cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Common Topics and Commonplaces of Environmental Rhetoric

Common topics are words or phrases used to develop argument, and commonplaces aid memory or catalyze frames of understanding. When used in argumentation, each may help interested parties more effectively communicate valuable scientific and environment-related information. This article describes 12 modern topics of environmental rhetoric, identified from 125 interviews, and discusses them in relation to their topical fluidity and managerial, generative, and encapsulated utility: “Al Gore,” “balance,” “common sense,” “environment as setting,” “experience,” “extremism,” “man’s achievements,” “pragmatism,” “proof,” “religion,” “recycling,” and “seeing is believing.” Findings suggest that “environment” is a complex topic with many potential implications—using topics common to environmental rhetoric to shape argumentation may facilitate more productive environment-related communication.
Inflammatory, insulin resistance metabolic markers and pancreatic cancer: quo vadis? [corrected].

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive and often fatal malignancy with an overall mortality to incidence ratio of 0.98. In 2012, 338,000 new cases were diagnosed worldwide and 330,000 deaths were recorded [1]. In the USA, pancreatic cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer death, but it is projected to become the second leading cause before 2020 [2]. The 5-year survival rate (<5%) is lower than that of all other major cancers. Standard treatment is cytotoxic chemotherapy, which can be effective, but disease progression generally ensues within 6–12 months. The only potentially curative therapy is surgery, but less than 20% of patients are candidates for surgery and among those who undergo surgery, the 5-year survival rate is 15%, highlighting the fact that the vast majority of patients have occult metastatic disease at the time of presentation. Population-based screening programs for pancreatic cancer are not feasible owing to the very low absolute individual risk, as well as the lack of non invasive and low-cost screening tools. Hence, identifying biomarkers of risk that could be useful in high-risk individuals is essential. o besity, diabetes & pancreatic cancer There is compelling data linking obesity and diabetes with pancreatic cancer risk and survival [3,4]. Obese individuals with a BMI of ≥35.0 have a significant increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared with individuals with normal weight (BMI: 18.5–24.9). Furthermore, every 5 kg/m 2 increase in BMI is associated with a 12% increased risk of pancreatic cancer [5]. The association of obesity with pancreatic cancer risk is not limited to obesity during adult life, as obesity during adolescence and early adulthood also confer increased risk. Likewise, the association of diabetes with pancreatic cancer risk is established [6]. In a meta-analysis of cohort studies, diabetes was associated with a 1.94-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer [6]. A challenge in epidemiological studies investigating the association of diabetes with pancreatic cancer risk is the concept of reverse causality. Pancreatic cancer causes diabetes, and an estimated 34% of pancreatic cancer patients may have pancreatic cancer-induced diabetes [7], hence, onset and duration of diabetes are
Green tea and prostate cancer

Many laboratory studies and human epidemiological data suggest that most prostate cancer deaths are attributable to lifestyle, including nutritional factors where diet plays a major role in initiation as well as subsequent progression of the disease. Under these circumstances, chemoprevention seems to be a logical and obvious strategy. Because of its long latency and high incidence, prostate cancer is an ideal disease for chemoprevention. The suitable agent(s) for prostate cancer chemoprevention should be the one(s) that has efficacy in the laboratory experiments on one hand, and also possesses proven epidemiological basis on the other hand. In this article, we address the use of green tea for prostate cancer chemoprevention. Experimental as well as the epidemiological basis for this possibility is provided.
The structure of cephaloridine hydrochloride monohydrate.

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure of cephaloridine hydrochloride monohydrate (Fig. 1), an antibiotic inhibiting the synthesis of bacterial cell walls in a fashion similar to that of the penicillins, has been determined by three-dimensional, single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The central part of the molecule is found to be similar to that of cephalosporin C.
Antigenic relationship between bone marrow lymphocytes cortical thymocytes and a subpopulation of peripheral T cells in the rat: description of a bone marrow lymphocyte antigen.

Abstract Populations of rat bone marrow lymphocytes (BML) consisting of approximately 90 percent, “tnull” cells were prepared by density gradient centrifugation, passage through a column of fine glass beads, and treatment with anti-T cell and anti-B cell serum plus complement. Antisera to these bone marrow lymphocytes were raised in rabbits. After absorption with RBC and peritoneal exudate cells, the anti-BML sera were found by immunofluorescence to react selectively with “null” cells in bone marrow, with cortical thymocytes, and with a cortisone-sensitive subset of T cells in blood and in spleen, possibly in red pulp. The antigen that is common to these cell types is designated the rat bone marrow lymphocyte antigen (RBMLA). Lymphocytes that are positive fur KBMLA are negative for another lymphocyte-specific heteroantigen, rat musked thymocyte antigen (RMTA). As shown previously, RMTA is present on medullary thymocytes and ou cortisone-resistant T cells in white pulp of spleen, paracortex of lymph node and thoracic duct lymph. It is postulated that two developmentally and functionally distinct lines of T cells exist in peripheral lymphoid tissues of the rat, one derived from cortical thymocytes and one derived from medullary thymocytes. It is further postulated that the “null” population of bone marrow lymphocytes contains the lymphopoietic stem cells from which these two lines of T cells originate.
Talking Beyond the Rational

