cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inflammation, DNA-centered radicals, and oxidative genotoxicity: The role of HOCl produced by myeloperoxidase in carcinogenesis

Myeloid cells (macrophages and neutrophils) infiltrate and synthesize myeloperoxidase (MPO) in sites of inflammation, producing gentotoxicity. In RAW 264.7 macrophages, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces superoxide radical anion, nuclear deformation (nuclear protuberances), MPO synthesis, biomolecule oxidation and cell death. “Freezing” LPS-triggered macrophage activation with the nitrone spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) prevented cell activation and death. Oxidation of proteins and genomic DNA was also blocked, with formation of protein- and DNA-DMPO nitrone adducts, as analyzed by immuno-spin trapping with a polyclonal anti-DMPO serum. Interestingly, confocal microscopy analysis of these cells showed that MPO, genomic DNA, and DNA-DMPO nitrone adducts co-localized in the nuclear protuberances. These observations, and the fact that DNA is negatively charged and MPO is a cationic protein, suggest a role for uptaken or newly synthesized MPO in oxidative genotoxicity induced by myeloid cells in sites of inflammation. In order to understand MPO-induced formation of DNA-centered radicals, we studied DNA-DMPO nitrone adducts in calf thymus DNA treated with micromolar concentrations of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) added as a bolus or generated in situ by the MPO/H2O2/Cl- system in the presence of DMPO. We also investigated DNA-DMPO nitrone adducts inside living cells containing MPO. The cell models we used were: i) human leukemia (HL)-60 cells, which overexpress MPO, ii) RAW 264.7 macrophages activated with LPS (1 ng/ml for 24 h), to induce MPO, and iii) A549 human airway epithelial cells pre-loaded with human MPO. When these cells were activated with the phorbol ester PMA, the number of 6-thioguanine-resistant cells with the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HRPT) mutation increased. This mutation was prevented by each of the following: the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin; the MPO inhibitors salicylhydroxamic acid and 4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide; the cell-permeable HOCl scavenger resveratrol; and DMPO, which traps DNA-centered radicals and prevents further oxidation. Genomic DNA-centered radicals and further mutagenesis induced by activated myeloid cells in sites of inflammation can be prevented by blocking MPO activity, preventing formation of and/or scavenging HOCl, or trapping DNA-centered radicals. Our findings provide new therapeutic avenues for preventing carcinogenesis induced by infiltration and activation of myeloid cells in sites of inflammation, for example, in the lung exposed to particulate matter. SUPPORTED BY NIEHS 5R00ES015415-03
Proteomic profiling of nitrosative stress: protein S-oxidation accompanies S-nitrosylation.

Reversible chemical modifications of protein cysteine residues by S-nitrosylation and S-oxidation are increasingly recognized as important regulatory mechanisms for many protein classes associated with cellular signaling and stress response. Both modifications may theoretically occur under cellular nitrosative or nitroxidative stress. Therefore, a proteomic isotope-coded approach to parallel, quantitative analysis of cysteome S-nitrosylation and S-oxidation was developed. Modifications of cysteine residues of (i) human glutathione-S-transferase P1-1 (GSTP1) and (ii) the schistosomiasis drug target thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR) were studied. Both S-nitrosylation (SNO) and S-oxidation to disulfide (SS) were observed for reactive cysteines, dependent on concentration of added S-nitrosocysteine (CysNO) and independent of oxygen. SNO and SS modifications of GSTP1 were quantified and compared for therapeutically relevant NO and HNO donors from different chemical classes, revealing oxidative modificati...
A comparative analysis of negotiation methods for a multi-neural agent system

This paper presents a comparative analysis of some negotiation methods used in a multi-neural agent system (NeurAge). This systems is composed of several neural classifiers (called neural agents) and its main aim is to overcome some drawbacks of multi-classifier systems and, as a consequence, to improve performance of such systems.
Post-Test Evaluation of a Prototype Composite Water-Cooled Gas Turbine Nozzle

Water-cooled high temperature gas turbine technology has been under investigation by the Gas Turbine Division of the General Electric Company for the past 15 years. The transition from testing small scale laboratory-size hardware to full-scale gas turbine components was initiated in 1975 by General Electric and extended further under the U.S. Department of Energy’s High Temperature Turbine Technology (HTTT) Program. A key element in this transition was the identification of a composite (hybrid) design for the first-stage nozzles. This design permits efficient heat transfer to the water-cooling passage-ways, thus lowering effective strains and increasing part life. The results of GE’s extensive efforts over many years to develop a composite water-cooled first-stage nozzle were further confirmed through the successful fabrication and testing of full-scale hardware under the DOE/HTTT Program.This paper describes the post test metallurgical evaluation of two segments of the nozzle tested under the DOE/HTTT program. A brief description of the actual hot-gas path testing of the part is given. The bulk of the paper deals with a microstructural evaluation of the segments including microprobe traces and hardness surveys. Pre- and post-test non-destructive evaluations are also reviewed.Copyright © 1983 by ASME
Simulation of meniscus stability in superhydrophobic granular surfaces under hydrostatic pressures

