cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Food and Homecoming in Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

(2008). Food and Homecoming in Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. The Explicator: Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 104-108.
Frequency modulation of the narrow-band noise in sliding charge-density-wave conductors

The general phenomenon of ac-dc mixing in sliding charge-density-wave conductors is identified as the frequency modulation of the narrow-band noise driven by an amplitude-modulated field. Excellent agreement with theoretical results is obtained with no adjustable parameters. Implications of the results for ac-dc interference phenomena such as Shapiro steps are discussed.
Reduction of ischemic events with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors: lessons and controversy emerging from recent clinical trials.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy has been associated with a substantial (≥20%) reduction in the risk of major ischemic events in two recent clinical trials with long-term follow-up: Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD) and the Survival and Ventricular Enlargement (SAVE) study. Participants in these studies included patients with a low ejection fraction (≤0.35 in SOLVD and ≤0.40 in SAVE), generally without symptoms of congestive heart failure. Approximately 80% of patients enrolled in SOLVD and all participants in SAVE had histories of ischemic heart disease or acute myocardial infarction (SAVE). In both SOLVD and SAVE the risk of experiencing a major ischemic event such as myocardial infarction was reduced significantly following prolonged ACE inhibitor therapy. In the SOLVD trial, this effect was evident across a range of patient subgroups, including varying concomitant drug therapies. In both studies, several months elapsed before this benefit became apparent, suggesting an effect on underlying ischemic pathophysiology. A third trial of ACE inhibitor therapy postinfarction, the Acute Infarction Ramipril Efficacy (AIRE) Study, demonstrated a 27% reduction in all cause mortality but no effect on myocardial infarction after a 15-month mean follow-up. No effect of ACE inhibition on risk of survival or reinfarction was reported in the Cooperative New Scandinavian Enalapril Survival Study (CONSENSUS-II), which began the drug within 24 hours of infarction and terminated follow-up at 6 months, a time not likely to demonstrate infarction reduction benefit based on the SOLVD and SAVE observations. Neither AIRE nor CONSENSUS-II had objectively determined left ventricular dysfunction as an entry criterion, as did SOLVD and SAVE, but AIRE mandated “clinical” congestive heart failure prior to randomization. More recently, preliminary results from the third Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto Miocardico (GISSI-3), the Fourth International Study of Infarct Survival (ISIS-4), and the Chinese Captopril Trial suggested that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor mortality benefits post-myocardial infarction would be detected in these megatrials as early as 35 days after the event. The mechanism of ACE inhibitor benefit is likely multifactorial and linked to a variety of cardiac and vascular protective mechanisms currently being elucidated. Additional trials are required to ascertain if ACE inhibitors might effect similar benefits in other high-risk populations, such as patients with hypertension or diabetes alone, and to determine if this is a drug class effect or is specific to individual medications studied.
Robot subtask performance with singularity robustness using optimal damped least-squares

The authors introduce a novel formulation of subtask performance for redundant manipulators. This formulation uses the singularity robust inverse (SRI), which is effective in yielding feasible joint motions in single regions, in conjunction with a homogeneous-like joint velocity component to perform an additional subtask such as obstacle avoidance. This novel inverse kinematic scheme enables the manipulator to overcome singularities (or, more accurately, avoid infeasible joint motions at or near singular configurations) and avoid obstacles in addition to the main motion task. The attractive aspect of this scheme is that it results in the satisfaction of two subtasks without requiring two explicit subtask criteria. This is because one of the subtasks, i.e., feasible joint motion, is implicitly incorporated in the particular solution in the form of the SRI. As depicted in simulations, the proposed formulation proves to be an effective inverse kinematic solution in singular regions of the manipulator workspace. >
Outline of a Theory of Olfactory Processing and its Relevance to Humans

Two traditional beliefs about olfaction are that the system is poorly understood and that it functions poorly in humans. An outline of a theory of olfactory processing has in fact been emerging for many years (Rall and Shepherd, 1968; Stewart et al., 1979; Haberly, 1985; Lancet, 1986; Buck and Axel, 1991; Shepherd, 1991; Imamura et al., 1992; Mori and Shepherd, 1994; Mombaerts, 2004; Wilson, 2004). I will first briefly update the theory based on evidence from many recent studies, a consensus that is not widely appreciated because it is multilevel, multidisciplinary and cross-phylogenetic. I will then consider new evidence that evolution has produced in humans an excellent overall sense of smell and, combined with taste and somatosensation and other inputs, the best sense of flavor in the animal world. This should give a new emphasis to the importance of these senses for sensory physiology, human nutrition, and human evolution. Our focus will be on mammals, while recognizing the crossphylogenetic application of many of the basic principles (Hildebrand and Shepherd, 1997).
Degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures (Aroclors 1242, 1254, and 1260) by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium as evidenced by congener-specific analysis

