cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Spring Wheat Quality Traits and Genotypes for Production of Cantonese Asian Noodles

Cantonese noodles are a possible end-use product for spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This product may provide an export opportunity for growers and be an alternative to the pan bread market. It might also be possible to produce dual-use spring wheat for both markets. Knowledge of genotype and environment effects on spring wheat quality characteristics relating to Cantonese noodle discoloration will assist breeders in developing cultivars. Nine spring wheat genotypes were grown at four North Dakota locations in 2000 and 2001. Samples were analyzed for kernel polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, flour protein content, kernel brightness, and flour ash content. Yellow alkaline Cantonese-style noodle sheets were made from flour milled from each sample and brightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) color measurements taken at 0 and 24 h to evaluate noodle discoloration. Genotypes having low kernel PPO activity, moderate flour protein content, bright kernels, and low flour ash concentrations produced Cantonese noodle sheets having high brightness and yellowness after 24h. Genotype by environment interactions were significant for wheat quality characteristics related to noodle quality, due in part to rank changes in genotype means across environments. Genotype IDO 470 was identified as having desirable wheat quality characteristics for Cantonese noodle color, indicating that spring wheat genotypes with acceptable noodle quality can be produced for the region. The development of dual-use spring wheat genotypes may be possible if breeders select for traits that maximize noodle quality but are neutral or have no significant impact on pan bread quality.
Management Quandary. Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases: re-thinking the bedfellow question means that condoms will never be seatbelts.

After two decades of trying to prevent teen pregnancy when a colleague suggested trying to simultaneously prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STD) I wondered how the prospect could seem foreign. Given their frequent co-occurrence tendency to recur at short intervals and common etiology and cure Cates suggested that unplanned pregnancies and STDs were natural bedfellows long ago. In theory everyone agrees. However contracepting American women are rarely screened annually for STDs and providing STD-clinic patients with contraception is still an experimental intervention. Thus in practice they remain strange bedfellows. Both problems should be easy to prevent. Most teenagers do not want children or STDs and know how to avoid acquiring them. Broad theory-based interventions designed to remedy the imbalances in risk and protective factors that simultaneously begets them both are teleologically appealing. However there is little evidence that programs based on this theoretical framework prevent more teenage pregnancies and STDs than those based on competing theories. The observational nature of the evaluation data has allowed researchers to be vague in separating effects directly related to intervention from the effects of pre-existing characteristics. (excerpt)
The patched signaling pathway mediates repression of gooseberry allowing neuroblast specification by wingless during Drosophila neurogenesis.

The Drosophila signaling molecule Wingless (Wg) plays crucial roles in cell-cell communications during development. In the developing nervous system, a previous study has shown that Wg acts non-autonomously to specify the fate of a specific neuronal precursor, NB4-2 (Q. Chu-LaGraff and C. Q. Doe (1993) Science 261, 1594–1597). The lack of autocrine specification of NB4-2 in Wg-expressing cells suggests that the response to Wg is spatially restricted, presumably through the activity of the Wg-receptor. I show that two other proteins, a transcription factor Gooseberry (Gsb) and a transmembrane protein Patched (Ptc), participate in the Wg-mediated specification of NB4-2 by controlling the response to the Wg signal. In gsb mutants, Wg-positive NB5-3 is transformed to NB4-2 in a Wg-dependent manner, suggesting that Gsb normally represses the capacity to respond to the Wg signal. In ptc mutants, Gsb is ectopically expressed in normally Wg-responsive cells, thus preventing the Wg response and consequently the correct specification of NB4-2 does not take place. This conclusion is supported by the observation that NB4-2 can be specified in gsb;ptc double mutants in a Wg-dependent manner. Moreover, ectopic expression of Gsb from the hsp7O-gsb transgene also blocks the response to the Wg signal. I propose that the responsiveness to the Wg signal is controlled by sequential negative regulation, ptc-->gsb-->Wg receptor. The timing of the response to Gsb suggests that the specification of neuroblast identities takes place within the neuroectoderm, prior to neuroblast delamination.
Circulating Progesterone Levels in the Golden Hamster During the Estrous Cycle, Pregnancy, and Lactation

Individual blood samples were collected from the vena cava of cycling, pregnant, and lactating hamsters under conditions of known ovarianx�-3�-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3$HSD) activity. Progesterone was purified by two thin-layer chromatographic steps and measured by gas liquid chromatography. Progesterone levels (jzg/100 ml blood) were cor- rected for procedural losses. During the estrous cycle, the progesterone concentration rose between early and late proestrus (0.23 to 1.10), peaked at preovulatory estrus (1.89), and appeared to increase again on the second postovulatory day (1.08). During pregnancy, pro- gesterone levels increased between Days I and 2 postcoitum, rose gradually from Day 3 (0.75) to Day 14 (2.55), and dropped sharply between Day 15 (1.67) and Day 16 (0.20) before parturition. Progesterone levels were low during lactation. These results establish that circulating progesterone is elevated in the female hamster during behavioral estrus, implantation, and pregnancy when progesterone is known to be required. Follicular 3I3HSD activity at behavioral estrus and luteal 3IHSD activity during pregnancy correlate closely with the observed changes in peripheral progesterone. The shape of the progesterone curve during the hamster estrous cycle and pregnancy is similar to that of the laboratory rat. In contrast to the rat, the hamster has a much lower progesterone level during pregnancy and a very low level during lactation.
Cognitive impairment in relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis: mostly a matter of speed.

