cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and application of a ratiometric probe for hydrogen peroxide

Molecular imaging of biological analytes provides detailed insights into signaling processes. Ratiometric probes are particularly attractive due to the ability to quantify analyte production. However, design strategies for ratiometric probes can be hindered by spectral overlap of the product and reactant species. In this chapter, we provide protocols for the synthesis and application of RF620, a ratiometric probe for H2O2 displaying dramatic changes in both excitation and emission wavelengths, designed using an approach we term chemoselective alteration of fluorophore scaffolds. The probe contains a chemoselective functional group within a fluorescent xanthene scaffold, resulting in the in situ synthesis of a new fluorophore upon reaction with H2O2. Under physiological conditions, RF620 exhibits far-red to near-infrared excitation and emission, and upon reaction with H2O2, RF620 is chemically converted into tetramethylrhodamine, producing a significant (~66nm) blue-shift in excitation and emission. RF620 can be used for ratiometric, molecular imaging of endogenous H2O2 production in living cells.
Social Skins of the Head: Body Beliefs and Ritual in Ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes edited by V. Tiesler and M. C. Lozada (2018)

Social Skins of the Head: Body Beliefs and Ritual in Ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes Edited by V. Tiesler and M. C. Lozada (2018) Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, xv + 283pp.
Does evolutionary relatedness predict ecological similarity

A fundamental question in paleobiology is whether ecology is correlated with evolutionary history. By combining time-calibrated phylogenetic trees with genus occurrence data through time, we can understand how environmental preferences are distributed on a tree and evaluate support for models of ecological similarity. Exploring parameters that lend support to each evolutionary model will help address questions that lie at the nexus of the evolutionary and ecological sciences. We calculated ecological difference and phylogenetic distance between species pairs for 83 taxa used in recent phylogenetic revisions of the brachiopod order Strophomenida. Ecological difference was calculated as the pairwise distance along gradients of water depth, carbonate, and latitudinal affinity. Phylogenetic distance was calculated as the pairwise branch length between tips of the tree. Our results show no relationship between ecological affinity and phylogeny. Instead results suggest an ecological burst during the initial radiation of the clade. This pattern likely reflects scaling at the largest macroevolutionary and macroecological scales preserved in the fossil record. Hierarchical scaling of ecological and evolutionary processes is complex, but phylogenetic paleoecology is an avenue for better evaluating these questions.
“This is What My Kids See Every Day”: Bilingual Pre-service Teachers Embracing Funds of Knowledge through Border Thinking Pedagogy

The present qualitative case study examines how community-based lessons impacted the practices, perspectives, and internship placement experiences of 16 bilingual pre-service teachers. Grounded in ...
Just perfect, simply the best: an analysis of emphatic exclusion

When used next to a predicate at the extreme of a scale such as perfect, the exclusive modifiers just and simply convey a distinctive intensifying effect, presenting a puzzle for theories of exclusivity and alternative-based meanings more broadly. In this article, I develop an analysis of these modifiers as a special kind of alternative-targeting operator, whereby the speaker signals that more specific descriptions than the one they just asserted—modeled here as granularity-based alternatives—are not assertion-worthy in the context—i.e., they need not be asserted in order for a complete representation of the facts to be provided. On this analysis, the intensifying effect of these modifiers are derived from the interaction of exclusivity, granularity, and the distinctive semantic properties of predicates denoting the extreme of a scalar extreme. More broadly, the proposal affords a jumping-off point for further work exploring the interaction between scalarity and exclusive operators, highlighting a number of intriguing lines of future research across semantics and pragmatics.
Iatrogenic esophagitis

A variety of medications have been reported to cause esophageal injury. Nearly 1000 cases have probably been described in the past 30 years, and this is a vast under-representation. Pill-induced esophageal injury is also associated with many underlying esophageal diseases. This review addresses the etiology, diagnosis, and clinical features of pill-induced esophageal injury as well as the specific medications that have been reported to cause it. Ways to prevent esophageal injury, including better instructions to patients who are prescribed such medications, are also discussed.
Contextualizing the Well-being of Asexual Youth: Evidence of Differences in Family, Health, and School Outcomes.

Despite increasing efforts to better understand sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY), asexual youth remain understudied. This study examines differences in health, family support, and school safety among asexual youth (n = 938) from a national study of SGMY (N = 17,112) ages 13–17. Compared to non-asexual youth, asexual youth were more likely to identify as transgender and report a disability, and less likely to identify as Black or Hispanic/Latino. Transgender (versus cisgender) asexual youth fared worse on most study outcomes. Cisgender asexual (versus cisgender non-asexual) youth fared worse on all study outcomes. Transgender asexual (versus transgender non-asexual) youth reported lower sexuality-related family support. These findings underscore the role of gender identity in understanding the experiences of asexual youth.
Self-administration by female rats of low doses of nicotine alone vs. nicotine in tobacco smoke extract

