cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Heat Capacities of Molecular Lattices III. Some Simple Molecular Solids

The experimental heat capacity data for crystalline Cl2, CO2, SO2, SCO, N2O, C2N2, C6H6, C2H4, and CH3Br have been compared with the results of calculations made employing a semitheoretical method suggested by Lord, Ahlberg, and Andrews and amplified by Lord. Good agreement between the calculated and experimental results is obtained.
Footnotes to a Paper of Domokos, I

Abstract We use Regev's double centralizer theorem from [7] to study invariants of matrices with group actions. This theory then has applications to trace identities and Poincare series.
PREDICTING HOST RANGE EVOLUTION: COLONIZATION OF CORONILLA VARIA BY COLIAS PHILODICE (LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE).

Extensive sympatry is currently arising between the common sulfur butterfly, Colias philodice Latreille (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) and a potential leguminous host plant, Coronilla varia (L.). In laboratory trials, larval surviviorship and growth were higher on the primary host, Medicago sativa (L.), than on the nonhost C. varia. However, because females reared from C. varia were on average more fecund than females reared from M. sativa, fitness on C. varia (approximately as survivorship times fecundity) was commensurate with fitness on M. sativa. Thus, it is predicted that selection would favor oviposition on C. varia, if such behavior were to arise. In addition, significant among-family variation exists for several measures of larval performance on both C. varia and M. sativa, indicating that C. philodice can potentially respond to selection for increased performance on each species. Moreover, larval performance was significantly positively correlated across these species, suggesting that selection for increased performance on each species will facilitate, not constrain, evolution of increased performance on the other. It is concluded that behavioral rather than physiological barriers currently account for the absence of C. philodice from C. varia and that, if such barriers are overcome, C. philodice will expand its host plant range to include C. varia.
Auditory filter shapes of CBA/CaJ mice: Behavioral assessments

Auditory filter shape and frequency tuning may be derived by measuring changes in pure tone thresholds as a function of the bandwidth of notched-noise maskers. When these psychophysical methods were applied to CBA/CaJ mice, the resulting filter shapes were well fit by roex(p,r) functions originally developed for human subjects. The equivalent rectangular bandwidths (ERBs) of the filter shapes ranged from 16 to 19% of test frequencies between 8 to 16 kHz. These ERBs correspond well to the performance of humans at high frequencies and the limited number of mammalian species that have been characterized with notched-noise procedures. Frequency tuning was maintained throughout most of the adult lifespan and then showed a selective high-frequency loss at ages beyond 2 years. These results suggest that auditory filtering effects in adult CBA/CaJ mice are similar to normal processes in other mammalian species and provide an excellent model of human presbycusis when they begin to degrade in aging individuals.
ChIP-chip analysis of neurexins and other candidate genes for addiction and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Abstract:Several addiction susceptibility genes have been mapped by linkage and genomewide association. However, functional alleles associated with disease risk have not been identified, with a few possible exceptions. In addition, little is known about the cis- and trans-acting factors involved in regulating their expression. To address these issues, we used a ChIP-chip approach to identify regulatory elements in fetal-brain– targeting genes implicated in addiction and other neuropsychiatric conditions. Our data point to a number of putative regulatory elements, several of which, we show, are functionally significant. Many established or putative regulatory elements map near-disease–associated SNPs. These regions would be of interest to survey for patient-specific functional variants involved in disease susceptibility.
Feedback control of a class of linear systems with jump parameters

A class of linear systems are studied which are subject to sudden changes in parameter values. An algorithm similar in form to Kushner's stochastic maximum principle is derived and the relationship between these algorithms discussed. Systems in which the performance measure is quadratic are investigated in detail and a differential equation is derived which yields the optimal feedback gains.
Inter/intra process communications in ISTS

Abstract The complexity of maintaining a generic and flexible Intelligent Simulation-Based Training System (ISTS) necessitates a coordinated methodology to handle inter and intra process communications. Several issues must be considered before committing to one form of process communication. Such issues involve system portability, real time interaction, distributed system realization, memory, and multi-process communications. This document examines the application of different communication strategies to ISTS. The advantages and disadvantages of using memory-based InterProcess Communication (IPC) facilities in SunOS operating system versus the use of properties for communication in an X Window environment are described. Furthermore, the use of rule-based blackboard architecture to handle communications between modules within the Tutoring group is presented. This research provides the ground work for a flexible and generic Intelligent Simulation Training System.
Relationships between GPP, Satellite Measures of Greenness and Canopy Water Content with Soil Moisture in Mediterranean-Climate Grassland and Oak Savanna

We investigated the impact of soil moisture on gross primary production (GPP), chlorophyll content, and canopy water content represented by remotely sensed vegetation indices (VIs) in an open grassland and an oak savanna in California. We found for the annual grassland that GPP late in the growing season was controlled by the declining soil moisture, but there was a 10–20-day lag in the response of GPP to soil moisture. However, during the early and middle part of the growing season, solar radiation accounted for most of the variation in GPP. In the oak savanna, the grass understory exhibited a similar response, but oak trees were not sensitive to soil moisture in the upper 50 cm of the soil profile. Furthermore, while we found most VIs to be more or less related to soil moisture, the Visible Atmospherically Resistance Index (VARI) was the most sensitive to the change of soil moisture.
Be kind to three-legged dogs: Children's literal interpretations of TV's moral lessons.

