cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the potential importance of transient air flow in advective radon entry into buildings

We have investigated, using a mathematical model, the temporal variations of air flux within the soil mass surrounding a basement in the presence of time dependent periodic variations of barometric pressure and a persistent under-pressure at the basement. Our results of transient air flow show that for a homogeneous soil medium, the effects of barometric fluctuations are most significant in the cases where soil permeability to air is low and the fluctuation frequency is high. In these cases, the barometric fluctuation can greatly enhance the magnitude of fluxes as well as introduce flow direction reversals from surrounding soil into the basement. These large fluxes with direction reversals have strong implications in regard to advective transport of radon. Our results suggest that the transient oscillations have to be accounted for in quantifying radon entry into buildings. In the actual field set up, the transient behavior will be further influenced by soil permeability heterogeneity, by soil moisture variations, and by the effects of multiple periodic components in the barometric pressure fluctuations.
A decade of vibrational micro-spectroscopy of human cells and tissue (1994–2004)

Instrumentation used in infrared microspectroscopy (IR-MSP) permits the acquisition of spectra from samples as small as 100 pg (10−10 g), and as small as 1 pg for Raman microspectroscopy (RA-MSP). This, in turn, allows the acquisition of spectral data from objects as small as fractions of human cells, and of small regions of microtome tissue sections. Since vibrational spectroscopy is exquisitely sensitive to the biochemical composition of the sample, and variations therein, it is possible to monitor metabolic processes in tissue and cells, and to construct spectral maps based on thousands of IR spectra collected from pixels of tissue. These images, in turn, reveal information on tissue structure, distribution of cellular components, metabolic activity and state of health of cells and tissue.
Sinus Node Dysfunction Secondary to Hyperparathyroidism

We present two patients who were diagnosed with symptomatic sinus node dysfunction in the setting of hypercalcemia secondary to hyperparathyroidism. An extensive review of the literature has not revealed previous reports of this pathologic process.
Dynamics of optical-field-ionized plasmas for x-ray lasers

The success of recombination-pumped x-ray laser schemes is determined by the kinetics of ions in plasmas with relatively dense, cold-electron distributions. We examine how laser gain in such systems is affected by a multipeaked electron distribution generated by sequential ionization of atoms using high-intensity, ultrashort-pulse lasers. We also investigate the role of heating processes that modify electron energy distributions during the recombination and the accompanying collisional cascade. We find that conditions for the success of these schemes are critically modified by the inclusion of these effects.
Weaving Mathematical Instructional Strategies Into Inclusive Settings

In order to facilitate the successful inclusion of students with disabilities into general education mathematics classes, efforts must be made to explicitly examine how the needs of these students can be reconciled with the direction of mathematics reform. This article describes a framework that allows teachers in inclusive settings to interweave together instructional strategies from a variety of paradigms in order to meet individual learning needs in an environment that embraces current reform initiatives. Factors to be considered in the instructional decision-making process are highlighted, and an instructional continuum from more teacher-centered strategies to more student-centered strategies is described.
A family history study of intermittent explosive disorder.

Abstract Background Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) is newly appreciated as a commonly occurring disorder of impulsive aggression. Since aggression and impulsivity are under genetic influence, IED may be familial. Methods Blinded and controlled family history study of IED and co-morbid conditions in an outpatient clinical research center for impulsive aggression. The subjects were first-degree relatives of individuals who did and did not meet criteria for IED by DSM-IV and Research Criteria. Results Elevated Morbid Risk of IED was observed in relatives of IED Probands compared with relatives of Non-IED Probands. This familial signal of IED was not affected by comorbidity in the IED Probands of comorbidity in the relatives of the IED Probands. Conclusions IED, as defined by research criteria, appears to be familial and may not be an artifact of other co-morbid conditions.
On fault-tolerant fixed routing in hypercubes

Abstract In this paper, we study the survival route graphs of hybercubes when the number of faults exceeds the node connectivity. For obvious reasons, we consider a restricted class of fault occurrences where all the neigbors of a node are not faulty. It is known that in an n-dimensional hybercube, there exists a minimum distance routing such that the diameter of the survival route graph is at most 2 when the number of node faults is fewer than the node connectivity n. We show that with this restricted fault occurrence, even with as many as 2n−3 node faults, the hypercube remains connected and there exists a minimum distance routing such that the diameter of the survival route graph is at most 4.
Fourier transform moiré strain analysis by using cross gratings produced from iron-on paper and inkjet printer

Due to the advance in digital image acquisition systems, optical methods for measurement have become more and more popular. The Moire effect is a well-known method which can be used to measure in-plane and out-of-plane deformations. Fourier transform moire method and grid method (FTMGM) is an excellent method for full-field, large in-plane deformation measurement, and can be implemented for the in-plane strain measurement of polymeric materials. An easy and inexpensive method to prepare gratings on specimens for FTMGM is presented. In order to demonstrate this method, a cross grating was generated and was put onto a notched photoelastic plastic sheet. The subsequent fringe and strain analysis was carried out by a toolbox developed by the authors under the MATLAB environment.
Structural studies of trimeric pyridinium carboxylate carboxylic acid cocrystals

