cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Placenta microbiome diversity is associated with maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and placenta biogeography

Abstract Recently there has been considerable debate in the scientific community regarding the placenta as the host of a unique microbiome. No studies have addressed the associations of clinical conditions such as maternal obesity, or localizations on the placental microbiome. We examined the placental microbiome in a multi-ethnic maternal pre-pregnant obesity cohort using controls for environmental contaminants and an optimized microbiome protocol to enrich low bacterial biomass samples. We confirmed that a distinct placenta microbiome does exist, as compared to the environmental background. The placenta microbiome consists predominantly of Lactobacillus, Enterococcus and Chryseobacterium. Moreover, the microbiome in the placentas of obese pre-pregnant mothers are less diverse when compared to those of mothers of normal pre-pregnancy weight. Lastly, microbiome richness also decreases from the maternal side to fetal side. In summary, our study reveals associations of placental microbiome with placenta biogeography and with maternal pre-pregnant obesity.
Electron Transfer. Part 92. Reductions of Vitamin B12a (Hydroxocobalamin) with Formate and Related Formyl Species.

Studies show that vitamin B12a is reduced to B12r (cob(II)alamine) with formate in aqueous media.
High frequency of submicroscopic hemizygous deletion and loss of expression of PTEN in uveal melanoma is associated with more aggressive tumors

1676 PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene located at 10q 23.3 that encodes a dual specificity phosphatase with lipid and protein phosphatase activity. It has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of a variety of human cancers. Germline mutations in PTEN cause Cowden syndrome (CS), which is characterized by multiple hamartomas and a high risk of breast and thyroid cancers. Frequent loss of heterozygosity at 10q is found in both early and advanced stage sporadic cutaneous melanomas; however, there are no available reports on the frequency of PTEN loss in uveal melanomas. In this study, we examined PTEN expression using immunohistochemistry in 68 unselected sporadic primary uveal melanomas with an average follow up of about 100 months. Expression of PTEN mRNA was also assessed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (QRT-PCR) in 10 tumors with available fresh frozen tissue. Molecular cytogenetic alterations were studied in 13 tumors using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Genotyping was carried out using the nearest microsatellite markers, D10S1765 and D10S541, to the centromeric and telomeric ends of PTEN respectively. Immunostaining revealed no PTEN expression in 22/64 (34%) and low PTEN expression in 26/64 (41%), whereas the rest of the tumors, 16/64 (16%), had high levels of expression. Protein expression correlated with the mRNA expression in the 10 samples with available data on both. Using CGH, only 1/13 (8%) samples showed gross loss of 10q. However, in the 33 tumors with informative genotyping of at least one marker, 27 (81%) showed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of either one or both markers. Our CGH results correlated with published literature on the low frequency of cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic loss of chromosome 10q in uveal melanoma. Total loss of PTEN expression, but not decrease in expression, was associated with a decrease in the patients’ survival (p=0.035). Our study is the first to show involvement of PTEN in uveal melanoma tumorogenesis. These results strongly support PTEN as a major tumor suppressor involved in uveal melanoma pathogenesis. Our data also suggest that submicroscopic deletion, but not large deletion, is the major mechanism of loss of PTEN in uveal melanoma. Further, complete PTEN null status, most likely by submicroscopic deletion and epigenetic silencing, may be associated with adverse outcome
Environmental enrichment improves metabolic and behavioral health in the BTBR mouse model of autism.

Abstract BTBR T + Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice are an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-like model that exhibit behavioral and physiological deficits similar to those observed in patients with ASD. While behavioral therapy is a first line of treatment in ASD patients, comparable non-pharmacological treatments are less explored in murine models. Here, we administer a bio-behavioral intervention for BTBR mice by way of environmental enrichment (EE) — an experimental housing paradigm previously shown to improve systemic metabolism, learning/memory, anxious behavior, neurogenesis, locomotion, and immunocompetence in C57BL/6 mice. Juvenile BTBR mice were randomized to standard or EE housing and were subjected to metabolic and behavioral assessments up to 17 weeks. Following EE exposure, we report an EE-induced metabolic and behavioral phenotype. Male BTBR mice responded metabolically to EE, displaying reduced adiposity, increased lean mass, improved glycemic control, and decreased circulating leptin. The gene expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) and its receptor (Ntrk2/TrkB) were upregulated in several brain areas in EE-BTBR males. EE-BTBR females showed modest reduction of adiposity and no changes in glycemic control, circulating leptin, or Bdnf/Ntrk2 gene expression. With regard to behavior, EE resulted in decreased anxiety, and increased social affiliation. Together, these results suggest that EE improves metabolic and behavioral health in BTBR mice.
Trends in marijuana edible consumption and perceptions of harm in a cohort of young adults

