cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature acclimation of net photosynthesis in relation to growth of a cold hardy Chrysanthemum.

Direct and interactive effects of daylength and temperature preconditioning of above- and below-ground parts of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. ‘Astrid’ are examined in relation to net photosynthesis. Most previous work on thermal preconditioning has concentrated on the effects of a given thermal regime on entire plants, without attempts to separate the effects of temperature acting on shoots vs. below-ground organs (roots and rhizomes). Vegetatively propagated cuttings were placed under 2 different photoperiods and 4 different thermal regimes for a total of 8 treatments. Subsequent to 40-day preconditioning regimes, the temperature-dependence of net photosynthesis was determined between 8 and 40 degrees C under a photon flux density of about 540 μE·m-2·s-1. The photosynthetic rate data were treated by multiple analysis of variance to examine direct and interactive factor effects. Each of the preconditioning factors (daylength, shoot preconditioning temperature, root preconditioning temperature) individually affected the measured photosynthesis rates, and the effects were very highly significant (p<0.001). In the two-way interactive effects, both daylength X shoot environment, and shoot environment X root environment were very highly significant (p<0.001) and daylength X root environment was significant (p<0.05). Comparison of sums of squares indicated the greatest effect was due to shoot preconditioning environment, while the least important was daylength. Photosynthesis temperature at the time of gas exchange measurements did not interact with the preconditioning temperatures or with daylength, with the implication that preconditioning affected the elevation (absolute rates) of the photosynthesis curves but not the shapes of the curves. The data are further discussed in relation to models of resource allocation and theory of natural selection for optimization.
Alterations in error-related brain activity and post-error behavior over time

This study examines the relation between the error-related negativity (ERN) and post-error behavior over time in healthy young adults (N = 61). Event-related brain potentials were collected during two sessions of an identical flanker task. Results indicated changes in ERN and post-error accuracy were related across task sessions, with more negative ERN associated with greater improvements in post-error accuracy. This relationship was independent of any cross-sectional relationships between overall task performance, individual difference factors, including personality and self-efficacy, and indices of self-regulatory action monitoring. These results indicate that the relation between ERN and post-error accuracy remains intact and consistent regardless of variation in this set of individual difference factors previously associated with both of these indices of self-regulatory action monitoring, providing support for the strength, robustness, and persistence of this relationship in the process of adaptively controlling behavior to enhance task performance.
Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: Trends, Motives, and the State Experience

This study examines recent growth of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States. The study reveals trends and motives of FDI growth during the period of 1970-1989, examines major strategies state governments used to attract FDI, and analyzes current and past FDI statistical data to see the distribution of FDI among U.S. regions and states. Based on that statistical data, this research addresses FDI location and discusses the value of state incentive strategies.
Truncated form of VACM-1/cul-5 with an extended 3' untranslated region stimulates cell growth via a MAPK-dependent pathway.

We have sequenced a 4.9 kb clone (KLB22) which shares 99% sequence homology with the rabbit vasopressin-activated calcium mobilizing (VACM-1) protein. The 5′ terminus sequence of KLB22 cDNA (nucleotides 1–1961) is continuous and overlapping with nucleotides 1226–3186 of the VACM-1 cDNA sequence. The 3′UTR of KLB22 cDNA extends beyond the 3′UTR of VACM-1 by 2999 nt. KLB22 cDNA encodes a 497 amino acid protein, which putatively begins at Met 284 of the 780 amino acid VACM-1 protein. The in vitro translation of KLB22 cDNA yields a 59 kDa protein. When expressed in cos-1 cells, the truncated VACM-1 protein localizes to the nucleus. KLB22 cDNA transfected cells show increased growth rates and increased levels of phosphorylated MAPK when compared to the vector or to VACM-1 cDNA transfected cells. Finally, in vivo, KLB22 protein expression is tissue specific and can be detected in kidney and in heart atrium. These results suggest that truncated VACM-1 cDNA (KLB22) increases cell proliferation through a MAPK pathway.
Solitary intramedullary neurosarcoidosis: role of MRI in early detection.

Background. Intramedullary neurosarcoidosis may be the first manifestation of the disease and may mimic a tumor clinically and radiographically. Two patients who presented with cervical intramedullary lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were found to have neurosarcoidosis. Clinical presentation. Two patients with negative past medical history presented with progressive myelopathic features, and intramedullary cervical lesions were detected on MRI scan; the diagnosis was made on biopsy of the lesions. Early therapeutic intervention led to a favorable outcome. Conclusion. Intramedullary neurosarcoidosis, especially in the cervical cord, can be the initial presentation of the disease, mimicking a tumor. MRI scan, biopsy, and, in fewer cases, angiotensin-converting enzyme levels can help with the diagnosis and may lead to a favorable outcome.
Private investment in AIDS vaccine development: obstacles and solutions

