cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuropilin-1 Participates in Wound Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis, the formation of new capillaries from existing vasculature, plays an essential role in tissue repair. The rapid onset and predominance of proangiogenic factors optimizes healing in damaged tissues. One factor that directly mediates wound vessel angiogenesis is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Although much is known about the biology of VEGF and its cognate receptors, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, the role of a recently identified co-receptor for VEGF, neuropilin-1, is not well understood. Using a murine model of dermal wound repair, we found that neuropilin-1 was abundantly expressed on new vasculature in healing wounds. Moreover, mice treated with anti-neuropilin-1 antibodies exhibited a significant decrease in vascular density within these wounds (67% decrease, P = 0.0132). In in vitro assays, VEGF induced formation of endothelial cord-like structures on collagen gel and endothelial cell migration toward VEGF was inhibited by antibodies directed against neuropilin-1. These results provide both in vitro and in vivo evidence for a critical role of neuropilin-1 in wound angiogenesis.
Transportation and the Environment

Some of the most significant ways in which environmental statutes and concerns have influenced the activities of the Department of Transportation during the past decade are reviewed. It is emphasized that environmental protection is a latecomer in the hierarchy of mandates and concerns that Congress has imposed on the transportation agencies. It has had to be superimposed "upon an existing well-established structure of objectives, constituencies, and institutional arrangements," and this has at times beem a painful process. The two topics dealt with here, among the numerous environmental issues with which the Department of Transportation has been concerned, are implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act and transportation noise. The author has been director of the Office of Environmental Affairs in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
Differences in children's peer sociometric and attribution ratings due to context and type of aggressive behavior.

Sociometric and attribution (internality and responsibility) ratings of boys performing different kinds of aggression (hostile and instrumental hitting and pushing) and of neutral behavior occurring in two contexts (provoked and unprovoked) were investigated in an analogue fashion. Thirty fifth- and sixth-grade boys viewed and rated 12 brief videotaped scenes of two unfamiliar male peers interacting, presented in one of six random orders. Provoked aggression resulted in less dislike, less worthiness of punishment, and greater attribution to external causes than unprovoked aggression. Instrumental and hostile aggression produced lower liking ratings and were viewed as more deserving of punishment than neutral behavior but did not differ from each other. Results support distinctions between provoked and unprovoked aggression but not between hostile and instrumental aggression, at least in terms of their functional impact on peer judgements. Language: en
One-year morbidity after donor right hepatectomy.

Live donors are becoming an increasingly important source of donor organs in liver transplantation; however, long-term functional aspects of recovery from donor right hepatectomy are unknown. We analyzed donor outcomes at 1-year follow-up. We performed a single-center retrospective analysis of 70 right hepatectomy donors. Six-week and 1-year postoperative follow-up results were compared to preoperative baseline values. Ultrasonography was performed in all donors at 6 weeks and as clinically indicated. All donors were alive and well at the end of the study period. Of 66 right hepatic donors, only 22 (32%) were fully compliant with a 1-year follow-up visit. All those not compliant were contacted by phone. All complications except 1 (late finding of portal vein thrombosis) occurred in the perioperative (90-day) period. The incidence of bile leak was 4.3%, incisional hernia 20%, and autologous transfusion 1.0%. There were no aborted procedures. In those compliant with full 1-year follow-up, total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase were normal in 97%. A total of 5 donors were noted to have persistence of asymptomatic thrombocytopenia beyond the perioperative period (90 days). These were investigated with Doppler sonography. Sonography was unremarkable in 3 of the 5, while 2 had abnormal findings: splenomegaly alone in 1, and splenomegaly with portal vein thrombosis in the other. Magnetic resonance angiography was performed in both, and the patient with portal vein thrombosis underwent endoscopy, which failed to reveal varices. Neither has clinical portal hypertension. Both remain asymptomatic albeit with stable thrombocytopenia. In conclusion, the majority of complications after donor right hepatectomy occur in the perioperative period. Later findings may include asymptomatic thrombocytopenia, with an incidence possibly as high as 23%, though the significance of this finding remains uncertain. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm the true incidence and clinical significance of persistent thrombocytopenia in the donor hepatectomy population. Strategies to improve compliance with 1-year follow-up visits need to be developed. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:1428–1431.)
Magnetization and susceptibility of dilute CuAu(Fe)

The magnetization $M$ and susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}$ of a series of dilute CuAu(Fe) alloys with varying host compositions and Fe concentrations have been measured as a function of magnetic field to 50 kG at temperatures between 1.38 and 120 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The results for $M$ and $\ensuremath{\chi}$ for the Cu-rich alloys can be separated into linear and quadratic terms in the concentration $c$. The term proportional to ${c}^{2}$ has a spin value near $S=3$, and is attributed to the presence of pairs of ferromagnetically coupled Fe atoms. The single-impurity susceptibility yields values of the Weiss temperature ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{1}$ which decrease rapidly as the Au content of the host is increased. Further, all the single-impurity data fit on a single universal curve, and yield values of ${T}_{K}$ for the various CuAu hosts which are in good agreement with those deduced from other measurements. These results provide further support for the use of a one-parameter model to describe the CuAu(Fe) system.
An investigation into the relationship between coal workers' pneumoconiosis and dust exposure in U.S. coal miners.