Abstract The synthesis and crystal structures of pyridinium 4-nitrobenzoate 4-nitrobenzoic acid (structure 1), 2-vinylpyridinium 4-nitrobenzoate 4-nitrobenzoic acid (structure 2), and 2-vinylpyridinium 3,5-dinitrobenzoate 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (structure 3) are described. Despite recrystallization of 1:1 solutions of pyridine and carboxylic acid, crystals constructed of 1:1:1 pyridinium carboxylate and carboxylic acid molecules form. These unusual discrete molecular trimers are linked by N+–H ⋯ O− and O–H ⋯ O hydrogen bonds. The formation of the hydrogen bond patterns for structures 1 to 3 and the role of π-stacking on molecular arrangements in these systems are discussed.
Wavefront Control Algorithms and Analysis for a Dense Adaptive Optics System with Segmented Primary Mirror

This paper presents the development and analysis of a wavefront control strategy for a dense adaptive optics system with segmented primary mirror.
Prevention of Group B Streptococcus Early-onset Neonatal Sepsis: Comparison of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Screening-Based Protocol to a Risk-Based Protocol in Infants at Greater Than 37 Weeks' Gestation

OBJECTIVE: To compare the Center for Disease Control consensus guidelines' screening-based strategy to a risk-based strategy as regards the incidence of early-onset group B streptococcus (GBS) infection among term infants. STUDY DESIGN: A cohort of university hospital prenatal clinic mother–infant pairs who were screened for GBS at 35 to 37 weeks' gestation were compared to a matched control group of unscreened mother–infant pairs from the outreach satellite prenatal clinics who delivered at the same institution during the same time period. GBS screening was carried out with rectovaginal cultures plated on selective media. GBS-positive women received antimicrobial prophylaxis in labor whereas women of unknown GBS status were only treated intrapartum if they had a risk factor for GBS infection. Principal outcome variables included incidence of cases of neonatal early-onset GBS sepsis (blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid positive for GBS), incidence of cases of strongly suspected GBS sepsis (culture negative), and incidence of neonatal sepsis with non-GBS organisms. RESULTS: There were 3164 screened mother–infant pairs who were compared to 2684 unscreened pairs. The incidence of GBS carriage was 13.3%. A random sample of 420 screened women were compared to a matched sample of 407 women of unknown GBS carrier status for characterization of demographics and risk factors. No cases of documented GBS sepsis occurred in the infants of the screened women, but four cases occurred among the infants of the women who did not undergo screening (incidence 1.5/1000) (p=0.04), only one of whom had a risk factor for GBS infection. Cases of suspected but culture negative sepsis were not more common in the screened population when compared to the unscreened. There was one case of Escherichia coli sepsis in an infant of a mother in the unscreened group. CONCLUSIONS: GBS screening at 35 to 37 weeks, with intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis of carriers, decreased the incidence of neonatal early-onset GBS sepsis and appears to have advantages over treatment based on risk factors alone in term infants.
The Conticomputer system a commodities database

A computer system used to support the technical research department of Conti Commodity is described. The system is installed on a Data General Eclipse S/200 computer and has been in operation since June, 1976. It is centered around a 12MB database of commodity prices and includes plotter and communication software.
A C15 aldehyde from Cucumis sativus

Abstract cis -8-Pentadecenal was isolated from a concentrate of cucumber volatiles and characterized by spectral analyses and ozonolysis. The biochemical origin of this compound and other long chain aldehydes isolated from cucumber is discussed.
Major trends in leaf wax abundance, δ2H and δ13C values along leaf venation in five species of C3 plants: Physiological and geochemical implications

Abstract Hydrogen and carbon isotope ratios of terrestrial plant leaf wax are powerful paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental proxies. However, further research on the underlying controls of the chemical and isotopic composition is needed in order to more quantitatively infer past climate and environmental conditions. There are systematic molecular and isotopic trends along leaves of a C 4 grass Miscanthus , but whether such patterns also occur in other plant types is unclear. Here we determined intra-leaf variability in leaf wax abundance and isotope ratios for five terrestrial C 3 plants. All species showed a general increasing base-to-tip trend in leaf wax abundance, suggesting a physiological need for more leaf wax in outer leaf sections. The hydrogen isotope values showed base-to-tip deuterium enrichment in all plants, but carbon isotope values showed base-to-tip 13 C depletion in most species. Such intra-leaf isotopic distributions are similar to those in the C 4 grass Miscanthus , suggesting similar underlying controls. While leaf wax hydrogen isotopic ratio values in general followed similar trends to corresponding leaf water, we found a significant reduction in hydrogen isotopic fractionation at the base of leaves (most pronounced for Dactylis glomerata ). We attribute this to the utilization of isotopically enriched glucose transported from outer leaf sections for leaf wax synthesis at the base. The transported sugars were enriched in deuterium because of preferential consumption of 2 H-depleted resources during metabolism in outer sections, in addition to biosynthesis using 2 H-enriched leaf water.
Inhibitory effect of valproic acid on ovarian androgen biosynthesis in rat theca-interstitial cells