Abstract In this work, a series of numerical simulations has been devised to study the performance of granular superhydrophobic surfaces under elevated hydrostatic pressures. Using balance of forces, an analytical expression has also been developed to predict the critical pressure at which a submersed idealized granular superhydrophobic surface comprised of spherical particles, orderly packed next to one another, departs from the Cassie state. Predictions of our analytical expression have been compared with those of a series of 3-D full-morphology numerical simulations, and reasonable agreement has been observed between the two methods. Full-morphology simulations were then used, for the first time, to compute the critical pressure of superhydrophobic surfaces comprised of randomly distributed spherical particles (e.g., superhydrophobic coatings developed by depositing of hydrophobic aerogel particles), where no analytical method is applicable due to the complexity of the coatings’ morphology. Results of our numerical simulations indicate that for coatings made up of mono-disperse hydrophobic particles, critical pressure increases with increasing the solid volume fraction. However, increasing particle diameter results in lower critical pressures when the coating's solid volume fraction is held constant.
Assessment of economic impacts from unexpected events with an interregional commodity flow and multimodal transportation network model

Abstract Loss and damage caused by unscheduled events, especially earthquakes, have sudden and significant impacts not only on the region’s economy where the event occurs but also on other regions. The New Madrid Seismic Zone, located in the center of the United States, could have great impacts on economic activities related to this area, if a major earthquake occurred. Based on the 1993 US Commodity Flow Survey [US Commodity Flow Survey, 1993. Available from: http://www.bts.gov/ntda/cfs/prod.html >], more than 42% of total commodity flows in the US are related to the greater Midwest, which includes the New Madrid Seismic Zone. If a catastrophic earthquake occurred in this area, the indirect damages could spread far beyond the region, and could have sizable impacts on other regions. A model of interregional commodity flows, incorporating regional input–output relationships, and the corresponding transportation network flows, was applied to assess the economic impacts of such an unexpected event. The economic impacts from the event are described for three hypothetical scenarios, analyzing the magnitude and the extent of the direct and indirect impacts. These analytical results may be used to propose strategic management of the recovery and reconstruction efforts after the event.
The Health of Immigrants to New York City From Mainland China: Evidence From the New York Health Examination and Nutrition Survey

Very little is known about the newest New Yorkers of Chinese heritage, the largest and fastest growing immigrant group in the city. This article compares measures of the health of immigrants to New York from Mainland China to the health of other New Yorkers of Asian heritage along with all other New Yorkers. We did so using the 1,999 subjects in the 2004 New York Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, controlling for age and gender. We found that New Yorkers born in Mainland China have a lower body mass index, a smaller waist circumference, a more sexually conservative lifestyle, highly favorable high-density lipoprotein profiles, and lower rates of herpes II infection. However, they also have higher blood levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury than either reference group. This article provides the first study of the health needs of New York's largest and most rapidly growing immigrant group.
Net reordering and multicommodity flow based global routing for FPGAs

The most popular algorithm for solving the routing problem for field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) has virtually remained the same for the past two decades. It is essentially an iterative maze technique, such as Dijkstra's algorithm, applied to each net in the circuit repeatedly. During multiple routing iterations, nets are ripped-up and rerouted via different paths to resolve competition for routing resources or to improve circuit delay. The most popular implementation of such a routing approach is the PathFinder algorithm used inside the VPR tool [1]. The quality of the routing solution depends however on the order in which nets are processed during each of the routing iterations. This is commonly referred to as the net ordering problem. PathFinder addresses this problem through continuous updates of the cost associated with overusing routing resources. After each routing iteration, the cost of overusing a routing resource is increased based on the routing so far, so that probability of resolving all congestion during future iterations increases. To further address the net ordering problem, in this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of two combined techniques to enhance PathFinder. We change the order in which nets are ripped-up and rerouted to give higher priority to nets with two, three, and more than eleven pins because these nets have the largest impact on the quality of the routing solution. Also, we alter the cost calculation during wave expansions for two-pin nets based on the global routing solution obtained by solving an equivalent multicommodity flow problem. Preliminary results suggest that the conventional FPGA routing solutions can still be improved.
Four definitions of endogenous depression and the dexamethasone suppression test

We examined the relationship between the DST and 4 definitions of endogenous depression: DSM-III, Feinberg and Carroll, Newcastle and RDC. Endogenous patients had a significantly higher rate of nonsuppression than nonendogenous patients according to the DSM-III and Newcastle definitions but not according to the RDC and Feinberg and Carroll criteria. Moreover, the relationship between the DST and the DSM-III and Newcastle definitions was significant even after individually controlling for age, psychosis and weight loss. We review the literature on the relationship between the DST and the RDC definition of endogenous depression and suggest that interstudy differences in criteria application may be partially responsible for the inconsistent results across studies.
Time Measurement with a Multiphase Clock