Abstract Background Rates of marijuana legalization have increased rapidly in recent years resulting in the marketing of alternative products like edibles that do not involve inhaling smoke. Edibles however pose unique public health challenges due to their greater risk for over-intoxication. Methods 1858 young adults were surveyed every six months from 2016 to 2018. Logistic regression models examined trends in use and perceptions of harm. Chi-squared tests compared demographic and behavioral characteristics of edible users and non-users by frequency of marijuana use. Results Perceptions of no harm from edibles increased (25.4%, 27.3%, 26.7%, 28.4%, 29.6%; p = 0.006) while it declined for smoking marijuana (12.2%, 13.5%, 11.7%, 10.6%, 9.1%; p Conclusions Edibles are increasingly consumed and perceived to not be harmful, despite the greater danger of over-intoxication. However, daily use of edibles alone is uncommon. The finding that edible users were more likely to have visited a dispensary provides a potential intervention point for consumer education. Strong scientific evidence is needed to guide policymakers in best practices for communicating knowledge and potential harms of these products.
5G Devices Test Strategies

Abstract As 5G products begin its early production phase in 2019, several RF test insertion scenarios and test flows are being evaluated for the next phase of high volume production. For 5G millime...
Sophie Olúwọlé's Major Contributions to African Philosophy

This article provides an overview of the contributions to philosophy of Nigerian philosopher Sophie Bọ´sẹ`de Oluwọle (1935–2018). The first woman to earn a philosophy PhD in Nigeria, Oluwọle headed the Department of Philosophy at the University of Lagos before retiring to found and run the Centre for African Culture and Development. She devoted her career to studying Yoruba philosophy, translating the ancient Yoruba Ifa canon, which embodies the teachings of Orunmila, a philosopher revered as an Oriṣa in the Ifa pantheon. Seeing his works as examples of secular reasoning and argument, she compared Orunmila's and Socrates' philosophies and methods and explored similarities and differences between African and European philosophies. A champion of African oral traditions, Oluwọle argued that songs, proverbs, liturgies, and stories are important sources of African responses to perennial philosophical questions as well as to contemporary issues, including feminism. She argued that the complementarity that ran throughout Yoruba philosophy guaranteed women's rights and status, and preserved an important role for women, youths, and foreigners in politics.
Like a Bee to Nectar: Abhinavagupta’s Poetics of Religious Formation

Through a study of Abhinavagupta’s deployment of the metaphor of a bee in search of nectar, this article reconstructs a model of religious education implicit in Abhinavagupta’s representation of his own career as a student and guru. Based on a brief examination of the symbolism of the bee in classical Sanskrit poetry, the article elucidates how Abhinavagupta creatively implements prominent themes in this trope. Abhinavagupta’s use of the bee motif powerfully evokes his own liberal engagement with the intellectual culture and religious worlds of medieval Kashmir, and this educational ideal arguably carries prescriptive force for a qualified and sensitive audience. In considering the bee imagery across Abhinavagupta’s corpus, one encounters a vision of revelation that invites students to relish an all-encompassing truth present in all traditions as their essence, like a fragrance permeating a flower.
Quadratic integrals of linear Hamiltonian systems

Momentum mapping of an autonomous, real linear Hamiltonian system is determined by its set of quadratic integrals. Such a system can be identified with an element of the real symplectic algebra and its quadratic integrals correspond to the centralizer of this element inside the symplectic algebra. In this paper, using a new set of normal forms for the elements of the real symplectic algebra, we compute their centralizers explicitly.
Nanoparticle dynamics in the spatial afterglows of nonthermal plasma synthesis reactors

Abstract Nonthermal plasma flow tube reactors are industrially scalable systems for the production of nanocrystal (NC) based materials and coatings. One key advantage of nonthermal plasma synthesis is the ability to both synthesize NCs and deposit films in a single reactor, as at the reactor outlet, NCs can be inertially deposited onto a target substrate. The size and morphology of deposited particles can substantially influence the film structure and function. Though NCs are typically near-spherical and monodispersed as-produced in plasma synthesis reactors, NC charge and growth dynamics can be altered substantially when NCs are sampled out of the plasma and through the spatial afterglow region, affecting deposition. Experiments have demonstrated changes of NC size and charge in the spatial afterglow; however, these dynamics remain unexplored and unexplained via theory and simulation. To address this, we developed a constant number Monte Carlo (CNMC) simulation model to examine the mechanisms of NC decharging and growth in the spatial afterglow of plasma flow tube reactors. Collisions between NC and plasma species, diffusive deposition, and electron desorption from NCs are incorporated in the CNMC simulation. The simulation results are specifically compared with previous experiments on Si NCs synthesized from a low pressure Ar-SiH4 nonthermal plasma reactor. The experiment-model comparison shows that CNMC models can be implemented which accurately model NC size distribution evolution in a spatial afterglow. Simultaneously, results show that improved collision models, energetic species diffusion models, and electron desorption models will be necessary to accurately depict NC dynamics in spatial afterglows.
Assessment of Clonal Expansion Using CarcSeq Measurement of Lung Cancer Driver Mutations and Correlation With Mouse Strain- and Sex-Related Incidence of Spontaneous Lung Neoplasia

