cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear Receptor Agonists Improve Insulin Responsiveness in Cultured Cardiomyocytes through Enhanced Signaling and Preserved Cytoskeletal Architecture

Insulin resistance is the failure of insulin to stimulate the transport of glucose into its target cells. A highly regulatable supply of glucose is important for cardiomyocytes to cope with situations of metabolic stress. We recently observed that isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes become insulin resistant in vitro. Insulin resistance is combated at the whole body level with agonists of the nuclear receptor complex peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma)/retinoid X receptor (RXR). We investigated the effects of PPARgamma/RXR agonists on the insulin-stimulated glucose transport and on insulin signaling in insulin-resistant adult rat cardiomyocytes. Treatment of cardiomyocytes with ciglitazone, a PPARgamma agonist, or 9-cis retinoic acid (RA), a RXR agonist, increased insulin- and metabolic stress-stimulated glucose transport, whereas agonists of PPARalpha or PPARbeta/delta had no effect. Stimulation of glucose transport in response to insulin requires the phosphorylation of the signaling intermediate Akt on the residues Thr308 and Ser473 and, downstream of Akt, AS160 on several Thr and Ser residues. Phosphorylation of Akt and AS160 in response to insulin was lower in insulin-resistant cardiomyocytes. However, treatment with 9-cis RA markedly increased phosphorylation of both proteins. Treatment with 9-cis RA also led to better preservation of microtubules in cultured cardiomyocytes. Disruption of microtubules in insulin-responsive cardiomyocytes abolished insulin-stimulated glucose transport and reduced phosphorylation of AS160 but not Akt. Metabolic stress-stimulated glucose transport also involved AS160 phosphorylation in a microtubule-dependent manner. Thus, the stimulation of glucose uptake in response to insulin or metabolic stress is dependent in cardiomyocytes on the presence of intact microtubules.
Gene expression of erythrocyte receptor: Regulation of erythrocyte-receptor synthesis in T-lymphocytes

Human T-lymphocytes bind sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) under stringent in vitro conditions to form rosette-shaped figures when viewed under a microscope [l-5]. Although the phenomenon has no known in vivo consequences it has been an extremely useful marker of human T-cells and an indicator of maturation. The binding appears to be the consequence of the presence of specific glycoproteins on the lymphocyte surface which have a selective affinity for a fetuinlike ~ycopept~de on the sheep erythrocyte membr~e [6-91. Peptide hormones synthesized by thymic epithelial cells have been shown to induce its biosynthesis [ 10,111, but very little is known regarding the molecular events underly~g the induction process or the regulation of the biosynthetic process once it is initiated. These experiments are the first in a series designed to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of thymic hormones on expression of erythrocyte receptor. Using the experimental model in 1121 we demonstrate that the biosynthesis of the erythrocyte binding protein is under a transc~ptional ~ontrol”me~hanism and once the genome of this protein is turned on during the maturation process, it continues to express without any further hormonal requirement.
Making the most of the worst-case scenario: should belt-positioning booster seats be used in lap-belt-only seating positions?

Objective: Examine real-world crash injury data to determine whether children seated with lap belts only are better protected with or without belt-positioning booster seats. Methods: Crash injury rates among booster-age children were examined for three restraint categories: lap belt only, belt-positioning booster seat with lap belt, and booster seat with lap/shoulder belt. Data were drawn from the National Automotive Sampling System–Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) and the Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) crash surveillance system for years 1997–2006 and 1998–2006, respectively. Main outcome measures were the percentage of crash-involved booster-age children with moderate or greater injury (maximum abbreviated injury score [MAIS] 2+). Results: The estimated risk of MAIS 2+ injury among children restrained with lap belts and boosters was 0.12 percent (NASS-CDS) and 0.96 percent (PCPS), compared with 1.21 and 1.74 percent, respectively, for lap belts only. This difference was not significant...
Afferent influences on brainstem auditory nuclei of the chicken: N. laminaris dendritic length following monaural conductive hearing loss

The influence of monaural acoustic deprivation on the size of dendrites in n. laminaris in the chick was examined. Chicks were raised in a controlled acoustic environment with one ear occluded from 2 days prior to hatching until 25 days after hatching by an earplug which provided a conductive hearing loss of approximately 40 dB across the audible frequency range. Each n. laminaris cell receives spatially segregated binaural excitatory innervation; one dendritic field received input from the plugged ear while the other received input from the normal ear. This arrangement allowed comparison of the size (length) of the “deprived” dendrites and the “nondeprived” dendrites for each cell. The tonotopic organization of n. laminaris allowed these comparisons to be made as a function of the frequency organization of the nucleus. We observed systematic changes in dendritic size which differed as a function of the tonotopic position of the neurons. In high-frequency regions the dendrites receiving information from the deprived ear were shorter than those receiving input from the normal ear. Unexpectedly, cells responsive to low frequencies showed the opposite result; the dendrites innervated from the deprived ear were longer than those responsive to the nondeprived ear. These results suggests that a relatively flat conductive hearing loss may cause nonuniform changes in activity impinging on high- and low-frequency areas of the auditory system.
Synthesis, processing and properties of nanophase TiAl