Although discourse theorists have deconstructed Western rationality and rejected objectivism and analytical means, the critique of the rational in discourse theories often does not go far enough. D...
Psychopharmacohazardology: major hazards of the new generation of psychotherapeutic drugs

Balancing the benefits and risks of prescribing psychotherapeutic drugs requires knowledge of the baseline risks of genetics, lifestyle and morbidity of untreated illness. Superimposed upon these risks are some rare but potentially dangerous, uncomfortable or irreversible hazards of the antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants and tranquillizers. Knowledge of these hazards facilitates monitoring and prompt intervention at the earliest sign of problems.
Noninvasive Technique for Reduction of Zygomatic Process Fractures in the Horse

Zygomatic (supraorbital) process fracture of the horse is a common injury; if untreated, permanent injury to the eye or an undesirable cosmetic appearance may result. A noninvasive surgical reduction technique is described that requires minimal instrumentation and can easily be performed in a surgical facility or under field conditions. This technique has resulted in successful reduction and healing in 12 of 13 cases of zygomatic process fractures.
Influence of Reward and Social Support on Exercise Adherence in Aerobic Dance Classes

Summary.-Two independent studies were conducted to explore the effects of reward and social support on adherence to exercise during a university semester. Subjects from aerobic dance classes self-selected one of three groups. Group 1 worked individually for rewards of clothing based on the dass attendance, Group 2 chose three-person groups to work for rewards, and Group 3 received no reward or social support. In Study 2, Group 2 was made up of two-person groups. Analysis of variance of both sets of data showed a significant difference in class attendance among groups (p<.01). ScheffC post hoc comparisons indicated that Groups 1 and 2 in both studies showed significantly better attendance than Group 3; however, the average attendance of Groups 1 and 2 did not differ significantly. Apparently, use of rewards, independently or in combination with social support, improves exercise adherence. The importance of physical activity for well-being is meaningful for the healthy population and for patients with coronary artery disease (7). Physical activity programs are associated with the development of many positive psychological and physical attributes (2, 5). Although many programs are effective in attracting participants for physical activity, maintaining regular participation is a continuing problem. Unfortunately, attrition rates may exceed 50% within the first six months of initial involvement (5). The problem is not one of recruiting people to exercise, but devising strategies that will help participants adhere to an exercise program once begun. Three major factors may affect exercise adherence-a person's psychological profile, surrounding sociological factors, and characteristics of the program. Using positive reactions to the program, goals for initially joining the program, and social support, Wankel (9) differentiated between participants and dropouts in an exercise program. Dishman (3) stated that social reinforcement in the form of group or family support may be the most influential factor in adherence (4). While some investigations have examined various situational factors influencing adherence, improving the experience of exercise has been the focus of other studies. The use of reward is one means of increasing the recreational experience of the class and the adherence to the exercise program. Shephard (8) asserted that suitable external rewards should be provided until the participant begins to perceive the intrinsic rewards of the program.
Electrocardiographic changes following electroshock therapy in curarized patients.

Abstract An analysis is made of electrocardiographic changes following 304 electrically induced major convulsions and twenty-three minor convulsions in 126 curarized patients. Tabulation of the disturbances of rhythm shows them to be more frequent than was previously supposed; there is an increased incidence in patients with organic heart disease. Although no deaths were observed, some of the arrhythmias were potentially dangerous. A postconvulsive increase in vagus tone appears to be the principal mechanism, although the local irritability of the myocardium is an additional factor. Higher P waves and depressions of RS-T segments frequently occurred; they were apparently due to transient dilatation of the right atrium and overloading of the right ventricle after the convulsion. A prominent elevation of T waves, probably the results of electrolytic changes, occasionally occurred and produced apparent brief improvement in the electrocardiogram. Quinidine, given orally, and the early administration of oxygen after the convulsion have proved of value in preventing frequent premature ventricular contractions. Adequate atropinization in selected cases shows much promise in reducing the severity of the postconvulsive apnea and cyanosis and in preventing cardiac arrhythmias. Postconvulsive vomiting has been relieved by atropine premedication, which dries the mucous membranes and reduces aspiration.
Discrete projection methods for cauchy singular integral equations with constant coefficients