The National Study of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (NSCWP) is a large, continuing epidemiologic study of the respiratory health of U.S. coal miners. By using information from the study, prevalence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) was related to indexes of dust exposure obtained from research and compliance sampling data. Clear relationships between prevalences of both simple CWP and progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) and estimated dust exposure were seen. Additional effects independently associated with coal rank (% carbon) and age were also seen. Logistic model fitting indicated that between 2% and 12% of miners exposed to a 2-mg/m3 dust environment in bituminous coal mines would be expected to have Category 2 or greater CWP after a 40-yr working life; PMF would be expected for between 1.3% and 6.7%. The risks for anthracite miners appeared to be greater. There was a suggestion of a background level of abnormality, not associated with dust exposure, but increasing with age. Although there are certain weaknesses in the data used to derive these exposure estimates, the results are in general agreement with, but somewhat greater than, some recent findings for British coal miners.
MECHANICS OF RELAXING SiGe ISLANDS ON A VISCOUS GLASS

A process has been developed recently to fabricate a structure comprising, from top to bottom, a SiGe thin film, a glass layer, and a Si wafer. The SiGe film is a perfect crystal, and is under biaxial compression. The SiGe film is patterned into islands. On annealing, the glass flows and the islands relax. The resulting strain-free islands are used as substrates, to grow epitaxial optoelectronic devices. This article describes a series of studies on the annealing process, combining experiment and theory. A small island relaxes by expansion, starting at the edges and diffusing to the center. A large island wrinkles before the expansion reaches the center. After some time, the wrinkles either disappear, or cause the island to fracture. We model the island as an elastic plate, and the glass layer as a viscous liquid. The strains in the islands are measured by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, and the wrinkle amplitudes by atomic force microscope. The data are compared with the theoretical predictions. We determine the conditions under which the islands relax by expansion without significant wrinking, and demonstrate that a cap layer suppresses wrinkles, relaxing a large island crack-free.
Learning Style Differences in the Perceived Effectiveness of Learning Activities

The learning style individual difference factor has long been a basis for understanding student preferences for various learning activities. Marketing educators have been advised to heavily invest in tailoring course design based on the learning style groups in their classes. A further exploration of the effects of learning style differences on the perceived effectiveness of 21 learning activities was conducted. Results from the survey responses of 227 students at eight universities suggest that a high-investment strategy of catering intensively to learning style individual differences is not warranted. Rather, marketing educators can sufficiently meet the needs of students by providing a range of learning experiences that tap multiple learning modalities. Active learning pedagogies were seen as more effective.
Proton-sensitive cation channels and ion exchangers in ischemic brain injury: new therapeutic targets for stroke?

Ischemic brain injury results from complicated cellular mechanisms. The present therapy for acute ischemic stroke is limited to thrombolysis with the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) and mechanical recanalization. Therefore, a better understanding of ischemic brain injury is needed for the development of more effective therapies. Disruption of ionic homeostasis plays an important role in cell death following cerebral ischemia. Glutamate receptor-mediated ionic imbalance and neurotoxicity have been well established in cerebral ischemia after stroke. However, non-NMDA receptor-dependent mechanisms, involving acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a), transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7), and Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1), have recently emerged as important players in the dysregulation of ionic homeostasis in the CNS under ischemic conditions. These H+-sensitive channels and/or exchangers are expressed in the majority of cell types of the neurovascular unit. Sustained activation of these proteins causes excessive influx of cations, such as Ca2+, Na+, and Zn2+, and leads to ischemic reperfusion brain injury. In this review, we summarize recent pre-clinical experimental research findings on how these channels/exchangers are regulated in both in vitro and in vivo models of cerebral ischemia. The blockade or transgenic knockdown of these proteins was shown to be neuroprotective in these ischemia models. Taken together, these non-NMDA receptor-dependent mechanisms may serve as novel therapeutic targets for stroke intervention.
What is the best surgical treatment for anorectal melanoma

Background and aims This study compared outcome following the two common surgical procedures for anorectal melanoma: wide local excision and abdominal perineal resection. We also examined the utility of endoluminal ultrasound to guide therapy.
Investigation of the natural convection boundary condition in microfabricated structures

