cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production of lactic acid from the mixture of softwood pre-hydrolysate and paper mill sludge by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.

Paper mill sludge is a solid waste material composed of pulp residues and ash generated from pulping and paper making process. The carbohydrate portion of the sludges from Kraft/Recycle paper mill has chemical and physical characteristics similar to those of commercial wood pulp. Because of its high carbohydrate content and well-dispersed structure, the sludge can be biologically converted to value-added products without pretreatment. In bioconversion of solid feedstock such as paper mill sludge, a certain amount of water must be present to attain fluidity. In this study, hemicellulose pre-hydrolysate, in place of water, was added to the sludge to increase the concentration of the final product. Pre-hydrolysate was obtained by hot-water treatment of pine wood in which the total sugar concentration reached 4 wt.%. The mixture was processed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using enzymes (cellulase and pectinase) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC-10863). Pectinase was added to hydrolyze mannose oligomers in the pre-hydrolysate to monomers. During the SSF of the mixture, calcium carbonate in the paper sludge acted as a buffer, yielding calcium lactate as the final product. External pH control was unnecessary due to the buffer action of calcium carbonate that maintained the pH near optimum for the SSF. The lactic acid yield in the range of 80–90 % of the theoretical maximum was obtained. Use of the mixed feed of pre-hydrolysate and pulp mill sludges in the SSF raised the product concentration to 60 g of lactate/L.
Covalent catalysis by pyridoxal : evaluation of the effect of the cofactor on the carbon acidity of glycine

First-order rate constants for deprotonation of the α-imino carbon of the adduct between 5‘-deoxypyridoxal (1) and glycine were determined as the rate constants for Claisen-type addition of glycine to 1 where deprotonation is rate determining for product formation. There is no significant deprotonation at pH 7.1 of the form of the 1-glycine iminium ion with the pyridine nitrogen in the basic form. The value of kHO for hydroxide ion-catalyzed deprotonation of the α-imino carbon increases from 7.5 × 102 to 3.8 × 105 to 3.0 × 107 M-1 s-1, respectively, with protonation of the pyridine nitrogen, the phenoxide oxyanion, and the carboxylate anion of the 1-glycine iminium ion. There is a corresponding decrease in the pKas for deprotonation of the α-imino carbon from 17 to 11 to 6. It is proposed that enzymes selectively bind and catalyze the reaction of the iminium ion with pKa = 17. A comparison of kB = 1.7 × 10-3 s-1 for deprotonation of the α-imino carbon of this cofactor-glycine adduct (pKa = 17 by HPO42- wi...
Modified nucleosides and the chromatographic and aminoacylation behavior of tRNAIle from Escherichia coli C6

Abstract Transfer RNA from Escherichia coli C6, a Met−, Cys−, relA− mutant, was previously shown to contain an altered tRNAIle which accumulates during cysteine starvation (Harris, C.L., Lui, L., Sakallah, S. and DeVore, R. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 7676–7683). We now report the purification of this altered tRNAIle and a comparison of its aminoacylation and chromatographic behavior and modified nucleoside content to that of tRNAIle purified from cells of the same strain grown in the presence of cysteine. Sulfur-deficient tRNAIle (from cysteine-starved cells) was found to have a 5-fold increased Vmax in aminoacylation compared to the normal isoacceptor. However, rates or extents of transfer of isoleucine from the [isoleucyl ∼ AMP · Ile-tRNA synthetase] complex were identical with these two tRNAs. Nitrocellulose binding studies suggested that the sulfur-deficient tRNAIle bound more efficiently to its synthetase compared to normal tRNAIle. Modified nucleoside analysis showed that these tRNAs contained identical amounts of all modified bases except for dihydrouridine and 4-thiouridine. Normal tRNAIle contains 1 mol 4-thiouridine and dihydrouridine per mol tRNA, while cysteine-starved tRNAIle contains 2 mol dihydrouridine per mol tRNA and is devoid of 4-thiouridine. Several lines of evidence are presented which show that 4-thiouridine can be removed or lost from normal tRNAIle without a change in aminoacylation properties. Further, tRNA isolated from E. coli C6 grown with glutathione instead of cysteine has a normal content of 4-thiouridine, but its tRNAIle has an increased rate of aminoacylation. We conclude that the low content of dihydrouridine in tRNAIle from E. coli cells grown in cysteine-containing medium is most likely responsible for the slow aminoacylation kinetics observed with this tRNA. The possibility that specific dihydrouridine residues in this tRNA might be necessary in establishing the correct conformation of tRNAIle for aminoacylation is discussed.
Theoretical efficiencies and spectral calculations for the picture-detector element in a germanium γ-ray camera

The development of two-dimensional γ-ray cameras using germanium as the active element has been encouraged by the recent availability of high purity germanium that does not require lithium compensation. In current systems, the picturp coordinates are defined by two orthogonal sets of conducting strips on opposite faces of a large planar detector.
Rate equations for an optically-pumped, far infrared laser

