cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth hormone-releasing hormone antagonist MZ-4-71 inhibits in vivo proliferation of Caki-I renal adenocarcinoma

In view of evidence that growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factors (IGF) may play a role in the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), we investigated the effects of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) antagonist MZ-4-71 on the proliferation of the human renal adenocarcinoma cell line Caki-I in vitro and in vivo. Male nude mice bearing xenografts of human Caki-I RCC were treated for 4 weeks with MZ-4-71 injected s.c. twice daily at a dose of 20 microg per animal. Tumor growth, serum, liver, and tumor IGF levels and IGF-I receptor concentrations in Caki-I cell membranes were measured. After 4 weeks of therapy, the final volume of Caki-I tumors in nude mice treated with MZ-4-71 was significantly (P < 0.01) decreased to 52.6 +/- 12.3 mm3 as compared with controls that measured 504.2 +/- 104.1 mm3. Treatment with GH-RH antagonist also significantly reduced tumor weight, serum levels of GH and IGF-I, liver concentrations of IGF-I, and tumor levels of IGF-I and IGF-II. High-affinity binding sites for IGF-I were detected in the cell membranes of Caki-I tumors. IGF-I and IGF-II stimulated the proliferation of Caki-I cells in tissue cultures. Antagonist MZ-4-71 could inhibit in vitro growth of Caki-I cells, but only at high concentrations. Our findings demonstrate that GH-RH antagonist MZ-4-71 can significantly inhibit the growth of Caki-I RCC. MZ-4-71 may exert its suppressive effect on tumor growth through a reduction in GH release from the pituitary and the subsequent decrease in the production of IGF-I in the liver and IGF-I and II by the tumors. The efficacy of MZ-4-71 suggests that this compound could be considered for the therapy of recurrent or metastatic RCC.
Functionality of unliganded VDR in breast cancer cells: repressive action on CYP24 basal transcription

It is well-established that CYP24, an immediate target gene of VDR is upregulated by VDR ligands. This study is focused on the functional role of unliganded VDR by investigating the correlation between the expression of VDR protein and basal mRNA levels of CYP24 in breast cancer cell lines. Analyses of multiple breast cancer cell lines demonstrated an inverse correlation between VDR protein expression and CYP24 mRNA expression levels; while in the presence of ligand, VDR protein level was positively correlated with CYP24 expression. In MCF-7 cells, VDR was mainly distributed in the nuclei in the absence of ligand. VDR overexpression in MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB231 cells decreased CYP24 mRNA expression levels and CYP24 promoter activity. Conversely, knock-down of VDR using siRNA techniques in MCF-7 and T47D cells significantly increased CYP24 mRNA expression. We also found that overexpression of VDR with a polymorphic site (FokI-FF) at its AF-1 domain, which makes VDR shorter by three amino acids, failed to repress CYP24 promoter activity. This report provides conclusive evidence for the repressive action of unliganded VDR on the expression of its target gene CYP24 and the importance of an intact VDR AF-1 domain for its repressive action.
3.2.2 Using A Systems Engineering Web Site For Effective Communication

An intra-company world wide web site serving 700 systems engineers at several sites has been in operation for about two years. The site provides job-related information, downloadable document and utility job aids, current news, and a calendar of events. The information provided includes descriptions of the organization, standards, processes, training, and tools. The setting, site content, metrics collected, and lessons learned about setting up such a site are described.
Mixed cusp forms and parabolic cohomology

Let Sk, l(Γ, ω, χ) be the space of mixed cusp forms of type (k, l) associated to a Fuchsian group Γ, a holomorphic map ω: ℋ → ℋ of the upper half plane into itself and a homomorphism χ: Γ → SL(2, R) such that ω and χ are equivariant. We construct a map from Sk, l(Γ, ω, χ) to the parabolic cohomology space of Γ with coefficients in some Γ-module and prove that this map is injective.
Acute Post-Rape Plasma Cortisol, Alcohol Use, and PTSD Symptom Profile among Recent Rape Victims

This study presents the acute post-rape plasma cortisol alcohol use and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom profile among 37 recent female rape victims. Subjects were victims of rape who reported the crime to the police and who received forensic medical examinations within 72 hours post-rape. A total of 15 (41%) women reported alcohol use not related to PTSD status. Cortisol was significantly negative associated with the time of post-rape. A nonsignificant association was seen for the main effect of alcohol use and in the interaction of alcohol use and prior history of assault. The association of history for assault with lower cortisol levels showed a significant effect for the history of assault. Apparent levels were found among newly assaulted women using alcohol. Women with assault histories irrespective of alcohol use showed low levels of cortisol. About 22 (71%) women met the cutoff criteria for PTSD. A main effect was observed in the presence of crime-related PTSD associated with cortisol showing a higher cortisol level. Basing from the results it can be concluded that alcohol use is associated with high levels of cortisol in women with no rape history. Moreover cortisol levels were lower in both alcohol users and nonusers which have been victimized.
Promoting Student Engagement Through Evidence-Based Action Research With Teachers