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of valproic acid (VPA) on ovarian androgen biosynthesis in primary cultures of theca-interstitial (T-I) cells isolated from rat ovaries. Ovarian T-I cells were cultured with VPA in the presence or absence of hCG. VPA did not increase basal or hCG-stimulated androgen synthesis when added to primary cultures of T-I cells. However, the addition of VPA caused a marked concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on hCG-stimulated androstendione synthesis. Treatment of T-I cells with 8-Bromo-cAMP resulted in a marked increase in the production of androstenedione, and VPA inhibited this stimulatory effect, suggesting that the mechanism of VPA’s inhibitory effect on androstenedione production occurs at a step after second messenger activation. Treatment of T-I cells with hCG resulted in a significant increase in the mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes CYP17A1 and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Addition of VPA sharply blunted the stimulatory effect of hCG, reducing the mRNA expression of the steroidogenic enzymes to basal levels. In conclusion, VPA exerts an inhibitory effect on hCG-stimulated androgen synthesis in rat T-I cells.
The binding number of a graph and its cliques

We consider the binding numbers of K"r-free graphs, and improve the upper bounds on the binding number which force a graph to contain a clique of order r. For the case r=4, we provide a construction for K"4-free graphs which have a larger binding number than the previously known constructions. This leads to a counterexample to a conjecture by Caro regarding the neighborhoods of independent sets.
One-Component, Low-Temperature, and Fast Cure Epoxy Encapsulant With High Refractive Index for LED Applications

The cationic polymerization of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) using a latent cationic thermal initiator, ammonium antimony hexafluoride, and the effect of addition of cycloaliphatic epoxy resin on the polymerization were studied with DSC, TGA, and hardness measurement. It was found that the cationically polymerized DGEBA at 0.5 phr initiator level gives the best compromise of chemical reactivity and optical properties, and therefore is suitable for light emitting diodes (LED) applications as an optically transparent encapsulant. This encapsulant, on one hand, is room temperature stable for at least six months, yet cures fast at low temperature, on the other hand. Moreover, the encapsulant has a high refractive index of 1.6 resulting from the high density of aromatic structure in the cross-linked network. Packaged with this encapsulant, the LED device is shown to exhibit an increased light output as demonstrated by both simulation and experimental measurement. The introduced system provides a new one-component encapsulant that is optically transparent, cures fast at low temperature with no sacrifice of room temperature stability, and has high refractive index at the same time.
A Desires Congruency Model of Consumer Satisfaction

The disconfirmation of expectations model has been increasingly criticized in recent years and, as a result, standards other than expectations have been suggested. The present research proposes consumer desires, based on means-end theory, as the comparison standard. Results of an experiment show that the extent to which performance is congruent with desires is a powerful antecedent to satisfaction, while the effect of disconfirmation of expectations is nonsignificant.
Inhibition of orthotopic human bladder tumor growth by lentiviral gene transfer of endostatin

Purpose: Inhibitors of endothelial cell proliferation, such as endostatin, result in suppression of tumor-associated angiogenesis and can achieve growth-inhibitory effects depending on the type of tumor treated. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether local overexpression of endostatin could serve to diminish tumor growth of bladder cancer in vivo . Experimental Design: We examined the capability of lentiviral-mediated gene transfer in vitro and therapeutic effects of lentivirus-based vectors expressing endostatin on tumor growth using an orthotopic human bladder tumor model. Results: We found that self-inactivating lentivirus vectors containing green fluorescent protein, alone or in combination with endostatin, were capable of efficient and stable gene transfer to a variety of human bladder tumor cell lines. The production and secretion of endostatin from lentivirus-transduced KU-7 human bladder cancer cells was confirmed by Western blot and competitive enzyme immunoassay. Intravesical instillation of untransduced, green fluorescent protein control lentivirus-transduced, and endostatin-transduced KU-7 cells was performed in murine models to establish orthotopic tumors. Sustained long-term expression of endostatin was achieved in lentivirus-transduced orthotopic bladder tumors, and it was associated with decreased vascularization and inhibition of tumor growth. Lentivirus vector-mediated overexpression of endostatin did not affect the intrinsic production of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. Conclusions: These findings suggest that lentivirus-mediated gene transfer might represent an effective strategy for expression of angioinhibitory peptides to achieve inhibition of human bladder cancer proliferation and tumor progression.
The polymerase chain reaction

