowest temperature and at the highest concentration of polymer. The viscosity of the solutions was correlated with the solution density for different compositions. It was found that solutions of the same density have different viscosities, depending upon the carbon dioxide concentration in the mixture. The solutions with the higher carbon dioxide content display the lower viscosities at a given density. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 306–315, 2000
Self-regulation and women with asthma.

Purpose of reviewRecent research related to sex and gender role influences on asthma in women is summarized. Implications for enhancing women's self-regulation and ability to manage asthma effectively are discussed.Recent findingsStudies in the past year have indicated that asthma is a significant b
An over‐sea‐ice seismic‐reflection survey in Antarctica using a GI air gun and a snowstreamer

During the austral spring of 2005, approximately 28 km of over-sea-ice seismic reflection data were recorded over McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, in support of the ANtarctic geological DRILLing program (ANDRILL). The 2005 ANDRILL Southern McMurdo Sound (SMS) seismic survey incorporated techniques that improved the quality of over-sea-ice seismic data. Previous over-sea-ice seismic experiments had limited success because of poor source coupling caused by thin sea ice and source bubble-pulse effects caused by explosive seismic sources placed in the water column. To mitigate these problems, a GeneratorInjector (GI) air gun was used as the seismic source. The GI air gun was lowered into the water column through holes drilled through the sea ice. The GI air gun minimized the source bubble effects that had plagued previous oversea-ice experiments in the Antarctic. Moreover, a 60channel seismic snowstreamer consisting of vertically oriented gimbaled geophones with 25-m takeout spacing was employed to aid rapid data collection. The 2005 SMS seismic survey produced data that accurately tied into existing single-channel marine seismic data and demonstrated the value of the air-gun/snowstreamer system for future over-sea-ice seismic surveys in the Antarctic.
Cytotoxicity of naphthylisothiocyanates in rat hepatocyte–neutrophil cocultures

1-Naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) produces cholangiolitic hepatitis in rats. This injury is characterized by periportal bile duct and hepatic parenchymal cell necrosis with inflammatory cell involvement. In contrast, 2-naphthylisothiocyanate (BNIT) does not induce cholangiolitic hepatitis. The mechanism(s) involved in ANIT-induced hepatic injury remain to be elucidated. To investigate this difference in toxicity further, we examined the cytotoxicity of ANIT and BNIT in primary rat hepatocyte cultures. Since neutrophils (PMNs) are required for the development of ANIT-induced cholangiolitic hepatitis in vivo, we also examined the potential for PMNs to modulate ANIT and BNIT cytotoxicity in rat hepatocyte-PMN cocultures. Both ANIT and BNIT injured rat hepatocytes within the range of concentrations examined (0-100 microM); however, BNIT was more potent. The presence of PMNs did not significantly influence the hepatocellular injury produced by either naphthylisothiocyanate (NIT). In an attempt to clarify the disparity between these results in vitro and observations reported in vivo, we examined, in hepatocyte PMN cocultures, the cytotoxic potential of bile collected from NIT-treated rats. Bile from BNIT-treated rats was markedly more cytotoxic to hepatocytes than was bile from ANIT-treated rats. As was observed in earlier experiments, the inclusion of PMNs had no effect on the hepatocellular toxicity of bile from NIT-treated rats. These findings prompted evaluation of the effect of NITs on rat PMNs. ANIT (1 and 10 microM) had no effect on phorbal myristate acetate (PMA)-induced superoxide production by PMNs, whereas BNIT (1 and 10 microM) markedly inhibited PMA-induced superoxide production. In contrast, ANIT and BNIT were equally effective at inhibiting f-met-leu-phe (fMLP)-induced PMN degranulation (beta-glucuronidase release). Altogether, the relative NIT toxicity observed in hepatocyte primary cultures is contrary to reports of hepatotoxic potential of these NITs in vivo. The PMN-dependence of ANIT hepatotoxicity in vivo was not reproduced in hepatocyte-PMN cocultures exposed to ANIT, suggesting that the PMN dependence in vivo involves factors not present in hepatocyte PMN cocultures. The greater PMN inhibitory effect of BNIT may, in part, underlie its inability to elicit the PMN-dependent liver injury in vivo that characterizes ANIT-induced cholangiolitic hepatitis.
Stimulus specificity of habituated aggression in the stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).

