cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating glutathione synthesis with deuterated water: a model for peptide biosynthesis.

Abstract Glutathione (GSH), an intracellular tripeptide that combats oxidative stress, must be continually replaced due to loss through conjugation and destruction. Previous methods, estimating the synthesis of GSH in vivo, used constant infusions of labeled amino acid precursors. We developed a new method based on incorporation of 2H from orally supplied 2H2O into stable C–H bonds on the tripeptide. The incorporation of 2H2O into GSH was studied in rabbits over a 2-week period. The method estimated N, the maximum number of C–H bonds in GSH that equilibrate with 2H2O as amino acids. GSH was analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry after derivatization to yield GSH-N-ethylmaleimide (GSNEM). A model, which simulated the expected abundance at each mass isotopomer for the GSNEM ion at various values for N, was used to find the best fit to the data. The plateau labeling fit best a model with N = 6 of a possible 10 C–H bonds. Thus, the amino acid precursors do not completely equilibrate with 2H2O prior to GSH synthesis. Advantages of this new method include replacing costly amino acid infusions with the oral administration of 2H2O and a statistical basis for estimating N.
A Study of Particle Charging for Electric Field Enhanced Deposition

A theoretical study of charge accumulation on small particles was performed with application to the problem of electric field enhanced deposition (EFED) in flame synthesized materials manufacturing. Silica is synthesized in a flame by hydrolysis or direct oxidation of silicon tetrachloride. A silica particle exposed to flame ions in an external electric field acquires charge due to the thermal motion of ions and the motion induced on the ions by the applied electric field. Charging may also occur in a high temperature environment due to the thermionic electronic emission. Particle charging by combined field and diffusion charging in the continuum regime was reviewed, then thermionic electronic emission was incorporated into the theory. Numerical calculations were carried out for 0.2 μm particles at various flame temperatures and electric fields and assuming that hydronium ions (H3O+) are the only flame ion species contributing to particle charging. When the applied electric field is less than 4–5 (kV/cm) ...
Pharmacokinetics of sufentanil in patients undergoing renal transplantation

Renal failure and chronic haemodialysis are often associated with alterations in fluid status and plasma proteins. These changes, in turn, may result in pharmacokinetic alterations in affected patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of sufentanil in chronic renal failure patients undergoing kidney transplantation. Ten male patients were studied. Following induction of anaesthesia each patient received sufentanil 2.0 micrograms.kg-1 IV with subsequent serial plasma sampling for drug measurement from one to 360 minutes. A biexponential equation provided the best fit of the sufentanil concentration data with mean +/- SEM distribution (alpha) and elimination (beta) half-lives of 2.9 +/- 1.3 and 176 +/- 87 minutes, respectively. The mean Vc and Vd beta values were 0.15 +/- 0.05 L.kg-1 and 0.85 +/- 0.16 L.kg-1, respectively; plasma drug clearance was 11.5 +/- 3.7 ml.kg-1.min-1. Mean values for K10, K12 and K21 were 0.15 +/- 0.06.min-1, 0.4 +/- 0.14.min-1 and 0.1 +/- 0.04.min-1, respectively. With the exception of Vd beta, these pharmacokinetic values are similar to those reported in previous studies in general surgical, elderly and burn patients. The Vd beta values observed in this study may have resulted from alterations in drug distribution or elimination following revascularization of the implanted kidneys. Nevertheless, it appears that modification of sufentanil doses is unnecessary in chronic renal failure patients undergoing renal transplantation.
Policy Perspectives of Major Nursing Organizations, Part II

Understanding the roles of interest groups is an important element of examining policy change. There are a number of interest groups that affect the policy environment for nursing and that shape the profession’s impact on health policy. This article, the second of a two-part series, presents interviews with executive directors and chief executive officers of major nursing organizations about their organizations’ policy priorities and policy-related activities. Included in this article are the American Organization of Nurse Executives, the National League for Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, and the National Black Nurses Association.
Temperature and the Seismic/Aseismic Transition: Observations from the 1992 Landers Earthquake

An important constraint on the size and destructive potential of earthquakes is the depth extent of rupture. Laboratory studies of the transition from unstable to stable sliding, along with observed relationships between surface heat flow and the thickness of the seismogenic crust, provide strong evidence for the significance of temperature in determining the maximum nucleation depth of large earthquakes. The June 28, 1992, Mw 7.3 Landers earthquake ruptured fault segments within 20 km of 11 pre-existing heat flow measurements, and shallowing of the base of aftershock seismicity along strike correlates with an increase in heat flow. Crustal geotherms estimated from these measurements place the base of seismicity along the 250°C isotherm. This temperature is consistent with predictions from laboratory studies of the frictional stability of Westerly granite, but estimated temperatures for the seismic-aseismic transition along other faults within the San Andreas fault system are in the range of 350 to 400°C. Variations in country rock and fault gouge composition, together with higher slip rates, may account for this difference, although part of the Landers seismogenic crust might remain unruptured.
Disruption analysis of metallothionein-encoding genes in Candida glabrata.

