cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroanatomical Localization of the Motor Hand Area With Magnetic Resonance Imaging: The Left Hemisphere Is Larger in Great Apes

Magnetic resonance images of the brain were obtained from 2 gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), 4 orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), 14 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and 4 bonobos (Pan paniscus). The region on the motor cortex of humans identified as responsible for motor skill of the hand (the "knob") was identified in this sample on consecutive 1-mm axial scans. The shape of the knob area was traced on each scan from both hemispheres, and the area from all scans was summed to calculate the knob volume. The width of the knob was also measured and correlated highly with knob volume. A significant population-level leftward asymmetry in the volume and width of the knob was revealed (p < .05). Species differences in knob asymmetry and overall volume were not significant, but the variability in overall volume between species was substantial. Selection for the evolution of a neuroanatomical representation of the hand in primates and an evolutionary trend toward population-level right handedness are discussed.
MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN DIABETICS WITH HEART FAILURE AND A PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION: RESULTS FROM THE I-PRESERVE TRIAL

Approximately 50% of patients with heart failure (HF) have a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Diabetes mellitus (DM) is common in HFpEF and its presence may be associated with worse outcomes. The I-Preserve (Irbesartan in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction) trial randomized 4128
THE PURE LOGIC OF GROUND

I lay down a system of structural rules for various notions of ground and establish soundness and completeness. Ground is the relation of one truth holding in virtue of others. This relation is like that of consequence in that a necessary connection must hold between the relata if the relation is to obtain but it differs from consequence in so far as it required that there should also be an explanatory connection between the relata. The grounds must account for what is grounded. Thus even though P is a consequence o fPP but the claim that P is a ground fo rPP they can be assessed for consistency, assigned a semantics, compared for proof-theoretic strength, etc. There are two other, more particular, aspects of my approach. The first lies in its concep- tual basis. Most other philosophers have worked almost exclusively with a concept of strict ground, under which a truth is not capable (or, at least, not normally capable) of being a ground for itself. 2 But I believe that there is also an important concept of weak ground, under which a truth will automatically be a ground for itself. Very roughly, we may say that strict grounds must move us down in the explanatory order while weak grounds must not move us up. Thus P can weakly ground P, bu tP&P cannot weakly ground P given that P strictly grounds P & P.
WE‐A‐134‐08: Modeling Cardiac Induced Lung Tissue Motion for a Quantitative Breathing Motion Model

Purpose: To improve the accuracy of a quantitative breathing motion model by developing a cardiac‐induced lung tissue motion model from MRI data. Methods: 10 healthy volunteers were imaged on a 1.5T MR‐scanner. A total of 24 short‐axis and 18 radial views were acquired during a series of 12–15s breath‐holds. The planar views were combined to create a 3D view of the anatomy. Each view contained 30 equal‐partitioned frames beginning with the end‐diastolic cardiac phase. A single‐level 3D optical flow deformable image registration algorithm was used to measure the difference in tissue position between the end‐diastolic image and the remaining phases. The maximum displacement magnitude and direction obtained in this manner was defined as g(X0), the cardiac‐induced lung tissue motion. The motion model was assumed to be linear and the motion trajectory a product of g(X0) and h, where h was a phase‐dependent scalar that had a value of 0 at end‐diastole and 1 at the maximum tissue displacement phase. The model was evaluated by comparing the cardiac‐induced lung tissue motion, using a lower motion threshold of 0.3mm, with the residual model error. Results: The deformable image registration algorithm was found to be highly accurate. Lung tissue near the myocardium was observed to have motion as large as 5mm. The average relative error for the model was 36.5% for sub‐millimeter voxel motion. The average relative error decreased for greater voxel motion to 5.6% for >3mm voxel motion. The overall average model residual error was 0.19±0.18mm. Conclusion: The magnitude of cardiac‐induced lung tissue displacement was enough to degrade the accuracy of quantitative lung tissue motion modeling. The use of a single location‐independent phase dependent term provided suitable model accuracy. Introducing a cardiac motion term has the potential to reduce the error in breathing motion models caused by uncompensated cardiac‐induced lung tissue motion. This work supported in part by NIH R01CA096679 and R01CA116712
Oral contraceptives and lipids and lipoproteins: Part I --variations in mean levels by oral contraceptive type.