Evidence for substantial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures Aroclor 1242, 1254, and 1260 by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, based on congener-specific gas chromatographic analysis, is presented. Maximal degradation (percent by weight) of Aroclors 1242, 1254, and 1260 was 60.9, 30.5, and 17.6%, respectively. Most of the congeners in Aroclors 1242 and 1254 were degraded extensively both in low-N (ligninolytic) as well as high-N (nonligninolytic) defined media. Even more extensive degradation of the congeners was observed in malt extract medium. Congeners with varying numbers of ortho, meta, and para chlorines were extensively degraded, indicating relative nonspecificity for the position of chlorine substitutions on the biphenyl ring. Aroclor 1260, which has not been conclusively shown to undergo aerobic microbial degradation, was shown to undergo substantial net degradation by P. chrysosporium. Maximal degradation of Aroclor 1260 was observed in malt extract medium (18.4% on a molar basis), in which most of the individual congeners were degraded.
Persistent Infection Drives the Development of CD8+ T Cells Specific for Late Lytic Infection Antigens in Lymphocryptovirus-Infected Macaques and Epstein-Barr Virus-Infected Humans

We examined the CD8 T cell repertoire against lytic infection antigens in rhesus macaques persistently infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related lymphocryptovirus (rhLCV). CD8 T cells specific for late (L) antigens were detected at rates comparable to those for early antigens and were associated with increasing duration of infection. L antigen-specific CD8 T cells were also readily detected in adult, EBV-positive humans. Thus, viral major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) immune evasion genes expressed during lytic LCV infection do not prevent L-specific CD8 T cell development over time during persistent infection. The repertoire of CD8 T cells specific for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic infection antigens is believed to be biased away from cells specific for late (L) lytic infection antigens, since they are rarely detected in humans with infectious mononucleosis (IM) (11). To begin addressing how lytic antigenspecific CD8 T cells might affect EBV infection, we asked if the CD8 T cell repertoire is also biased against L antigens in rhesus macaques, since they are naturally infected with EBVrelated herpesviruses in the same lymphocryptovirus (LCV) genus. Rhesus LCV (rhLCV)-specific T cells were expanded from healthy, rhLCV-seropositive macaques by repetitive stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with autologous, rhLCV-immortalized, lymphoblastoid cell lines (rhLCV-LCL) (6). T cell lines contained predominantly CD8 T cells (average of 88% CD8 cells; range, 56 to 99%; average of 11% CD4 cells; range, 1 to 51%).
Can a novel silver nano coating reduce infections and maintain cell viability in vitro

Herein we report a facile layer-by-layer method for creating an antimicrobial coating composed of silver nanoparticles on medical grade titanium test discs. Nanoscale silver nanoparticle layers are attached to the titanium orthopedic implant material via aminopropyltriethoxy silane crosslinker that reacts with neighboring silane moieties to create an interconnected network. A monolayer of silane, followed by a monolayer of silver nanoparticles would form one self-assembled layer and this process can be repeated serially, resulting in increased silver nanoparticles deposition. The release rate of silver ion increases predictably with increasing numbers of layers and at appropriate thicknesses these coatings demonstrate 3-4 log reduction of viable Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Increasing the thickness of the coatings resulted in reduced bacterial colonization as determined by fluorescent staining and image analysis. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of murine 3T3 cells as quantified by fluorescent staining and flow cytometry, was minimal and did not vary significantly with the coating thickness. Additionally, these coatings are mechanically stable and resist delamination by orthogonal stress test. This simple layer-by-layer coating technique may provide a cost-effective and biocompatible method for reducing microbial colonization of implantable orthopedic devices.
Flammability of polymer nanocomposite systems

Engineering and materials science face new challenges in more demanding space exploration and defense fields. The more severe req uisites concerning budget and safety have driven the focus of research toward a class of materials whose characteristics aim at satisfying various engineering requirements at the same time. In this picture, multifunctional materials seem to have a fundamental part. In this work the flammability behavior of a composite system made from epoxy, nanoparticles, and aramid fiber papers is studied using cone calorimetry. The heat release rate, effective heat of combustion, mass loss rate, and time of ignition are compared and discussed for dif ferent compositions; effect of nanofillers on flame retardance is verified and optimum solutio n suggested.
What is to be done? Succession from the League of Communists of Croatia

Abstract Croatia's complex and violent transition contributed to conditions under which ex-communists have exerted significant influence over multiple post-Communist parties. In the 1990s, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) led by President Franjo Tudjman employed war to impose a semi-authoritarian system that further weakened the electoral prospects of the most logical Communist successor party—the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The SDP-led coalition's win in the 2000 elections ushered in conditions that enabled a deeper democratization in Croatia that brought it closer toward integration into the EU. HDZ's loss in 2000 and EU leverage then helped compel HDZ to reform and to continue work toward meeting EU accession requirements.
Synthesizing within-host and population-level selective pressures on viral populations: the impact of adaptive immunity on viral immune escape