Quantification of variation in levels of spontaneously occurring cancer driver mutations (CDMs) was developed to assess clonal expansion and predict future risk of neoplasm development. Specifically, an error-corrected next-generation sequencing method, CarcSeq, and a mouse CarcSeq panel (analogous to human and rat panels) were developed and used to quantify low-frequency mutations in a panel of amplicons enriched in hotspot CDMs. Mutations in a subset of panel amplicons, Braf, Egfr, Kras, Stk11, and Tp53, were related to incidence of lung neoplasms at 2 years. This was achieved by correlating median absolute deviation (MAD) from the overall median mutant fraction (MF) measured in the lung DNA of 16-week-old male and female, B6C3F1 and CD-1 mice (10 mice/sex/strain) with percentages of spontaneous alveolar/bronchioloalveolar adenomas and carcinomas reported in bioassay control groups. A total of 1586 mouse lung mutants with MFs >1 × 10-4 were recovered. The ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations was used to assess the proportion of recovered mutations conferring a positive selective advantage. The greatest ratio was observed in what is considered the most lung tumor-sensitive model examined, male B6C3F1 mice. Of the recurrent, nonsynonymous mouse mutations recovered, 55.5% have been reported in human tumors, with many located in or around the mouse equivalent of human cancer hotspot codons. MAD for the same subset of amplicons measured in normal human lung DNA samples showed a correlation of moderate strength and borderline significance with age (a cancer risk factor), as well as age-related cumulative lung cancer risk, suggesting MAD may inform species extrapolation.
Optimal Dynamic Contract of Influence

In this paper, I study the optimal dynamic contract in a principal-agent model wherein the agent with transparent preferences privately observes a persistently evolving state. Over time, the principal takes actions to match a state-dependent target, where actions are committed based on the agent's report history. I solve the optimal contract in closed-form, which sometimes prescribes actions that move in the opposite direction of the target. I provide a simple necessary and sufficient condition for that to occur. The principal generically fares better than babbling, but efficiency is not approached as players become patient. Over time, the principal is worse off in expectation, but the agent fares better or worse depending on the shape of the principal's state-dependent target. Mean reversion leads to more co-movement between the action and the target. A short horizon dampens the principal's response to information.
Measurements of Unequilibrated Ions in Hot, Solid-Density Plasmas Via X-Ray Lineshapes *

Ion-electron equilibration drives plasma dynamics but is challenging to model at high plasma densities, where thermalization is fast and correlation effects are significant. Experimental benchmarks in this regime have been rare due to a lack of precision diagnostics for electron or ion temperatures at high density. We present simultaneous measurements of electron and ion temperatures in solid-density titanium based on high-resolution x-ray emission spectra and newly applied advances in Stark lineshape modeling. The measurements imply an ion temperature significantly lower than the electron temperature, despite short Spitzer equilibration times. X-ray lineshapes are emitted from buried layer targets heated with a short-pulse, high-intensity laser. Titanium tracer layers heat to 1 keV electron temperatures, as inferred from x-ray line intensity ratios, while remaining at solid density due to the high temporal contrast of the laser. Observed x-ray lineshapes are double-peaked and redshifted, both of which are hallmarks of Stark broadening that are influenced differently by the electron density and the ion temperature. A new lineshape model that abandons the common assumption of dipole interactions for electron broadening can model both redshifts and line broadening self consistently. Comparing the data with this model strongly constrains both the ion temperature (700 eV) and the electron density (1.2×10 24 cm -3 ). Measured plasmas are near solid density and support a significant temperature differential between hot electrons and cooler ions. The lack of equilibration suggests that either (1) the equilibration rate is substantially slower than theorized or (2) ion heat transport plays an important role in the system.
Wireless power transfer via harmonic current for electric vehicles application

A method that only using harmonic current to transfer wireless power for electric vehicles (EV) is proposed in this paper. The frequency limit of most high voltage high current IGBT is around 20 kHz which also limits the system frequency of the transformer. Due to the gain characteristic of the resonant tank is actually a band-pass filter, using one specific harmonic current to transfer power becomes available. By doing so, the system frequency can be raised up several times while the switching frequency remain the same. Higher system frequency leads to a more compact system. A 1 kW prototype with 20 cm air gap using 3rd harmonic power is built to verify the method.
METHOD FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF PREGNANEDIOL AND PREGNANETRIOL: ESTIMATION OF URINARY EXCRETION IN NORMAL SUBJECTS AND IN TEN PATIENTS WITH ADRENOCORTICAL DISORDERS*

A new paper chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of pregnanediol and pregnanetriol is described. Results compare favorably with values obtained by other procedures. In 15 normal subjects and 4 women with hirsutism, urinary excretion of pregnanediol and pregnanetriol paralleled the excretion of 17-OH-OS and 17-KS in the basal state and following stimulation with ACTH. In some patients with adrenal dysfunction, pregnanediol and pregnanetriol excretion varied independently of 17-OH-CS and 17-KS excretion, suggesting a derangement in steroid biosynthesis. Two patients with Cushing's syndrome caused by an adrenal adenoma showed normal pregnanediol and pregnanetriol excretion, but elevated 17-OH-CS with variable 17-KS excretion; this pattern might prove helpful in differentiating adenoma from other causes of Cushing's syndrome.
Shape-preserving gray-scale skeletonization on 3D density maps