Based on the assumption that cognitive impairment in MS is consistent with subcortical dementia, a battery of neuropsychological tests was assembled that included measures of executive function (Tower of London and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test), verbal learning and memory (a paired associates learning test), and speeded information processing (Stroop Color Word Interference Test). The battery was administered to patients with relapsing and primary progressive MS and to healthy controls. Differences between patients and controls occurred on several of the measures. However, when differences with respect to fatigue and depression were statistically controlled, the only differences that remained significant involved measures relating to the speed of information processing. Patients performed more slowly than controls, with the disparity being greater for relapsing patients than for those with primary progressive disease. The slowing was evident on measures of automatic as well as controlled processing and regardless of whether speed was an explicit feature of successful performance or recorded unobstrusively while the patient concentrated on planning a correct solution to a problem. Parallels were noted between cognitive slowing associated with MS and that of normal aging. (JINS, 2004, 10, 948–956.)
Dynamic selective environments and evolutionary traps in human‐dominated landscapes

Human activities can alter selective environments in ways that can reduce the usefulness of certain ornamental traits as honest signals of individual quality and, in some cases, may create evolutionary traps, where rapid changes in selective environments result in maladaptive behavioral decisions. Using the sexually dichromatic, socially monogamous Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) as a model, we hypothesized that urbanization would erode the relationship between plumage coloration and reproductive success. Because the exotic Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii ) provides carotenoids, is a preferred habitat attribute, and increases vulnerability to nest predation, we predicted the presence of an evolutionary trap, whereby the brightest males would achieve the lowest reproductive success. Working at 14 forests in Ohio, USA, 2006-2008, we measured plumage color, monitored reproduction, and quantified habitat within territories. In rural landscapes, the brightest males bred earliest in the season and secured more preferred territories; however, annual reproduction declined with plumage brightness. Coloration of urban males was not associated with territory attributes or reproduction. Female redness across all landscapes was negatively related to reproduction. Poor reproductive performance of otherwise higher-quality males probably resulted from preferences for honeysuckle, which reduces annual reproduction when used as a nesting substrate early in the season. In this way, exotic shrubs prompted an evolutionary trap that was avoided in urban forests where anthropogenic resources disassociated male color and reproductive phenology and success. Our study illustrates how modified selective environments in human-dominated landscapes might shape microevolu- tionary processes in wild bird populations.
The importance of epigenetics for behavioral ecologists (and vice versa)

recent environmental change versus a responsive adaptation that evolved during long-term interaction with a predictably variable environment. Only by integrating proximate and ultimate approaches can these distinct stages of evolutionary change be recognized. Yet, despite many appeals over the years (Stamps 1991; Bateson 2001; Thierry 2007; Duckworth 2010), integration of “proximate” and “ultimate” mechanisms of behavioral variation remains elusive (see extensive discussion in Laland et al. 2011). This is, at least in part, because of the difficulty of investigating developmental mechanisms, including epigenetic effects, in natural systems. Yet, these difficulties are well worth the effort because the ultimate reward of such an integration is a deeper understanding, not only of the maintenance of behavioral variation, but also of its origin and evolution.
Influence of Memory on the Statistics of Pulsating Corona

It has been shown in the recent work of Van Brunt and Kulkarni (1990) that the well known pulsating negative corona (Trichel pulse) discharge in electronegative gases is a stochastic process in which memory effects play an important role. A complete understanding of this phenomenon cannot be achieved without information about these memory effects which are associated with the influence of negative-ion space charge and metastable species from previous discharge pulses on the initiation and growth of subsequent pulses. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how information about memory can be obtained from measurements of various conditional discharge pulse-amplitude and pulse-time-separation distributions. The discharge phenomenon is represented here by a random point process corresponding to the set {q 1,q n, △t n-1}, n = 2,3,4,… of pulse amplitudes, q n, and time separations, △t n-1. Here △t n-1 is the time separation between the nth and (n - 1)st discharge pulses.
Comparison of FASTlab 18F-FDG Production Using Phosphate and Citrate Buffer Cassettes

