cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Weight-activity associations with cardiometabolic risk factors among U.S. youth.

Abstract Research among adult populations suggests that underweight is associated with worse cardiometabolic health and that adequate engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may help to counteract the cardiometabolic consequences of overweight/obesity. Whether these findings are also true in children and adolescents (hereafter ‘youth’) is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether underweight and overweight/obese youth who engage in relatively more MVPA have better or similar cardiometabolic risk factors than normal weight youth who engage in relatively less MVPA. Data were extracted from the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 2268). Four cardiometabolic risk factors assessed included C-reactive protein, mean arterial pressure, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Weight status was assessed via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. MVPA was assessed via accelerometry. Six weight–activity groups were created: 1) Underweight and Inactive; 2) Normal Weight and Inactive; 3) Overweight/Obese and Inactive; 4) Underweight and Active; 5) Normal Weight and Active; and, 6) Overweight/Obese and Active. An overall cardiometabolic risk score was calculated by summing the frequency with which each individual participant scored in the worst quartile for each of the 4 cardiometabolic parameters. Compared to those who were Normal Weight and Inactive, youth who were Underweight and Active (β = − 0.05, p = 0.78) had a similar overall cardiometabolic risk score. In contrast, Overweight/Obese and Active youth (β = 1.1, p
A novel role for xenopsin: Stimulation of food intake.

Abstract Xenopsin (XPN), an extract from frog skin, is comprised of 80 amino acids and exerts effects on the mammalian digestive tract. The purpose of the study presented here was to determine if XPN would affect food intake using chicks as models. Chicks which had been fasted for 180 min did not change food or water intake after central injection of XPN. However, ab libitum fed chicks which received 1 and 3 nmol central XPN increased food intake while water intake was not affected. When the dose was increased to 9 nmol chicks did not increase food intake but their water intake was reduced suggesting malaise. Chicks injected with XPN had increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in the lateral hypothalamus, but other hypothalamic appetite-associated nuclei were not affected. When XPN was directly injected into the lateral hypothalamus food intake was increased, suggesting a primary site of action. When the expression of appetite-associated neuropeptide mRNA was quantified chicks injected with XPN had increased proopiomelanocortin mRNA. Lastly, a comprehensive behavior analysis was performed and while XPN injected chicks had an increase in the number of feeding pecks, jumping, preening, deep rest and sitting were all decreased. Thus, we conclude that exogenous XPN functions as an orexigenic factor in chicks and its effects are mediated by the lateral hypothalamus.
Fractal Sums of Pulses and a Practical Challenge to the Distinction Between Local and Global Dependence

The partly random fractal sums of pulses (PFSP) are a family of random functions that depend on a kernel function K and at least two positive parameters C and δ. Given K, the construction of F(t; C, δ) consists in adding N affine versions of a pulse as follows. The pulse height Λ and its width W are random variables related by w/λ δ = a constant. The width is distributed according to the Poisson measure Cw −1 dwdt in the ”address plane” of coordinates w and t. For finite C, the increments of F(t; C, δ) fail to be strongly mixing therefore they exhibit global dependence. Indeed some PFSP resemble the icon of global dependence, which is fractional Brownian motion (FBM) with H ≠ 1/2. When the presence of strong mixing must be tested empirically, many tests rely on the comparison of two exponents of diffusion: that of a r.f. X(t) and of a “shuffled” r.f. X(t) whose increments for δt = 1 (say) are independent and follow the same distribution as X(t). In FBM, the diffusion exponent is H for the process itself and 1/2 for its shuffled variant. Therefore, H ≠ 1/2 is a token of global dependence. For the Levy stable motion (LSM) to the contrary, the diffusion exponent is the same as for the independent process with the same marginal distribution. The PFSP are not so clear-cut. The dependence is always global. But consider those tests of globality versus locality that, like R/S testing, are founded on the exponent of diffusion. Those tests will classify the dependence in many PFSP as local. Therefore, the PFSP are challenging borderline cases, while the conceptual fact is important, more important is the concrete fact that their rich properties and the absence of arbitrary grids make them excellent candidates for modeling phenomena that combine global dependence with long distribution tails. Furthermore, related structures that are discussed elsewhere, namely, the multifractal measures obtained as products of pulses, are grid-free and provide a great improvement over the now-classical multifractal measures generated by multiplicative cascades in a grid.
Critical care costs per patient-day are inversely related to the annual admission rate

The Critical Care National Cost Block Programme collects annual cost data for staff, consumables, and clinical support services. We postulated that larger critical care units reduce the overall running costs (independent of capital expenditure) compared with their smaller counterparts.
Pennsylvania Provincial Soldiers in the Seven Years' War.

