cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early history of the Izu–Bonin – Mariana arc system: Evidence from Belau and the Palau Trench

Volcanic rocks of the Kyushu–Palau Ridge (KPR) from Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) site 448 and from Belau comprise a low-to-medium-K arc tholeiitic series. Belau rocks include (probable) Mid-Eocene low-Ca type-3 boninite and pre-Early Oligocene–Early Miocene low-K arc tholeiitic basalt, basaltic andesite, andesite and dacite. Palau Trench samples include sparsely phyric high-Mg, -Cr and -Ni rocks which resemble the Belau boninite and Izu–Bonin – Mariana (IBM) system boninites. The high-Mg Palau Trench samples also resemble other primitive arc lavas (e.g. arc picrites). Their chemistry suggests an origin involving steep thermal gradients in multiply depleted mantle. Subduction of hot, young lithosphere under a young hot upper plate is postulated to explain this occurrence. The KPR is inferred to be the source of Eocene boninite and arc tholeiitic terranes presently in forearc regions of the IBM system. A model is presented here showing how many IBM boninites may have originated in a small area near Belau. These have migrated eastward by episodic back-arc opening accompanying eastward migration of arcs and trenches. Oldest known KPR rocks (ca 47.5 Ma at DSDP site 296), and presumed KPR-derived exotic terranes of Guam (ca 43.8 Ma), presage the postulated Eocene (ca 42–43 Ma) change in Pacific plate motion invoked as the cause of subduction initiation at the KPR. The KPR has been rotated more than 40° clockwise since the Eocene, thus the age mismatch may indicate a different tectonic style, for example transtension or transpression, in earliest KPR history.
The weir Mitchell rest cure: Doctor and patients

(1983). The weir Mitchell rest cure: Doctor and patients. Women's Studies: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 15-40.
The San Antonio Biethnic Children's Blood Pressure Study: auscultatory findings.

Abstract Introduction: The purposes of this study were to: (a) examine for possible ethnicity-related and gender-related differences in blood pressure (BP) in Mexican American and non-Hispanic White schoolchildren; (b) compare auscultatory and oscillometric BP levels; and (c) establish auscultatory BP standards using the width of the BP cuff based on the circumference of the arm in schoolchildren in K-12. Methods: Participants were 6259 schoolchildren in kindergarten through 12th grade in the San Antonio, Texas, area. Auscultatory and oscillometric BP readings were obtained in random sequence, using BP cuff width 40% to 50% of the circumference of the upper arm. Averages of 3 readings were used for statistical analyses. Results: Auscultatory systolic pressures (SPs) in preadolescent Mexican American boys and girls were higher (1 to 3 mm Hg) auscultatory (SP) than in their White counterparts, but the difference was clinically not important. Diastolic pressures (DP) showed no important differences. Auscultatory SPs in 13- to 18-year-old boys of both ethnic groups were significantly ( P Discussion: No important ethnicity-related difference was found for auscultatory BP, but significant genderrelated differences (boys greater than girls) were found in SP in subjects ages 13 to 18 years. Differences in BP readings by oscillometric and auscultatory methods do not allow interchange of readings. This study provides, for the first time, auscultatory BP standards using BP cuff width 40% to 50% of the arm circumference.
Ultrastructure of thalamic neuronal inclusions in myotonic dystrophy

Recently, the presence of thalamic neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in patients with myotonic dystrophy has been reported. At the ultrastructural level, the inclusions were described "containing a fibrillar material within a limiting membrane studded on its outer surface with ribosomes". We have studied the brain of a 48-year-old woman with myotonic dystrophy. Many neuronal inclusion bodies were found within the thalamus, and examined in the electron microscope. Inclusions were found to have an electron density resembling that of nuclear chromatin, were not membrane-bound, and had an internal structure composed of parallel alternating dark and pale lines. We confirm the previously-reported existence of cytoplasmic thalamic neuronal inclusions in myotonic dystrophy, but differ in our observations of their ultrastructural appearance, and note that these inclusions bear no resemblance to previously described inclusion bodies.
A splitting theorem for closed orientable 3-manifolds

THE MAJOR result in this paper is that a closed, connected, irreducible, orientable, 3-manifold M, whose fundamental group is a non-trivial free product with amalgation across the fundamental group of a closed, connected, orientable surface S, can be split across S so as to yield the given free product with amalgamation. The requirement that both the 2-manifold and the 3-manifold be orientable is not necessary, see [3], however this assumption greatly simplifies the proof. The author would like to thank J. Gross and L. Neuwirth for a number of helpful conversations.
Accelerated filing deadlines, internal controls, and financial statement quality: : The case of originating misstatements