In a study of the stimulus specificity of habituation of aggressive responses in territorial fish, three-spined sticklebacks were allowed to habituate their aggressive attack to a male of the same species (session 1) then either the stimulus fish, the site of presentation, or both were changed. Compared with response level for fish receiving the same condition as session 1, changing only the stimulus fish produced greater resurgence of responding than changing only the site of presentation; changing both had an additive effect. These results indicate that territorial fish (1) are highly specific in the stimulus to which they habituate, and (2) respond to other fish on an individual basis. This study supports the hypothesis that habituation is important in maintenance of lowered aggression between fish with neighboring territories.
Multiphonon resonant Raman scattering in GaSe

Abstract Multiphonon resonant Raman scattering up to 4 phonons in GaSe has been measured. The results are interpreted by a simple cascade theory. It is shown that the dispersion of RRS here is dominated by resonances with the exciton states.
Effect of cytochalasin D on the mechanical properties and morphology of passive human neutrophils

The actin-rich cortex plays a major role in neutrophil chemotaxis and phagocytosis. In passive neutrophils, 30–50% of the actin molecules are in the F (filamentous) form, and it is the shifting of equilibrium with its monomeric G (globular) form that controls cell motility and phagocytosis. Cytochalasins have been shown to inhibit cell phagocytosis and ruffling. In purified actin, cytochalasins have been shown to decrease the amount of F-actin by capping the fast-growth end of actin filaments. Recent studies with intact cells, however, reveal that the most potent cytochalasin, cytochalasin D (CD), actually increases F-actin content suggesting that CD disrupts the actin network so as to increase the number of actin-filament ends for further actin polymerization. In this paper, we report the effects of CD on the passive mechanical behavior and morphology of human neutrophils with 1, 2, 10, and 20 μM CD. At 1 and 2 μM CD, the cells remain spherical. However, in the presence of 10 and 20 μM CD, cells are severely deformed and “blebby” as shown by light and scanning electron microscopy. After 1 and 2 μM CD treatment, the cells show a decrease of 43 and 66%, respectively, in cortical tension when measured by static micropipet aspiration experiments. Similarly, the cytoplasmic viscosities of 1 and 2 μM CD-treated cells are decreased, but only by 17 and 24%, respectively. A proportionally greater effect on the cortical tension suggests that CD acts mainly on the actin-rich cortex by disrupting the filament network.
Icons and iconoclasm: Roberto Saviano's Gomorrah and La Denuncia

Roberto Saviano (2007)Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples' Organized Crime System, Virgin Jewiss (transl.) (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux), 320 pp., I...
Vg1 has specific processing requirements that restrict its action to body axis patterning centers.

Abstract Unlike most transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily members, Vg1 has been shown not to produce gross phenotypic alterations in Xenopus embryos when overexpressed by mRNA injection. Experiments with artificial chimeric constructs and a recently identified second allele of Vg1 suggest that this may be due to unusually stringent requirements for proteolytic processing. We provide biological and biochemical evidence that cleavage by two distinct proteolytic enzymes is required for effective activation of Vg1. We demonstrate a tightly restricted overlap in expression patterns of Vg1 with the proteases required to release the mature peptide. The data presented may account for the long-standing observation that the vast majority of Vg1 protein, in vivo, is present in its unprocessed form. Taken together, these observations provide a plausible mechanism for local action of Vg1 consistent with requirements imposed by current models of pattern formation in the developing body axis.
A Sensitivity Analysis for Radiative Heat Transfer in a Pulverized Coal-Fired Furnace