The medial surface that lies within a solid object, better known as the skeleton, is a local shape descriptor which is capable of capturing the shape and topological properties of a complex object. Due to its simple, yet informational nature, the skeleton shape descriptor has been widely used in graphics and computer vision for matching purposes.
PAN-AFRICANISM AND COSMOPOLITANISM: THE CASE OF JOMO KENYATTA

(2000). PAN-AFRICANISM AND COSMOPOLITANISM: THE CASE OF JOMO KENYATTA. English Studies in Africa: Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 3-27.
Elastic and Rupture Properties of Porcine Aortic Tissue Measured Using Inflation Testing

A new inflation test device was developed to study the mechanical properties of aortic tissue. The device was used to measure failure (rupture) strength and to determine the nonlinear, anisotropic elastic properties of porcine thoracic aorta. The tester was designed to stretch initially flat, circular tissue specimens to rupture under uniform biaxial loading. Water was chosen as the pressurizing fluid. Mechanical stretch and radius of curvature during inflation were measured optically in two orthogonal directions, and the Cauchy stress components were calculated from the deformation and the applied pressure. All porcine samples that ruptured successfully did so via a tear in the circumferential direction. Thus, the failure strength was taken to be the stress in the axial direction immediately prior to rupture. The mean failure strength was 1.75 MPa and mean axial stretch at failure was 1.52. These values agree well with published data for other arterial tissues. The nonlinearly elastic deformation behavior was modeled using a hyperelastic constitutive law of the type proposed by Holzapfel et al. [Holzapfel GA, Gasser TC, Ogden RW. J Elasticity 2000;61:1-48]. The results showed that the dominant directions of anisotropy in the porcine aortas were approximately 45 degrees to the axial and circumferential directions, and that the isotropic contribution to the constitutive model was insignificant.
Using java in introductory statistics

In this paper, we discuss the use of Java, a programming language for the Internet, in introductory statistics courses. Monte Carlo estimation and simple linear regression are used as tutorial examples of the versatility of Java. Advantages over traditional instructional methods and other programming languages are examined.
Reply to R. Jaenicke

I thank Professor Jaenicke for identifying typographical errors in Slinn (1988a) * [hereinafter, Sa] and apologize to readers for any inconveniences. In summary, the identified corrections are: (1) In the unnumbered equation immediately above (3a), a bar should appear above the braces; (2) In (3b), d should be replaced by T,[i.e., (3b) should be as it appears in the inset of Fig. 3]. Also, I note that in the first sentence of the paper, Junge’s name is misspelled and in (1) the subscript c is missing on the symbol for the coefficient of deviation, ƒ. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1989.tb00143.x
Clinical Psychology Training in Sleep and Sleep Disorders

There is growing evidence to suggest that clinical psychologists would benefit from more training in sleep and sleep disorders. Sleep disturbances are commonly comorbid with mental health disorders and this relationship is often bidirectional. In addition, psychologists have become integral members of multidisciplinary sleep medicine teams and there are not enough qualified psychologists to meet the clinical demand. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current education on sleep and sleep disorders provided to clinical psychology predoctoral students and interns. Directors of graduate programs and internships (N=212) completed a brief online survey on sleep education in their program. Only 6% of programs offers formal didactic courses in sleep, with 31% of programs offering training in the treatment of sleep disorders. There are few programs with sleep faculty (16%), and most reported that their institutions were ineffective in providing sleep education. Thirty-nine percent of training directors reported they would implement a standard curriculum on sleep, if available. The findings from this study suggest that more opportunities are needed for trainees in clinical psychology to gain didactic and clinical experience with sleep and sleep disorders.
High Dietary Requirement of Male Chicks for Linoleic Acid

Abstract The linoleic acid requirement for maximum growth of male broiler chicks to four weeks of age was 1.9% of the diet or 5.3% of dietary calories. No effect of depletion by feeding a linoleic acid deficient diet from one to nine days of age was evident in the chick’s requirement for linoleic acid.
Catalytic inhibition of DNA topoisomerase IIα by sodium azide

It has been demonstrated previously that sodium azide reduces the clastogenicity of several DNA topoisomerase II (topo II) poisons in cultured mammalian cells. These studies suggested that azide may be a catalytic topo II inhibitor. Azide interferes with mitochondrial production of ATP and is also known to inhibit cellular ATPases. Since topo II requires ATP for catalytic activity (enzyme turnover), it seemed likely that interference with ATP levels or ATP catabolism was the underlying mechanism of topo II inactivation; however, this has not been examined in living cells under conditions where the endogenous topo II is active on genomic DNA. The present studies were carried out to verify that azide inhibits endogenous topo II in cells. We show that azide blocks both decatenation and relaxation activity of purified topo II in a concentration dependent manner and reduces topoII/DNA covalent complex formation in cells. From these studies, it is concluded that sodium azide catalytically inactivates topo II via an ATP-sensitive process.
A Context/Communication Information Agent