The development of vaccines for the prevention of AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other diseases requires both public and private investment. Private investment, however, has been far lower than might have been hoped, given the massive human toll of these diseases, particularly in the poorest countries. With a view to understanding this situation and exploring potential solutions, the World Bank AIDS Vaccine Task Force commissioned a study on the perspectives of the biotechnology, vaccine, and pharmaceutical industries regarding investment in research and development work on an AIDS vaccine. It was found that different obstacles to the development of an AIDS vaccine arose during the product development cycle. During the earlier phases, before obtaining proof of product, the principal barriers were scientific. The lack of consensus on which approach was likely to be effective increased uncertainty and the risks associated with investing in expensive clinical trials. The later phases, which involved adapting, testing, and scaling up production for different populations, were most influenced by market considerations. In order to raise the levels of private research and development in an AIDS vaccine there will probably have to be a combination of push strategies, which reduce the cost and scientific risk of investment, and pull strategies, which guarantee a market.
Line-Source E-Beam Crystallization of Silicon-On-Insulator Films

Silicon-on-insulator films have been formed using a 20 mm by 1 mm line-source electron beam, with sample sweep speeds of 100 to 500 cm/sec and peak beam power densities up to 75 kW/cm/sup 2/. Films were formed over 1 and 2 ..mu..m thick SiO/sub 2/ isolating layers on 4 in. diameter Si wafers, with stripe openings of 5 to 100 ..mu..m width for seeding the crystallization from the substrate. Films consisted of Si layers from 0.4 to 1.0 ..mu..m thickness, with a capping layer of 2 ..mu..m SiO/sub 2/. By sweeping the beam parallel to the long axis of the seed openings, smooth, oriented films were obtained, with low-angle grain boundaries confined to midway between seed openings. Best results were obtained for less than or equal to 50 ..mu..m spacing between seed openings.
MicroRNA 203 Modulates Glioma Cell Migration via Robo1/ERK/MMP-9 Signaling

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary adult brain cancer. Allelic deletion on chromosome 14q plays an important role in the pathogenesis of GBM, and this site was thought to harbor multiple tumor suppressor genes associated with GBM, a region that also encodes microRNA-203 (miR-203). In this study, we sought to identify the role of miR-203 as a tumor suppressor in the pathogenesis of GBM. We analyzed the miR-203 expression data of GBM patients in 10 normal and 495 tumor tissue samples derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas data set. Quantitative real-time PCR and in situ hybridization in 10 high-grade GBM and 10 low-grade anaplastic astrocytoma tumor samples showed decreased levels of miR-203 expression in anaplastic astrocytoma and GBM tissues and cell lines. Exogenous expression of miR-203 using a plasmid expressing miR-203 precursor (pmiR-203) suppressed glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We determined that one relevant target of miR-203 was Robo1, given that miR-203 expression decreased mRNA and protein levels as determined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Moreover, cotransfection experiments using a luciferase-based transcription reporter assay have shown direct regulation of Robo1 by miR-203. We also show that Robo1 mediates miR-203 mediated antimigratory functions as up-regulation of Robo1 abrogates miR-203 mediated antimigratory effects. We also show that miR-203 expression suppressed ERK phosphorylation and MMP-9 expression in glioma cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that miR-203 inhibits migration of the glioma cells by disrupting the Robo1/ERK/MMP-9 signaling axis. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that up-regulation of Robo1 in response to the decrease in miR-203 in glioma cells is responsible for glioma tumor cell migration and invasion.
Unifying General and Special Education: What Does the Research Tell Us?:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has provided the impetus to educate all children in more inclusive settings. With the move toward inclusion has come the recognition that changes must occur in the manner in which teachers are prepared. Since the 1970s, efforts have been made to ensure that general educators have some content in their preservice preparation programs related to disabilities either through modifying existing courses or by adding special education courses to the curriculum. However, research suggests that such practices have not resulted in adequately prepared general educators for inclusive settings. A more recent early childhood education trend in preparing preservice students for inclusive settings is to unify general and special education curricula in universities/colleges. An overview of efforts toward unification and a summary of the limited research in this area are provided. The remaining articles in this topical section are introduced with a discussion of the need for ...
Preface: Peregrinations down memory lane

In 1960 I was looking for an interesting thesis topic. My advisor, Professor Harold Hand of the University of Illinois, suggested that I combine my two interests of language teaching and psychology and gave me a month to research the possibilities in this area. After a concentrated period of reading and searching, I gathered together my 3 by 5 cards and went to see Professor Hand. I reported to him that, from my reading, it was clear that, in the present state of the field, it would be impossible to apply the psychologists' theories to the processes of language learning and teaching. To this he replied “Then you go and do it.”
Constraining the axion portal with B → K ℓ + ℓ −

