cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4326: Mitochondrial genetics and cellular metabolism regulate tumorigenicity and metastatic potential

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Current paradigms of carcinogenic risk suggest that genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors combine to influence an individual's predilection for breast cancer and related metastatic tumor formation. The genetic component, in particular, has become the focus of many emergent studies. A renewed focus on cancer metabolism and the Warburg Effect has similarly cast a spotlight on the role, if any, of the mitochondrion in directing disease progression. Analysis of the direct contribution of mitochondrial DNA on tumorigenicity is made possible through the use of mitochondrial-nuclear exchange (MNX) mice in which nuclei from normal FVB mice (the background strain of the tg: MMTV-PyMT) were transferred onto cytoplasms containing C57BL/6 or BALB/c mitochondria. Crossing male FVB:tg:MMTV:PyMT mice with FVB(nDNA)C57BL/6(mtDNA) or FVB(nDNA)BALB/c(mtDNA) females maintained nuclear FVB nDNA and takes advantage of maternal inheritance of mtDNA. These PyMT transgene positive female progeny are then scored for primary tumor onset and pulmonary metastatic density. Present data indicate primary tumor latency segregating by mitochondrial DNA as PyMT-FVB wild-type animals develop primary tumors in 57 days compared to PyMT-FVB(n)C57BL/6(mt) which develop primary tumors in 65 days and PyMT-FVB(n)BALB/c(mt) animals having detectable tumors in 52 days. One group of animals were aged 40 days following primary tumor detection and a second group were sacrificed when aged to 70 days, allowing for evaluation of metastatic severity and confirmation of differential primary tumor growth, respectively. This work hypothesizes that the pre-existent “normal” mitochondrial haplotype harbored by an individual conveys risk in determining tumor latency and metastatic susceptibility. Furthermore, these changes in susceptibility will be accompanied by altered mitochondrial functional characteristics that can be attributed to differences in mitochondrial haplotype. To address those mitochondrial differences, primary mammary epithelial cells were isolated from resected tumors which were then assessed for Complex I and Complex IV activity. In addition, isolated mammary epithelial cells from tumor and healthy animals had bioenergetic profiles generated using the Seahorse XF24 analyzer. Markers of ROS production will also be assessed as they too have been implicated increasingly frequently in cancer aggressiveness. Citation Format: Kyle P. Feeley, Alexander W. Bray, Jessica L. Fetterman, David G. Westbrook, Larry W. Johnson, Robert A. Kesterson, Danny R. Welch, Scott W. Ballinger. Mitochondrial genetics and cellular metabolism regulate tumorigenicity and metastatic potential. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4326. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4326
Cognitive Presence in Asynchronous Online Learning: A Comparison of Four Discussion Strategies

Some scholars argue that students do not achieve higher level learning, or cognitive presence, in online courses. Online discussion has been proposed to bridge this gap between online and face-to-face learning environments. However, the literature indicates that the conventional approach to online discussion – asking probing questions – does not necessarily advance the discussion through the phases of cognitive presence: triggering events, exploration, integration and resolution, which are crucial for deep knowledge construction. Using mixed methods, we examined the contribution of four scenario-based online discussion strategies – structured, scaffolded, debate and role play – to the learners' cognitive presence, the outcome of the discussion. Learners' discussion postings within each strategy were segmented and categorized according to the four phases. The discussion strategies, each using the same authentic scenario, were then compared in terms of the number of segments representing these phases. We found that the structured strategy, while highly associated with triggering events, produced no discussion pertaining to the resolution phase. The scaffolded strategy, on the other hand, showed a strong association with the resolution phase. The debate and role-play strategies were highly associated with exploration and integration phases. We concluded that discussion strategies requiring learners to take a perspective in an authentic scenario facilitate cognitive presence, and thus critical thinking and higher levels of learning. We suggest a heuristic for sequencing a series of discussion forums and recommend areas for further related research.
Delay in the Diagnosis of Basilar Artery Ischemic Stroke (S51.007)