Sixty-four kindergarteners watched a 10-minute television episode intended to promote inclusive attitudes toward people with disabilities. In the original version, a disabled character was initially feared then eventually accepted. In an edited version, the fear was removed. The majority of children in both conditions, misunderstood the intended moral lesson, and failed to generalize beyond the specifics of the plot. Among children who were randomly assigned to the original version, those who understood the characters' goals and emotions better were less likely to comprehend the intended message of tolerance; remembering the happy ending had no effect. Among those assigned to the fear-removed version, those who better understood the goals and the happy ending were more likely to comprehend the intended message.
Effects of selective vagotomies on knife cut-induced hypothalamic obesity: Differential results on lab chow vs high-fat diets

Abstract Asymmetrical hypothalamic knife cuts were used to produce obesity in rats fed lab chow pellets. When the brain surgery was accompanied by selective section of the coeliac branch of the abomdinal vagus nerve, only 57% of the expected weight gain was observed. Additional section of the gastric branches of the vagus further reduced the knife cut effects, and complete subdiaphragmatic vagotomy suppressed body weight below control levels. Conversely, all vagotomies that spared the coeliac branch did not by themselves attenuate hypothalamic knife cut obesity. These results suggest that some function(s) under coeliac vagal control are specifically involved in mediating hypothalamic hyperphagia and obesity. When, after 30 days, the rats were switched to high-fat diet, all the knife cut rats overate and became obese (or more obese) irrespective of vagotomy status. This overeating despite vagotomy indicates that the vagus nerves must not be the exclusive mediator of hypothalamic obesity.
Parallel benchmarks of turbulence in complex geometries

Abstract In this paper we present benchmark results from the parallel implementation of the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver Prism on different parallel platforms of current interest: IBM SP2 (all three types of processors), SGI Power Challenge XL and Cray C90. The numerical method is based on mixed spectral element-Fourier expansions in (x − y) and z-directions, respectively. Each one (or a group) of the Fourier modes can be computed on a separate processor as the linear contributions in Navier-Stokes equations (Helmholtz solvers) are completely uncoupled. Coupling is obtained via the non-linear contributions (advection terms) and requires a global transpose of the data and one-dimensional multiple-point FFTs. We first analyze the computational complexity of Prism identifying basic computational kernels and communication bottlenecks. These kernels are benchmarked separately on several computer architectures. More specifically, we obtain timings for BLAS routines on all aforementioned processors but also on the SP1, Cray J90, the Intel Paragon, and the DEC AlphaServer 8400 5/300. A two-dimensional version of Prism is also benchmarked on most processors testing both direct and iterative methods of solution. Next, we define two three-dimensional benchmark flow problems in prototype complex geometries, and measure parallel scalability and performance using different message-passing libraries. Special emphasis is placed on runtime data processing, e.g. turbulence statistics computed during the simulation. Our results provide a measure of MFlop s sustained performance of individual processors, and indicate the limitations of the current communications software for typical problems in computational mechanics based on spectral or finite element discretizations.
Bone marrow biopsies in patients with gynecological malignancies.

Abstract The frequency of involvement of bone marrow by malignant disease varies with the primary, and the finding of cancer cells in the marrow varies with the method of sampling. Ninety patients with gynecological cancer, 42 with primary and 48 with recurrent disease, had aspiration or biopsy performed. There were no positive findings in patients with primary disease, but cancer cells were found in the marrow in two patients with recurrent cancer.
Multiple-Access Interference Mitigation and Iterative Demodulation of CPFSK in Asynchronous Slow FHSS Systems

In slow frequency-hop spread spectrum with nonorthogonal spreading sequences, multiple-access interference (MAI) occurs whenever two users transmit in the same frequency band. Schemes to mitigate such MAI have been previously developed for such systems when binary frequency-shift keying is used for modulation. It is desirable to instead use continuous-phase frequency-shift keying (CPFSK) to improve spectral efficiency, however, CPFSK is not a memoryless modulation and this complicates the problem of MAI mitigation. Previous work on CPFSK has been limited to ignoring the effects of MAI. In this paper, we develop an interference mitigation scheme for a slow FHSS system employing CPFSK and present performance results that show that our scheme significantly improves performance, especially in the presence of a strong interferers.
Wave functions in disordered systems

Particular solutions of the stationary Schrodinger equation for ad-dimensional disordered tight binding model are found. The particular solution is defined by boundary conditions on one face of the system. The determination of the rate of growth of the mean square wave function leads to an exactly soluble eigenvalue problem ind − 1 dimensions. Ford ⩾ 2 there are three types of particular wave functions in which the mean square amplitude (a) grows exponentially (b) decays exponentially (c) does not grow or decay but oscillates.
Conditional Up-Regulation of SERCA2a Exacerbates Ventricular and Atrial Arrhythmias in the Setting of Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia

SERCA2a gene transfer is an emerging therapy for treating contractile dysfunction in heart failure. While improving contractile performance, SERCA2a overexpression has been shown to exacerbate arrhythmias, although beneficial effects of SERCA2a up-regulation on cardiac rhythm have also been reported. To examine the role of SERCA2a and the consequences of its acute up-regulation in arrhythmogenesis, we conditionally overexpressed SERCA2a in a genetic mouse model featuring catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) due to loss of calsequestrin 2 (CASQ2). CASQ2 knock-out (KO) mice were crossbred with doxycycline (DOX)-inducible SERCA2a transgenic mice to generate KO-TG mice. In-vivo ECG studies showed that uninduced KO-TG (DOX-) mice developed both ventricular and atrial arrhythmias in response to catecholamine challenge (isoproterenol, ISO or a combination of ISO and caffeine). Induction of SERCA2a (DOX+) markedly exacerbated both ventricular and atrial arrhythmias in response to ISO. Besides ventricular bigeminy, KO-TG (DOX+) also displayed frequent bursts of sustained ventricular ectopic beats that were not present in KO-TG (DOX-). Moreover, episodes of atrial rhythm disturbances in KO-TG (DOX+) mice occurred even under baseline conditions (no ISO). ISO further promoted atrial tachy- and brady-arrhythmias in the KO-TG (DOX+) mice. Consistent with the in-vivo studies, confocal Ca imaging in both ventricular and atrial myocytes demonstrated that acute SERCA2a overexpression significantly increased the rate of occurrence of diastolic spontaneous and triggered Ca release events. Thus, our results suggest that acute overexpression of SERCA2a exacerbates both ventricular and atrial arrhythmias in settings of CPVT by further elevating diastolic Ca release.
A METHOD FOR ISOLATING INTACT MITOCHONDRIA AND NUCLEI FROM THE SAME HOMOGENATE, AND THE INFLUENCE OF MITOCHONDRIAL DESTRUCTION ON THE PROPERTIES OF CELL NUCLEI

1. An improved type of ground glass homogenizer for soft tissues has been described which brings about a high degree of cell disruption and liberation of nuclei without causing appreciable damage to mitochondria. The gentleness and effectiveness of the new homogenizer in respect to isolation of mitochondria have been ascertained by comparing the ATP-ase activities of mitochondria isolated in 0.25 M sucrose solution without pH adjustment using a previous type of homogenizer with those of mitochondria isolated under the same conditions with the aid of the new homogenizer. In these experiments sucrose of 0.25 molarity without pH adjustment has been used in order to maintain the mitochondria in a rather sensitive state so as to make slightly deleterious effects of homogenization readily apparent. 2. A new method is described for the isolation of morphologically intact mitochondria and cell nuclei from the same homogenate. In this procedure the pH of the homogenate in 0.44 M sucrose is maintained at 6.0-6.2 with citric acid during the homogenization. An alternative method employing 0.44 M sucrose plus 0.005 M CaCl(2) is given for the isolation of nuclei from tumor cells. However, the latter method does not produce unaltered mitochondria. 3. The alpha-ketoglutarate, malate, succinate, and hexanoate oxidases of the "intact" mitochondria isolated in 0.44 M sucrose adjusted to pH 6.0-6.2 with very dilute citric acid as described in this paper have been investigated, and it has been shown that the mitochondria compare favorably to those isolated in 0.25 M sucrose by a previously described method. 4. Mitochondria have been found to contain an enzyme which causes nuclei to lose their ability to form gels in dilute alkali. This enzyme is released from the mitochondria when the latter are disrupted. 5. Some properties of nuclei isolated by the new method have been briefly discussed.
Fenarimol tolerance of roughstalk bluegrass overseeded in bermudagrass greens

Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) putting greens are overseeded with cool-season grasses in the fall to maintain a high-quality putting turf throughout the southern USA. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) has been the predominant grass used for overseeding until recently, when roughstalk (Poa trivialis L.) has been increasingly used for overseeding. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) is a problem winter annual weed that infests most overseeded bermudagrass greens and the weed must be controlled with a herbicide to maintain a high-quality putting surface. Fenarimol [α(2-chlorophenyl)-α-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-pyrimidinemethanol] has preemergence herbicidal activity on annual bluegrass, but it may also reduce the germination and establishment of roughstalk bluegrass seedlings [...]
Preserving the Publicness of the Nonprofit Sector Resources, Roles, and Public Values

