cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards In Silico Bioprinting

Bioprinting is a computer-controlled procedure for building three-dimensional tissue constructs via layer-by-layer delivery of cells and supportive hydrogels. To describe the post-printing self-assembly of multicellular structures, we performed computer simulations that incorporate a basic principle of developmental biology, the differential adhesion hypothesis (DAH). DAH states that cell motility combined with differences in the adhesive properties of different cell types yields tissue conformations with the largest number of strong bonds between cells. Metropolis Monte Carlo (MMC) simulations based on DAH predicted the emergence of long-lived structures (cell sheets, toroidal and tubular constructs) in accord with experiments. The MMC method, however, does not describe time evolution. We propose a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) approach, where transition rates are associated with possible rearrangements of cells. The system is represented on a lattice, with sites occupied either by cells or by volume elements of cell culture medium. We associate rates to swapping cells with nearest neighbors of different types (cells or medium). The new approach was tested against experiments on cell sorting within an aggregate composed of two cell types. In quantitative studies, we determined the time evolution of the interfacial area between two fusing spherical cell aggregates experimentally, analytically and by KMC simulations. In the analytic approach, we used continuum hydrodynamics to describe the coalescence of two identical, highly viscous liquid droplets, and obtained good agreement with experiments on smooth muscle cell aggregates. Apart from the early stages of fusion, the KMC method predicted a fusion pattern similar to the experimental one. Comparison with measurements allowed relating KMC transition rates to experimental time scales. Our results indicate that the KMC method can give an accurate account of the time evolution of complex cellular structures, thus it may be a useful tool for tissue engineering applications. Work supported by NSF-056854.
Kindlin-1 and -2 Directly Bind the C-terminal Region of β Integrin Cytoplasmic Tails and Exert Integrin-specific Activation Effects

Integrin activation, the rapid conversion of integrin adhesion receptors from low to high affinity, occurs in response to intracellular signals that act on the short cytoplasmic tails of integrin β subunits. Talin binding to integrin β tails provides one key activation signal, but additional factors are likely to cooperate with talin to regulate integrin activation. The integrin β tail-binding proteins kindlin-2 and kindlin-3 were recently identified as integrin co-activators. Here we report an analysis of kindlin-1 and kindlin-2 interactions with β1 and β3 integrin tails and describe the effect of kindlin expression on integrin activation. We demonstrate a direct interaction of kindlin-1 and -2 with recombinant integrin β tails in pulldown binding assays. Our mutational analysis shows that the second conserved NXXY motif (Tyr795), a preceding threonine-containing region (Thr788 and Thr789) of the integrin β1A tail, and a conserved tryptophan in the F3 subdomain of the kindlin FERM domain (kindlin-1 Trp612 and kindlin-2 Trp615) are required for direct kindlin-integrin interactions. Similar interactions were observed for integrin β3 tails. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting we further show that transient expression of kindlin-1 or -2 in Chinese hamster ovary cells inhibits the activation of endogenous α5β1 or stably expressed αIIbβ3 integrins. This inhibition is not dependent on direct kindlin-integrin interactions because mutant kindlins exhibiting impaired integrin binding activity effectively inhibit integrin activation. Consistent with previous reports, we find that when co-expressed with the talin head, kindlin-1 or -2 can activate αIIbβ3. This effect is dependent on an intact integrin-binding site in kindlin. Notably however, even when co-expressed with activating levels of talin head, neither kindlin-1 or -2 can cooperate with talin to activate β1 integrins; instead they strongly inhibit talin-mediated activation. We suggest that kindlins are adaptor proteins that regulate integrin activation, that kindlin expression levels determine their effects, and that kindlins may exert integrin-specific effects.
Urine‐marking during agonistic encounters in the bush dog (Speothos venaticus)

During staged encounters, bush dogs of the same sex showed a high level of aggressive-defensive behaviors and a higher than normal frequency of urine-marking. Where dominance was established during encounters, dominant individuals marked more than subordinates. Where dominance was not clearly established, both participants remained aggressive and showed higher than normal levels of marking. Urine-marking appears to communicate aggressiveness and may be used to compensate for the otherwise relatively inconspicuous aggressive and dominance displays of this species.
Grouping multi-item inventory using common cycle periods

Abstract Multi-item inventory control may be simplified by grouping items into subgroups with a common order cycle for all the items in each group. The methods provided in the literature for determination of the order cycle values are either suboptimal or computationally inefficient. This note proposes a procedure which finds the optimal values and is also computationally efficient.
Security in Europe after the cold war, part ii: Russian military options in post‐soviet turmoil

(1993). Security in Europe after the cold war, part ii: Russian military options in post‐soviet turmoil. European Security: Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 365-379.
Strengths and weaknesses in memory.