The objective of this research is to determine whether there are significant differences in the 18F-FDG produced by either the phosphate or the citrate buffer cassettes in the FASTlab synthesizer. Methods: Forty batches of 18F-FDG were produced with each cassette and analyzed retrospectively. The analysis consisted of determining the mean radiochemical yield (RCY)—uncorrected and corrected for decay—radiochemical purity (RCP), pH, and residual solvent content (ethanol and acetonitrile). An independent t test (alpha error [α], 0.05) was performed to determine whether the differences were statistically significant. Results: The mean decay-corrected RCYs for 18F-FDG produced by phosphate and citrate cassettes were 82.9% ± 17.4% and 79.2% ± 5.0%, respectively. The uncorrected RCY was 57.5% ± 16.7% for phosphate- and 58.8% ± 6.0% for citrate-buffered 18F-FDG, leading to a difference of 4.4% and P value of 0.11 for corrected RCY and a difference of 2.2% and P value of 0.32 for uncorrected RCY. Thus, the RCY differences are neither statistically nor clinically significant. The mean RCPs were 99.4% ± 0.2% for the phosphate-buffered 18F-FDG and 99.0% ± 1.1% for the citrate-buffered 18F-FDG. There was a 0.5% difference and a P value of 0.021, meaning that the difference was statistically significant. The average pHs for 18F-FDG produced by phosphate and citrate buffer cassettes were 5.9 ± 0.1 and 5.3 ± 0.2, respectively, resulting in a 9.6% difference and a P value close to zero (2.6 × 10−19)—a statistically significant difference. The difference between ethanol content was also dramatic. Phosphate-buffered 18F-FDG contained 0.08% ± 0.02% ethanol, whereas the citrate-buffered 18F-FDG contained 0.20% ± 0.07%. No difference was found in the acetonitrile content of the 2 cassettes. Conclusion: The differences in yield between cassettes are due to statistical variability. The results confirm our hypothesis that there is no significant difference in RCY. The differences seen in the statistically significant data (those with a P value > 0.05) turn out to be insignificant in a real-world setting because all values fell within the limits set by the United States Pharmacopeia and Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, determining which cassette to use is a matter of the preference of the institution.
Evaluation of Nonferrous Metals as Potential In Vivo Tracers of Transferrin-Based Therapeutics

Transferrin (Tf) is a promising candidate for targeted drug delivery. While development of such products is impossible without the ability to monitor biodistribution of Tf-drug conjugates in tissues and reliable measurements of their levels in blood and other biological fluids, the presence of very abundant endogenous Tf presents a significant impediment to such efforts. Several noncognate metals have been evaluated in this work as possible tracers of exogenous transferrin in complex biological matrices using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) as a detection tool. Placing Ni(II) on a His-tag of recombinant Tf resulted in formation of a marginally stable protein-metal complex, which readily transfers the metal to ubiquitous physiological scavengers, such as serum albumin. An alternative strategy targeted iron-binding pockets of Tf, where cognate Fe(III) was replaced by metal ions known to bind this protein. Both Ga(III) and In(III) were evaluated, with the latter being vastly superior as a tracer (stronger binding to Tf unaffected by the presence of metal scavengers and the retained ability to associate with Tf receptor). Spiking serum with indium-loaded Tf followed by ICP MS detection demonstrated that protein quantities as low as 0.04 nM can be readily detected in animal blood. Combining laser ablation with ICP MS detection allows distribution of exogenous Tf to be mapped within animal tissue cross-sections with spatial resolution exceeding 100 μm. The method can be readily extended to a range of other therapeutics where metalloproteins are used as either carriers or payloads. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.
On the Ziv-Lempel proof and related topics

Results concerning the celebrated Ziv-Lempel sequence compression algorithm are revisited taking a rather intuitive approach. Also presented are ideas, which were previously formalized and extensions of these results to compression of two-dimensional data. >
The Influence of Carotenoid Acquisition and Utilization on the Maintenance of Species‐Typical Plumage Pigmentation in Male American Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) and Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Abstract Birds display a tremendous variety of carotenoid‐based colors in their plumage, but the mechanisms underlying interspecific variability in carotenoid pigmentation remain poorly understood. Because vertebrates cannot synthesize carotenoids de novo, access to pigments in the diet is one proximate factor that may shape species differences in carotenoid‐based plumage coloration. However, some birds metabolize ingested carotenoids and deposit pigments that differ in color from their dietary precursors, indicating that metabolic capabilities may also contribute to the diversity of plumage colors we see in nature. In this study, we investigated how the acquisition and utilization of carotenoids influence the maintenance of species‐typical plumage pigmentation in male American goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) and northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis). We supplemented the diet of captive goldfinches with red carotenoids to determine whether males, which are typically yellow in color, were capable of g...
Diagnosing the difficulty of conflict resolution between individuals from the same and different social groups

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that intergroup conflicts are judged as more difficult to resolve than intragroup conflicts. We also assessed whether or not characteristics of the conflict (objective severity) and participants’ beliefs about the relations between the two groups represented in the conflict would play a role in judgment. The results indicated that the intergroup conflict was judged as more difficult to resolve when the dispute had a lower likelihood of resolution. However, the intragroup conflict was judged as more difficult to resolve when the dispute had a higher likelihood of resolution. The pattern of results was restricted to participants who strongly endorsed the theory of group relations indicating that Whites and Blacks tend not to get along. We discussed the implications of the findings for intergroup relations and how people’s naive theory of group relations may be maintained.
Application of SVD based spatial filtering to video sequences

Video capture devices, such as CCD cameras, are a significant source of noise in image sequences. Preprocessing of video sequences with spatial filtering techniques usually improves their compressibility. We present a block-based, non-linear filtering algorithm based on the theories of SVD and compression-based filtering. A novel noise estimation algorithm allows us to operate on the input data without any prior knowledge of either the noise or signal characteristics. Experiments with real video sequences and an MPEG codec have shown that SVD based filters preserve edge details and can significantly improve nearly-lossless compression ratios by 15%.
A Review of: “Critical Social Theory in the Interests of Black Folks Lucius T. Outlaw, Jr.”

