cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MCP-1 Deficiency Delays Regression of Pathologic Retinal Neovascularization in a Model of Ischemic Retinopathy

Pathologic angiogenesis is a key component of many diverse diseases, including ischemic retinopathies.1,2 A balance between proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors determines whether endothelial cells (ECs) will proliferate, migrate, and incorporate into pathologic vessels or undergo apoptosis, causing the nascent vessels to regress.3 Our laboratory and others4–6 have reported that Fas-ligand (FasL) can play a counterbalancing role to the proangiogenic growth factors in the eye. Pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF) and thrombospondin-1, potent endogenous inhibitors of angiogenesis, induce EC apoptosis through the Fas/FasL pathway.7 Activated macrophages can induce apoptosis in target cells, including ECs, through cell surface FasL, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL).8–13 Activated resident and infiltrating macrophages are dynamic cell populations that have the potential to play multiple roles in disease pathogenesis and development.14 In addition to their proapoptotic properties during postnatal disease, macrophages are required for EC apoptosis during the regression of ocular capillaries in normal eye development, as demonstrated in the seminal studies by Lang et al.15,16 In contrast, macrophages are a rich source of angiogenic cytokines and have been linked to choroidal, tumoral, and inflammatory angiogenesis.17–20 These studies suggest that macrophages/microglia have the potential to play dual roles during pathologic angiogenesis. Several laboratories have reported the immunolocalization of microglia and macrophages to preretinal neovascular tufts in the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR).21–24 As shown in our previous study, the F4/80+ population peaks on postnatal day (P) 17 to P21 in the OIR model, which is associated with a significant increase in the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1, CCL2) on P17. Proliferation of resident microglia was not observed, suggesting the increase in F4/80+ cells is secondary to infiltrating monocytes/macrophages.22 To further characterize the role that macrophages/microglia play in retinal neovascularization (NV), vascular tuft regression, or both, we used MCP-1–deficient mice (MCP-1−/−) in the OIR model. The mouse OIR model reproducibly develops preretinal NV but is also characterized by the predictable regression of neovascular tufts through apoptosis.5,24,25 In several models of inflammation and injury, MCP-1−/− mice consistently exhibit a reduction in infiltrating macrophages, with an associated alteration in tissue injury.26–30 Therefore, using MCP-1−/− mice in the model of OIR should help clarify the role of infiltrating macrophages in this model of retinal NV.
Hydrogen bonding interactions of p-nitrophenol

Abstract The thermodynamic parameters of the formation of the 1:1 hydrogen bonded complex of p-nitrophenol with dioxane, triethylamine and n-butylamine in cyclohexane, were determined by ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy: −ΔH = 7.03, 10.1, 9.21 kcal.mole−1, −ΔG = 2.41, 4.18, 4.44 kcaLmole−1 and −ΔS = 15.5, 19.8, 16.0 e.u., respectively. Virtually all of the p-nitrophenol is hydrogen bonded when the concentration of the proton acceptor reaches 0.1–0.5 M. At higher concentrations, additional bathochromic shifts are observed in the p-nitrophenol absorption spectrum. The solvation of the 1:1 p-nitrophenol complex in the concentrated dioxane and triethylamine solutions appears to follow 3:2 and 3:4 stoichiometries, respectively. The free energy, enthalpy and entropy of the dioxane solvation were determined to be 1.3 kcal.mole−1, −5.1 kcal.mole−1 and −21 e.u., respectively. In the case of n-butylamine, a new band appears at ~370 mμ, which continues to shift with increase in n-butylamine concentration, ending at 395 mμ in pure n-butylamine. This band was assigned to the absorption of the proton transfer complex NO2 ⋯H+-NH2Bu.
Should all endoscopically excised rectal polyps be tattooed? A plea for localization

Background More than 5–8 % of endoscopically removed rectal polyps presumed to be benign contain invasive carcinoma. Tattooing has been advocated for follow-up localization of the resection site. Despite proven benefits, the authors propose that tattooing is not routinely performed when benign-appearing rectal polyps are endoscopically excised, thereby confounding management when invasive cancer is found. The secondary goal of the study was to determine the frequency of localization, polyp characteristics, and accuracy of predicting malignant potential at the authors’ institution.
Identification of 3′-Methoxy-4′-nitroflavone as a Pure Aryl Hydrocarbon (Ah) Receptor Antagonist and Evidence for More Than One Form of the Nuclear Ah Receptor in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells

The competitive binding of 3'-methoxy-4'-nitro, 4'-amino-3'-methoxy, 4'-methoxy-3'-nitro, and 3'-amino-4'-methoxyflavone (compounds 1 to 4, respectively) to the rat cytosolic aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor gave IC50 values of 2.27, 86.1, 872, and 19.4 nM. Flavones 3 and 4 were characterized as Ah receptor agonists in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and induced CYP1A1 gene expression, whereas the 3-methoxy-substituted flavones (1 and 2) were inactive. All four compounds inhibited induction of ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in MCF-7 cells; moreover, in vitro studies with TCDD-induced rat liver microsomes showed that flavones 1 to 4 inhibited EROD activity in the presence or absence of NADPH. In MCF-7 cells cotreated with flavones 1 or 2 (0.01 to 10 microM) plus TCDD or [3H]TCDD, there was a concentration-dependent inhibition of TCDD-induced CYP1A1 mRNA levels and formation of radiolabeled nuclear Ah receptor complex. Velocity sedimentation analysis of nuclear extracts from MCF-7 cells treated with [3H]TCDD plus 1 or 10 microM concentrations of flavones 1 and 2 showed that an early eluting specifically bound nuclear Ah receptor complex was present. However, under these same conditions the flavones inhibited TCDD-induced CYP1A1 gene expression. The apparent molecular mass of this nuclear complex was 190 kDa as determined by cross-linking to a 32P-labeled bromodeoxyuridine-substituted consensus dioxin-responsive element. Similar cross-linking results were obtained using the nuclear extract from MCF-7 cells treated with [3H]TCDD alone. The results of this study suggest that there are at least two forms of the nuclear Ah receptor complex in MCF-7 cells; the major transcriptionally active form binds [3H]TCDD and flavones 1 or 2 inhibit nuclear uptake of this receptor complex. The other form of the nuclear Ah receptor complex appears to be transcriptionally inactive and ligand binding with [3H]TCDD is not competitively inhibited by flavones 1 and 2.
Promoting inclusive education, civic scientific literacy, and global citizenship with videogames

In this response to Yupanqui Munoz and Charbel El-Hani’s paper, “The student with a thousand faces: From the ethics in videogames to becoming a citizen”, we examine their critique of videogames in science education. Munoz and El-Hani present a critical analysis of videogames such as Grand Theft Auto, Street Fight, Command and Conquer: Generals, Halo, and Fallout 3 using Neil Postman’s (1993) conceptualization of technopoly along with Bill Green and Chris Bigum’s (1993) notion of the cyborg curriculum. Our contention is that these games are not representative of current educational videogames about science, which hold the potential to enhance civic scientific literacy across a diverse range of students while promoting cross-cultural understandings of complex scientific concepts and phenomenon. We examine games that have undergone empirical investigation in general education science classrooms, such as River City, Quest Atlantis, Whyville, Resilient Planet, and You Make Me Sick!, and discuss the ways these videogames can engage students and teachers in a constructivist dialogue that enhances science education. Our critique extends Munoz and El-Hani’s discussion through an examination of the ways videogames can enhance science education by promoting inclusive education, civic scientific literacy, and global citizenship.
Reproducibility of molded condylar controls with an intraoral registration method. Part I. Simulated movement.

Summary The reproducibility of molded condylar controls by use of an intraoral registration method was determined. Multiple recordings were performed on a human subject and transferred to the articulator. Molded condylar controls were fabricated from the recordings by three dentists. In reproducing condylar contours, the variability increased from two to three times when recording from a human subject as compared with recording from the simulated jaw movement of an articulator. The major source of this increased error depended upon subtle differences in the mechanics of guiding the human jaw along border paths and was not due to the recording system itself. The accuracy involved in producing condylar controls appears to be clinically acceptable but is subject to individual recording traits and the level of experience of the dentist.
Mapping the Early College Research Literature

This literature review sketches the contours of research on Early College High Schools, with a particular focus on North Carolina. The review highlights the kinds of questions being asked about early colleges, summarizes the insights that are emerging, and forecasts the kinds of questions that have not yet been pursued by the research community. Available research indicates that the early college model has been successful in creating positive student-teacher relationships, engaging students in rigorous academic work, and propelling students forward on a positive academic trajectory. Moving forward, further research on the larger institutional/policy context of the model can illuminate its potential to catalyze lasting educational reform.
The soil physics contributions of Edgar Buckingham