Abstract An analysis is presented for the radiative transfer in a pulverized coal-fired furnace. The third order spherical harmonics approximation is used to model the radiative transfer equation (RTE) in an axisymmetric, cylindrical furnace. To account for the highly forward scattering of radiation by the particles, such as pulverized coal, char, and fly-ash, the delta-Eddington phase function approximation is employed. The temperature distribution in the medium is assumed to be given in order to decouple the RTE from the flow field and energy equations. To gain understanding of the radiative transfer in pulverized coal-fired furnaces, extensive parametric studies have been performed by changing the temperature distribution as well as the spatial and spectral radiative properties of the medium, i.e., extinction coefficient, single scattering albedo, and phase function parameters. The results of calculations are presented in graphical form and are compared with some published experimental results.
Genetic search with dynamic operating disciplines

Abstract This study extends the idea of genetic search to include the selection of specific operating procedures and disciplines during the course of evolution. Operating disciplines are allowed to change and evolve to better suit the search effort. The two major benefits anticipated are performance and robustness. Performance is measured by the goodness of the solution and by the computational effort required to obtain the solution. Robustness is related to the performance of the methodology for a wide range of optimization problems. A robust methodology is one which is not adversely affected by a prespecified operating discipline parameter. In this perspective, robustness is related to the generality of the methodology: its ability to perform well even when the search effort starts in a state not suitable for the specific conditions of the problem at hand. The methodology is demonstrated and evaluated by implementing a known-to-be-difficult class of scheduling problems, the single-machine deterministic scheduling problems in which the objective is to minimize both the earliness and the tardiness.
Housing, Gangs, and Homicide What We Can Learn from Chicago

Recent declines in homicide in Chicago have been seen as similar to earlier declines in New York City and Los Angeles. Popular explanations that policing strategies largely explain variation in rates of violence have been skeptically greeted by criminologists. However, no plausible explanation for persisting high rates of homicide in some cities and very low rates in others has been credibly presented. One reason for this may be the narrowness of criminological investigations. Explanations for violence internationally have included human rights, housing, and economic development among other variables. This article presents data from a study on homicide in Chicago and supplements criminological thinking on homicide by adding insights from urban and globalization research. Language: en
A multicriteria model for regional economic planning

Regional economic planning presents a challenge to local government administrators and planners. One of the most difficult aspects of regional planning is the treatment of multiple and sometimes conflicting goals. This paper presents a multicriteria modeling approach for regional planning. More specifically, it presents goal programming models for a typical regional planning problem which involves multiple projects, revenue sources, and priorities for goals.
Coal properties and their influence on air activation

This research sought to determine how the properties of a raw coal influence the degree to which it may be activated. Twelve coals were analyzed using thermogravimetry, mass spectroscopy, mercury porosimetry, nitrogen sorption and infrared spectroscopy, and activated in air, water-saturated helium and carbon dioxide. The greatest amounts of surface area using air activation were generated for bituminous coals. To investigate possible reasons for the sample-to-sample variation in the amount of surface area generated, a spline-fitting program was used to generate a curve that encloses the surface areas generated for all samples. The differences between measured surface areas and surface areas predicted by the spline-fitting program were determined. Statistical analyses of twenty-two predictor variables suggest that the percent vitrinite present accounts for nearly 73% of the deviation from predicted surface area. The % liptinite + % ash predicts 86% of the deviation and the inclusion of two additional variables, the % pyrite and % organic S, appear capable of predicting nearly 99% of the difference between measured and predicted surface areas. Increasing amounts of vitrinite and pyrite appear to increase the surface area generated, while increasing amounts of liptinite, ash and organic S appear to decrease the surface area generated. Pyrite may act as a catalyst during activation.
Activation of Cerebral Blood Flow During a Visuoperceptual Task in Patients With Alzheimer-Type Dementia

Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) associated with a face-matching task were examined using positron emission tomography (PET) and H2(15)O in 7 patients with mild-moderate dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and in 8 healthy age-matched controls. rCBF was normalized to whole brain flow and pixel-by-pixel difference images were computed by contrasting flow during a control task to flow during face matching. Both patients and controls showed bilateral rCBF increases in occipitotemporal extrastriate cortex during face matching. The magnitude of these increases was not significantly different between the groups. In addition, the patients showed greater rCBF activation in regions of occipital and frontal cortex. These results show that early in the course of DAT, patients utilize extrastriate cortex to perform a visuoperceptual task, as do control subjects but also show rCBF increases in additional cortical areas. Activation of these additional areas of cortex in the patients may reflect an increased attentional load during face matching due to their reduced cognitive capacity.
Think globally, act locally: Assessing the impact of community-based substance abuse prevention☆

Abstract The devolution of national programs to state and local control creates special challenges for evaluators as policy ideas are implemented in a variety of ways in local communities. This paper describes the national evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Fighting Back program, a multi-site demonstration of community-based substance abuse prevention. The evaluation follows the dictum “think globally, act locally” and is designed to provide information to understand communities' response to alcohol and drug problems while simultaneously assessing program outcomes. The use of multiple methods of data collection, including large-scale surveys and social indicators, along with qualitative studies of communities, allows “triangulation” of project findings. The assessment of the project at early implementation suggests that Fighting Back communities have implemented a broad range of strategies to arrest substance use. A baseline has been established against which the impact of the program can be measured as it matures. The present evaluation underscores the essential role of both process and outcome assessment of comprehensive community-based programs and the role of evaluation in helping to design more effective strategies.
The reticent speaker: etiology and treatment.

Abstract There are many possible etiologies for reticence depending on the theoretical stance one takes. Regardless of etiology, reticent communicators show similar symptoms. Among them are general avoidance of social communication situations, non-participation in mandatory communication activities, inability to perceive what success in communication might look like, and various physical symptoms in response to communication obligations. Reticence appears to function as a form of generalized anxiety about communication. Common to all diagnosed reticents is misperception of the requirements of speaking situations, and unawareness of available strategies and techniques. Thus, treatment appears to function best in an instructional format based on Glasser's Reality Therapy and Mager's Goal analysis. Some improvement in behavior and feelings about behavior occurs in most reticents so treated.
Molecular cloning, expression pattern and chromosomal mapping of pig CD69

CD69 is a type II membrane protein belonging to C-type lectin family receptor, and expressed on activated leukocytes. Pig CD69 was cloned by RT-PCR using degenerate primers. Pig CD69 cDNA contains a 600 bp open reading frame with its predicted polypeptide sequence of 200 amino acids. Pig CD69 has 75%, 67%, and 57% sequence identity with cow, human, and mouse CD69, respectively. A splicing isoform, which lacks exon 2 encoding the transmembrane domain, was detected. Pig CD69 gene is located on Chromosome (Chr) 5q25 where the NKG2D gene was mapped. In RT-PCR analysis, pig CD69 mRNA was detected in activated PBL, NK cells, macrophages, monocytes, and granulocytes, but not in resting cells. The inducers for CD69 gene expression were PMA, PHA, LPS, G7 mAb, PNK-E mAb, PM16–6 mAb and the K562 cell line. Moreover, CD69 mRNA is expressed in bone marrow, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes but not in muscle, mammary gland, or the pig kidney cell line (LLC-PK1). These results indicate that pig Chr 5q25 contains the NK gene complex and CD69 can be used as an activation marker in pig cells of innate as well as acquired immune systems.
Causes of the uniformly high crystallinity of graphite in large epigenetic deposits

In low-pressure environments, precipitation of graphite is hindered at low to moderate temperatures by the high solubility of carbon in C-O-H fluids and by kinetic barriers to nucleation. Those low-temperature fluids that do attain saturation tend to precipitate graphite continuously during flow and cooling, thereby producing widely dispersed films of low-crystallinity graphite. In contrast, at high temperatures, particularly when combined with high pressures, the precipitation of graphite is enhanced by decreased solubility of carbon in C-O-H fluids and by improved nucleation under those conditions. The longevity of fluid systems in high-temperature, high-pressure terranes permits efficient, long-term scavenging of dispersed carbon from the crust. The latter may be redistributed in a much more concentrated form as fluids rise, cool and decompress, and as the carbon is finally precipitated as highly crystalline graphite in fracture systems. The combined effects of the thermochemical controls on carbon solubility and the geological controls on fluid generation, movement and P–T pathways are the reason that large, epigenetic graphite deposits form dominantly at high temperatures and pressures. Those high-temperature, high-pressure conditions, in turn, account for the uniformly high crystallinity of the fluid-deposited graphite.
An incremental sigma delta converter for compressive sensing applications