Heat loss through surrounding air has an important thermal effect on microfabricated structures. This effect is generally modeled as a natural convection boundary condition. However, the correct procedure for the determination of the convective coefficient (h) at microscales continues to be debated. In this paper, a microheater is fabricated on a suspended thin film membrane. The natural convection on the microheater is investigated using 3-omega measurements and complex analytical modeling. It is found that the value of h that fits experimental data should have an apparently larger value than that at larger scales; however, it is also shown that the increased h is actually contributed by heat conduction instead of heat convection. A method of determining the correct h that can be used for microfabricated structures is proposed by using the heat conduction shape factor.
Experimental studies of compaction and dilatancy during frictional sliding on faults containing gouge

Abstract Transient strength changes are observed in fault gouge materials when the velocity of shearing is varied. A transient stress peak is produced when the strain rate in the gouge is suddenly increased, whereas a transient stress drop results from a sudden change to a slower strain rate. We have studied the mechanism responsible for these observations by performing frictional sliding experiments on sawcut granite samples filled with a layer of several different fault gouge types. Changes in pore volume and strength were monitored as the sliding velocity alternated between fast and slow rates. Pore volume increased at the faster strain rate, indicating a dilation of the gouge layer, whereas volume decreased at the slower rate indicating compaction. These results verify that gouge dilation is a function of strain rate. Pore volume changed until an equilibrium void ratio of the granular material was reached for a particular rate of strain. Using arguments from soil mechanics, we find that the dense gouge was initially overconsolidated relative to the equilibrium level, whereas the loose gouge was initially underconsolidated relative to this level. Therefore, the transient stress behavior must be due to the overconsolidated state of the gouge at the new rate when the velocity is increased and to the underconsolidated state when the velocity is lowered. Time-dependent compaction was also shown to cause a transient stress response similar to the velocity-dependent behavior. This may be important in natural fault gouges as they become consolidated and stronger with time. In addition, the strain hardening of the gouge during shearing was found to be a function of velocity, rendering it difficult to quantify the change in equilibrium shear stress when velocity is varied under certain conditions.
Reliability challenges for the continued scaling of IC technologies

The rapid evolution of Si process technologies presents significant challenges to the understanding of the physics of failure of circuits and the characterization of their reliability. Introduction of new materials at the 28 nm node and below, as well as new FinFET transistor structures, complicates the task of reliability assurance. Here we review the major reliability challenges for transistors, interconnect and circuits that can be foreseen with these scaling trends.
Robert Andrews Millikan as physicist and teacher

Robert Andrews Millikan was born in the little town of Morrison, Illinois, on March 22, 1868. The second of the six children of the Congregational Minister, Reverend Silas Franklin Millikan and his wife, Mary Jane (Andrews), he grew up in an atmosphere stressing and practising the simple biblical virtues. Under this influence he early acquired the sense of duty, the habit of intellectual honesty, and the power of taking pains which were important factors in his later success.
Vibration Analysis of a Rectangular Plate

Abstract Presented herein is a detailed analysis of the small, free oscillations of pre- stressed rectangular plates in both pre- and post-buckling ranges. The simply supported plate is stressed either thermally or by the uniaxial in-plane loads on two opposite edges, the other two edges are taken to be either freely movable or immovable, and all the edges are restrained to remain straight. Both the symmetrical and anti-symmetrical small vibration modes superimposed upon both primary- and secondary-buckling, and the coupling among these modes, are studied. A criterion for the existence of coupling is given. Some numerical results are then presented.
Better estimation of PERT activity time parameters

This paper builds upon earlier work from the decision/risk analysis area in presenting simple, easy-to-use approximations for the mean and variance of PERT activity times. These approximations offer significant advantages over the PERT formulas currently being taught and used, as well as over recently proposed modifications. For instance, they are several orders of magnitude more accurate than their PERT counterparts in estimating means and variances of beta distributions if the data required for all methods are obtained accurately. Moreover, they utilize probability data that can be assessed more reliably than those required by the PERT formulas, while still requiring just three points from each activity time probability distribution. Using the proposed approximations can significantly improve the accuracy of probability statements about project completion time, and their use complements ongoing efforts to improve PERT analyses of networks involving multiple critical paths.
Distributed deviation detection in sensor networks

Sensor networks have recently attracted much attention, because of their potential applications in a number of different settings. The sensors can be deployed in large numbers in wide geographical areas, and can be used to monitor physical phenomena, or to detect certain events.An interesting problem which has not been adequately addressed so far is that of distributed online deviation detection in streaming data. The identification of deviating values provides an efficient way to focus on the interesting events in the sensor network.In this work, we propose a technique for online deviation detection in streaming data. We discuss how these techniques can operate efficiently in the distributed environment of a sensor network, and discuss the tradeoffs that arise in this setting. Our techniques process as much of the data as possible in a decentralized fashion, so as to avoid unnecessary communication and computational effort.
Development of the spot pattern in the leopard frog

Expression of the spot pattern on the dorsal surface of metamorphosing froglets of Rana pipiens seems to be determined by the dorsal integument rather than by the neural crest. At the neurula stage, dorsal ectoderm appears to be loosely determined with respect to pigmentary pattern. Results of skin rotation experiments suggest that by early larval stages the prospective dorsal spot pattern is precisely fixed in the integument.
Removal of paraquat from contaminated fabrics.

