cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Confirmatory factor analysis of house office candidate appraisals.

This article illustrates an application of confirmatory factor analysis, using the LISREL program, to retrospective analysis of rating data common in health professions education. We begin with specification of a causal model reflecting the multitraitmultimethod design of a surgical houseofficer ranking system. The model is then tested using data provided by rating system functioning over two successive years. The results suggest that although most rating measures do cluster around latent traits as hypothesized, there is more method variance in the data set than trait variance. The trait and methodfactors are also found to be highly intercorrelated. Practical implications of these results include specific modifications in the rating system, potentially leading to improvement of the system.
The synthesis of novel dipyridazinothiazine ring systems

The synthesis of several dipyridazinothiazines have been accomplished by: (a) cyclization in concentrated hydrochloric acid solution of the appropriate intermediates; and (b) via the Smiles rearrangement in either basic or glacial acetic acid solution of the appropriate intermediates. The following ring systems have been prepared and characterized: 10H-dipyridazino-[4,3-b:4′,5′-e]-1,4-thiazine, 5H-dipyridazino[3,4-b:4′,5′-e]-1,4-thiazine, 10H-dipyridazino[4,5-b:-4′,5′-e]-1,4-thiazine, 5Hdipyridazino[5,4-b:4′,3′-e]-1,4-thiazine, and 10H-dipyridazino[3,4-b:-3′,4′-e]-1,4-thiazine.
NOVA-dependent regulation of cryptic NMD exons controls synaptic protein levels after seizure

The neuronal RNA binding protein NOVA regulates splicing, shuttles to the cytoplasm, and co-localizes with target transcripts in dendrites, suggesting links between splicing and local translation. Here we identified >200 transcripts showing NOVA-dependent changes in abundance, but, surprisingly, HITS-CLIP revealed NOVA binds these RNAs in introns rather than 3′ UTRs. This led us to discover NOVA-regulated splicing of cryptic exons within these introns. These exons triggered nonsense mediated decay (NMD), as UPF1 and protein synthesis were required for NOVA's effect on RNA levels. Their regulation was dynamic and physiologically relevant. The NMD exons were regulated by seizures, which also induced changes in Nova subcellular localization and mediated large changes in synaptic proteins, including proteins implicated in familial epilepsy. Moreover, Nova haploinsufficient mice had spontaneous epilepsy. The data reveal a hidden means of dynamic RNA regulation linking electrical activity to splicing and protein output, and of mediating homeostatic excitation/inhibition balance in neurons. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00178.001
Effects of Cutting Aquatic Vegetation and Treatment of the Resulting Mats in Ponds

Abstract Several experiments were run on hatchery ponds to determine the effects on pond metabolism of leaving cut but untreated aquatic vegetation and the effects of treating mats of cut vegetation with 2, 4-D and ammonium nitrate. Cutting vegetation did not improve environmental conditions until cut plants decayed. Ammonium nitrate appeared to be superior to 2, 4-D for inducing decay. When mats were treated with ammonium nitrate, blooms of zooplankton were produced which persisted up to 8 months. No phytoplankton blooms developed after ammonium nitrate treatment, and the higher aquatic vegetation did not grow faster in the treated ponds. Fish kills were not observed near the untreated mats, but dissolved-oxygen conditions there were unfavorable. No fish kills were observed after ammonium nitrate treatment, and growth rates of fish in treated ponds were good.
Differential Impacts of Economic Volatility and Governance on Manufacturing and Non-Manufacturing Foreign Direct Investments: The Case of US Multinationals in Africa

The focus of this study is to examine the differential impacts of economic volatility and governance on the flows of US manufacturing and non-manufacturing foreign direct investment (FDI) into African economies. A Generalized Autoregressive Heteroscedastic (GARCH) model is used to generate economic volatility indicators for each sample country. Different governance indices have also been used to test the robustness of the findings. The results of the study show that the influence of economic volatility and governance on aggregate US FDI is weak. For the flows of US manufacturing FDI, effects of economic volatility are undetectable; for this sub-sector, investor confidence, government policy commitment, and availability of labor stand out as major determinants. For US non-manufacturing FDI, however, both economic volatilities and governance have significant effects, although only when economic volatilities occur together with bad governance and high debt burden. Other economic factors, such as trade links between host countries and the US, and between host countries and the rest of the world, also boost the flows of both manufacturing and non-manufacturing US FDI in African economies.
Zero-length cross-linking of the C-terminal domain of Escherichia coli ribosomal protein L7/L12 to L10 in the ribosome and in the (L7/L12)4-L10 pentameric complex.