The evolution of viruses to escape prevailing host immunity involves selection at multiple integrative scales, from within-host viral and immune kinetics to the host population level. In order to understand how viral immune escape occurs, we develop an analytical framework that links the dynamical nature of immunity and viral variation across these scales. Our epidemiological model incorporates within-host viral evolutionary dynamics for a virus that causes acute infections (e.g. influenza and norovirus) with changes in host immunity in response to genetic changes in the virus population. We use a deterministic description of the within-host replication dynamics of the virus, the pool of susceptible host cells and the host adaptive immune response. We find that viral immune escape is most effective at intermediate values of immune strength. At very low levels of immunity, selection is too weak to drive immune escape in recovered hosts, while very high levels of immunity impose such strong selection that viral subpopulations go extinct before acquiring enough genetic diversity to escape host immunity. This result echoes the predictions of simpler models, but our formulation allows us to dissect the combination of within-host and transmission-level processes that drive immune escape.
Some novel inhibitors of platelet aggregation: acute toxicity in mice and its relationship to in vitro activity and toxicity.

Abstract Five carbamoylpiperidine congeners and one nipecotoylpiperazine derivative, which inhibit ADP-induced aggregation of human blood platelets in vitro, were evaluated in vivo for acute toxicity to male and female ICR mice. Although the in vitro platelet aggregation inhibiting potency of these compounds covered about a 1150-fold range, the acute ip LD50s (μ m /kg) in mice showed only a fourfold range of values. An increase in platelet aggregation inhibiting potency (in vitro) was not paralleled by an increase in acute toxicity in vivo for these compounds; in fact, the most potent aggregation inhibitor (μ m /liter) was the least toxic (μ m /kg) to mice. A comparison of acute LD50s (μ m /kg) to concentrations which produce 50% inhibition of mouse fibroblast cell growth in culture (μ m /liter) did not yield a consistent value, nor was the rank order of toxicity the same from these two tests. In hematoxylin and eosin stained slides of major organs from treated mice, no histopathologic lesions were observed which were attributable to administration of these compounds.
Race matters: analyzing the relationship between colorectal cancer mortality rates and various factors within respective racial groups

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of mortality due to cancer (with over 50,000 deaths annually), representing 9% of all cancer deaths in the United States (American Cancer Society, 2013). In particular, the African American CRC mortality rate is among the highest reported for any race/ethnic group. Meanwhile, the CRC mortality rate for Hispanics is 15%-19% lower than that for non-Hispanic Caucasians (Horner et al., 2009). While factors such as obesity, age, and socio-economic status are known to associate with CRC mortality, do these and other potential factors correlate with CRC death in the same way across races? This research linked CRC mortality data obtained from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) with data from the United States Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Solar Radiation Database to visually examine geographic and racial/ethnic differences, and develop a spatial regression model that adjusted for several factors that may attribute to health disparities among ethnic/racial groups. This analysis showed that sunlight, obesity, and socio-economic status were significant predictors of CRC mortality. The study is significant because it not only verifies known factors associated with the risk of CRC death but, more importantly, demonstrates how these factors vary within different racial groups. Accordingly, education on reducing risk factors for CRC should be directed at specific racial groups above and beyond creating a generalized education plan.
Role of Algorithms in Understanding Performance of the TI-05 Benchmark Suite

This paper first describes some of the various types of algorithms encountered in scientific and engineering computations. Examples include (1) deterministic versus probabilistic applications, (2) modeling media that range from continuum to particles to molecules to atoms to electrons to quarks, (3) solving a differential equation (DE), (4) interpolation versus least-squares approximations, (5) optimization problems, (6) search algorithms, (7) integer problems, and (8) general-purpose algorithms such as the Fast Fourier Transform and a linear solver. Because most of the Technology Insertion 2005 (TI-05) benchmark applications solve a DE, the paper then explains the algorithmic consequences of each type of DE (ordinary and elliptic, hyperbolic, and parabolic partial DE) and then relates this information to specific Department of Defense applications, most of which are in the TI-05 application benchmark suite (TI05ABS). Various types of grids are then described, as most of the programs in the TI05ABS are grid-based. These grids are then related to the TI05ABS programs with accompanying descriptions of the resulting algorithmic complexities. Finally, a major aspect of algorithm complexity is the use of linear solvers. This paper presents a detailed analysis of each TI05ABS application regarding its characteristics with specific focus on linear solvers.
Note on Learning Rate Schedules for Stochastic Optimization

We present and compare learning rate schedules for stochastic gradient descent, a general algorithm which includes LMS, on-line backpropagation and k-means clustering as special cases. We introduce "search-then-converge" type schedules which outperform the classical constant and "running average" (1/t) schedules both in speed of convergence and quality of solution.
Apparent elastic modulus of ex vivo trabecular bovine bone increases with dynamic loading

