cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation of New Aureobasidium Strains That Produce High-Molecular-Weight Pullulan with Reduced Pigmentation

Abstract New isolates of Aureobasidium pullulans were obtained from plant leaf surfaces gathered in San Diego County. The new fungal isolates were identified as A. pullulans on the basis of the appearance of polymorphic colonies formed on agar plates, the electrophoretic profiles of repeated genomic DNA sequences, and the production of pullulan in shake flask cultures. The isolates showed different degrees of pigmentation. One of the natural isolates was nonpigmented under mock production conditions in liquid culture, but was still able to synthesize a reduced amount of pigment on agar plates at late times. A mutagenic treatment with ethidium bromide produced derivatives of normally pigmented natural isolates that exhibited an increased tendency toward yeastlike growth and reduced pigmentation. Additionally, some of the new isolates and mutant derivatives accumulated pullulan of relatively high molecular weight in the culture broths.
The Problem of "Identity" in constitution-making and constitutional reform

Constitution-making and constitutional reform, as recent examples in the European Union and Iraq indicate, cannot succeed unless there is an existing constitutional identity or one in the making. Constitutional identity differs from national identity, but must perforce incorporate aspects of pre-constitutional and extra-constitutional identity. The paper distinguishes between five constitutional models and four constitution-making models and argues that every viable constitutional identity is shaped by some of these or by combinations involving aspects of several of these. Consistent with this, the relevant differences between constitution-making, amending the constitution, revising the constitution, and constitutional reform are substantive and contextual rather than formal, and involve greater or lesser changes to constitutional identity.
The decoy effect as a covert influence tactic

The purpose of this research was to determine whether individuals could use the decoy effect to influence others' choices. In study 1, undergraduates (n = 50) and executive master's of business administration (EMBA) students (n = 24) read an employee selection scenario in which they were randomly assigned to prefer one of two candidates that were equal in overall attractiveness, but that had different strengths and weaknesses. They were then asked to choose one of three inferior candidates to add to the choice set that would make their preferred candidate more likely to be chosen by other decision makers. The “correct” inferior candidate was asymmetrically dominated—dominated by one of the two existing candidates, but not the other. Participants chose the “correct” decoy candidate at better than chance levels. In study 2, undergraduates and EMBA students (total n = 66) completed a set of four decision tasks, in which they were asked to choose from potential decoy alternatives that would highlight their preferred job candidate or the product they preferred to sell to a customer. Participants again chose the correct option at better than chance levels. When participants provided free-response reasons for their choices, these responses indicated a fairly strong recognition of the influential nature of creating a dominating relationship. Implications for understanding this effect and how it may be used by hiring managers, sales personnel, and others who attempt to influence others people's decisions at work, are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
They Are Richer But Are They Happier? Subjective Well-Being of Chinese Citizens Across the Reform Era

This study examined Chinese’s subjective well-being (SWB) in the past two decades. By capitalizing on the single time-series data available on SWB in China during the reform era (spanning for nearly two decades) and adopting a newly-developed cross-classified random effects model that can disentangle the confounding effects of age, period and birth cohorts, this analysis detects significant age and period effect. First, Chinese exhibits a curvilinear and concave relation between age and life satisfaction. Secondly, economic prosperity in the past decades did not translate into greater satisfaction with life among Chinese people. Significant period effect reveals a V-shape pattern of life satisfaction: the declining trend has continued throughout the 1990s and the beginning of the millennium. By 2007 (the most recently available), the life satisfaction of Chinese people has rebounded to some extent, albeit still considerably lower than in 1990. Subsequently, in search of explanations for this overall trend of plummeted subjective well-being among Chinese citizens over time, whether and how the rising inequality asserts its influence on SWB in China’s context are tested and discussed.
Soil Weed Seed Banks and Weed Management

Abstract Studies of soil weed seed banks are of relatively recent origin considering their importance as sources of diversity and continued occupation of many types of habitats, including agroecosystems. The management of weed seed banks is based on knowledge and modification of the behavior of seeds within the soil seed bank matrix. The behavior of seeds defines the phenotypic composition of the floral community of a field. Selection and adaptation over time have led to the highly successful weed populations that exploit resources unused by crops. The weed species infesting agricultural seed banks are those populations that have found successful trait compromises within and between the five roles of seeds: dispersal and colonization, persistence, embryonic food supply, display of genetic diversity, and as a means of species multiplication. Diverse weed seed populations provide seed banks the opportunity to exploit any change in conditions to ensure their enduring survival and spread. The soil seed bank m...
Gallium arsenide laser-array-on-silicon package.