Abstract Rate equations for an optically-pumped, far infrared laser are developed and solved for the case of a high intensity, pulsed pump beam. Conditions for saturated absorption and for saturated stimulated emission are established. A comparison is made to experimental data for absorption of 9.55 μm, CO 2 laser radiation in CH 3 F. Generalized requirements for efficient, high power, FIR laser oscillator-amplifier systems are discussed.
Short range order in FeCo-X alloys

Mossbauer spectrometry was used to study the kinetics of chemical ordering in FeCo and in FeCo alloyed with ternary solutes. With respect to the binary FeCo alloy, the kinetics of B2 ordering were slowed when 2% of 4d- or 5d-series ternary solute atoms were present, but 3p- and 3d-series ternary solutes had little effect on ordering kinetics. The relaxation of order around the ternary solute atoms could be discerned in Mossbauer spectra, and it seems that the development of B2 short range order is influenced by structural relaxations around the ternary solute atoms. Different thermal treatments were shown to cause different relaxations of 〈Fe/Co〉 and 〈Fe/X〉 correlations, suggesting that Mossbauer spectrometry can be used to identify different kinetic paths of ordering in ternary alloys.
Weathering the Storm: A Social Marketing Perspective on Disaster Preparedness and Response with Lessons from Hurricane Katrina

Abstract The devastation of New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina presents an opportunity and an obligation to examine the human and social factors that influenced the nation's response to this disaster. Lessons from Katrina suggest that a social marketing approach to disaster management could increase the likelihood of positive outcomes for individuals and communities when a disaster strikes. The authors propose an integrated approach to effective risk communications that encourages self-protective behaviors.
A cumulative autoregressive model for choice behavior

The group choice behavior of human subjects is assumed to be, in part, oscillatory in nature. A true a priori predictive model based on the integrated autoregressive moving-average process proposed by G.E.P. Box is presented and compared with human subject data from a two-choice predictive situation with @p = 0.60. The oscillatory patterns and predictions of the model are shown to be quite similar to those found in the subject data.
Broad-line variability in NGC 3783

New intermediate-resolution optical spectrophotometry of the nucleus of the southern Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3783 is presented. These data demonstrate that the nucleus was in a very luminous state in May, 1983 manifested through considerably enhanced broad-line and optical continuum emission compared to the quiescent state evident in the data of Evans (1988) obtained in March, 1984. The two data sets are compared to derive the relative strengths of the continuum and broad-line intensities, and profile ratios are constructed for the H-alpha and H-beta Balmer lines to detect differences in the line profiles between the two epochs.
On simultaneous tilt and creep observations on the San Andreas Fault

THE installation of an array of tiltmeters along the San Andreas Fault1 has provided an excellent opportunity to study the amplitude and spatial scale of the tilt fields associated with fault creep. We report here preliminary results from, and some implications of, a search for interrelated surface tilts and creep event observations at four pairs of tiltmeters and creepmeters along an active 20-km stretch of the San Andreas Fault. We have observed clear creep-related tilts above the instrument resolution (10−8 rad) only on a tiltmeter less than 0.5 km from the fault. The tilt events always preceded surface creep observations by 2–12 min, and were not purely transient in character.
Sex-identifying urine and molt signals in lobster (Homarus americanus)

During courtship, premolt female lobsters,Homarus americanus, choose a male and initiate a pair bond by repeated approaches to his shelter. The male allows such a female to share his shelter for about one week. This knowledge formed the basis to search for quantitative evidence for lobster sex pheromone(s) used in courtship: male cues to allow premolt females to identify a preferred male, and female cues to allow males to identify a premolt mature female. In each of four 1500-liter naturalistic aquaria, the behavioral responses of one female and two male lobsters to male and female lobster urine (0.5 ml) and body odor (20 ml) stimuli were observed. These stimuli were injected once or twice per day into a continuously flowing delivery tube attached to lobster shelters. Habituation to stimulus introduction—a serious problem in earlier experiments—was apparently avoided in the more natural social and physical environment we employed in these experiments. We demonstrated that male and female molt body odors contain different chemical substances: females responded to male molt body odor and males responded to female molt body odor but not vice versa. In general, male and female intermolt urine caused strong responses; however, females responded only weakly to male urine. This suggests that male and female urine are chemically different. Female urine and molt body odor caused a typically male “high-on-legs” response. These results show that molt body odors and intermolt urine contain sex-specific substances, which may be used in lobster courtship as well as other social interactions.
Estradiol Modulation of Kainic Acid-Induced Calcium Elevation in Neonatal Hippocampal Neurons

The developing hippocampus of both males and females is exposed to high levels of the gonadal steroid estradiol. The impact of this estradiol exposure on developing hippocampal neurons is essentially unknown. In the rat, the newborn hippocampus is relatively insensitive to excitotoxic brain injury, which in adults is associated with the release of amino acids, in particular glutamate, resulting in a significant increase in intracellular calcium and eventual cell death. We have shown previously in the rat that administration of the glutamate agonist, kainic acid (KA), on the day of birth results in limited hippocampal damage, which is ameliorated by treatment with the gonadal steroid, estradiol. We now show that KA induces an increase in intracellular calcium through L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels early in development and, later in development, through polyamine-sensitive α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors with a modest increase through N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors....
Continuous measurement of upper atmospheric winds and turbulence using a VHF Doppler radar: preliminary results

