cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anabolic androgenic steroids induce age-, sex-, and dose-dependent changes in GABAA receptor subunit mRNAs in the mouse forebrain

Abstract Chronic exposure to anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has deleterious effects on reproductive health in both human and animal subjects. Neurotransmission mediated by the γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A ) receptor in the medial amygdala (MeA), the medial preoptic area (mPOA), and the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) of the hypothalamus plays a critical role in mediating sexual behaviors. Here we used semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to examine levels of α 1 , α 2 , α 5 , γ 1 , γ 2 , and e subunit mRNAs in these three regions of the brain. Our results demonstrate that chronic exposure to either a high or a moderate dose of the AAS, 17α-methyltestosterone (17α-MeT), significantly decreased the levels of specific α and γ subunit mRNAs in a manner that depended on the dose of AAS and age and sex of the animals. Specifically, the moderate dose of AAS elicited significant changes only in pubertal females and the majority of changes observed in pubertal animals with the high dose also occurred in females. In contrast, the moderate dose of AAS induced no significant changes in adult mice of either sex, while the high dose had effects in both males and females. In addition to determining the effects of chronic AAS treatment, a developmental analysis of drug-naive animals demonstrated that GABA A receptor subunit mRNA levels in these regions of the forebrain undergo significant changes as animals proceed through puberty. These data demonstrate that the effects of AAS exposure on GABA A receptor expression are superimposed upon dynamic developmental changes that accompany the transition from puberty to adulthood.
Frequency-coordinate vector diagram

Abstract From the standpoint of circuit synthesis as well as for a fundamental comprehension of circuit behavior, it is desirable to be able to visualize the response of a circuit over an extended frequency range by means of a geometrical construction. Mathematically, the response of a circuit can be expressed with the La Place transform theory as a function of the complex frequency variable, p = α + jωw, in which a is the decrement and ω is the “real” angular frequency. Physically, the nature of the real-frequency response is usually not discernible by casual inspection of the mathematical function. This paper develops a means of visualizing this frequency response readily through the construction of a vector diagram from the response function.
Mid-ocean ridge sulfide deposits: Evidence for heat extraction from magma chambers or cracking fronts?

Numerous seafloor observations show that the sizes of high-temperature hydrothermal sulfide edifices vary dramatically with spreading rate. On fast-spreading ridges venting occurs from spindly chimneys which reach heights of about 10 m, while on slow-spreading ridges vents are frequently located near the tops of large sulfide mounds whose volumes may reach 105–106 m3. We argue that such variations are the result of a profound difference in the nature of hydrothermal heat extraction between fast-spreading ridges, where spreading occurs predominantly by magmatism, and slow-spreading ridges, where there is a significant component of tectonic extension. Along fast-spreading ridges, a steady-state axial magma chamber can be insulated by a relatively thick conductive boundary layer because heat extraction is limited by low permeability. In such systems, episodes of vigorous venting are linked to diking events not only because these introduce a significant heat source into the upper crust but also because the intrusion of a dike is the primary source of increased permeability near the ridge axis. Over a time scale of the order of a decade, mineral deposition tends to clog the reaction and upflow zones and there is a high probability that young sulfide structures will be buried by subsequent eruptions. On slow-spreading ridges, tectonic extension maintains the fluid pathways necessary to support vigorous convection. In the waning stages of magmatism, hydrothermal circulation driven by a downward-migrating cracking front can cool the entire crust leading to the formation of very large sulfide deposits. As the depth of circulation increases, overburden pressures reduce the permeability and the hydrothermal heat fluxes decrease progressively. Once hydrothermal fluids penetrate the Moho, serpentinization clogs the fluid pathways and high-temperature venting ceases until it is reactivated by a fresh magmatic intrusion.
The Readjustment of Workers Displaced by Plant Shutdowns

Nature of the problem, 309; of the data, 314. — Evidence as to geographical mobility of labor, 316. — Duration of unemployment: before first job, 324; time on first job, 329; time lost during period of survey, 329; unemployed at end of survey, 332: — Quality of jobs obtained, 334. — Change in annual income, 339. — The dismissal wage: purpose, 342; utilization, 343; adequacy, 345.
Prediction Methods for Jet V/STOL Propulsion Aerodynamics

The current status of prediction methods for propulsive flows and propulsion-induced effects which occur on jet V/STOL aircraft is reviewed. Among the major topics studied are flows in propulsive ducts, propulsion-induced ground and thermal effects, aerodynamic loads induced during V/STOL and transition flight, flow vectoring devices, and thrust augmented ejector and lift-fan studies. The current predictive capability in jet V/STOL propulsion aerodynamics is assessed. Future research needs are identified, with particular reference to activities that can improve the usefulness of prediction methods for jet V/STOL aircraft.
Association analysis of adiponectin and somatostatin polymorphisms on BTA1 with growth and carcass traits in Angus cattle.

