cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D Inhibits ROS, ICAM-1, and Monocyte Adhesion in High Glucose and Acetoacetate Treated Endothelial Cells by Upregulating GSH

The incidence of developing microvascular dysfunction is significantly higher in type 1 diabetic (T1D) patients. Monocyte adhesion to the endothelium plays a central role in the progression of endothelial dysfunction. This study examines whether vitamin D (VD) supplementation is beneficial in preventing endothelial dysfunction in diabetes. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were treated with 1, 25-(OH)2-D3 (0-25 nM, 24 h) and later exposed to the ketone body acetoacetate (AA, 4 mM) or high glucose (HG, 25 mM) for 24 h. Treatment with AA or HG causes an increase in ROS, ICAM-1 expression, and monocyte adhesion, along with a decrease in GSH levels in HUVEC. VD supplementation (25 nM) significantly lowered ROS (41%, p<0.05), ICAM-1 (73%, p=0.05) and monocyte adhesion (37.5%, p=0.05) in AA treated HUVEC. VD had a similar beneficial effect on HG treated cells. Interestingly, we also saw an upregulation in GSH levels following treatment with VD. We hypothesize that the beneficial effect of VD is med...
Mechanism of superoxide dismutase loss from human sperm cells during cryopreservation

Earlier studies on human sperm cryodamage have shown that plasma membrane stress is the primary process and that phospholipid peroxidation in cryopreserved samples is not inhibited by addition of antioxidants. One consistent effect of cryopreservation is loss of enzymatic activity of the peroxidation defense enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD). To clarify this aspect of the freeze-thaw process and to develop a more complete resolution of the reactions leading to cryodamage, we sought to identify which of the two most probable mechanisms, loss of enzyme protein from the cells of denaturation of the protein, operates. If the first operates, cellular enzymatic activity and enzyme protein as identified by immunocytochemistry should give a linear correlation. If the second operates, there should be no correlation. In this study, five individual samples were analyzed before and after cryopreservation for immunoreactive Cu/Zn SOD and cell intactness by flow cytometry, for SOD enzymatic activity by a highly sensitive fluorimetric method, and for motility characteristics by Hamilton-Thorn motility analyzer. Fresh samples were obtained by the "swim-up" method and had > 95% intact cells with > 78% motile cells. After freeze-thaw, about half the cells were intact. SOD enzymatic activity was determined on Triton X-100 cell extracts, a method that removes all enzymatic activity from the cell structure, and compared with immunoreactive SOD in the cells as determined by indirect immunofluorescence mean intensities. Residual immunofluorescence was observed in the cells after Triton X-100 treatment; if this was taken into account, a close linear correlation between SOD enzyme activity and SOD immunoreactivity was obtained (r = 0.90; P = 0.00014). There was no correlation between SOD enzyme activity ratios for cryopreserved and fresh cells and fraction of intact cells after freeze-thaw. We conclude that loss of SOD protein from the subset of cells undergoing acute membrane damage is the most probable primary mechanism of SOD enzymatic activity loss from the sample and that resistance to cryodamage and SOD activity in any given cell are quite independent of one another.
Primary care provider experience and social support among homeless-experienced persons with tri-morbidity

Measures Tri-morbidity was operationalized as meeting the following criteria: 1) probable mental illness or major psychiatric distress, based on reporting a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder or schizophrenia, having ever taken psychiatric medication for a significant period of time, or a score of 30+ on the Colorado Symptom Index (range: 5– 70) [1]; 2) lifetime moderateor high-risk alcohol or illicit drug use, as measured using the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) v. 3 [2]; and 3) reporting at least 1 of 14 physician-diagnosed chronic medical conditions. Primary care experience was measured using the Primary Care Quality-Homeless (PCQ-H) tool (range: 1–4) [3]. Social support was measured using the “strong ties” scale (range: 3–15) [4], which queries the degree to which persons are bothered by not having a close companion, enough friendships, or people to whom they feel close.
A Faster Reliable Algorithm to Estimate the p-Value of the Multinomial llr Statistic

The subject of estimating the p-value of the log-likelihood ratio statistic for multinomial distribution has been studied extensively in the statistical literature. Nevertheless, bioinformatics laid new challenges before that research by often concentrating its interest on the “thin tail” of the distribution where classical statistical approximation typically fails. Hence, some of the more recent development in this area have come from the bioinformatics community ([5], [3]).
Ceramic Dispersions in Metal Castings Created by Direct Injection of a Liquid Organic Precursor into the Melt

We show that a liquid organic precursor can be used for in-situ generation of nanophase ceramic particles within Mg melts when injected directly into Mg melts to create polymer-derived metal matrix composites (PD-MMCs). The tensile test data at 400 °C for these composites is particularly noteworthy. Direct liquid injection into molten metals is a significant step towards inserting many different chemistries of liquid precursors to generate a variety of ceramics within metal matrices.
Suspicious cytologic diagnostic category in endoscopic ultrasound-guided FNA of the pancreas: Follow-up and outcomes

