cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exercise-induced Mitochondrial Biogenesis Begins before the Increase in Muscle PGC-1α Expression

Exercise results in rapid increases in expression of the transcription coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and in mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle. PGC-1α regulates and coordinates mitochondrial biogenesis, and overexpression of PGC-1α in muscle cells results in increases in mitochondrial content. In this context, it has been proposed that the increase in PGC-1α protein expression mediates the exercise-induced increase in mitochondrial biogenesis. However, we found that mitochondrial proteins with a short half-life increase as rapidly as, or more rapidly than, PGC-1α protein. This finding led us to hypothesize that activation, rather than increased expression, of PGC-1α mediates the initial phase of the exercise-induced increase in mitochondria. In this study, we found that most of the PGC-1α in resting skeletal muscle is in the cytosol. Exercise resulted in activation of p38 MAPK and movement of PGC-1α into the nucleus. In support of our hypothesis, binding of the transcription factor nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) to the cytochrome c promoter and NRF-2 to the cytochrome oxidase subunit 4 promoter increased in response to exercise prior to an increase in PGC-1α protein. Furthermore, exercise-induced increases in the mRNAs of cytochrome c, δ-aminolevulinate synthase, and citrate synthase also occurred before an increase in PGC-1 protein. Thus, it appears that activation of PGC-1α may mediate the initial phase of the exercise-induced adaptive increase in muscle mitochondria, whereas the subsequent increase in PGC-1α protein sustains and enhances the increase in mitochondrial biogenesis.
Predicting the total charm cross section

We discuss the energy dependence of the total charm cross section and some of its theoretical uncertainties including the quark mass, scale choice and the parton densities.
A verbal semantic deficit in the alcoholic Korsakoff syndrome.

Abstract a test designed to assess the adequacy of knowledge about specific words, presumed to be well established in long-term storage, was administered to 5 alcoholic Korsakoff patients, 3 post-trauma amnesics, and 5 normal controls. The 400 question true/false test tapped knowledge of basic and obscure attributes and functions of 25 noun-concepts. The data indicate that traumatic amnesics made more total errors than Korsakoff amnesics, who in turn made more errors than normals. However, Korsakoffs made a greater proportion of errors on basicknowledge items than the other groups. It is concluded that semantic organization is impaired in both amnesic groups, although differently. The post-trauma error pattern suggests a uni-factor deficit while the Korsakoff pattern suggest a multifactor deficit.
Lateral Traction During Shoulder Arthroscopy: Its Effect on Tissue Perfusion Measured by Pulse Oximetry

We studied the effect of three methods of shoulder traction during arthroscopy on arterial oxygen saturation measured by a pulse oximeter applied to the fingertip of the arm in traction. Simple longitudinal traction ablated the oxygen saturation in only 1 of 30 patients. Adding vertical traction perpendicular to the arm ablated the oxygen saturation in 25 of 30 patients when a 2-inch wide sling was used and in 7 of 30 patients when a 4-inch sling was used. In this series, the pulse oximeter did not demonstrate gradual gradations in arterial oxygen saturation loss. Rather, the pulse oximeter provided an all-or-none warning signal for tissue hypoxia.
Fingered for a fat fate.

Differentiation of preadipocytes to adipocytes is controlled by the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), but little is known about earlier transcriptional events in mesenchymal stem cells that define the adipocyte lineage. A recent report (Gupta et al., 2010) identifies the zinc finger protein Zfp423 as a determining factor in preadipocyte commitment.
Operant responding for a visual reinforcer in rats is enhanced by noncontingent nicotine: implications for nicotine self-administration and reinforcement

Current conceptualizations of drug reinforcement assume that drug-taking behavior is a consequence of the contingent, temporal relationship between the behavior and drug reward. However, stimulant drugs also potentiate the rewarding effects of other reinforcers when administered noncontingently. These studies were designed to determine whether noncontingent nicotine enhances the reinforcing properties of a nonpharmacological reinforcer and whether this direct effect facilitates operant behavior within the context of a nicotine self-administration procedure. Rats self-administered nicotine or food, or received noncontingent nicotine, saline, or food either with or without a response-contingent, unconditioned reinforcing visual stimulus (VS). Noncontingent nicotine, whether delivered as discrete injections based on a pattern of self-administered nicotine or as a continuous infusion, increased response rates maintained by the VS. There were no significant differences in responding by animals that received contingent compared with noncontingent nicotine when a VS was available. This increase was not observed in the absence of the VS or as a consequence of noncontingent food delivery. Operant behavior was equally attenuated and reinstated by the removal and subsequent replacement of contingent and noncontingent nicotine. Nicotine supported self-administration in the absence of response-contingent, nicotine-paired stimuli; however, response rates were drastically reduced compared with nicotine self-administration with the VS. Nicotine influences operant behavior in two ways: by acting as a primary reinforcer when it is contingent upon behavior, and by directly potentiating the reinforcing properties of other stimuli through a nonassociative mechanism. Nicotine self-administration and smoking may be largely dependent upon this later action.
Endothelial cell injury in cardiovascular surgery: The procoagulant response

