cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metal complexation with surface-active Kemp's triacid

Abstract Metal-complexation agents are extensively used in current environmental remediation practices for the removal of adsorbed heavy metals/radionuclides from various solid matrices via chelation and solubilization, or for the selective reclamation of desired species from a solution mixture. These complexing agents are mostly anions. Some of the complexing species may also possess surface-active properties, which make them particularly suitable for applications involving decontamination of mixed organic and inorganic wastes. This study illustrates one such surface-active molecule, Kemp’s triacid (Chemical and Engineering News, News story on ACS Award to D.S. Kemp, Jan. 27, 1997), which functions equally well as a complexing agent for heavy metals, namely copper and lead. The triacid has been found to complex lead most selectively in the presence of other metal ions. The metal-complexation reactions were dictated by the pH of the bulk solution, as demonstrated by the UV-visible and Infrared spectroscopic data. Complexation reactions at the oil–water interface resulted in the modification of surface charge on the oil-in-water emulsion droplets. Electrophoretic mobility and interfacial tension measurements supported these conclusions. This study is expected to have far reaching implications in the use of surfactant-based systems (micellar, oil-in-water microemulsion or macroemulsion systems) for future environmental remediation purposes.
Effect of resistance exercise on free radical-production

ABSTRACTThe purposes of this investigation were to see whether free radical production changed with high intensity resistance exercise and, secondly, to see whether vitamin E supplementation would have any effect on free radical formation or variables associated with muscle membrane disruption. Twel
Long-Term Ovarian Hormone Deprivation Alters the Ability of Subsequent Oestradiol Replacement to Regulate Choline Acetyltransferase Protein Levels in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex of Middle-Aged Rats

The role of oestrogen replacement therapy in preventing or delaying age-associated cognitive decline is controversial. Therapy success may critically depend on the time of treatment initiation following cessation of ovarian function. The present study aimed to assess, in middle-aged rats, whether the ability of oestradiol to modulate the cholinergic system depends on the timing of treatment initiation following ovariectomy. Using western blotting, protein levels of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were measured in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC), which are both important areas with respect to cognitive function. In an initial experiment, we established the effects of oestradiol delivered via implanted capsules on ChAT levels in the hippocampus and PFC of young adult animals. In a second experiment, we tested the ability of the same oestradiol treatment paradigm to affect ChAT protein in 15-month-old middle-aged rats that had been ovariectomised either at the age of 10 months or at 15 months. In both experiments, rats were sacrificed 10 days after receiving implants and ChAT protein levels were measured. In both young adult and middle-aged animals, oestradiol treatment initiated immediately after ovariectomy significantly increased ChAT levels in the hippocampus but not in the PFC compared to cholesterol control treatment. However, when oestradiol treatment was initiated 5 months after ovariectomy, it failed to significantly increase ChAT levels in the hippocampus, but did so in the PFC. These data indicate that, after prolonged ovarian hormone deprivation, the ability of subsequent oestradiol treatment to modulate ChAT protein levels is altered in a site-specific manner.
Where Does Innate Immunity Stop and Adaptive Immunity Begin

The regulation of alternative splicing in the immune effector Dscam reported by Dong et al. (2012) in this issue of Cell Host & Microbe raises important questions about the nature of immune responses. Can we clearly define "adaptive" as being different from "innate" immunity, or is it time for a more flexible description?
Sliding-screw plate fixation of proximal femoral fractures: radiographic assessment.

The sliding compression screw-sideplate combination is currently the most widely empoloyed device for internal fixation of stable and unstable intertrochanteric fractures of the femur. The normal and abnormal radiographic appearances of this device in the immediate post-operative period are discussed. Potential long-term complications including mal- or non-union, intra-articular penetration, metal failure, rotation of the proximal fracture fragment, disengagement, trochanteric bursitis, leg length discrepancy, delayed cervical stress fracture, and ischemic necrosis are reviewed.
Biogenic magnetite in stromatolites. I. Occurrence in modern sedimentary environments

Abstract In this paper we report the occurrence of biogenic ultra-fine-grained, single-domain magnetite in both marine and non-marine modern stromatolitic environments. Magnetotactic bacteria were found associated with the microbial communities involved in the deposition of laminated sediments at Laguna Figueroa, Baja California, Mexico and carbonate stromatolitic nodules at Sugarloaf Key, FL, U.S.A. These bacteria and the ultra-fine-grained magnetite they produce have a profound effect on the magnetic properties of the sediments. The presence of this single-domain magnetite was detected using rock magnetic methods, while the morphology was identified by transmission electron microscopy. Examination by rock magnetic methods of microbial mats and laminated sediments from Solar Lake, Sinai, Guerrero Negro, Baja California, Mexico and Shark Bay, Australia, as well as stromatolites from Shark Bay and Clifton Lake, Australia, Bacalar Lake and Cuatro Cienegas, Mexico, and Walker Lake, U.S.A., indicate these localities contain single-domain magnetite. Biogenic magnetites of presumed bacterial origin have been extracted from Shark Bay mats, Walker Lake stromatolites and Bahama carbonates. These findings suggest that bacterial magnetites can be recognized as the tiniest trace fossil and may be found preserved in fossil stromatolites and laminated sediments.
126 PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF THE CARBOHYDRATE AND FAT ABSORPTION IN NEONATES FOLLOWING MAJOR AND MINOR RESECTIONS

