cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ternary metal-rich TaNbS at high temperatures

Abstract Two new ternary metal-rich compounds, Nb21-xTaxS8 and NbxTa2-xS, isostructural with the binary metal-rich compounds Nb21S8 and Ta2S respectively, were prepared by means of high temperature techniques in the ternary Ta-Nb-S system. Single-crystal structure refinements were carried out for crystals of Nb21-xTaxS8 (R/Rw=0.027/0.043) and NbαTa2–αS (R/Rw=0.040/0.043), and the compositions were determined as Nb14.8Ta6.2S8 and Nb0.20Ta1.80S respectively from the structure refinements. Stoichiometric ranges of ternary solid-solution-type metal-rich compounds found in the Ta-Nb-S system were determined. Common structural features of these metal-rich compounds are discussed.
Eyelid and Conjunctival Neoplasms

The spectrum of neoplasms that can affect the eyelids and conjunctiva is vast. In this chapter, we review the epidemiology, clinical features, pathology, and management of these lesions. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common eyelid malignancy. Excision is the mainstay of treatment for this tumor that rarely metastasizes. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common eyelid malignancy. It has a higher risk of nodal and systemic metastasis. A high index of suspicion is necessary for sebaceous carcinoma as it can appear similar to other conditions. Cutaneous melanoma of the eyelid has a propensity for nodal and systemic metastasis. Although local excision is central to the management, frozen sections are not adequate for control of the margins. Numerous other tumors can affect the eyelids, including sweat gland tumors, Merkel cell carcinoma, vascular tumors, lymphoma, and metastatic tumors. Conjunctival melanoma is rare but potentially lethal. Excision is usually accompanied by adjuvant treatments, such as cryotherapy and topical chemotherapy. Squamous conjunctival lesions include both benign and malignant lesions. Human papillomavirus and human immunodeficiency virus have been associated with these lesions.
Overview of Forensic Document Examination

Since achieving broad acceptance in the United States in the early part of the twentieth century, forensic document examination has continued to play a vital role in providing probative evidence to the trier of fact in civil and criminal proceedings. In spite of global attempts to create a paperless society, disputes over documents remain commonplace. Highly trained and skilled experts in this discipline, known as forensic document examiners (FDEs), continue to be sought after and relied on to analyze, compare, and evaluate evidence from a myriad of case types. With a variety of methods and techniques at their disposal, FDEs try to establish whether a document is genuine or nongenuine, to expose forgery, or to reveal alterations, additions or deletions; identify or eliminate individual writers as the source of handwritten entries; identify or eliminate the source of typewriting or other impressions, marks or relative evidence; and to prepare written reports and provide expert testimony as needed.
Use of Intraoperative 125Iodine Implants for Large Tumors Attached to the Carotid Artery

Twenty-nine patients with large masses attached to the carotid artery underwent surgical resection with preservation of the artery, and intraoperative 125 Iodine implantation via an absorbable suture. Eighteen were treated for recurrent neoplasms, having failed prior surgery and/or irradiation therapy. Eleven were treated primarily. With the minimum follow-up of one year, 76% were disease free in the implant volume and 62% were disease free in the entire neck. Distant metas tasis occurred in 45%. Mean survival was 15 months in the primary group (range, 2–50 months) and 12 months in the recurrent group (range, 4–26 months). This technique shows promise in providing local control without necessity for sacrifice of the carotid artery.
Non-overlapping domain decomposition methods for computationally efficient estimation of parabolic PDEs with mobile sensors

Addressing the perpetual quest for computational reduction and efficiency in the estimation of large scale systems such as those governed by partial differential equations, this paper presents a new approach for such a computational reduction. Considering the state estimation of parabolic PDEs over large spatial domains, especially the ones with unknown dimensions and boundaries, the proposed method decomposes the spatial domain into a smaller region of interest that surrounds the current position of a moving sensor, and a region away from the current position of the sensor. To increase the spatial resolution of the estimation scheme, the inner subdomain is discretized using a refined grid with the remainder of the large domain discretized by a coarse grid, thus resulting in a significant reduction in the computational load. Additionally, by solving the Kalman filter over the smaller subdomain with refined grid over the neighborhood of the sensor, the proposed scheme offers additional reduction in the computation of the filter kernels that correspond to the filter operators.
Faculty Learning at Boundaries to Broker Racial Equity

On many college campuses, faculty are being called on to act as change agents for racial equity. Through narrative inquiry analysis using the theoretical constructs of boundary crossing and boundar...
A nonlinear 1-D finite element analysis of rods/tubes made of incompressible neo-Hookean materials using higher-order theory