A multiphase clock is used to measure time intervals. The scheme consists of a main counter and digital verniers for start and stop. The system time resolution is limited by the intrinsic resolving time of the circuits rather than the clock rate. A 7 phase clock of ~28.57 MHz can measure time to 2.5 nsec accuracy with T2L type circuits.
Fundamental problems in the electronic structure of transition-metal oxides

Abstract The evolution of the electronic structure of a solid as it is formed from large interatomic separations to its equilibrium lattice configuration is analyzed. The importance of electronic correlations in the narrow-band regime is emphasized, particularly with regard to transport behavior. First, the case of a monovalent solid, such as Na, is analyzed in detail, and an effective one-electron representation, exact in the atomic limit, is introduced. It is shown that the ordinary band approximation fails miserably in this limit. Next, the more realistic case of a transition-metal oxide is considered. In the limit of strong correlations, it is emphasized that information deduced from optical experiments should not be used to analyze transport data within the band approximation, since the effective electronic density-of-states diagram can differ significantly from that derived from optical results. Finally, some fundamental difficulties in our present understanding are discussed.
Physical CP phase and maximal CP nonconservation.

We give some applications for a $\mathrm{CP}$-nonconserving quantity which is invariant under nontrivial rephasings of the Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrix. It is shown to resolve one of the two ambiguities involved in defining the concept of maximal $\mathrm{CP}$ nonconservation. The second, more intrinsic, ambiguity is partially resolved in the framework of an especially symmetrical class of parametrizations.
Epidemiology and management of petunia and tomato late blight in the greenhouse

ABSTRACT Factors affecting the management of petunia and tomato late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, under greenhouse conditions were investigated. Late blight-infected petunias (Petunia × hybrida) and tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) each produced sporangia that were dispersed throughout the greenhouse via air currents. Infected petunias produced and released fewer sporangia than infected tomatoes, but infected petunias released sporangia two times longer. Surface-directed irrigation reduced disease incidence compared with overhead irrigation that wetted the foliage. The fungicides dimethomorph-mancozeb, fosetyl-Al, azoxystrobin, and dipo-tassium phosphonate/phosphate suppressed late blight development, as did the plant defense activator acibenzolar-S-methyl. All products were applied twice at 7-day intervals. The other plant defense activator (harpin protein) and the bioantagonists (Trichoderma harzianum, Glio-cladium virens, and Bacillus subtilis) were ineffective at the rates tested.
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF MERCURY IN SMALL RAT BRAIN TISSUE SAMPLES BY COLD VAPOR ATOMIC FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY

ABSTRACT A rugged, sensitive, semi-automated method for the determination of trace-level mercury in small rat brain tissue samples by cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CVAFS) is described. Small tissue aliquots (100 mg) are digested for 6–8 h at an elevated temperature in a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. Following digestion, samples are oxidized with potassium bromate/bromide at room temperature and treated with a continuous flow of stannous chloride to generate mercury vapor. The experimentally determined method quantitation limit (MQL) in the rat brain matrix is 10 pg Hg/mL, which corresponds to 1.5 ng Hg/g brain tissue. Replicate matrix spike preparations (n = 4) at this level were determined with a high level of accuracy (89.8%) and precision (6.9% RSD). Replicates (n = 36) of a certified reference material (DOLT-2, trace metals in dogfish liver) were prepared and analyzed over a four year period in order to assess the ruggedness and accuracy of the method. The average recovery for m...
Political ecology in the key of policy: From chains of explanation to webs of relation

Abstract Political ecology (PE) is rooted in a combination of critical perspectives and the hard won insights distilled from field work. The theoretical base of political ecology was joined, by Piers Blaikie and others, to an unflinching commitment to empirical observation of biophysical and socio-economic phenomena in place. To this already ambitious mix was added a practical intent to contribute to material as well as social change: a practical political ecology of alternative development ran beneath the surface of much of this work. For many this led to serious encounters with policy and the machinery of policy research institutions. While seemingly contradictory with the critical tenets of political ecology, Blaikie’s pursuit of this pathway led beyond the ivory tower to Political Ecology in the Key of Policy, initially to inform national and international policy and eventually expanding – through the work of second-generation PE – to address internal policy in social movements and alternative development networks. Among recent variations on political ecology that have built partly on the work of Blaikie, Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) expands PE to address women as a group, and gender as a category. FPE and post-structural PE are based on multiple actors with complex and overlapping identities, affinities and interests. An emergent wave of political ecology joins FPE, post-structural theory, and complexity science, to address theory, policy and practice in alternatives to sustainable development. It combines a radical empiricism and situated science, with feminist post-structural theories of multiple identity and “location”, and alternative development paradigms. This approach honors the legacy of Piers Blaikie and other PE founders yet incorporates the insights and political projects of feminism, post-structural critique and autonomous or alternative development movements.
Group Structure and Female Cooperative Networks in Australia’s Western Desert

