cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early warning indicators? The effect of consumer and investor sentiments on the restaurant industry

Abstract This study looks at the influence of cyclical fluctuations of the consumer confidence index (CCI) and the volatility index (VIX) as early-warning indicators of the variations in restaurant performance. The industry has traditionally focused on past data and on microeconomic influences to anticipate its future performance, a procedure that does not consider possible cyclical fluctuations in restaurant performance metrics. These fluctuations are driven by sentiments of consumers and investors. The study uses the cyclical component of the applied data, followed by unit root and cointegration testing, with subsequent application of the Limited Information Maximum Likelihood technique. The results show both indicators have an effect on restaurant performance, where VIX has an impact on the current, expected, and overall restaurant performance, while the CCI’s influence is only partial (current performance). Policy-makers and planners could benefit from anticipating features of indicators to assess and steer the future performance of the restaurant industry.
Raman Spectroscopy characterization extracellular vesicles from bovine placenta and peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Placenta-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in communication between the placenta and maternal immune cells possibly leading to a modulation of maternal T-cell signaling components. The ability to identify EVs in maternal blood may lead to the development of diagnostic and treatment tools for pregnancy complications. The objective of this work was to differentiate EVs from bovine placenta (trophoblast) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by a label-free, non-invasive Raman spectroscopy technique. Extracellular vesicles were isolated by ultracentrifugation. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied to verify the presence and the size distribution of EVs. Raman peaks at 728 cm-1 (collagen) and 1573 cm-1 (protein) were observed only in PBMC-derived EVs, while the peaks 702 cm-1 (cholesterol) and 1553 cm-1 (amide) appeared only in trophoblast-derived EVs. The discrimination of the Raman spectral fingerprints for both types of EVs from different animals was performed by principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The PCA and LDA results clearly segregated the spectral clusters between the two types of EVs. Moreover, the PBMC-derived EVs from different animals were indistinguishable, while the trophoblast-derived EVs from three placental samples of different gestational ages showed separate clusters. This study reports for the first time the Raman characteristic peaks for identification of PBMC and trophoblast-derived EVs. The development of this method also provides a potential tool for further studies investigating the causes and potential treatments for pregnancy complications.
Barriers and facilitators for partnerships between parents with immigrant backgrounds and professionals in ECEC: a review based on empirical research

Partnerships between parents and professionals in early childhood education and care (ECEC) are widely acknowledged as important for children’s well-being and learning. For children with immigrant ...
mTOR kinase inhibition disrupts neuregulin 1-ERBB3 autocrine signaling and sensitizes NF2-deficient meningioma cellular models to IGF1R inhibition.

Meningiomas (MNs), arising from the arachnoid/meningeal layer, are nonresponsive to chemotherapies, with ∼50% showing loss of the Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) tumor suppressor gene. Previously, we established NF2 loss activates mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) signaling, leading to clinical trials for NF2 and MN. Recently our omics studies identified activated ephrin (EPH) receptor and Src family kinases upon NF2 loss. Here, we report increased expression of several ligands in NF2-null human arachnoidal cells (ACs) and the MN cell line Ben-Men-1, particularly neuregulin-1/heregulin (NRG1), and confirm increased NRG1 secretion and activation of V-ERB-B avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 3 (ERBB3) receptor kinase. Conditioned-medium from NF2-null ACs or exogenous NRG1 stimulated ERBB3, EPHA2, and mTORC1/2 signaling, suggesting pathway crosstalk. NF2-null cells treated with an ERBB3-neutralizing antibody partially downregulated mTOR pathway activation but showed no effect on viability. mTORC1/2 inhibitor treatment decreased NRG1 expression and downregulated ERBB3 while re-activating pAkt T308, suggesting a mechanism independent of NRG1–ERBB3 but likely involving activation of another upstream receptor kinase. Transcriptomics after mTORC1/2 inhibition confirmed decreased ERBB3/ERBB4 while revealing increased expression of insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF1R). Drug treatment co-targeting mTORC1/2 and IGF1R/insulin receptor attenuated pAkt T308 and showed synergistic effects on viability. Our findings indicate potential autocrine signaling where NF2 loss leads to secretion/activation of NRG1-ERBB3 signaling. mTORC1/2 inhibition downregulates NRG1-ERBB3, while upregulating pAkt T308 through an adaptive response involving IGF1R/insulin receptor and co-targeting these pathways may prove effective for treatment of NF2-deficient MN.
Data Science in 2020: Computing, Curricula, and Challenges for the Next 10 Years

In the past 10 years, new data science courses and programs have proliferated at the collegiate level. As faculty and administrators enter the race to provide data science training and attract new ...
Watt W. Webb: His measurements of the seemingly inaccessible broadened the horizons of biophysics.