Abstract In this study, a general higher-order 1-D theory and its finite element model are presented to analyze the large deformation of thin or thick curved rods or pipes like 3-D structure, which have a space curve as their central axis. The material of these structures is assumed to be that of an incompressible neo-Hookean solid. The displacement field of the cross-section perpendicular to the reference curve is approximated by a rather general approximation function in the polar coordinate system in the cross-sectional plane. The governing equation for the presented theory is obtained in terms of the displacement variables referred to the general curvilinear cylindrical coordinate system. The incompressibility condition is included either by the Lagrange multiplier method or the penalty method through the weak-form finite element model. Several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the application of the theory and its finite element model to analyze curved pipes or other tubular shell structures. The numerical results have been compared with the exact solution (where possible) and numerical solutions obtained with shell finite elements or 3D finite elements of the same problems. The present results are remarkably close to those obtained with the 3-D or shell finite elements, while requiring substantially less computational time.
Correlations Between Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection and Rectal Gonorrhea Incidence in Men Who Have Sex With Men: Implications for Future HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Trials

Using published data, we found a direct correlation between the incidence of rectal gonorrhea and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in men who have sex with men who were not using oral preexposure prophylaxis. HIV incidence was predicted using rectal gonorrhea incidence as the determinant in regression analysis. The observed correlation suggest that rectal gonorrhea incidence can potentially serve as a predictor of HIV incidence. If confirmed with additional data, a quantitative correlation for incidence of the 2 infections could be useful in active-controlled HIV prevention trials where low HIV incidence is expected. Widespread improvements in treatment as prevention and gonorrhea control can negatively impact the correlation and its utility.
Perceptron and Neural Networks

In this chapter we will study the classical theory of neural networks based on multilayer perceptron. We will learn the architecture of the neural networks and feedforward operation. We will learn about the activation functions and their importance. We will learn different methods to train the neural networks and compare their advantages and disadvantages. Then we will see different type of architecture in the form of radial basis function networks and understand their conceptual interpretation. Then we will conclude the chapter with concepts of overfitting and regularization.
Primary Care Provider Understanding of Hair Care Maintenance as a Barrier to Physical Activity in African American Women

Introduction: African American (AA) women have reported hair maintenance as a barrier to regular exercise; however, to our knowledge, this study is the first to identify primary care provider thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge regarding hair as a barrier to increased physical activity among AA females. Methods: A 13-question electronic survey was sent via email to 151 clinicians working within a department of family medicine9s 8 ambulatory clinics within a large urban academic medical center. Results: A total of 62 primary care clinicians completed the survey, which is a response rate of 41%. The vast majority of respondents (95%) sometimes/often engage in discussions with AA female patients regarding physical activity. However, 76% of respondents have never included a hairstyling or maintenance assessment in that discussion and only 34% noted being comfortable discussing this topic. Among a list of potential barriers to exercise, hair maintenance/scalp perspiration was rarely endorsed as important by clinicians. Discussion: This study highlights a need for increased education among primary care providers regarding AA hair care and maintenance practices as a barrier to increased physical activity in AA women. If specific barriers to increasing healthy habits among AA women are to be addressed, there must be a baseline knowledge of hair care and maintenance barriers, an understanding of the strong influence of cultural norms and practices as it relates to physical activity and exercise, and an increased comfortability when engaging in difficult cross-cultural conversations to ultimately improve health outcomes in AA females.
The association between negative and positive affect and alcohol use: An ambulatory study

Objective:Negative and positive affect are proposed to play a crucial role in alcohol use and the development of alcohol use disorder. Results from ambulatory studies that measure momentary affect ...
Skeletal Regeneration: Stem Cell Therapy

Abstract Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) contains a subset of skeletal stem cells (SSCs) that are multipotent, capable of forming cartilage, bone, hematopoiesis-supportive stroma and marrow adipocytes. SSCs have been identified as pericytes, cells on the abluminal side of marrow sinusoids, and have demonstrated the ability to self-renew. Based on their ability to recapitulate a bone/marrow organ upon in vivo transplantation, they are being investigated extensively for use in bone tissue engineering. In using BMSCs/SSCs, a number of issues needed to be considered such as the embryological origin, the bone site from which they are taken, how they are expanded ex vivo prior to transplantation, and the type of scaffold that can be used to retain not only their ability to make bone, but also to maintain the SSC subset within the population. Processes are now being developed for the generation of clinical grade BMSCs/SSCs that maintain their essential biological properties. However, there are a number of hurdles that need to be addressed such as the generation of weight-bearing but resorbable scaffolds, induction of rapid vascularization, and the parameters by which efficacy can be assessed before stem cell-based bone regeneration will become an every-day reality.
Determination of optimum metam-potassium rate for weed, tomato, and pepper termination

Metam potassium (metam-K) is a soil fumigant used commonly in Florida at the end of the tomato and pepper production season. The fumigant essentially cleans a field by killing the established weeds and crops after harvest. The goal of this project was to determine the optimal rate of metam-K for the effective termination of tomato, pepper, and established weeds such as purple nutsedge, goosegrass, and dogfennel. Tomato, pepper, and purple nutsedge at bed center were effectively terminated with the metam-K rate of 65 kg ha−1. Optimal rates required for the termination of goosegrass and dogfennel were 91 and 156 kg ha−1, respectively. In contrast, metam-K at 500 to 680 kg ha−1 was required to terminate purple nutsedge on bed edges. The reduced efficacy of metam-K at bed edge might be related to the limited movement of metam-K in soil.
Balancing Polynomials in the Chebyshev Norm

