cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Views of Old Forestry and New Among Reference Groups in the Pacific Northwest

A public opinion survey was conducted in Washington and Oregon. It was not a representative poll sample but instead sampled groups of people favoring forest production, those favaring forest protection, and others not aligned with either of these viewpoints. There is strong consensus across groups regarding the unpopularity of established forestry methods and the need to regulate clearcutting. The weight of the sampled groups' opinions indicated that replanting and hiding clearcuts are not enough to make them acceptable, that New Forestry should not be practiced in old growth, and that foresters should attend more to wildlife. There was no clear weight of opinion that forest harvests be eliminated or clearcutting be banned. There was passionate distrust of foresters among many protectionists and nonaligned respondents, but most of the same people support New Forestry intentions. New Forestry offers a potentially more politically acceptable and stable basis for public forestry practice and policy.
Infall into the Virgo Cluster and Some Cosmological Constraints

A family of mass models has been developed to describe the observed infall of galaxies in the Virgo Southern Extension toward the Virgo Cluster. The requirement that the mass models also explain the motion of our Galaxy with respect to the Virgo Cluster provides some constraints of cosmological interest. If the age of the universe is 10 15 Gyr, there is already too much mass at small radii, as implied both by the virial analysis of the cluster and the infall model for the galaxies close to the cluster, to explain the motion of our Galaxy. If it is insisted that the universe is older than this limit then a tractable conclusion is that the cosmological constant is positive.
SU-E-J-212: MR Diffusion Tensor Imaging for Assessment of Tumor and Normal Brain Tissue Responses of Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma Treated by Proton Therapy

Purpose: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can measure molecular mobility at the cellular level, quantified by the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). DTI may also reveal axonal fiber directional information in the white matter, quantified by the fractional anisotropy (FA). Juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) is a rare brain tumor that occurs in children and young adults. Proton therapy (PT) is increasingly used in the treatment of pediatric brain tumors including JPA. However, the response of both tumors and normal tissues to PT is currently under investigation. We report tumor and normal brain tissue responses for a pediatric case of JPA treated with PT assessed using DTI. Methods: A ten year old male with JPA of the left thalamus received passive scattered PT to a dose of 50.4 Gy (RBE) in 28 fractions. Post PT, the patient has been followed up in seven years. At each follow up, MRI imaging including DTI was performed to assess response. MR images were registered to the treatment planning CT and the GTV mapped onto each MRI. The GTV contour was then mirrored to the right side of brain through the patient’s middle line to represent normal brain tissue. ADC and FA were measured within the ROIs. Results: Proton therapy can completely spare contra lateral brain while the target volume received full prescribed dose. From a series of MRI ADC images before and after PT at different follow ups, the enhancement corresponding to GTV had nearly disappeared more than 2 years after PT. Both ADC and FA demonstrate that contralateral normal brain tissue were not affect by PT and the tumor volume reverted to normal ADC and FA values. Conclusion: DTI allowed quantitative evaluation of tumor and normal brain tissue responses to PT. Further study in a larger cohort is warranted.
Enhancement of nitric oxide production by methylecgonidine in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

In the present experiments, we investigated the effects of methylecgonidine (MEG) on nitric oxide (NO) production in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Incubation of cultured cardiomyocytes with carbachol or MEG for 48 h significantly enhanced NO production. No release was increased from 1.48±0.13 μM (mg protein)−1 for control to 5.73±0.19 μM (mg protein)−1 for 1 μM carbachol treated cells (P<0.001). In addition, incubation with 1 μM MEG enhanced NO production to 5.55±0.28 μM (mg protein)−1. The effects of MEG on NO production were concentration-dependent. The muscarinic antagonist atropine prevented the enhancement of NO production induced by carbachol or MEG. Compared to MEG-induced NO production, cocaine was much less potent. The enhancement of NO production by carbachol or MEG was even greater in cultured cardiomyocytes transfected with the M2 cDNA. After 48-h incubation with 1 μM carbachol or 1 μM MEG, NO production was increased by 6.5 and 6.7 fold, respectively, in cardiomyocytes overexpressing M2 receptors. Coincubation with atropine or NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester abolished the enhancement of NO production. In contrast, NO production enhanced by carbachol or MEG in M1- or M3-transfected cardiomyocytes was similar to the level in non-transfected cells. Western blot analysis showed that the protein levels of M1, M2, and M3 were significantly increased in cardiomyocytes transfected with the receptor cDNAs, but MEG had no effect on the expressions. It is interesting that both carbachol and MEG caused a significant increase in constitutive endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) only in M2-transfected cardiomyocytes, not in non-transfected, M1- or M3-transfected cells. Again, atropine blocked the MEG-produced induction of eNOS. Our data demonstrate that MEG significantly enhanced NO production in cultured cardiomyocytes and that the enhancement of NO production may result from MEG stimulation of muscarinic M2 receptors. British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 135, 188–196; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704414
English language learners and automated scoring of essays: Critical considerations