Summary This study tested positional candidate genes adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and somatostatin (SST) for effects on carcass traits in a commercially relevant cattle population. Both genes are located within a region of BTA1 previously reported to harbour quantitative trait loci (QTL) that affect marbling, quality grade, yield grade, ribeye area and weaning weight in Bos taurus · Bos indicus crosses. Except for the first intron of ADIPOQ, both genes, including over 2 kb upstream of the promoters, were sequenced in five registered Angus sires to identify polymorphisms. A variable copy duplication and three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ADIPOQ and one SNP in SST were genotyped and tested for association with 19 traits in a 14-generation pedigree of 1697 registered Angus artificial insemination sires representing all the major USA lineages of the breed. Linear models that parameterized predicted genetic merits in terms of allele substitution effects were fit by weighted least squares, and goodness-of-fit tests were employed to differentiate causal mutations or polymorphisms in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) with causal mutations from markers in weak LD with QTL. We confirmed the presence of QTL affecting marbling, ribeye muscle area and fat thickness in the vicinity of SST and ADIPOQ on BTA1 in Angus; excluded SST as underlying the ribeye muscle area QTL; and excluded ADIPOQ as underlying the marbling score QTL. However, association analysis provides very limited information about QTL location and has little intrinsic value when performed in the absence of linkage or LD analysis using flanking marker data to localize the QTL effect relative to positional candidate genes.
Analysis of Resistance to Ergot in Sorghum and Potential Alternate Hosts

Ergot (caused by Claviceps africana Frederickson, Mantle & de Milliano) of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] recently has become a global disease problem and is a major threat to hybrid seed production. Host-plant resistance is one option for control; however, the genetic and physiological bases for ergot resistance are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate resistance to C. africana in 18 genetically diverse sorghum lines, including cultivated landraces and wild accessions, as well as in potential alternate hosts, including grassy weeds and range grasses commonly found in sorghum-producing areas in the central Great Plains of the USA. These entries were evaluated for ergot resistance in the greenhouse following spray inoculation with conidial suspensions during flowering. The results of this analysis indicated that only Sorghum ssp. were susceptible to ergot; however, within the sorghum germplasm pool, several wild accessions were identified with resistance to ergot. Two of these resistant entries, IS14131 and IS14257, were characterized further in male-sterile (A3 cytoplasm) genetic backgrounds to evaluate the physiological basis for their resistance. Parent lines, male-sterile hybrids, and susceptible checks were evaluated for ergot resistance following spray inoculation with ergot in experiments in a winter nursery at Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, and in a greenhouse at Manhattan, KS, during the winter and spring of 2000. The expression of ergot resistance in IS 14131 and IS14257 and in corresponding male-sterile hybrids suggests that these sorghums may harbor genes for resistance to ergot.
Extensive rigid analogue design maps the binding conformation of potent N-benzylphenethylamine 5-HT2A serotonin receptor agonist ligands.

Based on the structure of the superpotent 5-HT2A agonist 2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine, which consists of a ring-substituted phenethylamine skeleton modified with an N-benzyl group, we designed and synthesized a small library of constrained analogues to identify the optimal arrangement of the pharmacophoric elements of the ligand. Structures consisted of diversely substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines, piperidines, and one benzazepine. Based on the structure of (S,S)-9b, which showed the highest affinity of the series, we propose an optimal binding conformation. (S,S)-9b also displayed 124-fold selectivity for the 5-HT2A over the 5-HT2C receptor, making it the most selective 5-HT2A receptor agonist ligand currently known.
A Screen for Genes That Interact With the Drosophila Pair-Rule Segmentation Gene fushi tarazu

The pair-rule gene fushi tarazu (ftz) of Drosophila is expressed at the blastoderm stage in seven stripes that serve to define the even-numbered parasegments. ftz encodes a DNA-binding homeodomain protein and is known to regulate genes of the segment polarity, homeotic, and pair-rule classes. Despite intensive analysis in a number of laboratories, how ftz is regulated and how it controls its targets are still poorly understood. To help understand these processes, we conducted a screen to identify dominant mutations that enhance the lethality of a ftz temperature-sensitive mutant. Twenty-six enhancers were isolated, which define 21 genes. All but one of the mutations recovered show a maternal effect in their interaction with ftz. Three of the enhancers proved to be alleles of the known ftz protein cofactor gene ftz-f1, demonstrating the efficacy of the screen. Four enhancers are alleles of Atrophin (Atro), the Drosophila homolog of the human gene responsible for the neurodegenerative disease dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy. Embryos from Atro mutant germ-line mothers lack the even-numbered (ftz-dependent) engrailed stripes and show strong ftz-like segmentation defects. These defects likely result from a reduction in Even-skipped (Eve) repression ability, as Atro has been shown to function as a corepressor for Eve. In this study, we present evidence that Atro is also a member of the trithorax group (trxG) of Hox gene regulators. Atro appears to be particularly closely related in function to the trxG gene osa, which encodes a component of the brahma chromatin remodeling complex. One additional gene was identified that causes pair-rule segmentation defects in embryos from homozygous mutant germ-line mothers. The single allele of this gene, called bek, also causes nuclear abnormalities similar to those caused by alleles of the Trithorax-like gene, which encodes the GAGA factor.
The longer U(T)R, the further you go.