The vascular endothelium plays a critical role in the regulation of coagulation through the constitutive expression and release of anticoagulants and the inducible expression of procoagulant substances. Cardiopulmonary bypass dysregulates this process by activating endothelial cells, initially promoting bleeding and then thrombosis. Endothelial cell activation in response to circulating inflammatory mediators leads to the initiation of coagulation when tissue factor is expressed throughout the intravascular space. This results in the widespread consumption of coagulation factors. Additionally, there is a cardiopulmonary bypass-related qualitative platelet defect that is exacerbated by thrombocytopenia as platelets are consumed from the circulation by clot and adherence to the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. Finally, cardiopulmonary bypass results in the endothelial release of plasminogen activators, which lead to an increase in systemic fibrinolysis. The diffuse generation of thrombin, driven by the inducible intravascular expression of tissue factor, plays a major role in all of these processes. Efforts to understand the critical role of the endothelium in coagulation may lead to novel therapies to prevent bleeding or thrombosis in cardiovascular surgery patients.
Cys-Gly-Cys tripeptide complexes of nickel: binuclear analogues for the catalytic site in acetyl coenzyme a synthase.

The tripeptide, Ac−CysGlyCys−CONH2, is utilized as a ligand to bind Ni in a fashion identical to that found at the active site of acetyl coenzyme A synthase. The Ni−peptide construct is a suitable ...
SU‐FF‐J‐15: Evaluation of Lung Tumor Dose Coverage in Free‐Breathing Treatment Plans Using Respiration‐Correlated CT

Purpose: We quantify the effect of respiration on 3D conformal radiotherapy of lungtumors in terms of dosimetric end‐points using respiration‐correlated CT scans (RCCT). Method and Materials: Six patients received RCCT scans (GE Advantage4D CT). Repeat slices were obtained at each couch position and retrospectively sorted according to respiratory phase using an external respiratory monitor. We generated simulated free‐breathing (FB) CT sets by assembling slices at different respiratory phases from the RCCT study. FB treatment plans similar to the clinical plan were created based on a 1.5 cm expansion of the gross tumor volume (GTV) in one patient and 1.0 cm in two other patients. Superposition‐convolution dose calculations (ADAC/Pinnacle system) were used. We applied the FB plan to the RCCT data sets at various respiratory phases and evaluated dose coverage of the GTV and clinical target volume (CTV=GTV+6mm). Results: Initial results are presented for an extreme situation: the patient with the largest tumor motion (2.3 cm, inferior/superior direction) and the start phase of the simulated FB scan chosen to have the tumor at its most superior position. The D99% values are: 1) FB plan: GTV 5833 cGy, CTV 5706 cGy. 2) FB plan applied to end‐inspiration: GTV 5828 cGy, CTV 5433 cGy. The GTV and CTV are only modestly underdosed at end‐inspiration (tumor most inferior), in this worst case scenario (FB plan based on a tumor at a superior position). Dosimetric indices at end‐expiration show less change. Preliminary studies on two other patients with smaller tumor excursions show similarly small dosimetric changes. Conclusion:Tumor coverage by free‐breathing based plans with standard margins changes only slightly with breathing phase in an extreme case. This study examines only respiratory motion and not interfractional tumor motion or setup error which also affect tumordose coverage.
Molecular Pathways: Targeting ETS Gene Fusions in Cancer

Rearrangements, or gene fusions, involving the ETS family of transcription factors are common driving events in both prostate cancer and Ewing sarcoma. These rearrangements result in pathogenic expression of the ETS genes and trigger activation of transcriptional programs enriched for invasion and other oncogenic features. Although ETS gene fusions represent intriguing therapeutic targets, transcription factors, such as those comprising the ETS family, have been notoriously difficult to target. Recently, preclinical studies have demonstrated an association between ETS gene fusions and components of the DNA damage response pathway, such as PARP1, the catalytic subunit of DNA protein kinase (DNAPK), and histone deactylase 1 (HDAC1), and have suggested that ETS fusions may confer sensitivity to inhibitors of these DNA repair proteins. In this review, we discuss the role of ETS fusions in cancer, the preclinical rationale for targeting ETS fusions with inhibitors of PARP1, DNAPK, and HDAC1, as well as ongoing clinical trials targeting ETS gene fusions.
How Entrepreneurs Can Survive Capital Crises

Even though today's market is a poor one for IPOs, a number of financial strategies can bolster a company to help it go public in the future.
Leukocyte-induced microvascular permeability: How contractile tweaks lead to leaks