The division of labor has typically been portrayed as a complementary strategy in which men and women work on separate tasks to achieve a common goal of provisioning the family. In this paper, we propose that task specialization between female kin might also play an important role in women’s social and economic strategies. We use historic group composition data from a population of Western Desert Martu Aborigines to show how women maintained access to same-sex kin over the lifespan. Our results show that adult women had more same-sex kin and more closely related kin present than adult men, and they retained these links after marriage. Maternal co-residence was more prevalent for married women than for married men, and there is evidence that mothers may be strategizing to live with daughters at critical intervals—early in their reproductive careers and when they do not have other close female kin in the group. The maintenance of female kin networks across the lifespan allows for the possibility of cooperative breeding as well as an all-female division of labor.
Cylindrical gravitational waves in expanding universes: Models for waves from compact sources

New boundary conditions are imposed on the familiar cylindrical gravitational wave vacuum spacetimes. The new spacetime family represents cylindrical waves in a flat expanding (Kasner) universe. Space sections are flat and nonconical where the waves have not reached and wave amplitudes fall off more rapidly than they do in Einstein-Rosen solutions, permitting a more regular null inifinity.
The effect of barrier composition on quantum dot solar cell performance

The use of nanostructures such as quantum dots (QD) offers tremendous potential to realize high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) cells. The optimization of the electronic structure of the layers within the QD region should lead to improved PV performance. This includes the QD layer itself, but also the surrounding barrier and/or strain balancing layers that comprise the QD active region. In this paper, the effect of the barrier layer composition (i.e. the cladding layers grown following QD capping layer) on the optoelectronic properties of InAs QDs was investigated. Specifically, the composition is changed from GaAs (1.42 eV) to InGaP (1.85 eV) and the effect of carrier collection and 1-sun efficiency is observed. The examination of the effects of these layers will contribute to understanding the dominant factor in carrier collection within QD-enhanced photovoltaics. In addition, the direct growth of InAs QD on InGaP surfaces is presented and compared to GaAs. The direct proximity of the InGaP surface greatly enlarges the InAs QD.
Visualization of aerodynamic flow fields using photorefractive crystals

Interferometry based on double exposure Fourier transform holography in photorefractive crystals is applied for visualization of aerodynamic flow fields. The interferograms obtained are of similar quality as those produced using holographic film but with greatly simplified procedures. The results presented are obtained using a high-power cw argon laser and iron doped lithium niobate crystals. The angular characteristics of the Fourier transform data holograms are studied.
Treatment of tendinopathies with platelet-rich plasma

Pain and dysfunction related to tendinopathy are often refractory to traditional treatments and offer a unique challenge to physicians, because no gold standard treatment exists. Injectable biologics may represent a new modality in conjunction with a multifaceted treatment approach. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are not associated with the systemic or tendon degradation risks of corticosteroids or the inherent risks of surgery. Studies are promising but have not been replicated with high-powered evidence at the clinical level. Further evidence to expand understanding of the role of PRP in the treatment of tendinopathy is needed.
A Column Design for Reducing Viscous Fingering in Size Exclusion Chromatography

Under high concentration overload conditions, resolution during size exclusion chromatography of proteins can be compromised due to nonuniform flow caused by the viscous fingering flow instability. In this work, the nonuniform flow under these chromatographic conditions is analyzed by numerical simulation and magnetic resonance imaging. On the basis of an improved understanding of the flow phenomena, a new column design is proposed. The effectiveness of the design is evaluated by chromatography, magnetic resonance imaging, and numerical simulation.
Proton Inelastic Scattering from the Five Stable, Even-Mass Isotopes of Molybdenum

Elastic and inelastic scattering of 15-MeV protons, accelerated by the 90-in. cyclotron at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore, from isotopically enriched targets of $^{92,94,96,98,100}\mathrm{Mo}$ were studied with an over-all resolution of 50 keV (full width at half maximum). The experimental angular distributions were analyzed using a coupled-channel calculation. The collective vibrational model was employed to describe the states of the nucleus. Fifty angular distributions of scattered particles were measured and all but three were fitted with theoretical curves. The results for $^{92}\mathrm{Mo}$, which has a closed neutron shell associated with the magic number $N=50$, are discussed separately. All the inelastic scattering to levels in $^{92}\mathrm{Mo}$ were fitted with single-step processes. The other even-mass isotopes of molybdenum were analyzed first by considering the main quadrupole and octupole vibrational states and then considering the states that can be described as possible mixtures of one- and two-quadrupole phonons. A high degree of single-phonon admixture was found to be present. Finally the weaker states were considered with the simple ${0}^{+}\ensuremath{-}{I}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ coupling scheme. Electromagnetic transition rates inferred from the deformabilities deduced in the present experiment. The results are compared with other experiments.
Broad Focus, Narrow Focus: A Look at Information Literacy Across a School of Business and Within a Capstone Course