Nonprofit organizations are increasingly advised to become fiscally self-sufficient and reduce resource dependence to preserve autonomy. However, little is known empirically about the relationships between particular resource streams and the roles espoused by nonprofit organizations that define their public value, including service delivery, innovation, advocacy, individual expression, social capital creation, and citizen engagement. To address this gap in the literature, we collect and analyze survey data from more than 100 nonprofit organizations, developing and testing a new “Nonprofit Sector Public Role Index” that assesses their perceived performance on six different roles simultaneously. Furthermore, we evaluate characteristics that make nonprofits more or less likely to fulfill various roles, with primary emphasis on financial resources. We find evidence that particular resource streams are strongly associated with particular nonprofit roles. Therefore, resource dependence—particularly dependence o...
Spatial and Temporal Pathway for Assembly and Constriction of the Contractile Ring in Fission Yeast Cytokinesis

Abstract Microscopy of fluorescent fusion proteins and genetic dependencies show that fission yeast assemble and constrict a cytokinetic contractile ring in a precisely timed, sequential order. More than 90 min prior to separation of the spindle pole bodies (SPB), the anillin-like protein (Mid1p) migrates from the nucleus and specifies a broad band of cortex around the equator as the division site. Between 10 min before and 2 min after SPB separation, conventional myosin-II (Myo2p), IQGAP (Rng2p), PCH protein (Cdc15p), and formin (Cdc12p) join the broad band independent of actin filaments. Over the subsequent 10 min prior to anaphase B, this broad band of proteins condenses into a contractile ring including actin, tropomyosin (Cdc8p), and α-actinin (Ain1p). During anaphase B, unconventional myosin-II (Myp2p) joins the ring followed by the septin (Spn1p). Ring contraction and disassembly begin 37 min after SPB separation. This spatial and temporal hierarchy provides the framework for analysis of molecular mechanisms.
The Treadmill of (Diversifying) Production

A key issue in the debate between treadmill of production (To P) theorists and ecological modernization theorists centers on the effect of modernization on the environmental sustainability of societies. This article proposes that due in part to a focus on case study evidence, ecological modernization theorists often observe trends toward environmental sustainability only in specific and nonrepresentative cases rather than general trends in typical cases. The existence of specific cases (including nations and organizations) that appear to be improving environmental performance as part of the modernization process may not be due to a general trend toward sustainability associated with modernization but rather, due to a trend toward increased variability of environmental performance in institutions in late modernity. The environmental performance of institutions may be on average getting worse, as To P theorists expect, but the variability across institutions has increased, which leads to some extreme cases ...
Reducing substance use improves adolescents' school attendance.

Aims Substance use initiation and frequency are associated with reduced educational attainments among adolescents. We examined if decreases in substance use substantially improve youths’ school attendance. Design A total of 1084 US adolescents followed quarterly for 1 year after entering substance abuse treatment. Methods Random and fixed effects regression models were used to differentiate the lagged effects of drug use from other time-varying and time-invariant covariates. Self-reports of alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, sedatives, hallucinogens and other drug use were used to predict subsequent school attendance, after controlling for demographic and drug use history characteristics, problem indices and other covariates. Findings Reductions in the frequency of alcohol, stimulants and other drug use and the elimination of marijuana use were each associated independently with increased likelihoods of school attendance. Conclusions Because years of completed schooling is highly correlated with long-term social and economic outcomes, the possibility that reductions in substance use may improve school attendance has significant implications for the cost-effectiveness of substance abuse treatment and other interventions designed to reduce adolescents’ substance use.
Competition through dimerization between antiapoptotic and proapoptotic HS-1-associated protein X-1 (Hax-1).

Abstract Studies on Hax-1 have mainly focused on variant (v) 1, demonstrating its antiapoptotic properties. However, HAX1 is heavily spliced, generating structurally distinct isoforms. We sought to characterize the Hax-1 isoforms expressed in rat heart before and after insult. We confirmed the presence of at least four Hax-1 transcripts in healthy rat cardiac muscle. These exhibited differential expression before and after induction of myocardial infarction, with v2 being up-regulated 12-fold at the transcript level and 1.5-fold at the protein level post-insult. Contrary to antiapoptotic rat and human v1, overexpression of rat v2 or human v4 (the human homologue of rat v2) in epithelial cells exacerbated cell death by 30% following H2O2 treatment compared with control vector. Coexpression of rat v1 and v2 or human v1 and v4 neutralized the protective effects of rat and human v1 and the proapoptotic effects of rat v2 and human v4 by modulating cytochrome c release. This is, at least partly, mediated by the ability of Hax-1 proteins to form homotypic and heterotypic dimers with binding affinities ranging from ∼3.8 nm for v1 dimers to ∼97 nm for v1/v2 dimers. The minimal binding region supporting these interactions lies between amino acids 97–278, which are shared by nearly all Hax-1 proteins, indicating that additional factors regulate the preferential formation of Hax-1 homo- or heterodimers. Our studies are the first to show that Hax-1 is a family of anti- and proapoptotic regulators that may modulate cell survival and death through homo- or heterodimerization.
Being contrary, being human: The pregnant, paradoxical openness of resistance

Abstract An existential reading of the phenomenon of resistance is presented, drawing on the descriptive data presented in Freud's case study of Elisabeth von R. The article presents the author's existential‐phenomenological orientation and reviews historical perspectives on the psychoanalytic concept of resistance. A consideration of the existential significance of one situated instance of resistance is then presented, disclosing it as an asylum for carrying out an ambivalent relationship to disenfranchised possibilities for being in the world. In dialogue with Freud's case, the author presents an etymological reflection on the meaning of the term resistance, exposing three fundamental characteristics of resistance (standing, against, and again) and suggesting implications for the conduct of humanistically oriented psychotherapy.
Inguinal approach for the management of unilateral non-palpable testis: is diagnostic laparoscopy necessary?