Abstract Candida glabrata harbors multiple genes encoding metallothionein (MT). We have disrupted MT - II a , an amplified locus, and MT - II b , a single-copy gene, to determine the roles of various MT genes in CuSO 4 resistance in C. glabrata . The concentration of CuSO 4 required to inhibit the growth by 50% (IC 50 ) of a C. glabrata strain harboring an amplified MT - II a locus and a single-copy MT - II b and MT - I genes was 7 mM in a synthetic complete medium. The IC 50 decreased to approx. 1 mM when the amplified MT - II a locus was deleted. The disruption of the MT - II b gene decreased the IC 50 further to 0.1 mM. The CuSO 4 resistance in a strain lacking both of the MT - II genes was attributable to MT - I ; no evidence was found for the production of (γEC) n G isopeptides. The comparison of the nucleotide sequence of MT - II b to that of MT - II a revealed the same coding sequence with differences in the 5′ region. However, substantial differences were found in the 3′ region. MT - II b was expressed since we were able to purify the protein from the strain that had an intact MT - II b gene, but a deleted MT - II a gene. In addition, CuSO 4 resistance was provided by MT - II b . Northern analysis of the total RNA from varied C. glabrata strains indicated no significant changes in the expression of MT - I in the presence or absence of the MT - II genes.
Acoustic emission monitoring and fatigue prediction of steel bridge components

Acoustic emission (AE) has been recognized for its unique capabilities as an NDT method. However, there is untapped potential for the practical application of AE to structural health monitoring and prognosis. As part of the development of a wireless sensor network for structural bridge health monitoring, this study aims to provide a framework for the estimation of fatigue damage and remaining life of steel bridge components through AE monitoring. Fourteen compact tension (CT) specimens and nine cruciform fillet welded joints were used in AE monitored fatigue tests to investigate the correlation of AE features with crack growth in base materials and weldments. The material (structural steel A572 Grade 50) and the welding procedures are representative of those used in actual bridge construction. Based on the balance between AE signal energy and the energy release due to crack growth, deterministic models are presented to predict crack extension and remaining fatigue life for stable and unstable crack stages. The effect of weld length and fatigue load ratio on the AE activity is evaluated. The presence of noise is inevitable in the application of AE monitoring. The efficiency of data filtering and reduction algorithms is key to minimize the power and data storage demand of the wireless sensing system. AE data filtering protocols based on load pattern, source location, waveform feature analysis, and pattern recognition are proposed to minimize noise-induced AE and false indications due to wave reflections.
On the limit case of endochronic theory

Abstract An endochronic model is described and shown to lead to elastic as well as plastic behavior in the limit case of k = 1, in contrast to Fazio's claim that the limit case cannot lead to plasticity. The slope of the stress-strain curve is represented by a function F ( X ) whose functional form is numerically investigated. The study includes straining, unstraining and cyclic straining. The equations of the general form of this model have also been derived.
Error-free computation with finite number systems

Since an automatic digital computer is a finite machine, it is capable of representing, internally, only a finite set of numbers. Thus, any attempt to use an automatic digital computer to do arithmetic in the field of real numbers (R, +, ·) is doomed to failure because R is an infinite set and most of the elements in R cannot be represented.
Epigenetic Therapy Leaps Ahead with Specific Targeting of EZH2

The Polycomb epigenetic silencing protein EZH2 is affected by gain-of-function somatic mutations in B cell lymphomas. Two recent reports describe the development of highly selective EZH2 inhibitors and reveal mutant EZH2 as playing an essential role in maintaining lymphoma proliferation. EZH2 inhibitors are thus a promising new targeted therapy for lymphoma.
Global assimilation of satellite surface soil moisture retrievals into the NASA Catchment land surface model

[1] Global retrievals of surface soil moisture from the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer for the period 1979–87 are assimilated into the NASA Catchment land surface model as it is driven with surface meteorological data derived from observations. Validation against ground-based measurements in Eurasia and North America from the Global Soil Moisture Data Bank demonstrates a long assumed (but rarely proven) property of soil moisture fields derived from data assimilation – that the assimilation product is superior to either satellite data or model data alone. An analysis of the innovations reveals that the filter is only partially operating within its underlying assumptions and offers clues how spatially distributed model error parameters could further enhance filter performance.
A reply to critics of Creation Ethics