The development of a new technology can lead to novel approaches to answering current scientific questions. A new technology can also often lead to the framing of scientific questions that previously were considered intractable and not amenable to experimental investigation. The recombinant DNA revolution, Southern blotting and DNA sequencing are examples of technologies that have had such an impact on the biological sciences. Recently, a new molecular biological technique, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed. This method of in vitro gene amplification can in many circumstances simplify the standard procedures for cloning, analyzing and modifying nucleic acids. However, besides simplifying many recombinant DNA methodologies, PCR has opened the door to the investigation of a number of biological questions that heretofore were considered unanswerable. In this review, the basic principles of PCR along with modifications of the basic scheme will be discussed. The application of these methods to a number of standard genetic engineering procedures will be reviewed. Important factors that need to be taken into consideration in designing experiments using PCR are also examined.
Tell me more: The effects of expressed interest on receptiveness during dialog

Two studies investigated the effect of expressed interest on individuals’ openness to opposing viewpoints and perceptions of debate counterparts. Participants in Study 1 engaged in an online conversation with a purported debate counterpart who did or did not express interest in the participants’ viewpoint by asking an elaboration question—that is, a question geared at soliciting additional information. Compared to control participants, participants who received a question rated their debate counterpart more favorably, were more willing to engage in future interaction with their counterpart, and acted in a more receptive manner. Study 2 tested the effects of instructions to prepare elaboration questions on listeners’ responses to a speaker offering counter-attitudinal arguments. Preparing questions caused participants to be more open to the idea of having a conversation with the speaker, to make more positive attributions about typical proponents of the speaker’s viewpoint, and to judge the conclusions of the speech as more valid. Theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed.
A simulation study of a MAC layer protocol for wireless networks with asymmetric links

Asymmetric links are common in wireless networks for a variety of physical, logical, operational, and legal considerations. An asymmetric link supports uni-directional communication between a pair of mobile stations and requires a set of relay stations for the transmission of packets in the other direction. We introduce a MAC layer protocol for wireless networks with Asymmetric links (AMAC). The MAC layer protocol requires fewer nodes to maintain silence during a transmission exchange than the protocols proposed in [1, 2]. We present a set of concepts and metrics characterizing the ability of a medium access control protocol to silence nodes which could cause collisions.
The Gold Rush Origins of California's Wheat Economy

This paper explores the near-simultaneous development of the gold rush and grain production in California during the early 1850s. Economic models predict that the production of tradable goods such as wheat are unlikely during a mineral boom due to the availability of imports and the high cost of labor and other inputs. Historians have emphasized the effects of immigration and the increase in the size of the local market. A closer examination of the timing and sequencing of production shifts shows that a decline in tradable goods production fits the California case relatively well. In addition, including the timing of technological changes in mining, the use of native American labor, California's relative isolation from the North Atlantic economy, and the discovery of gold in Australia
TAJ: effective taint analysis of web applications

Taint analysis, a form of information-flow analysis, establishes whether values from untrusted methods and parameters may flow into security-sensitive operations. Taint analysis can detect many common vulnerabilities in Web applications, and so has attracted much attention from both the research community and industry. However, most static taint-analysis tools do not address critical requirements for an industrial-strength tool. Specifically, an industrial-strength tool must scale to large industrial Web applications, model essential Web-application code artifacts, and generate consumable reports for a wide range of attack vectors.We have designed and implemented a static Taint Analysis for Java (TAJ) that meets the requirements of industry-level applications. TAJ can analyze applications of virtually any size, as it employs a set of techniques designed to produce useful answers given limited time and space. TAJ addresses a wide variety of attack vectors, with techniques to handle reflective calls, flow through containers, nested taint, and issues in generating useful reports. This paper provides a description of the algorithms comprising TAJ, evaluates TAJ against production-level benchmarks, and compares it with alternative solutions.
Fire and rain: a look at Shen Nung the Divine Farmer) and his ties with Yen Ti (the .

Up to this point I have attempted to show how Shen Nung was portrayed in late Warring States and early Han texts. I have also reviewed what we know about Nung (or Chu) and Lieh Shan shih, Keng-fu (Plough Father), and T'ien-tsu (Field Ancestor), since it may be one or all four of these figures that comes to be known as Shen Nung.We can argue nothing for certain on this, and certainly T'ien-tsu in the Shih, was, we assume, a god of the Chou. But that point aside, there seems to be good reason to think that Shen Nung was originally a farming god of the Shang people. He is the hero who invented the plough, and the god to whom they turned when they needed rain. Ultimately, this may have been Hsieh, the first-born of the Shang people, known to us in our texts as Shu-chun or Yi-chun. That Shen Nung would become prominent only in texts that date from the late Chou should be no surprise; we should expect him to be overshadowed in early Chou times by their hero Hou Chi.It is important to keep in mind as we proceed that in the materials we have examined so far, we have seen repeated references to ‘fire’ and ‘rain’ and ‘drought’. Ritual ways of producing rainfall and combating the drought could involve fire (yen-huo, in Shih, 211); they might also involve ‘invocations’, charging the drought demon to ‘Go to the north!’ (Shan-hai ching).
Experiments on peeling