Neutrophil infiltration into tissues, a hallmark of acute inflammation, is a complex process requiring an intricate orchestration of signals between microvascular endothelial cells and both circulating and adherent neutrophils. Cytokines and inflammatory mediators elaborated during injury or infection activate both endothelial cells and circulating neutrophils (primary paracrine mechanism), causing neutrophil rolling to slow, formation of endothelial-neutrophil tethering, and ultimately, firm neutrophil adhesion.1 Neutrophil adhesion to the endothelial surface, via E- and P-selectins and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), contributes to further activation of both cell types (adhesion-dependent activation).2 This adhesion-dependent activation of the neutrophil through ligation of the CD11/18 complex promotes the release of neutrophil granules3 that propagate the inflammatory process (secondary paracrine).3,4⇓ One important consequence of this inflammatory process is an increase in endothelial permeability, which leads to excessive tissue edema with attendant changes in microvascular hemodynamics, tissue oxygenation, and organ failure. Although the molecular determinants that regulate the intimate cell-cell interaction between the adherent leukocyte and the vascular endothelium have been extensively evaluated, relatively little information exists on the mechanisms by which polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) alter paracellular junctional integrity to allow PMNs to traverse the endothelium and increase leakage of circulating proteins and fluid. Historically, the concepts of leukocyte-mediated vascular dysfunction viewed the endothelial cell as a passive target for PMN-derived reactive oxygen …
Infantile spasms: II. Lenticular nuceli and brain stem activation on positron emission tomography

Infantile spasms are generalized sezures specific to early infancy, and are believed to result from complex cortical-subcortical interactions during a critical period of development. We used positorn emission tomography (PET) to determine local cerebral metabolic rates for glucose (lCMRGlc) in 44 infants with spasms, in an attempt to define the neuroanatomical substrates that mediate these seizures. All infants were studied in the awake state during continuous electroencephalographic monitoring. The most consistent abnormality on PET, seen in 32 infants, was the symmetrical increase in lCMRGlc in the lenticular nuclei, compared to age-matched normal infants (p < 0.05). In 21 infants, even though the brain stem appeared to be visually more prominent compared to normal infants, statistically significant differences could not be demostrated. Relative hypermetabolism of the lenticular nuceli (1) occured irrespective of whether the spasms were cryptogenic or symptomatic, (2) was associated with focal cortical hypometabolism in 22 and focal cortical hypermetabolism in 5 of the 44 infants, and (3) was not characterized by any specific electroencephalographic abnormality during PET. These findings suggest that the lenticular nuclei may contribute to the pathophysiological state that predisposes to infantile spasms, and is consistent with the observation that spasms are clinically symmetrical even when focal cortical lesions are present. A scheme describing the neuronal circuitry likely to be involved in the generation of infantile spasms is proposed.
Electronic instrumentation applied to the chemical industry with special reference to pH measurement

This paper is principally concerned with the direct-reading, continuous service pH-meter. Essentially a stable d.c. amplifier, its design is largely governed by the complex and inconvenient character of the electrode signal, and by the need for absolute rather than proportional accuracy; these factors are discussed in some detail. A quantitative analysis of the major causes of electrical error is followed by sections on automatic temperature compensation, direct-coupled amplifiers, and frequency conversion amplifiers, together with a note on the application of solid state devices. Two typical though widely different commercial instruments are described.
Constraints on analogical inference

The ability to reason by analogy is particularly important because it permits the extension of knowledge of a target domain by virtue of its similarity to a base domain via a process of analogical inference. The general procedure for analogical inference involves copying structure from the base to the target in which missing information is generated, and substitutions are made for items for which analogical correspondences have already been found. A pure copying with substitution and generation process is too profligate to be useful, and so constraints must be placed on what information is to be carried over. In this paper, the importance of systematicity as a constraint on inference is explored in four studies in which subjects find correspondences between domains and also make inferences. This work suggests that people prefer to make inferences of information connected to systematic correspondences between domains. A second important theme of this paper is that violations of one-to-one mapping can lead to inconsistent object substitutions in inference. The data reveal no such inconsistent substitutions in people's inferences, suggesting that they do respect one-to-one mapping in analogical inference. These findings are discussed relative to four prominent computational models of analogical mapping and inference.
A new method for the preparation of carboxy-labeled unsaturated fatty acids and its application to linoleic acid

Abstract The lithium enolate of methyl linoleate was added at −78°C to diethyl dibromomalonate to yield methyl α-bromolinoleate, which was converted to the corresponding [α- 13 C]cyanoester by treatment with Na 13 CN. Mild alkaline hydrolysis of the cyanoester followed by decarboxylation in refluxing pyridine that contained acetic acid and 4-dimethylaminopyridine afforded [1- 13 C]linoleonitrile, which was hydrolyzed to [1- 13 C]linoleic acid.
Children and health insurance: an overview of recent trends