Objective: To compare the interval between initial presentation and diagnosis in stroke due to basilar artery (BA) versus left middle cerebral artery (LMCA) occlusion. Background: Basilar artery stroke causes high rates of death and disability. Although its atypical presentation is thought to delay diagnosis and treatment, this problem has not been well-studied. We hypothesized that time to diagnosis in BA stroke is considerably longer than in LMCA stroke. Design/Methods: Twenty-one patients diagnosed with BA stroke at Boston Medical Center between January 2009 and June 2011 were retrospectively identified from our prospective stroke registry. They were age-, sex-, and gender-matched with 21 LMCA stroke patients from the same time period. All subjects arrived de novo at our emergency department (ED) and had a confirmed clinical and radiographic diagnosis of stroke due to occlusion or high-grade stenosis of the BA or LMCA. Time to diagnosis was determined independently by two investigators through detailed medical record review. Our pre-specified primary outcome was time from ED arrival to diagnosis of correct stroke subtype. The Wilcoxon rank sum test and Fisher’s exact test were used for data analysis. Results: Median time from onset to ED arrival was 7h 44min (IQR 1:23-21:30) for BA stroke and 1h 2min (IQR 0:36-9:41; p=0.06) for LMCA stroke. Median time from ED arrival to diagnosis was 8h 24min (IQR: 2:43-26:32) for basilar artery stroke and 1h 23min (IQR: 0:41-1:45; p<0.001) for LMCA stroke. Basilar artery strokes were first diagnosed clinically in 38% of cases and by imaging in 62%, compared with 90% and 10% respectively for LMCA stroke (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that both pre-hospital and in-hospital processes cause substantial delays in the diagnosis of basilar artery stroke. Further investigation is warranted to confirm these results. Disclosure: Dr. Burns has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sestokas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Carr has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lau has nothing to disclose. Dr. Green has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cervantes-Arslanian has nothing to disclose. Dr. Salem has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kase has nothing to disclose.
The Role of Targeted Therapy in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a highly vascular tumor in which a growing understanding of disease biology has been translated into clinically active systemic therapies. The most clinically developed targeted therapies in advanced RCC are those that target the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) ligand or receptor (VEGFR) and therapy directed against the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Sutent and sorafenib are orally available inhibitors of the VEGFR and platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). Temsirolimus is an mTOR inhibitor that leads to G1 cell cycle arrest and may affect VEGF production. This article briefly describes the biological pathways involved in the development of RCC and the results of clinical trials using targeted therapy in metastatic RCC.
Development of brain beta-adrenergic receptors after neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine treatment.

Abstract We used [ 125 I]-cyanopindolol in vitro autoradiography and neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine treatment to study the development of beta-adrenergic receptor subtypes in rat brain. Brain regions receiving locus coeruleus innervation, such as cerebral cortex and cerebellum, displayed low receptor densities at birth and increased in density rapidly during the second and fourth weeks postnatally. By contrast, regions which receive little innervation from the locus eoeruleus, such as substantia nigra, striatum, and globus pallidus, displayed relatively high beta-receptor densities even at birth. The striatum appeared to be an exception to these generalizations. 6-Hydroxydopamine administration was associated with an increase in the densities of beta-receptor subtypes and, unexpectedly, with a change in the proportions of the two subtypes. These data support the view that innervation determines the ontogenetic patterns of some receptors in brain.
Jnk2 deletion disrupts intestinal mucosal homeostasis and maturation by differentially modulating RNA-binding proteins HuR and CUGBP1.

Homeostasis and maturation of the mammalian intestinal epithelium are preserved through strict regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation, but the exact mechanism underlying t...
Frequency splitting and precession of cavity modes of a droplet deformed by inertial forces

Spectrally and temporally resolved measurements of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) from flowing ethanol droplets are presented. The equal frequency spacings of the SRS peaks are an order of magnitude smaller than the spacings for morphology-dependent resonances (MDRs) of a perfect sphere. The observed temporal oscillations of the SRS from two segments of the droplet rim are 180 degree(s) out-of-phase and dependent on the azimuthal mode number, m, of the MDR. The observed frequency splitting and precession of the MDR about the symmetry axis of an oblate droplet is consistent with perturbation predictions of the frequency splitting of a (2n + 1)-degenerate MDR of a perfect sphere.
Measuring Interrater Agreement for Ratings of a Single Target

Researchers assessing interrater agreement for ratings of a single target have increasingly used the rWG(j) index, but have found it can display irregular behavior. Mathematical analyses show this ...
Cytoskeletal Proteins of the Ageing Human Lens

The cytoskeletal proteins of the human lens were studied by sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, two-dimensional electrophoresis, and immunologically. Spectrin, vimentin and actin were identified in the superficial fibre cells of human lenses even to age 87 years. These proteins are lost from the deeper cortical and nuclear fibre cells, where a broad zone of water-insoluble proteins of Mr 36 000-45 000 emerges even in the transparent normal lens. Age-related changes in the water-soluble fraction include the increased prominence of W 56 and W 36 proteins in the cortex and of W 38 in the nucleus.
Transition Metal-Catalyzed [5 + 2] Cycloadditions of 2-Substituted-1-vinylcyclopropanes: Catalyst Control and Reversal of Regioselectivity

Studies on the stereo- and regioselectivity of rhodium(I)-catalyzed [5 + 2] cycloadditions of 2-substituted-1-vinylcyclopropanes are described. The relative stereochemistry of vicinal cyclopropane substituents is found to be conserved in these reactions, translating into distinct 1,4- or 1,5-stereorelationships in the cycloadducts. Exceptional regioselectivity in cyclopropane bond cleavage and even reversal of cleavage selectivity can be obtained through judicious selection of substituents and/or catalyst.
Submanifolds of the Cayley projective plane with bounded second fundamental form

We consider totally complex submanifolds of the Cayley projective plane with estimates on the length squared of the second fundamental form. We determine those bounds for which the second fundamental form is parallel and for which the submanifold is totally geodesic. The case of totally real submanifolds is also included.
Oat cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix in a pregnant woman treated with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum.