SYNOPSIS: We examine whether regulations requiring accelerated filing deadlines and internal control reporting and testing affect financial statement reliability. Unlike prior research, we examine whether these regulatory changes are associated with an increase in the likelihood that misstatements originate in the period following the respective change. If the implementation of these rules causes a misstatement, then the misstatement would most likely occur in the period immediately following the rule change. We provide evidence that accelerated filers (AFs) experience an increase in the likelihood of an originating misstatement following the acceleration of filing deadlines from 90 to 75 days. Large accelerated filers (LAFs), however, do not experience a similar increase following this acceleration or the subsequent acceleration from 75 to 60 days. After the implementation of the SOX Section 404 internal control requirements, we find that the likelihood of an originating misstatement declined for AFs bu...
Preliminary clinical–radiological assessment of a MR tissue signature model in human stroke

We evaluated the ability of an MR signature model (SM) of cerebral ischemic injury to stage the evolution of cellular damage in human stroke. In 19 patients with ischemic stroke of presumed embolic or non-embolic cause we carried out diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted MR imaging within 48 h of onset, and obtained apparent diffusion coefficient of water (ADCw), and T2 weighted images. We used the signatures obtained from these ADCw/T2 maps to formulate two patterns of damage signifying accelerated or non-accelerated progression of cellular death after stroke onset. Those patients with the accelerated pattern corresponded to those with the neuroradiological (NRC) and clinical diagnosis (TOAST.1 and TOAST.2) of presumed embolic stroke, with clinical diagnosis performed blinded both to NRC and to SM. Agreement between the SM and NRC was substantial (κ=0.62), moderate (0.60<κ<0.40) between the SM or NRC and TOAST.2, and fair (0.40<κ<0.20) among the SM or NRC and TOAST.1. We believe these results constitute a preliminary validation of the MR tissue signature modeling in clinical stroke assessment.
APPLICATIONS OF A PLASTIC-FRACTURE MODEL TO CONCRETE STRUCTURES

Abstract An elastic-plastic-fracture constitutive model for concrete materials has been proposed in a previous study by the authors. In this model, a four-parameter failure criterion is used to define the ultimate strength, the associated flow rule displaying a mixed hardening is adopted to represent the nonlinear stress-strain response, a crushing coefficient is introduced to identify the mode of failure, and an anisotropic elastic relationship is used to describe the post-failure behavior. In this paper, matrix constitutive equations for this model suitable for a direct finite element implementation are first presented, and three numerical examples, each representing a typical state of stress, are then solved to illustrate the applicability of the present model in a finite element analysis for the progressive failure studies of three concrete structures: thin-walled concrete cylinders subjected to hydrostatic pressure, the pull-out (Lok) test, and the splitting tension (Brazilian) test. The numerical results are also compared with the available experimental data and/or the available theoretical solutions. A good agreement is generally obtained.
Analysis of Throughflow Velocity in Two-Dimensional Fluidized Bed Bubbles

The formation of gas bubbles is one of the most characteristic phenomena of fluidized beds. Many unique properties of fluidized beds can be related directly to the presence of bubbles and are dominated by their behavior. Therefore, accurate prediction of parameters such as bubble shape and size, voidage variation and throughflow are practically important. In the present analysis, an approximate model, based on a strongly idealized picture of the bubble formation has been presented. The bubbling gas fluidized bed has regions of low solids density comprised of gas pockets or voids. The observed voids exhibited a variety of shapes (Halow and Nicoletti, 1992), depending upon the material and fluidization velocity. In the low-velocity experiments with the finer materials, rounded voids are observed. However, with coarser materials, voids were typically large and blunt-nosed. In the image analyses work, reported by Gautam (1989), in a bed operating slightly above the incipient fluidization, elongated bubbles (a > b, as shown in Figure 1) were observed for glass beads (sp. gravity = 2.5) of mean diameter 500 {micro}m and flattened bubbles (a < b) were seen for mean particle diameter of 350 {micro}m. Also, he noticed the dependence of throughflow velocity of the bubblemore » as it traverses up the bed. Additionally, throughflow velocity was found to be independent of the excess gas flow rate through the bed. The digitized image of a typical bubble (refer Gautam et al., 1994) which shows that the bubble were elongated in the vertical direction and were more elliptical than circular. Therefore, description of a bubble on the basis of just one diameter, either the horizontal or the vertical or an equivalent diameter, as has been done by many researchers in the past, is rather incomplete. It is inferred from the present work that the bubble aspect ratio plays an important role in predicting an accurate gas flow through the bubble.« less
Pharmaconutrition Review: Physiological Mechanisms

The search to improve outcomes in critically ill patients through nutrition support has steadily progressed over the past 4 decades. One current approach to this problem is the addition of specific nutrients as primary therapy to improve host defenses and improve the outcome of critically ill patients. The field is referred to as "pharmaconutrition," with the hope of focusing investigations on each nutrient to understand its pharmacological effects on immune and clinical outcomes. The purpose of this review is to describe some of the known physiological mechanisms of pharmaconutrients such as glutamine, arginine, ω-3 fatty acids, and selenium.
Differential Cytokine mRNA Expression in Mice after Oral Exposure to the Trichothecene Vomitoxin (Deoxynivalenol): Dose Response and Time Course