How memories are formed is an enduring puzzle. Two studies further implicate a process by which synapses in the brain are made weaker, as well as stronger, and provide pointers as to how the two phenomena are regulated.
Health care reform: how personalized medicine could help bundling of care for liver diseases.

The National Health Care Acts in 2010 support bundling of care for certain procedures, a well-known concept from the mid 1980s, defined as a single payment for all costs incurred for treatment of a disease. Bundling of care has been instituted by many including The Texas Heart Institute’s charging a flat fee for coronary artery bypass surgery ($13,800 versus the average Medicare payment of $24,588 at that time).1–3 Predicted to decrease national health care spending by 5.4% between 2010 and 2019, bundling has the potential for maintaining high quality care while reducing financial risk to patients.4,5 Disadvantages of bundling include lack of scientific evidence demonstrating improved health outcomes and its relevance to academic health centers, where innovation in care and education are not factored in with bundled payments.6–10 These uncertainties notwithstanding, bundling is an evolving concept that could help overall healthcare, and concurrently determine cost for a specific disease process at the time of diagnosis.
A Novel Method for Providing Global Assessments of Design Concepts Using Single-Word Adjectives and Semantic Similarity

Engineering design idea-generation sessions often result in dozens, if not hundreds, of ideas. These ideas must be quickly evaluated and filtered in order to select a few candidate concepts to move forward in the design process. While creativity is often stressed in the conceptual phases of design, it receives little attention in these later phases — particularly during concept selection. This is largely because there are no methods for quickly rating or identifying worthwhile creative concepts during this process. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and test a novel method for evaluating the creativity and feasibility of design concepts and compare this method to gold standards in our field. The SCAT method employed in this paper uses word selections and semantic similarity to quickly and effectively evaluate candidate concepts for their creativity and feasibility. This method requires little knowledge of the rating process by the evaluator. We tested this method with 10 engineering designers and three different design tasks. Our results revealed that SCAT ratings can be used as a proxy for measuring design concepts but there are modifications that could enhance its utility. This work contributes to our understanding of how to evaluate creativity after idea generation and provides a framework for further research in this field.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
On the structure of bilirubin in solution. 13C[1H] heteronuclear Overhauser effect NMR analyses in aqueous buffer and organic solvents

Select hydrogen-carbon distances have been determined from 13C[1H] heteronuclear Overhauser effects observed in a 99% carbon-13 enriched 13CO2H bilirubin analog, [8(3), 12(3)-13C2]-mesobilirubin XIII alpha. Analysis of the data confirms that the propionic acid carbonyl lies within hydrogen bonding distance to the dipyrrinone lactam and pyrrole N-H groups in chloroform and indicates, surprisingly, that those distances are only slightly longer in dimethyl sulfoxide solvent or when the carboxyl group is ionized in pH 7.4 aqueous buffered solutions of the pigment. The data supports the presence and persistence of folded, intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded bilirubin conformations in solution.
Reducing false-positive detections by combining two stage-1 computer-aided mass detection algorithms

In this paper we present a strategy for reducing the number of false-positives in computer-aided mass detection. Our approach is to only mark "consensus" detections from among the suspicious sites identified by different "stage-1" detection algorithms. By "stage-1" we mean that each of the Computer-aided Detection (CADe) algorithms is designed to operate with high sensitivity, allowing for a large number of false positives. In this study, two mass detection methods were used: (1) Heath and Bowyer's algorithm based on the average fraction under the minimum filter (AFUM) and (2) a low-threshold bi-lateral subtraction algorithm. The two methods were applied separately to a set of images from the Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) to obtain paired sets of mass candidates. The consensus mass candidates for each image were identified by a logical "and" operation of the two CADe algorithms so as to eliminate regions of suspicion that were not independently identified by both techniques. It was shown that by combining the evidence from the AFUM filter method with that obtained from bi-lateral subtraction, the same sensitivity could be reached with fewer false-positives per image relative to using the AFUM filter alone.
Assessing and Improving the Dimensionality of the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale

Using data from a sample of 776 university employees, this study uses confirmatory factor analysis to assess and then improve the unidimensionality of the two constructs underlying the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale. The process resulted in more parsimonious constructs that demonstrate acceptable reliabilities while retaining their original meanings.
Climate simulations and projections with a super-parameterized climate model

The mean climate and its variability are analyzed in a suite of numerical experiments with a fully coupled general circulation model in which subgrid-scale moist convection is explicitly represented through embedded 2D cloud-system resolving models. Control simulations forced by the present day, fixed atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration are conducted using two horizontal resolutions and validated against observations and reanalyses. The mean state simulated by the higher resolution configuration has smaller biases. Climate variability also shows some sensitivity to resolution but not as uniform as in the case of mean state. The interannual and seasonal variability are better represented in the simulation at lower resolution whereas the subseasonal variability is more accurate in the higher resolution simulation. The equilibrium climate sensitivity of the model is estimated from a simulation forced by an abrupt quadrupling of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. The equilibrium climate sensitivity temperature of the model is 2.77^oC, and this value is slightly smaller than the mean value (3.37^oC) of contemporary models using conventional representation of cloud processes. The climate change simulation forced by the representative concentration pathway 8.5 scenario projects an increase in the frequency of severe droughts over most of the North America.
Preparation and characterization of arsine derivatives: X-ray crystal structures of As (SitBuMe2)3, As (SiMe3)2(SiPh3), Et3Ga · As(SiMe3)2(SiPh3), and As(SePh)3