In an age when “critical theory” is often an exercise in mental gymnastics, Vanderbilt University philosophy professor Lucius T. Outlaw, Jr. asks what, exactly, is “critical” about “critical social...
Composition and characteristics of follicular waves during the bovine estrous cycle

The characteristics of anovulatory and ovulatory follicular waves for 18 interovulatory intervals with two waves were studied in Holstein heifers. Daily ultrasonic monitoring of individually identified follicles was used. Waves were detectable retrospectively as a cohort of 4 to 6 mm follicles on a mean of day 0 (day of ovulation) for the anovulatory wave and day 10 for the ovulatory wave. For each wave, the follicles which became dominant versus subordinate did not differ in diameter on the first day of the wave, but the dominant follicle was significantly larger than the subordinates on the following day. On the average, the subordinates ceased growing 4.4 days after the origin of a wave. The dominant follicle of the anovulatory wave grew linearly (1.8 ± 0.1 mm/day) to an average of 15.8 ± 0.5 mm, remained static for a mean of 6 days and then regressed linearly (−1.0 ± 0.1 mm/day). The dominant ovulatory follicle grew slower (P<0.0001) (linear slope, 1.2 ± 0.1 mm/day) than the dominant anovulatory follicle. The diameter of the ovulatory follicle on the day before ovulation (16.2 ± 0.4 mm) was not different from the diameter of the dominant anovulatory follicle during the static phase. The numbers of growing, static and regressing 4 to 6 mm identified follicles did not differ between anovulatory and ovulatory waves. Ninety-five percent of the growing identified follicles were assignable to a wave (follicles emerging within two days of each other) and each wave emerged during a consistent and narrow time period (anovulatory wave, days −1, 0, or 1; ovulatory wave, days 8, 9, 10, or 11). It was concluded, therefore, that the formation of waves was a well-controlled phenomenon. There was a consistent temporal relationship between emergence of the ovulatory wave and onset of regression of the dominant follicle of the anovulatory wave (length of interval from beginning of ovulatory wave to beginning of regression of anovulatory follicle, approximately 3 days). Perhaps, therefore, the mechanism that caused regression of the subordinate follicles of the ovulatory wave also caused regression of the large, static, dominant follicle of the anovulatory wave.
Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O on mesoporous silica supported Cu/TiO2 catalysts

Abstract Photoreduction of CO 2 to hydrocarbons is a sustainable energy technology which not only mitigates emissions but also provides alternative fuels. However, one of the largest challenges is to increase the overall CO 2 photo-conversion efficiency when water is used as the reducing reagent. In this work, mesoporous silica supported Cu/TiO 2 nanocomposites were synthesized through a one-pot sol–gel method, and the photoreduction experiments were carried out in a continuous-flow reactor using CO 2 and water vapor as the reactants under the irradiation of a Xe lamp. The high surface area mesoporous silica substrate (>300 m 2 /g) greatly enhanced CO 2 photoreduction, possibly due to improved TiO 2 dispersion and increased adsorption of CO 2 and H 2 O on the catalyst. CO was found to be the primary product of CO 2 reduction for TiO 2 –SiO 2 catalysts without Cu. The addition of Cu species, which was identified to be Cu 2 O by the XPS, markedly increased the overall CO 2 conversion efficiency as well as the selectivity to CH 4 , by suppressing the electron–hole recombination and enhancing multi-electron reactions. A synergistic effect was observed by combining the porous SiO 2 support and the deposition of Cu on TiO 2 . The peak production rates of CO and CH 4 reached 60 and 10 μmol g-cat −1 h −1 , respectively, for the 0.5%Cu/TiO 2 –SiO 2 composite that has the optimum Cu concentration; the peak quantum yield was calculated to be 1.41%. Deactivation and regeneration of the catalyst was observed and the mechanism was discussed. Desorption of the reaction intermediates from the active sites may be the rate limiting step.
Mass flow rate for nearly-free molecular slit flow

Mass flow rates for nearly free molecular flow through two dimensional slit for several tank pressure ratios
Hypercholesterolemia and oxidative stress inhibit endothelial cell healing after arterial injury.