With heartfelt thanks to the journal and my critics in this forum, I turn to the nearly impossible task of replying—however incompletely—to four commentaries within 1000 words. Regarding the non-identity problem in the context of reproductive choices, Leslie Francis asserts that “for disability rights advocates, [DeGrazia's analysis] is profoundly disturbing.1 It assumes that the world is a better place if it lacks an individual with a significant disability and instead contains a different individual [who lacks this disability but is otherwise similar],” although both have full moral status and, presumably, lives worth living. In my view, the procreative decisions in question—explaining the apparent wrongness of which constitutes the non-identity problem in this context—are morally comparable with cases in which parents knowingly or negligently allow an already-existing child to acquire a significant disability (eg, blindness, paraplegia) that she did not already have, which is surely wrong. Without a compelling argument against the claim of comparability between the two types of choices, my critic seems much less well positioned than I am to make evaluative sense of these cases. I stand by my position. A significant disability does not necessarily make an individual's life go worse than it otherwise would, especially where social structures and accommodations are appropriately arranged. But to …
The rapid onset of elasticity during the assembly of the bacterial cell-division protein FtsZ ☆

Abstract FtsZ, a prokaryotic homolog of eukaryotic tubulin, is a major constituent of the bacterial Z-ring, which contracts the cell wall during cell division. Because the mechanical properties of FtsZ are unknown, its function in the maintenance and constriction of the Z-ring is not well understood. Here, quantitative rheometry shows that, at physiological concentrations, FtsZ filaments form, extremely rapidly, highly elastic networks within physiological time scales (∼ minutes), much faster than other major dynamic cytoskeletal filaments, including microtubule, actin, and vimentin in eukaryotes. FtsZ networks display a relatively low viscosity and a high resilience against shear stresses, as well as an elasticity that depends weakly on concentration, G ∼ C0.57, a power-law dependence consistent with crosslinked flexible filaments. Calcium, whose intracellular concentration increases during bacterial division, further enhances the elasticity of FtsZ networks through filament bundling, an effect that occurs in the presence of GTP, not GDP. These studies suggest that FtsZ filaments have the toughness to provide strong mechanical support for the maintenance and circumferential constriction of the bacterial Z-ring.
UNIQUE SINGLE MOLECULE BINDING OF CARDIAC MYOSIN BINDING PROTEIN-C TO ACTIN AND PHOSPHORYLATION-DEPENDENT INHIBITION OF ACTOMYOSIN MOTILITY REQUIRES 17 AMINO ACIDS OF THE MOTIF DOMAIN

Abstract Cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) has 11 immunoglobulin or fibronectin-like domains, C0 through C10, which bind sarcomeric proteins, including titin, myosin and actin. Using bacterial expressed mouse N-terminal fragments (C0 through C3) in an in vitro motility assay of myosin-generated actin movement and the laser trap assay to assess single molecule actin-binding capacity, we determined that the first N-terminal 17 amino acids of the cMyBP-C motif (the linker between C1 and C2) contain a strong, stereospecific actin-binding site that depends on positive charge due to a cluster of arginines. Phosphorylation of 4 serines within the motif decreases the fragments' actin-binding capacity and actomyosin inhibition. Using the laser trap assay, we observed individual cMyBP-C fragments transiently binding to a single actin filament with both short (~ 20 ms) and long (~ 300 ms) attached lifetimes, similar to that of a known actin-binding protein, α-actinin. These experiments suggest that cMyBP-C N-terminal domains containing the cMyBP-C motif tether actin filaments and provide one mechanism by which cMyBP-C modulates actomyosin motion generation, i.e. by imposing an effective viscous load within the sarcomere.
A Head Start Reevaluation Positive Effects Are Not Yet Demonstrable

The Head Start data analyzed by Magidson (1977) were reanalyzed using Joreskog's (1976) LISREL methodology. Plausible statistical models were developed jor the data. The hypothesis that the Head Start program produced zero effects on the cognitive abilities of its participants was evaluated by several X 2 tests. In all cases, the null hypothe sis could not be rejected.
DOGMATISM AND DEFENSE MECHANISMS

Among the personality characteristics which Rokeach hypothesized to be associated with dogmatism were repressing and denying defense mechanisms. To test this hypothesis two independent studies (Ns ...
Quark annihilation amplitude in the bag theory

Abstract The MIT bag theory is used to calculate the quarl anti-quark annihilation amplitude for the ϱ−γ transition and produces mϱ2/∫ϱ = 0.13 compared to the experimental result of 0.11.
Different NH4+-inhibition patterns of soil CH4 consumption : A result of distinct CH4-oxidizer populations across sites?

