cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microstucture Modeling to Ductility Prediction of Mg Alloys

Magnesium alloys have become popular alternatives to aluminums and steels for the purpose of vehicle light weighting. However, Mg alloys are hindered from wider application due to limited ductility. Understanding the impact of microstructural features on bulk response is key to more widespread use and moving towards truly predicting capabilities. Cast Mg alloys contain intrinsic (grain size, secondary phases, morphology) and extrinsic (porosity) micro structural features. Both types of features contribute to the bulk properties and in-service failure mechanisms. This study models the intrinsic features using synthetic microstructure models that incorporate material properties from first-principle calculations. We will show that the morphology, not just the volume fraction, of the secondary phase, explains the hardening differences between different AM-series alloys. The resulting “bulk” properties from the intrinsic models are also utilized by extrinsic microstructure models to predict the ductility of Mg alloys.
Nail-patella syndrome: A distinctive clinical and electron microscopic presentation

A case of nail-patella syndrome is presented in which cerebral vessel and aortic dilatation was noted. The skin revealed epidermal basement membrane thickening and redundancy in addition to significant perivascular basal lamina reduplication by electron microscopy. The significance of these findings is discussed.
Internet-based adherence interventions for treatment of chronic disorders in adolescents.

BACKGROUND Treatment adherence is a ubiquitous challenge in medicine, particularly in the adolescent population with chronic disorders. Web-based adherence interventions may be particularly useful in adolescents, due to their familiarity with and frequent use of the Internet. OBJECTIVE To review web-based interventions used to improve adherence to medication in adolescent patients with chronic disorders. METHODS A PubMed search was performed for full-text, English, clinical trials in adolescents using keywords "adherence" or "compliance", "Internet" or "web", and "treatment" from inception until November 2014. Articles were selected if they involved using the Internet to provide support to adolescents to help improve their adherence to treatment, excluding those focused on solely providing medical services through the Internet and articles focusing on preventative care, rather than treatment of an illness. RESULTS Fourteen studies were found concentrating on chronic adolescent disorders. Interventions included online surveys, physician chat lines, monitoring programs, and interactive programs. All interventions experienced either greater improvement in adherence or another disease control measure or no statistically significant difference compared with the control group (in-clinic visits). LIMITATIONS Few clinical trials studying web-based interventions to improve adherence in adolescents were found. Due to not having one standard outcome measured in all of the studies, it was also difficult comparing the effectiveness of the interventions. CONCLUSION Web-based interventions play a role in improving adherence in adolescents with chronic disorders by being more time saving and cost effective compared with in-clinic visits. Further research focusing on adherence interventions using the Internet is necessary to determine the ideal ways of utilizing the Internet to improve adherence in adolescents with chronic disorders.
Development of an Objective Method for Dough Stickiness

An objective method was developed to measure dough stickiness. The texture analyser provided the required compression force and measured the tension. A cell was designed and built that caused the dough to separate from the probe surface under tensile stress. This is critical for the measurement of dough surface stickiness. The procedure was highly reproducible and appeared to correlate well with subjective measurements of dough stickiness. A number of factors that affected dough stickiness were studied by the developed procedure. Although many factors were shown to affect dough stickiness, none appeared to explain the increased stickiness found with certain flours.
An Expert System can Aid in the Evolution of a Design Methodology

An expert system (CASCADE) has been implemented for the design of multivariable controllers for linear plants. using the linear quadratic Gaussian/loop transfer recovery (LQG/LTR) design methodology [1,2,3]. The development and testing of the knowledge base uncovered several inadequaces in the LQG/LTR theory of design. This paper focuses on the problems associated with the selection of a state weighting matrix for the regulator design (or of the process noise covariance matrix for the filter design) to satisfy constraints on the singular values of the design's return ratio (the "balancing" problem [4]). The availability of the expert system allowed rapid generation of designs for example systems, and rapid modifications to the design knowledge base. This provided a close study of the interaction between the effects of nominal plant poles at the origin (system type), state augmentation to control steady state error performance, selection of the constraints placed on the singular values of the return ratio, and the method used to meet those constraints. The paper tracks the evolution of our philosophy toward LQG/LTR design, and summarizes our current approach toward "balancing" the design.
A theoretical investigation of microscopic dynamics and time scales of predesorption processes

When an internal mode of an absorbate is excited with enough energy to break the absorbate–surface bond, the adsorbate may desorb in a manner similar to predissociation (or unimolecular reaction) in isolated molecules. In this article, we set up a simple, microscopic model for this ‘‘predesorption’’ process and investigate the influence of various aspects of the model on the time scale of predesorption. These comparisons include quantum mechanical vs classical treatment, and the inclusion vs neglect of surface vibrations. For this simple analog of a ‘‘unimolecular reaction,’’ we find that classical mechanics predicts shorter lifetimes; and that the effect of surface vibrations is far less pronounced in quantum mechanics.
A case study of software quality and reuse