A new localization element in the 3′ untranslated region of the IMPA1 mRNA enables its NGF-dependent targeting to sympathetic axons, suggesting that high local inositol levels are required for axon growth and maintenance.
The origin of MHC class II gene polymorphism within the genus Mus

The I region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the mouse (H–2) contains a tightly-linked cluster of highly poly-morphic genes (class II MHC genes) which control immune responsiveness. Speculation on the origin of this polymorphism, which is believed to be essential for the function of the class II proteins in immune responses to disease, has given rise to two hypotheses. The first is that hypermutational mechanisms (gene conversion or segmental exchange) promote the rapid generation of diversity in MHC genes. The alternative is that polymorphism has arisen from the steady accumulation of mutations over long evolutionary peri-ods, and multiple specific alleles have survived speciation (trans-species evolution). We have looked for evidence of 'segmental exchange' and/or 'trans-species evolution' in the class II genes of the genus Mus by molecular genetic analysis of I–Aβ alleles. The results indicate that >90% (28 out of 31) of the alleles examined can be organized into two evolutionary groups both on the basis of restriction site polymorphisms and by the presence or absence of a short interspersed nucleotide element (SINE). Using this SINE sequence as an evolutionary tag, we demonstrate that I–Aβ alleles in these two evolutionary groups diverged at least three million years ago and have survived the speciation events leading to several modern Mus species. Nucleotide sequence comparisons of eight Mus m. domesticus I–Aβ alleles representing all three evolutionary groups indicate that most of the divergence in exon sequences is due to the steady accumulation of mutations that are maintained independently in the different alleles. But segmental exchanges between alleles from different evolutionary groups have also played a role in the diversification of β1, exons.
The Equivalence of Maximum Power and Minimum Entropy Generation Rate in the Optimization of Power Plants

It is shown that to maximize the power output of a power plant is equivalent to minimizing the total entropy generation rate associated with the power plant. This equivalence is illustrated by using two of the oldest and simplest models of power plants with heat transfer irreversibilities. To calculate the total entropy generation rate correctly, one must recognize that the optimization process (e.g., the variability of the heat input) requires ``room to move,`` i.e., an additional, usually overlooked, contribution to the total entropy generation rate.
No temporal binding of action consequences to actions in a rhythmic context

Temporal binding (TB) refers to a subjective contraction of the time that elapses between an action and a delayed sensory consequence of it. The TB effect has been demonstrated primarily in tasks in which a key press triggers a tone after a short delay and in which participants judge the timing of one or both of these events relative to a visual reference (e.g., a rotating clock hand). In the present Experiments 1 and 2, musicians listened instead to an auditory "clock" (a metronome) and occasionally made a tap that triggered a delayed tone. The task was to judge whether that test tone fell before, on, or after the midpoint of the interval between two metronome tones. In a passive control condition, participants judged test tones but did not tap. The hypothesis was that the test tone would be perceived as occurring earlier in the active than in the passive condition. However, there was no difference in perceptual judgments. Experiment 3 used a visual metronome as the reference but again obtained negative results, despite greater uncertainty of judgments. It is suggested that TB of action consequences to actions does not occur when the reference signal is rhythmic because such a context enables participants (musicians, at least) to perceive and judge the actual time of occurrence of the action-triggered tone.
The Role of Salt in Mitochondria: Returning Cytochrome C to its Native State After Its Dissociation from Cardiolipin Containing Membranes