In this paper, dc magnetron sputtering of a cast TiAl target was applied to produce nanophase TiAl powders. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Rutherford back scattering (RBS) were utilized to characterize the synthesized nanophase TiAl powders and consolidated pellets. The mechanical properties of this nanophase material were studied by microhardness measurement sat room temperature and elevated temperature. these were correlated to grain size and density.
Governance Lessons from Two Sumatran Integrated Conservation and Development Projects

Governance issues are at the heart of successful biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. This article examines two Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) conducted in parks on Sumatra, to better understand the foundations of effective biodiversity conservation programmes. The ICDP centred on a networked and multiscalar approach to governance issues seems to have had a longer-term positive impact on truly protecting biodiversity than the one that focused elsewhere. The findings from this research support the notion that an overarching spotlight on institutions and multilevel governance matters (ranging from spatial planning and policy making to arresting poachers to battling corruption) can help in addressing many conservation and development dilemmas. Grounded in field research, this paper calls for a model of biodiversity conservation based on multilayered, networked governance structures, proper law enforcement, and an emphasis on the development of institutional capacity, especially at the local level. These networks should be nurtured by long-term partnerships between governments, communities, and NGOs. Donors and planners should focus on these key areas in conservation design.
Nutrient characteristics of Southwest Native American pre-contact diets

Southwest Native American pre-contact diets varied relative to water availability and subsequent distribution and density of plant and animal resources. Early paleolithic big game hunters consumed a diet high in fat and protein but low in carbohydrates and fiber. Big game extinction led to increased reliance on wild plant foods. Arid-land plants are high in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, hypoglycemic chemical compounds and antioxidant micronutrients. These characteristics enhance plant survival by improving water absorption and retention, by providing protection from predation and strong desiccating winds, and by producing colors attractive to potential pollinators. For Native Americans, wild plant foods provided a diet high in fiber, carbohydrates and micronutrients. In some locales, this emphasis on plant foods led to a shift to agriculture. The varieties of plants domesticated, predominantly corn, beans and squash, were lower in simple carbohydrates and higher in mineral content than modern comm...
The complexity of reasoning about knowledge and time. I. lower bounds

Abstract We study the propositional model logic of knowledge and time for distributed systems. We consider a number of logics (ninety-six in all!), which vary according to the choice of language and the assumptions made on the underlying system. The major parameters in the language are whether there is a common knowledge operator, whether we reason about the knowledge of one or more than one processor, and whether our temporal operators are branching or linear. The assumptions on distributed systems that we consider are: whether or not processors forget, whether or not processors learn, whether or not time is synchronous, and whether or not there is a unique initial state in the system. We completely characterize the complexity of the validity problem for all the logics we consider. This paper focuses on lower bounds; a sequel will deal with the corresponding upper bounds. Typical results include a ∏-completeness result for the language with common knowledge with respect to systems where processors do not forget, and a corresponding non-elementary-time result for the language without common knowledge. It is shown that, in general, the assumption that processors do not forget or do not learn greatly increases the complexity of reasoning about knowledge and time.
Is there anything there when there is not there? Null expletives and second language data:

This article explores the issue of the psychological reality of null expletives, i.e., the silent counterparts of the so-called dummy subjects such as English it and there. Following Jackendoff’s (1997; 2002) notion of `defective’ lexical item, I define null expletives as extremely `defective’ words with syntactic properties but no semantic or phonological content. By comparing native speakers of pro-drop languages and those of topic-drop languages in terms of their grammatical judgement of and productive use of English, I argue that null expletives are very likely psychologically real to speakers of pro-drop languages but not to those of topic-drop languages. This conclusion is based on observations made in previous second language (L2) studies and the analysis of data obtained from a large corpus of nonnative English. The question of the unaccusative-unergative distinction in L2 grammar and the linguistic characterization of so-called free subject-verb inversion in pro-drop languages are also discussed ...
Surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopic characterization of the protein native structure.

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) spectra of biological species are often different from their resonance Raman (RR) spectra. A home-designed Raman flow system is used to determine the factors that contribute to the difference between the SERRS and RR of met-myoglobin (metMb). The results indicate that both the degree of protein−nanoparticles interaction and the laser irradiation contribute to the structural changes and are responsible for the observed differences between the SERRS and RR spectra of metMb. The prolonged adsorption of the protein molecules on the nanoparticle surface, which is the condition normally used for the conventional SERRS experiments, disturbs the heme pocket structure and facilitates the charge transfer process and the photoinduced transformation of proteins. The disruption of the heme pocket results in the loss of the distal water molecule, and the resulting SERRS spectrum of metMb shows a 5-coordinated high-spin heme. The flow system, when operated at a moderat...
Activities and performances considered as objects and events