A monolithic array of AlGaAs lasers has been packaged together with an array of fiber lightguides on a substrate of silicon. The components have been optimized for maximum lightguide output radiance consistent with reliable cw laser operation. Coupling efficiencies up to 80% have been achieved between laser and lightguide. Output powers up to 70 mW cw have been observed from a 50-μm core diameter lightguide of 0.15 numerical aperture. Eight-device array multispot packages have been fabricated with 10 mW/spot, limited by laser quality and thermoelectric cooler capacity. Fabrication tolerances and device electrical and optical crosstalk are discussed.
Vitamin E deficiency and prostaglandin synthesis in rat testes

Abstract A group of 8 weanling rats was fed a vitamin E(VE) deficient diet (D) and a control group was fed a VE sufficient diet (C) for 19 weeks. Levels of docosapentaenoic acid (22:5w6) in testis parenchyma lipids were significantly lower (p 2 and 6-keto-PGF 1α derived from endogenous AA in tunica homogenate affer 30 min incubation appear to be greater in the control group than in the deficient group, although the difference was not statistically significant. These results imply that increased lipid peroxidation in VE deficiency can result in greater inactivation of PGH synthetase and thus can reduce the synthesis of PGs during the incubation.
X‐RAY STUDY OF BORIC OXIDE‐SILICA GLASS*

X-ray diffraction patterns have been made of four samples of boric oxide-silica glass (15, 30, 45, and 60% SiO2) and of Pyrex-brand chemical resistant glass. Radial distribution curves for the 5 samples were obtained by the usual Fourier analysis method. The results lead to a picture of boric oxide-silica glass in which each silicon is tetra-hedrally surrounded by 4 oxygens, each boron is triangularly surrounded by 3 oxygens, and each oxygen is bonded between 2 cations. In Pyrex-brand chemical resistant glass, part of the borons are probably in tetrahedral coordination. The softening of silica glass by the addition of boric oxide results from replacing in the random network fourfold coordinated silicon by threefold coordinated boron. The low expansion coefficient of vitreous silica, contrasted with the higher expansion of crystalline silica, is explained by the impossibility of cooperative maneuvers in the random network of glassy silica.
Translational control of p27Kip1 accumulation during the cell cycle.

Cell cycle phase transitions in eukaryotic cells are driven by regulation of the activity of protein kinases known as cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). A broad spectrum Cdk-inhibitory activity associated with a 28-kilodalton protein (p28Ick1) was induced in cells treated with the drug lovastatin or upon density-mediated growth arrest and was periodic in the cell cycle, with peak activity in G1. The p28Ick1 protein was shown to be identical to p27Kip1, and the periodic or induced inhibitory activity resulted from a periodic accumulation of the protein. Variations in the amount of p27 protein occurred, whereas the abundance of the p27 messenger RNA remained unchanged. In every instance investigated, the posttranscriptional alteration of p27 protein levels was achieved in part by a mechanism of translational control, although in density-arrested fibroblasts and thymidine-arrested HeLa cells the half-life of the protein was also changed.
$\hbox{In}_{0.53}\hbox{Ga}_{0.47}\hbox{As}$ Channel MOSFETs With Self-Aligned InAs Source/Drain Formed by MEE Regrowth

Abstract-We report Al2O3Zln0.53Ga0.47As MOSFETs having both self-aligned in situ Mo source/drain ohmic contacts and self-aligned InAs source/drain n+ regions formed by MBE regrowth. The device epitaxial dimensions are small, as is required for 22-nm gate length MOSFETs; a 5-nm In0.53Ga0.47As channel with an In0.4sAl0.52As back confinement layer and the n++ source/drain junctions do not extend below the 5-nm channel. A device with 200-nm gate length showed ID = 0.95 mA/mum current density at VGS = 4.0 V and gm = 0.45 mS/mum peak transconductance at VDS = 2.0 V.
Business journals combat coercive citation.

A. W. Wilhite and E. A. Fong (“Coercive citation in academic publishing,” Policy Forum, 3 February, p. [542][1]) perform a valuable service in exposing the practice by some journal editors to increase their journals' impact factors by coercing authors to add frivolous citations to recent works in their journals. Wilhite and Fong point to a handful of business journals as being among the worst offenders. They name names in table S12. As a former head of the Policy Board of the Journal of Consumer Research, I can attest that business journal editors have a strong self-interest in stamping out coercive citation, and they have taken concrete steps to do so over the past 2 years. In August 2010, 15 marketing journal editors met specifically to discuss and root out the practice. On 15 November 2010, 26 editors of some of the most prestigious journals in business wrote a letter to more than 600 business school deans decrying coercive citation ([ 1 ][2]). They argued that journal editors would have little incentive to engage in coercive citation if deans and business school faculties judged articles on their own merits rather than based on impact factors of the journals in which they were published. The 26 editors recommended vigilance in identifying spikes in the ratio of citations coming from their own journals relative to others, which might signal editorial manipulation by a new editorial team. Those efforts have borne fruit; the journals in my own field have taken the pledge. I hope that Wilhite and Fong's Policy Forum will produce a much broader impact across the sciences. 1. [↵][3]1. J. G. Lynch , Frivolous Journal Self-Citation (2010); . [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1212540 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text"
Dyspepsia of Unknown Origin: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Dyspepsia is a vague term for the nonspecific symptoms of upper abdominal discomfort, prolonged postprandial fullness or early satiety, nausea, vomiting, and upper abdominal bloating. Many common and accepted diseases and disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux and irritable bowel syndrome cause dyspepsia symptoms; these disorders should be identified and treated. However, many patients with dyspepsia symptoms have normal radiographic and endoscopic evaluations; in these patients, neuromuscular of functional disorders of the stomach ranging from gastric dysrhythmias to gastroparesis may be the cause of dyspepsia symptoms. A practical approach to the evaluation and treatment of dyspepsia symptoms attributed to gastric neuromuscular dysfunction of unknown origin is described.
Forced-choice form recognition during binocular rivalry