Abstract : For the last decade, our laboratory has had great interest in the chemistry of silylarsines 1. These compounds, in combination with Group 13 alkyl or halogen derivatives, have been shown to be excellent starting reagents for preparing compounds which contain the Group 13 element-arsenic bond. Although the reactivity of silylarsines is well documented (vide supra), structural characterization data for these species has been limited to solution- and gas-phase measurements 2 due to their non-crystallinity. As a result, unambiguous structural information for these compounds is scant and appears to be limited to lithium-arsenide salts coordinated to donor solvents 3. Therefore, we became interested in preparing organosilylarsines which could find utility in our ongoing investigations of Group 13 element-arsenic compounds and be characterized in the solid-state. In addition to this chemistry, we wished to study systems which focused on the reactions of organosilylarsines with Group 13 and Group 16 derivatives. Through our efforts, we have been able to observe some interesting chemical phenomena and isolate several new compounds (this work). p4
Epigenetic regulation of drug processing genes

Drug processing genes (DPGs), namely uptake transporters, phase-I and phase-II enzymes, as well as efflux transporters are responsible for the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of xenobiotics. The constitutive and/or inducible expression of these DPGs is regulated by a group of nuclear receptors/transcription factors. There is increasing evidence that these DPGs and nuclear receptors are regulated by epigenetic mechanisms, namely DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNAs. Herein, we summarize the current state of knowledge of the epigenetic regulation of these DPGs and nuclear receptors, with particular emphasis on roles of epigenetics in regulating tissue-specific expression, changes in gene expression during development, and alterations of gene expression during carcinogenesis.
A unified approach to parameter estimation

This paper considers parameter estimation under arbitrary statistical environment. Based on an input quantization, the necessary statistical modeling is simplified to just a measurement of some frequencies of occurrence. Under the assumption that the parameter space is a small interval, a locally optimum estimator (LOE) is derived. It is shown that this estimator has a desirable parallel structure for implementation by simple digital hardware. The idea is then extended to the case of a large parameter space for which a G-estimator which consists of an array of identical LOE's is presented. In performance analysis, the estimation of the location parameter of a continuous, unimodel, and symmetric distribution is studied. In this case, it is proved that the G-estimator extends the optimality of a single LOE to the large parameter space.
Isolation and characterization of a zebra finch aromatase cDNA: in situ hybridization reveals high aromatase expression in brain

The brain regions controlling song are much larger in male than in female zebra finches. This sex difference is thought to arise developmentally when the male's brain is exposed to higher levels of estrogen. The synthesis of estrogen from androgen is catalyzed by aromatase, a key enzyme implicated in song development in the zebra finch. To study the role of estrogen synthesis in the organization of brain regions responsible for song, a cDNA encoding aromatase was isolated from a zebra finch ovarian cDNA library. The 3188 bp cDNA contains a 1527 bp open reading frame with 5' and 3' untranslated regions of 116 bp and 1545 bp, respectively. The deduced polypeptide is 509 amino acids in length, and is highly homologous to aromatases reported for chicken (92%), human (72%), mouse (70%), rat (69%) and trout (53%). Northern blot analysis revealed 5.4 kb, 4.8 kb and 3.2 kb aromatase mRNAs in brain and ovary. In situ hybridization histochemistry revealed the expression of aromatase mRNA in ovarian thecal cells of some, but not all, follicles, suggesting that aromatase gene expression is regulated during follicular maturation. In the adult brain, the distribution of aromatase mRNA was surprisingly widespread, and included the preoptic area, hypothalamus, hippocampus and neostriatum. By contrast, little aromatase mRNA expression was noted in the song nuclei (HVC, RA, area X). This study, the first description of aromatase mRNA expression by in situ hybridization in the brain of any species, identifies a surprisingly large number of cells that express aromatase mRNA in the zebra finch telencephalon. This pattern may be a unique feature of all songbirds.
Relationship of Self-Concept and Vocational Maturity to Vocational Preferences of Adolescents.