Abstract Background Nicotine has reinforcing effects, but there are thousands of other compounds in tobacco, some of which might interact with nicotine reinforcement. Aims This rat study was conducted to determine if nicotine self-administration is altered by co-administration of the complex mixture of compounds in tobacco smoke extract (TSE). Methods Female Sprague-Dawley rats were tested for self-administration of low doses of nicotine (3 or 10 µg/kg/infusion) at three different rates of reinforcement (FR1, FR3 and FR5) over three weeks either alone or together with the complex mixture of tobacco smoke extract (TSE). Results Rats self-administering 3 µg/kg/infusion of nicotine alone showed a rapid initiation on an FR1 schedule, but declined with FR5. Rats self-administering nicotine in TSE acquired self-administration more slowly, but increased responding over the course of the study. With 10 µg/kg/infusion rats self-administered significantly more nicotine alone than rats self-administering the same nicotine dose in TSE. Rats self-administering nicotine alone took significantly more infusions with the 10 than the 3 µg/kg/infusion dose, whereas rats self-administering nicotine in TSE did not. Nicotine in TSE led to a significantly greater locomotor hyperactivity at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg compared to rats that received nicotine alone. Rats self-administering nicotine alone had significantly more responding on the active vs. inactive lever, but rats self-administering the same nicotine doses in TSE did not. Conclusions Self-administration of nicotine in a purer form appears to be more clearly discriminated and dose-related than nicotine self-administered in the complex mixture of TSE.
EFFECT OF DELAYED AUDITORY FEEDBACK, SPEECH RATE, AND SEX ON SPEECH PRODUCTION.

Summary.—Perturbations in Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF) and speech rate were examined as sources of disruptions in speech between men and women. Fluent adult men (n = 16) and women (n = 16) spoke at a normal and an imposed fast rate of speech with 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 msec. DAF. The syllable rate significantly increased when participants were instructed to speak at a fast rate, and the syllable rate decreased with increasing DAF delays. Men's speech rate was significantly faster during the fast speech rate condition with a 200 msec. DAF. Disfluencies increased with increasing DAF delay. Significantly more disfluency occurred at delays of 25 and 50 msec. at the fast rate condition, while more disfluency occurred at 100 and 200 msec. in normal rate conditions. Men and women did not display differences in the number of disfluencies. These findings demonstrate sex differences in susceptibility to perturbations in DAF and speech rate suggesting feedforward/feedback subsystems that monitor vocalizations ma...
An electrostatically latching thermopneumatic microvalve with closed-loop position sensing

This paper presents a microvalve that combines thermopneumatic drive with an electrostatic hold, harnessing the advantages of both actuation mechanisms in a structure believed to be the first of its kind. A heater grid, elevated 10/spl mu/m above the cavity floor, energizes a working fluid, raising the pressure in the cavity and deflecting the corrugated diaphragm and valve plate. A capacitive pressure sensor reads out the cavity pressure and valve seat position and provides feedback to determine when to apply the electrostatic hold voltage. Once latched, the power can be removed from the heater and, thus, the valve only requires power to transition from open to closed and consumes no static power. The thermopneumatic/electrostatic actuator combination provides high force, high speed, and low power in an 8/spl times/8mm die and is being developed for a low-power wireless gas chromatography system. The thermopneumatic actuator closes the valve in 1s at 200mW and the valve position is determined with a sensitivity of 4.3fF/Torr. The leak rate is less than 0.02sccm and the open flow is 3.3sccm at 130Torr. The electrostatic hold mechanism latches above 40V for thermopneumatic pressures greater than 600Torr.
Cathodoluminescence from Thin Film Zn2GeO4 : Mn Phosphor Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Low voltage cathodoluminescent (CL) characteristics of Zn 2 GeO 4 : Mn thin-film phosphors grown by pulsed laser deposition were investigated. The effects of substrate heating (600-750°C) and substrate type (MgO, Si, and yttria-stabilized zirconia) on the cathodoluminescent properties were studied. A characteristic green emission peak at 540 nm was observed at substrate temperatures of 650, 700, or 750°C. However, the emission was red shifted to 650 nm for a substrate temperature of 600°C. The red shift in emission wavelengths from 540 to 650 nm was attributed to a change in ionic state of the activator from Mn 2+ to Mn 4+ . While the spectral position was independent of substrate type, the relative intensities of the cathodoluminescent emission peak varied with both substrate type as well as substrate temperature. At a substrate temperature of 600°C, the crystal structure of the film was mixed polycrystalline and amorphous. However, at substrate temperatures ranging from 650-750°C, the films were only polycrystalline with varying degrees of crystallinity that correlated with the CL intensity.
Texture classification with tree-structured wavelet transform