We are developing a Context/Communication Information Agent (CIA), an autonomous software agent that proactively searches for the right information at the right time. Our goal is to design and evaluate a system that leverages what people naturally do, using this knowledge to retrieve information, and presenting it with a minimal cost of disruption to the users. In this paper, we describe the results a low-fidelity prototype performed in a meeting situation, the design space for such an application, and our plans for continued investigation.
A Water-Organizing Residue for H+ Access in a CLC Cl-/H+ Antiporter

Chloride-transporting membrane proteins of the CLC family appear in two distinct mechanistic flavors: H+-gated Cl− channels and Cl−/H+ antiporters. Transmembrane H+ movement is an essential feature of both types of CLC. X-ray crystal structures of CLC antiporters show the Cl− ion pathway through these proteins, but the H+ pathway is known only inferentially by two conserved glutamate residues that act as way-stations for H+ in its path through the protein. The extracellular-facing H+ transfer glutamate becomes directly exposed to aqueous solution during the transport cycle, but the intracellular glutamate E203, Gluin, is buried within the protein. Two regions, denoted “polar” and “interfacial,” at the intracellular surface of the bacterial antiporter CLC-ec1 are examined here as possible pathways by which intracellular aqueous protons gain access to Gluin. Mutations at multiple residues of the polar region have little effect on antiport rates. In contrast, mutation of E202, a conserved glutamate at the protein-water boundary of the interfacial region, leads to severe slowing of the Cl−/H+ antiport rate. The x-ray crystal structure of E202Y, the most severely affected mutant, suggests that the aromatic ring of Y202 makes cross-subunit hydrophobic interaction with an I201 sidechain from neighboring subunit, which physically blocks the interfacial pathway. This mechanism is functionally supported by the minimal effect of E202Y mutation in a monomeric variant of the transporter, which does not have such an interaction. The several lines of experiments presented argue that E202 acts as a water-organizer that creates a proton conduit connecting intracellular solvent with Gluin.
Temperature Dependent Adsorption Dynamics of CH4 on Alkane-Covered Pt (111)

Supersonic molecular beam experiments were used to probe the temperature dependence of adsorption of methane and ethane into adsorbed layers of methane, ethane, propane, and n-butane on Pt(111). Because adsorption must proceed via a transient state from which either desorption or conversion to a bound state may occur, the adsorption probability is, in general, temperature dependent. As the surface temperature is lowered below 75 K increasing amounts of methane adsorbs into an alkane-covered surface to form a mixed adlayer. Methane forms multilayers on methane, ethane, propane, and butane adsorbates below 35 K; ethane forms multilayers on the same adsorbates below 63 K. The condensation temperature of methane and ethane into multilayers is independent of the type of preadsorbed alkane and occurs well below the normal boiling or melting point of each species. At a given temperature between 75 K and 35 K the steady-state uptake of methane (or ethane between 63 K to 120 K) into the first layer decreases with ...
FT-Kaman Spectroscopy And Pulsed Excitation

It has been previously shown that equivalent results are obtained in FT-Raman spectroscopy using both pulsed and CW excitation if the following two criteria are met. 1) The pulse repetition rate must be significantly higher than the detector roll-off, and 2) The pulse length must be long enough so that interferometer resolution is not degraded. The results using a mode locked Nd/YAG laser operated with various pulse widths will be shown. The operation with pulsed excitation is necessary if one wishes to do a pump-probe Raman experiment for the detection of excited state Raman spectra. The initial results of such an experiment will be shown.
Hopelessness at the end of life: the utility of the hopelessness scale with terminally ill cancer patients.

Objectives. We sought to investigate the utility of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (HS) in a sample of terminally ill cancer patients by examining the scale properties. Moreover, we sought to identify and remove potentially problematic items in order to ascertain a “purer” index of hopelessness for this population. Design. A cross-sectional study of 200 hospice inpatients with a life expectancy of less than 6 months. The HS, as well as several other distress measures, were administered to patients at bedside by trained clinicians. Methods. An item analysis of the HS was conducted, looking specifically at item endorsement and item-total correlations. Three abbreviated versions (3-item 7-item, 13-item) were developed based on certain denoted item-total correlation cut-offs. Reliability and validity of the original 20-item HS was then compared to that of the newly developed abbreviated version. Results. All scales were found to be reliable and valid measures of hopelessness. The three abbreviated versions were more highly correlated with the distress measures than the original version, and the 7-item and 13-item subscales outperformed the original HS in the prediction of suicidal ideation and desire for hastened death. Conclusion. The data suggest that the HS may be improved, when applied to a terminally ill sample, by the elimination of problematic items. The development of a shorter, purer measure of hopelessness for this population is crucial given the need to reduce the burden placed on those who participate in end-of-life studies, and the important role of hopelessness in the prediction of suicide and desire for hastened death.
Diffusion Anisotropy in Collagen Gels and Tumors: The Effect of Fiber Network Orientation