Paraquat, l , l ' d i m e t h y l 4 , 4 ' b i p y r i d i n i u m d i c h l o r i d e , i s one of the more tox i c of the herb ic ides. I t i s used in ag r i cu l t u re usua l l y as a water -so lub le concentrate. Ag r i cu l t u ra l pes t ic ide app l ica tors are a group most l i k e l y to be contaminated by t h i s compound, e i t he r by d i r ec t contact wi th the skin (Gunn and Stevens 1976) or through contaminated c lo th ing (Johnson and Byers 1979; Wolfe et a l . 1967). The work reported here concerns methods fo r removal of paraquat formula t ion from fab r i cs which are of ten worn by a g r i c u l t u r a l workers.
Measuring enjoyment of physical activity in older adults: invariance of the physical activity enjoyment scale (paces) across groups and time

The purpose of this study was to validate the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) in a sample of older adults. Participants within two different exercise groups were assessed at two time points, 6 months apart. Group and longitudinal invariance was established for a novel, 8-item version of the PACES. The shortened, psychometrically sound measure provides researchers and practitioners an expedited and reliable instrument for assessing the enjoyment of physical activity.
Evaluation of PCR-Generated Chimeras, Mutations, and Heteroduplexes with 16S rRNA Gene-Based Cloning

To evaluate PCR-generated artifacts (i.e., chimeras, mutations, and heteroduplexes) with the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA)-based cloning approach, a model community of four species was constructed from alpha, beta, and gamma subdivisions of the division Proteobacteria as well as gram-positive bacterium, all of which could be distinguished by HhaI restriction digestion patterns. The overall PCR artifacts were significantly different among the three Taq DNA polymerases examined: 20% for Z-Taq, with the highest processitivity; 15% for LA-Taq, with the highest fidelity and intermediate processitivity; and 7% for the conventionally used DNA polymerase, AmpliTaq. In contrast to the theoretical prediction, the frequency of chimeras for both Z-Taq (8.7%) and LA-Taq (6.2%) was higher than that for AmpliTaq (2.5%). The frequencies of chimeras and of heteroduplexes for Z-Taq were almost three times higher than those of AmpliTaq. The total PCR artifacts increased as PCR cycles and template concentrations increased and decreased as elongation time increased. Generally the frequency of chimeras was lower than that of mutations but higher than that of heteroduplexes. The total PCR artifacts as well as the frequency of heteroduplexes increased as the species diversity increased. PCR artifacts were significantly reduced by using AmpliTaq and fewer PCR cycles (fewer than 20 cycles), and the heteroduplexes could be effectively removed from PCR products prior to cloning by polyacrylamide gel purification or T7 endonuclease I digestion. Based upon these results, an optimal approach is proposed to minimize PCR artifacts in 16S rDNA-based microbial community studies.
TorsinA accumulation in Lewy bodies in sporadic Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegnerative disorder that is pathologically characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies in the brain. We show that Lewy bodies in PD are strongly immunoreactive for torsinA, the protein product of the DYT1 gene, which is associated with primary generalized dystonia. In the substantia nigra, torsinA immunoreactivity is localized to the periphery of Lewy bodies, whereas, in cortical Lewy bodies it is uniformly distributed. The significance of this finding is unknown, but may implicate torsinA in neuronal dysfunction that occurs in PD as well as in primary dystonia.
Recursive partitioning methods for prediction in education: application to the identification of students at-risk for academic failure

Prediction of group membership continues to be an area of open and active research in the social sciences, including education. Many methods exist for this purpose, and a number of studies have investigated their properties in terms of prediction accuracy. However, results of simulation studies as well as applied work continue to demonstrate that extant methods do not provide optimal predictions in a number of situations, particularly those involving non-linear relationships, and when predictor variables interact with one another. The current study seeks to address these issues by describing the use of recursive partitioning methods for group prediction. These techniques, which include classification and regression trees, random forests, and boosted regression trees, show promise in a number of areas but remain relatively little used in the social sciences. In this paper, each method is described in some detail and then applied to the problem of predicting success and failure on a standardised achievement test using a formative assessment and selected demographic variables. Results show that the recursive partitioning methods provide more accurate predictions and more information about which variables contribute to prediction accuracy than do logistic regression or generalised additive models.
Dihydroxylphenyl amides as inhibitors of the Hsp90 molecular chaperone.