Although it is widely known that bone tissue responds to mechanical stimuli, the underlying biological control is still not completely understood. The purpose of this study was to validate required methods necessary to maintain active osteocytes and minimize bone tissue injury in an ex vivo three-dimensional model that could mimic in vivo cellular function. The response of 22 bovine trabecular bone cores to uniaxial compressive load was investigated by using the ZETOS bone loading and bioreactor system while perfused with culture medium for 21 days. Two groups were formed, the ‘‘treatment’’ group (n = 12) was stimulated with a physiological compressive strain (4000 me) in the form of a ‘‘jump’’ wave, while the ‘‘control’’ group (n = 10) was loaded only during three measurements for apparent elastic modulus on days 3, 10, and 21. At the end of the experiment, apoptosis and active osteocytes were quantified with histological analysis, and bone formation was identified by means of the calcium-binding dye, calcein. It was demonstrated that the treatment group increased the elastic modulus by 61%, whereas the control group increased by 28% (p\ 0.05). Of the total osteocytes observed at the end of 21 days, 1.7% (60.3%) stained positive for apoptosis in the loaded group, whereas 2.7% (60.4%) stained positive in the control group. Apoptosis in the center of the bone cores of both groups at the end of 21 days was similar to that observed in vivo. Therefore, the three-dimensional model used in this research permitted the investigation of physiological responses to mechanical loads on morphology adaptation of trabecular bone in a controlled defined load and chemical environment.
Identification of a sequence motif that confers SecB dependence on a SecB-independent secretory protein in vivo.

SecB is a cytosolic chaperone which facilitates the transport of a subset of proteins, including membrane proteins such as PhoE and LamB and some periplasmic proteins such as maltose-binding protein, in Escherichia coli . However, not all proteins require SecB for transport, and proteins such as ribose-binding protein are exported efficiently even in SecB-null strains. The characteristics which confer SecB dependence on some proteins but not others have not been defined. To determine the sequence characteristics that are responsible for the SecB requirement, we have inserted a systematic series of short, polymeric sequences into the SecB-independent protein alkaline phosphatase (PhoA). The extent to which these simple sequences convert alkaline phosphatase into a SecB-requiring protein was evaluated in vivo. Using this approach we have examined the roles of the polarity and charge of the sequence, as well as its location within the mature region, in conferring SecB dependence. We find that an insert with as few as 10 residues, of which 3 are basic, confers SecB dependence and that the mutant protein is efficiently exported in the presence of SecB. Remarkably, the basic motifs caused the protein to be translocated in a strict membrane potential-dependent fashion, indicating that the membrane potential is not a barrier to, but rather a requirement for, translocation of the motif. The alkaline phosphatase mutants most sensitive to the loss of SecB are those most sensitive to inhibition of SecA via azide treatment, consistent with the necessity for formation of a preprotein-SecB-SecA complex. Furthermore, the impact of the basic motif depends on location within the mature protein and parallels the accessibility of the location to the secretion apparatus.
Race and the NFL Draft: Views from the Auction Block

Previous research suggests that minorities are more likely to perceive racially-based discrimination in a variety of settings than are whites, in large part because of the ways their personal experiences with racism shape the lens they use to view the world. We examine a labor market that is typically considered an exception to patterns of racism in employment, the industry of professional football. We interview athletes who attempted to gain employment in the National Football League, a labor market where access to valued positions is heavily restricted by industry practices. Findings from field research and semi-structured interviews indicate that minority workers experience symbolic discrimination during the hiring process. Differential treatment of players reflects stereotypes about minority families and masculinity. Although minority and white players describe much of the actual content of their labor market experiences in similar fashion, their perceptions of these experiences differ sharply, with minority athletes identifying far more negative repercussions.
Aflatoxin Contamination of Peanuts from Plants Drought Stressed In Pod or Root Zones

Abstract Studies were conducted to investigate the separate roles of root stress and pod stress in pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination of peanuts. Pod and root zones were separated by a polystyrene barrier in a unique design and drought type conditions were applied either above or below the barriers. In the three year study, aflatoxin was consistently found in peanuts when pods were exposed to drought stress although roots of those plants were well watered. Generally, aflatoxin was not found in peanuts when pods were well watered although roots were subjected to drought stress conditions. Moisture content of Pod Maturity Profile classes was generally lower in root zone stress conditions especially in the immature classes. Moisture contents of mustard-colored pods in all classes were extremely low (< 26%).
Sports Event Sponsorship For Brand Promotion