The interstitial matrix is comprised of cross-linked collagen fibers, generally arranged in nonisotropic orientations. Spatial alignment of matrix components within the tissue can affect diffusion patterns of drugs. In this study, we developed a methodology for the calculation of diffusion coefficients of macromolecules and nanoparticles in collagenous tissues. The tissues are modeled as three-dimensional, stochastic, fiber networks with varying degrees of alignment. We employed a random walk approach to simulate diffusion and a Stokesian dynamics method to account for hydrodynamic hindrance. We performed our analysis for four different structures ranging from nearly isotropic to perfectly aligned. We showed that the overall diffusion coefficient is not affected by the orientation of the network. However, structural anisotropy results in diffusion anisotropy, which becomes more significant with increase in the degree of alignment, the size of the diffusing particle, and the fiber volume fraction. To test our model predictions we performed diffusion measurements in reconstituted collagen gels and tumor xenografts. We measured fiber alignment and diffusion with second harmonic generation and multiphoton fluorescent recovery after photobleaching techniques, respectively. The results showed for the first time in tumors that the structure and orientation of collagen fibers in the extracellular space leads to diffusion anisotropy.
High-performance quadtree constructions on large-scale geospatial rasters using GPGPU parallel primitives

The increasingly available graphics processing units GPU hardware and the emerging general purpose computing on GPU GPGPU technologies provide an attractive solution to high-performance geospatial computing. In this study, we have proposed a parallel, primitive-based approach to quadtree construction by transforming a multidimensional geospatial computing problem into chaining a set of generic parallel primitives that are designed for one-dimensional 1D arrays. The proposed approach is largely data-independent and can be efficiently implemented on GPGPUs. Experiments on 4096*4096 and 16384*16384 raster tiles have shown that the implementation can complete the quadtree constructions in 13.33 ms and 250.75 ms, respectively, on average on an NVidia GPU device. Compared with an optimized serial CPU implementation based on the traditional recursive depth-first search DFS tree traversal schema that requires 1191.87 ms on 4096*4096 raster tiles, a significant speedup of nearly 90X has been observed. The performance of the GPU-based implementation also suggests that an indexing rate in the order of more than one billion raster cells per second can be achieved on commodity GPU devices.
Modulation of Nrf2-dependent antioxidant functions in the RPE by Zip2, a zinc transporter protein.

Purpose To characterize the involvement of Zip2, a zinc transporter protein, in the antioxidant functions of cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Methods The expression of zinc transporter proteins was determined by RT-PCR. Intracellular zinc concentration was assessed by staining with a zinc-sensitive dye followed by flow cytometry. Stable overexpression of the transporter protein Zip2 was achieved by transducing ARPE-19 cells with a retroviral vector containing the open reading frame of the human Zip2 gene. Activity of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was measured using a dual luciferase assay after transient transfection of reporter plasmids containing the antioxidant response element (ARE). Glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL) expression was measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Results Cultured RPE cells could transport zinc with Zip2 as an influx transporter expressed in ARPE-19 cells and human RPE cells isolated from postmortem donor eyes. The mRNA level of Zip2 was influenced by intracellular and extracellular zinc concentrations. Overexpression of Zip2 resulted in increased Nrf2 activity, higher GCL expression, and increased glutathione synthesis. Conclusions RPE cells can actively uptake zinc through the transporter Zip2, and the increased intracellular zinc upregulates the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant function.
Carboxypeptidase in mammalian tissue.

SummaryEvidence is presented that the enzyme carboxypeptidase is more widely distributed throughout mammalian tissues than is commonly realized. The reasons for previous failure to detect the enzyme are: a) the existence of a natural cellular inhibitor, the effect of which is to mask the enzymatic activity, and b) the fact that two carboxypeptidases probably co-exist in many tissues; the pH optima of these two are different, and one is activated, the other inhibited, by cysteine. The natural cellular inhibitor affects only one of the carboxypeptidases, and does so in a non-competitive fashion.
Prenatal Stress Generates Deficits in Rat Social Behavior: Reversal by Oxytocin

Neurodevelopmental changes induced by environmental stress exposure play a significant but poorly defined role in the etiology of schizophrenia. Exposure of pregnant female rats to a series of unpredictable stresses during the final week of pregnancy generates behavioral deficits and molecular changes in the offspring similar to those observed in schizophrenic individuals. We used this rat prenatal stress preparation to investigate social withdrawal behaviors that may have relevance to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The cumulative time adult male offspring of stress-exposed pregnant female rats actively interacted with a weight-matched, same-sex peer was decreased approximately 76% relative to non-stress exposed control rats. Prenatal stress exposure also diminished the quality of the social interaction behavior indicative of reduced social drive. Analysis of the oxytocinergic system in the prenatally stressed male rats revealed significantly less oxytocin mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus and increased oxytocin receptor binding in the central amygdala. Moreover, oxytocin, but not vasopressin, administration into the central amygdala reversed the social incompetence of the prenatally stressed rats without increasing behavior in non-stressed control animals. In addition, cross-fostering pups from prenatally stressed mothers to non-stressed mothers failed to improve the social deficit of the prenatally stressed male offspring. Two behavioral assays designed to measure anxiety did not differentiate the prenatally stressed rats from non-stressed controls. These data indicate that prenatal stress may be an etiologically appropriate animal model for some aspects of schizophrenic social withdrawal. Furthermore, unpredictable prenatal stress exposure selectively degrades social interaction behaviors without increasing anxiety measures.
Rent control and complete contract equilibria