Abstract L7/L12Cys89 is a variant of L7/L12 that has a single cysteine residue located in the C-terminal domain in which Cys89 is the only cysteine residue in the protein. A cross-link between this site and the single cysteine in L10, residue 70, was formed with 1,4-di[3′-(2′-pyridyldithio)-propionamido]butane, a sulfhydryl-specific homobifunctional reagent of maximum length 16 A. It is now shown that a zero-length disulfide cross-link between L7/L12Cys89 and L10Cys70 is formed by mild oxidation with Cu2+(phenanthroline)3 of either intact ribosomes or the stable, pentameric complex (L7/L12)4-L10. The formation of the zero-length cross-link defines more closely the contact between the two proteins. Protein L10 is located at the base of the L7/L12 stalk where it provides binding sites for the N-terminal domains of both dimers of L7/L12. The L7/L12Cys89-L10Cys70 cross-link lends further support to our previous model that places at least one of the two dimers of L7/L12 on the surface of the body of the 50S subunit in a bent conformation with the C-terminal domain in close proximity to its N-terminal domain, at the base of the L7/L12 stalk. The L7/L12Cys89-L10Cys70 cross-link in the pentameric L8 complex implies that the protein can exist in this bent conformation there as well as in the ribosome.
Elevation of naloxone-sensitive 3H-dihydromorphine binding in hippocampal formation of genetically epilepsy-prone rats

3H-Dihydromorphine (DHM) binding sites were measured in the brain of non-epileptic control and GEPR rats using in vitro autoradiographic techniques. The number of naloxone-sensitive 3H-DHM binding sites was increased 38–57% in the pyramidal cell layer of ventral hippocampal CA3 and CA1 of GEPR-3 and GEPR-9 rats compared to non-epileptic controls. No significant differences in 3H-DHM binding were observed in dorsal hippocampal formation, lateral entorhinal cortex, lateral geniculate or cerebellum. The results suggest that an increase in the number of opioid receptors in ventral hippocampus of GEPR rats may be one factor contributing to the enhanced sensitivity of GEPR-9 rats to the proconvulsant effects of morphine.
The Assessment of Risk Factors in 462 Patients With Acute Renal Failure

Abstract Risk factors associated with the mortality of patients with acute renal failure (ARF) were investigated. This was accomplished by a review of 462 patients with ARF and the utilization of a logistic regression analysis to develop a model that can be used to predict the mortality odds for an ARF patient. The significant risk factors were age, oliguria, pulmonary and cardiovascular complications, jaundice, and hypercatabolism. Based on these factors, our model was able to account for 77% of the mortality associated with ARF
Reversible oxygen scavenging at room temperature using electrochemically reduced titanium oxide nanotubes

Reduced titanium oxide nanotubes rapidly absorb and release molecular oxygen at room temperature.
Experimental studies on fourth sound in superfluid helium

In a superfluid liquid-helium cavity packed with a fine powder, only the supercomponent is free to move and pressure waves transmitted by the supercomponent are called “fourth sound.” We have observed that the resonance frequency of the powder-filled chamber may be shifted by introducing vortices. Both static and dynamic measurements were made on the resonance frequency and signal height in order to explore the effect of exceeding the critical velocity of the superfluid in the powder-filled chamber.
Olefinic hydrocarbons from Bradford, Pennsylvania, crude oil

A distillation fraction of 2% of a crude oil from the Bradford, Pennsylvania, field was isolated as olefinic hydrocarbons. The olefins are approximately 40% normal, 30% branched chain, and 30% monocyclic. The double bonds are mainly in the trans configuration and are located in internal positions of long carbon chains. The carbon skeletons of the olefins and the coexisting saturated hydrocarbons correspond closely and have identifical 13C contents. The observed molecular structures can be accounted for by a process of natural thermal cracking of saturated hydrocarbons followed by a rapid disappearance of cis and terminal olefins.
Photochemistry of 4-Pyrones in water. Formation of dihydroxycyclopentenones and furan derivatives

Irradiation of aqueous solutions of aikyl substituted 4-pyrones leads to the formation of dihydroxycyclopentenones. These primary products are also photolabile and in certain cases are photochemically converted to furan derivatives.
Chronic Endothelin Receptor Antagonism Preserves Coronary Endothelial Function in Experimental Hypercholesterolemia

Background—Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is an endothelium-derived peptide that constricts coronary vessels through stimulation of the ET-A and ET-B receptors. Experimental porcine hypercholesterolemia is associated with impaired coronary endothelial function and elevated ET-1 concentrations. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that chronic endothelin receptor antagonism preserves coronary endothelial function in experimental hypercholesterolemia. Methods and Results—Acetylcholine (10−6 to 10−4 mol/L) was serially infused into the left anterior descending coronary artery in pigs at baseline and after 12 weeks of a high-cholesterol diet. In the interim, the animals were randomized to 3 groups: Group 1 received no therapy, group 2 received 3 mg/kg per day RO 48-5695, a combined ET-A/ET-B receptor antagonist, and group 3 received 4 mg/kg per day ABT-627, a selective ET-A receptor antagonist. Percent change in coronary artery diameter, coronary blood flow, and coronary vascular resistance were calculated on ...
A central role of EGF receptor transactivation in angiotensin II -induced cardiac hypertrophy