Given $n$ polynomials $p_1, \dots, p_n$ of degree at most $n$ with $\|p_i\|_\infty \le 1$ for $i \in [n]$, we show there exist signs $x_1, \dots, x_n \in \{-1,1\}$ so that \[\Big\|\sum_{i=1}^n x_i p_i\Big\|_\infty < 30\sqrt{n}, \] where $\|p\|_\infty := \sup_{|x| \le 1} |p(x)|$. This result extends the Rudin-Shapiro sequence, which gives an upper bound of $O(\sqrt{n})$ for the Chebyshev polynomials $T_1, \dots, T_n$, and can be seen as a polynomial analogue of Spencer's "six standard deviations" theorem.
Nucleus Accumbens Functional Connectivity with the Frontoparietal Network Predicts Subsequent Change in Body Mass Index for American Children.

Background: Nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a brain structure with a well-established role in the brain reward processing system. Altered function of the NAc is shown to have a role in the development of food addiction and obesity. However, less is known about sex differences in the role of NAc function as a predictor of children’s change in body mass index (BMI) over time. Aim: We used the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development data (version 2.01) to investigate sex differences in the predictive role of the NAc functional connectivity with the frontoparietal network on children’s BMI change over a one-year follow-up period. Methods: This 1-year longitudinal study successfully followed 3784 9–10-year-old children. Regression models were used to analyze the data. The predictor variable was NAc functional connectivity with the frontoparietal network measured using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The primary outcome was BMI at the end of the 1-year follow up. Covariates included race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic factors, and baseline BMI. Sex was the effect modifier. Results: NAc functional connectivity with the frontoparietal network was predictive of BMI changes over time. This association remained significant above and beyond all covariates. The above association, however, was only significant in female, not male children. Conclusion: The epidemiological observation that NAc functional connectivity is associated with BMI changes in children is an extension of well-controlled laboratory studies that have established the role of the NAc in the brain reward processing. More research is needed on sex differences in the brain regions that contribute to childhood obesity.
Phenotypic stress response does not influence the upper thermal tolerance of male Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Abstract Fish can be identified as either low responders (LR) or high responders (HR) based on post-stress cortisol levels and whether they exhibit a proactive or reactive stress coping style, respectively. In this study, male Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from 17 families reared at 9 °C were repeatedly exposed to an acute handling stress over a period of four months, with plasma cortisol levels measured at 1 h post-stress. Fish were identified as either LR or HR if the total Z-score calculated from their cortisol responses fell into the lower or upper quartile ranges, respectively; with intermediate responders (IR) classified as the remainder. Salmon characterized as LR, IR or HR were then subjected to an incremental thermal challenge, where temperature was raised at 0.2 °C day−1 from their acclimation temperature (12 °C) to mimic natural sea-cage farming conditions during the summer in Newfoundland. Interestingly, feed intake remained high up to 22 °C, while previous studies have shown a decrease in salmon appetite after ∼16–18 °C. After the first three mortalities were recorded at elevated temperature, a subset of LR and HR salmon were exposed to another acute handling stress event at 23.6 °C. Basal and post-stress measurements of plasma cortisol, glucose and lactate did not differ between stress response phenotypes at this temperature. In the end, the average incremental thermal maximum (ITMax) of LR and HR fish was not different (25.1 °C). In comparison, the critical thermal maximum (CTMax; temperature increased at 2 °C h−1) of the remaining IR fish that had been held at 12 °C was 28.5 °C. Collectively, these results: 1) show that this population of Atlantic salmon is very thermally tolerant, and further question the relevance of CTMax in assessing responses to real-world temperature changes; and 2) indicate that characterization of stress phenotype at 9 °C is not predictive of their stress response or survival at high temperatures. Therefore, selection of fish based on phenotypic stress response at low temperatures may not be beneficial to incorporate into Atlantic salmon breeding programs, especially if the goal is to improve growth performance and survival at high temperatures in sea-cages.
Evolving dislocation cores at Twin Boundaries: Theory of CRSS Elevation

