cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple Emission from (η 5- C 5 H 5 (Re(CO) 2 L (L = A Substituted Pyridine) Complexes in Room-Temperature Solution

A great deal has been learned about the excited states and photophysical properties of organometallic complexes from their emission data in recent years [1], In particular, complexes which emit in room-temperature solution yield valuable deactivation rate data under normally efficient photochemical conditions. On-going research in our laboratory has been concerned with the emission characteristics of metal carbonyl complexes in fluid solution; several of these systems are now known to exhibit room-temperature luminescence from low-lying metal to ligand charge- transfer (MLCT) excited states [2–4]. Recently, dual MLCT emission bands have been observed from M(CO)4(α-diimine) (M = Cr, Mo, W) complexes at room temperature [5,6]. This article reports absorption, emission and excitation data recorded from (η5-C5H5)Re(CO)2L (L = a substituted pyridine) complexes; the results indicate unusual multiple luminescence features in room-temperature solution. Emission results obtained from (η5-C5H5)Re(CO)2L (L = ammonia, piperidine) are also reported.
The Relationship Between Vocational Maturity and Appropriateness of Vocational Choices of Ninth-Grade Pupils

The purpose of this study was to determine whether ninth-grade pupils making appropriate vocational choices attained higher scores on measures of vocational maturity than pupils making inappropriat...
Prevention and Early Detection of Gynecologic Cancer

Although improvements in the treatment of various gynecologic malignancies including new chemotherapies and combinations of surgery or radiation plus chemotherapy have been developed in the past few years, the most significant impact on mortality from cancer has been achieved by prevention and early detection of this disease. If we examine the incidence of gynecologic cancers and the death rate from these malignancies, it can be seen that cervical and ovarian cancers are the most significant; therefore, this lecture will address those two malignancies.
Becoming a Mixed Methods Researcher: Successes, Failures, and Lessons Learned Along the Way

I have to admit my first thought when asked to write a personal narrative was, ‘the last thing this world needs is another narcissistic self-proclamation.’ But as I thought about my personal journey as a music education mixed methods researcher, I realized there are relatively few of us out there right now and my story might inspire future music education mixed methods researchers on their journeys. In this narrative, I describe how I became a music education mixed methods researcher. Themes include the following: (a) QUAN master’s education, QUAL doctoral education—never the twain shall meet; (b) mixed methods was a taboo subject, which made it sexy; (c) wanting my own identity as a researcher; (d) doing it all backwards by starting with a method in mind and then developing the purpose statement and research questions; and (e) trying to publish mixed methods studies. From my first master’s-level research class to the initial seduction of mixed methods research which led to a new emerging identity, to my completely backward approach to conducting a study, to my subsequent publications and modest successes within the field, it has been a rewarding journey, and one that I hope is only beginning. Stories and narrative are used extensively throughout to create a light-hearted reflexive account of my successes, failures, and lessons learned along the way.
Chapter 83 – Stomach Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas (All Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Types)

Publisher Summary Non-Hodgkin lymphoma consists of a large number of conditions with different histological and clinical characteristics and presumably different causation. They vary greatly by grade, with those of high grade being particularly aggressive. The method of classifying these component conditions has evolved with advancing technology, but is still far from perfect, and a few well-crafted studies have distinguished between the subgroups. As a group, non-Hodgkin lymphomas have been increasing in frequency for the past 50 years—partly a result of better diagnosis—and more recently because of AIDS. Other known causes include immunosuppressive drugs given as chemotherapy or prior to transplantation, ionizing radiation, autoimmune disease, and specific hereditary syndromes of immunodeficiency. Certain occupational and personal exposures, such as exposure to black hair dye, benzidine, dioxins, and herbicides have also been reported as causes. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are nearly twice as common among men as among women, and occur with roughly equal frequency in all areas of the country including Los Angeles County. Whites and Latinos, especially women, are at higher risk than African-Americans and those of an Asian origin. There is an increased risk among both men and women of a higher social class.
Affordances of using mobile technology to support experience-sampling method in examining college students' engagement

Abstract In an investigation with 133 undergraduate students, we measured affective, cognitive, behavioral engagement, and self-regulation with a pre-survey, a post-survey, and in the moment of studying using experience-sampling methodology (ESM). We compared within these self-report techniques and also between self-reports and objective measures afforded by ESM. We found similar patterns that differed in detail. Furthermore, the ESM surveys allowed for a more fine-grained exploration of engagement related to studying behavior. Importantly, we compared fixed sampling and event-based sampling and found that the latter significantly improved sampling accuracy. Finally, we posit that a new and useful way to assess student self-regulation is the relationship between when students predict that they will study and when students report actual studying in the moment using ESM, which we call implementation rate. We were able to capture and examine all three dimensions of engagement (behavioral, cognitive and affective engagement) and self-regulation in authentic settings and in the same study, allowing us to examine the relationships among these variables exactly when learning occurs, which has several theoretical and practical implications.
Proteomic Profiling of Iron-Treated Ovarian Cells Identifies AKT Activation that Modulates the CLEAR Network