We present findings from a group-randomized teacher action research intervention to promote academic engagement and achievement among elementary school students. Eighteen teachers from 3 elementary schools were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. Intervention teachers studied evidence-based instructional practices that cultivate academic engagement and conducted an action research project to implement selected practices in their classrooms. Control teachers participated in a self-study group and read about evidence-based practices to promote student engagement. Teachers in the action research group reported using more group-based instruction than self-study teachers. Students with initial low engagement and low reading grades demonstrated greater gains in these outcomes in action research classrooms than self-study classrooms. Implications for teacher development and the promotion of student academic outcomes are discussed.
Quantification of Mixing Performance in Parallel Jets

Experiments of unvented parallel planar jets having variable slot widths and velocities are presented. A flow visualization study shows that, for sufficiently large spacing, the jets “flap” and that this motion is maximized for a matched exit momentum flux condition. The extent of the jet mixing with the ambient fluid is investigated using two-component hot wire anemometry. It is demonstrated that the flapping increases mixing of the jets with the ambient. In addition, it is shown that the mixing increases with distance between the jets and with jet-width ratio.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Ocean Current Monitoring Employing a New Satellite Sensing Technique

The very-high-resolution radiometer on the NOAA-2 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) satellite has recently obtained imagery in the visible channel containing sunglint over a major portion of the coastal waters off the eastern seaboard of the United States. An abrupt change in surface roughness has been observed at the shoreward edge of the Gulf Stream Current from Florida to Cape Hatteras that results from the opposition of waves propagating against the flow of the Gulf Stream.
Synthesis, crystallization, electrochemistry and single crystal X-ray analysis of a methoxy-substituted-tris-phenalenyl based neutral radical

We report the synthesis, crystallization, electrochemistry, X-ray structure and electron density distribution of a methoxy-substituted-tris-phenalenyl based neutral radical (18); the cyclic voltammogram of the compound shows that the strategy of oxygen substitution at 3,7-positions and the utilization of tris-phenalenyls within the silicon complex reduce the electrochemical disproportionation potentials. The crystal structure shows that the radical exists as a 1D π-chain of partially superimposed phenalenyl rings with intermolecular carbon⋯carbon contacts that fall within van der Waals atomic separation. A bond length–bond order regression analysis of the experimental structures shows that the electron density is distributed over two out of the three phenalenyl units.
HapEdit: an accuracy assessment viewer for haplotype assembly using massively parallel DNA-sequencing technologies

The massively parallel sequencing technologies have recently flourished and dramatically cut the cost to sequence personal human genomes. Haplotype assembly from personal genomes sequenced using the massively parallel sequencing technologies is becoming a cost-effective and promising tool for human disease study. Computational assembly of haplotypes has been proved to be very accurate, but obviously contains errors. Here we present a tool, HapEdit, to assess the accuracy of assembled haplotypes and edit them manually. Using this tool, a user can break erroneous haplotype segments into smaller segments, or concatenate haplotype segments if the concatenated haplotype segments are sufficiently supported. A user can also edit bases with low-quality scores. HapEdit displays haplotype assemblies so that a user can easily navigate and pinpoint a region of interest. As inputs, HapEdit currently takes reads from the Polonator, Illumina, SOLiD, 454 and Sanger sequencing technologies.
The anatomical “core”: a definition and functional classification

The anatomic core is important in the functional stabilization of the body during static and dynamic movement. This functional stabilization is an integral component of proprioception, balance performance, and compensatory postural activation of the trunk muscles. The structures that define the core and its functions are presented here. By understanding the contributing components and responsibilities of the core, it is hoped that the physician will have a better understanding of core function as it relates to the performance of their patients' activities of daily living.
Studies on the mechanisms of neurulation in the chick: The intracellular distribution of Ca++1

Coated vesicles were found to accumulate Ca++ in neuroepithelial cells and may play a role in regulating the contractile activities of apical microfilament bundles during uplifting of neural folds in the chick.
How Molecular Testing Can Help (and Hurt) in the Workup of Gliomas

Advances in genetics research have greatly expanded our ability to accurately diagnose gliomas and provide more useful prognostic information. Herein specific examples are used to show how highyield targets such as EGFR, 1p/19q, IDH1/2, MGMT, and BRAF can expand the power of the surgical neuropathologist. To avoid errors, however, the significance and controversies associated with each test must be thoroughly understood. As is the case in other pathology subspecialties, molecular diagnostics is now a prominent component of surgical neuropathology. Not long ago, an H&E–stained section and perhaps
IMPACT OF POINT–OF–CARE PLATELET FUNCTION TESTING AMONG PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES UNDERGOING PCI WITH DRUG–ELUTING STENTS: AN ADAPT–DES SUBSTUDY

Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) who undergo stent implantation have increased on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR), which has been associated with post-procedural thrombotic events. ADAPT-DES was a prospective multicenter observational study of 8,575 unselected patients undergoing
Impact of illumination coherence and polarization on the imaging of attenuated phase-shift masks

Attenuated phase shift masks (PSM) have been widely used in photolithography to enhance resolution and process margin. The advantage of attenuated PSM is further enhanced when it is combined with off-axis illumination (OAI) and optical proximity correction (OPC). This combination results in better performance than when attenuated PSM or OAI is used separately. However, the performance of isolated features is still a limiting factor to improve process margin. One result of such resolution enhancement techniques is conjunction with high numerical aperture imaging systems is an increase in the angles of the light used to form the images. Polarization mismatching among interacting beams becomes worse as the incident angle increases. In this paper we use contact hole patterning as an example to demonstrate how polarization plays a role with different partial coherence factors. PROLITH/3D simulation was used to compare and explain experimental results.
The impact of Antioch education through experience abroad

Participants in a program of living, studying, and working abroad in the 1960's consider this in retrospect to have been one of the most important experiences they ever had. A preliminary analysis of questionnaire data indicates, along with academic outcomes, a significant impact upon subsequent behavior. Educational and job decisions were influenced, as well as thinking about values and American identity. It appears that the more a program overseas encourages involvement in other cultures in a variety of roles, with work experience prominent among them, the more we can expect enduring attitudinal and behavioral outcomes.
Analysing far field effects

Conditions in areas of the building distant from the room of fire origin are of importance in assessing the risk to building occupants evacuating the building. Whereas any solution is approximate in nature, this paper describes a useful method for engineering purposes. Using the method described, the concentration of combustion products in each space can be determined to predict exposure levels and time of detector actuation. A time-integrated dose can be calculated for each building occupant based on their length of travel time from each room to the exit to evaluate the level of risk.
Xath5 regulates neurogenesis in the Xenopus olfactory placode.

Helix-loop-helix (HLH) genes function as important regulators of neurogenesis in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. The olfactory system is an ideal tissue in which to study the role of these genes in regulating the acquisition of neuronal cell fate, particularly that of the olfactory receptor neuron (ORN). Here we describe the expression of several basic HLH (bHLH) and repeat HLH (rHLH) factors during olfactory placode development in Xenopus laevis. Our work reveals that a combination of both bHLH and rHLH genes are sequentially expressed within the nascent olfactory placode during normal development. Moreover, overexpression of the bHLH factor, Xenopus atonal homologue 5 (Xath5), promotes olfactory neural fate independent of cellular proliferation within a restricted domain at the anterior of the embryo. Collectively, our data argue that HLH genes are expressed in a cascade during olfactory placode development and that the activity of an atonal homologue, Xath5, can promote ORN fate but only in the appropriate developmental context.
Helical wiggler design with an array of uniform, small, permanent magnets

Abstract An ideal helical wiggler field can be generated inside a cylindrical waveguide by an array of permanent magnets properly distributed and oriented within a cylindrical shell surrounding the waveguide. An approach to the design of the array of magnets and means for assessing the quality of the resultant wiggler field are discussed. The design is optimized in the sense of maximized coupling from the magnets to the field region, subject to practical constraints of uniformity of strength of each magnet in the array. For any array of magnets, the quality of the generated field is expressed in terms of the relative levels of undesired harmonics of the pure wiggler. A “bandolier” design is suggested and evaluated quantitatively, demonstrating that useful wigglers can be generated with a reasonable number of small, uniform permanent magnets.
Tor instead of IP

As the Internet has become more popular, it has increasingly been a target and medium for monitoring, censorship, content discrimination, and denial of service. Although anonymizing overlays such as Tor [2] provide some help to end users in combating these trends, the overlays themselves have become targets in turn. In this paper, we take a fresh approach: instead of running Tor on top of IP, we propose to run Tor instead of IP. We ask: what might the Internet look like if privacy and censorship resistance had been designed in from scratch? To be practical, any proposal also needs to be robust to failures, achieve reasonable efficiency compared to today's Internet, and be consistent with ISP economic concerns. Although preliminary, we argue that our design achieves these goals.
Interleukin-6 and interleukin-15 are selectively regulated by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ in primary pig adipocytes

3T3-L1 adipocytes express the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor and respond to direct stimulation with the antigen by increasing the expression of inflammatory mediators. Activation of this recepto...
X-Ray Scattering Studies of the Surface Structure of Complex Oxide Films during Layer-by-Layer Growth via Pulsed Laser Deposition

We report time-resolved X-ray reflectivity and surface diffuse X-ray scattering measurements of the surface evolution during pulsed laser deposition of SrTiO3 thin films. After developing the scattering theory, we illustrate how these data may used to characterize the kinetics of interlayer transport and of the island size distribution during deposition. We then calculate the density-density correlation function in real space and show that it exhibits the expected features.
Cu(II)-binding properties of a cytochrome c with a synthetic metal-binding site : His-X3-His in an α-helix