Prospective data of the absorptive capacity of the bowel following resections in human newborns are lacking. For this reason 23 neonates (no CF) who underwent a bowel resection for necrotising enterocolitis, intestinal atresia etc. were studied. The mean remaining bowel length related to gestational age was 72.7% (24-100%). In eight patients less than 50% of the original small bowel length remained (short bowel syndrome=SBS). At 2, 4 and 12 weeks after the initial operation, and at the age of 3 and 6 months the carbohydrate content (mg glucose/g faeces), total fatty acids content (mg/kg faeces) and the medium-chain triglycerides/long-chain triglycerides (LCT) ratio of the enterostomy fluid or faeces was measured and compared with the oral intake. Results: - Carbohydrate absorption is almost complete in neonates following minor resections with an average of 97.8% (95.9-99.3%). - Carbohydrate malabsorption is only temporary present 2 (67.0% range 34.8-88.9%) and 4 (86.5% range 69.6-98.7%) weeks after the initial operation in neonates with SBS. - Fat absorption in neonates following minor resections is normal with an average of 89.6% (78.7-94.5%). - Fat malabsorption is present 4 (55.7% range 6.1-84.0%) and 12 (51.9% range 0-95.0%) weeks after the initial operation in neonates with SBS. especially related to the absorption of LCT.
Magnetization of a Magnetic Impurity in Metal

A diagrammatic Green's-function method is developed for the calculation of the magnetization of a magnetic impurity in metal. The validity of the approach is within Abrikosov and Suhl's limit. Therefore, the result in this paper should be regarded as an improvement over that obtained by Giovanini et al. insofar as the temperature range is concerned.
Epilepsy: Should valproate be avoided during childbearing years?

In utero exposure to antiepileptic drugs carries teratogenic risks, but little is known about the potential effects of such agents on neurocognitive development. The results from a large prospective study that set out to address this issue add to the mounting evidence against the use of valproate in women with epilepsy during childbearing years.
Synchrotron emission from a cosmological jet as a model of gamma-ray bursts

The nonthermal rapidly varying spectra of gamma-ray bursts require relativistic beaming if the source is at a cosmological distance. Limits on the Lorentz factors and magnetic fields of extragalactic jet models of gamma-ray bursts are derived from the synchrotron source function, the position of the fundamental cyclotron resonance, the Thomson optical depth of radiating electrons, and the Thomson optical depth of electron-positron pairs created in photon-photon collisions of Compton upscattered radiation. The last of these constraints is the strongest, and it is satisfied by the observations if the jet's Lorentz factor is greater than 100. The limit from the position of the cyclotron fundamental requires a magnetic field strength below approximately 10 exp 10 G. Jet models producing observable cyclotron lines are allowed. The acceleration region in the burst must be separate from the emission region. The similarity of gamma-ray burst jet models to models of quasars and BL Lac objects suggest that if gamma-ray bursts are cosmological sources, they are a type of active galaxy.
Thermochemistry of inorganic sulfur compounds IX. Molar heat capacity of KHSO5(cr) from 5 to 300 K, and the partial molar entropy of HSO5−(aq)

Abstract Low-temperature adiabatic calorimetry was used to determine the molar heat capacity and, by derivation, other thermodynamic properties of KHSO 5 (cr). At T = 298.15 K, C p ,m o ( T ) = (140.44±0.70) J·K −1 ·mol −1 and S m o ( T ) = (171.73±0.86) J·K −1 ·mol −1 . The aqueous solubility of KHSO 5 is (3.167±0.007) mol·kg −1 at 273.15 K and the equilibrium water-vapor pressure above KHSO 5 ·H 2 O is (1.41±0.03) kPa at 298.15 K. From the experimental quantities are deduced ( T = 298.15 K): S m o (HSO 5 − , aq) = (212.3±3.9) J·K −1 ·mol −1 , and a standard potential of (1.842±0.010) V for the aqueous half-reaction: HSO 5 − + 2H + + 2e − = HSO 4 − + H 2 O.
Conceptual framework for the etiology of alcoholism: a "kindling"/stress hypothesis.

Rationale The rationale for proposing the “kindling”/stress hypothesis is to provide a conceptual basis for the insidious development and maintenance of alcohol abuse.
Renal denervation modulates angiotensin receptor expression in the renal cortex of rabbits with chronic heart failure.

Excessive sympathetic drive is a hallmark of chronic heart failure (HF). Disease progression can be correlated with plasma norepinephrine concentration. Renal function is also correlated with disea...
Inactivation of trypsinogen by methane sulfonyl fluoride.