Forced-choice form recognition thresholds were obtained for both eyes concurrently under rivalry suppression and nonsuppression and for a nonrivalry control condition. Suppression produced a significant decrement in recognition; nonsuppression and nonrivalry did not differ significantly. These data support the hypotheses that suppression represents an inhibitory state and that nonsuppression represents a state of normal visual sensitivity.
Role of A and B blood group antigens in the expression of adhesive activity of von Willebrand factor

ABO (H) blood group antigens are covalently linked to the oligosaccharide side-chains of von Willebrand factor (VWF). In this study, we investigated the role of the A and B antigens in the expression of VWF adhesive activity. VWF of type A, B or O was purified from fresh frozen plasma. Presence of A or B antigen on the VWF was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by immunoblotting with monoclonal anti-A or anti-B. The A or B antigen was also detected in the 48/52-kDa fragment of the respective VWF after trypsin digestion. Removal of A antigen with α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase or B antigen with α-galactosidase did not affect its multimer size or antigenic level, but decreased the ristocetin cofactor (RCoF) activity of the respective VWF by 33–39% (P < 0·01–0·002). Removal of A or B antigen from VWF did not affect the binding of the VWF to immobilized type III collagen. A and B antigens were not detected in platelet VWF. These results indicate that AB structures play a role in platelet aggregating activity of VWF.
Differential anomalous scattering studies of amorphous hbr-doped polyaniline

The local molecular structure of amorphous HBr-doped polyaniline has been probed using conventional and differential anomalous scattering in conjunction with a single chain modelling analysis. Initial results identify a probable Br-ion site along the polymer chain approximately 3.3A above (or below) the average polyaniline molecular plane and situated, on average, 3.7A from the closest neighboring amine nitrogen.
Electron Density Model for Nerve Myelin

THE swelling of freshly dissected frog sciatic nerve myelin in sucrose solutions has been studied by low-angle X-ray diffraction. Our analysis of the X-ray data leads to a choice between two possible triple layered membrane units and also allows us to assign an absolute electron density scale to the favoured model.
Synthesis of ultrasmooth nanostructured diamond films by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using a He/H(2)/CH(4)/N(2) gas mixture.

Ultrasmooth nanostructured diamond (USND) films were synthesized on Ti–6Al–4V medical grade substrates by adding helium in H2/CH4/N2 plasma and changing the N2/CH4 gas flow from 0 to 0.6. We were able to deposit diamond films as smooth as 6 nm (root-mean-square), as measured by an atomic force microscopy (AFM) scan area of 2 μm2. Grain size was 4–5 nm at 71% He in (H2 + He) and N2/CH4 gas flow ratio of 0.4 without deteriorating the hardness (∼50–60 GPa). The characterization of the films was performed with AFM, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and nanoindentation techniques. XRD and Raman results showed the nanocrystalline nature of the diamond films. The plasma species during deposition were monitored by optical emission spectroscopy. With increasing N2/CH4 feedgas ratio (CH4 was fixed) in He/H2/CH4/N2 plasma, a substantial increase of CN radical (normalized by Balmer Hα line) was observed along with a drop in surface roughness up to a critical N2/CH4 ratio of 0.4. The CN radical concentration in the plasma was thus correlated to the formation of ultrasmooth nanostructured diamond films.
Variable Interslice Force Inclination in Slope Stability Analysis

ABSTRACT The slope stability equations in the form of recursive relationships are derived for the variable interslice force inclination using the finite formulation proposed by Spencer. Their incorporation in a computational procedure makes the finite formulation of the solution strategy give results which agree quite well with those obtained using the infinitesimal formulation of Morgenstern and Price. Necessary checks on the computed solution to a slope problem for its compliance with the assumptions made in the theory are discussed. These assumptions relate to the continuity of slide mass and the linearity of Mohr-Coulomb strength envelope. A sample problem is included to study the effects of interslice force inclination assumption on the computed solution for an embankment dam.
An Exchange Theory Perspective on Couple Formation Preferences and Practices in Ecuador

ABSTRACT Exploratory studies of mate selection practices and preferences are reported. In the first study, the demographic characteristics of couple formation are explored in a nationally representative sample of women in Ecuador. Results indicate significant differences by region. In the second study, a social exchange perspective is utilized to explore qualities believed to be important in selecting a marriage partner among a sample of persons from Guayaquil, Ecuador. In 2001, 121 adults responded to forty-six items identified in the social exchange literature as traits important to mate selection preferences. Results indicate that the large majority of respondents marry for love and within their social class. Significant differences were identified within the sample and are discussed. Overall, mate selection preferences in Latin America appear to be very similar to those in the United States, with noted exceptions being associated regional variation and demographic characteristics.
Evaluation of the steroid treatment of asthma since 1950