Cytochrome c is a well-researched bio-molecule, however, over the past decade, research on cytochrome c has shifted, driven by the necessity to understand this protein's role in triggering apoptosis. Very recent works by the Kagan group and others have shown that the protein is primed for this function by gaining peroxidase activity while still bound to the inner membrane surface of mitochrondra. Liposomes with anionic phospholipids have been used as model system for the inner mitochondrial membrane to which cytochrome c binds in vivo. In order to check whether cytochrome c - liposome interactions cause any irreversible structural changes to the protein, we subjected different protein-liposome mixtures to ultracentrifugation and measured the fluorescence and CD spectra of the proteins in the respective supernatants as well as of the corresponding protein-lipid complexes, in the absence and presence of 100 mM NaCl. Our data indicate that cyt c remains in a non-native conformational state after dissociation from liposome binding sites. Upon the addition of salt, however, the protein switches back to its native conformation. We propose that the liposome bound state of the protein contains a substantial fraction of what Pletneva and coworkers describe as an extended conformation of cytochrome c. After dissociating from the liposome but due to the positively charged surface of the protein, the repulsive forces between positive charges particularly in the N- and C-helix keep cyt c in this extended, partially unfolded state. The addition of NaCl neutralizes these charges, thus allowing the protein to return to its native state. Our data suggest that without the presence of NaCl in the inner membrane space of mitochondria cytochrome c would stay in a frustrated, misfolded state.
Lessons not learned: Why is there still a crisis-level shortage of accounting Ph.D.s?

SYNOPSIS: In 2005, an ad hoc committee appointed by the American Accounting Association (AAA) documented a crisis-level shortage of accounting Ph.D.s and recommended significant structural changes to doctoral programs (Kachelmeier, Madeo, Plumlee, Pratt, and Krull 2005). However, subsequent studies show that the shortage continues and the cumulative costs grow (e.g., Fogarty and Holder 2012; Brink, Glasscock, and Wier 2012). The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) recently called for renewed attention to the problem (AACSB 2013b). We contribute to the literature by providing updated information regarding responses by doctoral programs and, from the eyes of potential candidates, of continuing impediments to solving the doctoral shortage. In this paper, we present information gathered through surveys of program administrators and master's and Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program (ADS) students. We explore (1) the cumulative impact of the Ph.D. shortage as of 2013, including its imp...
The extent of diffusion MRI markers of neuroinflammation and white matter deterioration in chronic schizophrenia

In a previous study we have demonstrated, using a novel diffusion MRI analysis called free-water imaging, that the early stages of schizophrenia are more likely associated with a neuroinflammatory response and less so with a white matter deterioration or a demyelination process. What is not known is how neuroinflammation and white matter deterioration change along the progression of the disorder. In this study we apply the free-water measures on a population of 29 chronic schizophrenia subjects and compare them with 25 matching controls. Our aim was to compare the extent of free-water imaging abnormalities in chronic subjects with the ones previously obtained for subjects at their first psychotic episode. We find that chronic subjects showed a limited extent of abnormal increase in the volume of the extracellular space, suggesting a less extensive neuroinflammatory response relative to patients at the onset of schizophrenia. At the same time, the chronic schizophrenia subjects had greater extent of reduced fractional anisotropy compared to the previous study, suggesting increased white matter deterioration along the progression of the disease. Our findings substantiate the role of neuroinflammation in the earlier stages of the disorder, and the effect of neurodegeneration that is worsening in the chronic phase.
ATP-dependent aggregation of single-stranded DNA by a bacterial SMC homodimer

SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes) proteins are putative ATPases that are highly conserved among Bacteria, Archaea and Eucarya. Eukaryotic SMC proteins are implicated in a diverse range of chromosome dynamics including chromosome condensation, dosage compensation and recombinational repair. In eukaryotes, two different SMC proteins form a heterodimer, which in turn acts as the core component of a large protein complex. Despite recent progress, no ATP-dependent activity has been found in individual SMC subunits. We report here the first biochemical characterization of a bacterial SMC protein from Bacillus subtilis. Unlike eukaryotic versions, the B.subtilis SMC protein (BsSMC) is a simple homodimer with no associated subunits. It binds preferentially to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and has a ssDNA-stimulated ATPase activity. In the presence of ATP, BsSMC forms large nucleoprotein aggregates in a ssDNA-specific manner. Proteolytic cleavage of BsSMC is changed upon binding to ATP and ssDNA. The energy-dependent aggregation of ssDNA might represent a primitive type of chromosome condensation that occurs during segregation of bacterial chromosomes.
Accumulation of Abnormal Adult-Generated Hippocampal Granule Cells Predicts Seizure Frequency and Severity

Accumulation of abnormally integrated, adult-born, hippocampal dentate granule cells (DGCs) is hypothesized to contribute to the development of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). DGCs have long been implicated in TLE, because they regulate excitatory signaling through the hippocampus and exhibit neuroplastic changes during epileptogenesis. Furthermore, DGCs are unusual in that they are continually generated throughout life, with aberrant integration of new cells underlying the majority of restructuring in the dentate during epileptogenesis. Although it is known that these abnormal networks promote abnormal neuronal firing and hyperexcitability, it has yet to be established whether they directly contribute to seizure generation. If abnormal DGCs do contribute, a reasonable prediction would be that the severity of epilepsy will be correlated with the number or load of abnormal DGCs. To test this prediction, we used a conditional, inducible transgenic mouse model to fate map adult-generated DGCs. Mossy cell loss, also implicated in epileptogenesis, was assessed as well. Transgenic mice rendered epileptic using the pilocarpine-status epilepticus model of epilepsy were monitored continuously by video/EEG for 4 weeks to determine seizure frequency and severity. Positive correlations were found between seizure frequency and (1) the percentage of hilar ectopic DGCs, (2) the amount of mossy fiber sprouting, and (3) the extent of mossy cell death. In addition, mossy fiber sprouting and mossy cell death were correlated with seizure severity. These studies provide correlative evidence in support of the hypothesis that abnormal DGCs contribute to the development of TLE and also support a role for mossy cell loss.
Dual-wavelength digital holographic imaging with phase background subtraction