It has been recently reported that several zymogens, including pepsinogen [l] , procarboxypeptidase A and B [2-51, trypsinogen [6-81 and chymotrypsinogen [8,9] are catalytically active toward substrates of the corresponding enzymes. The zymogens of mammalian serlne proteases, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen, react stoichiometrically with DFP [7-91 and hydrolyze pseudosubstrates 4 to 6 orders of magnitude more slowly than do the active enzymes. Evidence has been provided that the suppressed catalytic effectiveness of these zymogens is due primarily to a distorted substrate binding site and only secondarily due to an impaired catalytic apparatus [9,10]. In the present study, the relative reactivities of trypsinogen and trypsin toward methane sulfonyl fluoride (MSF) have been compared and found to be more closely related than those of the previously studied pseudosubstrates. Methane sulfonyl fluoride was chosen for the following reasons: a) Like other sulfonyl fluorides, MSF reacts preferentially with the see b) Because the reaction is irreversible, measurements of reaction rates are not influenced by the reaction products; c) Since MSF reacts with trypsin and chymotrypsin at nearly the same rates [ 11, 121 it may be assumed that interactions related to the substrate specificity are minimal and that the relative rates of reactions with zymogen and enzyme
Statistically Secure Digital Image Data Hiding

In this paper, we propose a novel discrete cosine transform (DCT) based spread spectrum data-hiding algorithm that provides statistical security. Unlike other spread spectrum based data hiding algorithms, the proposed algorithm does not introduce a low-pass filtering effect in the stego image's histogram, thereby making the presence of hidden data statistically undetectable. The proposed algorithm does not compromise on robustness or capacity to achieve this goal. When compared to the generic block DCT based data-hiding scheme, the proposed algorithm provides a 41% reduction in the relative entropy between the probability mass functions of the host and stego images, thus improving the statistical security of the system. The proposed algorithm is robust against a variety of image manipulating attacks such as noise addition, filtering, blurring, sharpening, JPEG compression etc
Credit Card Ownership Among American High School Seniors: 1997–2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate the rise in credit card ownership rates among high school seniors in the United States. It uses the Jump$tart Coalition’s cross-sectional surveys from 1997 to 2008 to analyze the determinants of credit card ownership among high school seniors. These results show that students with credit cards are less financially literate than students without credit cards; and students with credit cards in their own names are almost twice as likely to work during the school year for money. These findings help make a case for improved financial education and training, and institutional changes that limit the pervasive issuance of credit cards to high school students.
A soluble semiclassical particle transfer problem

Abstract The one dimensional semiclassical transfer problem presented by two δ-function potentials approaching each other with uniform velocities before a certain time and receding from each other again with uniform velocities in the infinite future admits of an exact solution. A systematic iterative construction is described and the properties of the solution are compared with those of solutions obtained by two approximate methods. The first of these is the “energy matrix” approximation used by Breit and Ebel in calculations on the N14(N14, N13)N15 reaction. The second is similar to it in that only two out of an infinity of expansion functions are used in the expansion of the time dependent wave function. Instead of employing linear combinations of adiabatic wave functions, however, the second method of approximation employs expansion functions which are eigenfunctions for each of the two potentials in its own Galilean frame. The exact solution gives transition probabilities in reasonable agreement with the approximations within limits explicable by the character of the approximations. The form of the exact answer shows that a symmetrization of the semiclassical three dimensional transfer problem regarding initial and final states which has been used in data analysis has definite limitations regarding accuracy, a similar symmetrization leading to an answer differing from the exact one in the one dimensional case.
Future mental time travel: Types of memory, types of selves, and types of temporality.

I discuss the relation between future mental time travel (FMTT) and episodic and semantic memory. I then examine the nature of the “self” assumed to be projected or imagined in the future and types of subjective temporalities. Based on this discussion, I argue that a person absent episodic memory could imagine a personal future as the result of (a) the fact that semantic memory, as well as episodic memory, can be self-referential, (b) the finding that semantic memory can enable certain forms of FMTT, and (c) the ability to position semantic self-knowledge within the temporal parameters associated with semantic memory.
Activity of Hawaiian Volcanoes during the years 1940–1950

Summit eruptions of Mauna Loa, on the Island of Hawaii, occurred in 1940 and 1949, and flank eruptions in 1942 and 1950. Lava poured out in 1940 and 1942 was about equal in amount, totaling approximately 76 million cubic meters in each eruption. The 1949 eruption was somewhat smaller, liberating approximately 59 million cubic meters. The 1950 eruption was one of the largest on record, producing five large lava flows and several smaller ones, totaling approximately 459 million cubic meters. Three of the 1950 flows entered the sea. In 1942 a lava flow threatened the city of Hilo, and was bombed from the air in an effort to divert it. Calculations indicate that the gas content of the lava extruded during the 1940 eruption probably was in the vicinity of one percent by weight of the total magma. Other calculations indicate the viscosity of fluid Hawaiian lava to be in the range of 103 to 105 poises. Temperature readings on the 1950 lava ranged from 10900 to 9000 C. Kilauea Volcano showed signs of uneasiness in 1944, with an apparent increase of magmatic pressure indicated by outward tilting of the moutain flanks and a series of earthquakes progressing toward the surface. In December 1950 a series of earthquakes accompanied a subsidence of the summit of Kilauea Volcano.
Exact solutions for reflection and Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator symbols in direct and inverse wave propagation modeling