The force required to peel an aluminum (or nickel) ribbon glued to a rigid glass plate with a polyethylene or polyvinyl acetate was determined. It proved to be smaller than expected (from a theory, partly new) both for adhesives which were almost Hookean solids and for those whose stress-strain curve could approximately be represented as stress = const. (strain)0.5. In the latter group, the difference between the theory and the experiment was due to stress concentrations at the right-hand and the left-hand edges of the adhesive layer; these stress concentrations formed because, when a pull was applied, the adhesive contracted in the directions perpendicular to that of pull. As a consequence of this effect, the peeling force W0 was not proportional to the width w of the ribbon; sometimes, a linear relation W0 = aw + b seemed to be valid. On the other hand, near-Hookean adhesives of a low total elongation required a peeling force proportional to w; the stress concentration dangerous for these materials occurred at the boundary between the adhesive and the bent ribbon at the sharp bend. The damage to the brittle adhesive caused by the ribbon deformation could be reproduced without bending, namely by extension of the ribbon beyond its yield strength.
An Enrollment Marketing Plan for Institutions of Higher Learning: An Update

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to present a timely marketing plan (or model), showing several strategies and contingency plans that might allow institutional leadership to act decisively and successfully during these difficult enrollment years. This plan exposes the reader to an orderly transfer from one enrollment marketing stage to the next logical stage. It permits the user the ability to exert some control over both the internal and external environment, and should help the user to better understand the delicate interaction that exists between activities and components critical to the enrollment process. This paper presents an updated presentation of previous work done by the author in this area.
Analysis of a liquid-assisted molding process for coating microchannels with an ultraviolet curable polymer

Injection molding can be altered to form hollow parts by partially pre-filling a mold with polymer melt and then injecting a gas into the mold before cooling. The gas will core the center section and in the process force melt into the unfilled portions of the mold. This process is called gas-assisted injection molding (GAIM) and is a thoroughly studied polymer processing technique. Liquid-assisted molding follows the same principles as GAIM, except the coring fluid is a liquid of low viscosity. Liquid-assisted molding of an ultraviolet (UV) curable polymer can be used to coat microchannels, the benefit of which being a smooth and circular cross-section. Presented here are experiments of the controlled microchannel flow of a long, immiscible liquid thread through a viscous UV curable polymer. The roles of channel geometry and bubble velocity are discussed for square, rectangular, and circular microchannels. Finally, a quasi-analytical model for calculating the Newtonian coating fluid thickness, when the coring fluid is driven by a constant pressure, was developed using the equation for Poiseuille-like flow within a square channel. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
A New MPI Implementation for Cray SHMEM

Previous implementations of MPICH using the CraySHMEM interface existed for the Cray T3 series of machines, but these implementations were abandoned after the T3 series was discontinued. However, support for the Cray SHMEM programming interface has continued on other platforms, including commodity clusters built using the Quadrics QsNet network. In this paper, we describe a design for MPI that overcomes some of the limitations of the previous implementations. We compare the performance of the SHMEM MPI implementation with the native implementation for Quadrics QsNet. Results show that our implementation is faster for certain message sizes for some micro-benchmarks.
An Evolutionary Model of Bounded Rationality and Intelligence

Background: Most economic theories are based on the premise that individuals maximize their own self-interest and correctly incorporate the structure of their environment into all decisions, thanks to human intelligence. The influence of this paradigm goes far beyond academia–it underlies current macroeconomic and monetary policies, and is also an integral part of existing financial regulations. However, there is mounting empirical and experimental evidence, including the recent financial crisis, suggesting that humans do not always behave rationally, but often make seemingly random and suboptimal decisions. Methods and Findings: Here we propose to reconcile these contradictory perspectives by developing a simple binarychoice model that takes evolutionary consequences of decisions into account as well as the role of intelligence, which we define as any ability of an individual to increase its genetic success. If no intelligence is present, our model produces results consistent with prior literature and shows that risks that are independent across individuals in a generation generally lead to risk-neutral behaviors, but that risks that are correlated across a generation can lead to behaviors such as risk aversion, loss aversion, probability matching, and randomization. When intelligence is present the nature of risk also matters, and we show that even when risks are independent, either risk-neutral behavior or probability matching will occur depending upon the cost of intelligence in terms of reproductive success. In the case of correlated risks, we derive an implicit formula that shows how intelligence can emerge via selection, why it may be bounded, and how such bounds typically imply the coexistence of multiple levels and types of intelligence as a reflection of varying environmental conditions. Conclusions: Rational economic behavior in which individuals maximize their own self interest is only one of many possible types of behavior that arise from natural selection. The key to understanding which types of behavior are more likely to survive is how behavior affects reproductive success in a given population’s environment. From this perspective, intelligence is naturally defined as behavior that increases the probability of reproductive success, and bounds on rationality are determined by physiological and environmental constraints.
microRNA-17–92 Regulates IL-10 Production by Regulatory T Cells and Control of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