Abstract This study investigated the differences in vocational attitude maturity and self-concept among Holland's six vocational categories. Data regarding self-concept, vocational attitude maturity, and vocational preference were gathered from 846 students randomly selected from grades 8–12 in an urban school system. An analysis of variance supported the research hypotheses: (1) There were significant differences in vocational attitude maturity among students in the six vocational categories; (2) there were significant differences in self-concept among students in the six vocational categories; (3) there was a significant relationship between vocational attitude maturity and self-concept among students in specific vocational categories.
Comparative Numerical Analysis of Angled Branching Microchannel Heat Sink

Branching microchannel networks have been considered as an effective liquid cooling system for electronic components. In this paper, an asymmetric angled branching design of microchannel network is introduced and compared with the parallel branching cooling system. Full CFD models based on finite-element analysis are established to analyze their thermal performances under uniform heat distribution. Performances of angled branching network and a series of parallel networks are compared for a pressure range from 0.5psi to 4psi. Results indicate that the angled branching network dissipates heat better at lower provided pressure drop due to its small flow resistance and flexibility in fluid transportation. On the other hand, a lower peak temperature is noted for the parallel branching network at higher pressure head.© 2013 ASME
Incorporating health care quality into health antitrust law

Antitrust authorities treat price as a proxy for hospital quality since health care quality is difficult to observe. As the ability to measure quality improved, more research became necessary to investigate the relationship between hospital market power and patient outcomes. This paper examines the impact of hospital competition on the quality of care as measured by the risk-adjusted mortality rates with the hospital as the unit of analysis. The study separately examines the effect of competition on non-profit hospitals. We use California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) data from 1997 through 2002. Empirical model is a cross-sectional study of 373 hospitals. Regression analysis is used to estimate the relationship between Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) risk-adjusted mortality rates and hospital competition. Regression results show lower risk-adjusted mortality rates in the presence of a more competitive environment. This result holds for all alternative hospital market definitions. Non-profit hospitals do not have better patient outcomes than investor-owned hospitals. However, they tend to provide better quality in less competitive environments. CABG volume did not have a significant effect on patient outcomes. Quality should be incorporated into the antitrust analysis. When mergers lead to higher prices and lower quality, thus lower social welfare, the antitrust challenge of hospital mergers is warranted. The impact of lower hospital competition on quality of care delivered by non-profit hospitals is ambiguous.
Performance and efficiency enhancement of induction machine drives: Duality-based approach to VSI and CSI control

Duality between the two-level voltage sourced inverter (VSI) and the current sourced inverter (CSI) is examined for performance and efficiency enhancement of induction motor drives over wide operating conditions. A loss minimization algorithm is developed using a comprehensive loss model to achieve optimum flux for minimizing system-level drive losses. The total losses obtained are lower for the proposed system-based minimization than for previously reported machine-based minimization algorithms. A minimum-inverter-dc-bus-current technique is devised using the output filter capacitor. Although higher performance is reported in the literature for VSI drives than for CSI drives, the comparisons are not based on identical standards. Since high-frequency pulse-width modulation methods are adopted for VSI and more basic quasi-square pulse or selective harmonic elimination methods for CSI, CSI drives show poor power factor and harmonic distortions in the output. This work adopts comparable standards using space vector pulse width modulation control with a combinational logic map to translate switching pulses from VSI to CSI. Simulations and experimental implementation are carried out to validate the proposed scheme.
Operator/Instrumentation Interactions during the Three Mile Island Incident

This paper presents a discussion of the operator/ instrumentation interactions which had an effect on the course of the incident at the Three Mile Island-2 Nuclear Power Plant. In the paper a brief review of the sequence of occurrences at TMI-2 over the first 16 hours of the incident is given with particular emphasis on operator/instrumentation interactions. A breakdown of the six major items that seemed to have contributed to the characteristics of the incident is then given and also an outline of some of the currently proposed operator/instrumentation improvements. The six major items involve water level indication in the reactor, electromatic relief valve operation, auxiliary feed-water flow indication, containment isolation, extended range instrumentation, and computer readout.
Effects of social groupings upon emotional behaviour

In Experiment 1 (N = 213) rat pups were handled (H) in infancy or were non-disturbed controls (C). At weaning Ss were placed into free-environment boxes in the following ratios (N = 16 per box): 16 H:0 C, 12H:4 C, 8 H:8 C, 4 H:12 C, 0 H:16 C. Ss were placed into standard laboratory cages at 50 days and given the open-field emotionality test from 70–73 days of age. In Experiment 2 (N = 63) handled and control Ss were reared in the free environment between weaning and 50 days in one of the following groupings: 16 H:0 C, 8 H:8 C; or 0 H:16 C. Open-field testing was carried out from 76–81 days of age. In Experiment 1 Ss which were mixed together in the free environment (i.e. the 12:4, 8:8, and 4:12 groupings) were less active than Ss not grouped together (p < ·10). There were no significant differences among the different social ratios. In Experiment 2 Ss mixed together were more active than the unmixed groups (p < ·05). Neither set of data is consistent with the original findings of Denenberg & Morton (1962, Experiment 2). In both experiments handled Ss were more active than controls (p < ·01).
Mirtazapine treatment after conditioning with methamphetamine alters subsequent expression of place preference