BACKGROUND The objective of the current study was to assess how the suspicious category is followed up in a large endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) service, its outcomes, and the predictors that are likely to be associated with the subsequent diagnosis of a neoplastic process. METHODS For pancreatic EUS-FNA samples with the suspicious category diagnosis, the authors reviewed the electronic medical record for the method of follow-up and the risks associated with pancreatic malignancy. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors that were likely to be associated with the diagnosis of a neoplastic lesion after a cytologic diagnosis of “suspicious.” RESULTS Of a total of 3832 EUS-FNA cases, 116 were diagnosed with suspicious cytology. A total of 90 of 98 neoplasms (92%) were identified, including 72 carcinomas (73%). Similar rates of neoplasia were detected after repeat FNA (34 of 37 neoplasms [92%]) and subsequent biopsy/surgical resection (44 of 46 neoplasms [96%]), but significantly fewer neoplasms were detected among patients with clinical follow-up (18 of 23 neoplasms [78%]). On multivariate analysis of the potential predictive variables listed above, the presence of a mass was found to be significantly associated with a higher rate of diagnosis of a neoplasm, whereas weight loss was significantly associated with a diagnosis of carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS The diagnostic category of “suspicious” is associated with a high risk of benign and malignant neoplasms, regardless of the method of follow-up. The presence of a mass and weight loss are significant predictors of a subsequent diagnosis of a neoplasm after suspicious cytology. In patients with suspicious cytology and these findings, surgery is recommended for resectable masses and repeat FNA for unresectable masses. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2015. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Treatment of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms: a review of the literature

Microsurgical treatment is well established as the preferred strategy for definitive obliteration of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms. However, increasing reports on the feasibility and efficacy of endovascular treatment of MCA aneurysms in large case series suggest coiling as a viable alternative to microsurgery. This review provides a critical overview of the current literature regarding MCA aneurysm treatment, with the objective to clarify the available evidence of efficacy with microsurgical compared to endovascular treatment.
Relationship of L1 Skills and L2 Aptitude to L2 Anxiety on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale

The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) has been challenged on the grounds that it may also assess language learning skills. In this study, 128 students who had been administered measures of first language (L1) skills in elementary school were followed from 1st to 10th grade. Fifty-three students had completed second language (L2) courses in high school where they were administered the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT), FLCAS, and measures of L1 skills. A full information likelihood procedure (FIML) was used to conduct a path analysis and hierarchical regressions. The results showed that the FLCAS accounted for significant unique variance in L1 skills in elementary school several years before the students’ engaged in L2 study as well as significant unique variance on the MLAT and L1 skills measured in high school. Hierarchical regressions found that the FLCAS predicted growth in L1 skills (reading, spelling, language) in elementary school and also from elementary to high school. Findings suggest that the FLCAS is likely to be measuring individual differences in students’ language skills and/or self-perceptions about their language learning skills rather than anxiety unique to L2 learning.
Determination of the infiltration kinetics of polymer into filler agglomerates using transient buoyancy measurements

Abstract The kinetics of the infiltration of liquids into powder agglomerates has been studied relative to its influence on changes in buoyancy of the agglomerate. A model relating the instantaneous buoyancy to the degree of fluid penetration into a spherical agglomerate is presented. Experiments in which poly(dimethylsiloxane) fluids infiltrated various agglomerates of silica, titanium dioxide, and carbon black confirmed the validity of the model and the method as a means to assess the degree of infiltration.
Review of modular multilevel converters for teaching a graduate-level course of power electronics in power systems

With rapid advancements in power semiconductor technologies, Forced Commutated Converter systems are taking the market in high voltage, high power transmission and distribution applications. The Modular Multilevel Converters have become an attractive choice for future HVDC transmission projects because of their easy scalability, full real and reactive power flow control, dynamic voltage regulation, black start capability, smaller space requirements, etc. Graduate students in universities should be made aware of these newer converters to be able to apply them in industry and research. This paper presents an overview of the different fundamental concepts of Modular Multilevel Converters and a roadmap to teaching it in a graduate level course of Power Electronics in Power Systems.
THE INTERACTION OF INTERNAL AND DOWNSTREAM INTEGRATION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH PERFORMANCE

The authors study how internal and downstream integration and their interaction affect logistical and financial performance within the firm. The results indicate that internal and downstream integration and their interaction affect logistical performance — that is, the higher the internal integration, the stronger the relationship of downstream integration with logistical performance. The results also suggest that logistical performance directly predicts financial performance. The results suggest that superior performance derives from the firm simultaneously integrating functions, decision-making, and processes both within the firm and across the supply chain.
Characterization of Damage and Failure Mechanisms of Co-Cured Fiber-Reinforced Composite Joints under Quasi-Static, Tensile Loading