We consider proving the mean-square and uniform convergence of various discrete Galerkin and collocation methods for Cauchy singular integral equations with constant coefficients. For Galerkin's method the convergence rates improve those given in an earlier paper, while for collocation methods the results appear to be new. In particular, we consider product quadrature methods for equations with discontinuous coefficients, and develop and prove the convergence of a new algorithm for equations of the first kind with index zero and logarithmically singular kernels.
Effects of diffusional modification of garnet growth zoning on P-T path calculations

The effect of intragranular diffusion on chemical zoning in garnet and on P-T paths calculated from that zoning was evaluated using a numerical model of multicomponent diffusion in combination with simulations of garnet growth. Syn-and post-growth diffusion of Mg−Fe−Mn−Ca species in garnet was calculated for a model pelitic assemblage over a range of temperatures from 485 to 635°C. Compositions from zoned garnet, as modified by diffusion, hypothetical inclusions of plagioclase within garnet and matrix phases were used to reconstruct pressure-temperature (P-T) paths from isobaric and polybaric model histories. P-T path calculations, based on numerical simulations conducted over an input isobaric heating path that reached peak temperatures between 585 and 635°C, show that relaxation of garnet compositional gradients by diffusion can induce modest to appreciable curvature in the inferred paths. Retrieved paths also indicated somewhat smaller overall temperature changes relative to the actual temperature difference of the input path. The magnitude of these distortions is shown to depend upon the heating and cooling rate and garnet crystal size as well as the actual peak temperature condition. The effect of diffusion on path trajectories in simulations with thermal histories that also included cooling were comparable to heating-only models that reached peak temperatures approximately 15–30°C higher. Compositions of garnets with radii less than 1 mm, that reached actual peak temperatures of 605°C along temperature-time histories characteristic of regional metamorphism, experienced sufficient diffusional relaxation to introduce errors of hundreds of bars to in excess of one kilobar in path trajectories. Path distortions were significant at heating/cooling rates less than 10°C/Ma, but rapidly diminished for rates faster than this. In polybaric simulations diffusion effects were least noticeable when the actual pressure-temperature conditions changed in a clockwise sense (i.e., convex to higher P and higher T), but apprecciable modification was seen in path models that underwent counterclockwise changes in P and T. Reequilibration of garnet rim compositions occurred during cooling on all paths, and temperature maxima obtained from garnet-biotite geothermometry underestimated actual peak conditions by 40 to 70°C. Calculations suggest that P-T path trajectories calculated from garnets of at least 1 mm size, and that experienced actual thermal maxima below 585°C, are not likely to be distorted by diffusional effects during regional metamorphism. However, P-T path reconstructions based on garnet zonation with smaller grains or higher temperatures may lead to misinterpretation of crystallization history. The partitioning record of peak metamorphic temperatures may be destroyed by diffusional reequilibration of garnet rim compositions during cooling, seriously complicating the task of quantitatively estimating diffusion effects on path calculations.
RESIDUAL STRENGTH ASSESSMENT AND REPAIR OF DAMAGED OFFSHORE TUBULARS

The results of several current research programs related to the behavior of dented and corrosion-damaged tubular brace members and their repair is presented. Investigations were conducted involving large-scale testing and analytical studies. The analytical studies involved assessing the ability of several different methods of analysis, including simple engineering calculations and more sophisticated nonlinear finite element analysis, to predict damaged and repaired member behavior. The results of the test programs indicated that a significant amount in member deterioration could occur due to either dent or corrosion damage. The extent of the ability of a repair to reinstate a damaged member to its original design strength was found to depend on the extent of the damage. The accuracy and reliability of the analytical methods to predict damaged member behavior are illustrated. 29 refs., 25 figs., 7 tabs.
Atypical human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-I-associated T-cell lymphoma in a low-prevalence Alaska native population: Implications for disease surveillance

An atypical case of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) occurred in a 46-year-old Inupiat Eskimo man with no behavioral risk factors for HTLV-I infection. The case was characterized by lack of atypical circulating lymphocytes, hypercalcemia, and opportunistic infections; and by complete remission of the initial renal parenchymal lymphoma. The lymphoma cells had a helper T-cell (CD4) immunophenotype. Serum antibodies to HTLV I/II, detected by Western immunoblot, were identified in specimens collected 31 months before the onset of illness, at the time of diagnosis, and up to 37 months later, shortly before the patient's death. Polymerase chain reaction was used to identify HTLV-I DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in lymphoma in involved skin. Clinicians should be alert to sporadic cases of both atypical and classic ATL, even in populations in which the prevalence of HTLV-I infection is low.
The new emergency medical technician-paramedic and emergency medical technician-intermediate curricula: History, changes, and controversies