Watt W. Webb’s scientific career was a series of triumphs over challenges to make difficult measurements of important physical and biological phenomena: “impossible problems of experimental physiology,” as he described them (1). A common theme was his use of light microscopy in new ways to reveal equilibrium and dynamic properties in biomolecular systems and in organisms. Webb’s deep understanding of physics directly contributed to new instruments and methods for detecting and interpreting the hitherto undetectable and undecipherable. Webb and his collaborators opened approaches adopted far and wide to investigate important questions in areas of physics, biology, biochemistry, and biophysics. Webb was born on August 27, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri. He entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 16, where he majored in business and engineering administration. He then worked as an industrial engineer at Union Carbide. During that period, he resumed studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and by 1955 had completed a Doctorate of Science in materials science physics and mathematics. Watt W. Webb. Image credit: Cornell University, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND. Beginning in the late 1950s and continuing through the early 1970s, Webb contributed to a wide variety of physics topics, including crystal growth and dislocations, magnetization, continuous transitions at critical liquid–vapor interfaces, and fluctuations in superconductors. Even at this early stage in his career, Webb showed an interest in statistical fluctuations, albeit in quantum systems, statistical noise, and phase transformations that prefigured his later work on more biologically oriented areas. Webb’s entry into biophysics in the early 1970s was driven by a tantalizing challenge: How to measure the kinetics of chemical reactions without displacing them from equilibrium. Even in equilibrium the concentrations of chemical reactants fluctuate spontaneously about their equilibrium values. The reaction kinetics could be determined from the time courses of these tiny … [↵][1]1Email: elson{at}wustl.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Analysis of a precision medicine approach to treating Parkinson's disease: Analysis of the DATATOP study

Abstract Introduction The aim of this study was to examine the potential application of a targeted proteomic predictive biomarker comprised predominantly of inflammatory proteins in distinguishing those who responded to a previously conducted clinical trial for Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods Plasma samples obtained from a biorepository were assayed from a total of n = 520 DATATOP (Deprenyl And Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy Of Parkinsonism) clinical trial participants across treatment arms. Support vector machine analyses were conducted to distinguish responder status on primary (need for Levodopa) and secondary trial endpoints (UPDRS Motor and Total Scores). Results For the α-tocopherol and deprenyl placebo treatment arm (TOC), the targeted proteomic biomarker was able to distinguish responder status with an accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]) of 91% for the primary endpoint while it was 100% across secondary endpoints. For the deprenyl and α-tocopherol placebo treatment arm (DEP), the AUC was 93% for the primary endpoint and 99–100% for the secondary endpoints. For the combined treatment arm, AUC was 87% for the primary and 94–96% for the secondary endpoints. Discussion The targeted proteomic predictive biomarker was highly accurate in distinguishing responder status across treatment arms thereby supporting the application of a precision medicine approach to treating PD.
The relationship between carotid artery plaque stability and white matter ischemic injury

Higher local carotid artery strain has previously been shown to be a characteristic of unstable carotid plaques. These plaques may be characterized by microvascular changes that predispose to intraplaque hemorrhage, increasing the likelihood of embolization. Little is known however, about how these strain indices correspond with imaging markers of brain health and metrics of brain structure. White matter hyperintensities (WMHs), which are bright regions seen on T2-weighted brain MRI imaging, are postulated to result from cumulative ischemic vascular injury. Consequently, we hypothesized that plaques that are more prone to microvascular changes and embolization, represented by higher strain indices on ultrasound, would be associated with an increased amount of WMH lesion volume. This relationship would suggest not only emboli as a cause for the brain degenerative changes, but more importantly, a common microvascular etiology for large and small vessel contributions to this process. Subjects scheduled to undergo a carotid endarterectomy were recruited from a neurosurgery clinic. Prior to surgery, participating subjects underwent both ultrasound strain imaging and brain MRI scans as part of a larger clinical study on vascular health and cognition. A linear regression found that maximum absolute strain and peak to peak strain in the surgical side carotid artery were predictive of WMH burden. Furthermore, the occurrence of microembolic signals monitored using transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound examinations also correlated with increasing lesion burden. It is becoming increasingly recognized that cognitive decline is often multifactorial in nature. One contributing extra-brain factor may be changes in the microvasculature that produce unstable carotid artery plaques. In this study, we have shown that higher strain indices in carotid artery plaques are significantly associated with an increased WMH burden, a marker of vascular mediated brain damage.
Potential Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Nanomaterials Used in the Construction Industry