For software developers, especially those in industry, effective software use is a highly sought after in order to save both time and money in the development process. In order to properly reuse software, the quality of code must be examined to determine its candidacy for reuse. While tools to aid in software reuse are available, many do not fit the specific needs of companies. In this paper, we examine the implementation FICUSOK, a custom tool designed to analyze both quality and reusability of software code sections, in an industry environment.
Sampling Problems in the Micro Determination of Blood Lead

Sampling tube and fingertip contamination were found to present potential problems in the collection of samples for micro blood lead analyses. Large differences between micro screening and macro confirming lead levels were frequently observed when the time between collection of the two samples was 1-2 weeks. The magnitude of these differences decreased as macro blood lead concentration increased and were apparently a result of episodic lead ingestion in the population.
The effect of conformational changes on the blood platelet reactivity of polylysine

Abstract Various samples of poly- l -lysine were tested in washed platelets for the ability to cause release reactions and aggregation. Large variations in the reactivity of the polylysine samples were found. Tests on the polylysine samples, including Circular Dichroism, indicated that the difference in the ability of polylysine to react with washed platelets was due to conformational variations. In polylysine with a significant percentage of random coil conformation, reactions with washed platelets were not observed unless a plasma protein co-factor was added. In polylysine samples with little or no random coil and near 100% β conformation, severe platelet reactions were observed regardless of whether a plasma co-factor was added.
The influence of ground-water storage on the runoff in the San Bernardino and eastern San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California

The steep and rugged mountains of Southern California contain considerable ground-water storage. A large portion of the runoff is seepage from this storage The variations in runoff distribution depend on the geology, physiography, and soil cover of these mountain areas.
Assembly of organic monolayers on polydicyclopentadiene.

The first well-defined organic monolayers assembled on polydicyclopentadiene is reported. Commercial grade dicyclopentadiene was polymerized with the Grubbs’ second-generation catalyst in a fume hood under ambient conditions at very low monomer to catalyst loadings of 20 000 to 1. This simple method resulted in a polymer that was a hard solid and appeared slightly yellow. Brief exposures of a few seconds of this polymer to Br2 lead to a surface with approximately half of the olefins brominated as shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and attenuated total reflection-infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. The ATR-IR spectroscopy was carried out with the polymer in contact with a Ge hemisphere housed in a GATR accessory from Harrick. This brominated polydicyclopentadiene was immersed in DMF with 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamine to assemble a monolayer. The amines displaced Br on the surface to form a monolayer that exposed a CF3 group on the surface. The surface was extensively studied by XPS using the meth...
Identification of specific changes in the pattern of brain protein synthesis after training

Double labeling studies with [3H]valine and [14C]valine were used to investigate the pattern of protein synthesis in the brains of goldfish. The protein fractions in three bands (alpha, beta, and gamma) on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels indicate that more valine was incorporated in the brains of goldfish that had been trained in a vestibular conditioning task than in the brains of untrained fish or fish trained in a variety of control behavioral situation. Changes in the pattern of labeling were localized in the cytoplasmic fraction of the brain; no increases in labeling occurred in either the nuclear or synaptosomal components. The results suggest that a specific change occurs in the pattern of protein synthesis in the brain after the acquistion of a new behavior.
Bayberry wax and bayberries

The “wax” of various species of Myrica is not a true wax, but a vegetable tallow extracted from the surface of the fruits. The principal use of the “wax” is for Christmas candles, but it is also used in soap, ointments, leatherpolishing formulations, etching, and medicinals.
Adhesion in laminates of highly oriented polypropylene sheets

Abstract The underlying causes of adhesion in highly oriented PP and PP-copolymer films have been investigated. The parallel-plied laminate was found to differ in behaviour from the cross-plied laminate. Relative to the cross-plies, the parallel-plies showed greater blocking force, but smaller birefringence, more disoriented WAXS patterns, and lower tensile strength and modulus. Annealing of the laminate before moulding affected blocking of the parallel-plies, but not the cross-plies. Microstructural differences were also noted in the TEM. The experimental observations lead to the conclusion that, for the parallel-plies, adhesion arises from retraction of the highly oriented amorphous region, followed by entanglement across the interface. Cross-plying hinders the elastic retractive forces from operating. Adhesion, in this case, comes about only after local melting of the more defective lamellae.
On the decohesion of residually stressed thin films

Abstract The propagation of cracks in a brittle substrate, as motivated by residual stress in the film, is analyzed. The results are used to predict trends in film decohesion with film thickness, residual stress, elastic properties and substrate toughness. The analysis is based on separate determinations of the strain energy release rate and mode I/modeII stress intensities for substrate cracks parallel to the interface. Experiments are performed on a system consisting of thin films bonded to SiO 2 substrates. Comparison between theory and experiment provides knowledge of the crack growth criterion and of trends in decohesion resistance.
The photovoltaic response of nGe-nSi heterodiodes☆

Abstract : The photovoltaic response of the nGe-n Si diodes are in agreement with the I-V characteristics and the band diagram postulated by Oldham and Milnes. (Author)
THE SRC FAMILY-SELECTIVE TYROSINE KINASE INHIBITOR PP1 BLOCKS LPS AND IFN-α-MEDIATED TNF AND iNOS PRODUCTION IN MURINE MACROPHAGES