Acute oral exposure of B6C3F1 mice to vomitoxin (VT) has been previously shown to induce expression of mRNAs for cytokines that are characteristically produced in lymphoid tissues by macrophage and T cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of VT dose on the expression of mRNAs for a cytokine profile consisting of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12, IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, and TGF-beta and to measure the kinetics of these responses. The effects of a single oral exposure to 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, and 25 mg/kg BW of VT on cytokine mRNA abundance in spleen and Peyer's patches (indicators of systemic and mucosal immune compartments, respectively) were assessed at 2 hr postexposure using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in combination with hybridization analysis. Both 5 and 25 mg/kg VT significantly induced the mRNAs for the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha; the T helper 1 cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-2; and the T helper 2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10, whereas lower doses had no effect. IL-12p40 mRNA was also induced but not IL-12p35 mRNA. The effects were more pronounced in spleen than in the Peyer's patches. IL-5 and TGF-beta mRNAs were expressed constitutively in spleen and Peyer's patches but were not affected by VT. When cytokine mRNA levels were measured at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hr after oral exposure to 25 mg/kg BW of VT, mRNA expression kinetics varied among cytokines or between spleen and Peyer's patches. The duration of elevated mRNA expression in spleen was 1-8 hr for TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 and was 1-4 hr for IL-1beta, IL-12p40, IL-2, and IL-4. In Peyer's patches, duration periods were 1-8 hr for IL-6, IL-2, and IL-10; 1-4 hr for IL-1beta, IL-12p40, and TNF-alpha; and 1-2 hr for IFN-gamma. Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IFN-gamma were elevated 3 hr after exposure to 25 mg/kg VT, thus suggesting that elevation of splenic and Peyer's patch mRNA abundance correlated with increases in systemic production of these cytokines. Taken together, the results indicate that a single VT exposure rapidly induces gene expression in vivo for a wide range of cytokines with apparently complete recovery occurring after 24 hr. Elevated cytokine expression may play an important role in the pathophysiologic effects of VT and other trichothecenes.
A Rule-Based System for Well Log Correlation

Computer-assisted approaches to well log correlation are of interest to engineers and geologists for two reasons. In large field studies, a computer can be used simply to reduce the time required to correlate zones of interest. It is also possible that computer-assisted correlations may suggest zonal matches of interest and originality that might not have been considered. This paper presents a new approach to the computer-assisted log correlation. Geologic horizons are correlated between wells by use of an artificial intelligence rule-based technique. Using the symbol-manipulation capabilities of a computer language called List Processing (LISP), the author developed a prototype rule-bases system that has symbolic representation of log data, recognizes log shapes from traces, identifies geologic zones from a sequence of shapes in a log, characterizes the zones, correlates zones from well to well with a set of ''if/then'' type of rules, and uses a forward-chaining inference scheme to execute the rule base. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of the LISP language and the methodology involved in the development of this system.
The Regulatory β Subunit of Phosphorylase Kinase Interacts with Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase

Phosphorylase kinase (ATP:phosphorylase b phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.38), hereafter termed PhK,1 is in fast-twitch skeletal muscle a hexadecameric complex with a subunit composition of (αβγδ)4 and a mass of 1.3 × 106 Da (reviewed in ref 1). The activity of its catalytic γ subunit (44.7 kDa) is controlled by its regulatory α (138.4 kDa), β (125.2 kDa), and δ (16.7 kDa) subunits, the last being calmodulin, which is tightly bound to the complex even in the absence of Ca2+. PhK phosphorylates and activates glycogen phosphorylase b (GPb), and the absolute dependence of this reaction on Ca2+ couples muscle contraction with energy production via the glycolytic breakdown of glucose 1-phosphate released from glycogen by glycogen phosphorylase upon its activation by PhK (2). For more than 50 years, GPb has remained PhK’s only known in vivo substrate, although several proteins have been reported to be phosphorylated in vitro by PhK with varying levels of effectiveness: glycogen synthase (3), troponin I (4), troponin T (4), and PhK itself (5). On the other hand, PhK has been reported to bind to, but not necessarily phosphorylate, several other proteins under less artificial conditions. When the C-terminus of PhK’s α subunit (residues 1060–1237) was used as bait in a two-hybrid system to screen a rabbit skeletal muscle cDNA library, Cdc42-interacting protein 4 (CIP4) was identified as associating with PhK, and this was corroborated in vivo via immunocytochemistry (6). Via immunoprecipitation from cell extracts, PhK has also been reported to interact with the glycogen targeting protein PTG (7), which promotes glycogen storage by activation of protein phosphatase 1, which activates glycogen synthase and inactivates PhK (8). Using various techniques, several laboratories have also reported the interaction of PhK with actin (9, 10). Despite its very large mass, variety of subunits, and high concentration in muscle (11), few potential targets have been identified for PhK. The goal of this study was to find and identify additional PhK targets in mouse skeletal muscle. The findings reported herein show a strong interaction between PhK and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), potentially directly linking glycogenolysis to glycolysis, which is discussed. Further, evidence is presented that this interaction occurs through the regulatory β subunit of PhK, which aside from its phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase is the least characterized of PhK’s four subunits.
RSVP IconMessenger: icon-based brain-interfaced alternative and augmentative communication