Abstract Objective During the last decade laparoscopy has increasingly been advocated as the primary investigative procedure for the management of the non-palpable testis. We reviewed the medical records in a consecutive series of boys with non-palpable testis to examine the contribution of the initial inguinal approach in the management of unilateral non-palpable testis. Materials and methods Among the 183 consecutive patients with cryptorchidism from 2003 to 2012, there were 21 patients with unilateral and three with bilateral non-palpable testes. All unilateral patients then underwent inguinal and scrotal exploration through an inguinal incision. For those patients with an intra-abdominal peeping testis, the gonad was placed into the scrotum after meticulous cranial mobilization of the spermatic cord. Results Patient age ranged from 11 months to 144 months (mean age: 23 months). Among the 21 unilateral cases, testicular absence or atrophy was confirmed in seven patients with a scrotal nubbin in six, and blind-ending vas and vessels at the external inguinal ring in one patient. Among the remaining 14 patients with sizeable testes, 12 testes were intra-abdominal peeping testes and two testicles were seen within the distal inguinal canal, which may be missed on physical examination owing to patient obesity. The intra-abdominal peeping testicle had the opened processus vaginalis entering the internal ring in which testicle was found. These were fixed into the scrotum successfully by cranial mobilization of spermatic vessel sometimes cutting the internal oblique muscle and by Prentiss and Fowler-Stephen's maneuver. Diagnostic laparoscopy was done on three patients with bilateral cases. Conclusions Given the result that most of nubbins are within the scrotum and testes with intra-abdominal peeping testes are fixed down safely into the scrotum, the inguinal approach may suffice for the management of unilateral non-palpable testis. Laparoscopy should be reserved for patients with bilateral non-palpable undescended testes.
Consideration in the design of a sample introduction and plasma generation system for ICP spectroscopy

Abstract The sample introduction/excitation system is an important component of the successful application of inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) to analytical spectroscopy. Design considerations and brief descriptions of rf generator, spray chamber, nebulizer and torch systems of a commercial ICP spectrometer are presented.
Challenges for the application of quantum chemical calculations to problems in catalysis

A long-standing goal of researchers in the field of catalysis is to develop first-principles methods for determining catalyst activity and selectivity. Advances in quantum chemical methods and codes, together with impressive improvements in computer speed, have contributed significantly towards the achievement of this objective. A review of current quantum chemical theories and models of catalytically active sites is presented with the aim of defining what is possible today and what needs to be done. Particular attention is given to identifying the trade-offs between achieving accurate energies of adsorbed and transition states and computational cost. Methods available for finding reaction pathways and calculating rate coefficients are also reviewed and discussed.
The reepithelialization of rabbit cornea following single and multiple denudation.

Abstract The reepithelialization of rabbit corneas completely denuded once by abrasion with a dental stone was compared with the rate of reepithelialization of the contralateral eye following repeated but gentle repeeling of the epithelium at 2-day intervals for 6 days after an initial complete denudation by abrasion. Two or three times repeeled corneas showed a more rapid initial reepithelialization than observed after the first denudation. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) were found in the corneal stroma and tear fluid following both single and repeated denudation, but only up to 24 hours after the first, more traumatic, denudation were large numbers of PMNs found adherent to the exposed basement membrane of the corneal epithelium. It was hypothesized that PMNs on the corneal surface may interfere with reepithelialization.
Cell and tissue reactions to mineral trioxide aggregate and Portland cement.

Abstract Objective. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is being widely used for root-end fillings, pulp capping, perforation repairs, and other endodontic procedures. MTA and Portland cement (PC) have many similar physical, chemical, and biologic properties. PC cement has shown promising potential as an endodontic material in several studies in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to compare the cytotoxic effect in vitro and the tissue reaction of MTA and Portland cement in bone implantation in the mandibles of guinea pigs. Study Design. Millipore culture plate inserts with freshly mixed or set material were placed into the culture plates with already attached L929 cells. After an incubation period of 3 days, the cell morphology and cell counts were studied. Adult male guinea pigs under strict asepsis were anesthetized, during which a submandibular incision was made to expose the symphysis of the mandible. Bilateral bone cavities were prepared and Teflon applicators with freshly mixed materials were inserted into the bone cavities. Each animal received 2 implants, one filled with ProRoot and 1 with PC. The animals were killed after 2 or 12 weeks, and the tissues were processed for histologic evaluation by means of light microscopy. Results. There was no difference in cell reactions in vitro. Bone healing and minimal inflammatory response adjacent to ProRoot and PC implants were observed in both experimental periods, suggesting that both materials are well tolerated. Conclusions. MTA and PC show comparative biocompatibility when evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The results suggest that PC has the potential to be used as a less expensive root-end filling material. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2003;95:483-9)
On the Effects of Consumer Search and Firm Entry in a Multiproduct Competitive Market