Abstract This article presents considerations for using automated scoring systems to evaluate second language writing. A distinction is made between English language learners in English-medium educational systems and those studying English in their own countries for a variety of purposes, and between learning-to-write and writing-to-learn in a second language ( Manchon, 2011a ), extending Manchon's framework from instruction to assessment and drawing implications for construct definition. Next, an approach to validity based on articulating an interpretive argument is presented and discussed with reference to a recent study of the use of e-rater on the TOEFL. Challenges and opportunities for the use of automated scoring system are presented.
Effect of Ibutilide, a New Class III Agent, On Sustained Atrial Fibrillation in a Canine Model of Acute Ischemia and Myocardial Dysfunction Induced By Microembolization

The effect of ibutilide, a new Class III antiarrhythmic agent, upon acute onset atrial fibrillation was investigated in a closed-chest canine model of acute left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Twenty-four anesthetized mongrel dogs, mean weight 24.9 +/- 4 kg were subjected to coronary artery microsphere embolization and volume loading, followed by attempted induction of atrial fibrillation (AF) by rapid atrial pacing. Acute ischemic LV dysfunction was successfully induced by embolization in all dogs, and caused significant (P or = 30 min) was successfully induced in 15 of 24 dogs (62%) and unsustained AF (< 30 min) was induced in the remainder (38%). At 30 minutes after induction of sustained AF, 15 dogs were randomized to intravenous ibutilide (0.15 mg/kg, given as a 0.075 mg/kg bolus, followed by 0.075 mg/kg infusion over 1 hour; n = 7) or placebo (saline; n = 8). There were no statistically significant differences between the ibutilide and the placebo groups with respect to mean LV systolic pressure, LV end diastolic pressure, LV dp/dt, RR interval, or QTc interval during AF prior to infusion. All seven dogs receiving ibutilide converted to sinus rhythm after a median of 3 minutes (range 0.5-26 min), while only three of eight placebo dogs (P < 0.03) converted to sinus rhythm after a median duration of 30 minutes (range 15-60 min) (P < 0.04 for difference in time to conversion).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Minmax‐regret robust 1‐median location on a tree

This paper considers the minmax-regret 1-median problem on a tree network where edge lengths and node weights are uncertain and the uncertainty is characterized by given intervals. Some localization properties for the optimal locations, for both the node-restricted and the unrestricted cases, are derived. Using these properties, efficient algorithms are developed for finding the minmax-regret 1-median locations for both cases. An example is provided to illustrate the algorithm.
Detection of Low-Power RF Signals Using a Two Laser Multimode Optoelectronic Oscillator

We present a two laser, multimode optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) for detecting unknown low-power RF signals. By switching between one or two lasers, the OEO cavity will become sensitive to an interleaved set of frequencies. The system has an input sensitivity of -78.4 dBm, which is only 14.2 dB higher than the thermal limit for a 140-MHz bandwidth. In addition, mode spacing has been increased to 100 MHz, a 20 times increase from previous demonstrations.
Fate and environmental impact of pesticides in plastic mulch production runoff: field and laboratory studies.

Concentrations of copper, azinphosmethyl, chlorothalonil, and endosulfan sulfate ranged from less than 1 to greater than 1000 μg/L in runoff from tomato plastic mulch production. When this runoff entered local creeks, the copper concentration was as high as 22 μg/L, which exceeded the measured larval clam LC50 values of 21 and 12 μg/L Cu at 96 and 192 h, respectively. A greenhouse scale investigation of copper and toxicity demonstrated that sedimentation reduced total copper concentration in runoff by 90%, although the dissolved copper concentration was unchanged, averaging 139 ± 55 μg/L. When runoff was applied to marine mesocosms containing grass shrimp and mummichog fish, unsettled runoff produced the greatest mortality, although even settled runoff caused more mortality than that in the control mesocosm receiving runoff without added copper. Desorption of soil-sorbed copper occurred quickly in saline water and contributed to toxicity. Copper toxicity in runoff can be reduced, but not eliminated, by se...
DIET of alkali atoms from mineral surfaces

Abstract To investigate mechanisms for the origin of alkalis in the atmosphere of the Moon, we are studying the electron- and photon-stimulated desorption (ESD and PSD) of K atoms from model mineral surfaces (SiO2 films), and ESD and PSD of Na atoms from a lunar basalt sample. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates the existence of traces of Na in the lunar sample. To obtain an increased signal for detailed measurements of desorption parameters (appearance thresholds, yields), a fractional monolayer of Na is deposited onto the lunar sample surface. An alkali atom detector based on surface ionization and a time-of-flight technique are used for DIET measurements, together with a pulsed electron gun, and a mechanically chopped and filtered mercury arc light source. We find that bombardment of the alkali covered surfaces by UV photons or by electrons with energies E>4 eV causes desorption of “hot” alkali atoms. The results are consistent with the model based on charge transfer from the substrate to adsorbate which was developed to explain our previous measurements of sodium desorption from a silica surface and desorption of K atoms from water ice. The data support the suggestion that PSD by UV solar photons is a dominant source process for alkalis in the tenuous lunar atmosphere.
Infectivity and Pathogenicity of Baculovirus penaei (BP) in Cultured Larval and Postlarval Pacific White Shrimp, Penaeus vannamei , Related to the Stage of Viral Development