One of the principal application areas for brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), typically used by people with severe speech and physical disabilities (SSPI). Existing word- and phrase-based AAC solutions that employ BCIs that utilize electroencephalography (EEG) are sometimes supplemented by icons. Icon-based BCI systems that use binary signaling methods, such as P300 detection, combine hierarchical layouts with some form of scanning. The rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) IconMessenger combines P300 signal detection with the icon-based semantic message construction system of iconCHAT. Language models are incorporated in the inference engine and some modifications that facilitate the use of RSVP were performed such as icon semantic role order selection and the tight fusion of language evidence and EEG evidence. The results of a study conducted with 10 healthy participants suggest that the system has potential as an AAC system in real-time typi...
A joint replication-migration-based routing in delay tolerant networks

Delay tolerant networks (DTNs) use mobility-assisted routing, where nodes carry, store, and forward data to each other in order to overcome the intermittent connectivity and limited network capacity of this type of network. In this paper, we propose a routing protocol that includes two mechanisms: message replication and message migration. Each mechanism has two steps: message selection and node selection. In message replication, we choose the smallest hop-count message to replicate. The hop-count threshold is used to control the replication speed. We propose a metric called 2-hop activity level to measure the relay node's transmission capacity, which is used in node selection. Our protocol includes a novel message migration policy that is used to overcome the limited buffer space and bandwidth of DTN nodes. We validate our protocol via extensive simulation experiments; we use a combination of synthetic and real mobility traces.
Approximate and exact schemes for photon-Maxwellian electron cross sections

Abstract A fast and accurate method for computing temperature corrected photon-Maxwellian electron cross sections with distribution averaged electron energies and scattering angles is presented. Use is made of the covariant (frame independent) picture of scattering for relativistic electrons. The scheme is motivated and detailed, predictions are obtained and compared with exact values, and appropriate limiting forms that retain the Thomson and Klein-Nishin cross-section structure are also recovered. The method is amenable to further point wise (Monte Carlo) or multigroup (Sn) cross-section processing or temperature dependent fits. An exact numerical scheme employing adaptive quadrature techniques, as implemented in the production code module, MAXWEL, is also described.
Bioimage informatics: recent advances and challenges

I will talk about information processing challenges in the context of microscopy images, and issues/challenges that the multimedia/information retrieval communities can help address. Recent advances in microscopy imaging have resulted in large volumes of image and video data, with most of the analysis still done manually and in a qualitative manner. Manual analysis is not only time intensive but often is not reproducible as well. Further, there is little, if any, database support to manage these image/video collections, to store, search and retrieve image related information within an integrated framework. I will illustrate the challenges with some recent problems that we are trying to tackle at UCSB's Center for Bio-Image Informatics.
Carbohydrate metabolism in leucocytes. V. The metabolism of five-carbon substrates in polymorphonuclear leucocytes of rabbit

Abstract The utilization in vitro of d -arabinose-1-C 14 and -5-C 14 , l -arabinose-1-C 14 , d -lyxose-1-C 14 , and ribitol-1-C 14 by polymorphonuclear leucocytes of rabbits has been investigated. Two indicators of metabolism, glycogen and lactic acid, were isolated and their C 14 distributions determined by degradation. On the basis of the tracer pattern it has been shown that these five-carbon substrates are metabolized via the transketolase-transaldolase sequence to fructose 6-phosphate followed by the Embden-Meyerhof pathway to lactic acid.
Solubilization of initial attachment site activity for avian tumor viruses with lithium diiodosalicylate.

SummaryExtraction of CEF plasma membranes with LIS solubilizes membrane components which interact directly with ATV in vitro, antagonizing ATV binding to CEF plasma membranes and reducing the transforming capacity of these viruses. This activity is specific to CEF; approximately 200 human erythrocytes must be extracted with LIS to produce the activity equivalent to that extractable from a single CEF.
Activity-Dependent Modulation of Synaptic AMPA Receptor Accumulation

Both theoretical and experimental work have suggested that central neurons compensate for changes in excitatory synaptic input in order to maintain a relatively constant output. We report here that inhibition of excitatory synaptic transmission in cultured spinal neurons leads to an increase in mEPSC amplitudes, accompanied by an equivalent increase in the accumulation of AMPA receptors at synapses. Conversely, increasing excitatory synaptic activity leads to a decrease in synaptic AMPA receptors and a decline in mEPSC amplitude. The time course of this synaptic remodeling is slow, similar to the metabolic half-life of neuronal AMPA receptors. Moreover, inhibiting excitatory synaptic transmission significantly prolongs the half-life of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1, suggesting that synaptic activity modulates the size of the mEPSC by regulating the turnover of postsynaptic AMPA receptors.
North Central Sociological Association: Members Perspectives—Past and Present