This research investigates two co-cured joint configurations, the conventional single lap joint, and the modified single nested overlap joint, which is obtained by a minor alteration of the former configuration. A systematic comparison of damage initiation, damage progression mechanisms, and failure modes of co-cured joint specimens under quasi-static tensile loading is carried out. Several investigation methods are used including acoustic emission, visual observation, optical microscopy, and X-ray radiography.
Notch1 Regulates Maturation of CD4+ and CD8+ Thymocytes by Modulating TCR Signal Strength

Notch signaling regulates cell fate decisions in multiple lineages. We demonstrate in this report that retroviral expression of activated Notch1 in mouse thymocytes abrogates differentiation of immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes into both CD4 and CD8 mature single-positive T cells. The ability of Notch1 to inhibit T cell development was observed in vitro and in vivo with both normal and TCR transgenic thymocytes. Notch1-mediated developmental arrest was dose dependent and was associated with impaired thymocyte responses to TCR stimulation. Notch1 also inhibited TCR-mediated signaling in Jurkat T cells. These data indicate that constitutively active Notch1 abrogates CD4+ and CD8+ maturation by interfering with TCR signal strength and provide an explanation for the physiological regulation of Notch expression during thymocyte development.
Results from the Quality Early Childhood Training Program.

High-quality child care is related to children's positive developmental outcomes. One way to increase quality of care is to provide training to child care providers. This study used assessment-based training to determine if overall quality of care in center-based preschools could be enhanced. Participants were recruited from six center-based child care programs serving preschool-age children and included program administrators, teachers, teacher aides, and enrolled children. Program administrators (N = 6) were assessed with the Program Administration Scale (Talan & Bloom, 2004), classrooms (N = 14) with the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale Revised (ECERS-R; Harms, Clifford, & Cryer, 2005) and the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation—Research Edition (ELLCO; Smith & Dickinson, 2002), teachers (N = 24) with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2007), and children (N = 135) with an author-created measurement designed to assess typical skills across fi...
N4 to spoken sentences in young and older subjects

Event-related potentials (ERPs) to spoken sentences were recorded from young and elderly subjects. Sentences ended in semantically typical or atypical words. Subjects listened to the sentences during two attention conditions. In a semantic attention task, subjects listened to the meanings of the sentences for a subsequent memory test. In a phonemic attention task, subjects counted words beginning with the letter "p". Following these tasks, the sentence-final words were presented in isolation. A conventional auditory oddball paradigm was also presented. The N4 components elicited by semantically atypical sentence-final words were slightly attenuated and delayed in the older group. N4 was not influenced by the attention manipulation. Young but not older subjects' N4s were attenuated by repetition. When the sentence-final words were presented a third time in isolation, the N4s elicited were similar in amplitude and latency to those elicited in sentence context, but were not attenuated by repetition. In young and older subjects, the peak amplitude of the sentence-elicited N4 difference wave form was highly correlated with the number of correct recognitions of typical words, but not atypical sentence-final words. In young but not older subjects, sentence-elicited N4 amplitude was correlated with the amplitude of the P3 elicited in the auditory oddball paradigm.
Analysis of the spatial distribution of cryptosporidiosis in AIDS patients in San Francisco using density equalizing map projections (DEMP).

Environmental transmission of cryptosporidiosis has occurred repeatedly in defined spatial areas during outbreaks of disease attributed, for example, to drinking water contamination. Little work has been done to investigate the possibility of cryptosporidiosis infection in defined spatial areas in non-outbreak (i.e., endemic) settings. This study applies a novel approach to the investigation of the spatial distribution of cryptosporidiosis in AIDS patients in San Francisco. Density equalizing map projection (DEMP) maps were created for nine race/ethnicity-age groups of AIDS patients based on census tract of residence. Additionally, census tracts with a “high density” of cryptosporidiosis cases were identified by applying smoothing techniques to the DEMP maps, and included as a covariate in multivariate Poisson regression analyses of other known risk factors for cryptosporidiosis. These analyses suggest: (1) cases of cryptosporidiosis among Black and Hispanic AIDS patients, but not among Whites, show a statistically significant non-random spatial distribution (p<0.05) even after adjustment for the underlying spatial distribution of AIDS patients for these demographic groups, and (2) the risk of residence in these high density census tracts, adjusted for other known risk factors, was not statistically significant (relative risk=1.27, 95% confidence interval 0.15, 10.53). These results do not support an independent effect of spatial distribution on the transmission of cryptosporidiosis among AIDS patients.
A public relations program even Congress could love: Federal Information Centers

