cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plant tissue culture: Perceptions and realities

There is a perception that phenomenal progress has been made in so-called tissue culture technologies as they apply to non-woody plants. Moreover, many also seem to think that while temperate woody species have yielded toin vitro manipulation, tropical and subtropical ones have generally remained recalcitrant. An attempt has been made to place all this in context, and to allow for emergence of a realistic conclusion of where we really seem to be. Much progress has been made but plant tissue culture procedures still have a long way to go before they can collectively qualify, by the most rigid criteria, as a routine tool. If a technology is, in fact, a means to amplify our ability to do something in a relatively, if not virtually, risk-free manner, anyone who has done much serious plant tissue culture will know that in most cases it does not yet meet the criterion. When we can predictably control things—with maximal certainty, risk-free, or at least with minimal or acceptable risk, we will have a biotechnology. It sounds very modern to use the word ‘biotechnology’ but one does not achieve the status of a biotechnology merely by many or most agreeing to use the term. My belief is that we work against ourselves by doing so. Basic scientific inquiry is stifled. We still need to provide an appropriate framework and vehicle for basic investigations that will enable many important unanswered questions to be addressed. From a practical perspective these include: Why does progress seem to be slow in woody plants—especially in the case of tropical and subtropical species; what are some of the constraints imposed on the systems being worked with; how much of a gap is there between knowledge at the research level and application; how can one accelerate activities to improve both our perspective and still make positive basic and practical contributions to this area? A major problem has been that some systems are quite for along in their development; others are in their infancy. It is hoped that supporters of plant tissue culture efforts will not abandon basic research programs in favor of applied initiatives just because some species seem to be more difficult to work with initially than others and hence will require much more time at the basic research level, and well before one can begin to develop and ultimately exploit. Basic botanical and plant cell biology research must be fostered. Those dedicated to studying plant biology from anin vitro perspective have a greater role now than ever to play. Responsible action is crucial. Resistance must be given to those who prematurely insist that integration into practical schemes should predominate our thinking and setting of priorities. At the same time there is a delicate path that must be taken so that opportunities for learning and making basic contributions are not missed. Plant scientists clearly have a challenge to meet. Decision making must take into account the state of the science from the scientists’ perspective—not merely an administrative perspective.
A Primer for the Use of Multilevel Models in Couple and Family Therapy Research

This article serves as a primer for understanding how to use multilevel modeling (MLM) techniques in couple and family therapy outcome and process research. It outlines the use of HLM and Mplus-two of many software programs that can perform multilevel modeling-and provides an applied example of using MLM to investigate the use of postsession feedback on couple satisfaction and change, as well as the influence of trauma on the use of postsession feedback. Two graduate students in COAMFTE accredited PhD programs read the primer and provided questions to the first author that arose. Answers to these questions have been incorporated throughout the explanation of this methodological approach in hopes of addressing common stuck points for those using MLM.
Single-port transoral robotic combined approach with sialendoscopy for sialolithiasis: Case report and review of the literature.

Background The da Vinci single-port (SP) is utilized in transoral robotic surgery (TORS) procedures for malignant oropharyngeal tumors. We report a case utilizing the da Vinci SP in TORS for sialolith removal. Methods and results A 75-year-old male with chronic right submandibular gland (SMG) sialadenitis underwent combined da Vinci SP TORS approach with sialendoscopy for multiple SMG sialoliths. We were unable to find a previous report of using the da Vinci SP in TORS for SMG sialolith removal. Conclusion The da Vinci SP has been utilized in a combined TORS approach with sialendoscopy for SMG sialolith removal. The da Vinci SP's additional arm provides improved retraction, enabling optimal visualization, dissection, and preservation of important structures such as the lingual nerve.
Predictive factors of PNE success in a contemporary series: A single institution experience

Purpose Peripheral nerve evaluation (PNE) permits a trial of sacral neuromodulation to determine candidates for single stage implant. Before routine fluoroscopy, PNE success rates were 40%-50% compared to approximately 77% with staged procedures. There are limited data on PNE success rates with the use of fluoroscopy and improved techniques. We evaluated a contemporary series of PNE patients to determine predictors of PNE success and persistent functional response following permanent implantation. Methods A retrospective review of PNE patients at a large academic center from 2015 to 2019 was performed. Patients with urgency-frequency, urge incontinence, and/or fecal incontinence (FI) were included. Rates of permanent implant after successful PNE trial and continued improvement at ≥1 month were reviewed. Multivariable logistic regression determined predictors of PNE success and continued response at follow-up. Results A total of 102 PNE patients were included. A total of 78 patients (76.5%) were PNE responders. Predictors of PNE success included younger age (p = .014), urgency incontinence (p = .021), FI (p = .017), absence of a neurologic diagnosis (p = .04), presence of bellows and toe responses (p = .038), and perineal sensation (p = .027). A total of 68 of 78 PNE responders (87.2%) maintained optimal responses at ≥1 month. Absence of a neurologic diagnosis was predictive of persistent success at follow-up (p = .013). Conclusions This contemporary PNE series revealed screening success equivalent to a two-staged approach. A small proportion of patients demonstrate suboptimal responses following permanent implant. Conversion from testing to permanent implant may not be the ideal outcome as it may overestimate success, and evaluation for persistent improvement should be investigated further as a more reliable indicator of successful screening.
Wear Resistance of Low-cost Hot-rolled 700MPa Grade Plate for Heavy Duty Truck Carriage