microRNAs (miRNA) are essential for regulatory T cell (Treg) function but little is known about the functional relevance of individual miRNA loci. We identified the miR-17-92 cluster as CD28 costimulation dependent, suggesting that it may be key for Treg development and function. Although overall immune homeostasis was maintained in mice with miR-17-92-deficient Tregs, expression of the miR-17-92 miRNA cluster was critical for Treg accumulation and function during an acute organ-specific autoimmune disease in vivo. Treg-specific loss of miR-17-92 expression resulted in exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalitis and failure to establish clinical remission. Using peptide-MHC tetramers, we demonstrate that the miR-17-92 cluster was specifically required for the accumulation of activated Ag-specific Treg and for differentiation into IL-10-producing effector Treg.
Cholesterol Oxides in Commercial Dry Egg Products: Isolation and Identification

5α-Cholestan-5,6α epoxy-3β-ol (cholesterol α-oxide) and 5β-cholestan-5,6β-epoxy-3β-ol (cholesterol β-oxide) were isolated from freshly dehydrated commercial whole egg and yolk powders. The isolates were shown to have identical HPLC retention volumes to those of synthesized cholesterol α- and β-oxides, respectively. Their mass (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (IR) spectra were also proven to be identical. Cholesterol oxides found in dehydrated egg products may have been formed during the commercial drying process since no oxides were found in fresh shell eggs nor in the egg samples lyophilized in the laboratory.
Poly(n-butyl acrylate)/polystyrene interpenetrating polymer networks and related materials. III. Effect of grafting level and molecular weight in semi-2 IPNs

A series of poly(n-butyl acrylate)/polystyrene IPNs and semi-1 IPNs with deliberately controlled graft levels were synthesized via a urethane chemical coupling method. Also prepared were a series of semi-2 IPNs with the molecular weight of polymer II as the variable. The more highly grafted IPNs displayed poorly defined morphologies in which the domain structures were irregular and phase domain boundaries were characterized by fibrillar and interphase regions. A single glass transition peak was another feature of the more highly grafted IPNs. Polymer network II formed in the presence of linear polymer I results in morphologies dependent on the molecular weight of linear polymers. In the semi-2 IPNs, polymer I molecular weights below Mv = 20,000 caused polymer I to behave like a plasticizer or a diluent. The domain sizes of semi-2 IPNs agree with theoretical predictions developed by the present authors.
When is two better than one? How federalism mitigates and intensifies imperfect political competition

The current paper models power-maximizing politicians’ behavior subject to imperfect political competition and perfect citizen mobility. It then analyzes the welfare implications of federal and non-federal structures. The model abstracts from both heterogeneous preferences (the most common argument in favor of federalism) and externalities (the most common argument against), showing that even in this simplified setting federalism has important welfare implications. There is one class of equilibria in which more federalism has the purely beneficial effect of offsetting imperfections in the political process. However, there is also a second class of equilibria in which citizen mobility makes political imperfections more severe by creating ‘safe districts’ for both political parties. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Swarming Dates and Distribution of Zootermopsis laticeps Banks (Isoptera: Termopsidae) Alates in El Paso County, Texas

Abstract Limited information is available concerning the dispersal and frequency of swarming behavior of Zootermopsis laticeps Banks (Isoptera: Termopsidae) in Texas. Almost all information known about this termite species in Texas comes from the extreme western part of the state around the El Paso area. During 1983–1986, light traps were placed at 10 sites within El Paso County to collect Z. laticeps alates during the annual swarming season. Percentage recovery and location of this poorly understood termite were measured. During 1983–1985, 1731 alate termites (97% of the catch) were collected from only two light traps located along the Rio Grande River. Few termites were collected from other collecting sites away from the Rio Grande River. There was no relationship between precipitation and swarming of Z. laticeps. Environmental considerations are discussed for the occurrences of this species in west Texas.
Cognitive Dissonance and the Perception of Natural Environments

Two studies demonstrated that the motivation to resolve cognitive dissonance affects the visual perception of physical environments. In Study 1, subjects crossed a campus quadrangle wearing a costume reminiscent of Carmen Miranda. In Study 2, subjects pushed themselves up a hill while kneeling on a skateboard. Subjects performed either task under a high-choice, low-choice, or control condition. Subjects in the high-choice conditions, presumably to resolve dissonance, perceived the environment to be less aversive than did subjects in the low-choice and control conditions, seeing a shorter distance to travel (Study 1) and a shallower slope to climb (Study 2). These studies suggest that the impact of motivational states extends from social judgment down into perceptual processes.
Immunohistochemical expression of cyclin D1, E2F-1, and Ki-67 in benign and malignant thyroid lesions.