A randomized clinical trial of oral contraceptives evaluated 67 women on 50 micrograms ethinyl estradiol (EE) and 1.0 mg norethindrone (NE), 61 women on 35 micrograms EE and 1.0 mg NE, and 64 women on 35 micrograms EE and 0.5 mg NE. Fasting lipids and lipoproteins were measured at baseline, three, six and nine months. All groups showed an increase in plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein/apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A-1. The group taking the preparation with 0.5 mg of NE was the only one to result in an elevation of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; the other two groups showed declines in the mean levels of this lipoprotein over the study time period. Mean changes in lipid/lipoprotein levels associated with oral contraceptive use appear to be at least partially related to the doses of the contraceptive steroids.
Psychological test profiles of patients with borderline and schizotypal personality disorders: implications for DSM-IV

In order to examine the symptom characteristics of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), 45 male inpatients with DSM-III personality disorder diagnoses, including patients with SPD (n = 15), BPD (n = 17), and both SPD and BPD (BPD/SPD) (n = 13), were administered a battery of psychological tests that included measures of traditionally defined schizotypal features such as perceptual aberration and anhedonia (the Chapman Psychosis Proneness Scales) and borderline characteristics such as impulsivity (the Barratt Impulsivity Scale) and hostility (the Buss—Durkee Hostility Inventory). All patients also completed the MMPI, which includes scales measuring schizotypal features such as endorsement of quasi-psychotic experiences in addition to scales measuring impulsivity and aggression. Both BPD and SPD/BPD patients were discriminated from SPD patients by significantly higher levels of impulsivity and aggression but not by the differential presence of psychoticlike sympt...
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia: A comprehensive review of animal and human studies

The effectiveness of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (HS) in the treatment of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease is assessed in this review by taking a comprehensive approach to interpreting the randomized clinical trial (RCT) results in the context of the available ethnomedical, phytochemical, pharmacological, and safety and toxicity information. HS decoctions and infusions of calyxes, and on occasion leaves, are used in at least 10 countries worldwide in the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia with no reported adverse events or side effects. HS extracts have a low degree of toxicity with a LD50 ranging from 2,000 to over 5,000mg/kg/day. There is no evidence of hepatic or renal toxicity as the result of HS extract consumption, except for possible adverse hepatic effects at high doses. There is evidence that HS acts as a diuretic, however in most cases the extract did not significantly influence electrolyte levels. Animal studies have consistently shown that consumption of HS extract reduces blood pressure in a dose dependent manner. In RCTs, the daily consumption of a tea or extract produced from HS calyxes significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in adults with pre to moderate essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes. In addition, HS tea was as effective at lowering blood pressure as the commonly used blood pressure medication Captropril, but less effective than Lisinopril. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides were lowered in the majority of normolipidemic, hyperlipidemic, and diabetic animal models, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was generally not affected by the consumption of HS extract. Over half of the RCTs showed that daily consumption of HS tea or extracts had favorable influence on lipid profiles including reduced total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides, as well as increased HDL-C. Anthocyanins found in abundance in HS calyxes are generally considered the phytochemicals responsible for the antihypertensive and hypocholesterolemic effects, however evidence has also been provided for the role of polyphenols and hibiscus acid. A number of potential mechanisms have been proposed to explain the hypotensive and anticholesterol effects, but the most common explanation is the antioxidant effects of the anthocyanins inhibition of LDL-C oxidation, which impedes atherosclerosis, an important cardiovascular risk factor. This comprehensive body of evidence suggests that extracts of HS are promising as a treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia, however more high quality animal and human studies informed by actual therapeutic practices are needed to provide recommendations for use that have the potential for widespread public health benefit.
Chitosan-alginate scaffold culture system for hepatocellular carcinoma increases malignancy and drug resistance.

Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent solid malignancy. Critically needed discovery of new therapeutics has been hindered by lack of an in vitro cell culture system that can effectively represent the in vivo tumor microenvironment. To address this need, a 3D in vitro HCC model was developed using a biocompatible, chitosan-alginate (CA) scaffold cultured with human HCC cell lines.
The fate of mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into immunocompetent neonatal mice: implications for skeletal gene therapy via stem cells

To explore the feasibility of skeletal gene and cell therapies, we transduced murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with a retrovirus carrying the enhanced green fluorescent protein and zeocin-resistance genes prior to transplantation into 2-day-old immunocompetent neonatal mice. Whole-body imaging of the recipient mice at 7 days post-systemic cell injection demonstrated a wide distribution of the cells in vivo. Twenty-five days posttransplantation, most of the infused cells were present in the lung as assessed by examination of the cells cultured from the lungs of the recipient mice. The cells persisted in lung and maintained a high level of gene expression and could be recovered from the recipient mice at 150 days after cell transplantation. A significant number of GFP-positive cells were also present in the bones of the recipient mice at 35 days post-cell transplantation. Recycling of the cells recovered from femurs of the recipient mice at 25 days posttransplantation by repeated injections into different neonatal mice resulted in the isolation of a clone of cells that was detected in bone and cartilage, but not in lung and liver after systemic injection. These data demonstrate that MSCs persist in immunocompetent neonatal mice, maintain a high level of gene expression, and may participate in skeletal growth and development of the recipient animals.
Stress Averaging in PVDF Sensors For In-Plane Sinusoidal and Impact-Induced Stresses

Polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF) sensors are shown to exhibit very high stress sensitivity and high speed operation, with nanosecond response times. These characteristics allow PVDF sensors to measure in-plane stress waves in a structure. The voltage output of these sensors can be related to the average stress acting on the sensor. This paper presents an analysis on the effects of stress averaging for both in-plane sinusoidal stress waves and in-plane impact-induced stresses. Analytical models are developed that show the relationship between measured PVDF output voltage and sensor parameters, structure material, and input stress conditions. Parametric studies are conducted, which show that the error introduced by stress averaging is minimal for most typical cases; however, the effects of stress averaging become more significant as the sensor length increases, density of the structure's material increases, and magnitude of the input stress increases. For sinusoidal stress inputs, the error increases as the sensor length approaches the wavelength of the stress in the structure.
Extended X-ray absorption fine structure evidence for a single metal binding domain in Xenopus laevis nucleotide excision repair protein XPA.

Abstract Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is an important cellular mechanism, conserved from bacteria to humans, responsible for eliminating multiple types of structurally distinct DNA lesions from the genome. The protein XPA appears to play a central role in NER, recognizing and/or verifyingdamaged DNA and recruiting other proteins, including RPA, ERCC1, and TFIIH, to repair the damage. Sequence analysis and genetic evidence suggest that zinc, which is essential for DNA binding, is associated with a C4-type motif, C-X 2 -C-X 17 -C-X 2 -C. Sequence analysis suggests that a second, H2C2-type zinc-binding motif may be present near the C-terminal. Seventy percent of the amino acid sequence of Xenopus laevis XPA (xXPA) is identical to human XPA and both putative zinc-binding motifs are conserved in all known XPA proteins. Electrospray ionization–mass spectroscopy data show that xXPA contains only one zinc atom per molecule. EXAFS spectra collected on full-length xXPA in frozen (77 K) 15% glycerol aqueous solution unequivocally show that the zinc atom is coordinated to four sulfur atoms with an average Zn S bond length of 2.33 ± 0.02 A. Together, the EXAFS and mass spectroscopy data indicate that xXPA contains just one C4-type zinc-binding motif.
Synthetic Carbonatite Magma

Judging from the literature during the past decade, there is a growing interest in problems related to the genesis of carbonatites and associated alkaline igneous rocks. The interest has undoubtedly been fostered by the discovery of large reserves of rare earths in these rocks. Many field geologists believe that carbonatites were emplaced as liquid magmas; but hitherto there has been no conclusive experimental evidence to support the existence of carbonatite liquids. In fact, from the available experimental evidence it seemed unlikely that such liquids could exist at the low temperatures indicated by field studies. We have recently obtained experimental evidence that simplified carbonatite magmas can exist at moderate temperatures through a wide range of pressures.
Correlation Improvement Between Theoretical and Experimental Results of PZT Thin-Film Membrane Actuators

This paper is to study actuation displacement of a Lead Zirconate Titanate (PbZrx Ti1−x O3 or PZT) thin-film membrane actuator via finite element modeling and laser-Doppler measurements. In particular, this paper is to identify possible parameters that could cause discrepancies between the finite element predictions and experimental measurements. A twofold approach is used. First, we conduct additional experiments to measure actuator dimensions, which are subsequently used as input to the finite element model. We also measure natural frequencies of the membrane actuators to compare with the finite element predictions in addition to the actuator displacement. Second, we have conducted a parametric study via the finite element model to identify possible parameters that could cause the discrepancies. Parameters varied include dimensions, material properties, residual stresses and linearity of the PZT thin-film membrane actuator. Simulation results indicate that the residual stresses are the most probable cause of the discrepancy between the theoretical predictions and the experimental results.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Is prostate biopsy essential to diagnose prostate cancer in the older patient with extremely high prostate-specific antigen?

Purpose: The results of all prostate biopsies may be positive and suggestive of adenocarcinoma in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values higher than 100 ng/ml. We considered that the prostate cancer in patients with high PSA might be advanced disease and therefore that the treatment strategy should not be changed according to pathological reports. Thus, we assessed the role of prostate biopsy when diagnosing prostate cancer in patients with extremely high PSA levels. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of 1,150 cases undergoing prostate biopsies. Patients with urinary tract infection and acute urinary retention were excluded. According to the pre-biopsy PSA level, patients were divided into 6 groups (group A, 4 to 20 ng/ml; B, 20 to 40 ng/ml; C, 40 to 60 ng/ml; D, 60 to 80 ng/ml; E: 80 to 100 ng/ml; and F, above 100 ng/ml). Results: The calculated positive predictive value (PPV) for prostate cancer was 22% in group A, 54% in group B, 73% in group C, 75% in group D, 89% in group E, and 100% in group F, respectively. Pathological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma in all patients in group F (n=56). Among them, 38 patients (67.9%) had lymph node metastasis or extra-prostatic disease or both and 43 patients (76.8%) had bony metastasis. In group F, all cases were advanced prostate cancer (stage III or IV). All of them received hormonal therapy following diagnosis. Conclusions: We suggest the possibility for biopsy-free diagnosis of prostate cancer in patients with extremely high levels of serum PSA and evidence of advanced disease in imaging studies, especially in older patients with comorbid medical problems.
Effect of diesel exhaust inhalation on antioxidant and oxidative stress responses in adults with metabolic syndrome.