During 1902 to 1906 as a soil physicist at the USDA Bureau of Soils (BOS), Edgar Buckingham originated the concepts of matric potential, soil-water retention curves, specific water capacity, and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K) as a distinct property of a soil. He applied a formula equivalent to Darcy's law (though without specific mention of Darcy's work) to unsaturated flow. He also contributed significant research on quasi-empirical formulas for K as a function of water content, water flow in capillary crevices and in thin films, and scaling. Buckingham's work on gas flow in soils produced paradigms that are consistent with our current understanding. His work on evaporation elucidated the concept of self-mulching and produced sound and sometimes paradoxical generalizations concerning conditions that favor or retard evaporation. Largely overshadowing those achievements, however, is that he launched a theory, still accepted today, that could predict transient water content as a function of time and space. Recently discovered documents reveal some of the arguments Buckingham had with BOS officials, including the text of a two-paragraph conclusion of his famous 1907 report on soil water, and the official letter documenting rejection of that text. Strained interpersonal relations motivated the departure of Buckingham and other brilliant physicists (N.E. Dorsey, F.H. King, and Lyman Briggs) from the BOS during 1903 to 1906. Given that Buckingham and his BOS colleagues had been rapidly developing the means of quantifying unsaturated flow, these strained relations probably slowed the advancement of unsaturated flow theory.
Abstract 5060: Gene network predicts overall survival in patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of primary lung cancer. Previous studies have shown that gene expression signatures may predict clinical outcome. In this study, we used a systems biology approach, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), to identify survival related networks and gene signatures. We first analyzed whole genome gene expression profiles in 82 lung adenocarcinoma tumor tissues from never smokers (smoked −4 ) and overall survival (OS, p =0.027, HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.06-2.74) after adjusting for potential confounders (age and tumor grade). When this module signature was incorporated and compared to the conventional model consisting of clinical variables only, the survival prediction accuracy was increased from 0.70 to 0.75. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated this module was significantly enriched in biological process GO term “cell cycle” (p = 2.1×10 −53 ). To explore the effect of this network module at germline level, we performed the WGCNA on normal lung tissues derived from 78 of the 82 patients and observed significant association of an expression module with OS (adjusted p=3×10 −4 , HR=1.98; 95% CI, 1.36-2.87). Interestingly, this module was also significantly enriched in cell cycle-related genes (p=4.1×10 −41 ). To further validate this result, we analyzed an independent microarray gene expression dataset including 442 lung adenocarcinoma patients from NCI Director9s Challenge Consortium. We found the same association: the cell cycle-enriched module was correlated with tumor grade of cell differentiation (r=0.55, p-value=5×10 −37 ) and OS (adjusted p=7.4×10 −3 ; HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.05-1.37). We further identified 30 genes in the OS-related module that overlapped between the discovery and validation data sets. Furthermore, all these 30 genes were found to be up-regulated in adenocarcinoma compared to adjacent normal lung tissues in the discovery data set. Of the 30 genes, three key genes, UBE2C, TPX2 and MELK, were identified with highest connectivity in cell cycle-enriched module; their expression levels were significantly associated with OS in both discovery and validation sets. UBE2C and TPX2 have been reported as gene signatures for human lung cancer prognosis in vitro lung carcinogenesis system; MELK was identified as a key regulator of the proliferation of malignant brain tumors and malignant grade in human astrocytomas, and was also associated with breast cancer prognosis. Our results suggest that genes involved in cell-cycle are likely related with tumor aggressiveness and therefore can predict survival in lung adenocarcinoma. Further studies are needed to validate the key genes that could improve survival prediction and provide potential new targets to intervene progression of lung adenocarcinoma. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5060. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5060
Seasonal Zooplankton Abundance and Size Fluctuations across Spatial Scales in Lake Pend Oreille, ldaho

ABSTRACT We studied seasonal zooplankton community dynamics along spatial scales in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho in 1997–1998 to determine if zooplankton community changes brought about by establishment of Mysis relicta in the 1970's persist today, and to relate zooplankton length and abundance fluctuations to zooplanktivory. Long-term trends in zooplankton species composition and relative abundance, as well as seasonal patterns of species succession are apparently unchanged since M. relicta establishment. Cladoceran zooplankters became abundant earlier in the spring and remained abundant later into autumn in 1998 than in 1997. Fluctuations in zooplankton lengths and abundance were more pronounced along horizontal gradients extending from littoral to pelagic zones than along vertical gradients extending downward from the surface, and these fluctuations were more pronounced in 1998 than in 1997. Zooplankton length variability along spatial scales occurred most often in late spring/early summer, and in autumn. ...
MM3 parameterization for the BN dative bond

A number of compounds that contain the BN dative bond have been found to exhibit intriguing physiological activities. Although there is no proven mechanism for this activity, one hypothesis is that some form of borane transfer reaction occurs. In this scenario, the BN dative bond within the small molecule, putative pharmacore breaks, and the borane forms a new dative bond with a Lewis base site on some critical protein. For this hypothesis to be investigated further from a computational perspective, an improved MM3 parameter set for tetravalent Btetravalent N bonds has been developed and is reported here. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 22: 913–922, 2001
Embryogenesis and the glyoxylate cycle

The key catalysts of the glyoxylate cycle, isocitrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.1) and malate synthase (EC 4.1.3.2), have been investigated in a variety of tissues [l-3]. In general, the biological a~im~ation of acetate units or the conversion of fatty acids to carbohydrates requires function of glyoxylate cycle [4-61. For example, the function of this cycle is required for conversion of fat to carbohydrate during germination of fat-rich seedlings [7 1. Moreover, the specific activities of isocitrate lyase and malate synthase are highest in second-stage larvae of the nematode Ascaris lumbricoides at a time when the conversion of lipid to carbohydrate is maximal [ 81. The presence of isocitrate lyase and malate synthase has also been reported in several other nematodes [9&O] including a number of free-living forms [ 1 l-141. Although in recent years scattered information has been published on the biochemistry of larval development of free-living nematodes such as Ykrbatrix aceti [14,15] and Caerzorhabditis ekgans [16], ~formation about the basic bio~ern~t~ is still sketchy. For example, nothing is known about the function of glyoxylate cycle enzymes during embryogenesis, although the presence of high levels of isocitrate lyase in early post-embryonic states of C. elegans [ 161 implies that this enzyme functions during embryogenesis. We now present evidence which supports the function of the glyoxylate cycle during embryogenesis of C. eleguns. AS far as we know, this is the first report implicating the occurrence of the glyoxylate cycle in any embryonic animal tissue.
Synthesizing inductive expertise