Abstract: This DataWatch examines trends in health insurance coverage of children using recent data from the Current Population Survey. The results indicate that the number and proportion of children who were uninsured changed little between 1988 and 1992. However, substantial changes occurred in the composition of the insured population: The proportion of children covered by employer-based private insurance declined from 60.7 percent in 1988 to 56.2 percent in 1992, while the proportion of children covered by Medicaid increased from 15.6 percent to 21.6 percent over the same period. These results indicate that a fundamental shift is occurring in responsibility for insuring the nation's children—from the private sector to the public sector.
Recombinant human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase: expression, purification, and characterization of a catalytically functional truncated enzyme

An N-terminally truncated cDNA for human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODase) was placed under the control of the inducible T7 lac promoter in a pyrimidine auxotrophic strain of Escherichia coli lacking the endogenous enzyme. Induction of gene expression rescued growth in media lacking exogenous pyrimidines. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity from detergent extracts of bacterial membranes by two chromatographic steps. The purity of the resulting enzyme was judged to be > 95% based on SDS-PAGE with Coomassie staining. The enzyme displays an apparent molecular weight of ca. 40 kDa on SDS-PAGE and ca. 120 kDa on native size-exclusion chromatography, suggesting that the native enzyme is multimeric. Recombinant DHODase displayed a specific activity and Km for dihydroorotate that were similar to those for the enzymes from bovine and human liver tissue. The pH dependence of the activity of the recombinant enzyme was likewise similar to that of the enzyme from human liver and may indicate the involvement of a critical histidine residue in catalytic turnover; only eight histidine residues remain in the truncated version of DHODase used here. The catalytic activity of the recombinant enzyme is inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion by the histidine-selective modifying agent diethylpyrocarbonate. These results further suggest a potential role for histidine in enzyme turnover. Brequinar sodium, an experimental drug which has been shown to be a nanomolar noncompetitive inhibitor of mammalian DHODases, inhibited the activity of the purified recombinant enzyme with a Ki value similar to that for enzyme derived from human liver tissue. The recombinant DHODase thus displays enzymatic behavior similar to the 50-kDa full-length human liver enzyme, illustrating that the catalytically essential structural features of the enzyme, as well as the site of Brequinar binding, are contained within the 40-kDa truncated version of the enzyme that was expressed here.
The role of social and cognitive processes in the relationship between fear network and psychological distress among parents of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

The current study examined whether cognitive and social processing variables mediated the relationship between fear network and depression among parents of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Parents whose children were initiating HSCT (N = 179) completed survey measures including fear network, Beck Depression Inventory, cognitive processing variables (positive reappraisal and self-blame) and social processing variables (emotional support and holding back from sharing concerns). Fear network was positively correlated with depression (p < .001). Self-blame and holding back emerged as individual partial mediators in the relationship between fear network and depression. Together they accounted for 34.3 % of the variance in the relationship between fear network and depression. Positive reappraisal and emotional support did not have significant mediating effects. Social and cognitive processes, specifically self-blame and holding back from sharing concerns, play a negative role in parents’ psychological adaptation to fears surrounding a child’s HSCT.
Unified Impact Theory for Velocity-Changing Effects and Speed Dependencies in Neutral Species Lineshapes

A dipole correlation function which incorporates velocity-changing (motional narrowing) effects and the effects of speed-dependent Lorentz relaxation rates into otherwise Voigt profile correlation functions is developed, based partly upon previous work by the author. For the first time simple closed expressions, which lend themselves to elementary calculation beginning only with the relevant parts of intermolecular interaction energies, are developed for the cubic time-dependent term within the exponent describing the decay of the correlation function. This term is of first order in perturber number density, as are the Lorentz parameters, and is complex, thereby allowing for narrowing, changing in shape and asymmetry in the line profile. “Soft” and “hard” collisions play no explicit role, though both are variously present for each line. Quartic time dependencies are also discussed, though they are thought to be negligible in nonhydrogen molecular spectroscopy. Finally, some comments are added about a relevant technique for hydrogen spectra.
Shamanism and Its Emancipatory Power for Korean Women

This article presents a historical and feminist analysis of the role of shamanism in the lives of Korean women. Using critical feminist theory, it examines the concerns of Korean women and their li...
NightSight: thermal imaging for both worlds

Thermal imaging, once reserved almost exclusively for the military, is now becoming accessible for many new lower cost applications. By spinning-off defense technology for commercial use, while spinning back the benefits of commercial best practices, TI is drawing on the best of both worlds to give users an affordable visual advantage.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Human Resource Challenges in Human Service and Community Development Organizations Recruitment and Retention of Professional Staff

Nonprofit managers often report difficulties in hiring and retaining top-quality professional staff members. The goals of this study were to assess the seriousness of the problems and to identify s...
Synthesis and biological evaluation of a fluorine-18 labeled estrogen receptor-α selective ligand: [18F] propyl pyrazole triol

Abstract The two estrogen receptor subtypes, ERα and ERβ, play important roles in breast cancer. To develop an ERα imaging agent, we synthesized fluoropropyl pyrazole triol (FPPT, 2), an analog of our ERα-selective ligand PPT. FPPT retains the high ERα binding selectivity of its parent PPT. We prepared [18F]FPPT (18F-2) in high specific activity, but estrogen target tissue uptake in female rats was minimal and was not displaceable by unlabeled estradiol, probably because of the lipophilicity and triphenolic nature of FPPT.
Thiamine influence on collagen during the granulation of skin wounds.