An analog-to-digital converter suitable for compressive sensing applications is presented. The converter is based on an incremental sigma-delta converter architecture and is able to directly acquire and convert to digital format compressive sensing measurements. A switched-capacitor circuit is proposed for the converter's hardware implementation. Simulations at the system and transistor levels validate the approach. The converter occupies a small area of 0.047 mm2 on a target 0.5 µm CMOS process. Thus, several of them can be implemented in parallel to achieve high conversion rates.
A 24-GHz CMOS Passive Subharmonic Mixer/Downconverter for Zero-IF Applications

The design and implementation of a 24-GHz subharmonic-mixer-based downconverter based on a multiphase local oscillator (LO) is presented. Fabricated in a 0.13-mum CMOS process, the downconverter includes a pre-amplifier and an IF buffer and consumes 14.4 mW from a 1.6-V supply. The quadrature LO buffer consumes 15 mA at 1.2 V. The circuit includes a single-ended to differential phase splitter for the LO. The downconverter has a conversion gain of 3.2 dB and double-sideband noise figure of 10 dB. The measured input referred 1-dB compression point is -12.7 dBm. DC offsets were less than 2 mV.
Actuation compensation for flexible surgical snake-like robots with redundant remote actuation

This paper presents two actuation compensation methods for a snake-like robot implementing multi flexible backbones and actuation redundancy. This snake-like robot is designed for distal dexterity enhancement in MIS surgery of the throat. Actuation compensation is required to account for the flexibility of the actuation lines that connect this snake-like robot with its remote actuation units. The paper presents both a naive model-based compensation approach and a combined model-based recursive linear-estimation approach that uses data gathered from external measurements of the snake-like unit configuration such as vision. The kinematic and static model of this multi-backbone snake-like unit is reviewed and a simplified redundancy resolution is implemented in the error compensation model. The results show that the performance of the snake-like unit is significantly improved when compensation is implemented. The combined model-based recursive linear estimation method showed 1deg accuracy in path tracking. Finally, an updated Jacobian that accounts for the required compensation is presented. All the work done here strides the crucial step towards a successful clinical task such as suturing in the throat
Experiments and Modeling of Multilayer Copper Minichannel Heat Sinks in Single-Phase Flow

One of the most promising configurations for indirect liquid cooling of electronic systems is in the use of heat sinks or cold plates where a liquid is forced to flow through channels embedded in a solid matrix. Traditional microchannel heat sinks consist of a single layer of parallel, high-aspect ratio rectangular channels microfabricated in silicon or copper. These heat sinks can achieve very high heat fluxes due to: 1) high heat transfer coefficients from microchannels, and 2) large surface areas from high-aspect ratio channels. When manufacturing techniques prohibit the fabrication of high-aspect ratio channels, stacking or creating multilayers of single layered channels can be an alternative to increasing surface area. In this work, square channel copper minichannel heat sinks were fabricated with single and multiple layers. It was experimentally shown that multilayer heat sinks have significant advantages over single layer equivalents with reductions in thermal resistance and pressure drop. Numerical simulations using CFD were performed and comparisons were made with experimental results. An approximate one-dimensional resistance network model for both single and multilayered heat sinks was also developed. Both numerical and resistance network models compared well with experiments
Autocrine CSF-1R activation promotes Src-dependent disruption of mammary epithelial architecture