Abstract Information from X-ray crystal structures were used to optimize the potency of a HTS hit in a Hsp90 competitive binding assay. A class of novel and potent small molecule Hsp90 inhibitors were thereby identified. Enantio-pure compounds 31 and 33 were potent in PGA-based competitive binding assay and inhibited proliferation of various human cancer cell lines in vitro, with IC 50 values averaging 20 nM.
Making the case for in‐house training

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide the structure needed to create an in-house training program for libraries as a means for improving staff competencies during periods of economic problems. Design/methodology/approach – The paper pulls information from the business environment and gives a human resources perspective on training programs used in companies that also have limited financial means. Findings – The information and structure provided for development of a training program has had proven results. Practical implications – This information will require action on the part of libraries interested in gaining this advantage. Originality/value – These proven methods and steps can increase a library's case when seeking to justify allocation of resources and will add value to the organization as it serves its primary clientele.
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and auditory processing in autism: Modifiable deficits of an integrated social engagement system?

article i nfo The current study evaluated processes underlying two common symptoms (i.e., state regulation problems and deficits in auditory processing) associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. Although these symptoms have been treated in the literature as unrelated, when informed by the Polyvagal Theory, these symptomsmay be viewed as the predictable consequences of depressed neuralregulation of anintegrated social engagementsystem,inwhich there isdownregulation ofneural influencesto theheart (i.e.,via thevagus) and to the middle ear muscles (i.e., via the facial and trigeminal cranial nerves). Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and heart period were monitored to evaluate state regulation during a baseline and two auditory process- ing tasks (i.e., the SCAN tests for Filtered Words and Competing Words), which were used to evaluate auditory processing performance. Children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were contrasted with aged matched typically developing children. The current study identified three features that distinguished the ASD group from a group of typically developing children: 1) baseline RSA, 2) direction of RSA reactivity, and 3) auditory processing performance. In the ASD group, the pattern of change in RSA during the attention demanding SCAN tests moderated the relation between performance on the Competing Words test and IQ. In addition, in a subset of ASD participants, auditory processing performance improved and RSA increased following an intervention designed to improve auditory processing.
Property Rules and Liability Rules: The Cathedral in Another Light

Ronald Coase's essay on "The Problem of Social Cost" introduced the world to transaction costs, and the introduction laid the foundation for an ongoing cottage industry in law and economics. And of all the law-and-economics scholarship built on Coase's insights, perhaps the most widely known and influential contribution has been Calabresi and Melamed's discussion of what they called "property rules" and "liability rules." Those rules and the methodology behind them are our subjects here. We have a number of objectives, the most basic of which is to provide a much needed primer for those students, scholars, and lawyers who are interested but not particularly fluent in the economic analysis of law. Like Coase before them, Calabresi and Melamed figure regularly in the work of the legal academy, but-again like Coase before them-their ideas are not understood as well as they should be, notwithstanding an excellent explanation by Professor Polinsky published some fifteen years ago. Since Polinsky's contributions have been all too routinely ignored, we shall restate several of his central points emphatically. But we also take issue with parts of Polinsky's analysis, and we aim, in any event, to extend his account, and the literature on property rules and liability rules generally, into previously undiscovered territory. In Parts I and II we set out first the background and next the conventional understanding of the "four rules" that figure in the work of Calabresi and Melamed. Then, in Part II, the centerpiece of our discussion, we shift from description to critique and from the familiar to the novel. We question some of the typical thinking about transaction costs, and about "objective" versus "subjective" accounts of reality (as in objective versus subjective damages). We consider the irony in the standard analysis of "extortion" and the paradox of Calabresi and Melamed's so-called rule four of reverse damages. We present a way out of the paradox-namely reverse-reverse damages, or what we prefer to call "the double reverse twist" - and in the course of doing so introduce a "best-chooser" principle that adds a new element to the conventional methodology. We then use the best-chooser principle to show that much that seems strange in our account is in fact familiar, provided one thinks about legal institutions in a sufficiently systematic way. Throughout, we mean to be both constructive and critical, trying to enhance a useful method of legal analysis but at the same time questioning whether the method, rightly understood, entices its practitioners into a game not worth the candle. So there is a tension in our account. It is addressed in the Conclusion.
On the extension of the complex-step derivative technique to pseudospectral algorithms