Cyclin D1 and E2F-1 proteins are essential for the regulation of the G1/S transition through the cell cycle. Cyclin D1, a product of the bcl-1 gene, phosphorylates the retinoblastoma protein, releasing E2F-1, which in turn activates genes involved in DNA synthesis. Expression patterns of E2F-1 protein in thyroid proliferations have not been reported. This study used monoclonal antibodies for cyclin D1 and E2F-1 proteins to immunostain sections of normal thyroid, hyperplastic (cellular) nodules, follicular adenomas, follicular carcinomas, and papillary carcinomas. The proliferation rate was examined using an antibody specific for the Ki-67 antigen. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods and chromosome 11-specific probes were also employed to determine chromosome copy number and to assess for evidence of amplification at the 11q13 locus in papillary and follicular carcinomas with cyclin D1 overexpression. Concurrent overexpression of Ki-67, cyclin D1, and E2F-1 was found in the majority of benign and malignant thyroid lesions, compared with normal thyroid tissue. Cyclin D1 up-regulation was not due to extra copies of chromosome 11, or bcl-1 gene amplification. Malignant tumours showed the highest expression for all three markers, particularly papillary carcinomas. E2F-1 was detected at the same or slightly lower levels than cyclin D1. It was only found when cyclin D1 was overexpressed. Because cyclin D1 normally activates E2F-1, up-regulation of cyclin D1 may lead to E2F-1 overexpression in benign and malignant thyroid lesions.
Open cellular structure in marine stratocumulus sheets

[1] Geostationary and Sun-synchronous satellite data and in situ observations from ship cruises are used to investigate the formation of open cellular structure in marine stratocumulus clouds over the southeast Pacific (SEP). Open cellular convection either forms spontaneously as pockets of open cells (POCs) within overcast stratocumulus, or is advected into the region from midlatitude regions. POC formation occurs most frequently during the latter part of the night, demonstrating that this transition is not caused by solar absorption-driven decoupling. The transition preferentially occurs in clouds with low 11–3.9 μm nighttime brightness temperature difference (BTD) which is found to be well correlated with both in situ measured accumulation mode aerosol concentration and cloud droplet concentration estimates derived from MODIS. Besides indicating that nighttime BTD is an excellent proxy for stratocumulus cloud droplet concentration Nd, this also suggests that low aerosol concentrations favor POC formation. Indeed, extremely low accumulation mode aerosol concentrations are found during the passage of open cell events over the ship. Free-tropospheric moisture is not found to be an important factor in POC formation. Significant subseasonal variability occurs in the fractional coverage of open cellular convection over the broader SEP. This coverage is well correlated with a MODIS-derived drizzle proxy (MDP) proportional to the ratio of liquid water path (LWP) to Nd for predominantly overcast regions. Both LWP and Nd variability influences the MDP. Periods of low MDP have significant positive large-scale Nd anomalies and are preceded by offshore winds at 850 hPa, which suggests a potential continental influence upon open cell formation over the SEP. Together, the results suggest important two-way interactions between aerosols and drizzle in marine stratocumulus and a role for drizzle in modulating the large-scale albedo of these cloud systems.
Shading Effects on Susceptibility of Rosa spp. to Defoliation by Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Abstract Published anecdotal reports suggest that Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica Newman, feed more heavily on host plants growing in full sun than on shaded plants. We studied the effects of shading on foliar characteristics of roses (Rosa variety floribunda ‘Class Act’) and determined preference and fecundity of beetles provided with sun- or shade-conditioned leaves. Defoliation by P. japonica also was compared between sun-grown and experimentally shaded roses in the field. Leaves from plants grown in full sun were smaller and thicker than ones from shaded plants, with slightly higher tannins. Leaf toughness and nitrogen levels were not affected by shading, but leaves from sun-grown plants had relatively higher sugar content. Beetles consistently consumed more foliage from sun-grown plants than from shade-grown plants in laboratory preference tests. However, beetles fed continuously for 2 wk on leaves from sun- or shade-grown plants had similar fecundity. In the field, beetles fed somewhat more heav...
A kinematic approach to segmented-trajectory generation for the total loss of thrust emergency

AbstractContemporary twin-engine airliners are more vulnerable to total loss of thrust than yesterday's three and four engine airliners, due to reduced engine redundancy. In the event of a total loss of thrust, flight crews have only one chance for landing, because the aircraft cannot gain altitude. Therefore, there is a pressing need to explore the idea of an engines-out landing trajectory optimization for commercial jets. A few past studies addressed this safety issue for general aviation aircraft and fighter jets but not commercial jets, primarily because the essential aircraft-specific aero-dynamic data are not publicly available. To fill in this gap, this study adopts a kinematic approach to aircraft trajectory optimization. Unlike conventional trajectory optimization methods, the kinematic algorithm requires minimal amount of aircraft-specific aerodynamic data that can be effortlessly collected in a full flight simulator. The paper describes the kinematic algorithm and applies it to a realistic bird...
A Review of: “Groups: Applying the Functional Group Model, edited by Sharan L. Schwartzberg, Margot C. Howe, & Mary Alicia Barnes, 2008”

Occupational therapy is often confused with other rehabilitative professions. On the surface, skills seem to overlap with physical therapy, athletic trainers, recreational therapy, music therapy, s...
BET1, BOS1, and SEC22 are members of a group of interacting yeast genes required for transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex.