Abstract We report a case of oat cell carcinoma of the cervix whose diagnosis was established by light and electron microscopic studies. The patient was pregnant with a male fetus, and was given a course of cis -diamminedichloroplatinum before definitive surgical therapy. The effects of this treatment upon the tumor and the fetus are discussed.
The impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on strawberry tolerance to root damage and drought stress

Abstract Individually, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), drought stress, and root damage can alter terrestrial plant performance but the joint effects of these three factors have not been explored. Because AMF can improve water relations, colonization by these root symbionts may increase the host’s tolerance of drought especially when roots have been compromised by herbivory. This full factorial study examined effects of AMF, water deficit, and artificial root herbivory in three genotypes of wild strawberry, Fragaria virginiana Duchesne that originated from the same restored tallgrass prairie as the AMF inoculum. Drought stress and root damage altered allocation to roots vs. shoots but the effects were not additive and the interaction did not depend on AMF treatment. Effects of AMF were absent with one exception: root damage significantly reduced belowground mass only in plants inoculated with AMF. Although drought stress did not interact with the AMF treatment, both drought stress and root damage reduced the abundance of arbuscules, and especially vesicles, and colonization varied among genotypes. Failure to detect strong effects of AMF on host growth could be due to variable responses of individual AMF species summing to no net effects. Functionally, AMF were primarily commensals of strawberry in this study.
Measurement of ballistic phonon conduction near hotspots in silicon

The Fourier law for lattice heat conduction fails when the source of heat is small compared to the phonon mean free path. We provide experimental evidence for this effect using heating and electrical-resistance thermometry along a doped region in a suspended silicon membrane. The data are consistent with a closed-form two-fluid phonon conduction model, which accounts for the severe departure from equilibrium at the hotspot. The temperature rise exceeds predictions based on the Fourier law by 60% when the phonon mean free path is a factor of 30 larger than the resistor thickness. This work is improving the constitutive modeling of heat flow in deep-submicron transistors.
Histopathologic evaluation of the effects of new polycarboxylate cements on monkey pulps.

Abstract Standard-depth cavities and pulp exposures were prepared in seventy-five rhesus monkey teeth. Four experimental zinc polycarboxylate cements and a control, zinc oxide-eugenol, were placed in randomly selected teeth of both arches and evaluated after 1, 3, and 8 weeks. The pulpal response beneath the sixty standard-depth cavities showed that all the experimental polycarboxylate cements and the control elicited mild reactions. The histologic response of the pulp in these teeth included slight disruption of the odontogenic zone, infiltration of few inflammatory cells, and minimal amounts of response dentin. In the fifteen teeth with exposed pulps, the pulpal response was moderate, characterized by a localized necrotic layer adjacent to the polycarboxylate cement walled off by a thin fibrous zone, and slight inflammation pulpal to the fibrosis.
Geometric calibration of digital cameras through multi-view rectification

This paper introduces a new and very effective method for high-precision geometric calibration of digital cameras. The internal and external geometry are estimated: (1) by extracting features with subpixel accuracy from various views of a planar calibration plate; and (2) by mapping these feature sets into the corresponding points of the undistorted and rectified image that would be generated by an ideal pinhole digital camera with the same focal length as the camera to calibrate but devoid of lens distortion and perspective warp. The rectification of the views is formulated as a nonlinear least-squares optimization problem where a quadratic cost function expressing the residual registration error has to be minimized. The views are first prealigned with the reference image by means of a simplified mathematical model. This initialization, together with the closed-form computation of the gradient of the cost function, allows the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm employed to find its minimum to rapidly converge to the optimal solution. The performance of the new calibration algorithm is tested with a set of real images available on the Internet and discussed in the paper. Also, its accuracy is assessed by means of synthetic versions of the actual images generated with the estimated parameters.
δ13C excursion in the end-proterozoic strata of the Vindhyan basin (Central India): Its chronostratigraphic significance