T HE USE of the corticosteroids in asthma presents problems that are unique to the disease and peculiarly related to current questions as to the dangers of steroid therapy. In the first place, asthma in a high percentage of patients is reversible when the sum total of stimuli to the asthmatic state are studied and treated. Also, in intractable cases, chronic infection in the respiratory tract is so common that steroid treatment carries with it the dangerous possibility of lowering the pat,ient’s resistance to infection’ and masking the development of acute intercurrent infection, especially pneumonitis. Therefore the physician, when starting an asthmatic patient on steroid therapy, should be sure of the thoroughness of his analysis of the pa,tient’s asthmat,ic factors so that if st,eroid therapy is instituted the dosage will be at the minimum effective amount. At all times the hazards of steroid therapy should be kept in mind but with the added precaution to be alert to the problems of respiratory infections that are so common in the asthmatic patient. The present paper is based on a study of forty-eight patients with continuous intractable asthma and thirty-nine patients with intermittent severe asthma in whom corticosteroids have been used. The investigation began in 1950 when cortisone was first used in The New York Hospital as an adjunct in the treatment of asthma and includes experience with the various steroid compounds, prednisonc, 6 methyl prednisolone, triamcinolone, and dexamethasone.2-s The study presents data on the general conditions of patients in the Continuous and Intermittent groups, the duration and dosage of steroids used, side effects and complications, mortality, and analysis of cases where steroid therapy was unsuccessful, the management of interval surgery, hospitalization before and after steroid treatment, and a summary of ancillary medical treatment with particular emphasis on management of chronic and acute infection.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of conventional and CD-formulated diltiazem in cats.

The i.v. and apparent steady-state kinetics of diltiazem HCI (DLT) and slow-absorption long-acting diltiazem (CD) given p.o. were investigated in cats. The effects of p.o. diltiazem on heart rate and PR interval were also studied. Plasma diltiazem concentrations were determined by ultraviolet high-performance liquid chromatography (UV-HPLC), using verapamil as the internal standard. Heart rate and PR interval determinations were evaluated over a 24-hour period for the PO formulations and compared with values under diltiazemfree conditions. The mean systemic clearance and apparent volume of distribution of i.v. diltiazem were 15.0 mL/min/kg and 2.70 L/kg, respectively. The elimination half-life of diltiazem after i.v. and p.o. DLT administration were approximately 120 minutes. In contrast, the terminal half-life of CD was 460 minutes. The mean apparent bioavailability of DLT p.o. was 71%, which was significantly higher than that observed with CD (36%). Heart rate and PR intervals in cats receiving the 2 formulations at steady-state were not different from those measured in the drug-free state. We conclude that DLT at 1 mg/kg p.o. tid and CD at 10 mg/kg p.o. sid provide plasma concentrations that are known to have pharmacodynamic effects in other species.
WE-G-BRF-07: Non-Circular Scanning Trajectories with Varian Developer Mode

Purpose: Cone-beam CT (CBCT) in image-guide radiation therapy (IGRT) typicallyacquires scan data via the circular trajectory of the linearaccelerator's (linac) gantry rotation. Though this lends itself toanalytic reconstruction algorithms like FDK, iterative reconstructionalgorithms allow for a broader range of scanning trajectories. Weimplemented a non-circular scanning trajectory with Varian's TrueBeamDeveloper Mode and performed some preliminary reconstructions toverify the geometry. Methods: We used TrueBeam Developer Mode to program a new scanning trajectorythat increases the field of view (FOV) along the gantry rotation axiswithout moving the patient. This trajectory consisted of moving thegantry in a circle, then translating the source and detector along theaxial direction before acquiring another circular scan 19 cm away fromthe first. The linear portion of the trajectory includes an additional4.5 cm above and below the axial planes of the source's circularrotation. We scanned a calibration phantom consisting of a lucite tubewith a spiral pattern of CT spots and used the maximum-likelihoodalgorithm to iteratively reconstruct the CBCT volume. Results: With the TrueBeam trajectory definition, we acquired projection dataof the calibration phantom using the previously described trajectory.We obtained a scan of the treatment couch for log normalization byscanning with the same trajectory but without the phantom present.Using the nominal geometric parametersmore » reported in the projectionheaders with our iterative reconstruction algorithm, we obtained acorrect reconstruction of the calibration phantom. Conclusion: The ability to implement new scanning trajectories with the TrueBeamDeveloper Mode enables us access to a new parameter space for imagingwith CBCT for IGRT. Previous simulations and simple dual circle scanshave shown iterative reconstruction with non-circular trajectories canincrease the axial FOV with CBCT. Use of Developer Mode allowsexperimentally testing these and other new scanning trajectories. Support was provided in part by the University of Chicago Research Computing Center, Varian Medical Systems, and NIH Grants 1RO1CA120540, T32EB002103, S10 RR021039 and P30 CA14599. The contents of this work are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the supporting organizations.« less
The circannual variations in the total serum lipids and cholesterol with respect to body weight in the woodchuck (Marmota monax).