Abstract Superior mechanical response of twinnable materials fundamentally arises from an elevation of Critical Resolved Shear Stresses (CRSS) due to Dislocation-Twin Boundary (D-TB) reactions. These reactions exhibit rich variety with several possible outcomes and exhibit complex dependence on microstructural properties, causing state-of-the-art models to adopt a case-by-case simulation of each reaction relying on empirical potentials or twin-interaction parameters. We develop an analytical “Evolving Dislocation Core” (EDC) model devoid of empiricism, capable of predicting the CRSS-elevation for any reaction, given the microstructural properties (elastic constants, twin crystallography, etc.). The approach is fundamentally rooted in energy-minimization within a fully-anisotropic framework revealing the evolution of dislocation cores with progression of the reaction. The core-structure of complex dislocations (e.g. stair-rod) in the reaction is proposed, for the first time in literature, as a non-planar composite of disregistries distributed on slip and twin planes. The model is applied to multiple slip-incorporation reactions in several Face-Centered-Cubic (FCC) materials (Pb, Ag, Cu, Ni-Co alloys and Ni-Ti alloys and high-entropy alloy FeNiCoCrMn). The predicted CRSS-elevations show agreement with atomistic simulations (Ni) and experiment (FeNiCoCrMn). The model further establishes a strong correlation of the elevation with unstable stacking/twinning fault energy and the magnitude of the sessile dislocation's Burgers vector, while revealing poor correlation with the stable intrinsic stacking fault energy which is a common benchmark. Thus the analytical EDC model developed in this study advances understanding of slip-twin interactions on multiple fronts while serving as an effective predictive model for CRSS-elevation instrumental in materials design.
Notes on the Crow - Hidatsa Schism

Three lines of evidence bearing on the Crow Hidatsa separation provide different dates for that separation, but dates which are consistent with the following generalizations: (1) The Crow began to diverge linguistically from the various Hidatsa groups no less than five centuries ago, and perhaps even earlier. (2) The Crow movement onto the North western Plains was accomplished gradually, perhaps by band-by-band movement, rather than as one precipitous migration away from the Hidatsa. (3) Archaeological evidence from sites of the Mandan/ Hidatsa continuum in the Missouri Valley suggest that the Hagen site, at least, probably dates at about A.D. 1675 ? although alternative explanations for related sites suggest that the Crow moved into the Northwestern Plains several centuries earlier. (4) Ethnohistorical data suggest that the Crow separation dates from the mid-1700s. Rather than dating the initial separation of the two groups, the ethnohistor ical data probably reflect the final severing of ties with the Hidatsa ? a separation made final by the adoption of the horse.
Kernicterus; further observations on the toxicity of heme pigments.

Toxicity of heme pigments, in addition to that previously reported has been demonstrated as follows: By depression of oxygen uptake by bilirubin bathing relatively intact cells of yeast and diaphragm; by hematin bathing yeast, diaphragm and minced brain, and by mesobilirubin bathing mouse diaphragm. Oxidation cancels the toxicity of bilirubin. Cytochrome C cancels the toxicity of bilirubin and hematin. Mesobilirubin was not tested with cytochrome C. By immobilization of Tetrahymena pyriformis by bilirubin at a concentration as low as 15 mg./100 ml. Oxidation of the bilirubin or the addition of cytochrome C cancels the action of the bilirubin. Hematin does not immobilize the animals. Removal of the bilirubin restores the protozoa to full activity. Survival of newborn rats following intraperitoneal injection with bilirubin or hematin is impaired.
Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand Stimulates Recruitment of SHP-1 to the Complex Containing TNFR-Associated Factor 6 That Regulates Osteoclastogenesis

Receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) is essential for differentiation and function of osteoclasts. The negative signaling pathways downstream of RANKL are not well characterized. By retroviral transduction of RAW264.7 cells with a dominant negative Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1)(C453S), we studied the role of tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Over-expression of SHP-1(C453S) significantly enhanced the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinuclear osteoclast-like cells in response to RANKL in a dose-dependent manner. RANKL induced the recruitment of SHP-1 to a complex containing TNFR-associated factor (TRAF)6. GST pull down experiments indicated that the association of SHP-1 with TRAF6 is mediated by SHP-1 lacking the two Src homology 2 domains. RANKL-stimulated IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation, IkappaB-alpha degradation and DNA binding ability of NF-kappaB were increased after over-expression of SHP-1(C453S). However, RANKL-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, was unchanged. In addition, SHP-1 regulated RANKL-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and the phosphorylation of Akt. Increased numbers of osteoclasts contribute to severe osteopenia in Me(v)/Me(v) mice due to mutation of SHP-1. Like RAW264.7 cells expressing SHP-1(C453S), the bone marrow macrophages of Me(v)/Me(v) mice generated much more osteoclast-like cells than that of littermate controls in response to RANKL. Furthermore compared with controls, RANKL induces enhanced association of TRAF6 and RANK in both RAW264.7 cells expressing SHP-1(C453S) and bone marrow macrophages from Me(v)/Me(v) mice. Therefore, SHP-1 plays a role in signals downstream of RANKL by recruitment to the complex containing TRAF6 and these observations may help to understand the mechanism of osteoporosis in Me(v)/Me(v) mice.
Selenoprotein W: A muscle protein in search of a function