The wave field splitting/invariant imbedding/phase space approach to direct and inverse wave propagation in the frequency domain is outlined. The properties and subsequent applications of the reflection and Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator symbols are briefly illustrated by an exact solution case.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Efficient coupling between a photonic crystal nanocavity and a waveguide with directional end-facet emission

Monolithic integration of photonic crystal lasers and waveguides is proposed using quantum well intermixing. Coupling between a double-heterostructure nanocavity and a regular single-line-defect waveguide is optimized to have a high coupling efficiency (93%) and a high quality factor (6.8 × 103) without fine-tuning of the lattice. The design is completed with a waveguide exit of robust directional far-field. All calculations were performed using the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method.
Agreement among students', teachers', and parents' perceptions of victimization by bullying

Abstract Bullying is a growing problem in many schools today, and accurate perceptions of bullying and victimization in schools are necessary in order for programs aimed at intervention for bullying behaviors to be effective. The current study examined agreement among students', teachers', and parents' perceptions of victimization across gender and grade level by surveying 137 students in grades 3–8, and their parents and teachers using a common measure of bullying. Overall, students reported the highest levels of victimization, and teachers reported the lowest levels of victimization. This pattern was consistent across gender, but inconsistent across grade level. Students and parents had moderate agreement correlations on levels of victimization, whereas teachers and students had low agreement correlations on levels of victimization. Overall, when students and parents or teachers disagreed, the disagreement was an underestimate, rather than an overestimate on the adult's part.
Guest dynamics and crystal structure of the tri‐o‐thymotide–acetone clathrate studied by solid‐state NMR, X‐ray diffraction and molecular modelling

The structure of the acetone complex of tri-o-thymotide was solved by single-crystal x-ray diffraction. The acetone molecule is situated on the twofold axis of the cage and shows no sign of unusual disorder. Solid-state 2H and 13C NMR were used to show that, in addition to fast methyl group rotation, there is a rotation of the acetone molecule about the carbonyl bond. The motion is best described as a twofold flip plus the temperature-dependent population of a secondary site 63 ± 10° away from the minimum energy position. Molecular modelling calculations were used to confirm the potential shape, which was remarkably sensitive to methyl group orientation. 2H spin–lattice relaxation was used to derive an activation energy of 13 ± 6 ± 0 ± 8 kJ mol−1 for the twofold flips, and the secondary site was shown to be energetically less favourable by 4.4 ± 0.5 kJ mol−1 from the temperature dependence of the line shape. Neither motion is seen in the diffraction experiment.
In the Guise of STEM Education Reform Opportunity Structures and Outcomes in Inclusive STEM-Focused High Schools

In this article, we present findings from a three-year comparative longitudinal and ethnographic study of how schools in two cities, Buffalo and Denver, have taken up STEM education reform, including the idea of “inclusive STEM-focused schools,” to address weaknesses in urban high schools with majority low-income and minority students. Although introduced with great fanfare, the data indicate that well-meaning efforts toward expanding opportunities in STEM-focused schools for low-income underrepresented minorities quickly dissolved. We focus on mechanisms that seem to underlie this dissolution and consider its contributions to short- and long-term inequalities.
Stereoselectivity in electron-transfer reactions in chiral media

The oxidation of [Co(edta)]2− by [IrCl6]2− proceeds by both inner-sphere and outer-sphere electron-transfer pathways. In the presence of added [Co(en)3]3+, the outer-sphere pathway is enhanced. When optically active [Co(en)3]3+ is used, the [Co(edta)]− formed is optically active, reflecting a 1.5% ΔΛ selectivity. It is proposed that the selectivity arises from preferential formation and reactivity of the ΔΛ ion pair, {[Co(edta)]2−,[Co(en)3]3+}. Direct reaction of [Co(edta)]− with [Co(en)3]2+ has also been investigated in the optically active solvent, (S)-(-)-1,2-propylene carbonate. The induction is small, forming 0.75% Δ-[Co(en)3]3+, consistent with the important role for hydrogen bonding in determining the precursor stereoselectivity to the exclusion of solvent.
An Efficient Algorithm for Vehicle Crashworthiness Design Via Crash Mode Matching

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for developing vehicle structures for crashworthiness, based on the analyses of crash mode, a history of the deformation of the different structural zones during a crash event. It emulates a process called crash mode matching where structural crashworthiness is improved by manually modifying the design until its crash mode matches the one the designers deem as optimal. Given an initial design and a desired crash mode, the algorithm iteratively finds a new design whose crash mode is increasingly closer to the desired one. At each iteration, a new design is chosen as the best among the normally distributed samples near the current design, whose mean and standard deviation are adjusted by a set of fuzzy rules. Each fuzzy rule encapsulates elementary knowledge of manual crash mode matching, as a mapping from the differences between the current and desired crash modes, to the changes in mean and standard deviation for sampling a sizing parameter in a structural zone. A case study on a vehicle frontal crash demonstrated the algorithm outperformed the conventional methods both in design quality and computational time.
Executing loops on a fine-grained MIMD architecture