Abstract 1. 1. Woodchucks spend the active summer months building fat depots for survival through the cold winter months of hibernation. Their seasonal body weight reflected these changes with an increase during the summer and early fall and a decrease during the winter months. 2. 2. The total serum lipid levels gradually increased during the summer and early fall. When animals were placed into a hibernaculum at 6°C there was a dramatic decrease in total serum lipids which may suggest the presence of a cold sensitive enzyme in lipid synthesis of this animal. 3. 3. The synthesis of cholesterol was not cold sensitive, however, and the total serum levels continued to rise for 2 months after the animals were placed into the hibernaculum. After December the level slowly dropped to the summer values.
The occurrence of L-fucose (D-arabinose) dehydrogenase in selected vertebrate species.

Abstract 1. 1. l -Fucose ( d -arabinose) dehydrogenase activity is found in the cytosol of the livers from eighteen species of vertebrates ranging from class Cyclostomata to class Mammalia. Some properties of selected enzymes are listed. 2. 2. The enzyme is found predominantly in liver, kidney and lung. No activity was found in brain, heart, pancreas, skeletal muscle, small intestines or testis. 3. 3. Most of the enzymes studied preferentially utilized NAD as coenzyme. Enzymes from rodents preferred NADP as coenzyme. It is suggested that the difference in coenzyme specificity may account for the differences in l -fucose metabolism observed between humans and rats.
Why Primates? The Importance of Nonhuman Primates for Understanding Human Infancy

We introduce the thematic collection by noting some striking similarities in the cognitive abilities of human infants and nonhuman primates. What are the implications of these similarities for our comprehension of human infant cognition? After providing a brief historical and conceptual background on comparative behavioral research, we discuss how work with nonhuman primates has impacted theories of core knowledge, domain specificity, and language. We conclude by previewing the articles comprising this special issue of Infancy.
Four Lessons Learned from Treating Catholic Priest Sex Offenders

Perhaps there is no one in our society more despised and vilified than sex offenders, especially those who sexually violate young children. And during the past decade perhaps no particular subgroup of sex offender has been more despised than those who are Roman Catholic priests. We need to be attentive to the state-of-the-art facts, best practices, and create policies and procedures to keep those who might harm children away from children. To do otherwise is foolish and harmful. Yet strong opinions, advocacy, and hysteria sometimes gets more attention than actual evidence-based quality research and practice which is not ultimately in the best interest of child protection efforts. This brief paper reviews lessons learned in working with sex offending clerics within the Roman Catholic tradition.
Explosions of small Spacewatch objects in the Earth's atmosphere

It is shown here that explosions due to Spacewatch objects with diameters less than 50 m typically occur too high in the atmosphere to cause substantial surface damage. Exclusive of relatively rare iron objects, no comet or asteroid with an energy below about 2 megatons threatens the Earth's surface. The high flux of small Earth-crossing objects identified by Spacewatch therefore does not imply a greater terrestrial hazard.
Protein fingerprinting by SDS-gel electrophoresis after partial fragmentation with CNBr

Abstract The CNBr fragmentation reaction was adapted for the degradation of microgram quantities of protein in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel bands. These bands are then electrophoresed so as to generate easily distinguishable protein fingerprints. The method was tested on three proteins of known sequence and shown to generate nearly the full range of possible peptide fragments. It was also employed to compare the structures of several yeast aminoacyl tRNA synthetases and a contaminating crystallizable protein.
154. Tetracycline-Inducible HSV Amplicon Vectors with Expanded Range of Gene Expression Regulation

In this study, we developed several novel tetracycline(tet)-regulated Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV) amplicon vectors by introducing various combinations of tet-dependent transcriptional silencers and activators. Also, to reduce undesirable baseline gene expression, most vectors incorporated insulator elements flanking the gene expression cassette, which carried the Firefly luciferase gene (FLuc) driven by a silencer/activator-responsive promoter. To determine which constructs were most effective at regulating gene expression, we tested the luciferase activity of transduced human glioblastoma Gli-36 cells in vitro, in the presence or absence of doxycycline (Dox). Induction levels for the twenty-six vectors tested ranged from 154-fold to 6000-fold, with the best vector (HET14B-FLuc) displaying over 5-fold higher luciferase activity than a control HSV amplicon vector constituitively expressing luciferase. Dose response analysis showed that gene expression could be regulated over a wide range of Dox concentrations, and that 1000-fold induction could be achieved at 10 ng/mL Dox. To further demonstrate the regulation capabilities of this system, we replaced the luciferase gene in HET14B-FLuc with the gene for reversed caspase-3, an auto-catalytic version of wild-type caspase-3, an executioner of apoptosis. WST cell proliferation assays demonstrate that Gli-36 cells transduced with this vector (MOI 0.5-2) undergo rapid apoptosis upon Dox induction, with almost no viable cells remaining 6 hours post-induction. Non-induced cells infected with the same vector, as well as induced and non-induced cells infected with HET14BFLuc control vector, continued growing throughout the 36 hour assay. Application of the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK at the time of induction prevented apoptosis in cells infected with the caspase-3 vector, and cell proliferation levels were similar to those in control groups. Western blot analysis, probing for poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase, which is cleaved during apoptosis, confirm that cells infected with caspase-3 vector undergo massive apoptosis upon Dox induction, while control groups exhibit a low baseline level of cell death in all samples. Currently we are evaluating the therapeutic potential of the caspase-3 vector in vivo by direct injection into subcutaneous Gli-36 tumors constitutively expressing Fluc. Subsequent tumor growth in the presence or absence of Dox will be assessed by bioluminescence imaging of tumor- associated FLuc.
A Highly Accelerated Thermal Cycling (HATC) Test for Solder Reliability Assessment in BGA Packages