Nanomaterials and nanocomposites with unique physical and chemical properties are increasingly being used by the construction industry to enable novel applications. Yet, we are confronted with the timely concern about their potential (unintended) impacts to the environment and human health. Here, we consider likely environmental release and exposure scenarios for nanomaterials that are often incorporated into building materials and/or used in various applications by the construction industry, such as carbon nanotubes, TiO2, and quantum dots. To provide a risk perspective, adverse biological and toxicological effects associated with these nanomaterials are also reviewed along with their mode of action. Aligned with ongoing multidisciplinary action on risk assessment of nanomaterials in the environment, this article concludes by discerning critical knowledge gaps and research needs to inform the responsible manufacturing, use and disposal of nanoparticles in construction materials.
Diagnosis of Viral Infections by Viral Isolation and Identification or by Direct Detection

Laboratory diagnostic tests for viral infections play an important role in the management of infections during pregnancy and in the newborn infant. There are three basic laboratory approaches to diagnosis of viral infection: (1) isolation and identification, (2) serology, and (3) direct detection. The choice of approach depends on the agent suspected, the specimen submitted, and the resources of the laboratory. Isolation is considered the “gold standard,” but not all viruses grow well or at all in currently available culture systems. Serology is the method of choice when the virus is no longer likely to be present or cannot be cultured. Direct detection provides clinically relevant information in a minimum amount of time. The approach can be both highly sensitive and specific.
Living Autoethnography: Connecting Life and Research

Autoethnography is a qualitative research method that utilizes data about self and context to gain an understanding of the connectivity between self and others. This introductory article exposes the reader to our own praxis of collaborative autoethnography which we used to interrogate how we navigate the US academy as immigrant women faculty. Before introducing the articles in this special issue, we explore the autoethnography continuum, provide sample areas covered by autoethnographers, and explicate the practice of collaborative autoethnography. We conclude this piece with implications for future use of autoethnography as research method.
Single Isolated Attosecond Pulses Generation with Double Optical Gating

Isolated attosecond pulses are powerful tools for exploring electron dynamics in matter. We proposed and demonstrated a technique called generalized double optical gating for generating isolated attosecond pulses. The double optical gating scheme, relaxing the stringent requirement on laser pulse duration from ≤ 5 fs to pulse duration close to the amplifier output, would make attophysics more accessible to many laboratories that are capable of producing such multicycle laser pulses. The isolated attosecond pulses were measured by reconstructing the streaked photoelectron spectrogram. The same setup was used to trace the spatial profile of a femtosecond Bessel beam, which serves as a demonstration of attosecond pulse applications. We also review a technique for stabilizing the carrier-envelope phase of grating-based laser amplifiers, which controls the grating separation. The phase-stabilized lasers are required for generating isolated attosecond pulses with double optical gating as well as other schemes.
Envelope's letters boxed into shape

The latest step in the fight against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) comes with the crystallization of the gp120 glycoprotein. This structure reveals much about how HIV interacts with its receptor (CD4) and co-receptors (CXCR4 and CCR5), and provides further knowledge to guide the design of agents to block these interactions.
Using Multiple Query Aspects to Build Test Collections without Human Relevance Judgments

Collecting relevance judgments (qrels) is an especially challenging part of building an information retrieval test collection. This paper presents a novel method for creating test collections by offering a substitute for relevance judgments. Our method is based on an old idea in IR: a single information need can be represented by many query articulations. We call different articulations of a particular need query aspects . By combining the top k documents retrieved by a single system for multiple query aspects, we build judgment-free qrels whose rank ordering of IR systems correlates highly with rankings based on human relevance judgments.
The Effects of Tai Chi on Peripheral Somatosensation, Balance, and Fitness in Hispanic Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot and Feasibility Study

Peripheral neuropathy and loss of somatosensation in older adults with type 2 diabetes can increase risk of falls and disability. In nondiabetic older adult population Tai Chi has been shown to enhance balance and fitness through improvements in somatosensation and neuromuscular control, and it is unclear if Tai Chi would elicit similar benefits in older adults with diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week, three-hour-per-week Tai Chi intervention on peripheral somatosensation in older adults with type 2 diabetes. Participants were eight Hispanic older adults with type 2 diabetes who participated in the Tai Chi intervention and a convenience sample of Hispanic older adults as a referent group. Baseline and postintervention assessments included ankle proprioception, foot tactile sense, plantar pressure distribution, balance, and fitness. After intervention, older adults with type 2 diabetes showed significant improvements in ankle proprioception and fitness and decreased plantar pressure in the forefoot, with no statistical effect noted in balance or tactile sensation. Study results suggest that Tai Chi may be beneficial for older adults with diabetes as it improves ankle proprioception; however, study findings need to be confirmed in a larger sample size randomized controlled trial.
Selective accumulation of MyoD and myogenin mRNAs in fast and slow adult skeletal muscle is controlled by innervation and hormones