We present techniques for exploiting parallelism extracted from loops on an MIMD system. Parallelism is exploited through parallel execution of instructions on multiple processors as well as pipelined nature of individual processors. The processors based upon the load/store architecture read/write operands frotn/to private registers, shared registers, and channel queues. If the communication of a vahte from one processor to another requires synchronization then a channel is used otherwise a shared register is used to communicate the vahte. The reeeiving processor reads the values from a channel queue in the order they are written to the channel by the sending processor. The scheduling of operations is carried out in a manner that reduces interprocessor communication. Such schedules reduce the likelihood of one processor impeding the progress of other processors.
Personality Stability and Adolescent Substance Use Behaviors

Several personality needs have consistently been identified as placing adolescents at heightened risk for the relatively intensive use of alcohol and other drugs. At the same time, little is known about the natural history of personality change during adolescence as it relates to substance use behaviors. Yet, this question is of clear importance to our understanding of personality risk factors for substance use because personality needs appear less temporally stable during adolescence than later in the life span. In this study, we use prospective longitudinal data to investigate the relation of high-risk personality needs to substance use in two groups of adolescents: those who maintained a temporally stable personality need structure across 3 years and those who showed considerable changes in personality needs during the same time interval. Subjects were 12, 15, or 18 years old at the first test time and 15, 18, or 21 years old, respectively, at the second test time. For subjects of both sexes, only those who maintained a temporally stable, low-risk personality profile showed quite conservative substance use patterns across time compared with all others. Generalized personality changes were linked to more intensive substance use behaviors in males, especially among those who had high levels of risky personality needs at the first test time. In contrast, personality change, per se, did not appear as relevant to females' alcohol and other drug use behaviors until combined with information regarding their level of high-risk personality needs. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention and future research.
Sub-pixel alignment for direct-write electron beam lithography

We have developed a novel, sub-pixel alignment algorithm based on calculating a 3 × 3 array of residual values of the fit of an auto-correlation of an alignment mark template with the cross-correlation of the template with an imaged mark. The residual array is then fit by a second order polynomial, and the location having the minimum residual - the optimum alignment location is determined analytically from the polynomial. This method naturally interpolates between the discrete pixels of the alignment mark and template images. The method is robust and can be used effectively with signal-to-noise ratios as low as -4 dB. Its performance is enhanced by appropriate choice of mark material, with Au marks with a signal-to-noise ratio of 0.48 dB yielding a factor of two. Alignment repeatabilities of ±2 nm were obtained using 5 nm Cr/50 nm Au marks with a 5 nm pixel. Using a 10 nm pixel, accuracies of 4.3 nm, 3σ were achieved with Au/Cr marks while 360 nm of Si topography yielded repeatabilities of 14.8 nm, 3σ or 19.7 nm, 3σ with a 100 nm resist coating. The technique was employed in the fabrication of a zone plate using two aligned exposures. Overlay values better than 5 nm were observed.
An Economic Analysis of Psychosocial Rehabilitation

The author examines three studies of the major monetary costs and benefits of psychosocial rehabilitation of the mentally ill; he focuses on hospitalization costs, costs of community treatment, and earnings from competitive employment. In the first study, which compared the effects of psychosocial rehabilitation with those of a support group over a nine-month period, an estimated savings of $1,880 per client was found among the clients receiving psychosocial rehabilitation. In the second study of treatment costs for 40 chronic psychiatric recidivists who were involved in an aggressive home outreach program, an estimated annual savings of $5,000 per client was found. In the third study 101 clients were interviewed six months after they had left a psycbosocial rehabilitation program. Their earnings from competitive employment were linearly related to their length of participation in the program. The author concludes that these studies offer substantial evidence for the economic advantages of psychosocial re...
Gene regulation mediated by microRNAs in response to green tea polyphenol EGCG in mouse lung cancer

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been demonstrated to inhibit cancer in experimental studies through its antioxidant activity and modulations on cellular functions by binding specific proteins. We demonstrated previously that EGCG upregulates the expression of microRNA (i.e. miR-210) by binding HIF-1α, resulting in reduced cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth. However, the binding affinities of EGCG to HIF-1α and many other targets are higher than the EGCG plasma peak level in experimental animals administered with high dose of EGCG, raising a concern whether the microRNA regulation by HIF-1α is involved in the anti-cancer activity of EGCG in vivo. We employed functional genomic approaches to elucidate the role of microRNA in the EGCG inhibition of tobacco carcinogen-induced lung tumors in A/J mice. By analysing the microRNA profiles, we found modest changes in the expression levels of 21 microRNAs. By correlating these 21 microRNAs with the mRNA expression profiles using the computation methods, we identified 26 potential targeted genes of the 21 microRNAs. Further exploration using pathway analysis revealed that the most impacted pathways of EGCG treatment are the regulatory networks associated to AKT, NF-κB, MAP kinases, and cell cycle, and the identified miRNA targets are involved in the networks of AKT, MAP kinases and cell cycle regulation These results demonstrate that the miRNA-mediated regulation is actively involved in the major aspects of the anti-cancer activity of EGCG in vivo.
Multi-channel Iridium communication system for polar field experiments