This paper studies a model in which consumers search among multiple competing firms for products that match their preferences at a reasonable price. We focus on how easier search, possibly due to the adoption of search-facilitating technologies such as the Internet, influences equilibrium prices, assortments, firm profits, and consumer welfare. Conventional wisdom suggests that easier search creates a competition-intensifying effect that puts pressure on firms to lower their prices and reduce assortments. However, in our model we demonstrate that search also exhibits a market-expansion effect that encourages firms to expand their assortment---easier search means that each firm is searched by more consumers. Because of broader assortments, consumers are more likely to find products that better match their ideal preferences, improving the efficiency of the market. In fact, we demonstrate that the market-expansion effect can even dominate the competition-intensifying effect potentially leading to higher prices, broader assortments, more profits, and expanded welfare.
Reciprocal granzyme/perforin-mediated death of human regulatory and responder T cells is regulated by interleukin-2 (IL-2)

Human CD4+CD25highFOXP3+ T regulatory cells (Treg) can suppress responder T cell (RC) functions by various mechanisms. In co-cultures of Treg and autologous activated RC, both cell subsets up-regulate the expression of granzymes and perforin, which might contribute to Treg-mediated suppression. Here, we investigate the sensitivity and resistance of Treg and RC to granzyme/perforin-mediated death. CD4+CD25neg RC were single cell-sorted from the peripheral blood of 25 cancer patients and 15 normal controls. These RC were carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) labeled and co-cultured with autologous CD4+CD25highFOXP3+ Treg ± 150 or ±1,000 IU/mL of interleukin-2 (IL-2) to evaluate suppression of RC proliferation. In addition, survival of the cells co-cultured for 24 h and 5 days was measured using a flow-based cytotoxicity assay. Freshly isolated Treg and RC expressed granzyme A (GrA), granzyme B (GrB), and perforin. Percentages of positive cells were higher in cancer patients than controls (p < 0.01) and increased upon OKT3 and IL-2 stimulation. Treg, co-cultured with RC at 150 IU/mL of IL-2, no longer expressed cytotoxins and became susceptible to RC-mediated, granzyme/perforin-dependent death. However, in co-cultures with 1,000 IU/mL of IL-2, Treg became resistant to apoptosis and induced GrB-dependent, perforin-independent death of RC. When the GrB inhibitor I or GrB-specific and GrA-specific small inhibitory ribonucleic acids were used to block the granzyme pathway in Treg, RC death, and Treg-mediated suppression of RC, proliferation were significantly inhibited. Human CD4+CD25high Treg and CD4+CD25neg RC reciprocally regulate death/growth arrest by differentially utilizing the granzyme–perforin pathway depending on IL-2 concentrations.
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta inhibits microRNA-183-96-182 cluster via the β-Catenin/TCF/LEF-1 pathway in gastric cancer cells

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) is a critical protein kinase that phosphorylates numerous proteins in cells and thereby impacts multiple pathways including the β-Catenin/TCF/LEF-1 pathway. MicroRNAs (miRs) are a class of noncoding small RNAs of ∼22 nucleotides in length. Both GSK3β and miR play myriad roles in cell functions including stem cell development, apoptosis, embryogenesis and tumorigenesis. Here we show that GSK3β inhibits the expression of miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183 through the β-Catenin/TCF/LEF-1 pathway. Knockout of GSK3β in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells increases expression of miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183, coinciding with increases in the protein level and nuclear translocation of β-Catenin. In addition, overexpression of β-Catenin enhances the expression of miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183 in human gastric cancer AGS cells. GSK3β protein levels are decreased in human gastric cancer tissue compared with surrounding normal gastric tissue, coinciding with increases of β-Catenin protein, miR-96, miR-182, miR-183 and primary miR-183-96-182 cluster (pri-miR-183). Furthermore, suppression of miR-183-96-182 cluster with miRCURY LNA miR inhibitors decreases the proliferation and migration of AGS cells. Knockdown of GSK3β with siRNA increases the proliferation of AGS cells. Mechanistically, we show that β-Catenin/TCF/LEF-1 binds to the promoter of miR-183-96-182 cluster gene and thereby activates the transcription of the cluster. In summary, our findings identify a novel role for GSK3β in the regulation of miR-183-96-182 biogenesis through β-Catenin/TCF/LEF-1 pathway in gastric cancer cells.
The Role of Apixaban for Venous and Arterial Thromboembolic Disease