ABSTRACTTyrosine phosphorylation pathways are essential components of the process of macrophage activation and the resultant production of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and nitric oxide (NO). Several lines of evidence suggest that members of the src family of protein tyr
The Price of Silver and Chinese Purchasing Power

I. The "purchasing power" argument of the silver interests, and its political importance, 245. — II. China not on the silver standard: the paper currencies, 249; variety of silver coins and weights, 250; copper coins, 251. — Money changing, 252. — Independent price levels, 254. — III. Hoarding of silver: in coin, 255; in ornaments, 256. — The price of silver: demand, 257; supply, 259. — Influence of conditions in China: warfare, 260; modernization, 264. — IV. Effects upon prices: in the interior, 267; in Shanghai, 268. — V. Chinese opinion primarily concerned with problem of uniformity rather than stability, 273. — Interpretation of the evidence, 277. — Conclusion, 280.
Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase potentiates hypertension and increases mortality in traumatically brain-injured rats

We examined the effects of Nω-nitor-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), on mortality, morbidity, and cardiovascular parameters following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the rat. Rats were anesthetized with 2% isoflurane prior to moderate (2.0 atmosphere), central fluid percussion TBI. Temporalis muscle temperature was maintained at 37±0.5°C. L-NAME (10 mg/kg iv) was administered once at either 5 min before, 5 min after, or 15 min after TBI. Sensorimotor deficits and spatial learning/ memory deficits were assessed after injury. Separate groups of rats were monitored for cardiovascular parameters. Preinjury administration of L-NAME significantly increased mortality from 13 (vehicle) to 70% (associated with pulmonary edema), whereas postinjury, L-NAME had no effect on mortality (14 and 25%). L-NAME adminstered at 5 or 15 min after injury had no significant effect on motor performance or cognitive performance deficits associated with TBI. L-NAME in uninjured rat increased arterial blood pressure by 25 mmHg within 2 min. L-NAME injected 5 min before TBI greatly prolonged the hypertensive episode associated with TBI (1 min in vehicle vs 60 min in L-NAME). L-NAME injected 5 min after TBI caused a sustained 35 mmHg increase in blood pressure. These findings suggest that acute inhibition of NOS has detrimental consequences on mortality that may be owing to its cardiovascular effects.
Action and Reaction in Rotary Motion

A BICYCLE wheel, loaded at the rim, is placed upon an axle about four feet in length. This axle passes vertically through a hole in the centre of a rotating stool and is fixed rigidly to the stationary pedestal of the stool. A man standing upon the rotating stool can now set himself in rotation in one direction by turning the bicycle wheel in the opposite direction. A more striking demonstration can be given when the axle of the bicycle wheel is not fixed to the pedestal but rests upon the rotary part of the stool. In this case the man stands upon the stool grasping the axle of the bicycle wheel and holding it vertically in his left hand. With his right hand he sets the wheel in rotation (clockwise), and he necessarily rotates with the stool in the opposite sense (anti-clockwise). By applying the palm of his hand to the rim of the bicycle wheel, the man can stop his own rotation and that of the wheel at the same time. If a second man standing upon the floor stops the rotation of the man on the stool, the latter can again start himself in rotation by taking energy from the bicycle wheel. In a complete analysis of these rotations, friction in the bearings of the rotating parts must be taken into account.
Trajectories of alcohol and drug use and dependence from adolescence to adulthood: the effects of familial alcoholism and personality

This study describes trajectories of substance use and dependence from adolescence to adulthood. Identified consumption groups include heavy drinking/heavy drug use, moderate drinking/experimental drug use, and light drinking/rare drug use. Dependence groups include alcohol only, drug only, and comorbid groups. The heavy drinking/heavy drug use group was at risk for alcohol and drug dependence and persistent dependence and showed more familial alcoholism, negative emotionality, and low constraint. The moderate drinking/experimental drug use group was at risk for alcohol dependence but not comorbid or persistent dependence and showed less negative emotionality and higher constraint. Familial alcoholism raised risk for alcohol and drug use and dependence in part because children from alcoholic families were more impulsive and lower in agreeableness.
Teacher Rationales for Scoring Students' Problem Solving Work.

This article presents the scores teachers assigned to samples of actual students' problem-solving work and the rationales teachers provided for these scores. These rationales may reflect teachers' values relative to aspects of mathematical problem solving. It may be that when teachers can express rationales for scoring students' work, they are able to justify their evaluation of what students can “know and do” in mathematics.
Analysis of Solute Transport in Cartilaginous Tissue Under Dynamic Unconfined Compression