A metal-binding site consisting of two histidines positioned His-X3-His in an alpha-helix has been engineered into the surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae iso-1-cytochrome c. The synthetic metal-binding cytochrome c retains its biological activity in vivo. Its ability to bind chelated Cu(II) has been characterized by partitioning in aqueous two-phase polymer systems containing a polymer-metal complex, Cu(II)IDA-PEG, and by metal-affinity chromatography. The stability constant for the complex formed between Cu(II)IDA-PEG and the cytochrome c His-X3-His site is 5.3 x 10(4) M-1, which corresponds to a chelate effect that contributes 1.5 kcal mol-1 to the binding energy. Incorporation of the His-X3-His site yields a synthetic metal-binding protein whose metal affinity is sensitive to environmental conditions that alter helix structure or flexibility.
Responsibility and Freedom to Learn

(1978). Responsibility and Freedom to Learn. Improving College and University Teaching: Vol. 26, Participatory Teaching and Learning, pp. 171-173.
The Challenge of Reoperation in Cardiac Surgery

Abstract Our experience with 40 patients undergoing their second cardiac surgical procedure was analyzed and compared with our recent primary elective cases. The group undergoing reoperation had a higher mortality rate (38%/20%), a longer postoperative hospital stay (18/14 days), increased complication rate (28%/8%), and required more blood replacement (7.4/4.1 units per square meter of body surface area). The added risks attendant upon reoperation were predominantly due to fibrosis and scarring of the heart, pericardium, and mediastinum. Analysis of our most recent results with reoperation has demonstrated a marked reduction in mortality resulting from the improved operative techniques herein described.
Colony activity integration in primitively eusocial wasps: the role of the queen ( Polistes fuscatus , Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

The queen's role in colony activity integration in small post-emergence colonies of Polistes fuscatus was investigated in the field. We continuously recorded the behaviors of all wasps in (1) undisturbed colonies, (2) colonies from which the queen had been removed, (3) colonies from which a single worker had been removed, (4) colonies with a cooled, relatively inactive queen, and (5) colonies with a cooled, relatively inactive worker (29 colonies; 148 h observation). The queen spends more time on the nest, spends more of its nest time active, participates in more interactions/h, and initiates more interactions/h than does the average worker. Overall, the queen is involved in more interactions than is any other colony member. Queen removal depresses worker activity level and causes episodes of worker activity to become less temporally coupled (less synchronized). The presence of a cooled, inactive queen on the nest produces an even greater reduction in worker activity level and also results in decreased synchrony in worker activity episodes. Removal or cooling of a single worker produces no systematic changes in the activities of the other colony members. We conclude that the P. fuscatus queen is a central pacemaker and coordinator of colony activity.
Reliability analysis : Optimal inspection and maintenance schedules of failing systems

Abstract Inspection and maintenance schedules involve planned and unplanned actions carried out to retain a system in, or restore it to an acceptable condition. Optimal maintenance schedules aim to minimize downtime, while providing for the most effective use of systems in order to secure the desired results at the lowest possible costs. This paper is a state-of-the-art review of the literature related to optimal inspection and maintenance schedules of failing systems.
High-resolution wavelength-agile laser source based on pulsed super-continua

A high-speed-scanning laser system is presented consisting of three elements in series: an erbium-fiber femtosecond laser emitting at 1.56 μm, a nonlinear fiber, and a dispersive fiber. The system produces chirped broadband pulses that scan from 1.67 to 1.44 μm at a rate of 0.6 nm/ns. The spectroscopic potential of the system is demonstrated by conducting sweeps in the ν1+ν3 band of C2H2 at a repetition rate of ∼2 MHz. A 3.5-GHz photoreceiver combined with a 20-Gsample/s oscilloscope is used to monitor the optical signal. Instrument broadening due to the time response of the detection system limits the spectral resolution of the system to 0.4 cm-1, which, however, is sufficient to resolve individual rotational absorption features of C2H2.
BMP Signaling Goes Posttranscriptional in a microRNA Sort of Way

Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression correlates with human diseases such as cardiac disorders and cancer. Treatment of such disorders using miRNA-targeted therapeutics requires a thorough understanding of miRNA regulation in vivo. A recent paper in Nature by Davis et al. expands our understanding of miRNA biogenesis and maturation, elucidating a mechanism by which extracellular signaling directs cell differentiation via posttranscriptional regulation of miRNA expression.
D-CAPE: distributed and self-tuned continuous query processing