Although iron is essential for cell survival, dysregulated levels can contribute to cancer development or even cell death. The underlying mechanisms mediating these events remain unclear. Herein, proteomic alterations are assessed in iron-treated ovarian cell lines using reverse phase protein array (RPPA) technology and potential functional responses via ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). Using these approaches, upregulation of pathways modulating organismal death with alterations in mTOR, MAPK, and AKT signaling in HEY ovarian cancer cells in contrast to T80 non-malignant ovarian cells is noted. Since modulation of cell death is mediated in part via microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MiTF) family, which regulates lysosomal biogenesis and autophagosome formation by upregulating expression of coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation (CLEAR) network, expression changes in these factors in response to iron are investigated. Increased transcription factor EB (TFEB) in T80 (relative to HEY), accompanied by its nuclear translocation and increased CLEAR network gene expression with iron, is identified. Inhibition of AKT alters these responses in contrast to mTOR inhibition, which has little effect. Collectively, these findings support use of RPPA/IPA technology to predict functional responses to iron and further implicate AKT pathway and MiTF members in iron-induced cellular responses in ovarian cells.
Sorghum Phytochemicals and Their Potential Impact on Human Health

Sorghum contains a wide array of phytochemicals and their levels are affected by the genotype. Phytochemicals identified in sorghum include phenolic acids, flavonoids, condensed tannins, polycosanols, phytosterols, stilbenes, and phenolamides. Most of these phytochemicals are concentrated in the bran fraction and have been shown to have several potential health benefits, which include antidiabetic, cholesterol-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. This chapter gives an overview of sorghum genetics relevant to phytochemicals, phytochemicals identified in sorghum grain, and their potential health benefits.
Abstract # 2050 The effect of Intranasal Insulin in the CNS in Alzheimer’s disease

Research on intranasal delivery of drugs, peptides, and proteins has grown over the past decade as an alternate way to deliver substrates to the brain. Recent work has shown intranasal delivery of insulin in humans improves memory and cognition in healthy subjects as well as patients with Alzheimer’s disease. However, the molecular mechanism for the beneficial effect of insulin on memory has yet to be elucidated. To determine how intranasal insulin may be improving cognition, we utilized the SAMP8 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. These mice are known to develop cognitive impairments by 9 months of age and intranasal insulin can improve memory in 12-month old mice. We performed RNA sequencing analysis on the hippocampus in young SAMP8 mice and aged SAMP8 mice treated with and without insulin. While many genes and pathways were changed in our comparisons, we found genes were predominantly upregulated in 3 key pathways with age and downregulated with insulin administration. These pathways include the T cell receptor signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and cell adhesion molecule pathway. Based on these inflammatory pathways driven by gene changes, we further investigated the impact of intranasal insulin on brain inflammation. This work further shows the important role of insulin in improving memory.
Management of presacral schwannomas—a 10-year multi-institutional series

Presacral or sacral schwannomas are relatively rare clinical entities thought to account for only 1 in every 40,000 hospitalizations. These lesions are benign, frequently monofocal, and arise from the exiting sacral nerve roots. Lesions are often asymptomatic, but may present with bulk symptoms (constipation, urinary frequency), sciatica, lower extremity weakness, and para-axial lumbosacral pain. At present, the treatment of choice for these lesions is gross total resection, with an approach dictated by the size of the intrasacral component. Despite numerous isolated case reports, few case series exist. Of those extant series, none are multi-institutional and only a handful describe multiple alternative approaches for the treatment of these tumors. Here we describe a series of seven patients treated at two tertiary care centers for sacral schwannoma with post-operative follow-up as far as 6 years.
Spending Policy Customization for Institutional Preferences

Many research papers have demonstrated the shortcomings of popular spending rules—specifically, the tendency for rules to cause a loss of purchasing power over time. This study identifies the negat...
Epidemiological Patterns of Patellofemoral Injuries in Collegiate Athletes in the United States From 2009 to 2014

Background:As many as 30% of patients with knee pain seen in sports medicine clinics have complaints related to the patellofemoral joint. There is a paucity of research available regarding patellof...
Challenges Faced by Collegiate Athletic Trainers, Part I: Organizational Conflict and Clinical Decision Making

Context Organizational conflict, particularly between coaches and medical professionals, has been reported in collegiate athletics. Different values create room for conflict between coaches and ath...
High power, high wall-plug efficiency, high reliability, continuous-wave operation quantum cascade lasers at Center for Quantum Devices