The infectivity and pathogenicity of the penaeid shrimp virus, Baculovirus penaei (BP), is influenced by the stage of viral development. This study consisted of a preliminary experiment which showed that nonocculuded virus administered per os is infective, followed by two infectivity experiments. In the first phase of each infectivity experiment, mysis stage larvae of Penaeus vannamei were inoculated with BP and samples of infected tissue were collected at various times postinoculation (p.i.). These samples were then used to inoculate either mysis or postlarval stage P. vannamei in the second phase of each experiment. Viral inocula prepared from patently infected tissues consistently produced infections in both mysis and postlarval stage shrimp. Inocula prepared from prepatently infected tissue collected 12-18 h p.i. produced infections in some, but not all replicate cultures, while inocula prepared from tissues collected earlier than 12 h p.i. were not infective. Viral development in mysis stage larvae was substantially delayed and the mortality was significantly lower when the viral inocula were prepared from prepatently compared to patently infected tissues. BP appears to be most pathogenic to larvae that have been exposed to inocula prepared from tissues that had recently developed a high prevalence of patent infections or about 72 h p.i.
Discovery of Photospheric Helium in the Ultramassive DA White Dwarf GD 50

Extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscopy of the hot, hydrogen-rich white dwarf GD 50 reveals an unusual photospheric mixture of hydrogen and helium. This hot DA white dwarf is also remarkable for its mass (≈ 1.2 M☉) near the Chandrasekhar limit. The spectra obtained with the Extreme-Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) show a prominent He II resonance line series and constrain its atmospheric parameters to Teff = 40,300 ± 100 K and n(He)/n(H) = (2.4 ± 0.1) × 10-4 (assuming log g = 9.0). We also constrain the local interstellar medium column densities of neutral helium and hydrogen to nHe I = 6 × 1016 and nH I = 9 × 1017 cm-2. The presence of helium in an isolated, massive DA white dwarf is paradoxical. We examine and rule out a couple of scenarios (radiative levitation, accretion from the ISM or a hypothetical companion), but we suggest that if massive white dwarfs do result from stellar mergers, large orbital angular momentum may be preserved and result in a large meridional circulation current, possibly dredging up helium from the envelope. Although we find evidence of large rotational velocity in EUV He II line profiles, we propose additional observational tests of the dredge-up model.
Josephson effect between a two-band superconductor with s++ or s± pairing symmetry and a conventional s-wave superconductor

In this work, we investigate the Josephson effect between a two-band superconductor either with the $s++$ (two energy gaps have the same sign and are fully gapped) pairing symmetry or $s\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}$ (two energy gaps have $\ensuremath{\pi}$ phase difference and are fully gapped) pairing symmetry and a conventional $s$-wave superconductor. The ground state, critical current, plasma modes, flux-flow dynamics, response to external ac electric field, and possible soliton solutions are investigated. For junctions with the charge neutrality breaking, we find a new plasma mode for junctions, which gives rise to new resonance peaks in the Josephson flux-flow region. Because of the frustrated interaction in junctions with $s\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}$ pairing symmetry, time-reversal symmetry (TRS) can be broken if the frustration is optimized. In the TRS broken (TRSB) state, there is a nontrivial phase difference between the two Josephson tunneling channels, which results in a nontrivial interference. Furthermore, we find a massless plasma mode at the TRSB transition for junctions with the charge neutrality breaking. In the TRSB state, a spontaneous magnetic flux appears where there is a spatial inhomogeneity in the Josephson coupling, thus providing a possible smoking-gun evidence for the underlying pairing symmetry.
A Human Parathyroid Carcinoma that Produces Parathyroid Hormone: Long Term Maintenance in Tissue Culture

Parathyroid carcinoma cells from a pulmonary metastasis of a patient with a serumCa of 17 mg/dl and an immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (PTH) of 6.4 ng eq bovine (b)PTH/ml (normal 40−400 pg/ml) have been maintained in tissue culture for more than2½ years. The cells secrete PTH into the culture media that 1) during immunoassay dilutes in parallel to human hyperparathyroid serum, 2) has a molecular weight similar to intact highly purified bPTH, and 3) stimulates bone resorption in a manner that is equivalent and additive tosynthetic bPTH−(l−34).
Abstract 5404: C6-ceramide containing anionic nanoliposomes are effective chemotherapy delivery vehicles for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are highly fibrotic and poorly vascularized tumors, making systemic delivery of standard chemotherapies ineffective. To overcome the obstacles to delivering therapeutics to PDAC tumors, we have devised an innovative, biocompatible nanocarrier formulation that can deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to pancreatic cancer cells: pegylated anionic nanoliposomes (anionic NLs). By dynamic light scattering, anionic NLs are 85-90 nm in diameter and have a zeta potential of -20 mV. Compared to the more commonly used neutral NLs, the empty (unloaded) anionic NL formulation did not alter proliferation of either normal pancreatic epithelial cells (HPDEs) or PDAC cells. A variety of chemotherapeutic agents were then tested for their ability to be effectively encapsulated into anionic NLs via a temperature-dependent trapping mechanism. The chemotherapeutic drugs vincristine, vinblastine and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) were all effectively encapsulated into the anionic NL formulation, and anionic NLs encapsulated 5FU at reproducible concentrations of 3-4 mM. At 48 hours after a single dose of anionic NL-encapsulated 5FU, in vitro proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells was significantly reduced compared to unloaded NLs or to vehicle controls (p Citation Format: Christopher McGovern, Sriram Shanmugavelandy, Sara Shimko, Samuel Linton, Jenny Dai, Mark Kester, Jill P. Smith, Gail L. Matters. C6-ceramide containing anionic nanoliposomes are effective chemotherapy delivery vehicles for pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5404. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5404
Parallel machine scheduling with release time and machine eligibility restrictions