Abstract In 1966 President Johnson started a public relations program to assist citizens in obtaining information about the federal government, called Federal Information Centers (FICs). Every president since Johnson has maintained and expanded the operations of this program. Surprisingly, while Congress has consistently been hostile to public relations in public administration, it has been supportive of FICs. This article traces the history of FICs, examines Congressional treatment of the program and contrasts that behavior to Congressional opposition to a similar program of President Roosevelt’s, called the Office of Government Reports and its US Information Service.
Mirror or Megaphone?: How relationships between narcissism and social networking site use differ on Facebook and Twitter

As research on the connection between narcissism and social networking site (SNS) use grows, definitions of SNS and measurements of their use continue to vary, leading to conflicting results. To improve understanding of the relationship between narcissism and SNS use, as well as the implications of differences in definition and measurement, we examine two ways of measuring Facebook and Twitter use by testing the hypothesis that SNS use is positively associated with narcissism. We also explore the relation between these types of SNS use and different components of narcissism within college students and general adult samples. Our findings suggest that for college students, posting on Twitter is associated with the Superiority component of narcissistic personality while Facebook posting is associated with the Exhibitionism component. Conversely, adults high in Superiority post on Facebook more rather than Twitter. For adults, Facebook and Twitter are both used more by those focused on their own appearances but not as a means of showing off, as is the case with college students. Given these differences, it is essential for future studies of SNS use and personality traits to distinguish between different types of SNS, different populations, and different types of use.
High spin states in 88, 87, 86Zr

Abstract Levels populated by the 84, 86 Sr(α, 2nγ) 84, 88 Zr and 84 Sr(α, nγ) 87 Zr reactions were studied at bombarding energies of 28, 35 and 16.7 MeV, respectively. In addition, levels in 88 Zr populated by the 89 Y(p, 2nγ) 88 Zr reaction were studied at 22.7 MeV incident proton energy. The studies were performed by techniques of in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy. A number of new high spin states in 88 Zr and 87 Zr were observed, and a level scheme for 86 Zr is obtained for the first time. The levels observed are interpreted within a shell-model context.
A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (and Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media, by Bernard Goldberg

Bernard Goldberg, A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (and Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media (Washington, DC: Regnery, 2009), 184 pp. $25.95 (cloth)...
On the mechanism of the wolff aromatization reaction

Es wird ein Mechanismus fur die sauer-catalysierende Aromatisierung der Oxime (Wolff-Aromatisierung) vorgeschlagen, der es erlaubt, z. B. die Beckmann-Umlagerungsprozesse und Fragmentierungen entsprechend den heutigen Erkenntnissen aufzufassen. Die einschlagige moderne Literatur wird im Sinn dieser neuen Beziehungen interpretiert.
The therapeutic use of diethylaminoethyl ester hydroiodide of penicillin G in chronic bronchopulmonary infections; clinical and bacteriological studies.

The clinical results of the use of diethylaminoethyl ester hydroidide of penicillin G are reported in 80 patients with chronic bronchopulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis and chronic pneumonitis. Of 100 courses of treatment, an excellent result was obtained in 55, moderate improvement in 27 and little or no benefit in 18. Of 90 courses in which the sputum was purulent or mucopurulent before treatment, the result after treatment was no sputum in four instances, mucoid in 55, mucopurulent in 19 and purulent in 12. The sputum cultures after treatment were as follows: sterile in 36, gram negative bacteria in 27; Staphylococcus aureus in 14, B. proteus in four, pyocyaneus in one, yeast organisms in three, other organisms, including Streptococcus viridans, in five. The penicillin concentration of the sputum tested after intramuscular injection of 500,000 to 1,000,000 units of neo-penil, varied between 0.1 and 1.5 units per cc. in 48 of 68 instances. In 19 cases the penicillin level in the sputum after 1,000,000 units was between 0.2 and 0.48 units per cc. The case histories of patients with bronchopulmonary infections illustrate the effect of this drug on the course of their disease. The clinical and bacteriological observations made on the use of diethylaminoethyl iodide penicillin in patients with chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis and chronic pneumonitis suggest that this agent has a markedly effective action in the control of infections due to gram positive organisms. The side effects of the drug have not been of such severity or frequency as to limit its employment; allergic reactions to penicillin and the consequences of iodine sensitivity were among those encountered.
Hydraulic Resistance of Sorghum (C4) and Sunflower (C3)

Summary It is well known that C4 crops have a lower water requirement than C3 crops. Reasons for the difference are not well understood. Therefore, hydraulic resistance of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] (C4) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) (C3) was determined to see if it might be one explanation for the lower water use of crops with the C4 photosynthetic pathway. Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions in pots with soil, which was well watered (soil matric potential of ∼0 MPa) or allowed to dry (soil matric potential of −0.038 MPa and −0.065 MPa for sorghum and sunflower, respectively). Hydraulic resistance was calculated in two ways: (1) using the classic Ohm's law analogue, which assumes that the relation between flux (transpiration) and difference in water potentials of the soil and plant is linear and (2) using an equation that considers diurnal changes in leaf water content along with transpiration and difference in water potentials. Because change in leaf-water content during a da...
High‐Level Transient Production of a Heterologous Protein in Plants by Optimizing Induction of a Chemically Inducible Viral Amplicon Expression System