Dietary selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease, which results in calcification of skeletal and cardiac muscle in sheep, and is associated with a cardiomyopathy called Keshan disease in humans. This prompted us to search for selenoproteins abundant in skeletal and cardiac muscle, which led to the discovery of selenoprotein W (SelW). This small (87 amino acid) protein contains one selenocysteine residue and exists in four forms. One type has glutathione bound to a specific cysteine residue, which suggests that SelW has an antioxidant function, as several other selenoproteins do. Another SelW form contains an unknown 41 MW moiety, SelW is also present with both adducts or with none. SelW contains a putative calcium-binding domain near its carboxy terminus, although there is no evidence for a direct association between SelW and calcium. SelW is highly conserved (83% identical) among the six mammals studied to date (human, monkey, rat, mouse, sheep, and pig) suggesting that SelW plays an important role in the health of skeletal and cardiac muscle. SelW is abundant in skeletal and cardiac muscle and brain in primates and sheep, but it is not abundant in rodent heart muscle. In contrast to primates and sheep, rodent cardiac muscle does not deteriorate upon selenium depletion. Dietary selenium affects SelW mRNA and protein accumulation, but selenium levels do not affect the transcription rate of the SelW gene. Instead, adequate selenium is required to stabilize SelW mRNA, and selenium depletion reduces the half life of SelW mRNA. Although the metabolic function of SelW remains unknown, selenium deficiency eliminates SelW from skeletal and cardiac muscle, suggesting a link between SelW and healthy muscle tissues.
Mountaintop Coal Mining and the Clean Water Act: The Fight Over Nationwide Permit 21

The Clean Water Act’s (CWA) goal of protecting the waters of the United States has been threatened by the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) increased use of general permits, such as Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP 21). NWP 21 is issued by the Corps to authorize the disposal of material from mountaintop coal mining, even though this type of disposal has serious environmental effects. Recent court rulings have upheld the use of NWP 21. However, by focusing on the questions left unresolved by Congress and the courts, there is an opportunity to help guarantee that the goal of the CWA is achieved. To ensure greater environmental protection, the adequacy of the minimum impact determinations performed by the Corps when it enacts a NWP should be challenged to ensure their adequacy, and minimum impact determinations should be required before any issuance of a NWP.
Promoting depth of knowledge through a new quiz format to improve problem solving abilities

A novel quiz format is described which is designed to help engineering students improve: (1) problem solving abilities, (2) deep learning, and (3) personal knowledge base. The new quiz format breaks the traditional quiz into two parts, where students are asked to write words that express the limits of their knowledge of the announced quiz topic followed by a short problem solving quiz. The aim of the student is to determine the relationship between the demonstrated knowledge base and the quality of the solution of the quiz problem. An extended aim is to develop a model that describes the relationships between the knowledge base and problem solving success in order to develop training interventions.
Cardiovascular Response to Interpersonal Provocation and Mental Arithmetic among High and Low Hostile Young Adult Males

To examine the relation between hostility and cardiovascular reactivity to stress, 42 undergraduate men were categorized into high and low hostile groups based on responses to the Cook Medley Hostility Scale. Participants engaged in two laboratory tasks: a Cognitive Task (mental arithmetic) and a Social Task (confrontation role-play). Cardiovascular measures of heart rate and blood pressure were obtained throughout rest and task periods and participants provided ratings of state anger and forgiveness following task completion. Results revealed that low hostile participants exhibited greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) responses to both tasks than high hostile participants (p < .05), but no significant group differences were observed for heart rate or diastolic blood pressure. High hostile men reported greater state anger during resting conditions and less forgiveness following completion of tasks than low-hostile counterparts, but neither of these findings moderated the relation between hostility and SBP reactivity. Higher ratings of forgiveness were associated with lower SBP reactivity. These findings show that hostility is not always associated with exaggerated cardiovascular reactivity to stress, and the influence of various moderating factors should be considered in elucidating this relation.
The orders of graphs with prescribed degree sets

The degree set G of a graph G is the set of degrees of the vertices of G. For a finite nonempty set S of positive integers, all positive integers p are determined for which there exists a graph G of order p such that G = S.
Nanoscale coordination polymers for platinum-based anticancer drug delivery.

Pt-containing nanoscale coordination polymer (NCP) particles with the formula of Tb2(DSCP)3(H2O)12 (where DSCP represents disuccinatocisplatin), NCP-1, were precipitated from an aqueous solution of Tb3+ ions and DSCP bridging ligands via the addition of a poor solvent. SEM and TEM images showed that as-synthesized NCP-1 exhibited a spherical morphology with a DLS diameter of 58.3 ± 11.3 nm. NCP-1 particles were stabilized against rapid dissolution in water by encapsulation in shells of amorphous silica. The resulting silica-coated particles NCP-1′ exhibited significantly longer half-lives for DSCP release from the particles (a t1/2 of ∼9 h for NCP-1′ with 7 nm silica coating vs t1/2 of ∼1 h for as-synthesized NCP-1). In vitro cancer cell cytotoxicity assays with the human colon carcinoma cell line (HT-29) showed that internalized NCP-1′ particles readily released the DSCP moieties which were presumably reduced to cytotoxic Pt(II) species to give the Pt-containing NCPs anticancer efficacy superior to the c...
A versatile approach to multiple gene RNA interference using microRNA-based short hairpin RNAs