Abstract In recent years there has been considerable change and improvement in pediatric prehospital education. The evolution of ENIS (emergency medical services) for children has paralleled the evolution of EMS hat with a laf of several years. The most recent advance has been the release of the new paramedic and emergency medical technician intermediate (EMT-I) national standard curricula. The new curricula represent a major improvement in the training of EMTs and paramedics in the care of sick or injured children. In fact, what this new curriculum represents is the incorporation of the many continuing medical education efforts that have been developed, produced, and taught by the emergency medical services for children community over the past 15 years. This new curriculum now focuses on assessment-haled medicine that is in-line with the rest of emergency care. In addition, this new curriculum now provides an educational fornmt similar to that undertook by most pediatric continuing medical education courses in an effort to overcome common educational barriers. This curriculum provides significant hands-on training through both skill, practice , and casebased learning. This will hopefully give paramedics basic knowledge, an understanding of disease processes of the child and skills that will allow them to provide care for ill and injured children with confidence. The curriculum also provides a more directed focus on the importance of maintaining an airway and breathing in the child and that a deficiency in these are usually the root of most pediatric emergencies. In addition, it covers relevant topics in pediatric care as well as topics which are of concern to the paramedic student. Although the new curriculum incorporates changes in all we know about pediatric care, to further overcome barriers in pediatric education there trust he better teaching modalities for the EMT and the paramedic, an increase in their experience in dealing with sick and injured children from a multitude of settings, and development of better training models.
Ontogenesis and Morphological Diversification

SYNOPSIS. The role of development in constraining the directionality and patterns of morphological evolution is examined. The nature of morphological variation and appearance of morphological novelties is determined by the epigenetic properties of the organism. Consideration of these properties has profound implications for current theories of morphological evolution. Developmental constraints impose severe limitations on the gradualistic action of directional selection. Evolutionis viewed as the result of differential survival of morphological novelties. However, the production of morphological novelties by developmental programs is not random. This non-randomness in morphologically expressed genetic mutations—an epigenetic property—can result in phyletic trends, parallelisms and convergences.
Procedure for shifting groundwater monitoring locations to enhance detection efficiency near landfills

A heuristic was devised for shifting contaminant detection wells near landfills. The heuristic establishes an initial configuration of monitoring wells and then shifts the wells iteratively until it reaches a specified release detection efficiency. Computer simulations of contaminant transport gauge the performance of the monitoring configurations. In configurations derived by the heuristic, all wells are located the same distance from a landfill, measured parallel to groundwater flow. This facilitates a uniform lag time for release detection. However, the distance between wells, measured perpendicular to groundwater flow, can vary to enhance overall detection efficiency. In practice, the heuristic can be used to identify effective monitoring configurations for detecting potential releases from landfills.
Cancer of the extrahepatic bile ducts.

Case histories of 47 patients with histologically confirmed carcinoma of extra-hepatic bile ducts presenting to M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute over a 30-year period were studied. The disease was more common in males during the sixth and seventh decades of life. A third of the patients had history of cholelithiasis. Four patients had prior history of chronic ulcerative colitis and one patient had congenital choledochal cyst prior to development of cancer of the bile duct. Jaundice was the earliest and the most common presenting sign. The tumor was located in the common bile duct more often than in the hepatic ducts. The overall median survival was eight months with two-year and five-year survival rates of 15% and 3%, respectively. The respective values for patients who had resectable tumors were 21.7 months, 57% and 20%. Ascending cholangitis was a frequent complication in patients treated with dilation and intubation and, overall, hepatic failure and systemic infection were more frequent causes of death than distant metastases.
Atom-by-atom chemistry of internal interfaces: simulations and experiments

The length scales accessible to experimental techniques for analysis of the three-dimensional chemistry of solids and feasible for atomistic simulation have converged. The three-dimensional atom probe is capable of reconstructing the chemistry of solids atom-by-atom with subnanometer resolution, while atomistic simulation techniques can calculate similar quantities for ensembles of hundreds of thousands of particles. We present recent progress in the calculation of the interfacial excess of a segregating species by both simulation and experiment.
Abdominopelvic irradiation for persistent advanced ovarian carcinoma.

Abstract The efficacy and toxicity of abdominopelvic irradiation following chemotherapy and positive second look laparotomy was assessed in 15 patients with advanced ovarian epithelial carcinoma. The patients received 30 Gy abdominal and 50.4 Gy pelvic irradiation. Three of ten patients with minimal disease are disease-free 30+, 72+, and 78+ months following therapy. A fourth patient survives disease-free 24+ monthsfollowing third laparotomy. No patient with bulky disease is disease-free. Bowel obstruction was encountered in 5 of 15 patients; all episodes were associated with recurrent tumor. Abdominopelvic irradiation can potentially sterilize minimal volume ovarian carcinoma that persists following chemotherapy.
Analytical Design of Multispectral Sensors