The complex-step derivative (CSD) technique is a convenient and highly accurate strategy to perform a linearized "perturbation" analysis to determine a "directional derivative" via a minor modification of an existing nonlinear simulation code. The technique has previously been applied to nonlinear simulation codes (such as finite-element codes) which employ real arithmetic only. The present note examines the suitability of this technique for extension to efficient pseudospectral simulation codes which nominally use the fast Fourier transform (FFT) to convert back and forth between the physical and transformed representations of the system. It is found that, if used carefully, this extension retains the remarkable accuracy of the CSD approach. However, to perform this extension without sacrificing this accuracy, particular care must be exercised; specifically, the state (real) and perturbation (imaginary) components of the complexified system must be transformed separately and arranged in such a manner that they are kept distinct during the process of differentiation in the transformed space in order to avoid the linear combination of the large and small quantities in the analysis. It is shown that this is relatively straightforward to implement even in complicated nonlinear simulation codes, thus positioning the CSD approach as an attractive and relatively simple alternative to hand coding a perturbation (a.k.a. "tangent linear") code for determining the directional derivative even when pseudospectral algorithms are employed.
Sex Differences in Subclinical Atherosclerosis by Race/Ethnicity in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Sex differences in cardiovascular disease mortality are more pronounced among non-Hispanic whites than other racial/ethnic groups, but it is unknown whether this variation is present in the earlier subclinical stages of disease. The authors examined racial/ethnic variation in sex differences in coronary artery calcification (CAC) and carotid intimal media thickness at baseline in 2000-2002 among participants (n = 6,726) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis using binomial and linear regression. Models adjusted for risk factors in several stages: age, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, behavioral risk factors, psychosocial factors, and adult socioeconomic position. Women had a lower prevalence of any CAC and smaller amounts of CAC when present than men in all racial/ethnic groups. Sex differences in the prevalence of CAC were more pronounced in non-Hispanic whites than in African Americans and Chinese Americans after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, and further adjustment for behavioral factors, psychosocial factors, and socioeconomic position did not modify these results (for race/sex, P(interaction) = 0.047). Similar patterns were observed for amount of CAC among adults with CAC. Racial/ethnic variation in sex differences for carotid intimal media thickness was less pronounced. In conclusion, coronary artery calcification is differentially patterned by sex across racial/ethnic groups.
Prescribed burning to affect a state transition in a shrub-encroached desert grassland

Prescribed burning is a commonly advocated and historical practice for control of woody species encroachment into grasslands on all continents. However, desert grasslands of the southwestern United States often lack needed herbaceous fuel loads for effective prescriptions, dominant perennial graminoids may have poor fire tolerance, and some systems contain fire-tolerant invasive species. We examined long-term vegetation responses of a black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda Torr.) grassland that had been invaded by honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) following a single prescribed burn. Vegetation responses to a 1995 prescribed burn were evaluated in a replicated randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial treatment structure. Treatments were prescribed burning and livestock exclusion for both a grassland-dominated and a shrub-encroached grassland state within a complex of sandy and shallow sandy ecological sites. Vegetation responses were measured in 2008, 13 years after the burn treatment application. Neither black grama basal cover nor honey mesquite canopy cover were responsive (p < 0.05) to any treatment. A single prescribed burn would be ineffective as a shrub control practice in this environment. Repeated but infrequent prescribed burning within shrub-encroached vegetative states, when used in combination with managed grazing, may be the management required for a transition to desert grassland states within these ecological sites.
Valproic acid and ethosuximide slow the onset of maximal dentate activation in the rat hippocampus

Abstract Valproic acid and ethosuximide are commonly used to treat absence seizures, but their mechanisms of action have not been clearly defined. This is partly due to testing in different experimental models and different species. We re-examined the effect of valproic acid and ethosuximide in an experimental model of reverberatory seizures in the hippocampus of the urethane-anesthetized rat, maximal dentate activation. Valproic acid, at 450 and 600 mg/kg i.p., caused an increase in the time to onset of seizure discharges, but only the changes with 600 mg/kg reached statistical significance. Both doses of valproic acid shortened the seizure duration. Serum levels of valproic acid were determined and it appears that in this system at least 200–400 μg/ml are needed to produce an effect on seizure onset and duration. Ethosuximide, at 600 mg/kg i.p., delayed the onset of the seizure discharge and blocked the increase in seizure duration. Both ethosuximide and valproic acid delayed the onset of the seizure discharge in this model suggesting that these drugs may help to determine the mechanisms behind seizure initiation in the hippocampal-parahippocampal circuits.
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 3/fork head homolog 11 is expressed in proliferating epithelial and mesenchymal cells of embryonic and adult tissues.