In investigating the effectiveness of brand promotion at a sports event, respondents were asked to name their preferred brand in nine categories of consumer goods and services. Each category included one brand promoted at the event by a sponsor. Brand preference was analyzed in terms of frequency of attendance. Results suggest that ton-site advertising effectiveness may be more related to the specific brand rather than to frequency of attendance (advertising exposure).
The safety of antiemetic medications for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is associated with a significant deterioration in quality of life and is perceived by patients as a major adverse effect of the treatment. The purpose of the review is to determine the safety and efficacy of current antiemetic agents.Areas Covered: Information on antiemetic guideline recommended antiemetics derived from PubMed showed that the first and second generation 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists have been safe and effective in the control of acute emesis with a small number of patients experiencing mild headache, diarrhea, or constipation. Improvement in the prevention of delayed emesis has occurred with the neurokinin (NK)-1 receptor antagonists aprepitant, netupitant, and rolapitant with mild headache, constipation, hiccups, and fatigue the most commonly reported adverse events. Olanzapine, an antipsychotic that blocks multiple neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, appears to be effective in the pre...
Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 2 Regulates Myocardial Response to Exercise

The myocardial response to exercise is an adaptive mechanism that permits the heart to maintain cardiac output via improved cardiac function and development of hypertrophy. There are many overlapping mechanisms via which this occurs with calcium handling being a crucial component of this process. Our laboratory has previously found that the stretch sensitive TRPV2 channels are active regulators of calcium handling and cardiac function under baseline conditions based on our observations that TRPV2-KO mice have impaired cardiac function at baseline. The focus of this study was to determine the cardiac function of TRPV2-KO mice under exercise conditions. We measured skeletal muscle at baseline in WT and TRPV2-KO mice and subjected them to various exercise protocols and measured the cardiac response using echocardiography and molecular markers. Our results demonstrate that the TRPV2-KO mouse did not tolerate forced exercise although they became increasingly exercise tolerant with voluntary exercise. This occurs as the cardiac function deteriorates further with exercise. Thus, our conclusion is that TRPV2-KO mice have impaired cardiac functional response to exercise.
Environmental Regulation of Land Use: A Growing Area of Federal and Louisiana Environmental Law

Abstract The growth of environmental consciousness and federal and state environmental regulation over the past 25 years has resulted in a shift of regulatory control over land use for environmental protection purposes from local government to the federal and state governments. Local governments, however, have become environmentally conscious in exercising their traditional zoning authority over the siting of new industrial facilities, solid waste disposal sites (landfills), and hazardous waste sites. The collective federal, state, and local regulation of land use to accommodate environmental concerns is known as environmental regulation of land use. Geographic areas impacted by this new land use regulation focus are agricultural lands, wetlands, floodplains, coastal zones, and habitats for endangered species. Collectively, these areas comprise nearly the entire state of Louisiana. At the federal level, numerous laws passed since 1970 have had the effect of restricting use of land to achieve national environmental protection goals. Four of these federal laws are particularly relevant to Louisiana: the Coastal Zone Management Act, Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Flood Insurance Program. These laws and major federal and Louisiana environmental and use cases are discussed.
Using a Nonlinear Acoustic Wave Equation for Anisotropic Inversion

In this abstract, we present some initial results on a specific nonlinear pseudoacoustic wave equation in anisotropic media, including forward modeling, linearization, and the adjoint method. Our objective is to find a robust and efficient method for anisotropic full-waveform inversion (FWI). The forward modeling equation is solved discretely by the rotated staggered finite difference scheme. The first-order Born modeling operator is obtained by linearizing the forward equation. Following adjoint methods, we derived the adjoint equation and tested it on simple models. Our results demonstrate a possibility for waveform inversion in anisotropic media.
Crystal-Chemical Guide for Understanding Redox Energy Variations of M2+/3+ Couples in Polyanion Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

A crystal-chemical guide is provided for understanding how factors such as the crystal structure and covalency of the polyanion affect the M2+/3+ redox energies in polyanion cathodes. Although there are more rigorous techniques available, our approach is precise in spite of being simple. We show that an accurate prediction can be made with regard to the voltages delivered based on a basic understanding of how the coordination of the transition-metal ion affects the covalency of the M-O bond. Additionally, a new method for assessing the covalency of the polyanion (beyond the electronegativity of the countercation) is presented and used to explain why the voltage delivered by Li2MP2O7 cathodes is higher than that of LiMPO4. Furthermore, a comparison of the silicate and phosphate structures reveals that edge sharing between transition metal polyhedra and other cation polyhedra has an opposite effect on the voltage delivered by these materials. For instance, edge sharing with LiO4 polyhedra in the silicates r...
Body Mass as a Measure of Body Size in Small Mammals

Etude des relations entre la masse corporelle et la taille chez les petits mammiferes. Les especes etudiees sont Sigmadon huspidus, Microtus pennsylvanicus, M. ochrogaster, Peromyscus leucopus, Rattus norvegicus et Mus musculus
Abstract 1176: Bypassing the dominant-negative effect of mutant p53 in cancer cells