In the late 1820s, as he composed a narrative of his life in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, an aged Joseph Plumb Martin recalled the peculiar habits, dialects and appearance that distinguished soldiers and civilians from New England and the "middle states." Martin, a Yankee himself, thought Pennsylvanians and Yankees "two sets of people as opposite in manners and customs as light and darkness." On one memorable day near New York in 1780, Martin recalled the sight of a baggage column belonging to several corps from the middle region. The scene, he recalled, "beggared all description...a caravan of wild beasts could bear no comparison." The men, women and children that straggled by on foot and horseback bore peculiar visages: there were "some with two eyes, some with one, and some I believe with none at all." Their clothing was a melange: "some in rags and some in jags but none in velvet gowns." Above all, their peculiar accents bespoke their far-flung origins: "There was Irish and Scotch brogue, murdered English, flat insipid Dutch, and some lingoes which would puzzle a philosopher to tell whether they belonged to this world or some undiscovered country."1 Martins encounters with fellow Americans who seemed utterly unlike himself paralleled the meetings of earlier generations of Yankee soldiers with equally strange fellow Britons during nearly a century of intermittent colonial warfare. In recent years, historians have closely examined the interplay of war and New England soci ety during the colonial and revolutionary eras, offering rich insights into how gener ations of Martins countrymen conceived of war, organized for defense, interacted with Indians, soldiers and sailors from across the Atlantic World, and through these experiences strengthened their conception of themselves as a unique and chosen peo ple. But regions that lay beyond Martins home have not attracted the same level of scrutiny. The deep cultural divisions within the Continental Army that Martin remembered in his old age had precendents in the provincial armies that served in the earlier colonial wars. This essay addresses the relative dearth of studies focusing on the wartime experience of areas outside of New England, offering a brief examination of the composition and character of Pennsylvania's provincial forces in the "French and Indian" or "Seven Years' War."2
Small footprint barium titanate photonic crystal modulators for photonic integrated circuits

We report on the design, fabrication, and characterization of photonic crystal phase modulators on epitaxial barium titanate thin films. Modeling indicates that >50 GHz bandwidth and 0.25 V·cm voltage-length product are achievable in sub-millimeter long devices.
Identification of amino acid residues of Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin CryIAa associated with membrane binding and toxicity to Bombyx mori.

Abstract Alanine substitution (A3) or deletion (D3) of residues 365 to 371 of Bacillus thuringiensis CryIAa insect toxin removed nearly all toxicity for Bombyx mori (> 1,000-fold less active than the wild type). The loss of larvicidal activity in the mutants was not caused by increased sensitivity to larval gut enzymes but could be attributed to significantly reduced binding to B. mori brush border membrane vesicles. Some or all of the affected amino acid residues may interact directly or indirectly with the B. mori membrane receptor(s). Such receptor binding appears to be directly correlated with insect toxicity.
Using the `Balance Model' for Occupational Safety and Health Promotion

The `balance model' of job design was introduced in 1989 [1] and expanded to the enterprise level later [2 - 7]. The main idea of this model is that various components of the workplace interact to increase and decrease workplace safety and health risk, and that careful `balancing' of the components can produce reduced risk and improved employee safety and health. In this paper we discuss how the `balance model' can be used to promote occupational safety and health.
ATP Utilization by Yeast Replication Factor C II. MULTIPLE STEPWISE ATP BINDING EVENTS ARE REQUIRED TO LOAD PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN ONTO PRIMED DNA

Binding of adenosine (3-thiotriphosphate) (ATPγS), a nonhydrolyzable analog of ATP, to replication factor C with a N-terminal truncation (Δ2–273) of the Rfc1 subunit (RFC) was studied by filter binding. RFC alone bound 1.8 ATPγS molecules. However, when either PCNA or primer-template DNA were also present 2.6 or 2.7 ATPγS molecules, respectively, were bound. When both PCNA and DNA were present 3.6 ATPγS molecules were bound per RFC. Order of addition experiments using surface plasmon resonance indicate that RFC forms an ATP-mediated binary complex with PCNA prior to formation of a ternary DNA·PCNA·RFC complex. An ATP-mediated complex between RFC and DNA was not competent for binding PCNA, and the RFC·DNA complex dissociated with hydrolysis of ATP. Based on these experiments a model is proposed in which: (i) RFC binds two ATPs (RFC·ATP2); (ii) this complex binds PCNA (PCNA·RFC·ATP2), which goes through a conformational change to reveal a binding site for one additional ATP (PCNA·RFC·ATP3); (iii) this complex can bind DNA to yield DNA·PCNA·RFC·ATP3; (iv) a conformational change in the latter complex reveals a fourth binding site for ATP; and (v) the DNA·PCNA·RFC·ATP4 complex is finally competent for completion of PCNA loading and release of RFC upon hydrolysis of ATP.
Theoretical Performance Figures for Low Light Level TV Cameras

THEORETICAL PERFORMANCE FIGURES FORLOW LIGHT LEVEL TV CAMERAST. J. JanssensThe Aerospace CorporationEl Segundo, CaliforniaIntroductionThe purpose here is to present a simpletheoretical model for predicting the signal -to -noise ratio possible with various tubetypes at different light levels with a rasterscan at nearly standard rates.SNR and PrecisionFor high accuracy in the measurement oflight levels over an image the most important
Novel drug target identification on UDP-Glucose 4-epimerase enzyme in Catharanthus roseus by insilico model