Proposes a multiresolution approach based on a tree-structured wavelet transform for texture classification. The development of tree-structured wavelet transform is motivated by the observation that textures are quasi-periodic signals whose dominant frequencies are located in the middle frequency channels. With the transform, one is able to zoom into desired frequency channels and performs further decomposition. In contrast, the conventional wavelet transform only decomposes subsignals in low frequency channels. A progressive texture classification algorithm which is not only computationally attractive but also has excellent performance is developed. >
Law and Punishment in Early Renaissance Venice

Fourteenth-century Venice was an unusual city, perhaps the wealthiest in Western Europe. It had a trading empire whose domain stretched from the Near East to the Atlantic. Individual entrepreneurs had even reached as far as China and in the process the merchant elite of Venice, who were legally recognized as nobles, had become collectively and individually some of the richest men in Europe. A balanced trade provided the main economic measure of their wealth; balanced, that is, between the long-distance trade of spices and other luxury products of the East and a short-distance trade in staples carried out over the extensive inland waterways of the Lombard plain. But Venice was unusual in more than its wealth. Politically, its merchant nobility-which formally took absolute control of government in the fourteenth century by enacting laws that allowed no one but members of their
Activated Transport in AMTEC Electrodes

Transport of alkali, metal atoms through porous cathodes of alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC) cells is responsible for significant reducible losses in the electrical performance of these cells. Experimental evidence for activated transport of metal atoms at grain surfaces and boundaries within some AMTEC electrodes has been derived from temperature dependent studies as well as from analysis of the detailed frequency dependence of ac impedance results for other electrodes, including thin, mature molybdenum electrodes which exhibit transport dominated by free molecular flow of sodium gas at low frequencies or dc conditions. Activated surface transport will almost always exist in parallel with free molecular flow transport, and the process of alkali atom adsorption/desorption from the electrode surface will invariably be part of the transport process, and possibly a dominant part in some cases. The temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient of the alkali metal through the electrode in several cases provides an activation energy and preexponential, but at least two activated processes may be operative, and the activation parameters should be expected to depend on the alkali metal activity gradient that the electrode experiences. In the case of Pt/W/Mn electrodes operated for 2500 hours, limiting currents varied with electrode thickness, and the activation parameters could be assigned primarily to the surface/grain boundary diffusion process.
Binding Site Determination from Kinetic Data: REDUCED FLAVIN MONONUCLEOTIDE BINDING TO BACTERIAL LUCIFERASE

Abstract The elucidation of the number of reduced flavin mononucleotide (FMNH2)-binding sites in bacterial luciferase is of fundamental importance for understanding the mechanism of the bioluminescent reaction. At present, knowledge concerning the binding sites is meager, primarily due to difficulty in maintaining FMNH2 in a reduced state at very low concentrations. In the present studies this difficulty has been circumvented, permitting us to elucidate the order of the bioluminescent reaction with respect to FMNH2 and the dissociation constant of the FMNH2-enzyme complex. Of particular importance was the fact that enzymatic measurements could be made not only at extremely low FMNH2 concentrations (10-9 m), but also at very high enzyme concentrations, even higher than the substrate concentration or the value for the dissociation constant for the FMNH2-enzyme complex (8 x 10-7 m). Under these conditions, the Michaelis-Menten equation is not directly applicable and the relative velocity of the reaction (v/Vmax) depends on the concentration of substrate-binding sites. Consequently, it was possible to elucidate the number of FMNH2-binding sites directly from kinetic data. These results show that bacterial luciferase possesses only a single FMNH2-binding site and consequently eliminate reaction mechanisms involving 2 FMNH2 molecules. Since the oxidation of a single FMNH2 molecule would not be adequate energetically for the emission of a quantum of light at 490 nm, additional energy-yielding steps must be required in the bacterial bioluminescent reaction.
Surface Reconstruction from Point Clouds

Surface reconstruction from point clouds is an important element of reverse engineering as used to create solid models of existing objects. The research presented in this paper assumes no knowledge of relationships among the elements of the point cloud. The approach to initial mesh creation is based on extraction of points, called “feature points”, from the cloud based on geometric relationships with nearby points. A neighborhood is established for each data point, the points in the neighborhood are ordered, and feature points are identified based on relationships among the neighbors. Feature points within a neighborhood are linked to construct a polygonal mesh that is then triangulated.
Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I and Class II Alleles May Confer Susceptibility to or Protection Against Morphea: Findings From the Morphea in Adults and Children Cohort