The wear resistance of low-cost hot-rolled 700MPa grade plate for heavy duty truck carriage was studied by room temperature friction and wear test,and effects of microstructure,nano-scale precipitation on wear resistance were investigated.The results indicate that when the wear time was 40min,the weight loss of the plate was 40.7mg,and the thickness of surface plastic deformation layer was 37μm.Microcracks nucleated easily and propagated on phase interface between ferrite and pearlite or bainite.When the carbides were stripe or granular in shape,stress concentration appeared difficultly,and there were no microcracks forming on phase interface between carbides and matrix.The nano-scale precipitation(Nb,Ti)C in the plate could effectively improve its wear resistance,and the wear mechanism of the plate was mainly abrasive wear.
Exercise vs. No Exercise for the Occurrence, Severity, and Duration of Acute Respiratory Tract Infections.

For adults, regular exercise may reduce the overall severity of acute respiratory tract infections and the number of days with symptoms, but there is no evidence that exercise reduces the overall occurrence or duration of these infections.
Monday morning, 8:00 a.m., August 30, 2010—Chicago, IL

Zandie Tan sat at her receptionist desk, a cup of tea beside her keyboard. Ray Little passed by the glass exterior of the gallery on his way to the security station across the hallway; he waved to Zandie.
Historical Controls and Clinical Trials

Randomized trials, in which a single group of units is randomly allocated to two or more treatment conditions and then studied in parallel over time, is the gold standard methodology for reducing biases. Yet not every comparison is amenable to a randomized trial. For example, one cannot randomize subjects to their genders or races. Furthermore, even some comparisons that could theoretically be amenable to study with a randomized trial would not be, for ethical reasons. This would include studies of tobacco. Nonrandomized studies may still be parallel over time, in that all treatment groups are treated and studied over the same time interval. In some cases, though, one needs to use historical controls, and perform a before-and-after comparison. Strong conditions are required for such comparisons to be reliable. Keywords: comparative trials; ethics; selection bias
North American monsoon precipitation reconstructed from tree-ring latewood

[1] The North American monsoon is a major focus of modern and paleoclimate research, but relatively little is known about interannual- to decadal-scale monsoon moisture variability in the pre-instrumental era. This study draws from a new network of subannual tree-ring latewood width chronologies and presents a 470-year reconstruction of monsoon (June–August) standardized precipitation for southwestern North America. Comparison with an independent reconstruction of cool-season (October–April) standardized precipitation indicates that southwestern decadal droughts of the last five centuries were characterized not only by cool-season precipitation deficits but also by concurrent failure of the summer monsoon. Monsoon drought events identified in the past were more severe and persistent than any of the instrumental era. The relationship between winter and summer precipitation is weak, at best, and not time stable. Years with opposing-sign seasonal precipitation anomalies, as noted by other studies, were anomalously frequent during the mid to late 20th century.
Sequence redesign and the assembly mechanism of the oxytocin/bovine neurophysin I biosynthetic precursor.

Abstract The structural organization of neurohypophysial hormone biosynthetic precursors and the interdependence between intramolecular folding and precursor self-association were examined using sequence-engineered mutants of the semisynthetic oxytocin/bovine neurophysin precursor (pros-OT/BNPI). In [N alpha 1-Ac,N epsilon 30,71-diacetimidyl, Ala2,des-His106] Pro-Ot/BNPI or [N alpha 1-Ac,Ala2]pros-OT/BNPI), two structural elements (Tyr2 and free alpha-amino group) were eliminated which were predicted to be critical for intramolecular conformation by stabilizing contact between hormone and neurophysin domains. This mutant was used to test the dependence of precursor self-association on intramolecular conformation. In the second mutant precursor, [N alpha 30,71-diacetimidyl,D-Pro7,D-Leu8,des-His106]p ro-OT/BNPI (or [D-Pro7,D-Leu8]pros-OT/BNPI), the stereochemistry at L-Pro7-L-Leu8 was changed to test the extent to which precursor conformation depends on ordered structure in the processing/spacer sequence which connects the interacting hormone and neurophysin I domains. Intramolecular conformation was characterized for the precursor and mutants by analytical affinity chromatography on immobilized hormone analog Met-Tyr-Phe and by circular dichroism. Data obtained by both methods showed that, while pros-OT/BNPI is folded, with hormone domain occupying the hormone-binding site of the neurophysin domain, the alpha-acetyl-Ala2 mutant is not so organized intramolecularly. When pros-OT/BNPI and the alpha-acetyl-Ala2 mutant were eluted on immobilized BNPII to measure self-association propensity, the native-like precursor was found to bind with 12-15-fold higher affinity than the assembly mutant. Thus, while pros-OT/BNPI assumes a molecular structure containing a high-affinity self-association surface induced by intramolecular hormone domain-neurophysin domain interaction, [N alpha 1-Ac,Ala2]pros-OT/BNPI does not. The results with the alpha-acetyl-Ala2 mutant show that intramolecular domain-domain interaction is the obligatory "trigger" which induces the high-affinity precursor self-association that likely drives precursor to aggregated forms in the concentrated intragranular environment that exists in peptide hormone-synthesizing cells. In contrast, affinity chromatographic and circular dichroism properties of the D-Pro7,D-Leu8 mutant show that this intramolecular trigger is dependent, but only weakly, on the conformation of the peptide sequence between domains, as judged by native-like interaction properties below 40 degrees C but lowered stability to elevated temperature.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Fate and Immunogenicity of Antigens Endocytosed by Macrophages