Abstract Objective To investigate the definite crystal structure of UDP-glucose 4-epimerase enzymes (EC 5.1.3.2) from Catharanthus roseus ( C. roseus ) for further research activities. Methods The structure was modeled using homologous templates. The model validated under PROCHECK and WHAT-IF. Results The model constructed using Modeller9v7 was validated. Moreover, 89% of residues lie in the most favored region. The model was checked for its grand average of hydropathicity and three binding sites were predicted using Molsoft ICM Pro v3.5. Conclusions The model was suggested to be the good model. The constructed model can be used for further pharmacological studies and it can act as potential target against novel inhibitors.
A W-Band Quasi-TEM Waveguide Using Electromagnetic Crystal (EMXT) Surfaces

A W-band (75 ? 110 GHz) quasi-TEM square waveguide is designed and realized utilizing two-dimensional electromagnetic crystal (EMXT) surfaces as its boundary walls. Because EMXT surfaces provide special boundary conditions, the waveguide size is not limited by the typical cut-off frequency associated with a regular metallic waveguide and free space like wave propagation can be achieved for both polarizations. Both eigenmode and full-wave EM simulations verify the quasi-TEM propagation at the designed frequencies. The S-parameters of the EMXT waveguide in a WR-10 fixture is measured and low insertion loss that agrees with simulation is obtained. This type of waveguides may be useful for applications including spatial power combining, low loss interconnects, and packaging for millimeter wave systems.
Methionine restriction selectively targets thymidylate synthase in prostate cancer cells

Tumor cells are more sensitive to methionine restriction than normal tissues, a phenomenon known as methionine auxotrophy. Previous studies showed that 5-fluorouracil and methionine restriction act synergistically against a variety of tumors. The purpose of the current studies was to determine the molecular mechanism(s) underlying this synergy. 5-Fluorouracil is known to inhibit thymidylate synthase (TS), a key enzyme that transfers a methyl group from 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate to dUMP during nucleotide biosynthesis. We found that methionine restriction reduced 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate levels by 75% and selectively inhibited TS activity in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells within 24hr, whereas it did not in normal prostate epithelial cells. The observed fall in TS activity was accompanied by a commensurate reduction in TS protein levels as determined by western blot analysis. In contrast, 5-fluorouracil inhibited TS activity by >90% but increased TS protein levels. This increase was abrogated by methionine restriction. Surprisingly, methionine restriction increased 3H-leucine incorporation in PC-3 cells over the first 24hr, suggesting that reduction of TS levels was not simply due to global protein synthesis inhibition. Methionine restriction also significantly reduced the ratio of dUMP to dTTP in PC-3 cells, creating an imbalanced nucleotide pool. These results suggest that synergy between methionine restriction and 5-fluorouracil is attributable to multiple factors, including depletion of reduced folates, selective inhibition of TS, and creation of an imbalanced nucleotide pool. Dietary and/or enzymatic methionine restriction combined with 5-fluoruracil has great promise as a novel treatment for advanced cancer.
Safety and effectiveness of U-500 insulin therapy in patients with insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Study Objective. To assess the safety and effectiveness of highly concentrated U-500 regular insulin in patients with insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes mellitus who were switched from U-100 insulin. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. Outpatient diabetes management clinic. Patients. Twenty-one adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance who were referred to the clinic between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, and whose therapy was changed from large doses of U-100 insulin to U-500 insulin. Measurements and Main Results. Demographic and clinical data were collected through a computerized medical record system. Insulin resistance was defined as a requirement of more than 200 units/day of insulin and more than 100 units/injection. The primary outcome was the change in hemoglobin A1c (A1C) after switching from any type of U-100 insulin to stabilization with U-500 highly concentrated regular insulin. Secondary outcomes were the changes in number of daily insulin injections, daily insulin dose, and body weight. With use of U-500 insulin, patients were able to achieve an average reduction in A1C of 1.7% (p<0.001). The mean number of daily injections decreased from 4.3 with U-100 insulin to 2.7 after using U-500 insulin (p<0.001), but changes in body weight after the change in insulin were not statistically significant (279.8 vs 279.2 lbs, p=0.429). No patient discontinued U-500 insulin during the study, and none experienced hypoglycemia severe enough to require the assistance of another individual. Conclusion. In patients with insulin-resistant diabetes who have requirements of more than 200 units/day or 100 units/injection, use of U-500 regular insulin provided the same or better glucose control compared with U-100 insulin, with fewer daily injections and reduced injection volume. Although this drug represents an excellent treatment option, its safe use requires an experienced physician, a motivated and cooperative patient, and a dynamic diabetes management team.
Folding simulations of alanine-based peptides with lysine residues.