Abstract We report here preliminary results of a VHF radar experiment designed to monitor atmospheric winds and turbulence continuously over periods of many days. The radar system used in this experiment is a prototype of a much larger system under development and uses an average transmitted power of about 200 W and a 100 m × 100 m dipole array. With this system it is possible to observe winds and turbulence parameters regularly to about 19 km using a height resolution of 2.2 km. Similar results are reported for mesospheric heights between about 73 km and 82 km.
Trends in Extreme Precipitation Events in the Indus River Basin and Flooding in Pakistan

AbstractIn the absence of a sufficiently dense network of climate stations covering all topographic regions of the Indus River basin and delivering high quality data over the last 30 years or more, daily precipitation data were obtained from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Department of the Enviornment (NCEP-DOE) Reanalysis 2 dataset for the period 1979 to 2011. The daily precipitation data were transformed into time series of frequency of extreme precipitation events of 1-day and 10-day durations defined in terms of 90th and 99th percentile threshold exceedances. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall trend test was applied to determine whether statistically significant changes in precipitation extremes occurred over time, in due consideration of autocorrelation in the data.Extreme precipitation showed a high spatial variability, with the highest daily and 10-day precipitation totals, and thus highest 90th and 99th percentiles, in the southeastern lowlands at the foot of the Himalayas and the ...
De Principiis Non Disputandum

Arguments purporting to justify beliefs or evaluations often proceed from specific to more general issues. Opposition and challenge tend to provoke critical reflection; through various dialectical moves higher levels of justification are reached and made explicit. Argument usually terminates with appeals to principles which are considered indisputable, at least by those who invoke them. But, notoriously, initial disagreements cannot always be removed by what is called ‘rational argument.’ Frequently enough, initial disagreement can be traced back to disagreement in basic presuppositions. It is a characteristic of those modern cultures which endorse freedom of thought that they countenance divergencies in religious, political, or economic positions. ‘It is all a matter of one’s ultimate presuppositions’ — this phrase and its variants indicate that enlightened common sense is aware of the limits of argument and justification. But on the other hand there is also the deep-rooted wish to be right, absolutely right, in one’s basic outlook. When the disagreement concerns mere gastronomical matters, we are quite willing to reconcile ourselves with the saying, ‘De gustibus non est disputandum.’ Art critics and aestheticians, however, do not unreservedly extend such tolerance to all issues of aesthetic evaluation. Most people, including the majority of philosophers, are still more reluctant to grant any relativity to the basic standards of moral evaluation. There is, at least in this age of science, almost complete unanimity as regards the criteria by which we judge the claims of ordinary factual knowledge. And perhaps genuine indisputability is attributed to the principles of formal logic. At least the simplest canons of deductive reasoning, as they are exemplified, e.g., in some of the syllogisms or in elementary arithmetic, are quite generally accepted as indispensable presuppositions of any sort of argument.
DNase I hypersensitivity patterns of the serglycin proteoglycan gene in resting and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated human erythroleukemia (HEL), CHRF 288-11, and HL-60 cells compared with neutrophils and human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

We mapped the DNase I-hypersensitive sites (DHSS) of the serglycin gene in resting and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated human erythroleukemia (HEL) and CHRF 288-11 cells, which have megakaryocytic characteristics, and HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells. We compared these DHSS with those of normal primary neutrophils and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Several DHSS appear to be involved in regulating the level of endogenous expression and in the PMA response of hematopoietic cell lines. A DHSS unique to resting HL-60 cells and induced in CHRF 288-11 by PMA may explain the high degree of endogenous expression in HL-60 relative to HEL and CHRF (Schick, B. P., Petrushina, I., Brodbeck, K. C., and Castronuevo, P. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 24726–24735). A total of 4 DHSS in intron 1 and 6 in intron 2 are associated with the PMA response in a cell-specific manner. A DHSS in the 5′-flanking region and another in intron 1 lie in areas that have high homology with the orthologous murine serglycin locus and are rich in potential transcription factor binding sites. One DHSS in intron 1 and one in intron 2 are located within Alu repeats. Two DHSS found in DNA of normal primary neutrophils were different from those of the cell lines. One DHSS in exon 2 unique to neutrophils correlated with a previously unrecognized alternative splicing that removes exon 2. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells had a DHSS in intron 1 that was common with the cell lines. The different patterns of DHSS exhibited by the cells studied suggest that cell- and differentiation-specific alterations in chromatin structure may control serglycin gene expression.
The effect of substituting alternative grains in the diet on the nutritional profile of the gluten-free diet.