Abstract To determine the effect of thiamine (vitamin B1) on collagen production during wound healing, hydroxyproline content (HP), lysyl oxidase activity (LO), and pepsin-solubilized collagen components were examined in dermis, wound fluid, and artificially induced granulation tissue from surgically wounded rats. Rats were divided into three groups: thiamine-deficient diet (−B1); thiamine-deficient diet supplemented with 3 mg thiamine-HCl (+3B1); and thiamine-deficient diet supplemented with 1 mg thiamine-HCl (+B1) (pair fed). When rats from the −B1 group were demonstrated to be deficient in urinary thiamine, all of the experimental animals had one polyvinyl alcohol wound chamber implanted subcutaneously. Differences were observed in: HP concentration between −B1 and both +3B1 and +B1 in granulation tissue and wound fluid, and LO between −B1 and +B1 in skin and granulation tissue. Both high- and low-molecular-weight collagenous components extracted from granulation tissue were greater for +3B1 and +B1, than for −B1. The most dramatic findings were in the higher molecular weight component characterized as Type III collagen. The alterations observed in the collagen contents and maturation of granulation tissue demonstrate an involvement of thiamine in wound repair and scar development.
Characterization of transgenic mouse lines expressing Cre-recombinase in the retina

The mammalian retina consists of five major classes of neuronal cells, as well as glial cells, and it contains more than 50 cell types. The ability to manipulate gene expression in specific cell type(s) in the retina is important for understanding the molecular mechanisms of retinal function and diseases. The Cre/LoxP recombination system has become a powerful tool, allowing gene deletion, over-expression, and ectopic expression in vivo in a cell- and tissue-specific fashion. The key to this tool is the availability of Cre mouse lines with cell- or tissue-type specific expression of Cre recombinase. To date, a large number of Cre-transgenic mouse lines have been generated to target Cre recombinase expression to specific neuronal and glial cell populations in the central nervous system; however, information about the expression patterns of Cre recombinase lines in the retina is largely lacking. In this study, we examined and characterized the expression patterns of Cre recombinase in the retinas of 15 Cre-transgenic mouse lines. Significant Cre-induced recombination or expression of Cre recombinase was observed in the majority of these lines. In particular, we found several Cre lines in which the Cre-induced recombination was found to target exclusively or predominantly a single type or class of retinal cells, including bistratified retinal ganglion cells, starburst amacrine cells, rod bipolar cells, and Muller glial cells. In other lines, the Cre-induced recombination was found in several retinal cell types. These Cre lines provide a valuable resource for retinal research.
Risk factors for decreased range of motion and poor outcomes in open periarticular elbow fractures.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors present at the time of injury that predict poor functional outcomes and heterotopic ossification (HO) in open periarticular elbow fractures. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective review of 136 combat-related open elbow fractures from 2003 to 2010. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, treatment variables, and complications were recorded. Functional outcomes were analyzed to determine range of motion (ROM) and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS). Secondary outcome measures included the development of HO, return to duty, and revision operation. Results At a median 2.7 years from injury the median MEPS was 67.8 (range 30–100) with an average ulnohumeral arc motion of 89°. Bipolar fractures, with periarticular fractures on both sides of the elbow and at least one side containing intra-articular extension, were independently associated with decreased ulnohumeral motion ( p = 0.02) and decreased MEPS ( p p = 0.001), and increased time to definitive fixation ( p = 0.03) and HO ( p = 0.02). More severe soft tissue injury (Gustilo and Anderson fracture type, p = 0.02), peripheral nerve injury ( p = 0.04), and HO ( p = 0.03) were independently associated with decreased MEPS. HO developed in 65% (89/136) of extremities and was associated with more severe Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) fracture type ( p = 0.01) and escalating Gustilo and Anderson fracture classification ( p = 0.049). Conclusions In the largest series of open elbow fractures, we identified risk factors that portend a poor clinical outcome and decreased ROM. Bipolar elbow fractures, which have not previously been associated with worse results, are particularly prone to decreased ROM and worse outcomes. Level of evidence Prognostic level IV.
Enhancement of the Natural Flame-Resistance of Wool

Practical interest in effects of heat on wool focuses on increasing its resistance to heat and combustion and on decreasing possible hazards from decomposition products. In our laboratory we use two strategies to develop practical wool prod ucts with enhanced flame resistance. The first is direct chemical combination with flame-retardants. 'I'wo treatments of this first type use bis(β-chloroethyl)vinyl phosphonate in aqueous solution and chlorendic anhydride in dimethylfor mamide. An example of the second strategy, used with the nonreactive flame-retardant tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)- phosphate, is to mix this compound with a polyurethane prepolymer, which is then anchored to the wool surface by inter facial polymerization. The resulting fabric shows significantly increased flame-resistance as well as durable resistance to laundering shrinkage. These and other empirical finishing treatments reported to impart flame-resistance to wool are critically reviewed. Areas for future research are noted with emphasis o...
An appraisal of three criteria for evaluating the usefulness of WAIS-R short forms.