Abstract We present an algorithm for the problem of minimizing maximum lateness in a parallel machine environment with release dates and machine eligibility restrictions (P m | r j , M j | L max ) for the special case where due dates are equal to release dates plus a constant. No preemption of jobs is allowed. The algorithm has been evaluated using real data from an operational environment of a semiconductor manufacturing firm. Comparison is also made with the actual scheduling system being used by the organization.
Memory organization for two parallel readouts

Abstract The content of currently available memories, both in magnetic core or in LSI technology 1 is accessed by coincidence addressing 2 . The memory is considered to be a two-dimensional matrix. By specifying a horizontal and a vertical address, exactly one memory cell is identified. This exclusive access to one cell often poses a bottleneck. This paper shows a method of reading the contents of two cells simultaneously by specifying two addresses at the same time (see also Reference 3).
Branchpoint selection in the splicing of U12-dependent introns in vitro.

In metazoans, splicing of introns from pre-mRNAs can occur by two pathways: the major U2-dependent or the minor U12-dependent pathways. Whereas the U2-dependent pathway has been well characterized, much about the U12dependent pathway remains to be discovered. Most of the information regarding U12-type introns has come from in vitro studies of a very few known introns of this class. To expand our understanding of U12-type splicing, especially to test the hypothesis that the simple base-pairing mechanism between the intron and U12 snRNA defines the branchpoint of U12-dependent introns, additional in vitro splicing substrates were created from three putative U12type introns: the third intron of the Xenopus RPL1a gene (XRP), the sixth intron of the Xenopus TFIIS.oA gene (XTF), and the first intron of the human Sm E gene (SME). In vitro splicing in HeLa nuclear extract confirmed U12-dependent splicing of each of these introns. Surprisingly, branchpoint mapping of the XRP splicing intermediate shows use of the upstream rather than the downstream of two consecutive adenosines within the branchpoint sequence (BPS), contrary to the prediction based on alignment with the sixth intron of human P120, a U12-dependent intron whose branch site was previously determined. Also, in the SME intron, the position of the branchpoint A residue within the region base paired with U12 differs from that in P120 and XTF. Analysis of these three additional introns therefore rules out simple models for branchpoint selection by the U12-type spliceosome.
Absorption Spectrum of Fluorine Azide

Fluorine azide was first prepared by Haller as a reaction product of hydrogen azide and fluorine. It is described as a greenish-yellow gas at room temperature, liquefying at −82°C when diluted with nitrogen and freezing to a yellow solid at −143°C. Evaporation of this solid generally results in violent explosion. However, gaseous fluorine azide decomposes slowly at room temperature and very rapidly at 100°C without explosion. Difluorodiazene (N2F2) and nitrogen are formed.
Pleiotropy of quantitative trait loci for organ weights and limb bone lengths in mice.

We investigated the genetic basis of several limb bone lengths and weights of organs in mice produced from a cross of the F1 between CAST/Ei (wild strain) and M16i (selected for rapid growth rate) ...
Common sense in the treatment of pilonidal disease.

The management of pilonidal cyst disease in a large military hospital is described. Of special interest to the military practice is the “buddy” system, in which patients help one another to keep their wounds clean and dry. The specific objectives of our technic are: 1) obtaining excellent hemostasis by the use of zinc peroxide paste; 2) avoiding recurrences by an open-wound method of treatment; 3) preservation of a pad of subcutaneous tissue over the postsacral fascia, thus reducing long-term morbidity by insuring a mobile scar; 4) decreasing the duration of hospitalization, achieved by frequently drying the wounds with warm air.
Is Impulsiveness Aligned With Psychoticism or With Extraversion

L'auteur examine les relations entre l'Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, l'Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised et le 17 Impulsivness Questionnaire
Relativistic Mean Field Studies of Superheavy Nuclei

The analysis of quasiparticle spectra in heaviest A N 250 nuclei with spectroscopic data provides an additional constraint for the choice of effective interaction for the description of superheavy nuclei. It strongly suggest that within the relativistic mean field (RMF) theory only the parametrizations which predict 2 = 120 and N = 172 as shell closures are reliable for superheavy nuclei. The influence of the central depression in the density distribution of spherical superheavy nuclei on the shell structure is studied. Large central depression produces large shell gaps at 2 = 120 and N = 172. The shell gaps at 2 = 126 and N = 184 are favored by a flat density distribution in the central part of nucleus.
Model predicts bat pinna ridges focus high frequencies to form narrow sensitivity beams.