The Vindhyan basin of central peninsular India contains strata ranging in age from 1400 m.y. to 550 m.y. It is thus likely that the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary interval may be present in the upper part of the Vindhyan succession. In order to locate the boundary interval in the Vindhyan basin, carbon isotopic analyses of the carbonate horizons of the succession have been performed. The samples chosen for isotopic analysis were carefully selected after petrographic, cathodoluminesence and microelement studies to get the original isotopic signal. The analyses reveal that the carbonates of the lower part of the succession (middle Proterozoic) have δ13CPDB values close to zero (−1.1 to +0.9 permil). However, the carbon isotope profile of the uppermost part of the succession (Bhander and Sirbu Limestones) shows a positive shift of around 5 permil followed by a sharp drop in value to 2.7 permil. The isotope profile of this part of the Vindhyan succession is remarkably similar to those of well-established Precambrian-Cambrian boundary sections of the world. It thus seems that the Bhander and Sirbu Limestones may represent the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary interval in the Vindhyan basin. The carbon isotope chronostratigraphic marker for the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary interval has been identified in the Krol strata of the Himalayas, which were deposited in the late Precambrian-early Cambrian Tethys seaway. Of special significance to the present study is the fact that during this period the Vindhyan basin was also connected with the Tethys seaway.
Elastic-plastic bending of a built-in circular plate under a uniformly distributed load

Abstract The paper contains an analysis of the bending moments and deflections of a uniformly loaded and built-in circular plate that is made of an incompressible elastic-plastic material obeying Tresca's yield condition and the associated flow rule. The analysis is simplified by assuming that any plate element is either entirely elastic or entirely plastic. This assumption is practically fulfilled for a sandwich plate ; for a solid plate it represents a first approximation to the actual diagram of bending moment versus curvature.
Mechanical and hydraulic coupling in cement–caprock interfaces exposed to carbonated brine

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of carbonated brine induced reaction zones on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of fractures and interfaces in wellbore cement. We present results from a suite of core flood experiments in which carbonated brine was introduced into artificial fractures separating wellbore-cement and tight-sandstone half-cores. We describe how the propagation of the resulting reaction zones affected the hydraulic aperture of the core flood samples, and how these changes are related to the fracture geometry. We also examine the influence of the altered mechanical properties on the hydraulic aperture: by testing the mechanical properties of the individual reaction layers using nano-indentation; and by analyzing the deformation of the cores as a whole with a combination of X-ray tomography and digital image correlation. Based on the experimental data, we propose a model describing the relationship between the reaction layers and the mechanical response of the cement interfaces, and discuss the implications for the long time behavior of wellbore cement interfaces – illustrated by means of a numerical simulation.
Ultrastructural study of a female adnexal tumor of probable wolffian origin.

A broad-ligament tumor, of probable wolffian origin, is presented. The ultrastructural features of this histologically benign tumor have not been previously described. The fine structure of this tumor is compared with normal structures and tumors derived from wolffian and mullerian anlage. The findings are consistent with derivation from wolffian duct.
Elastic properties, thermal expansion coefficients and electronic structures of Ti0.75X0.25C carbides

Elastic properties, thermal expansion coefficients and electronic structures of Ti0.75X0.25C carbides (X=W, Mo, Ta, Nb, V, Hf, Zr, Cr and Al) were systematically investigated using ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The calculated elastic moduli, electronic structures and thermal expansion coefficients α(T) of pure TiC are in good agreement with experimental data and other DFT calculations. Based on a phenomenological formula, the trends of elastic properties and ductile/brittle behavior of Ti0.75X0.25C were analyzed. It was found that alloying elements W, Mo, Ta, Nb, V and Hf can increase elastic moduli, while Zr, Cr and Al reduce moduli. The nearly free electron model and Debye approximation were applied in the evaluation of α(T). The anharmonic effect was taken into account by including volume-dependent elastic moduli and Debye temperature. Results show that alloying additions of 3d V, 4d Zr and Mo slightly reduce α(T), while 3d Cr increases α(T), Al, 4d Nb, 5d Hf and W almost keep α(T) unchanged in Ti0.75X0.25C at high temperatures. The electronic structures of Ti0.75X0.25C were calculated and analyzed, and the electronic density of states was used to interpret variations of elastic properties and ductile/brittle behavior induced by alloying additions.
Evaluation of Lactobacillus fermentation cultures in calf feeding systems

Abstract Direct-fed microbials for calves were evaluated at two commercial dairy locations. Trial I (9 wk) compared nonviable Lactobacillus acidophilus (6ml) with untreated controls. Holstein calves (n = 116) were assigned randomly to treatment within 24h of birth. In trial 2 (5 wk), 75 Holstein calves were assigned at 1 d of age to one of three treatments: 1) control with no additives, 2) 1g of a microbial mixture containing viable L. acidophilus and Streptococcus faecium , or 3) 6ml of nonviable L. acidophilus . In both trials, microbial additives were mixed with a combination of milk replacer and waste milk during the a.m. feeding. Calves were fed milk once daily in trial 1 and twice daily in trial 2. No differences were detected for average daily gain in trial 1. Although not significant, calves fed viable and nonviable microbial products in trial 2 tended to have higher gains in early stages of growth. Starter intake was higher for the nonviable fermentation product group than for controls at 29 to 33 d of age. Fecal coliform, lactobacilli, and streptococci counts on d 0, 7, 14, and 28 of trial 2 were similar among treatments.
Anorexic-like behaviors in dietetic majors and other student populations