The findings of research on short forms of the WAIS-R are used to illustrate the following points about three criteria for evaluating the usefulness of a short form: (a) the correlation between a short form and the Full Scale is virtually certain to be highly significant; (b) it makes little difference whether the mean IQ on a short form differs significantly from that on the Full Scale; (c) the percentage of disagreements between a short form and the Full Scale in classifying subjects into IQ categories is virtually certain to be unacceptably high. Consequently, there appears to be little justification for regarding the three criteria as criteria.
A prognostic gene signature in advanced ovarian cancer reveals a microfibril-associated protein (MAGP2) as a promoter of tumor cell survival and angiogenesis

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer, and this is largely related to its late diagnosis. High grade serous cancers often initially respond to chemotherapy, resulting in a better survival rate, compared to other ovarian carcinoma subtypes. We review recent work identifying a survival-associated gene expression profile for advanced serous ovarian cancer. Within this signature, the authors identified MAGP2, also known as microfibrillar associated protein 5 (MFAP5), as a highly significant indicator of survival and chemosensitivity. MAGP2 is a multifunctional secreted protein--important for elastic microfibril assembly and modulating endothelial cell behavior--with a newly identified role in cell survival. Through alpha(V)beta(3) integrin-mediated signaling, MAGP2 promotes tumor and endothelial cell survival and endothelial cell motility, providing a potential mechanistic link between MAGP2 and angiogenesis as well as patient survival.
Temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility of cobalt(II) stellacyanin

Magnetic susceptibility measurements on cobalt(II) stellacyanin (Rhus vernicifera) have been performed between 2.2 and 50 K. The effective magnetic moment of Co(II) in the protein is 3.91 ± 0.12 (μB). Nonlinear behavior below 3 K evidences the presence of zero-field splitting attributable to a low-symmetry component of the ligand field. The results are consistent with a structural model based on a distorted tetrahedral Co(II) site involving one or more extremely covalent metal-ligand bonds.
Adaptive Optics Revisited

From the earliest days and nights of telescopic astronomy, atmospheric turbulence has been a serious detriment to optical performance. The new technology of adaptive optics can overcome this problem by compensating for the wavefront distortion that results from turbulence. The result will be large gains in resolving power and limiting magnitude, closely approaching the theoretical limit. In other words, telescopic images will be very significantly sharpened. Rapid and accelerating progress is being made today by several groups. Adaptive optics, together with the closely related technology of active optics, seems certain to be utilized in large astronomical telescopes of the future. This may entail significant changes in telescope design.
A Magnetic Sample Holder for Raman Spectrometry

Raman spectral techniques have not played a dominant role in analytical problem-solving methods. Raman techniques are highly regarded in specialized applications; however, their usefulness in analyzing
Maximizing return and minimizing cost with the right decision management systems

The ability to achieve operational efficiency, product leadership, and customer intimacy still eludes many organizations due, in large part, to the chaos of business. Inconsistent prioritization and decision making; poor visibility between systems; processes that are not well controlled; and individual front-line decisions that seem small but, in totality, have a huge impact make it difficult for organizations to link strategy to execution and back. During this presentation, we will demonstrate how automating and optimizing decisions (operational efficiency) with business rules and predictive models enables better data driven results across the enterprise, and how this is implemented at the point of impact (customer intimacy) to transform an organization and support market leadership.
RGS7 Attenuates Signal Transduction Through the Gαq Family of Heterotrimeric G Proteins in Mammalian Cells

The RGS proteins are a recently discovered family of G protein regulators that have been shown to act as GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) on the G(alpha i) and G(alpha q) subfamilies of the heterotrimeric G proteins. Here, we demonstrate that RGS7 is a potent GAP in vitro on G(alpha i1), and G(alpha o) heterotrimeric proteins and that RGS7 acts to down-regulate G(alpha q)-mediated calcium mobilization in a whole-cell assay system using a transient expression protocol. This RGS protein and RGS4 are reported to be expressed predominantly in brain, and in situ hybridization studies have revealed similarities in the regional distribution of RGS and G(alpha q) mRNA expression. Our findings provide further evidence to support a functional role for RGS4 and RGS7 in G(alpha q)-mediated signaling in the CNS.
The HTLV-I Rex response element mediates a novel form of mRNA polyadenylation.