We consider programs that accept descriptions of inductive inference problems and return machines that solve them. Several design specifications for synthesizers of this kind are considered from a recursion-theoretic perspective.
Infrared Coherent Radar

This paper describes the experimental high power coherent 10.6 µm radar located at the Lincoln Laboratory Firepond Facility. The radar utilizes a 48" telescope for the transmission and reception of signals which are processed to perform the automatic angle and frequency tracking functions. The transmitted energy is derived from a closed cycle electron beam excited discharge laser final amplifier equipped with a rotating ZnSe high power output window. A high power multiple rotating disc system performs the pulse forming and receive transmit duplexing functions. The transmit optical path consists of liquid cooled high power metal mirrors to minimize optical distortion due to heating effects. The radar is capable of tracking both enhanced and unenhanced targets in low and medium altitude earth orbit.
A new approach of the estimation of Km of carbamyl phosphate synthetase for ammonia in isolated rat hepatocytes

1. 1. The Km for ammonia of carbamyl phosphate synthetase was determined by preincubating isolated liver cells for 30 min in the absence of ammonia and bicarbonate and in the presence of ornithine, chloroquine, which blocks lysosomal proteolysis, and aminoxy acetic acid, which inhibits transaminases. 2. 2. The reaction was started with the addition of varying concentrations of ammonia and 10 mM bicarbonate. 3. 3. The rate of citrulline formation was measured as related to ammonia concentration. 4. 4. The pre-incubation with ornithine permits an accumulation of intracellular and mitochondrial ornithine concentrations which in turn allow rapid citrulline formation in the carbamyl phosphate form. 5. 5. This prevents any feedback inhibition on a carbamyl phosphate synthetase or decreases in activity due to accumulation of carbamyl phosphate and/or absence of ornithine. 6. 6. Using these methods in combination with [14C]bicarbonate permitted an estimation of exogenous ammonia for carbamyl phosphate synthesis. 7. 7. The Km for ammonia was 1.5 mM, using a pK. of 8.88 the Km for free NH3 was 48 μM.
Finescale Spiral Band Features within a Numerical Simulation of Hurricane Opal (1995)

Abstract One of the most recognizable features associated with a well-organized tropical system are spiral rainbands. These quasi-stationary rainbands often extend hundreds of kilometers from the storm center and have been well described in the literature. Observational studies have since identified additional banding structures, including outward-propagating small-scale spiral bands. These rainbands may have considerable implications for “core type” tornadoes, local wind maxima associated with downburst damage swaths, as well as a role in overall hurricane dynamics. As such, here a numerical simulation of Hurricane Opal (1995) is examined with unprecedented resolution necessary to capture these small-scale spiral bands. Opal was an intense landfalling hurricane that demonstrated small-scale spiral banding features analogous to those observational studies. The scale and characteristics of the simulated bands are consistent with observed small-scale spiral banding of intense hurricanes. A varietal of Kelvi...
Chronic dietary α-lipoic acid reduces deficits in hippocampal memory of aged Tg2576 mice

Oxidative stress may play a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology. Here, the effects of the antioxidant, α-lipoic acid (ALA) were tested on the Tg2576 mouse, a transgenic model of cerebral amyloidosis associated with AD. Ten-month old Tg2576 and wild type mice were fed an ALA-containing diet (0.1%) or control diet for 6 months and then assessed for the influence of diet on memory and neuropathology. ALA-treated Tg2576 mice exhibited significantly improved learning, and memory retention in the Morris water maze task compared to untreated Tg2576 mice. Twenty-four hours after contextual fear conditioning, untreated Tg2576 mice exhibited significantly impaired context-dependent freezing. ALA-treated Tg2576 mice exhibited significantly more context freezing than the untreated Tg2576 mice. Assessment of brain soluble and insoluble β-amyloid levels revealed no differences between ALA-treated and untreated Tg2576 mice. Brain levels of nitrotyrosine, a marker of nitrative stress, were elevated in Tg2576 mice, while F2 isoprostanes and neuroprostanes, oxidative stress markers, were not elevated in the Tg2576 mice relative to wild type. These data indicate that chronic dietary ALA can reduce hippocampal-dependent memory deficits of Tg2576 mice without affecting β-amyloid levels or plaque deposition.
Intensive cropping effects on physical and chemical conditions of two soils in Kentucky 1

Abstract Field experiments were conducted from 1970 through 1974 to determine the effects of intensive double‐cropping with notillage and conventional tillage on certain physical and chemical properties of a Huntington silt loam soil and a Pope silt loam soil. The soils were double‐cropped 4 years with corn and barley or oats. Three fertilizers rates were used. There were no significant effects at the 0.05 level on either bulk density or organic matter content. Soil pH in the surface 0 to 15 cm decreased and was related to the amount of N fertilizer applied. Soil test levels of P increased at each level of P fertilizer. The lowest level of K fertilizer was sufficient to maintain soil test K at its original value in the Huntington soil, but the medium level was necessary in the case of the Pope soil. Intensive double‐cropping with either no‐tillage or conventional. tillage for a period of 4 years did not significantly affect the soil productivity parameters measured in these soils, even though most of the ...
Multiphase equilibria of reactive systems