We investigate the bounds on axionlike states from flavor-changing neutral current $b\ensuremath{\rightarrow}s$ decays, assuming the axion couples to the standard model through mixing with the Higgs sector. Such GeV-scale axions have received renewed attention in connection with observed cosmic ray excesses. We find that existing $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}K{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ data impose stringent bounds on the axion decay constant in the multi-TeV range, relevant for constraining the ``axion portal'' model of dark matter. Such bounds also constrain light Higgs scenarios in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model. These bounds can be improved by dedicated searches in $B$-factory data and at LHCb.
The enlightenment and the financial crisis of 2008: an intellectual history of corporate finance theory

This article examines the financial crisis of 2008 and connections to corporate finance theory. The financial products and deregulation that led to the crisis were informed by corporate finance theories. These theories include diversification, the capital asset pricing model, and options theory. The theories have a scientific basis but can get deployed (in the form of financial product presentation or policy justification) in ways that deviate from the scientific articulation. The article provides an intellectual history of mainstream corporate finance theory and argues that it, despite the consequences of its misuse, is a valuable scientific achievement and even arguments for its correction (most notably by behavioral finance theorists) do not detract from its value. The debate within corporate finance is used to illustrate the virtues of Enlightenment principles.
Rhizosphere competitiveness of trichloroethylene-degrading, poplar-colonizing recombinant bacteria.

Indigenous bacteria from poplar tree (Populus canadensis var. eugenei 'Imperial Carolina') and southern California shrub rhizospheres, as well as two tree-colonizing Rhizobium strains (ATCC 10320 and ATCC 35645), were engineered to express constitutively and stably toluene o-monooxygenase (TOM) from Burkholderia cepacia G4 by integrating the tom locus into the chromosome. The poplar and Rhizobium recombinant bacteria degraded trichloroethylene at a rate of 0.8 to 2.1 nmol/min/mg of protein and were competitive against the unengineered hosts in wheat and barley rhizospheres for 1 month (colonization occurred at a level of 1.0 x 10(5) to 23 x 10(5) CFU/cm of root). In addition, six of these recombinants colonized poplar roots stably and competitively with populations as large as 79% +/- 12% of all rhizosphere bacteria after 28 days (0.2 x 10(5) to 31 x 10(5) CFU/cm of root). Furthermore, five of the most competitive poplar recombinants (e.g., Pb3-1 and Pb5-1, which were identified as Pseudomonas sp. strain PsK recombinants) retained the ability to express TOM for 29 days as 100% +/- 0% of the recombinants detected in the poplar rhizosphere expressed TOM constitutively.
A Directive Resonator Antenna Using Degenerate Band Edge Crystals

A new small antenna formed by a periodic assembly of two-tone dielectrics (Barium-titanate and Alumina) emulating an anisotropic medium is presented. Directive radiation characteristics are achieved when operated close to the band edge frequencies of a class of anisotropic photonic crystals supporting degenerate band edge (DBE) modes. Unique aspects of the antenna design are its smaller size (0.79 lambda0 times 0.80 lambda0 times 0.28 lambda0) and nearly optimum aperture efficiency. The subject 3-D assembly, fed by a slot on a ground plane, achieved a directivity of 10.17 dBi. This communication presents the design of the 3-D assembly using full-wave simulations and provides experimental verification of the overall antenna performance.
CHEMISTRY OF SINGLET OXYGEN—XXVI. PHOTOOXYGENATION OF PHENOLSy†

Abstract— The aerobic dye-sensitized photooxygenation of monohydric phenols proceeds by way of singlet oxygen under the conditions studied. Various phenols give different proportions of reaction with and quenching of singlet oxygen. Para-substituted 2,6-di-t-butylphenols show a linear correlation between the log of the total rate of singlet oxygen removal and their halfwave oxidation potentials; the same correlation is given for certain phenol methyl ethers. A Hammett plot using s+ gives ρ - 1.72 ± 0.12, consistent with development of some charge in the quenching step. Reaction of photo-chemically generated singlet oxygen with 2,4,6-triphenylphenol gives 2,4,6-triphenylphenoxy radical as an intermediate in singlet oxygen quenching, although no overall reaction occurs. Kinetic analysis indicates that the radical is derived exclusively from the interaction of 2,4,6-triphenylphenol with singlet oxygen. A charge-transfer mechanism for quenching of singlet oxygen by phenols is proposed.
Hallucinations and Delusions in Dementia

Hallucinations and delusions have been described in all types of dementia, including vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and dementia associated with Parkinson's disease. They have been recognized in Alzheimer's disease (AD) since the illness was first described (Alzheimer, 1957).
Linezolid Treatment for Osteomyelitis Due to Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium

The incidence of nosocomial infections caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci has risen substantially during the past 15 years. We report the use of linezolid for the successful treatment of hip prosthesis infection associated with osteomyelitis due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.
Assessing the impact of World Bank preparation on project outcomes