Abstract Recollections of past officers provide the basis for a history of the North Central Sociological Association (NCSA). Foci include the early environment, school participation, and forces behind its growth and current character. Contemporary issues of big school domination and image are examined through data on current numbers, school affiliations, and convention participation. The latter part of the paper, based on a 1976 NCSA membership survey, compares criticisms of American Sociological Association national meetings with those of North Central, summarizing the asserts and deficits of each. Conclusions are drawn about the identifying characteristics and functions of a regional association given the image it assumes and its organizational goals.
Induction of Endocytic Vesicles by Exogenous C6-ceramide *

Abstract Ceramide is a newly discovered second messenger that has been shown to cause cell growth arrest and apoptosis. Here, we present evidence that exogenously added C6-ceramide induces enlargement of late endosomes and lysosomes. 10 μm C6-ceramide caused the formation of numerous vesicles of varying sizes (2–10 μm) in fibroblasts (3T3-L1 and 3T3-F442A), without toxic effects. Vesicle formation induced by C6-ceramide was time- and dose-dependent, rapid, and reversible. Numerous small vesicles appeared within 8 h of treatment with 10 μm C6-ceramide. They enlarged with time, with large vesicles found in the perinuclear region and small ones observed at the cell periphery. Within 24 h of treatment, ∼30% of the cells exhibited these vesicles. Removal of ceramide from the culture medium caused disappearance of the vesicles, which reappeared upon readdition of ceramide. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopic analysis using an anti-lysosome-associated membrane protein antibody identified the enlarged vesicles as late endosomes/lysosomes. The fluorescent C6-NBD-ceramide, a vital stain for the Golgi apparatus, did not stain these vesicles. The effect on vesicle formation was influenced by ceramide structure;d-erythro-C6-ceramide was the most active ceramide analogue tested. Short chain ceramide metabolites, such as sphingosine, sphingosine 1-phosphate,N-hexanoyl-sphingosylphosphorylcholine,N-acetylpsychosine, and C2-ceramide GM3, (GM3,N-acetylneuraminosyl-α(2,3)-galactosyl-β(1,4)-glucosylceramide), were inactive in causing vesicle formation when added exogenously. Together, these studies demonstrate that exogenous C6-ceramide induces endocytic vesicle formation and causes enlarged late endosomes and lysosomes in mouse fibroblasts.
Molecular dynamics simulation of phase transition in AgNO3

Abstract Structural phase transition in AgNO 3 at high temperature is simulated by molecular dynamics. The simulations are based on the potentials calculated from the Gordon–Kim modified electron-gas formalism extended to molecular ionic crystals. AgNO 3 transforms into rhombohedral structure at high temperature and the phase transition is associated with the rotations of the NO 3 ions and displacements of the NO 3 and Ag ions.
Exploring the Meaning of “Good” Management

Recently, good management has come to be equated in theory with practices that increase worker satisfaction. This may inadvertently be contributing to low productivity, narcissism, and groupthink among the work force. Exploring contributions from history, philosophy, and literature, I conclude that while definitions of good may be contextual, there is little evidence to support a “contented cow” approach to management. Definitions that stress human growth and productivity may be of greater long-range benefit to our society.
Developmental Biology — Expanding the Horizon

Developmental biology is arguably the most exciting field of study within the biological sciences. To elucidate how complex organisms develop from a single cell into a complex organism is a quest that has captured the minds of many great scientists. [...]
Use of vascular endothelial cell growth factor gene transfer to enhance implantable sensor function in vivo.

In the current study, we developed and validated a simple, rapid and safe in vivo model to test gene transfer and sensor function in vivo. Using the model, we tested the specific hypothesis that in vivo gene transfer of angiogenic factors at sites of biosensor implantation would induce neovascularization surrounding the sensor and thereby enhance biosensor function in vivo. As the in vivo site for testing of our gene transfer cell and biosensor function systems, the developing chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the embryo was utilized. Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) was used as a prototype for angiogenic factor gene transfer. A helper-independent retroviral vector derived from Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), designated RCAS, was used for gene transfer of the murine VEGF (mVEGF) gene (mVEGF:RCAS) into the DF-1 chicken cell line (designated mVEGF:DF-1). Initially, the ability of VEGF:DF-1 cells to produce VEGF and RCAS viral vectors containing the mVEGF gene (mVEGF:RCAS) was validated in vitro and in vivo, as was the ability of the mVEGF:DF-1 cells to induce neovascularization in the ex ova CAM model. Using the system, we determined the ability of mVEGF:DF-1 cells to enhance acetaminophen sensor function in vivo, by inducing neovascularization at sites of sensor implantation in the ex ova CAM model. For these studies, acetaminophen sensors were placed on 8-day-old ex ova CAMs, followed by addition of media or cells (mVEGF:DF-1 cells or GFP:DF-1 cells) at the sites of biosensor implantation on the CAM. At 4 to 10 days after sensor placement, the biosensor function was determined by measuring sensor response to an intravenous injection of acetaminophen. Sensors implanted on CAMs with buffer or control cells (GFP:DF-1 cells) displayed no induced neovascularization around the sensor and had minimal/baseline sensor responses to intravenous acetaminophen injection (media, 133.33 +/- 27.64 nA; GFP:DF-1, 187.50 +/- 55.43 nA). Alternatively, the sensors implanted with mVEGF:DF-1 cells displayed massive neovascularization and equally massive sensor response to intravenous injection of acetaminophen (VEGF:DF-1, 1387.50 +/- 276.42 nA). These data clearly demonstrate that enhancing vessel density (i.e., neovascularization) around an implanted sensor dramatically enhances sensor function in vivo.
Atmospheric Influence of Earth's Earliest Sulfur Cycle