An analytical procedure for the design of the spectral channels for multispectral remote sensor systems is defined. An optimal design based on the criterion of minimum mean-square representation error using the Karhunen-Loeve expansion was developed to represent the spectral response functions from a stratum based upon a stochastic process scene model. From the overall pattern recognition system perspective the effect of the representation accuracy on a typical performance criterion, the probability of correct classification, is investigated. The optimum sensor design provides a standard against which practical (suboptimum) operational sensors can be compared. An example design is provided and its performance is illustrated. Although the analytical technique was developed primarily for the purpose of sensor design it was found that the procedure has potential for making important contributions to scene understanding. It was concluded that spectral channels which have narrow bandwidths relative to current sensor systems may be necessary to provide adequate spectral representation and improved classification performance.
What attracts the eye to the location of missed and reported breast cancers

The primary detector of breast cancer is the human eye, as it examines mammograms searching for signs of the disease. Nonetheless, it has been shown that 10-30% of all cancers in the breast are not reported by the radiologist, even though most of these are visible retrospectively. Studies of eye position have shown that the eye tends to dwell in the locations of both reported and not reported cancers, indicating that the problem is not faulty visual search, but rather, that is primarily related to perceptual and decision making mechanisms. In this paper we model the areas that attracted the radiologists' visual attention when reading mammograms and that yielded a decision by the radiologist, being this decision overt or covert. We contrast the characteristics of areas that contain cancers that were reported from the ones that contain cancers that, albeit attracting attention, did not reach an internal conspicuity threshold to be reported.
CD45RA T‐cell activation without proliferation by a partial agonist monoclonal antibody to β1 integrin

CD45RA T cells are fully co-activated by natural beta1 integrin ligands fibronectin (FN) and VCAM-1, as well as monoclonal antibody (mAb) 19H8, which binds a combinatorial epitope of the alpha4beta1 heterodimer. These integrin ligands stimulate CD3-dependent proliferation and the upregulation of early activation markers CD25 and CD69. However, beta1-specific antibody 33B6, which binds to a similar range of the predominant T-cell integrins as natural ligands FN (alpha4beta1 and alpha5beta1) and VCAM-1 (alpha4beta1), failed to costimulate proliferation in the CD45RA subset, while retaining the ability to costimulate early activation markers CD25 and CD69. After addition of exogenous human interleukin-2 to the culture media, 33B6 costimulation of proliferation is restored. These data provide evidence that a branch of the alpha4beta1 integrin-signaling pathway in CD45RA T cells can be independently regulated and exploited through the use of partial agonist ligands, including mAbs to the integrin heterodimer.
The evolution of conspicuous oestrous advertisement in Old World monkeys

Abstract Abstract. The females of many Old World primate species develop at or around the time of ovulation a prominent reddening and swelling of the sexual skin that surrounds their perineum. In most of these species, females live in social systems that typically contain more than one adult male. Accordingly, females are believed to have evolved swellings as a way to advertise conspicuously their oestrus, and thereby to incite competition among males ('best male' hypothesis) or to attract the attention of more than one male with which to mate (the 'many male' hypothesis). However, these explanations do not explain why females must advertise their oestrus so prominently, and why males should compete more over females with swellings. Here a new explanation for the evolution of oestrous swellings is offered. It is argued that prominent oestrous swellings are sexually selected traits that reliably advertise some aspect of a female's quality or condition, and which have evolved because of competition among females to attract males. An individual female benefits from a prominent swelling because it increases the males' willingness to compete, or because it draws their attention away from other females and towards herself (a form of spite). This idea explains why the trait is exaggerated, makes predictions about why some species without regular male-male competition for females none the less have oestrous swellings, and provides an explanation for the lack of prominent oestrous advertisement in monogamous species.
Meson Production by Electrons

The differential cross section for the production of mesons by electrons has been calculated to first order in the fine structure constant as a function of the meson angle and energy. It is possible to split the transition probability into two terms, one of which is proportional to the photomeson differential cross section (the Williams-Weizs\"acker approximation), the other containing longitudinal current and other corrections. Experimental cross sections were used in the first term and the correction term was calculated using the Chew-Low theory. The cross section was calculated on the Illiac (the electronic digital computer at the University of Illinois) for seven electron energies from 350 Mev to 560 Mev, for meson energies at intervals of 15.5 Mev, and for meson angles of 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the laboratory system.
Ice Simulation Using GPGPU

Simulation of the behaviour of a ship operating in pack ice is a computationally intensive process to which General Purpose Computing on Graphical Processing Units (GPGPU) can be applied. In this paper we present an efficient parallel implementation of such a simulator developed using the NVIDIA Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA). We have conducted an experiment to measure the relative performance of the parallel and serial versions of the simulator by running both versions on several different ice fields for several iterations to compare the performance. Our results show speed up of up to 77 times, reducing simulation time for a small ice field from over 88 minutes to about 68 seconds.
Correlation between the mean matter density and the width of the saturated Lyα absorption