Efficient continuous query processing is critical for many applications, including monitoring remote sensors network traffic management, and online transaction processing. To overcome resource limitations and achieve real-time responsiveness, continuous query systems research focuses on issues such as punctuation-driven operator-state purging [4], load shedding, operator scheduling [7] and plan optimization and on-line migration [9]. However, when real-time yet accurate results are critical such as in stock market analysis, then there is a limitation to what any of the above optimization techniques can accomplish. Hence, distributed processing must be applied to support required scalability. It has been already proven in traditional database systems [3] that distributed processing results in high scale-up and speed-up capabilities due to aggregated resources. The design of a distributed continuous query system is characterized by an extra complexity, considered in the design of our D-Cape engine. In such a system, data streams may be infinite and initial cost statistics about the data streams are typically unknown. Moreover, cost statistics continue to change over time. Our research on distributed stream processing addresses two critical questions: (1) How to initially distribute query plans given little or possibly no cost information, and (2) How to efficiently adapt the query distribution corresponding to runtime environmental changes. Even though research is now under way in designing distributed continuous query systems [2], [1], results to date, as far as we know, are based on simulations. Our work offers empirical results of distributed continuous query processing using an actual software system [5], [6]. D-Cape, a distributed continuous query processing architecture, employs stream query engines over a cluster of shared-nothing processors. We employ a dedicated distribution manager to manage
The use of autologous pericardium for ventricular aneurysm closure

Closure of the ventriculotomy following ventricular aneurysm resection usually requires buttressing material to provide strength and hemostasis. Although Teflon felt has usually been used, this material is bulky, noncompliant, and prone to infection. Autologous pericardium appears to offer an ideal substitute without the disadvantages of artificial material. A simple technique is described to apply pericardial tissue as a natural buttressing agent for ventriculotomy closure.
Shamans versus Pirates in the Amazonian Treasure Chest

This article explores how the recent rise of shamans as political representatives in Brazil addresses tensions and contradictions associated with the internationalization of indigenous rights movements. Identity politics and transnational organizational alliances concerning issues of environmentalism and human rights have greatly expanded the political leverage and influence of indigenous activism. However, some transnational environmentalist discourses collide with Brazilian discourses of national sovereignty, and the 1990s witnessed a nationalist backlash against Indians, whom politicians, military leaders, and media commentators have frequently portrayed as pawns of foreign imperialists. Opponents of indigenous rights also seized on apparent contradictions between rhetoric and action to discredit indigenous claims to environmental resources. The analysis examines how the shift to redefine knowledge as the core of indigenous identity circumvents some of these liabilities by shifting the basis for indigenous rights claims from environmental practices to environmental knowledge. As shamans mobilize and speak out against the threat of biopiracy, they blunt the nationalist backlash, repositioning indigenous peoples as defenders of the national patrimony and solid citizens of the Brazilian nationstate. [Keywords: Brazil, indigenous peoples, identity politics, shamans, biopiracy]
Structural Variation of Type XII Collagen at Its Carboxyl-terminal NC1 Domain Generated by Tissue-specific Alternative Splicing

This paper reports the identification of two structural variations in the NC1 domain of rat and mouse type XII collagen. The long NC1 domain encoding 74 amino acids showed homology to chicken type XII and XIV collagens. The short NC1 domain was composed of 19 amino acids. Through genomic DNA analyses, two alternative exons were identified, each of which contained the variable NC1 sequence. With the amino-terminal NC3 splicing alternatives, we propose here a new descriptive nomenclature: types XIIA-1 and XIIB-1 which include a long NC1 sequence encoded by exon 1 (from the 3'-end), and types XIIA-2 and XIIB-2 which include a short NC1 sequence encoded by exon 2. Types XIIA-1 and XIIB-1, the predominant transcripts in 15-day old mouse embryos, showed decreased expression in 17-day old embryos when type XIIB-2 expression was sustained at constant levels. In adult mice, type XIIB-1 associates with ligament and tendon, whereas type XIIB-2 is expressed in various other tissues. The long NC1 domain contains an extended acidic region (pI = 3.4) followed by a terminal basic region (pI = 13.8). Because the short NC1 domain lacks these features, structural variations in the type XII collagen NC1 domain suggests different functional roles in a tissue-specific fashion.
A comprehensive analysis of aquaporin and secretory related gene expression in neonate and adult cholangiocytes

Canalicular bile is secreted by hepatocytes and then passes through the intrahepatic bile ducts, comprised of cholangiocytes, to reach the extrahepatic biliary system. In addition to providing a conduit for bile to drain from the liver, cholangiocytes play an active role in modifying bile composition. Bile formation is the result of a series of highly coordinated intricate membrane-transport interactions. Proper systematic regulation of solute and water transport is critical for both digestion and the health of the liver, yet our knowledge of cholangiocyte water and ion transporters and their relative expression patterns remains incomplete. In this report, we provide a comprehensive expression profile of the aquaporin (AQP) family and three receptors/channels known to regulate ion transport in the murine cholangiocyte. In murine intrahepatic cholangiocytes, we found mRNA expression for all twelve of the members of the AQP family of proteins and found temporal changes in the expression profile occurring with age. Using AQP4, an established marker within cholangiocyte physiology, we found that AQP2, AQP5 and AQP6 expression levels to be significantly different between the neonatal and adult time points. Furthermore, there were distinct temporal expression patterns, with that of AQP12 unique in that its expression level decreased with age, whilst the majority of AQPs followed an increasing expression level trend with age. Of the three receptors/channels regulating ion transport in the murine cholangiocyte, only the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator was found to follow a consistent trend of decreasing expression coincident with age. We have further validated AQP3 and AQP8 protein localization in both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. This study emphasizes the need to further appreciate and consider the differences in cholangiocyte biology when treating neonatal and adult hepatobiliary diseases.
Mutagenic Methods for determining which DNA Strand is transcribed for Individual Viral Genes