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether or not female university dietetic majors report elevated rates of abnormal eating practices and anorexic-like behaviors when compared with other female university populations. Measures designed to assess the behavioral and psychological traits common to anorexia nervosa and various abnormal eating practices were administered to three groups of females: dietetic majors, students with various majors enrolled in an introductory nutrition course, and students with various majors enrolled in an introductory family studies course. Female students enrolled in the introductory nutrition course scored significantly higher on several of the measures when compared with the other two female populations. These women scored more pathological on measures of a drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction; and they were more likely to vomit and possess less positive eating habits than the dietetic majors and/or family studies students. The female dietetic majors did not differ from the female students in the family studies course on any parameter tested. The present study does not support the current contention that female dietetic majors have high rates of anorexic-like behaviors.
Targeted radioimmunotherapy for leptomeningeal cancer using (131)I-3F8.

Background Intrathecal antibody-based targeted therapies may have clinical potential for patients with leptomeningeal (LM) cancer. Procedure Five patients with GD2-positive LM tumors were injected with 1-2 mCi intra-Ommaya (131)I-3F8, a murine IgG3 antibody specific for GD2. Serial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples and SPECT imagings (4, 24, and 48 hr) were performed to predict radiation doses to the tumor and normal brain and blood prior to the administration of larger therapeutic doses. Results Side effects included self-limited fever, headache, and vomiting. Focal (131)I-3F8 uptake consistent with tumors was seen along the craniospinal axis in four patients. Calculated radiation dose to the CSF was 14.9-56 cGy/mCi and to blood and other organs outside the CNS less than 2 cGy/mCi. Conclusions Intraventricular (131)I-3F8 successfully detected LM disease and resulted in a large favorable CSF/blood ratio. Intraventricular (131)I-3F8 may have clinical utility in the diagnosis and radioimmunotherapy of GD2-positive LM cancers. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 35:716-718. 2000.
Ideology and scientific credibility: environmental policy in the American Pacific Northwest:

In the later years of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century, there has been an increasing emphasis among many decision-makers, interest groups, and citizens about the importance of science-based environmental policy. The assumption is that scientists can facilitate the resolution of public environmental decisions by providing scientific information to policymakers and the public, and by becoming more directly involved in policy arenas than they have traditionally been. However, at the same time, there are those who question the value of science, especially for ideological reasons. This study empirically examines the impact of ideology on attitudes toward science, scientific research, and scientists among various environmental policy participants. The data utilized to investigate these orientations were collected from surveys of five different groups involved in environmental policy and management in the Pacific Northwest including ecological scientists at universities and federal agencie...
Components of working memory predict symptoms of distress

Working memory (WM) is a cognitive system that allows us to select, organise, and integrate perceptual information with memories and current goal-directed intentions. As such, this system is central to day-to-day functioning and would be expected to be especially important in decision making and problem solving. We hypothesised that to the extent that individuals differ in WM capacity they would also be differentially vulnerable to the experience of depression and anxiety. Undergraduate students completed a computerised change detection task in which storage capacity and filtering efficiency measures were obtained. It was found that low WM storage and poor filtering efficiency interacted to predict higher levels of emotional distress as measured by self-reported depressive symptoms, ruminative coping, and state anxiety. It was suggested that low capacity and a poor ability to ignore task-irrelevant information may lead to poorer problem solving, more extreme judgements of oneself and circumstances, increa...
Glucocorticoids and the fate of exogenous insulin in insulin-immunized guinea pigs.

Groups of normal rats and of normal and insulin-immunized guinea pigs were injected intravasculary with mixtures of radio-iodinated and unlabelled porcine insulins. No differences could be discerned between the fates of radio-iodinated and unlabelled insulins in normal or immune guinea pigs except with respect to the kidneys of normal animals, which seemed to accumulate TCA-precipitable radioactive substances devoid of immunoreactivity. The abnormally slow disappearance of insulin from the plasma and its persistent accumulation in the livers and spleens of immune guinea pigs were not affected by prior treatment for three days with large daily doses (ca 20 mg/kg body wt.) of hydrocortisone acetate.
Onset of flow of charged fragments in Au-Au collisions.