The folding of short alanine-based peptides with different numbers of lysine residues is simulated at constant temperature (274 K) using the rigid-element Monte Carlo method. The solvent-referenced potential has prevented the multiple-minima problem in helix folding. From various initial structures, the peptides with three lysine residues fold into helix-dominated conformations with the calculated average helicity in the range of 60–80%. The peptide with six lysine residues shows only 8–14% helicity. These results agree well with experimental observations. The intramolecular electrostatic interaction of the charged lysine side chains and their electrostatic hydration destabilize the helical conformations of the peptide with six lysine residues, whereas these effects on the peptides with three lysine residues are small. The simulations provide insight into the helix-folding mechanism, including the beta-bend intermediate in helix initiation, the (i, i + 3) hydrogen bonds, the asymmetrical helix propagation, and the asymmetrical helicities in the N- and C-terminal regions. These findings are consistent with previous studies.
On the Geomagnetic Analysis of Cosmic Radiation

The results of an extensive study of trajectories asymptotic to a certain family of periodic orbits in the earth's magnetic field, carried out by means of Bush's differential analyzer, are presented in this paper. The theory of the region of full light, or main cone, is fully discussed. Attention is then restricted to the section of the main cone in the plane of the geomagnetic meridian and it is shown that the north-south asymmetry furnishes the most direct approach to the analysis of the energy spectrum in a wide region, independently of the particles' sign. Further it is shown that the general shape and the minimum of the north-south asymmetry discovered by Johnson in the course of his Mexican experiments are fully accounted for by the action of the earth's field.
Organoleptic Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Antioxidants in Milk Fat

Abstract The ability of antioxidants to protect milk fat was determined by an accelerated stability test at 40 C. The samples were evaluated organoleptically twice daily for five days by a panel of nine judges who scored them as oxidized or unoxidized. A control sample was included at each session, and the deviations of the samples containing antioxidant from the controls were analyzed statistically. The method proved satisfactory as a rapid screening method for antioxidants. Considerable variation in the effectiveness of antioxidants with different batches of milk fat made accurate comparisons difficult, but thiodipropionic acid, propyl gallate, and butylated hydroxytoluene tended to rank high, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (ND-GA) and carboxymethylmercaptosuccinic acid tended to rank low. The effectiveness of antioxidants was not enhanced markedly by isopropyl citrate, except for nordihydroguaiaretic acid. Deodorization of the milk fat did not affect the results appreciably.
Surface finishes on stainless steel reduce bacterial attachment and early biofilm formation: scanning electron and atomic force microscopy study

Three common finishing treatments of stainless steel that are used for equipment during poultry processing were tested for resistance to bacterial contamination. Methods were developed to measure attached bacteria and to identify factors that make surface finishes susceptible or resistant to bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. Samples of the treated surfaces (sand-blasted, sanded, and electropolished) were exposed to natural bacterial populations from chicken carcass rinses to allow growth of bacteria and development of biofilms on the surfaces. The kinetics of bacterial growth during surface exposure was followed by UV-visible spectrophotometry, and counts of bacteria and early biofilm formation were measured following scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface morphology of the samples was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) with samples from each of the batches of treatments used in the SEM studies. Relative differences in the surface morphology, including fractal dimensions, Z ranges, roughness, and other measurements corresponded by treatment with the differences in reduction of bacterial counts shown by SEM. The surface types varied in affinity for bacteria, and both physical and electrochemical treatments improved resistance of stainless steel to bacterial attachment. Electropolished stainless steel was the least rough surface and showed significantly fewer bacterial cells and beginning biofilm formations than the other treated surfaces. Food safety could be improved if bacterial populations could be reduced during processing by increasing the use of materials that are resistant to bacterial contamination. These findings will aid equipment manufacturers and processors in selecting materials and finishes that are most resistant to bacteria and biofilm formation.
Surface Tension of Calcium Aluminosilicate Glass Using Computerized Drop Shape Analysis

Numerical analysis is used in this study to derive surface tension from the shape of a liquid silicate sessile drop. The speed afforded by the drop shape analysis package facilitates analysis of experimentally derived drop profiles. Drop symmetry, contact angles, and local shape variations can be readily determined, thereby permitting the detection of experimental errors. The experimental and analytical technique was first validated by determining the surface tension of high-purity gallium and aluminum under carefully controlled furnace atmospheres. Results for a calcium aluminosilicate melt are compared to pendant drop and maximum-bubble pressure measurements reported in the literature. The use of an internal scaling factor and the effect of substrate interactions are discussed.
Curing and Consolidation of Advanced Thermoset Composite Laminate Parts by Pressing Between a Heated Mold and Customized Rubber-Faced Mold