Transport of fluid and solutes through the extracellular matrix plays a key role in the nutrition and growth of cartilaginous tissues that lack blood supply. It has been found that the mechanical loading can alter the transport rates of solutes within cartilage [Bonassar, 2000; O’Hara, 1990; Quinn, 2002]. Dynamic compression may enhance the transport of large solutes (e.g., growth factors) within the tissue. Many theoretical analyses have been reported in literature on the transport of fluid and solutes, as well as physical signals (stress, strain, pressure, concentrations, and electrical potential) in cartilage under unconfined compression [Armstrong, 1984; Levenston, 1999; Mow, 2002]. However, little is known as to how the tissue fixed charge density (FCD) affects the transport of fluid and neutral solutes (e.g., glucose and IGF-1) in cartilage sample in dynamic compression. In this study, we numerically analyzed the transport of fluid and solutes, as well as the mechano-electrochemical signals within the cartilage sample in dynamic unconfined compression, using the finite element method (FEM). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of FCD, loading frequency, and loading platens (permeable vs. impermeable) on the transport of fluid, ions, and neutral solutes within cartilage. This study is essential for the understanding of tissue nutrition and signal transduction mechanisms in cartilage subjected to mechanical forces.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Interstellar Processes Leading to Molecular Deuterium Enrichment and Their Detection

Large deuterium (D) enrichments in meteoritic materials indicate that interstellar organic materials survived incorporation into parent bodies within the forming Solar System. These enrichments are likelier due to one or more of four distinct astrochemical processes. These are (1) low temperature gas phase ion-molecule reactions; (2) low temperature gas-grain reactions; (3) gas phase unimolecular photodissociation, and (4) ultraviolet photolysis in D-enriched ice mantles. Each of these processes should be associated with molecular carriers having, distinct regiochemical signatures (D placement on the product molecules, correlation with specific chemical functionalities, etc.). These processes are reviewed and specific spectroscopic signatures for the detection of these processes in space are identified and described.
Invited commentary for "multi-institutional study of self-reported attitudes and behaviors of general surgery residents about ethical academic practices in test-taking".

The first American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) was given in 1975 at the urging of resident program directors who wanted a tool to measure resident’s knowledge. The introduction of testing had arisen after a joint effort by the Mayo Clinic and National Board of Medical Examiners in 1967. By the time I took my first ABSITE in January 1980, the examination had already struck fear into the hearts of surgical residents. As a postgraduate year (PGY)-1 resident, I took my 2 weeks of annual vacation reading a surgical textbook in the weeks prior to the ABSITE. Reading the Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program questions was also recommended and demonstrated the value of studying questions, a practice now extending to medical students reviewing 5000 questions prior to their United States Medical Licensing Examinations. During my PGY-2 year, my program’s pyramidal system required a manpower reduction from 9 to 4 categorical residents. Those of us with the top 4 ABSITE scores were chosen to become PGY-3 residents. The other 5 residents were left with an uncertain future and livelihood. Fortunately, for the most part, the pyramid is gone. What is the reader to make of the assessment of theoretical unethical, and perhaps illegal, ABSITE behavior derived from the paper, Multi-Institutional Study of SelfReported Attitudes and Behaviors of General Surgery Residents about Ethical Academic Practices in Test-Taking by Grignol VP, Grannan K, Sabra J, et al? In an attempt to measure the ethical behavior of general surgery residents pertaining to their use of ABSITE questions for personal benefit, a variety of hypothetical scenarios are posed for their responses. Buying and selling ABSITE questions were clearly
Predictors of improvement in left ventricular function after percutaneous revascularization of occluded coronary arteries: A report from the Total Occlusion Study of Canada (TOSCA)

Abstract Background The Total Occlusion Study of Canada (TOSCA) is a multicenter, randomized trial evaluating the effect of stenting with ≥1 heparin-coated stent on long-term patency after percutaneous coronary intervention by balloon angioplasty of occluded coronary arteries. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effect of stenting and balloon angioplasty on global left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and regional wall motion and to examine what clinical and angiographic factors may have an effect on left ventricular function in this setting. Methods and Results Analysis at the core angiographic laboratory of paired baseline and follow-up left ventricular angiograms, as well as target vessel patency, was possible in 244 of 410 cases. An improvement in LVEF was observed in the entire group (59.4% ± 11% to 61.0% ± 11%, P =.003). The LVEF change was +1.84 ± 7.54 in the stent group ( P =.009) and 1.28 ± 8.16 in the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty group ( P =.085). There was no significant intergroup difference. Patients with duration of occlusion ≤6 weeks had an improvement in LVEF (+2.98 ± 8.68, P =.0006), whereas those with an occlusion duration of >6 weeks had no improvement (+0.48 ± 7.01, P not significant). Multivariate analysis revealed baseline LVEF Conclusions The restoration of coronary patency of nonacute occluded coronary arteries is associated with a small but significant improvement in regional and global left ventricular function, especially in patients with recent occlusions and depressed left ventricular function. In spite of significant effect on long-term patency, stenting of nonacute coronary occlusions does not result in significantly better left ventricular function compared with balloon angioplasty in this setting. (Am Heart J 2001;142:301-8.)
N-terminally truncated C protein, CNΔ25, of human parainfluenza virus type 3 is a potent inhibitor of viral replication