Abstract This paper reviews recent developments in the analysis and calculation of multiphase equilibria involving chemical reactions. Emphasis is placed on the reaction tangent plane and its importance for stability analysis. Calculation methods to locate the global minimum of the Gibbs free energy are reviewed with emphasis on the GOP method that achieves ϵ-global convergence. Methods for the simulation and design of reactive-distillation columns are considered with emphasis on reactive azeotropes and reactive residue curves for chemical reactions at equilibrium or kinetically controlled.
Singlet Exciton Fission in Nanostructured Organic Solar Cells

Singlet exciton fission is an efficient multiexciton generation process in organic molecules. But two concerns must be satisfied before it can be exploited in low-cost solution-processed organic solar cells. Fission must be combined with longer wavelength absorption in a structure that can potentially surpass the single junction limit, and its efficiency must be demonstrated in nanoscale domains within blended devices. Here, we report organic solar cells comprised of tetracene, copper phthalocyanine, and the buckyball C(60). Short wavelength light generates singlet excitons in tetracene. These are subsequently split into two triplet excitons and transported through the phthalocyanine. In addition, the phthalocyanine absorbs photons below the singlet exciton energy of tetracene. To test tetracene in nanostructured blends, we fabricate coevaporated bulk heterojunctions and multilayer heterojunctions of tetracene and C(60). We measure a singlet fission efficiency of (71 ± 18)%, demonstrating that exciton fission can efficiently compete with exciton dissociation on the nanoscale.
Choice and delay of reinforcement

Pigeons were trained to peck either of two response keys for food reinforcement on equated aperiodic schedules. The distribution of responding at the two keys was studied as reinforcement was delayed for various durations. The relative frequency of responding at each key was shown to match the relative immediacy of reinforcement, immediacy defined as the reciprocal of the delay of reinforcement.
Synthetic analogue approach to cobalt(III)-bleomycin: synthesis, crystal and solution structures and redox properties of bis(N-(2-(4-imidazolyl)ethyl)pyrimidine-4-carboxamido)cobalt(III) perchlorate·2.25H2O

Abstract Aerobic oxidation of mixtures of PrpepH (3), a peptide ligand that contains three of the five proposed donor centers of the metal-chelating portion of the antitumor drug bleomycin (BLM) and cobalt(II) salts (ratio 2:1) in water or methanol affords the cobalt(III) complex [Co(Prpep) 2 ] + which has been isolated as the perchlorate and the tetrafluoroborate salt. [Co(Prpep) 2 ]C1O 4 ·2.25H 2 O (5a) crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with a=14.553- (5), b=16.765(7), c=21.745(8) A and Z=8. The structure was refined to R=6.2% by using 3273 unique data (F o 2 > 2.5σ(F o 2 )). The coordination geometry around low-spin Co(III) is octahedral with CoN(pyrimidine)=1.943(5), Co-N(imidazole)= 1.931(5) and Co-N(amido)=1.927(5) A, respectively. The complex is isolated as the mer isomer. On reduction, [Co(Prpep) 2 ] + yields a cobalt(II) species that rapidly decomposes in solution. The solution structure of [Co(Prpep) 2 ] + has been explored with the aid of one- and two-dimensional 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy.
Community and occupational health concerns in pork production: A review

Public concerns relative to adverse consequences of large-scale livestock production have been increasingly voiced since the late 1960s. Numerous regional, national, and international conferences have been held on the subject since 1994. This paper provides a review of the literature on the community and occupational health concerns of large-scale livestock production with a focus on pork production. The industry has recognized the concerns of the public, and the national and state pork producer groups are including these issues as an important component of their research and policy priorities. One reason large-scale livestock production has raised concern is that a significant component of the industry has separated from traditional family farming and has developed like other industries in management, structure, and concentration. The magnitude of the problem cited by environmental groups has often been criticized by the pork production industry for lack of science-based evidence to document environmental concerns. In addition to general environmental concerns, occupational health of workers has become more relevant because many operations now are employing more than 10 employees, which brings many operations in the United States under the scrutiny of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In this paper, the scientific literature is reviewed relative to the science basis of occupational and environmental impacts on community and worker health. Further, recommendations are made to help promote sustainability of the livestock industry within the context of maintaining good stewardship of our environmental and human capital.
Wave-like transmission in waveguides with spatially modulated strengths of the Rashba and Dresselhaus terms of the spin–orbit interaction