Soluble and particulate antigens taken up by macrophages are immunogenic. The immunogenicity of macrophage-associated antigens has been tested in several experimental system. In one such system live macrophages — after exposure to the antigen — are transferred into mice; the immune response of the mice to the antigen associated with live macrophages is then studied (1-T). The immunogenicity of soluble proteins bound to macrophages has been attributed mostly to molecules of non pinocytosed antigen retained on the plasma membrane of macrophages (6,8). On the other hand, the pathway by which particulate or heavily aggregated antigens are presented to lymphocytes for immunological recognition has not been elucidated. These large antigens are totally endocytosed following their binding to the membrane of the macrophages and presumably may be submitted to the action of enzymes from intracellular vesicles.
Compensation of selected availability using a GPS/INS extended Kalman filter

The authors describe research to compensate for selected availability (SA) corruption by modifying the Kalman filter used in a typical Global Positioning System/inertial navigation system (GPS/INS) integration. Two modified filters are developed: one filter that models SA using individual error-states and another filter that compensates for SA by increasing the measurement noise. Neither of these filters totally eliminates the corruption due to SA, but both provide a significant increase in the accuracy of the navigation solution. >
Liberalism and War The Victors and the Vanquished

Introduction 1. The Roots of Liberalism and the First Great 22 Liberal Century 2. Twentieth Century Liberalism and Thinking about War and Peace, 1918 to the Present 3. Reparations 4. Reconstruction until the Marshall Plan 5. Reconstruction after the Marshall Plan 6. Retribution - The Logics of Justice and Peace 7. Restorative Justice and Reconciliation 8. Conclusion: Do Liberal Dilemmas Disable All Liberal Solutions to War? Bibliography
Inverse relationship of protein concentration and aggregation.

Purpose. To determine the effect of protein concentration on aggregation induced through quiescent shelf-life incubation or shipping-related agitation. Methods. All aggregation was measured by size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography. Aggregation was induced by time-dependent incubation under stationary conditions or by agitation caused by shaking, vortexing, or vibration using simulated shipping conditions. Results. Protein aggregation is commonly a second- or higher-order process that is expected to increase with higher protein concentration. As expected, for three proteins (PEG-GCSF, PEG-MGDF, and OPG-Fc) that were examined, the aggregation increased with higher protein concentration if incubated in a quiescent shelf-life setting. However, aggregation decreased with higher protein concentration if induced by an air/water interface as a result of agitation. This unexpected result may be explained by the rate-limiting effect on aggregation of the air/water interface and the critical nature of the air/water interface to protein ratio that is greatest with decreased protein concentration. The non-ionic detergent polysorbate 20 enhanced the aggregation observed in the quiescently incubated sample but abrogated the aggregation induced by the air/water interface. Conclusions. The effect of protein concentration was opposite for aggregation that resulted from quiescent shelf-life treatment compared to induction by agitation. For motionless shelf-life incubation, increased concentration of protein resulted in more aggregation. However, exposure to agitation resulted in more aggregation with decreased protein concentration. These results highlight an unexpected complexity of protein aggregation reactions.
Effect of knowledge of results on attitude formed toward a motor learning task.

Abstract Two hypotheses were tested: (1) A group which has the greatest number of gains in performance in successive trial scores of a motor task will develop a more positive attitude toward the task; (2) A group which has the greatest number of gains in performance in successive trial scores will show the greatest change in an already formed attitude. Male (N=12) and female (N=12) physical education majors volunteered as subjects. They were randomly divided into two groups with an equal number of males and females in each group. The subject performed 20 trials of 15 sec each of a rotary pursuit task; read the directions for the completion of the attitude measuring instrument and then completed the instrument. This series of activities was repeated a second time. The difference in the treatment of the two groups occurred in the KR (time-on-target). The A group received its KR during the first 20 trials to the full second. During the second 20 trials, the A group received its KR to .01th of a second. The B...
Behavior Therapy and Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy

This chapter reviews the history of behavior therapy and the evolution of cognitive behavior therapy, and notes the emergence of the third-wave behavioral therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). The major focus of the chapter is describing the current state of the literature evaluating the application of behavioral and cognitive behavior therapies to a range of clinical problems, including anxiety, eating disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. Specific interventions, such as exposure and response prevention, are discussed within the context of the disorder they were designed to treat. Major research findings are reported, and modifications to standard treatment applications are reviewed when relevant (e.g., the inclusion of partners or families in treatment). Summaries and conclusions are provided, and future directions are discussed. Keywords: behavior therapy; cognitive behavior therapy; behavioral activation; exposure and response prevention; dialectical behavior therapy; acceptance and commitment therapy; family-focused therapy; panic control therapy; transdiagnostic therapy
Diabetic retinopathy screening

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) has become increasingly common as the prevalence of diabetes has increased. Early detection of DR is crucial to preventing blindness from the disease, although often with early retinopathy, the vision may not be affected and the patient may be asymptomatic. Currently, adherence to retinopathy screening is subpar and multifactorial in nature.
A computational model of binaural localization and separation

Multiple sound signals, such as speech and interfering noises, can be fairly well separated, localized, and interpreted by human listeners with normal binaural hearing. The computational model presented here, based on earlier cochlear modeling work, is a first step at approaching human levels of performance on the localization and separation tasks. This combination of cochlear and binaural models, implemented as real-time algorithms, could provide the front end for a robust sound interpretation system such as a speech recognizer. The cochlear model used is basically a bandpass filterbank with frequency channels corresponding to places on the basilar membrane; filter outputs are half-wave rectified and amplitude-compressed, maintaining fine time resolution. In the binaural model, outputs of corresponding frequency channels from the two ears are combined by cross-correlation. Peaks in the short-time cross-correlation functions are then interpreted as direction. With appropriate preprocessing, the correlation peaks integrate cues based on signal phase, envelope modulation, onset time, and loudness. Based on peaks in the correlation functions, sources can be recognized, localized, and tracked. Through quickly varying gains, sound fragments are separated into streams representing different sources. Preliminary tests of the algorithms are very encouraging.
The Development of Humoral Immunity to Tissue-Specific Tubular Basement Membrane Alloantigens after Renal Transplantation across the Major Histocompatibility Barrier in Rats Immunomodulated with Blood Transfusions and Cyclosporin:

The development of a humoral immune response to the tubular basement mem- brane (TBM) alloantigen of Brown-Norway (BN) rat kidneys was studied after transplantation of BN rat kidneys into bilaterally nephrectomized Lewis (LEW) rats. The LEW rat recipients consisted of four groups receiving no form of immunosuppression, pretransplantation cyclo- sporin alone, or pretransplantation donor-specific or donor-nonspecific transfusions combined with cyclosporin. The latter two regimens induce indefinite allograft survival in the majority of recipients. Circulating antibody to collagenase-solubilized BN rat renal basement membrane (CS-BN-RBM) was present in all four groups of transplant recipients within 1 week after transplantation, and no significant differences in antibody levels were noted between rats receiving no immunosuppression (survival of 1-2 weeks) and the groups of rats who received various immunosuppressive regimens and survived longer. Circulating antibody to BN-CS- RBM continued to increase in quantity in the cyclosporin-treated group until the time of death (2- 10 weeks post-transplantation). In the much longer lived combined transfusion and cyclo- sporin-treated groups, circulating antibody to BN-CS-RBM generally attained a maximum at approximately 2 to 4 months post-transplantation and then plateaued or decreased somewhat before the time of death (3- 16 months post-transplantation). No correlation was found between quantity of circulating anti-BN-CS-RBM antibody and post-transplantation survival. Compar- ative study of the quantity of circulating antibody to BN-CS-RBM (the presumed nephritogenic antigen of experimental tubulointerstitial nephritis in the BN rat) in serum from transplant recipients as compared to serum from BN rats with severe experimental tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) (as induced by immunization with heterologous TBM antigens) demonstrated a greater quantity of potentially nephritogenic antibody circulating in transplant recipients than in BN rats with experimental TIN. Histologically, the transplanted kidneys in immunomodu- lated recipients demonstrated focal chronic interstitial inflammatory infiltrates with tubular atrophy and relative sparing of the glomeruli. The development of immune responses to tissue-specific alloantigens may become of clinical significance as graft-survival times are increased. 0 1988 Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.
Impaired glucose disposal following mild hypoglycemia in nondiabetic and type I diabetic humans.