Background The only treatment for coeliac disease is lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. Several studies have reported nutritional deficiencies in individuals on a gluten-free diet. The present study aimed to determine whether the nutritional profile of gluten-free diet could be improved through the use of alternative grains. Methods A retrospective review of diet history records by a celiac specialist dietitian were used to establish a 'standard' gluten-free dietary pattern. An 'alternative' gluten-free dietary pattern was developed that substituted naturally gluten-free grains or gluten-free products made from 'alternative' flours (oats, high fibre gluten-free bread and quinoa) in the standard pattern. A paired t-test was performed to identify statistical significance between the 'alternative' and standard gluten-free dietary pattern. Results Analysis of standard pattern indicated that 38% of meals and snacks contained no grain or starch choice. Of those meals that contained a grain or starch component, rice was the grain chosen 44% of the time. The inclusion of alternative grains or grain products provided a higher nutrient profile compared to the standard gluten-free dietary pattern (P = 0.002). Several nutrients; protein (20.6 g versus 11 g), iron (18.4 mg versus 1.4 mg), calcium (182 mg versus 0 mg) and fibre (12.7 g versus 5 g) were significantly increased by changing the grain or starch component in the dietary pattern. The B vitamin content (riboflavin, niacin and folate) was improved, although this was not statistically significant (P = 0.125). Discussion The inclusion of alternative grain-based products increased the nutrient profile of the gluten-free dietary pattern significantly.
Characterization of a mammalian Golgi-localized protein complex, COG, that is required for normal Golgi morphology and function

Multiprotein complexes are key determinants of Golgi apparatus structure and its capacity for intracellular transport and glycoprotein modification. Three complexes that have previously been partially characterized include (a) the Golgi transport complex (GTC), identified in an in vitro membrane transport assay, (b) the ldlCp complex, identified in analyses of CHO cell mutants with defects in Golgi-associated glycosylation reactions, and (c) the mammalian Sec34 complex, identified by homology to yeast Sec34p, implicated in vesicular transport. We show that these three complexes are identical and rename them the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex. The COG complex comprises four previously characterized proteins (Cog1/ldlBp, Cog2/ldlCp, Cog3/Sec34, and Cog5/GTC-90), three homologues of yeast Sec34/35 complex subunits (Cog4, -6, and -8), and a previously unidentified Golgi-associated protein (Cog7). EM of ldlB and ldlC mutants established that COG is required for normal Golgi morphology. "Deep etch" EM of purified COG revealed an approximately 37-nm-long structure comprised of two similarly sized globular domains connected by smaller extensions. Consideration of biochemical and genetic data for mammalian COG and its yeast homologue suggests a model for the subunit distribution within this complex, which plays critical roles in Golgi structure and function.
The Mastery of Spanish Pronunciation

Author's Summary.— Differences between foreign sound-symbols and English ones, rather than similarities, should be stressed from the start through the use of cognates, in order that the beginning student may master foreign pronunciation without being handicapped by the vocabulary factor or disregard of former speech-habits.
Androgen- and estrogen-induced copulatory behavior and inhibition of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in the male rat

Abstract The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if estrogen, aromatizable androgen or nonaromatizable androgen is capable of (1) inducing copulatory behavior and (2) inhibiting the postcastration rise in plasma LH. Castrate male rats were injected daily with either 1 mg testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), or 25 μg estradiol benzoate (EB) or oil and tested weekly for masculine behavior and for lordosis behavior after 38 days of steroid treatment. On day 40 blood was collected for radioimmunoassay of plasma LH. At least 89% of the males treated with T, A, or EB and 55% of those treated with DHT displayed ejaculatory behavior whereas none of the oil-treated males showed male copulatory behavior. Only estrogen-treated males displayed lordosis behavior. T and to a lesser extent A treatment reduced high levels of plasma LH; however, DHT and EB further reduced plasma LH to undectable levels. The relative potency of the steroid effect in stimulating accessory sex tissues followed the order: DHT > T > A > EB = oil. Significant dissociation was observed between the effects of these steroids on peripheral morphology, negative feedback, and mating behavior. These results indicate that masculine behavior is facilitated to the greatest extent, although not exclusively, by centrally acting aromatizable androgen or estrogen, whereas under the present conditions only estrogen stimulates feminine behavior.
Decreasing Disruptive Vocalizations of a Student With High-Functioning Autism Across Three General Education Classrooms

The authors conducted this study to decrease disruptive vocalizations in a 3rd-grade student with high-functioning autism across 3 general education classrooms. They used direct and indirect approaches of functional behavior assessment to determine the function of the disruptive behavior. Results indicated that the behavior was maintained by attention from the teachers. To reduce the disruptive vocalizations, the teachers implemented noncontingent attention, which was tracked across 3 content areas with 3 different teachers in 3 settings using an AB design. Results showed decreased disruptive vocalizations across all 3 environments. Results and implications for practice and research are discussed.
Cancer and Breakthrough Pain's Impact on a Diverse Population