Abstract A subset of the genes required for transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to interact genetically. While screening a yeast genomic library for genes complementing the ER-accumulating mutant bet1 (A. Newman and S. Ferro-Novick, J. Cell Biol. 105: 1587-1594, 1987), we isolated BET1 and BOS1 (bet one suppressor). BOS1 suppresses bet1-1 in a gene dosage-dependent manner, providing greater suppression when it is introduced on a multicopy vector than when one additional copy is present. The BET1 and BOS1 genes are not functionally equivalent; overproduction of BOS1 does not alleviate the lethality associated with disruption of BET1. We also identified a pattern of genetic interactions among these genes and another gene implicated in transport from the ER to the Golgi complex: SEC22. Overproduction of either BET1 or BOS1 suppresses the growth and secretory defects of the sec22-3 mutant over a wide range of temperatures. Further evidence for genetic interaction was provided by the finding that a bet1 sec22 double mutant is inviable. Another mutant which is blocked in transport from the ER to the Golgi complex, sec21-1, demonstrates a more limited ability to be suppressed by the BET1 gene. The interactions we observed are specific for genes required for transport from the ER to the Golgi complex. The products of the genes involved are likely to have a direct role in transport, as bet1-1 and sec22-3 begin to display their mutant phenotypes within 5 min of a shift to the restrictive temperature.
T.P.39 Building muscle with myostatin inhibitors

Abstract Therapeutic inhibition of myostatin (GDF8) has been considered one obvious approach that could provide significant benefit in indications such as sarcopenia, cachexia and the muscular dystrophies. Several approaches have been taken to develop muscle building therapies by neutralizing GDF8 activity. A highly efficacious, but non-selective ActRIIb receptor fusion (ACE-031) showed promising results, however the program stalled due to safety liabilities. In contrast, the selective antibody MYO-029 failed to show improvements on efficacy endpoints. In light of these data, it has been important to gain confidence in this mechanism by learning from the past and by continued preclinical testing of GDF8 inhibitor effects. We have been able to show that ActRIIb·Fc was able to attenuate muscle atrophy associated with glucocorticoids, cancer cachexia, immobilization, and tendon transection in preclinical studies. The role of satellite cells versus protein synthesis are still not resolved with respect to muscle mass increases observed after treatment with inhibitors. To examine one aspect, the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, was used to inhibit muscle growth during ActRIIb·Fc treatment. The results showed the anabolic response was maintained in the presence of rapamycin, suggesting other pathways may be involved in the muscle growth observed. Further, gene expression studies looked for other candidate pathways and found only a small number of highly regulated genes. ActRIIb·Fc was shown to attenuate Murf1/MafBx expression, suggesting a link to that pathway. Concerns around the role of myostatin on specific force and tendon stiffness led us to examine GDF8−/− mice and mice treated with inhibitors. Only the GDF8−/− showed reduced specific force while tendon function was unchanged in all animals. Continued study of the GDF8 pathway has provided further support that inhibitors have significant potential to improve muscle function in a number of indications associated with muscle frailty.
A highly conserved surface loop in the C-terminal domain of ovotransferrin (residues 570-584) is remote from the receptor-binding site.

A peptide corresponding to a surface loop in the C-terminal domain of chicken ovotransferrin (residues 570-584) was made by solid-phase synthesis and used to immunize rabbits. A 15-amino acid-residue disulphide-linked loop occurs in both domains of all five transferrins for which the sequence is available and lies on the opposite side of the iron-binding site from the interdomain cleft. Polyclonal antibodies to the peptide were specific for non-reduced holo-ovotransferrin and the C-terminal domain, as shown by e.l.i.s.a. and immunoblotting. The antibody did not inhibit binding of ovotransferrin to receptors on chick-embryo reticulocytes but was able to bind ovotransferrin bound to the cellular receptors at 0 degree C. The loop composed of residues 570-584 appears to be remote from the transferrin receptor-binding site.
Toward a Good Death: A Socio-legal, Ethical, and Medical Challenge

This chapter recapitulates the positive steps being taken incrementally to promote and ensure that either an ethic or a right to a compassionate death is evolving. The salutary effect of the Uniform Health Care Act in establishing parameters for determining medical futility—taken together with the efforts of the Academy of Palliative Medicine to structure standards for regulating nutrition and hydration in palliative management—and the guidance of the American Medical Association in establishing when it is clinically and ethically proper to sedate to unconsciousness, are powerful paradigms evidencing a new movement toward shaping contemporary standards of normative conduct for end-of-life decision making. Of necessity, these standards are grounded in notions of compassion, dignity, beneficence and common sense.