The pinnae of bats contain ridges whose function was previously thought to be structural. This paper suggests that ridges form a reflecting Fresnel lens that focuses high-frequency acoustic signals into the ear canal to form a narrow elevation sensitivity beam. E. fuscus ridges are modeled as a series of four paraboloidal strips and the tragus is considered to act as a secondary reflecting element analogous to a Cassegrain system. A diffraction grading having the equivalent spacing suggests frequencies above 150kHz. Using an example 170kHz, a random search for ridge dimensions that minimize side-lobes in the frequency magnitude response yields the tapered ridge structure observed in E. fuscus and produces an 18° (full width half energy) beam width. We speculate that the possible high-frequency sources are ecologically (prey) generated and/or the third harmonic of the call. The attenuation at such high frequencies requires that the source be close by. Passive prey localization in the postbuzz stage, when e...
Demographic Responses to Multigeneration Cadmium Exposure in Two Strains of the Freshwater Gastropod, Biomphalaria glabrata

A life table response experiment (LTRE) was used to quantify the population-level effects of continuous, multigeneration cadmium exposure on two strains of the freshwater gastropod, Biomphalaria glabrata: the parasite-resistant BS90 and parasite-susceptible NMRI strains. Snails were exposed to waterborne cadmium for three consecutive generations. Survival, growth, and reproduction were measured empirically and incorporated into a stage-based, deterministic population model. Cadmium significantly affected hatching success, time to maturity, and juvenile and adult survival in both strains. There were significant effects of generation on fecundity, hatching success, time to maturity and juvenile survival in NMRI, and time to maturity and adult survival in BS90. Cadmium significantly affected the population growth rate, λ, in BS90. Cadmium, generation, and the cadmium × generation interaction had significant effects on λ in NMRI. At the high cadmium exposure, λ for NMRI showed a decrease from generation 1 to generation 2, followed by an increase from generation 2 to generation 3. The λ value in high-cadmium BS90 steadily decreased over the three generations, while NMRI at this same concentration was similar to the controls. The results indicate that strain-specific differences in response to multigeneration cadmium exposure are evident in B. glabrata. Moreover, effects seen in the first generation are not necessarily indicative of effects in subsequent generations. Changes in λ over the course of the three-generation exposure suggest that acclimation and/or adaptation to cadmium may have occurred, particularly in NMRI at the high cadmium exposure level.
Mirk/Dyrk1B mediates survival during the differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts.

The kinase Mirk/dyrk1B is essential for the differentiation of C2C12myoblasts. Mirk reinforces the G0/G1 arrest state inwhich differentiation occurs by directly phosphorylating and stabilizingp27Kip1 and destabilizing cyclin D1. We now demonstrate that Mirkis anti-apoptotic in myoblasts. Knockdown of endogenous Mirk by RNAinterference activated caspase 3 and decreased myoblast survival by 75%,whereas transient overexpression of Mirk increased cell survival. Mirk exertsits anti-apoptotic effects during muscle differentiation at least in partthrough effects on the cell cycle inhibitor and pro-survival moleculep21Cip1. Overexpression and RNA interference experimentsdemonstrated that Mirk phosphorylates p21 within its nuclear localizationdomain at Ser-153 causing a portion of the typically nuclear p21 to localizein the cytoplasm. Phosphomimetic GFP-p21-S153D was pancellular in both cyclingC2C12 myoblasts and NIH3T3 cells. Endogenous Mirk in myotubes andoverexpressed Mirk in NIH3T3 cells were able to cause the pancellularlocalization of wild-type GFP-p21 but not the nonphosphorylatable mutantGFP-p21-S153A. Translocation to the cytoplasm enables p21 to block apoptosisthrough inhibitory interaction with pro-apoptotic molecules. Phosphomimeticp21-S153D was more effective than wild-type p21 in blocking the activation ofcaspase 3. Transient expression of p21-S153D also increased myoblast viabilityin colony forming assays, whereas the p21-S153A mutant had no effect. ThisMirk-dependent change in p21 intracellular localization is a natural part ofmyoblast differentiation. Endogenous p21 localized exclusively to the nucleiof proliferating myoblasts but was also found in the cytoplasm of post-mitoticmultinucleated myotubes and adult human skeletal myofibers.
Ripple Minimization Through Harmonic Elimination in Asymmetric Interleaved Multiphase DC–DC Converters