A thermo-mechanical loading system, which can superimpose a temperature and location dependent strain on solder joints, is proposed in order to conduct highly accelerated thermal-mechanical cycling (HATC) tests to assess thermal fatigue reliability of Ball Grid Array (BGA) solder joints in microelectronics packages. The application of this temperature and position dependent strain produces generally similar loading modes (shear and tension) encountered by BGA solder joints during service, but substantially enhances the inelastic strain accumulated during thermal cycling over the same temperature range as conventional ATC (accelerated thermal cycling) tests, thereby leading to a substantial acceleration of low-cycle fatigue damage. Finite element analysis was conducted to aid the design of experimental apparatus and to predict the fatigue life of solder joints in HATC testing. Detailed analysis of the loading locations required to produce failure at the appropriate joint (next to the die-edge ball) under the appropriate tension/shear stress partition are presented. The simulations showed that the proposed HATC test constitutes a valid methodology for further accelerating conventional ATC tests. An experimental apparatus, capable of applying the requisite loads to a BGA package was constructed, and experiments were conducted under both HATC and ATC conditions. It is shown that HATC proffers much reduced cycling times compared to ATC.
School Age Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Surfactant-Treated Premature Infants With and Without Chronic Lung Disease † 1584

School Age Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Surfactant-Treated Premature Infants With and Without Chronic Lung Disease † 1584
Hormone and methylxanthine action on breast epithelial cells

Abstract Human mammary carcinoma cells and normal mouse breast epithelial cells desensitized as the result of treatment with β-adrenergic agonists. Accumulation of cAMP in the same cells was affected only slightly by caffeine and there was no detectable desensitization or hypersensitization as a result of that treatment. However, as in many other cell types, caffeine was an effective inhibitor of adenosine action. These observations do not support the hypothesis made by Minton and his co-workers (1), that treatment of breast epithelial cells with agents that increase cAMP accumulation leads to hypersensitization rather than desensitization.
Identification of Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier Substrates with Diverse Functions Using the Xenopus Egg Extract System

Post-translational modification by SUMO is a highly conserved pathway in eukaryotes that plays very important regulatory roles in many cellular processes. Deregulation of the SUMO pathway contributes to the development and progression of many diseases including cancer. Therefore, identifying additional SUMO substrates and studying how their cellular and biological functions are regulated by sumoylation should provide new insights. Our studies showed that sumoylation activity was significant in Xenopus egg extracts, and that a high level of sumoylation was associated with sperm chromatin when SUMO was incubated with Xenopus egg extracts. By isolating SUMO-conjugated substrates using His-tagged SUMO1 or SUMO2 proteins under denaturing conditions, we identified 346 proteins by mass spectrometry analysis that were not present in control pull-downs. Among them, 167 proteins were identified from interphase egg extracts, 86 proteins from mitotic phase egg extracts, and 93 proteins from both. Thirty-three proteins were pulled down by SUMO1, 85 proteins by SUMO2, and 228 proteins by both. We validated the sumoylation of five candidates, CKB, ATXN10, BTF3, HABP4, and BZW1, by co-transfecting them along with SUMO in HEK293T cells. Gene ontology analysis showed that SUMO substrates identified in this study were involved in diverse biological processes. Additionally, SUMO substrates identified from different cell cycle stages or pulled down by different SUMO homologs were enriched for distinct cellular components and functional categories. Our results comprehensively profile the sumoylation occurring in the Xenopus egg extract system.
Left septal atrial flutter: electrophysiology, anatomy, and results of ablation.