The reaction plane of high-multiplicity Au-Au collisions at 650, 400, 250, 150, and 75 MeV/nucleon was determined by measuring the transverse velocity of charged fragments. Measurements of the collective flow of charged fragments reveal that the onset of flow in high-multiplicity Au-Au collisions occurs at a finite beam energy below 60 MeV/nucleon.
Assessment of EC2000 Criteria 3 (a)-(k) Program Outcomes

A comprehensive assessment process for EC2000 Criterion 3 (a)-(k) program outcomes of the mechanical engineering program at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) is presented. This assessment process is a part of an assessment plan that was developed by the author with some feedback from the faculty to assess the mechanical engineering educational objectives and program outcomes using internal and external measures. This process involves feedback from several parties that include: courses’ instructors (faculty), students, and graduating seniors, local industries that sponsor capstone senior design projects, and Fundamental of Engineering (FE) examination.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Thermodynamic modeling and experimental study of the Fe-Cr-Zr system

Abstract This work developed thermodynamic models for describing phase stability and thermodynamic property of the Fe–Cr–Zr system using the Calphad approach coupled with experimental study. Thermodynamic descriptions of the Fe–Cr and Cr–Zr systems were either directly adopted or slightly modified from literature. The Fe–Zr system has been remodeled to accommodate recent ab-initio calculation of formation enthalpies of various Fe–Zr compounds. Reliable ternary experimental data and thermodynamic models were mainly available in the Zr-rich region. Therefore, selected ternary alloys located in the vicinity of the eutectic valley of β(Fe,Cr,Zr) and (Fe,Cr)2Zr laves phase in the Fe-rich region have been experimentally investigated in this study. Microstructure has been examined by using scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. These experimental results, along with the literature data were then used to develop thermodynamic models for phases in the Fe–Cr–Zr system. Calculated phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of the ternary system yield satisfactory agreements with available experimental data.
Tuning the Coordination Geometry of Silver in Bis(pyrazolyl)alkane Complexes

Silver(I) complexes of the bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligands Ph(2)C(pz)(2), PhCH(pz)(2), and PhCH(2)CH(pz)(2) (pz = pyrazolyl ring) have been prepared in an attempt to explore how sterically hindered poly(pyrazolyl)methane ligands influence the variable coordination geometries exhibited by silver(I) complexes, especially its ability to participate in cation...pi interactions. The complex (Ag[(pz)(2)CPh(2)](2))(PF(6)).C(3)H(6)O adopts an unusual square planar coordination environment as indicated by the sum of the four N-Ag-N angles being 360 degrees. The proximity of phenyl groups above and below the AgN(4) core enforces the unusual coordination geometry about the metal center. This arrangement is not a result of silver(I)...pi arene interactions but rather of the constraints imposed by the steric crowding caused by (aryl)(2)C(pz)(2) ligands. In contrast, the complexes of the other two ligands, (Ag[(pz)(2)CHPh](2))(PF(6)).0.5CH(2)Cl(2) and (Ag[(pz)(2)CH(CH(2)Ph)](2))(PF(6)).CH(2)Cl(2), show normal tetrahedral geometry about the silver(I), also with no indication of silver(I)...pi arene interactions. All three new complexes have extended supramolecular structures supported by a combination of CH...pi and CH...F interactions.
Fertilization in Nicotiana tabacum: ultrastructural organization of propane-jet-frozen embryo sacs in vivo

Ovules of Nicotiana tabacum L. were cryofixed with a propane-jet freezer and freeze-substituted in acetone to examine technique-dependent changes in pre- and post-fertilization embryo sacs using rapidly frozen material. Freezing quality was acceptable in 10% of the embryo sacs in the partially dissected ovules, with ice-crystal damage frequently evident in vacuoles and nuclei. One of the two synergids begins to degenerate before pollen-tube arrival in cryofixed material, with breakdown of the plasma membrane and large chalazal vacuole delayed until the penetration of the pollen tube. Early synergid degeneration involved characteristic increases in cytoplasmic electron density and the generation of cytoplasmic bodies to the intercellular space through “pinching-off”. Upon pollen-tube arrival, the male gametes are released through a terminal aperture into the degenerate synergid. Sperm cells undergo morphological alteration before gametic fusion: their mitochondrial electron density increases, the endoplasmic reticulum dilates, cytoplasm becomes finely vacuolated and the surrounding pollen plasma membrane is lost, causing the sperm cells and vegetative nucleus to dissociate. Discharge of the pollen tube results in the formation of numerous enucleated cytoplasmic bodies which are either stripped or shed from sperm cells and pollen-tube cytoplasm. Two so-called X-bodies are found in the degenerate synergid after pollen-tube penetration: the presumed vegetative nucleus occurs at the chalazal end and the presumed synergid nucleus near the micropylar end.
Conducting "Siteless Survey": Results from Coastal New England

Selecting an effective archaeological survey takes careful consideration given the interaction of several variables, such as the survey's goals, nature of the data base, and budget constraints. This article provides justification for a “siteless survey” using evidence from a project on Potowomut Neck in Rhode Island whose objective was not to locate sites but to examine the distribution and density of prehistoric remains to test an hypothesis related to land use patterns. The survey strategy, random walk, was chosen because it possessed the advantages of probabilistic testing, as well as the ease of locating sample units. The results were within the limits of statistical validity and were found unable to reject the hypothesis. “Siteless survey” may be successfully applied in similar contexts where the distribution and density of materials, as opposed to ambiguously defined sites, are sought as evidence of land use patterns, in particular, and human adaptation, in general.
One-factor-at-a-time designs of resolution V