The tumor suppressor p53 is mutated in more than 50% of all cancers. The transcriptional activity of p53 depends on localization to the nucleus and formation of p53 tetramers. Use of wild-type (wt) p53 for gene therapy is limited due to the dominant-negative effect of mutant (mut) p53 over wt p53. Mut p53 will hetero-oligomerize with wt p53 via the tetramerization domain (TD) found in p53, deactivating the tumor suppressor function of wt p53. In order to use p53 for gene therapy, an alternative oligomerization domain for p53 was investigated. The coiled-coil (CC) domain from Bcr (breakpoint cluster region), similar to the native TD of p53, can form an antiparallel dimer of dimers. The TD from p53 was then substituted with this CC, and the activity of this new p53 (p53-CC) was tested. We evaluated the transcriptional activity of p53-CC compared to wt p53 in a dual luciferase reporter gene assay. To demonstrate the ability of our p53-CC to bypass the dominant-negative effect prompted by hetero-oligomers, the reporter gene assay was carried in human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and human breast ductal carcinoma (T47D) cell lines. MCF-7 cells contain wt p53 population that is mislocalized to the cytoplasm, whereas, T47D cells contain mutant p53. Indeed, data from the reporter gene experiment shows a reduction in wt p53 activity introduced to T47D cells compared to MCF-7 cells, while the activity of p53-CC remains consistent regardless of the presence of an endogenous mut p53 population. We also tested the biological activity of p53-CC and its ability to induce apoptosis using 7-AAD and Annexin-V assays (late stage apoptosis). In addition, Caspase-3/7 assay (mid-stage apoptosis) was performed to further validate a p53-dependent apoptotic pathway. Data obtained from the aforementioned experiments suggest that p53-CC has a very similar biological activity to wt p53. Furthermore, we examined the gene expression profile of p53-CC using wt p53 as a reference. The assay was performed using real-time PCR array technology to analyze the expression of 84 genes related to p53-mediated signal transduction. Two negative controls were used; the first is a p53 construct that lacks its tetramerization domain (p53ΔTDC) and should not possess any transcriptional activity, and the second is the CC by itself. Indeed, p53-CC shows comparable gene expression profile to wt p53 and has the ability to transactivate the various p53 target genes. In summary, p53-CC retains p53 activity and excludes hetero-oligomer formation, overcoming a major barrier in using p53 for cancer gene therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1176. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1176
Soil Fungi Isolated from Fields Under Different Tillage and Weed-Control Regimes

A qualitative and quantitative survey of soil microfungi isolated from fields under two tillage regimes and three levels of atrazine application was undertaken. Using the soil-plate method, 1,658 c...
Aligning Collections with Student Needs: East Carolina University's Project to Acquire and Promote Online Access to Course-Adopted Texts

ABSTRACTThe rapidly increasing costs of course-adopted texts and the evolving models and platforms for acquiring access to ebooks present libraries with new opportunities to support the learning needs of students. This article discusses how the East Carolina University Libraries are capitalizing on these opportunities through their pilot project to acquire and/or promote unlimited concurrent user online access to course-adopted texts. The article will particularly focus on the specific steps and current outcomes of the project. Through this discussion, the article aims to help enable personnel at other libraries to explore the development of similar projects.
Several Issues in Modeling Technique for Intelligent Dispatching

Distributed integration modeling technique is one of core technologies of intelligent dispatching.Based on the principles of source maintenance and global sharing,this technique implements trans-layer and trans-region distributed integration modeling.The issues such as verification of power network model,maintenance of model boundary and so on,which occur during the application of distributed integration modeling,are analyzed and solutions for these issue are given.An effective method to verify power network model is put forward to ensure the correctness of the source model;an intelligent method to maintain model boundary is proposed,thus the cumbersome maintenance of model boundary is thoroughly resolved;a concrete approach for integrated online synchronization is given,thus the problem of submitting graphics,data and model into online system without disturbance is solved.Solutions of these issues are the perfection and supplement to distributed integration modeling for smart grid.
Study on Land Use Change and Its Driving Forces in Ning′an City Based on Fractal Theory