Background— We describe the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of a novel macroreentrant form of left atrial flutter circuit. Methods and Results— A total of 11 patients were included in the study. The mean tachycardia cycle length was 278±41 ms. Nine of the 11 patients were treated with antiarrhythmic drugs at the time of the study for concomitant atrial fibrillation. With the use of entrainment pacing and either the CARTO Biosense mapping system (9 patients) or conventional mapping (2 patients), the flutter circuit was found to rotate around the left septum primum with a critical isthmus located between the pulmonary veins posteriorly and/or mitral annulus anteriorly and the septum primum. In 5 patients, radiofrequency ablation was performed from the septum primum to the right inferior pulmonary vein (group 1), and in 6 patients, a lesion was made from the septum primum to the mitral annulus (group 2). After a follow-up of 13±6 months, 2 patients in group 1 and all patients in group 2 rem...
The in situ localization of Adh transcripts in Drosophila species reveals evolved regulatory differences in spatially restricted expression

Spatial and temporal aspects of Adh expression were examined during oogenesis and embryogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. virilis by in situ hybridization. In stage 14 and 15 ...
Seasonal variation in residential electricity demand: evidence from survey data

In this paper we estimate twelve monthly electricity demand equations for households using a detailed microdata set. The microdata are based largely on a detailed 1975 survey of US households and incude variables enabling us to measure block price schedules, family income, socio-demographic variables, appliance stocks, housing characteristics, and heating and cooling degree days of single family units. We find that price elasticities are higher (in absolute value) during peak periods of demand. Income elasticity estimates show no discernible seasonal pattern. Our disaggregated data also allow us to estimate the seasonal usage patterns of several electricity using appliances. The estimates follow expected patterns.
Leishmania amastigotes visualized on bone marrow aspirate in a leishmaniasis and HIV coinfected patient presenting with pancytopenia.

![Figure][1] A 39-year-old Honduran man with a history of AIDS (CD4 = 68/mm3) and suspected visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was referred to the hematology clinic for pancytopenia. The patient was diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis on skin biopsy 1.5 years prior, which was determined to be
The Improving of BP Algorithmic and Its Application in Robot's FSM

Finite state machines have the function of reducing the complexity of the robot control system, so it's introduced into the architecture of the excavating robot. For the sake of embodying artificial intelligence and strategy in the state changing of finite state machines, BP neural network is employed in the finite state machines of the excavating robot. Aiming at the slow convergence speed of the traditional BP network, the weight and transfer function of the traditional BP network is improved, the adjustability of the learning factor is improved, the momentum factor is added, the steep factor is added in the S-function and the accumulated error back propagation arithmetic is adopted. The finite state machines model of the excavating robot is established and the application effects of the improved BP network and other BP network in finite state machines are simulated.
Visualization of ternary complexes in living cells by using a BiFC-based FRET assay

Studies of protein interactions have increased our understanding and knowledge of biological processes. Assays that utilize fluorescent proteins, such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), have enabled direct visualization of protein interactions in living cells. However, these assays are primarily suitable for a pair of interacting proteins, and methods to visualize and identify multiple protein complexes in vivo are very limited. This protocol describes the recently developed BiFC-FRET assay, which allows visualization of ternary complexes in living cells. We discuss how to design the BiFC-FRET assay on the basis of the validation of BiFC and FRET assays and how to perform transfection experiments for acquisition of fluorescent images for net FRET calculation. We also provide three methods for normalization of the FRET efficiency. The assay employs a two-chromophore and three-filter FRET setup and is applicable to epifluorescence microscopes. The entire protocol takes about 2-3 weeks to complete.
Obesity and spine surgery: reassessment based on a prospective evaluation of perioperative complications in elective degenerative thoracolumbar procedures

Abstract Background Context The correlation between obesity and incidence of complications in spine surgery is unclear, with some reports suggesting linear relationships between body mass index (BMI) and complication incidence and others noting no relationship. Purpose The purpose of this article was to assess the relationship between obesity and occurrence of perioperative complications in an elective thoracolumbar surgery cohort. Study Design/Setting Prospective observational cohort study at a tertiary care facility. Patient Sample Cohort of 87 consecutive patients undergoing elective surgery for degenerative thoracolumbar pathologies over a 6-month period (May to December 2008). Outcome Measures Incidence of perioperative complications (those occurring within 30 days of surgery). Methods A prospective assessment of perioperative spine surgery complications was completed, and data were prospectively entered into a central database. Two independent auditors assessed for the presence and severity of perioperative complications. Previously validated binary definitions of major and minor complications were used. Patient data and early complications (those occurring within 30 days of index surgery) were analyzed using multivariate regression. Results Mean BMI in this cohort was 31.3; 40.8% of patients were obese (BMI>30) and 10 patients (11.5%) were morbidly obese (BMI>40). The overall complication incidence was 67%. Minor complications occurred in 50% of patients, and major complications occurred in 17.8% of patients. No positioning palsies occurred in this series. Age correlated with an increase in complication risk (p=.006) as did hypertension (p=.004) and performance of a fusion (p Conclusions This prospective assessment of perioperative complications in elective degenerative thoracolumbar procedures shows no relationship between patient BMI and the incidence of perioperative minor or major complications. Specific care in perioperative positioning may limit the risk of perioperative positioning palsies in obese patients.
Heart failure and a controlled trial investigating outcomes of exercise training (HF-ACTION): design and rationale.