Abstract The C protein of human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3) is a multifunctional accessory protein that inhibits viral transcription and interferon (IFN) signaling. In the present study, we found that removal of N-terminal 25 or 50 amino acid residues from the C protein (CNΔ25 or CNΔ50) totally abolished viral RNA synthesis in the HPIV3 minigenome system. Further N-terminal or C-terminal deletion impaired the inhibitory ability of CNΔ25 and CNΔ50. Subsequent mutagenesis analysis suggested that the N-terminal-charged amino acid residues (K3, K6, K12, E16, and R24) contribute to the higher inhibition caused by CNΔ25 than the C protein. Consistent with viral RNA synthesis inhibition, the growth of HPIV3 was significantly decreased by 5 logs in HeLa-derived cell line expressing CNΔ25. Interestingly, replication of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), another important respiratory tract pathogen, was also strongly inhibited in the presence of CNΔ25. These findings provide a promising potential to use CNΔ25 as an antiviral agent against the clinically important respiratory tract diseases caused by HPIV3 and RSV.
Audio-visual speech recognition using MPEG-4 compliant visual features

We describe an audio-visual automatic continuous speech recognition system, which significantly improves speech recognition performance over a wide range of acoustic noise levels, as well as under clean audio conditions. The system utilizes facial animation parameters (FAPs) supported by the MPEG-4 standard for the visual representation of speech. We also describe a robust and automatic algorithm we have developed to extract FAPs from visual data, which does not require hand labeling or extensive training procedures. The principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on the FAPs in order to decrease the dimensionality of the visual feature vectors, and the derived projection weights were used as visual features in the audio-visual automatic speech recognition (ASR) experiments. Both single-stream and multistream hidden Markov models (HMMs) were used to model the ASR system, integrate audio and visual information, and perform a relatively large vocabulary (approximately 1000 words) speech recognition experiments. The experiments performed use clean audio data and audio data corrupted by stationary white Gaussian noise at various SNRs. The proposed system reduces the word error rate (WER) by 20% to 23% relatively to audio-only speech recognition WERs, at various SNRs (0-30 dB) with additive white Gaussian noise, and by 19% relatively to audio-only speech recognition WER under clean audio conditions.
Photolabile “caged” adrenergic receptor agonists and related model compounds

Abstract The synthesis and photochemical characterization of caged derivatives of the adrenergic receptor agonists phenylephrine, epinephrine and isoproterenol are described. These compounds were prepared using 2-nitrobenzyl or substituted 2-nitrobenzyl photolabile protecting groups, and were designed to allow agonist concentration jumps to be made during pharmacological/physiological experiments. The advantage of this approach over conventional methods for changing the concentrations of agonists near receptors in mechanistic studies is the exquisite spatial and temporal resolution afforded by the use of light. Flash photolysis experiments revealed that photorelease is more than two orders of magnitude faster when the 2-nitrobenzyl group is attached to the β-amino group rather than one of the phenolic oxygens of the catecholamine. For the caged phenylephrine derivatives, for example, the rate constants of release from the N-linked and O-linked derivatives are 1.8 × 104 s−1 and 1.1 × 102s−1 respectively. However, the quantum yields of photorelease from the N-linked and O-linked derivatives are similar. In addition, several model compounds were prepared to allow examination of the effects of substituents on the aromatic ring and benzylic carbon (of the 2-nitrobenzyl moiety) on the rates and efficiencies of photorelease. These studies revealed that, although substituents had little effect on the rates of photorelease from the N-linked caged derivatives, electron-donating groups on the 2-nitrobenzyl ring increased the quantum yield of release by approximately fourfold, from 0.10 to 0.40. A summary of the studies completed to evaluate the biological properties of the caged adrenergic receptor agonists is also presented.
The Impact of Financial Interest in Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy on the Utilization of Radiation Therapy for Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer: A Single Center Experience

Objective. As recent participants in an integrated prostate cancer (PCa) care center, we sought to evaluate whether financial investment in an intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) center resulted in an increased utilization of radiation therapy in our patients with newly diagnosed PCa. Materials & Methods. Following institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed the records of all consecutive patients who were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the 12 months prior to and after investment in IMRT. Primary treatment modalities included active surveillance (AS), brachytherapy (BT), radiation therapy (XRT), radical prostatectomy (RP), and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Treatment data were available for all patients and were compared between the two groups. Results. A total of 344 patients with newly diagnosed PCa were evaluated over the designated time period. The pre-investment group totaled 198 patients, while 146 patients constituted the post-investment group. Among all patients evaluated, there was a similar rate in the use of XRT (20.71% versus 20.55%, 𝑃=1.000) pre- and post-investment in IMRT. Conclusions. Financial interest in IMRT by urologists does not impact overall utilization rates among patients with newly diagnosed PCa at our center.
TRPC5 activation kinetics are modulated by the scaffolding protein ezrin/radixin/moesin-binding phosphoprotein-50 (EBP50).