Abstract This paper develops a theoretical model for analysing the effects of rent control. The model incorporates the roles of optimal long-term contractual arrangements and the responses of individual agents to rent control in determining the economic characteristics of the controlled market equilibrium, and can help to explain the wide variation in empirical results observed across jurisdictions. Necessary and sufficient conditions for a complete contract equilibrium, where the characteristics of the competitive and controlled solutions are identical, are established. It is shown that housing quality, new construction, and the distribution of wealth may not be affected by rent control.
Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of iron(II) ion by chlorine dioxide in aqueous solution

The mechanism by which an excess of iron(ll) ion reacts with aqueous chlorine dioxide to produce iron(III) ion and chloride ion has been determined The reaction proceeds via the formation of chlorite ion, which in turn reacts with additional iron(II) to produce the observed products. The first step of the process, the reduction of chlorine dioxide to chlorite ion, is fast compared to the subsequent reduction of chlorite by iron(II). The overall stoichiometry is 5Fe 2 + + ClO 2 + 4H + → 5Fe 3 + + Cl - + 2H 2 O. The rate is independent of pH over the range from 3.5 to 7.5, but the reaction is assisted by the presence of acetate ion. Thus the rate law is given by d‖Fe 3 + ‖/dt = k u [Fe 2 + ][ClO 2 ] + k c [FeOAc + ][ClO 2 ] At an ionic strength of 2.0 M and at 25°C, k u = (3.9 ′ 0.1) x 10 3 L mol - 1 s - 1 and k c = (6 ′ 1) x 10 4 L mol - 1 s - 1 . The formation constant for the acetatoiron(II) complex, K f , at an ionic strength of 2.0 M and 25°C was found to be (4.8 ′ 0.8) x 10 - 2 L mol - 1 . The activation parameters for the reaction were determined and compared to those for iron(II) ion reacting directly with chlorite ion. At 0.1 M ionic strength, the activation parameters for the two reactions were found to be identical within experimental error. The values of ΔH and ΔS are 64 ′ 3 k) mol - 1 and +40 ′ 10 ‖ K - 1 mol - 1 respectively.
Further Evidence for Fractional Charge on Matter

We report further evidence for fractional charge of approx. 1/3e on niobium spheres. With a modified apparatus in which we can determine all of the background dipole forces we have measured fractional charges of (0.304 +- 0.040) e and (0.345 +- 0.035) e.
The Development and Assessment of a Course for Enhancing the 3‐D Spatial Visualization Skills of First Year Engineering Students

In January 1993, we received NSF funding to develop a pre-graphics course for freshman engineering majors who are weak in 3-D spatial visualization skills. A text and computer lab exercises utilizing I-DEAS software were written specifically for this course. The course is 3-credits (quarter system) with two hours of lecture and two hours of computer lab each week. It was offered at Michigan Technological University (MTU) for the first time during the 1993 Fall term and has been offered each fall since that time. The objective of the course is to provide the prerequisite spatial skills needed by students to succeed in their subsequent engineering graphics courses. Assessment for the course has been continuous. Recently, a six-year longitudinal study was conducted to determine the overall success of this project. This paper will describe the project and the assessment findings from the longitudinal study.
Electrophysiological characteristics of locus coeruleus neurons in the Maudsley reactive (MR) and non-reactive (MNRA) rat strains.

Abstract Extracellular single-unit recording techniques were used to evaluate the physiological and pharmacological characteristics of noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) neurons in urethane-anesthetized Maudsley reactive (MR) and non-reactive (MNRA) rat strains, a presumed genetic model for differences in ‘anxiety’. LC neurons from MNRA rats were found to have a significantly higher basal discharge rate than LC neurons from either the MR or Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The discharge pattern of MNRA LC neurons also differed significantly from that of LC neurons from SD and MR rats, with LC neurons from MNRA rats exhibiting a burst-like pattern of discharge. Finally, MNRA LC neurons were significantly less sensitive to the inhibitory effects of i.v. clonidine on spontaneous activity.
Multiple control surface utilization in active aeroelastic wing technology

This study investigates the use of multiple control surfaces to effect roll trim of aircraft. Analytic models of a rectangular wing and a e ghter aircraft are used as examples for steady aeroelastic and antisymmetric trim analyses. The e nite element method is used to calculate structural deformations caused by steady aerodynamic input forces, which are generated by a linear panel method. Values of control surface effectiveness, calculated from the e exible rolling moment stability derivatives, are used to determine which control surfaces are most effective in achieving a desired roll maneuver. The roll trim equation of motion is solved for multiple control surface dee ections using an iterative technique that minimizes the control effort to achieve a specie ed roll rate. Roll trim utilizing multiple control surfaces, including leading-edge surfaces, is examined over a range of dynamic pressures. Aircraft models with reduced wing stiffness are investigated to determine if roll performance requirements can be achieved through the use of multiple control surfaces. The results of utilizing multiple control surfaces on e exible wings are examined to determine if weight savings can be achieved while maintaining a desired level of roll performance.
Chronic haloperidol during development attenuates dopamine autoreceptor function in striatal and mesolimbic brain regions of young and older adult rats