Abstract The short- and long-term effects of NH 4 + -fertilization on soil CH 4 oxidation were examined in two upland taiga forests in interior Alaska. Both sites were fertilized for five consecutive snow-free seasons. A paper birch ( Betula papyrifera ) stand exhibited a delayed inhibition response that became severe (60–70%) by the third season. CH 4 flux was not affected in a white spruce ( Picea glauca ) stand. In laboratory incubations, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 additions had no effect on extant CH 4 oxidation rates in either soil, indicating that neither direct enzymatic inhibition nor acute toxicity were responsible for inhibition in the field. In both sites, maximal CH 4 oxidation rates occurred within the upper 20 cm of the mineral soil profile. After the deeper birch soil (20–40 cm) was exposed to ambient atmospheric CH 4 (1.8 μl l −1 ) for 10 d; however, oxidation increased to rates similar to shallower soils, suggesting that methanotrophs in this soil experienced a physiological upshift in response to enhanced CH 4 supply. When (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 was added, however, methanotrophic activity did not increase. A similar upshift did not occur in the spruce soil. The CH 4 oxidizers in the two soils differed with respect to NH 4 + -sensitivity, salt-sensitivity, response to atmospheric CH 4 and maximum CH 4 oxidation capacities. Thus, the two different responses of CH 4 consumption in the field to NH 4 + -fertilization may have resulted from physiologically distinct CH 4 oxidizer communities in the two study sites.
Organizing domain-specific information on the Web: An experiment on the Spanish business Web directory

Web directories organize voluminous information into hierarchical structures, helping users to quickly locate relevant information and to support decision-making. The development of existing ontologies and Web directories either relies on expert participation that may not be available or uses automatic approaches that lack precision. As more users access the Web in their native languages, better approaches to organizing and developing non-English Web directories are needed. In this paper, we have proposed a semi-automatic framework, which consists of anchor directory boosting, meta-searching, and heuristic filtering, to construct domain-specific Web directories. Using the framework, we have built a Web directory in the Spanish business (SBiz) domain. Experimental results show that the SBiz Web directory achieved significantly better recall, F-value, efficiency, and satisfaction rating than the benchmark directory. Subjects provided favorable comments on the SBiz Web directory. This research thus contributes to developing a useful framework for organizing domain-specific information on the Web and to providing empirical findings and useful insights for end-users, system developers, and researchers of Web information seeking and knowledge management.
Graphical analysis of evolutionary trade-off in sylvatic Trypanosoma cruzi transmission modes

Abstract The notion of evolutionary trade-off (one attribute increasing at the expense of another) is central to the evolution of traits, well-studied especially in life-history theory, where a framework first developed by Levins illustrates how internal (genetics) and external (fitness landscapes) forces interact to shape an organism׳s ongoing adaptation. This manuscript extends this framework to the context of vector-borne pathogens, with the example of Trypanosoma cruzi (the etiological agent of Chagas׳ disease) adapting via trade-off among three different infection routes to hosts—stercorarian, vertical, and oral—in response to an epidemiological landscape that involves both hosts and vectors (where, in particular, parasite evolution depends not on parasite density but on relative host and vector densities). Using a fitness measure derived from an invasion reproductive number, this study analyzes several different trade-off scenarios in cycles involving raccoons or woodrats, including a proper three-way trade-off (two independent parameters). Results indicate that selection favors oral transmission to raccoons but classical stercorarian transmission to woodrats even under the same predation rate, with vertical (congenital) transmission favored only when aligned with dominant oral transmission or (at trace levels) under a weak (convex) trade-off.
Petroleum contamination and biochemical alterations in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) from bays impacted by the Amoco Cadiz crude oil spill

Abstract Following the Amoco Cadiz crude oil spill in March 1978, marine animals in coastal and estuarine environments along the north shore of Brittany, France became heavily contaminated with crude oil. The resident benthic fauna in the oil-impacted area which survived the spill were severely stressed by the pollution. The objectives of our investigation were to document long-term trends in petroleum hydrocarbon contamination and sublethal stress in oysters and plaice from the estuaries, Aber Benoit and Aber Wrac'h. Oysters in the estuaries accumulated aliphatic and aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons to high levels and remained heavily contaminated for the duration of the 27 month investigation. Plaice, on the other hand, retained only low concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in muscle and liver tissue. Nevertheless, the oysters exhibited very few histopathologic and biochemical responses to the oil, whereas the plaice from the estuaries exhibited a variety of sublethal histopathologic and biochemical alterations.
Solid-State displacement reactions between selected metals and sulfides

Displacement reactions between sulfides and metals in the solid state are studied and compared with the resultant morphologies previously observed in oxide-metal displacement reactions. Sufficient thermodynamic and diffusion data were available only for the theoretical prediction of product morphology for the Fe-Ni3S2 reaction couple. Experiments substantiated the theoretical prediction of an aggregate morphology for this couple at 600°C. The growth of the product zone for the Fe-Ni3S2 reaction couple obeyed parabolic kinetics. The experimentally observed morphologies for Co-Ni3S2, Fe-Co4S3, Mn-Crs, Nb-Cu.2S, Cr-Cu2S, Cr-Ni3S2, and Mn-Cu2S reaction couples are also reported and rationalized.
Evaluating early and delayed cardioprotection by plasma exosomes in simulated ischaemia–reperfusion injury