In addition to their physiological roles in the cardiovascular system (CVS), G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists such as noradrenaline, endothelin-1 and angiotensin II (Ang II) are known to be involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Recent studies using targeted overexpression of the angiotensin AT(1) receptor in cardiomyocytes suggest that Ang II can directly promote the growth of cardiomyocytes via transactivation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and subsequent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). This process is mediated by the production of heparin-binding EGF (HB-EGF) by metalloproteases. Blockade of the generation of HB-EGF by metalloprotease inhibitors, or abrogation of EGF receptor kinase activity by selective pharmacological inhibitors or antisense oligonucleotides, protects against Ang II-mediated cardiac hypertrophy. These approaches offer a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent cardiac remodeling and hypertrophy, and possibly prevent progression to heart failure.
Aging in (Privatized) Places: Subsidized Housing Policy and Seniors

The market-based approach of delivering affordable housing has led to a net loss of traditional public housing and an increase in alternative subsidized housing options. For poor, physically frail older adult residents, subsidized housing and its associated services and support provide an important safety net. This article explores the implications and consequences of this movement for low-income seniors. Specifically, we look at the past and current housing policies, the focus on public-private partnerships, and the transition toward mixed-income communities. The article ends with suggestions for protecting vulnerable older adult populations in a market-driven arena.
Hematuria secondary to left peripelvic and gonadal vein varices.

Abstract The nutcracker syndrome refers to compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and superior mesenteric artery which results in renal vein and left gonadal vein varices. This is an unusual but well accepted cause of hematuria. We report a case of the nutcracker syndrome and present the radiologic workup including computerized tomography (C T) and renal venography with venous pressure measurements.
Analysis of plasmid stability by the difference in colony size

Abstract Due to the reduced growth rate, plasmid-haboring cells give smaller colonies or agar plates than their plasmid-free counterparts. Based on the difference in colony size, a new method to measure plasmid stability is proposed. The new method is flexible, fast, and agrees well with the replica plating method.
Large Strain Deformation in Uranium 6 Wt Pct Niobium

The large strain deformation of polycrystalline uranium 6 wt pct niobium (U6Nb) was studied in situ during uniaxial tensile and compressive loading by time-of-flight neutron diffraction. Diffraction patterns were recorded at incremental strains to a maximum of approximately 0.13 tensile and 0.15 compressive true strain. A discrete reorientation of the crystallographic texture under tensile straining between 0.04 and 0.08 true strain is consistent with a previously unobserved mechanical deformation twinning mechanism, identified as either a (100) or (010) mechanical twin system. Beyond this, a continuous texture reorientation towards an (010) crystal orientations indicates that a slip mechanism is likely predominant. An analogous mechanical twin system was not observed in compression at large strain.
Characterization of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate phosphorylation in rat liver.

Abstract Liver homogenates phosphorylated Ins 1,3,4-P3 to an InsP4 isomer that was distinct from Ins 1,3,4,5-P4. This InsP4 isomer accumulated in vasopressin stimulated hepatocytes prelabeled with myo-[3H]inositol with a time course that lagged behind Ins 1,3,4-P3 formation. The Ins 1,3,4-P3 kinase responsible for its formation was partially purified from rat liver. The enzyme had a Km for Ins 1,3,4-P3 of 0.29 μM, a Km for ATP of 141 μM and was not affected by changes in free Ca2+ in the physiological range. The relationship of this new InsP4 isomer to the inositol phosphate signaling pathway is discussed.
The idea idea

I D e A s P e r VA D e o U r professional work. We borrow them, we apply them, we solve problems with them, we create new ones, and we try to foster more of them in our teams. We express what we are doing by referring to the ideas behind our work. We hope that some of our ideas become innovations by being adopted. We also believe that ideas launch innovations and that innovations fail for want of good ideas. As soon as we become aware of a successful innovation, we automatically look backward to try to understand where the idea for it originated. When we see failures, we immediately look to beef up our processes for stimulating imagination and creativity. For several years I have been puzzling over why it seems that our innovation adoption rates are low even though our idea production rates are high. The overall success rate of innovation initiatives in business is around 4%. Yet many businesses report they have too many ideas and waste precious time and resources struggling to select the ones most likely to succeed and then work them through to adoption. We are idea rich, selection baffled, and adoption poor. I have come to wonder if the connection between ideas and adoption is much weaker than we believe. What if innovation is not ideas generated, but practices adopted? What if entrepreneurs, rather than inventors, are the real innovators? I do not pretend to have any sort of final answer to these questions. I would love to see them discussed and debated. Yes-answers would have important impacts on our professional work. For example, we would worry less about stimulating creativity and imagination, and more about developing our skills at getting our communities to adopt new practices. We would approach design not as an expression of ideas but as the framework for new practices. My objective in this column is to examine the ways in which ideas and practices source innovation. I will propose a position about these hypotheses, and I will draw conclusions about our professional work.
Relationships among Parents, Students, and Teachers: The Technology Wild Card