A survey of undergraduates on two aspects of lower-level information literacy was done in the 2009–2010 academic year. The survey results for business majors are discussed and form a baseline for a pilot investigation of information literacy and business information literacy. The subjects of the investigation were seniors majoring in entrepreneurial studies, and they were surveyed at the beginning of their capstone course in the Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 semesters.
Orientation dynamics and stretching of particles in unsteady, three-dimensional fluid flows: Unsteady attractors

Abstract Recent studies of the nonlinear dynamics of deformable particles suspended in fluid flows have revealed a rich geometric structure. However, an analytic expression of the flow characteristic of principal interest in the dynamics of polymer solutions, namely the stretching power of the flow over deformable particles, has remained elusive when the history of particle orientations is complicated. This is the case, for example, when the orientation dynamics of particles is characterized by an unsteady attractor. This dynamical behavior is considered in some detail, both in steady and in time-periodic external flows.Strong flow criteria are developed by consideration of the statistical distribution of orientations in time on the relevant unsteady attractor.
Synthetic hGH causes both increased somatomedin levels and insulin resistance in humans

The supply of human pituitary growth hormone (hGH) available has been limited by the number of donors. Recently, methionyl-hGH (Genentech) has been synthesized by recombinant DNA techniques. We have compared synthetic methionyl-hGH with pituitary hGH in twelve normal adult male volunteers. Each patient was given 4 daily doses of 16 U of each hGH with a 10 day period between hGH preparations. Somatomedin-C (SM-C) by RIA was determined daily. Glucose tolerance tests were done prior to the first and after the fourth injection. The SM-C by RIA increased from a baseline of 1.04 ± 0.07 U/ml to 2.95 ± 0.20 U/ml with methionyl-hGH and from 1.11 ±0.06 U/ml to 3.08 ± 0.19 U/ml with pituitary hGH. The GTT glucose area increased from 348 ± 16 mg%-hr to 475 ± 30 mg%-hr and the insulin area increased from 133 ± 19 uU/ml-hr to 403 ± 55 uU/ml-hr with methionyl-hGH. The glucose area increased from 333 ± 14 mg%-hr to 435 ± 25 mg%-hr and the insulin area increased from 110 ± 12 uU/ml-hr to 324 ± 49 uU/ml-hr with pituitary hGH. The equal somatomedin responses are evidence that the synthetic methionyl hGH has full biological activity. The equal changes in glucose metabolism demonstrate that insulin resistence is linked to monocomponent synthetic hGH as well as pituitary hGH. These studies open the way for explorations of uses of methionyl-hGH in human disease states and developmental disorders.
A Comparative Study of Administrative Principles and Practices in Adult Education Units

Adult education units exist in various types of organizations. The administrators of the different units attempt to achieve their or ganizational goals by applying principles, either explicitly or ...
Small volume limits of $2$-d Yang-Mills

By examining the lattice gauge approximation we show that the small volume limit of the 2-dimensional Yang-Mills functional integral is the natural symplectic measure on the moduli space of flat connections.
Intralesional resection of primary and metastatic sarcoma involving the spine: outcome analysis of 59 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Surgery plays an important role in achieving local tumor control and cure for primary and metastatic tumors of the spine. As has been established with regard to sarcomas at extraspinal sites, these goals may best be achieved by en bloc resection with negative histological margins. Unfortunately, sarcomas of the spine often present with tumor patterns that are amenable only to intralesional resection, if neurological preservation is a priority. This study is a retrospective analysis of the long-term outcomes of patients who had operations for sarcomas of the spine using modern surgical approaches, intralesional resections, and spinal instrumentation. METHODS: Between 1985 and 1997, 59 patients had spinal operations for sarcoma involving the extrasacral spine. Data regarding tumor histology, grade, surgical indications, patterns of spinal tumor involvement, and neurological and functional outcomes were reviewed at presentation and at tumor recurrence. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients underwent a single operation, and 24 patients required reoperation for locally recurrent tumors. At presentation, only nine patients (15%) had tumors that were amenable to marginal or wide resections. Functional outcomes after initial spinal surgery and after operations performed at first tumor recurrence showed that 95% of patients had maintained or regained ambulation. Intradural extension of tumor was seen in 5 of 12 patients who had three or more operations for locally recurrent disease. The median survival from first spine operation was 18 months, and the median event-free interval between the first and second spine operations was 13 months. CONCLUSION: Surgery for sarcoma of the spine is useful for maintaining or improving neurological and functional outcomes, but local tumor recurrences are common. Because of the anatomy of the tumor at presentation and concern for neurological preservation, few patients are candidates for marginal or wide resections.
Apoptosis in late stage Drosophila nurse cells does not require genes within the H99 deficiency