Reductions in cardiac infarct size can be achieved in ischaemic preconditioning, a procedure which subjects the heart to intermittent, non-lethal cycles of ischaemia and reperfusion. Similar cardioprotection can be induced upon preconditioning distal tissues such as the upper limb, and this procedure is called remote ischaemic preconditioning. Nano-sized, cell-derived vesicles known as exosomes have been shown previously to be capable of inducing cardioprotection when administered acutely, and we hypothesized that exosomes produced after remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) enhances the observed cardioprotection. We also investigated whether exosomes can confer cardioprotection 24 h later. We isolated exosomes from the plasma of three healthy male volunteers before and after they underwent four cycles of 5 min upper limb ischaemia and 5 min reperfusion, and then administered the exosomes to primary rat ventricular cardiomyocytes isolated from male Sprague Dawley rats. Cardiomyocytes were subjected to 2.5 h of simulated ischaemia and 1 h simulated reperfusion. We assessed cardiomyocyte viability with propidium iodide staining and observed significant reductions in cardiomyocyte death when control exosomes were administered either 30 min or 24 h before hypoxia. Exosomes obtained after RIPC induced a similar degree of cardioprotection at both time points. As miRNA-144/451 have been proposed to mediate RIPC, we investigated whether introducing antagomiRs of miRNA-144/451 with the exosomes would attenuate cardioprotection after 24 h. No significant differences in cardioprotection were observed, suggesting that miRNA-144/451 may not be directly involved in this model. Our findings suggest that regardless of their origin from control or RIPC hearts, exosomes per se can be used to induce cardioprotection either acutely or after 24 h.
Research misconduct and data fraud in clinical trials: prevalence and causal factors

The disclosure of cases of research misconduct in clinical trials, conventionally defined as fabrication, falsification or plagiarism, has been a disturbingly common phenomenon in recent years. Such cases can potentially harm patients enrolled on the trials in question or patients treated based on the results of those trials and can seriously undermine the scientific and public trust in the validity of clinical trial results. Here, I review what is known about the prevalence of research misconduct in general and the contributing or causal factors leading to the misconduct. The evidence on prevalence is unreliable and fraught with definitional problems and with study design issues. Nevertheless, the evidence taken as a whole seems to suggest that cases of the most serious types of misconduct, fabrication and falsification (i.e., data fraud), are relatively rare but that other types of questionable research practices are quite common. There have been many individual, institutional and scientific factors proposed for misconduct but, as is the case with estimates of prevalence, reliable empirical evidence on the strength and relative importance of these factors is lacking. However, it seems clear that the view of misconduct as being simply the result of aberrant or self-delusional personalities likely underestimates the effect of other important factors and inhibits the development of effective prevention strategies.
Toward standard parameterizations in marine biological modeling

Biological modeling is an important investigation tool in oceanography, which can provide an insight into biological dynamics, integrate multi-disciplinary processes and predict ecological events. However, the lack of a common set of parameterizations of fundamental biological processes hinders progresses in simulation skill, reliability and predictability. There exist 13 functions for light forcing on phytoplankton growth, 5 for nutrient limitation, 6 for ammonium inhibition on nitrate uptake, 10 for temperature forcing on biological rates, 20 for zooplankton feeding on a single type of prey, 15 for feeding on multiple types of prey, 8 for mortality and 6 for respiration. All of these functions are actually in use in modeling applications. This paper presents an overview of the existing functions. Based on their functionality, flexibility and reliability, a subset of functions has been selected as an a priori set of parameterizations. I suggest to use these selected parameterizations when they can fit well the data. By doing this, we can reduce the number of biological parameters that need to be estimated and provide a better opportunity for intercomparison.
Indirect effects of introduced trout on Cascades frogs (Rana cascadae) via shared aquatic prey