Objective Endothelial cell (EC) migration is essential for arterial healing after angioplasty. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins and oxidative stress decrease EC migration in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hypercholesterolemia and oxidative stress on EC healing after an arterial injury. Methods C57BL/6 wild-type mice were placed in one of eight groups: chow diet (n = 11), high-cholesterol (HC) diet (n = 11), chow diet plus paraquat (n = 11), HC diet plus paraquat (n = 11), chow diet plus N-acetylcysteine (NAC) (n = 11), HC diet plus NAC (n = 11), chow diet plus paraquat and NAC (n = 11), and HC diet plus paraquat and NAC (n = 11). After 2 weeks on the assigned diet with or without NAC, the carotid artery was injured using electrocautery. Animals in the paraquat groups were given 1 mg/kg intraperitoneally to increase oxidative stress. After 120 hours, Evans Blue dye was infused intravenously to stain the area of the artery that remained deendothelialized. This was used to calculate the percentage of re-endothelialization. Plasma and tissue samples were analyzed for measures of oxidative stress. Results The HC diet increased oxidative stress and reduced EC healing compared with a chow diet, with EC covering 26.8% ± 2.8% and 48.1% ± 5.2% ( P P P P P P Conclusion Re-endothelialization of arterial injuries is reduced in hypercholesterolemic mice and is inversely correlated with oxidative stress. An oral antioxidant decreases oxidative stress and improves EC healing.
Interdependence between Employee Education and R and D Investment in Impacting IT Firm Performance

An educated workforce is critical for IT firms ability to innovate and compete in the market. Surprisingly, there is very little research on how education contributes to the profitability of IT firms and how educated employees contribute to a firms research and development activities. Using theories from human capital literature, we propose a model to measure how education impacts firm profits in IT industries and how the relation is moderated by a firms R&D investments. Our results suggest that education is associated with a positive firm performance in IT industries. We also show that the interaction effect between R&D and education is positive, suggesting that IT firms which invest in highly skilled employees are in a better position to take advantage of R&D investments. This paper adds several new insights to the literature on human capital and firm performance.
Web 2.0 applications' usage and trends in top US academic libraries

Purpose – This paper aims to explore Web 2.0 technologies usage and trends in the top 100 US academic libraries as exemplified through the academic library websites. Design/methodology/approach – The top 100 universities were selected from the US News & World Report's (USNWR) 2013 ranked list's top 100 of the best colleges in the USA. Content analysis was used in terms of quantitative approach. A checklist was developed as the main research instrument based on other checklists and questionnaires. Each of the selected university library websites was visited within a period of two weeks to explore implementation and usage of web tools, including SNS, blog, RSS, wikis, podcast/vodcast, and social bookmarking/tagging. Findings – All 100 academic libraries had a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, making SNS the most widely applied Web 2.0 tool. The wiki was the least applied Web 2.0 technology, with a 34 percent participation rate. Blog was the second most popular tool with a 99 percent participati...
Changes in Walking Activity and Endurance Following Rehabilitation for People With Parkinson Disease

Abstract White DK, Wagenaar RC, Ellis TD, Tickle-Degnen L. Changes in walking activity and endurance following rehabilitation for people with Parkinson disease. Objective To investigate changes in walking activity and endurance after interdisciplinary rehabilitation in people with Parkinson disease (PD). Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Clinic, home, and community. Participants Mild to moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage 2–3). Interventions Three experimental conditions lasting 6 weeks in duration: (1) no active rehabilitation; (2) 3.0 hours of interdisciplinary rehabilitation a week; or (3) 4.5 hours of interdisciplinary rehabilitation a week. Participants had stable medication regimes during the study. Main Outcome Measures Walking activity was estimated with an activity monitor (AM) (time spent walking and number of 10-second walking periods) in the home and community settings over a 24-hour period. Walking endurance was measured in the clinic with the two-minute walk test (2MWT). Linear contrast analyses were applied to examine changes in walking activity and endurance after higher doses of rehabilitation, and 2-way analysis of variance models with interaction were applied to examine the effect of high and low baseline walking levels on changes. Results The 2MWT was completed by 108 people with PD (mean age, 66.53y; with PD, 6.59y), and AM data were used from 74 of these people (mean age, 66.7y; with PD, 5.8y). Improvement in AM measures and the 2MWT did not significantly change across increasing dosages of interdisciplinary rehabilitation. Higher doses of rehabilitation resulted in significant improvements in the 2MWT for subjects with low baseline walking endurance ( P =.001), and in AM measures for subjects with high baseline walking activity ( P Conclusions Interdisciplinary rehabilitation can improve walking activity and endurance depending on baseline walking levels.
FOXO1A Is a Candidate for the 13q14 Tumor Suppressor Gene Inhibiting Androgen Receptor Signaling in Prostate Cancer