The hepatocyte nuclear factor 3alpha (HNF-3alpha) and 3beta proteins have homology in the winged helix/fork head DNA binding domain and regulate cell-specific transcription in hepatocytes and in respiratory and intestinal epithelia. In this study, we describe two novel isoforms of the winged helix transcription factor family, HNF-3/fork head homolog 11A (HFH-11A) and HFH-11B, isolated from the human colon carcinoma HT-29 cell line. We show that these isoforms arise via differential splicing and are expressed in a number of epithelial cell lines derived from tumors (HT-29, Caco-2, HepG2, HeLa, A549, and H441). We demonstrate that differentiation of Caco-2 cells toward the enterocyte lineage results in decreased HFH-11 expression and reciprocal increases in HNF-3alpha and HNF-3beta mRNA levels. In situ hybridization of 16 day postcoitus mouse embryos demonstrates that HFH-11 expression is found in the mesenchymal and epithelial cells of the liver, lung, intestine, renal cortex, and urinary tract. Although HFH-11 exhibits a wide cellular expression pattern in the embryo, its adult expression pattern is restricted to epithelial cells of Lieberkuhn's crypts of the intestine, the spermatocytes and spermatids of the testis, and the thymus and colon. HFH-11 expression is absent in adult hepatocytes, but its expression is reactivated in proliferating hepatocytes at 4, 24, and 48 h after partial hepatectomy. Consistent with these findings, we demonstrate that HFH-11 mRNA levels are stimulated by intratracheal administration of keratinocyte growth factor in adult lung and its expression in an adult endothelial cell line is reactivated in response to oxidative stress. These experiments show that the HFH-11 transcription factor is expressed in embryonic mesenchymal and epithelial cells and its expression is reactivated in these adult cell types by proliferative signals or oxidative stress.
Anti-interleukin-1 beta reduces sleep and sleep rebound after sleep deprivation in rats

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is somnogenic and is hypothesized to be involved in physiological sleep regulation. Antibodies directed against rat IL-1 beta were used to further elucidate possible contributions of IL-1 to sleep regulation. Rabbit anti-rat IL-1 beta (anti-IL-1 beta) was injected intracerebroventricularly into normal rats 15 min before light onset. A 20-microgram dose of anti-IL-1 beta reduced non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep by 60 min during the subsequent 12-h slight period. There was no effect on rapid eye movement sleep after this dose of anti-IL-1 beta. The effects of anti-IL-1 beta on the enhancement of sleep after periods of sleep deprivation were also determined. When rats were deprived of sleep for 3-h beginning at light onset, the amount of time spent in NREM sleep increased for the remaining 9 h of the light period, regardless of whether control intracerebroventricular injections of pyrogen-free saline or rabbit immunoglobulin G were given during the deprivation period. However, when 20 micrograms anti-IL-1 beta were injected intracerebroventricularly during the sleep deprivation period, the expected NREM sleep rebound was completely blocked. Collectively, these data provide additional support for the hypothesis that IL-1 is involved in regulation of physiological sleep-wake activity.
Performance of Three-Biomarker Immunohistochemistry for Intrinsic Breast Cancer Subtyping in the AMBER Consortium

Background: Classification of breast cancer into intrinsic subtypes has clinical and epidemiologic importance. To examine accuracy of IHC-based methods for identifying intrinsic subtypes, a three-biomarker IHC panel was compared with the clinical record and RNA-based intrinsic (PAM50) subtypes. Methods: Automated scoring of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 was performed on IHC-stained tissue microarrays comprising 1,920 cases from the African American Breast Cancer Epidemiology and Risk (AMBER) consortium. Multiple cores (1–6/case) were collapsed to classify cases, and automated scoring was compared with the clinical record and to RNA-based subtyping. Results: Automated analysis of the three-biomarker IHC panel produced high agreement with the clinical record (93% for ER and HER2, and 88% for PR). Cases with low tumor cellularity and smaller core size had reduced agreement with the clinical record. IHC-based definitions had high agreement with the clinical record regardless of hormone receptor positivity threshold (1% vs. 10%), but a 10% threshold produced highest agreement with RNA-based intrinsic subtypes. Using a 10% threshold, IHC-based definitions identified the basal-like intrinsic subtype with high sensitivity (86%), although sensitivity was lower for luminal A, luminal B, and HER2-enriched subtypes (76%, 40%, and 37%, respectively). Conclusion: Three-biomarker IHC-based subtyping has reasonable accuracy for distinguishing basal-like from nonbasal-like, although additional biomarkers are required for accurate classification of luminal A, luminal B, and HER2-enriched cancers. Impact: Epidemiologic studies relying on three-biomarker IHC status for subtype classification should use caution when distinguishing luminal A from luminal B and when interpreting findings for HER2-enriched cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(3); 470–8. ©2015 AACR .
Can workfare programs offset the negative effect of unemployment on subjective well-being?

Previous research suggests that unemployment negatively affects indicators of mental health and well-being, but it remains unclear whether active labor market policy can offset this effect. This paper examines a workfare program that was a key part of Germany’s active labor market policy for over 30 years. Fixed effects panel estimates suggest that participation in the workfare program offset most, though not all, of the negative effect of unemployment on subjective life satisfaction. Robustness tests find no evidence that this estimate is due to non-parallel time-trends, unobserved shocks in the pre-treatment period, adaptation to unemployment or differences in regional unemployment rates. These results suggest that active labor market policies can help reduce the negative psychological effect of unemployment.
A human placental fluid inhibitor to hemagglutination by H-1 and HB viruses. II. Electron microscope studies.