Background. Although breakthrough pain (BTP; pain flares interrupting well-controlled baseline pain) is common among patients with cancer, its prevalence, characteristics, and impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are poorly understood in ethnic minorities. Methods. This comparative study examines ethnic and gender differences in BTP characteristics and impact on HRQOL. Patients with stage III or IV cancer of the breast, prostate, colorectal, or lung, or stage II–IV multiple myeloma with BTP completed surveys (upon initial assessment, 3 months, and 6 months) assessing consistent pain, BTP, depressed affect, active coping ability, and HRQOL. Results. Respondents (N = 96) were 75% white, 66% female with a mean age of 56 ± 10 years. All subjects experienced significant psychological distress, but there were no racial differences in depression prevalence. Minorities reported significantly greater severity for consistent pain at its worst ( P = 0.009), least ( P ≤ 0.001), on average ( P = 0.004), and upon initial assessment ( P = 0.04) as well as greater severity for BTP at its worst ( P = 0.03), least ( P = 0.02), and at initial assessment ( P = 0.008). Although minorities reported more flare types (3.0 vs 1.8, P = 0.001), there were no significant ethnic differences in the duration, quality, or location of pain flares. Minorities consistently reported poorer outcomes on each HRQOL subscale (physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning) measured, although not statistically significant, as well as poorer QOL symptom control ( P = 0.08) including lower dyspnea control ( P = 0.002). Conclusions. Overall, minorities experienced greater consistent and breakthrough pain as well as poorer HRQOL. These data suggest further health care disparities in the cancer and pain experience for minorities.
Synthesis and characterization of a cobalamin-colchicine conjugate as a novel tumor-targeted cytotoxin.

Colchicine was derivatized at C7 with p-alkoxyacetophenone and conjugated to cobalamin (vitamin B12) through an acid-labile hydrazone linker. The cobalamin moiety leads to preferential uptake of the cobalamin−colchicine prodrug by cancer cells, whereupon the hydrazone linker undergoes hydrolysis in the lysosome to unmask colchicine, which acts as a potent cytotoxin by stabilizing microtubules and causing cell death. The bioconjugate is stable in cell culture media and at neutral pH but undergoes hydrolysis with a half-life of 138 min at pH 4.5. The colchicine−cobalamin bioconjugate exhibits nanomolar LC50 values against breast, brain, and melanoma cancer cell lines in culture. Attachment of colchicine to cobalamin is expected to increase the therapeutic index of the drug by limiting the side effects caused by the current nonselective administration of tubulin-targeted chemotherapeutic drugs.
Capacity Scalability in Robust Design of Supply Flow Subject to Disruptions

Abstract Within the last decade, several cases of the supply chain vulnerability to major disruptions have been observed. The typical mitigation strategies such as safety inventory and excess capacity are inadequate to cover the major disruptions. Furthermore it is not economical to invest in such costly proactive strategies to recover from infrequent disruptions. The objective of this paper is to provide a decision making tool achieving robust supply flow by incorporating strategic stock and reconfigurable back-up supplier in mitigating disruptions. We consider a firm with two suppliers where the main supplier is cost-effective but prone to disruptions and the back-up supplier is reliable but expensive due to re-configurability characteristics. We present a multi-stage robust optimization model to determine optimal strategic stock levels and layout configuration of the back-up supplier for a supply chain subject to random realization of disruptions and available capacity during the ramp-up time. Furthermore, the partial available capacity of the backup supplier during the response time has been modelled using queuing theoretical models. The results show the optimality of highly scalable configuration as the decision maker becomes more risk averse.
Aggregated-DAG Scheduling for Job Flow Maximization in Heterogeneous Cloud Computing

Heterogeneous computing platforms such as Grid and Cloud computing are becoming prevalent and available online. As a result, resource management in these platforms is fundamentally critical to their global performance. Under the assumption of jobs comprised of subtasks forming DAG jobs, we focus on how to increase utilization and achieve near-optimal throughput performance on heterogeneous platforms. Our analysis and proposed algorithm are analytically derived and establish that, by aggregating multiple jobs using good scheduling, a near-optimal throughput can be achieved. Consequently, its limit is asymptotically converging to a certain value and can be written in the form of the service time of subtasks. Furthermore, our analysis shows how to explicitly compute the optimal throughput of computing systems, an important task for such a complex scheduling problem. In addition, we derive a simple super-job scheduling and show that its performance in term of throughput is better than the well-known Heterogeneous Earliest-Finish-Time (HEFT) algorithm.
Identification of epithelial stromal interaction 1 as a novel effector downstream of Krüppel-like factor 8 in breast cancer invasion and metastasis