We have demonstrated that the method of chemical induction using a chemically inducible viral amplicon expression system can be optimized to increase expression of a heterologous protein in plants. A cucumber mosaic virus inducible viral amplicon (CMViva) expression system was used to transiently produce a recombinant human blood protein, α-1-antitrypsin (AAT), by co-infiltrating intact and detached Nicotiana benthamiana leaves with two Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains, one containing the CMViva expression cassette carrying the AAT gene and the other containing a binary vector carrying the gene silencing suppressor p19. Infiltrated plants were induced by either topical applications or pressure injections and inducer was applied at either a single or multiple time points. Applying induction solution every 2 days via topical application resulted in increasing maximum levels of biologically functional rAAT from 0.71% to 1.3% of the total soluble protein (TSP) in detached plant leaves, a 1.8-fold improvement. Multiple applications of induction solution via pressure injection into intact leaves resulted in maximum levels of biologically functional rAAT being elevated 3-fold up to 2.4% of TSP compared to 0.8% of TSP when using the conventional method of a single topical application, and expression levels remained high 6 days post-induction. Overall production of rAAT in intact leaves was found to have a maximum level of 5.8% of TSP or 390 mg rAAT per kg leaf tissue when applying multiple injections of chemical induction solution.
LPS-Induced TNF-αRelease from and Apoptosis in Rat Cardiomyocytes: Obligatory Role for CD14 in Mediating the LPS Response☆

The bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contributes to the cardiovascular collapse and death observed in patients with sepsis. Because LPS has such profound effects on cardiac performance, we speculate that direct effects of LPS could be demonstrated on cardiomyocytes in culture, and that these direct effects are mediated by the LPS receptor, CD14. Accordingly, in this study, we provide evidence for CD14-dependent cardiotoxic effects of LPS including the LPS-stimulated secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) from cardiomyocytes. TNF-alpha is an inflammatory cytokine which is known for its negative inotropic effects on cardiac performance, but has not until recently been shown to be produced by cardiac cells. In this study, LPS was found to stimulate strongly in a dose-dependent manner the secretion of TNF-alpha from cultured adult rat cardiomyocytes. Further, LPS-induced TNF-alpha secretion was blocked by an inhibitor of TNF-alpha processing, metallomatrix protease inhibitor (TAPI). Molecular and immunological evidence demonstrated the presence of LPS receptors (CD14) on cardiomyocytes. Attenuated TNF-alpha secretion following PI-PLC treatment confirmed the functional importance of CD14 for LPS-mediated myocardial effects. Importantly, LPS also triggered apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes as quantified by single-cell gel electrophoresis of nuclei exhibiting DNA fragmentation patterns characteristic of apoptosis (i.e. cardiac comets). Apoptotic cell death was blocked by pre-incubation with the soluble TNF-alpha receptor fragment (TNFRII:Fc), suggesting that LPS-induced apoptosis was TNF-alpha-dependent and probably involved an autocrine function for the TNF-alpha whose secretion was under LPS control. The results of this study suggest that the cardiodepressant effects of LPS are dependent on CD14 signaling and may not only be due to acute negative inotropic effects of TNF-alpha but also may be complicated by TNF-alpha-induced apoptotic cell death which effectively reduces the number of working myocardial cells.
Terminology and anatomy of angulated coronary arteriography

Angulated views in coronary arteriography have been increasingly utilized because of their superiority in demonstrating lesions not well seen in standard right and left oblique projections. The importance of these angulated views has been repeatedly demonstrated. It is the purpose of this article to review some basic coronary anatomy angulation terminology, and then to describe the particular advantages of the angulated views in coronary arteriography. Illustrations of these particular views of both coronary systems will be provided.
Litigating fear: electrical and magnetic fields (EMF) and the law

A large number of persons in the United States and Europe believe that EMF causes human illness. These illnesses include childhood leukemia, other cancers, high blood pressure, the aggravation of other diseases, and electrical sensitivity syndrome. EMF has become a legal issue as people seek compensation for alleged injuries and try to have power lines relocated away from their homes. This column discusses the problem of making good legal decisions about complex scientific problems such as EMF. Topics discussed include: the history; the Denver study; fear and the law; proving negatives and the law; economic consequences of fear; and fear and the public utility consequences. The author concludes that so far, the courts and most state public-utility regulatory commissions have acted reasonably when dealing with EMF. They have recognized that the potential risk is very small, if there is any risk at all, and that the potential harm from regulation is very high. This is a precarious balance, however, and it could easily be upset by either trial judges allowing EMF cases to be litigated or a state public-utility commission giving in to public pressure and declaring EMF a threat to health. Scientists and others who understand these problems should speak out and try to shape public opinion to diminish the suffering that comes from irrational fears and the social dislocations that follow bad policy choices.
'Genetic restoration:' a more comprehensive perspective than 'genetic rescue'