Objective:To provide a comprehensive review of the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical trial data, adverse effects, and drug interactions of apixaban.Data Sources:An English-language literature search was performed with MEDLINE/PubMed from January 2007 to August 2011 using the search terms apixaban, factor Xa inhibitors. FXa inhibitors, BMS-562247-01, venous thromboembolism. deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, ACS, atrial fibrillation, atrial arrhythmias, total hip replacement or arthroplasty, total knee replacement or arthroplasty, and orthopedic surgery to identify relevant articles. The references of the retrieved articles, professional society meeting abstracts, and the Web site www.clinicaltrials.gov were reviewed to identify other pertinent articles.Study Selection And Data Abstraction:Pertinent original studies involving apixaban's pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, and clinical efficacy and safety data wer...
Characterization of terminal NeuNAcα2–3Galβ1-4GlcNAc sequence in lipooligosaccharides of Neisseria meningitidis

Group B and C Neisseria meningitidis are the major cause of meningococcal disease in the United States and in Europe. N . meningitidis lipooligosaccharide (LOS), a major surface antigen, can be divided into 12 immunotypes of which L1 through L8 were found among Group B and C organisms. Groups B and C but not Group A may sialylate their LOSs with N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc) at the nonreducing end because they synthesize CMP-NeuNAc. Using sialic acid-galactose binding lectins as probes in an ELISA format, six of the eight LOS immunotypes (L2, L3, L4, L5, L7, and L8) in Groups B and C bound specifically to Maackia amurensis leukoagglutinin (MAL), which recognizes NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc/Glc sequence, but not to Sambucus nigra agglutinin, which binds NeuNAcalpha2-6Gal sequence. The combination of SDS-PAGE and MAL-blot analyses revealed that these six LOSs contained only the NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc trisaccharide sequence in their 4.1 kDa LOS components, which have a common terminal lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT, Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Glc) structure when nonsialylated as shown by previous studies. The LOS-lectin binding was abolished when the LOSs were treated with Newcastle disease viral neuraminidase which cleaves alpha2-->3 linked sialic acid. Methylation analysis of a representative LOS (L2) confirmed that NeuNAc is 2-->3 linked to Gal. Thus, these LOSs structurally mimic certain glycolipids, i.e., paragloboside (LNnT-ceramide) and sialylparagloboside and some glycoproteins in having LNnT and N-acetyllactosamine sequences, respectively, with or without alpha2-->3 linked NeuNAc. The molecular mimicry of the LOSs may play a role in the pathogenesis of N.meningitidis by assisting the organism to evade host immune defenses in man.
Force Required to Break α5β1Integrin-Fibronectin Bonds in Intact Adherent Cells Is Sensitive to Integrin Activation State

Binding of integrin receptors to extracellular ligands is a complex process involving receptor-ligand interactions at the cell-substrate interface, signals activating the receptors, and assembly of cytoskeletal and adhesion plaque proteins at the cytoplasmic face. To analyze the contribution of these elements to overall cell adhesion, we have developed a model system that characterizes the functional binding characteristic for adhesion receptors as the force required to separate the integrin-ligand bond. A spinning disk device was used to apply a range of controlled hydrodynamic forces to adherent cells. The adhesion of K562 erythroleukemia cells, a cell line expressing a single fibronectin receptor, integrin α5β1, which was uniformly activated with the monoclonal antibody TS2/16, to defined fibronectin surface densities was examined. Cell adhesion strength increased linearly with receptor and ligand densities. Based on chemical equilibrium principles, it is shown that adhesion strength is directly proportional to the number of receptor-ligand bonds. This analysis provides for the definition of a new physical parameter, the adhesion constant ψ, which is related to the bond strength and binding equilibrium constant and has units of force-length2. This parameter can be measured by the experimental system presented and is governed by the activation state of integrin receptors. This simplified model isolates the integrin receptor-ligand binding parameters and provides a basis for analysis of the functions of signaling and cytoskeletal elements in the adhesion process.
Passive 5.8-GHz radio-frequency identification tag for monitoring oil drill pipe

This paper reports a new passive 5.8-GHz radio-frequency identification tag proposed for monitoring oil drill pipe (patent pending). The tag is to be inserted into the tool joint of the drill pipe in order to predict the pipe's lifetime and to provide inventory control. The tag requires a minimal incident power density of 13.5 mW/cm/sup 2/ to establish a link and transmit 64-bit coded information to the interrogating reader. The tag uses a circular patch etched on a 60-mil Duroid with /spl epsiv//sub r/=2.33 to receive the interrogating RF power and transmit the identification (ID) information simultaneously. An efficient Schottky diode is used to rectify the RF power to provide the DC power necessary to operate the "on-board" electronics. A p-i-n diode modulates the tag's ID code onto the 5.8-GHz carrier frequency. The tag's physical size has to be small so that it can be imbedded into the pipe without weakening the structure. It has been designed to withstand large pressures normal to its surface. The system was successfully demonstrated in the laboratory.
MALE-BIASED OFFSPRING SEX RATIO IN THE HOUSE WREN