Abstract HTLV-I structural gene expression is posttranscriptionally regulated by the Rex protein and the Rex response element (RexRE), a 255 nucleotide RNA stem-loop structure located in the retroviral 3′ LTR. Independent of Rex, the RexRE also plays a critical role in the polyadenylation of all HTLV-I transcripts. Folding of the RexRE serves to spatially juxtapose the widely separated AAUAAA hexamer and GU-rich elements that are essential for polyadenylation. In turn, this folding promotes the cooperative and stable binding of two nuclear factors at these elements that commits this poly(A) site to 3′ processing. These findings highlight a novel mechanism of 3′ end formation in the HTLV family of retroviruses and underscore the general requirement for protein-protein interactions in the polyadenylation reaction.
Pulse splitting during self-focusing in normally dispersive media.

The self-focusing of femtosecond optical pulses in a normally dispersive medium is studied numerically. This situation represents a general problem that may be modeled by a 3 + 1-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger equation, where two dimensions are self-focusing and the third is self-defocusing. The numerical simulations show that the dispersion causes the splitting of a pulse before it self-focuses into two temporally separated pulses, which then continue to self-focus and compress rapidly. The calculated behavior results in periodic modulation of the generated continuum spectrum, as was recently observed in continuum generation by focused femtosecond pulses in gases.
Monte Carlo Simulation of the Total Radial Distribution Function for Interlayer Water in Sodium and Potassium Montmorillonites

Monte Carlo simulations based on tested water-water, cation-water, and water-clay potential functions were applied to calculate radial distribution functions for O-O, O-H and H-H spatial correlations in the interlayer region of the two-layer hydrates of Na- and K-montmorillonite. The simulated radial distribution functions then were used to compute the total radial distribution function for interlayer water, a physical quantity that can be determined experimentally by H/D isotopic-difference neutron diffraction. The simulated total radial distribution functions were compared with that for bulk liquid water, and with a total radial distribution function determined experimentally for the two-layer hydrate of Na-montmorillonite by Powell et al. (1997). This comparison suggested that water molecules in the two-layer hydrate of montmorillonite have nearest-neighbor configurations which differ significantly from the tetrahedral ordering of nearest neighbors that characterizes bulk liquid water.
Beyond “Putin's Russia”: Society and Politics in a Changing Russia

Constructing Grievance: Ethnic Nationalism in Russia's Republics. By Elise Giuliano. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2011. 234 pp., $45.00 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-0-8014-4745-7). Popular Support for an Undemocratic Regime: The Changing Views of Russians. By Richard Rose, William Mishler, Neil Munro. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 206 pp., $30.99 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-521-22418-5). The Politics of Inequality in Russia. By Thomas F Remington. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 234 pp., $29.99 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1-107-42224-7). Much discussion and research on Russian politics justifiably place central importance on Vladimir Putin, his societal and political impact, and his regime's role in a number of domestic and foreign policy developments. After all, he has been the leading figure of the Russian state for more than a decade and has left an indelible imprint on the changing contours of Russian politics and society. Similarly, the 1990s were replete with examinations of Boris Yeltsin building a new Russia from the embers of the collapsed Soviet state. The three books reviewed here examine important and fascinating questions that go beyond the elite intrigues of Russia's national executive and integrate an analysis of societal developments that provoke reflection on political and societal diversity in Russia and its regions. Building on a broad theoretical range of existing scholarship, these works take on important questions and shed valuable light on the factors shaping varying levels of nationalist mobilization, the dynamics of growing public support for a regime that has become less democratic, and the political determinants of income inequality. More than mere case studies of an important country, these books take a cross-sectional, regional, and/or longitudinal approach and are attentive to systematic data collection and analysis, which enhances their explanatory leverage. For some, additional comparative explorations of the applicability of arguments to other country contexts would lend even greater weight to the arguments and possibly would expand the book's readership beyond Russia's specialists and observers. Nonetheless, these books make for thought-provoking reading and provide rich material about important developments in post-Soviet Russian politics. In Constructing Grievance , Elise Giuliano explores the essential and yet often overlooked puzzle concerning the “dog that did not bark,” namely why nationalist mobilization had more mass appeal in some of Russia's ethnically defined republics and resonated less in others. …
Performance of non-planar silicon diaphragms under large deflections

Thin non-planar silicon diaphragms are promising candidates for many high-performance microactuators, including microvalves and micropumps, since they can be batch fabricated using techniques that are compatible with the other portions of these devices. The fabrication and detailed simulation of such diaphragms, which are corrugated-bossed structures that unfold, accordionlike, to produce high boss deflections, are reported. Diaphragms 1 mm on a side, 3- mu m thick, and containing five 10- mu m-deep corrugations produce boss deflections of more than 30 mu m at 760 mmHg, in close agreement with simulations. Effects related to corrugation profile diaphragm size and thickness, and internal stress are explored. >
Simple and rapid colorimetric detection of p-nitrophenyl substituent organophosphorous nerve agents