TRPC1-7 proteins are members of a family of mammalian non-specific cation channels that mediate receptor-operated, phospholipase Cβ/Cγ dependent Ca2+ influx in various cell types. TRPC4 and TRPC5 form a subfamily within TRPCs. Uniquely in the TRPC family, these channels possess a C-terminal “VTTRL” motif that binds to PDZ-domains of the scaffolding protein, EBP50 (NHERF1; Tang et al., J Biol Chem 275:37559–37564). The functional effects of EBP50 on TRPC4/5 activity have not been investigated. We have cloned rat TRPC5 (rTRPC5), functionally expressed it in HEK293 cell, and studied channel regulation with patch-clamp techniques. Both rTRPC5 and its VTTRL deletion mutant (r5dV) were localized to the plasma membrane. rTRPC5 did not display any significant basal activity in unstimulated HEK293 cells. In cells co-expressing rTRPC5 and H1 histamine receptor, rTRPC5 current evoked by GTPγS or histamine developed in two phases: a slowly developing, small inward current was followed by a rapidly developing, transient, large inward current. Each phase had a characteristic non-linear current–voltage (I–V) relationship. Deletion of the VTTRL motif had no detectable effect on the biophysical properties of the channel. Co-expression of EBP50 with rTRPC5 caused a significant delay in the time-to-peak of the histamine-evoked, transient large inward current. EBP50 did not modify the activation kinetics of the VTTRL-deletion mutant. We conclude that the VTTRL motif is not necessary for activation of TRPC5, but may mediate the modulatory effect of EBP50 on TRPC5 activation kinetics. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A heuristic for sub-optimal ℌ 2 decentralized control subject to delay in non-quadratically-invariant systems

Inspired by potential applications to the smart grid, we develop a heuristic for sub-optimal, but acceptable, control of decentralized systems subject to non-quadratically invariant (non-QI) delay patterns. We do so by exploiting a recently developed solution to the decentralized H2 model matching problem subject to delays, which decomposes the controller into a centralized, but delayed, component and a decentralized FIR component. In particular, we present an iterative procedure that exploits this decomposition to design a sub-optimal decentralized H2 controller for non-QI systems that is guaranteed a priori to be stable, and to perform no worse than a controller computed with respect to a QI subset of the non-QI constraint set. We then apply this procedure to a smart-grid frequency regulation problem.
Activation of 5-HT receptors that stimulate the adenylyl cyclase pathway positively regulates IGF-I in cultured craniofacial mesenchymal cells.

Results of the present study demonstrate that activation of the adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway leads to increased levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in cultured embryonic mouse mandibular mesenchymal cells. Treatment of serum-free cultures with 10–8M 8-OH-DPAT (DPAT) or with 10–5M forskolin in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX; 10–5M) increased levels of IGF-I (but not IGF-II), as measured by [125I]protein A immunobinding. In a previous study, we showed that DPAT, forskolin, IBMX and the 5-HT4 receptor agonist SC53116 all increased the synthesis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in these cultures. Taken together, these results provide evidence that stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase/PKA pathway in embryonic mandibular mesenchymal cells positively regulates IGF-I. This is supported by the ability of the PKA inhibitor Rp-cAMPS to block increases in IGF-I caused by both DPAT and forskolin. Consistent with these results, DPAT and forskolin increased phosphorylation of the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), which was also blocked by Rp-cAMPS. These results suggest that activation of 5-HT receptors positively coupled to the adenylyl cyclase/PKA pathway may promote transcription of IGF-I through a cAMP response element (CRE) in the IGF-I promoter. This may represent one mechanism whereby 5-HT positively regulates IGF-I expression in developing craniofacial mesenchymal cells.
Helium film transfer rates in beaker filling experiments

Abstract Transfer rates (σ) for filling clean glass beakers have been measured as a function of level difference ( z ) and height of the beaker rim above the liquid at T = 1.65° K and 1.28°K. The data are described by σ = 1/( A − Blnz ).
Catalysis of DNA joining by bacteriophage T4 RNA ligase.

Abstract RNA ligase, purified extensively from Escherichia coli infected with wild-type or DNA ligase mutants of bacteriophage T4, catalyzes the joining of 5′-phosphoryl terminated DNA to DNA and RNA acceptors. This was shown by the conversion of [5′-32P]deoxyoligomers to a form resistant to phosphatase, the increased chain length of the joined RNA-DNA copolymers, the circularity of the DNA joined product, and the transfer of the 5′-32P label of the donor DNA to the 3′-end of both RNA and DNA acceptors. The novel DNA joining activity is intrinsic to RNA ligase since it co-purifies with RNA joining activity and has the same requirements, inhibitors, and thermolability. These results suggest that RNA ligase should be a useful reagent for the synthesis of defined sequence DNA and RNA-DNA copolymers and raise the possibility of a role for RNA ligase in DNA metabolism.
Ex-vivo expansion of NK cells: what is the priority--high yield or high purity?