Chromosomal deletion is frequent at the region between BRCA2 and RB1 in the q14 band of chromosome 13 (13q14) in human cancers, including prostate cancer, suggesting the presence of a tumor suppressor gene. However, no reasonable candidate has been identified thus far. In this study, we did genetic and functional analyses to identify and evaluate the 13q14 tumor suppressor gene. Hemizygous and homozygous deletions in cell lines/xenografts of prostate cancer mapped the deletion locus to 919 kb, which harbors only one known gene, the FOXO1A transcription factor. Deletion at FOXO1A was detected in 31% to 34% in 6 cell lines, 27 xenografts, and 72 clinical specimens of prostate cancer, and was significantly more frequent than deletions at surrounding loci. In addition, FOXO1A was transcriptionally down-regulated in some prostate cancers. Functionally, ectopic expression of FOXO1A inhibited, and its knockdown promoted, cell proliferation or survival. Furthermore, FOXO1A inhibited androgen- and androgen receptor-mediated gene regulation and cell proliferation. Consistent with the understanding of FOXO1A biology, our findings suggest that FOXO1A is the 13q14 tumor suppressor gene, at least in prostate cancer. As a well-established negative effector in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway, FOXO1A inactivation in cancer would impair the therapeutic effect of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT inhibitors in cancer treatment.
Changes in Fish Assemblages, Solomon River Basin, Kansas: Habitat Alterations, Extirpations, and Introductions

Abstract We sampled fishes four times each year at 12 sites on the Solomon, North Fork Solomon, and South Fork Solomon rivers in north-central Kansas during 1996 and 1997. Kirwin and Webster reservoirs are located on the North Fork Solomon River and South Fork Solomon River, respectively, and Waconda Reservoir inundates the confluence of these two rivers at the head of the Solomon River. Multivariate analyses identified two fish assemblages that were related to stream discharge. One fish assemblage was associated with stream segments that had lower discharges, such as those located upstream from Kirwin and Webster reservoirs. This assemblage was characterized by equal numbers of extirpations of native species and introductions of nonnative species. The other fish assemblage was associated with the reservoirs and stream segments that had higher discharges. This assemblage was characterized by a large number of species that were introduced or had immigrated into these areas. For the basin as a whole, 32% of...
Heme-bound SiaA from Streptococcus pyogenes: Effects of mutations and oxidation state on protein stability

The protein SiaA (HtsA) is part of a heme uptake pathway in Streptococcus pyogenes. In this report, we present the heme binding of the alanine mutants of the axial histidine (H229A) and methionine (M79A) ligands, as well as a lysine (K61A) and cysteine (C58A) located near the heme propionates (based on homology modeling) and a control mutant (C47A). pH titrations gave pKa values ranging from 9.0 to 9.5, close to the value of 9.7 for WT SiaA. Resonance Raman spectra of the mutants suggested that the ferric heme environment may be distinct from the wild-type; spectra of the ferrous states were similar. The midpoint reduction potential of the K61A mutant was determined by spectroelectrochemical titration to be 61±3mV vs. SHE, similar to the wild-type protein (68±3mV). The addition of guanidine hydrochloride showed two processes for protein denaturation, consistent with heme loss from protein forms differing by the orientation of the heme in the binding pocket (the half-life for the slower process ranged from less than half a day to two days). The ease of protein unfolding was related to the strength of interaction of the residues with the heme. We hypothesize that kinetically facile but only partial unfolding, followed by a very slow approach to the completely unfolded state, may be a fundamental attribute of heme trafficking proteins. Small motions to release/transfer the heme accompanied by resistance to extensive unfolding may preserve the three dimensional form of the protein for further uptake and release.
Optimal Background Attenuation for Fielded Radiation Detection Systems

Radiation detectors are often placed in positions difficult to shield from the effects of terrestrial background. This is particularly true in the case of Radiation Portal Monitor (RPM) systems, as their wide viewing angle and outdoor installations make them susceptible to terrestrial background from the surrounding area. A low background is desired in most cases, especially when the background noise is of comparable strength to the signal of interest. The problem of shielding a generalized RPM from terrestrial background is considered. Various detector and shielding scenarios are modeled with the Monte-Carlo N Particle (MCNP) computer code. Amounts of nominal-density shielding needed to attenuate the terrestrial background to varying degrees are given, along with optimal shielding geometry to be used in areas where natural shielding is limited, and where radiation detection must occur in the presence of natural background. Common shielding solutions such as steel plating are evaluated based on the signal to noise ratio and the benefits are weighed against the incremental cost.
Methuselah’s DNA: Defining Genes That Can Extend Longevity

Longevity variants in model systems such as nematodes or yeast provide an express route to discovery of pathways with the potential to greatly extend longevity. C. elegans in particular has provided an especially rich harvest of mutants and RNA-interference targets that postpone death (and many other indicators of aging) by 1.5- to 2.5-fold, and for one gene (age-1) by tenfold. Studies of yeast survival, under several operational definitions, have also yielded diverse mutants that can conjointly (but not individually) confer a tenfold increase – despite fundamental differences in the nature of the “longevity” phenomenon under study in the two taxa. Given that metazoans diverged from unicellular eukaryotes such as yeast on the order of a billion years ago, it is remarkable that there is any overlap at all between pathways that prolong survival in yeast and nematodes. Parallels have emerged, however, which imply that such shared processes are fundamental to the nature of longevity, and extremely likely to be shared by mammals as well. Due however, to the far greater dependence of mammals on the sustained ability of somatic cells to replicate, we anticipate that the benefits of such changes would be limited to non-mitotic tissues. Although this may be sufficient to impart some longevity advantage to mammals, even that would necessitate efficient targeting to restrict the effects of gene silencing to non-dividing cells. In this regard it is encouraging that some non-dividing cells in mammals, such as those of the central nervous system, exert systemic longevity effects in mammals just as they do in invertebrate model organisms. Any greater benefits are likely to require a detailed understanding of the relevant downstream consequences of those mutations, to allow the selective deployment of just those downstream effectors that have no deleterious effects, with fewer or no limitations as to cell type.
Latest Quaternary sedimentation in the northern Gulf of Mexico Intraslope Basin Province: I. Sediment facies and depositional processes