Objective To determine the HLA class I and class II alleles of the human major histocompatibility complex showing an association with morphea (localized scleroderma) in the Morphea in Adults and Children (MAC) cohort, using a nested case–control association study. Methods Patients with morphea were identified from the MAC cohort, and matched controls were obtained from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Scleroderma Family Registry and DNA Repository and from the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. HLA class II genotyping and single-strand conformational polymorphism typing were performed to identify HLA–A, B, and C alleles. Associations between HLA class I and class II alleles and morphea, as well as its subphenotypes, were determined. Results Two hundred eleven patients with morphea and 726 matched controls were available for HLA class I typing, and 158 patients with morphea and 1,008 matched controls were available for HLA class II typing. The strongest associations were found with DRB1*04:04 (odds ratio [OR] 2.3, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.4–4.0, P = 0.002), and HLA–B*37 conferred the highest OR among the class I alleles (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.5–6.5, P = 0.001). Comparison of the risk allele profile in this cohort with the risk alleles previously identified in patients with systemic sclerosis, determined using the same methods and same control population, revealed one allele in common, DRB*04:04. Conclusion These results demonstrate that specific HLA class I and class II alleles are associated with morphea and are also likely to be associated with generalized and linear subtypes of morphea. The morphea-associated alleles are different from those found in scleroderma, suggesting that morphea is immunogenetically distinct. Risk alleles in morphea are also associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune conditions. Population-based studies have indicated that patients with RA have an increased risk of morphea, and therefore a common susceptibility allele may be implicated.
Bricks and clicks: participatory organizational design through microparticipation

In this paper, we present research being done around a novel online platform designed to allow deep co-creation in small organizations, between their employees and non-employees. Deep co-creation, a concept that shares similar philosophical antecedents with participatory design [2, 3, 10], facilitates the act of co-creation of an organization itself---its administrative and functional structures---rather than merely its products or experiences. This paper explores research, currently in-progress, in the use of mixed online and offline modes of microparticipation to accommodate the stringent time constraints of users participating in deep co-creation within small retail-based organizations. This research has significant applicability to co-creation within other types of organization as well.
Imagining a Right to Housing, Lying in the Interstices

This article explores whether the philosophical and constitutional predicates for the recognition of a right to housing exist in some form in our nation’s jurisprudence and political order. Part II traces the evolution of the concept of “rights” from that embraced by the country’s founders to the present, how such a right to housing would fit within the dialogue of property rights, the notion of ownership, and the interest in liberty. Part III discusses the historical role of the court in protecting housing. Part IV discusses the notion of protecting rights to housing under existing equal protection and due process principles. Part V contains a discussion of the heightened scrutiny state courts are applying to land use regulations that affect the availability of housing. Part VI discusses new predicates for an affirmative right to housing. Conclusions are offered in Part VII.
AFTERLIVES: Humanitarian Histories and Critical Subjects in Mozambique

This article draws from fieldwork conducted with the staff, volunteers and recipients of programs run by NGOs in Morrumbala, a rural district in central Mozambique. During the Mozambican conflict in the 1980s and early 1990s, a majority of district residents lived in refugee camps in Malawi. This article explores how recipients and volunteers draw on nostalgic memories of humanitarian experience in Malawi to critique and make claims on the humanitarian regimes that now provide services in Morrumbala. Anthropological literature has shown that refugee experience can be central to processes of political subjectification, becoming the grounds through which claims are articulated on neoliberal regimes of rights and services. These memories, and the nostalgic humanitarian lexicon they deploy, point to the historicity of humanitarian experience. As Morrumbala residents engage new configurations of aid and welfare today, the afterlives of previous interventions also allow for ambivalent and critical engagements with humanitarian practice in the present.
Effects of pure-hydrogen and pure-argon plasmas on the near-surface type conversion of p-InP

It is shown that, although similar solar cell junctions are formed via surface type conversion during both Ar- and H/sub 2/-plasma exposures, secondary effects due to the different plasma species can be observed. These include differences in the carrier concentration at the very near surface of the type-converted layer, and also differences in R/sub se/ (emitter sheet resistance), R/sub sh/, J/sub 01/ (reverse saturation current density), n/sub 1/ (diode ideality factor), and quantum efficiency. It is suggested that the predominant mechanism of plasma-induced type conversion, for low-doped p-InP, is ion bombardment, and that this mechanism can be assisted by effects due to H/sub 2/ passivation. Although ion bombardment appears necessary to form the junction, the extent to which this process yields beneficial results is limited to a specific range of process parameters. In order to reduce these limitations, specific effects due to several parameters have been isolated. It is believed that optimized incorporation of these parameters should lead to performance improvements in both the plasma-formed diagnostic devices and the indium tin oxide (ITO)/InP cell. >
Eroticism as Embodied Emotion: The Erotics of Renaissance Faire

This paper conceptualizes eroticism as emotional experience. I use the Renaissance Faire to illustrate the construction of asexual eroticism along three dimensions: the carnal experience of Faire, its focus on physicality, and intimations of increased interpersonal access. This approach forefronts the complexity of eroticism and situates the erotic squarely in the sociology of emotion, providing a model for understanding a range of emotional, embodied, and nonsexual charges as erotic. More broadly, the analysis seeks to contribute to the study of all emotion as embodied.
Comparisons of atmosphere–ocean simulations of greenhouse gas-induced climate change for pre-industrial and hypothetical ‘no-anthropogenic’ radiative forcing, relative to present day