If John is weeping, then John has wept; whereas if John is dressing, then John has not dressed. 'Weeping' and 'dressing' are examples of activities and performances, respectively, and the relationship of the present progressive tense to the present perfect is one of several respects in which these two types of verbs differ strikingly. Anthony Kenny has discussed activities and performances in detail, and has summarized the tense implications and other features which differentiate them. 1 Penner has attempted to state criteria of identity for certain verbs of each type. z As yet, however, no completely satisfactory analysis of the distinction exists. I shall argue that the distinction between activities and performances derives from a more fundamental distinction between obfects and events. Sentences about objects and events have different logical forms, most particularly in the manner in which they incorporate references to time. I will analyze these differences as they are manifested in the various tenses. Then I will show that, on the hypothesis that activity verbs occur in object sentences while performance verbs occur in events sentences, all the characteristics noted by Kenny may be accounted for. In Part I of this paper I summarize the tense implications and other features that differentiate activity and performance verbs. In Part II, 1 analyze the difference between object and event sentences. In Part III, I apply the results of Part II to activities and performances and deduce the features set forth in Part I.
Bowel Vaginoplasty Associated with Complex Anorectal Malformations: A Retrospective Review of 131 Cases

Background: The association of reproductive anomalies with anorectal malformations has been well established. Due to the complex nature of these malformations, vaginal reconstruction is performed during the definitive surgical repair of the malformation. Creation of a neovagina is indicated in cases of agenesis of the vagina, or an interposition graft may be necessary if the native vagina cannot be adequately mobilized to the perineum. Various grafts have been utilized, including small bowel, rectum, descending colon and sigmoid colon, for vaginal reconstruction; e17 Oral Abstracts
Borate Minerals Stabilize Ribose

Evidence for an “RNA world,” an episode of life on Earth during which RNA was the only genetically encoded component of biological catalysts, is found in the ribosome ([ 1 ][1]), catalytic RNA molecules ([ 2 ][2]), and contemporary metabolism ([ 3 ][3]). That RNA could form spontaneously and
IL-12 reduces the severity of Sendai virus-induced bronchiolar inflammation and remodeling☆

The goal of this research was to determine whether differential pulmonary IL-12 gene expression controls susceptibility to Sendai virus-induced chronic airway inflammation and fibrosis in inbred rat strains. Sendai virus-resistant F344 rats and susceptible BN rats were studied from 1 to 14 days following virus inoculation. F344 rats had 3.4-fold higher IL-12 mRNA levels detected by real-time PCR in lung than BN rats as early as two days following inoculation. This increase in mRNA was associated at two days with increased total IL-12 protein and with a 2-fold increase in numbers of bronchiolar, OX-6-positive dendritic cells and an increased number of IL-12 p40-positive, bronchiolar macrophages and dendritic cells (p<0.05). Virus-susceptible BN rats treated with 3 mug of recombinant, mouse IL-12 intraperitoneally at the time of virus inoculation had a 22.1% decrease in severity of chronic bronchiolar inflammation and a 23.8% decrease in fibrosis compared to virus-inoculated BN rats treated with saline. IL-12 treatment induced increased IFN-gamma mRNA and protein expression after virus inoculation (p<0.05). The results demonstrate that there is differential pulmonary IL-12 gene expression between virus-susceptible and resistant rat strains and that IL-12 treatment can provide significant protection from virus-induced chronic airway inflammation and remodeling during early life.
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria from Bench to Bedside

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare hematologic disease that presents with protean manifestations. Clinical and laboratory investigation over the past 25 years have uncovered most of the basic science underpinnings of PNH and have led to the development of a highly effective targeted therapy. PNH originates from a multipotent hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) that acquires a somatic mutation in a gene called phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class A (PIG-A). The PIG-A gene is required for the first step in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor biosynthesis. Failure to synthesize GPI anchors leads to an absence of all proteins that utilize GPI to attach to the plasma membrane. Two GPI-anchor proteins, CD55 and CD59, are complement regulatory proteins; their absence on the surface of PNH cells leads to complement-mediated hemolysis. The release of free hemoglobin leads to scavenging of nitric oxide and contributes to many clinical manifestations, including esophageal spasm, fatigue, and possibly thrombosis. Aerolysin, a pore-forming toxin, binds GPI anchored proteins and kills normal cells, but not PNH cells. A fluorescinated aerolysin variant (FLAER) binds GPI-anchor and serves as a novel reagent diagnosing PNH. Eculizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against C5, is the first effective drug therapy for PNH.
Monitoring Wind Farms With Performance Curves

Three different operational curves-the power curve, rotor curve, and blade pitch curve-are presented for monitoring a wind farm's performance. A five-year historical data set has been assembled for constructing the reference curves of wind power, rotor speed, and blade pitch angle, with wind speed as an input variable. A multivariate outlier detection approach based on k-means clustering and Mahalanobis distance is applied to this data to produce a data set for modeling turbines. Kurtosis and skewness of bivariate data are used as metrics to assess the performance of the wind turbines. Performance monitoring of wind turbines is accomplished with the Hotelling T2 control chart.
Overall and Adiabatic Effectiveness Values on a Scaled Up, Simulated Gas Turbine Vane: Part II—Numerical Simulations