Mass-independent isotopic signatures for delta(33)S, delta(34)S, and delta(36)S from sulfide and sulfate in Precambrian rocks indicate that a change occurred in the sulfur cycle between 2090 and 2450 million years ago (Ma). Before 2450 Ma, the cycle was influenced by gas-phase atmospheric reactions. These atmospheric reactions also played a role in determining the oxidation state of sulfur, implying that atmospheric oxygen partial pressures were low and that the roles of oxidative weathering and of microbial oxidation and reduction of sulfur were minimal. Atmospheric fractionation processes should be considered in the use of sulfur isotopes to study the onset and consequences of microbial fractionation processes in Earth's early history.
Synthesis of [2H]-diethoxymethane as a convenient source of a [2H]-methylene unit

[2H]-Diethoxymethane is prepared in one step from triethylorthoformate. Its usefulness as a precursor to [2H]-formaldehyde is shown by the Diels Alder synthesis of a monolabelled bicyclic amine. The title compound should also be useful in the syntheses of other labelled compounds in which [2H]-formaldehyde is a required reagent.
The double photodissociation of a geminal dichloride: Evidence for the stepwise formation of a diaryl carbene

Photolysis of dichlorodiphenylmethane in glassy 2-methyltetrahydrofuran at 77 K results in the formation of diphenylcarbene and the diphenylchloromethyl radical, which were detected by their fluorescence emission and excitation spectra. The relative yields of the carbene and biradical are shown to vary dramatically as a function of photolysis time. The photolability of the diphenylchloromethyl radical is also demonstrated. These results were interpreted in terms of a two-step mechanism, in which the diphenylchloromethyl radical is an intermediate in the formation of diphenylcarbene.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) alters the structure and composition of membranous vesicles exfoliated from the surface of a murine leukemia cell line

Membrane lipid microdomains are regions of the membrane thought to be functionally important, but which have remained poorly characterized because they have proven to be difficult to isolate. The exfoliation of small membranous vesicles from the cell surface is a continuous and normal activity in many cells. If microdomains are relatively large or stable, they may influence the structure and composition of exfoliated vesicles, which are easy to isolate. We tested the ability of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a fatty acid proposed to alter the structure of microdomains, to change the structure and composition of vesicles exfoliated from a murine leukemia cell line. Cells were cultured in normal and DHA-enriched media for 72 h, then washed and given a 15-h exfoliation period. Afterwards, the pooled vesicles and their parent plasma membrane were collected and analyzed. Vesicles and plasma membrane from cells grown in normal culture medium had similar fatty acid compositions, including equal, and low, proportions of DHA, but the vesicles had much more cholesterol and displayed higher anisotropy than the plasma membrane. When cells were grown in DHA-enriched medium, both the plasma membrane and exfoliated vesicles had 10-fold elevated levels of DHA in their phospholipids, with the DHA displacing other polyunsaturates. These cells released vesicles having significantly reduced levels of cholesterol and monoenoic fatty acids than those in normal culture. The anisotropy of these vesicles was also dramatically reduced. These data are consistent with DHA altering the structure and composition of membrane microdomains on the cell surface, and suggest that exfoliated vesicles may prove useful in the further study of membrane microdomains.
The influence of prenatal trauma, stress, social support, and years of residency in the US on postpartum maternal health status among low-income Latinas.