Abstract Parent involvement and home-school partnerships have gained the status of a self-standing research area in the past three decades. While continuing to intrigue researchers and practitioners alike, a wild-card factor has been added that has changed the known dynamics, and has presented parents, teachers, students with a challenge that has neither been researched nor systematically addressed in everyday practice. The wild card is the explosion of technology use, and parents and schools are scrambling to find ways to monitor and control the influence of online interactions, often falling short on both fronts. The paper discusses the relationships of technology and cognitive, social and emotional processes, as well as the impact of electronic media on families and schools.
Femtosecond time-resolved exciton dynamics in CdSe

Abstract Transient behavior of the excitonic resonance in CdSe is investigated experimentally by femtosecond pump-probe reflectively measurements. The onset of screening by free carriers is observed to occur in less than 100 femtoseconds.
Enhanced Open-Circuit Voltage of PbS Nanocrystal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Nanocrystal quantum dots (QD) show great promise toward improving solar cell efficiencies through the use of quantum confinement to tune absorbance across the solar spectrum and enable multi-exciton generation. Despite this remarkable potential for high photocurrent generation, the achievable open-circuit voltage (Voc) is fundamentally limited due to non-radiative recombination processes in QD solar cells. Here we report the highest open-circuit voltages to date for colloidal QD based solar cells under one sun illumination. This Voc of 692 ± 7 mV for 1.4 eV PbS QDs is a result of improved passivation of the defective QD surface, demonstrating Voc(mV)=553Eg/q-59 as a function of the QD bandgap (Eg). Comparing experimental Voc variation with the theoretical upper-limit obtained from one diode modeling of the cells with different Eg, these results clearly demonstrate that there is a tremendous opportunity for improvement of Voc to values greater than 1 V by using smaller QDs in QD solar cells.
An integrated approach for SNP calling based on population of genomes

Background The identification of genetic variants such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is a critical step in many applications based on NGS technologies [1]. Although many SNP calling programs have been developed, it is still challenging to accurately call SNPs, especially when coverage level is low [2]. Moreover, the determination of SNPs, which is performed through many separate steps, requires a careful selection of a diverse set of tools [3,4]. This can lead to several disadvantages, for example, one cannot incorporate information from the read alignment step into the SNP calling step or vice versa to help improve accuracy of called SNPs. Materials and methods We propose a novel integrated approach to detect more true SNPs while calling fewer false positives. Different from current methods that perform read alignment and SNP calling steps separately, our method combines them methodologically to improve the accuracy of SNP identification. To effectively exploit information from a population of genomes, databases of confirmed SNPs, such as dbSNP, are employed in both aligning reads to references as well as calling SNPs. This strategy allows us to develop a novel algorithm to align reads to references that can differentiate sequencing errors from SNPs. Results Based on this result, the method can call SNPs accurately and effectively even with low-coverage sequencing data. Our results on simulated data show that the method is able to call SNPs with very high precision and recall rate with low-coverage datasets. Conclusions With the existence of databases of confirmed SNPs for large amounts of sequenced species, our approach provides a promising method to call accurate SNP information even with low-coverage sequencing data. This approach can also help researchers facilitate the determination of SNPs by using an integrated SNP calling tool.
Decentralization of China's electricity sector: is small beautiful?

Abstract Increasing electricity capacity is a major requirement for China's modernization. Yet one trend, the construction of very small (12 MW) coal-fired electric power stations, raises serious economic and environmental issues. These plants, built at the county level to supplement chronic power shortages, are far less efficient and far more polluting than larger coal plants being built at the provincial and national level. The paper examines the electric power industry in China. The paper reflects upon China's recent policies toward decentralization and the conflicts that are created between greater economic activity, rural development, and environmental quality. The paper searches for explanations to the continued construction of these small power facilities, the implications for the regional and world environment resulting from their operation, and both technical and political solutions to problems caused by their continued use.
Wave resource assessment in Oregon and southwest Washington, USA

Abstract Detailed wave energy resource assessments are necessary for the planning and design of wave energy converters. The waves in the U.S. Pacific Northwest have been identified as very energetic making this coast potentially suitable for wave energy harvesting. Several efforts to harvest this resource are under way in this region, however no long term, high resolution description of the resource is presently available. Here, the results of a 7 year hindcast are presented at a 30 arc-second resolution using the numerical models WAVEWATCH III and SWAN. The hindcast accuracy was quantified by comparing to measured buoy data yielding linear correlation coefficients ∼0.90 for the significant wave height. This study describes the alongshore variability of the resource over the continental shelf. The general decline of the wave power with depth is explained by considerations of wave refraction and shoaling. Further, due to wave refraction, areas off the central and southwest Oregon coast are identified that show increased wave power at 50 m of water in comparison with the 250 m value. These areas also show increased temporal variability. In addition, areas with preferentially narrower wave spectra in both frequency and direction are identified off southwest Oregon. Further, general trends in the directionality of the resource indicate a systematic switch in the wave direction with latitude. The seasonality of the resource is also assessed in terms of variability and trends relevant to the planning and deployment of wave energy converters. The continental shelf is mapped in terms of the coefficient of variability, which is greater (smaller) than unity during the summer (winter) and regardless of the season smaller in southwest Oregon.
Abstract 1987: Tumor suppressor ADAM23 mediates the HPV-associated carcinogenesis.