We evaluate the electron transmission T through waveguides (WGs) in which the strengths of the Rashba (α) and Dresselhaus (β) terms of the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) vary in space. For sufficiently narrow WGs Texhibits a spin-transistor behavior as a function of α or β and of α/β or β/α. In addition, T shows resonances, as a function of the length of a SOI-free region separating two regions with SOI present, which become sharper when the length of the latter is increased and are most pronounced for α = β. The sign of α strongly affects the spin-up and spin-down transmissions. The results are pertinent to the development of a spin transistor.
Estrogen receptor α (ERα) mediates stimulatory effects of estrogen on aromatase (CYP19) gene expression in human placenta

A 246-bp region upstream of placenta-specific exon I.1 of the human aromatase (hCYP19) gene mediates placenta-specific, developmental, and O(2) regulation of expression. In this study, trophoblast differentiation and associated induction of CYP19 expression were prevented when cytotrophoblasts were cultured in phenol red-free medium containing charcoal-stripped serum or with the estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist, ICI 182,780, suggesting a stimulatory role of estrogen/ER. ERalpha protein was expressed in human trophoblasts and increased during syncytiotrophoblast differentiation, whereas ERbeta was undetectable. Mutational analysis revealed that an estrogen response element-like sequence (ERE-LS) at -208 bp is required for inductive effects of estradiol/ERalpha on hCYP19I.1 promoter activity in transfected COS-7 cells. Increased binding of syncytiotrophoblast compared with cytotrophoblast nuclear proteins to the ERE-LS was observed in vitro; however, ERalpha antibodies failed to supershift the complex and in vitro-transcribed/translated ERalpha did not bind. Nonetheless, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays in cultured trophoblasts revealed recruitment of endogenous ERalpha to the -255- to -155-bp region containing the ERE-LS before induction of hCYP19 expression; this was inhibited by ICI 182,780. Chromatin immunoprecipitation also revealed increased acetylated histone H3(K9/14) and decreased methylated histone H3(K9) associated with this region during trophoblast differentiation. These modifications were prevented when trophoblasts were incubated with ICI 182,780, suggesting that ERalpha recruitment to the -255- to -155-bp region promotes histone modifications leading to increased hCYP19 transcription. Thus, during trophoblast differentiation, estrogen/ERalpha exerts a positive feedback role, which promotes permissive histone modifications that are associated with induction of hCYP19 gene transcription.
THE CONDITIONAL AND INTERACTION EFFECTS OF EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS ON THE SELF-REGULATED LEARNING OF COLLEGE STUDENTS: Motivational Strategies

This study examines the conditional and interaction effects of each of four dimensions of the epistemological beliefs of college students regarding the ability to learn, the speed of learning, the structure of knowledge, and the stability of knowledge on four measures of the cognitive components (elaboration, rehearsal, organization, metacognition) and four measures of the behavioral components (effort regulation, management of time and study environment, peer learning, help seeking) of self-regulated learning strategies. Students with more sophisticated beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning were more likely than their peers to use educationally productive cognitive and behavioral strategies in their learning. Beliefs about one’s ability to learn had the most significant and substantial effects, and the structure of knowledge had the second most significant and substantial effects on students’ use of self-regulated cognitive and behavioral learning strategies. Although a student’s belief about the stability of knowledge by itself had a statistically significant effect on only one learning strategy, this belief served as moderator for six of the 11 statistically significant interaction effects of epistemological beliefs on the use of cognitive and behavioral learning strategies. Implications of these findings for theory, research, policy and practice are examined.
Survival of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in wood chips.

Preliminary results are presented on elimination of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus from pine wood chips by dry heat, hot water treatment and immersion in dithiocarbamate solution.
Results of a multicenter trial of the CapSure (Re/Stor) Continence shield on women with stress urinary incontinence.

Abstract Objectives. To prospectively study the impact of the CapSure (Re/Stor) Continence shield for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Methods. One hundred women with pure stress urinary incontinence were enrolled in a 6-month study. Objective measures of urine loss included pad weight test (PdWt) and provocative stress test (PST). Subjective measures included incontinence diaries documenting the number of incontinence episodes per day (IEPD), quality of life questionnaires, and satisfaction surveys. Objective and subjective measures were performed prior to enrollment, during use of the CapSure shield, and after discontinuation of the device. Results. During the 12-week device utilization period, PdWt measurements demonstrated a 96% reduction in urine loss by week 1 and 97% by week 12. Eighty-two percent of subjects were completely dry by week 12. PST demonstrated 100% reduction in urine loss at each visit, with 91% of subjects completely dry by week 12. IEPD also demonstrated a 91% reduction in incontinence episodes by week 12. Quality of life scores and patient satisfaction surveys demonstrated significant improvement. During the 6-week post device utilization period (PUP), subjects continued to demonstrate a reduction in urine loss compared to pre-enrollment data, despite discontinuation of use. PdWt measurements demonstrated a 73% and 79% reduction in urine loss at weeks 14 and 18, respectively. Measurements of PST and IEPD demonstrated significant reductions in urine loss at weeks 14 and 18. A 1.5% prevalence of positive urine cultures was noted during device use. Bothersome vaginal or urethral irritation occurred in 12% of patients. Adverse events were few and required no therapeutic intervention. Conclusions. The CapSure shield is a safe and efficacious method of managing stress urinary incontinence in women.
Stitching Beauty: Kuna Indian Textiles from Panama