I dedicate this letter to Ulie Seal for his insightful thoughts and incredible energy in conserving our biological heritage.
Ultrastructural and morphometric analysis of neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the female rat hypothalamus following estradiol

Recent evidence suggests that E2 may act in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN) and arcuate nucleus (ARC) through mechanisms partly unique to each area. To examine this hypothesis, we investigated early and discontinuous effects of E2 action on neurons within the ARC from an ultrastructural and morphometric perspective. In contrast to our findings of dramatic, rapid effects of E2 on the structure of VMN neurons, no changes in any of the ultrastructural parameters examined, including the nucleolus, nucleus, nucleoplasm, and the nuclear envelope-RER system, were observed in ARC neurons after either 2 hours of E2 or a discontinuous schedule of 2 h on/7 h off/2 h on of E2. No changes were noted in any of the quantitative parameters examined, including nucleolar, nuclear, and somal area, nuclear shape, and nuclear envelope length after either 2 hours of E2 or a discontinuous schedule of 2 h on/7 h off/2 h on of E2. These morphological results support the hypothesis of differential actions of E2 on various E2-concentrating nuclear groups in the brain.
Laminar patterns of expression of GABAA receptor subunit mRNAs in monkey sensory motor cortex

Radioactive complementary RNA probes, made from monkey-specific cDNAs specific for the alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 4, alpha 5, beta 1, beta 2, and gamma 2 subunits of the gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor were used for in situ hybridization histochemistry of the primary motor, somatosensory, and anterior parietal areas of the cerebral cortex in macaque monkeys. mRNAs for the alpha 1, beta 2, and gamma 2 subunit polypeptides, which form receptors with the full range of classical properties, are expressed at much higher levels in all areas and show laminar- and sublaminar-specific concentrations. alpha 2, alpha 4, alpha 5, and beta 1 subunit transcripts are expressed at much lower levels but also display individual, laminar-specific concentrations; alpha 5 expression, in particular, is highly expressed in layer IV in the somatosensory and parietal areas and in a layer IV-like band in the motor cortex. In layers in which expression of a particular transcript is high, all neurons may express the gene, but in layers in which expression is moderate, it is possible to detect differences in the degree of labeling of individual neurons for a particular mRNA, and some neurons may not express certain subunit transcripts in detectable amounts. These findings indicate the variability in expression of different GABAA receptor subunits in the cerebral cortex. Laminar differences may indicate the assembly of functional receptors from different arrangements of available subunits in different classes of cells.
Research Report: Social media for learning: A mixed methods study on high school students' technology affordances and perspectives

Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the study investigated high school students' affordances for social media, their attitudes and beliefs about these new technologies, and related obstacles and issues. The affordance findings indicate that students depend on social media in their daily lives for leisure and social connections. Educational uses by teachers for classroom teaching and learning are sporadic, while uses by students on their own for learning purposes seem to be abundant but also incidental and informal. Quantitative results suggest that in general, students show positive attitudes and beliefs about social media use in education. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three components that explained a total of 65.4% of the variance: (a) benefits of social media use, (b) disadvantages of social media use, and (c) current social media use in education. Three issues emerged from the interview data: Conceptual understanding of social media for learning; close-minded, acquired uses versus open-minded, innate uses of social media; and changed concepts of learning. The study results suggest that for social media to be used as effective learning tools and to adjust students' prior affordances with these tools, complicated efforts in designing, scaffolding, and interacting with students during the process are necessary.
Liquid crystallinity of natural silk secretions

NATURAL silk exhibits a strength and stiffness similar to, and a toughness up to ten times greater than, that of artificial high-performance fibres1–5. These exceptional tensile properties, the optical birefringence of some silk secretions6–9 and the molecular order exhibited by some synthetic polypeptides in solution10 all suggest that natural silk secretions might form liquid-crystalline phases. We have now used polarized-light microscopy to study the secretions from major ampullae of spiders (Nephila clavipes) and from silk glands of silkworms (Bombyx mori). As the concentration is increased by evaporation of water, nematic liquid-crystalline microstructures develop. We deduce that natural silk secretions become liquid crystalline after leaving the gland but before solidifying into a fibre, thus promoting global molecular alignment in the fibre. Our hand-drawn fibres from droplets of secretion, as well as sheared thin films, show a banded microstructure which is indicative of a periodic variation in the direction of molecular alignment11. Both B. mori and N. clavipes, on the other hand, have apparently developed processing routes that ensure uniform molecular alignment: the threads and draglines, respectively, of these species do not show banded microstructures.
Design and performance of a real-time acoustic beamforming system