Since the demonstration of the first quantum cascade laser (QCL) in 1997, QCLs have undergone considerable developments in output power, wall plug efficiency (WPE), beam quality, wavelength coverage and tunability. Among them, many world-class breakthroughs were achieved at the Center for Quantum Device at Northwestern University. In this paper, we will discuss the recent progress of our research and present the main contributions of the Center for Quantum Devices to the QCL family on high power, high wall-plug efficiency (WPE), continuous-wave (CW) and room temperature operation lasers.
Mitotic score and pleomorphic histology in invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast: impact on disease-free survival

Pleomorphic invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) has long been thought to have worse outcomes than classic ILC and is therefore often treated with chemotherapy. However, recent data question the utility of the pleomorphic designation, as the poor outcomes seen may be related to other associated high-risk features. Importantly, mitotic count may better define a subset of ILC with high risk of recurrence. We sought to determine the impact of pleomorphic histology versus mitotic count on disease-free survival (DFS) in pure ILC. Additionally, we evaluated whether pleomorphic histology was associated with receipt of chemotherapy when adjusting for other factors. We analyzed a cohort of 475 patients with stage I–III pure ILC. We used Kaplan–Meier estimates, and Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression for multivariate analyses. Pleomorphic histology was confirmed by central pathology review. In a multivariate model, pleomorphic histology was not associated with reduced DFS. Only mitotic score, receptor subtype, and pathologic stage were independently and significantly associated with DFS. Patients with pleomorphic ILC were significantly more likely to receive chemotherapy than patients with classic ILC (adjusted odds ratio 2.96, p = 0.026). The pleomorphic designation in ILC does not have clinical utility and should not be used to determine therapy. Rather, mitotic count identified clear prognostic groups in this cohort of pure ILC.
Surveillance for non-O157 STEC and virulence genes in diarrhea samples collected in Shanghai Minhang

Objective To survey the distribution of non-O157 STEC and its virulence genes in diarrhea samples collected in Shanghai Minhang.Methods Anal swab samples of diarrhea patients who were confirmed to be Escherichia coli positive were collected from three disease surveillance units and one hospitals located in Shanghai Minhang,bacterial isolation and culture,biochemical and serological approaches were used to identify non-O157 STEC,virulence genes specific PCR was used to detect stx1,stx2,eae,hly,etpD,and katP genes.Results Of the 380 Escherichia coli positive patient samples (185 adults and 195 children),40 (30 children and 10 adults) patient samples were non-O157 STEC positive,the positive rate of the children is significantly higher than that of adults.All 40 non-O157 STEC isolated showed stx2 positive,the positive rate of stx1 and eae were very low,of 380 samples,we had not detected hly,etpD,and katP genes.Conclusion Non-O157 STEC is one of the major pathogens to cause diarrhea especially in children in Shanghai Minhang. Key words: Escherichia; Genes; Diarrhea
An Integration Resolution Algorithm for Mining Multiple Branches in Version Control Systems (Industry Track)

The high cost of software maintenance necessitates methods to improve the efficiency of the maintenance process. Such methods typically need a vast amount of knowledge about a system, which is often mined from software repositories. Collecting this data becomes a challenge if the system was developed using multiple code branches. In this paper we present an integration resolution algorithm that facilitates data collection across multiple code branches. The algorithm tracks code integrations across different branches and associates code changes in the main development branch with corresponding changes in other branches. We provide evidence for the practical relevance of this algorithm during the develop-ment of the Windows Vista Service Pack 2.
PI3K-Akt Signaling in the Basolateral Amygdala Facilitates Traumatic Stress Enhancements in Fear Memory.

BACKGROUND A core symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder is persistent fear memory, which can be defined as fear memory that is resistant to updating, inhibition, or extinction. posttraumatic stress disorder emerges after traumatic stress exposure, but neurobiological mechanisms via which traumatic stress leads to persistent fear memory are not well defined. Akt signaling within the amygdala (Amy) is enhanced with traumatic stress, and phosphatidylinositol kinase 3 (PI3K) activation of Akt within the basolateral Amy (BLA) has been implicated as critical to fear memory formation. These findings raise the possibility that traumatic stress enhances PI3K→Akt signaling in the BLA, which leads to persistent fear memory. METHODS To test this hypothesis, rats were exposed to traumatic stress using the single prolonged stress model, and changes in Akt phosphorylation were assayed in the Amy at 0 and 30 minutes after fear conditioning (FC). In a separate experiment, we inhibited PI3K→Akt signaling in the BLA prior to FC and observed the effect this had on acquisition, expression, and extinction of FC in stressed and control rats. RESULTS Enhanced Akt phosphorylation in the Amy at both time points was observed in stressed rats, but not in control rats. PI3K→Akt inhibition in the BLA had no effect on freezing in control rats but decreased freezing during extinction training and testing in stressed rats. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that PI3K→Akt signaling in the BLA could be a mechanism via which traumatic stress leads to fear memory that is resistant to extinction.
Parametric Evaluation of Internet of Things Applications to Freight Transportation Using Model-Based Systems Engineering:

The intended purpose of an intelligent transportation systems (ITS) project is to automate operations through device-to-device connectivity. These devices generally represent stakeholder’s endpoint...
Type-based optimization for regular patterns

Pattern matching mechanisms based on regular expressions feature in a number of recent languages for processing XML. The flexibility of these mechanisms demands novel approaches to the familiar problems of pattern-match compilation—how to minimize the number of tests performed during pattern matching while keeping the size of the output code small. We describe semantic compilation methods in which we use the schema of the value flowing into a pattern matching expression to generate efficient target code. We start by discussing a pragmatic algorithm used currently in the compiler of Xtatic and report some preliminary performance results. For a more fundamental analysis, we define an optimality criterion of “no useless tests” and show that it is not satisfied by Xtatic’s algorithm. We constructively demonstrate that the problem of generating optimal pattern matching code is decidable for finite (non-recursive) patterns.
Bridging Media with the Help of Players

We suggest harvesting the power of multiplayer design to bridge content across different media platforms and develop player-driven cross-media experiences. This paper first argues to partially replace complex AI systems with multiplayer design strategies to provide the necessary level of flexibility in the content generation for cross-media applications. The second part describes one example project --- the Next Generation Play (NGP) project --- that illustrates one practical approach of such a player-driven cross-media content generation. NGP allows players to collect virtual items while watching a TV show. These items are re-used in a multiplayer casual game that automatically generates new game worlds based on the various collections of active players joining a game session. While the TV experience is designed for the single big screen, the game executes on multiple mobile phones. Design and technical implementation of the prototype are explained in more detail to clarify how players carry elements of television narratives into a non-linear handheld gaming experience. The system describes a practical way to create casual game adaptations based on players' personal preferences in a multi-user environment.
Nonperturbative lepton-sea fermions in the nucleon and the proton radius puzzle

A potential explanation [U. D. Jentschura, Phys. Rev. A 88, 062514 (2013)] of the proton radius puzzle originating from the nonperturbative lepton-pair content of the proton is studied. Well-defined quantities that depend on this lepton-pair content are evaluated. Each is found to be of the order of $10{(\frac{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{\ensuremath{\pi}})}^{2}$, so that such a lepton-pair content does exist in the proton. However, I argue that this relatively large result and general features of loop diagrams rule out the possibility of lepton-pair content as an explanation of the proton radius puzzle. The contributions of a class of potential explanations of the proton radius puzzle (for which the dependence on the $\ensuremath{\mu}p$ relative distance is as contact interaction) are shown to be increase very rapidly with atomic number.
Gridlock and Executive Power

In NLRB v. Noel Canning, the Solicitor General argued that the President’s novel reading of the recess appointment power was justified as a “safety valve” in response to “congressional intransigence.” All nine Justices emphatically rejected this position, finding the President’s three appointments, made during a three-day break, could not be saved because of an obstructionist Senate. Yet, the reliance on “congressional intransigence” as a rationale for broadly interpreting inherent executive powers has been a hallmark of the Obama Presidency. As part of his “We Can’t Wait” platform, President Obama routinely cites Congress’s obstinacy to his agenda as a justification to engage in a series of executive actions that suspend, waive, and even rewrite statutes. The lesson from Noel Canning is clear — gridlock does not allow the president to flex his Article II powers, as a means to release a safety valve of pressure in Congress. This article places the Court’s unanimous holding in Noel Canning in the context of the President’s unilateral action with respect to modifying the Affordable Care Act, Deferred Action immigration policy, as well as the detainee release for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, and the “hostilities” in Libya. For each action, in the face of congressional opposition, the President executes at his “lowest ebb,” and warrants the closest scrutiny. In the domestic affairs context, the President can rely only on his “corrective powers,” which allow him to correct the political process, and achieve what a reasonable congress would have done. This novel constitutional philosophy, while defensible in theory, falls apart in practice, with unseen costs to the separation of powers.
NMR and ESR Spectroscopy Applied to Gold and Silver Compounds

1 Introduction 2 Silver Complexes 3 Gold Complexes 4 Conclusions 5 Acknowledgment Keywords: NMR and ESR spectroscopy and gold and silver compounds; naturally occurring isotopes of gold and silver; silver complexes and oxidation states; retro-INEPT (insensitive nuclei enhancement by polarization transfer) technique; heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC) spectra; silver NMR and chemical problems; NMR studies of gold complexes and detection of other NMR-active nuclei; ESR studies of gold(II) complexes
Visualization of dynamic airway bronchoconstriction in live rats (870.6)