Each of the myogenic helix-loop-helix transcription factors (MyoD, Myogenin, Myf-5, and MRF4) is capable of activating muscle-specific gene expression, yet distinct functions have not been ascribed to the individual proteins. We report here that MyoD and Myogenin mRNAs selectively accumulate in hindlimb muscles of the adult rat that differ in contractile properties: MyoD is prevalent in fast twitch and Myogenin in slow twitch muscles. The distribution of MyoD and Myogenin transcripts also differ within a single muscle and correlate with the proportions of fast glycolytic and slow oxidative muscle fibres, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of a transgene consisting of a muscle-specific cis-regulatory region from the myoD gene controlling lacZ was primarily associated with the fast glycolytic fibres. Alteration of the fast/slow fibre type distribution by thyroid hormone treatment or by cross-reinnervation resulted in a corresponding alteration in the MyoD/Myogenin mRNA expression pattern. These findings show that the expression of specific myogenic helix-loop-helix regulators is under the control of innervation and humoral factors and may mediate differential control of contractile protein gene expression in adult muscle.
Combination intraperitoneal chemotherapy is superior to mitomycin C or oxaliplatin for colorectal carcinomatosis in vivo.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy after cytoreduction improves survival in patients with colorectal carcinomatosis of the peritoneal surface. Most protocols use single agents (mitomycin C or oxaliplatin) provided IP. The purpose of this study was to determine whether combination IP chemotherapy is superior to single-agent therapy in a mouse model. Nu/Nu mice were injected IP with HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. Animals were treated with single agents or combinations. Primary end point was overall survival. Agents explored included oxaliplatin, mitomycin C, panitumumab, erlotinib, cetuximab, and irinotecan delivered IP as single agents; mitomycin C, panitumumab, and irinotecan in combination IP; and 5-fluorouracil–leucovorin–irinotecan (FOLFIRI) in combination delivered intravenously. Survival of mice receiving irinotecan or mitomycin C IP was greater than controls. Median survival of mice receiving intravenous FOLFIRI was also greater than control. However, survival of mice receiving IP irinotecan or mitomycin C was far greater than mice receiving intravenous FOLFIRI. For combination therapy, a positive interaction was observed with mitomycin C and irinotecan, whereas survival was greater than either agent individually. No interaction was observed between panitumumab and mitomycin C or irinotecan. However, an overall survival benefit was observed with the combination of irinotecan, mitomycin C, and panitumumab; at 120 days after cell injection, 100% of the triagent therapy group survived. IP therapy with mitomycin C or irinotecan provided a survival benefit compared with intravenous FOLFIRI. Combination IP therapy with mitomycin C, panitumumab, and irinotecan was superior to all other agents tested alone or in combination. This warrants further combination analysis and supports consideration for a phase I application.
Factors Affecting the Conservation of Nutrients in Estuarine Waters of the River Tiber

Abstract The estuarine processes which can influence the release of nutrients of the River Tiber into the Tyrrhenian Sea have been studied. A conservative behaviour has been found for silicate in different hydrographic conditions. For nitrogen, positive increments in respect of the dilution values were found in summer, due to regeneration processes; on the contrary a conservative behaviour was observed when seawater did not intrude into the river. Dissolved phosphorus showed, in all the hydrographic conditions, a positive deviation in respect of the theoretical dilution values. This deviation has been attributed to regeneration processes which take place during the summer period. The chemical release of phosphate from particulate matter is predominant when the saline wedge is absent.
Wavelength division multiplexer based on photonic crystal filters integrated into silicon-on-insulator waveguides

A photonic crystal (PC)-based FP filter in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) is designed and simulated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) approach. The result is compared to a fabricated PC filter. A wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) component occupying only 500 ?m2 based on this filter is designed and simulated.
THERMOMECHANICS OF HETEROGENEOUS MEDIA

This is a brief survey of some recently developed micromechanical modeling methods and certain results concerning the overall thermomechanical response and average local fields in both elastic and inelastic composite materials with extensions to laminated plates.
Anti-N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis: Early Treatment is Beneficial

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antibody has been associated with a severe stereotypic form of subacute encephalitis, often found in women with ovarian teratoma. Reported here is the diagnosis of anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis in a 5-year-old girl who presented with subacute encephalopathy and movement disorder without evidence of malignancy. Early diagnosis and treatment with immune globulin and steroids resulted in near-complete recovery.
Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity in the brains of alcohol-preferring (P) and nonpreferring (NP) rats.