“High risk” human papillomaviruses (HPV) are known to cause or are closely associated with the development of human cervical, anal and some types of head and neck cancers. Integration of HPV DNA into host genome and subsequent expression of viral oncogenes, such as E6 and E7, are critical initial events for the HPV-associated cancer development; however, HPV infection alone is not sufficient to convert normal cells to malignant phenotypes, suggesting that other additional genetic and/or epigenetic events in the HPV-infected cells are required. The aim of the current study is to identify molecular determinants that are functionally linked to the pathogenesis of the HPV-associated cancers. We used HPV-16 harboring immortalized but non-transformed oral epithelial cells (HOK-16B), infected with high-throughput Decode RNAi lentiviral screening pools containing about 70,000 shRNAmir constructs capable of knocking down the target genes individually (3-4 constructs per gene), and selected them in DMEM-based high calcium/serum media in which HOK-16B cells are not permissive to survive. From the surviving colonies, we have identified several putative tumor suppressors including A Disintegrin and etalloproteinase domain-containing protein 23 (ADAM23). The function of ADAM23 was further validated such that singly knocking down in HOK-16B cells (HOK16B/ADAM23i) acquired proliferative potential in DMEM-based medium. HOK16B/ADAM23i cells also gained resistance to ionizing radiation (IR), cisplatin treatment, and differentiation as demonstrated by colonogenic assay, MTT assay, and the 3-dimensional raft culture systems, respectively. More importantly, the expression is largely diminished in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines but more so in HPV-harboring SCC. We further found that ADAM23 expression is high in normal human oral epithelial tissues but low or none in HPV-positive OSCC tissue specimens as determined by immunohistochemical staining. Our data suggest that ADAM23 may play a role in development of HPV-associated cancers. Citation Format: Paul Yang, Drake W. Williams, Terresa Kim, Ki-Hyuk Shin, Mo Kang, No-Hee Park, Reuben H. Kim. Tumor suppressor ADAM23 mediates the HPV-associated carcinogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1987. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1987
Small carpal bone surface area, a characteristic of Turner's syndrome.

An abnormality which has received little attention but may be easily recognized on radiographs of the hand of patients with Turner's syndrome is described. Eleven of thirty-one patients (35.5%) with Turner's syndrome were shown on radiographs of the hand to have a visually detectable smallness of the bone surface area of the carpus when compared to the area of the second through fifth metacarpals. Values for the “C/M” ratio (the area of the carpals divided by the area of the second through fifth metacarpals) were calculated for films of 31 individuals with gonadal dysgenesis and compared with those from bone age-matched films of seventy-six individuals with normal development of the hand and wrist. A consistent difference with minimal overlap was documented. For all of the films of patients with Turner's syndrome the C/M ratio averaged 89% of the value in the films of the controls. In the 11 patients in whose films smallness was visually apparent, the C/M ratio averaged 82% of controls while in those where the diminution was detected only by planimetry the C/M ratio averaged 91% of controls. The incidence of a diminished C/M ratio was compared with the incidence of four other previously described signs of Turner's syndrome; although not seen as often as the coarse reticular pattern or delayed bone age, the C/M sign was recognizable without planimetry at least as commonly as the “metacarpal sign,” and a decreased carpal angle and/or Madelung's deformity. Taken together, these several criteria suggest the radiographic diagnosis of Turner's syndrome in more than 93% of cases.
Crossing Boundaries Creating Community College Partnerships to Promote Educational Transitions

Community college partnerships with institutions in other educational sectors (including schools and universities) are important and strategic ways of meeting the educational needs of college constituents and maximizing resources to achieve local and state economic development goals. Understanding what is required for effective partnerships is important in determining when and how to engage in these collaborative, but sometimes costly, arrangements. This article presents a model of partnership development that emphasizes the role of social and organizational capital in the formation of partnership capital that contributes to the long-term success of collaborative efforts.
An empirical analysis of the stock price-volume relationship

Abstract This paper investigates the empirical relationship between absolute stock price changes and trading volume in the stock market. Using Granger causality tests we find that there is a significant causal relationship between absolute price changes and volume at the firm level and that this relationship is stronger in periods surrounding earnings announcements. We view this as suggesting that information arrival follows a sequential rather than a simultaneous process, although the results do not support an extreme version of either information arrival model.
Effect of dietary supplementation of selenite on pulmonary metastasis of melanoma cells in mice