Modern science projects in Polar Regions have increased the data communication needs of Polar research community considerably. Existing communication facilities, which are based on geostationary and geosynchronous satellite systems, are not suitable for small science camps. We have developed a reliable, truly mobile and lightweight iridium based communication system that can provide round the clock data and Internet access to Polar Regions. Using COTS components and inverse multiplexing methodology, an integrated field unit is developed. A graphical user interface (GUI) based link management software is used to handle all aspects of the connection autonomously. This paper presents the architecture of this system along with the results of field experiments that were conducted at Greenland in summer 2003
Reasons for Adult Participation in Group Educational Activities

Additional information on why adults participate in educational activities appears to be necessary if the field of adult education is to continue to improve educational offerings. Consequently, this study was designed and conducted to explore further the total framework of educational orientations as developed by Cyril O. Houle, Professor of Education at The University of Chicago.The results reported here were to test the hypothesis that reasons chosen by men and women for participating in educational activi ties will factor into eight groups. To test the hypothesis, 1,046 adult learners responded to an instrument developed by the author—Reasons for Educational Participation. The results were factor analyzed and seven groups of reasons were identified. Based on the nature of the items comprising each, the factors were named:The Desire to Know;The Desire to Reach a Personal Goal;The Desire to Reach a Social Goal;The Desire to Reach a Religious Goal;The Desire to Escape;The Desire to Take Part in an Activit...
High-Bandwidth Magnetic Tweezers for Applying Torsion to Single DNA Molecules

The mechanical and functional properties of DNA arise from its double helical structure. It is now widely accepted that the torsional properties of DNA and DNA supercoiling play an important role in the kinetics of many DNA-binding proteins, but the mechanism underlying this relationship remains unclear. To address this gap in our understanding, we need an instrument that can accurately measure and control torsional stress applied to DNA. We have developed a high-bandwidth electromagnetic trapping system that can generate a uniform magnetic field in the sample region and apply constant torque above 102 pN·nm on the samples under study. The octupole magnetic trap is integrated into a microscope-based particle tracking system and can rotate superparamagnetic particles with three degrees of rotational freedom. The large signal bandwidth of the current in the coils can reach above 3kHz at 800uH inductive load and the heat generated by the current is dissipated by an active PID-controlled cooling system to prevent heating biological samples. The magnetic trap is being designed to independently control force and torque, allowing us to confine superparamagnetic particles in a trap with low torsional stiffness that is suitable for torque application and measurement at biologically relevant scales. To directly measure the torsional strain in DNA, we are planning to use superparamagnetic beads coated with metal on one hemisphere. Our magnetic torque tweezers are intended to quantitatively measure the changes of torsional stress in DNA and overcome the complexity and heating problems shared by previous optical and magnetic tweezers studies.
Short Communication: Concentration of Conjugated Linoleic Acid from Milk Fat with a Continuous Supercritical Fluid Processing System

A continuous pilot-scale supercritical carbon dioxide system was utilized for the concentration of conjugated linoleic acids (cis-9, trans-11 C18:2) from anhydrous milk fat, which was separated into five fractions (S1 to S5) in the pressure and temperature range of 2.4 to 24.1 MPa (350 to 3500 psi) and 40 to 60°C, respectively. The highest concentration of CLA attained showed an increase of about 89% and occurred in the raffinate fraction (S1) when the solvent to feed ratio was 65. This was followed by a gradual decrease in the concentration of this fatty acid from S2 to S5. This study shows the feasibility of selectively enhancing the CLA concentration in one of the fractions of milk fat with a benign solvent in a one-step process. Other unique attributes of the CLA-rich fraction are also listed.
4-Phenylbutyrate Attenuates the ER Stress Response and Cyclic AMP Accumulation in DYT1 Dystonia Cell Models

Dystonia is a neurological disorder in which sustained muscle contractions induce twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal posturing. DYT1 early-onset primary dystonia is the most common form of hereditary dystonia and is caused by deletion of a glutamic acid residue (302/303) near the carboxyl-terminus of encoded torsinA. TorsinA is localized primarily within the contiguous lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and nuclear envelope (NE), and is hypothesized to function as a molecular chaperone and an important regulator of the ER stress-signaling pathway, but how the mutation in torsinA causes disease remains unclear. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the clinical symptoms of dystonia result from abnormalities in dopamine (DA) signaling, and possibly involving its down-stream effector adenylate cyclase that produces the second messenger cyclic adenosine-3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP). Here we find that mutation in torsinA induces ER stress, and inhibits the cyclic adenosine-3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) response to the adenylate cyclase agonist forskolin. Both defective mechanins are corrected by the small molecule 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) that alleviates ER stress. Our results link torsinA, the ER-stress-response, and cAMP-dependent signaling, and suggest 4-PBA could also be used in dystonia treatment. Other pharmacological agents known to modulate the cAMP cascade, and ER stress may also be therapeutic in dystonia patients and can be tested in the models described here, thus supplementing current efforts centered on the dopamine pathway.
REGULATORY VETERINARY MEDICINE IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