Symmetric multiphase dc–dc converters are widely used in power electronics, as they enable the processing of high power through splitting the overall load-current into multiple phases. Distributing the processed power symmetrically between the phases and performing ripple minimization through interleaving is well understood. However, in recent applications such as maximum power point tracking for solar photovoltaic, converters are forced to operate under asymmetric conditions, due to differences in the sources or loads of each converter. This study presents a control technique, based on harmonic elimination, that allows for ripple minimization under asymmetric conditions. The mathematical derivations are outlined and simulations are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed technique. Measurements taken from an experimental prototype, consisting of three dc–dc buck converters, demonstrate significant improvements in ripple reduction over conventional interleaving techniques. When the multiphase converter is operated at the optimum asymmetric phase-shift found through the techniques presented here, a more than 3x reduction in net current ripple is observed under realistic operating conditions. Additionally, the undesirable first harmonic ripple component is reduced by 14.8 dB with the proposed technique.
Emotional intelligence in coaching: Mediation effect of coaching efficacy on the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership style

This study investigated the relationships among emotional intelligence (EI), coaching efficacy (CE), and leadership style (LS) of coaches and tested the mediation effect of CE in the relationship between EI and LS. Using 323 head basketball coaches at the high school level, structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the relationships in the model and the meditational effect. The final model provided a good fit to that data, in which LS was directly predicted by EI and CE. The standardized estimates are 0.497 and 0.403, respectively. Also, EI directly predicted CE (0.624). The findings showed significant mediating effect of CE on the relationship between EI and LS (0.251).
Disposition of 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine and 2',3'-dideoxyinosine in mice.

Mice were dosed with [3H]2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine ([3H]ddA) in three procedures: intravenously, intraperitoneally, and interperitoneally following a dose of 2′ -deoxycoformycin (dCF). For mice dosed intravenously, the content of radioactivity in plasma and tissue samples were essentially constant after 30 min. Of the radioactivity in plasma and brain samples collected between 30 min and 24 hr, more than 94% was present as 3H2O, indicating that most of the tritium from [3H]ddA had exchanged with water. No intact ddA was detected, and the deamination product, 2′,3′ -dideoxyinosine (ddI), was present only transiently. In the urine, the major radioactive material was [3H]ddI. Also detected were 3H2O and small amounts of [3H]hypoxanthine and [3H]ddA. Following intraperitoneal doses to mice, levels of radioactivity in plasma, liver, and kidney increased to a maximum by 15–30 min after dosing but dropped to essentially constant levels thereafter, again indicating that the tritium had exchanged with water. At 5, 15, and 30 min after dosing, ddI was the major radioactive component in plasma. Only small amounts of ddA were present. When dCF was administered 24 hr prior to intraperitoneal [3H]ddA, levels of radioactivity in plasma, liver, and kidney reached a maximum at 30 to 60 min after dosing and decreased to essentially constant levels thereafter. The dCF transiently inhibited the deamination of ddA to ddI, since, in plasma, [3H]ddA was the main radioactive component at 5 and 15 min after dosing. Comparison of HPLC assays based on radioactivity detection and UV absorbance showed that they were equivalent for measuring ddA and ddI in samples derived from dosed mice. Therefore, exchange of tritium must have occurred at a metabolic step beyond ddI.
A procedure for generating time‐dependent arrivals for queueing simulations

This paper presents a method for modeling cyclic inputs to a congested system in a discrete event digital simulation. Specifically, we express the mean of the interarrival time conditional on the last arrival as a linear combination of harmonic components whose coefficients can be determined by stepwise regression. We also assume that the conditional interarrival time normalized by its corresponding mean follows a distribution that is independent of time. The result can, in turn, be used to generate the desired input for a simulation, An example based on a set of actual data is used to illustrate the process of parameter estimation for the model.
Nuclear hypersegmentation of neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils due to hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea)

![Figure][1] The patient was a 72-year-old man who had a diagnosis of polycythemia vera (PV) in 2010. A JAK2 V617F mutation was positive. Hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea [HU]) was started at 500 mg and gradually increased to 1250 mg daily. His recent complete blood count showed the following:
Real-time PCR analysis of micro-RNA expression in ionizing radiation-treated cells.

The cellular response to ionizing radiation exposure is very complex and involves many pathways. A wide variety of biologic effects are induced after exposure to ionizing radiation, ranging from DNA damage processing, signal transduction, mutations, altered gene expression, cell-cycle arrest, genomic instability, and induction of carcinogenesis to cell death. To gain insight into this complex response, global alterations in the expression of genes in irradiated cells have been examined. Recent studies have provided evidence to associate micro-RNA (miRNA) with many cellular processes, including carcinogenesis, timing of cell-fate decision, apoptosis, and metabolic pathways controlling a range of events. The small noncoding miRNA are emerging as critical components in controlling the gene expression. Because miRNA target so many genes, we hypothesized that alterations in their expression may be associated with the overall response of cells to radiation treatment. To explore the role of miRNA in cellular res...
Ribosome biogenesis: nonrandom addition of structural proteins to 50S subunits.

Assemblage of structural proteins into 50S subunits was examined in Escherichia coli recovering fromt chloramphenicol treatment. Cells previously labeled with H3-leucine for three generations were incuibated for 30 minutes with chloramnlphenicol. Proteins synthesized during the initial 5 minuites of recovery from chlorarmphenicol treatmnent were labeled with C 14 -leucine. Marked variation in the ratios of C 14 - to H 3 -leucine in ribosomal protein occurred in cells that had been treated with chloramphenicol; luntreated cells displayed little variation. Thle resuilts sliggest that ribosomal proteins are assenmbled into 50S subunits in a nonrandom manner.
To criticize the right to know we must question the value of genetic relatedness.