Summary 1. The introduction of trout to montane lakes has negatively affected amphibian populations across the western United States. In northern California’s Klamath–Siskiyou Mountains, introduced trout have diminished the distribution and abundance of a native ranid frog, Rana (=Lithobates) cascadae. This is primarily thought to be the result of predation on frog larvae. However, if trout feed on larval aquatic insects that are available to R. cascadae only after emergence, then resource competition may also affect this declining native amphibian. 2. Stomach contents of R. cascadae were compared between lakes that contained trout and those from which introduced trout were removed. Total prey mass in stomach contents relative to frog body mass was not significantly different between lakes with fish and fish-removal lakes, but in the former R. cascadae consumed a smaller proportion of adult aquatic insects. The stomach contents of fish included larvae of aquatic insects that are, as adults, eaten by R. cascadae. 3. Rana cascadae consumed fewer caddisflies (Trichoptera) and more grasshoppers (Orthoptera) at lakes with higher densities of fish. At lakes with greater aquatic habitat complexity, R. cascadae consumed more water striders (Hemiptera: Gerridae) and terrestrial spiders (Araneae). 4. We suggest that reductions in the availability of emerging aquatic insects cause R. cascadae to consume more terrestrial prey where trout are present. Thus, introduced trout may influence native amphibians directly through predation and, indirectly, through pre-emptive resource competition.
β-Carotene and β-Apo-14′-Carotenoic Acid Prevent the Reduction of Retinoic Acid Receptor β in Benzo[a]pyrene-Treated Normal Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Low-dose beta-carotene (BC) supplementation, such as would be provided by daily consumption of approximately 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables, has no apparent detrimental effects, but rather appears to have a protective effect against cigarette smoke-induced lung lesions in ferrets. In the present study, we investigated the effects of BC, beta-apo-14'-carotenoic acid (14'CA), or benzo[a]pyrene (BP; a primary lung carcinogen from cigarette smoke) treatments, either alone or in combination, on cell growth and expression of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) of normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. We found that both BC and 14'CA inhibited the growth of NHBE cells (P < 0.05) with or without BP. The level of RARbeta, a tumor suppressor, but not RARalpha or RARgamma, was reduced by 50% in the NHBE cells treated with BP. However, treatment with either BC or 14'CA significantly induced the expression of RARbeta in the NHBE cells, and prevented the reduction of RARbeta by BP. Furthermore, 14'CA transactivated the RARbeta promoter primarily via its conversion to retinoic acid (RA). In the presence of 3-mercaptopropionic acid, an inhibitor of fatty acid oxidation, both RA formation and transactivation activity from 14'CA were decreased. These observations indicate that the growth inhibitory effects of BC and beta-apo-carotenoic acid are through their conversion to RA and upregulation of RARbeta.
“Shhhh! Alex Has Something To Say”: AAC-SGD Use in the Classroom Setting

Abstract The present qualitative study was designed to examine augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices, particularly surrounding speech-generating devices (SGDs), in the classroo...
Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting in diabetic patients.

Clinical outcomes in diabetic patients following coronary revascularization procedures with bypass surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are worse than in nondiabetics. Current evidence suggests that CABG is preferable to PCI for revascularization in patients who have diabetes and multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Most trials have not used contemporary adjunctive therapies, such as GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors and prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy. It is conceivable that implementation of these evidence-based therapies may improve clinical outcomes significantly in diabetic patients who undergo PCI. In the future, emerging technologies, such as drug-eluting stents and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products, may further improve outcomes after PCI and make it the preferred revascularization modality in diabetics.
Flow competence: A criticism of a classic concept

The largest grains found in samples of transported sediment are commonly used to estimate flow competence. With samples from a range of flows, a relationship between the flow and the largest mobile grain can be derived and used to estimate the critical shear stress for incipient motion of the different grain sizes in the bed sediment or, inversely, to estimate the magnitude of the flow from the largest grain found in a transport sample. Because these estimates are based on an extreme value of the transport grain-size distribution, however, they are subject to large errors and are sensitive to the effect of sample size, which tends to vary widely in sediment transport samples from natural flows. Furthermore, estimates of the critical shear stress based on the largest sampled moving grain cannot be scaled in a manner that permits reasonable comparison between fractions. The degree to which sample size and scaling problems make largest-grain estimates of fractional critical shear stress deviate from a true relationship cannot be predicted exactly, although the direction of such a deviation can be demonstrated. The large errors and unknown bias suggest that the largest sampled mobile grain is not a reliable predictor of either critical shear stress or flow magnitude. It is possible to define a single flow competence for the entire mixture, based on a central value of the transport grain-size distribution. Such a measure is relatively stable, does not require between-fraction scaling, and appears to be well supported by observation.
SMALL MAMMALS AND FOREST FUEL REDUCTION: NATIONAL-SCALE RESPONSES TO FIRE AND FIRE SURROGATES