Abstract Methamphetamine (MP) is a widely abused psychostimulant. There are currently no FDA approved pharmacotherapies for the MP addict. The antidepressant, mirtazapine (Mirt) is a high affinity antagonist at several monoaminergic receptors that are affected by MP. This study evaluated the potential of Mirt as a therapeutic agent for MP addiction and described associated changes in neuronal signaling. A single pairing conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm was utilized as a behavioral measure of MP -induced effects. Rats learned to associate unique environmental cues with the effects of 1.0 mg/kg (i.p.) MP (day 1) or saline (day 2). Mirt (5.0 mg/kg i.p.) was given in the home cage on day 3 and CPP was assessed on day 4. To evaluate signaling events that correlate with this behavior, brain tissue of these rats were dissected for immunoblot assays of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and a transcriptional regulator, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) after the CPP test. During the CPP test, rats conditioned with MP spent more time in the environment associated with MP. Importantly, rats given Mirt did not express CPP. MP-induced CPP was associated with a decrease in phosphorylated CREB (pCREB) in the ventral tegmental area, and decreased phosphorylated ERK and pCREB in the nucleus accumbens and treatment with Mirt did not reverse these changes. No changes in signaling proteins were obtained from rats similarly treated with MP and Mirt, without exposure to cues of the conditioning paradigm. Overall, a post-conditioning treatment with Mirt can nullify MP-induced associative learning. However, additional studies are needed to ascertain the molecular events underlying this effect of Mirt.
Heavy quark free energy in QCD and in gauge theories with gravity duals

Recent lattice results in pure glue $SU(3)$ theory at high temperatures have shown that the expectation value of the renormalized Polyakov loop approaches its asymptotic limit at high temperatures from above. We show that this implies that the ``heavy quark free energy'' obtained from the renormalized loop computed on the lattice does not behave like a true thermodynamic free energy. While this should be expected to occur in asymptotically free gauge theories such as QCD, we use the gauge/string duality to show that in a large class of strongly coupled gauge theories with nontrivial UV fixed points the Polyakov loop reaches its asymptotic value from above only if the dimension of the relevant operator used to deform the conformal field theory is greater than or equal to 3.
Learning geometry from sensorimotor experience

A baby experiencing the world for the first time faces a considerable challenging sorting through what William James called the “blooming, buzzing confusion” of the senses [1]. With the increasing capacity of modern sensors and the complexity of modern robot bodies, a robot in an unknown or unfamiliar body faces a similar and equally daunting challenge.
Towards mobility as a network control primitive

In the near future, the advent of large-scale networks of mobile agents autonomously performing long-term sensing and communication tasks will be upon us. However, using controlled node mobility to improve communication performance is a capability that the mobile networking community has not yet investigated. In this paper, we study mobility as a network control primitive. More specifically, we present the first mobility control scheme for improving communication performance in such networks. Our scheme is completely distributed, requiring each node to possess only local information. Our scheme is self-adaptive, being able to transparently encompass several modes of operation, each respectively improving power efficiency for one unicast flow, multiple unicast flows, and many-to-one concast flows. We provide extensive evaluations on the feasibility of mobility control, showing that controlled mobility can improve network performance in many scenarios. This work constitutes a novel application of distributed control to networking in which underlying network communication serves as input to local control rules that guide the system toward a global objective.
A three-component reaction between benzynes, the enolate of acetaldehyde, and unsaturated esters and dihydroisoquinolines

A three-component one-pot coupling between benzynes, the enolate of acetaldehyde and various electrophiles led to bicyclic and tetracyclic ring systems.
A current practice for predicting ocular toxicity of systemically delivered drugs

The ability to predict ocular side effects of systemically delivered drugs is an important issue for pharmaceutical companies. Although animal models involving standard clinical ophthalmic examinations and postmortem microscopic examinations of eyes are still used to identify ocular issues, these methods are being supplemented with additional in silico, in vitro, and in vivo techniques to identify potential safety issues and assess risk. The addition of these tests to a development plan for a potential new drug provides the opportunity to save time and money by detecting ocular issues earlier in the program. This review summarizes a current practice for minimizing the potential for systemically administered, new medicines to cause adverse effects in the eye.
Form equals function? Bacterial shape and its consequences for pathogenesis