Airway hyperresponsiveness severely limits gas exchange in patients with asthma. Imaging studies have shown that bronchoconstriction causes patchy patterns of ventilation defects throughout the lungs, and computational models have predicted that these regions are due to constriction of small airways. Since these imaging approaches are limited in their ability to capture dynamic changes in small airways, we utilized tantalum dust and microfocal X-ray imaging of rat lungs to obtain dynamic images of airways in an intact animal model. The flexiVent system was used to simultaneously measure airway resistance. Custom software was used to track changes in airway diameters up to 13 generations (~0.3 mm to 3 mm in diameter). The objective of the study was to identify the size and location of airways with changes in diameter during bronchoconstriction in response to methacholine. In contrast with the model predictions, we observed significantly greater percent constriction in larger airways in response to methacho...
Automatic detection of student mental models based on natural language student input during metacognitive skill training

This article describes the problem of detecting the student mental models, i.e. students' knowledge states, during the self-regulatory activity of prior knowledge activation in MetaTutor, an intelligent tutoring system that teaches students self-regulation skills while learning complex science topics. The article presents several approaches to automatically detecting students' mental models in MetaTutor based on paragraphs generated by students during prior knowledge activation. Three major categories of methods (content-based overlap methods; cohesion analysis of text; and tf-idf based weighted representations) were developed and combined with machine learning algorithms in order to automatically infer the underlying parameters. A detailed comparison among the methods and across all machine learning algorithms is provided. The evaluation of the proposed methods is performed by eomparing the methods' predictions with human judgments on a set of 309 prior knowledge activation paragraphs collected from experiments with the MetaTutor system on college students. According to the experiments, a word-weighting method, which uses tf-idf values calculated from the corpus, combined with a Bayes Nets machine learning algorithm, offers the most accurate results. Second best performance is given by a Latent Semantic Analysis-based approach enhanced with lexical features and combined with the machine learning algorithm of Logistic Regression.
CAN FAMILIAL AGGREGATION OF DISEASE BE EXPLAINED BY FAMILIAL AGGREGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS

Although familial aggregation has been shown for many if not all diseases, it is often difficult to determine whether such aggregation is due to shared genes or shared environmental factors. The authors examine the effect of familial aggregation of environmental risk factors on familial aggregation of disease when there is no genetic susceptibility. An environmental risk factor with a relative risk (R) for disease and population exposure frequency (f) is assumed to be clustered among siblings with varying degrees of sibling correlation in exposure (c). The impact of varying R, f, and c is examined on two common measures of familial aggregation: the relative risk of disease for siblings of cases compared with siblings of controls, and the sibling recurrence risk. It can be shown that both measures increase with increasing R and c, but decrease at high levels of f. However, even in the face of complete correlation in exposure among siblings (c = 1), environmental risk factors that have values of R less than 10 lead to modest sibling relative risks (ranging from 1 to 2) and low recurrence risks. Similar findings are obtained when familial aggregation of two additive environmental factors is considered. Because many diseases show higher sibling relative risks and recurrence risks, this analysis suggests that simple familial clustering of environmental factors is unlikely to account entirely for familial aggregation of disease, and that genetic factors ought to play an important role in causing familial aggregation.
Antitumor Immunity in Strain 2 Guinea Pigs Immunized With Potassium Chloride Extracts of L2C Tumor Cells

Extracts of L2C tumor cells stimulated in vitro production of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in peritoneal exudate cells from guinea pigs immunized with L2C tumor cells. Guinea pigs immunized with extracts of L2C tumor cells that were active in vitro (in the MIF assay) were completely resistant to challenge with viable tumor cells given 2 weeks later. Furthermore, guinea pigs immunized with extracts of L2C tumor cells within 1 hour after challenge with viable L2C tumor cells survived substantially longer than did nonimmunized controls. The immunoprotective and immunotherapeutic effects seen in guinea pigs given injections of viable L2C tumor cells were obtained with extracts of L2C tumor cells but not with extracts of another guinea pig tumor (line 10 hepatoma) or with extracts of normal guinea pig lymphoid cells.
Functional CD8+ T Cell Responses in Lethal Ebola Virus Infection

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes highly lethal hemorrhagic fever that leads to death in up to 90% of infected humans. Like many other infections, EBOV induces massive lymphocyte apoptosis, which is thought to prevent the development of a functional adaptive immune response. In a lethal mouse model of EBOV infection, we show that there is an increase in expression of the activation/maturation marker CD44 in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells late in infection, preceding a dramatic rebound of lymphocyte numbers in the blood. Furthermore, we observed both lymphoblasts and apoptotic lymphocytes in spleen late in infection, suggesting that there is lymphocyte activation despite substantial bystander apoptosis. To test whether these activated lymphocytes were functional, we performed adoptive transfer studies. Whole splenocytes from moribund day 7 EBOV-infected animals protected naive animals from EBOV, but not Marburgvirus, challenge. In addition, we observed EBOV-specific CD8(+) T cell IFN-gamma responses in moribund day 7 EBOV-infected mice, and adoptive transfer of CD8(+) T cells alone from day 7 mice could confer protection to EBOV-challenged naive mice. Furthermore, CD8(+) cells from day 7, but not day 0, mice proliferated after transfer to infected recipients. Therefore, despite significant lymphocyte apoptosis, a functional and specific, albeit insufficient, adaptive immune response is made in lethal EBOV infection and is protective upon transfer to naive infected recipients. These findings should cause a change in the current view of the 'impaired' immune response to EBOV challenge and may help spark new therapeutic strategies to control lethal filovirus disease.
Intermediaries of branched chain amino acid metabolism induce fetal hemoglobin, and repress SOX6 and BCL11A, in definitive erythroid cells

High levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can ameliorate human β-globin gene disorders. The short chain fatty acid butyrate is the paradigmatic metabolic intermediary that induces HbF. Inherited disorders of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism have been associated with supranormal HbF levels beyond infancy, e.g., propionic acidemia (PA) and methylmalonic acidemia (MMA). We tested intermediaries of BCAA metabolism for their effects on definitive erythropoiesis. Like butyrate, the elevated BCAA intermediaries isovalerate, isobutyrate, and propionate, induce fetal globin gene expression in murine EryD in vitro, are associated with bulk histone H3 hyperacylation, and repress the transcription of key gamma globin regulatory factors, notably BCL11A and SOX6. Metabolic intermediaries that are elevated in Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) affect none of these processes. Percent HbF and gamma (γ) chain isoforms were also measured in non-anemic, therapeutically optimized subjects with MSUD (Group I, n = 6) or with Isovaleric Acidemia (IVA), MMA, or PA (Group II, n = 5). Mean HbF was 0.24 ± 0.15% in Group I and 0.87 ± 0.13% in Group II (p = .01); only the Gγ isoform was detected. We conclude that a family of biochemically related intermediaries of branched chain amino acid metabolism induces fetal hemoglobin during definitive erythropoiesis, with mechanisms that mirror those so far identified for butyrate.
A prospective randomized study assessing optimal method for teaching vascular anastomoses.

Background Laboratory skills training is now required for general surgery residents. The optimal method of teaching vascular anastomosis (VA) is not well defined. Teaching VA skills one-on-one with a faculty instructor will result in a more rapid accumulation of skills than teaching in a large group setting. Methods Residents were shown an instructional video on how to perform a VA using a standardized model (cadaver saphenous vein and porcine aorta). Each resident then performed a baseline VA. Sixteen first- and second-year surgical residents were then randomized to 2 VA teaching sessions that consisted of either 1) group teaching (GT, 8 residents in a room with 1 faculty instructor circulating) or 2) one-on-one teaching (1-on-1, faculty member focused on individual resident). After each of these sessions, residents performed a standardized VA. The anastomoses were video recorded. Performance was evaluated using a standardized scoring system by a separate expert who viewed the video recordings in a blinded fashion. Outcome measures included total errors, total time, global rating scale, and an anastomosis-specific end-product evaluation (leak and passage of coronary dilator). Results Overall, significant decreases in total errors (21 to 15, P = 0.001) and time to complete anastomoses (42 to 38 min, P = 0.02) and an increase in global rating scales (7 to 11, P = 0.003) were noted in both groups from baseline after 2 VA teaching session. The 1-on-1 group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in terms of reduced anastomotic time (30 vs. 42 min, P = 0.007) and in reduction of errors (13 vs. 19 errors, P = 0.09) than the GT group. Conclusions The high-fidelity VA model is a useful tool for junior general surgery residents. Both GT and 1-on-1 groups demonstrated significant improvement in total errors and time after only 2 sessions. Greater improvement was noted using the 1-on-1 model.
Bovine oocyte plasma membrane binding sites for sperm plasma membrane during in vitro oocyte maturation and fertilisation

The experimental objective was to determine whether the capability of bovine oocyte plasma membrane to bind sperm changes during in vitro oocyte maturation and fertilisation. Binding was quantified by the intensity of tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC) fluorescence at the periphery of oocytes following incubation with biotinylated sperm plasma membrane proteins and subsequent incubation with TRITC-avidin. Bovine oocytes were matured in vitro. Sample groups were removed after 0,6 and 22 h, or inseminated and further cultured for 24 or 48 h. Oocytes were denuded of cumulus cells and zona pellucida and co-incubated with 56 micrograms biotinylated bovine sperm plasma membrane protein for 45 min in 150 microliters drops of saline-BSA. Controls were incubated for the same time period in the absence of sperm plasma membrane proteins. All oocytes were rinsed, incubated with TRITC-avidin and subsequently fixed and transferred to mounting medium. Oocytes were scanned with a confocal microscope and analysed using ImageQuant software. The binding of sperm plasma membrane was quantified by integrated fluorescent intensity in standardised ellipses spaced around the plasma membrane of the oocyte. Values are expressed as mean intensity units per 320 pixel ellipse. Binding of sperm plasma membrane continued to increase throughout in vitro oocyte maturation and fertilisation (9051, 24318 and 49953 for 0 and 22 h in vitro matured oocytes and fertilised oocytes, respectively; p = 0.0001). A dramatic decrease in sperm plasma membrane binding to the oocyte plasma membrane was observed in 2-cell embryos (mean intensity = 24477, p = 0.0001). The observed binding was primarily due to the binding of sperm plasma membrane proteins, as control oocytes incubated with TRITC-avidin only were barely visible (integrated fluorescence intensity values ranged from 8 to 3757.
Iron uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in brain mitochondria isolated from vitamin E-deficient rats