The effects of chronic haloperidol administration during the prenatal and preweanling periods on dopamine autoreceptor function were examined in striatum, olfactory tubercles, and nucleus accumbens of young (2–3 month) and older (12–13 month) adult rats. In striatum of young and older adult rats that had been chronically treated with haloperidol early in life, as well as in the nucleus accumbens of older adults receiving early chronic haloperidol, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) did not induce significant increases in dopamine levels. In olfactory tubercles of young adults that had received early chronic treatment with haloperidol, apomorphine pretreatment failed to reverse the observed GBL-induced increase in dopamine levels. Thus, dopamine autoreceptor function appears to be attenuated in rats chronically treated with haloperidol during early development, in contrast to reports of autoreceptor supersensitivity following neuroleptic treatment in adulthood.
Report of Committee on Physics of Soil‐Moisture, 1942–43

The membership of the Committee is as follows: Dr. L. D. Baver, North Carolina State College, Raleigh, North Carolina Dr. G. B. Bodmam, University of California, Berkeley, California Dr. Richard Bradfield, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York S. J. Buchanan, United States Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi Dr. T. F. Buehrer, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona Dr. I. A. Denison, National Bureau of Standards, United States Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. Dr. N. E. Edlefsen, University of California, Davis, California (on leave) Dr. Willard Gardner, Utah Experiment Station, Logan, Utah Dr. Glennon Gilboy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts Dr. O. W. Israelsen, Utah State Agricultural College, Logan, Utah Dr. L. B. Olmstead, Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Dr. L. A. Richards, Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture, Riverside, California E. A. Willis, Bureau of Public Roads, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Dr. F. J. Veihmeyer, University of California, Davis, California The activities of the Committee on Physics of Soil-Moisture have been drastically curtailed because of the national emergency. Dr. N. E. EDLEFSEN, Chairman of the Committee for the period 1940–42, was called to assist in investigations in connection with the war effort, and was compelled to relinquish the chairmanship. Dr. L. D. BAVER was asked to act as Chairman of the Committee, but recently found that he could not undertake the obligation in view of the press of other duties. President CHURCH then drafted F. J. VEIHMEYER to serve as Chairman. The short time available has precluded the possibility of following the usual method of preparing the report of the Committee.
Does the evidence from clinical trials justify the treatment of hypertension

Hypertension is the most common reason for physician office visits. An estimated 43 to 50 million people in the United States have elevated blood pressure (BP). The prevalence of hypertension varies from a small percentage among individuals in their teens and 20s to more than 70% of the elderly (those > 75 years of age). The US Public Health Services (USPHS) has set a goal of having 50% of individuals with hypertension "under control"--that is, reducing their BP to 75 years old. Is this a cause for concern? Is the goal defined by the USPHS justified? Should we push even harder to reach that goal, should we strive to do even better, or should we be satisfied? Since we are now in the era of evidence-based medicine, the only way to answer these questions is to review what we have learned from the many large, prospective, well-controlled, long-term clinical trials that have addressed these questions over the past 3 decades.
A radioactive assay for guanidoacetate methyltransferase.

Abstract A radioactive assay for guanidoacetate methyltransferase is described. It is based on a separation by an AG 50 (NH 4 + ) column, on which [ methyl - 14 C]Adenosylmethionine is adsorbed, in contrast to [ methyl - 14 C]creatine which can be collected in the effluent fraction. Guanidoacetate methyltransferase is sensitive to inhibition by adenosylhomocysteine and 3-deazaadenosylhomocysteine.
Regaining Lost Relevance

How has the study of organizations evolved since its inception before and after World War II, and how should its trajectory be changed? These are the central questions the author raises in this art...
The multidimensional roles of food and culture-centered entrepreneurship among Ethiopian and Eritrean migrants: Ethnographic case studies in Washington, D.C.

This paper examines business experiences among Ethiopian and Eritrean transnational migrants in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. It primarily draws from ethnographic and entrepreneurial case studies to explain how Ethiopian and Eritrean entrepreneurs establish food and culture-centered businesses, such as the flatbread (Injera) and the coffee ceremony (Bun/a) entrepreneurship (e.g., with limited business training, limited financial capital, and coming from subsistence agricultural economic systems), in Adams Morgan and the U Street Corridor.The paper describes the positive and multidimensional roles (cultural, social and economic) of the Ethiopian and Eritrean food and culture-centered businesses in the area. It argues that these restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores use an “ethnic entrepreneurship niche” model to conduct business with a focus on the re-creation of ethnic identities in a specific geographic area, building at the same time a transnational space, but with the intention of doing busi...