We report a scaling of the mean matter density with the width of the saturated Lya absorptions. This property is established using the 'pseudo-hydro' technique (Croft et al.). It provides a constraint for the inversion ofthe Lya forest, which encounters difficulty in the saturated region. With a Gaussian density profile and the scaling relation, a simple inversion of the simulated Lya forests shows that the one-dimensional mass power spectrum is well recovered on scales above 2 h - 1 Mpc, or roughly k ? 0.03 km - 1 s, at z = 3. The recovery underestimates the power on small scales, but improvement is possible with a more sophisticated algorithm.
Mechanisms of Nanoparticle Mediated siRNA Transfection by Melittin-Derived Peptides

Traditional peptide-mediated siRNA transfection via peptide transduction domains exhibits limited cytoplasmic delivery of siRNA due to endosomal entrapment. This work overcomes these limitations with the use of membrane-destabilizing peptides derived from melittin for the knockdown of NFkB signaling in a model of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. While the mechanism of siRNA delivery into the cytoplasmic compartment by peptide transduction domains has not been well studied, our analysis of melittin derivatives indicates that concurrent nanocomplex disassembly and peptide-mediated endosomolysis are crucial to siRNA transfection. Importantly, in the case of the most active derivative, p5RHH, this process is initiated by acidic pH, indicating that endosomal acidification after macropinocytosis can trigger siRNA release into the cytoplasm. These data provide general principles regarding nanocomplex response to endocytosis, which may guide the development of peptide/siRNA nanocomplex-based transfection.
Plato's Cave Algorithm: Inferring Functional Signaling Networks from Early Gene Expression Shadows

Improving the ability to reverse engineer biochemical networks is a major goal of systems biology. Lesions in signaling networks lead to alterations in gene expression, which in principle should allow network reconstruction. However, the information about the activity levels of signaling proteins conveyed in overall gene expression is limited by the complexity of gene expression dynamics and of regulatory network topology. Two observations provide the basis for overcoming this limitation: a. genes induced without de-novo protein synthesis (early genes) show a linear accumulation of product in the first hour after the change in the cell's state; b. The signaling components in the network largely function in the linear range of their stimulus-response curves. Therefore, unlike most genes or most time points, expression profiles of early genes at an early time point provide direct biochemical assays that represent the activity levels of upstream signaling components. Such expression data provide the basis for an efficient algorithm (Plato's Cave algorithm; PLACA) to reverse engineer functional signaling networks. Unlike conventional reverse engineering algorithms that use steady state values, PLACA uses stimulated early gene expression measurements associated with systematic perturbations of signaling components, without measuring the signaling components themselves. Besides the reverse engineered network, PLACA also identifies the genes detecting the functional interaction, thereby facilitating validation of the predicted functional network. Using simulated datasets, the algorithm is shown to be robust to experimental noise. Using experimental data obtained from gonadotropes, PLACA reverse engineered the interaction network of six perturbed signaling components. The network recapitulated many known interactions and identified novel functional interactions that were validated by further experiment. PLACA uses the results of experiments that are feasible for any signaling network to predict the functional topology of the network and to identify novel relationships.
Loss characterization and surface passivation in silicon microphotonics

High-quality factor (Q~1-5times106) microresonators are used to probe the optical properties of silicon-on-insulator surfaces with 0.04% monolayer sensitivity. A rapid and accurate measurement of linear and nonlinear absorption is utilized to assess new surface-passivation techniques.
Effects of Chironomidae (Diptera) Taxonomic Resolution on Multivariate Analyses of Aquatic Insect Communities

ABSTRACT Aquatic insect communities were quantitatively sampled from four streams within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Additionally, water quality and habitat variables, including water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, elevation, water depth, current velocity, dominant 'substrate, and canopy cover, were measured. Discriminant analysis, using water quality and habitat variables as predictors, reliably classified observations into stream groups, indicating that the four study streams could be separated based on water quality and habitat. Resolution between stream communities, using taxon density predictor variables, increased when chironomids were identified to genus compared to pooling them at the family-level of identification. Genus-level identification of Chironomidae also provided a more accurate assessment of variability within the aquatic insect community of each study stream.
Linguistic and Conversational Adjustments to Non-Native Speakers