Background: Traffic-related air pollution is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although the biological mechanisms are not well understood, oxidative stress may be a primary pathway. Subpopulations, such as individuals with metabolic syndrome (MeS), may be at increased risk of adverse effects associated with air pollution. Our aim was to assess the relationship between exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) and indicators of systemic antioxidant and oxidative responses in adults with MeS. We hypothesized that DE exposure would result in greater oxidative stress and antioxidant responses compared with filtered air (FA).Methods: Ten adult subjects with MeS were exposed on separate days for two hours to FA or DE (at 200μg/m3), in a double blind, crossover experiment. Urinary 8-isoPGF2α (F2-isoprostanes), and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were assessed as markers of oxidative stress at 3 hrs and 22 hrs, respectively, after exposure initiation. To assess the short-term antioxidant response...
High-Resolution Simulations of Nonlinear Internal Gravity Waves in the South China Sea

We employ the parallel, unstructured-grid, nonhydrostatic coastal ocean model SUNTANS to simulate the formation and evolution of internal gravity waves in the South China Sea, a site of some of the largest observed internal waves on Earth. The use of unstructured grids enables the simulations to capture the multiscale behavior of the waves, while the nonhydrostatic capability of the model enables simulation of solitary-like internal gravity waves. The results compare well to satellite imagery and reveal that the dominant internal wave signal in the South China Sea arises from internal waves that are generated daily at the eastern ridge of a two-ridge system in the Luzon Strait, on the eastern boundary of the sea.
Synchronous reluctance motor operating point dependent parameter determination

An operating-point-dependent approach to the modeling of a synchronous reluctance motor is considered. The Fock and Hart testing method is used to obtain the motor parameter values x/sub d/, x/sub q/, and r for different values of input voltage magnitude and frequency. From the accumulated points, a three-dimensional surface for each parameter is generated, and a function is formulated to describe the surface. As a result of this modeling technique, an input-variant, nonlinear model of the motor is obtained, such that a nonlinear control technique can be applied for a more precise control strategy. >
The Supreme Court and the Alien Tort Statute: Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co.

Alien Tort Statute litigation has generated a growing number of questions about the the scope of statute, but in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co. the Supreme Court finally answered one of them: the presumption against extraterritoriality applies to the statute. Going forward, courts may apply a robust version of the presumption, effectively ending ATS litigation as we currently know it. Or, they may not. The Court’s citations to Morrison v. Nat’l Austl. Bank Ltd. suggest the former; some language in the various opinions suggests the latter. This article explores these uncertainties and also discusses additional factors that may be significant for the courts’ application of the presumption in future cases: a potential analogy between the ATS and the Sherman Act, the purpose of the ATS, and the appropriate deference to accord the executive branch in ATS litigation. Finally, it considers the significance of Kiobel to the development and enforcement of international law and argues that the uncertain course charted by the Court in ATS litigation is in many respects unexceptional.
Domain Size Determination in Diamond Thin Films

In this study we develop a method which utilizes the linewidth of the diamond peak at 1332 cm−1 to determine the diamond domain sizes. We have carried out calculations based on the phonon dispersion curves of diamond and the breakdown of wavevector selection rules in Raman scattering. The linewidths of a series of diamond samples were calculated, and from this theory the dimensions of the diamond regions were obtained. The calculated domain sizes ranged from 57 to 100A and were compared to values obtained from SEM micrographs which were between 5000 and 25000A. This is consistent with other results which have found that domain sizes calculated from this theory are in general consistent with sizes determined from electrical conductivity measurements, not from microscopy techniques. In addition, this theory allows for the calculation of the amount of frequency shift due to microcrystallinity, so that the residual stress in the film can be found.
Conditional regulation of Puf1p, Puf4p, and Puf5p activity alters YHB1 mRNA stability for a rapid response to toxic nitric oxide stress in yeast

Puf RNA-binding proteins regulate mRNA stability and translation. This work elucidates the role of three yeast Puf proteins in regulating YHB1 mRNA stability in response to cell stress. Without str...
Memory test time reduction by interconnecting test items