We compare climate simulations for Present-Day (PD), Pre-Industrial (PI) time, and a hypothetical (inferred) state termed No-Anthropogenic (NA) based upon the low greenhouse gas (GHG) levels of the late stages of previous interglacials that are comparable in time (orbital configuration) to the present interglacial. We use a fully coupled dynamical atmosphere–ocean model, the CCSM3. We find a consistent trend toward colder climate (lower surface temperature, more snow and sea-ice cover, lower ocean temperature, and modified ocean circulation) as the net change in GHG radiative forcing trends more negative from PD to PI to NA. The climatic response of these variables becomes larger relative to the changed GHG forcing for each step toward a colder climate state (PD to PI to NA). This amplification is significantly enhanced using the dynamical atmosphere–ocean model compared with our previous results with an atmosphere–slab ocean model, a result that conforms to earlier idealized GHG forcing experiments. Howe...
Transient non-linear simulation with component mode synthesis

A method is presented to incorporate non-linear material behavior in a transient simulation with component mode synthesis reduction. This method is used in conjunction with rigid body solution techniques to expand the useful range of rigid body design tools for the development of complex mechanisms. A fixed interface component mode synthesis technique is enhanced with an algorithm to approximate the effect of plastic deformation during a dynamic simulation. The plastic strain is determined from the elastic modal response using classical plasticity theory and applied to the modal solution by projecting an effective nodal force vector on the modal coordinates to induce the necessary plastic deformation. This method can be used during the design process to approximate the non-linear dynamic response of complex mechanisms and offer significant computational savings over a full fidelity, non-linear dynamic solution.
Knockdown of secretory phospholipase A2 IIa reduces lung cancer growth in vitro and in vivo

Objective Group IIa secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2 IIa) plays a role in the malignant potential of several epithelial cancers. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) regulates cancer cell growth and is modulated by phospholipase activity in many cancer cells. We hypothesized that knockdown of sPLA2 in lung cancer cells would reduce cell proliferation and NF-κB activity in vitro and attenuate tumor growth in vivo. Methods Two human non–small cell lung cancer cell lines (A549 and H358) were transduced with short hairpin RNA targeting sPLA2 group IIa. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting confirmed knockdown of sPLA2 IIa messenger RNA and protein, respectively. Cell proliferation was evaluated by the 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine DNA labeling assay. NF-κB phosphorylation was assayed by western blot. 1 × 10 6 of A549 or A549 sPLA2 knockdown cells were injected into the left flanks of nude mice (aged 6 to 8 weeks). Tumors were followed for 23 days, then removed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, stained with Ki-67, and analyzed for sPLA2 IIa messenger RNA expression. Results sPLA2 knockdown reduced NF-κB phosphorylation and tumor growth in vivo. A549 wild-type tumors grew twice as fast as knockdown tumors. Ki-67 staining was more prominent throughout the wild-type tumors compared with knockdown tumors. Explanted knockdown tumors maintained lower sPLA2 levels compared with wild-type, confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Conclusions Knockdown of sPLA2 IIa suppresses lung cancer growth in part by attenuating NF-κB activity. These findings justify further investigation into the cellular mechanisms of sPLA2 in lung cancer and its potential role as a therapeutic target.
Effects of perinatal testosterone on infant health, mother-infant interactions, and infant development.

Objective:Many researchers and health care providers have noticed male vulnerability in infant health, mother–infant interactions, and some infant cognitive development, especially among very low b...
Type 1 error of trend tests in proportions and the design of cancer screens

This paper investigates the relationship between the size of the 1inear trend test in proportions Cochran, 1954; Armitage, 1955 and the design of the chronic animal bioassays used as cancer screens. The results indicate that an improper design choice can cause the true size of the test to deviate from its nominal value. These results extend to modifications of the test, including versions which correct for differential survival and continuity.
Chromosomes and plant cell division in space: environmental conditions and experimental details.

Abstract Details of the plant cultivation system developed for the CHROMEX experiment flown aboard the Shuttle Discovery (March, 1989) in NASA's Plant Growth Unit (PGU) are presented. The physical regime as measured during Spaceflight, both within the orbiter cabin environment and within the PGU itself, is discussed. These data function as a guide to what may be representative of the environmental regime in which Space-based plant cultivation systems will be operating, at least for the near-term. Attention is also given to practical considerations involved in conducting a plant experiment in Space. Of particular importance are the differences expected to occur in moisture distribution patterns within substrates used to cultivate plants in Space vs on Earth.
Expression of GCIP in transgenic mice decreases susceptibility to chemical hepatocarcinogenesis