Three-dimensional digital holographic microscopic phase imaging of objects that are thicker than the wavelength of the imaging light is ambiguous and results in phase wrapping. In recent years, several unwrapping methods that employed two or more wavelengths were introduced. These methods compare the phase information obtained from each of the wavelengths and extend the range of unambiguous height measurements. A straightforward dual-wavelength phase imaging method is presented which allows for a flexible tradeoff between the maximum height of the sample and the amount of noise the method can tolerate. For highly accurate phase measurements, phase unwrapping of objects with heights higher than the beat (synthetic) wavelength (i.e. the product of the original two wavelengths divided by their difference), can be achieved. Consequently, three-dimensional measurements of a wide variety of biological systems and microstructures become technically feasible. Additionally, an effective method of removing phase background curvature based on slowly varying polynomial fitting is proposed. This method allows accurate volume measurements of several small objects with the same image frame.
Developing a Peace and Conflict Resolution Curriculum for Quaker Secondary Schools in Kenya

In 2008–2009, a team of educators from George Fox University, in collaboration with a committee of teachers and administrators from selected Quaker secondary schools in western Kenya, developed the first draft of a peace and conflict resolution curriculum for Kenyan form one (ninth grade) students. This case study offers a model for developing a peace curriculum relevant to the identified needs of form one students in Kenya, supported by adult learning strategies for teacher training. In addition, the development of this curriculum project serves as an example of effective collaborative cross-cultural partnerships. The outcomes of this project offer specific insights gained from this collaborative effort.
Below-ground bud banks increase along a precipitation gradient of the North American Great Plains: a test of the meristem limitation hypothesis.

Summary • In perennial grasslands, the below-ground population of meristems (bud bank) plays a fundamental role in plant population dynamics. Here, we tested the ‘meristem limitation hypothesis’ prediction – that bud banks increase along an increasing precipitation/productivity gradient in North American grasslands – and assessed the seasonal dynamics of bud banks. • We sampled bud and stem populations quarterly at six sites across a 1100 km gradient in central North America. • Bud banks increased with average annual precipitation, which explained 80% of the variability between the sites. In addition, seasonal changes in grass bud banks were surprisingly similar across a 2.5-fold range in precipitation and a 4-fold range of productivity: densities peaked in March, decreased in June and increased slightly in September. • Increasing meristem limitation may constrain vegetation responses to inter-annual changes in resources. An important consequence of this is that biomes with large bud banks may be the most responsive to environmental change. If meristem limitation represents an important constraint on productivity responses to environmental variability, then bud banks must be considered in developing predictive models for grassland responses to environmental change.
Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients Receiving Cardiotoxic Cancer Therapies: Are Clinicians Responding Optimally?

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine treatment practices for cancer therapy-associated decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) detected on echocardiography and whether management was consistent with American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Background Patients treated with anthracyclines or trastuzumab are at risk of cardiotoxicity. Decreased LVEF represents a Class I indication for drug intervention according to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Methods Patients receiving anthracycline or trastuzumab at Stanford University from October 2005 to October 2007 and who had undergone echocardiography before and after receiving an anthracycline or trastuzumab were identified. Chart review examined chemotherapy regimens, cardiac risk factors, imaging results, concomitant medications, and cardiology consultations. Results Eighty-eight patients received therapy with an anthracycline or trastuzumab and had a pre-treatment and follow-up echocardiogram. Ninety-two percent were treated with anthracyclines, 17% with trastuzumab after an anthracycline, and 8% with trastuzumab without previous treatment with anthracycline. Mean baseline LVEF was 60%, with 14% having a baseline Conclusions Many cancer survivors are not receiving treatment consistent with heart failure guidelines. There is substantial opportunity for collaboration between oncologists and cardiologists to improve the care of oncology patients receiving cardiotoxic therapy.
Comparing laboratory and portable tone-burst auditory brain-stem-response (abr) systems for monitoring high-frequency (8 khz) auditory function