Conjugate heat transfer (CHT) calculation techniques for the heat transfer analysis of high-pressure turbines (HPT) have been developed during the past few years. Thus, it has become possible to take into account the coupling of the film, internal cooling, external gas flow and the metal diffusive heat transfer. The coupling problem may become extremely important in regions such as the airfoil leading edge and the vicinity of film hole breakout region where heat fluxes and thermal gradients are high. This article presents the results obtained using fully coupled 3D CHT simulations of a simplified film-cooled leading edge model and a NASA C3X vane with suction side film cooling. The results for the two cases are compared against experimental data obtained at University of Texas at Austin. The numerical simulations were conducted using the k-ω turbulence model. The leading edge model overall effectiveness predictions are in good agreement with the experiments, especially in the low blowing ratio range (1≤M≤2). For the C3X vane, the CHT results tend to underpredict the midspan and laterally averaged effectiveness due to film liftoff. However, the quantitative agreement is still reasonably good. The different levels of overall effectiveness agreement found between all cases are discussed.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Triphenylplumbyl-containing p,p′-disubstituted 1,3-diphenyltetramethyldisiloxanes

Abstract Compounds of the type where R=(C 6 H 5 ) 3 Pb; (C 6 H 5 ) 3 Pbs; (C 6 H 5 ) 3 PbOOC were synthesized. Physical properties and analytical data of the new compounds are reported. Infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and thermal data are discussed.
Nutrient Loss Following Phragmites australis Removal in Controlled Soil Mesocosms

Mechanisms to remove Common reed (Phragmites australis) typically include a combination of herbicide applications and mechanical cutting or plowing of the soil. The objective of this study was to remove P. australis by various mechanisms and measure the subsequent short-term release of nutrients via simulated rain events. Three rain events of similar duration and intensity were conducted on a control subset and three treatments (above and belowground biomass removal, herbicide application, and basal cut) of soil mesocosms (n = 6) that were designed to export excess water as either surface runoff or leachate through the soil profile. The dominant pathway for soluble reactive phosphorus (p < 0.001) and ammonium (p < 0.001) export were surface runoff while nitrate (p < 0.001) was leached through the soil profile. More nitrate was exported in the vegetation removal treatments (i.e., biomass removal, herbicide, and basal cut) than the control (p < 0.001) while more soluble reactive phosphorus was exported in the herbicide and basal cut treatment compared to the control (p = 0.010). In regards to ammonium, a higher export was observed in the herbicide treatment compared to the control, biomass removal, and basal cut treatments (p < 0.001). We attribute the higher amount of ammonium export in the herbicide treatment to the fact that the glyphosate herbicide used was in an isopropylamine salt form. After examining pre- and postmanipulation soil cores, there was a larger decrease in extractable ammonium in the control and all treatments compared to soil extractable nitrate, which displayed a smaller decrease and in some treatments actually increased during the course of the experiment. Ultimately, in this study, we observed a strong potential for nitrogen biogeochemistry to occur and the removal of vegetation-enhanced nutrient export.
Natural frequencies and mode shapes of flexible mechanisms by transfer matrix method

Abstract Transfer matrices are used to calculate the natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes of planar elastic mechanisms. Mechanism motion is discretized by dividing the motion into a finite number of intervals over which the mechanism is considered to be an instantaneous structure with constant geometry. A transfer matrix relating the continuous, non-zero components of the state vector across a pin joint is developed. An elastic four-bar mechanism is analyzed using a lumped mass model.
Control of neurite outgrowth and growth cone motility by phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3K) has been reported to affect neurite outgrowth both in vivo and in vitro. Here we investigated the signaling pathways by which PI-3K affects neurite outgrowth and growth cone motility in identified snail neurons in vitro. Inhibition of PI-3K with wortmannin (2 μM) or LY 294002 (25 μM) resulted in a significant elongation of filopodia and in a slow-down of neurite outgrowth. Experiments using cytochalasin and blebbistatin, drugs that interfere with actin polymerization and myosin II activity, respectively, demonstrated that filopodial elongation resulting from PI-3K inhibition was dependent on actin polymerization. Inhibition of strategic kinases located downstream of PI-3K, such as Akt, ROCK, and MEK, also caused significant filopodial elongation and a slow-down in neurite outgrowth. Another growth cone parameter, filopodial number, was not affected by inhibition of PI-3K, Akt, ROCK, or MEK. A detailed study of growth cone behavior showed that the filopodial elongation induced by inhibiting PI-3K, Akt, ROCK, and MEK was achieved by increasing two motility parameters: the rate with which filopodia extend (extension rate) and the time that filopodia spend elongating. Whereas the inhibition of ROCK or Akt (both activated by the lipid kinase activity of PI-3K) and MEK (activated by the protein kinase activity of PI-3K) had additive effects, simultaneous inhibition of Akt and ROCK showed no additive effect. We further demonstrate that the effects on filopodial dynamics investigated were calcium-independent. Taken together, our results suggest that inhibition of PI-3K signaling results in filopodial elongation and a slow-down of neurite advance, reminiscent of growth cone searching behavior. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 63: 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Process monitoring oriented IC testing