Abstract We report a very simple and rapid chemical method for the detection of paraoxon and its p-nitrophenyl organophosphorous derivatives. The method uses only sodium borohydride followed by thermal enhancement that increases the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude. Visible, yellow color change of the neurotoxins caused by p-nitrophenolate ions can be rapidly observed at micromolar concentrations while UV–vis measurements enable unprecedented detection at the nanomolar level.
Arboreal Nests of Phenacomys longicaudus in Oregon

Searching felled trees proved effective effective for finding nests of Phenacomys longicaudus; 117 nests were found in 50 trees. Nests were located throughout the live ccrowns, but were concentrated in the lower two-thirds of the canopy. Abundance of nests increased with tree size, old-growth forests provide optimum habitat
Aerobic exercise decreases the positive-reinforcing effects of cocaine

Aerobic exercise can serve as an alternative, non-drug reinforcer in laboratory animals and has been recommended as a potential intervention for substance abusing populations. Unfortunately, relatively little empirical data have been collected that specifically address the possible protective effects of voluntary, long-term exercise on measures of drug self-administration. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of chronic exercise on sensitivity to the positive-reinforcing effects of cocaine in the drug self-administration procedure. Female rats were obtained at weaning and immediately divided into two groups. Sedentary rats were housed individually in standard laboratory cages that permitted no exercise beyond normal cage ambulation; exercising rats were housed individually in modified cages equipped with a running wheel. After 6 weeks under these conditions, rats were surgically implanted with venous catheters and trained to self-administer cocaine on a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. Once self-administration was acquired, cocaine was made available on a progressive ratio schedule and breakpoints were obtained for various doses of cocaine. Sedentary and exercising rats did not differ in the time to acquire cocaine self-administration or responding on the fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. However, on the progressive ratio schedule, breakpoints were significantly lower in exercising rats than sedentary rats when responding was maintained by both low (0.3 mg/kg/infusion) and high (1.0 mg/kg/infusion) doses of cocaine. In exercising rats, greater exercise output prior to catheter implantation was associated with lower breakpoints at the high dose of cocaine. These data indicate that chronic exercise decreases the positive-reinforcing effects of cocaine and support the possibility that exercise may be an effective intervention in drug abuse prevention and treatment programs.
Optimization and architecture effects on GPU computing workload performance

It is unquestionable that successive hardware generations have significantly improved GPU computing workload performance over the last several years. Moore's law and DRAM scaling have respectively increased single-chip peak instruction throughput by 3X and off-chip bandwidth by 2.2X from NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 GTX in November 2006 to its GeForce GTX 580 in November 2010. However, raw capability numbers typically underestimate the improvements in real application performance over the same time period, due to significant architectural feature improvements. To demonstrate the effects of architecture features and optimizations over time, we conducted experiments on a set of benchmarks from diverse application domains for multiple GPU architecture generations to understand how much performance has truly been improving for those workloads. First, we demonstrate that certain architectural features make a huge difference in the performance of unoptimized code, such as the inclusion of a general cache which can improve performance by 2–4× in some situations. Second, we describe what optimization patterns have been most essential and widely applicable for improving performance for GPU computing workloads across all architecture generations. Some important optimization patterns included data layout transformation, converting scatter accesses to gather accesses, GPU workload regularization, and granularity coarsening, each of which improved performance on some benchmark by over 20%, sometimes by a factor of more than 5×. While hardware improvements to baseline unoptimized code can reduce the speedup magnitude, these patterns remain important for even the most recent GPUs. Finally, we identify which added architectural features created significant new optimization opportunities, such as increased register file capacity or reduced bandwidth penalties for misaligned accesses, which increase performance by 2× or more in the optimized versions of relevant benchmarks.
Why is greater medication adherence associated with better outcomes.

Background: Previous studies found an association of greater adherence to placebo medication with better outcomes. The present study tested whether this association was explained by any of the following factors: 1) adherence to other medications, 2) healthcare behaviors, 3) disease risk, or 4) predicted degree of adherence. Data included information on more than 800 risk factors from 27,347 subjects in two randomized controlled trials of hormone therapy in the Women's Health Initiative. Results: Greater adherence to placebo was not associated with colon cancer but was substantially and significantly associated with several diverse outcomes: death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and breast cancer. Adherence to hormone therapy was only weakly associated with outcomes. The WHI risk factors only poorly predicted degree of adherence, R 2 < 4%. No underlying factors accounted for the association between placebo adherence and outcome. Conclusion: The results suggest that adherence to placebo is a marker for important risk factors that were not measured by WHI. Once identified these risk factors may be used to increase the validity of observational studies of medical treatment by reducing unmeasured confounding.