High-frequency (8–20 kHz) hearing sensitivity is of special interest because of its early warning potential for ototoxicity. Many ill patients, however, are unable to respond behaviorally to auditory test procedures. To objectively monitor high-frequency auditory function in these patients, laboratory instrumentation to evoke the auditory brain-stem response (ABR) with high-frequency (8–14 kHz) tone-burst stimuli was developed and documented. To provide evaluation at bedside, a portable high-frequency tone-burst generator was developed to elicit the ABR. Combined with a portable signal averager, this system was validated by comparison with the laboratory system. Thirty-five normal-hearing subjects were used to compare ABRs to high-frequency tone bursts from each system. Analysis of responses to tone bursts revealed no significant mean latency differences, and no significant intersession reliability differences between systems. These results confirm that the portable system is comparable to the laboratory ...
Bringing Water Data Together

We are living through an information revolution. We are instantly connected to information and services through the internet, and communicate through e-mail with colleagues spread all over the globe, without regard to distance or their computer system. How can the power of this information revolution be brought to bear on water resources? This editorial presents some perspectives I have derived from my service as leader of the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System HIS project, a Nation Science Foundation NSF -supported effort to improve hydrologic science through better data access and organization at the nation’s universities. The circulation of the waters of the earth through the hydrologic cycle is a very complex phenomenon. Many agencies and individuals collect water observations data on streamflow, water quality, groundwater levels, precipitation, snow conditions, and climate. The largest repository of such data in the United States is the United States Geological Survey USGS National Water Information System NWIS , which contains information from about 1.6 million sites for streamflow, water quality, and groundwater. Other large federal repositories of water observations data are the Environmental Protection Agency EPA Storet Storage and Retrieval for water quality, the National Climatic Data Center’s Climate Data Online, and the United States Department of Agriculture USDA -National Resources Conservation Service NRCS Snotel and Soil Climate Analysis Network SCAN databases. Agencies such as the Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers store water operations data at reservoirs and other facilities. This panoply of federal data is augmented by similar data collected by state and local water agencies. Academic and research investigators collect data for individual research projects, and contribute significantly to subjects, such as aquatic biology and continuous monitoring of water quality, that are not the traditional focus of the large water agencies. The aggregation of all this water observations information defines the historical record of the water conditions of the nation. The task of assembling all the relevant information for a particular purpose in a chosen geographic region is greatly facilitated by the publication of much of the data on Web sites. However, every organization follows its own method in constructing its Web site and formatting the data presented there, so it still requires a great deal of effort to discover, learn, and operate all these various Web data sources. And, much of the data collected by academic and research investigators is no longer accessible once research studies are completed. Water conditions have been measured in the nation at several million locations, but no comprehensive window on water data exists. The growth of information sharing across the internet has led to the definition of standards for communication among computers. One of these standards is the HyperText Markup Language HTML used for communication of information visible in Web
Wireless Mesh Networking technology for commercial and industrial customers

Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) have been receiving a great deal of attention as a broadband access alternative for a wide range of markets, including those in the metro, public-safety, energy, education, enterprise, carrier-access and residential sectors. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of single, dual, and multi-radio mesh options is the first step. In this paper simulation results for three distinct generations of wireless mesh configuration is presented. The paper also address some of the technical influences of WMNs and in particular focus on the opportunities that wireless mesh technologies provide for implementing more efficient processes and smarter working for commercial and industrial customers.
Modeling TCAM power for next generation network devices

Applications in computer networks often require high throughput access to large data structures for lookup and classification. Many advanced algorithms exist to speed these search primitives on network processors, general purpose machines, and even custom ASICs. However, supporting these applications with standard memories requires very careful analysis of access patterns, and achieving worst case performance can be quite difficult and complex. A simple solution is often possible if a Ternary CAM (content addressable memory) is used to perform a fully parallel search across the entire data set. Unfortunately, this parallelism means that large portions of the chip are switching during each cycle, causing large amounts of power to be consumed. While researchers have begun to explore new ways of managing the power consumption, quantifying design alternatives is difficult due to a lack of available models. In this paper, we examine the structure inside a modern TCAM and present a simple, yet accurate, power model. We present techniques to estimate the dynamic power consumption of a large TCAM. We validate the model using industrial TCAM datasheets and prior published works. We present an extensive analysis of the model by varying various architectural parameters. We also describe how new network algorithms have the potential to address the growing problem of power management in next-generation network devices.
A broadband microwave breast imaging system

A liquid-coupled, non-contacting, broadband (0.5 - 3 GHz) microwave imaging system has been designed and fabricated to exploit new clinical information for breast cancer diagnosis. Ultimately this system may complement conventional X-ray mammography by reducing the number of false negatives and false positives, especially in challenging cases such as patients with radiographically dense breast tissue.
Linear Adjustment Costs and Seasonal Labor Demand: Evidence from Retail Trade Firms