Transcription factors with helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif play critical roles in controlling the expression of genes involved in lineage commitment, cell fate determination, proliferation, and tumorigenesis. To examine whether the newly identified HLH protein GCIP/CCNDBP1 modulates cell fate determination and plays a role in hepatocyte growth, proliferation, and hepatocarcinogenesis, we generated transgenic mice with human GCIP gene driven by a liver-specific albumin promoter. We demonstrated that in GCIP transgenic mice, the overall liver growth and regeneration occurred normally after liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). In the diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced mouse hepatocarcinogenesis, we demonstrated that overexpression of GCIP in mouse liver suppressed DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis at an early stage of tumor development. The number of hepatic adenomas at 24 weeks was significantly lower or not detected in GCIP transgenic male mice compared to the control mice under the same treatment. Although GCIP has little inhibition on the number of hepatic tumors at later stages (40 weeks), hepatocellular tumors in GCIP transgenic mice are smaller and well-differentiated compared to the poorly differentiated tumors in wild-type mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that GCIP functions as a transcriptional suppressor, regulates the expression of cyclin D1, and inhibits anchorage-independent cell growth and colony formation in HepG2 cells, suggesting a significant role of GCIP in tumor initiation and development.
Studies on the mechanism of sulofenur and LY295501 toxicity: effect on the regulation of cytosolic calcium in relation to cytotoxicity in normal and tumorigenic rat kidney cell lines.

Abstract Treatment of NRK-52E (normal) and H/1.2-NRK-52E (Harvey- ras transfected NRK-52E) rat kidney epithelial-like cells with two Eli Lilly antitumor compounds, sulofenur and LY295501 (15.6μM–1000μM) resulted in concentration- and time-dependent cell killing. Cytosolic Ca 2+ became elevated in both cell lines in the presence of extracellular Ca 2+ but only minimally in its absence. Both drugs were more toxic to the tumorigenic cells than to the normal cells, but LY295501 was significantly more toxic to both cells. The similarity in toxic response by both cell lines suggests a similar mechanism of toxic action for both drugs. Since LY295501 is highly toxic to tumorigenic cells but has a manageable dose-limiting toxicity it shows excellent potential for use in chemotherapy.
Soybean oil–divinylbenzene thermosetting polymers: synthesis, structure, properties and their relationships

Abstract The cationic copolymerization of regular soybean oil, low saturation soybean oil (LoSatSoy) and conjugated LoSatSoy oil with divinylbenzene initiated by boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BF 3 ·OEt 2 ) or related modified initiators provides polymers ranging from soft rubbers to hard plastics, depending on the reagents, stoichiometry and initiators used. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicate that the resulting polymers are typical thermosets. The structure of the bulk polymer is that of a densely crosslinked polymer network mixed with a certain amount of less saturated free oil. The moduli of the bulk polymers are approximately 4×10 8 –1×10 9 Pa at room temperature, which are comparable to those of conventional plastics. Typically, micro-phase separation occurs in soybean oil and LoSatSoy polymers as evidenced by the appearance of two glass transition temperatures α 1 and α 2 ; α 1 (approximately 80°C) is the glass transition temperature of the crosslinked polymer, and α 2 (approximately 0°C) corresponds to the solid–liquid transition (glass transition) of the oil-rich phase in the bulk polymer. In the conjugated LoSatSoy polymers, the crosslinked polymer network becomes more compatible with the unreacted free oil. Three distinct decomposition temperature regions of the thermosets are observed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA): 200–400°C, 400–530°C, and above 530°C. These regions correspond to evaporation and decomposition of the unreacted free oil, degradation and char formation of the crosslinked polymer network, and subsequent oxidation of the char residues in air, respectively. The thermal stability of these polymers is found to be largely dependent on the amount of unreacted free oil in the bulk polymer. The conjugated LoSatSoy polymers have the highest moduli and thermal stabilities, since they contain the least unreacted free oil.
Changes in latitude, changes in attitude: The relationship between climate and interpersonal communication predispositions

This study examines the relationship between climate and cultural communication predispositions within the United States. It is proposed that climate affects culture and communication in systematic ways. Three hypotheses are developed that posit a relationship between climate and cultural measures of interpersonal arousal, interpersonal power, and interpersonal affect. Results indicate that 42% of the variance in cultural interpersonal arousal can be accounted for by average temperature, two multivariate climate indices, and sunshine. Cultural interpersonal power predispositions can be explained (53% variance) by latitude, rainfall, storminess, and a multivariate climate index. Finally, cultural predispositions in interpersonal affect can be partially explained (24% variance) by latitude. Overall, in an additive model almost 75% of the variance in all three communication dimensions is explained at the cultural level by latitude. These results are discussed in light of theory and future research implications.
Vehicle Lateral Control and Yaw Stability Control through Differential Braking