Bacteria exhibit a wide variety of morphologies. This could simply be a consequence of an elaboration of bacterial cellular architecture akin to the famous decorative but not structurally essential Spandrels in the Basilica di San Marco in Venice that are a side-effect of an adaptation, rather than a direct product of natural selection. However, it is more likely that particular morphologies facilitate a specific function in cellular physiology. Two recent publications including one in this issue of Molecular Microbiology and another in Cell provide new insights into the molecular basis for the helical shape of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and the role of this shape in pathogenesis. They identify a novel endopeptidase that is necessary to generate the helical shape by processing the peptidoglycan and report that catalytically inactive mutants lead to defects in colonization that appear to be independent of an effect on cellular motility. Here, we put these findings in the context of some of what is known about peptidoglycan and cell shape and suggest that the role of this endopeptidase in forming coccoid morphology may be critical for pathogenesis.
Personal Globe Inventory: Measurement of the Spherical Model of Interests and Competence Beliefs

Abstract The Personal Globe Inventory (PGI) evolved from the exploratory work on the spherical structure of interests (Tracey, 1997a; Tracey & Rounds, 1996a,b) and measures activity preferences, activity competence beliefs, and occupational preferences. The PGI is a viable instrument that mirrors information provided by many instruments but also includes greater complexity and flexibility. This monograph describes the inventory, examines its reliability and construct validity, discusses options for profiling inventory results, interprets five illustrative profiles, and suggests directions for future research.
"Read me a story, mom". A home-tutoring program to teach prereading skills to language-delayed children.

Four mildly delayed children, aged four to six years, were taught to identify either letters of the alphabet or sets of basic sight words during story-reading times conducted by their mothers at home. The sets of letters or words were trained in a multiple baseline design. Acquisition of the trained letters or words was assessed by their teacher at school through weekly pretests and posttests. Results demonstrated that preliminary reading skills could be taught successfully at home during a story-reading time; posttest data indicated that children generalized their new skills to school and maintained them through a two-month follow-up period. Furthermore, substantial gains by two of the children on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test suggest that additional benefits, such as increases in receptive vocabulary, may result from the daily story reading.
Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency and increased susceptibility to elastase-induced experimental emphysema in a rat model.

Administration of 200 mg of d-galactosamine/kg intraperitoneally to rats produced a decrease in the serum concentrations of trypsin and elastase inhibitory capacities. Induction of emphysema by int...
Stratified bacterial community in the bladder of the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana

Most animals harbour symbiotic microorganisms inside their body, where intimate interactions occur between the partners. The medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, possesses 17 pairs of excretory bladders that harbour a large number of intracellular and extracellular symbiotic bacteria. In this study, we characterized the bladder symbionts using molecular phylogenetic analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequence analyses of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries suggested that six bacterial species co-colonize the leech bladders. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that these species belong to the alpha-Proteobacteria (Ochrobactrum symbiont), beta-Proteobacteria (Beta-1 and Beta-2 symbionts), delta-Proteobacteria (Bdellovibrio symbiont) and Bacteroidetes (Niabella and Sphingobacterium symbionts). Species-specific PCR detection and FISH confirmed the localization of the symbiotic bacteria in the bladders. The Ochrobactrum, Beta-1, Bdellovibrio and Sphingobacterium symbionts were consistently detected in 13 leeches from two populations, while infection rate of the other symbionts ranged between 20% and 100% in the two leech populations. Transmission electron microscopy observations of the bladders revealed epithelial cells harbouring a number of intracellular bacilli and an additional type of extracellular, rod-shaped bacteria in the luminal region. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with group-specific oligonucleotide probes revealed the spatial organization of the bacterial species in the bladder: the Ochrobactrum symbiont was located intracellularly inside epithelial cells; the Bacteroidetes were localized close to the epithelium in the lumen of the bladder; and the Bacteroidetes layer was covered with dense beta-proteobacterial cells. These results clearly demonstrate that a simple but organized microbial community exists in the bladder of the medicinal leech.
Mechanical Properties/Database of Plasma-Sprayed ZrO2-8wt% Y2O3 Thermal Barrier Coatings

Mechanical behavior of free-standing, plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8wt% Y2O3 thermal barrier coatings, including strength, fracture toughness, fatigue, constitutive relation, elastic modulus, and directionality, have been determined under various loading-specimen configurations. This paper presents and describes a summary of mechanical properties of the plasma-sprayed coating material to provide them as a design database.
Abstract A5: Functional role of SOX2 in hypoxia-mediated metastasis-associated functions in prostate cancer