This study examined the associations of prenatal psychosocial factors, including depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, trauma exposure including intimate partner violence, perceived stress, and social support, with perceived postpartum health status. Low-income Latinas (N = 203) were recruited from two health plans within the first 12 weeks of their pregnancies and followed through 3 months after birth. Participants completed semi-structured interviews conducted in English or Spanish within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and again at 12 weeks postpartum. Perceived health status was measured by the SF-12. Participants with complete follow-up data (n = 193) were used in data analysis. Women were mostly foreign-born (75%) with low-incomes (59%) and reported postpartum health status in the average range (M = 102.5; SD = 12.2). Overall health status was positively associated with decreased levels of perceived stress (P < .0001), being foreign-born and having resided in the US <10 years (P = .003). Emotional well-being was positively linked with being foreign-born and having resided in the US <10 years (P = .002), increased levels of social support (P = .01), and decreased levels of perceived stress (P < .001). Exposure to non-specific IPV trauma (P = .01) and health problems experienced during pregnancy or delivery (P = .05) were negatively associated with physical health status. Prenatal psychosocial factors and length of residency in the US are differentially predictive of overall postpartum health status and emotional well-being, and have less impact on physical well-being after birth. Health professionals are encouraged to assess these factors in early pregnancy.
Persistent photoconductivity in poly(p-phenylenevinylene): Spectral response and slow relaxation.

We report the spectral response and slow decay of the steady-state photoconductivity in poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) films. The spectral response of the photoconductivity is in good agreement with that calculated from the absorption data with the assumption of rapid recombination at the surface of the film; the results indicate direct photogeneration of free charge carriers via an interband transition. The photoconductivity is, therefore, consistent with a description of the electronic structure of PPV in terms of a semiconductor band model (rather than an exciton model). The very slow stretched-exponential relaxation of the photoinduced conductivity is reminiscent of the persistent photoconductivity observed in inorganic semiconductors. By assuming that the photocurrent is carried predominantly by mobile polarons near the surface, one can construct a model for the persistent photoconductivity in which the recombination of long-lived bipolarons is inhibited in the bulk where bipolarons have a lower free energy than polarons. The persistent photoconductivity, therefore, is caused by the slow dispersive diffusion of photogenerated bipolarons to the surface where they dissociate into polarons and where both polaron transport and recombination occur.
Carbon use, nitrogen use, and isotopic fractionation of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi in natural abundance and 13C-labelled cultures

Stable isotopes in fruit bodies from field studies have been used to infer ectomycorrhizal or saprotrophic status and to understand carbon and nitrogen use, but few controlled culture studies have correlated source and fungal isotopic patterns. Here, we measured natural abundances of 15N and 13C in ten strains of ectomycorrhizal fungi and seven strains of saprotrophic fungi grown on agar with three different primary carbon sources: glucose, glucose plus malt extract, and potato dextrose agar. Eight fungal strains were also grown using position-specific, 13C-labelled glucose (C-1 through C-6 labelled). Most fungi resembled nitrogen sources in delta 15N, suggesting that growth on agar media minimizes isotopic fractionation on uptake compared to growth on liquid media, and that in general saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi process nitrogen similarly. Saprotrophic fungi were more depleted in 13C than ectomycorrhizal fungi on all media, presumably because of assimilation of 13C-depleted, agar-derived carbon. Results on 13C-enriched glucose indicated that saprotrophic fungi obtained up to 45 % of their carbon from the agar substrate. Fungi generally incorporated the individual carbon atoms of glucose in the order, C-4 < C-1 < C-2, C-3, C-5 < C-6, ranging from a mean of 9 % for the C-4 atom to 21 % for the C-6 atom. Based on these incorporation patterns and intramolecular 13C patterns within glucose, differential incorporation of carbon atoms within glucose among fungal taxa contributed less than 1% to isotopic differences among taxa, whereas isotopic fractionation among taxa during metabolism varied up to 4%. Parallel studies of 13C-enriched and natural abundance substrates were crucial to interpreting our results.
Reduced caloric intake following small bowel bypass surgery: a systematic study of possible causes

Food intake, appetite and a variety of feelings were measured pre- and post-operatively in obese patients undergoing jejuno-ileal bypass surgery. Decreased food intake correlated closely with the amount of weight loss at both 4 and 30 months after surgery. Malabsorption correlated with weight loss at 4 months but not 30 months post-operatively. The cause of the decreased food intake is unknown and cannot be completely explained by either depression, nausea, malabsorption, liver disease, an attempt to avert diarrhoea, or decreased appetite.
Laparoscopic and thoracoscopic ivor lewis esophagectomy after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a commonly performed procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity. Esophagectomy in patients with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass presents a difficult technical challenge for the surgeon. In this report we describe a technique of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy in a patient who had had an open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Minimally invasive esophagectomy was performed with resection of the Roux limb using the gastric remnant as the conduit for gastrointestinal reconstruction.
Ambulatory impedance cardiography: a feasibility study

A wearable, ambulatory impedance monitor (AIM) has been developed to permit impedance cardiographic measurements while patients and volunteers engage in normal daily activities. The AIM system was developed for use with a new hybrid tetrapolar spot-band electrode configuration and was designed to be comfortable and inconspicuous. The objective of the present study was to provide a preliminary evaluation of AIM comparability with the widely validated Minnesota model 304B impedance cardiograph with standard tetrapolar band electrodes. Orthostatic challenge was used to systematically alter cardiac function in a laboratory setting in 11 healthy men and women. Both while the subjects were sitting and while they were standing, the AIM yielded measures of cardiac function, including heart rate, preejection period, left ventricular ejection time, and stroke volume, that were similar to those acquired by using the reference Minnesota 304B system (all Pearson R correlations > +0.87, all P < 0.001). Cardiac responses to postural shift, expressed as change measures from sitting to standing, were also comparable for the AIM and Minnesota reference monitoring systems. Potential applications, including the assessment of 24-h hemodynamic profiles, are illustrated and discussed.
Spreading the Word on Food Allergy Education: Lessons from Childhood Asthma