Effective and stable knockdown of multiple gene targets by RNA interference is often necessary to overcome isoform redundancy, but it remains a technical challenge when working with intractable cell systems. We have developed a flexible platform using RNA polymerase II promoter-driven expression of microRNA-like short hairpin RNAs which permits robust depletion of multiple target genes from a single transcript. Recombination-based subcloning permits expression of multi-shRNA transcripts from a comprehensive range of plasmid or viral vectors. Retroviral delivery of transcripts targeting isoforms of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in the RAW264.7 murine macrophage cell line emphasizes the utility of this approach and provides insight to cAMP-dependent transcription. We demonstrate functional consequences of depleting multiple endogenous target genes using miR-shRNAs, and highlight the versatility of the described vector platform for multiple target gene knockdown in mammalian cells.
Glial cell-specific differences in response to alkylation damage.

Oligodendrocytes are preferentially sensitive to the toxic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic effects of methylnitrosourea (MNU). The mechanisms responsible for this enhanced sensitivity have not been fully elucidated. One of the most vulnerable cellular targets for this chemical is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). To determine if differences in mtDNA damage and repair capacity exist among the different CNS glial cell types, the effects of MNU exposure on oligodendroglia, astroglia, and microglia cultured separately from neonatal rat brain were compared. Quantitative determinations of mtDNA initial break frequencies and repair efficiencies showed that whereas no cell type-specific differences in initial mtDNA damage were detected, mtDNA repair in oligodendrocytes, oligodendrocyte progenitors, and microglia was significantly reduced compared to that of astrocytes. In astrocytes, and all other cell types previously evaluated in our laboratory, >60% of N-methylpurines were removed from the mtDNA by 24 hr. In contrast, only 35% of lesions were removed from mtDNA of oligodendrocytes, oligodendrocyte progenitors, and microglia during the same time period. Mitochondrial perturbations by a variety of xenobiotics have been linked to apoptosis. In the present study, apoptosis, as determined by DNA laddering and ultrastructural analysis, was clearly induced by MNU treatment of cultured oligodendrocyte progenitors and microglia, but not in astroglia. These data demonstrate a correlation between diminished mtDNA repair capacity and the induction of apoptosis. However, further experimentation is necessary to determine if a causal relationship exists and contributes to the vulnerability of oligodendroglia following exposure to N-nitroso compounds in the environment or in chemotherapeutic regimen. GLIA 24:304–312, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Pasting Property Differences of Commercial and Isolated Rice Starch with Added Lipids and β-Cyclodextrin

ABSTRACT Lipids are known to generally affect starch properties but the effects of lipid structure and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) on different starches has not been investigated. This study compared the effects of lipids and β-CD on pasting properties of isolated rice starch with commercial rice starch. Flour was defatted by Soxhlet extraction and deproteinated by alkaline protease digestion. Fatty acids, monopalmitin (MP), tripalmitin, lysophosphatidylcholine (LC), lysophophatidylethanolamine (LE), each added at 0.2 and 0.6% (starch db), and β-CD added at 2 and 6% (starch db) were tested. Pasting temperature (PT) increased with added phospholipid, particularly in the commercial starch, while all lipids except tripalmitin increased final viscosity (FV) and total setback (TSB). Breakdown (BKD) was mainly affected and increased by up to 39 RVU for fatty acids while decreasing by up to 80 RVU for other lipids in both starches. TSB doubled by the addition of 0.6% MP but decreased to onethird by 0.6% LE or LC. Addi...
Failure of cyclosporin-A to induce immunological unresponsiveness to nerve allografts

Although some allografts bearing major and minor transplantation antigens can survive after the cessation of immunosuppression with cyclosporin-A (Cy-A), nerve allografts do not. In an attempt to induce immunological unresponsiveness to nerve allografts, we used grafts containing only minor transplantation antigens and varied the duration of Cy-A therapy from 2 to 12 weeks. Our results demonstrated that nerve allografts survived in rats during Cy-A therapy, but when the drug administration ceased, the allografts were rejected. Other factors besides the degree of histoincompatibility and duration of Cy-A treatment must be involved in determining whether or not unresponsiveness develops to allografts after Cy-A withdrawal. We conclude that nerve allograft immunosuppression generated by Cy-A requires regular administration of the drug.
Room for archives? Use of archival materials in No Gun Ri research