Standard models of dynamic labor demand rely on the presence of adjustment costs to explain the observed smoothness in employment patterns, although the costs are often difficult to quantify. The experience rating feature of the U. S. Unemployment Insurance (UI) system provides a measurable linear cost of adjustment. Using a unique data set with administrative data on over 8000 firms, I estimate the effect of a UI-induced linear adjustment cost on seasonal labor demand in retail trade. I find strong support for the large role of adjustment costs in reducing the employment response of firms to seasonal fluctuations in demand.
Mucin 1 is a potential therapeutic target in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is an aggressive neoplasm with limited treatments for patients with advanced disease. The mucin 1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) oncoprotein plays a critical role in regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, and protection from cytotoxic injury mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although CTCL cells exhibit resistance to ROS-induced apoptosis, the expression and functional significance of MUC1 in CTCL have not been previously investigated. Present studies demonstrate that MUC1-C is overexpressed in CTCL cell lines and primary CTCL cells but is absent in resting T cells from healthy donors and B-cell lymphoma cells. We have developed a cell-penetrating peptide that disrupts homodimerization of the MUC1-C subunit necessary for its nuclear translocation and downstream signaling. We show that treatment of CTCL cells with the MUC1-C inhibitor is associated with downregulation of the p53-inducible regulator of glycolysis and apoptosis and decreases in reduced NAD phosphate and glutathione levels. In concert with these results, targeting MUC1-C in CTCL cells increased ROS and, in turn, induced ROS-mediated late apoptosis/necrosis. Targeting MUC1-C in CTCL tumor xenograft models demonstrated significant decreases in disease burden. These findings indicate that MUC1-C maintains redox balance in CTCL cells and is thereby a novel target for the treatment of patients with CTCL.
Are cardiovascular responses to behavioral stressors a stable individual difference variable in childhood

The present paper reports two studies which address the extent to which cardiovascular responses to behavioral stress can be conceptualised as a stable individual difference variable in children. In the first study, eighth grade girls (mean age = 14.2 yrs) who had participated in a study of the familial aggregation of cardiovascular responses to behavioral stress were asked to repeat the assessment protocol when they were in (he ninth grade (mean age = 15.1 yrs). Results showed that mean task-induced increases in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate during serial subtraction, mirror image tracing, and isometric handgrip tasks were reliable across test sessions, particularly due to the reliable increases exhibited during the mirror image tracing task. In the second study, fifth grade boys (mean age = 10.4 yrs) who had participated in a previous experiment (Matthews & Jennings, 1984) of cardiovascular responses during a video game were tested in the ninth grade (mean age - 14.0 yrs) in the protocol used in Study 1. Results showed that mean tusk-induced increases in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate during video games were related to mean task-induced increases during serial subtraction, mirror image tracing, and isometric handgrip tasks over three years Liter. The association for heart rate increases during the video game and isometric handgrip task was particularly impressive. These results suggest that task-induced diastolic blood pressure and heart rate responses of children are stable over substantial periods of time and amiss important developmental transitions, and generalize across tasks requiring qualitatively different behavioral responses. Nonetheless, future research is needed in adults and children to further identify factors which influence the stability and generalizability of cardiovascular responses to behavioral stress.
Ridge Augmentation under Existing Fixed Prosthesis: Simplified Technique

A simplified surgical technique for ridge augmentation using a subepithelial connective tissue graft is presented. Ten patients demonstrating moderate Type B and mild Type C ridge deficiencies were treated. Six had existing fixed restorations, while four patients were later restored. The simplified surgical technique uses only one vertical incision with the creation of a "tunnel" between the soft tissue and bone. The subepithelial connective tissue graft, taken from the palate, is inserted into this "tunnel" for ridge augmentation. The technique lends itself to management of ridge defects under existing restorations.
Detection of bluetongue virus in the blood of inoculated calves: comparison of virus isolation, PCR assay, and in vitro feeding of Culicoides variipennis.

The interval after infection when bluetongue virus (BTV) was present in the blood of calves inoculated with BTV serotype 10 (BTV 10) was evaluated by virus isolation (VI) in embryonated chicken eggs (ECE), BTV-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and in vitro blood feeding of vectorCulicoides variipennis (C.v.) sonorensis. BTV nucleic acid was detected by PCR in blood cells for 16 to 20 weeks after infection whereas infectious virus was detected by VI in ECE for 2 to 8 weeks. BTV was detected in calf blood by in vitro feeding ofC.v. sonorensis for only 0 to 2 weeks after inoculation of calves with BTV 10. Selected bloods which were positive by PCR analysis but not by VI in ECE were not infectious for sheep. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that prolonged viremia in BTV-infected cattle results from association of the virus with blood cells, especially erythrocytes. The fact that calf blood that contained viral nucleic acid as determined by PCR analysis, but not infectious virus as determined by VI in ECE, was not infectious for either the insect vector or sheep suggests that cattle whose blood contains BTV nucleic acid but not infectious virus are unimportant to the epidemiology of BTV infection.
A new control strategy for the unified power flow controller