Abstract Insulin-mediated glucose disposal was studied immediately prior to and following moderate hypoglycemia in nondiabetic subjects and subjects with insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus (IDDM), the latter having varying epinephrine secretory capacities. Plasma insulin concentration was fixed throughout the study at ∼300 to 400 pmol/L to avoid effects of waning insulin action and plasma glucose was clamped at either 5 mmol/L (euglycemic control) or at 3.1 mmol/L (hypoglycemic) periods of 120 minutes. Baseline (clamp 1) and postexperiment (clamp 2) periods were assessed for net glucose disposal (as a function of the exogenous glucose infusion rate) and glucose kinetics using 3 H-glucose. In normal subjects, glucose disposal increased progressively by 132% during control studies but only by 57% with intervening hypoglycemia ( P v 33% during hypoglycemia, P 3 H]-3-glucose) and metabolic clearance rates with comparable suppression of hepatic glucose production in both groups. The increase in plasma free-fatty acids (FFA) following hypoglycemia was modest but greater in subjects with IDDM ( P P P R 2 = .54, P R 2 = .32, P
The Harnack and other conformally invariant metrics

On etudie la metrique de Harnack h D dans des sous-domaines propres D d'un espace euclidien R n . Soit k D la metrique quasi hyperbolique. On demontre que h D ≤nk D
Mechanics of Immersed Particle Collisions

The present work investigates the mechanics of particle collisions submerged in a liquid using a simple pendulum experiment. Particle trajectories for different particles in water are measured using a high-speed digital camera and the magnitude of the collision is recorded using a high-frequency-response pressure transducer at the colliding surface. The particle deceleration occurs at distances less than half a particle diameter from the wall. The measured collision impulse increases with impact velocity and particle mass. Comparisons are drawn between the measured pressures and the predictions of basic impact mechanics assuming a perfectly elastic collision. A control-volume model is proposed that accounts for the fluid inertia and viscosity. When a particle approaches a planar surface or another particle, the fluid is squeezed prior to contact, reducing the initial kinetic energy and decelerating the particle. The pressure profile is integrated over the surface of the particle to obtain a force that is a function of the initial particle Reynolds number, Reo , and the ratio of the densities of the particle and fluid phases, ρp /ρf . The model predicts a critical Stokes number at which the particle reaches the wall with zero velocity. Comparisons between the proposed model and the experimental measurements show qualitative agreement.
Seeing the forest for the trees: hierarchical displays of hypertext structures

Most recent hypertext systems support hierarchy only as a restricted subset of directed graph structure. Consequently they do not provide many of the capabilities for graphical information hiding and structure manipulation that a tree makes possible. This paper describes display techniques developed for IGD, a hypertext system that supports the creation of large graphical documents whose arbitrary directed graph structure is embedded in a strict hierarchy. IGD offers the full generality of arbitrary keyworded links, while simultaneously allowing hierarchies to be easily manipulated and displayed with much of their structural detail selectively abstracted.
Cellular Complexity of the Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche

The skeleton serves as the principal site for hematopoiesis in adult terrestrial vertebrates. The function of the hematopoietic system is to maintain homeostatic levels of all circulating blood cells, including myeloid cells, lymphoid cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This action requires the daily production of more than 500 billion blood cells. The vast majority of these cells are synthesized in the bone marrow, where they arise from a limited number of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that are multipotent and capable of extensive self-renewal. These attributes of HSCs are best demonstrated by marrow transplantation, where even a single HSC can repopulate the entire hematopoietic system. HSCs are therefore adult stem cells capable of multilineage repopulation, poised between cell fate choices which include quiescence, self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis. While HSC fate choices are in part determined by multiple stochastic fluctuations of cell autonomous processes, according to the niche hypothesis, signals from the microenvironment are also likely to determine stem cell fate. While it had long been postulated that signals within the bone marrow could provide regulation of hematopoietic cells, it is only in the past decade that advances in flow cytometry and genetic models have allowed for a deeper understanding of the microenvironmental regulation of HSCs. In this review, we will highlight the cellular regulatory components of the HSC niche.
Experimental determination of real elements of the density matrix and the dipole moment of H(n=3) atoms produced from 20-100-keV H + on Ar

Diagonal and real off-diagonal coherence elements of the density matrix for H([ital n]=3) atoms produced in 20--100-keV electron-capture collisions of protons with Ar atoms are experimentally determined. Balmer-[alpha] light from the decay of H atoms from the ([ital n]=3) state to the ([ital n]=2) state is observed. The intensity and polarization of the light as a function of an axially symmetric electric field in the collision region are fitted to a numerical model of the H atom in an electric field in order to extract density-matrix elements. A new polarimeter, using a photoelastic modulator in conjunction with photon-counting techniques, is used in the experiment, and its efficacy is analyzed and compared to that of a rotating quarter-wave plate polarimeter previously used in similar experiments. The diagonal elements of the density matrix yield relative capture cross sections for the H(3[ital l]) angular-momentum substates, while the coherence terms are used to determine the dipole moment of the atoms produced. Results are compared to those for protons colliding with a He target and the differences are discussed.
The Determinants of Volunteering in Nordic Countries: Evidence from the European Values Survey

Using data from the European Values Study, this study applies the dominant status model of volunteering introduced by Smith (1994) to explain volunteering in Nordic countries. Consistent with the dominant status model, male gender, being married, and high educational attainment are important predictors of volunteering. However, this study also finds that in Nordic countries, neither income nor employment status has a statistically significant effect on an individual’s decision to volunteer.
Transfection of a rat cytochrome P450b cDNA into C3H10T1/2CL8 mouse embryo fibroblasts