There is an increasing need for the veterinary profession to meet the new challenges brought about by increased and intensified livestock production. These challenges consist of control and eradication of diseases, the humane treatment of animals and the prevention of transmission of disease from animals or animal products to man. Examples are given of the contribution which regulatory medicine activities have made to the prevention/control/eradication of screw worm, foot-and-mouth disease, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis, Newcastle disease, bovine brucellosis, hog cholera, and certain other diseases in North America.
End-of-Life Mental Health Assessments for Older Aged, Medically Ill Persons With Expressed Desire to Die

In recent years, assisted suicide has been legalized in four states for those who are terminally ill and wish to end their lives with the assistance of lethal doses of medications prescribed by a physician. The ethics-related and legal questions raised by end-of-life suicide and decisional capacity to refuse treatment assessments are complex. In treating patients with end-stage medical conditions or disorders that severely affect the future quality of their lives, clinicians tend to engage in suicide prevention at all costs. Overriding the patient's expressed desire to die conflicts with another value, however, that of the individual's right to autonomy. We provide a framework for understanding these difficult decisions, by providing a review of the epidemiology of suicide in later life; reviewing findings from a unique dataset of suicides among the elderly obtained from the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, as well as data from states with legalized assisted suicide; presenting a discussion of the two frameworks of suicidal ideation as a pathological versus an existential reaction; and giving a case example that highlights the dilemmas faced by clinicians addressing decisional capacity to refuse treatment in an elderly, medically ill patient who has expressed the wish to die.
Delamination of compressed films on curved substrates

Delamination is considered for thin elastic films that are bonded to cylindrical substrates and subject to an equi-biaxial compressive pre-stress. Results for both positive and negative curvatures are obtained. The film buckles or deflects (depending on the sign of the curvature) away from the substrate inducing mixed mode stress intensities at the edge of the delamination. The energy release rate and combination of modal stress intensities at the delamination edges are determined. Steady-state propagation of delamination blisters is analyzed for both axial and circumferential propagation directions. The results depend strongly on the substrate curvature. Circumferential propagation is suppressed when the curvature is negative, but is favored when the curvature is positive. Axial propagation can occur for both positive and negative curvature substrates.
Hebbian learning is jointly controlled by electrotonic and input structure

Previous studies have examined how synaptic weights in simple processing elements self-organize under a Hebbian learning rule. Here we treat the problem of a neuron with realistic electrotonic structure, discuss the relevance of our findings to synaptic modifications in hippocampal pyramidal cells, and illustrate them with simulations of an anatomically accurate hippocampal neuron model. We show that the synaptic weight vector M converges toward the principal eigenvector of the matrix [〈xj(xk*ν˜kj)〉], where xj and xk represent presynaptic activity, ν˜kj(t) is the membrane potential at location j recorded t seconds after a unit impulse of charge is injected at location k, and * is the convolution operator. Thus the synaptic strengths are regulated by the spatiotemporal pattern of presynaptic activity filtered by the electrotonic structure of the neuron.
Effects of calcium depletion and repletion on serum insulin-like growth factor I and binding protein levels in weanling rats

Previous studies in a weanling rat model indicated that dietary calcium depletion not only stimulated osteoclastic resorption but also inhibited bone formation. The present study sought to test whether the depletion-associated inhibition of bone formation is related to a reduction in serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and/or an increase in its binding proteins (IGFBPs). Twenty male weanling rats were divided into two weight-matched groups. The study group was subjected to a semisynthetic diet deficient in calcium (0.02% calcium) for 28 days, while the control group was pair-weighed on the same diet but containing 0.62% calcium. After the depletion phase, all rats were fed the same calcium-containing diet for an additional 14 days. Serum samples were obtained from each animal on a weekly basis and assayed for IGF-I and IGFBPs. During depletion, there was no statistically significant difference in serum IGF-I level between the study group and the control group. In contrast, the study group showed a statistically significant increase in several serum IGFBPs with apparent molecular size of 30-38 kD (IGFBP-3), 26-28 kD (IGFBP-1, -2, -5, and/or -6), and 24-25 kD (IGFBP-4), respectively, compared to the control group. There was no difference in nutritional intakes between the two groups of rats during depletion. During repletion, there was also no significant difference in serum IGF-I level between the control and study group. However, during the first 7 days of repletion, serum IGFBP-3 and the 26-28 kD IGFBP of the study group was significantly less than those of the control group, which then returned to the control level after 2 weeks of repletion. In summary: (1) calcium depletion in weanling rats increased several serum IGFBPs without an effect on IGF-I; and (2) calcium repletion induced an acute reduction in serum IGFBP-3. In conclusion, these findings represent the first evidence that the depletion-related inhibition of bone formation in the rat may be associated with an increase in several serum IGFBPs, which may act to inhibit the osteogenic actions of IGFs.
Studies in Beauty: I. The Relationship between Beauty in Women, Dominance, and Security