A real-time acoustic beamforming system comprised of multiple nodes, each node having 12 MEMS microphones, was developed to process source signals in the far-field to (1) improve signal quality through distributed beamforming, and (2) provide direction selectivity for targeted listening. Speech intelligibility of beamformed signals was evaluated experimentally using a variant of the Modified Rhyme Test (MRT). Results show a mean improvement in speech intelligibility of 18% compared with single microphone recordings for 40 study participants. A statistical analysis on the improvement in speech intelligibility scores resulted in a 95% confidence interval of (16%, 21%).
Non-adiabatic molecular dynamics investigation of photoionization state formation and lifetime in Mn2+-doped ZnO quantum dots

The unique electronic structure of Mn2+-doped ZnO quantum dots gives rise to photoionization states that can be used to manipulate the magnetic state of the material and to generate zero-reabsorption luminescence. Fast formation and long non-radiative decay of this photoionization state is a necessary requirement for these important applications. In this work, surface hopping based non-adiabatic molecular dynamics are used to demonstrate the fast formation of a metal-to-ligand charge transfer state in a Mn2+-doped ZnO quantum dot. The formation occurs on an ultrafast timescale and is aided by the large density of states and significant mixing of the dopant Mn2+ 3dt2 levels with the valence-band levels of the ZnO lattice. The non-radiative lifetime of the photoionization states is also investigated.
Security constrained unit commitment and economic dispatch through benders decomposition: A comparative study

Security Constrained Unit Commitment (SCUC) is a complex optimization algorithm used for day-ahead planning in restructured electricity markets. There are many existing approaches for implementing SCUC, but this paper will focus on the ones based on General Benders Decomposition (GBD). GBD decomposes the SCUC problem into a master problem, feasibility checks and subproblems. This paper will give a comparison study of different ways how the SCUC problem can be decomposed using variations of the existing GBD framework. Our goal is to show all these possible mappings and determine properties of the algorithms in terms of solution quality and runtime scalability. IEEE test cases will be used to present behavior of the algorithms when applied to networks of different size.
Corning: supplier of multiple optical materials for telescope projects

Corning manufactures several optical materials that can be used as reflective and transmissive optics for telescope optical systems. Corning can manufacture these materials in a large range of sizes and configurations. This paper discusses Corning's portfolio of optical materials and their properties, along with Corning's manufacturing capabilities using these materials. Specific examples of optical blanks that Corning has supplied will be discussed.
Survey of pharmacy preceptors' use of hand-held electronic devices.

Objectives To describe pharmacy preceptors' use of personal digital assistants (PDAs)/hand-held electronic devices and drug information (DI) software for these devices and to determine whether preceptors believed that training students to use DI software for these devices was important. Methods We initially pilot tested the survey to 10 Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)–Boston pharmacy practice faculty representing different practice areas. The questionnaire was modified based on faculty feedback. The final survey was prepared using eListen software and e-mailed in early January 2007 to 356 preceptors with an accompanying letter explaining the project. Preceptors were requested to reply by the end of January. Responses and free-text comments were recorded and descriptive statistics compiled. Results 152 preceptors responded (43% response rate). An equal number reported currently using a PDA in practice compared with those not using one. Of those not using a PDA, 71% reported having other DI databases at their site. Preceptors believed that the PDA was most useful for general DI, scheduling and planning, and performing calculations. Free-text comments suggested that students need to be able to evaluate DI software and not rely on it as the sole DI resource. The majority (96%) of preceptors believed that students should be trained on DI software. Conclusion Hand-held electronic devices were used by preceptors for a variety of reasons, and the majority of preceptors believed that training students on the use and evaluation of DI software was important.
UNDER SURVEILLANCE: AN EMPIRICAL TEST OF THE EFFECTIVENESS AND CONSEQUENCES OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING

Research Summary: This study addresses the effectiveness of electronic monitoring (EM) for serious offenders supervised in the community. Using data on 75,661 offenders placed on home confinement in Florida from 1998 to 2002, we find that both radio-frequency and global positioning system monitoring significantly reduce the likelihood of technical violations, reoffending, and absconding for this population of offenders. Additionally, we find that offenders placed on home confinement with EM are significantly more serious than those placed on home confinement without EM, which casts doubt on the anticipated net-widening effect of this particular intermediate sanction. Policy Implications: Given the anticipated increase in the use of EM in the immediate future, policy makers will surely be faced with questions about its effectiveness in preventing or deterring further criminal activity among offenders in the community, as well as concerns about the intensity of surveillance it affords and a subsequent increase in the likelihood of a prison sentence or return to prison for technical violations. The results presented here suggest that such concerns may be overblown and that EM of offenders in the community may prove an effective public safety alternative to prison. Additional implications of this research include decision making regarding which offenders should be placed on EM, which type of monitoring device will be the most cost-effective and efficient, and the potential for front-end net-widening if states adopt the practice of “Got ‘em?’ Use ‘em.’”
The superior colliculus control of pinna movements in the cat: Possible anatomical connections