Archivists have long tried to understand users from the viewpoint of their archival collections. Such an approach misses important perspectives about use in, and users of, archives; how they perform research and develop knowledge while using archives. This study aims to comprehend the use of archival materials in research from the users’ perspective. It attempts to understand users’ perceptions of the impact of archival collections on their research, how and when archival materials are involved in the research process and how much weight they grant those materials in support of their thesis, from an actual research topic, the No Gun Ri massacre. The case of the No Gun Ri incident provides a good example of how archival materials play a role in historical discussions and an opportunity to look at archival contributions. No Gun Ri researchers acknowledged that archival documents were essential source materials for details about the incident and a major player in stimulating controversies and, consequently, provided the impetus for further publications. General recordkeeping situations also provided a circumstantial context of the incident. However, No Gun Ri researchers agreed that oral history was the most valuable and influential evidence for their major ideas and used archival documents to provide hard facts about the details of oral history. There are some unique research patterns of No Gun Ri researchers identified in this study which are different from the typical assumptions of archivists.
FFT-accelerated analysis of scattering from three-dimensional structures residing in multiple layers

An extension of the adaptive integral method (AIM) is presented for fast analysis of scattering from three-dimensional (3D) structures located in multiple layers of a planar layered medium. The proposed scheme accelerates the iterative method-of-moments solution by employing 3D auxiliary regular grids, each of which encloses the parts of the structure in a different layer, and 2D auxiliary regular grids, each of which is located at a different interface of the layered medium. The auxiliary grids are used to execute the standard four-stage AIM procedure (anterpolation, propagation, interpolation, and correction) but the propagation stage of the procedure is divided into intra-layer and inter-layer components. Only the 3D grids and both 3D and 2D grids are used for intra- and inter-layer propagation stages, respectively. Numerical results validate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.
Hydrogen peroxide oxidation of tertiary amines

Oxides of tertiary amines, such as dimethyldodecylamine oxide, are known to be useful as detergents and foam stabilizers, and are now in commerical use. The results of an investigation leading to the selection of optimum conditions for producing these compounds are reported. A variety of hydrogen peroxide-derived systems for amine oxidation were investigated. These included hydrogen peroxide in water and in nonaqueous solvents, and peroxy acids under various reaction conditions. Reductometric, acidimetric, and gas chromatographic procedures were used for analysis of reaction mixtures. The preferred reaction uses hydrogen peroxide as oxidant and water as the reaction medium. The product of this reaction is a 30–40% solution of the amine oxide. Other factors affecting the rate and extent of conversion, such as amine purity, are discussed.
Genome-scale identification method applied to find cryptic aminoglycoside resistance genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Background The ability of bacteria to rapidly evolve resistance to antibiotics is a critical public health problem. Resistance leads to increased disease severity and death rates, as well as imposes pressure towards the discovery and development of new antibiotic therapies. Improving understanding of the evolution and genetic basis of resistance is a fundamental goal in the field of microbiology.
Integral mean values of modular L-functions

Abstract We consider the mean squares of L -functions associated to modular forms with respect to Hecke congruence subgroups, expressing the mean value as an inner product. This avoids the discussion of generalized additive divisor problems. As applications, we obtain asymptotic formulas for both weighted and unweighted mean squares.
Comparative Linkage Meta-Analysis Reveals Regionally-Distinct, Disparate Genetic Architectures: Application to Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

New high-throughput, population-based methods and next-generation sequencing capabilities hold great promise in the quest for common and rare variant discovery and in the search for ”missing heritability.” However, the optimal analytic strategies for approaching such data are still actively debated, representing the latest rate-limiting step in genetic progress. Since it is likely a majority of common variants of modest effect have been identified through the application of tagSNP-based microarray platforms (i.e., GWAS), alternative approaches robust to detection of low-frequency (1–5% MAF) and rare (<1%) variants are of great importance. Of direct relevance, we have available an accumulated wealth of linkage data collected through traditional genetic methods over several decades, the full value of which has not been exhausted. To that end, we compare results from two different linkage meta-analysis methods—GSMA and MSP—applied to the same set of 13 bipolar disorder and 16 schizophrenia GWLS datasets. Interestingly, we find that the two methods implicate distinct, largely non-overlapping, genomic regions. Furthermore, based on the statistical methods themselves and our contextualization of these results within the larger genetic literatures, our findings suggest, for each disorder, distinct genetic architectures may reside within disparate genomic regions. Thus, comparative linkage meta-analysis (CLMA) may be used to optimize low-frequency and rare variant discovery in the modern genomic era.
Prediction-error in the context of real social relationships modulates reward system activity

The human reward system is sensitive to both social (e.g., validation) and non-social rewards (e.g., money) and is likely integral for relationship development and reputation building. However, data is sparse on the question of whether implicit social reward processing meaningfully contributes to explicit social representations such as trust and attachment security in pre-existing relationships. This event-related fMRI experiment examined reward system prediction-error activity in response to a potent social reward—social validation—and this activity’s relation to both attachment security and trust in the context of real romantic relationships. During the experiment, participants’ expectations for their romantic partners’ positive regard of them were confirmed (validated) or violated, in either positive or negative directions. Primary analyses were conducted using predefined regions of interest, the locations of which were taken from previously published research. Results indicate that activity for mid-brain and striatal reward system regions of interest was modulated by social reward expectation violation in ways consistent with prior research on reward prediction-error. Additionally, activity in the striatum during viewing of disconfirmatory information was associated with both increases in post-scan reports of attachment anxiety and decreases in post-scan trust, a finding that follows directly from representational models of attachment and trust.
Evaluation of eight short-term long-range transport models using field data