Curing and consolidating thermoset composite laminates and sandwich structures typically involves vacuum bagging an uncured and formed layup over a thin-walled mold, placing it in an autoclave, and subjecting the entire unit to temperature, vacuum and pressure cycles as prescribed by the manufacturer. Autoclaving is generally considered the major bottleneck in manufacturing of advanced composites parts because of high capital and consumable costs, energy usage, waste generated and process scalability. A new curing and consolidation process, called ‘thermal press curing’ is discussed and demonstrated as an alternative to autoclaving. The process involves compressing a composite laminate between a special mold set — heated metal mold and a matching rubber-covered mold made of an insulative material — designed to provide uniform temperature and pressure over the metal mold surface, that is, mimic the process conditions provided by an autoclave. The thermal press curing process is demonstrated for the first time using a mold set for a simple 2-dimensional axisymmetric shape. An aluminum curing mold with embedded electric resistance cartridge heaters is heuristically designed to provide uniform temperature in operation across the mold surface within 1°C of the target value (177°C). With the mold set compressing an eight-ply carbon/epoxy composite workpiece and well insulated on all sides, the power draw is at least 1–2 orders-of-magnitude less than a comparable autoclaving operation. The potential to significantly improve pressure uniformity from the compressed rubber mask is shown by changing the mask shape. Even without an optimized rubber layer shape and thickness, the eight-ply composite part was successfully cured. Finally, a plan for future work is described.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Treatment of Carcinoma of the Esophagus and Gastric Cardia with Concentrated Preoperative Irradiation Followed by Early Operation: A Progress Report

Abstract Our experience in treating carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia of the stomach with a concentrated, abbreviated course of irradiation followed by early operation is reported. The treatment protocol consists of three consecutive 800 R cobalt 60 teletherapy treatments on successive days followed by esophagogastric resection in ten to fourteen days. This treatment was used routinely in 70 consecutive patients seen between 1964 and 1971. Seven patients are living; 5 have survived more than two years postoperatively. These 5 patients all had unusually favorable tumors with no involved lymph nodes found in the resected specimen. Since the only good results occurred in unusually favorable cases, it is difficult to substantiate significant benefit from the addition of this form of radiation therapy to surgical treatment. The routine use of preoperative irradiation has been discontinued.
Ionic Dissociation of Perchloric Acid in Microsolvated Clusters

Ionization or ionic dissociation of perchloric acid in the clusters HClO4-(H2O)n (n = 1−3) and HClO4-NH3-(H2O)n (n = 0, 1) is investigated by density functional theory and ab initio molecular orbital theory. The equilibrium structures, binding energies, and dipole moments of the clusters are calculated using the hybrid density functional (B3LYP) method with the 6-31+G* and 6-311++G** basis sets and the second-order Moller−Plesset approximation method with the 6-311++G** basis set. Harmonic vibrational frequencies are obtained from the B3LYP/6-311++G** calculations. Perchloric acid is found to require a minimum of three water molecules for ionization to occur and at least one water molecule to protonate ammonia. The corresponding clusters with fewer water molecules are found to be strongly hydrogen-bonded. The acid strength and the related properties of perchloric acid are discussed and compared to those of sulfuric acid in the context of clusters with ammonia and water.
Isolation and characterization of the protein phosphoamidates formed by a membrane bound adenylyl transferase reaction in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract 1. 1. In this paper we report the results of studies on an adenylyl transferase (AyTase) activity froni Dictyostelium discoideum. 2. 2. Previous studies suggested that this activity catalyzed the transfer of AMP from ATP to a membrane protein to form a phosphoamidate reaction product. 3. 3. In the present study we have isolated and characterized the product of the AyTase reaction and surprisingly found two AMP labeled products by SDS-gel-filtration HPLC. 4. 4. The apparent molecular weights of these phosphoamidates were 13.5 and 1.5kDa. 5. 5. In addition, because the reaction product was rapidly degraded by a phosphoamidase, experiments were undertaken using AVAMP, a synthetic phosphoamidate, as an alternative phosphoamidase substrate, to trap the reaction products. 6. 6. As the phosphoamidase activity could be inhibited by cAMP, cyclic formycin monophosphate, an analog of cAMP resistent to hydrolysis by cAMP phosphodiesterase, was also used to trap the products. 7. 7. Both attempts at trapping failed. 8. 8. A model for the AyTase reaction was developed to account for the failure to trap the products and the formation of two phosphoamidates.
Some Characterization of Distributions by Functions of Failure Rate and Mean Residual Life

Abstract In reliability studies, it is well known that the failure rate, the mean residual life function, and their product characterize the distribution. In this article, we show that their ratio also characterizes the distribution. This result is then utilized to show that the second residual moment characterizes the distribution. A general uniqueness theorem is proved to show that the variance residual life function characterizes the distribution. An example is presented to illustrate the results. Finally, some applications, of the results established earlier, to nonhomogeneous Poisson processes are provided.
Evidence of a thermally stable carbon-nitrogen deep level in carbon-doped, nitrogen-implanted, GaAs and AlGaAs

Nitrogen ion implantation is shown to form high resistivity regions (ps ≥ 1 × 1010 Ω/) in C-doped GaAs and Al0.35Ga0.65As that remains compensated after a 900°C anneal. This is in contrast to oxygen or fluorine implantation in C-doped GaAs which both recover the initial conductivity after a sufficiently high temperature anneal (800°C for F and 900°C for O). In C-doped Al0.35Ga0.65As N- and O-implant isolation is thermally stable but F-implanted samples regain the initial conductivity after a 700°C anneal. A dose dependence is observed for the formation of thermally stable N-implant compensation for both the GaAs and AIGaAs samples. A C-N complex is suggested as the source of the compensating defect level for the N-implanted samples. Sheet resistance data vs anneal temperature and estimates of the depth of the defect levels are reported. This result will have application to heterojunction bipolar transistors and complementary heterostructure field effect transistor technologies that employ C-doped AIGaAs or GaAs layers along with high temperature post-implant isolation processing.
Immunologic similarities between the hypothalamic α-bungarotoxin receptor and theTorpedo californica nicotinic cholinergic receptor