In contrast to the reported response of inbred male mice (2)], young male rats with differing preferences for ethanol (P and NP lines) exhibited no significant change in brain cyclic AMP-binding activity following free-choice consumption of ethanol for 28 days. However, for the NP line, phosphorylation of the kinase regulatory subunit (R II ) by basal kinase activity in the cytoplasmic fraction was significantly suppressed by free-choice ethanol consumption but the preferring (P) line showed no such changes. Thus the changes in phosphorylating activity appeared to be associated with differences in the animals' responses to ethanol exposure. The lower preference line (NP) consumed a smaller amount of ethanol (mean = 1.7 ± 0.1 g/kg/24 hours) and showed a significant decrease in phosphorylating activity relative to vehicle-treated animals whereas the high preference line (P) showed no such change in kinase catalytic activity relative to controls, even though these animals consumed a significantly larger dose of ethanol (mean = 5.9 ± 0.7 g/kg/24 hours). The data suggest that the P and NP lines differ as to their sensitivity to ethanol-induced changes in the phosphorylation of brain protein kinase regulatory subunit, an important parameter in the overall regulation of kinase activity.
Measurements for posterior shoulder tightness: reliability without validity

This article was the fi rst to describe the loss of glenohumeral internal rotation range of motion (ROM) in pitchers, and the authors report using glenohumeral horizontal adduction with the humerus in neutral internal/external rotation to assess posterior shoulder tightness. In the 26 years since this publication, posterior shoulder tightness has regularly been examined for its role in shoulder pathology, especially in overhead athletes. Whenever a clinical measurement is taken, two critical properties of that measurement should be known: validity and reliability. The current paper has compiled a summary of many previous studies that have examined these constructs as they relate to measuring posterior shoulder tightness. What becomes apparent through this summary is that the reliability of current clinical measurements is fairly strong, especially when the measurement method appears to be well-defined, tightly controlled, and repeated within a short time interval by experienced raters. What is also apparent in the summary is that the validity of measuring posterior shoulder tightness is not only considered modest at best, but arguably, has not been established.
Sociology as a vocation: Reputations and group cultures in graduate school

Graduate training in sociology involves more than meeting organizationally imposed demands such as satisfying departmental requirements, taking exams, and completing a dissertation. More central is the development of identity through institutional and interactional forces. We examine the experience of graduate students as tied to the social psychological processes associated with professional training. We consider the faculty-student relationship, identifying how student identities as future sociologists are negotiated and constructed within a reputation market linked to status politics. Through this process, graduate students construct frames of interpretation that make sense of a status system in which criteria for evaluation are often variable, uncertain, or undisclosed. To recognize how graduate students fit into their occupational routines, we build upon three core disciplinary constructs: identity, reputation, and group culture. This perspective permits graduate education to be grounded in sociological understandings, underlining the role of a sociological imagination. We propose strategies that sociology departments might follow to facilitate the professional socialization of graduate students, emphasizing the establishment of group culture and presentational norms. In the absence of these changes, we offer advice to graduate students on navigating their current programs.
A Functional Language for Description and Design of Digital Systems: Sequential Constructs

A functional (applicative) hardware description language (FHDL), capable of dealing with both the sequential and combinational systems is discussed. The language supports multi-level executable specifications and interpretation of functional specifications as implementations at a given level of primitives. That is, the FHDL specifications are symbolically interpreted to produce structural representations (implementations) of hardware algorithms. The symbolic interpreter presently implements the specification of hardware algorithms at the gate level. The FHDL allows definition of function attributes, such as delay and number of logic level so that the performance characteristics of implementations can be obtained during simulation.
Home Smoke Alarms: The Data as Context for Decision

Considerable attention has been devoted to how home smoke alarms could be more effective at preventing fire deaths. The death rate per 100 reported home fires is half as high in homes with working smoke alarms compared to homes without this protection. This paper summarizes what is known about the performance and effectiveness of home smoke alarms and of victim characteristics in home fires with and without operating smoke alarms based on statistical analysis of actual fire experience data. Special studies on other factors affecting smoke alarm performance, audibility, and nuisance alarms are also discussed. The paper also identifies several questions that cannot, at present, be conclusively addressed.
Mechanism of the serotonin depressor response following BAS-phenol administration in the dog

Apres l'administration de BAS-phenol a des chiens anesthesies, l'effet usuel de la serotonine d'augmenter la pression arterielle se convertit constamment en un abaissement prolonge de la pression. Cet effet d'abaissement n'est pas influence par la section bilaterale des deux nerfs vagues, mais on peut le bloquer avec la diphenhydramine. Les donnees presentees suggerent que la reponse d'abaissement de la pression arterielle de la serotonine qui survient dans les chiens ayant ete traites avec du BAS-phenol est due a une liberation d'histamine endogene.
A functional interpretation of the axillary border of the Neandertal scapula