Purpose: SOX2 is a typical embryonic stem cell marker that is involved in not only tumorigenesis but also metastasis in several human malignancies including prostate cancer. Hypoxia has been demonstrated as a common feature of prostate cancer that is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis. Although SOX2 has been shown to be activated by oxygen depletion in other cancer types, its functional role under hypoxic microenvironment in prostate cancer setting and its association with hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) have not been reported. In the present study, we evaluate the role of SOX2 in hypoxia-mediated cellular behaviors associated with metastasis, including invasion and sphere formation, in prostate cancer cells. Experimental Design: A tissue microarray containing samples from 80 prostate cancer patients was employed to examine the expression of HIF-1α and its correlation with SOX2 by immunohistochemical analysis. Expression of stem cell markers and HIFs was detected by Western blot. The role of SOX2 and HIF-1/2α in the regulation of cell invasion and sphere formation with various hypoxic exposures was investigated by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) - mediated knockdown in PC-3, DU145 and LNCaP cells. Results: HIF-1α expression was significantly elevated in prostate cancer compared to non-malignant prostate tissues, and in tumors HIF-1α was strongly correlated with SOX2. In all three prostate cancer cells, while HIF-1α and HIF-2α were mainly induced under short term (acute) and long term (chronic) hypoxic conditions, respectively, SOX2 was the only one among five stem cell markers that was stimulated by both hypoxic exposures. Genetic depletion of SOX2 attenuated capacities of tumor cells to invade under acute hypoxia and form spheroids under chronic hypoxia. In addition, knockdown of HIF-1α but not HIF-2α decreased acute hypoxia-mediated cell invasion, whereas only HIF-2α gene silencing resulted in reduced sphere formation capacity mediated by long term oxygen deprivation. Conclusions: SOX2 is suggested to be correlated with hypoxia in prostate cancer. SOX2 plays an important role in acute hypoxia-induced invasiveness and chronic hypoxia-induced stemness that is associated with HIF-1α and HIF-2α activation, respectively. These results indicate that SOX2 may be a key mediator for hypoxia-induced metastasis-associated functions hence may serve as a potential target for therapeutic interventions for advanced prostate cancer. Citation Format: Yao Dai, Kyung-Mi Bae, Johannes Vieweg, Dietmar W. Siemann. Functional role of SOX2 in hypoxia-mediated metastasis-associated functions in prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Invasion and Metastasis; Jan 20-23, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A5.
Spatial Analysis and Correlates of County- Level Diabetes Prevalence, 2009-2010

Introduction Information on the relationship between diabetes prevalence and built environment attributes could allow public health programs to better target populations at risk for diabetes. This study sought to determine the spatial prevalence of diabetes in the United States and how this distribution is associated with the geography of common diabetes correlates. Methods Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Census Bureau were integrated to perform geographically weighted regression at the county level on the following variables: percentage nonwhite population, percentage Hispanic population, education level, percentage unemployed, percentage living below the federal poverty level, population density, percentage obese, percentage physically inactive, percentage population that cycles or walks to work, and percentage neighborhood food deserts. Results We found significant spatial clustering of county-level diabetes prevalence in the United States; however, diabetes prevalence was inconsistently correlated with significant predictors. Percentage living below the federal poverty level and percentage nonwhite population were associated with diabetes in some regions. The percentage of population cycling or walking to work was the only significant built environment-related variable correlated with diabetes, and this association varied in magnitude across the nation. Conclusion Sociodemographic and built environment-related variables correlated with diabetes prevalence in some regions of the United States. The variation in magnitude and direction of these relationships highlights the need to understand local context in the prevention and maintenance of diabetes. Geographically weighted regression shows promise for public health research in detecting variations in associations between health behaviors, outcomes, and predictors across geographic space.
Energy-aware link adaptation for MIMO-OFDM based wireless communication

Multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna systems provide the user with additional degrees of freedom over traditional single antenna (SISO) system to enable optimum transmission. This paper focuses on quantifying the maximum energy efficiency of ldquomode-richrdquo MIMO wireless communication systems. We consider a MIMO-OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) based software defined radio (SDR) where the user is allowed to dynamically change various system parameters such as bandwidth, transmit power, constellation size, channel coding rate, decoding algorithm, and MIMO antenna configurations. Based on these parameters, standard geometric programming problems are formulated to optimize energy efficiency of the system given quality of service (QoS) constraints. The result is a comprehensive MIMO link adaptation strategy that can optimally match the communication mode to the user QoS requirement and the channel condition. Results show that an optimized MIMO system can provide an order of magnitude improvement in energy efficiency over a static strategy.
Differential Regulation of Endothelial Cell Activation by Complement and Interleukin 1α

Activation of complement on endothelium triggers physiologic changes that promote coagulation, thrombosis and inflammation. Unlike agonists such as cytokines and endotoxin that induce these changes through transcription of many genes, complement, particularly the membrane attack complex, primarily induces release of IL-1α by the endothelial cells; the cytokine may then be removed by normal blood flow or may promote activation of the full range of endothelial cell responses in an autocrine or paracrine manner. We studied the intracellular signaling pathways used by complement to activate IL-1α transcription in cultured endothelial cells. The membrane attack complex and other pore-forming proteins stimulated calcineurin and activated selective transcription of the IL-1α gene. In contrast, the action of cytokines such as IL-1α was not selective and not dependent on calcineurin activity. Transcription of IL-1α, whether stimulated by complement and calcineurin or by “conventional agonists” such as IL-1α independent of calcineurin, proceeded via binding of nuclear factor κB transcriptional activators to the IL-1α gene promoter. These findings define a molecular mechanism through which complement regulates IL-1α production by endothelial cells and explain how blood flow may determine the extent of complement-stimulated inflammation.
The Influence of Instructional Tactic Selection and Moderation Style on Participant Interaction and Exchange in Asynchronous Threaded Online Discussion.