Abstract This paper assesses the impact of World Bank project preparation on project outcomes via a two-step estimation procedure. Using a stochastic frontier model, I generate a measure of World Bank project preparation duration based only on variation in political economy factors that are exogenous to latent project quality. Panel analysis of project data finds that projects with longer preparation periods are significantly more likely to have satisfactory outcome ratings. This result is robust across a range of specifications but the effects are conditional on the degree of economic vulnerability. The impact of World Bank preparation is greater in countries experiencing debt problems that may have fewer alternatives. Examining the impact of aid agency inputs into project preparation and design offers an alternative approach to measure the contribution of these agencies to development.
Materials, Measurement, and Error: Comparative Class Data and Scientific Argumentation via a Cloud-based Application

The Next Generation Science Standards make scientific discourse a vital part of the classroom and arguing with evidence needs to become a common practice for students. Analysis and interpretation of data are an integral part as well. We present an approach using 21st-century technology combined with collection of laboratory data that is suitable for middle school through college. In an experiment using common nuts and bolts first semester chemistry students form six groups and determine a bolt mass indirectly. They collect mass data; then enter the data into an online form that compiles the data into a spreadsheet in Google Drive, a free cloud-based application. Once all the groups have submitted their data, they access the spreadsheet online and start an emulated online discussion in the laboratory as if the groups were globally dispersed using the chat feature available in Google Drive. Each group is identified by a group number having a unique group email address so there is a semi-anonymous sense among the members that allows for a fairly free discussion among students.
Assuring message delivery in mobile ad hoc networks with packet erasure recovery

In addition to depending on wireless links-which are less reliable than wired ones-mobile ad hoc networks (MANET) introduce a unique set of operational characteristics that affect message delivery assurance. One such characteristic is that the mobility of nodes in a MANET causes the topology of the entire network to alter dynamically. In particular, as a change in a single link can alter the entire delivery path, we note that the persistence of a message delivery route diminishes with the growth of network size. We propose to adapt a method that was proposed by Asmuth and Blakley (1982) for data communication to take advantage of this lack of path persistence to enhance message delivery assurance in MANET. Specifically, we show that this adaptation can be used to improve the level of successful first delivery attempts, and reduce the variations in network latency for delivering successive data packets. Additionally, we show that this adaptation admits dynamic adjustments to accommodate the time varying characteristics of message delivery paths in a MANET. Finally, we show that this adaptation can also be used to provide message security protection en route.
The Distribution of Overwintering Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in College Dormitories

This investigation into the pattern of overwintering brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) used survey data collected between Dec 2013 and Mar 2014 from residents in two 4-story dormitories on the Rutgers University Cook Campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. Results suggest that a higher proportion of BMSB overwinters towards the top of urban structures than towards the ground level. This finding can be used by pest control operatives for targeted applications that will reduce the total amount of pesticides needed while still suppressing the majority of urban nuisance populations of BMSB. Sumario Esta investigacion sobre el patron de hibernacion del chinche cafe marmorado (CCM) utilizo los datos recolectados en un sondeo entre diciembre del 2013 y marzo del 2014 de los residentes de dos dormitorios de 4 pisos en la Universidad de Rutgers, Cook Campus en New Brunswick, Nueva Jersey, EE.UU. Los resultados sugieren que la mayor proporcion de CCM pasa el invierno en la parte superior de las estructuras urbanas que en el nivel del suelo. Este hallazgo puede ser utilizado por los trabajadores en el control de plagas para aplicaciones especificas que reduzcan la cantidad total de los plaguicidas necesarios y al mismo tiempo suprimiendo la mayoria de las poblaciones urbanas de CCM que molestan. View this article in BioOne
Effect of earth layering on earthquake displacement fields

abstract The displacement fields due to a very long vertical strike-slip fault are calculated for earth models consisting of two layers over a half-space. It is shown that if zones of low rigidity are present beneath the Earth9s surface, they will result in an amplification of the displacement field observed at the Earth9s surface. The amount of amplification depends both on the structure and the distance from the fault. If thin soft layers exist in the upper mantle, it is shown that they will have a very strong effect on the observed displacements. It may eventually be possible to use static observations at the surface to detect such layers.
Hiding the (Fabric) Stash: Collecting, Hoarding, and Hiding Strategies of Contemporary US Quilters

AbstractIn this four-year, seventy-interview ethnographic study of US amateur quilters, I examine the guilty pleasures surrounding quilting practices, including the deviant acts of hiding both identity and fabric from family members and friends. While fabric is the medium of quilting, quilters purchase more than necessary for projects, slowly building up and hoarding a fabric stash. They then strategize hiding places for their fabric. Women's anxieties surrounding acquiring, hoarding, and hiding their fabric stashes highlight their diminished ability, relative to their spouses and their children, to pursue leisure activities without a stigma. Collecting and hiding the fabric stash become symbolic of women's attempts to carve out time ad space for themselves amid the multiple demands placed on them by such greedy institutions such as family and the workplace.
Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy for Large Glands and Median Lobe