Elevated coexpression of colony-stimulating factor receptor (CSF-1R) and its ligand, CSF-1, correlates with invasiveness and poor prognosis of a variety of epithelial tumors (Kacinski, B.M. 1995. Ann. Med. 27:79–85). Apart from recruitment of macrophages to the tumor site, the mechanisms by which CSF-1 may potentiate invasion are poorly understood. We show that autocrine CSF-1R activation induces hyperproliferation and a profound, progressive disruption of junctional integrity in acinar structures formed by human mammary epithelial cells in three-dimensional culture. Acini coexpressing receptor and ligand exhibit a dramatic relocalization of E-cadherin from the plasma membrane to punctate intracellular vesicles, accompanied by its loss from the Triton-insoluble fraction. Interfering with Src kinase activity, either by pharmacological inhibition or mutation of the Y561 docking site on CSF-1R, prevents E-cadherin translocation, suggesting that CSF-1R disrupts cell adhesion by uncoupling adherens junction complexes from the cytoskeleton and promoting cadherin internalization through a Src-dependent mechanism. These findings provide a mechanistic basis whereby CSF-1R could contribute to invasive progression in epithelial cancers.
Participant recruitment and data collection framework for opportunistic sensing: a comparative analysis

Mobile crowdsensing is a novel approach that exploits the sensing capabilities offered by smartphones and users' mobility to sense large scale areas without requiring the deployment of sensors in-situ. Opportunistic sensing utilizes users' normal behavior to crowd-source sensing missions. In this work, we propose a novel framework for fully distributed, opportunistic sensing that coherently integrates two main components that operate in DTN mode: i. participant recruitment and ii. data collection. We adopt a new approach to match mobility profiles of users to the coverage of the sensing mission. We analyze several distributed approaches for both components through extensive trace-based simulations, including epidemic routing, PROPHET, spray and wait, profile-cast, and opportunistic geocast. The performances of these protocols are compared using realistic mobility traces from wireless LANs, various mission coverage patterns and sink mobility profiles. Our results show how the performances of the considered protocols vary, depending on the particular scenario, and suggest guidelines for future development of distributed opportunistic sensing systems.
The occurrence and transport of radon in the natural environment

Radon—a colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas known to accumulate in homes. Within the last two years, those words have appeared in probably every newspaper in the country, informing the public that they may have an increased risk of lung cancer due to exposure to radon. Although the actual health risks of the slightly elevated concentrations found in the vast majority of homes is a matter of current scientific study, there are clearly some areas of the country where indoor levels and individual exposures can approach those found in underground mines. In these cases, the risks are not in doubt, but questions concerning the occurrence and transport of radon abound.
Forward-looking fault simulation for improved static compaction

Fault simulation of a test set in an order different from the order of generation (e.g., reverse- or random-order fault simulation) is used as a fast and effective method to drop unnecessary tests from a test set in order to reduce its size. We propose an improvement to this type of fault simulation process that makes it even more effective in reducing the test-set size. The proposed improvement allows us to drop tests without simulating them based on the fact that the faults they detect will be detected by tests that will be simulated later, hence the name of the improved procedure: forward-looking fault simulation. We present experimental results to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed improvement.
5-oxoprolinuria due to hereditary 5-oxoprolinase deficiency in two brothers--a new inborn error of the gamma-glutamyl cycle.

Two brothers, aged 16 and 11 years, had recurrent episodes of vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, starting in infancy. In spite of extensive investigations no cause of their enterocolitis could be established. After several years symptomatic treatment was discontinued without any recurrence of symptoms. Their father and several paternal relatives have had kidney stones. Both boys developed urolithiasis and an oxalate-containing stone was removed from the elder brother's kidney. He had no hypercalciuria. His glomerular and tubular function tests were normal. Gas chromatography of urine from both brothers revealed massive excretion of L-5-oxoproline (pyroglutamic acid). Glutathione levels in erythrocytes of both patients were normal. The activities of enzymes of the gamma-glutamyl cycle were analysed in erythrocytes, leukocytes and cultured skin fibroblasts. The level of glutathione synthetase was normal, as was the affinity of this enzyme for its substrate gamma-glutamyl-cysteine. Feedback inhibition of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase by glutathione was also normal. Both patients had a specific deficiency of 5-oxoprolinase, the activity of which was 2-4% of that of control subjects. Their parents had intermediate 5-oxoprolinase activities in fibroblasts, indicating a recessive mode of inheritance. Thus, 5-oxoprolinuria in these two patients was due to a lack of 5-oxoprolinase, i.e., a new inborn error in the gamma-glutamyl cycle.
Treatment of Neurotoxic Side Effects of Interferon-α with Naltrexone