Few, if any, studies have examined the effect of vitamin E deficiency on brain mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The latter was studied using brain mitochondria isolated from control and vitamin E-deficient rats (13 months of deficiency) after exposure to iron, an inducer of oxidative stress. Mitochondria were treated with iron (2 to 50 μM) added as ferrous ammonium sulfate. Rates of state 3 and state 4 respiration, respiratory control ratios, and ADP/O ratios were not affected by vitamin E deficiency alone. However, iron uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation in vitamin E-deficient mitochondria, but not in controls. In vitamin E-deficient mitochondria, iron decreased ADP/O ratios and markedly stimulated state 4 respiration; iron had only a modest effect on these parameters in control mitochondria. Thus, vitamin E may have an important role in sustaining oxidative phosphorylation. Low concentrations of iron (2 to 5 μM) oxidized mitochondrial tocopherol that exists in two pools. The release of iron in brain may impair oxidative phosphorylation, which would be exacerbated by vitamin E deficiency. The results are important for understanding the pathogenesis of human brain disorders known to be associated with abnormalities in mitochondrial function as well as iron homeostasis (e.g., Parkinson's disease).
On the effectiveness of monetary policy under fixed rates of exchange

Abstract The IS-LM framework traditionally used to discuss the role of monetary policy under fixed rates of exchange has several weaknesses. The theoretical findings based on such a model cannot be accepted uncritically. The paper reassesses the role of monetary policy by appropriately modifying the IS-LM apparatus so that its resilts can be easier to compare with much of the existing literature. The meaning and effectiveness of monetary policy is analysed in short-run equilibrium, stock-flow equilibrium and full long-run equilibrium. Dynamical equations linking the short to the long run are specified. The notable implication is that monetary policy is effective in the short run and need not be ineffective in the long run. Complete emasculation of monetary policy occurs when the central authorities relinquish control over the flow distribution of government debt between money and bonds in favour of an independent use of a set of fiscal instruments. Perfect capital mobility requires that the central authorities decide whether monetary or fiscal policy become totally dependent on external forces. Whether one or the other is chosen is more a matter of specific circumstances than theoretical necessity. Critical comments are directed at the literature on offsetting capital flows.
Imaging single membrane fusion events mediated by SNARE proteins

Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we have developed an assay to monitor individual fusion events between proteoliposomes containing vesicle soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) and a supported planar bilayer containing cognate target SNAREs. Approach, docking, and fusion of individual vesicles to the target membrane were quantified by delivery and subsequent lateral spread of fluorescent phospholipids from the vesicle membrane into the target bilayer. Fusion probability was increased by raising divalent cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+). Fusion of individual vesicles initiated in 30-fold compared to the full-length protein, but even in the absence of the Habc domain, vesicle fusion was still enhanced in response to Ca2+ increase. Our observations establish that the SNARE core complex is sufficient to fuse two opposing membrane bilayers at a speed commensurate with most membrane fusion processes in cells. This real-time analysis of single vesicle fusion opens the door to mechanistic studies of how SNARE and accessory proteins regulate fusion processes in vivo.
An experimental study of the afterburning region of lean tetrafluoroethyleneoxygen flames

Abstract The afterburning region of premixed, lean, one dimensional tetrafluoroethylene-oxygen flames has been studied. Composition and temperature profiles were measured for flames burning near 80 torr on a water cooled porous disk burner. Measured compositions and temperatures were compared to those predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium, and the species CF 4 , COF 2 , O 2 , and CO were found to be in superequilibrium while CO 2 and estimated atomic fluorine were lower than equilibrium predictions. Temperatures in the afterburning region of these flames were found to be between 300–500 °K higher than the predicted adiabatic flame temperatures. However, the measured flame temperatures were found to compare favorably with flame temperatures derived from the measured compositions and the first law of thermodynamics. Composition and temperature profiles were used in conjunction with the quasi-one dimensional flame equations to calculate net reaction rate profiles of stable species in the afterburning region of the flames studied. The calculated net reaction rate profiles were found to be independent of uncertainties in temperature measurement and in the case of COF 2 and CF 4 to show a trend away from the calculated equilibrium. These results indicate errors in the thermochemical data associated with species in this system.
Teaching Writing in Community Colleges: A Situated View of How Adults Learn to Write in Computer Based Writing Classrooms:

Traditional models of writing focus on steps learners should take to produce writing without considering the learning context and its affect on the process. Proponents of situated cognition argue that adult cognitive processes can be better understood by examining how setting, culturally provided tools, and social activity structure learning and empower learners. Drawing upon these theories, the authors describe a qualitative study designed to investigate how adult learners learn to write in the social context of the computer-based developmental writing classroom. An analysis of coded data from student interviews and journals indicated that computers as writing tools gave students a sense of control over their writing and shaped their perceptions of how they wrote. The classroom's interactive social culture allowed learners to review each other's work and to construct their own knowledge about writing.
The Royal Treasuries of the Spanish American Empire, Volume 4: Eighteenth‐Century Ecuador

The Royal Treasuries of the Spanish American Empire, Volume 4: Eighteenth-Century Ecuador. Alvaro Jara and John J. TePaske. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1990. xxii + 168 pp. $30.00 (cloth). ISBN 0–8223–1042–2.
Angiogenin inhibits nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor in a Bcl-2-dependent manner

Loss-of-function mutations in angiogenin (ANG) gene were discovered in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and ANG has been shown to prevent neuronal death both in vitro and in vivo. The neuro-protective activity of ANG was brought about partially by inhibiting stress-induced apoptosis. ANG attenuates both the extrinsic and the intrinsic apoptotic signals by activating Nf-κb-mediated cell survival pathway and Bcl-2-mediated anti-apoptotic pathway. Here we report that ANG inhibits nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), an important cell death-executing molecule known to play a dominant role in neurodegenerative diseases. ANG inhibits serum withdrawal-induced apoptosis by attenuating a series of Bcl-2-dependent events including caspase-3 activation, poly ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1) cleavage, and AIF nuclear translocation.
U-O and Zr-O thermochemistry from the pure metal to the dioxide and application to core-concrete interactions in severe fuel damage accident analysis

Abstract The thermodynamic constraint for the oxygen potential of tetravalent metal oxides relates the standard free energy of formation to the relative partial molal energy by ΔG o f (MO 2 )= 1 2 ∝ 2 0 Δ G (O 2 ) d C . This constraint and its variant have been utilized to construct the full spectrum of oxygen potentials of the U-O and Zr-O systems at high temperatures. Henry's law is assumed to apply in the oxygen-containing metal regions. The ensemble of the results are displayed in the form of oxygen isobars superimposed on the phase diagrams of U-O and Zr-O systems. The oxygen potentials obtained are then used in the analysis of core-concrete interactions resulted from the severe fuel-damage accident in a nuclear reactor. Allowance for dissolution of oxygen and nonideal behavior of the elements in the metal phase according to regular solution theory and reduced oxidation states of uranium and zirconium ions in the oxide phase are also part of the analysis.
166 DO TROPHOBLASTIC RECEPTORS FOR INSULIN, IGF-I, AND IGF-II PLAY A ROLE IN FETAL OVERGROWTH IN DIABETIC PREGNANCY?

Fetal overgrowth in diabetic pregnancy (DP) is popularly attributed to hyperinsulinism. However, the roles of other growth-promoting peptides in the mother and the fetus and of their receptors in the placenta remain unclear. We measured at term, concentration and affinity of placental trophoblastic membrane receptors (TR) for insulin (I), IGF-I and IGF-II in 8 DP's (White Class B, 1-dependent) and 8 non-DP's and correlated these with maternal and cord serum IGF-I and IGF-II levels, infant and placenta weights, and maternal body mass index (BMI). DP and non-DP differed significantly in infant weight (g), 4248±114 (M±SEM) vs 3555±119 (P<.0001); placental weight (g), 765±51 vs 575±24 (P<.005); cord IGF-I (ng/ml), 137±15 vs 86±12 (P<.025); and maternal BMI, 33±4 vs 21±1 (P<.02). No significant differences existed in cord IGF-II, maternal IGF-I and -II, and concentration and affinity of TR for I, IGF-I and IGF-II. ANOVA revealed an interaction between placenta weight and infant weight (P<.01), cord IGF-I (P<.02) and maternal IGF-I (P<.025); there was no significant interaction between BMI and infant weight. We conclude that in DP: placental overgrowth is concomitant with fetal somatic overgrowth; fetal and maternal IGF-I may contribute to fetal overgrowth; concentration and affinity of TR for I, IGF-I, and IGF-II play no roles in fetal overgrowth.
Parallel rendering of curvilinear volume data

Abstract Several volume rendering techniques have been proposed to visualize regular three-dimensional cartesian data sets. Often curvilinear grids that model a problem more accurately are used for analysis, but few techniques are available to render curvilinear data sets. This work presents a new approach to render cylindrical polar gridded volumes that are frequently used in astrophysical system models and computational fluid dynamics. Since the curvilinear grid that serves as input to the rendering system is the same as that used for analysis, it also provides the ability to directly link the rendering and simulation process. Parallel implementation of the algorithm in both SIMD and MIMD environments is also explored.