With the introduction of robotic surgery, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is rapidly becoming the preferred surgical approach for management of localized prostate cancer.
Detrital zircon age distributions as a discriminator of tectonic versus fluvial transport: An example from the Death Valley, USA, extended terrane

U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircons has proven useful in identifying potential source terranes of siliciclastic sediments through the identification of distinct age peaks that can often be linked to geographically restricted regions. In cases where a sedimentary source region is geographically distinct enough to be treated as a point source, simple empirical and theoretical relationships between fluvial catchment area and downstream river length (Hack’s law) can be convolved with detrital zircon age analysis of fluvial sediment to quantitatively assess the fluvial transport distance of that sediment from its source. Such an approach is particularly germane to studying the fluvial transport distances of syntectonic sediments for which the present-day distance between sediment and source may be a function of both sedimentary and tectonic transport. This technique is illustrated with an example from the Death Valley extended terrane in the central Basin and Range (United States). Middle Miocene clastic sedimentary rocks located east of Death Valley contain a clast assemblage that includes a distinct Early Jurassic leucomonzo gabbro, the nearest outcrops of which are 80 km to the west-northwest. Previous interpretation of these strata as an alluvial fan sequence required restoration of the clastic rocks to a depositional position within 20 km of the source batholith, and corroborated restorations of extension across central Death Valley based on isopachs in Paleozoic strata and alignment of preextensional contractional structures. Recent reinterpretation of these strata as fluvial in origin permits significantly greater sedimentary transport distances than the alluvial fan interpretation, and thus undercuts the convergence of multiple lines of evidence for large-magnitude extension across central Death Valley. I demonstrate that the Middle Miocene strata contain >75% Early Jurassic detrital zircons. Given the modern areal extent of the Early Jurassic batholith from which these zircons were derived, fluvial transport of these sediments could not have exceeded 25 km, and was most likely 200% extension has occurred across central Death Valley since Middle Miocene time.
Sterically Encumbered Bipyridyl-Derivatized Conjugated Polymers and Metallopolymers Incorporating Phenylenevinylene, Phenyleneethynylene, and Fluorenylene Segments

This work reports the preparation of a series of 2,2′-bipyridyl (bipy) modified π-conjugated polymers having an average of one or three monomer units (p-arylene ethynylene for PPE1 and PPE3 or 7,7-dihexylfluorene for PF1 and PF3) between metal-binding sites. Spectroscopic data demonstrate that strategic placement of sterically encumbered mesityl groups about the metal binding sites enforces a 1:1 metal to bipy binding ratio. This steric coordination control ensures that the metalated polymers remain solution processable rather than forming insoluble networks via coordinative cross-linking. The solution photophysical and electrochemical properties of metal-free and metalated materials are reported and compared with those of related conjugated polymers and conducting metallopolymers.
Behavior of Carbon-14 in Waste Packages for Spent Fuel in a Repository in Tuff

Analysis of gas from a heated air-filled canister containing a spent fuel assembly before and after rupture of a fuel rod shows that about 1.5 mCi of 14C from the external surface of the assembly was rapidly oxidized and released as $$^{14}{\rm{C}}{{\rm{O}}_2}$$ in excess oxygen at 275°C and 104rad/hr. After rupture, an additional 0.3 mCi was released, probably also from the external surface. The total 14C inventory in the entire 15×15 rod assembly including structural hardware is estimated to be 690 mCi. These measurements indicate that account will have to be taken of the time distribution of lifetimes of the canisters, and a broad definition of the “engineered system” may be necessary, in order to meet 1OCFR60 requirements with spent fuel in a repository in tuff.
G1 Cell Cycle Regulatory Proteins in Chemically-Induced Rat Mammary Adenocarcinomas In Vivo and Tumor Promotion-Sensitive, -Resistant and Transformed Mouse Epidermal Cells In Vitro

Tumor promotion is characterized by selective proliferation of initiated cells resulting in their clonal expansion. Cyclin Dl is frequently upregulated in this process, but its expression does not necessarily correlate positively with cyclin A. In the present article, expression of G1 cell cycle regulatory proteins was systematically analyzed using two models of carcinogenesis: (a) N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat mammary adenocarcinomas and normal rat mammary epithelial cells in vivo and (b) promotion-sensitive, -resistant, and transformed JB6 mouse epidermal cells in vitro. The results of this analysis revealed that p27Kipl negatively correlated with cyclin Dl. In addition, there were two types of correlations between p27Kipl and cyclin A. First, p27Kipl negatively correlated with cyclin A (type-l correlation). This scenario was observed in normal rat mammary epithelial cells in vivo and promotion-sensitive (P+) JB6 mouse epidermal cells, stimulated with phorbol ester (TPA) in vitro. Second, p27Kipl positively correlated with cyclin A (type-ll correlation). This correlation was observed in MNU-induced rat mammary adenocarcinomas in vivo and TPA-stimulated (P+) JB6 cells, treated with retinoic acid in vitro.
The immunosuppressive effect of mesenchymal stromal cells on B lymphocytes is mediated by membrane vesicles.

The immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stromal cells are the subject of increasing interest and of widening clinical applications, but the reproducibility of their effects is controversial ...
Study on the Strategic Alliance Model of Enterprises Pollution Abatement under Environment Regulation

This paper proposes the idea of enterprises pollution abatement strategic alliance based on the environmental regulation.At the same time,a model of enterprises pollution abatement strategic alliance is built up.In pollution abatement strategic alliance,because of better restraint agreements,enterprises can share the information of pollution abatement,and make use of overflow effects of fund and technology,thus it can realize the scale effects of pollution abatement.
Multicenter Survey of Current Practice Patterns in Perfusion MRI in Neuroradiology: Why, When, and How Is It Performed?

OBJECTIVE. Perfusion MRI is an advanced imaging technique with a number of potential neuroradiologic applications. However, there are few guidelines about the application of perfusion MRI in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to assess when and how perfusion MRI is performed across national and international practices. MATERIALS AND METHODS. An international survey was conducted through the American Society of Neuroradiology e-mail list. The survey included questions relating to demographics, whether perfusion MRI was offered, technical details, reporting, and reimbursement. RESULTS. Most (81.0%) of the practices responding offered perfusion MRI; this proportion increases to 94.3% among academic and 95.3% among large practices. Intraaxial tumor, stroke, and arterial stenosis are the most frequent reasons for offering perfusion imaging. Most practices offer perfusion imaging on the basis of the judgment of the referring physician or person writing the protocol for the study, or they offer it ...
Case Report: Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Renal Pelvis Presenting with Vascular Obstruction

AbstractA case of transitional cell carcinoma of the pelvis, which presented with vascular occlusion, is reported.
Prostate cancer: post-irradiation incontinence.

AbstractThe experience of 272 patients with prostate cancer treated between 1976 and 1987 by external irradiation was reviewed to assess causal factors for post-irradiation incontinence and to determine measures to reduce the risk of this complication. No patient had incontinence before definitive irradiation or radical prostatectomy. Post-irradiation incontinence was observed in 19 of 272 patients (7%), including 14 with mild, 2 with moderate and 3 with severe disease. Incontinence after definitive irradiation was not significantly related to tumor stage or tumor control: 8 of 192 patients (4%) had local control and 2 of 33 (6%) had local failure. Incontinence was related to a urological operation performed in 1 of 105 patients (1%) who underwent needle biopsy and 7 of 130 (5.5%) who underwent transurethral prostatectomy before irradiation. Incontinence was more frequent, 2 of 6 patients (33%), and more severe in patients who underwent transurethral prostatectomy after irradiation. Of 31 patients 9 (29%)...
See what I see: Concepts to improve the social acceptance of HMDs

Virtual Reality is reaching into the consumer space. Mobile virtual reality solutions are nowadays widely available and affordable for many smartphones, by adding a case with attached lenses around the phone to create a head-mounted display. While using these in public places or at social gatherings where the head-mounted display is given around to others, it can lead to problems regarding social acceptance, as the surrounding people are not aware of what the virtual reality user is seeing and doing. We address this problem by adding a second, front-facing screen to the head-mounted display. We build and evaluate two prototypes for this usage.
Turning the Educational Idea on Its Head: The Lib-Lab Alliance and the Organization of the Working Men’s 1867 Exhibition Tours

At an October 1866 meeting of the General Council of the International Working Men’s Association (IWA), also known as the First International, Eugene Dupont, a maker of musical instruments and the IWA’s Corresponding Secretary for France, made a proposal that for a short time turned this London association of socialists and labor leaders into a tourist agency. Dupont suggested establishing a “Special Committee” to assist “British Workingmen and others” to visit the 1867 Paris Exhibition.1 The council, as it turned out, needed little persuasion. Some members, such as Benjamin Lucraft, had participated in the 1861 “Workingmen’s” tour, and had acquired organizational experience prior to Layard and Cook’s intervention.2 Perhaps Lucraft wished to repeat the experiment? In addition, the IWA’s Parisian branch assured Dupont of their eagerness to “cooperate heartily” with the council. They, like Lucraft, also had wisdom to impart, having organized the visits of worker delegates to the 1862 International Exhibition in London.3 Yet, despite their initial enthusiasm, the IWA led the project for only a short while. Almost as soon as the IWA assembled the Special Committee, it handed the reins over to the Workingmen’s Club and Institute Union — a middle-class network of social and educational clubs that pursued a domestic civilizing mission among the artisan classes. The WMCIU, needless to say, invested the tours with a different meaning and purpose than the IWA. Nevertheless, members of both organizations managed to surmount their differences long enough to form a loose collaboration, albeit with the WMCIU playing the leading role, that culminated in the planned tours of over 3000 workers.
Steroid Hormones: Chemistry, Biosynthesis, and Metabolism