Very high-resolution seismic facies, classified, mapped, and interpreted from 3.5 kHz echograms, reveal that turbidity-current, mass-transport, and bottom-current depositional processes have all contributed to the regional sediment distribution in the intraslope basin province of the northwest Gulf of Mexico. Piston cores from these deposits confirm the interpretations of the processes. Turbidity currents transport sands into the intraslope mini-basins via channels and canyons. A few turbidity-current pathways, such as Bryant Canyon, allow extensive volumes of terrigenous sediment to bypass through many mini-basins and be deposited beyond the Sigsbee Escarpment to form large submarine fans, such as Bryant Fan. Bryant Fan is a large mud-rich fan that extends hundreds of kilometers from the mouth of Bryant Canyon but has only one meandering channel on the modern seafloor that extends down the length of the fan. In contrast, the much smaller Rio Grande Submarine Fan is deposited on a plateau area of the continental slope. Prolonged 3.5 echo character and numerous small, unleveed channels suggest this is a sand-rich fan with a braided channel system. These two submarine fans appear to present unique architectural and growth patterns not previously described in the numerous fan descriptions of W.R. Normark or other workers. Thus, these two fans appear to represent two new types of fans, which may be related to the complex structures of the intraslope basin province. Mass-transport deposits (MTDs) are ubiquitous throughout the mini-basins. Extensive areas affected by MTDs also occur along the upper continental slope and at the base of the eastern portion of the Sigsbee Escarpment. Piston cores confirm that the majority of MTDs are debris flows, which are characterized by mud clasts of variable size, shape, and color. Most have a muddy matrix, but sandy debris flows also occur in a few mini-basins. Some cores show deformation, folds, and faults that indicate slump or slide deposits. The East Breaks Slide Complex is the largest MTD complex and extends downslope from the shelf edge for >100 km off central Texas. The western portion of the complex is slump and/or slide blocks and debris flows. In contrast, the proximal part of the eastern portion of the complex is characterized by a modern leveed turbidite channel system. However, extensive MTDs underlie the channel-levee deposits and occur at the seafloor on the distal part of the eastern portion of the complex. Three large regions of migrating sediment waves occur on the Sigsbee Abyssal Plain and eastern Bryant Fan and appear to have been formed by circulation of the Loop Current. Sediment waves also occur locally at the base of the Sigsbee Escarpment in conjunction with previously reported erosional furrows.
Wikipedia: Adventures in the New Info-Paradigm

School library media specialists, along with other librarians, are often reluctant for students to use Wikipedia in their school work. This chapter argues against this perspective, citing the values of the free online encyclopedia, and suggesting strategies for exploiting its weaknesses to help students develop critical thinking skills.
United States Civil Law & Criminal Law: Elements & Procedures at Trial & on Appeal

This 12-page CLE (continuing legal education) brochure is titled “United States Civil Law & Criminal Law: Elements & Procedures at Trial & on Appeal.” It was presented to a delegation of Chinese judges in 2009. It covers federal and state cases at the trial and appellate levels. It explains various civil causes of action and criminal charges.
A New Iterative Deep Neural Network Algorithm to Significantly Improve Image Segmentation

A detailed map of organ structure is necessary to fully understand their functions. As an example for the brain a map of the entire neural connections is necessary at the micro-scale level. Automatic analysis of electron microscopy (EM) images of brain tissue was used to build the connection map through the identification of the cell boundaries defined by the membranes. To this end information surrounding a single pixel in the image was used to give a probability value to the pixel as part of the cell membrane forming Membrane Detection Probability Maps (MDPM). MDPM can be generated from machine learning based algorithms recognizing whether a pixel in an image corresponds to the cell membrane or not. This approach has the limitation of the low consistency among neighboring pixels since the probability values of each pixel are inferred independently. This can lead to poor segmentation quality.Here we developed a new algorithm based on deep neural network that automatically adjust MDPM for better consistency among neighborhood pixels leading to a much better segmentation quality. We executed supervised training of a convolutional neural network to recover the removed center pixel label of patches sampled from MDPMs. After training, this algorithm is applied with a sliding window over MDPMs. By iteratively applying this process over MDPMs, we were able to obtain a high quality segmentation map both visually and measured by the foreground-restrict Rand score. This novel approach will be tested for image segmentation in other domains.We gratefully acknowledge the support of NVIDIA Corporation with the donation of the Tesla K40 GPUs used for this research.Supported by NIH/NHLBI R01HL107418.
The Use of Stomach in Pediatric Urinary Reconstruction