THIS work describes two mutagenic methods for determining which strand of the DNA double helix is transcribed. The approach is applicable to viruses which contain single-stranded DNA in the mature form. The analysis identifies which strand is transcribed for a given viral gene.
Synthesis and chiroptical analysis of optically active chiral shell dendrons

We have prepared a series of chiral dendrons (1−4) in which chiral subunits are placed in individual generational shells at varying distances from the focal point. The optical activity of these chiral dendritic structures is successfully modeled using structurally similar low-molecular weight model compounds. In dendrons 1a and 1b a chiral subunit is directly adjacent to the focal point, whereas in dendrons 2, 3, and 4a,b the chiral subunits are incorporated in the interior of the dendron. A marked difference in optical activity between the former (1a and 1b) and latter (2, 3, 4a,b) dendrons is mirrored in the optical activities of model compounds 12a, 12b, 19a, and 19b. These model compounds directly mimic the surrounding constitution of the chiral subunits in the dendrons. This successful analysis of the chiroptical data using low-molecular weight model compounds suggests that these dendrons do not possess conformational order in solution.
Malaysian Airlines, Neoliberalism and Business as Usual in Malaysia

Using mixed qualitative and quantitative analysis, I analyse moves made by Malaysian authorities as they seek to engage coercive capital—in the form of state-directed market maneuvers—and mobile capital—in the form of institutional investors’ discourses—in the aftermath of the financial crises of 1997–1998 and 2007–2008. I argue that the Malaysian case reveals the continuing valence of structures of neoliberalism and, in particular, the ways in which local legitimacy continues to be mediated by global market makers. First, I show how in semi-democratic states, neoliberal policies enable the consolidation of power along intersectional axes of class and ethnicity. Next, using Tajudin Ramli’s corporate empire (as enmeshed with Malaysian Airlines) as a modal example, I explore the continuities in the nexus of political and economic elites in Malaysia. Finally, by examining discourses of the Malaysian market’s credibility among institutional investors, I show continuities in how regimes of truth are shaped through neoliberal market structures. If post-neoliberalism leads to transformations in macroeconomic policies and political discourses, I argue that in Malaysia, by contrast, we see intensification of neoliberal policies and discourses, rather than transformation.
The relationship of head size to alpha frequency with implications to a brain wave model

Abstract Analogies between brain waves and waves in physical systems suggest that EEG frequency may be partly determined by cortical surface area. Since a number of other physiological and anatomical parameters probably influence EEG frequency, only a weak correlation is to be expected. A study was made of 159 subjects, some of whom had either very large or very small heads. A single number representing head size was determined as the cube root of three linear measurements. Several characteristic EEG frequencies were determined for each subject by means of Fourier analysis. The data indicate that alpha frequency is significantly correlated with head size: larger heads tend to shown that alpha frequency tends to be lower in subjects above roughly age 60. Subjects above produced significantly less alpha rhythm than the younger group. It is suggested that analogies between brain waves and physical waves may explain a number of phenomena which are typical of EEG.
Methylphenidate and impulsivity: a comparison of effects of methylphenidate enantiomers on delay discounting in rats

Current formulations of methylphenidate (MPH) used in treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) result in significantly different bioavailability of MPH enantiomers. Daytrana®, a dl-MPH transdermal patch system, produces higher levels of l-MPH than when dl-MPH is administered orally (e.g., Ritalin®). One potential limitation of increased l-MPH was indicated in a preclinical study showing l-MPH may attenuate effects of d-MPH. The objective of the study was to investigate the interactive effects of MPH enantiomers by (1) assessing drug effects via a preclinical model of “impulsivity” and (2) performing a quantitative dose equivalence analysis of MPH enantiomer interactions. Sprague–Dawley rats were trained to emit either of two responses, one producing an immediate food pellet, the other producing four pellets delivered at increasing delays (0, 8, and 32 s). The percent selection of the larger food amount was graphed as a function of delay with the area under the curve (AUC) assessed. Increases in AUC are consistent with decreases in “impulsivity” (i.e., selection of the smaller, immediate over the larger, delayed reinforcer). Systemic administration of dl-MPH and d-MPH dose-dependently increased AUC, while l-MPH, morphine, and pentobarbital did not alter AUC. An analysis based upon dose equivalence indicated that dl-MPH produced additive effects that were not different from that predicted from effects of the enantiomers administered alone. The present results indicate pharmacologically selective effects in that only drugs prescribed for the treatment of ADHD symptoms decreased a measure of “impulsivity” and that l-MPH likely does not attenuate or enhance the effects of d-MPH in the current delay-discounting task.
Protection of Aluminium Alloys via Hybrid Sol-Gel Coatings with Encapsulated Organic Corrosion Inhibitors