The authors proposed the use of functional testing for the extraction of IC manufacturing defect characteristics. It is demonstrated, using an SRAM (static random-access memory) example, that such extraction is feasible if an appropriate methodology for the interpretation of testing results is applied. The methodology allows for the extraction of information about process disturbances and abnormalities causing IC malfunctions. In this methodology the Monte Carlo fault modeling technique, combined with circuit simulation, was applied to build a defect fault vocabulary. The simulation experiment conducted by using this methodology demonstrated that a spectrum of signatures can be created to represent process disturbances. It was also shown that such a spectrum of signatures can be sensitive enough to changes in the defect densities. >
A Pharmacodynamic/Pharmacokinetic Study of Ficlatuzumab in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors and Liver Metastases

Purpose: This study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of ficlatuzumab, a humanized hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) inhibitory monoclonal antibody, as monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors and liver metastases. Patients and Methods: Patients with p-Met (phosphorylated c-Met)–positive tumors enrolled in three dose-escalation cohorts, receiving ficlatuzumab 2, 10, or 20 mg/kg once per 14-day cycle. Pharmacodynamic changes in liver tumor biopsies and serum, pharmacokinetics, safety, and clinical activity were assessed. Results: No dose-limiting toxicities occurred in the 19 patients enrolled ( n = 6, 2 mg/kg; n = 7, 10 mg/kg; n = 6, 20 mg/kg). The most frequent diagnosis was colorectal cancer ( n = 15; 79%). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were asthenia, peripheral edema, hepatic pain (32% each), and cough (26%). Laboratory abnormalities of decreased serum albumin were present in all patients. Ficlatuzumab at 20 mg/kg lowered median levels of tumor p-Met (−53%), p-ERK (−43%), p-Akt (−2%), and increased median HGF levels (+33%), at the last on-study time point relative to baseline. Mean serum HGF levels increased with ficlatuzumab dose and number of treatment cycles. Ficlatuzumab exhibited linear pharmacokinetics and long terminal half-life (7.4–10 days). Best overall response was stable disease in 28% of patients, including 1 patient with pancreatic cancer with stable disease >1 year. Conclusions: Ficlatuzumab exhibited good safety/tolerability and demonstrated ability to modulate the HGF/c-Met pathway and downstream signaling in the tumor in patients with advanced solid tumors. Safety, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic data for ficlatuzumab confirmed the recommended phase II dose of 20 mg/kg once per 14-day cycle. Clin Cancer Res; 20(10); 2793–804. ©2014 AACR .
Diamond cubic phase of lead

Abstract Correlations are made between physical and structural properties of elements with a diamond cubic crystal structure and through extrapolation of these correlations information as to the nature of the hypothetical diamond cubic phase of lead is extracted. The region in pressure-temperature space where this phase is most likely to exist is discussed and possible methods to obtain such a phase are suggested.
Subversive Narrator/Victimized Reader: a Reader Response Assessment of a Text-Critical Problem, John 18.12-24:

This article takes the old text-critical and interpretive problem of Jn 18.12-24 (who interrogates Jesus—Annas or Caiaphas?), and evaluates it from the perspective of reader response criticism. In this approach the textual variants and the more recent source-critical solutions become the data for constructing a reception history, a window into a way of reading. This reception history is empirical evidence of reader- felt gaps and confusions, and is examined from the perspective of pragmatics, not semantics. The questions become: 'What does this text do to the reader, and why?'By viewing this text-critical problem within the larger issue of Johannine narrative rhetoric, there is evidence to suggest that it fits into a victimizing strategy found else where. Once again, like the Socratic eίρων, the narrator undermines the reader's grasp of the story in order to lead the reader into a deeper faith experience.
Hardware/software interface for high-performance space computing with FPGA coprocessors

Complex real-time signal and image processing applications require low-latency and high-performance hardware to achieve optimal performance. Building such a high-performance platform for space deployment is hampered by hostile environmental conditions and power constraints. Custom space-based FPGA coprocessors help alleviate these constraints, but their use is typically restricted by the need for TMR or radiation-hardened components. This paper explores a framework that allows Earth and space scientists to use FPGA resources through an abstraction layer. A synthetic aperture radar application is used to demonstrate the power of the system architecture. The performance of the application is shown to achieve a speedup of 19 when compared to a software solution and is able to maintain comparable data reliability. Projected speedups, for the same case study executing on the proposed flight system architecture, are several times better and also discussed. This work supports the Dependable Multiprocessor project at Honeywell and the University of Florida, a mission for the Space Technology 8 (ST-8) satellite of NASA's New Millennium Program.
Combined Abl Inhibitor Therapy for Minimizing Drug Resistance in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Src/Abl Inhibitors Are Compatible with Imatinib