A cDNA clone of a rat cytochrome P450b gene was used to construct an expression vector driven by an SV40 promoter and containing a G418-resistance selectable marker. This bifunctional plasmid (pJRSL100) was transfected into the C3H 10T1/2CL8 mouse embryo fibroblast cell line. G418-resistant clones were selected and tested for enhanced sensitivity to the carcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF), a compound that does not normally induce cytotoxicity or morphological transformation in these cells. One subclone, 19P450b-4, exhibited an increased cytotoxic response to 2-AAF compared to the parental C3H10T1/2CL8 cells. DNA analyses of this subclone showed increased number of copies of the cytochrome P450b and the appearance of unique restriction fragment bands relative to parental and control transfected cells. This subclone also exhibited increased levels of mRNA complementary to the P450b cDNA. Metabolism studies of 2-AAF in this subclone demonstrated an increase in the C-hydroxylated metabolites 1-, 3-, 5/9-, and 7-hydroxy-AAF compared with parental C3H 10T1/2CL8 cells. The results indicate that C3H 10T1/2CL8 cells can be transfected with gene/cDNAs to increase their metabolic competency and that such transfection may enhance the usefulness of the C3H 10T1/2CL8 cells in studies on chemically induced cytotoxicity and morphological transformation.
A report card on outcomes for surgically treated cancers: are we improving?

Abstract Introduction: The overarching goal of the National Cancer Institute is to eliminate death and suffering from all cancers in the next 15 years. Longitudinal analyses of population-based cancer registries allow for meaningful comparisons of epidemiology and survival-related outcomes. In order to assess the quality of US cancer care, this study uses 2 complimentary population-based datasets to report the epidemiology and outcomes of nine surgery-related cancers over the past 3 decades. Methods: Using the SEER cancer database (1973–1999), all patients (>18 y/o) diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of esophagus, stomach, biliary duct, pancreas, small bowel, colon, rectum; esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESC), and hepatocellular (HCC) carcinoma (n = 382,032) were analyzed. Changes in incidence rates, stage at presentation (local, regional, distant), and 5-year cancer and stage-specific survivals were determined. The OSHPD database (1990–2000), which reports California inpatient discharges, was concurrently used to evaluate inpatient mortality after surgical resection for each cancer (n = 34,057). Results: Incidence rates increased for 3 cancers (esophageal, HCC, small bowel); decreased for 3 (rectal, stomach, ESC); and stayed constant for 3 (biliary, pancreatic, colon). More patients presented with local/regional disease in the 1990s (compared to 1970s) for 8 tumors (except small bowel, p
Synthesis of new Group III fluoride–ammonia adducts in supercritical ammonia: structures of AlF3(NH3)2 and InF2(NH2)(NH3)

Abstract The reaction of NH 4 F with AlN and InN in supercritical ammonia at 400°C leads to the formation of two new metal fluoride amine complexes AlF 3 (NH 3 ) 2 ( I ) and InF 2 (NH 2 )(NH 3 ) ( II ). Both compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound I crystallizes in space group Immm , with Z =2 and unit cell dimensions: a =3.7184(8), b =7.001 (1), c =7.307(2) A, V =190.22(7) A 3 . Compound II crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P 2 1 / n , with Z =4 and unit cell dimensions: a =7.723(3), b =5.394(2), c =8.638(2) A, β =95.52(2)°, V =358.2(2) A 3 . Both are completely new structural types and consist of extended arrays of distorted metal octahedra linked by bridging fluorides. In compound I , all octahedra are corner sharing with linear bridging fluorides. The resultant parallel chains are linked together by NH⋯F hydrogen bonding between terminal fluorides and coordinated amines. In II , there is a combination of distorted edge and corner-sharing octahedra with fluorides acting as edge-bridging groups and amides acting as corner-sharing units. The arrays form layers which are held together by hydrogen bonding.
Comparison of Deterministic and Stochastic Predictors in Nonlinear Systems When the Disturbances Are Small

This paper compares the deterministic and stochastic predictors of nonlinear models when the disturbances are small. Large-sample properties of these predictors have been analyzed extensively in the econometric literature. While the deterministic predictors are asymptotically biased, there are some Monte Carlo experiments that suggest the magnitude of this bias is rather insignificant. Here, we offer a possible explanation of the smallness of the deterministic bias. It is shown that when the error terms have small standard deviation, the deterministic predictor turns out to be asymptotically unbiased. The results are based on deriving asymptotic expansions for alternative predictors. The asymptotic expansions carried out here are similar to the large-sample asymptotic expansions; however, the expansions here are in terms of the standard deviation of the disturbance terms. The results are then used to obtain the asymptotic bias and asymptotic mean squared prediction errors of the deterministic and stochastic predictors of a model containing the Box-Cox transformation.
On matroid connectivity