Several heterocyclic organic corrosion inhibitors that contain ionazible functional group were encapsulated into nano-structural hybrid organo-silicate coating to improve its corrosion protection performance on aluminum alloy 2024-T3 substrate. When the coating is formed on the substrate surface, it serves simultaneously as protective barrier and as a reservoir for leachable corrosion inhibitor that is stored and released through the mechanism of reversible ionic interaction with the matrix material. The efficiency of active corrosion protection for these coating systems was examined by electrochemical methods including potentiodynamic polarization (PDS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The effects of chemical structure and the loading concentration of the inhibitor within the coating were determined.
Tumor size, leukocyte adherence inhibition and serum levels of tumor antigen in dogs with the canine transmissible venereal sarcoma.

Tumor antigen (TA) associated with the canine transmissible venereal sarcoma (CTVS) was detected in the sera of dogs bearing the tumor. Rabbit antisera specific for tumor antigen and 3 M KCl extracts of CTVS cells were used in both a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and antigen-capture ELISA to quantify levels of circulating TA. In a study of 29 dogs bearing the transplanted CTVS, levels of circulating TA correlated positively with tumor volume. In a longitudinal study of four dogs receiving a transplant of 108 viable CTVS cells, circulating CTVS antigen was detected transiently 2 days after transplantation, while persistent levels of TA associated with increasing tumor volume were demonstrable 19–34 days after transplantation. In three of four tumor-bearing dogs, levels of serum TA correlated inversely with values obtained with peripheral blood leukocytes in the leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) assay; elevated levels of circulating TA found in dogs with large (>7 cm3) tumors were associated with decreased LAI reactivity of peripheral blood leukocytes. TA could not be detected in sera 48–72 h after surgical removal of CTVS whereas LAI reactivity of peripheral blood leukocytes to CTVS antigen rebounded 1–3 weeks following tumor excision. Results of this study support the use of the competitive ELISA and LAI techniques in assessing levels of circulating tumor antigen, tumor burden and tumor-specific immunity.
Distinct phases in recovery of reconstituted innate cellular-mediated immunity after murine syngeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Abstract Defects in immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation confer extreme infection risk on to the transplant recipient. Perturbations in adaptive immune reconstitution have been well characterized, yet defects in reconstituted innate cellular-mediated immunity remain largely unstudied. Recovery in innate effector cells was defined by using an established murine model of autologous bone marrow transplantation. Cytokine induction after cell culture and systemic stimulation with pathogen-associated molecular patterns was also measured for control, transplant-recipient, and irradiated-only animals. Early reconstitution (7 to 14 days) of donor-derived macrophages, dendritic cells, and polymorphonuclear cells was associated with recovery in interleukin (IL)-12p70 and IL-6 production. Later reconstitution (21 days) of natural killer cells was associated with interferon (IFN)-γ recovery. Hence, splenocyte innate cellular-mediated immunity recovered to normal levels in cellularity and IL-12p70, IFN-γ, and IFN-α production by 21 days after transplantation. In contrast, levels of systemic cytokine production from transplant-recipient and irradiated-only animals were preserved despite incomplete or absent hematopoietic reconstitution. These results suggest that innate immune responses to systemic inflammatory challenges are largely intact after autologous bone marrow transplantation, whereas local innate cellular-mediated immunity within reconstituting lymphoid organs may be impaired. The disparate effects of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on host immune function may translate to differences in susceptibility to local versus systemic infectious challenges.
The Pragmatics of Iris Marion Young's Feminist Historical Materialism

How do we make sense of the contradictory claims embedded in these two views articulated by the same scholar over a 15-year interval? Is the mature feminist philosopher writing in the leading journal of feminist scholarship in 1994 repudiating the neophyte socialist feminist who published in Socialist Review? Are we glimpsing a familiar feminist trajectory from Marxism to socialist feminism to poststructuralism? Do these two claims represent a discursive shift in how one writes feminist theory or a change in philosophical views?
Some speculations concerning the evolution of photosynthetic function.