Abstract The solubilized rat central nervous system (hypothalamic) nicotinic cholinergic receptor and the Torpedo nicotinic cholinergic receptors are immunologically similar technique. Antibodies to the Electrophorus and Torpedo receptors also decrease the rate of α-bungarotoxin binding to these membraneous receptors. It is concluded that the Torpedo and hypothalamic nicotinic receptors are immunologically similar and that receptor binding sites for α-bungarotoxin and antibodies are physically close. These studies indicate that α-bungarotoxin can be used to study the nicotinic cholinergic receptor of the rat hypothalamus.
Molecular mechanisms of endochondral bone development

Endochondral bone development is a complex process in which undifferentiated mesenchymal cells differentiate into chondrocytes, which then undergo well-ordered and controlled phases of proliferation, hypertrophic differentiation, death, blood vessel invasion, and finally replacement of cartilage with bone. The process recapitulates basic and fundamental mechanisms of cell biology with a highly specific spatial and temporal pattern, and it thus constitutes an excellent model for the analysis of such mechanisms. In recent years, the tools provided by modern genetic both in mice and men have been instrumental in the process of identifying and dissecting basic molecular mechanisms of endochondral bone formation. This review is a brief summary of the current knowledge about some of the crucial factors involved in growth plate development.
Educating Different Types of Citizens: Identity, Tradition, and Moral Education

Different institutional identities have implications for how colleges and universities approach moral education. When higher education institutions support more comprehensive forms of moral education, they do so by fostering commitment to a set of particular identities and traditions. As a result, students are asked to acquire and demonstrate knowledge, virtues, and dispositions relevant to these particular commitments. Our paper reports how the Christian identity and tradition shaped moral education in a select group of institutions we studied and compares our findings with another recent study that examined how select institutions fostered commitment to civic identity and the democratic tradition.
Poly(4-hydroxy-l-proline ester): Low-Temperature Polycondensation and Plasmid DNA Complexation

The cytotoxicity of a polycationic gene delivery system is critical for overall gene transfer efficency. Cells targeted for transfection must be able to support transcription and translation following gene delivery if treatment is to be successful. Cumulative cellular exposure time is one factor that mediates the cytotoxicity of polycations. Therefore, we hypothesized that hydrolytically degradable polycations, such as polyesters based on amino acids, could serve to reduce the cytotoxicity of polycationic gene delivery systems. In this paper, optimization of the low-temperature dicyclohexylcarbodiimide/(dimethylamino)pyridine (DCC/DMAP)-activated polycondensation of N-carbobenzyloxy-4-hydroxy-l-proline (CBZ-4-hydroxy-l-proline) to ultimately yield poly(4-hydroxy-l-proline ester) and the resulting polymer's interaction with plasmid DNA is reported. The optimized polycondensation of CBZ-4-hydroxy-l-proline resulted in a polymer with Mw = 7880. Deprotection of the CBZ group was afforded by palladium on activ...
The Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, Interleukin-1β, Interleukin-6, and Transforming Growth Factor-β1 on Pulp Fibroblast Mediated Collagen Degradation

Dental pulp destruction is believed to be regulated, in part, by the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs). Cytokines are believed to be important in the pathogenesis of pulpitis. This study examined the effects that TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and TGF-beta1 have on the collagen degradation mediated by pulp fibroblasts utilizing a cell-mediated collagen degradation assay. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analyses, and zymography were utilized to examine multiple MMPs and TIMPs. The collagen degradation mediated by these cells was stimulated by these cytokines. TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 increased the mRNA and/or protein expression of MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-3. TGF-beta1 decreased MMP-1 mRNA expression, while only slightly affecting the MMP-2 and MMP-3 mRNA and/or protein. These cytokines did not affect the expression of TIMP-1 or TIMP-2. These results suggest that these cytokines affect pulp destruction, in part, by differentially regulating the MMPs and TIMPs.
Words in motion and the semiotics of the unseen in two Korean churches

Abstract I analyze the self-anchoring metasemiotics of two pastors from two Christian churches in Seoul, South Korea. I argue that the conceptualization of ‘The Word’ as an inerrable thing-in-motion, rather than as an iterable event of semiotic production, provides the ideological grounds for explaining the sense of a shared experience of entities not available for systematic, public demonstration or manipulation. I show how sermonic directives provide denominationally distinct (Presbyterian and Pentecostal) models for conceptualizing non-linguistic but semiotically rich and religiously powerful experiences by linking the perceived behavior of the agents of such experiences to the perceived behavior of linguistic tokens.
Influence of Crystallization Conditions on the Microstructure and Electromechanical Properties of Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) Terpolymers