The idea is to interconnect test items to reuse memory states left from the previous test item for saving initialization and verification sequences. Meanwhile, signal settling time of the tester between two consecutive test items being applied can also be minimized since all test items are connected together into a continuous one. The interconnection problem is transformed to the Rural Chinese Postman (RCP) problem. The RCP problem is a famous NP-hard problem, one way to solve the RCP problem is by modeling as an integer linear programming (ILP) model. However, in the worst case, it will incur an exponential number of constraints; therefore, it is not suitable for practical usage. Instead of putting all constraints at once, we generate and solve a number of successive ILP models with the smaller number of constraints. The total numbers of iterations and constraints applied to solve ILP models are analyzed and compared.
A coded 16-QAM scheme with space diversity for cellular systems

A coded 16-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) scheme with digital channel sounding, convolutional coding, and space diversity is introduced for improving the spectral utilization of digital cellular systems. A combined estimate of channel reliability is obtained from the diversity branches, and is used to modify the likelihood criterion of the Viterbi decoder. This is an extension of the authors previous decoding techniques to include multiple diversity paths. They investigate the bit error rate performance of this scheme in fast fading channels corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise and cochannel interference through computer simulations. The results show that in a cellular environment, this scheme may achieve an improvement in capacity of 30% compared to the pi /4-DQPSK method with diversity reception. >
The Overdiagnosis of Lyme Disease in Children Residing in an Endemic Area

The medical records of 227 children ages 1 to 19 years referred to the Lyme disease pediatric clinic over a 32-month period since May 1990 were reviewed. Clinico-serologic criteria for a positive diagnosis were applied. One hundred thirty-eight of 227 referred children did not fulfill those criteria and became the study population. Four subsets of patients emerged: (1) 54 patients with predominantly subjective symptoms; (2) 52 patients with objective evidence for an alternative diagnosis; (3) eight patients who had documented infection in the past and continued with symptoms after antibiotic treatment; and (4) 24 patients with a history of tick attachment or prenatal/family history of Lyme disease. Serologic testing data from commercial laboratories were available for the 54 children from the "predominantly subjective" group; 50% were negative, and 50% were borderline or positive. Ninety-two percent of these patients were negative at retesting by our enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and 100% were negative by Western blot. Fifty-seven percent of these patients had received treatment prior to our evaluation. Children residing in an endemic area who present with vague symptoms are being diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease without clinical or serologic documentation. In addition, fear in the lay community may be inducing doctors to diagnose Lyme disease in patients with symptoms that may be suggestive of an alternative diagnosis.
A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial of Cannabis Cigarettes in Neuropathic Pain

Abstract The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) report that no sound scientific studies support the medicinal use of cannabis. Despite this lack of scientific validation, many patients routinely use "medical marijuana," and in many cases this use is for pain related to nerve injury. We conducted a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study evaluating the analgesic efficacy of smoking cannabis for neuropathic pain. Thirty-eight patients with central and peripheral neuropathic pain underwent a standardized procedure for smoking either high-dose (7%), low-dose (3.5%), or placebo cannabis. In addition to the primary outcome of pain intensity, secondary outcome measures included evoked pain using heat-pain threshold, sensitivity to light touch, psychoactive side effects, and neuropsychological performance. A mixed linear model demonstrated an analgesic response to smoking cannabis. No effect on evoked pain was seen. Psychoactive effects were minimal and well-tolerated, with some acute cognitive effects, particularly with memory, at higher doses. Perspective This study adds to a growing body of evidence that cannabis may be effective at ameliorating neuropathic pain, and may be an alternative for patients who do not respond to, or cannot tolerate, other drugs. However, the use of marijuana as medicine may be limited by its method of administration (smoking) and modest acute cognitive effects, particularly at higher doses.
Sustainable data centers powered by renewable energy

The energy consumption of data centers (DCs) has dramatically increased in recent years, primarily due to the massive computing demands driven by communications, banking, online retail, and entertainment services. In today's data centers, the cooling and infrastructure operations require almost the same energy as the IT operations. The large energy consumption in data centers prompted government agencies, industries, professional organizations, and academic institutions to investigate sustainable growth paths. We discuss such scenarios based on current trends and projections and propose the required innovations to achieve a 10 fold increase in “performance per Watt” of IT operations. We discuss three possible technology components that would improve the operational performance of data centers: (1) integration of renewable energy sources (2) increasing energy efficiency through IT consolidation and workload optimization, and (3) multifunctional sensor networks for better cooling and infrastructure management. We discuss the key requirements and how these technologies can be combined to achieve a sustainable path.
Closing the Nanographene Gap: Surface‐Assisted Synthesis of Peripentacene from 6,6′‐Bipentacene Precursors

The thermally induced cyclodehydrogenation reaction of 6,6'-bipentacene precursors on Au(111) yields peripentacene stabilized by surface interactions with the underlying metallic substrate. STM and atomic-resolution non-contact AFM imaging reveal rectangular flakes of nanographene featuring parallel pairs of zig-zag and armchair edges resulting from the lateral fusion of two pentacene subunits. The synthesis of a novel molecular precursor 6,6'-bipentacene, itself a synthetic target of interest for optical and electronic applications, is also reported. The scalable synthetic strategy promises to afford access to a structurally diverse class of extended periacenes and related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as advanced materials for electronic, spintronic, optical, and magnetic devices.
Electrophoretic Patterns of Porcine Uterine Protein Secretions during the Estrous Cycle