Following a brief review of the light-driven reactions in photosynthetic membranes, two questions are addressed. (1) Why is the first charge separation reaction in photosynthetic reaction centers so fast; and (2) given what we know about the contemporary structure and function of reaction centers, can we develop a simple model for a much more primitive reaction center? It is proposed that the primary charge separation step in reaction centers is optimized to be ultra-fast principally in order to compete with detrapping into the antenna complex, rather than to compete with radiative and non-radiative losses in the special pair. This leads to a notion of kinetic perfection analogous to that developed for enzymes which operate under diffusion-limited conditions, but elaborated to permit even more ‘perfect’ function. This hypothesis is testable by changing components in photosynthetic membranes and subjecting them to selective pressures. We speculate that the reaction center is far too complex to have served as an early functional unit, and consider possible roles for the iron-quinone part of the reaction center as a very primitive photosynthetic unit. It is suggested that this working end later became associated with primitive antenna complexes, which then evolved into the elaborate structure we find today. The role of photosynthesis in the origin of life has been a topic of speculation for many years. It is evident that photosynthetic function is ancient and central. As a person who does not work in the field of evolution. I am not very familiar with much of the speculation that precedes this paper. Proposals and speculation by others are likely based on much firmer ground, and therefore I apologize in advance if some of these ideas have already been suggested by others. In this chapter I take the liberty to speculate on how a structure as complex as the contemporary photosynthetic reaction center (RC) could have evolved from more primitive units, and why it retains some of its remarkable properties and seemingly unnecessary components. Both subjects lead to specific predictions and testable hypotheses.
Carbon as Reference for Normalizing Infrared Photoacoustic Spectra

Abstract Photoacoustic spectra of solids1 are usually “source compensated,” i. e., normalized for differences in source emission at different wavelengths, and such compensation is done by comparing the photoacoustic spectrum of a sample to the emission spectrum of the source measured directly with, say, a photocell,2 power meter,3 or photodiode,4 or to the photoacoustic spectrum of “carbon” recorded under the same conditions as that of the sample. A variety of carbons has been used for this purpose, including carbon black on silica,5 soot from a gas torch,6 and acatylene-sooted bakelite,7 such a reference substance being assumed to be a flat black absorber. That assumption appears to be valid, as indicated by the close
A glacial record

Drilling 460 meters to bedrock, a scientific team led by Lonnie Thompson, a professor of geological sciences at Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus, Ohio, has produced the longest ice core ever taken from a mountain glacier. The core, from an ice cap between Mount Bona and the Churchill stratovolcano on the Canadian-U.S. border, beats by 150 meters the previous record for a glacier ice core. This was from the Guliya ice cap in western China, also drilled by a Thompson-led team.
Control and Power Management of a Grid Connected Residential Photovoltaic System with Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Load

The main objective of this paper is to design and analyze a residential photovoltaic system for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle load, in addition to regular residential requirements. This system is a combination of two subsystems which are cascaded through a DC link. First subsystem is the solar energy harvesting part with PV array, current controlled boost converter and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system. The second subsystem is the energy storage system with battery packs and a current controlled bidirectional DC/AC inverter. All the current controllers are selected as sliding mode controller which is more robust against parametric uncertainties. A power management algorithm is introduced to control the power flow between grid and battery packs according to load profile. The operation and reliability of the system is presented for simulations within one year period.
Bootstrapped real-time ego motion estimation and scene modeling

Estimating the motion of a moving camera in an unknown environment is essential for a number of applications ranging from as-built reconstruction to augmented reality. It is a challenging problem especially when real-time performance is required. Our approach is to estimate the camera motion while reconstructing the shape and appearance of the most salient visual features in the scene. In our 3D reconstruction process, correspondences are obtained by tracking the visual features from frame to frame with optical flow tracking. Optical-flow-based tracking methods have limitations in tracking the salient features. Often larger translational motions and even moderate rotational motions can result in drifts. We propose to augment flow-based tracking by building a landmark representation around reliably reconstructed features. A planar patch around the reconstructed feature point provides matching information that prevents drifts in flow-based feature tracking and allows establishment of correspondences across the frames with large baselines. Selective and periodic such correspondence mappings drastically improve scene and motion reconstruction while adhering to the real-time requirements. The method is experimentally tested to be both accurate and computational efficient.
Collaborative evaluation of early design decisions and product manufacturability

In manufacturing, the conceptual design and detailed design stages are typically regarded as sequential and distinct. Decisions made in conceptual design are often made with little information as to how they would affect detailed design or manufacturing process specification. Many possibilities and unknowns exist in conceptual design where ideas about product shape and functionality are changing rapidly. Few if any tools exist to aid in this difficult amorphous stage in contrast to the many CAD and analysis tools for detailed design where much more is known about the final product. The paper discusses the Materials Process Design Environment (MPDE), a collaborative problem solving environment (CPSE) that was developed so geographically dispersed designers in both the conceptual and detailed stage can work together and understand the impacts of their design decisions on functionality, cost and manufacturability.
Telomeres: The Long and Short of Developing Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Chromosomal integrity is vital to the life span of the dividing cell. Telomeres are tandem sequences at chromosome ends that provide protection for the genetic coding material. Erosion of those ends leads to cell death. Does stabilization promote cancer?