Purpose: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is effectively treated with imatinib. However, reactivation of Bcr-Abl via kinase domain mutations that reduce sensitivity to imatinib can cause relapse. As combination therapy is frequently used to prevent emergence of resistance, the combination of imatinib with an inhibitor of imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl mutants (e.g., Src/Abl inhibitors AP23848 and BMS-354825) was investigated. Experimental Design: To test this approach, cellular proliferation and Bcr-Abl tyrosine phosphorylation assays were done on Ba/F3 cells expressing wild-type (WT) Bcr-Abl and four common imatinib-resistant mutants (Y253F, E255K, T315I, and M351T). Colony-forming assays with primary CML cells were also done. Results: Both Src/Abl inhibitors retained full inhibitory capacity when coadministered with imatinib at concentrations above typical clinical levels. For cells expressing WT Bcr-Abl or the marginally imatinib-resistant mutant M351T, inclusion of imatinib at therapeutic levels enhanced the effects of the Src/Abl inhibitors. By comparison, for the highly imatinib-resistant mutants Y253F and E255K, inclusion of imatinib at clinical levels resulted in only a slight enhancement beyond the effects of the Src/Abl inhibitors. None of the inhibitors affected Bcr-Abl T315I cells. Colony-forming assays with primary CML cells yielded analogous results. Conclusions: Our results indicate that Src/Abl inhibitors are compatible with imatinib and suggest that combined Abl inhibitor therapy is a feasible treatment strategy for patients with CML.
Frequency Determination Using the Discrete Hermite Transform

This chapter introduces a new method for frequency determination that employs the authors’ discrete Hermite transform. Particularly for an input signal that is a linear combination of general sinusoids, this method provides highly accurate estimations of both frequencies and amplitudes of those sinusoids. The method is based primarily on the property of the discrete Hermite functions (DHf) being eigenvectors of the centered Fourier matrix, analogous to the classical result that the continuous Hermite functions (CHf) are eigenfunctions of the Fourier transform. Using this method for frequency determination, a new Hermite transform-based time-frequency representation, the HDgram, is developed that can provide clearer interpretations of frequency and amplitude content of a signal than corresponding spectrograms or scalograms.
Multilingual spoken-password based user authentication in emerging economies using cellular phone networks

Mobile phones are playing an important role in changing the socio-economic landscapes of emerging economies like India. A proper voice-based user authentication will help in many new mobile based applications including mobile-commerce and banking. We present our exploration and evaluation of an experimental set-up for user authentication in remote Indian villages using mobile phones and user-selected multilingual spoken passwords. We also present an effective speaker recognition method using a set of novel features called Compressed Feature Dynamics (CFD) which capture the speaker-identity effectively from the speech dynamics contained in the spoken passwords. Early trials demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in handling noisy cell-phone speech. Compared to conventional text-dependent speaker recognition methods, the proposed CFD method delivers competitive performance while significantly reducing storage and computational complexity - an advantage highly beneficial for cell-phone based deployment of such user authentication systems.
Racial or ethnic differences in hospitalization for heart failure among elderly adults: Medicare, 1990 to 2000.

Background Little is known about racial or ethnic differences in hospitalizations for heart failure (HF), the most common hospital diagnosis for Medicare enrollees. Methods Using data from the Medicare Provider Analysis Record (1990-2000), we analyzed data for Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years who were hospitalized with a first-listed diagnosis of HF (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 428). We assessed racial/ethnic differences in annual prevalences and discharge outcomes for patients hospitalized in 2000. Results Prevalence of HF hospitalization increased over the 10-year period for white, black, Hispanic, and Asian enrollees. Prevalence was highest among those aged ≥85 years; the age-adjusted prevalence was greater among men than women. Compared with white enrollees in 2000, the likelihood of a HF hospitalization was 1.5 times greater among black enrollees, 1.2 times greater among Hispanic enrollees, and 0.5 times less likely among Asian enrollees after adjustment for age and sex (P Conclusion Prevalence of HF hospitalization was highest among black and Hispanic Medicare enrollees. Because Hispanic Americans and the elderly are the fastest-growing segments of the US population, HF will increase in importance as a public health concern and will require increased focus on culturally competent prevention and treatment strategies in the next decade.
Online plagiarism training falls short in biology classrooms.

This study compared three plagiarism-avoidance training formats (i.e., no training, online tutorial, or homework assignment) in several undergraduate ecology courses. The authors found that student...
Dichotic listening and bisensory memory skills in qualitatively diverse dyslexic readers.