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation of selenite on experimental pulmonary metastasis of B16BL6 murine melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice by means of an intravenous injection model. Three groups of mice were fed a basal AIN-93G diet containing 0.1 ppm selenium (control group) or the basal diet supplemented with 2 or 4 ppm selenium as selenite (experimental groups). Mice were fed the diet for two weeks before and after the intravenous injection of 0.75 x 10(5) viable tumor cells. At necropsy the number of tumors that developed in the lungs and their cross-sectional area were determined, and tumor volume was calculated. In the control group, 12 of the 15 mice had > or = 1 lung tumors. In contrast, only 4 of the 15 mice in each of the selenite-supplemented groups had > or = 11 tumors. The incidence of metastasis in mice fed the control and the 2- and 4-ppm selenium diets was 93%, 73%, and 53%, respectively. The median number of lung tumors was 53, 1, and 1 in mice fed the basal and the 2- and 4-ppm selenium diets, respectively. Tumor cross-sectional area and tumor volume were significantly decreased in selenite-supplemented groups. These results demonstrate that dietary supplementation of selenite reduced pulmonary metastasis of B16BL6 melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice and also inhibited the growth of the metastatic tumors that developed in the lungs. It is concluded that selenite may be a useful adjuvant to prevent metastatic diseases in cancer patients.
An ‘other’ scene, an ‘other’ point of view: France's colonial family romance, Protée's postcolonial fantasies and Claire Denis' ‘screen’ memories

ABSTRACTThis article challenges the widely held view that in Chocolat/Chocolate (Denis, 1988) the female protagonist, named ‘France’, owns the point of view. It argues that the film rejects such an exclusive narrative mode, and invites the spectator to reinterpret the story through the perspectives of others, especially that of the house-boy Protee. Drawing on Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytical theories, this article re-examines three key flashback scenes (the mirror scene, the shower scene, and the big box-office scene), taking Protee's vantage point, while engaging with the para-text of Sartre's, Oyono's and Denis' own postcolonial views. The article finally shows that the boy's point of view is as relevant as the little girl's.
Efficacy of a reverse-phase polymer as a submucosal injection solution for EMR: a comparative study (with video).

Introduction Reverse-phase polymers undergo a temperature-dependent liquid-to-gel transition that may provide a more durable cushion for EMR and could yield improvements in safety and efficacy. Objective Our purpose was to assess the efficacy of poloxamer solution PS137-25 as a submucosal injection. Design Comparative study among 3 different solutions for EMR using ex vivo and in vivo porcine models. Interventions A total of 120 gastric submucosal cushions were performed in fresh ex vivo porcine stomachs with saline solution 0.9% (n = 40), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (n = 40), and PS137-25 (n = 40). Five in vivo porcine colon EMRs were then performed. Main Outcome Measurements Height and duration of submucosal cushions were measured in the ex vivo model, and the usefulness of reverse-phase polymers was assessed by in vivo en bloc resection. Results Ex vivo: The height of mucosal elevation was greater with PS137-25 (10.3 ± 2.2 mm) than with saline solution (8.3 ± 2.6 mm) or HPMC (9.05 ± 2.3 mm, not significant). All submucosal elevations with PS137-25 lasted longer (more than 20 minutes) than with saline solution (20.9 ± 11 minutes, P P Conclusions Mucosal elevation with PS137-25 is more durable than with other substances, with no changes in size or consistency observed over 120 minutes. Additionally, reverse-phase polymers performed well in in vivo colon EMRs. These results suggest that reverse-phase polymers may provide increased safety and efficacy for EMR procedures.
Relationships ofAmaranthus caudatus

Three species ofAmaranthusare cultivated for their edible seeds:A. hypochondriacus L.,A. cruentusL., andA. caudatusL. The first two are native to Mexico and Guatemala, while the third originated in the Andes. Some authors recognize a fourth species,A. MantegazzianusPass. (A. edulisSpeg.), also from South America. Recent interest in amaranths as crops for improving Third World nutrition makes studies of relationships among amaranth species and intraspecific variation important. The weedy speciesA. hybridus L. (A. quitensisHBK) has been suggested as the progenitor ofA. caudatus, and it appears to be the closest wild relative of the crop. However, discovery of semidomesticated, darkseeded amaranths in Ecuador that are referable toA. caudatusraises some questions. The dark-seeded plants might represent a transitional form between the crop and its weedy progenitor, the product of independent selection of special forms ofA. hybridus, the result of introgressive hybridization between the crop and related weed, established escapes from cultivation, or remnants of the ancestor of the crop which may have been simply wildA. caudatusand notA. hybridus. Detailed morphological comparisons have been made among cultivated forms ofA. caudatus, the semidomesticate, andA. hybridus. Genetic data have been considered, and 2 mixed populations includingA. hybridusand the semidomesticate have been examined. Although all the other hypotheses cannot be eliminated, the dark-seededA. caudatusplants seem most likely to represent escapes from cultivation. Separate recognition ofA. Mantegazzianusdoes not seem warranted.
Acuity, luminance, and monocular deprivation in the cat