The crystallization process and its influence on the microstructures and in turn the ferroelectric and electromechanical properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)) terpolymer were investigated. It was found that, in addition to the crystallites formed at the isothermal crystallization temperature T x , further crystallites form during the rapid cooling from T x to room temperature. The proportion of lower melting crystallites increases with T x , and for T x = 142 °C, this proportion is more than 90%. The experimental results show that the lower melting crystallites have a higher fraction of the all-trans conformation (and thus more polar-phase component) than the crystallites formed at T x . As a result, the higher T x samples show an increased polarization hysteresis and reduced electric field induced strain response. For example, the strain is reduced from -5.9 to -4.2% as T x is increased from 112 to 142 °C. In addition, the experimental results in combination with other reported results indicate that CFE units are included in the crystalline lattice. Consequently, the influence of CFE on the ferroelectric behavior of the polymer is through the defects induced in the crystal lattice.
Discovery processes, science, and ‘knowledge–how:’ Competition as a discovery procedure in the laboratory

These edited remarks explore the relationship of the thought of F.A. Hayek to the development of experimental economics and related programs in economic design. Particularly emphasized are the insights of Hayek with respect to competition and their importance to the theoretical justification for, and empirical results derived from, the experimental study of market behavior. These remarks include some personal commentary on experimental methods, from the early double auctions of the 1960s through more recent work exploring the nature of business cycles. Finally, the intellectual history of the market structures examined in Vernon Smith’s work is discussed, comparing the exploration of the double auction to the horse market of Bohm-Bawerk, as well as the general insight of Adam Smith that causality stems from the propensity to truck, barter, and exchange to the discovery of specialization.
SIKHI AND SUSTAINABILITY: SIKH APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY

This article investigates the growing Sikh environmental movement. Utilizing the categories of recovery, reformation and replacement suggested by Bauman et al., it looks at the rationale behind religiously motivated environmental action, with a particular emphasis on Sikh organizations working in the Punjab. Sikh environmental advocates frequently draw on scriptural sources as well as particular elements of religious history in arguing that Sikhism can be understood as an inherently ecological tradition. The Sikh tradition of seva, service to the community, is a prime motivator for ecological activism and is the basis for many of the most successful efforts.
Florida bladder cancer trends 1981 to 2004: minimal progress in decreasing advanced disease.

Purpose: There are no accepted screening recommendations for bladder cancer, although the greatest risk factors for bladder cancer are identifiable and modifiable, ie tobacco exposure. Bladder cancer survival correlates highly with disease stage. We ascertained whether there have been any demographic changes in the stage at presentation and mortality of bladder cancer in Florida during the last 25 years.Materials and Methods: Data from Florida Cancer Data Registry were evaluated on all bladder cancer cases between 1981 and 2004. Cases were coded and analyzed as local, in situ or advanced (regional and distant) disease. Cases were stratified by demographic groups.Results: The overall incidence of bladder cancer decreased slightly in the last 25 years from 24.3 to 20.5 cases per 100,000 population. Overall white and Hispanic males had an almost 3 and 2-fold incidence of bladder cancer, respectively, compared to that in black males. White females had an almost 2-fold increased incidence compared to black and...
Human Trafficking in Mongolia

DOI: 10.5564/mjia.v0i13.12 Mongolian Journal of International Affairs No.13 2006 pp.95-108
Seawater chemistry and the advent of biocalcification

Major ion compositions of primary fluid inclusions from terminal Proterozoic (ca. 544 Ma) and Early Cambrian (ca. 515 Ma) marine halites indicate that seawater Ca{sup 2+} concentrations increased approximately threefold during the Early Cambrian. The timing of this shift in seawater chemistry broadly coincides with the 'Cambrian explosion,' a brief drop in marine {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr values, and an increase in tectonic activity, suggesting a link between the advent of biocalcification, hydrothermal mid-ocean-ridge brine production, and the composition of seawater. The Early Cambrian surge in oceanic [Ca{sup 2+}] was likely the first such increase following the rise of metazoans and may have spurred evolutionary changes in marine biota.
Differential age-associated regulation of clusterin expression in prostate lobes of brown Norway rats.