The axillary borders of Neandertal scapulae predominantly exhibit the sulcus axillaris teretis pattern. This morphology, which is virtually absent in samples of more recent hominids, implies a pronounced development of M. teres minor . Since M. teres minor acts as a lateral rotator of the humerus, its enlargement among the Neandertals appears to have counteracted the medial rotation associated with humeral adduction. It thus enabled powerful yet precise adduction of the Neandertal humerus.
Use of High Lateral Resolution Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry To Characterize Self-Assembled Monolayers on Microfabricated Structures

Abstract : Our work on the surface coordination chemistry of microfabricated structures has inspired us to develop methodologies for detecting the presence of a monolayer of surface-confined molecules at high lateral resolution. Previous work from this laboratory has shown that it is possible to selectively derivatize microlithographically patterned Gort and Platinum surfaces with self- assembled monolayers (SAMs) of redox active molecules, R-L, as shown in Scheme I, where L is -SH or -NC, known to coordinate to Au and Pt. Verification of the selective binding of intact molecules in our studies to date has been provided by a combination of electrochemical and surface sensitive spectroscopic techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning Auger electron spectroscopy (AES).
tRNA and cytochrome c in cell death and beyond

Both transfer RNA (tRNA) and cytochrome c are essential to cellular function: tRNA mediates protein synthesis while cytochrome c is required for oxidative phosphorylation and apoptosis induction. tRNA has recently been implicated as a direct regulator of the well-conserved apoptotic role of cytochrome c. Interaction between these molecules could potentially coordinate biosynthesis, energy production and apoptosis. Here we review the diversity and dynamics of tRNA and how this class of non-coding RNAs may regulate the role of cytochrome c in apoptosis. We comment on unanswered questions in the cell biology of this interaction and how answers may influence our understanding of disease.
Oxygen flute: A computer music instrument that grows

Abstract The quality of the air we breathe depends on a balance of plant and animal life. Oxygen Flute is an interactive computer music environment that makes the exchange of gases audible. Gallery visitors enter a chamber with bamboo and four continuously performing (digitally modeled) flutes. Patterns in levels of carbon dioxide measured inside the chamber create the music. The computer flutes are played both in real time and from the accumulated history of fluctuations recorded in the space. The flute models are simulations of 9,000 year-old bone flutes from China.
Knocking down gene expression for growth hormone-releasing hormone inhibits proliferation of human cancer cell lines

Splice Variant 1 (SV-1) of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor, found in a wide range of human cancers and established human cancer cell lines, is a functional receptor with ligand-dependent and independent activity. In the present study, we demonstrated by western blots the presence of the SV1 of GHRH receptor and the production of GHRH in MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-435S and T47D human breast cancer cell lines, LNCaP prostate cancer cell line as well as in NCI H838 non-small cell lung carcinoma. We have also shown that GHRH produced in the conditioned media of these cell lines is biologically active. We then inhibited the intrinsic production of GHRH in these cancer cell lines using si-RNA, specially designed for human GHRH. The knocking down of the GHRH gene expression suppressed the proliferation of T47D, MDA-MB-435S, MDA-MB-468 breast cancer, LNCaP prostate cancer and NCI H838 non-SCLC cell lines in vitro. However, the replacement of the knocked down GHRH expression by exogenous GHRH (1–29)NH2 re-established the proliferation of the silenced cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the proliferation rate of untransfected cancer cell lines could be stimulated by GHRH (1–29)NH2 and inhibited by GHRH antagonists MZ-5-156, MZ-4-71 and JMR-132. These results extend previous findings on the critical function of GHRH in tumorigenesis and support the role of GHRH as a tumour growth factor.
Chronic exposure of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, to ammonia: Effects on growth and survival

Abstract The growth of juvenile channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) was reduced in a linear manner during a 31 day growth trial when exposed to concentrations of ammcnia ranging from 48 to 989 μg/l NH 3 N (0.31 to 5.71 mg/l NH + 4 N). On a wet weight basis, growth was reduced by 50% at 517 μg/l NH 3 N and the no growth occured at 967 μg/l. The no growth level was 60% of 96-h LC50 value. Mortality was increased significantly at 989 μg/l NH 3 N and above. The sublethal effects of ammonia may depend, in part, on the concentrations of NH 4 + and and Na + in solution.
A Decline in Lead Transport by the Mississippi River

Inputs of pollutant lead to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River have declined by about 40 percent within the past decade. This decrease has been determined from annual lead loads of the Mississippi River and from the lead record in Mississippi Delta sediments. The observed trend is consistent with reduced consumption of lead in gasoline in the United States. More than 90 percent of the riverborne lead is associated with suspended sediments. Most of this particle-bound lead is deposited within 50 kilometers of the river mouth and is not easily leached at pH values above 3.
Temperature-dependent models of Zannichellia palustris seed germination for application in aquatic systems