This paper examines the effectiveness of a brake-by-wire system with the uses of differential brake torque for lateral control and yaw stability control in the context of Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems. Differential braking easily realized by the brake-by-wire system can generate the vehicle yaw moment. The resulting yaw moment affects vehicle lateral position and yaw rate, thereby providing a limited steering function. The steering function achieved through BBW system can then be used to control lateral position in an unintended road departure system. A 7-DOF model is developed to capture the vehicle longitudinal, lateral and yaw motion, and the other four degrees of motion representing the wheel dynamics. Since the 7-DOF model is rather complicated for controller design, a linearized vehicle model is presented for the explanation of the idea of differential braking and for the control design. A fuzzy logic controller is developed to explore the feasibility and capability of BBW systems for lateral control and yaw stability control. Simulation results on the nonlinear vehicle model are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the fuzzy logic control approach for lateral control and yaw stability control with differential braking.
Selection of adhesive system for radio-frequency heating of structural sheet molding compound components

A series of laboratory tests and computer simulations of adhesive curing enhanced by radio-frequency heating indicated that not all adhesive systems can be effectively used for RF-based curing because of the danger of thermal runaway. Our investigation of the process mechanism also resulted in several other findings that could lead to further improvement of the processing cycle. Both experimental and theoretical results indicated a high sensitivity of the adhesive exothermal reaction kinetics to the thickness of the bond line, which varies with changes of the thickness of the processed sheet molding compound (SMC) components. Thus, regardless of the type of adhesive system employed, tighter dimensional tolerance would ensure better quality of the bond. Finally, we proved that the initial surface temperature of the SMC members substantially affects the process effectiveness and joint quality, and should be strictly monitored.
Antioxidant-mediated up-regulation of OGG1 via NRF2 induction is associated with inhibition of oxidative DNA damage in estrogen-induced breast cancer

Estrogen metabolism-mediated oxidative stress is suggested to play an important role in estrogen-induced breast carcinogenesis. We have earlier demonstrated that antioxidants, vitamin C (Vit C) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) inhibit 17β-estradiol (E2)-mediated oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage, and breast carcinogenesis in female August Copenhagen Irish (ACI) rats. The objective of the present study was to characterize the mechanism by which above antioxidants prevent DNA damage during breast carcinogenesis. Female ACI rats were treated with E2; Vit C; Vit C + E2; BHA; and BHA + E2 for up to 240 days. mRNA and protein levels of a DNA repair enzyme 8-Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and a transcription factor NRF2 were quantified in the mammary and mammary tumor tissues of rats after treatment with E2 and compared with that of rats treated with antioxidants either alone or in combination with E2. The expression of OGG1 was suppressed in mammary tissues and in mammary tumors of rats treated with E2. Expression of NRF2 was also significantly suppressed in E2-treated mammary tissues and in mammary tumors. Vitamin C or BHA treatment prevented E2-mediated decrease in OGG1 and NRF2 levels in the mammary tissues. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed that antioxidant-mediated induction of OGG1 was through increased direct binding of NRF2 to the promoter region of OGG1. Studies using silencer RNA confirmed the role of OGG1 in inhibition of oxidative DNA damage. Our studies suggest that antioxidants Vit C and BHA provide protection against oxidative DNA damage and E2-induced mammary carcinogenesis, at least in part, through NRF2-mediated induction of OGG1.
Management of drug-resistant cyathostominosis on a breeding farm in central North Carolina

Summary Reasons for performing study: Possible anthelmintic resistance on a breeding farm where a rapid rotation anthelmintic programme had been implemented for 9 years was investigated. Cyathostomins resistant to fenbendazole and pyrantel were documented by faecal worm egg count reduction test (FWECRT). Objectives: To 1) manage small strongyle transmission in a herd of horses in which resistance to both pyrantel pamoate and fenbendazole was identified and thereby reduce the risk of clinical disease in the individual animal, 2) monitor the change in resistance patterns over time and 3) monitor the efficacy of ivermectin over the study period. Methods: Targeted ivermectin treatment of horses on the farm was instituted formature horses with faecal worm egg counts (FWEC) >200 eggs/g (epg) and for horses 100 epg. Results: Over a 30 month period, targeted ivermectin treatment achieved acceptable control in mares, as judged by FWEC, and improved control of patent cyathostome infection in consecutive foal crops. Egg reappearance time (ERT) after treatment with ivermectin was <8 weeks in mares and foals more frequently in the second year of the study than in the first year. Numbers of anthelmintic treatments were reduced by 77.6 and 53.3% in the mare and foal group, respectively. Conclusions: Targeted ivermect in treatment may be an economically viable method of managing multiple drug resistant cyathostominosis. Potential relevance: Use of ivermectin should be monitored closely for development of resistance.
Band offsets for the silicon nitride/amorphous silicon interface: Implications for charge transport and trapping in silicon nitride

Abstract Threshold voltage shift measurements of silicon nitride/hydrogenated amorphous silicon devices demonstrate that electron accumulation primarily creates interface states while hole accumulation results in bulk trapped holes. This asymmetry in transport can readily be explained by the band structure as determined by recent electron spectroscopy measurements and band tailing within the nitride.
The heterogeneity of pediatric MLL -rearranged acute myeloid leukemia