BACKGROUND Serum androgen concentrations decline with age in male Brown Norway rats and castration induces apoptosis of luminal secretory epithelial cells in the ventral but not in the dorsal and lateral prostate lobes. Clusterin has been described as an androgen-repressed gene and a protein with either anti- or pro-apoptotic actions. METHODS We measured clusterin mRNA and protein levels, the effects of aging and castration on clusterin protein levels and clusterin immunolocalization within the prostatic ductal network in the prostate lobes of young and aged rats. RESULTS Whereas levels of clusterin mRNA and protein expression measured by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively, were higher in the ventral and lateral lobes of aged (24 months) compared to young (4 months) rats, no age-dependent differences were observed in the dorsal lobe. Clusterin expression was localized by immunohistochemistry exclusively to the proximal duct segment of young rats, but extended to the distal segment of the ventral and lateral lobes of aged rats. Despite an age-related decrease in serum testosterone concentration, clusterin gene expression was not altered in the dorsal lobe. After castration, levels of clusterin expression increased significantly in the ventral and lateral lobes despite the absence of epithelial cell apoptosis in the latter. In castrated rats, clusterin expression extended throughout the proximal–distal duct regions of the prostate lobes of young and aged rats. CONCLUSION Regulation of clusterin expression in the prostate lobes of aging rats appears complex and is neither directly repressed by androgen nor dependent on apoptotic-induced stress. Prostate 69: 115–125, 2009. © 2008 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
Natural glucocorticoids induce expansion of all developmental stages of murine bone marrow granulocytes without inhibiting function

Natural glucocorticoids (Gc) produced during stress have profound effects on the immune system. It is well known that Gc induce apoptosis in precursor T and B cells, markedly altering lymphopoiesis. However, it has been noted that marrow myeloid cells expanded both in proportion and absolute numbers in the mouse after Gc exposure. Mice were implanted with a corticosterone (CS) tablet that increased serum Gc and caused atrophied thymuses, both classic signs of activation of the stress axis. Blood neutrophil counts were elevated (4.8×), whereas lymphocyte counts declined. Flow cytometric analysis of the marrow revealed that the phenotypic distribution of the various major classes of cells was shifted by Gc exposure. As expected, marrow lymphocyte numbers declined >40% after 3 days of exposure to Gc. Conversely, in the myeloid compartment, both monocytes and granulocytes increased in number by >40%. Further, all granulocyte developmental stages showed large increases in both total number and percentage of cells. To investigate the functional capacity of mature granulocytes from Gc-treated mice, an improved granulocyte isolation method was developed. Gc exposure had little effect on the ability of granulocytes to produce superoxide or undergo chemotaxis or phagocytose bacteria. These results indicate that Gc treatment shifts bone marrow composition and provides evidence that granulocytes and their progenitors are selectively preserved under stressful conditions without losing function.
Pectenotoxin-2 Synthetic Studies. 2. Construction and Conjoining of ABC and DE Eastern Hemisphere Subtargets

Practical asymmetric synthesis of aldehyde 2 and tetrazolyl sulfone 3 has allowed for their coupling via Julia olefination to generate 32 as a single product. This substance possesses the entire ca...
Analytical study of two-phase impingement for orbital cryogenic venting.

Impingement pressure analysis associated with two phase cryogenic propellant venting to space environment
The Definition and Empirical Analysis on Influencing Factors of Modern Service Industry - Based on Time-Series Data

Modern service industry is a new concept of China. The research and definition on it have just been at the initial stage. This paper analyzed other scholars' study of it by introducing the process of the development of this concept. On the basis of that, the paper gave a new definition of modern service industry. And according to the definition, the paper discussed the influencing factors of modern service industry, including outside environmental factors and internal factors. Because of the standard industrial classification and statistical criterion of China, the paper made empirical analysis by the time-series data of modern service industry over the past five years to approve the strength and direction of these factors, so as to provide theoretical and actual foundation for the further development of modern service industry.
Erythropoietin in the brain: can the promise to protect be fulfilled?

Erythropoietin (EPO) has emerged as a versatile growth factor that has transcended its traditional role as a mediator of erythroid maturation to one that modulates stem cell development, cellular protection and angiogenesis in the brain. As a possible candidate for nervous system disorders, it becomes crucial to understand the cellular mechanisms that foster cytoprotection rather than cytotoxicity for EPO. EPO offers novel neuronal and vascular protection not only through the maintenance of cellular integrity, but also through the prevention of cellular inflammation. The protective and anti-inflammatory capacities of EPO originate with the Janus tyrosine kinase 2 protein and protein kinase B (Akt). Downstream cellular pathways include FOXO3a, GSK-3β, Bad, Bcl-xL, NF-κB, mitochondrial membrane permeability, APAF-1 and caspases. Further understanding of the cellular pathways that are susceptible to modulation by EPO will be crucial to foster the development of this agent as a robust and efficacious therapy for the brain.
Understanding super-resolution nanoscopy and its biological applications in cell imaging

Optical microscopy has been an ideal tool for studying phenomena in live cells because visible light at reasonable intensity does not perturb much of the normal biological functions. However, optical resolution using visible light is significantly limited by the wavelength. Overcoming this diffraction-limit barrier will reveal biological mechanisms, cellular structures, and physiological processes at a nanometer scale, orders of magnitude lower than current optical microscopy. Although this appears to be a daunting task, recently developed photoswitchable probes enable reconstruction of individual images into a super-resolution image, thus the emergence of nanoscopy. Harnessing the resolution power of nanoscopy, we report here nano-resolution fluorescence imaging of microtubules and their network structures in biological cells. The super-resolution nanoscopy successfully resolved nanostructures of a microtubule network—a daunting task that cannot be completed using conventional wide-field microscopy.