Porcine uterine protein secretions collected by flushing uteri of gilts on Days 2-18 and Day 20 of the estrous cycle were studied using acrylamide gel disk electrophoresis. Protein components showed similarelectrophoretic patterns on Days 2-11. Beginning on Day 12 therewere additional protein bands in an area (Ma/b values of 0.730-0.950) where none had previously been observed. By Days 14-16 there were a total of six protein bands not present on Days 2-11 with Ma/b values of 0.910,0.840, 0.800, 0.740,0.190, and 0.180 when albumin was 1.0000. In addition, a protein having a natural lavender color was present on Days 12-16 which migrated toward the cathode at pH 8.0. The protein bands at 0.840, 0.740 and the lavender protein were PAS-positive. The six protein bands which migrated toward the anode were eluted as a single protein fraction using Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and had an estimated average molecular weight of 20,000. The lavender protein had an estimated molecular weight of 45,000. These data indicate the cyclic nature of porcine uterine protein secretory pattern and provide further characterization of the protein components of porcine uterine secretions.
Electromigration in lead-free solder joints under high-frequency pulse current: An experimental study:

The insatiable demand for miniaturization of consumer electronics has brought continuing challenges in the electronic packaging field. As a consequence, immense information processing duties, high current density and large joule heating are exerted on the package, which makes electromigration and thermomigration a serious reliability issue. In this study, high frequency pulse current electromigration degradation experiments were carried out on Sn96.5%Ag3.0%Cu0.5 (SAC305 - by weight) solder joints. During the test, frequency, current density and duty factors are used as controlling parameters. The nominal current density varied from 1.0×105Acm2 to 2.1×105Acm2, pulsed direct current frequency ranged from 2 MHz to 10 MHz and duty factor varied between 30% and 80% with a controlled ambient temperature at 70℃. It was observed that mean time to failure was inversely proportional to the current density and duty factor. Higher frequency leads to a shorter lifetime within the frequency range we studied. Scanning e...
Hijacking power and bandwidth from the mobile phone's audio interface

The mobile phone is the most pervasive personal communications and computing platform ever created and yet, among its various analog interfaces, only one is open, standardized, and widely accessible: the headset port. In this demo, we augmente the mobile phone with a range of phone-powered peripherals. We show that the mobile phone headset port can be used to efficiently power external peripherals and communicate with them, enabling many new phone-centric applications. But, why use the headset port at all? One reason is that it is an open, simple, and ubiquitous interface with documented electrical and mechanical specifications. Perhaps even more important, the headset interface is backward-and forward-compatible with most mobile phones in use today.
The use of DFT windows in signal-to-noise ratio and harmonic distortion computations

The discrete Fourier transform (DFT) can be used to compute the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and harmonic distortion of a waveform recorder. When the data record contains a non-integer number of cycles of the sine wave, energy leaks from the sine wave and its harmonics to adjacent frequencies. A.L. Benetazzo et al. (1992) describe a windowed DFT method for computing the RMS value of a sine wave from the magnitude of the main lobe of its DFT and recommend the use of minimum energy windows. We present criteria for choosing the DFT window. A constraint for the window coefficients is derived to insure that quantization error does not influence the estimate of the amplitude of a sine wave from the main lobe of its DFT. >
Effects of Nanoparticles and Polymer Additives in Turbulent Pipe Flow

Spatial and temporal characteristics of turbulent pipe flows using nanofluids and dilute polymer solutions are examined by means of instantaneous differential pressure and velocity measurements. Spherical and elongated nanosilica particles (SiO2 ) are mixed into water to make nanofluid and polyacrylamide (PAC) is dissolved into water to make PAC solution. The effects of nanofluid on the drag reduction and turbulent structure are determined and compared with the effects of polymer additives on the turbulent structures and drag reduction. Suppression of turbulence near pipe wall was observed with the introduction of both spherical and elongated nanoparticles. Although experimental results show that nanofluids are not candidates for drag reduction unlike polymer additives, they do not increase pressure drop. Hence addition of nanoparticles into heat transfer fluids could have the potential for heat transfer enhancement in pipe flow without paying the penalty of increasing pumping power.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A comfortable silicone bulb obturator with or without dentures