In an essay published in 1997, Guido Pennings defends as a solution to the ethical problems associated with anonymous gamete donation a “double track” policy where people interested in assisted rep...
The deformation behavior of high purity polycrystalline iron and single crystal molybdenum as a function of strain rate at 300°k

Abstract The mechanical behaviour of polycrystalline, high-purity iron and single-crystal, high purity molybdenum has been investigated in compression over the strain rate range 10−4 sec−1 to 10+3 sec−1. Both iron and molybdenum behaved much differently than f.c.c. metals tested over the same range of strain rates and the behavior of iron was considerably different than that of molybdenum. The results for iron are found to be better described by the equations of thermal activation than by equations based on the Johnson-Gilman stress-velocity relation. The equivalence of temperature and strain rate was examined and found to hold only over a limited range. In both metals, dislocation structure is found to be a function of strain rate as well as strain. 300°K EN FONCTION DE LA VITESSE DE DEFORMATION
Regional myocardial blood flow and cardiac mechanics in dog hearts with CO2 laser-induced intramyocardial revascularization.

Laser-induced intramyocardial revascularization (LIR) has been used to promote direct communications between blood within the ventricular cavity and that of the existing myocardial vasculature in an attempt to increase perfusion in patients with ischemic heart discase. This study was conducted to measure the effects of LIR channels on regional myocardial flood flow (microspheres), cardiac mechanics (sonomicrometers), and myocardial tissue pressures in 18 dogs. Under baseline hemodynamic conditions (mean HR=165.2±11.4 bpm, LVP=123.6±22.9/4.0±1.8 mmHg, AoP=112.8±27.1/77.0±22.5 mmHg), myocardial blood flow in laser-treated tissue (mean =1.11±.10 cc/min/gm before laser; .71±.19 cc/min/gm after laser) was reduced as compared to blood flow in control tissue (mean=1.12±.15 cc/min/gm before laser; 1.25±.22 cc/min/gm after laser). Regional myocardial systolic shortening (11.32%±3.82% before laser; 7.49%±2.86% after laser) was decreased by 33%. During simultaneous reversible ligation of the LAD and LCCA for 2 min, when intramyocardial channels represented the only tissue access for the injected microspheres, blood flow in laser-treated tissue was not increased above that of the control non-lasered tissue. However, regional blood flow was greater in laser-treated ischemic tissue (mean=.61±.12 cc/min/gm) than in untreated ischemic areas (mean=.04±.03 cc/min/gm) when left ventricular pressure (LVP) was acutely elevated (mean SLVP=207.0±16.1 mmHg). Using these measurements, a model is proposed to predict regional systolic pressure gradients between the left ventricular cavity and coronary intramyocardial vasculature required to permit restoration of blood flow to ischemic myocardium. We conclude that improved perfusion via laser-induced intramyocardial channels does not occur in otherwise normal myocardium exposed to acute coronary ligation and only small improvements in perfusion are noted when LVP is significantly elevated. Consideration of further clinical application of this approach is seriously cautioned awaiting additional experimental studies.
Malleability of weight-biased attitudes and beliefs: a meta-analysis of weight bias reduction interventions.

Abstract Weight bias exists across many important life domains, necessitating interventions designed to reduce weight-biased attitudes and beliefs. Though the effectiveness of weight bias interventions has been questioned, to our knowledge no meta-analysis of these interventions has been conducted. This meta-analysis evaluated the impact of weight bias interventions on weight-biased attitudes and beliefs and explored potential moderators. Interventions were eligible if they used an adult sample and a validated measure of weight-biased attitudes, which resulted in the inclusion of 30 studies represented in 29 articles. A random effects approach using inverse weights resulted in a mean effect size estimate of g = −0.33 (lower scores indicate less weight bias) for both attitudes and beliefs. Intervention type, publication type, and population type were not significant moderators but demonstrated noteworthy trends. Results reveal a small, positive effect of weight bias interventions on weight-biased attitudes and beliefs and provide useful information for future interventions.
Noninvasive monitoring of vascular compromise in trauma

Many types of trauma may lead to vascular compromise unless treated effectively and promptly. In addition to direct trauma to a major vessel are the crushing injuries, fractures, and burn injuries which give rise to an ischemia-edema cycle and subsequent muscle necrosis and tissue loss. Objective adjuncts to clinical impressions, such as isotope clearance muscle blood flow or the ultrasound Doppler flowmeter are generally not suitable for continuous, uninter-rupted monitoring of the degree of vascular compromise. A technique that appears promising in this respect is that of photoplethysmography. This technique uses a small LED infrared emitter/detector array. Blood volume changes in an illuminated vascular bed produce variations in the amount of reflected light sensed by the detector, which after appropriate electronic amplification results in pulsatile blood flow (if present) and its change with time being displayed on the monitor. This technique was used with 25 trauma patients with good results, avoiding unnecessary compartmental decompression in some cases. It has proved to be a simple technique that requires little or no training for interpretation, provides continuous monitoring, is noninvasive and atraumatic in nature, is portable for easy set-up, and is relatively inexpensive.
Gene expression analysis in human renal allograft biopsy samples using high-density oligoarray technology.