Abstract Visual acuity was determined for both eyes of long-term monoculardeprived cats over a wide luminance range. The influence of luminance on the rate of pattern vision recovery was also examined. Unlike strabismic humans and cats, the acuity deficit of monocularly deprived cats is not luminance dependent. Thus acuity is much worse at all luminance levels in the deprived eye. Likewise, initial testing of the deprived eye at low luminance levels does not facilitate recovery of pattern vision. Therefore, monocular lid fusion results in a visual deficit that differs from the effects of strabismis but resembles the effects of anisometropia in man.
Adaptation planning for floods: a review of available tools

Communities have competing priorities for limited financial resources. Identifying a capable and affordable tool that can be used in flood adaptation planning will assist in determining strategic investments and enhancing public communication. A state-of-the-art review was conducted of commonly available flood modeling and impact assessment tools that could be utilized for climate adaptation planning by municipalities. Assessment criteria such as flood modeling capabilities, geographic information system integration, damage assessment functions and ease of use were used. Although there are many tools available, based on the criteria used in assessing these models, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazus-MH tool appears to hold the most promise in being repurposed for adaptation planning.
Permeability of Pure Enantiomers of Timolol Across SIRC Rabbit Corneal Cells

The permeability characteristics of S- and R-isomers of timolol maleate across SIRC rabbit corneal cells in the presence and absence of benzalkonium chloride were evaluated. The barrier properties of the cell line were assessed by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the permeability of a hydrophilic marker, mannitol. The permeability of S-timolol maleate across the SIRC layers was slightly higher than the reported value across the corneal membrane. There was no significant difference between the permeability of S- and R-isomers, indicating that there was no stereoselective transport across the cell line. The permeability of the low molecular weight isomers was greater than the permeability of mannitol suggesting that both paracellular and transcellular pathways contribute to the transport of these enantiomers across the cell line. The permeability of S- and R-isomers of timolol maleate and mannitol increased 2.8- and 5.2-times, respectively, in the presence of benzalkonium chloride. However, the cell layers showed a significant decrease in TEER after 2 h in the presence of 0.01% benzalkonium chloride. These findings suggest the possible use of the SIRC rabbit corneal cell line model to assess the permeability characteristics of enantiomers of timolol maleate.
TU‐D‐J‐6C‐01: A Comparison Between Amplitude Sorting and Phase Sorting Using External Respiratory Measurements for 4D CT

Purpose: To compare amplitude sorting and phase sorting techniques using external respiratory measurements for 4D‐CT for patients undergoing quiet breathing. Method and Materials: We have developed a 4D CT technique for mapping respiratory motion in radiotherapytreatment planning. A 16‐slice CT scanner was operated in cine mode to acquire 25 scans consecutively at each couch position. The scans were sorted into 12 respiratory‐windows based on the amplitude and direction (inhalation or exhalation), and on the phase (0–360°) of a synchronized external respiratory measurement. An air content measure (the amount of air in a 16‐slice CT segment, used as a surrogate for internal motion) was correlated to the respiratory amplitude and phase throughout the lung.Imagesreconstructed based on the two sorting techniques were displayed for a qualitative comparison. Also, the variations in the amplitude of the respiratory measurement during the entire scan session were compared using 8, 12, 24, and 48 respiratory windows. Results: The air content showed a higher correlation with the respiratory amplitude than with the respiratory phase for most cases. Imagesreconstructed based on the amplitude sorting technique displayed fewer artifacts, especially at the lung‐diaphragm boundaries, than imagesreconstructed based on the phase sorting technique. The variations in the respiratory amplitude were much smaller with amplitude sorting than those with phase sorting. These variations decreased significantly with finer amplitude respiratory windows while showed insignificant changes with finer phase respiratory windows. Conclusion: The amplitude sorting was generally better than phase sorting, especially for patients whose breathing was less reproducible. The use of finer respiratory windows did not improve the consistency for phase sorting. Keywords: 4‐D CT, respiratory sorting, motion, radiotherapy.
GLUT1 and GLUT3 gene expression in gerbil brain following brief ischemia: an in situ hybridization study

GLUT1 and GLUT3 mRNAs in normal and post-ischemic gerbil brains were examined qualitatively and semi-quantitatively using in situ hybridization in conjunction with image analysis. Coronal brain sections at the level of the anterior hippocampus were prepared three hours, one day, and three days after animals were subjected to six min of ischemia. The sections were hybridized with vector- and PCR-generated RNA probes labeled with 35S. Microscopic evaluation of hybridized brain sections coated with autoradiographic emulsion indicated that GLUT1 mRNA was associated with brain microvessels, choroid plexus, and some ependymal cells. GLUT1 mRNA was not observed in neurons, except that one day following ischemia, this mRNA was induced in neurons of the dentate gyrus. GLUT3 mRNA was detected only in neurons. Image analysis of film autoradiograms revealed that both the GLUT1 and GLUT3 messages increased following ischemia but returned nearly to control levels by day three. In the CA1 region of the hippocampus the increase in GLUT3 mRNA was not statistically significant, and by day three the level had fallen significantly below the control, coinciding with the degeneration of the CA1 neurons. Our results suggest that the brain possesses mechanisms for induction and up-regulation of glucose transporter gene expression.
Masses of q 2 bar q 2 states in a Bethe-Salpeter model