We have determined that nurse cells are cleared from the Drosophila egg chamber by apoptosis. DNA fragmentation begins in nurse cells at stage 12, following the completion of cytoplasm transfer from the nurse cells to the oocyte. During stage 13, nurse cells increasingly contain highly fragmented DNA and disappear from the egg chamber concomitantly with the formation of apoptotic vesicles containing highly fragmented nuclear material. In dumpless mutant egg chambers that fail to complete cytoplasm transport from the nurse cells, DNA fragmentation is markedly delayed and begins during stage 13, when the majority of cytoplasm is lost from the nurse cells. These data suggest the presence of cytoplasmic factors in nurse cells that inhibit the initiation of DNA fragmentation. In addition, we have examined the ovarian expression patterns of regulatory genes implicated in Drosophila apoptosis. The positive regulators, reaper (rpr), head involution defective (hid) and grim, as well as the negative regulators, DIAP1 and DIAP2, are transcribed during oogenesis. However, germline clones homozygous for the deficiency Df(3)H99, which deletes rpr, hid and grim, undergo oogenesis in a manner morphologically indistinguishable from wild type, indicating that genes within this region are not necessary for apoptosis in nurse cells.
Gender, Theatre, and the Origins of Criticism: From Dryden to Manley. By Marcie Frank. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003; pp. 175. $60 cloth.

Gender, Theatre, and the Origins of Criticism: From Dryden to Manley explores the role theatrical artists played in the emergence of literary criticism. Marcie Frank suggests that a study of this emergence should begin with John Dryden, and that it must also include the contributions made by female playwrights (such as Aphra Behn, Catharine Trotter, and Delarivier Manley)—not merely as side notes worthy of attention in a feminist attempt to include women writers in the history of criticism but, more important, as writings that actively carried on the genealogical literary tradition that Dryden established. Frank makes the case that by figuring the transmission of a national vernacular canon “as a patrimony, [Dryden] drew the lines of access to a native literary tradition for subsequent writers and critics” (2). The essays in the book work to establish the presence of a critical legacy left to us by Dryden, Behn, Trotter, and Manley. In doing so, Frank hopes to restore the theatre's rightful place in the story of criticism's emergence, thereby allowing an acknowledgment of the “performativity of criticism, both in the sense of what it accomplishes—the establishment of a native tradition coded as filiation—and in the appreciation of the means by which it does so” (2).
Dystroglycan overexpression in vivo alters acetylcholine receptor aggregation at the neuromuscular junction.

Dystroglycan is a member of the transmembrane dystrophin glycoprotein complex in muscle that binds to the synapse-organizing molecule agrin. Dystroglycan binding and AChR aggregation are mediated by two separate domains of agrin. To test whether dystroglycan plays a role in receptor aggregation at the neuromuscular junction, we overexpressed it by injecting rabbit dystroglycan RNA into one- or two-celled Xenopus embryos. We measured AChR aggregation in myotomes by labeling them with rhodamine‐a-bungarotoxin followed by confocal microscopy and image analysis. Dystroglycan overexpression decreased AChR aggregation at the neuromuscular junction. This result is consistent with dystroglycan competition for agrin without signaling AChR aggregation. It also supports the hypothesis that dystroglycan is not the myotube-associated specificity component (MASC), a putative coreceptor needed for agrin to activate muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) and signal AChR aggregation. Dystroglycan was distributed along the surface of muscle membranes, but was concentrated at the ends of myotomes, where AChRs normally aggregate at synapses. Overexpressed dystroglycan altered AChR aggregation in a rostral‐ caudal gradient, consistent with the sequential development of neuromuscular synapses along the embryo. Increasing concentrations of dystroglycan RNA did not further decrease AChR aggregation, but decreased embryo survival. Development often stopped during gastrulation, suggesting an essential, nonsynaptic role of dystroglycan during this early period of development. © 2000 Academic Press
Screening for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in VA Primary Care Patients with Depression Symptoms

Background Unrecognized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common and may be an important factor in treatment-resistant depression. Brief screens for PTSD have not been evaluated for patients with depression.
A 4D hyperspherical interpretation of q-space

3D q-space can be viewed as the surface of a 4D hypersphere. In this paper, we seek to develop a 4D hyperspherical interpretation of q-space by projecting it onto a hypersphere and subsequently modeling the q-space signal via 4D hyperspherical harmonics (HSH). Using this orthonormal basis, we derive several well-established q-space indices and numerically estimate the diffusion orientation distribution function (dODF). We also derive the integral transform describing the relationship between the diffusion signal and propagator on a hypersphere. Most importantly, we will demonstrate that for hybrid diffusion imaging (HYDI) acquisitions low order linear expansion of the HSH basis is sufficient to characterize diffusion in neural tissue. In fact, the HSH basis achieves comparable signal and better dODF reconstructions than other well-established methods, such as Bessel Fourier orientation reconstruction (BFOR), using fewer fitting parameters. All in all, this work provides a new way of looking at q-space.
Cellular sensors of feast and famine.