Stitching Beauty: Kuna Indian Textiles from Panama. Birmingham Museum of Art. September 25, 2005-December 31, 2005.
Activation of αvβ3-Vitronectin Binding Is a Multistage Process in which Increases in Bond Strength Are Dependent on Y747 and Y759 in the Cytoplasmic Domain of β3

Integrin receptors serve as mechanical links between the cell and its structural environment. Using αvβ3 integrin expressed in K562 cells as a model system, the process by which the mechanical conn...
The use of trehalose in the preparation of specimens for molecular electron microscopy

Biological specimens have to be prepared for imaging in the electron microscope in a way that preserves their native structure. Two-dimensional (2D) protein crystals to be analyzed by electron crystallography are best preserved by sugar embedding. One of the sugars often used to embed 2D crystals is trehalose, a disaccharide used by many organisms for protection against stress conditions. Sugars such as trehalose can also be added to negative staining solutions used to prepare proteins and macromolecular complexes for structural studies by single-particle electron microscopy (EM). In this review, we describe trehalose and its characteristics that make it so well suited for preparation of EM specimens and we review specimen preparation methods with a focus on the use of trehalose.
A two-mass model of the vocal cords: determination of control parameters

We present numerical simulations performed with a two-mass model of the vocal folds. We use the model to compute the fundamental frequency as a function of two control parameters: subglottal pressure and vocal cords tension. Our results contribute to a better characterization of a now classic vocal-fold model.
Transcriptomic analysis identifies phosphatases as novel targets for adenotonsillar hypertrophy of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea.

Rationale: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disorder in children, in which enlarged adenotonsillar tissues (AT) play a major pathophysiologic role. Mechanisms leading to the proliferation and hypertrophy of AT in children who subsequently develop OSA remain unknown, and surgical extirpation of AT is associated with potential morbidity and mortality.Objectives: We hypothesized that a computationally based analysis of gene expression in tonsils from children with OSA and children with recurrent tonsillitis without OSA can identify putative mechanistic pathways associated with tonsillar proliferation and hypertrophy in OSA.Methods: Palatine tonsils from children with either polysomnographically documented OSA or recurrent infectious tonsillitis were subjected to whole-genome microarray and functional enrichment analyses followed by significance score ranking based on gene interaction networks. The latter enabled identification and confirmation of a candidate list of tonsil-proliferative ge...
Progressive Catholic perspectives on reproductive health and rights: the political challenge of orthodoxy

Os catolicos nao seguem a doutrina Catolica Romana oficial em assuntos de sexualidade e reproducao, que inclui considerar que a contracepcao, mesmo para as pessoas casadas, sempre e ma, e o aborto provocado, ate para salvar a vida da mulher, e sempre imoral. Bem menos conhecido e o envolvimento da Igreja nas decisoes politicas sobre estes mesmos assuntos. Por exemplo, a Igreja tem causado, direta ou indiretamente, o fechamento de servicos de fertilizacao in vitro (FIV) desde a Polonia ate o Uruguai. Como a Igreja nunca declarou que quaisquer das opinioes dominantes, ao longo do tempo, acerca de quando o feto se torna uma pessoa constitui uma doutrina ou dogma, nao ha nenhuma justificativa teologica para a condenacao absoluta ao aborto. Tambem nao ha uma teoria do "aborto justo" semelhante a da "guerra justa", que permite matar em certas circunstâncias. A grande distância entre as posicoes da Igreja e os pontos de vista dos fieis tem levado os catolicos a desenvolvem sua propria etica sexual e reprodutiva, funcional e digna. A Igreja poderia dar uma contribuicao positiva para a solucao dos problemas discutidos se escolhesse estar ao lado das pessoas em sua busca em vez de por obstaculos.
A Rationally Designed Chiral Auxiliary for Hydroxyalkyl Radicals Leads to Exceptional ρ-Stereocontrol

Abstract Substitution of a t-butyl group at C-6 of the THP ring results in a chiral auxiliary that exerts exceptional stereocontrol in radical addition reactions. For example, radical 2c adds to 2-nitropropene at −78 °C to give, after reductive hydrolysis, the protected aldol 4c with a diastereoselectivity of 35 1 . Good selectivity (ds = 8 1 ) is even observed when the reaction is conducted at ambient temperature. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
High Fill-Factor Substrate-Based Wire-Grid Polarizers With High Extinction Ratios

Low-cost, substrate-based, millimeter-wave-to-THz wire-grid polarizers have been fabricated on crystalline-quartz substrates using planar processing techniques. The polarizers achieve high extinction ratios (at least 60 dB) with a single layer, while maintaining low insertion loss (a few decibels) by taking advantage of previously under-utilized “spoof” surface-plasmon effects. Full-wave finite-element simulations done with High Frequency Structure Simulator and experiments both show that metal fill-factors upwards of 90% greatly improve polarizer extinction ratio. The extinction ratio of high fill-factor polarizers exceeds that of a commercial free-standing wire grid by up to 20 dB at normal incidence.
How do animal phagocytes process bacterial lipopolysaccharides