Forest fuel reduction treatments are increasingly used by managers to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire and to manage changes in the ecological function of forests. However, comparative ecological effects of the various types of treatments are poorly understood. We examined short-term patterns in small-mammal responses to mechanical thinning, prescribed-fire, and mechanical thinning/prescribed-fire combination treatments at eight different study areas across the United States as a part of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) Project. Research questions included: (1) do treatments differ in their effect on small mammal densities and biomass? and (2) are effects of treatments consistent across study areas? We modeled taxa-specific densities and total small-mammal biomass as functions of treatment types and study area effects and ranked models based on an information-theoretic model selection criterion. Small-mammal taxa examined, including deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), yellow-pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus), and golden-mantled ground squirrels (Spermophilus lateralis), as well as all Peromyscus and Tamias species, had top-ranked models with responses varying both by treatment type and study area. In each of these cases, the top-ranked model carried between 69% and 99% of the total weight in the model set, indicating strong support for the top-ranked models. However, the top-ranked model of total small-mammal biomass was a model with biomass varying only with treatment (i.e., treated vs. untreated), not by treatment type or study area; again, this model had strong support, with 75% of the total model weight. Individual species and taxa appear to have variable responses to fuel reduction treatment types in different areas; however, total small-mammal biomass appears generally to increase after any type of fuel reduction. These results suggest that there is substantial variability in taxa-specific responses to treatments and indicate that adaptive management policies may be necessary when applying fuel reduction treatments in areas where management of small-mammal populations is of interest. Adaptive management can be used by managers who are conducting fuel reduction treatments to reduce uncertainty as to which treatments are locally optimal for meeting objectives for the management of small-mammal populations.
A RESULT ON HERMITIAN OPERATORS

Let X be a complex Banach space. For any bounded linear operator T on X , the ( spatial ) numerical range of T is denned as the set If V ( T ) ⊆ R , then T is called hermitian . Vidav and Palmer (see Theorem 6 of [ 3 , p. 78] proved that if the set { H + iK : H and K are hermitian} contains all operators, then X is a Hilbert space. It is natural to ask the following question.
A Reality Check for Data Snooping

Data snooping occurs when a given set of data is used more than once for purposes of inference or model selection. When such data reuse occurs, there is always the possibility that any satisfactory results obtained may simply be due to chance rather than to any merit inherent in the method yielding the results. This problem is practically unavoidable in the analysis of time-series data, as typically only a single history measuring a given phenomenon of interest is available for analysis. It is widely acknowledged by empirical researchers that data snooping is a dangerous practice to be avoided, but in fact it is endemic. The main problem has been a lack of sufficiently simple practical methods capable of assessing the potential dangers of data snooping in a given situation. Our purpose here is to provide such methods by specifying a straightforward procedure for testing the null hypothesis that the best model encountered in a specification search has no predictive superiority over a given benchmark model. This permits data snooping to be undertaken with some degree of confidence that one will not mistake results that could have been generated by chance for genuinely good results.
Do Surveys Provide Representative or Whimsical Assessments of the Economy

We argue that survey responses to economic evaluation questions exhibit instability and can be affected by fairly trivial changes in questionnaire wording. Our analyses make three empirical contributions to this area of survey research. First, we demonstrate that within the course of the interview there is considerable instability in economic evaluations. Second, one source of this instability is cues regarding economic performance, such as those provided by the media. We find that respondents can be persuaded to change their economic evaluations if they receive contradictory cues. Finally, we demonstrate that question placement can affect economic evaluations. More specifically, we demonstrate that proximity to political questions can contaminate economic evaluations. If economic evaluations closely follow political preference questions, respondents have a tendency to give economic responses that are “consistent” with their political responses. Our empirical analysis is based on economic evaluations of respondents to the Hungarian Markets and Democracy Survey administered during December 1997.
Global error-tolerant algorithms for location discovery in ad-hoc wireless Netoworks

We address location discovery problem in ad-hoc wireless Networks. Location discovery is a task with fundamental role in multi-hop wireless networks since many other middleware tasks, such as coverage, tracking and routing, as well as many applications need accurate location of nodes. We have developed simple, yet accurate mathematical abstraction of the problem. We have also developed an atomic tri-lateration procedure for calculating the position of a node in presence of measurements errors. We have statistically analyzed the procedure with respect to a number of parameters, such as error distribution and relative positions of the nodes and used that information for improving effectiveness of the location discovery procedure. Furthermore, we have developed randomized iterative improvement algorithm for fast location discovery in wireless ad-hoc networks. We experimentally verified the exceptional effectiveness of the procedure in presence of errors for both cetralized and localized version of the algorithm.
Shadow-Driven 4D Haptic Visualization

Just as we can work with two-dimensional floor plans to communicate 3D architectural design, we can exploit reduced- dimension shadows to manipulate the higher-dimensional objects generating the shadows. In particular, by taking advantage of physically reactive 3D shadow-space controllers, we can transform the task of interacting with 4D objects to a new level of physical reality. We begin with a teaching tool that uses 2D knot diagrams to manipulate the geometry of 3D mathematical knots via their projections; our unique 2D haptic interface allows the user to become familiar with sketching, editing, exploration, and manipulation of 3D knots rendered as projected images on a 2D shadow space. By combining graphics and collision-sensing haptics, we can enhance the 2D shadow-driven editing protocol to successfully leverage 2D pen-and-paper or blackboard skills. Building on the reduced-dimension 2D editing tool for manipulating 3D shapes, we develop the natural analogy to produce a reduced-dimension 3D tool for manipulating 4D shapes. By physically modeling the correct properties of 4D surfaces, their bending forces, and their collisions in the 3D haptic controller interface, we can support full-featured physical exploration of 4D mathematical objects in a manner that is otherwise far beyond the experience accessible to human beings. As far as we are aware, this paper reports the first interactive system with force-feedback that provides "4D haptic visualization" permitting the user to model and interact with 4D cloth-like objects.
The Link Between Past and Present Intimate Relationships