Recently, there has been increasing research focused on the use of natural killer (NK) cells to treat cancer. NK cells mediate MHC-independent cytotoxicity against tumor cells, and in tumor-bearing...
Hypotension Following the Initiation of Tizanidine in a Patient Treated With an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor for Chronic Hypertension

Centrally acting alpha-2 adrenergic agonists are one of several pharmacologic agents used in the treatment of spasticity related to disorders of the central nervous system. In addition to their effects on spasticity, certain adverse cardiorespiratory effects have been reported. Adults chronically treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors may have a limited ability to respond to hypotension when the sympathetic response is simultaneously blocked. The authors present a 10-year-old boy chronically treated with lisinopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, to control hypertension who developed hypotension following the addition of tizanidine, an alpha-2 agonist, for the treatment of spasticity. The possible interaction of tizanidine and other antihypertensive agents should be kept in mind when prescribing therapy to treat either hypertension or spasticity in such patients.
Critical uses of intraoperative gynecologic sonography.

S onognaphy is helpful for guiding gynecologic surgeons in the openating room [ I -61. The most common indications for portable sonography are difficult dilatation and curettage (D & C) procedures I 1 1 and placement of intracavitary radiation applicators [3. 4]. Other indications are complicated terminations of early pnegnancy: removal ofembedded intrauterine contraceptive devices [7]; vascular evaluation of untwisted ovaries; and diagnosis of Ashenman’s syndrome. The purpose ofthis article is to present the types of gynecologic operations for which intraopenative sonography affords critical information. lntraopenative gynecologic sonography is often underused.
Isotope fractionation in silicate melts by thermal diffusion

Arising from F. Huang, P. et al. , 396–400 (2010)10.1038/nature08840 ; Huang et al. reply It was recently shown that relatively large (compared to analytical precision) steady state thermal isotope fractionations are produced in silicate melts whenever temperature differences are maintained for a sufficiently long time1,2. Huang et al.3 reported new data on thermal isotopic fractionation of magnesium, calcium, and iron in silicate liquids, and claimed (1) that thermal isotopic fractionations in silicate liquids are independent of composition and temperature, and (2) that their “results lead to a simple and robust framework for characterizing isotope fractionations by thermal diffusion in natural and synthetic systems”. Here I consider whether the data and arguments presented by Huang et al.3 support their claims. In summary, I caution against assuming (on the basis of the data presented by Huang et al.3) that the thermal isotopic fractionations are independent of temperature and composition, or that a framework of the type claimed has been found.
Effects of endurance exercise on nocturnal hormone concentrations in males.

A preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the change in nocturnal concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, growth hormone, prolactin, thyroxine, and Cortisol following a control day (no exercise) and on a day in which exercise was performed. Exercise consisted of 90 min of cycling at 70% of each subject's maximal oxygen uptake. The exercise occurred from 1630 to 1800 hr on the exercise day while a comparable period of rest took place on the control day. Hormonal concentrations were evaluated at 2-hr intervals for a 12-hr period each night (2000–0800 hr). The subjects slept from 2255 (± 20 min [x ± S.E.M.]) until 0715 (± 15) during each night. All hormone responses were plotted and integrated for the 12-hr period. Analysis indicated that a significant augmentation of the prolactin and thyroxine responses occurred, while concurrently an attenuation of the growth hormone and Cortisol responses were observed. Contrastingly, no significant effects were found for the testosterone and luteinizing...
Parathyroid hormone regulates the expression of rat osteoblast and osteosarcoma nuclear matrix proteins.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) alters osteoblast morphology. How these changes in cell shape modify nuclear structure and ultimately gene expression is not known. Chronic exposure to rat PTH (1–34) [10 nM] attenuated the expression of 200, 190, and 160 kD proteins in the nuclear matrix-intermediate filament subfraction of the rat osteosarcoma cells, ROS 17/2.8 [Bidwell et al. (1994b): Endocrinology 134:1738–1744]. Here, we determined that these same PTH-responsive proteins were expressed in rat metaphyseal osteoblasts. We identified the 200 kD protein as a non-muscle myosin. Although the molecular weights, subcellular distribution, and half-lives of the 190 and 160 kD proteins were similar to topoisomerase II-α and -β, nuclear matrix enzymes that mediate DNA topology, the 190 and 160 kD proteins did not interact with topoisomerase antibodies. Nevertheless, the expression of topoisomerase II-α, and NuMA, a component of the nuclear core filaments, was also regulated by PTH in the osteosarcoma cells. The 190 kD protein was selectively expressed in bone cells as it was not observed in OK opossum kidney cells, H4 hepatoma cells, or NIH3T3 cells. PTH attenuated mRNA expression of the PTH receptor in our cell preparations. These results demonstrate that PTH selectively alters the expression of osteoblast membrane, cytoskeletal, and nucleoskeletal proteins. Topoisomerase II-α, NuMA, and the 190 and 160 kD proteins may direct the nuclear PTH signalling pathways to the target genes and play a structural role in osteoblast gene expression. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Homoepitaxial SiC Growth by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The homoepitaxial growth of SiC thin films by solid- and gas-source molecular beam epitaxy is reviewed and discussed. Our recent results regarding the homoepitaxial growth of single crystal 3C-SiC(111) and 6H-SiC(0001) thin films are also presented. The 3C-SiC(111) films were grown on both vicinal and on-axis 6H-SiC(0001) substrates at temperatures between 1000 and 1500 °C using SiH 4 and C 2 H 4 . They contained double positioning boundaries and stacking faults and the surface morphology and growth rate depended strongly on temperature. Films of 6H-SiC(0001) with low defect densities were deposited at high growth rates on vicinal 6H-SiC(0001) substrates by adding H2 to the reactant mixture at temperatures between 1350 and 1500°C. At temperatures below 1350°C, only the cubic phase was formed. A kinetic analysis of the SiC deposition process is also presented. The SiC films were resistive with an n-type character and a lower N concentration than the p-type CVD-grown epilayers of the substrate. Undoped 6H-SiC films with the lowest atomic nitrogen and electron concentration had a mobility of 434 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , the highest room temperature value ever reported for this polytype. Both the 6H-SiC(0001) and the 3C-SiC(111) epilayers were controllably doped using a NH 3 /H 2 mixture (for lighly n-doped films), pure N2 (for heavily n-doped SiC epilayers) and Al evaporated from a standard effusion cell (for p-type doping).
The effect of using large, high-resolution stereoscopic displays for flow visualization