There has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of immunoglobulin E mediated food allergy (FA) in the pediatric population in the past decade. Now FA is diagnosed in one in 20 children, and clinicians are counseling new parents to cope with this life-changing diagnosis daily
Regulation of HGF expression by ΔEGFR-mediated c-Met activation in glioblastoma cells.

Abstract The hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-Met) and a constitutively active mutant of the epidermal growth factor receptor (ΔEGFR/EGFRvIII) are frequently overexpressed in glioblastoma (GBM) and promote tumorigenesis. The mechanisms underlying elevated hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) production in GBM are not understood. We found higher, coordinated mRNA expression levels of HGF and c-Met in mesenchymal (Mes) GBMs, a subtype associated with poor treatment response and shorter overall survival. In an HGF/c-Met–dependent GBM cell line, HGF expression declined upon silencing of c-Met using RNAi or by inhibiting its activity with SU11274. Silencing c-Met decreased anchorage-independent colony formation and increased the survival of mice bearing intracranial GBM xenografts. Consistent with these findings, c-Met activation by ΔEGFR also elevated HGF expression, and the inhibition of ΔEGFR with AG1478 reduced HGF levels. Interestingly, c-Met expression was required for ΔEGFR-mediated HGF production, anchorage-independent growth, and in vivo tumorigenicity, suggesting that these pathways are coupled. Using an unbiased mass spectrometry–based screen, we show that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) Y705 is a downstream target of c-Met signaling. Suppression of STAT3 phosphorylation with WP1193 reduced HGF expression in ΔEGFR-expressing GBM cells, whereas constitutively active STAT3 partially rescued HGF expression and colony formation in c-Met knockdown cells expressing ΔEGFR. These results suggest that the c-Met/HGF signaling axis is enhanced by ΔEGFR through increased STAT3-dependent HGF expression and that targeting c-Met in Mes GBMs may be an important strategy for therapy.
An effective and efficient approach for manually improving geocoded data

Background The process of geocoding produces output coordinates of varying degrees of quality. Previous studies have revealed that simply excluding records with low-quality geocodes from analysis can introduce significant bias, but depending on the number and severity of the inaccuracies, their inclusion may also lead to bias. Little quantitative research has been presented on the cost and/or effectiveness of correcting geocodes through manual interactive processes, so the most cost effective methods for improving geocoded data are unclear. The present work investigates the time and effort required to correct geocodes contained in five health-related datasets that represent examples of data commonly used in Health GIS.
HIgh-Power C-Band Multiple-IMPATT-Diode Amplifiers

The design considerations and performance characteristics of two high-power microwave reflection amplifiers that use multiple silicon IMPATT diodes are presented. The amplifiers employ microstrip hybrid-circuit-type power combiners to combine the individually matched IMPATT diodes. The first unit, a single-stage 4-diode amplifier, produced 8-W output with 6-dB gain while the second 12-diode amplifier gave 15.8-W output at about 9-dB gain. FM and AM noise added by these amplifiers has been measured with each amplifier driven to nearly full output. Use of microstrip hybrid-circuit power combiners appears to offer a simple and economical design approach for the implementation of microwave solid-state power amplifiers using multiple active devices.
Workflow-based assessment of student online activities with topic and dialogue role classification

The Pedagogical Assessment Workflow System (PAWS) is a new workflow-based pedagogical assessment framework that enables the efficient and robust integration of diverse datasets for the purposes of student assessment. The paper highlights two particular e-learning workflows supported by PAWS. The first workflow correlates student performance, as measured by project grades, with different dialogue roles, information seeker and information provider, that students take on in project-based discussion forums. The second workflow identifies the distribution of question topics within student discussions. Both workflows employ state of the art natural language processing techniques and machine learning algorithms for dialogue classification tasks. Workflow results were reviewed with a course instructor and feedback regarding the analysis and its fidelity are reported.
Extracting Social Networks from Literary Fiction

We present a method for extracting social networks from literature, namely, nineteenth-century British novels and serials. We derive the networks from dialogue interactions, and thus our method depends on the ability to determine when two characters are in conversation. Our approach involves character name chunking, quoted speech attribution and conversation detection given the set of quotes. We extract features from the social networks and examine their correlation with one another, as well as with metadata such as the novel's setting. Our results provide evidence that the majority of novels in this time period do not fit two characterizations provided by literacy scholars. Instead, our results suggest an alternative explanation for differences in social networks.