M axillectomy patients who have lost a portion of the hard palate and some of the maxillary ridge can be made more comfortable with a separate silicone sinus bulb that will lend full support to a complete upper denture. An acrylic resin obturator fastened solidly to a denture creates problems in the sinus region. Movement of the hard acrylic resin obturator in the palatal opening causes an irritation of the edges of the hard palate and turbinate bones. Hard acrylic resin limits the use of the undercuts that may be made available for retention of denture obturators. A stable soft silicone bulb and insert can be used to fill the undercuts of the open sinus in order to provide more retention and less irritation than the usual hard acrylic resin obturators fastened to dentures. The removal of a part of the exposed sinus and turbinate bones during the original operation for cancer benefits both the patient and the maxillofacial prosthodontist. It allows space for the obturator bulb and creates more retention than if the turbinate bones are left in place. The reason given for retaining the turbinate bones is to warm the air and prevent the crusting of mucous secretions. With an accuratefitting bulb, 50 per cent or more of the turbinate bones can be removed, and the result is very little or no crusting in that region. Most of the mucus is brought out with the bulb and can be readily washed away. Some unsuccessful obturators have been made successful by removing some of the turbinate bones. We make our prosthesis in two parts (Fig. 1) . First a silicone bulb is constructed to fit into as many of the undercuts of the sinus region as possible. A denture is then constructed to fit the remaining part of the maxillary arch and the bulb. An insert is incorporated in the denture for retention.
Electrochemical Reactivity of Ball-Milled MoO3-y as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract The electrochemical reactivity of ball-milled MoO 3 powders was investigated in Li rechargeable cells. High-energy ball-milling converts highly-crystalline MoO 3 bulk powders into partially reduced low-crystalline MoO 3− y materials with a reduced particle size. Both bulk and ball-milled MoO 3 exhibit a first discharge capacity beyond 1100 mAh g −1 when tested in the 0–3 V ( vs. Li/Li + ) range, which is indicative of a complete conversion reaction. It is found that partial reduction caused by ball-milling results in a reduction in the conversion reaction. Additionally, incomplete re-oxidation during subsequent charge results in the formation of MoO 2 instead of MoO 3 , which in turn affects the reactivity in subsequent cycles. As compared to bulk MoO 3 , ball-milled MoO 3− y showed significantly enhanced cycle performance (bulk: 27.6% charge capacity retention at the 10th cycle vs. ball-milled for 8 h: 64.4% at the 35th cycle), which can be attributed to the nano-texture wherein nanometer-sized particles aggregate to form secondary ones.
The nature of cognitive development

Theories of cognitive development have led to enduring and fierce arguments that have been long on rhetoric but short on evidence. Constructivist theory has roots in Piagetian notions of cognitive development as proceeding from self-directed action during infancy. Nativist theories subsequently became popular by producing claims of cognitive precocity, but left open many central questions concerning mechanisms of development. Now, a new view of constructivism is experiencing a renaissance, having achieved greater psychophysical, computational and neural plausibility.
Gravitational phenomenology in higher-dimensional theories and strings

We investigate gravitational phenomenology in compactified higher-dimensional theories, with particular emphasis on the consequences in string theory of tensor-induced spontaneous Lorentz-symmetry breaking. The role played by this mechanism in causing a gravitational version of the Higgs effect and in compactification is explored. The experimental viability of compactified theories with zero modes is considered by examining nonleading but observable gravitational effects. Additional constraints from the observed cosmological properties of the Universe are uncovered. Our investigations significantly constrain many theories involving extra dimensions in their perturbative regime. To resolve the phenomenological difficulties one must generate masses for the higher-dimensional components of the metric while leaving massless the physical spacetime components. Some possibilities for overcoming this metric-mass problem are suggested. An open issue is whether the metric-mass problem is resolved in string theory.
Combined Epilepsy/ADHD and Working Memory

Researchers at University Children’s Hospital Basel, and other centers in Switzerland, Norway, and Germany studied behavioral differences in working memory performance, response to methylphenidate, and functional brain organization in 17 boys with combined epilepsy/ADHD, 15 boys with developmental ADHD, and 15 healthy controls (aged 8-14 years).
NITROGEN METABOLISM IN THE AMERICAN COCKROACH: AN EXAMINATION OF WHOLE BODY AMMONIUM AND OTHER CATIONS EXCRETED IN RELATION TO WATER REQUIREMENTS