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structural chemistry and biosynthetic pathways proven or presumptive of the major classes of steroid hormones. All hormones have complicated structure of fused rings that can be modified by functional group substitution at many points. Furthermore, the presence of asymmetric carbon atoms introduces steric modifications and isomeric possibilities. Over 225 naturally occurring steroids have been isolated and chemically characterized. In addition, an uncountable number of additional steroids and steroid analogs have been chemically synthesized. All steroids belong to the chemical class of substances known as terpenoids or terpenes. Other biologically important terpenoid compounds include the plant hormones gibberellic acid and abscisic acid. All terpenoids have in common the same two C 5 H 8 isoprene precursors employed for their biosynthesis, namely, isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate. An equally important contribution to the present understanding of the biochemistry of steroids was the introduction and general availability of radioactively-labeled compounds. Radioactive steroids offer two major advantages: The presence of the radioactive label (1) provides a significant increase in sensitivity of the detection of the steroid under study and (2) allows the investigator to detect, either from in vivo whole animal experiments or in vitro experiments with perfused organs, tissue slices, cell suspensions, cell homogenates, or purified enzyme preparations, the presence of new compounds that would otherwise be unappreciated.
Synaptic Inhibition in Avian Interaural Level Difference Sound Localizing Neurons.

Abstract Synaptic inhibition plays a fundamental role in the neural computation of the interaural level difference (ILD), an important cue for the localization of high-frequency sound. Here, we studied the inhibitory synaptic currents in the chicken posterior portion of the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (LLDp), the first binaural level difference encoder of the avian auditory pathway. Using whole-cell recordings in brain slices, we provide the first evidence confirming a monosynaptic inhibition driven by direct electrical and chemical stimulation of the contralateral LLDp, establishing the reciprocal inhibitory connection between the two LLDps, a long-standing assumption in the field. This inhibition was largely mediated by GABA A receptors; however, functional glycine receptors were also identified. The reversal potential for the Cl − channels measured with gramicidin-perforated patch recordings was hyperpolarizing (−88 mV), corresponding to a low intracellular Cl − concentration (5.2 mm). Pharmacological manipulations of KCC2 (outwardly Cl − transporter) activity demonstrate that LLDp neurons can maintain a low intracellular Cl − concentration under a high Cl − load, allowing for the maintenance of hyperpolarizing inhibition. We further demonstrate that hyperpolarizing inhibition was more effective at regulating cellular excitability than depolarizing inhibition in LLDp neurons.
A framework for One Health research

The need for multidisciplinary research to address today's complex health and environmental challenges has never been greater. The One Health (OH) approach to research ensures that human, animal, and environmental health questions are evaluated in an integrated and holistic manner to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and potential solutions than would be possible with siloed approaches. However, the OH approach is complex, and there is limited guidance available for investigators regarding the practical design and implementation of OH research. In this paper we provide a framework to guide researchers through conceptualizing and planning an OH study. We discuss key steps in designing an OH study, including conceptualization of hypotheses and study aims, identification of collaborators for a multi-disciplinary research team, study design options, data sources and collection methods, and analytical methods. We illustrate these concepts through the presentation of a case study of health impacts associated with land application of biosolids. Finally, we discuss opportunities for applying an OH approach to identify solutions to current global health issues, and the need for cross-disciplinary funding sources to foster an OH approach to research.
Smooth Higher-Order Sliding Mode Control of a Class of Underactuated Mechanical Systems

This paper investigates the application of smooth higher-order sliding mode (HOSM) control to a class of underactuated mechanical systems. Underactuated mechanical systems have increasing practical importance, but their strong nonlinear behavior and increased vulnerability to uncertainties due to the absence of actuators for some of the configuration variables make the control design problem a challenging task. Sliding mode control (SMC) has the most effective role in controlling such strong nonlinear uncertain systems. However, the standard SMC has chattering in the control action, which is undesired and practically not applicable, especially in mechanical control systems. To achieve smooth control and robustness needed for underactuated mechanical systems, smooth HOSM control laws based on the Super-Twisting Algorithm and the Smooth Super-Twisting Algorithm are proposed. Closed-form analytic expressions are derived for performance design parameters of the sliding surface. These expressions determine the performance of the sliding mode dynamics and also guarantee its stability. For comparison of the results, a standard SMC law is also presented and its merits/demerits are discussed. The design procedure is illustrated by applying it to two well-known cases of the Beam-and-Ball system and the Cart–Pole system as representative examples of the class. Numerical simulation results verify the enhanced control performance and robustness of the theoretical work.
Credit Where Credit Is Due: Drivers of Subprime Credit