Possible anatomical pathways mediating superior colliculus control of pinna movements were determined in the cat using the orthograde autoradiographic tracing method and the retrograde horseradish peroxidase technique. This was done in the following manner. First, the division of the facial nucleus that innervates the pinna muscles was determined by injecting the pinna muscles with HRP and surveying the facial nucleus for retrogradely filled cells. Second, the brainstem regions that project the facial nucleus were identified using the horseradish peroxidase method. Third, the superior colliculus projections to these areas were studied using the autoradiographic tracing method. The results suggest that superior colliculus control of pinna movements is mediated entirely by indirect connections with the facial nucleus and that these connections occur mainly in a paralemniscal zone in the lateral midbrain. Of all the brainstem regions shown by the horseradish peroxidase experiments to project to the facial nucleus only this midbrain paralemniscal zone received a projection from the superior colliculus that was dense and overlapped precisely the region containing facial projecting neurons. Further autoradiographic tracing revealed that the facial nucleus was the primary brainstem target of this paralemniscal zone and that all paralemniscal fibers projecting to the facial nucleus ended in the subdivision that innervates the pinna muscles. Other paralemniscal efferents terminate in the opposite paralemniscal zone. The data suggest that other connections between the superior colliculus and the facial nucleus may occur in the cuneiform nucleus of the midbrain, the region around the oculomotor complex, and the reticular formation dorsal to the superior olive.
Impact of area contact between sensor bulb and evaporator return line on modular refrigeration unit : Computational and experimental

In the past, virtually all commercial computers were designed to operate at temperatures above the ambient and were primarily air-cooled. However, researchers have always known the advantages of operating electronics at low temperatures. This facilitates faster switching time of semiconductor devices, increased circuit speeds due to lower electrical resistance of interconnecting materials, and reduction in thermally induced failures of devices and components. Depending on the doping characteristics of the chip, performance improvement ranges from 1% to 3% for every 10°C lower transistor temperature can be realized. The IBM S/390 high-end server system is the first IBM design which uses a conventional refrigeration system to maintain the chip temperatures below that of comparable air-cooled systems, but well above cryogenic temperature. In previous work, the focus was to study the effect of variation of evaporator outlet superheat on the flow through thermostatic expansion valve at varying evaporator temperature. The effect of change in bulb location and effect of bulb time constant on the hunting at the evaporator has been reported. The effect of area contact on the stability of the system is been predicted theoretically. Mechanical analysis is performed in order to check the stresses induced. The evaporator return line and the sensor bulb are simply attached. The effect of area contact is further studied experimentally on an experimental bench.
Aeration of Water Supplies for Fish Culture in Flowing Water

Abstract An analytical approach to the reaeration of flowing water for aquaculture is presented, together with a rational method for the assignment of dissolved oxygen minima on the basis of respiratory characteristics of fish. Methods for calculation of expected oxygen transfer capabilities of gravity devices and mechanical units are given.
Category-specific activations during word generation reflect experiential sensorimotor modalities

According to the sensorimotor theory of lexicosemantic organization, semantic representations are neurally distributed and anatomically linked to category-specific sensory areas. Previous functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated category specificity in lexicosemantic representations. However, little evidence is available from word generation paradigms, which provide access to semantic representations while minimizing confounds resulting from low-level perceptual features of stimulus presentation. In this study, 13 healthy young adults underwent fMRI scanning while performing a word generation task, generating exemplars to nine different semantic categories. Each semantic category was assigned to one of three superordinate category types, based upon sensorimotor modalities (visual, motor, somatosensory) presumed to predominate in lexical acquisition. For word generation overall, robust activation was seen in left inferior frontal cortex. Analyses by sensorimotor modality categories yielded activations in brain regions related to perceptual and motor processing: Visual categories activated extrastriate cortex, motor categories activated the intraparietal sulcus and posterior middle temporal cortex, and somatosensory categories activated postcentral and inferior parietal regions. Our results are consistent with the sensorimotor theory, according to which lexicosemantic representations are distributed across brain regions participating in sensorimotor processing associated with the experiential components of lexicosemantic acquisition.
Radiation therapy in bulky seminoma.

Abstract Between 1969 and 1980. 17 patients with bulky retroperitoneal seminoma and 1 patient with bulky mediastinal seminoma were treated with radiation therapy. One patient had resection of gross retroperitoneal disease, and 1 patient had resection of gross mediastinal disease. Fifteen patients received adjuvant irradiation to the mediastinum and paraclavicular lymph nodes, and 1 patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. At last follow-up, 17 of 18 patients (94%) remain free of disease. No patient has sustained treatment-related morbidity or mortality.