Abstract The temperature-dependent germination rates of Zannichellia palustris, a native submersed aquatic plant from the spring-fed Fall River in Northern California, were examined with linear models and with the non-linear Logan Type III biophysical model. The Logan Type III model, which previously had not been applied to predicting seed germination, provided superior fit for estimating germination rates across eight constant temperatures (5–40 °C) and across a range of subpopulations representing the entire examined seed population. The Logan model was particularly successful at estimating seed germination rates at sub-optimal temperatures (5–25 °C) that occur under field conditions and at temperatures near the base and maximum germination temperatures. Based on the Logan Type III model, a computer simulation was developed using Time Varying Distributed Delays as implemented in the USDA-ARS Hermes (Hierarchical Environment for Research Modeling of Ecological Systems) simulation modeling system, tested across fluctuating temperatures in the laboratory, and applied to predict seed germination of Z. palustris under actual field conditions over an entire year in differing sections of the Fall River. The Logan Type III biophysical model and the Hermes simulation system are shown to be useful for predicting germination under fluctuating temperature conditions in the field and in seed populations that do not exhibit a linear germination response.
Methylisothiazolinone: an emergent allergen in common pediatric skin care products.

Recalcitrant dermatitis, such as that of the hands, face, or genitals, may be due to allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from ingredients in seemingly innocuous personal care products. Rising rates of allergy have been noted due to the preservative methylisothiazolinone (MI). This preservative is commonly found in skin and hair care products, especially wipes. This study evaluated the use of MI in products specifically marketed for babies and children and examined the associated marketing terms of such products. Ingredients of skin care products specifically marketed for babies and children were surveyed at two major retailers. Of 152 products surveyed, 30 products contained MI. Categories of products surveyed included facial or body wipes, antibacterial hand wipes, hair products, soaps, bubble baths, moisturizers, and sunscreens. Facial or body wipes and hair products were the categories with the greatest number of MI-containing products. MI-containing products were manufactured by a number of popular brands. Of note, products marketed as “gentle,” “sensitive,” “organic,” or “hypoallergenic” often contained MI, thus emphasizing the importance of consumer scrutiny of product choices. These findings reinforce the importance of educating parents and providing consumer decision-making advice regarding common skin care products, in order to help prevent ACD in children.
EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE ON DNA REPAIR OF UV‐IRRADIATED DICTYOSTELIUM DISCOIDEUM

— Caffeine enhances the UV-killing of amoeboid cells of NC-4, but UV-irradiated γs-13 is insensitive to caffeine. UV-irradiated NC-4 becomes insensitive to the effect of caffeine during a postirradiation incubation in buffer for about 90 min, but γs-13 remains unchanged in the sensitivity to caffeine throughout the incubation for 180 min. Amoeboid cells of γs-13 can remove pyrimidine dimers as well as NC-4 even in the presence of caffeine. Caffeine inhibits rejoining of strand-breaks of DNA in UV-irradiated NC-4, but the rejoining in γs-13 is insensitive to caffeine.
A novel MIMO DoF model for multi-hop networks

The rapid advances of MIMO to date have mainly stayed at the physical layer or single-hop communications. Such advantages have not been fully realized at the network level, particularly for multi-hop networks. This is mainly due to the lack of a tractable and accurate model that can characterize MIMO's powerful capabilities such as spatial multiplexing (SM) and interference cancellation (IC). Recently a new DoF-based model was proposed to capture MIMO's SM and IC capabilities in multi-hop networks. This model is based on a novel node-ordering concept and only requires simple numeric computation on DoFs. In this article we review previous models for MIMO and then describe this new DoF model. This new DoF model has the potential to enable significant advances in MIMO research in the networking community.
National Human Resource Development in Transitioning Societies in the Developing World: Introductory Overview:

The problem and the solution. At present, there is no publication that brings together the experience of rapidly changing countries and their attempts at national human resource development. This issue explores different approaches to national human resource development in transitioning nations and highlights the forces working for and against their success. A review of related research, an informed theoretical framework, and a model for examining human resource development in transitioning societies in the developing world is presented and discussed in this article. Its purpose is to provide a basis for discussion and comparisons between the selected case examples in the developing world that make up this issue.
Strategic planning for program improvement: A case study of faculty involvement in the process

Abstract This paper presents a case study of how, through significant faculty involvement, a strategic plan was developed and implemented for the School of Accounting at Central Michigan University.
Processing of mammalian tRNA transcripts in vitro: different pre-tRNAs are processed along alternative pathways that contain a common rate-limiting step.