(1943). Studies in Beauty: I. The Relationship between Beauty in Women, Dominance, and Security. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 181-189.
The NTD-CTD intersubunit interface plays a critical role in assembly and stabilization of the HIV-1 capsid

Lentiviruses exhibit a cone-shaped capsid composed of subunits of the viral CA protein. The intrinsic stability of the capsid is critical for HIV-1 infection, since both stabilizing and destabilizing mutations compromise viral infectivity. Structural studies have identified three intersubunit interfaces in the HIV-1 capsid, two of which have been previously studied by mutational analysis. In this present study we analyzed the role of a third interface, that which is formed between the amino terminal domain (NTD) and carboxyl terminal domain (CTD) of adjacent subunits. We provided evidence for the presence of the NTD-CTD interface in HIV-1 particles by engineering intersubunit NTD-CTD disulfide crosslinks, resulting in accumulation of disulfide-linked oligomers up to hexamers. We also generated and characterized a panel of HIV-1 mutants containing substitutions at this interface. Some mutants showed processing defects and altered morphology from that of wild type, indicating that the interface is important for capsid assembly. Analysis of these mutants by transmission electron microscopy corroborated the importance of this interface in assembly. Other mutants exhibited quantitative changes in capsid stability, many with unstable capsids, and one mutant with a hyperstable capsid. Analysis of the mutants for their capacity to saturate TRIMCyp-mediated restriction in trans confirmed that the unstable mutants undergo premature uncoating in target cells. All but one of the mutants were markedly attenuated in replication owing to impaired reverse transcription in target cells. Our results demonstrate that the NTD-CTD intersubunit interface is present in the mature HIV-1 capsid and is critical for proper capsid assembly and stability.
Are American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) Legitimate Seed Dispersers for Fleshy-fruited Shrubs?

Abstract Seeds of seven fleshy-fruited shrubs used by American black bears (Ursus americanus) were extracted from fresh fruit (controls) and from scats of free-ranging and captive bears (ingestion treatments). Effects of the digestive process on viability, germinability and germination rate were measured against controls. Results were species specific. Filled control seeds of all species were highly viable (>74%). Digestion by bears had no significant effect on initial viability, except for serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) for which viability of seeds passed through captive bears decreased 14%. Percent germination of control seeds summed over five chilling durations at 1 C was significantly different from that of at least one bear ingestion treatment for five of the seven species. For chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), Oregon grape (Mahonia repens) and skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata), seeds ingested by wild black bears germinated to a significantly higher percentage than controls, but for snowberry (Sy...
The influence of low light on apple fruit abscission

SummaryRemoval of the stigma and half the style from flowers at the pink or early stages of bloom caused 98% of the fruits to drop by 15 days after full bloom (AFB). Two or three consecutive days of 92% artificial shade (92% polypropylene shade material) reduced fruit set to 83-93% when trees were shaded 14, 21 and 28 days AFB. However, two or three days of artificial shade applied 8, 35, or 42 days AFB did not influence fruit drop. After three days of artificial shade, fruit stopped growing on the last day of shading and up to six days after shading and dropped 7-12 days later. Naturally occurring fruit drop in the period from 15 to 40 days AFB appeared to be related to 2-4 days of cloudy weather. Low light from cloudy periods 3-4 days long were calculated to be equivalent to 2-3 days of 92% artificial shade. If 1-2 days of sunlight separated the two or three days of applied artificial shade, less thinning occurred. Two days of artificial shade induced more fruit drop than NAA, ethephon, or carbaryl + oi...
The Path of Moral Growth

This paper, following the work of the sociologist Philip Selznick, identifies three stages of moral development in organizations: ethical improvisation, ethical institutionalization, and ethical revival. I argue here that the developmental perspective is inherent in the structure of biblical narrative, especially in the stories of Genesis and Exodus. The paper concludes by debunking three common myths associated with business ethics.
First Principles Study on Ta3N5:Ti3O3N2 Solid Solution As a Water-Splitting Photocatalyst

In this paper, we propose the new Ta3N5:Ti3O3N2 solid solution as a promising water-splitting photocatalyst. Using first principles computations, we study the phase stability, band gap, and band edge positions of the solid solution. The results suggest that the solid solution can likely be synthesized, and has a band gap lower than both its end members. The minimal band gap may be around 2.0 eV for a composition around 50%:50%, indicating that good efficiency under solar illumination may be achieved. In addition, the CB and VB of the solid solution are predicted to be bracketing the water redox levels, so the photocatalysis process is energetically favorable and bias voltage may not be required.