We use individual credit histories to study how creditor-friendly repossession rights in auto lending affect borrowers. Results from a quasi-experimental setting show that bankruptcy rates among subprime auto borrowers increase twice as much following natural disasters in states with strong creditors’ rights compared to states with more borrower protection. Further tests show that auto repossessions increase the likelihood of bankruptcy, and reduce borrowers’ future access to both uncollateralized and collateralized credit, including home mortgage loans. Our findings suggest that creditors’ rights can have broad, negative effects on borrowers that extend beyond merely losing a collateralized asset.
Nanofibers for coalescing filter media for water–diesel separation

Electrospun fibers have potential for use in many applications such as filter media. The small fiber diameters enhance filter capture efficiency for small particles. The small pores associated with the electrospun fibers enhance the hydrophobic properties the fiber mats and make them suitable as a barrier medium for separation of water drops from diesel fuel. Discussed here are the separation mechanisms of barrier media in contrast to depth media. An overview of electrospinning is provided. Performances of depth media and electrospun barrier media are compared. Experimental results show the barrier medium performed significantly better than the depth medium.
Impact of statin use on outcomes in triple negative breast cancer

Purpose: We sought to investigate if the use of HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors (statins) has an impact on outcomes among patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods: We reviewed the cases of women with invasive, non-metastatic TNBC, diagnosed 1997-2012. Clinical outcomes were compared based on statin use (defined as ever use during treatment vs. never use). We identified a subset of women for whom a 5-value lipid panel (5VLP) was available, including total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein, and triglycerides. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate median overall survival (OS), distant metastases-free survival (DMFS), and local-regional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS). A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to test the statistical significance of prognostic factors. Results: 869 women were identified who met inclusion criteria, with a median follow-up time of 75.1 months (range 2.4-228.9 months). 293 (33.7%) patients used statins and 368 (42.3%) had a 5VLP. OS, DMFS, and LRRFS were not significant based on statin use or type. Controlling for the 5VLP values, on multivariable analysis, statin use was significantly associated with OS (HR 0.10, 95% CI 0.01-0.76), but not with DMFS (HR 0.14, 95% CI 0.01-1.40) nor LRRFS (HR 0.10 95% CI 0.00-3.51). Conclusions: Statin use among patients with TNBC is not associated with improved OS, although it may have a benefit for a subset of patients. Prospective assessment would be valuable to better assess the potential complex correlation between clinical outcome, lipid levels, and statin use.
Activation of COX-2 mediates growth arrest and apoptosis induced by perifosine in human lung cancer cells

B41 Perifosine is an orally bioavailable alkylphospholipid currently being tested in Phase II clinical trials and has shown efficacy in a number of human tumor types in preclinical studies. In this study, we have revealed a novel mechanism by which perifosine exerts a cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) activation-dependent anticancer activity in human non-small cell lung cancer cells. Perifosine induced apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest in NSCLC cell lines. Unexpectedly, the combination of perifosine with low concentrations of celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, rendered cells less sensitive to apoptosis or cell cycle arrest induced by perifosine. Subsequently, we examined the effects of perifosine on COX-2 expression and activity in a set of lung cancer cell lines and found that perifosine rapidly and potently increased COX-2 levels and activity, the degrees of which correlated to perifosine’s abilities to inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells. Moreover, blockage of COX-2 induction by both antisense and siRNA approaches decreased cell sensitivity to perifosine-induced growth inhibition. Collectively, these data indicate that the induction and activation of COX-2 contribute to perifosine-induced apoptosis and growth arrest in human lung cancer cells. These data are clinically relevant as they suggest that patients who are administered perifosine should not also take COX-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib, so as to avoid potential drug contradiction.
Supervised Topic Modeling Using Hierarchical Dirichlet Process-Based Inverse Regression: Experiments on E-Commerce Applications

The proliferation of e-commerce calls for mining consumer preferences and opinions from user-generated text. To this end, topic models have been widely adopted to discover the underlying semantic themes (i.e., topics). Supervised topic models have emerged to leverage discovered topics for predicting the response of interest (e.g., product quality and sales). However, supervised topic modeling remains a challenging problem because of the need to prespecify the number of topics, the lack of predictive information in topics, and limited scalability. In this paper, we propose a novel supervised topic model, Hierarchical Dirichlet Process-based Inverse Regression (HDP-IR). HDP-IR characterizes the corpus with a flexible number of topics, which prove to retain as much predictive information as the original corpus. Moreover, we develop an efficient inference algorithm capable of examining large-scale corpora (millions of documents or more). Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the predictive performance over major e-commerce benchmark testbeds of online reviews. Overall, HDP-IR outperformed existing state-of-the-art supervised topic models. Particularly, retaining sufficient predictive information improved predictive R-squared by over 17.6 percent; having topic structure flexibility contributed to predictive R-squared by at least 4.1 percent. HDP-IR provides an important step for future study on user-generated texts from a topic perspective.