Abstract Two classes of designs of resolution V are constructed using one-factor-at-a-time techniques. They facilitate sequential learning and are more economical in run size than regular 2Vk−p designs. Comparisons of D efficiency with other designs are given to assess the suitability of the proposed designs. Their Ds efficiencies can be dramatically improved with the addition of a few runs.
THE INHIBITION OF COPPER-INDUCED OVULATION IN THE RABBIT BY PROGESTERONE

IT is POSSIBLE TO PRODUCE OVULATION in the rabbit either by provoking a discharge of the pituitary gland, for example, by permitting copulation, or by injecting some gonadotropic agent which can act directly on the ovary. The discovery that copper salts can provoke ovulation in the rabbit has presented the problem of the mechanism of this interesting reaction. Fevold, Hisaw, and Greep (1) originally advanced the hypothesis that the action of copper was due to the augmentation of the action of subthreshold quantities of some hormone normally present inthe rabbit blood. Recent experiments (2) however, afford strong evidence that copper-induced vulation in the rabbit is due to a pituitary discharge which is brought about by im-pulses carried to the gland by way of the stalk. The present experiments with progesterone were initiated several years ago, and were originally planned to analyse and compare the gonadotropic action of plant extracts and copper salts.
Naltrexone as an Adjunctive Treatment for Older Patients With Alcohol Dependence

The authors examined the efficacy of naltrexone as an adjunctive treatment for alcohol dependence in older adults. Forty-four veterans over 50 years of age were enrolled in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy study of naltrexone (the equivalent of 50 mg per day). There were no differences in the frequency of any self-reported adverse effects or in liver enzyme values between the placebo- and naltrexone-treated groups. There were no differences between the treatment groups in the number of subjects remaining abstinent or in the number of subjects who relapsed. However, all placebo-treated subjects relapsed after sampling alcohol, whereas only three of six naltrexone-treated subjects met relapse criteria after alcohol exposure (P = 0.024). The authors conclude that naltrexone was well tolerated and efficacious in preventing relapse in subjects who drank.
Chemical vapour deposition of WSi2 thin films: Equilibrium W–Si–H–Cl–Ar system

Tungsten disilicide (WSi 2 ) can be used in lieu of polycrystalline silicon in very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuit manufacturing; WSi 2 (s) thin films have been deposited from a vapour-mix of WCl 4 , SiH 2 Cl 2 (or SiH 4 ), H 2 , and an argon diluent. The present work describes an equilibrium model for the W-Si-H-Cl-Ar system: the feed-gas mixture is characterized by the atom-ratios (Ar/H), (H/Cl), and (W/Si); during the chemical vapour deposition (CVD), only the latter ratio is expected to change as one or more of condensed phases Si(s), WSi 2 (s), W 5 Si 3 (s) and W(s) begin to form. In this work, the CVD-phase diagram was constructed by means of an iterative method that was coupled to the De Donder's extent of reaction formalism; the respective phase-domain boundaries Si(s) + WSi2(s)/WSi2(s)/WSi2(s) + W 5 Si 3 (s) were computed for the temperature range of 800-1000 K at 1 atm (101.325 kPa); the SiH 2 Cl 2 -content of the feed-gas mixture, characterized by F= [Si 0 /(Si 0 +W 0 )], was gradually decreased ensuring a complete sweep from the Si(s) + WSi 2 (s) two-phase-domain to the phase-mixture WSi 2 (s) + W 5 Si 3 (s) for specific (H/Cl) and (Ar/H) ratios. The results are of value in determining the CVD-phase diagrams for the growth of crystalline materials.
Effects of fibroblastic growth factor on protein degradation, the migration of non-histone proteins to the nucleus and DNA synthesis in diploid fibroblasts.

Abstract Stimulation of resting WI38 cells, prelabeled with [ 3 H]leucine, with fibroblastic growth factor (FGF) or serum, caused increased nuclear translocation of [ 3 H]non-histone proteins ([ 3 H]NHP) and DNA synthesis, and a parallel decrease of proteolysis. [ 3 H]NHP migration was independent of protein synthesis. Fractionation of the nuclear proteins in a pH gradient of 2.5–6.5 showed that [ 3 H]NHP fractions with high degradation rates in resting cells corresponded to the [ 3 H]NHP fractions with high migration rates in stimulated cells, suggesting that degradation and migration of [ 3 H]NHP are linked. FGF inhibited cellular uptake of [ 3 H]chloroquine, suggesting that FGF inhibits NHP degradation via lysosomes. The lysosomotropic amine eserine had similar effects as FGF. It is proposed that FGF induces NHP migration to the nucleus by inhibiting their lysosomal degradation. FGF also caused migration of [ 3 H]histones, however, the mechanism is not clear.
Environmental Governance in China: State Control to Crisis Management