Abstract If M is a loopless matroid in which M / vbX and M / vbY are connected and X ∩ Y is non-empty, then one easily shows that M / vb ( X ∪ Y ) is connected. Likewise, it is straightforward to show that if G and H are n - connected graphs having at least n common vertices, then G ∪ H is n -connected. The purpose of this note is to prove a matroid connectivity result that is a common generalization of these two observations.
Colony-size effects on task organization in the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus

Colony size is a fundamental attribute of insect societies that appears to play an important role in their organization of work. In the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus, division of labor increases with colony size during colony ontogeny and among unmanipulated colonies of the same age. However, the mechanism(s) integrating individual task specialization and colony size is unknown. To test whether the scaling of division of labor is an emergent epiphenomenon, as predicted by self-organizational models of task performance, we manipulated colony size in P. californicus and quantified short-term behavioral responses of individuals and colonies. Variation in colony size failed to elicit a change in division of labor, suggesting that colony-size effects on task specialization are mediated by slower developmental processes and/or correlates of colony size that were missing from our experiment. In contrast, the proportional allocation of workers to tasks shifted with colony size, suggesting that task needs or priorities depend, in part, on colony size alone. Finally, although task allocation was flexible, colony members differed consistently in task performance and spatial tendency across colony size treatments. Sources of interindividual behavioral variability include worker age and genotype (matriline).
Identification of a new nicotinamide binding site in a sirtuin: a reassessment.

Sir2 enzymes, also known as sirtuins, comprise a highly conserved family of NAD+-dependent deacetylases and ADP ribosyltransferases that regulate key biological processes, including transcriptional silencing, chromosome stability, apoptosis, and metabolism (reviewed in Michan and Sinclair, 2007; Sauve et al., 2006). The reaction catalyzed by sirtuins is inhibited by nicotinamide, a reaction product that binds the enzyme and reacts with the O-alkylamidate intermediate to yield NAD+ and the acetylated substrate.
A reevaluation of the evidence for spontaneous trait inferences

Abstract In Experiments 1 and 2 subjects under memory instructions studied a list of trait-implying sentences. Recall of sentences was measured under trait cue and no cue conditions, with the cue variable manipulated within subjects in Experiment 1 and between subjects in Experiment 2. The typical cued recall advantage was found only in Experiment 1 and was attributed to differential output interference rather than the spontaneous encoding of trait inferences. In Experiment 3, the cue variable was manipulated between subjects and the recall period was limited to 1 min. Recall under the cue condition was significantly lower than under the no cue condition. These data suggest that trait inferences are not spontaneously encoded.
Pores and diffusion characteristics of porous gels

Abstract A simple porous gel synthesis method is proposed in this paper. We found that the sequential modification of conventional radical polymerization gives rise to pore formation in acrylamide gels and investigated the parameters that are responsible for controlling the number and the size of pores. Pore formation is dominated by the amount of polymerization initiator (ammonium persulfate), accelerator ( N , N , N ′, N ′-tetramethylethylenediamine) and polymerization temperature. The initiator works as a pore nucleus. The accelerator helps the pore growth. However, temperature control is the easiest and the most effective way to create a number of large pores. Especially if the pregel solution is heated to or above 80°C, the pore formation is effectively promoted resulting in an increase in the number of pores and their size. Increase in the volume fraction of macro pores was found to result in the increase in the diffusion coefficients of the solution flowing through gels.
Feedback Control of Aerodynamic Flows

Every airplane has an associated external flow field that is extraordinarily rich in terms of its flow physics. It is intuitively obvious that the shape and configuration of the airplane influences the external flow physics, and the nature of the flow field influences the aerodynamic performance. An airplane is designed to perform optimally under certain operating conditions. Its aerodynamic performance is, consequently, sub-optimal at neighbouring operating points. In order to acheive close to optimum performance under such conditions, we need to be able to control the behaviour of the external flow field as required. The objective of this paper is to explore means for flow control, and derive the necessary control laws. It should be noted that the external flow is nonlinear, and hence finding a feedback control law is a mathematically hard problem.
The Lowell Leadership Academy: Meeting the Challenges of Urban School Leadership

The Lowell Leadership Academy is a 12-year-old partnership between the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the Lowell Public Schools. The university organizes full-day monthly sessions and a week-long summer institute that provide professional development for Lowell's 60 administrators. In addition to providing collegial support, reducing isolation, and strengthening leadership skills and knowledge, the academy has also influenced policy development and curricular and instructional reform in the district. Since the academy's inception in 1985, it continues to serve as an important forum as the city of Lowell experiences major demographic changes, economic downturns, shifting political contexts, and education reform mandates. This article describes the academy's history and growth, its mission and methodology, and its promise as a resource for urban school districts.
Commercial Use of Conjoint Analysis: A Survey:

Conjoint analysis has been used extensively in marketing research to estimate the impact of selected product (service) characteristics on customer preferences for products (services). In this paper...
Actin turnover is required to prevent axon retraction driven by endogenous actomyosin contractility