We report on a pilot experiment to explore the effects of display resolution, size, and viewing distance on three-dimensional flow visualizations. Participants performed three common flow visualization tasks using streamtubes, pathlines, and particle flurries on a rear-projected stereo display. Results show that participants favor high-resolution displays, although the display preference depends on the properties of the dataset. When interacting with the flow datasets, participants tend to place them at locations where they could see the whole dataset without losing context.
Optical and fluorescence properties of corn leaves from different nitrogen regimes

The important role of nitrogen (N) in limiting or enhancing vegetation productivity is relatively well understood, although the interaction of N with other environmental variables in natural and agricultural ecosystems needs more study. In 2001, a suite of optical, fluorescence, and biophysical measurements were collected on leaves of corn (Zea Mays L.) from field plots provided four N fertilizer application rates: 20%, 50%, 100% and 150% of optimal N levels. Two complementary sets of high-resolution (< 2 nm) optical spectra were acquired for both adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces. The first was comprised of leaf optical properties (350-2500 nm) for reflectance, transmittance, and absorptance. The second was comprised of reflectance spectra (500-1000 nm) acquired with and without a long pass 665 nm filter to determine the fluorescence contribution to "apparent reflectance" in the 670-750 nm spectrum that includes the 685 and 740 nm chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) peaks. Two types of fluorescence measurements were also made on adaxial and abaxial surfaces: 1) fluorescence images in four 10 nm bands (blue, green, red, far-red) resulting from broadband irradiance excitation; and 2) emission spectra at 5 nm resolution produced by three excitation wavelengths (280, 380, and 532 nm). The strongest relationships between optical properties and foliar chemistry were obtained for a "red-edge" optical parameter versus C/N and chlorophyll b. Select optical indices and ChlF parameters were correlated. A significant contribution of steady-state ChlF to apparent reflectance was observed, averaging 10-25% at 685 nm and 2-6% at 740 nm over the range of N treatments. From all measurements assessing fluorescence, higher ChlF was measured from the abaxial leaf surfaces.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Telephone Coaching

SEVERAL years ago I was at a professional meeting and at the end of the day I asked a world-renowned psychoanalyst if we could go have a drink and continue our conversation. He said no because he had to go back to his room and call several of his clients. At another professional meeting, this time with experts on both suicide and on borderline personality disorder, I systematically asked several psychiatrists if they took calls at home from clients. All said yes, of course. Another psychoanalyst, an expert on suicide, when addressing the question of whether a psychiatrist should take calls from clients at night, told of the time a client showed up at his home after midnight highly suicidal. He let the client in (while still in his robe) and sat and talked with him until the crisis resolved. At another meeting, a noted psychodynamic expert on the treatment of borderline personality disorder was asked what limits he put on client phone calls and how did he explain these limits to clients at the start of therapy. He replied that he did not set down rules about telephone contact at the start of therapy with clients. His position was, Why assume without evidence that a client will call you too much or will interact with you in ineffective ways? I was surprised by all these comments. Where in the world did so many therapists get the idea that clients should not call their therapists for help between sessions? How is it that so many of our graduate students and clinical trainees are taught that it is reasonable to not take calls at home from clients? Psychotherapy is one of themost intimate relationships between two people. Although the client’s experience of being emotionally and personally cared about and for is not important in every therapeutic relationship, it is essential in many. In those cases where the experience of being cared for and, shall I say also, being loved in some way by the therapist is a critical component of the therapeutic relationship, being told that there are arbitrary limits on that care can be exceptionally painful.
Totherswamp's Lament: Christian Indian Fathers and Sons in Early Massachusetts

Focusing on two striking episodes in the early history of Natick, a Christian Indian town in colonial Massachusetts, this article examines the importance of Indian fathers and sons in New England missionary discourse and efforts. Just as missionaries saw fatherhood and patrimony as key to propagating Indian Christianity across generations, Native Americans who resisted the mission viewed prominent fathers and sons as a useful target for their resentment.