Dichotic listening and bisensory memory skills were investigated in 144 male middle-class second-grade (N=72) and fourth-grade (N=72) readers. Subjects were classified according to the Boder system, which distinguishes among normal and three types of dyslexic readers: dysphonetic (auditory dyslexic), dyseidetic (visual dyslexic), and alexic (combined). Results of the dichotic (recall of simultaneous auditory stimuli) and bisensory (recall of simultaneous visual and auditory stimuli) tasks indicated that normal and dyseidetic readers were able to attend, store, and retrieve stimuli at both grades and experimental rates of stimulus presentation better than alexic or dysphonetic readers. Ear asymmetry, as measured by dichotic right-ear advantage, did not discriminate normal from dyslexic groups. The greater task inability of the alexic and dysphonetic groups may be reflective of their difficulty in processing linguistic (left hemisphere) and spatial (right hemisphere) information that is basic to the reading...
Efficiency of phenylpyruvic and phenyllactic acids as substitutes for phenylalanine in the diet of the growing rat.

Male weanling albino rats fed a diet containing all nu trients for optimal growth, including 45.4 /nmolesof phenylalanine/g, gained weight at an average of 6.5 g/day. Removal of phenylalanine caused an average weight loss of 1.1 g/day. Addition of graduated increments of phenylalanine led to progressive increases in growth rate; the increases being proportional to the dietary content of this amino acid. When phenyl- pyruvic or L-phenyllactic acids were added isonitrogenously to the phenyl- alanine-free diet, growth rate also increased. Percent efficiency or these amino acid analogues as dietary substitutes for phenylalanine, calculated as moles of amino acid required for a specific growth rate inn moles of analogue required for the same growth rate varied from 50% to 70% for phenylpyruvic acid and 65% to 95% for L-phenyllactic acid. Efficiency increased as dose of analogue increased. Non-isonitrogenous substition did not change growth rates. Supplementa tion with a megadose of pyridoxine did not increase the efficiency of phenylpyruvic acid, o-phenyllactic acid and cinnnamic acid were com pletely ineffective as substitutes for phenylalanine. When tyrosine was with drawn from the diet, efficiency of phenylpyruvic acid was 70% at several doses. The efficiency of L-phenyllactic acid was 65 to 40%, decreasing with increasing dose. J. Nutr. 106: 158-168, 1976.
The gain-of-function GLI1 transcription factor TGLI1 enhances expression of VEGF-C and TEM7 to promote glioblastoma angiogenesis

// Richard L. Carpenter 1 , Ivy Paw 1 , Hu Zhu 4 , Sherona Sirkisoon 1 , Fei Xing 1 , Kounosuke Watabe 1, 3 , Waldemar Debinski 1, 2, 3 , Hui-Wen Lo 1, 2, 3 1 Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 2 Brain Tumor Center of Excellence, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 3 Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA 4 Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Correspondence to: Hui-Wen Lo, e-mail: hlo@wakehealth.edu Keywords: glioblastoma, TGLI1, GLI1, angiogenesis, VEGF-C Received: March 23, 2015 Accepted: May 21, 2015 Published: June 04, 2015 ABSTRACT We recently discovered that truncated glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (TGLI1) is highly expressed in glioblastoma (GBM) and linked to increased GBM vascularity. The mechanisms underlying TGLI1-mediated angiogenesis are unclear. In this study, we compared TGLI1- with GLI1-expressing GBM xenografts for the expression profile of 84 angiogenesis-associated genes. The results showed that expression of six genes were upregulated and five were down-regulated in TGLI1-carrying tumors compared to those with GLI1. Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and tumor endothelial marker 7 (TEM7) were selected for further investigations because of their significant correlations with high vascularity in 135 patient GBMs. TGLI1 bound to both VEGF-C and TEM7 gene promoters. Conditioned medium from TGLI1-expressing GBM cells strongly induced tubule formation of brain microvascular endothelial cells, and the induction was prevented by VEGF-C/TEM7 knockdown. Immunohistochemical analysis of 122 gliomas showed that TGLI1 expression was positively correlated with VEGF-C, TEM7 and microvessel density. Analysis of NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus datasets with 161 malignant gliomas showed an inverse relationship between tumoral VEGF-C, TEM7 or microvessel density and patient survival. Together, our findings support an important role that TGLI1 plays in GBM angiogenesis and identify VEGF-C and TEM7 as novel TGLI1 target genes of importance to GBM vascularity.
Determination of Most Desirable Nominal Closed-Loop State Space System Via Qualitative Ecological Principles

This paper addresses the issue of determining the most desirable “nominal closed-loop matrix” structure in linear state space systems, from stability robustness point of view, by combining the concepts of “quantitative robustness” and “qualitative robustness.” The qualitative robustness measure is based on the nature of interactions and interconnections of the system. The quantitative robustness is based on the nature of eigenvalue/eigenvector structure of the system. This type of analysis from both viewpoints sheds considerable insight on the desirable nominal system in engineering applications. Using these concepts, it is shown that three classes of quantitative matrices labeled “target sign stable (TSS) matrices,” “target pseudosymmetric (TPS) matrices,” and finally “quantitative ecological stable (QES) matrices” have features which qualify them as the most desirable nominal closed-loop system matrices. In this paper, we elaborate on the special features of these sets of matrices and justify why these classes of matrices are well suited to be the most desirable nominal closed-loop matrices in the linear state space framework. Establishment of this most desirable nominal closed-loop system matrix structure paves the way for designing controllers which qualify as robust controllers for linear systems with real parameter uncertainty. The proposed concepts are illustrated with many useful examples.
Frequency-referenced nonlinearity compensation: The enabler for reach extension and capacity increase

Frequency referenced transmission is demonstrated as instrumental for compensation of nonlinear impairments in high-speed fibre-optic transmission, enabling reach extension and capacity increase. Hardware and system requirements for effective nonlinearity cancellation are also discussed.
Parent satisfaction with neuropsychological consultation after pediatric mild traumatic brain injury.