Growth cone motility and guidance depend on the dynamic reorganization of filamentous actin (F-actin). In the growth cone, F-actin undergoes turnover, which is the exchange of actin subunits from existing filaments. However, the function of F-actin turnover is not clear. We used jasplakinolide (jasp), a cell-permeable macrocyclic peptide that inhibits F-actin turnover, to study the role of F-actin turnover in axon extension. Treatment with jasp caused axon retraction, demonstrating that axon extension requires F-actin turnover. The retraction of axons in response to the inhibition of F-actin turnover was dependent on myosin activity and regulated by RhoA and myosin light chain kinase. Significantly, the endogenous myosin-based contractility was sufficient to cause axon retraction, because jasp did not alter myosin activity. Based on these observations, we asked whether guidance cues that cause axon retraction (ephrin-A2) inhibit F-actin turnover. Axon retraction in response to ephrin-A2 correlated with decreased F-actin turnover and required RhoA activity. These observations demonstrate that axon extension depends on an interaction between endogenous myosin-driven contractility and F-actin turnover, and that guidance cues that cause axon retraction inhibit F-actin turnover.
Characterization of seizures in the flathead rat: a new genetic model of epilepsy in early postnatal development.

Summary: Purpose: Disorders in normal central nervous system (CNS) development are often associated with epilepsy. This report characterizes seizures in a novel genetic model of developmental epilepsy, the Flathead (FH) rat. Methods: Animals (n = 76) ages P0–22 were monitored for clinical and electrographic seizure activity. The effects of various AEDs on seizure frequency and duration also were assessed: phenobarbital (PB; 40 mg/kg), valproate (VPA; 400 mg/kg), or ethosuximide (ESM; 600 mg/kg). Results: FHs display episodes of behavior characterized by whole-body tremor, strub tail, alternating forelimb clonus, and complete tonus. EEG recordings from neocortex reveal that FH seizures are bilateral and begin around P7. Seizures occur at a frequency of approximately six per hour from P7 to P18 and the average duration of seizures increases through development. PB, VPA, and ESM failed to prevent seizures; however, PB significantly increased the interval of seizures but had no effects on the duration of seizures, whereas VPA decreased the duration of seizures and not the interval. Conclusions: Seizures in FH rats occur at a constant and high frequency through a defined period in early postnatal development, and these seizures are not completely blocked by high doses of PB, VPA, or ESM. Because FH is a single-locus mutant displaying a highly regular pattern of seizure activity, it is an ideal model for examining the process of epileptogenesis in the developing brain, evaluating new AED therapies, and determining the identity of a gene essential to the normal development of cortical excitability.
The Microeconomic Theory of the Rebound Effect and Its Welfare Implications

AbstractEconomists have long noted that improving energy efficiency could lead to a rebound effect, reducing or possibly even eliminating the energy savings from the efficiency improvement. This paper develops a generalized model to highlight features of the theory of the microeconomic rebound effect that are particularly relevant to empirical economists. We demonstrate when common elasticity identities used for empirical estimation are biased and how gross complement and substitute relationships govern this bias. Furthermore, we formally derive the welfare implications of the rebound effect to provide clarity for ongoing policy debates about the rebound.
Adrenal medullary grafts suppress c-fos induction in spinal neurons of arthritic rats

Expression of immediate-early genes such as c-fos is thought to reflect patterns of neuronal activity in the central nervous system. Prolonged increases in Fos-protein-like-immunoreactivity (FOS-LI) are seen in the dorsal horn of adjuvant arthritic rats, and parallel increased pain behavior. Grafts of adrenal medullary, but not control tissue, into the spinal subarachnoid space reduce pain behavior and suppress the induction of spinal Fos-LI in arthritic rats. This reduction is particularly marked in superficial laminae (I-II), but is also significant in deeper laminae (III-IV and V-VI). The results of this study suggest that adrenal medullary transplants reduce spinal cord hyperactivation consequent to painful peripheral inflammation.
Automation of a residual gas analyzer on a time-shared computer

The automation of a quadrupole mass spectrometer - residual gas analyzer (RGA) on a time-shared IBM 1800 Data Acquisition and Control Computer is described. The RGA, which is used to determine the partial pressures of various gases in a vacuum system, may be operated up to a maximum data rate of about 20,000 points/sec (pps) in an interleaved manner with multiple slow-scanning (5≤20 pps) instruments. We review in detail the hardware and software considerations regarding the design and subsequent interfacing of the instrument to the computer. Methods for initiating data collection, entering experimental parameters, and analyzing the experimental data, such as spectrum plotting, smoothing, peak location, mass identification, and calculation of the partial pressures by using a least-squares approximation to fit mass peaks, are discussed with examples.
Theoretical and experimental analysis of the toughening behavior of whisker reinforcement in ceramic matrix composites

A brief summary of recent analytical solutions which accurately describe the experimentally observed toughening behavior in a variety of whisker reinforced ceramics is presented. These results are found to provide important insights into the whisker, matrix, and interface properties required to obtain further increases in toughness by whisker reinforcement of ceramics.