We took Ning′an City in Heilongjiang Province as the study area.Based on the three periods of remote sensing images from 1991 to 2010,we investigated the quantitative and structural changes,land use changes characteristics using the fractal theory of the study area by RS,GIS,spatial statistical analysis and synthesis factor analysis method in order to reveal the pattern of land use change and its influencing factors.The results showed that:(1)drung the period from 1991 to 2010land use in the study area generally changed,farmland and construction land area increased year by year,decrease of the area of woodland and grassland,water was found,and the other land area remained relatively stable,increase of arable land mainly was shifted from woodland;incremental construction land was mainly shifted from farmland,forestland transfer direction was mainly towards farmland,and was mainly shifted from its incremental grassland,grassland decreased year by year,its main transfer direction was towards farmland and woodland,its increment was mainly shifted from woodland;(2)during the period from 1991 to 2010,Ning'an overall value of the fractal dimension rose,the stability presented the downward trend,the spatial structure of waters was the most complex,spatial structures of arable land and the construction land were relatively simple,structure of waters was most stable;farmland and woodland structures tended to be stable after the first complexity;structures of grassland and construction land were more complex,and tended to be unstable;simple structure of other sites tended to be stable;(3)the main natural factors of land use change were the hydrological and climate characteristics,government decisions affecting land use change direction,the socio-economic development,demographic factors and technological progress were the main driving forces on human land use change,human factors driving strength became great year by year.
Modeling steel moment frame and braced frame buildings in three dimensions using FRAME3D

A procedure for the efficient three-dimensional nonlinear time-history analysis of steel framed buildings is derived. It incorporates three types of nonlinear beam elements - the plastic hinge type, the elastofiber type, and the 5-segment modified elastofiber type – and nonlinear panel zone elements to model yielding and strain-hardening in moment frames, and buckling in braced frames. Floors and roofs of buildings are modeled using 4-node elastic diaphragm elements. The procedure utilizes an iteration strategy applied to an implicit time-integration scheme to solve the nonlinear equations of motion at each time-step. Geometric nonlinearity is included. The plastic hinge beam element consists of two nodes at which biaxial flexural yielding is permitted, leading to the formation of plastic hinges. Elastic rotational springs are connected across the plastic hinge locations to model strain-hardening. Axial yielding is also permitted. A normalized PMM interaction surface is calculated for one of the model sections, and used to characterize the axial force-biaxial moment interaction for all model sections. The panel zone element consists of two orthogonal panels forming a cruciform section. Each panel may yield and strain-harden in shear. The elastofiber beam element is divided into three segments - two end nonlinear segments and an interior elastic segment. The cross-sections of the end segments are subdivided into fibers. Associated with each fiber is a nonlinear hysteretic stress-strain law for axial stress and strain. This accounts for coupling of nonlinear material behavior between bending about the major and minor axes of the cross-section and axial deformation. While beams and columns in moment-frames can be modeled using the elastofiber beam element, braces and columns susceptible to buckling may be modeled using a modified elastofiber beam element with the elastic segment in the standard elastofiber beam element subdivided into two elastic segments and a central nonlinear segment. First mode buckling in the element is simulated through yielding of the central nonlinear segment. All these elements are integrated into a building analysis program, FRAME3D. The various elements and the program are validated against analytical solutions of simple problems, as well as scaled and full-scale tests of beam-column assemblies and 4-6 story structures.
The Collaborative Rhetoric of E. M. Forster's Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson

(1991). The Collaborative Rhetoric of E. M. Forster's Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 6, Autobiography and Mysticism, pp. 253-271.
CHAPTER 16 – Quantification of Specific mRNAs by Nuclease Protection

A variety of nucleases and approaches are used to quantify and characterize specific transcript in greater detail than those that can be derived from Northern analysis. The enzymes include nuclease S1, mung bean nuclease, and nuclease VII. Alternative approaches include ribonuclease (RNase) protection assay (RPA), featuring a combination of RNase A and RNase T1, primer extension, and nuclear runoff assay. To a great extent, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has replaced some of these techniques, although the S1 protection assay and RPA remain popular and reliable techniques. The key advantage that these techniques offer is that they do not require a reverse transcriptase step. The basic methodology of nuclease protection, when first introduced, described double-stranded DNA probe sequences directed against target cellular RNA, accompanied by S1 attack of nonprotected sequences. The methodology has since been extended to accommodate the inclusion of RNA probes as well.
A De-compositional Approach to Regular Expression Matching for Network Security Applications

Regular expressions are a very common tool for network security applications because they can match precisely and maintain high matching speed even for many simultaneous patterns. Their core feature is efficient representation as an automaton, where much of the interaction between patterns can be pre-computed and aggregated. Many algorithms have been devised to try and improve this pre-computation to not take exponential space while keeping high performance, but none has met all the requirements of fast, automated construction, small memory image, and high matching speed. We present Match Filtering, a technique for de-composing regular expressions into segments that can be matched independently, while a stateful post-processing engine filters these matches to eliminate those that do not correspond to matches of the original regular expression. Using standard CPU instructions, the post-processing engine can more efficiently represent constructs that would require a multiplicative increase in automaton states. Because the pre-processing is simple, automaton construction can be automated and fast, and because most on-line processing is done by a DFA, its matching speed is close to that of a DFA alone. We demonstrate experimentally 30x smaller, fast (seconds, not minutes) automaton construction and 43% faster matching speeds than state-of-the-art software algorithms.
Concurrent collection and post-drawing of individual electrospun polymer nanofibers to enhance macromolecular alignment and mechanical properties