Abstract The sex-ratio adjustment hypothesis predicts that females should modify offspring sex ratios according to the potential reproductive success of their offspring under existing ecological conditions. We tested this hypothesis in the polygynous, sexually size-monomorphic House Wren (Troglodytes aedon). Typically, nestling House Wrens that hatch in the first half of the three-month breeding season are heavier and have higher rates of survival and recruitment than those that hatch in the second half of the season. Therefore, the sex-ratio adjustment hypothesis predicts that early broods should be more male biased than later broods, because males in good condition have higher reproductive value than females. As conditions deteriorate, broods should become less male biased because female offspring have higher reproductive value than males in poor condition. Contrary to expectation, there was no seasonal decrease in offspring condition, and the sex ratio of broods was consistently male biased throughout ...
Phase Stability in Processing of High Temperature Intermetallic Alloys

In the development of high temperature intermetallics involving various aluminides, suicides and Laves phases, it has become evident that it is essential to consider the strong influence of materials processing throughout all stages. The underlying basis for alloy synthesis, processing and the assessment of thermal stability is established by the relevant phase equilibria, the characteristic diffusivities and the possible solidification reaction pathways. In almost all cases the microstructures of the most useful metallic alloys are multiphase assemblies in which the relative phase fractions, compositions and morphologies play key roles in optimizing the performance under high temperature conditions. The microstructure designs are usually tailored for strength, toughness, creep resistance and environmental stability and involve a balance of features derived from mixtures of a ductile phase and intermetallic phases. There is a clear experience that the level of materials processing can only be as sophisticated as the level of knowledge of the phase equilibria and the underlying kinetics. In many of the contemporary intermetallic alloys the phase stability must be considered in terms of multicomponent equilibria and non-stoichiometric intermetallic compositions. Recent developments in several important intermetallic alloy classes illustrate the guidance into alloy design and processing options provided by systematic studies of phase stability.
Modeling release from degradable PEG hydrogels and their application in the delivery of osteoinductive growth factors

Multifunctional macromers based on poly(ethylene glycol) were photopolymerized to form degradable hydrogel networks. The degradation behavior of the highly swollen gels was characterized by monitoring changes in their degree of swelling and compressive modulus. Experimental results show that the modulus decreases exponentially with time, while the volumetric swelling ratio increases exponentially. A degradation mechanism assuming pseudo first-order hydrolysis kinetics and accounting for the structure of the crosslinked networks successfully predicted the experimentally observed trends in these properties with degradation. Once verified, the proposed degradation mechanism was extended to correlate network degradation kinetics, and subsequent changes in network structure, with release behavior of bioactive molecules from these dynamic systems. Finally, the application of these macromers as in situ forming hydrogel constructs for the delivery of osteoinductive growth factors and the production of mineralized tissue was demonstrated in vivo.
Morphological Dependence of Lithium Insertion in Nanocrystalline TiO2(B) Nanoparticles and Nanosheets

The lithium insertion behavior of nanoparticle (3-D) and nanosheet (2-D) architectures of TiO2(B) is quite different, as observed by differential capacity plots derived from galvanostatic charging/discharge experiments. DFT+U calculations show unique lithiation mechanisms for the different nanoarchitectures. For TiO2(B) nanoparticles, A2 sites near equatorial TiO6 octahedra are filled first, followed by A1 sites near axial TiO6 octahedra. No open-channel C site filling is observed in the voltage range studied. Conversely, TiO2(B) nanosheets incrementally fill C sites, followed by A2 and A1. DFT+U calculations suggest that the different lithiation mechanisms are related to the elongated geometry of the nanosheet along the a-axis that reduces Li+–Li+ interactions between C and A2 sites. The calculated lithiation potentials and degree of filling agree qualitatively with the experimentally observed differential capacity plots.
Public Health, Emergency Response, and Medical Preparedness I: Medical Surge

Medical surge forms the cornerstone of preparedness planning efforts for major medical incidents. Surge capacity encompasses multidimensional aspects such as potential patient beds; available space in which patients may be triaged, managed, vaccinated, decontaminated, or simply located; available care personnel of all types; necessary medications, supplies, and equipment; and even the legal capacity to deliver health care under situations that exceed authorized capacity. Further, close collaboration between public health and health care facilities is very important to effective disaster response. In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the dissemination of anthrax in 2001, the ability of the US health care system to provide an effective and coordinated response to mass casualty or complex incidents came under intense scrutiny. More recently, the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the mass disruption of public health and medical services along the Gulf Coast spotlighted the need for cohesive strategies that focus on management systems for major public health and medical response. In this article, we explore hospital surge capacity planning. Specifically, we will discuss issues related to surge patterns, the interplay of care personnel and staff, facilities, equipment and supplies, and incident management system. Approaches used in balancing daily operational efficiency versus maintaining an appropriate surge capacity will be discussed, and the importance of international collaboration is highlighted. Further, OR methodologies, including simulation, optimization, stochastic processes and systems dynamics models used in medical surge analysis will be briefly reviewed. Keywords: public health; emergency response; disaster medicine; medical preparedness; homeland security; terrorist attack; hospital surge capacity; surge patterns; incident management system; international collaboration