Kruppel-like factor 8 (KLF8) is a transcriptional factor critical for metastatic progression of breast cancer. Epithelial stromal interaction 1 (EPSTI1), a recently identified stromal fibroblast-induced gene in non-invasive breast cancer cells is highly overexpressed in invasive breast carcinomas. The function and regulation of EPSTI1, however, remain largely unknown. In this paper, we report a novel KLF8 to EPSTI1 signaling pathway in breast cancer. Using various expression analyses, we revealed a high co-overexpression of KLF8 and EPSTI1 in invasive human breast cancer cells and patient tumors. Ectopic overexpression of KLF8 in the non-invasive MCF-10A cells induced the EPSTI1 expression, whereas KLF8 knockdown from the invasive, MDA-MB-231 cells decreased the EPSTI1 expression. Promoter activation and binding analyses indicated that KLF8 promoted the EPSTI1 expression by directly acting on the EPSTI1 gene promoter. EPSTI1 knockdown dramatically reduced the KLF8-promoted MCF-10A cell invasion, and ectopic expression of EPSTI1 in the non-invasive MCF-7 cells is sufficient to induce the cell invasion. Experiments using nude mice demonstrated that the ectopic EPSTI1 granted the MCF-7 cells capability of both invasive growth in the breasts and metastasis to the lungs. Using co-immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry, we discovered that EPSTI1 interacts with the valosin-containing protein (VCP), resulting in the degradation of IκBα and subsequent activation of NF-κB in the nucleus. These findings suggest a novel KLF8 to EPSTI1 to VCP to NF-κB signaling mechanism potentially critical for breast cancer invasion and metastasis.
Atrial and Ventricular Myocytes have Different Arrhythmogenic Profiles in Response to Oxidative Stress and Hypokalemia

Introduction: Oxidative stress and hypokalemia are arrhythmogenic in both atria and ventricles. Here we contrasted the pro-arrhythmic differences and similarities between isolated atrial vs. ventricular myocytes in response to these stressors, and assessed the influence of fibroblast-myocyte coupling.Methods: Isolated patch-clamped rabbit atrial and ventricular myocytes were exposed to oxidative stress (1 mmol/L H2O2) or hypokalemia (2.7 mmol/L Ko) to induce early and delayed afterdepolarizations (EADs or DADs) and triggered activity. Action potentials were recorded in the current clamp mode or in the dynamic clamp mode, allowing virtual fibroblasts to be coupled to the myocyte in order to evaluate the influence of myocyte-fibroblast coupling on EADs and DADs. The capacitance, conductance, resting potential, fibroblast-myocyte gap junction conductance, and number of virtual fibroblasts could be programmed at will.Results: H2O2 or hypokalemia readily induced DADs and triggered activity in both ventricular and atrial myocytes. However, EADs, which were bradycardia-dependent, were observed only in ventricular myocytes, and not in atrial myocytes, even when additional pharmacologic stressors known to induce EADs were added (isoproterenol and Bay K) in combination with H2O2 or hypokalemia. However, EADs could be induced in atrial myocytes by coupling the myocyte to one or more virtual fibroblasts. EADs (and DADs) were also further potentiated by coupling ventricular myocytes to virtual fibroblasts.Conclusions: Isolated ventricular and atrial myocytes both develop DADs and triggered activity in response to oxidative stress and hypokalemia. Whereas ventricular myocytes also readily develop EADs, atrial myocytes require additional factors to develop EADs. The dynamic clamp results suggest that myocyte-fibroblast coupling may be one such additional factor. These findings highlight the potential importance of myocyte-fibroblast coupling as a synergistic factor promoting arrhythmias in atrial and ventricular tissue.
Intersubband Transition in Asymmetric Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector

Intersubband transition in perfect rectangular quantum well is known to be limited by “selection rule” that results from certain symmetries of wavefunctions. This letter presents Green's function-based analysis that incorporates energy state broadening due to optical absorption and shows how stepped quantum well can introduce required “asymmetry” to defy the selection rule by breaking the bound state wavefunction symmetry and thus improve the overall optical absorption. Calculation for AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs/InyGa1-yAs stepped quantum well confirms that coupling among certain energy states increases with asymmetry and, as a result, so does the magnitude of optical absorption. The simulation approach presented is simple, physically intuitive, and extendable to any arbitrary shaped asymmetric quantum well.
Metaphors of relief: high risk pregnancy in a context of health policy for the "undeserving" poor.

This paper explores an enrollment problem in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Child (WIC) in one American city, and how varying perceptions of the program held by clients and providers can be mined for problem sources and solutions. My work began in the late 1990s and continued into 2000 as local health department administrators were growing increasingly concerned about heightened and steady rates of infant death, and had harnessed themselves to statistical data suggesting that prenatal enrollment in certain public health programs would lower these rates. Among low income women who lived in the city and who were at risk for poor birth outcomes, participation in the program was inconsistent and less than expected when compared to other regional and national WIC programs, suggesting that institutional adjustments of the mid-1990s were more effective in some places than others. Described are different frames of reference held by WIC providers and potential clients to explain why there is discord between what WIC providers aim to accomplish with their clients and what clients expect from the program. In turn, I ask the question, how can frames of reference be used to reveal important problems in service delivery?
Invertebrate seedbanks: rehydration of soil from an unregulated river floodplain in the south‐eastern U.S.