The unified power flow controller (upfc) is the most versatile among a variety of flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices, which can be used for power flow control, enhancement of transient stability, damping system oscillations and voltage regulation. In this paper, we propose a new PI based approach for the dynamic control of UPFC. With the new control strategy, not only the active and reactive power flow control but also the system oscillations damping can be achieved. The digital simulation results developed in MATLAB and PSCAD/EMTDC environments are presented to verify the efficiency of the proposed control algorithm.
Investigation of an association between childhood leukemia incidences and airports in Texas

Abstract As worldwide demand for air travel increases, emissions from airports will likely also increase. Airport emissions pose a concern due to lack of information about their quantity and impacts on human health and the environment. This research aimed to address the question of whether there is an association between childhood leukemia cases and airport emissions in Texas. Rather than looking at the impacts of a single airport on the surrounding community, this study looks at all airports in the state of Texas, and 2 134 incidences of childhood leukemia (children age 9 and under) state–wide over a 10–year period. The distance to airports of block groups with standardized incidence ratios >100 for childhood leukemia was found to be shorter than the distance to airports for block groups with standardized incidence ratios
Pursuit Control Over Wireless Sensor Networks Using Distance Sensitivity Properties

In this technical note, we focus on a control based surveillance application using a wireless sensor network in which information from the network is used to actively guide a mobile agent leading to eventual pursuit of one or more evaders in a large region. We exploit distance sensitivity as a locality concept in designing a scalable pursuit control system that accounts for network constraints. Specifically, we show that eventual pursuit is satisfied if information about an evader is available to the pursuing agent with error, latency and frequency that decrease linearly with distance from the evader. Then, we design network algorithms for delivering snapshots of the system that satisfy these distance sensitivity properties.
Reducing acoustic feedback in hearing aids

Five techniques for reducing acoustic feedback in hearing aids were investigated: an adaptive notch filter, three previously described methods for adaptive feedback cancellation, and a novel method for feedback cancellation with adaptation during quiet intervals. Through real-time implementations, these techniques were assessed for added stable gain and sound quality. Test results showed the novel system to provide the best overall performance. >
A cross-sectional examination of marketing of electronic cigarettes on Twitter.

Background Rapid increases in marketing of e-cigarettes coincide with growth in e-cigarette use in recent years; however, little is known about how e-cigarettes are marketed on social media platforms. Methods Keywords were used to collect tweets related to e-cigarettes from the Twitter Firehose between 1 May 2012 and 30 June 2012. Tweets were coded for smoking cessation mentions, as well as health and safety mentions, and were classified as commercial or non-commercial (‘organic’) tweets using a combination of Naive Bayes machine learning methods, keyword algorithms and human coding. Metadata associated with each tweet were used to examine the characteristics of accounts tweeting about e-cigarettes. Results 73 672 tweets related to e-cigarettes were captured in the study period, 90% of which were classified as commercial tweets. Accounts tweeting commercial e-cigarette content were associated with lower Klout scores, a measure of influence. Commercial tweeting was largely driven by a small group of highly active accounts, and 94% of commercial tweets included links to websites, many of which sell or promote e-cigarettes. Approximately 10% of commercial and organic tweets mentioned smoking cessation, and 34% of commercial tweets included mentions of prices or discounts for e-cigarettes. Conclusions Twitter appears to be an important marketing platform for e-cigarettes. Tweets related to e-cigarettes were overwhelmingly commercial, and a substantial proportion mentioned smoking cessation. E-cigarette marketing on Twitter may have public health implications. Continued surveillance of e-cigarette marketing on social media platforms is needed.
On breakdown of macroscopic models of mixing-controlled heterogeneous reactions in porous media

Reactive transport in porous media is a complex nonlinear phenomenon that involves both homogeneous (bio-)chemical reactions between species dissolved in a fluid and heterogeneous reactions occurring on liquid-solid interfaces. We establish sufficient conditions under which macroscopic reaction-diffusion equations (RDEs) provide an adequate averaged description of pore-scale processes. These conditions are represented by a phase diagram in a two-dimensional space, which is spanned by Damkohler number and a scale-separation parameter. This phase diagram shows that highly localized phenomena in porous media, including precipitation on (and/or dissolution of) a porous matrix, do not lend themselves to mac- roscopic (upscaled) descriptions. To compute the predictive errors resulting from the use of macroscopic RDEs, we upscaled the pore-scale RDEs to the continuum (macroscopic) scale and used pore-scale numer- ical simulations to verify various upscaling assumptions.