Background Although there are limited clinical data to support the use of exercise training as a means to reduce mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure, current guidelines state that exercise is beneficial. Trial Design The objective of this trial is to determine whether exercise training reduces all-cause mortality or all-cause hospitalization for patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure symptoms. After undergoing baseline assessments to determine whether they can safely exercise, patients are randomized to either usual care or exercise training. Patients in the exercise training arm attend 36 supervised facility-based exercise training sessions. Exercise modalities are cycling or walking. After completing 18 sessions, patients initiate home-based exercise and then transition to solely home-based exercise after completing all 36 sessions. Patients return for facility-based training every 3 months to reinforce their exercise training program. Patients are followed for up to 4 years. Physiologic, quality-of-life, and economic end points that characterize the effect of exercise training in this patient population will be measured at baseline and at intervals throughout the trial. Blood samples will be collected to examine biomarkers such as brain natriuretic peptide, tumor necrosis factor, and C-reactive protein. Conclusions Because of its relatively low cost, high availability, and ease of use, exercise training is an intervention that could be accessible to most patients with heart failure. The HF-ACTION trial is designed to definitively assess the effect of exercise training on the clinically relevant end points of mortality, hospitalization, and quality of life in patients with heart failure.
Palaeoclimatic constraints for palaeozoic Palaeolatitudes of Laurentia and Euramerica

Abstract Palaeozoic lithic palaeoclimatic data were plotted at the series or stage level for Laurentia (North America) and Euramerica. Their distribution was used to infer the extent of humid and arid climatic belts across the continent for specified time intervals. Climatic data are potentially useful for constraining palaeolatitudes for times when zonal atmospheric circulation remains the dominant pattern. Arid lithic indicators (evaporites, carbonate oolite) and humid indicators (coal, bauxite) were constrained to provide the best fit of these data into a simple zonal climatic pattern delineating subtropical arid belts and equatorial and/or temperate humid belts, respectively. An attempt was made to minimize occurrences of arid indicators in interpreted equatorial regions to maximize a zonal fit. Climatic belts can be arranged in a temporally consistent zonal climatic scheme for much of the Palaeozoic, but monsoonal and orographic effects apparently disrupted the general zonal pattern during portions of the Late Palaeozoic. The interpreted climatic patterns suggest progressive southward movement of Laurentia during the Cambrian through Early Devonian followed by general northward drift of Euramerica during the Middle Devonian through Permian. Lithic palaeoclimatic data provide an independent means to test palaeolatitudes interpreted from palaeomagnetic data. There is general agreement between palaeoclimatic and palaeomagnetic interpretations, but some discrepancies, particularly for the Devonian and Early Carboniferous, warrant further attention.
The Nation's Architectural Engineering Programs: A Diverse Group

There are currently 17 ABET accredited Architectural Engineering programs in the United States. This paper presents curriculum data for these Architectural Engineering programs and discusses the challenges of finding common ground and conveying program needs to the rest of the academic community – especially when the programs are so small in number and so diverse in their structure and course offerings.
ELASTICITY AND THERMAL EXPANSION OF A NATURAL GARNET UP TO 1, 000K

High temperature mechanical properties of a natural pyrope garnet have been investigated up to 1, 000K. The elastic moduli were measured by the Rectangular Parallelepiped Resonance (RPR) method. The frequencies of the lower 16 modes smoothly decrease with temperature from 300 to 1, 000K, and so do the elastic moduli.Thermal expansion of the specimen was measured by a dilatometric method. The least squares calculation based on an equation kY2-Y+E(θE, T)/Q=0(Y is relative volume expansion, and E(θE, T) is the Debye function) yields the constants Q=16.5MJ/mol, θE=698K, and k=1.50. From these constants, the Gruneisen's parameter γ0 (=Bo Vo/Q) and the pressure derivative of bulk modulus ∂B/∂P (=2k+1) at 0K are 1.2 and 4.0, respectively.By using these data, bulk moduli and other physical properties of this garnet are estimated up to higher temperatures (Table 2).
Large and giant petroclival meningiomas: therapeutic strategy and the choice of microsurgical approaches - report of the experience with 41 cases.

Objective: To evaluate patients' clinical outcome, survival and performance status at the mild-term follow-up evaluation after optimal microsurgical resection of large and giant petroclival meningiomas (PCMs).Methods: During a 4-year period (2004–2008), 41 patients underwent operative procedures for resection of PCMs. The tumour size was large or giant in 100% of the patients, with a mean tumour diameter of 4.4 cm. Tumours extended into adjoining regions in 26 of the patients. Six previously underwent operation or irradiation. Gross tumour resection (GTR) was accomplished in 25 (61.0%) patients, subtotal resection (STR) in 15 (36.6%) patients and partial resection in 1 (2.4%) patient. There were no operative deaths. Postoperative complications (cerebrospinal fluid leakage, quadriparesis, infections, cranial nerve palsies, etc.) were observed in 27 (65.9%) patients. Postoperative radiation or radiosurgery was administered to 6 of the 41 patients who had residual tumours.Results: At the conclusion of the st...
MANOVAMAP: Graphical Representation of MANOVA in Marketing Research:

The author proposes a graphical representation of the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). This representation, termed a “MANOVAMAP,” shows the magnitude of MANOVA model effects and their st...