Abstract We have analyzed the pathways and kinetics of processing of mouse tRNA gene transcripts in vitro. Different transcripts are processed along two alternative pathways. The 3' trailer sequence of the tRNA His primary transcript is excised before the 5' leader sequence. In contrast, for the tRNA Gly primary transcript, the 5' leader sequence is excised before the 3' trailer sequence, as has been found for other monomeric eukaryotic tRNA gene transcripts. Computerized analysis of the kinetics of processing indicates that tRNA Asp, tRNA Gly, tRNA Glu and tRNA His transcripts are processed in a substrate concentration-dependent manner and also reveals the existence of a common rate-limiting step, the rate constant of which is equivalent for three of the four transcripts tested. The processing of one pre-tRNA transcript can be competitively inhibited by addition of another pre-tRNA transcript to the processing reaction. The common rate-limiting step is associated with the conversion of the primary transcript to an intermediate and is independent of sequence and the particular processing pathway of the transcript.
Prefrontal cortex neuron activity during a discriminative conditioning paradigm in unanesthetized rats

Single neuron responses were recorded from the prefrontal cortex of unanesthetized, restrained rats trained to a discriminative conditioning paradigm. The animals were preconditioned to a tone paired with footshock (CS +) and a second tone presented unpaired (CS −). Only neurons with large amplitude, positive first deflection action potentials were studied. Eighty-five percent of the units (17 of 20) emitted conditioned responses in that the response to either one or both of the conditioned stimuli (CS) was significantly different from spontaneous activity. Thirty-five percent of the units emitted differential conditioned responses in that the responses to one of the CS was significantly different than the response to the other CS and that the response was subsequently shown to extinguish when the footshock was withheld. The neurons which emitted the differential conditioned responses appeared to be located in the deeper layers of the anteromedial prefrontal cortex while the remaining neurons were located...
Reply to “Comments on ‘Aircraft-Induced Hole-Punch and Canal Clouds: Inadvertent Cloud Seeding’”

In December 1968, I proposed the same mechanism elucidated by Heymsfield et al. (2010) when I wrote in the December 1968 issue of Weatherwise, “Another mechanism, however, could explain the circular hole. A point-source nucleation with a rapid release of latent heat produced an updraft in the thin, stable cirro-cumulus layer. To compensate for the updraft the surrounding air subsided. This subsidence could cause a circulation. The ice crystal zone propagated radially outward somewhat, but the sharply defined edge was probably caused by subsidence” (Hindman 1968, p. 241). The authors either overlooked or were unaware of this explanation.
SU‐E‐T‐594: Software Application for Comparison and Verification of Radiotherapy Treatment Plans

Purpose: The physics check of a patient treatment plan is one of many that guard against treatment errors in radiation oncology departments. The process would be improved by adding a comparison of treatment plan and prescription parameters, but this would be inordinately time consuming, if not impossible, to do by eye, and would raise the potential for human error. The goal of this project was to develop a software application that would automatically compare treatment parameters from the treatment planning system (Pinnacle3) and the electronic record and verifying system (Mosaiq), supplementing the physics check without sacrificing speed or accuracy. Methods: Both Mosaiq and Pinnacle3 can generate .RTP files. These files contain relevant plan information, are delimited, and have comparable structures. MATLAB code was used to create a GUI‐based application that can run outside of the MATLAB environment. Using .RTP files as inputs, the application compares linac name, beam energy and modality, patient position, DICOM position, field names, gantry angles (checking that the field names contain the gantry angles), MU/fraction, SSD to reference point, beam weights, collimator angles, field sizes, and leaf positions. Program alerts user to any discrepancies and results are written to .txt files and an Excel spreadsheet (for leaf positions) that highlight any discrepancies. Results: The application is currently being rolled out in the Oncology Department for beta testing. During preliminary testing, the application flagged errors in cases with known discrepancies between treatment plan and prescription, indicating the applications effectiveness. Conclusion: The application adds another layer of safety for patients by providing a check for human error immediately before treatment. It focuses the user on patient care by ensuring he or she is cognizant of the current treatment plan. Finally, it produces digitally compact, easy‐to‐read records of the parameters of a given patients treatment.
Characterization of specific sigma opiate/phencyclidine (PCP)-binding sites in the human brain

Specific [3H]phencyclidine (PCP)-binding studies were carried out in homogenates prepared from different regions of post-mortem human brains derived from subjects free of any neurological disease. Scatchard analysis revealed a single class of [3H]PCP-binding sites. Binding was found to be stereospecific i.e. markedly greater ability of the potent PCP agonist dexoxadrol to displace specifically bound 10 nM [3H]PCP as compared to its behaviorally inactive enantiomer levoxadrol. Stereospecific binding was abolished by preincubation of homogenate with trypsin or by heating the homogenate to 90 degrees C for 15 min. Various sigma opiates displaced specifically bound [3H]PCP binding in a rank order similar to that seen in rat brain. Thus a baseline has been established to enable future elucidation of the possible role of these sites in psychiatric illnesses.