Phagocytic cells, the front-line defense against bacterial invasion, have enzymes that deacylate and dephosphorylate the toxic lipid A moiety of gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, also called endotoxin). These enzymes may detoxify LPS without destroying its immunogenicity or antigenicity - in fact, the polysaccharide region of LPS often resists degradation in vivo and retains its antigenic epitopes for long periods of time. The net result, detoxification of LPS with preservation of its immunogenic and antigenic properties, may prevent excessive inflammatory responses while promoting the development of antibacterial immunity.
A Modern Perspective on Creative Cognition

Influenced by recent neuroscientific research, the author proposes that the cognition underlying creativity should be seen as a sequential process requiring the appropriate interspersing of both intuitive and analytical modes of thought. Each of these modes may concern itself with either identifying the information that is the focus of potentially creative cognition or with the creative perspective from which to view the information. Here, perspective refers to the salience of various elements of the information set, of which some elements might be seen as crucially important to a creative treatment of the situation, while other pieces of information may appear as merely contextually relevant.
The dynamics of formation of vibrationally excited HF in reactions of O (21 D2) atoms with partially fluorinated alkanes

The nascent vibrational energy distributions of the HF† formed in the reactions of a series of partially fluorinated alkanes (RFH; RF = CH2F, CHF2, CF3, C2F5, C3F7, and C7F15) with electronically excited oxygen atoms O(21D2) have been determined by measuring the appearance times of stimulated emissions from various vibration–rotation transitions in a grating-tuned optical cavity. The vibrational energy contents of the HF formed in these reactions were found to be considerably greater than statistically expected. These reactions are believed to occur via vibrationally excited short-lived α;-fluorinated alcohols (RFOH†), formed by insertion of the O(21D2) atoms into CH bonds. The observation of nonstatistical energy partitioning in the above reactions is in clear contrast to the result obtained from the O(21D2) + CF3CH3 reaction that produces the β-fluorinated alcohol CF3CH2OH, from which the HF product carries a near statistical vibrational energy distribution. A mechanism for HF† formation in these very exothermic reactions is presented.
Bortezomib Treatment for Multiple Myeloma

OBJECTIVE:To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and place of bortezomib in the therapy of multiple myeloma (MM).DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE search was conducted (1985–May 2003). Meeting abstracts, bibliographies from identified articles, and the package insert were also used. Search terms were bortezomib, multiple myeloma, Velcade, PS-341, LDP-341, MLNM341, and proteasome inhibitor.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:All published information relevant to the clinical activity of bortezomib in MM was considered. All human clinical studies, with an emphasis on Phase II trials, were selected.DATA SYNTHESIS:Current therapy for MM yields significant, although temporary, responses. Bortezomib is a novel anticancer agent with significant activity in relapsed and refractory MM.CONCLUSIONS:Although the clinical trial data are incomplete, bortezomib offers a novel therapeutic modality for patients with MM who would otherwise have few options.
Prevalence of Childhood Asthma in Urban Communities: The Impact of Ethnicity and Income

Purpose The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between hospitalization rates and asthma prevalence in New York City children and investigate the role that sociodemographic factors play in asthma. Methods A parent-report questionnaire was distributed in 26 randomly selected New York City public elementary schools, stratified according to neighborhood hospitalization rates. Results The overall student response rate was 76.9% (5250 students). Prevalence of current asthma was 17.9%, 9.59%, 6.39% (p Conclusions Prevalence of current asthma is strongly associated with attending a school in a low-income neighborhood. Although hospitalization rates have been used as an indicator of the burden of asthma in a neighborhood, it alone does not reflect the level of disparities that exist among communities with different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Incremental Phonological Encoding during Unscripted Sentence Production.

We investigate phonological encoding during unscripted sentence production, focusing on the effect of phonological overlap on phonological encoding. Previous work on this question has almost exclusively employed isolated word production or highly scripted multiword production. These studies have led to conflicting results: some studies found that phonological overlap between two words facilitates phonological encoding, while others found inhibitory effects. One worry with many of these paradigms is that they involve processes that are not typical to everyday language use, which calls into question to what extent their findings speak to the architectures and mechanisms underlying language production. We present a paradigm to investigate the consequences of phonological overlap between words in a sentence while leaving speakers much of the lexical and structural choices typical in everyday language use. Adult native speakers of English described events in short video clips. We annotated the presence of disfluencies and the speech rate at various points throughout the sentence, as well as the constituent order. We find that phonological overlap has an inhibitory effect on phonological encoding. Specifically, if adjacent content words share their phonological onset (e.g., hand the hammer), they are preceded by production difficulty, as reflected in fluency and speech rate. We also find that this production difficulty affects speakers’ constituent order preferences during grammatical encoding. We discuss our results and previous works to isolate the properties of other paradigms that resulted in facilitatory or inhibitory results. The data from our paradigm also speak to questions about the scope of phonological planning in unscripted speech and as to whether phonological and grammatical encoding interact.