SummaryTreatment of H-l or HB viruses with a purified hemagglutination inhibitor derived from human placental fluids induces the formation of large three-dimensional aggregates of virus. Fibrils, 10aR or less in diameter, appear to connect the virus though they may not be the cause of the virus clumping. The placental inhibitor does not affect H-3 or RV viruses. When antibody is added to its homologous virus, aggregates are also formed. These are 2-dimensional and much smaller than those formed by the placental fluid fraction. They are characterized by the presence of fibrils, believed to be antibody, which join the individual virus particles.
Factors Concerned in the Deposit of Sprays: VI. The Role of Electrical Charges Produced During Spraying

Careful attention has long been given by entomologists to the subject of the deposition of sprays, but much remains to be learned of the mechanism whereby insecticides reach and adhere to surfaces.
Human Cytomegalovirus DNA Is Present in CD45+ Cells in Semen from Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA was detected and quantitated in both blood and semen cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men with 100-800 CD4 cell counts/mm3. None of the 35 patients studied had demonstrable CMV DNA in mononuclear cells isolated from blood. Blood samples from 8 of these patients were cultured for CMV and found to be negative. About 30% of HIV-seropositive patients in the study group had > 100 copies of CMV in semen (range, > 100 to >10(6); mean, approximately 100,000). Persistent CMV infection was detected for > 8 months in some patients with no obvious signs or symptoms of CMV disease. The CMV-infected cell in semen CD45+ and probably had Fc receptors. Mature spermatozoa were not a major reservoir of CMV infection.
Fabrication of Crosslinked Block Copolymer Nanoparticles Using Cold Vulcanization

The aim of this study is to understand the crosslinked system of poly(styrene)-bpoly(isoprene) copolymer using cold vulcanization process as a facile method to produce anisometric nanoparticles. The morphologies of block copolymers could be controlled by the type of monomers, block junction, composition, and block size. A systematic methodology, utilizing cylindrical and lamellar morphologies of PS-b-PI copolymer, was used for producing fiber and sheet shaped nanoparticles. The cold vulcanization process was accomplished using sulfur monochloride (S2Cl2) as crosslinking agent. The microstructures and crosslinking density of crosslinked PS-b-PI copolymers were imaged and characterized. This study demonstrated the crosslinking of microphase separated block copolymer as a method to create particles with controlled size, shape, and physical properties.
Estrogen Receptor Protein: Stability of 8S Molecular Form in Frozen Cytosols and Practical Criteria for its Confirmation

Estrogen receptor has been used in determining the efficacy of endocrine therapy in mammary tumors. Complete study of a tumor usually requires two procedures, a dextran-coated charcoal method for measuring binding capacity and binding affinity and a sucrose density procedure for confirmation of 8S protein, both of which are time consuming and expensive. A stability study of the 8S and 4S molecular forms in frozen cytosols at 24 hours, 48 hours, and one week was conducted. Some loss of these, forms after storage was evident, but in all cytosols studied, the two distinct forms could still be identified. Using a group of 100 tumor samples analyzed by both methods, practical criteria for determining when the 8S molecular form should be confirmed by a sucrose density gradient on the frozen cytosol have been formulated.
NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity is enhanced by tamoxifen in HER2/neu non-amplified, but not HER2/neu-amplified, breast cancer cells

Tumor-targeting antibodies have been successful in the treatment of various types of cancers. Antibodies engage the immune system with their Fc, stimulating immune cell effector function. In the clinic, FcγRIIIa polymorphisms with higher affinity for the Fc of antibodies were shown to improve response rates and overall survival. Efforts have been made to modify the Fc to enhance affinity to Fc receptors and thereby improve effector function. An alternative for improving immune effector function may be to increase the level of tumor antigen expression. In this study, tamoxifen was used to increase HER2/neu protein level to determine whether increased tumor antigen expression could enhance NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC). Tamoxifen was found to increase HER2/neu 1.5-fold to threefold in breast cancer cell lines that were HER2/neu non-amplified. Using flow cytometry to simultaneously evaluate NK cell degranulation and tumor cell death, the increase in HER2/neu enhanced NK cell-mediated ADCC. However, in cells that had HER2/neu gene amplification and estrogen receptor expression, tamoxifen elevated HER2/neu but failed to improve NK cell function. The quantity of HER2/neu on the tumor cell surface was approximately double that of the number of Fc receptors found on NK cells. This appears to reflect a ceiling at which increasing antigen expression fails to improve NK cell effector function. This has clinical implications as trying to increase antigen expression to enhance NK cell function may be useful for patients with antigen-low tumors, but not in those whose tumors have gene amplification or high levels of antigen expression.