Few studies have focused on consumer satisfaction following neuropsychological evaluation. We sought to examine parent satisfaction with neuropsychological consultation following a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in school-age children. We surveyed 71 parents of 8- to 17-year-olds participating in a prospective longitudinal study examining neuropsychological consultation as an intervention for persistent postconcussive symptoms. Children had sustained injuries between 2 and 12 months prior to enrollment. Neuropsychological consultation occurred on average 5 months post-injury. Parent satisfaction data were collected via telephone approximately 4 months after the neuropsychological consultation. The vast majority of parents were quite satisfied with the service (e.g., 94% overall satisfaction rate; 96% rated the service as good or excellent). Satisfaction rates were associated positively with time since injury and negatively with parental education. No other child, parent, or provider variable correlated with satisfaction. The results add to the relatively sparse literature on parent satisfaction with neuropsychological evaluation. A pressing future need in pediatric neuropsychology is to examine the satisfaction of other consumers of the service, including healthcare personnel, educators, and the child patients themselves.
Comparison of rehabilitation outcomes in violent versus non-violent traumatic SCI.

This paper represents the results of a cohort study comparing functional outcomes of individuals with violent and non-violent traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) following inpatient rehabilitation. Twenty-seven consecutive patients with a diagnosis of traumatic SCI of violent etiology (gunshot wound, stabbing or assault) and 27 patients with non-violent etiology (motor vehicle accident and falls) were matched for neurological level of injury and classification. Demographic comparison of violent versus non-violent groups revealed mean age 30 versus 39, gender 93 percent versus 78 percent male, race 89 percent versus 59 percent non-white, 74 percent versus 41 percent unmarried and 56 percent versus 22 percent unemployed, respectively. Violent and non-violent traumatic SCI groups had similar lengths of stay, admission and discharge functional independent measures (FIM), FIM improvement, payor sources, hospital charges and discharge to home rates. Despite the differences noted in the demographics of violent and non-violent traumatic SCI, these two matched groups achieved similar functional outcomes and discharge disposition following inpatient rehabilitation. Language: en
Embelin inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis and alters gene expression profiles in breast cancer cells.

Purpose To investigate effect of embelin on proliferation, apoptosis and gene expression profile changes in breast cancer cells.
Microbial elastases. A comparative study.

SummaryThe effects of pH and of 1% NaCl and human serum on the elastolytic activity of 10 microbial enzyme preparations were determined and compared with those previously reported for pancreatic elastase and Flavobacterium elastase. The pH optima and the NaCl inhibition of the microbial enzymes showed similarity with pancreatic elastase rather than Flavobacterium elastase, but serum inhibition was less pronounced.
Tracing the source of soil organic matter eroded from temperate forest catchments using carbon and nitrogen isotopes

Abstract Soil erosion continuously redistributes soil and associated soil organic matter (SOM) on the Earth's surface, with important implications for biogeochemical cycling of essential elements and terrestrial carbon sequestration. Despite the importance of soil erosion, surprisingly few studies have evaluated the sources of eroded carbon (C). We used natural abundance levels of the stable and radioactive isotopes of C (13C and 14C) and stable isotope of nitrogen (15N) to elucidate the origins of SOM eroded from low-order catchments along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada of California, USA. Our work was conducted in two relatively undisturbed catchments (low elevation = 1800 m, and high elevation = 2300 m) of the Kings River Experimental Watersheds (KREW) in the Sierra National Forest. Sediment captured in basins at the outlet of each gauged watershed were compared to possible source materials, which included: upland surficial organic horizons (i.e., forest floor) and mineral soils (0–0.6 m) from three landform positions (i.e., crest, backslope, and toeslope), stream bank soils (0–0.6 m), and stream-bed materials (0–0.05 m). We found that most of the organic matter (OM) in the captured sediments was composed of O-horizon material that had high C concentrations. Radiocarbon analyses also showed that the captured OM is composed of modern (post-1950) C, with fraction modern values at or above 1.0. Our results suggest that surface (sheet) erosion, as opposed to channeling through established streams and episodic mass wasting events, is likely the largest source of sediment exported out of these minimally disturbed, headwater catchments. The erosional export of sediment with a high concentration of C, especially in the form of relatively undecomposed litter from the O horizon, suggests that a large fraction of the exported C is likely to be decomposed during or after erosion; hence, it is unlikely that soil erosion acts as a significant net sink for atmospheric CO2 in these low-order, temperate forest catchments.