This research addresses how past relationships influence the evaluative and interactive dimensions of current relationships. Data from the National Survey of Families and Households are used to examine cohabiting and married relationships. The results show that after controlling for other factors, prior cohabiting relationships negatively influence current married and cohabiting relationships. For marriage, it is cohabitation with someone other than one's current spouse that produces this negative effect. It is suggested that either those who cohabit with someone other than their intended spouse are predisposed to problems in relationships (and they carry these problems into subsequent relationships), or people who have broken off relationships carry the negative effects of failed relationships into later relationships.
Does Individual Development Account Participation Help the Poor? A Review.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review the current empirical research regarding the financial effects of participation in Individual Development Account (IDA) programs. Methods: Peer-reviewed outcome studies identified through electronic bibliographic databases and manual searches of article reference lists are reviewed. A total of 1 randomized controlled trial, 1 quasi-experimental study involving a comparison group, and 13 preexperimental 1-group pretest—posttest studies, were found. Results: Findings suggest IDA participants are capable of saving; however, total amount of savings is limited and may simply represent a reallocation of assets. Additionally, there is little evidence that the poor are enabled to achieve one of the three primary purposes of IDA programs (e.g., home ownership, postsecondary education, and microenterprise). Conclusion: It is premature to conclude that IDAs are an effective means of assisting low-income individuals in the development of assets. A stronger evidentiar...
DETERMINANTS OF TIME ALLOCATION BY ADULT AND YEARLING BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS

The time budgets of all adult and yearling black-tailed prairie dogs in a wild population were measured in 14 separate samples between late April and mid-August 1989. In general, males were more vigilant and fed less than females did. This sex difference was due largely to the behavior of males that had sired offspring; non-fathers behaved more like females. As the summer progressed, prairie dogs spent more time feeding and less time vigilant. The lone exception to this pattern was mothers, who fed less and spent more time vigilant as the summer progressed. Other influences on time allocation produced similar effects for all sex/parental groups: animals were more vigilant while in tall vegetation and in the early morning as opposed to mid-day or evening. Environmental (e.g. weather) and social (e.g. number of other adults and pups present) effects on time allocation were analyzed via multiple regression. Of all potential influences, distance from the nearest burrow seemed to have the most consistent impact on time allocation for all individuals. These results point to strong effects of sex, parental status and environmental context in determining the particular pattern of time allocation observed in an individual prairie dog.
An Extended Markov Blanket Approach to Proteomic Biomarker Detection From High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data

High-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry has recently shown promise as a screening tool for detecting discriminatory peptide/protein patterns. The major computational obstacle in finding such patterns is the large number of mass/charge peaks (features, biomarkers, data points) in a spectrum. To tackle this problem, we have developed methods for data preprocessing and biomarker selection. The preprocessing consists of binning, baseline correction, and normalization. An algorithm, extended Markov blanket, is developed for biomarker detection, which combines redundant feature removal and discriminant feature selection. The biomarker selection couples with support vector machine to achieve sample prediction from high-resolution proteomic profiles. Our algorithm is applied to recurrent ovarian cancer study that contains platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant samples after treatment. Experiments show that the proposed method performs better than other feature selection algorithms. In particular, our algorithm yields good performance in terms of both sensitivity and specificity as compared to other methods.
The work of worrying: battered women and their children.

Battered women's worries about their children have been reported as significantly influencing their own behaviors, including the decision to leave abusive relationships. The purpose of this study was to describe battered women's worries about their children and their responses to those worries. An ethnography using the method described by Spradley (1979) was conducted. Qualitative analysis of the data revealed two themes about battered women's worries about their children and their responses to those worries. While the abusive adult male was a source of worry, violence outside the home was pervasive and hazardous to children. Battered women's experiences reflect the work of worrying; that is, the constant and energy-depleting nature of this difficult and vitally important process. Language: en
Chemistry of SiO2 Plasma Deposition

The chemistry of SiO2 deposition from N20-SiH4 plasma was studied by line-ofsight mass spectrometry coupled with film analysis. If rf power and N2O flow are sufficient, more than enough O atoms are available to convert all of the SiH4 to SiO2, and good electrical characteristics (IV and breakdown) are then obtained with or without He dilution. Gas-phase SimHn(OH)p species make a minor contribution to the deposition and may be the source of the OH in the film. Both [OH] and electron trapping are much larger than for thermal oxide, with or without He dilution.