Summary 1. We investigated the responsiveness of aquatic invertebrates to rehydration of floodplain soil in a south-eastern U.S. river floodplain. Non-inundated soil divots containing invertebrate seedbanks were collected from three floodplain elevations with different inundation histories (inundated for 2, 38, and 78% of a year), and subjected to rehydration (experimental inundation) in aquaria for 10 weeks. 2. Before rehydration, samples were collected to assess the initial density and composition of invertebrates in non-inundated soil at each elevation. After rehydration, benthic samples were collected biweekly and emergence of aquatic insects was collected weekly from aquaria. 3. The surviving invertebrates were classified as aquatic, semi-aquatic and terrestrial. Some aquatic invertebrates survived the non-inundated period in an active state (e.g. Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae), while others appeared to be dormant (e.g. Heptageniidae, microcrustaceans and Chironomidae). The response for several invertebrates (e.g. Chironominae, Oligochaeta, Collembola and terrestrial invertebrates) depended on the length of rehydration and inundation history. 4. The capacity of aquatic invertebrates to survive and recover was greatest at the most frequently inundated site. Despite variation in floodplain environments, both active and dormant invertebrates persisting in non-inundated floodplain soil contributed to the floodplain assemblage during flooding. Thus, maintaining the connection between river and floodplain appears to be important in sustaining the invertebrate seedbank and its capacity to recover during inundation. River channelisation and regulation that severs this connection may result in a loss of diversity and abundance.
Oxygen binding functions of blood and hemoglobin from the Chinese pangolin, Manis pentadactyla: possible implications of burrowing and low body temperature.

Abstract We measured O 2 equilibria of adult blood and of ‘stripped’ (cofactor-free) hemolysates from adult and newborn Manis pentadactyla , in order to assess the implications of the burrowing habit and the low deep-core temperature in pangolins, and to discern the mecanisms for maternal-fetal O 2 transfer. At pH 7.4 and body temperature (33 °Cc) the blood O 2 affinity was significantly higher than in similarly sized non-burrowing, ‘normothermic’ mammals (P = 21 and 33 mm Hg, respectively) indicating an adaptation to hypoxic burrow conditions. This difference is not attributable to a higher intrinsic O 2 affinity in the pangolin Hb or to significant differences in its sensitivity to temperature and erythrocytic 2,3 diphosphoglycerate (DPG), but tallies with lower DPG/Hb ratios than generally found in mammals. Stripped adult and newborn hemolysates show similar O 2 affinities and pH and DPG sensitivities, but reveal a specific adult Hb that develops after birth, in sharp contrast with the ontogenetic changes in other mammals where specific fetal Hbs are lose after birth.
Teen driving exposure in Michigan: demographic and behavioral characteristics

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and a leading cause of non-fatal injury for teenagers in the United States. Understanding teen crashes requires a good measure of crash risk. The measure of exposure that is used in the calculation of risk estimates determines what information the resulting rates and rate ratios provide and the conclusions that can be drawn about teen driver crash risk. The purpose of this study is to provide an initial description of three measures of individual-level exposure to driving for 16-17-year-olds in the state of Michigan, using data from the state-wide Michigan Travel Counts survey conducted in 2004 and 2005. The total miles, minutes, and trips driven within the 48-h survey period were calculated for each respondent using self-reported measures and geo-spatial mapping. Young drivers who worked and those with greater access to a vehicle drove significantly more than their peers who did not work and those who had less access to a vehicle. Those from urban residences spent more time driving than those from rural residences. All 16-17-year-olds drove substantially more during the day than at night, and on their own than with passengers. There was little difference in overall driving exposure and driving behavior between young men and young women. This study provides an initial description of driving exposure and behavior for a population for which there is very little specific information about amounts and patterns of individual driving exposure. The relationship between individual driving exposure and risk of motor vehicle crash, injury or fatality requires further investigation.
Salination of organic soils in the sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California

The Delta is an important agricultural area containing organic soils that are threatened by salinity. To aid in water allocation and management decisions, the maximum salinity level in irrigation water that preserves agricultural production was estimated from data gathered in a field trial to establish the salt tolerance of corn. All of the physical properties measured indicated that the soil under study was typical of organic soils in the Delta and elsewhere. Differences in soil sample preparation were shown to influence salinity measurements from the subsoil. Samples brought to saturation without either grinding or drying gave electrical conductivity measurements in agreement with those for soil water extracted by suction cups. Above average rainfall and water table control during the winter effectively leached the upper soil profile. The ratio between the average electrical conductivity of the soil water in the root zone ( $$\overline {EC}$$ sw ) and the salinity of the irrigation water (EC i) was found to be a function of EC i and not constant. Under present conditions of low EC i (0.2 to 0.8 dS/m) and with normal winter rainfall $$\overline {EC}$$ sw /EC i is about 8. As EC i increases, however, the ratio decreases. At the soil water salinity threshold for corn grain (3.7 dS/m), the average ratio is 1.7 which results in a maximum value of 2.2 dS/m for EC i without yield loss under normal conditions. With subirrigation and below normal rainfall, as in 1981, the maximum value of EC i would be 0.8 dS/m.
Crop Inventories with Radar

SUMMARYResults of an investigation of radar data as employed in an automated crop inventory model are presented. Taking a Monte Carlo approach, radar imagery was simulated and subjected to Bayesian classification techniques to determine those radar parameters most suitable for crop species identification. A radar operating at about 14 GHz with a VV antenna configuration viewing the target in the 45° to 55° angle of incidence range seems most suitable for crop identification purposes. Studies have indicated, however, that the temporal dimension (multi-data imagery) must also be employed for successful crop identification. For example, by revisiting a field four times in 30 days with a dual polarized 14.2 GHz system, it appears feasible to classify agricultural fields with better than 90 percent accuracy. Comparison of results using radars of other configurations are also presented for varying field revisit periods.
The Unity of Veblen's Theoretical System