At least 40 studies have been conducted of the linguistic and conversational adjustments made by native speakers of a language using it for communication with non-native speakers. The modifications sometimes result in ungrammatical speech. Generally, however, they serve to provide input that is well-formed, a sort of linguistic and conversational cocoon for the neophyte second language acquirer. Most of the findings hold across age groups, social classes and settings, although some differences, both qualitative and quantitative, have been noted in these areas, too. In making the adjustments described, native speakers appear to be reacting not to one, but to a combination of factors. These include the linguistic characteristics and comprehen-sibility of the non-native's interlanguage, but particularly his or her apparent comprehension of what the native speaker is saying. The adjustments appear to be necessary for second language acquisition, in that beginners seem unable to acquire from unmodified native speaker input. There is some doubt as to their sufficiency in this regard.
RF packaging and passives: design, fabrication, measurement, and validation of package embedded inductors

Design, modeling, and characterization of inductors embedded in a package substrate promising higher quality factor (Q) and lower cost than on-chip inductors is described. In addition to the problem of large conductor losses, on-die inductors with or without magnetic materials consume considerable die area and require the removal of the first-level interconnect bumps beneath them to maintain a reasonably high Q value. Moving inductors to the package eliminates the need for bump array depopulation and, thus, mitigates the potential reliability problems caused by voids in the epoxy underfill between the die and the substrate. Competency developed to design, fabricate, and characterize inductors based on standard organic flip-chip packaging technology is described. Physical design details along with measurement procedures and results are discussed. In addition, modeling techniques for achieving good correlation to measured data are included.
The Resurgence of Race in Spain: Perceptions of Discrimination Among Immigrants

The contemporary relevance of the concept of “race” has been increasingly questioned around the world. In Europe, researchers often look with skepticism at the US emphasis on race, instead highlighting the capacity of culture, especially religion, to explain native opposition to immigrants. Using two distinct data sets, I examine self-reports of discrimination among immigrants in Spain, where elites have long denied racial differences, to understand how the reported salience of boundaries based on race, nationality, and religion change with acculturation. I find that reports of both nationality- and race-based discrimination are relatively common for newcomers, while reports of religion-based discrimination are quite rare. Yet, unlike reports of racial discrimination, reports of nationality discrimination decrease over time as immigrants’ cultural differences decline due to their cultural assimilation. For second-generation immigrants, especially non-Europeans, race replaces nationality as the primary explanation for discrimination experiences and reports of religious discrimination grow even more infrequent. I conclude that, from the perspective of immigrants, the recent transformation of Spain into a new immigrant destination has gone hand in hand with the emergence of race as the main symbolic boundary marginalizing non-European immigrants in Spain.
A multi-layer architecture for semi-synchronous event-driven dialogue management

We present a new architecture for spoken dialogue systems that explicitly separates the discrete, abstract representation used in the high-level dialogue manager and the continuous, real-time nature of real world events. We propose to use the concept of conversational floor as a means to synchronize the internal state of the dialogue manager with the real world. To act as the interface between these two layers, we introduce a new component, called the Interaction Manager. The proposed architecture was implemented as a new version of the Olympus framework, which can be used across different domains and modalities. We confirmed the practicality of the approach by porting Let's Go, an existing deployed dialogue system to the new architecture.
Characterization of the action of antipsychotic subtypes on valproate-induced chromatin remodeling.

Recent advances in schizophrenia (SZ) research indicate that the telencephalic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurotransmission deficit associated with this psychiatric disorder probably is mediated by the hypermethylation of the glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD 67 ), reelin and other GABAergic promoters. A pharmacological strategy to reduce the hypermethylation of GABAergic promoters is to induce a DNA-cytosine demethylation by altering the chromatin remodeling with valproate (VPA). When co-administered with VPA, the clinical efficacy of atypical antipsychotics is enhanced. This prompted us to investigate whether this increase in drug efficacy is related to a modification of GABAergic-promoter methylation via chromatin remodeling. Our previous and present results strongly indicate that VPA facilitates chromatin remodeling when it is associated with clozapine or sulpiride but not with haloperidol or olanzapine. This remodeling might contribute to reelin- and GAD 67 -promoter demethylation and might reverse the GABAergic-gene-expression downregulation associated with SZ morbidity.
Extracellular Enzyme From Myxobacter AL-1 That Exhibits Both β-1,4-Glucanase and Chitosanase Activities

An enzyme that has both beta-1,4-glucanase and chitosanase activities is characterized. Evidence for homogeneity was obtained from electrophoresis and sedimentation velocity studies; only one N-terminal amino acid, valine, was found. Results of denaturation studies showed that beta-1,4-glucanase and chitosanase activities decreased at equal rates. With carboxymethylcellulose as the substrate, a K(m) of 1.68 g of carboxymethylcellulose per liter of solution and a V(max) of 2.20 x 10(-9) mol/min were found. With chitosan (the beta-1,4-polymer of glucosamine) as the substrate, a K(m) of 0.30 g of chitosan per liter of solution and a V(max) of 0.75 x 10(-9) mol/min were found. A pH optimum of 5.0 was found for beta-1,4-glucanase activity, and pH optima of 5.0 and 6.8 were found for chitosanase activity. beta-1,4-Glucanase activity had a temperature optimum of 38 C, and chitosanase activity had a temperature optimum of 70 C. Chitosan stabilized both enzyme activities at 70 C. Cellotriose was the smallest polymer capable of hydrolysis. Glucosamine was released by action of the enzyme upon cell wall preparations of several fungi.
Design of a linear piezomotor with ultra-high stiffness and nanoprecision