In response to changes in environmental conditions, animals and humans alike can initiate physiological regulatory mechanisms to assure survival. For example, when food is scarce, the body becomes “thrifty”, and conversely, when it is abundant, physiological “unthrifty” mechanisms are initiated. Recent work has uncovered novel cellular mechanisms of fuel sensing that contribute to these shifts and has established a potential relationship between these responses and the common metabolic phenotype of insulin resistance.
Critically Evaluated Database of Environmental Properties: The Importance of Thermodynamic Relationships, Chemical Family Trends, and Prediction Methods

A database containing Henry’s law constants, infinite dilution activity coefficients, and solubility data of industrially important chemicals has been compiled for aqueous systems. These properties are important in predicting the fate and transport of chemicals in the environment. The structure of this database is compatible with the existing \(\hbox {DIPPR}^{\circledR }\) 801 database and DIADEM interface, and data are included for a subset of compounds found in the \(\hbox {DIPPR}^{\circledR }\) 801 database. Thermodynamic relationships, chemical family trends, and predicted values were carefully considered when designating recommended values.
TRAFFIC SIGNAL OPERATIONS EDUCATION THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE: LESSONS LEARNED FROM A WORKSHOP PROTOTYPE

The development, implementation, and assessment of the traffic signal summer workshop (TSSW) are explored. An innovative educational prototype that has been conducted at the University of Idaho during the past two summers, TSSW addresses several critical issues, including the need to educate and train university engineering students in different ways, and the lack of adequately trained engineers and technicians prepared to design and manage today's traffic signal infrastructure. Those issues are discussed along with the pedagogical basis for hands-on experiences in engineering education. Also discussed is how the university has responded, with the TSSW prototype, to the need to deliver transportation engineering education in a new way.
Apply phase information in RST image watermarking

The paper presents a novel digital image watermarking scheme, based on the Fourier-Mellin transform, that is invariant to rotation, scaling, and translation (RST). We embed the watermark in the log-polar mappings of the Fourier magnitude spectrum of the original image and use the phase information of the original image to rectify the watermark positions. The scheme avoids computing inverse log-polar mapping (ILPM), and therefore preserves the image quality. Evaluations demonstrate that the scheme is invariant to rotation and translation, and sufficiently invariant to scaling transformation, and very robust to JPEG compression.
Xist RNA and the Mechanism of X Chromosome Inactivation

▪ Abstract Dosage compensation in mammals is achieved by the transcriptional inactivation of one X chromosome in female cells. From the time X chromosome inactivation was initially described, it was clear that several mechanisms must be precisely integrated to achieve correct regulation of this complex process. X-inactivation appears to be triggered upon differentiation, suggesting its regulation by developmental cues. Whereas any number of X chromosomes greater than one is silenced, only one X chromosome remains active. Silencing on the inactive X chromosome coincides with the acquisition of a multitude of chromatin modifications, resulting in the formation of extraordinarily stable facultative heterochromatin that is faithfully propagated through subsequent cell divisions. The integration of all these processes requires a region of the X chromosome known as the X-inactivation center, which contains the Xist gene and its cis-regulatory elements. Xist encodes an RNA molecule that plays critical roles in t...
The problem of counterfactual de re attitudes

The problem of counterfactual attitudes de re was identified by Ninan (2008) as a challenge for standard theories of de re. I show that once counterfactual non-de re attitudes are properly analyzed, trivial composition of such an analysis for them with the analysis of doxastic de re provides the solution to the problem. Thus there is no independent phenomenon of counterfactual attitudes de re, and therefore no problem as such.
Consequences of evolving with bacterial symbionts : Insights from the squid-vibrio associations

▪ Abstract The squid-vibrio light-organ symbioses, which have been under investigation for just over 10 years, offer the opportunity to decipher aspects of the dynamics of stable associations between animals and bacteria. The two best-studied partners, the Hawaiian sepiolid squid Euprymna scolopes and the marine luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeri, engage in the most common type of animal-bacterial association, i.e., between extracellular, gram-negative bacteria and animal epithelia. Similar to most such symbioses, the squid-vibrio relationship begins anew each generation when thehost animal acquires the symbiont from the surrounding environment. To establish a specific association, mechanisms have evolved to ensure recognition between the host and symbiont and the exclusion of other potential partnerships. Once the association has been established, the bacteria induce significant morphological changes in the host that result in a transition of the light organ from a form associated with initiation of the ...
Supporting children's collaborative authoring: practicing written literacy while composing oral texts