Translocations involving the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) gene, localized at 11q23, comprise 15 to 20% of all pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases. This review summarizes current knowledge about the etiology, biology, clinical characteristics and differences in outcome in MLL-rearranged pediatric AML. Furthermore, we discuss the role of cooperating events in MLL-rearranged pediatric AML, and future therapeutic strategies to improve outcome. We conclude that MLL-rearranged pediatric AML is a heterogeneous disease, and prognosis depends on various factors, for example, translocation partner, age, WBC and additional cytogenetic aberrations. The relationship of outcome with specific translocation partners requires that they be searched for in the diagnostic work-up of AML. To achieve further improvements in outcome, unraveling the biology of MLL-rearranged pediatric AML is warranted.
Women Living With the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Home-Care Needs

Strategies for dealing with the complex nursing care needs of women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease are discussed. Using the experiences of the authors' clinical practices and nursing situations described in the literature, the physical, psychosocial, and behavioral issues surrounding the needs of women with HIV and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are explored. The authors seek to delineate successful nursing interventions for the woman living with AIDS.
Isolation and Characterization of an Epidemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus 15 Variant in the Central United States

Epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 15 (EMRSA-15) and EMRSA-16 are pandemic MRSA strains which have received global attention due to their worldwide spread and increased prevalence. Both are primarily hospital-associated pathogens responsible for a myriad of diseases, ranging from
Asymptotic Properties of Parabolic Systems for Null-Recurrent Switching Diffusions

This work is concerned with the asymptotic behavior of systems of parabolic equations arising from null-recurrent switching diffusions, which are diffusion processes modulated by continuous-time Markov chains. A sufficient condition for null recurrence is presented. Moreover, convergence rate of the solutions of systems of homogeneous parabolic equations under suitable conditions is established. Then a case study on verifying one of the conditions proposed is provided with the use of a two-state Markov chain. To verify the condition, boundary value problems (BVPs) for parabolic systems are treated, which are not the usual two-point BVP type. An extra condition in the interior is needed resulting in jump discontinuity of the derivative of the corresponding solution.
Psychological services in schools: A summary of international perspectives

Abstract School psychological services in 26 countries are summarized. An understanding of school psychological services is enhanced by knowing the conditions that affect the acceptance of psychology and support for public education in the various countries. The article also discusses the nature of services, the points of delivery, and the number of school psychologists. Three major problems inhibiting the growth and development of school psychology are discussed along with possible solutions to these and other questions.
Articular cartilage restoration: The shape of things to come

Cartilage restoration may be a misnomer as our current technologies fail to produce true native hyaline cartilage. There are multiple techniques and technologies available as a potential solution for symptomatic full thickness chondral or osteochondral defects. This review will discuss the indications and contraindications of various procedures. It should be emphasized that any effort to repair an osteochondral defect should be made if possible. If not, then factors such as alignment, status of the meniscus, patient factors such as obesity, and more should be considered and addressed before any restoration technologies. Specific lesion-specific parameters, most importantly size, should be considered before deciding which procedure should be used. Multiple technologies are on the forefront of cartilage regeneration and the answer of which to use is unknown. Future research to create the ideal cartilage regeneration system will include a favorable biological and biomechanical environment in an effort to truly restore articular cartilage.
A model of the membrane-bound cytochrome b5-cytochrome P450 complex from NMR and mutagenesis data

Microsomal cytochrome b5 (cytb5) is a membrane-bound protein that modulates the catalytic activity of its redox partner, cytochrome P4502B4 (cytP450). Here, we report the first structure of full-length rabbit ferric microsomal cytb5 (16 kDa), incorporated in two different membrane mimetics (detergent micelles and lipid bicelles). Differential line broadening of the cytb5 NMR resonances and site-directed mutagenesis data were used to characterize the cytb5 interaction epitope recognized by ferric microsomal cytP450 (56 kDa). Subsequently, a data-driven docking algorithm, HADDOCK (high ambiguity driven biomolecular docking), was used to generate the structure of the complex between cytP4502B4 and cytb5 using experimentally derived restraints from NMR, mutagenesis, and the double mutant cycle data obtained on the full-length proteins. Our docking and experimental results point to the formation of a dynamic electron transfer complex between the acidic convex surface of cytb5 and the concave basic proximal surface of cytP4502B4. The majority of the binding energy for the complex is provided by interactions between residues on the C-helix and β-bulge of cytP450 and residues at the end of helix α4 of cytb5. The structure of the complex allows us to propose an interprotein electron transfer pathway involving the highly conserved Arg-125 on cytP450 serving as a salt bridge between the heme propionates of cytP450 and cytb5. We have also shown that the addition of a substrate to cytP450 likely strengthens the cytb5-cytP450 interaction. This study paves the way to obtaining valuable structural, functional, and dynamic information on membrane-bound complexes.