BACKGROUND High-density oligoarray technology is a novel method for screening the expression of thousands of genes in a small tissue sample. Oligoarray analysis of genes expressed during human renal allograft rejection has not been reported previously. METHODS Seven human renal allograft biopsies with histologic evidence of acute cellular rejection and three renal allograft biopsies without evidence of rejection (control) were analyzed for the expression of 6800 human genes using high-density oligoarrays (GeneChip, Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA). Quantitative expression of gene transcripts was determined and a comparison analysis between acute rejection and control biopsy samples was performed. Up-regulation of a specific gene transcript during acute rejection was considered to be significant if transcript abundance increased fourfold or more relative to control biopsy samples. RESULTS Comparison analysis revealed that between 32 and 219 gene transcripts are up-regulated (>fourfold) during acute rejection. Of these transcripts, only four (human monokine induced by interferon-gamma, T-cell receptor active beta-chain protein, interleukin-2 stimulated phosphoprotein, and RING4 (a transporter involved in antigen presentation)) were consistently up-regulated in each acute rejection sample relative to at least two of three control biopsy samples. Six other genes were up-regulated in six of seven acute rejection samples. These were interferon-stimulated growth factor-3, complement factor 3, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, macrophage inflammatory protein-3beta, myeloid differentiation protein, and CD18. Only two gene transcripts were down-regulated in five of seven acute rejection samples. Significant up-regulation of cytotoxic T-cell effector molecules, previously reported as markers of acute renal rejection in humans, was not detected. CONCLUSIONS High-density oligoarray technology is useful for screening gene expression in transplanted tissues undergoing acute rejection. Because this method does not rely on a priori knowledge of which genes are involved in acute rejection, it is likely to yield novel insights into the mechanisms and diagnosis of rejection.
Personality predicts prostate cancer treatment decision-making difficulty and satisfaction

Objective: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients often must decide between several treatment modalities considered equally efficacious, but associated with different benefits and side-effects. For some, the decision-making process can be difficult, but little is known about patient characteristics and cognitive processes that might influence the difficulty of such decisions. This study investigated the roles of dispositional optimism and self-efficacy in PCa treatment decision-making difficulty and satisfaction. Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients with clinically localized PCa completed a mail-in paper-and-pencil survey after they had made their treatment decision, but prior to treatment. Results: After adjusting for covariates, optimism and treatment decision-making self-efficacy were associated with less difficulty and greater satisfaction with the treatment decision-making process. Effects of optimism on difficulty and satisfaction were partially mediated by self-efficacy for making the treatment decision. Conclusions: Men with PCa and who are low in optimism may be at greater risk for treatment decision-making difficulty and lack of treatment decision-making satisfaction, in part, because they have lower confidence in their ability to make the decision compared with those who are more optimistic. As self-efficacy perceptions are modifiable, consideration should be given to including self-efficacy enhancing components as part of PCa treatment decision-making interventions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spendency: Students' Propensity to Use System Currency.

Using students’ process data from the game-based Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) iSTART-ME, the current study examines students’ propensity to use system currency to unlock game-based features, (i.e., referred to here as spendency). This study examines how spendency relates to students’ interaction preferences, in-system performance, and learning outcomes (i.e., self-explanation quality, comprehension). A group of 40 high school students interacted with iSTART-ME as part of an 11-session experiment (pretest, eight training sessions, posttest, and a delayed retention test). Students’ spendency was negatively related to the frequency of their use of personalizable features. In addition, students’ spendency was negatively related to their in-system achievements, daily learning outcomes, and performance on a transfer comprehension task, even after factoring out prior ability. The findings from this study indicate that increases in students’ spendency are systematically related to their selection choices and may have a negative effect on in-system performance, immediate learning outcomes, and skill transfer outcomes. The results have particular relevance to game-based systems that incorporate currency to unlock features within games as well as to the differential tradeoffs of game features on motivation and learning.
Failure of unnotched and notched composites with adhesive strips

Abstract The tensile strength of notched and unnotched graphite/epoxy laminates containing adhesive strips is examined, and a theoretical model is derived for the calculation of stresses in the composite and adhesive constituents. Tsai-Wu and Tsai-Hill failure criteria are used in the model for the prediction of the tensile strength of unnotched composites. Notched strength of composites with adhesive strips is calculated by using methods developed for orthotropic materials with notches. Stress distributions in the vicinity of the notch show the effectiveness of the adhesive strip in reducing the stress concentration factor. Strength predictions are found to agree well with experimental data. Predicted and experimental results suggest that when notches are placed in composites with adhesive strips, they should be placed in graphite/epoxy composite regions only and not in mixed regions that contain composite and adhesive constituents in adjacent plies.