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. May, 2008. Major: Education - Curriculum and Instruction. Advisor: Simon Hooper. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 181 pages.
The Judicial Reaction to Kelo

Kelo v. City of New London was one of the most controversial decisions in Supreme Court history, generating a massive political backlash that led 43 states to adopt eminent domain reform laws restricting economic development takings of the kind the Court ruled were constitutional. In addition to the better-known legislative reaction, Kelo was also followed by extensive additional property rights litigation in both federal and state courts. This is the first article to systematically analyze the judicial reaction to Kelo. Part I briefly summarizes Kelo and its holding. Part II considers state court interpretations of their state constitutional public use clauses since Kelo. Most of these cases have repudiated Kelo, either banning economic development takings outright or significantly constraining them. Part III considers judicial interpretations of Kelo’s “pretext” standard. This is the one area where Kelo might potentially permit nontrivial public use constraints on condemnation. Kelo indicated that condemnations are unconstitutional if the officially stated rationale for the taking is a pretext “for the purpose of conferring a private benefit on a particular private party.” State and lower federal courts have not come to any consensus on what qualifies as a pretextual taking. Nevertheless, several decisions suggest that the pretext standard may have some bite. Overall, state courts have taken a skeptical view of Kelo, often rejecting it as a guide to the interpretation of their state constitutions. This reaction continues the pre-Kelo trend of increasing judicial protection for property rights at the state level. Albany Government Law Review, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2011 (Introduction to the Symposium on Eminent Domain in the United States)
Separating Stress and Time Dependent Effects in the Temperature Dependent Creep of Polyethylene Nanocomposites

The nonlinear time dependent creep of linear-low density polyethylene (LLDPE) reinforced with montmorillonite layered silicate was investigated. A previous study related the time/stress dependence of creep compliance of the material at room temperature using the Burger and Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts models. Using both the creep and recovery compliance curves, we employ the Schapery formulation to study the relationship between deformation, time, stress, and temperature of LLDPE nanocomposites. Smooth mastercurves are constructed using time–temperature–stress superposition principles. The stress and temperature-related creep constants and shift factors were determined for the material using the Schapery nonlinear viscoelastic equation. The prediction results confirm the enhanced creep resistance of nanofillers even at extended time scales and low temperatures. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1646–1657, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Project-based instruction in wireless communications at the junior level

A junior level course in wireless communications has been developed and implemented for students pursuing a BSEE degree. Recognizing the fact that the topic of wireless communications is typically covered at the senior or graduate level, special effort was made to tailor the course to suit the needs of the junior level students. This was accomplished using a coordinated combination of lectures, homework problems and a series of projects that covered the spectrum of topics in fading, path loss, cell coverage, as well as various digital modulation formats typically used in wireless communications systems. Indeed, the mainstay of the course were these projects done using MATLAB.
One-parameter families of operators in ℂ

We introduce classes of one-parameter families (OPF) of operators on C c t8 (ℂ) which characterize the behavior of operators associated to the $$\bar \partial - problem$$ problem in the weighted space L2 (ℂ, e−2p) where p is a subharmonic, nonharmonic polynomial. We prove that an order 0 OPF operator extends to a bounded operator from Lq (ℂ) to itself, 1 < q < ∞, with a bound that depends on q and the degree of p but not on the parameter τ or the coefficients of p. Last, we show that there is a one-to-one correspondence given by the partial Fourier transform in τ between OPF operators of order m ≤ 2 and nonisotropic smoothing (NIS) operators of order m ≤ 2 on polynomial models in ℂ2.
Discriminative structure and parameter learning for Markov logic networks

Markov logic networks (MLNs) are an expressive representation for statistical relational learning that generalizes both first-order logic and graphical models. Existing methods for learning the logical structure of an MLN are not discriminative; however, many relational learning problems involve specific target predicates that must be inferred from given background information. We found that existing MLN methods perform very poorly on several such ILP benchmark problems, and we present improved discriminative methods for learning MLN clauses and weights that outperform existing MLN and traditional ILP methods.
Seizing Perfume, Propped by Paradox

An odyssey from the terror of a bout with cancer to the recognition of some of the fear, as more primordial than the fear of separation and object loss, a constitutive given of our animal bodies, essential to survival and intrinsic to our insufficiency; to the cancer experience of terror becoming spiritual technology, a booster rocket catapulting the dis-eased body into a dreaded void paradoxically full of the mysterium tremendum of life where there is no body.