Ground-state masses ofq 2 $$\bar q$$ −2 states (“true” and “mock” baryonium) are investigated in the framework of a Bethe-Salpeter formalism motivated from QCD. The four-particle system is described by pairwise interactions betweenqq orq $$\bar q$$ pairs with a spectator approximation for the non-interacting pair. The quark-quark interactions are Coulomb plus harmonic interactions; the harmonic terms have been modified to produce linear confinement for heavier quarks, in agreement with experimental spectra. The confining interaction is proportional to the strong coupling constantα s. Apart from the quark masses, the confining interaction is characterized by three basic parameters: (i) a universal spring constantω 0; (ii) a constantC 0/ω 0 2 , which defines the vacuum structure; (iii) a constantA 0, which provides a smooth transition from quadratic to linear confinement as one goes from light to heavy quark systems. These three constants [ω 0 = 0.158 GeV;C 0=0.296;A 0=0.0283] have been shown to produce excellent fits to all quarkonia states [q $$\bar q$$ ,q $$\bar Q$$ ,Q $$\bar Q$$ ] as well as baryon spectra (qqq); thus our predictions forq 2 $$\bar q$$ 2 states contain no free parameters. In this model, theL=0 ground states occur in the range 1.8–2 GeV, 2.15–2.3 GeV and 6.72–6.75 GeV foru 2 ū 2,s 2 $$\bar s$$ 2 andc 2 $$\bar c$$ 2 states, respectively. We discuss the prospects for these states to be seen experimentally. In the case of thes 2 $$\bar s$$ 2 state, this is likely to have a rather narrow width, and may correspond to theX(2.22 GeV) meson observed in radiative decays of theJ/ψ meson. Thec 2 $$\bar c$$ 2 state might also be visible as a ψψ resonance with an appreciable width.
Evidence for direct membrane retrieval following cortical granule exocytosis in Xenopus oocytes and eggs.

Rapid exocytosis is typically followed by rapid resorption of exocytosed membrane; however, whether membrane retrieval occurs via indirect endocytosis of numerous small vesicles or direct resealing of the original, larger exocytotic vesicles is controversial. Here we show that cortical granule (CG) exocytosis in Xenopus oocytes and eggs is followed by rapid formation of endosomes as large as the CGs. Large endosomes are translucent, and their formation has the same developmental and pharmacological profile as CG exocytosis. Time course analyses show that large endosomes are not derived from small endosomes. Large endosome formation is trig- gered by stimuli that do not trigger increases in intracellular-free calcium and is insensitive to perturbation of microtubules by treatment with nocodazole. Perturbation of the f-actin cytoskel- eton with latrunculin, however, sharply reduces large endosome formation. We conclude that CG membrane is directly retrieved in Xenopus oocytes and eggs and suggest that this retrieval is not directly dependent on an increase in intracellular-free calcium, but is dependent on the actin cytoskeleton. J. Exp. Zool. 286:767-775, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Multisite Phosphorylation Provides an Effective and Flexible Mechanism for Switch-Like Protein Degradation

Phosphorylation-triggered degradation is a common strategy for elimination of regulatory proteins in many important cell signaling processes. Interesting examples include cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors such as p27 in human and Sic1 in yeast, which play crucial roles during the G1/S transition in the cell cycle. In this work, we have modeled and analyzed the dynamics of multisite-phosphorylation-triggered protein degradation systematically. Inspired by experimental observations on the Sic1 protein and a previous intriguing theoretical conjecture, we develop a model to examine in detail the degradation dynamics of a protein featuring multiple phosphorylation sites and a threshold site number for elimination in response to a kinase signal. Our model explains the role of multiple phosphorylation sites, compared to a single site, in the regulation of protein degradation. A single-site protein cannot convert a graded input of kinase increase to much sharper output, whereas multisite phosphorylation is capable of generating a highly switch-like temporal profile of the substrate protein with two characteristics: a temporal threshold and rapid decrease beyond the threshold. We introduce a measure termed temporal response coefficient to quantify the extent to which a response in the time domain is switch-like and further investigate how this property is determined by various factors including the kinase input, the total number of sites, the threshold site number for elimination, the order of phosphorylation, the kinetic parameters, and site preference. Some interesting and experimentally verifiable predictions include that the non-degradable fraction of the substrate protein exhibits a more switch-like temporal profile; a sequential system is more switch-like, while a random system has the advantage of increased robustness; all the parameters, including the total number of sites, the threshold site number for elimination and the kinetic parameters synergistically determine the exact extent to which the degradation profile is switch-like. Our results suggest design principles for protein degradation switches which might be a widespread mechanism for precise regulation of cellular processes such as cell cycle progression.