Eight short-term long-range transport models (MESOPUFF, MESOPLUME, MSPUFF, MESOPUFF II, MTDDIS, ARRPA, RADM and RTM-II) have been tested with field data from two data bases involving tracer releases. The Oklahoma data base involved two separate experiments with measurements taken at 100 and 600 km arcs downwind of a 3-h perfluorocarbon release. The Savannah River Plant data base encompassed 15 experiments with measurements taken over 2–5 days at distances of 28–144 km downwind from a 62 m stack release of Kr-85 gas. Application of the American Meteorological Society statistics to the model/data comparisons showed that six of the eight models predicted within a factor of two of the observed concentrations for all of the following: points paired in space and time, points paired in space only, and for points unpaired in space and time. However, the ratio of the standard deviation of residuals to the average observed value showed improvement as more unpairing was done in the comparison of the models with the data. The statistical comparisons reveal a definite tendency of the models to overpredict plume concentrations. Supplemental graphical comparisons showed that plume concentration overprediction is accompanied with an underprediction of plume spreading, and that a definite time lag is often observed between the time of arrival of the observed plume and the time of arrival of the predicted plume. The causes of model/data discrepancies can be largely traced to inadequate wind field modeling that leads to an incorrect temporal and spatial positioning of the plume, and the use of the Turner [Workbook of atmospheric dispersion estimates. U.S. Dept of H.E.W. Publication 999-AP-26 (1970)] curves to downwind distances beyond which they can accurately represent the scales of atmospheric turbulence. The use of multilayer wind field models and the use of the Heffter [J. appl. Met.4, 153–156 (1965)] formula for lateral plume dispersion close to the source appear to improve model accuracies.
The Effects of Developmental Quotient and Diagnostic Criteria on Challenging Behaviors in Toddlers with Developmental Disabilities.

Abstract Previous research has found that individuals with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and those with greater symptom severity within these diagnoses, show higher rates of aggressive/destructive behavior, stereotypic behavior, and self-injurious behavior. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, toddlers at-risk for a developmental disorder ( n = 1509) ranging from 17 to 36 months fell into one of three diagnostic categories: Autistic Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified [PDD-NOS], and atypically developing – no ASD diagnosis. Mental health professionals from EarlySteps, Louisiana's Early Intervention System, interviewed parents and guardians using the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits ( BISCUIT ) – Part 3 ( Matson, Boisjoli, & Wilkins, 2007 ) to obtain measures of challenging behaviors and the Battelle Developmental Inventory , 2nd Edition ( BDI-2 ) ( Newborg, 2005 ) to obtain developmental quotients (DQ). Toddlers diagnosed with Autistic Disorder or PDD-NOS showed a positive relationship between total DQ and challenging behavior; whereas, atypically developing toddlers with no ASD diagnosis showed a more adaptive, negative relationship. The DQ domains that were most influential on challenging behaviors varied by diagnosis, with communication and motor domains playing greater roles for toddlers with Autistic Disorder or PDD-NOS, and personal–social and cognitive domains playing greater roles for atypically developing toddlers with no ASD diagnosis.
Direct Binding of Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase to Telomeric DNA Protects Telomeres against Chemotherapy-Induced Rapid Degradation

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a glycolytic enzyme that displays several non-glycolytic activities, including the maintenance and/or protection of telomeres. In this study, we determined the molecular mechanism and biological role of the interaction between GAPDH and human telomeric DNA. Using gel-shift assays, we show that recombinant GAPDH binds directly with high affinity (K(d)=45 nM) to a single-stranded oligonucleotide comprising three telomeric DNA repeats, and that nucleotides T1, G5, and G6 of the TTAGGG repeat are essential for binding. The stoichiometry of the interaction is 2:1 (DNA:GAPDH), and GAPDH appears to form a high-molecular-weight complex when bound to the oligonucleotide. Mutation of Asp32 and Cys149, which are localized to the NAD-binding site and the active-site center of GAPDH, respectively, produced mutants that almost completely lost their telomere-binding functions both in vitro and in situ (in A549 human lung cancer cells). Treatment of A549 cells with the chemotherapeutic agents gemcitabine and doxorubicin resulted in increased nuclear localization of expressed wild-type GAPDH, where it protected telomeres against rapid degradation, concomitant with increased resistance to the growth-inhibitory effects of these drugs. The non-DNA-binding mutants of GAPDH also localized to the nucleus when expressed in A549 cells, but did not confer any significant protection of telomeres against chemotherapy-induced degradation or growth inhibition; this occurred without the involvement of caspase activation or apoptosis regulation. Overall, these data demonstrate that GAPDH binds telomeric DNA directly in vitro and may have a biological role in the protection of telomeres against rapid degradation in response to chemotherapeutic agents in A549 human lung cancer cells.