The effects of dietary nitrogen levels in relation to ammonotelism, cation excretion and water requirements were examined in the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.). Very little ammonia is released from the respiratory surfaces; rather it appears to be eliminated in the faeces, presumably as ammonium ions. Microflora present in the hindgut may contribute significantly to the production of excreted ammonia under certain dietary conditions. Injections of buffers containing either NH 4 +, K+ or Na+ resulted in normal (NH 4 + and K+), or less than normal (Na+) levels of ammonia excretion. Faeces collected from cockroaches maintained on twelve different diets containing various levels and sources of nitrogen were examined for NH 4 +, K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+. Ammonium ions were found to be the major cations contained in the faeces and were excreted in increasing amounts as the dietary nitrogen levels increased. The ad libitum water requirements were closely correlated with dietary nitrogen levels, and subsequently with ammonia excretion. Certain aspects concerning the possible factors involved, and the significance of ammonia excretion, are discussed.
Abstract P038: Testosterone Supplements Have Differential Effects on Blood Pressure in Old and Young Male Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Testosterone (“T”) supplements are widely used by men to improve their quality of life, libido, and protect against osteoporosis. In clinical studies, both high and low “T” levels were found to be associated with hypertension and cardiovascular risk. Endogenous “T” levels are reduced in obese men and rats. We have shown previously that “T” supplements in middle-aged (6 mos) obese Zucker rats improved symptoms of the metabolic syndrome and caused weight loss, but increased their blood pressure. How “T” supplements affect hypertensive men and rats is unknown. We hypothesized that “T” supplements would further increase blood pressure (BP) in both old and young male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Old (O=20-22 mos) and young (Y=10 wks) male SHR were treated with “T” (testosterone propionate 8 mg/10 mm silastic pellet; OT and YT, implanted sc) or placebo (empty pellets; OP and YP, sc). Pellets were changed every 3 weeks for 8 weeks. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured by telemetry for 2 weeks. MAP in OP was higher than in YP (OP: 166±7 vs YP: 148±0.5 mmHg, p
Jet Noise Suppression Using Ultrasonic Powered Resonance Tubes

The main contribution of the present paper is the design, development, testing and experimental validation of ultrasonic powered resonance tube actuators. These flow control actuators potentially contribute lower levels of self noise. A detailed study of the nearfield of these actuators was undertaken with the goal of determining optimal placement of these actuators with respect to the target area. In the first round of experiments the ultrasonic actuators were successful in suppressing the noise from edge tones by up to 25 dB and from the jet impinging on a flat surface by up to 28 dB. These actuators are also effective in suppressing noise from weakly screeching free jets, the tonal SPL and the PNLT suppressions were as high as 8 dB and 6 dB respectively. Nomenclature D = Diameter of the PRT nozzle d = Depth of the PRT resonating chamber sp = Spacing between the PRT nozzle and the resonator tube b = Breadth of the rectangular convergent main nozzle w = Width of the rectangular convergent main nozzle Dm = Diameter of the circular convergent main nozzle h = Standoff distance (distance between edge and main nozzle exit or between ground plate and main nozzle exit) M = Mach number
Abstract LB-266: Expression of AGR2 in lung cancer cells needs an active Hippo pathway co-activator, YAP1

Background/Objective: We have previously established that Anterior Gradient-2 (AGR2) affects cancer cell growth by activating YAP1 of the Hippo pathway and inducing AREG of the EGF pathway. Although significant advances have been made concerning the growth promoting effects of AGR2 on cancer cells, including those derived from the pancreas, lung and esophagus, little is known about how AGR2 expression is regulated. Because of AGR29s potential role in human cancer and its established role in organ development in lower vertebrates, we explored the mechanisms responsible for its expression. Methods: ShRNA mediated specific knockdown of YAP1 was conducted in H460 human lung cancer cells. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to confirm the knockdown efficiency. The expression of AGR2, AREG, and the YAP1-induced genes CTGF, CYR61, COL8A1 was assayed by quantitative real time PCR after YAP1knockdown. The effect of YAP1 knockdown on AGR2 protein was evaluated by immunoblotting. Finally, an AGR2 expression reporter based on the firefly luciferase gene was employed to evaluate whether YAP1 acts on AGR2 promoter activity. Results: Reduced YAP1 expression by lentivirus mediated shRNAmir transduction was further confirmed by western blotting and was also supported by the decrease of YAP1 readouts, such as CTGF. A 95% knockdown of YAP1 expression in H460 cells resulted in a significant morphological change and a 275-fold decrease in AGR2 mRNA. As demonstrated in previously published work, AREG expression was also decreased by 40-fold. Western blots showed that in YAP1 knockdown cells (YAP1KD), there was only negligible levels of AGR2 protein. The data suggested that active YAP1 protein is required for AGR2 expression. The decrease of AGR2 mRNA expression by YAP1KD could be transcriptional or posttranscriptional. To address this question, an AGR2 promoter assay to answer whether YAP1 affects AGR2 transcription. Our AGR2 reporter assay showed that there was more than 5 times more luciferase activity in YAP1KD cells compared to cells infected with the control lentivirus not targeting to any known gene, suggesting that AGR2 expression is regulated in a post-transcriptional manner. Conclusion: YAP1 decreases AGR2 mRNA through a post-transcriptional mechanism, which may include microRNAs. There are four potential miRNA binding sites in the 3-UTR region of AGR2 transcripts. Future experiments will explore if any of these miRNAs are induced upon YAP1 knockdown. This work provides insight into the crosstalk between YAP1 and AGR2, which may have significant implications in lung cancer carcinogenesis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-266. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-266