An ultra-stiff nanoprecision linear piezomotor was recently designed for grinding application. This piezomotor consists of three high-voltage piezoelectric actuators integrated by a monolithic flexure frame. This monolithic frame was designed to have multiple functions such as protecting and pre-loading three piezoelectric actuators and withstanding all the shearing forces during operation. The monolithic frame as a motion mechanism eliminates the backlash problem. The stiffness distributions in certain directions over the frame were designed using the finite-element method.
Numerical solution of 2-D scattering problems using high-order methods

We demonstrate that a method of moments scattering code employing high-order methods can compute accurate values for the scattering cross section of a smooth body more efficiently than a scattering code employing standard low-order methods. Use of a high-order code also makes it practical to provide meaningful accuracy estimates for computed solutions.
Co-metabolism of ethanol, ethanol-derived acetaldehyde, and 4-hydroxynonenal in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Our laboratory has previously reported on the ability of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), a primary product of lipid peroxidation, to inhibit acetaldehyde metabolism in isolated mouse liver mitochondria. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether the co-metabolism of ethanol and 4-HNE compromises the elimination of either substrate in isolated rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes were isolated and incubated with ethanol and 4-HNE. Ethanol elimination and acetaldehyde accumulation were monitored by gas chromatography, whereas 4-HNE elimination and metabolite accumulation were measured by UV detection and reversed-phase HPLC at 202 nm. In the absence of 4-HNE, hepatocytes metabolized ethanol at an initial rate of 9.4 nmol/min/million cells. Ethanol elimination was moderately inhibited by the presence of 4-HNE. Accumulation of ethanol-derived acetaldehyde was not apparent in incubations with only ethanol. In contrast, in incubations containing both substrates, ethanol-derived acetaldehyde accumulation exceeded that observed in hepatocytes exposed only to ethanol and was proportional to the 4-HNE concentration in the incubations. In all instances, the rate of 4-HNE elimination was not compromised by the presence of ethanol. Accordingly, ethanol metabolism did not alter the oxidative or conjugative metabolism of 4-HNE. However, the reductive metabolism of 4-HNE was affected by the presence of ethanol, wherein accumulation of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene increased > 2-fold of that observed in incubations with only 4-HNE. To determine further if 4-HNE and ethanol are metabolized through the same metabolic pathways, cells were preincubated with either 4-methylpyrazole or cyanamide to inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.1.) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.2.1.2.), respectively. Expectantly, 4-methylpyrazole blocked the formation of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene, but had no effect on the rate of 4-HNE elimination. In contrast, cyanamide substantially inhibited the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenoic acid, decreased the rate of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene formation, but did not decrease the elimination rate of 4-HNE. Overall, these results support our previous observation that 4-HNE inhibits acetaldehyde metabolism and establish that ethanol and 4-HNE are metabolized through the same alcohol dehydrogenase- and aldehyde dehydrogenase-mediated pathways. These data continue to suggest that, as a consequence of enhanced lipid peroxidation resulting from chronic ethanol consumption, increased 4-HNE levels could compromise cellular elimination of ethanol-derived acetaldehyde and thus function in the potentiation of alcoholic liver fibrosis.
Chaining in a Loop System

This paper offers an approximate analysis of the chaining operation in a loop system. The system consists of a central processor and N terminals linked by a common communication channel. Chaining refers to the service protocol whereby the channel is assigned in sequence to each of the terminals. Messages from terminals to the central processor are sent as chains of segments. The object of the analysis is to display the relationships between the arrival processes, the channel allocation, and the response of the system.
A model-based probabilistic approach for fault detection and identification with application to the diagnosis of automotive engines

A model based parameter and state estimation technique is presented toward fault diagnosis in dynamic systems. The methodology is based on the representation of the system dynamics in terms of transition probabilities between user-specified sets of magnitude intervals of system parameters and state variables during user-specified time intervals. These intervals may reflect noise in the monitored data, random changes in the parameters, or modeling uncertainties in general. The transition probabilities are obtained from a given system model that yields the current values of the state variables in discrete time from their values at the previous time step and the values of the system parameters at the previous time step. Implementation of the methodology on a simplified model of the air, inertial, fuel, and exhaust dynamics of the powertrain of a vehicle shows that the methodology is capable of estimating the system parameters and tracking the unmonitored dynamic variables within the user-specified magnitude intervals.