AbstractWe report on 30 consecutive patients (mean age 9 years) who underwent gastrocystoplasty (21) or received a continent urinary reservoir with stomach (9). A successful outcome, defined as complete urinary continence for intervals greater than 3hours, preservation or improvement of the upper tracts and renal function, and normal electrolyte and acid base balance, was achieved in 90% of the patients who received continent urinary reservoir and 72% of those who underwent gastrocystoplasty. Urodynamic data were obtained in 17 patients in the gastrocystoplasty group and 7 in the continent urinary reservoir group at a mean of 6 months postoperatively. Metabolic alkalosis associated with hypergastrinemia occurred in 2 children. Partial excision of the gastric segment was necessary in 1 patient refractory to medical treatment.
CALCIUM BINDING BY MONOSULFATE ESTERS OF TAUROCHENODEOXYCHOLATE

The effect of sulfate esterification of the 3 alpha- or 7 alpha-hydroxyl groups of taurochenodeoxycholate on calcium binding was studied at 0.154 M NaCl in the presence and absence of phosphatidylcholine using a calcium electrode. For comparison, similar studies were made with taurochenodeoxycholate, taurodeoxycholate, and taurocholate. No high affinity calcium binding was demonstrable for any of these bile salts in pre-micellar solutions. Taurine-conjugated bile salts have greater affinity for calcium when in a micellar form. At elevated bile salt concentrations, the calcium binding of unsulfated dihydroxy taurine conjugates was similar to that of the monosulfate esters of taurochenodeoxycholate. The presence of phosphatidylcholine decreased calcium binding of the unsulfated dihydroxy bile salts and slightly increased calcium binding by taurocholate. However, the addition of phosphatidylcholine to monosulfate esters of taurochenodeoxycholate results in large increments in calcium binding. The results indicate that increased calcium binding due to the presence of phosphatidylcholine in bile salt solutions depends, in part, on the hydrophilicity of the bile salt and that the interaction of monosulfate esters of taurochenodeoxycholate with phosphatidylcholine leads to the formation of a high affinity calcium binding site.
Identification and Characterization of Tissue-Specific Protein Transduction Domains Using Peptide Phage Display

Protein transduction domains (PTD) or cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are small peptides that are able to carry proteins, nucleic acid, and particles across the cellular membranes into cells. PTDs can be classified into three types: (1) positively charged, cationic peptides, comprised of homopolymers of arginine, ornithine, or lysine; (2) hydrophobic peptides, derived from leader sequences of secreted proteins, and cell-type specific peptides; (3) tissue-specific, mainly amphipathic peptides identified by screening of peptide displaying phage libraries. The cationic and hydrophobic PTDs can efficiently transduce a variety of cell types in culture and in vivo, but in a nonspecific manner. In contrast, the tissue-specific transduction domains have more restricted transduction properties and presumably transduce cells through a different mechanism. In this chapter, we described methods for screening peptide phage display libraries for cell and tissue-specific transduction peptides both in cell culture and in vivo and for functional analysis of transduction.
Recent developments in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers and applications

Quantum Cascade (QC) lasers are a rapidly evolving mid-infrared and THz, semiconductor laser technology based on intersubband transitions in multiple coupled quantum wells. The lasers' strengths are their wavelength tailorability, high performance and fascinating design potential.
Efficient direct ac-to-dc converters for vibration-based low voltage energy harvesting

In this paper two direct ac-to-dc power electronics converter topologies are proposed for efficient and optimum energy harvesting from low voltage microgenerators. The conventional power electronics converters used for such applications have two stages, a diode bridge rectifier at the front end followed by a dc-dc boost converter. However, the extremely low output voltage of electromagnetic microgenerators does not allow diode bridge rectification. Even if possible, the losses in the front end diode bridge make the conventional power electronic interfaces quite inefficient. The proposed single stage converters directly boost the microgenerator low ac voltage to usable dc voltage level, and hence, achieve higher efficiency. The single stage ac-to-dc power conversion is achieved by utilizing the bidirectional current conduction capability of MOSFETs. Moreover, for optimum energy harvesting the power converter should be able to control the load resistance as seen by a microgenerator. The conventional converters are not conducive for such control. With the proposed converter topologies the optimal energy harvesting can be successfully realized.
Sources of Information for Thinking

The chapter begins by providing a historical context of the Information Age and the transition from oral history, to printing press, to the Internet. It subsequently presents well-known information-seeking models that help users navigate the information landscape. Further, it presents findings regarding patterns on the information-seeking behaviors of youth. Finally, the chapter presents challenges associated with navigating the information landscape and articulates information literacy skills central to the Information Age—that is, skills needed to find, evaluate, and synthesize information.