This paper presents the theory, design and evaluation of a new type of computer-supported collaborative interface intended to help young children practice certain oral language skills critical for later written literacy acquisition. Based on a theory of "emergent literacy", this paper describes a toy -- TellTale -- designed to let young children create, share and edit oral language in a way similar to how they will eventually create written language. Two user studies were conducted. The first suggests that paired children of different SES use different social and linguistic strategies to establish cohesion and that purely syntactic measures of narrative coherence are not sensitive enough to describe children's collaborative language play. A second pilot study investigated how groups of children used TellTale. Although results are not conclusive, TellTale also seems to be an engaging interface for group authorship.
Development of indicators for measuring outcomes of water safety plans

Water safety plans (WSPs) are endorsed by the World Health Organization as the most effective method of protecting a water supply. With the increase in WSPs worldwide, several valuable resources have been developed to assist practitioners in the implementation of WSPs, yet there is still a need for a practical and standardized method of evaluating WSP effectiveness. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a conceptual framework for the evaluation of WSPs, presenting four key outcomes of the WSP process: institutional, operational, financial and policy change. In this paper, we seek to operationalize this conceptual framework by providing a set of simple and practical indicators for assessing WSP outcomes. Using CDC's WSP framework as a foundation and incorporating various existing performance monitoring indicators for water utilities, we developed a set of approximately 25 indicators of institutional, operational, financial and policy change within the WSP context. These outcome indicators hold great potential for the continued implementation and expansion of WSPs worldwide. Having a defined framework for evaluating a WSP's effectiveness, along with a set of measurable indicators by which to carry out that evaluation, will help implementers assess key WSP outcomes internally, as well as benchmark their progress against other WSPs in their region and globally.
The surgical personality: Fact or fiction

Each of us has heard the stereotypic remark, “That’s just like a surgeon,” and we have felt a transient surge of pride tempered by the knowledge that negative connotations are often implied by this statement. In contrast to the suggestion implicit in this comment, perhaps there is little validity to the concept that surgeons share similar behavioral characteristics, temperaments, and personality traits. The so-called “surgical personality” may not have a factual basis but rather this concept may be maintained by the competitive and sometimes hostile jockeying for status between “medical siblings.“’ There is evidence that suggests that some surgeons are convinced that the surgical personality accurately describes the behavior of the majority of surgeons. Also, surgeons may unwittingly use an idealized concept of the surgical personality to identify potential surgical residents. I am frequently astonished that after only a half-hour interview with a resident applicant, I often hear, “This young man/woman will make a great surgeon, he/she has all the tickets.” Unstated by the interviewer, but perhaps understood by most of the surgeons on the interview team, is that the interviewee is similar to, if not “just like us.” Many surgeons consider their behavior, and by inference the surgical personality, to be similar to that of combat jet pilots, professional athletes, Old West gunslingers, and other groups of individuals in high-risk ventures. It is doubtful that this similarity is recognized and/or acknowledged by members of these other groups. I must admit that in addition to the many other attributes of a surgical career, I was very much attracted to the romantic persona of surgeons during my third year of medical school. I was particularly impressed with the take-charge machismo demonstrated by many of the surgical faculty and the majority of the more senior surgical residents. These behavioral characteristics seemed consistent with my personality and attitudes. I was very comfortable in the company of surgeons and much less comfortable with internal medicine residents and faculty. I am convinced that the internists likewise were not particularly impressed with my methods of solving problems or my behavior and may have actively encouraged my interest in surgery. Perhaps the internists and I both unwittingly and empirically accepted the concept that there is a particular, identifiable surgical personality and that those of us who are
Molecular inflammation and adipose tissue matrix remodeling precede physiological adaptations to pregnancy

Changes in adipose tissue metabolism are central to adaptation of whole body energy homeostasis to pregnancy. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms supporting tissue remodeling, we have cha...
Development and Validation of Node-Based Sample Units for Estimating Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Densities in Field Cage Experiments

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is currently the most important insect threat to soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., production in the North Central United States. Field cage studies are a key tool in investigating the potential of natural enemies and host plant resistance to control this pest. However, a major constraint in the use of cage studies is the limited number of treatments and replicates that can be used as aphid densities frequently become so large as to limit the number of experimental units that can be quantified. One way to overcome this limitation is to develop methods that estimate whole-plant aphid densities based on a reduced sampling plan. Here, we extend an existing method, node-sampling, used for estimating aphid populations in open field conditions and apply it to caged populations. We show that parameters calculated under open field conditions are inappropriate to estimate caged populations. In contrast, using four independent data sets of caged populations and a cross-validation technique, we demonstrate that a three-node sampling unit and a weighted formula provide accurate and robust estimates of whole-plant aphid density. This method reduced the number of aphids counted per plant by and average of 60%, with greater reductions at higher aphid densities. We further demonstrate that nearly identical statistical results were obtained when whole-plant or node-sampling estimates were used in the analysis of two case studies. The reduced sample unit method developed here saves time without sacrificing efficiency so that more plants, replications, or studies can be conducted that will lead to improved soybean aphid management.