After three decades of rapid economic growth, environmental degradation is now one of the most significant issues facing the Chinese government. The country's air, water, and land are all heavily polluted. Despite a number of environmental protection initiatives, both at the national and local levels, China ranks poorly when compared with other emerging nations. Formal government institutions have failed to address adequately the people's concerns. Beijing's system of decentralized authoritarianism lacks the political processes and incentives needed to implement meaningful national reform and to encourage local governments and polluting factories to enforce laws and regulations. The Chinese government now faces growing pressure from civil society, as NGOs, Internet activism, and protests compel the government to proactively address environmental issues. Beijing would do well to increase engagement between the government and its citizens, rather than relying on its current crisis management style of enviro...
Effects of Sex Offender Registration Policies on Juvenile Justice Decision Making

This study examines effects of sex offender registration policies on juvenile judicial decision making. Prosecutor decisions and disposition outcomes are examined across a 15-year period. Results indicate that prosecutors are significantly less likely to move forward on both serious sexual and assault offense charges after registration implementation, with the estimated effect nearly twice as large for sexual offenses. There also is increased likelihood of guilty findings for sexual and assault offenses over time. As new policies legislate harsher consequences for juvenile offenses, prosecutors become less likely to move forward on sexual and assault charges. This effect is especially strong for juvenile sexual offenders, who face reforms targeting both violent and sexual crimes. Results suggest that state and national policies requiring long-term public registration of juveniles might unintentionally decrease the likelihood of prosecution. If replicated, the results indicate a need to reform registration policies as applied to juveniles.
Microcomputer Graphics in Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling

(1983). Microcomputer Graphics in Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling. Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association: Vol. 33, No. 6, pp. 598-600.
Impact of branch points in adaptive optics compensation of thermal blooming and turbulence

Adaptive optics (AO) can be used to mitigate turbulence; however, when a single deformable mirror is used for phaseonly compensation of thermal blooming, analysis predicts the possibility of instability. This instability is appropriately termed phase compensation instability (PCI) and arises with the time-dependent development of spatial perturbations found within the high-energy laser (HEL) beam. These spatial perturbations act as local hot spots that produce negativelens- like optical effects in the atmosphere. An AO system corrects for the hot spots by applying positive-lens-like phase compensations. In turn, this increases the strength of the thermal blooming and leads to a runaway condition, i.e., positive feedback, in the AO control loop. This study uses computational wave-optics simulations to model horizontal propagation with the effects of thermal blooming and turbulence for a focused Gaussian HEL beam. A point-source beacon and nominal AO system are used for phase compensation. Previous results show that a high number of branch points limit the development of PCI for phase compensation of only thermal blooming. For phase compensation of thermal blooming and turbulence, the number of branch points decreases and system performance is reduced. A series of computational wave-optics experiments are presented which explore the possibility for PCI.
Capitalists Rule. OK? A Commentary on Keith Dowding

In response to criticisms made by Keith Dowding (hereafter KD) of `Capitalists Rule OK', this article argues (1) that there is a genuine structural conflict of interest between consumers and producers, voters and politicians, and capitalists and governments, and (2) that only by ad hoc and arbitrary limitations on the scope of the concept of power can it be denied that consumers collectively have power over producers and capitalists (collectively) have power over government. KD accepts that voters (collectively) have power over governments. Ironically, however, this is by far the most tenuous and generally problematic of the three putative power relations. Furthermore, there is no plausible way of conceding that voters (collectively) have power over politicians without also having to accept the validity of a power relation in the other two cases. The implication is that the thesis that is supposed to justify the standard North American or western European politico-economic system, according to which consu...
Screening for diabetes: is it warranted?

Abstract Background : Diabetes mellitus is estimated to have a worldwide prevalence of 4.6% and afflict 200 million people. The prevalence is accelerating rapidly and the disease has reached epidemic proportions. While type 1 diabetes usually has a dramatic clinical onset, almost half of all those individuals with type 2 diabetes have not been diagnosed. This observation, coupled with the presence of complications at diagnosis and the significant reduction of microvascular complications obtained with tight glycemic control, has led to the recommendation that screening for diabetes be instituted. The American Diabetes Association recommends that adults aged 45 years or more should be evaluated for diabetes by measuring fasting plasma glucose concentrations. Conclusions : The rationale for screening, evidence that tight glycemic control reduces complications, and the possible roles of Hb A 1c and autoantibodies in screening strategies are addressed in this review.
Insulin resistance in chronic renal failure.

There is substantial documentation of the presence of insulin resistance in many patients with chronic renal failure (1). Circulating levels of insulin are increased and there is a delayed and reduced glucose response to the administration of insulin (2). Peripheral target tissues of uremic patients and rats are resistant to insulin action (3–6). There is reduced uptake of glucose by skeletal muscle as shown by forearm perfusion (5) and the euglycemic clamp (4) in uremic humans and by hindlimb perfusion in uremic rats (7).