I. Introductory; neglect of Veblen's general theory, 598.— II. His main criticisms of economics, and the fundamental standpoint implied therein, 600.— III. Psychological postulates of Veblen's theory; the evolutionary idea, 602.— IV. Summary of the theory: the savage era, 605; the barbarian era, 607; the period of handicraft, 611; the age of the machine process, 613.— V. Analysis of the modern economy, 614; its place in the general theory, 617.— VI. Integration of Veblen's ideas, 618; this a system of theory different from the Marshallian, 620.— VII. Criticism of Veblenian psychology, 622; treatment of history, 623; and institutions, 624.— Conclusion; issue of the institutional controversy, 624.
"Rainbow" reporters for multispectral marking and lineage analysis of hematopoietic stem cells.

Hematologic diseases potentially benefiting from gene-based therapies involving hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) include hereditary hemoglobinopathies, immunodeficiency syndromes, and congenital bleeding disorders such as hemophilia A, as well as acquired diseases like AIDS. Successful treatment of these blood diseases with gene-modified HSCs requires high efficiency gene delivery to the target cell population and persistence of transgene expression following differentiation. We review flow cytometric procedures that permit simultaneous, noninvasive measurements of transgene expression and phenotypic discrimination of hematopoietic cell subsets. Central to this approach has been the recent development of a spectrum of blue, cyan, and yellowish-green fluorescent reporters based on the jellyfish Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein and the discovery of a red fluorescent protein in DISCOSOMA: coral. This methodology should facilitate the optimization of oncoretroviral and lentiviral vectorology and HSC transduction protocols for the ultimate purpose of HSC-directed gene therapy.
Communicative Competence in Parents of Children with Autism and Parents of Children with Specific Language Impairment

While the primary language deficit in autism has been thought to be pragmatic, and in specific language impairment (SLI) structural, recent research suggests phenomenological and possibly genetic overlap between the two syndromes. To compare communicative competence in parents of children with autism, SLI, and down syndrome (DS), we used a modified pragmatic rating scale (PRS-M). Videotapes of conversational interviews with 47 autism, 47 SLI, and 21 DS parents were scored blind to group membership. Autism and SLI parents had significantly lower communication abilities than DS parents. Fifteen percent of the autism and SLI parents showed severe deficits. Our results suggest that impaired communication is part of the broader autism phenotype and a broader SLI phenotype, especially among male family members.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy for head and neck cancer: Emphasis on the selection and delineation of the targets***

The head and neck contain many critical, noninvolved structures in close vicinity to the targets. The tightly conformal doses produced by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and the lack of internal organ motion in the head and neck, provide the potential for organ sparing and improved tumor irradiation. Many studies of treatment planning for head and neck cancer have demonstrated the dosimetric superiority of IMRT over conventional techniques in these respects. The initial results of clinical studies demonstrate reduced xerostomia. They suggest an improvement in tumor control, which needs to be verified in larger studies and longer follow-up. Critical issues for successful outcome of head and neck IMRT are accurate selection of the neck lymph nodes that require adjuvant treatment, and accurate delineation on the planning computed tomography (CT) of the lymph-node bearing areas and subclinical disease adjoining the gross tumor. This review emphasizes these topics and provides some guidelines.
Quantitative evaluation of corrosion by a digital fringe projection technique

A novel digital fringe projection (DFP) technique has been developed for the detection and quantitative evaluation of corrosion on engineering structures. DFP detects and evaluates corrosion by measuring surface topographical changes caused by corrosion. By using a novel digital projection display technology, the technique provides the capability of digitally projecting fringe patterns with extremely high brightness and contrast ratio. Fringe patterns are created by software, which allows for instant changes of intensity profile, phase, and spacing. Digitally accurate, software-based phase shifting technique is employed to significantly improve measurement resolution. Phase wrapping and unwrapping are done automatically by a specially developed software. With a high-resolution CCD camera, a total of 4 million surface contour data are generated for each specimen measured. This technique has the potential of providing rapid on-site inspection and evaluation of corrosion on large structures. Experimental results on various corrosion specimens are presented and discussed.
A bisphosphonite calix[5]arene ligand that stabilizes η6 arene coordination to palladium

Treatment of a bis(phenylphosphonite)calix[5]arene ligand with either palladium(II) chloride or 1,5-cyclooctadieneplatinum(II) chloride yields square planar metal complexes in which the two phosphorus atoms bind cis to the MCl2 moiety (M = Pd, Pt). Chloride was removed from the palladium complex to open a coordination site at the metal for catalysis. The chloride removal resulted in a rare and unexpected η6 coordination of an arene to the metal. The reaction is reversible upon addition of tetra-n-butyl ammonium chloride.