Interferon-a (IFN-α) has potential dose-limiting neurotoxic side effects when used in cancer therapy. The nature of this neurotoxicity is speculative, and there is no definitive treatment. Because animal studies suggest that IFN-α acts at opioid receptor sites, we gave naltrexone, a long-acting opioid antagonist, to 9 patients who had hematological malignancies and who suffered from IFN-α side effects. Seven of these patients experienced complete or moderate relief of side effects. Five of the patients tested before and during naltrexone treatment showed improvement of cognitive functioning. Two patients could not tolerate naltrexone side effects. This study suggests an intervention against IFN-α side effects and provides support for the role of opioid receptor interaction in IFN-α neurotoxicity.
Growth Factor Responses and Protooncogene Expression of Murine Mesothelial Cell Lines Derived from Asbestos-Induced Mesotheliomas

Repeated intraperitoneal injections of crocidolite asbestos fibers induced diffuse malignant mesotheliomas in mice. A series of mesothelial cell lines was isolated from mice at different stages in the development of these tumors. The cell lines isolated from mice with mesotheliomas recapitulated their growth pattern in vivo and were tumorigenic when reinjected into syngeneic mice. Similar to human mesothelial cells, growth of the murine cell lines was stimulated by epidermal growth factor. Reactive mesothelial cells and mesotheliomas expressed the receptor for this growth factor. Crocidolite asbestos fibers have been reported to induce sustained expression of the c-fos and c-jun protooncogenes in rat pleural mesothelial cells in vitro (Heintz et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90: 3299-303, 1993). Human malignant mesotheliomas have been shown to express c-fos in situ (Ramael et al, Histol. Histopathol. 10: 639-643, 1995). Two of the cell lines derived from highly invasive murine mesotheliomas overexpressed c-fos and c-jun. This murine model recapitulates the histopathology, growth factor responses, and protooncogene expression of human malignant mesotheliomas.
Environmental Exposures and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

Background: Environmental exposures, ranging from perchlorate in rocket fuel to polychlorinated biphenols, have been shown to influence thyroid function. Although most of these agents are associate...
Examining national outcomes after thyroidectomy with nerve monitoring.

Background Previous intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) studies have demonstrated modest-to-no benefit and did not include a nationwide sample of hospitals representative of broad thyroidectomy practices. This national study was designed to compare vocal cord paralysis (VCP) rates between thyroidectomy with IONM and without monitoring (conventional). Study Design We performed a retrospective analysis of 243,527 thyroidectomies during 2008 to 2011 using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Results Use of IONM increased yearly throughout the study period (2.6% [2008], 5.6% [2009], 6.1% [2010], 6.9% [2011]) and during this time, VCP rates in the IONM group initially increased year-over-year (0.9% [2008], 2.4% [2009], 2.5% [2010], 1.4% [2011]). In unadjusted analyses, IONM was associated with significantly higher VCP rates (conventional 1.4% vs IONM 1.9%, p 300 thyroidectomies/year: IONM, 2.1%, 1.7%, 1.7%; conventional, 1.5%, 1.3%, 1.0%, respectively). Conclusions According to this study, IONM has not been broadly adopted into practice. Overall, IONM was associated with a higher rate of VCP even after correction for numerous confounders. In particular, low institutional use of IONM and use in partial thyroidectomies are associated with higher rates of VCP. Further studies are warranted to support the broader application of IONM in patients where benefit can be reliably achieved.