Abstract The study reports a nanomanufacturing method that facilitates post-drawing of electrospun polymer nanofibers. Post-drawing is critical in conventional microfiber processing to enhance mechanical strength, but has been difficult to implement with nanofibers. Here, a parallel automated track collector was designed to permit continuous processing of thousands of individual nanofibers per minute under highly controllable drawing conditions. Post-drawing systematically induced macromolecular alignment and altered the chemical bond composition of polycaprolactone nanofibers with increasing draw ratio. The strength and stiffness of fibers with a draw ratio of 4 were enhanced by 7 and 15 times respectively and their mechanical properties exceeded previously reported values for conventional and nanoscale polycaprolactone structures.
Resilience in Ethnic Family Systems: A Relational Theory for Research and Practice

Theory building and research on resilient family systems has evolved over time, beginning with family stress theory focused on factors that protected the family system from entering into a crisis. With the addition of the postcrisis recovery processes of adjustment and adaptation, the foundation of family resilience theory was established (for an overview of over 2 decades (1976–2003) of family systems theory building and research see Hansen and Johnson (1979), McCubbin and McCubbin (1996a, 1996b), Patterson (1988, 2002), and Walsh (1996, 2002, 2003)). With the rapid development of psychological theories and research on resilient children and adults, family scholars drew from these theories and research methods to advance their own body of work on ethnic family systems and their resilience. Research on ethnic family systems followed along the psychology-guided pathway with the inclusion of dimensions of ethnicity as categorical variables inserted in the equation to explain variability in the chosen indices of resilience. Consequently, the in-depth study of ethnicity in family systems and the advancement of a systems theory of resilience have been limited.
Spatiotemporal Mapping of Environmental Health Processes — The BME Approach

For a very large number of environmental health problems, the required outcome of the analysis is one or more spatiotemporal maps. These maps may convey visual information regarding the distribution of variables in space-time (e.g., spring water solute contents; breast cancer incidence), usually obtained from data sets. Maps may also incorporate other broad-based knowledge (general and case-specific knowledge, analytic hypotheses, models of physical laws, boundary and initial conditions, etc.; §I.5). While the first viewpoint is more descriptive, the second one is more explanatory. The Bayesian maximum entropy (BME) approach discussed in this Chapter favors a perspective that combines both: a spatiotemporal map representing the evolution of an environmental variable in space-time should be the outcome of an analysis that incorporates the set of observations available in space-time as well as other useful knowledge bases.
Pico-watt radiant flux detection by smartphone

We present a smartphone based analytical device for detecting sub nano-watt level of radiant flux. A 3D printed optical cradle was designed for increasing a detection level of low light. To improve the signal to noise ratio (SNR) level, a new algorithm named Noise Reduction by Ensemble averaging (NREA) was developed. Experiments with LED light show its validity of our device and algorithm.
Characterization of the novel protein KIAA0564 (Von Willebrand Domain-containing Protein 8).

The VWA8 gene was first identified by the Kazusa cDNA project and named KIAA0564. Based on the observation, by similarity, that the protein encoded by KIAA0564 contains a Von Willebrand Factor 8 domain, KIAA0564 was named Von Willebrand Domain-containing Protein 8 (VWA8). The function of VWA8 protein is almost unknown. The purpose of this study was to characterize the tissue distribution, cellular location, and function of VWA8. In mice VWA8 protein was mostly distributed in liver, kidney, heart, pancreas and skeletal muscle, and is present as a long isoform and a shorter splice variant (VWA8a and VWA8b). VWA8 protein and mRNA were elevated in mouse liver in response to high fat feeding. Sequence analysis suggests that VWA8 has a mitochondrial targeting sequence and domains responsible for ATPase activity. VWA8 protein was targeted exclusively to mitochondria in mouse AML12 liver cells, and this was prevented by deletion of the targeting sequence. Moreover, the VWA8 short isoform overexpressed in insect cells using a baculovirus construct had in vitro ATPase activity. Deletion of the Walker A motif or Walker B motif in VWA8 mostly blocked ATPase activity, suggesting Walker A motif or Walker B motif are essential to the ATPase activity of VWA8. Finally, homology modeling suggested that VWA8 may have a structure most confidently similar to dynein motor proteins.
Small Key Tech-Knowledge Firms in Canada: Their Innovation Potential, Structure, and Spatial Adaptation

There is greater awareness among scholars that innovative change is vital to the economic progress of firms and regions. While such change has previously been attributed to large companies (Freeman 1971, 1974), small firms have in fact developed half the new technology in several countries (Acs and Audretsch 1988). In this study, such firms are thought to be vital to the economic progress of economies, as envisioned by Schumpeter (1939), and those that are actively patenting new technology are considered to be key technology firms.